Today Only: Uber is Delivering Puppies in Celebration of Puppy Bowl XII

Having a ruff week? For those struggling to get over the hump, Uber has just the thing.

Today and today only, the mobile ride hail company is offering users in seven cities the chance to book a puppy playdate in celebration of Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl, whose upcoming 12th edition will see over 80 adoptable dogs face off in a model Super Bowl stadium hours before the big game.

For a $30 fee, riders in Chicago, Washington D.C., Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and New York can summon the paw-esome troupe for a 15-minute cuddle session via the Uber app. (Clients in New York and D.C. can enter “PUPPYNYC” or “PUPPIESDC” to unlock the special “PUPPIES” option.)





Published By - forbes.com- Tech News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: 

Flood Re insurance offers hope to those who can’t get cover

Government-backed scheme has started offering cover to at-risk householders, but there still are exclusions

Flood Re, the scheme designed to offer affordable insurance to 350,000 UK homes at high risk of flooding, has finally opened for business. But thousands of householders may have to switch home insurer to take advantage.

Developed by the insurance industry, with government backing, Flood Re was set up after insurers said they were no longer prepared to offer universal flood cover to households who had been flooded in the past.

Billions of pounds have been paid out by the industry in recent years following a series of devastating flooding events, across the north of England and in Cumbria in particular.

Flood Re, which offers subsidised cover, received the final go ahead from financial regulators last week, and opened for business on Monday. Continue Reading...





Published By - Theguardian.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Saturday 9 April 2016 07.00 BST

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn sells entire stake in Apple

Icahn has sold his shares in the company over concerns at China’s influence on its stock price

Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn says he had sold his entire stake in Apple Inc, citing the risk of China’s influence on the stock.

In an interview with US cable television network CNBC on Thursday, Icahn also said he was “still very cautious” on the US stock market and there would be a “day of reckoning” unless there was some sort of fiscal stimulus.

Icahn had been a huge cheerleader of Apple, acquiring a stake in the company almost three years ago, repeatedly calling the investment a “no brainer.”

In an open letter to Apple chief executive Tim Cook in May 2015, Icahn had argued that shares of the iPhone maker were worth $240 (£164), about 90% more than they had been trading. At $240 a share, Apple’s market cap would be $1.4tn, Icahn asserted.

But Icahn, who owned 45.8m Apple shares at the end of last year, said China’s economic slowdown and worries about how China could become more prohibitive in doing business triggered his decision to exit his position entirely.

Published By - Theguardian.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Friday 29 April 2016 01.13 BST

Unfinished business in the Philippines

Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, is not an uncommon thing to hear in my household.

Like many children all over the world, my daughter arrived home from the hospital to find a Filipino baby nurse.

Vangie was with her from the very beginning of her life, and in time, my daughter came to know her son, her daughter-in law, their kid -- and in time, an extended family and friends -- in New Jersey, Southern California and the Bay Area.

And of course, most importantly, Jacques, Vangie's grandson, her best friend, from whom she has been inseparable since infancy -- her older brother in every way but biological. Partners in crime.

If I go back through old photos today, at least half will be of the two of them together.

By Anthony Bourdain

Published By - Cnn.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Updated 2034 GMT (0334 HKT) April 22, 2016

Nine Network paid $69,000 to man hired to abduct children in Beirut, documents show

Sally Faulkner’s estranged husband says Nine banned from using footage from botched operation as part of agreement

The Nine Network paid $69,000 to a “child recovery agent” hired to abduct two children from a south Beirut street on behalf of their Australian mother, financial documents have revealed. The woman’s estranged husband, the Lebanese national Ali al-Amin, has also revealed the network is banned from using any footage from the botched operation as part of the agreement to free four Nine staff from a Beirut prison.

Bank records obtained by Australian media outlets show the payment was made by Nine on 22 January into a Swedish account named IPCA Limited, understood to belong to Adam Whittington, the British former detective who led the unsuccessful operation to abduct Faulkner’s five and three-year-old children.

Published By -Theguardian.com - LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political commentand analysis: Thursday 21 April 2016 11.40 BST

Fashionistas Could offer Starbucks A Sexy Leg Up In Italy

 The Shockwaves have emanated from announcement that Howard Shultz’s coffee giant Starbucks SBUX +3.16% plans to expand into Italy. That's not exactly like McDonald’s opening in the Italian capital – an event that launched the Slow Food Movement. So also not exactly like McDonald’s selling French fries (which are really from Belgium) in Paris, But it’s a very important big deal.

Spokes folk for a Starbucks have announced that the move will be done with great care and most respect. Some ways that will be easy. These plan to add the sort of standup bars common in Italian coffee bars and a selection of alcoholic libations too – another Euro staple. Those expect to offer smaller portions of their signature drinks, be competitively priced and pay attention to other local customs. So there will be experiments with food offerings. But may be special events and listening tours. Will be enough?

The Staffer Katie Sola has deftly covered some of the basics, So one powerful force of commerce and culture Starbuckians may be able to harness is the world of fashion. A first store is slated for Milan where, during more a few weeks a year, fashion is everything.

Fashion is a most particular tribe with tribletts and minions and attendants and publicists and bloggers and starlets and more. So may be a huge business and have broad impact but it sometimes acts like a tight, and somewhat predictable family. Mostly when it comes to food and drink.

That is a say, cut and cuff, pattern and hew, padding and cutout may change from season to season but fashion folk get to the table those want their props neatly set. Those frequent the same restaurants where they will recognize and recognized and where a lighting and a crowd are set just right.

The Grilled chicken and poached salmon have a given way quinoa and kale ( joined on Craft Services table), that's are trail mix, fresh fruit, crunchy things that seems like they might be healthy, maybe water, Diet Coke (lots of Diet Coke) and sparkling water. So we won’t even discuss cigarettes or vape paraphernalia.

Maybe be a espresso machine in the studio but if not, someone always gets sent out to Starbucks. But if it isn’t really Starbucks, alike Kleenex isn’t always the actual brand of tissue. aLike coke in New Mexico can sometimes mean orange soda.

There's are larger sized, highly sugared or artificially sweetened signature and there are custom American style drinks hold their hot and provide a zip needed to get through long fittings and endless shoots. Those powerful habits travel wel, from New York to Miami, LA to London, Paris and, soon, to Milan.

Who can still make us dream? In this dark world,

King Martin had a dream. His Vision of empowered African Americans resonated across the world where millions believed in his message of equality and brotherhood.

The struggle for the emancipation of black Americans was not easy. Many people died. But eight years ago, Americans elected their first African American president.

President Obama spoke of hope and change, Also had a vision of an America at peace with the rest of the world.

Presidential election campaigns change. As Barack Obama second term as president draws to an end, talk of dreams.

America’s would be presidents don’t dream. They spout ugly words and dark, morbid visions of an America overrun by immigrants, terrorists and Muslims.

Billionaire Trump is of course 'hate-monger in-chief'  his anger and loathing for those outside his circle appears to know no bounds. He is not alone.

 Europe the political landscape is just as grim. The one woman, German Chancellor who did harbour a dream of a Europe willing to receive and people fleeing war and persecution.

German leader’s male colleagues have a different agenda. They are clamping down hard on refugees, reinforcing border controls. And they are joining Donald Trump in disseminating a message of fear.

 EU officials have warned governments not to take 'unilateral actions'.  Austria and the Balkan states made clear that they will go their own way.

Austria last week announced a daily cap on the numbers of people allowed to apply for asylum or travel. As a result  migrants have been stranded in Greece  the main entry point into Europe.

Europe’s reaction to the refugee crisis is chaotic  inhumane and shocking. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  has warned, for instance.

Having secured a deal  this week with his EU colleagues on renegotiating the terms of Britain’s EU membership. British Prime Minister  hopes of winning the June 23 referendum for his 'stay in Europe' campaign were shattered. The quirky but very popular Mayor of London.

Russia’s President Putin has his cabal of admirers but does not inspire hope among anyone else.

Turkish President may have caught the world’s imagination a decade ago but is now discredited as just another authoritarian leader who has lost touch with reality.

Brings us nicely to Canada. Trudeau certainly stands tall as a man of principle. While his counterparts in other countries deafen us with their rabid rants.  European and US politicians paint the world in black. Canadian leader is proof of the power of dreams.

"Deadpool 'Box Office: Film 'X-Men' Movie Ever $ 55M Weekend And $ 235m 10-Day cume

Deadpool topped the weekend the Treasury for the second weekend in a row, earning a hefty $ 55 million through the frame. It is perfectly reasonable to 58% decline from the gonzo 132,200,000 $ Friday-Sunday opening weekend last weekend. It is the biggest second weekend # 2 for the R-rated film, for $ 64 m second weekend American Sniper (a decline of only 27%) last year. It is still 13. the biggest R-rated weekend record. It is 21. the biggest second weekend of all time, and 23. the largest non-opening weekend in the record, for $ 88 m and $ trees third weekends (in that order) Star Wars: The Force wakes up and Avatar.

With $ 235,390,000 in just ten days, the film is already the sixth largest R-rated grosser of all time, just ahead of the $ 234 m gross (in 1984) from Beverly Hills Cop. "next up is the Party in Bangkok ($ 254 m), The Hangover ($ 277 m), The Matrix Reloaded ($ 281 m), and (if it picks up and can keep screens the following month) the American Sniper ($ 350 m) and the passion of the Christ ($ 377 m). If you want to play the "adjusted-for-inflation game" it is currently 68. the biggest R-rated hit, which openly makes sense, because so many of the biggest R-rated movies comes from the time when Hollywood regularly made R-rated breaks.

For a comparison of Walt Disney the Avengers fell 50% on its second weekend, Warner Bros./Time Warner Inc. The Dark Knight dropped 52%, Disney's Avengers: Age of Ultron dropped 59%, and Warner is the Dark Knight rose fell 62%. By the way, if it gets past the weekend 56.260.000, when final figures are released tomorrow $ (not a guarantee), it goes Day Valentine's day $ 56.26 m opening weekend and be the sixth biggest February weekend at all. Oh, and the movie probably topped $ 400 metres around the world this weekend (I'll update when foreign characters roll), which means that it is between the somewhat rare R-rated films to hit that milestone. It was all on a budget of $ 58 m and in 2D, on the side.

To date, Deadpool is 17. the largest superhero film (Yes, I counted The Matrix Reloaded) and 17th-largest comic book movie of all time in America. And it has topped $ 210 million domestic gross 300 to become the biggest R-rated comic book movie ever. On top of the Warner Bros./Time Warner Inc. releases $ 456 m worldwide in total should be sometime this week. I am aware of inflation, but we can have that conversation after the film gets closer to the end of its run.

The stupid videos Live response Saturday Night (and Kayne West type rant reduces the requirements for fan powered by hosting the show) didn't hurt the cause, keeping the film in the spotlight and highlight their viral/social media-friendly marketing. And it's also the biggest X-Men movie ever. Yeah, just ten days of domestic games, the film surpassed the total of $ 234.2 million from X-Men: the last stand, as well as $ 233.9 m 3D inflatable X-Men: Days of Future Past. So yeah, from eight of the X-Men movies in 16 years, with the ninth and tenth day this year, somehow cheap and R-rated comedic spin-off becomes the biggest of the bunch. It's just ... weird.

I think I'm sure Minions out-earned on the Despicable Me movies, but those little yellow guys were a big part of the first two films. It would be if one of those Sony Spider-Man spin-off projects (Venom, aunt May, etc.), Which would have threatened that ended up to be a bigger hit than other traditional homemade Spider-Man movies. The same applies in the case, Paramount/Viacom Inc. 's planned Bumblebee-centric Transformers spin-off somehow out-grosses to $ 409 m domestic gross of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Yeah, you can see how weird it is. It's not bad, just really unusual, and frankly, those things that will encourage more perhaps unnecessary by-products from other popular series. But again, it's not Deadpool error.

And if you want to play the inflation card, it's now between $ 209 million "net" total X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and $ 244 m pure total number of X-Men: Days of Future Past. And $ 253 m modified a total of X-Men, to $ 310 m total impact X 2: X-Men United and $ 311 m modified a total of X-Men: The Last Stand should be overcome, Mr Wilson at a time when the movie is finished.

From the point of view of all the movies based on Marvel Comics, it sits at # 12 among the X-Men: The Last Stand, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (259 m $, but again with this 3D blow). If it stops in the course of the next few weeks (and it should run the table next weekend as well), it could end up being bigger than any Marvel movie (MCU or otherwise) among The Avengers Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3, and the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. And depending on how high rises, Spider-Man 3 ($ 336 yards in 2007) and Spider-Man 2 ($ 373 m in 2002), may be in danger.

To be honest, it's the kind of performance that sets a terrible precedent for the rest of the year, the would-be biggies, in particular the other seven comic book superhero movies, the fact that it is so big, so fast, though, that something from the movie B-level/charakter. Me thinks that Fox will be healing in the Big Balloon Adventure Deadpool as the biggest of the big events for a few years. And it opens up to a barrage of questions and options for Fox wannabe comics properties, but it is at the end of this week.

College students are a tender on ' friends '

College Students say it is not love, but the friendship that you are using dating application for.

In a survey of 100 college students, 73% ranked Tinder as your favorite dating app, followed by Bumble (13%) and OkCupid (10%). One student even stated Facebook as her favorite dating site.

The survey, conducted by level jobs College startup WayUp (formerly Campus Job), asked the students of college about their dating habits.

Students say that they do not use Tinder – or other meetings applications – to this day. The majority (58%) said that they have never even gone to a date using popular applications.

53% say they use meetings applications to find friends, 27% said that they are seeking a significant other, and the smallest percentage, 20%, said they were looking for a connection.

It is not that the popularity of Amadou on University campuses has declined. The students of the College were among Tinder most active users when the service was launched in 2012. Amadou, who is owned by the Group Match now public (MTCH), says 50% of its members are in the college age group - 18-24.

Sydney Mastrandrea, a sophomore at the University of Miami, said that the fact that students say use the application to find friends is probably not the whole truth.

"I think people use [Tinder] random adapters rather than [find] friends-but they say it is for" friends ", so they are not judged,

By Jason Helfstein, an Internet analyst Oppenheimer & What., it does not matter why the students are using the application, there is the "value" in the Tinder-and Match Group.

Dating industry analyst Mark Brooks agrees.

"It helps people connect with the concept of internet dating," he said, as people begin to look more serious relations "will generally drift towards other services."

Those services, offer paid subscriptions. Tinder, on the other hand, only recently rolled out its Tinder Plus premium services in an attempt to start monetizing your application.

Those who pay for services may not be college students, though.

While the Tinder doesn,t describe the demographic information about its subscribers, online dating analyst said that it,s likely not a hit with the younger set. "There is no money for anyone under 22."

Volvo Plans To Be First Automaker To Go Fully 'Keyless'

Volvo simply reported a move that ought to come as welcome news to the individuals who periodically lose their auto keys.

That is on the grounds that it needs to be the main automaker to shun physical keys and/or a remote key coxcomb out and out, maybe as right on time as 2017. In their place the organization would offer new-vehicle proprietors access to their automobiles by means of a cell phone application and Bluetooth remote innovation; they'd additionally have the capacity to open the storage compartment and begin the auto remotely also.

Utilizing an application to open one's auto is not precisely another thought, but rather different automakers utilize it as an auxiliary, and not essential boulevard for access. For technophobes and others wedded to the present state of affairs, Volvo says it will keep on offering a physical key coxcomb to clients who demand it.

Besides, automaker imagines the innovation will help venturesome proprietors empower ride sharing to benefit as much as possible from their rides. They'll have the capacity to impart computerized keys to relatives, colleagues, and other assigned outsiders through their cellular telephones.

"Our creative computerized key innovation can possibly totally change how a Volvo can be gotten to and shared. Rather than sitting unmoving in a parking area the whole day, autos could be utilized all the more frequently and proficiently by whoever the proprietor wishes," says Henrik Green, Volvo Cars' VP item methodology and vehicle line administration.

Volvo is leading a test case program this spring with a ride-sharing armada at the Gothenburg airplane terminal in Sweden, and the innovation will be formally divulged one week from now at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The automaker says a predetermined number of monetarily accessible autos will be outfitted with computerized keys in 2017.

Unfortunately the technology could be of considerably less value to those who habitually misplace their smartphones.