(CBS) - We're talking about Affinity Exchange, a dating site for spiritual singles. A sassy blogger at Jezebel wrote about it yesterday. You can imagine how our ears perked up upon reading the headline: "Scientology's Online Dating Destination." We just had to check it out for ourselves.

Photos: Bizarre dating sites you didn't know existed

Although the site is not overtly "for Scientologists," its "spiritual" nature suggests that it could be. "Use this spiritual matchmaking site to find your spiritual match. Use our spiritual chat or IM system to make spiritual, conscious connections with other singles in your local area or from around the world." So wait - we're not sure - is it spiritual?

Their mission? "For over 20 years, the Affinity Exchange matchmaking service has been helping people whose lives are dedicated to spiritual enhancement find one another and co-create together," says the site. "Our service is international and has resulted in hundreds of marriages!" Sign us up! (Kidding - kind of.)

Users can also indicate on their profile their choice of worship. On the list of selections: conscious/spiritual and Scientology.

Jezebel, which referred to Affinity Exchange as "an unofficial dating site for Scientologists," recalls back in 2003 when Australian newspaper The Advertiser reported a farmer paid the site, which has "ties to Scientology," $230,000 to find him love. But no, he didn't succeed.

For kicks, we browsed the site - they have that "it's okay to look" feature - hooray! We entered that we're "women looking for men between the ages of 25 to 50 near New York City." What turned up? More than 20 pages of men who may or may not be Scientologists. (I mean, how can you even tell?) We clicked on one profile - he's a 32-year-old Indian man who lives in Jersey City, N.J. who describes himself as intelligent, holistic, passionate and - of course - spiritual. He's looking for a long-term relationship or marriage, exercises six days a week, lives alone and is mostly vegetarian. Hmmm, nothing very "Scientologistic" about him. There are also short essay questions members can answer on their profiles, like: describe yourself, describe the type of person you'd like to meet, what should a great date consist of, what does being "conscious" mean to you, how long and what motivated you to be on a conscious path... Wait, what?! What did those last two essay questions ask?

Is that a Scientology thing - being "conscious"?

Video: Scientology's beliefs on the soul

You see, Affinity Exchange has recently become part of the "Conscious Dating Network, the largest exclusively conscious dating network on the Internet."

To this 32-year-old man, "Conscious means to have been awakened on some level from the conditioning of societal norms. To be conscious is to be aware of the unconsciousness of the world we were born into, and using it as a means to transform yourself, and helping others transform if they so desire... Conscious is also analogous to being 'unplugged' from the matrix that is the world around you, understanding that this physical reality is just a mental projection of electrical signals in the brain, yet, using this knowledge to move forward in your own spiritual path, and helping the world transform in the process."

Uhhh, this dating site might be too deep for our tastes. Unplugged? Then, we would be unconscious. Being "conscious" to us means drinking a cup of coffee at 9 a.m. and being equipped with a fully-charged iPhone.

Scientology site or not, we're going to have to pass on this one. We fear we're not "conscious" in the same way as its members. And that's no way to start a relationship - just think of all of the conscious-related arguments.

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Summary: We're so curious, we couldn't help but poke around


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17— As jury selection in the murder case against O. J. Simpson entered its fourth day, a sister of Nicole Brown Simpson complained today that people were trying to profit from her family's loss by selling Halloween masks portraying both the victim and the murder suspect.

The sister, Denise Brown, went public with her complaint in a written statement distributed to reporters. In court, eight potential jurors were questioned today and four others were dismissed.

Also, Judge Lance A. Ito delayed a decision on whether to exclude from the trial crucial blood samples -- including blood found on Mr. Simpson's Ford Bronco and a glove retrieved outside Mr. Simpson's home -- because prosecutors waited too long to begin DNA testing. That decision will not come until at least Tuesday.

Defense lawyers have argued that prosecutors were trying to buy time to build a case against Mr. Simpson. On Friday, Judge Ito hinted that he was sympathetic to the defense argument and might bar any test results produced after a certain date from the trial.

Mr. Simpson, a former football star, is accused of murder in the stabbing deaths of Nicole Simpson, his former wife, and her friend Ronald L. Goldman on June 12. Ms. Brown said in her statement that the Halloween costumes portraying Mr. Simpson and his former wife were in "extremely bad taste." She urged consumers and merchants to boycott them and related Halloween paraphernalia, like knives, bloodied skirts and Afro and blond wigs.

"It is a holiday where children dress up and have a good time pretending to be someone else," she said. "This type of costume is in extremely bad taste and has no redeeming value for our society. Murder and domestic violence is no laughing matter, and the total disrespect for grieving families in general is appalling."

After long keeping silent, members of the Brown family have recently begun to speak about their feelings that they have been exploited by people trying to sensationalize and profit from their loss. The statement today was distributed by Human Options Capital Campaign Cabinet, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence.

Many shops reported that there had been little interest in the Simpson items. Phillip Reynoso, an employee at Halloween Castle in Los Angeles, said: "We did have a guy come here and offer some masks, and some people have been asking for them, but I didn't want to take them. I just wanted to give O. J. Simpson a break."

In court earlier in the day, two prospective jurors were excused from the trial after voicing apprehension about the amount of attention the trial is receiving and the potential loss of their privacy.

One was the woman identified as Juror No. 32, who became well known because she was the first juror questioned during the preliminary phase of voir dire, the juror screening process, and because her court number is the same as the number Mr. Simpson wore on both his college and professional football jerseys.

She said her privacy had already been compromised by the Simpson case, citing a recent skit on the television program "Saturday Night Live" in which, she said, an actor playing Juror 32 winked at Judge Ito.

"The media ruined it," the woman said. "A lot of people feel the way I feel."

Asked how other people knew that she was a potential juror in the Simpson case, she said, "If people asked me directly, I'm not going to lie."

Also dismissed was a potential juror who said she had suffered domestic violence for many years. She said she could not bear to be questioned on the subject.

"I don't care to relive those memories," she said, her voice quaking. "I just become emotional about it."


A German nurse jailed for life last year for murdering two patients is now a suspect in at least 33 more deaths, investigators said Wednesday, adding that he has admitted to have killed even more.

The man, identified only as Niels H., 39 who was jailed for life in February 2015, has been found guilty of two murders and three attempted murders of intensive-care patients.

He had previously claimed to have killed more than 30 patients with lethal overdoses at the Delmenhorst hospital near the northern city of Bremen, which would make him one of Germany's worst post-war serial killers.

Analyses carried out on 99 exhumed patients at Delmenhorst suggest that at least 33 were killed by the nurse through lethal injections, investigators said Wednesday.

But they added that the tall and heavyset man had also admitted to killing other patients at another hospital nearby -- the Oldenburg Clinic, without giving a figure.

"We can say that the horror hasn't ended," said Johann Kuehme, police chief of the city of Oldenburg.

Oldenburg prosecutor Thomas Sander added that in addition to the 33 likely cases, "we assume that the real number of victims is higher than that."

Hundreds of patient records will be examined at the Oldenburg clinic before deciding if mass exhumations of patient corpses would need to be carried out there as well.

The grisly case dates back to 2005, when a colleague witnessed Niels H. injecting a patient at the Delmenhorst hospital.

The patient survived and Niels H. was arrested and, in 2008, sentenced to seven and a half years in jail for attempted murder.

Amid the media publicity, a woman then contacted police, voicing suspicion that her deceased mother had also fallen victim to the killer-nurse.

The authorities exhumed several patients' bodies and detected traces of the drug in five of them, declaring it either the definitive or possible contributing cause.

Nils H. eventually admitted to injecting some 90 patients with the drug so he could then try to revive them and, when successful, shine as a saviour before his medical peers.

He said he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed.

After the shocking revelations of the nurse's murderous obsession, police and prosecutors launched a special forensic commission dubbed "Kardio" (Cardio) to look into other patient deaths.

The sweeping investigation is expected to take many more months.

The nurse had previously also worked at an elderly home and an emergency medical service.


Japan’s nuclear catastrophe has triggered a wave of debate across nations about the future of nuclear energy, but everyone can agree that safety improvements are needed now.

FORTUNE — We continue to populate our planet with systems that have catastrophic potential despite the known risks. Case in point: Nuclear power plants, which house fearful concentrations of hazardous materials, are often located in densely populated areas, and whose owners wield great political clout thanks to consolidation in the nuclear power industry. Unfortunately we are now seeing the consequences of this centralization.

Japan, an island without other energy sources, has sprinkled its coastline with nuclear power plants; two, the Fukushima and the Onagawa facilities, were built in an area known for its seismic activity. Documents show regulators and managers in Japan treated “worst case” events as outliers—not real risks. In 2006 a group called the Nuclear Safety Commission recognized the danger of tsunamis hitting Japan’s coastal plants but reassuringly concluded: “Even for a nuclear plant situated very close to sea level, the robust sealed containment structure around the reactor itself would prevent any damage to the nuclear part from a tsunami, though other parts of the plant might be damaged. No radiological hazard would be likely.” We now know how inadequate those containment structures proved to be.

The nuclear industry is dominated by a handful of companies. Westinghouse was bought by Toshiba; the French company Areva dominates in Europe and is now in joint projects in the U.S., one company supplies it with a third of its electric power. Exelon EXC and Entergy ETR run most of them in the U.S. Consolidation has given companies size and influence to lobby governments for less oversight, which helps them operate more efficiently–and maximize profits quarter after quarter. (Though the industry by necessity has to think long term—due to permissions and planning it may take 10 years to build a facility that will have a 40- to 60-year life span—nuclear power companies are as beholden to Wall Street’s short-term mentality as any corporation.)

But perhaps a more threatening form of concentration in this dangerous industry is at the facility level. One of Tokyo Electric’s facilities has 7 plants on one site; Fukushima Daiichi has 6 and plans to build two more there. This makes them obvious targets for a “common mode” failure such as loss of off-site power and flooding of sources of emergency power, increasing the danger six-fold. Had the facilities been required to disperse their plants, at some small economic penalty, earthquake and tsunami risks would be greatly reduced.

The silver lining? Regulators now say they will use lessons from the disaster at Fukushima to improve nuclear plant safety. On March 12 the American Nuclear Society noted the dire events, but continuing the tradition of risk analysis in the industry reassured us: In an event like this, “containing the radioactive materials could actually be considered a ‘success’ given the scale of this natural disaster that had not been considered in the original design. The nuclear power industry will learn from this event, and redesign our facilities as needed to make them safer in the future.” In our disasters is our salvation.

–Charles Perrow, emeritus professor of sociology, Yale University, is the author of The Next Catastrophe.

More from Fortune on the future of nuclear power:

Summary: Japan's nuclear catastrophe has triggered a wave of debate across nations about the future of nuclear energy, but everyone can agree that safety improvements are needed now. By Charles Perrow, contributor FORTUNE -- We continue to populate our planet with systems that have catastrophic potential despite the known risks. Case in point: Nuclear power plants,…


Thanks to the Huffington Post's shame-on-you report, credit card companies

taking a cut of charitable donations made to Haiti relief efforts using credit cards.

Other companies didn't have to be told twice -- they're sacrificing a cut of their profits up front. Whether you're planning to do some shopping this week, you can funnel your money towards shops and services that have pledged to help the devastated country.

Start by sprucing up your iPhone. At

, software developers have banded together to donate 100% of profits from a growing number of apps -- there's Skeeball and Balloon Boy -- to the Red Cross. If you're an iPhone-less gamer, check out the sites of one of the several video game companies turning their proceeds over to charity -- or play hooky this Wednesday or Thursday to stay home and play Halo all day. Halo's parent company, Bungie, will donate money based on how many players are online (all video game and Halo details

If you go gaga for the Lady herself, here's the perfect justification to grab tickets to her Radio City concert on Jan. 24 -- she's

all cash from ticket sales to relief efforts. And if you're coming from out of town, book a Manhattan hotel room through

, which will donate 100% of its profits through Feb. 28.

Last but not least: if you're itching to update your look, handbag designer extraordinaire

will hand over 25% of your purchase to the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders through Jan. 31. Or snap up a new scent for the new year -- Bond No. 9 will donate 10% of the sales from

to the Red Cross. And if you're really looking to spend big -- check eBay next week for whatever Golden Globe gown caught your eye. A litany of stars like Meryl Streep and Amy Poehler will

off their awards-wear on the site to benefit numerous charities.

Summary: Thanks to the Huffington Post's shame-on-you report, credit card companies stopped taking a cut of charitable donations made to Haiti relief efforts using credit cards.  Other companie


Successful presenters understand that what the audience sees in a presentation makes a stronger impact than the words they hear. We’ve been wired to take in information primarily through our eyes ever since cave dwellers began looking over their shoulders for approaching mastodons.

Academic research demonstrates the importance of nonverbal communication. One study by Albert Mehrabian, professor emeritus of psychology at UCLA, assigns only a 7% value to the choice of words in face-to-face communications, while tone of voice has a 38% value and facial expression 55%. The study was measuring the impact of single words in a laboratory setting, not in a presentation–but should be carefully considered by presenters who agonize over choice of words and give short shrift to preparing their presentation.

There’s a different way to break down the components of an effective presentation. Like the Mehrabian formula, this one has three parts and a percentage value for each.

The first–and most important–part is to make an emotional connection with the audience, because without it the presenter’s message will not be fully heard. The second is to generate and maintain a high level of energy to hold the audience’s attention through the whole presentation. The third is to focus the content on the payoff for the audience.

Many speakers underappreciate these components. Using them can help you improve your effectiveness at presenting by significant margins.

Video: How To Present Like Steve Jobs

Make an Emotional Connection with the Audience. Consciously or not, the audience forms a bias for or against a presenter within seconds. We all make a tentative judgment about everyone we meet on scant evidence, though we may not admit it because we see ourselves as rational beings. More than anything else, it’s the personal impression you make that determines whether or not the audience accepts your message. You must come across as likable and trustworthy.

The key to being likable is simple: Show you like the audience and they’ll reciprocate. Once they like you they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on trustworthiness. You’ll get a strong start toward likability if before you begin speaking you take a bit of time to look around the audience warmly, enthusiastically and with a big smile.

Maintain steady eye contact with the audience throughout the talk. If you don’t, you will quickly signal that you don’t want to be there, that you aren’t really committed to your message or even that you’re a shifty character. By speaking with genuine feeling you’ll make it clear you believe deeply in what you’re saying. This will encourage the audience to believe in it, too. Practice the presentation so well that you don’t need a script. A script is a barrier against making an emotional connection because it keeps you from making eye contact and communicating your passion for your message.

Show them your humanity. This is particularly important for speakers who have power over the audience. Tell them some stories that reveal your vulnerability and express the values you have in common with them. Everyone loves a story.

The audience has to know that you know your subject. Presenters whose expertise isn’t recognized by the audience shouldn’t try to establish it by describing their credentials. Let the person introducing you describe them and endorse you enthusiastically.

People like people who are similar to themselves. Be yourself, but also try to fit in with the members of the audience as much as possible. Speak to the audience’s level of knowledge. Cite references they recognize and respect. Express the feelings you share with them. Dress just a little bit better than the people in the audience.

If you’re announcing unwelcome news, express your empathy with the audience. Talk about specific incidents to show you understand the issues involved and are up to date with the details. If there’s an opposing viewpoint, show the audience you understand it and acknowledge the parts you agree with. Keeping silent about the other viewpoint might infer you’re afraid to challenge it. If you have to apologize for something, do it without making excuses. Whatever your message, speak directly and without circumlocution or Dilbert-speak. Make it clear you’ll answer questions at the end–so be sure to leave enough time for them.

If there are other speakers, come early, sit in the audience to hear what they have to say and expand on their comments when you present your message. Sitting in the audience helps build a bond between you and the audience members. You also may want to get to the meeting room early and introduce yourself to the audience members as they arrive. This will help you make an emotional connection.

Present with Energy. Capture the audience’s attention right away by telling a dramatic story and keep the energy level high all through your presentation. To get them excited about your idea you have to show them your own excitement about it.

Walk in strong, move confidently to where you’ll present, stand tall, smile, survey the room and begin to speak, with conviction. Underscore important points with movement: your whole body, your arms, your hands, your head and your changing facial expressions. Vary your voice pitch and pace, using a dramatic pause when you get to something important. Use mostly short sentences, dynamic words, onomatopoeia (“bang!”, “boo-hoo”) and active verbs. The perfect verb or noun doesn’t need a modifier. Move closer to the audience at key points. Wade into the audience if it’s appropriate. Come to the presentation well rested so you can stay energetic.

Keep reading the audience. If you feel their interest flagging, do something unexpected: Pause abruptly, change your voice level or tempo, bring out a hidden prop, ask a question or involve the audience in an exercise.

Keep it short. The higher an audience’s management level, the shorter its attention span. You’ll earn points by taking less time than you were given and you’ll maintain a high energy level all the way to the end of the presentation.

Spell Out the Payoff for the Audience. If you’re presenting information, give lots of attention to describing its relevance and applicability rather than telling every little detail. If you want the audience to accept a change you’re announcing, focus on the benefits for them. What’s in it for me? every audience wants know. Appeal to the head, with evidence the audience will find credible, and the heart, with inspiring descriptions of the payoff.

The payoff might be crystal clear to you–but never assume it is for the audience. Restate your key points in different ways, with examples and analogies. Make them memorable with sound bites that use alliteration, acronyms or rhymes.

Since the eyes are so important in learning, you’ll want to use visuals. But don’t let them upstage you because it’s you who’s the star of the show. Keep the visuals simple and use only a few. Don’t make the audience feel they’re suffering death by PowerPoint at the hands of a merciless PowerPoint Ranger. Wait until you’ve established likability and credibility before you turn their attention to the visuals.

The Metrics. What’s the relative value of the three components of this approach to presenting? Mnemonic devices are always useful so let’s create a formula. Clearly, making an emotional connection by being likable and trustworthy is the most important component, because if you lack it your argument won’t be accepted. You might not even be listened to. Let’s give it a 50% value.

The other two components–presenting with energy and spelling out the payoff–are equally important. Let’s give them 25% each. We now have a 50%25%25% formula for the new approach to making a successful presentation.

What we have altogether are two different but complementary tools you can put to work. Combining them will help you deliver a knockout presentation.

The 7%-38%-55% rule deals with the information the audience takes from the presentation. It will help you remember the importance of nonverbal communication. The 50%-25%-25% formula is about you, the speaker, and what you offer the audience. It will help you remember the importance of connecting emotionally with the audience, keeping the energy high and spelling out the payoff.

Bill Rosenthal is chief executive of Communispond Inc., which has taught presentation skills to more than 600,000 managers over the past 40 years.

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Summary: Research shows non-verbal communication conveys more than you think.


''These arrangements suggest the medical care is not based on a person's expertise but on the depth of his pockets,'' said Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association.

''Our players do not like this trend in medical-care agreements one bit.''

Mets pitcher Tom Glavine said he was satisfied with the care provided by the Mets' doctors but concerned about the principles of the new financial model. ''Potentially, it's an issue that could be disturbing or warrant concern,'' he said. ''You'd like to think the team is getting you the best possible care and you're not just treated by whoever gives the most money.''

Troy Vincent, president of the N.F.L. Players Association and a cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, said players, coaches and physicians had been put at a disadvantage.

''It destroys trust and credibility on all sides,'' he said. ''It's bad for the sport and bad for the community it serves. With all the large sums of money a team spends on salaries and everything else, you have to ask yourself if an extra million dollars from a hospital deal is really worth it.''

Many team executives insisted, however, that medical care had not been compromised by these arrangements.

''To suggest that we would place the health and well-being of our most valuable asset at risk for the sake of a sponsorship agreement is absolutely ludicrous,'' Dave Howard, the Mets' executive vice president, said.

''We have received extraordinary health care, because we did our due diligence in looking for the best possible care,'' Mr. Howard said of the deal with the New York University-Hospital for Joint Diseases. ''At the same time, when we make a decision like this, we put an extraordinarily powerful stamp of approval on that medical entity. The health-care providers recognized this first.''

Dr. Joseph Zuckerman, the head of orthopedic surgery at the hospital, agreed, saying the relationship with the Mets was beneficial for all involved, the players included.

''It's rather simplistic to think that in a place like New York City, there are only one or two individuals good enough to care for these players,'' Dr. Zuckerman said. ''We have invested thousands of hours of care from the highest-quality doctors. This is just something that's part of a changed health-care marketplace. We advertise directly to patients now. You can't turn on the radio anymore without hearing hospital ads.''

The origin of the agreements between pro teams and medical providers is widely traced to the Jacksonville Jaguars, an expansion franchise that began play in the N.F.L. in 1995.

''We were the first pro franchise to come to Jacksonville, and the doctors, medical groups and hospitals were looking at us and licking their chops,'' said Paul Vance, the Jaguars' general counsel and vice president for administration. ''They all made it very clear they wanted that official designation from us very much.

''We met with everyone, and our only concern was choosing the best overall care provider. And we made the right choice, but when that was done, they said, 'Thank you for picking us, but we want all of Jacksonville to know about this.' And that's how our agreement came about. And in my mind, I never thought anything about it was so bad.''

Other teams in the major sports followed Jacksonville's lead, a trend that has accelerated in the last five years as many teams sought additional revenue streams to pay for new stadiums.

Trying to alleviate any perceptions of conflict of interest, several teams that had entered into sponsorship agreements subtly amended them. Generally, the amount of money paid to the teams did not change. The teams were still paid $500,000 to $1.5 million by the medical providers; but instead of accepting physicians' care without charge, the teams began to pay the doctors, though at a significantly discounted rate.

''People can say it's a wash of money, but the fact is we now have a medical contract separate from the marketing contract,'' said David Cassidy, director of marketing for the Jewett Orthopaedic Group, which has had a sponsorship contract with the Orlando Magic of the N.B.A. that was revised four years ago to have the Magic pay the doctors it uses. ''The underlying theme that we were purchasing the right to be the team's doctors was a negative connotation that we wanted to creatively circumvent.''

Many of the newer sponsorship contracts have similar arrangements. It has not stopped the price tag for an official hospital designation from going up, nor has it curbed the enthusiasm of hospitals for recruiting teams.

When the Houston Texans played their first N.F.L. game in 2002, they did so with the help of the city's Methodist Hospital.

''We track phone calls coming in from new patients,'' Erin Skelley, the hospital's marketing director, said. ''The No. 1 driver of our calls is the association with our local teams. People say they heard that Methodist is where the players go, so it must be the best. It's not a coincidence that we are the best, but there isn't a better way to convince them. That's a win-win situation.''

A Practice That Is Evolving

In pro locker rooms, where the relationship between team doctors and players had been thorny for years because the doctors were employed by the team, the addition of a weighty new financial pact between the team and a hospital or medical practice has frequently created more tension.

And while athletes in the major sports have the right to seek a second medical opinion that is paid for by the team -- as long as the player consults the team physician first -- many players say they believe there is pressure to keep all medical treatment under the team umbrella.

This is especially true in the N.F.L., where careers are the shortest and injuries are more likely to be career-threatening. Dr. Huizenga said he always suspected that the Raiders he treated believed it would be held against them if they sought a second opinion. ''Some of them were afraid to even admit to being injured at all,'' Dr. Huizenga said.

Dr. Elliott Pellman, who is in charge of handling medical issues for Major League Baseball and the N.F.L., said teams were working hard to gain the players' confidence in their medical care. ''It starts with picking the highest quality doctors, doctors of great integrity,'' Dr. Pellman said.

Some doctors wondered if team doctors who were intertwined in sponsorship agreements with a team could be objective about the care of players. Dr. Matheson, the Stanford team doctor, questioned whether team physicians were ceding control of the players' care to the teams.

Dr. James Bradley, president of the N.F.L. Physicians Society, disputed that notion. ''If you are an N.F.L. doctor and don't have the best interests of the players in mind,'' he said, ''you are a fool.''

Dean Bonham, whose Denver-based Bonham Group has been negotiating and evaluating sports sponsorship deals for 16 years, said medical providers were just getting warmed up when it comes to sports marketing.

''Medical institutions have seen the impact and the consumers' response, and it has been all positive,'' Mr. Bonham said. ''In a decade, the percentage of teams with these kind of agreements will be 90-plus.''

But Troy Vincent, the president of the N.F.L. players union, is not giving up the fight.

''Our medical care is the only part of our game that isn't regulated,'' he said. ''There are uniform rules on everything else, including how to wear your uniform socks. Shouldn't there be some rules about who gets to treat the players when they're injured?

''That's when we are most vulnerable, and we should know that the doctor who comes out on that field to help us is the best around, chosen because he is the best, and not for any other reason.''

Summary: Hospitals and medical practices faced with imcreasingly competitive health-care market are bidding millions to pay professional sports teams for right to treat their high-salaried players; sports franchises get revenue as well as services of provider's physicians either free or at severely discounted rates; in return, medical groups and hospitals are granted exclusive rights to market themselves as team's official hospital, HMO or orthopedic group; such a designation has precious value to medical organizations; despite concerns among many doctors and players' unions over ethics of putting health care out to bid, about half the teams in four major North American professional sports are now tied contractually to medical institutions; industry analysts expect that number to grow; descriptions of various business models for practice; photos (L)


Transcript for Muhammad Ali Talks Faith and Boxing Career

Over the years, our Barbara Walters has interviewed everyone who is anyone, but one of her most memorable interviews, playful and tough, was with Muhammad Ali in 1978. He was at a crossroads in his career after being defeated by Leon Spinks in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. One legend interviewing another. Reporter: If I didn't know you, if we'd never met, I never heard of you, describe Muhammad Ali for me. Well, I'm just a person, like everybody else. Just popular. Reporter: What would hnl Muhammad Ali had been today had he stayed Cassius clay? I really don't know. I often think about it. When I started boxing, I was 1 year 12 years old. It was just for fun, not for just a sport. And wanted to go, to go to the olympics and find out if I could make a living and turn professional. And here I am. But I don't know what I would have been. I'd be working in some factory, probably a taxi driver or a red cap at theirport, because I wasn't an educated type person. I didn't plan on going to no college. Reporter: But what if you hadn't changed your life, your name, your belief and become Muhammad Ali? Cassius clay was already a fighter. What if you'd stayed that? If I'd just stayed Cassius clay, the fighter? Reporter: Yeah, yeah. Oh, you wouldn't be here, probably, today. Interviewing me. You couldn't ask me the questions you're talking to me, because you can't go asking no other boxer the questions you're probably going to have laid out for me. My name wouldn't be Muhammad Ali, I wouldn't be the world's most famous human. See, I'm the world's most recognized face. Reporter: Do you like yourself? Do you feel that you are a success as a man? Well, that's where mainly the success comes. Mainly a black man to be in white America, and to say what I've said, and to do what I've done, and is still number one, I mean, this don't happen in Hollywood. This don't happen in Beverly hills to those black people. They don't stand up and say and do the things I do, if it means jeopardizing the life or the money. So I'm more successful, and proven that I'm a man than anything else. Reporter: Is there anything you don't like about yourself? Oh, a lot of things. Reporter: Oh, name one or two or 20 or 30. I gain weight too easy. Reporter: Yeah. I don't like that. I'm lazy. I don't pray as much as I should pray. Reporter: How often do you pray? About twice a day. Reporter: How often should you pray? Five times a day. Muslim. And I don't attend religious services like I should. I may attend twice or once a month, when it should be at least twice a week. A lot of things I don't like, I got to straighten out. I don't like that my heart's too good, I'm always -- somebody's in need, really in need, I'm always trying to help them if I can. Reporter: Well, that's a good thing. Yeah. Reporter: Do have a temper? Only with those who I dearly love. If I don't love you, I don't care nothing about what you do, or what you say about me. But the -- but if my wife, if she makes me a little angry, I can get a temper, or if my children, or my mother, my father, my brother, but if you're no kin to me, I don't love you, then I don't care. That's my publicity, bad press, bad write-ups, all the controversy on me don't mean nothing. As long as I'm all right with my spiritual leader and my family, I don't care about the whole world. Reporter: Did you ever hit a man outside the ring? No. Reporter: Would you be scared to? Well, if you do something like that, you would be so angry at the time, you'd be such a method of self-defense involved, until -- I wouldn't have time to be scared, I would feel just in doing so, but I wouldn't hit nobody unless it meant saving my life or my wife or my family. Reporter: You always talk about how pretty you are, but what do you really think of your looks? That's -- I'm not ugly, I'm not handsome. I'm in the middle. Reporter: Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of a success, you say you're a 10. On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of your looks where you are? I'd be about -- about -- about eight. Reporter: About eight? Ah, the modesty, the modesty. Ali, it's 14 years since you became heavyweight champion of the world, and you say now, you're going to win it for the third time. You will be the only man ever to have regained the title. Three times. Reporter: Three times. What if you don't? Hm? Reporter: What if you don't? Then I don't. It's very simple. I don't. Reporter: Is it that simple? Yeah, I just don't. Reporter: Would it break your heart? No. That's why people are so shocked when I lost to Frazier. The only excuse is, he won. When I lost to ken Norton and broke my jaw, he won. When I lost to Spinks, he won. But I have people thinking that if I lose, I'll have so much shame in me. I'll jump out a window. See, my faith does not -- one of the things, really, I'm a spiritual man. Reporter: But it's a way of life for you. It's money, it's an entourage, it's a feeling about yourself. I'd give it all up tomorrow, find a job pumping gas in a gas station if I had to and me and my wife and my children get a two-room apartment and one bathroom and one kitchen and be happy. Reporter: Really? Yes, ma'am. Reporter: What happens to all of the people around you? And be happy. Reporter: What happens to the 50 people you take care of and support and are part of your world? No, no. I don't support 50 people. Reporter: That's what I read in "The New York times." No. All great kings, and all great -- I'm a great man. I'm one of the world's greatest humans. So, I've got a crew, so what? You've got a crew. You're a TV lady. You've got a little crew, trucks all out here and wires all lined up and oh - - for you. And I'm a world man. Can I have two or three people? Can I have a little crew? Reporter: It's not -- it's not, who do you think you are? It's, oh, please, take care of yourself. Don't end up with nothing. It really is much more sympathetic. Well, I don't worry about it. I don't even worry about it. Reporter: Is god black? No. God has no color. He sees, even though he has no eyes. He hears, though he has no ears. He remembers everything without the aid of mind or memory. He's not a man and not a woman. Reporter: Are you afraid of dying? No. Reporter: No. I'm afraid of knowing I'm going to die. I'm not afraid of dying. But I'm afraid of knowing that I'm getting ready to die, like I'm in an airplane and we say, the pilot says, ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts, it looks like we'll have a little rough weather. And we know there's a crash and this is not a dream, it's not a movie. The plane is crashing. I'm falling. That scares me. But the dying itself doesn't scare me. Reporter: If you had one year, if you knew you had one year left to live, what would you do? If I only had one year left to live? What would I do? I'd do all I could to please god. Not in a hypocritical way where he knows that I'm doing it because I'm just going to die. Reporter: Yeah? I'd try my best to be as

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

Summary: In an interview from 1978, the boxing legend opens up to ABC News' Barbara Walters about how he lives his life and what he thinks his legacy will be.


At this California home, be the king of your own castle — literally.

A bona fide castle is on the market in the town of Oak Glen for the relatively inexpensive price of $999,000.

(It’s been on and off the market since at least 2010, asking $4.9 million at its peak.)

The four-bedroom, 3½-bathroom house comes complete with turrets, a fountain and stained-glass windows.

Family shields abound, and there’s a suit of armor.

Plus the wooden front door is so heavily padlocked and adorned with metal accouterments that it looks like it could lead to a dungeon.

There’s also a drawbridge and a moat, though a creek that runs year-round serves as a second water barrier. Curbed first reported the listing.

How did such a property crop up in Oak Glen, a tiny pocket (population 638) in San Bernardino County that’s about an hour and a half from Los Angeles?

The owner visited Europe, was inspired by a castle there and built a replica out of cut gray stone, according to listing broker JR Allgower. The owner started construction in 1976 and only finished a few years ago.

“His goal was always to live in a castle, to be the king of a castle,” Allgower tells The Post. “It’s taken him a while to get it all together.”

Over the 7-acre estate, there’s also an apple orchard, grape vines and cherry blossom trees. It also abuts the San Bernardino National Forest.

“There are deer, bobcats, bears — so it’s completely enclosed now,” Allgower adds. “There are wrought-iron gates around it.” Whew!

The interior has modern conveniences (except for central heat and air conditioning) but the decor is medievally inspired — hence the two fireplaces and a tapestry hanging in the great room.

There are also four two-car garages that the owner has dubbed “stables.”

The average sale price in the castle’s ZIP code is $316,900, according to Zillow, so this place is pretty steep by comparison.

“It’s a pain in the butt,” jokes a representative who answered the phone at Allgower’s office. “Everyone wants to go see it, but nobody can afford to buy it.”

Summary: At this California home, be the king of your own castle — literally. A bona fide castle is on the market in the town of Oak Glen for the relatively inexpensive price of $999,000. (It’s been on and …


The Knicks’ Derrick Rose welcome video is just one giant troll job.

Each highlight is of Rose against the Knicks, and virtually all of them involve a player the Knicks just traded to Chicago. First it’s Robin Lopez missing a block on Rose. Then Rose crossing up Jerian Grant. Then Rose beating Jose Calderon and Lopez for a reverse layup.

The Knicks deleted the tweet, along with a “Good Morning” Vine that also showed Rose scoring against Lopez. The video — at least for now — still exists here.

The former MVP was dealt to the Knicks on Wednesday afternoon, along with Justin Holiday and a 2017 second-round pick, in exchange for Lopez, Calderon and Grant. The highlights are from last season when Rose played 66 games, his most since 2010-’11 thanks to a litany of injuries.

As the video rolls on, Calderon gets embarrassed by a stepback jumper, then a drive to the hoop where Lopez misses another block while helping Calderon. Then he hits a jumper in Grant’s face and beats Calderon with a behind-the-back move before going up-and-under on Lopez.

It continues, for almost all of the 1:02 the video lasts. If you were wondering whether the Knicks had moved on from the trio of departed players, this is your answer.

Summary: The Knicks’ Derrick Rose welcome video is just one giant troll job. Each highlight is of Rose against the Knicks, and virtually all of them involve a player the Knicks just traded to Chicago.…


is suing her co-star for $25 MILLION ... claiming the woman got her falsely painted as a violent criminal.

while shooting their show. Ford claimed Thomas grabbed a glass bottle and shattered it over her head.

to close the bloody gash.

We have video of the fight -- it's not clear who started it and we don't see the bottle smash ... but Thomas is pretty confident she's in the clear.

Apparently authorities disagree ... Thomas was arrested after the fight and she's been charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Summary: "Blood, Sweat & Heels" star Geneva Thomas is suing her co-star for $25 MILLION ... claiming the woman got her falsely painted as a violent…


2013 Minervois Benjamin Darnault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France £7.49, nakedwines.com

One of your new year’s resolutions should be to buy your wine smarter. A club is a good way to do that (I’ll highlight another favourite next week), and £20 a month gets you access to Naked’s collection. This blackberry-, spice- and meat-infused bottle would be on my first order.

2013 Riesling Trocken G Stepp, Pfalz, Germany £11.99

I love German riesling in all its guises (this is dry – trocken); it has a fabulous ability to refresh like no other variety. This would be a wonderful pick-me-up for any palates jaded by festive excesses. Bracing, revitalising acidity is at its core, around which sit flavours of lime leaf, apple and flowers.

2011 Facundo Red Blend, Maule, Chile, £13.99

This is a blend of old carignan vines (a southern French stalwart) and bordeaux varieties, and is the essence of new-wave Chile that looks to make fresh, pure wines. Its stunning fragrance will have you swirling the glass for a few minutes before you taste – raspberry, blueberry, dried herbs and spice await once you drink it. Decant for best results.

Summary: Resident wine expert Hamish Anderson chooses three of the most impressive   wines from Naked Wines


Clockwise from top left: White Noise ring, £8,985, Dover Street Market (shop.doverstreetmarket.com); Serti sur Vide earrings, £19,230, Dover Street Market (shop.doverstreetmarket.com); Antifer Pink 4-3 ring, £1,830, Net-a-Porter (net-a-porter.com); Berbère monotype pink-gold ring, £2,750, Harrods (020 7730 1234); Berbère earrings, £3,480, Dover Street Market (shop.doverstreetmarket.com)

Sitting in her minimalist office just around the corner from Place Vendôme on the Rue Saint-Honoré, 29-year-old Gaia is most noticeably not dripping in jewels. A single, pared-back band glints on one finger. She’s barefaced, her fawn-coloured hair is pulled back in a low bun and she’s wearing a quietly chic grey knit and black jeans.

It’s an enviably refined yet low-maintenance look, which has made her a popular subject for street-style photographers. In fact, she has become her company’s best advertisement, embodying the modern yet timeless look that Repossi jewellery has come to encompass.

Summary: The elegant Place Vendôme in Paris’s exclusive 1st arrondissement is the epicentre of the fine jewellery world.


The current sophistication of the internet opens up new possibilities in terms of scale, reach and scope for mentoring, but it is arguably under-utilised.

"You have to be making sure the people who can’t cope on their own don’t slip through, and that they are picked up on. The one leg up they might need, can go such a long way."

The Brightside Trust is one organisation which recognises the potential that mentoring holds. They are a charity who provide online mentoring services, in conjunction with educational and industry partners, to help young people access educational and careers pathways that they may previously not have thought possible.

Anand Shukla, the chief executive of the trust, said: “What the mentoring does, is at key moments of transition, brings [young people] together with people who have been there, done that and gone through the system, who can help and give them support the whole way through.

“One of the things that we focus on is the so called soft skills, but frankly I think the soft stuff is the hard stuff.

“As an organisation we work with something like 15,000 young people a year, which is good, but there are of course hundreds of thousands who could benefit from support."

Last week, Brightside held their annual awards - in association with the Telegraph - at the Royal Institute of British Architects, to celebrate the top mentors and mentees involved in their programmes.

Arizona Jones, 21, this year’s Brightside business mentee of the year, said: “It’s the most helpful thing, to have someone who is actually taking their time out to listen to you, and to help you with whatever you want to achieve.

“There are going to be people who feel that they can cope fine on their own, and then there are going to be people who don’t.

“You have to be making sure the people who can’t cope on their own don’t slip through, and that they are picked up on. The one leg up they might need, can go such a long way.”

Zain Hameed, Brightside student mentor of the year 2015, receiving his award (picture: Jake Stephenson/Brightside Trust)

For young people, a lack of confidence is often the barrier that is hardest to get past. Students who might be the first generation of their family to go into higher education, lack immediate access to the knowledge of someone who has been there before.

Tanya Harrison, an assistant project manager at Realising Opportunities, a collaboration of 15 leading research intensive universities, said: “It’s usually about developing the confidence, and giving them the belief in themselves that someone like them can achieve these things.

"It’s meeting up with somebody who is a positive role model, who doesn’t judge them, who can support them, who they can ask questions of - the kind of things you wouldn’t ask of a teacher.”

Jeremy Reynolds, director of the scholars programme at Villiers Park Educational Trust, echoes these sentiments. He commented: “If you apply to go to a leading university or centre of excellence, you’ve got to see yourself, and say 'Ok, I’m on a council estate in Hastings, but I can do law at Oxford', you’ve got to have the confidence to put yourself in that position and hold your own.”

"Without the mentoring, I don’t think I would have gone to university and pursued something I wanted to do."

The confidence mentoring brings out in a person can result in some startling transformations in young people who previously might have lacked direction.

Faye Naylor, a law student at the University of Greenwich, was one half of last year’s Brightside mentoring pair of the year.

She was initially rejected by Greenwich due to her choice of business studies at A-level, but after consulting with her mentor, she hand-wrote a letter to the head of law, explaining the reasons why she felt her qualification would be of benefit, which resulted in her being offered a place.

She said: “Without the mentoring, I don’t think I would have gone to university and pursued something I wanted to do.”

However, mentoring need not be limited to those currently in education, and has shown significant potential to help NEET individuals (not in employment, education or training) become economically productive members of society.

Highlighting this, the Brightside Trust work with the NHS on an intensive programme targeting NEET 18 to 24 year olds, combining mentoring and work experience. So far, at the end of the programme, around 65 per cent of participants have come off job seekers allowance.

Of course, it must be noted that mentoring is not a catch all solution or a substitute for deep rooted systemic change. But it does hold the potential to help young people overcome the hurdles present within the current system, for those who cannot wait for large scale progress.

Summary: For many young people, a lack of confidence and poor educational resource   access can be major hurdles: mentoring may provide a solution


Police in Thailand questioned the wife of British journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall on Friday, reportedly grilling the Thai national over recent social media posts by her husband that may have breached the country’s strict lèse-majesté laws.

Marshall said in a Facebook post that police raided the Bangkok family home of his wife Noppawan “Ploy” Bunluesilp, 38, which she was visiting with the couple’s 3-year-old son. Ploy and her father were taken in temporarily for questioning Friday morning, he said, adding in a later update that his wife had been released.

Thitirat Nongharnpitak, commander of Central Investigation Bureau, confirmed the detentions to Agence France-Presse, and said a laptop, iPad and documents were also seized. He also linked the questioning directly to unflattering photographs of Thailand’s Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn published this week by German tabloid Bild, which Marshall has shared on social media.

Thitirat insisted the photographs were “doctored,” and said Marshall was responsible. “The culprit is Andrew MacGregor Marshall who has violated lèse-majesté laws for several years,” he said, according to AFP. Formerly based in Bangkok, the journalist has written extensively about the monarchy’s recent history and authored the 2014 book on the subject, A Kingdom in Crisis, which is banned in Thailand.

Marshall insists his wife is not involved in his journalism. “I have always ensured that I work completely independently of her, both because of the risks and because she has her own views on Thai politics and does not share mine,” he wrote on Facebook. “There is no reason for police to detain her.”

Criticizing the monarchy in Thailand is punishable with lengthy jail terms, and prosecutions have ramped up under the military junta that took power in a coup in 2014, against a backdrop of uncertainty over the future of the monarchy. The current King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is in poor health and has rarely been seen in public in recent years.

Summary: Insulting the monarchy in Thailand is punishable with lengthy jail terms


Fat was the food villain these past few decades but sugar is quickly muscling in to take its place. As rates of sugar-related disorders such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease climb, many experts believe that when Americans rid themselves of fat, they simply replaced it with sugar in all its forms.

But proving that the rise of the chronic diseases was actually linked to higher sugar consumption is a challenge. Dr. Robert Lustig, from the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, who has made a name for himself publishing books and research addressing the question of sugar’s effects on the body, wanted clearer answers. Now, in a paper published Tuesday, he and his colleagues believe they have come up with the definitive evidence that sugar, as Lustig says, “is toxic.”

In most lab studies, the doses of sugar that scientists test are quite high; they want to see what the effect is quickly and, depending on the research, they may not have time to wait to study the more gradual effects that might emerge. And in studies where people reduce the amount of sugar they eat, for instance, those people end up eating fewer calories overall, so it’s difficult to know whether any changes are due to the removal of sugar or to the drop in calories.

Lustig and his colleagues think they’ve produced the “hard and fast data that sugar is toxic irrespective of its calories and irrespective of weight.”

MORE: FDA Wants Nutrition Labels to Include More Detail on Added Sugars

Lustig’s confidence comes from the unique study, described in Obesity, of 43 Hispanic or African-American children aged eight to 18 years old. He collected detailed food questionnaires from each of the adolescents to get an idea of the average amount of calories they ate per day, then designed a special menu for each of them for nine days that matched the total numbers of calories they would normally eat. The only difference in the nine-day diet was that most of the sugar the children ate was replaced by starch — the overall number of calories remained the same. The children weighed themselves daily, and if they were losing weight, they were told to eat more of the provided food in order to keep their weight the same throughout the study.

“Everything got better,” says Lustig. Some of the children went from being insulin resistant, a precursor state to developing diabetes, in which the body’s insulin levels can no longer keep up with the pace of breaking down sugar that’s coming in from the diet, to insulin sensitive.

MORE: Artificial Sweeteners Aren’t the Answer to Obesity: Here’s Why

“We took chicken teriyaki out, and put turkey hot dogs in. We took sweetened yogurt out, and put baked potato chips in. We took pastries out and put bagels in,” says Lustig. “So there was no change in [the children’s] weight and no change in calories.”

After nine days of having their total dietary sugar reduced to 10% of their daily calories, however, they showed improvements in all of these measures. Overall, their fasting blood sugar levels dropped by 53%, along with the amount of insulin their bodies produced since insulin is normally needed to break down carbohydrates and sugars. Their triglyceride and LDL levels also declined and, most importantly, they showed less fat in their liver.

MORE: 7 Amazing Things That Happen to Your Body When You Give Up Soda

Because some of the children lost weight, to convince themselves that the effects weren’t due to the small amount of weight that some of the children lost, Lustig and his team compared those who lost weight to those who didn’t during the study, and found similar improvements in both groups.

“Up until now, there have been a lot of correlation studies linking sugar and metabolic syndrome,” says Lustig. “This is causation.”

The diet he provided the children isn’t considered ideal from a health perspective — starches are still a considerable source of calories and can contribute to weight gain. But Lustig relied on the starches to prove a point in a scientific study — that the effect sugar has on the body goes beyond anything connected to its calories and to weight. “I’m not suggesting in any way, shape or form that we gave them healthy food,” he says. “We gave them crappy food, shitty food, processed food — and they still got better. Imagine how much even better they would have gotten if we didn’t substitute and took the sugar out. Then they would have gotten even better yet. That’s the point.”

MORE: The Trouble With Sugar Free Kids

Not everyone is convinced that the results definitely prove sugar, and not weight loss, is the culprit, however. Susan Roberts, professor of Nutrition, USDA Nutrition Center at Tufts University notes that because some of the children lost weight, it’s still possible that shedding the pounds helped their metabolic measures to improve. She also points out that the children self-reported their initial diet, which can often be inaccurate. “We know that a healthy diet and weight loss cause good metabolic changes, and although this study tries to attribute its effects to low fructose, in fact it is impossible to do that because of the study design.”

Some experts are concerned for other reasons. They’re worried that the findings may shift attention away from what they consider to be the more fundamental issue — that overall, we’re eating too much. “Too much calorie intake is still the biggest problem,” says Dr. Mark Corkins, professor of pediatrics at University of Tennessee Health Science Center and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on nutrition. He notes that the study involved children who were obese already and consuming too many calories. “It’s an important study, and the facts coming out of it are very important. It means we need to look at sugars, and at the type of sugars and sugar intake. But I worry that people are going to hang everything on this when we still need to reduce consumption.”

Lustig hopes that won’t happen as more data emerges that details how sugar is altering the body in unhealthy ways outside of its caloric contribution. That wasn’t the subject of the current paper, but he promises follow up studies based on this work that will address that. This study does hint however, at what might be happening. While there has been a lot of attention on the presence of belly fat and its connection to metabolic syndrome, the fact that the children saw improvements in the amount of fat in their liver suggests that might be an important way that sugar is contributing to chronic disease. Obese children and those with diabetes often suffer from fatty liver, a condition normally associated with alcohol abuse but increasingly common among non-drinkers who gain excessive amounts of weight.

This new view of sugar could change the advice that doctors and government health officials give about eating the sweet stuff. Lustig’s hope is that the information is considered as the U.S. Department of Agriculture finalizes its latest Dietary Guidelines, expected by the end of the year, which delineate recommendations for what, and how much of different types of foods and nutrients Americans should eat.

Summary: That’s what scientists have concluded from a first-of-its-kind diet study involving overweight kids


Even though weekends are only a small portion of the week, it seems like I spend a lot more money on those two days than I do on the other five days. Why? I think having unstructured time and wanting to do things with my family makes it easy to go off the rails of my budget. (See also: 40+ Cheap or Free Ways to Make the Most of the Weekend)

Here are some of the worst weekend money traps — and how to avoid them.

Even if there is nothing great to watch, people like going to the movies to have something to do for a few hours. This can be especially tempting if you have lots of time on your hands and your family is bored. But the cost of movie tickets plus popcorn and other expensive snacks will quickly deplete the funds you work so hard during the week to earn.

How to avoid: Watch a movie at home via streaming or rent from Redbox instead of going to the movie theater.

A weekend activity that seems like free entertainment is going to the car lot just to look. The problem is, looking is how the car buying cycle starts. You see newer, nicer cars than the car you have with cool new features and this gets you to start thinking about upgrading. You could even get talked into taking a test drive with a skilled salesperson and end up buying a car that you weren’t planning to buy, resulting in thousands of dollars of unplanned spending.

How to avoid: Wait until you are ready to buy a car and set a budget to go car shopping. And instead of looking at cars, spend some time working on the car you already have. Wash it, vacuum it, check the air pressure in the tires, check the fluid levels, and even change the oil and oil filter if you are mechanically inclined.

Read More: 7 Surprising Ways Summer Will Cost You

I fell into this weekend money trap last weekend. I wanted to take the family for a walk in the mall since it was hot and humid outside. By the time we headed home, I was carrying a bag filled with video games that erased most of the money I earned working on Friday.

How to avoid: Go grocery shopping instead of shopping at a mall or sporting goods store. You can have a shopping experience, but you will be buying things you need. Plus, having a fresh supply of groceries to kick off the weekend can help you avoid another money trap — dining out.

With all of the free time that people have on weekends, there are many opportunities to go out to eat. It’s easy to spend $10 per person for breakfast or lunch, or $15 per person for dinner. You could easily buy enough groceries to last all weekend and then some for the cost of going out to eat just once.

How to avoid: Have a plan for what meals you will make at home Saturday and Sunday, and try not to be out and about at mealtime, or on an empty stomach.

Another example of a weekend activity that seems like free entertainment is to go look at houses for sale. Chances are, you won’t be inspired to run out and buy a house. But you might get ideas for upgrades and expensive projects for your current house that you didn’t even know you needed until you checked out new house.

How to avoid: Don’t go house shopping unless you need to move.

Read More: 4 Brilliant Tips From “Smart Mom, Rich Mom”

Furniture stores make it so easy to buy furniture. If you don’t have money or credit, this is not a problem — you can get store credit on the spot. If the furniture won’t fit in your vehicle, you can get free delivery. If you don’t like the color of the floor model, you can order whatever color you like. Also, it seems like the furniture store is always having some sort of major sale to make you feel like you should buy now to get the best price. But do you really want to spend a month’s salary on a new couch?

How to avoid: If you need furniture, check out used furniture at a consignment shop, thrift shop, and Craigslist instead of looking at new furniture. Used furniture can cost 90% less than new furniture.

Every few years, my wife gets me tickets to go to a college football game. It’s incredible how expensive it is to go to a big event like this! The tickets are expensive. The food and refreshments are expensive. Even getting to the stadium is expensive — you can pay to park near the stadium, or you can park for free and pay for transportation from the parking area to the stadium. And there are lots of opportunities to buy jerseys, posters, footballs, and other souvenirs. In addition to college or professional sports, other expensive weekend events include rock concerts and theater productions.

How to avoid: I try to go to big events only a few times a year, at the most. It’s a lot cheaper to catch the big game or other events on TV at home, and you get a better view of the action as well.

Read More: 15 Ways to Save Money When Getting Your Drink On

Taking a road trip can be an expensive way to spend the weekend. It costs about $5 per hour to cruise down the highway in a car, just for gas. The cost of gas and wear and tear on your vehicle is often just the beginning. You’ll likely eat most or all of your meals at gas station convenience stores or fast food places while you are on the road, taking a toll on both your bank account and your waistline. If you are on an overnight trip, a hotel stay can easily cost $75 or more.

How to avoid: Take a fuel efficient vehicle, bring food from home with you, and stay with friends or family instead of staying at a hotel to reduce the cost of taking a road trip.

Summary: Big ticket events can put a big hole in your wallet.


© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2016

Summary: British-based bank Standard Chartered is to appoint senior International Monetary Fund executive José


A Georgia boy with spinal muscular atrophy may have been excluded from a lightsaber showdown with other kids, but he got "A New Hope" in the form of kind-hearted Chick-fil-A employees.

Two workers at the chicken chain saved the day when they offered to duel the 8-year-old instead.

Read: Girl, 14, With Spinal Muscular Atrophy Decides to End Her Life: 'This Is Enough Pain'

The owner of the Columbus Chick-fil-A, Alex Vann, told InsideEdition.com that every few months, their store hosts themed nights for the community. Last Friday, the store hosted "Galaxy Night," inviting families to enjoy a night of face painting, lightsaber duels, and fun.

Kari Merriken told InsideEdition.com she was watching her son Caleb participate in the activities when she noticed him approach a group of boys to play, and was asked to leave.

"When my son asked some boys in the play area if he could join them, the response was, 'No, we're good,'" she wrote on her Facebook.

Instead, little Caleb asked his mom to play.

"As a mom, it breaks your heart," she said. "So I dove over there to get one of the lightsabers."

As she asked a volunteer at the event for a lightsaber, she explained what happened before getting ready to play with her son.

"The next thing I know, out comes Darth Vader," Merriken said. "They said something like, 'We heard you can't find any worthy opponents,' and they started battling with him."

"[I was] just trying to make a good experience for everybody," said Derek Rains, the man pictured on the left of the photo that has since gone viral. "I grabbed my lightsaber and played around with him, and let him defeat us. He's a sweet kid."

Vann said, "I'm super proud of our team for being aware there are folks that do have some needs. We can really bring a remarkable experience for somebody."

See more from this story:

Chick-fil-A workers go above and beyond for boy in wheelchair

Chick-fil-A workers go above and beyond for young Ga. customer

Chick-fil-A workers go above and beyond for young Ga. customer

Chick-fil-A workers go above and beyond for young Ga. customer

Chick-fil-A workers go above and beyond for young Ga. customer

Read: Brain Computer Chip Allows Paralyzed Man to Play Guitar Hero With His Hands

The duel only lasted only 5 or 10 minutes, Merriken said the gesture was enough to brighten the rest of her son's day.

"It happens to all kids, we've all experienced it. It's a little harder when you have a kid with special needs," she said. "It could have been a bad experience [but] I remember him telling somebody after the event, 'I battled Darth Vader and my Jedi instructor.'"

August is Spinal Muscular Awareness month. To find out more about the disease, visit www.curesma.org.

Watch: Seven-Year-Old 'Star Wars' Fan Asks George Lucas to Allow Jedis to Marry, And Got An Answer

Summary: A Georgia boy with spinal muscular atrophy may have been excluded by other kids -- but some kind-hearted Chick-fil-A workers made his day.


Suffice to say there were other prisoners willing to fight, seduce and stab their way to a takeover attempt. And with power-mongering one of the few distractions available in Wentworth, all that stood between Bea and the morgue was her basilisk stare and a hulkingly sweet transgender minder called Max (Socratis Otto). Meanwhile, on the other side of the bars, badass warden Vera Bennett (Kate Atkinson), now governor, was busy battling her own demons involving self-doubt, sexual jealousy and nose bleeds.

Clearly, Wentworth Prison does not seek to appeal to mainstream tastes, and one or two scenes (notably one in which prisoners rained ketchup-infused tampons upon visiting press and VIPs) strayed well into tastelessness. Some might say the series sticks more closely to its violent, soapy, sexploitation Prisoner: Cell Block H roots than is strictly necessary in 2016. Even so, it remains a rare example of a dramatic world in which lesbianism is not only normal, but the norm. It also shows a world in which women hold virtually all the power, albeit to no obviously edifying ends.

Summary: You know you’ve reached the dregs of the summer doldrums when sport is clogging up all the schedules and Wentworth Prison (Channel 5) is the best thing on TV to write about.


TOKYO—Japanese messaging-app operator Line Corp. said it had set its price range for an initial public offering in Tokyo and New York next month at 2,700 to 3,200 yen ($26.50 to $31.50) a share.

This sets the stage for an IPO that could raise up to ¥112 billion ($1.09 billion), making it the biggest technology listing so far this year.

Line is offering 13 million new shares to the public in Japan on July 15, and an additional...

Summary: Japanese messaging-app operator Line Corp. has set its price-range for an initial public offering in Tokyo and New York next month at ¥2,700 to ¥3,200 ($26-$31) a share, according to a person familiar with the matter, setting the stage for an initial public offering that could raise up to ¥112 billion ($1.09 billion) and making it one of the biggest tech listings so far this year.


Florida State University College of Law

Attorneys for the ex-wife of Florida law professor

tell PEOPLE it's "fanciful fiction" to suggest that she or her family members have any connection to the murder of the popular teacher in 2014.

The family of the ex-wife,

, is speaking out through their attorneys for the first time in a statement to refute that

, which was raised after the arrests earlier this summer of two suspects in the alleged murder-for-hire plot.

"There has been a lot of unsupported speculation that the Adelsons had something to do with the murder," says the statement signed by a team of six attorneys who are separately representing Adelson, her brother, and her parents. "That speculation is categorically false. To be clear, none of the Adelsons – Wendi, her brother Charlie, or their parents Donna and Harvey – had anything to do with Danâs murder."

A "bitter divorce" and revived child custody matters between Adelson and Markel, who were fellow law professors at Florida State University, emerged as a dominant theme underlying the arrests this summer of two men in the alleged plot, according to a

That document stated, "Investigators believe the motive for this murder stemmed from the desperate desire of the Adelson family to relocate Wendi and the children to South Florida, along with (a) pending court hearing that might have impacted the access to the grandchildren."

Markel, a nationally respected professor and father of two boys, was shot in the head execution-style on the morning of July 18, 2014, as he sat in his Honda Accord in the garage of his suburban Tallahassee home.

After nearly two years of no public progress, authorities in May and June arrested and charged

, 34, and Luis Rivera, 33, for the murder. Both have pleaded not guilty, and are scheduled to be tried together in November.

The alleged connection to the Adelsons was raised in a probable cause affidavit leading to Garcia's arrest. In that document, investigators wrote that Charlie Adelson "was involved in a personal relationship" with the mother of Garcia's children, Katherine Magbanua, who also was described as a business associate of Garcia's.

Although police have never publicly named Charlie Adelson or other members of the family as suspects, they have said additional arrests are expected.

"We respect the process and the enormous amount of work that the Tallahassee police department has done in this case," the attorneys for the Adelsons say in their statement. "They have spent the past two years reviewing every shred of evidence out there – every phone record, financial record, text message, email, internet search, everything. We understand why the government has put the Adelson family through this type of severe scrutiny."

"But nothing has turned up that supports this fanciful fiction that the Adelsons were involved. The investigation has gone so deep that it employed FBI agents, undercover agents, and a tip line. There is a reason that the police have not arrested any of the Adelsons – they werenât involved in Danâs death."

"We are issuing this statement because the media continues to run stories suggesting – without any support or evidence – that the Adelsons were somehow involved in Dan's murder. Again, this is simply not true. The Adelsons were not involved. We share in the hope that those responsible will be brought to justice."

The attorneys also said: "On behalf of the Adelson family, we continue to send our deepest condolences to the Markel family. Dan's death was a tragedy, and the loss is profound. Although Wendi and Dan were divorced, he was the father of their two children, who must now grow up without their dad."

The attorneys who signed the statement are John Lauro, representing Wendi Adelson; David Oscar Markus, Margot Moss and Michael Weinstein, representing Charlie Adelson; and Daniel Rashbaum and Jeffrey Neiman, representing Donna and Harvey Adelson.

Summary: Speculation tying ex-wife's family to 2014 murder of Dan Markel is "categorically false," say attorneys


According to Seeo, they have come up with a new way to make lithium batteries without a liquid electrolyte. The batteries need no cooling system and won’t catch on fire the way a traditional lithium ion battery can. They are also significantly lighter and cost less to manufacture, compared to the battery in a Tesla Model S, for instance, which weighs 1,200 pounds and costs $12,000.

“Disruptive start-up technology is meeting the broad systems knowledge and financial resources of a multinational company,” says Dr. Volkmar Denner, the chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH.

For years, automakers and suppliers have been trying to create more powerful batteries. Michigan-based startup Sakti3 (which James Dyson invested $15m in earlier this year) and Quantumscape are also working on solid-state batteries for electric cars, having partnered with General Motors and Volkswagen Group, respectively.

But according to MIT Technology Review, the energy storage capacity of some other similar batteries – at least at the size needed in electric cars – has been less than what Seeo has achieved.

This news comes on the heels of Volkswagen’s emissions-cheating scandal, which revealed that 11 million VW car engines pumped out 40 times the allowable smog-forming pollution.

Analysts have said this could lead to a rise in hybrid and electric vehicle production as automakers work to reach strict federal fuel regulations by the middle of next decade.

Already, reports predict that more than a third of all new European cars will be electrically powered – the majority as plug-in hybrids. If Bosch could pull this off, it could be the dominant battery producer in a very lucrative market.

Summary: The cheaper battery could be lucrative as more people turn to electric cars in   the aftermath of the Volkswagen emissions scandal


SAGAMIHARA, Japan—A man broke into a residence for disabled adults outside Tokyo early Tuesday morning and stabbed to death 19 people, authorities said, one of the worst mass murders in recent decades in a country known for its low crime rate.

Officials at the facility described the 26-year-old suspect, Satoshi Uematsu, as a troubled former employee who quit in February of this year after being warned to stop making abusive comments...

Summary: A man broke into a residence for the disabled outside Tokyo early Tuesday morning and stabbed to death 19 people, authorities said, one of the worst mass murders in recent decades in a country known for its low crime rate.


Beer nerds, it may be time to dust off your resume: The Smithsonian is hiring a beer historian.

The hoppy gig, which will pay $64,650 a year and includes benefits, is a new role for the Museum of American History, the Washington City Paper reported. Funded by the Brewers Association, the position lasts for three years and seeks someone who’s interested in “research, documentation and collecting American brewing history.”

The museum has long collected information on food history, and in the course of its research, staff members became curious about the origins of the craft beer movement. “We were looking at wine, coffee, cheese, artisanal bread, and farmers markets,” museum curator Paula Johnston told the Washington City Paper. “Well, this movement with small-scale, local regional beer is part of the ethos.”

It’s undeniable that craft beers are on the rise: The number of craft breweries in the U.S. grew by 15% in 2015, to an all-time high of 4,269 establishments, according to data from the Brewers Association. Even major retailers like Wal-Mart are stocking their shelves full of craft brews.

The beer historian will work with staff members to develop collections on the burgeoning craft beer movement. The ideal candidate will have an advanced degree in American business, food, culture or a similar history specialization, the museum said.

Read More: The Hottest Trend in Craft Beer Is Beer That Doesn’t Taste Like Beer

The beer historian should also have “proven experience” in research and oral history interviews, as well as writing for scholarly audiences. Additionally, applicants should be open to traveling for work.

If you’re a beer fan who thinks you might have the chops for the job, check out the official job posting. Applications are due on August 10.

Summary: The museum is looking to document the craft beer movement.


Three men who were stranded on a remote Pacific island after their sailboat sank were rescued after three days, thanks to an old castaway trope — the word “Help” spelled out in palm fronds on the beach, which was spotted by a military plane passing by.

The men were on a sailing trip in the southern Pacific Ocean when a sudden storm last Monday night sunk their boat and cast them into the sea, the Guardian reported.

They swam nearly two miles until they reached the island of Fanadik, in the Federated States of Micronesia, where they would remain for three days. The U.S. Coast Guard took note of their disappearance, and on Thursday morning, a navy plane spotted them on the beach, next to the message they had made in the sand.

Summary: A military plane spotted their message after three days


To understand a root cause of the financial crisis shaking global markets, take a look at Kevin Schmidt's paycheck.

Mr. Schmidt arranges mortgages in Shreveport, La. He earns his money upfront, taking a percentage of each loan once papers are signed. "We don't get paid unless we can say YES" to loans, his firm's Web site says.

Summary: The financial crisis shaking global markets has spurred a re-examination of how financiers get paid, and whether the incentives the pay structure creates need to be modified.


A series of road kills has police concerned that someone is deliberately running down livestock on Central Queensland roads.

Incidents have been reported on Narbethong and Tumbar Road and the Landsborough Highway, as well as sheep being struck on the Aramac Road in the Barcaldine Shire region.

The Longreach Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad is appealing for assistance and wants it known that deliberately running down an animal is animal cruelty and a serious offence.

"Producers face enough hardship without having their stock wilfully killed or maimed," Detective Sergeant Dave Perry said.

Summary: Police are calling for assistance to find who is responsible for running down livestock in central Queensland.


Former federal MP Clive Palmer will get a two-day break from being questioned in the Federal Court over the collapse of Queensland Nickel.

Mr Palmer will return on Thursday, but a number of Queensland Nickel-related matters are expected to come before the court on Tuesday although it's unclear what they relate to.

On Monday, Mr Palmer returned for his second day of answering questions from liquidators who are trying to show he acted as a shadow director of the company alongside his nephew Clive Mensink, who was its sole appointed director.

Mr Palmer denies that claim, which, if proven, could see him held liable if the company's found to have continued to trade at a point when it could no longer cover its debts.

Liquidators PPB Advisory asked Mr Palmer to produce records from a mobile phone he used to conduct Queensland Nickel-related business but he told the court in Brisbane he was doing his best to comply, but the phone was lost eight weeks ago while dining at a Gold Coast restaurant.

Later the court heard Mr Palmer used expletives in a vicious email warning to Mr Mensink that he could ruin "everything".

The email made reference to a "letter to treasurer", and Mr Palmer went on to tell Mr Mensink: "I told you what to do. Do it. Do not send me anything to cover your arse or you f*** everything. Do not contact me by email again".

Summary: Former federal MP Clive Palmer will have a two-day break from testifying before Brisbane's Federal Court as other Queensland Nickel matters take centre stage.


A group of Australian businessmen is lobbying for Australia's next fleet of submarines to be nuclear-powered and supplied by another country, warning the current deal to build the vessels in Australia will "condemn our sailors to their graves".

The group says it can't understand the federal government's decision to award a multi-billion deal to French supplier DCNS, which will be required to deliver 12 diesel-powered submarines for which there are no drawings and no plans.

But the group was dismissed as "sad old men" by South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill who rubbished their proposal to go nuclear.

"(It) looked like it was scribbled on the back of a serviette after a long lunch," Mr Weatherill tweeted on Tuesday.

The businessmen, including Dick Smith, Gary Johnston of Jaycar Electronics and ad man John Singleton took out a full-page advertisement in The Australian slamming the move to go with French producer DCNS, suggesting buying off-the-shelf nuclear subs would be a better option.

They said under the deal the navy's next fleet of conventionally-powered subs would come into service at a time when the rest of the world would be operating nuclear fleets, which would be "like putting a propeller plane up against a modern jet".

"We will be condemning our sailors to their graves," the advertisement said.

It also questioned the economics of the decision, saying it would be cheaper to subsidise car industry jobs, if creating jobs was the desired outcome.

Mr Johnston said DCNS was being asked to build a diesel-powered version of what is essentially a nuclear-powered sub.

"It's a bit like trying to turn a cat into a dog. It's crazy. Why would you do it?" he told Sky News.

"They haven't got a drawing, they haven't got a plan. Their current nuclear submarine, the Barracuda, is sitting on a slipway.

"It won't even be tested until next year."

DCNS declined to comment on the row, but the federal government said the decision to award the contract to the company came after a competitive evaluation process, which involved the best experts available.

It said the new subs would be regionally superior and would allow Australia to pursue its national and international interests.

Summary: SA Premier Jay Weatherill has lashed a group of businessmen who have criticised the federal government's plans to build the next submarines in Adelaide.


Federal draft laws aimed at protecting Victorian volunteer firefighters from workplace agreements that limit their work will be investigated by a Senate inquiry.

Labor on Thursday allowed controversial government legislation that intervenes in a bitter dispute involving the Country Fire Authority to sail though the lower house so it can be looked at by a Senate committee.

The government wants to amend the Fair Work Act to prohibit enterprise agreements that limit the CFA's ability to deploy its own volunteers.

It maintains the United Firefighters Union is trying to take control of the CFA.

Cabinet minister Greg Hunt insists the legislation will protect in perpetuity CFA volunteers from a "clear and present" danger.

"This is something that is fundamental to our communities, to our culture, to our sense of who we are," he told parliament.

"And it is fundamental to our safety and to our values."

But Labor accused the government of dividing Victorian communities for political gain.

Bendigo Labor MP Lisa Chesters said bargaining had been ongoing for more than 1000 days but the government only jumped on the issue in the lead-up to the federal election.

"I was outraged then that a prime minister and a workplace relations minister could divide my communities in the way in which they did," she said.

"Communities who work really hard to support one another."

But she said volunteers continued to put the community first.

CFA and State Emergency Services volunteers were on stand-by to provide sandbags and rescue people caught up in Victorian floodwaters.

The opposition also fears the legislation could unintentionally affect other volunteers, such as those working in ambulances.

Liberal Victorian MP Sarah Henderson accused Labor of putting "union mates" before volunteers.

Greens MP Adam Bandt said the bill was a naked political attempt to override bargaining between the Victorian government and volunteers.

"It will be on your head when people don't get the standard of fire cover they deserve."

Summary: Labor MP Lisa Chesters says the prime minister has divided her community by intervening in a volunteer firefighter industrial dispute.


WASHINGTON — Against a growing outcry over the surging price of EpiPens, a chorus of prominent voices has emerged with a smart-sounding solution: Add the EpiPen, the lifesaving allergy treatment, to a federal list of preventive medical services, a move that would eliminate the out-of-pocket costs of the product for millions of families — and mute the protests.

Dr. Leonard Fromer, a clinical professor of family medicine at the University of California Los Angeles just promoted the idea in the American Journal of Medicine. A handful of groups are preparing a formal request to the government. And Tonya Winders, who runs a patient advocacy nonprofit organization, reached out late last month to crucial lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

“We can save lives by ensuring access to these medications,” said Winders, chief executive of the Allergy and Asthma Network.

A point not mentioned by these advocates is that a big potential beneficiary of the campaign is Mylan, the pharmaceutical giant behind EpiPens.

An examination of the campaign by The New York Times, including a review of documents and interviews with more than a dozen people, shows that Mylan is well aware of that benefit and, in fact, has been helping orchestrate and pay for the effort.

A top pharmaceutical lobbying group is launching an ad campaign to defend drug makers that have been under fire for their pricing practices.

The journal article says it was “drafted and revised” by a medical writing consulting firm paid by Mylan, in consultation with Fromer. And Fromer himself has served in the past year as a paid Mylan consultant — which he discloses as part of the journal article. The company has also contributed money to many other groups behind the effort, and it has met with them — and Winders’s organization in particular — to coordinate its strategy, the participants said.

The effort has accelerated in recent weeks, just as Mylan has faced a flood of criticism about its pricing of EpiPens. The retail price for the standard two-pack has jumped nearly fivefold since 2010, hitting $608 this year. Multiple lawmakers and regulators have opened investigations into the pricing of the product, which has virtually no market competition.

The idea being advanced is simple: If the EpiPen makes the federal preventive list, most Americans would have no insurance copay when getting the product. That means they could obtain the medication with no direct cost, regardless of its retail price. Mylan could keep the EpiPen at the current price, or perhaps raise it more, while keeping patient anger at a minimum.

Instead, the federal government, health insurers, and employers would pay the bill.

“In a way, it is brilliant,” said Rachel E. Sachs, a law professor who specializes in public health policy at Washington University in St. Louis. “We are all seeing them for what they are — the poster child for high drug prices right now, but they don’t want to be. And this tactic is nothing but a self-serving move, not a public-regarding one.”

Mylan, in a statement, acknowledged financing “research, resource development, and travel” by the nonprofit coalition Winders formed in collaboration with the company to help push for the change. But, the company said, “we were clear in our corporate sponsorship agreements that the coalition would maintain control.”

The company also pointed to steps it had taken to lower the price of the EpiPen. Mylan has announced more rebates for some patients and it is preparing to release a less expensive generic version.

The decision about whether to label EpiPens a preventive drug will fall to the US Preventive Services Task Force, a federally appointed group of physicians and public health experts.

The task force chairwoman, in a statement, appeared to all but rule out adding EpiPens to its list of recommendations. But a review of Mylan’s lobbying history makes clear that the company has an exceptional track record at influencing government policies, both in Washington and in state capitals.

Proponents of adding EpiPen to the federal list argue that it can prevent a fatal allergic reaction by stopping anaphylactic shock from progressing, if taken immediately.

Summary: A chorus of prominent voices wants the EpiPen, the lifesaving allergy treatment, added to a federal list of preventive medical services to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for millions of families.


09/29/2016 AT 11:10 AM EDT

are speaking out in support of the actor's decision to

of the film amid his ongoing divorce from

"I can understand Brad in many ways. Right now he's in a very difficult situation personally," producer Sophokles Tasioulis told reporters on the red carpet at the premiere on Wednesday. "We want people to come here for the movie, not for what is going on behind the scenes and Brad's personal life. I think it was a good decision by him and we all respect his privacy."

Pitt, who serves as the narrator of the documentary, skipped Wednesday's screening so he could remain focused on his family, following his

is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential IMAX film for children and families chronicling the birth of time," he said in a statement. "I'm very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project, but I'm currently focused on my family situation and don't want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I encourage everyone to see."

Jolie, 41, filed for divorce from Pitt, 52, in a Los Angeles court Sept. 19, stating that she separated from the

star on Sept. 15 – just one day after the couple and son Maddox, 15, were involved in an

The actress has requested sole physical custody of their six children: Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Summary: "We all respect his privacy," producer Sophokles Tasioulis said of Brad Pitt's decision to skip the premiere


Salmon farmer Tassal has been referred to the president of the Senate amid allegations it attempted to influence a Senate inquiry witness.

The allegations aired by Four Corners on Monday claim the company wrote to witness Warwick Hastwell, owner of Dover Bay Mussels, to remind him of his "obligations not to make disparaging statements" ahead of his scheduled appearance before a Senate inquiry.

Mr Hastwell later backed out of giving evidence to the inquiry into the fishing industry.

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson says the matter has been referred to Senate President Stephen Parry.

"The Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 and the Senate standing orders set out clearly that it is contempt of the Senate for a person or company to use intimidation, threat or inducement in relation to another person's evidence before a committee," he said on Thursday.

"I am concerned by the allegation that Tassal may have sought to constrain a witness in what they could or couldn't present to a Senate inquiry."

Tassal insists the Four Corners program on its farming practices "misled consumers, investors and the Tasmanian community".

Summary: The Greens have referred salmon farmer Tassal to the president of the Senate over allegations the company attempted to constrain a Senate inquiry witness.


ne Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson speaks to the media after leaving the 16th Annual Tourism and Transport Forum Leadership Summit at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Pauline Hanson insists Australia has a reverse racism problem, telling defenders of race-hate laws to look at the way women who choose to wear mini skirts are being treated by Muslims.

The One Nation leader says Australians are fed up with reverse racism and being told to be tolerant of people with no intention of assimilating into the Australian way of life.

Senator Hanson, along with Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm, has proposed a private bill that seeks to decimate race-hate laws.

During debate in the Senate on Thursday she said people look instead at the way different religions make comments to women who don't wish to cover themselves up.

She claimed women couldn't swim at beaches because others were offensive towards them

"There is a lot of this going on in this country," Senator Hanson said.

"We can't have an opinion, we can't say anything anymore."

Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson speaking in the Senate (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Unlike the bill proposed by Liberal backbencher Cory Bernardi to remove the words "offend" and "insult" from section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, this bill seeks to remove the entire part of the law dealing with prohibition of offensive behaviour based on racial hatred.

Senator Hanson says she's sick of being called a racist, insisting her accusers can't point to one racist word she has ever uttered.

She insists she's been subjected to racist slurs, like "white trash", and that Greek and Italian immigrants had a "good sense of humour" about being called "wogs".

Indigenous Labor senator Pat Dodson was scathing of the proposed changes, declaring bigotry was back in favour.

He slammed comments by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton about Lebanese Muslim immigration being a mistake, saying the "stupidity" of his language had "excited some lunatic" to threaten violence and death to Muslim Labor MP Anne Aly.

"This is what words do - when you don't understand and comprehend the difference between debate and prejudice."

He spoke about his own fight for freedom, having been born before the 1967 referendum, when indigenous Australians were not counted in the census.

There was a hell of a lot wrong with freedom if you had to fight to experience it, Senator Dodson said.

"If this nation cannot stand up for the weakest and the poorest and those who are most vulnerable because of their race, their ethnicity, or their beliefs, then we have become a very sad replication of what democracy is about.

"Racism is something that isn't growing wild out there in the fields - it's actually tendered in a flowerbox sitting on the windowsills of flats and houses."

Summary: Pat Dodson has slammed a push to water down race-hate laws, while saying Peter Dutton's comments about Lebanese Muslims have incited threats against a Labor MP.