In the accounts published by the Jamaica newspapers of the late negro insurrection in that island, we find it stated that a people called the Maroons were called upon by the governor of the colony to assist in suppressing the outbreak, and that they rendered prompt and valuable aid to both the civil and military authorities in the disturbed district. The following is the proclamation that was issued to them by His Excellency the Governor at the commencement of the disturbances:

Maroons of Jamaica! We have great trust in you as loyal subjects of the Crown!

In times gone by you did the Crown good service!

Your services are again required! You may earn rewards and honor by your loyalty!

A brutal, murderous, and barbarous insurrection has broken out in St. Thomas in the East! Peaceable, unoffending men (who have ever been your friends) have been killed!

The Governor and the government call upon you to join our forces, and of yourselves separately, to do all that lies in your power to assist to put down this murderous outbreak.

Martial law has been proclaimed!

A reward of $2,000 will be paid to you or to any one, who will take PAUL BOGLE, a principal ringleader, and $500 for any ringleader in these outrages.

Seize and hand over to the nearest military station any of the rebellions people wherever you may find them, and for so doing, and for any information you may give to any of our magistrates, officers, soldiers, or other persons in authority, you will in due time be suitably rewarded.

Issued under the authority of His Excellency the Governor and Executive Committee.

It will be seen, from the opening sentences of this address, that the Maroons of Jamaica have a history, and as many people, after reading the recent news from that island, have expressed a curiosity to know who the Maroons are, we propose briefly to relate their history.

As to race, the Maroons are negroes -- pure blacks. As to habitat, several thousands of them are to be found in Jamaica, dwelling in mountain settlements or townships of their own, apart from the other portion of the black population. For a time a number of them found a home in the British Province of Nova Scotia, but were subsequently removed to Sierra Leone, where they have intermingled with the native African population. How these case to be separated from their brethren in Jamaica, first becoming dwellers in the wintry North, and afterward finding their way to "fatherland," will appear in the sequel.

In the year 1655, an English combined naval and military expedition, under the joint command of PENN and VENABLES, was sent out by CROMWELL for the conquest of the Island of St. Domingo; but having failed in that object, those commanders, unwilling to return to England without having something commensurate to the importance of their enterprise, turned their attention to the Island of Jamaica -- at that time belonging to Spain -- and soon made themselves masters of it. The Spanish inhabitants are said to have possessed before the attack of the English about 1,500 enslaved Africans, most of whom, on the surrender of their masters, retreated to the mountain fastnesses of the island, from whence they made frequent excursions to harass the English. Maj.-Gen. SEDGWICK, one of the British officers, in a letter to Secretary THURLOE, (1656,) predicted that these blacks would prove a thorn in the sides of the English; adding, that they gave no quarter to his men, but destroyed them whenever they found an opportunity, scarcely a week passing without their wounding one or more of them; and as the soldiers became more confident and careless, the negroes grew more enterprising and bloody-minded. The General's prediction was verified by events, and the English soon found it necessary to employ a military force for the subjugation of these dangerous neighbors. After years of irregular warfare, and of varying successes on both sides, the blacks at length found themselves so hard pressed by the English, that the main body of them, under the command of a negro named JUAN DE BOLAS, whose place of retreat in the Parish of Clarendon (Jamaica) still retains his name, solicited peace, and surrendered to the English on terms of pardon and freedom. A large party, however, remained in their retreats within the mountains, where they not only augmented their numbers by natural increase, but after the island became more thickly sown with plantations, they were frequently reinforced by fugitive slaves. These becoming more confident, made frequent raids on the interior plantations, and intimidated the whites from venturing to any considerable distance from the sea-coast.

This was the origin of the Maroons. According to Mr. LONG, the historian of Jamaica, the word maroon signifies, among the Spanish Americans, hog-hunter, the woods at that time abounding with the wild boar, and the pursuit of them constituting the chief employment of the fugitive negroes. But BRYAN EDWARDS, who wrote a history of the West Indies toward the end of the last century, says that, according to the Encyclopedie -- a French work -- the term is derived from the Spanish word simaram, which signifies a monkey, and was applied to the fugitive negroes because, like that animal, they retreated into the depths of the woods, coming out only to collect the fruits to be found in the immediate neighborhood of their retreats.

Summary: In the accounts published by the Jamaica newspapers of the late negro insurrection in that island, we find it stated that a people called the Maroons were called upon by the governor of the colony...


Robert Drew’s film “Primary” will be featured in “The Kennedy Films of Robert Drew & Associates.”

Robert Drew, who died in 2014 at the age of 90, revolutionized political coverage in 1960 with his film “Primary. But it didn’t seem so revolutionary at the time.

Recently re-released as one of four films in Criterion’s “The Kennedy Films of Robert Drew & Associates,” “Primary” at first mostly confused the people at Time-Life who had commissioned it. They found his newfangled direct-cinema coverage of the campaigns of Hubert Humphrey and John F. Kennedy during the Wisconsin Democratic primary confusing, discursive, and overlong.

What were viewers to make of extended sequences of Hubert Humphrey, chatting blandly in a car as he is driven from one Wisconsin farm town to another, or shaking hands with weather-beaten old men in overalls? And why the long, handheld, traveling shot of the candidate’s feet as he trudges a sidewalk seeking hands to shake?

When intercut with shots of JFK stirring hundreds of autograph-seeking young women into a pre-Beatlemania frenzy, or having the sleeve of his suit jacket adjusted so exactly one quarter-inch of his impeccable shirt cuff could be seen for his photo portrait, the point is clear: The earnest old Liberal warhorse was destined to lose to the flashy upstart.

As was the dynamic new cinema verite destined to eclipse the dull dinosaur that the documentary genre had become. As Drew explained in a 1962 interview, he wanted to “drop word logic and find a dramatic logic in which things really happened.”

By then, the shock of his new approach to nonfiction films was giving way to avid imitation, and not just by documentarians. He was embraced by the UK’s New Cinema and by the French New Wave, and imitated by Jean-Luc Godard.

Later auteurs would also draw on “Primary.” The now-familiar motif of a celebrity’s long walk through a corridor to a stage in front and an audience originated in that film. D.A. Pennebaker would use it in “Don’t Look Back” (1967). Martin Scorsese would relocate it to a restaurant in “Goodfellas” (1990). And Rob Reiner would parody it in “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984).

Even Ridley Scott, the creator of such special effects extravaganzas as “The Martian,” says that the brief time he spent as an employee of Drew Associates in the 1960s was the most formative experience of his life.

“Primary” also influenced one of the subjects of the film. Kennedy liked the way he looked in it and saw that its poignant intimacy suited his image. He invited Drew to make more documentaries in the White House. They include the unremarkable made-for-TV “Adventures on the New Frontier” (1961) and the intense “Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment” (1963), in which Kennedy goes head-to-head with Alabama Governor George Wallace over desegregation.

In the fourth film in the Criterion set, JFK is achingly present by his absence. The short film “Faces of November” (1964) shows how cinema has the power to make fresh a terrible grief that was first suffered more than five decades ago.

“The Kennedy Films of Robert Drew & Associates” is available on Blu-Ray ($39.95) and as DVD ($29.95) from Criterion. For more information go to www.criterion.com/films/28907-the-kennedy-films-of-robert-drew-associates.

Summary: Robert Drew’s “Primary” is one of four films in Criterion’s “The Kennedy Films of Robert Drew & Associates.”


The 49ers announced Tuesday that they will interview at least one woman and one person of color for every business-side job.

Such jobs make up about 75 percent of the positions in the organization.

The 49ers are believed to be the first team to formally announce such an initiative. It comes about two months after Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL would adopt a rule stipulating that a woman would be interviewed for each executive opening at the league office.

CEO Jed York said the inspiration for the 49ers’ initiative came from his mother, Denise DeBartolo York, the team’s co-chairman. The 49ers have a fellowship named after DeBartolo York that provides opportunities for young women in the organization. Currently, Brittany Haby is completing a fellowship in the 49ers’ football analytics department.

“As the world of sports has proven time and time again, talent comes in all forms,” Jed York said. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to provide every opportunity for talented individuals to showcase their abilities on an even playing field regardless of race or gender. This organization is very proud of our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, and these new enhancements strengthen our commitment.”

Last year, the 49ers hired assistant athletic trainer Laura Schnettgoecke, making her the first female trainer in franchise history. General manager Trent Baalke serves on the subcommittee for the NFL’s minority coaching fellowship program, which is named after former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh.

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ebranch@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Eric_Branch

Summary: Jed York said.  [...] it is our responsibility to provide every opportunity for talented individuals to showcase their abilities on an even playing field regardless of race or gender.  Last year, the 49ers hired assistant athletic trainer Laura Schnettgoecke, making her the first female trainer in franchise history.  General manager Trent Baalke serves on the subcommittee for the NFL’s minority coaching fellowship program, which is named after former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh.


George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney

05/12/2016 AT 01:00 PM EDT

brought out a monster amount of starpower to the red carpet on Thursday.

was joined by his wife

), as well as his

, at the film's Cannes premiere in the French resort town, posing ahead of the anticipated thriller's screening.

From left: Amal Clooney, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jodie Foster

Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty

From left: Jack O'Connell, Jodie Foster, Caitriona Balfe, Dominic West, Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Amal Clooney

David Fisher / REX / Shutterstock

In addition to the film's impressive lineup, a slew of other Hollywood heavyweights turned up for the premiere, including

Julia Roberts and George Clooney

Naomi Watts (left) and Susan Sarandon

Pascal Le Segretain / Getty

cast were also at the festival on Wednesday,

before sitting down for a press conference.

David Fisher / REX Shutterstock

plays an unhinged investor who hijacks the financial show hosted by Clooney's character. Roberts stars as the show's producer who must scramble to save her staff's lives.

During Wednesday's press conference, O'Connell joked about signing onto the role, saying, "I learned that I'd be holding George Clooney hostage and would be going after Dominic West with a gun, bomb vest and detonation that I would yield. And I thought that was well within my capabilities," according to

hits U.S. theaters this Friday.

Summary: Money Monster premiered at Cannes on Thursday ahead of its U.S. release


Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates believes Apple should help unlock an iPhone for the FBI.

Gates is the latest powerful tech leader to voice his opinions on the heated security debate that has arisen after Apple announced it wasn't going to assist the FBI hack into an iPhone 5C that belonged to a suspected terrorist.

The Microsoft cofounder told The Financial Times on Monday that Apple should comply with the FBI, dismissing Cook's claims that it will set a wider precedent of law enforcement agencies hacking into citizen's phones.

"This is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information. They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case," Gates said.

"It is no different than [the question of] should anybody ever have been able to tell the phone company to get information, should anybody be able to get at bank records. Let's say the bank had tied a ribbon round the disk drive and said 'don't make me cut this ribbon because you'll make me cut it many times.'"

See more of Gates through the years:

Bill Gates thinks Apple should help unlock an iPhone for the FBI

Bill Gates, right, chairman and founder of Microsoft Corp., watches a video presentation prior to giving the keynote address at the annual meeting of the Washington Software Association in Seattle, Wash., Jan. 28, 1992. Looking on is Paul Grey, president of Softchec, Inc. of Kirkland, Wash. (AP Photo/Jim Davidson)

Bill Gates, Microsoft's billionaire co-founder, holds the packaging for the Microsoft Windows software at the Comdex computer convention in Chicago,Ill., where Microsoft Corp. officially introduce Windows for personal computers, April 6, 1992. The software giant orchestrated a lavish stage show at semiannual Comdex convention to kick off the new Windows, which went on sale worldwide. (AP Photo/Mike Fisher)

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates answers a question during a news conference Monday, May 18, 1998 in Redmond, Wash. A lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice and state attorney generals from 20 states sought a preliminary injunction that would force Microsoft to include the major rival to it's Internet browser. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)

PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 4: Microsoft president Bill Gates demonstrates Microsoft's Windows 95 program from his automobile prior to a press conference in Paris 04 September. Gates was also to meet 500 top computer executives as part of his campaign to launch the company's new software. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read Michel GANGN/AFP/Getty Images)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates waits to speak at an event organized by his company Tuesday, May 5, 1998, in New York. Gates was joined by more than 50 representatives of the PC industry to emphasize the importance of an on-schedule release of MicroSoft's Windows 98 operating system next month. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and his wife Melinda announce in Seattle, Thursday, Sept. 16, 1999, the creation of the Gates Millennium scholarship progam . The couple are donating $1 billion over the next 20 years to finance scholarships for minority college students. (AP Photo/Stevan Morgain )

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates sits on stage during a video portion of the Windows 95 Launch Event Aug. 24, 1995, on the company's campus in Redmond, Wash. The word "start" is spelled out behind Gates. A Harvard University dropout, Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. By 1980, he had licensed his MS-DOS operating system to IBM for its inaugural personal computer. Microsoft's Windows 95 computer operating system and Internet Explorer browser debuted in 1995 at the dawn of the Internetage. Gates is considered to be the world's richest private citizen with an estimated worth of 90 billion dollars. (AP Photo)

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates adjusts his glasses as he delivers a speech on "Generation I," the first Internet generation, at The New York Institute of Technology, Thursday Oct. 28, 1999. The school also honored Gates with the NYIT President's Medal Leadership Award. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

President Clinton listens to Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in the East Room of the White House Wednesday, April 5, 2000, during the White House Conference on the "new economy." The president challenged Gates and other of the country's greatest economic minds to forecast what could derail the current super-charged economy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corp., right, and Andrew Grove, chairman of the board of Intel Corp., left, pose with computers, ranging in age from those produced 20 years ago to the laptops of today, during a celebration in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001. The celebration was in honor of the 20th anniversary of the IBM PC. On right is the IBM 5050 computer and on left is Compaq computer from 20 years ago. In center are three present day laptops. (AP Photo/PaulSakuma)

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates explains some of the features of the Windows Media 9 Series platform during a keynote address Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. According to Gates, the new software platform offers benefits for the media and entertainment industry, comsumers in the home and in how businesses communicate. (AP Photo/Rene Macura)

American Microsoft Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates, left, walks with Indian Minister for Information and Technology Pramod Mahajan at the latter's residence in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002. Gates is on a visit to the South Asian nation, and will meet with industry leaders and other government officials in New Delhi, Bombay and the southern software hubs of Hyderabad and Bangalore. (AP Photo/Ajit Kumar)

Former South African President Nelson Mandela, left, speaks as Bill Gates, listens at an HIV/AIDS youth forum at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg on Monday Sept. 22, 2003. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates speaks to a gathering of advertisers and internet industry representatives during the Fifth Annual MSN Strategic Account Summit held at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Wash., Friday, March 26, 2004. Gates spoke about the future of advertising on the internet. (AP Photo/Andy Rogers)

Queen Latifah shares a laugh with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in a "living room" set as Microsoft holds its Digital Entertainment Anywhere event to introduce its Windows Marketplace, a system offering consumers a broad selection of software and hardware, in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004. The company unveiled the latest version of its operating system for those who want to use computers primarily for entertainment, whether at home, at the office or while traveling with portable devices. Selections of Queen Latifah's music were used in the demonstration. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, left, speaks Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004 at Microsoft Corp.'s annual shareholders meeting in Bellevue, Wash. Looking on at right are CFO John Conners, CEO Steve Ballmer, and top lawyer Brad Smith. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Bill Gates of Microsoft holds an Iriver music player as delivers the keynote kickoff address of the Consumer Electronics Show Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005 at the Las Vegas Hilton. The trade show, which occupies 1.5 million square feet of exhibit space and attracts 120,000 attendees to Las Vegas, begins with Gates' speech.(AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta)

Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates gestures during his keynote address at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005. Microsoft Corp. will give away software to battle spyware, adware and other privacy-invading pests, Gates said. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates gives the keynote address Monday, April 25, 2005 in Seattle at the 2005 Microsoft Windows Hardware Engineering Conference. Gates focused on the transition to 64-bit computing and the future of the company's next operating system, code-named "Longhorn." (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Bill Gates of the U.S., co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation, speaks during a press conference, prior to adressing the 58th World Health Assembly at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 16, 2005. The Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly takes place May 16-25, bringing together delegates from WHO's 192 member states to discuss key public health issues. (AP Photo/Keystone/Laurent Gillieron)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, left, addresses the annual Microsoft Research Faculty Summit as part of the opening plenary session with Maria Klawe, Dean of Engineering at Princeton, Monday, July 18, 2005, at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Microsoft Corp. chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates holds up the new Palm Treo smart phone during a joint news conference with Palm Inc., Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 in San Francisco. Palm announced that it has gone into business with former rival Microsoft Corp. to launch a Windows-based Treo smart phone, marking the first time that a Palm product will run on an operating system other than Palm's. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, left, shakes hands with Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates during their meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005. Gates arrived in Israel Tuesday evening for a 24-hour visit. (AP Photo/Barkay Wolfson) ** ISRAEL OUT **

Former President Bill Clinton, left, speaks alongside Microsoft chairman Bill Gates during the Time Global Health Summit in New York, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Chairman and founder of Microsoft Corp., Bill gates, left, and Indian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dayanidhi Mara, wave at journalists in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005. They discussed various issues aimed at creating a more enabling environment for adoption of information technology across India. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates smiles while listening to Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates address journalists following their meeting Wednesday Feb. 1 2006, at the Sao Bento palace, the premier's official residence in Lisbon. Gates is in Portugal to attend a leaders forum and the signing of several agreements between Microsoft and the Portuguese government. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates stands while being introduced during a signing agreement ceremony that expands the strategic cooperation between Microsoft and Lenovo Group Ltd. at Microsoft headquarters, Monday, April 17, 2006, in Redmond, Wash. Seated from left are Scott Di Valerio, Bill Amelio, Steve Ballmer, Xu Qin, Yang Yuanqing, Ma Xin, Chen Shaopeng, Jin Xu. Microsoft's Windows operating system has long been popular in China, the problem has been getting Chinese users to pay for legitimate copies. On the eve of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit Tuesday to Microsoft's Redmond campus, company officials hope things are changing. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, left, is interviewed by CNBC's Donny Deutsch at the company's headquarters Wednesday, May 3, 2006, in Redmond, Wash. Most people probably dream of being the world's richest person--except, perhaps, the man himself. Gates told an online advertising conference that he'd prefer not to be the richest person in the world. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, center, smiles as he watches Team South Korea give a presentation on an exercise and diet software program during a demonstration by Imagine Cup finalists at the company's headquarters Wednesday, June 28, 2006, in Redmond, Wash. Team South Korea members include, from left, Haeri Lee, Wansang Park and Hyewha Jung. Gates spent an hour with some of the finalists of the company's Imagine Cup contest, in which students worldwide use Microsoft products to build a new technology. This year, the contest is focused on healthcare advances. More than 70 teams will vie for a $25,000 top prize at finals later this year in India. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates delivers a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates adjusts his glasses during a ceremony at the Global Technological Support Center (GTSC) in Bucharest Romania Thursday Feb.1 2007. Bill Gates visits Bucharest to take part in celebrations marking ten years of Microsoft operations in Romania, and the announcement of the general availability in Romania of Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates, center, laughs with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., right, as Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, left, looks on before the start of commencement ceremonies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, June 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates is silhouetted during a launch announcement at the Unified Communications Server 2007 conference in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007. Microsoft Corp. launches programs that allow computer users to place calls right from Outlook and other Office applications, but analysts say the software maker must prove its tools are as reliable as those from established phone equipment makers. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates gestures in front of Microsoft's new video conference RoundTable during a launch announcement at the Unified Communications Server 2007 conference in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007. Microsoft Corp. launches programs that allow computer users to place calls right from Outlook and other Office applications, but analysts say the software maker must prove its tools are as reliable as those from established phone equipment makers. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Bill Gates, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, addresses the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, Thursday Sept. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt, left, jokes with Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates at the annual Allen & Co.'s media summit in Sun Valley, Idaho, Thursday, July 9, 2009. At right is Nathan Myhrvold, formerly Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, and co-founder of Intellectual Ventures. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Bill and Melinda Gates at the annual Allen & Co.'s media summit in Sun Valley, Idaho, Friday, July 10, 2009.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates poses for photos at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Former President Bill Clinton looks on as Bill Gates testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 10, 2010, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on global health. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The founder of the Microsoft Company, Bill Gates, smiles after he and German Development Minister Dirk Niebel met in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Melinda Gates, left, and husband Bill Gates laugh with Jeff Raikes following speaking at the opening reception of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Thursday, June 2, 2011, in Seattle. The foundation formally opened the new headquarters Thursday evening, moving from scattered nondescript office buildings around Seattle to an architectural showcase in the center of its hometown. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

FILE - This Oct. 24, 2011 file photo shows Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates participating in a panel discussion at the State Department in Washington. A trial accusing Microsoft of antitrust violations resumes in federal court in Salt Lake City Friday Nov. 18, 2011 with the software giant asking a judge to dismiss an the case brought by Utah's Novell Inc.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Microsoft's Bill Gates is watched by Berkshire shareholders as he uses an oversized bat to play against table tennis prodigy Ariel Hsing in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, May 6, 2012. Berkshire Hathaway is holding its annual shareholders meeting this weekend. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Bill Gates, left, and Warren Buffett, right, at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, Thursday, July 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Warren Buffett, right, and Bill Gates share a light moment during an interview with Liz Claman of the Fox Business Network, in Omaha, Neb., Monday, May 6, 2013. The Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting took place over the weekend. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Bill Gates, right, founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, shake hands during a photo call prior to a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Bill Gates holds the Millennium Bambi trophy during the Bambi 2013 media awards in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

Bill and Melinda Gates are interviewed in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015. As the world decides on the most crucial goals for the next 15 years in defeating poverty, disease and hunger, the $42 billion Gates Foundation announces its own ambitious agenda. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Microsoft co-founder and Berkshire Hathaway board member Bill Gates talks during an interview with Liz Claman on the Fox Business Network in Omaha, Neb., Monday, May 4, 2015. The annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting took place the previous Saturday in Omaha with over 40,000 in attendance. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Bill Gates participates in the "Investing in Prevention and Resilient Health Systems" plenary session at the Clinton Global Initiative 2015 Annual Meeting at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)

A US judge last week ordered Apple to assist the FBI in its attempt to access encrypted data on the iPhone of Syed Farook, one of the two San Bernardino shooters. But Apple argues doing so would create a dangerous precedent and make all iPhone users less safe. CEO Tim Cook argues that the move "would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect."

Silicon Valley executives including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have all endorsed Cook's decision. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is yet to comment on the matter but the Reform Government Surveillance organisation, of which Microsoft is a member, opposes the order.

Cook wrote an open letter last week saying he would fight the FBI over its demand to build what Apple alleges is a backdoor in the iPhone.

The FBI wants Apple to remove the limit on the number of times the phone's passcode can be tried before the data on the phone is automatically erased. It also wants Apple to modify its iOS operating system so passcodes can be input electronically. Apple argues that this workaround would later be open to abuse.

Read more reaction to the security debate:

Bill Gates thinks Apple should help unlock an iPhone for the FBI

This is the most important tech case in a decade. Silence means @google picked a side, but it's not the public's. https://t.co/mi5irJcr25

I stand with Apple on privacy and FBI demand. It's not just marketing for @tim_cook and wasn't for Jobs. https://t.co/cZ1DOEs2RA

4/5 But that’s wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices & data. Could be a troubling precedent

Apple has no problem trying to gather every bit of our personal data for marketing but obligated to protect privacy of dead mass murderers?

Any communications/tech CEO that isn't standing with Apple against the FBI is basically admitting that they've already been compromised.

Journalists: Crucial details in the @FBI v. #Apple case are being obscured by officials. Skepticism here is fair: https://t.co/lEVEvOxcNm

.@FBI “We want to get inside the iPhone no matter what.” @tim_cook “Not a chance.” FBI: “What if we made an album?” Tim: “I’m listening…”

Refusing access to #FBI shows terrorists they can get around FBI. Let's be clear: Apple is doing a service for our adversaries! #AppleVsFBI

"A man who is willing to trade security for liberty deserves neither." - Benjamin Franklin #AppleVsFBI #currentevents

The @FBI is creating a world where citizens rely on #Apple to defend their rights, rather than the other way around. https://t.co/vdjB6CuB7k

#AppleVsFBI is so much bigger than people realize. Keeping a close eye on this one

Speech can only be free when it is protected. —@mcuban #AppleVsFBI https://t.co/m41wKR31ET https://t.co/ng71CmYjeS

#Apple #AppleVsFBI Thanks @tim_cook for taking a stand https://t.co/tgWprQESyK https://t.co/qmFhovqIOl

I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. Way to go #Apple. Born free staying free. #AppleVsFBI

Steve Jobs would've literally laughed in the FBI's face about them wanting Apple to create a backdoor to hack into a phone. #AppleVsFBI

Every candidate needs a mandatory 1 day crash course on encryption before poisoning public understanding of issue #GOPTownHall #AppleVsFBI

Keeping us safe by chipping away at our ability to preserve our right to privacy is the first step toward not being safe. @FBI #AppleVsFBI

So the company that put an entire U2 album onto my iPhone without asking is now all about privacy? #AppleVsFBI

There are no exceptions, we should never go down the slope of sacrificing privacy for the sake of security. #AppleVsFBI

Apple is right -- no matter how justified it may seem, turning over that data would set a terrible precedence. #ApplevsFBI

Thank you Tim Cook for making public a conflict that every citizen of the U.S. should be paying attention to. #AppleVsFBI

We should be less worried about apple and more worried about how the FBI can't get passed a locked iPhone #AppleVsFBI

"The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone," Cook's letter read. "But that's simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks — from restaurants and banks to stores and homes. No reasonable person would find that acceptable."

FBI Director James Comey published a blog post on the specialist legal site Lawfare on Sunday titled "We Could Not Look the Survivors in the Eye if We Did Not Follow this Lead."

"The San Bernardino litigation isn't about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message," wrote Comey in the blog. "It is about the victims and justice."

NOW WATCH: We showed real résumés to an expert and the feedback was brutal

SEE ALSO: A Wharton professor shares 3 science-backed strategies for raising highly creative kids

SEE ALSO: Steve Jobs was one of the greatest procrastinators ever — here's how that helped him become so successful

Summary: Gates is the latest tech leader to voice his opinions on the heated security debate after Apple announced it wasn't going to assist the FBI hack an iPhone.


Mariah Carey was born in Long Island, New York. She is the daughter of Patricia (Hickey), who is of Irish descent, and Alfred Roy Carey, who was of Afro-Venezuelan ancestry. Mariah attended Greenlawn's Harborfields High School. In June of 1990, Mariah made her debut with "Mariah Carey" which entered at #73, but on August 4, 1990, it reached #1. Her 1990 self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and spawned an extraordinary four consecutive #1 singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry," and led to Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist. Her 1993 album titled Music Box went ten-times platinum. On September 30, 1995, she made music history. Her single "Fantasy" from her 1995 Daydream album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female artist to accomplish a number one debut in the U.S. Her other Daydream's single "One Sweet Day" remained for 16 weeks at the top of the charts. She is the only artist since The Beatles to have so many #1 singles and albums. With "Heartbreaker", the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow and also her 14 #1 single, she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s, and with "Heartbreaker" at its 60th week atop the Billboard's charts, she pushed ahead of The Beatles's 59-week record as the only artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Following "Heartbreaker," her second single "Thank God I Found You" also from her Rainbow album became her 15th #1. "We Belong Together" from her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi became her 16th #1 single and was also her first #1 without any guest artists since her song "My All" (also a #1 single) captured the top spot in May 1998. The single "Don't Forget About Us" also from her 2005 album Emancipation of Mimi became her 17th #1 single, tying her with Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Three more Grammy Awards were gained from The Emancipation of Mimi album. She is the most successful selling female artist in music history and is the only female artist to have the most #1 singles and albums and also holds the record for straight #1 singles and albums each year. Along with numerous awards and incredible vocal range, she also composes all of her own material, with the exception of song covers.In April 2008, the single "Touch My Body" became her 18th #1 single, pushing her ahead of Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Now she is the only artist since The Beatles to have as many number one singles and the only singer alive likely to succeed them. See full bio on IMDb »

Summary: Mariah Carey on TMZ, your go-to source for celebrity news, photos, & videos. Latest Story: Mariah Carey -- Soakin' Up the Spotlight (VIDEO)


Before you go, we thought you'd like these...

Did you know that there are ways to make your haircut last longer and trim your salon costs too?

First, brush your hair before bedtime. It helps redistribute natural oils from your scalp, which prevent dried and split ends.

And to preserve your locks as you sleep, use a satin pillowcase to rest your head on. Unlike cotton, which is rougher on hair and skin, satin's smooth, soft texture helps prevent hair from frizzing and reduces the friction on your follicles. This can minimize breakage and help prevent hair loss.

So brush up your bedtime routine, and you'll keep hair healthier - no matter what the style!

Summary: Breathe new life into your hairstyle with these cost-conscious tips from The Savings Experiment.


05/25/2016 AT 06:00 AM EDT

Melissa Gilbert is ending her

due to a spinal injury that will require surgery.

The 52-year-old actress who rose to fame playing Laura Ingalls Wilder in

says she's "devastated" that her doctors advised her to withdraw from the race.

"My doctors said there's no way for me to continue to deal with the incredibly rigorous demands of a congressional campaign without continuing to do harm to my body," Gilbert tells PEOPLE.

Gilbert says she is facing two herniated discs in her spine as the result of two head and neck injuries she sustained in 2012. First, she suffered whiplash and a concussion after a fall on

in April and months later the balcony of a house she was renting in Studio City, California collapsed over her head.

"I was standing under the back balcony talking to my kids and it detached from the house and it collapsed on my head," she recalls. "I ended up with a concussion and stitches in my head and it compressed two healthy discs in my neck."

These issues are compounded by what she calls a "long history" of neck and spine issues, beginning with a surgery to fuse a herniated disc in 2003.

Over the past four years, Gilbert says the nerve damage resulting from her injuries has become unbearable.

"I have numbness in my right hand, shooting pains in my right arm and numbness in my neck," she says. "So, after years of care, my neurologists are sending me to a neurosurgeon because I need to have another spinal surgery."

The surgery has not yet been scheduled and the recovery will take at least three months, making Gilbert's dream of becoming the district's first Democratic representative since the 1990s impossible.

"It's indescribable to have to make this decision because I had my sights set on my opponent and a lot of people around me felt that I could win," Gilbert says.

The actress who served as president of the Screen Actors Guild for four years adds that she won't rule out another political run in the future.

"I'm too engaged at this point. I know too much and there is so much that needs to be done in this district and this state and this country," she says. "That's why I jumped into the race in the first place."

"I will continue on this road of being of service," she continues. "I wont know where that will take me but I'm not going to rule anything out."

Summary: "It's indescribable to have to make this decision," Gilbert tells PEOPLE


Beyoncé recently posted a sped-up video of her workout routine on Instagram that will make you sweat just from watching it.

The video is pegged to her friend Michelle Obama’s “#GimmeFive” challenge, which celebrates the fifth anniversary of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign to raise awareness about active, healthy living and combat obesity in the United States.

It is not the pop star’s first promotion for “Let’s Move.” In 2011, she adapted her song “Get Me Bodied” into “Move Your Body,” a music video meant to inspire kids to dance to stay fit. Shortly after, she made a surprise appearance at a New York City public school and led the students in a routine.

Summary: Enjoy this video of the star sweating to "Eye of the Tiger"


Before you go, we thought you'd like these...

Maddie Ziegler continues her winning streak with Sia.

Following "Chandelier," "Big Girls Cry" and "Elastic Heart," Ziegler now stars in Sia's newest video, for "Cheap Thrills." Directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, the video features the same type of intense, captivating choreography as some of her other work. This time, Ziegler is backed by two other dances, and the trio seems to blend as one throughout the vid.

Sia Releases captivating 'Cheap Thrills' video featuring Maddie Ziegler

VENICE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 03: Singer Sia attends a photocall for 'Women's Tales' during the 72nd Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2015 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/WireImage)

LONDON - NOVEMBER 2001: Australian singer Sia Furler, of Zero 7, is pictured at 93ft East in November 2001 in London, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

LONDON - JUNE 3: Singer Sia Furler of Zero 7 performs live on stage at the Shepherds Bush Empire on June 3, 2006 in London England. (Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - JANUARY 09: Singer SIA appears at Virgin Megastore Union Square to perform and sign autographs on January 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

INDIO, CA - APRIL 27: Singer Sia Furler performs during day 3 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival held at the Empire Polo Field on April 27, 2008 in Indio, California. (Photo by Dove Shore/Getty Images)

Singer Sia poses at the Vodafone MTV Australia Awards 2009 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour on March 27, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mike Flokis/WireImage)

NEW YORK - AUGUST 12: Singer Sia attends Bust Magazine's 15 years of independent publishing birhtday party at Pier 17 South Street Seaport on August 12, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

BERLIN - APRIL 29: Sia Furler of Australia performs at the Postbahnhof on April 29, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Jakubaszek/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - JULY 15: Singer Sia attends the performance of Beirut as part of the Dark Sounds Concert Series at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on July 15, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Sia Furler attends the J. Mendel Spring 2013 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Theatre at Lincoln Center on September 12, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 15: Singer Sia Furler attends the 2012 Building Dreams For Kids Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on October 15, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage)

HOLLYWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 08: Singer Sia performs onstage at 'TrevorLIVE LA' honoring Jane Lynch and Toyota for the Trevor Project at Hollywood Palladium on December 8, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Trevor Project)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Singer-songwriter Sia attends the 2014 Wayuu Taya Gala Honoring Kimora Lee Simmons at Trump SoHo on June 4, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 07: Singer-songwriter Sia attends the 'Annie' world premiere at Ziegfeld Theater on December 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Dancer Maddie Ziegler (L) and singer/songwriter Sia attend The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Singer Sia arrives at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 22, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 09: Singer Sia performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS FM's 2015 Wango Tango at StubHub Center on May 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- 'Donald Trump' Episode 1687 -- Pictured: Musical guest Sia performs on November 7, 2015 -- (Photo by: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Sia will perform "Cheap Thrills," off album This Is Acting, on American Idol this Thursday, March 24.

More on AOL Entertainment: James Sheldon, who directed 1,000 episodes of TV, dies at 95 Meghan Trainor channels Britney Spears in sexy music video for 'No' Hulk Hogan's 'startling' $115 million verdict could end in Supreme Court, says Bert Fields

Summary: Following 'Chandelier,' 'Big Girls Cry' and 'Elastic Heart,' Ziegler now stars in Sia's newest video, for 'Cheap Thrills.'


Right now, diagnosing disorders like autism relies heavily on interviews and behavioral observations. But new research published in PLoS One shows that a much more objective measure—reading a person’s thoughts through an fMRI brain scan—might be able to diagnose autism with close to perfect accuracy.

Lead study author Marcel Just, PhD, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University, and his team performed fMRI scans on 17 young adults with high-functioning autism and 17 people without autism while they thought about a range of different social interactions, like “hug,” “humiliate,” “kick” and “adore.” The researchers used machine-learning techniques to measure the activation in 135 tiny pieces of the brain, each the size of a peppercorn, and analyzed how the activation levels formed a pattern. That pattern, Just says, is amazingly similar across people. “When you think about a house or a chair or a banana while you’re in the scanner, I can tell which one you’re thinking about,” he says.

So great was the difference between the two groups that the researchers could identify whether a brain was autistic or neurotypical in 33 out of 34 of the participants—that’s 97% accuracy—just by looking at a certain fMRI activation pattern. “There was an area associated with the representation of self that did not activate in people with autism,” Just says. “When they thought about hugging or adoring or persuading or hating, they thought about it like somebody watching a play or reading a dictionary definition. They didn’t think of it as it applied to them.” This suggests that in autism, the representation of the self is altered, which researchers have known for many years, Just says. “But this is the first time that anybody’s used that to diagnose autism looking at brain activation.”

Just says his research suggests there could be a new way of diagnosing and understanding certain illnesses and disorders. “If you know what kinds of thoughts are typically disordered in a given psychiatric illness, you could ask a person to think about them and see whether their thoughts are disordered or altered from neurotypical people,” he says.

Summary: Thinking about social interactions reveals brain patterns indicative of autism


Kim Kardashian is back to hanging out with her baby bro and his fianceé/her former BFF.

Kim was hanging with Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna Tuesday morning in Bev Hills -- only the second time we've seen Kim and Rob together since before her wedding ... 2 years ago!

We broke the story ... Kim played peacemaker in the family rift over Rob's shotgun engagement by having a sit down with her old pal Chyna.

So who's the third wheel? We'll call it one big happy family. For now.

Summary: Kim Kardashian is back to hanging out with her baby bro and his fianceé/her former BFF. Kim was hanging with Rob Kardashian and Blac…


This story is part of BBC Future’s “Best of 2015” list, our greatest hits of the year. Browse the full list.

The train that cuts across the West Yorkshire countryside from Leeds to the small town of Snaith departs just once at precisely 17:16, Monday to Saturday. Return trains depart twice: one at 07:16, one at 19:01.

Given these infrequent departures, you’d expect packed carriages. But on a recent Friday rush hour – when Leeds train station, the second-busiest in the UK outside London, is swirling with commuters – no one, aside from me and my companions, remains on the line for more than a few stops. Soon, one carriage after another becomes completely, eerily empty. You could cartwheel down the aisles.

The Leeds-Snaith line is what rail enthusiasts call a ghost train; Snaith station, a ghost station. The webpage about Snaith on ticket sales site TheTrainLine.com warns that ticket machines are not available at the station. Nor is there a ticket office, taxi rank or cab office.

It’s one of many train services around Britain that run with empty carriages – sometimes once or twice a day, sometimes as rarely as once a week. Sometimes even ticket sellers don’t know they exist, and it takes dedicated amateurs to seek them out. So why do these trains run at all?

The whisper of a service

There is no single definition of what constitutes a ghost train, although the general consensus is that it’s when a service is so infrequent, the train becomes effectively useless. Slippery or not, though, the term “ghost train” seems apt. It implies a service that is not exactly whole – something that whispers through towns and countryside, leaving barely a dent in its wake.

Only a special few even know that ghost trains exist

Perhaps most important of all, the term ghost train implies something that only a special few know exists. The press contact of the National Rail Museum of York, for example, was baffled by my request for an interview about ghost trains, thinking I wanted to discuss “haunted items” in the museum’s collection.

Nobody knows exactly how many ghost trains there are. On the website The Ghost Station Hunters, run by rail enthusiasts Tim Hall-Smith and Liz Moralee, there are 37 listed, and those are only the stations the intrepid pair has gotten to and written about so far. Hall-Smith says he’s counted more than 50 by looking through timetables.

Official figures are difficult to track down. Northern Rail, which runs the Leeds to Snaith line, said they have six such trains; that’s out of 2,500 services they run each day. But a request from the Department of Transport for overall numbers turned up nil: “The department doesn’t hold a definitive list of these low-frequency routes, because we don’t use the terminology of ghost train – there’s no formally agreed definition of what would constitute one,” says Andrew Scott, one of the Department of Transport’s press officers.

The sheer mystery of ghost trains is part of what makes them compelling to a small, but passionate, community of “ghost train hunters” that, Hall-Smith and Moralee say, spans the globe, sharing information online through websites like theirs. Hall-Smith has been chasing the trains since 1993, visiting 41 ghost stations. Moralee has visited 32. They take pictures at each one and try to put them on their website, with detailed descriptions about how to get there and what to expect. To celebrate his 50th birthday, they went to Berney Arms in Norfolk. “It has to be one of the maddest places we have both been to,” he says. “No words can describe how isolated this place was.” The closest road was three miles away; the only nearby structures were a shuttered pub and an old windmill.

It’s a passion that takes commitment. Since the trains are run on extremely inconvenient schedules, sometimes without a return trip, sometimes before sunrise, the journey means a lot of legwork. If there is anyone else on the train, it’s probably another ghost train enthusiast.

It’s a useless, limited service. But there would be a stink if anyone tried to close it

Given the overcrowding on Britain’s trains, it may seem odd for these empty carriages to ride the rails – or for empty stations to stand sentry over them. From 1995-96 to 2011-12, the total number of miles ridden by train passengers leapt by 91%, while the entire UK train fleet grew by only 12%.

“Ghost trains are there just for a legal placeholder to prevent the line from being closed,” says Bruce Williamson, national spokesperson for the advocacy group RailFuture. Or as Colin Divall, professor of railway studies at the University of York, puts it: “It’s a useless, limited service that’s borderline, and the reason that it’s been kept is there would be a stink if anyone tried to close it.”

That is the crux of why the ghost trains still exist. A more official term is “parliamentary trains”, a name that stems from past years when an Act of Parliament was needed to shut down a line. Many train operators kept running empty trains to avoid the costs and political fallout – and while this law has since changed, the same pressures remain.

Closing down a line is cumbersome. There must first be a transport appraisal analysing the effect of a closure on passengers, the environment and the economy. The proposal is submitted to the Department of Transport and at that point its details must be published in the press, six months ahead of the closure. Then comes a 12-week consultation period, during which time anyone is welcome to protest; public hearings are sometimes held, especially if the closure is controversial. Then, finally, the plans are submitted to the Office of Rail and Road, who decide if the line closes.

As a result it often costs less – in terms of time, paperwork and taxpayers’ money – to keep a line running at a bare minimum. Other nations run limited service trains, but experts say that the particular politicisation of Britain’s railways – and the creation of so many steps required to close them – means that when people say “ghost trains,” they’re usually referring to British ones.

There’s a more optimistic reason for running a ghost train, too: it shows hope that the line may be used more regularly again in the future. Once a service is closed entirely, infrastructure deteriorates; even if the physical track is kept, it becomes overgrown. Not to mention that drivers then would have to be re-trained on the track, or that a whole new slew of paperwork would have to be gone through to re-open it. Starting from scratch, in other words, is far more expensive than maintaining what you have.

Some ghost services have come back from the dead

The Halton Curve is one example. A half-mile connection between two lines that are frequently serviced, it operated for years as a ghost train. After years of advocates defending its potential, if run more regularly, to provide service from North Wales into Liverpool, plans were finally announced last year to give it a £10.4 million upgrade and re-establish the link, returning it to full service.

Experts say that Halton Curve is emblematic of an ongoing trend. Closing lines is particularly rare these days. It’s far more common to see new lines opening or limited service lines being returned to full service. Ghost trains, in other words, may be at risk.

That’s good news for railway advocates who want to see the country better connected by more efficient, frequently running trains. But it may be bad news to those like Hall-Smith and Moralee, who have built a lifelong passion out of tracking the ghosts down.

There is no train to Snaith

On our ride to Snaith, the two tell me about the trouble Moralee had procuring her ticket. The Snaith train was listed on the board of departures, but the person at the ticket desk still hadn’t heard of it. “You must be mistaken,” he’d told her. “There is no train to Snaith.”

“That’s what we love about this,” Hall-Smith says: knowing a secret that, in the hyper-organised and planned world of rail transport, shouldn’t exist. A secret that not even everyone who works in that world knows exists.

A ghost train might be a bureaucratic hangover. It might be a fiscal headache. It might be a waste of resources and potential. But in the world of transport and infrastructure, where efficiency and budgets rule, it’s also a quirky aberration – one that might not be around forever, but that, for now, provides an acute sense of joy to a small, passionate group of people who love it for its Alice-in-Wonderland-style absurdity.

This story is a part of BBC Britain – a new series focused on exploring this extraordinary island, one story at a time. Readers outside of the UK can see every BBC Britain story by heading to the Britain homepage; you also can see our latest stories by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Summary: Empty and all but unknown, ghost trains are one of British transport’s strangest quirks. Why do they exist? To find out, Amanda Ruggeri gets on board.


California Gov. Jerry Brown addresses members of the media before signing a bill creating the highest statewide minimum wage at $15 an hour by 2022 at the Ronald Reagan building in Los Angeles on Monday, April 4, 2016.

California Gov. Jerry Brown addresses members of the media before signing a bill creating the highest statewide minimum wage at $15 an hour by 2022 at the Ronald Reagan building in Los Angeles on Monday, April

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at an event at the UFCW Union Local 324 on May 25, 2016 in Buena Park, California.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at an event at the UFCW Union Local 324 on May 25, 2016 in Buena Park, California.

The Democratic Party 2016 presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a campaign event at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, California, USA 30 May 2016.

The Democratic Party 2016 presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a campaign event at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, California, USA 30 May 2016.

Gov. Jerry Brown endorses Clinton ahead of California primary

SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday he will vote for Hillary Clinton in the state’s upcoming primary, explaining that she has the best chance of thwarting the “dangerous candidacy” of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Brown had previously been cagey about whether he would endorse the former secretary of state over her Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, who in recent days has been campaigning around the Bay Area leading up to California’s June 7 primary.

“I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump,” Brown wrote in an open letter to Democratic and independent voters posted on his website.

Brown praised Sanders, saying he was “deeply impressed” by the Vermont senator’s performance and focus on fighting income inequality.

“He has driven home the message that the top 1 percent has unfairly captured way too much of America’s wealth, leaving the majority of people far behind,” Brown wrote. “In 1992, I attempted a similar campaign.”

Brown lost his bid in 1992 for the party’s nomination to Clinton’s husband, Bill, in a race that touched off a heated political rivalry.

The two launched well-publicized jabs at each other over the years, including when Brown joked at a gubernatorial campaign event in 2010 about Bill Clinton’s affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Brown apologized for the comments, and Bill Clinton went on to endorse him for governor.

Brown, who also ran for president in 1976 and 1980, argued Tuesday that the political math is in Hillary Clinton’s favor and that her election is necessary to take down Trump.

“The Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has called climate change a ‘hoax’ and said he will tear up the Paris Climate Agreement,” Brown said. “He has promised to deport millions of immigrants and ominously suggested that other countries may need the nuclear bomb. He has also pledged to pack the Supreme Court with only those who please the extreme right.”

Brown applauded Clinton’s skills as a legislator, saying of the former New York senator, “she knows how to get things done” and will be ready to lead the country on her first day in office.

Brown had previously dodged questions about whom he would support in the primary, while saying he planned to used his power as a superdelegate at the national convention to vote for whomever he favored, regardless of the Democratic Party’s endorsement. But the four-term governor said Tuesday that he could no longer keep silent.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Brown wrote. “Our country faces an existential threat from climate change and the spread of nuclear weapons. A new cold war is on the horizon. This is no time for Democrats to keep fighting each other.

“Next January,” he said, “I want to be sure that it is Hillary Clinton who takes the oath of office, not Donald Trump.”

Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Wednesday evening in Sacramento.

Sanders continues to stump around the Bay Area after a surprise visit to Oracle Arena on Monday night for Game 7 of the NBA’s Western Conference finals, in which the Golden State Warriors finished off the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sanders, who is set to hold rallies in Palo Alto and Davis on Wednesday, has pledged to stay in the race despite Clinton’s delegate lead.

That road could become tougher. A new statewide poll released Tuesday found Clinton with a 13-percentage-point lead, 51 to 38 percent, over Sanders in next week’s primary. That’s very different from last week’s Public Policy Institute of California survey of likely voters, which showed Clinton barely ahead of Sanders, 46 to 44 percent.

The new Golden State Poll, released by Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, was based on a survey of 1,700 California adults taken between May 4 and May 16. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.47 percent.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer John Wildermuth contributed to this story.

Evan Sernoffsky and Melody Gutierrez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: EvanSernoffsky @MelodyGutierrez

Summary: SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday he will vote for Hillary Clinton in the state’s upcoming primary, explaining that she has the best chance of thwarting the “dangerous candidacy” of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.  Brown had previously been cagey about whether he would endorse the former secretary of state over her Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, who in recent days has been campaigning around the Bay Area leading up to California’s June 7 primary.  “I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump,” Brown wrote in an open letter to Democratic and independent voters posted on his website.  Brown praised Sanders, saying he was “deeply impressed” by the Vermont senator’s performance and focus on fighting income inequality.  The two launched well-publicized jabs at each other over the years, including when Brown joked at a gubernatorial campaign event in 2010 about Bill Clinton’s affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.  “The Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has called climate change a ‘hoax’ and said he will tear up the Paris Climate Agreement,” Brown said.  Brown applauded Clinton’s skills as a legislator, saying of the former New York senator, “she knows how to get things done” and will be ready to lead the country on her first day in office.  Brown had previously dodged questions about whom he would support in the primary, while saying he planned to used his power as a superdelegate at the national convention to vote for whomever he favored, regardless of the Democratic Party’s endorsement.  Sanders continues to stump around the Bay Area after a surprise visit to Oracle Arena on Monday night for Game 7 of the NBA’s Western Conference finals, in which the Golden State Warriors finished off the Oklahoma City Thunder.


05/31/2016 AT 10:55 PM EDT

is using her immense star power to draw attention to the children of one of Asia's poorest regions.

The pop star and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador recently traveled to the rural Ninh Thuan province in Vietnam, where she met many families with disabled children who lack proper education, water, sanitation and hygiene.

"It was heartbreaking to meet a grandmother who was left to care for four grandchildren after her daughter passed away. The family lives off a bumpy path in a remote village in the hills, and one of the grandchildren, a five-year-old named Linh, became severely malnourished. If a UNICEF-trained outreach worker had not come to the village, and made sure Linh got the care she needed, she might not be alive today," Perry, 31, described. "Linh is one of millions of children who face such challenges every day. That's something we should all be worried about."

Many of the children Perry had interacted with told her about their dreams of becoming doctors and teachers to break the cycle of poverty their parents are living in.

"All the children I met have incredible dreams. We have to help them fight for those dreams," Perry stressed. "Investing in the most disadvantaged to give them a fair chance in life is not only the right thing to do, it is the best way to break the cycle of poverty and drastically improve children's health, education and well-being."

With her Vietnam trip, the singer hopes to draw focus to issues affecting millions of children, like those living in Ninh Thuan.

"UNICEF works to ensure that every child, urban or rural, rich or poor, has a chance to thrive, to grow and to contribute to their families and communities as well as to have the opportunity to shape the world that we live in," said Perry.

The 13-time Grammy nominee was appointed as UNICEFâs Goodwill Ambassador in December 2013. Earlier that same year, Perry visited Madagascar as her first UNICEF mission.

Summary: Perry was appointed as UNICEFâs Goodwill Ambassador in December 2013


The mayor of Laglio, Italy has warned that anyone who sets foot within 100 meters of George and Amal Clooney’s twin luxury villas overlooking Lake Como will be fined up to €500 ($550.)

Robert Pozzi, mayor of the small picturesque village in northern Italy, issued the ordinance to protect Clooney, his wife Amal and their guests’ privacy while they vacation in their glitzy properties, reports the Telegraph.

Anyone who leaves their car or boat within 100 meters of Clooney’s Villa Oleandra and adjoining Villa Margherita will be liable to pay the hefty fine.

The Gravity and Oceans 11 star bought one of the exclusive villas in 2002, but after fans and paparazzi flooded the town and set up camp near his home, Clooney bought the adjoining property to ensure his privacy.

Before the couple’s wedding last year, a similar exclusion zone was enforced around the homes to protect the pair from snooping photographers

Summary: Step within 100 m of his two properties and you could be fined up to $550.


Eleven-year-old Elizabeth Hughes was, in retrospect, the ideal patient: bright, obedient, uncomplaining and wholly unprepared to die. Born in 1907 in the New York State governor's mansion, Elizabeth was the daughter of Charles Evans Hughes, who later became a justice on the Supreme Court, ran against Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and served as secretary of state under Harding.

Elizabeth had a perfectly normal, aristocratic youth until she seemed to become allergic to childhood. She would come home from friends' birthday parties with an insatiable thirst, drinking almost two quarts of water at a sitting. By winter, she had become thin, constantly hungry and exhausted. Her body turned into a sieve: no matter how much water she drank, she was always thirsty.

In early 1919, Elizabeth's parents took her to a mansion in Morristown, N.J., recently christened the Physiatric Institute and run by Dr. Frederick Allen. A severe, debt-ridden clinician with a pockmarked resume, Allen had written the authoritative account on treating her condition. He prolonged hundreds of lives and was the girl's best chance. Allen examined Elizabeth and diagnosed diabetes -- her body was not properly processing her food into fuel -- and told her parents what they would never tell their daughter: that her life expectancy was one year, three at the outside. Even that was a magnificent extension of previous fatality rates. ''The diagnosis was like knowing a death sentence had been passed,'' wrote one historian. Then Dr. Allen did what many doctors at the time would have done for Elizabeth, except that this doctor was exceptionally good, if not the finest in the world, at it. He began to starve her.

The history of medicine ''is like the night sky,'' says the historian Roy Porter in his book ''The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of Humanity.'' ''We see a few stars and group them into mythic constellations. What is chiefly visible is the darkness.''

Diabetes doesn't come from simply eating too much sugar; nor is it cured, as was once thought, by a little horseback riding. It is not the result of a failing kidney, overactive liver or phlegmy disposition, though these were the authoritative answers for centuries. Diabetes happens when the blood becomes saturated with glucose, the body's main energy source, which is normally absorbed by the cells -- which is to say that the pathology of diabetes is subtle and invisible, so much so that a third of the people who have it don't even know it. Until the prohibition against autopsies was gradually lifted (by 1482, the pope had informally sanctioned it), what we knew of human anatomy came through the tiny window of war wounds and calamitous gashes -- and even then it took centuries for doctors to decide just what the long, lumpy organ called the pancreas actually did or, in the case of diabetes, didn't do. We like to think surgically about the history of medicine, that it moved purposefully from insight to insight, angling closer to cure. But that is only the luxury of contemporary life. Looked at over time, medicine doesn't advance as much as grope forward, with remedies -- like bloodletting, quicksilver ointments and simple, unendurable hunger -- that blurred the line between treatment and torture.

Diabetes was first diagnosed by the Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia, who deemed it a ''wonderful affection . . . being a melting down of the flesh and limbs into urine.'' For the afflicted, ''life is disgusting and painful; thirst unquenchable . . . and one cannot stop them from drinking or making water.'' Since the classical period forbade dissection, Porter notes, ''hidden workings had to be deduced largely from what went in and what came out.'' An early diagnostic test was to swill urine, and to the name diabetes, meaning ''siphon,'' was eventually added ''mellitus,'' meaning ''sweetened with honey.'' Healers could often diagnose diabetes without the taste test. Black ants were attracted to the urine of those wasting away, drawn by the sugar content. Generations later, doctors would make a similar deduction by spotting dried white sugar spots on the shoes or pants of diabetic men with bad aim.

For the Greeks, to separate disease symptoms from individual pain while isolating them from magical causes was itself an enormous intellectual leap. ''We should be really impressed with Aretaeus,'' says Dr. Chris Feudtner, author of the coming ''Bittersweet: Diabetes, Insulin and the Transformation of Illness.'' ''He was able to spot the pattern of diabetes in a dense thicket of illness and suffering.''

But for centuries, this increasing precision in disease recognition was not followed by any effective treatment -- more details didn't make physicians any less helpless. At the time, they were unknowingly confusing two kinds of diabetes: Type 1, known until recently as ''juvenile diabetes,'' which is more extreme but less common than Type 2, or ''adult onset,'' which seems to be related to obesity and overeating. With Type 1 (what Elizabeth Hughes had), the pancreas stops secreting insulin, a hormone that instructs the body to use the sugar in the blood for energy. With Type 2, the pancreas produces insulin (at least initially), but the tissues of the body stop responding appropriately. By 1776, doctors were still just boiling the urine of diabetics to conclusively determine that they were passing sugar, only to watch their patients fall into hyperglycemic comas and die.

Summary: The history of diabetes shows just how extreme treatments can get before there is a genuine medical breakthrough.


GoDaddy’s head technology guru is leaving the building and going to Google.

The website hosting company revealed in a regulatory filing on Friday that its chief technology officer and executive vice president of its cloud computing business group, Elissa Murphy, has resigned. Her April 12 resignation will be effective on May 17, the filing states.

In a statement to Fortune, GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving said, “Murphy has significantly advanced GoDaddy’s technology vision and capabilities.”

“She has been instrumental in the evolution of the company, and while we will miss her greatly, we wish her the very best as she takes on a new and exciting challenge at Google,” wrote Irving.

Irving wrote that the GoDaddy’s chief information and infrastructure officer Arne Josefsberg will take over Murphy’s position. GoDaddy did not say what Murphy will be doing at Google. Fortune has contacted Google for more information.

The move is noteworthy considering GoDaddy gddy recently unveiled a possible competitor to several popular cloud computing businesses, like Amazon, Google goog , and Microsoft. These companies typically sell computing resources from their data centers on-demand to customers so companies don’t have to buy their own data center hardware.

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Unlike Amazon amzn or Microsoft, GoDaddy was marketing its new cloud-computing unit to small businesses as opposed to giant companies like Pfizer pfe and Nokia.

In July 2014, Fortune profiled Murphy as part of a question and answer series in which she explained her lengthy technology career and the challenges GoDaddy faces in helping its small business clients run their companies better using the data it collects for them. Murphy has held management positions at many big technology companies including Yahoo yhoo , Microsoft msft , and Symantec symc .

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In March, Fortune profiled GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons and his new business selling high-end golf clubs.

Google has been busy building its cloud computing business unit and in November hired VMware vmw founder Diane Greene to head the division.

Summary: Just a month after GoDaddy's unveils a possible competitor to Amazon's cloud computing business.


IBM ibm on Tuesday said it signed a $300 million, ten-year technology services agreement with Dubai’s Emirates Airline.

IBM will provide information technology services, allowing the airline to improve efficiency on its passenger support systems and functions, a statement from IBM said.

Under the managed services agreement, this will include assistance in encrypting the airline’s data in near real-time and systems which allow different software components to communicate more effectively, the statement said.

In October 2015, IBM signed a $700 million deal with Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways for a range of IT services and infrastructure.

Emirates, the world’s fourth-largest carrier of international passengers reported a profit of $1.93 billion for the financial year to March 31, a jump of 56 percent over the year.

Summary: “My relationship, I think, is going to end up being very good with women”


Forget about putting that wad of rainy day cash under your mattress, many agree it's one of the first places thieves look -- but what about tucking the loot in a dusty "book safe" or decoy safe? It's worth considering.

Of course as one reformed burglar admitted in

by Jeffrey Strain, the safest place to stash cash and valuables is not surprisingly, "at the bank." Their fees and charges may leave you feeling robbed anyway, but that's another story.Unfortunately, there are good reasons to keep cash at home. Recently, I listened as an American Red Cross volunteer listed items everyone should keep on hand in case of a natural disaster or emergency and one of those must-haves was cash. He explained that in the event of a catastrophe, it may not be possible to access money in the bank or use credit cards. Yikes.

Almost as scary, however, is keeping significant amounts of money lying around at home. As the candid thief told Strain, "If I can't find money in the normal places (i.e. dresser drawers, drawers by phones, closets, safe, jewelry boxes, purses) where I usually find them, I would continue to tear the house apart until I found something."

Home owner beware, however, the thief advised we should be thoughtful in selecting hiding places. He related an instance in which he stole electronics from inside a home and was surprised later to find cash hidden inside the battery compartments. Ooops.

The veteran robber and former drug addict suggested hiding money in kid's toys (well disguised by messy rooms), on the undersides of trash cans, inside laundry detergent, or in false packaging (i.e. decoy safes) but only if they are situated in their logical places. "When you find a Campbell's soup can in the bedroom," he explained, "you have a pretty good idea there is money inside."

Of course, now that those hiding spots have been outed for all the world to read they are probably not safe anymore, but you get the idea. Someplace you'll remember (vital!), and someplace a thief wouldn't be interested in looking. In my research, I ran across one website suggesting stashing cash in an empty bottle of

with the cap back on. Great, unless your home invader feels like cracking open a cold one.

Similarly, the thief warned against keeping cash under the mattress because it is usually the place intruders look to find guns.

The book safe idea is sounding better and better. The best part: There are many, reasonably priced styles to choose from and they are available everywhere from Amazon, Sears and

site on Etsy is currently selling a

. The description says the interior hollow is "spacious enough to hold an iPod, money or jewelry.

John Montefusco is selling a

. "I look for deep books to give extra hiding space," says Montefusco. The

shop on Etsy is selling a

($20) cut with an oval space inside and set with book binder's glue to keep it together. Because, as the sales pitch reads, "everybody has something to hide."

On Etsy, book safes range from text books and

($35.20) editions and even a

Some vendors will even take requests for custom book safes.

Larger manufactures sell them from $10 and up on websites such as

Then, of course, there is always DIY. Several online sites explain the step-by-step process of making your own book safe and a few offer video instruction on

Basically, you'll need a hard-cover book at least two-inches thick, an X-Acto knife, box cutter, or power scroll saw, and glue or rubber cement.

For minimalist design enthusiasts for whom a clunky old book would look out of place in the decor, there are other options, such as the aforementioned soup can.

In fact, in addition to soup cans you can buy

($6.95) created specifically for the purpose of hiding money and valuables. Or make your own. "Experts say that a burglar will spend about eight minutes in your home," reads the

website selling diversion safes, "He's in a hurry and will grab the most obvious, valuable items. He ain't that bright and follows the course of least resistance ... Sure the idiots who break into your house may know that a diversion safe exists, but they are scared, rushed and just want to get in, grab what they can and get out."

There are a few places to avoid hiding money, however, and according to Jeffrey Strain's chatty burglar this includes: toilets, cereal boxes, refrigerator/freezer, and the medicine cabinet. These locations are targets for thieves looking for drugs. "Many drugs last longer when refrigerated," he explained, "...Prescription drugs could also be found in the refrigerator." Singing like a canary, the burglar noted, "Cereal boxes are another place where a lot of people hide drugs. I'm sure that the people who didn't have drugs in their house wondered why there was cereal spread all over their kitchen after I robbed them." Yes, that among other things.

"I hide all of my big bills inside the picture of my mother-in-law," wrote one commenter on the

, "ain't no one looking in there! That picture is better than a guard dog on PCP!"

Whatever your method, don't forget where the super secret stash is located -- and be sure to share the information with loved ones who might accidentally toss the treasure into the recycling bin or in some cases, the pile headed to

Summary: Forget about putting that wad of rainy day cash under your mattre , many agree it's one of the first places thieves look -- but what about tucking the loot in a dusty "book


Before you go, we thought you'd like these...

Labor Day is the perfect holiday to throw a barbecue bash, but stocking up on food can quickly eat up your budget. Luckily, there are a few ways you can throw a barbecue without your savings going up in smoke.

First, it's important to make sure you know how many people are coming. Counting your RSVPs will help make sure you don't waste money on food that won't be eaten.

Once you know who's coming, think about which foods will be more popular, but don't feel pressured to buy everything. Just stick to the rule of two, like hotdogs and hamburgers for proteins or chips and pasta for sides.

A good rule of thumb is to provide about 1 pound of food per person. That works out to roughly 6 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of sides and 4 ounces of dessert. Measuring out serving sizes will help tighten the belt on your expenses.

Finally, if you need a little extra help with your cookout calculations, go online to

. Simply enter how many adults and children are coming, and what their favorite foods are. You'll immediately get a menu and budget tailored just for you.

As you get ready for your Labor Day cookout, remember these tips. You'll find that with a little preparation, you can throw a great party without grilling your budget.

Leftover-Free Labor Day -- Savings Experiment

We'll look at some of our list of 14 of the biggest grocery price increases this year, using average prices throughout the U.S., between December 2006 and December 2007. What's up the most? Click along and see.

Ground beef has stayed cheap (though some critics would say, at a terrible price, given the recent videos of tortured cows that have shocked the nation). Up only 3.7% nationwide, it's still what's for dinner.

My kids love bananas, and many have called bananas the perfect food. They'd be a little more perfect if they were less expensive; up 5.2% this year.

Strawberries are feeling the weight of the many miles they must travel during the winter; prices are up 5.9%, on average, in the U.S. this year.

Bacon may make everything taste better, but it's not going to leave a good taste in your mouth when you pay 6.7% more than you did, this time, last year.

Perhaps due to the continued upswing in local wineries, table wine hasn't gone up in price much this year compared to many other groceries. But still, at 8%, it's higher than most American's raises. Will it be the thing to leave off *your* list?

That American apple pie will be quite a bit more pricey this year, and apples for the teacher will put your kids back 9% more -- will you give them a raise in their allowance, to match?

Beef may be America's traditional meat choice, but chicken is far more ubiquitous on lunch trays everywhere I eat. The favorite white meat of my children is 10% more expensive this year, than last.

Paradoxically, bread is only up about 13%, whereas flour has increased nearly twice that much. Could it be that flour has decreased as a percentage of the makeup of bread, or is it just random market forces? Either way, consumers are encouraged to buy their bread in already-baked form this year, though it will set you back 12% more than in late 2006.

George Bush the elder may not have liked it much, but it's extremely good for your body, that broccoli. Not so good for your wallet, with prices going up 13.4% between 2006 and 2007.

You may not see coffee as a vital part of your grocery shopping experience, but *I* do, and my budget has taken quite a hit this year. Coffee prices are up 18% between December 2006 and December 2007.

If anything is the stuff of life in my house, it's flour. And this year, flour costs quite a bit more than it did last year, up 25%.

Milk is a commodity whose price changes almost as much as gas, riding up and down based on a complicated calculation made by the

. You learn something new every day! And today, you should also know that milk's expensive, up nearly 29% year-over-year.

Tomatoes, which in winter must be shipped long distances to the average U.S. market, were up big between December 2006 and December 2007; the average tomato this winter is about $1.00.

In the past 12 months, eggs have gone up 36% in price, on average, throughout the U.S.; a dozen eggs in a local market here in Portland is usually over $2.00 today.

Summary: If you're throwing a Labor Day barbecue, use these tips to make sure you don't buy more than you need.


Hillary Rodham Clinton endorsed a series of stringent gun-control measures yesterday, calling for the licensing of all new gun owners and the registration of new guns. Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic candidate for United States Senate, also warmly praised Gov. George E. Pataki, a Republican, for proposing a ''ballistic fingerprint'' database to help police investigators track down guns used in crimes.

In a speech to the Newspaper Association of America in Manhattan, Mrs. Clinton offered her support for the licensing and registration measure in advance of the Million Mom March in Washington on Sunday, a demonstration that is being staged in favor of what its organizers call ''common-sense gun control.''

''The moms who are marching in Washington this Sunday have it right: we have to license and register all handguns,'' said Mrs. Clinton, who plans to participate in the march.

She added: ''Many will argue that we don't need sensible gun control, and that these measures undermine the rights of gun owners. And of course, we all know the slogan that guns don't kill, only people do. We have to do more to stand up to those who refuse to believe the reality that guns do kill, and that common-sense gun measures can make a difference.''

Mrs. Clinton stopped short of saying that all guns should be registered, describing that proposal as unrealistic. The measures have been introduced, in various forms, in Congress, but they have faced strong Republican opposition.

Gun control is a frequent point of division between Democratic and Republican candidates in Congressional races, and it has proved to be a particularly strong issue in New York races. Charles E. Schumer, a Brooklyn Democrat, repeatedly attacked Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato for opposing gun-control measures when he defeated Mr. D'Amato, the Republican incumbent, in 1998.

But the contrast is not as sharp in Mrs. Clinton's expected contest with Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. The mayor and the first lady hold almost identical views on gun control, which could complicate any effort by Mrs. Clinton to draw a contrast. Mr. Giuliani's campaign manager, Bruce J. Teitelbaum, said, ''As a senator, New Yorkers will know exactly what Mayor Giuliani will do because he doesn't just talk about gun control, he actually has a record of taking an historic number of guns off the streets.''

Mrs. Clinton went out of her way to praise a proposal by Mr. Pataki that would require new guns to be fired before they are sold to make a record of their ballistic fingerprint, or the marks left on a bullet that are unique to each weapon. Mrs. Clinton's praise was notable because the governor has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Senate if Mr. Giuliani, who has prostate cancer, decides to skip the race.

''I applaud Governor Pataki here in this state, who showed real leadership in proposing a state-based ballistics program, and I think it's something that needs to be done on a national level,'' Mrs. Clinton said.

Under the other proposals supported by Mrs. Clinton, prospective gun buyers would have to obtain a photo license, which would be issued only after they had undergone a criminal record check and passed a gun safety examination. Also, all sales of new guns, or transfers of guns, would be recorded in a national registry.

Photo: In a speech to newspaper executives, Hillary Clinton supported gun licensing and registration. (Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times)


The U.S. defense industry has sold at least $33 billion worth of weapons to its Persian Gulf allies over the past year as dual bombing campaigns against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and Houthi rebels in Yemen have depleted stores of aerial bombs and other munitions. But as civilian casualties mount in Yemen in particular, a bipartisan duo in the U.S. Senate is working to tighten the free-flow of weapons and cash between the U.S. and one of its most important Gulf allies.

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would restrict the sale of U.S. aerial bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia unless certain conditions are met. Those conditions stem from repeated allegations that Saudi aircraft indiscriminately strike ground targets without regard for civilian casualties. The Saudi Royal Air Force has waged an intense bombing campaign against an Iran-backed Houthi rebellion that has embroiled Yemen in civil war since March of last year.

“Saudi Arabia is an important partner, but we must acknowledge when a friend’s actions aren’t in our national interest,” Sen. Murphy said in a written statement. “I have yet to see evidence that the civil war we’re supplying and supporting in Yemen advances our national security.”

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Just last week Human Rights Watch alleged that the Saudi-led coalition—which also includes other U.S. Gulf allies Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—struck a market with U.S.-supplied bombs, killing at least 119 people. Witnesses reported that just 10 of those killed in the market were actually Houthi fighters.

Civilian deaths in Yemen have topped 3,200 as of March 17, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights. The UN’s human rights chief as also says the Saudi-led coalition has caused twice as many civilian casualties as all other forces fighting in Yemen, with air strikes accounting for the vast majority of those deaths.

As a result, the Dutch parliament has voted to halt all arms trading with Saudi Arabia. The British parliament is under pressure to do the same, and Canada’s defense minister is facing significant backlash for green-lighting a $15 billion deal to sell vehicles and other weapons to the Saudi regime earlier this year.

The U.S. is easily Saudi Arabia’s most important supplier of aerial weapons, responsible for keeping the kingdom supplied with precision guided munitions and “dumb” bombs alike. In response to the uptick in demand for such weapons, Lockheed Martin lmt recently quadrupled production of Paveway II laser-guided bombs (a Saudi Royal Air Force favorite). Companies like Raytheon rtn , Boeing ba , and General Dynamics gd also benefit from the boost in overseas weapons sales that has accompanied the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

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Sens. Murphy and Paul’s joint resolution seeks to either slow the flow of these air-to-ground weapons to Saudi Arabia or force the kingdom to check its allegedly reckless deployment of them. If signed into law, the legislation would require Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners to take demonstrable precautions that would reduce the risk to civilian lives and infrastructure. The resolution also calls on those countries to prove they are not providing funding for proxy groups designated as foreign terrorists, take more measures to target those groups that are designated as foreign terrorists, and facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into Yemen.

For a U.S. defense industry that has been able to largely offset slowing U.S. defense spending with foreign military sales, restricting the flow of weapons to a free-spending customer like Saudi Arabia would prove an unwelcome development. Others in Washington will likely see the legislation as a counterproductive measure that would militarily weaken America’s strongest ally in the Gulf region–one that President Obama will personally visit next week in an effort to strengthen bilateral relations.

Sen. Murphy sees it as a matter of national security in itself. Not only is the fight against Houthi rebels in Yemen distracting our allies from the more important fight against the Islamic State, he writes in his statement, but American support for a campaign that is translating into vast humanitarian suffering isn’t helping the U.S. win hearts and minds.

“As the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, anti-American sentiment is spiraling as the local population blames the U.S. for the thousands of civilian deaths resulting from the Saudis’ bombing campaign,” he writes. “This will come back to haunt us.”

Summary: A major U.S. ally is in the crosshairs.


FIFA’s executive committee will meet Monday to discuss reforms, including term limits, checks on integrity and greater financial transparency, after a series of scandals revealed extensive corruption in the global soccer governing body.

The process will be led by Domenico Scala, a FIFA official and board member for a pharmaceutical company, who will also supervise the election for current FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s successor, the Guardian says.

The fallout from the corruption scandal continues to mire the organization. Most recently, the BBC reported that former CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb, who was the first of seven FIFA officials to be extradited from Switzerland to the U.S., pleaded not guilty on Saturday to charges of racketeering, wire fraud and accepting millions of dollars in bribes. He has been placed under house arrest with his bail set at $10 million.

Blatter is trying to avoid an outside review process for FIFA, even though corporate sponsors like Coca-Cola and anticorruption agencies alike have publicly demanded independent oversight of the organization’s reforms, the Guardian says.

For now, Scala will be largely responsible for the review procedures. According to the Guardian, Monday’s executive meeting will also start the process to find Blatter’s replacement, after the president agreed to step down from his position between December and March.

Summary: Domenico Scala has been asked to lead the reform process.


June 24, 2016 | 11:27am

As “Game of Thrones” gears up for a sure-to-be-bloody sixth season finale this Sunday, let’s get back to the First Family of the North: the Starks.

Are you persevering like Sansa? Brave like Arya? Or maybe conflicted, like maybe-possibly-probably Stark Jon Snow?

Now’s the time to find out. Take the quiz below to reveal which Stark you are.

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Summary: They’re the First Family of the North.