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I visited the Portuguese castle called 'Disneyland for adults,' and it's a magical, real-life fairy-tale setting you can't miss

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  • Sintra, Portugal, a picturesque city 15 miles outside of Lisbon in the Sintra Mountains, is home to numerous palaces, villas, mansions, castles, and churches.
  • The most stunning of the sights in Sintra is the Pena National Palace, built in 1840 according to the exacting specifications of King Ferdinand II, who wanted the palace to be a melting pot of architectural styles and colors.
  • The palace is said to have inspired King Ludwig II's German castle, Neuschwanstein, which inspired Walt Disney's castle at Disneyland.
  • Though the palace and the surrounding grounds are undoubtedly crowded with tourists in the summer, it is an absolutely can't-miss, dreamy sight that visitors are unlikely to forget. 

I almost didn't go.

After spending several weeks running around Lisbon, Porto, the sun-drenched beach region of Algarve, and everywhere in between, I thought: Why not relax on my last day in Portugal and avoid a place often described as "Disneyland for adults"?

What a mistake that would've been.

Only 15 miles from Lisbon, Sintra is about as fairy-tale Portugal as it gets. Designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site, the picturesque city is on the Portuguese Riviera and among the Sintra Mountains, a verdant range dense with pines, oaks, and wildlife. It's long been known as the setting of several myths, legends, and supernatural happenings in Portugal.

The otherworldly air is enhanced by the numerous palaces, villas, mansions, churches, and castles ensconced in the forested mountain peaks.

While there are more than half a dozen sites to visit, the most stunning two, in my opinion, are the Pena National Palace and the Castle of the Moors. The architectural feats — built in 1840 and the ninth century, respectively — best exhibit how Sintra has been a romantic destination throughout the ages.

The Pena Palace is made of dreams. At the top of a hill to be visible in every direction, and often enveloped in fog, the palace is a tapestry of colors and styles ranging from Romantic to Islamic to Gothic, surrounded by 500 acres of winding paths, gardens, and exotic trees.

You're likely to feel as if you are walking into a magical kingdom — I certainly did on my recent visit to the palace and the surrounding castles and gardens in Sintra. Here's what it was like.

SEE ALSO: I ate at the most beautiful McDonald's in the world, with crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, and outrageously delicious pastries

I got to Sintra in the late afternoon, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While there was still an hour line to get into the Pena Palace, the crowds had started to thin. In the summer months, many of Sintra's sights are open until 7 or 8 p.m., so I still had plenty of time.



The ticket seller recommended I visit the Castle of the Moors before Pena Palace, as by the time I was done there would no longer be a line. When in doubt, a hard and fast rule of travel is "trust the locals." The walk to the Castle of the Moors gave me my first look at the dense forests of the Sintra Mountains.



The Castle of the Moors was constructed in the eighth and ninth centuries by the Muslim Moors who conquered Portugal and Spain in medieval times. Numerous structures — like this tomb — make up the complex.



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2 forms of exercise are the best way to stave off the effects of aging — here's how to incorporate them into your life

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If you're searching for an all-natural way to lift your mood, preserve muscle tone, and protect your brain against the decline that comes with aging, look no further than the closest mirror.

One of the most powerful means of reaping these benefits is exercise— and in many cases, you already have everything you need to get it: a body.

As we age, two forms of exercise are the most important to focus on: aerobic exercise, or cardio, which gets your heart pumping and sweat flowing, and strength training, which helps keep aging muscles from dwindling over time.

And most of the time, they don't require any fancy equipment or expensive classes.

Read on to find out how to incorporate both forms of fitness into your life.

SEE ALSO: 40 AND UNDER: The Silicon Valley biotech stars who are backing startups aiming to cure disease, prolong life, and fix the food system

DON'T MISS: New research suggests that a diet with key benefits for your body and brain may also shield against aging

Aerobic exercises like jogging may help reverse some heart damage from normal aging.

Many of us become less active as we age. Over time, this can lead some muscles in the heart to stiffen.

One of those at-risk muscles is in the left chamber of the heart, a section that plays a key role in supplying the body with freshly oxygenated blood.

A recent study split 53 adults into two groups, one of which did two years of supervised exercise four to five days a week while the other did yoga and balance exercises.

At the end of the study, published in January in the journal Circulation, the higher-intensity exercisers had seen significant improvements in their heart's performance, suggesting that some stiffening in the heart can be prevented or even reversed with regular cardio.

"Based on a series of studies performed by our team over the past 5 years, this 'dose' of exercise has become my prescription for life," Benjamin Levine, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern who wrote the study, said in a statement.



Walking, another form of cardio, could help reduce the risk of heart failure — a key contributor to heart disease.

Intense cardio activities like running or jogging aren't the only types of movement that may have protective benefits for the heart as we age.

In a study published in September in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers took a look at the physical activity levels of nearly 140,000 women aged 50 to 79 and found surprisingly salient links between walking and a reduced risk of heart failure, a condition when the heart stops pumping blood as it should. Heart failure is a key contributor to heart disease, the US' leading cause of death.

For their work, the researchers looked at data from a 14-year women's health study that documented heart failure and exercise levels.

When the researchers dove deeper, they found that the women who walked regularly were 25% less likely to experience heart failure than their peers who didn't exercise. In fact, for every extra 30-45 minutes a woman walked, her risk of a failed heart dropped an average of 9%, the scientists concluded.

"This is pretty important from a public health standpoint, given the poor prognosis this type of heart failure has once it's present," Michael LaMonte, the lead author of the study and an associate professor of epidemiology at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health, said in a statement.

 



Strength-training moves like tai chi are best for preserving muscles from age-related decline.

Strength or resistance training can take many forms, but it typically involves a series of movements geared toward building or preserving muscle.

Tai chi, the Chinese martial art that combines a series of flowing movements, is one form of strength training. The exercise is performed slowly and gently, with a high degree of focus and attention paid to breathing deeply.

Since practitioners go at their own pace, tai chi is accessible for a wide variety of people, regardless of age or fitness level.

Tai chi "is particularly good for older people because balance is an important component of fitness, and balance is something we lose as we get older," I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a recent health report called "Starting to Exercise."



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A Maldives luxury resort that costs up to $3,800 a night has opened an underwater sculpture museum and the photos are otherworldly

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  • A Maldives luxury resort has opened the tropical nation's first underwater sculpture garden.
  • The Sculpture Coralarium sits in the center of the largest developed coral lagoon in the Maldives, at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort.
  • You have to snorkel out 100 meters to visit the submerged museum.
  • Staying at the Sirru Fen Fushi resort costs between $760 and $3,838 per night.

 

A luxury resort in the Maldives has opened the nation's first underwater sculpture museum.

Visitors can snorkel 100 meters out from the beach to swim among the 22 otherworldly sculptures, Melanie Hoefler, a representative for Fairmont Maldives, told Business Insider.

The underwater museum, inspired by marine life, is a collaboration between British artist Jason deCaires Taylor and the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort. It was created to bring attention to the threat of climate change.

Take a tour of the structure below, which the artist calls "a symbolic pathway to another world."

SEE ALSO: You can't miss these five spots in the Maldives

DON'T MISS: The 23 most relaxing vacation destinations in the world

The underwater museum is located at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort on the island of Gaakoshibee.

Source: Jason deCaires Taylor



It took five months to install the gallery on the island.

Source: Jason deCaires Taylor



'Visitors can explore it while snorkeling out from the beach to the museum, a distance of about 100 meters,' Hoefler said.

Source: Melanie Hoefler, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Obama told a story at an Anaheim rally about how he once got kicked out of Disneyland for smoking cigarettes on the gondolas

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  • In a speech at a Saturday campaign rally in Anaheim, California, former President Barack Obama described how he once got kicked out of Disneyland's Magic Kingdom. 
  • Obama said after he attending a Kool & the Gang concert at the park, he and his friends made it on to the Magic Kingdom Skyway's gondolas, where they smoked cigarettes.
  • Two police officers escorted the teenagers from the park, but Obama said they told him he was welcome back any time. 

In a speech at a Saturday campaign rally in Anaheim, California, former President Barack Obama recalled how he once got kicked out of Disneyland's Magic Kingdom. 

Obama said that during his days as an Occidental College student in Los Angeles, he traveled with some friends to see a Kool & the Gang at the park. After the concert, Obama said he and his friends stayed in the park and made their way to the Magic Kingdom Skyway gondolas. 

"I'm ashamed to say this, so close your ears young people, but a few of us were smoking on the gondolas," Obama said as the crowd laughed and whistled. "These were cigarettes, people. Terrible thing, but I'm a teenager, I'm rebellious." 

Obama then described reaching the end of the gondola route to be received by "two very large Disneyland police officers."

"They say, sir, can you come with us," Obama said. "And they escorted us out of Disneyland. This is a true story everybody. I was booted from the Magic Kingdom." 

Despite getting kicked out, Obama said he fondly remembered the officers, who told him he was welcome back any time. 

"They said, 'You're going to have to leave sir, for breaking the rules of the Magic Kingdom, but you are welcome to back anytime,' which I thought, 'That was nice of them,'" Obama said. "Anyway, those are my memories of Disneyland."

Watch a clip of Obama telling the story:

The rally was held for seven Democrats running in the midterm elections and offered a second campaign circuit appearance for Obama, just a day after he delivered a series of stinging hits at President Donald Trump in a Friday speech at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

SEE ALSO: 'I fell asleep': Trump unimpressed by Obama's speech taking aim at him

DON'T MISS: Obama swipes Trump for calling the media 'enemies of the people': 'I complained plenty about Fox News, but you never heard me threaten to shut them down'

Join the conversation about this story »

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Trump admin officials reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military leaders who were plotting a coup

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  • Officials from President Donald Trump's administration reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military officials to discuss plans to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.
  • Officials did not ultimately go through with the coup, but the meetings could damage the already-tense US relations with Venezuela, according to The New York Times. 
  • Amid an economic tailspin and widespread unrest, Maduro has sought to centralize power and eliminate political opposition.
  • Trump has previously suggested military intervention against Maduro, and described declining conditions in Venezuela as an administration priority. 

Trump administration officials reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military officials over the last year to discuss plans to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro. 

The New York Times reported that the talks were the latest developments in the US government's backchannel work in Latin America that could damage foreign relations — even though officials did not ultimately go through with the coup. 

The White House declined to comment specifically on the talks to The Times, but said in a statement that it valued "dialogue with all Venezuelans who demonstrate a desire for democracy" to "bring positive change to a country that has suffered so much under Maduro."

One of the officials identified in the report as part of the meetings is known to US officials as a corrupt officer, The Times reported. The officer and his counterparts have reportedly been accused of torturing critics, jailing political prisoners, drug trafficking, and collaborating with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which the US has deemed a terrorist organization

The Times, citing an anonymous senior administration official, said US officials decided to pursue the meetings because they felt it was important to be in touch with the forces who were plotting the movement as Venezuela's national condition continued to disintegrate. But it's unknown what information was exchanged between the two parties. 

Trump has suggested he was considering military intervention in Venezuela in the past, which boosted Maduro's position within the country by vilifying US involvement and identifying Trump's motives as wanting to pursue Venezuela's once-rich oil reserves. 

"You cannot lower your guard for even a second, because we will defend the greatest right our homeland has had in all of its history, which is to live in peace," Maduro said at the time, before continuing to condemn the "supremacist and criminal vision of those who govern the US."

The Times report suggests its revelation of these secret meetings could have a similar effect. 

Maduro was elected despite outcry from nearly a dozen nations, and has grown more unpopular as Venezuela continues in an economic tailspin, experiencing hyperinflation, severe power cuts, and food and medicine shortages.

Most recently, Maduro used an August 4 drone attack to attack political rivals and crack down on potential rebellion from within his military. Maduro called on President Donald Trump to hold the "terrorist group" responsible for the attack, for which several opposition leaders and former officials have been arrested with little evidence

The US was previously tied to a 2002 coup in Venezuela that was unpopular among citizens and neighboring nations after it only briefly deposed former President Hugo Chavez and set off years of sharp political discord within the country and fiery swipes against former President George W. Bush.

Christopher Woody contributed reporting. 

Read the full report here»

SEE ALSO: Days after a bizarre drone attack, Venezuela's government may be getting ready for another crackdown on the military

DON'T MISS: A senior member of the Trump administration says they are part of a secret resistance working against the president in the White House

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A top White House official reportedly said Ted Cruz might lose his Texas Senate race because he's not 'likable' enough

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  • A top White House official reportedly said Saturday that Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas might lose his re-election bid because he's not "likable" enough.
  • The Office of Management and Budget chief, Mick Mulvaney, said it's "a very real possibility" that Republicans will lose a Senate seat in Texas.
  • He added that a groundswell of "hate" against President Donald Trump has made for a tough battleground for some Republican candidates in the 2018 midterm elections.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas might not be "likable" enough to win his re-election bid in November against his Democratic opponent, Beto O'Rourke, a top Trump advisor reportedly said on Saturday.

Mick Mulvaney, the Office of Management and Budget chief, made the remarks at a private meeting with Republican officials and donors, The New York Times reported.

"Do people like you? That's a really important question," Mulvaney said, according to The Wall Street Journal, which obtained an audio recording of his remarks. "There's a very real possibility we will win a race for Senate in Florida and lose a race in Texas for Senate."

Mulvaney was referring to Cruz's campaign in Texas, and that of Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who is running for Senate in a tight race against the incumbent Democrat, Sen. Bill Nelson.

"I don't think it's likely, but it's a possibility," Mulvaney added. "How likable is a candidate? That still counts."

Mulvaney and Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman, expressed their concerns that a groundswell of "hate" towards President Donald Trump is undermining Republican candidates in their midterm election campaigns.

But Mulvaney argued that the so-called "blue wave" that some expect will turn the House of Representatives over to Democrats' control will fall short of an actual wave election.

"I am a child of the last wave election," Mulvaney said, referring to the 2010 midterms, in which he won his House seat. "Folks always ask me, 'Is this going to be the same thing for Democrats as it was for Republicans in 2010?' The answer is, 'No it's not.'"

SEE ALSO: The Trump administration reportedly dismissed intelligence findings showing that refugees don't pose a significant national security threat

DON'T MISS: The Trump administration is trying to detain immigrant children indefinitely by ripping up a decades-old legal agreement

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A North Korean defector's harrowing story of escape

Pro-Trump commentator Scottie Nell Hughes will anchor her own show on Russian state TV

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  • Scottie Nell Hughes, a prominent surrogate for President Donald Trump, will anchor her own show on the American arm of the Russian state TV network RT.
  • Hughes has previously appeared as a regular conservative contributor on CNN and Fox News, the latter of which she is currently suing for blacklisting her following sexual assault allegations she made.
  • The US intelligence community describes RT America as a Kremlin-funded Russian propaganda outfit, and it was required to register with the State Department as a foreign agent.

Scottie Nell Hughes, a conservative political commentator who appeared prominently for years on CNN and Fox News, signed a multi-year contract to anchor a weeknight show on RT America, which is part of Russian state television network Russia Today.

Hughes will be anchoring the weeknight slot on RT between 5 and 8PM, a position formerly held by the late long-time television host Ed Schultz, who died in July, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

"It’s an honor and privilege to anchor RT America’s weeknight newscasts," Hughes said in a statement to the The Hollywood Reporter. "Ed Shultz was a dear friend and mentor. I can never fill his shoes, but I’ll do my best to live up to his high standards by reporting the real news, with balance, respect and hopefully a bit of Southern charm.”

While Hughes was once a prominent figure in the conservative media and one of President Donald Trump's staunchest supporters, she found herself on the outs after filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News, on which she had frequently appeared a guest.

In the suit, Hughes claims she was "blacklisted" and denied a contributor contract with the network after being raped by Fox Business host Charles Payne. Fox and Payne have vehemently denied the allegations. 

RT, which is heavily funded by the Russian government, was required last year to register as a foreign lobbying agent after the State Department accused the network of serving as a Russian propaganda outlet. 

The US intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election identified RT America's programming as a crucial tool in "the Kremlin-directed campaign to undermine faith in the US government and fuel political protest."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Meet the woman behind Trump's $20 million merch empire

What it's like to fly in business class on Philippine Airlines

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Crew 3 Philippine Airlines

Flying with a new airline can be scary if you don't know what to expect — particularly if you're shelling out on tickets.

However, it's worth a shot if it means flying direct to a location that would otherwise be a challenge to reach.

From September 15, Philippine Airlines will introduce its new Airbus A350 on its routes from London Heathrow and New York JFK to and from Manila, Philippines.

Ahead of the launch, we spoke to the airline to find out what passengers can expect from Business Class — as well as Premium Economy and Economy — on the new aircraft.

Scroll down for a look at what it's like to fly with Philippine Airlines, from beginning to end.

Philippine Airlines, founded in 1941, is the Philippines' national airline, based out of Manila. It flies to over 40 cities worldwide, and over 30 points in the Philippines.



It's the only airline that flies non-stop between London Heathrow and Manila.



From September 15, PAL is introducing its new A350 aircraft on its Heathrow-Manila and New York JFK-Manila routes. Here's what you can expect.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's how much sugar is actually in some of the biggest drinks in the US as Americans revolt against beverage giants pushing sugar-packed products

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  • Americans are increasingly trying to cut sugar from their diets, ditching sugary sodas and Frappuccinos. 
  • Some of the most popular beverages in the United States contain more than 50 grams of sugar — the FDA's recommended maximum — in a single bottle or can. 
  • Here's how much sugar the most popular sodas, coffees, and teas actually contain. 

As Americans try and cut sugar from their diets, some of the biggest culprits for carrying the sweet — but dangerous — ingredient are beverages. 

The FDA recommends consuming no more than 50 grams of sugar a day, and the World Health Organization calls for half that amount. However, many of the most popular beverages in the United States pack more than 50 grams of sugar in a single cup or bottle. 

Americans are increasingly wary of these sugar-packed beverages. Starbucks is trying to revamp its Frappuccino as sales drop. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, meanwhile, are investing in bottled water as Americans ditch sugary sodas. 

If are considering cutting sugar from your diet, here is how much sugar is actually in some of the most popular drinks in the US:

SEE ALSO: Starbucks is testing a Frappuccino with less sugar, but comparisons to other drinks reveals the change may not be enough to win back customers

Coffee

In late August, Starbucks announced it is testing a new Frappuccino with less sugar. The change took an incredible amount of effort, Starbucks executives told The Wall Street Journal. The company spent two years testing internally before coming up with a drink that has just under 50 grams of sugar. 



Colas

As Americans ditch Coca-Cola and Pepsi's namesake colas, the chains are investing in lower-calorie options. Coca-Cola, for instance, revamped its Diet Coke lineup earlier this year and has found success with its zero-calorie Coke Zero brand. 



Soda, Non-Cola

Beyond colas, other soda options are also loaded with sugar. Instead, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are increasingly investing in bottled water and other healthier options. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A day in the life of the Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO, who wakes up by 5 a.m. to work out, never skips cardio, and eats the same thing for lunch every day

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Crunch Franchise CEO Ben Midgley

  • Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley gave Business Insider an inside look at his daily routine.
  • He wakes up early to exercise in his home gym and never skips stretching or cardio.
  • At night, Midgley turns his phone off and spends quality time with his family.
  • He often drinks a glass of milk with honey to wind down. 

Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley doesn't just work in the fitness world.

He lives there too, kicking off every day with an intense gym session and fueling up on a nutritional lunch during the workday.

Midgley, who has been CEO of Crunch Franchise since 2010 and previously worked at 24-Hour Fitness and Planet Fitness, broke down his daily routine for Business Insider.

Here's a look inside the CEO's daily schedule:

SEE ALSO: A day in the life of a Disneyland manager who's worked there for 23 years, walks 5 miles daily around the park, and has a 'long-distance' marriage with his wife

DON'T MISS: A day in the life of a product manager at Facebook

READ MORE: A day in the life of an Amazon employee who wakes up at 5 a.m. to work out and brings her dog to the office

Midgley wakes up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. every day.

Midgley wakes up bright and early, usually between 4:30 and 5 a.m. And naturally, the fitness-franchise CEO starts his day with a workout, heading to his basement to exercise for about an hour.



Stretching is a key part of his workout.

The home gym features six cardio machines, stretching mats, and "all your traditional weightlifting equipment," Midgley told Business Insider.

"I'm pretty much a standard weightlifting-and-cardio guy," he said.

To start, Midgley uses foam rollers as part of a comprehensive stretching exercise.

"I never used to stretch when I was younger," he said. "But I've got to do a full stretching routine every day."

Along with cardio, stretching is something he never skips during a workout, he said.



When it comes to exercise, Midgley considers himself a "balanced guy."

Midgley said he typically focuses on working out a different body part each day of the week, though sometimes he'll squeeze in two leg days.

As for his favorite workout routines, he said he likes to mix things up.

"I'm a balanced guy," Midgley said. "I don't favor anything. You've got to work everything."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The biggest sign your marriage won't last, according to a couples therapist

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  • A divorce is likely when one or both partners in a marriage feels hopeless.
  • That's according to both couples therapists and scientific research.
  • People who feel hopeless about their relationship have come to terms with the fact that nothing can be done to save it.


"When you're in a healthy relationship," said Rachel Sussman, "it can throw a little sunshine on everything in your life."

Even when you've had a harrowing day at work, or an argument with a friend, you know you'll come home and get to hang with the person who makes you the happiest.

"You feel hopeful," said Sussman, who is a couples therapist. You're watching each other's backs, and "that can give you a real feeling of comfort and security."

So when Sussman tries to discern a couple's status — in terms of whether they're heading for divorce — she looks for one sign in particular: hopelessness.

"You just feel that there's nothing else that can be done to save the relationship," Sussman told Business Insider of her clients who are on the verge of a breakup. "You are coming to terms with the fact that it's ending, and that can make you feel hopeless about the relationship, but also hopeless about your life."

Indeed, a 1992 study by researchers at the University of Washington found that marital disappointment and disillusionment — which encompasses feelings of depression and hopelessness — "was the most powerful single predictor of divorce." Specifically, couples who felt hopeless at the study's outset were more likely to be divorced three years later.

The researchers write that, among the couples they interviewed who showed signs of disappointment and disillusionment, some said they'd had unrealistic expectations about what marriage would be like.

From marriage and family therapist Hal Runkel's perspective, a relationship's prognosis comes down to the couple's willingness to invest effort into it. "When one spouse is indifferent," as opposed to enraged, he wrote in an email to Business Insider, "they no longer care that much about how their spouse feels and behaves."

He added, "They don't care that much about staying in a relationship at all, much less doing whatever it takes to make it work."

SEE ALSO: 7 unavoidable questions to ask your partner before it's too late

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: One type of marriage that's most likely to end in divorce — according to a relationship scientist

The new 'Halloween' movie is as tired and uninspiring as any of its sequels

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  • On the 40th anniversary of "Halloween," Michael Myers comes home — and nothing really changes.
  • The latest movie in the franchise wants us to forget everything that's happened since the 1978 original.
  • But it's pretty much a movie that goes through the same beats as any of the movies that were made since.

Perhaps it's best to just let the legends stay dead.

The Universal/Blumhouse try at making a "Halloween" movie turned out to be just the latest lame attempt to cash in on the franchise.

Though director David Gordon Green goes in with all the right intentions — including the blessing of the creator of the franchise, John Carpenter (who was an executive producer on the movie) — it all turned out to be just a fancy facade for a horror movie that may have some good gore but little else.

This version of "Halloween" (which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night and will play in theaters October 19) wants us to forget about everything that happened after the 1978 original.

Following the terrorizing acts by Michael Myers that left the town of Haddonfield, Illinois in shock and babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) mentally scared for life, Meyers returns to Haddonfield 40 years later after the bus that's transporting him to another facility crashes on the side of the road.

That's when the killing begins, and Myers eventually gets his beloved mask back when he tracks down and kills two podcast producers who were doing a story on him.

Back in Haddonfield, Strode has been waiting for this day to come. We see that for years, she's built an arsenal of weapons, fortified her house, and even trained her now grown daughter (played by Judy Greet) about what to do if Myers comes back to town.

This leads to Halloween night, and we follow Myers' bloodbath as he kills with reckless abandon.

Halloween 1 Universal final

But the problem is, almost everything here we've seen before in a "Halloween" movie: the person getting out of the car and walking around in the dark after seeing something suspicious (eventually getting slaughtered), dimwitted cops, horny teens, and Myers' catlike moves to sneak up on someone and kill them.

If that's what Green and co-screenwriters Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley were going after, then they succeeded. But, unfortunately for us, there isn't that much joy in watching.

It's good to be nostalgic and give the audience some of the things that the original movie had, but to pretty much carbon-copy the original's beats is just plain lazy.

The opening of the movie had an interesting hook, with the two podcasters tracking down Myers and Strode and setting up the backstory. But it turns out they were only there to die 20 minutes into the movie.

Then the story is basically exactly like every other "Halloween" movie — people being killed by Myers or running from him.

There are some fun moments. A foul-mouthed kid who escapes Myers when he attacks his babysitter is one of the movie's biggest laughs. Another is when one of the teens mistakes Myers for a neighbor and begins to open up to him about his girl troubles.

And the new original music Carpenter created for the movie (to go along with his legendary original score) is spot-on.

But there are too many things in this movie that feel drab and unoriginal (and coming from a horror produced by Jason Blum, that's disappointing). The movie does have a strong ending, but it hardly salvages it.

For a project that has been riding high with anticipation from "Halloween" fans, this is no way to reward them.

SEE ALSO: How the "Cocaine Cowboys" director used the doping scandal that brought down Alex Rodriguez to create a comedic documentary about Miami gangsters

Join the conversation about this story »

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Oscar-winning director Michel Gondry talks reuniting with Jim Carrey on their new Showtime series 'Kidding' after 14 years

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  • Oscar-winning director Michel Gondry spoke to Business Insider about reuniting with Jim Carrey on the new Showtime series "Kidding," 14 years after the release of their acclaimed film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
  • Gondry also touched on his prolific direction of music videos, shooting his last two films in France, and Carrey's recent headline-grabbing satirical drawings.

Fourteen years after he won an Oscar for cowriting his acclaimed film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," director Michel Gondry has reunited with the film's star, Jim Carrey, on the eccentric new Showtime series "Kidding."

Gondry directed several episodes for the show's debut season, including its pilot (which premieres Sunday), marking his first sustained effort in television. Carrey stars in the darkly comedic show as a "Mister Rogers"-esque children's show icon whose family life is rapidly falling apart.

Gondry spoke to Business Insider about the "surreal" experience of working with Carrey on "Eternal Sunshine" and "Kidding." The director also touched on his prolific production of music videos, shooting his last two feature films in his native France, and Carrey's recent headline-grabbing satirical drawings skewering the Trump administration. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

John Lynch: What drew you to the material in "Kidding?"

Michel Gondry: The premise. Jim Carrey. I didn't know ["Kidding" creator and showrunner] Dave Holstein, but that was his premise, his universe. This idea of the host of a kids' show who is confronted in real life into a succession of difficulties and reflecting family problems. This sort of contrast between his image in the show, and how he tried to adapt it in real life. 

Lynch: This is the first TV series you've put your stamp on. How was it for you adjusting your shooting process to an episodic mode?

Gondry: When you do a movie, you know how it's going to end, when it's going to end. On a TV show, these questions don't have an answer, so you have to go along and discover the story. And I think Dave was enjoying keeping things in the dark for us. He would say, "If you see episode seven, it's going to make sense." All that is more complicated than a movie. Also, we shot for six months, I think, so there's a really solid bond that's created with the crew. And there was a difference for me to accept, where in a movie the creator or leader is the director, and in the TV show, this role is given to the showrunner. I didn't expect that, to be honest, but it's fine, and we found a good way to collaborate. 

Lynch: The show has some great surreal moments, but it's predominantly realistic. How was it for you working in this manner creatively?

Gondry: I don't know, I think working with Jim Carrey is surreal, to start with. So my job when I work with him is to try to bring him back in the real world, and he does it very well. And I don't necessarily need to have a dream sequence or science fiction in every movie I shoot. 

michel gondry jim carrey

Lynch: It's been a decade and a half since you last worked with Jim on "Eternal Sunshine." How would you say your on-set experience with him on the show compared to the film?

Gondry: In the film, it took me a bit of time to gain his trust, because we tried things and had to wait for the result for him to see how it could be different. In "Kidding," right away he trusted me, so we were diving into the story instantaneously, and it was easier. 

Lynch: What kind of advice did you give Jim to set the tone for this character of Jeff Pickles?

Gondry: It's a little touch, sometimes bigger touch, but hard to summarize in one advice. I always try to get him to be himself, because in general, in movies you create a character, and I mean, I love his movies, the comedies, but for a dramatic movie, I prefer actors who are more themselves, and then we do composition. So I try to find a soft spot and dig into them, but I don't do manipulation. With Jim, it's pretty simple. I just ask him directly what I want, and if it doesn't work I find another way to ask him. But he never gets upset like a lot of actors. You ask them to be less theatrical, they can get really upset. As for Jim, he just wants to be good, so he'll take whatever I say. 

Lynch: In "Kidding," there's an obvious inspiration in "Mister Rogers," and I thought it was similar to "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" in the mise-en-scène. Did you watch either of those to get ideas for "Kidding"?

Gondry: Well, I watched them at some point, but I really didn't want us to be influenced or obsessed. I asked Jim if he could not watch "Mister Rogers." Of course people will think of him, but if you look at the two characters, they're so different. Also, I don't like actors who mimic existing characters, or wear a mask where I don't see anything truthful or touching, where it's just about the accent, the mimic, the prosthetic, and all these layers that cover the complexity and the depth of the character. So I really didn't want anyone, especially the actors, to watch "Mister Rogers." And with "Pee-Wee Herman," I mean, I like the creativity, but honestly if he never existed, the show would still be the same.

Lynch: As an animator and graphic artist yourself, I'm wondering what you think of Jim's recent turn into drawing these satirical pieces, if you're familiar with it?

Gondry: Yeah, I think it's great. All the Trump drawings. He would come every morning with a new one. Yeah, it's awesome. 

Lynch: So did you see his process on set at all?

Gondry: His process? To draw?

Lynch: Yeah [laughs], sorry.

Gondry: Uh, yeah, well, he start with a black line. And then he puts orange for the hair [laughs], orange for the face. 

Lynch: [laughs] Your last two feature films were French productions. Is there a marked difference for you shooting in the US versus your home country?

Gondry: In size, mostly. But in terms of the people, it's very similar. A gaffer in France looks very much like a gaffer in America. People are more influenced by the job they do than the country they live in. And that works in every country.

Lynch: You've also been a prolific director of music videos throughout your career. What do you like about that form, or what do you feel you bring to the music?

Gondry: Different things. Sometimes there is a story, so in four minutes, you can really find the essence of a story. Sometimes it's more direct. Then you can find the closest, the best expression for the music. You can use an idea that has been in your mind for years. These days, I do animated films for my daughter who's three and a half, and it's a lot of work, but I really like doing that. Because I don't see her so much, being here in the US, I ask her what stories she wants, and last time she said she wanted to be in a farm, so I did a really complicated one with a farm. Now I have to find a story with a little princess, so I'm really in trouble.

Lynch: Moving forward for you, aside from the show, what else do you have in the works?

Gondry: I'm working on a screenplay that's quite personal, and I'm reading other stories, but I don't have anything sure. And I'm still finishing the production of "Kidding." 

Lynch: Do you see TV as a form you could return to after this experience?

Gondry: Yeah, it was a good experience. Honestly, on the set, with the technicians and the actors, it was really like a movie. We had longer hours, but I didn't see much difference. 

"Kidding" premieres Sunday at 10 pm ET on Showtime.

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A 77-year-old doctor diagnosed himself with a deadly lung problem while climbing Everest — here's how he survived

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everest climb crystal

  • Mount Everest is an extremely dangerous climb. Many hikers contract a lung condition called high-altitude pulmonary edema that can be deadly.
  • The best way to fight the condition is to get down.
  • 77-year-old lung doctor Ronald Crystal diagnosed his own case of the dangerous fluid buildup on the mountain in April. Here's his story.

 

Climbing Mount Everest is a risky, life-threatening endeavor. 

If you don't fall off an icy cliff, you could develop hypothermia, or fluid might build up in your lungs or brain. At least three climbers perished on Everest this year, according to reports from the New York Times. A 35-year-old Japanese climber fell to his death, a 63-year-old Macedonian man collapsed from a probable heart attack, and a sherpa named Lam Babu mysteriously went missing, leaving behind his shoes and bag.

So when 77-year-old doctor Ron Crystal decided to hike the world's tallest mountain, he came prepared.

"I'm a pulmonary physician, so I had an instrument with me called an oxygen saturation meter," Crystal told Business Insider. "It's a little instrument you put on your finger and you can measure the amount of oxygen in your blood."

Little did Crystal know that on his second day on the mountain, he'd develop a dangerous lung problem and have to use his medical expertise, along with that instrument, to save his own life.

Crystal planned to climb to an altitude of 23,000 feet. He wasn't interested in reaching the top of the 29,029-foot peak; he wanted to do the same icy climb that mountaineer Sir George Mallory accomplished in 1921. That was the first Everest attempt on record — Mallory was performing a kind of scouting mission, hoping to later be the first to summit.

When asked why he wanted to climb the world's highest peak by the New York Times in 1923, Mallory reportedly said, "because it's there." He died on the mountain the following year while attempting to summit. Thirty-two years later, Sir Edmond Hillary became the first known person to summit the peak with sherpa Tensing Norgay. 

Mallory's spirit of exploration captivated Crystal. 

"I thought that a great goal would be to try to repeat what the British did in 1921, and try to reach 23,000 feet," he said. "It's an interesting climb, but it involves some ice climbing, and it's high."

Training to survive at 23,000 feet 

doctor climbs everest

The oldest person to ever successfully climb Everest was 80, just three years Crystal's senior.

But Crystal is no stranger to physical exertion: He has run 23 marathons and scaled the Pico de Orizaba in Mexico, which is nearly 18,500 feet. He wakes up at 5:30 every morning to hop on a stationary bike in his home.

To get ready for Everest, Crystal said he ramped up his training about 20%. The routine included three personal training sessions per week, focusing on core and general strength training. Crystal also turned his 34th-floor apartment into its own little mountain, climbing the stairs wearing his pack and bulky, knee-high mountaineering boots several times a week. 

In April, it was time to head to Everest.

mount everest base camp

After about traveling through Nepal and Tibet, Crystal arrived at base camp. He was hiking with the help of one sherpa and two other climbers from France.

"I was actually doing better than my guides," Crystal said. "They had headaches. I was doing fine."

The next day, the team started acclimating to the altitude and preparing for their ultimate trek by hiking to a slightly higher elevation.

"There's an advanced base camp, which is at the base of the snow and ice climb," Crystal said.

That's where the group was headed when Crystal started to feel something was amiss.

"I was just feeling just not well, just not strong," he said. "When we got back to the base camp, I checked my oxygen saturation and it was down to significantly below anybody else."

Lungs on Everest can become dangerously leaky

Our red blood cells should normally be completely saturated with oxygen, near 100%. Crystal's hiking partners were running counts around 82-84%, but his was 78%. His heart was beating faster, too, and he was starting to feel breathless whenever he laid his head down.

"My resting pulse, which is usually about 63 or so, was 95," he said.

The doctor quickly realized what this all meant: he was developing a condition called high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a buildup of excess fluid in the lungs. When that fluid collects in air sacs, it makes it tough to breathe.

People assumed HAPE sufferers just had bad cases of high-altitude pneumonia until the 1890s, when the first fatal case was formally diagnosed.

The phenomenon still isn't well understood. It can happen in people young and old, fit and fat. And it manifests at various altitudes, depending on whether you're used to thin air. Sherpas who are born at higher altitudes tend to be less susceptible to the lung problem, and scientists are studying why that's the case. Doctors think that increasing pressure on blood vessels near the lungs might cause HAPE, but they're not sure.  

Some of the first signs of trouble can include headaches, shortness of breath, difficulty walking, and even a bloody cough.  

HAPE is a common problem on Everest, though according to a 2008 study published in the BMJ, high-altitude pulmonary edema is not as fatal on Everest as high-altitude cerebral edema, when fluid buildup hits the brain instead of the lungs. 

Crystal knew what to do: "The best treatment is to get down," he said. "I realized that probably the best thing was to abandon the climb."

He'd read plenty of stories about people who didn't listen to their bodies, then died on the mountain. He didn't want to become one of the frozen corpses climbers must pass. 

[Read more: What the top of Mount Everest is really like, according to the woman who's been there a record-breaking 9 times]

mount everest rescue

When things go wrong on Everest 

Luckily, Crystal had purchased insurance for the occasion. He hiked over the Tibetan plateau into Nepal, about a seven hour trek, where he met a helicopter. A doctor in Kathmandu was familiar with his symptoms.

"In New York City, you don't see a lot of high-altitude pulmonary edema," Crystal said. "This doctor had seen 200 cases! He knew far more than I did about it."

Crystal's total hospital bill — including an ambulance ride and a battery of blood and heart tests — came out to $360 US dollars. 

"If that had been in New York City, it would probably be $10,000," he said. 

Despite having to give up on his climb, Crystal said the experience was a lesson in the importance of setting and keeping goals as he ages.

"Pursuing the goal, I think that's what helps you stay young," he said. "It doesn't really matter what your age is, it doesn't matter whether you really reach the goal, its having the goal and working toward the goal that's the important part." 

Besides, there are other plenty of other mountains to climb. Because they're there. 

everest

SEE ALSO: What the top of Mount Everest is really like, according to the woman who's been there a record-breaking 9 times

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NOW WATCH: You'd be surprised how complicated it is to go to the bathroom on Mount Everest

12 hot new brands that millennials can't get enough of

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Everlane

  • Millennials are known for shopping around rather than sticking to one brand.
  • Their shopping habits have created an opportunity for emerging brands to enter the market.
  • In a recent survey conducted by Goldman Sachs and Conde Nast, a group of consumers between the ages of 13 and 34 were asked to list the new brands that they are hearing about or shopping at more now versus last year. 

Millennials may have lots of good qualities, but brand loyalty isn't one of them. 

This generation is known for their tendency to shop around, and the rise of e-commerce and mobile shopping has given them the necessary tools to do so.

While this may have created a tougher environment for legacy brands, it has also given more opportunity for newer brands to enter the market. 

In an annual survey conducted by Goldman Sachs and Conde Nast called the Love List, a group of consumers between the ages of 13 and 34 were asked various questions about their shopping habits and preferred brands. 1,489 US consumers, as well as 1,174 Conde Nast "It Girls" (a group of Conde Nast readers who tend to be more affluent), were surveyed for the report. 

In one question, shoppers were asked to name the fashion, athletic, or beauty/grooming brands that they have bought from or are hearing about today but weren't focused on last year. The results were then split out by established and emerging brands. 

Here are the 12 up-and-coming brands highlighted by these consumers:

SEE ALSO: A preppy apparel startup is defying J. Crew's curse and dominating the millennial market

GlamGlow

Skincare brand GlamGlow was originally created for professionals working with celebrities in the entertainment industry. It is now available for purchase online and in stores such as Macy's, Nordstrom, and Sephora. 

It's best known for its mud masks, which cost between $59 to $79, depending on size. 
 



Fenty Beauty

Rihanna's beauty brand, Fenty, which is owned by the world's largest luxury retailer, LVMH, only launched in 2017 but is already making waves in the beauty industry. Its products range from $19 for a lipstick up to $38 for powders. The collection is currently sold online and in Sephora stores in the US.

According to WWD, in its first month of operation, sales at Fenty were five times higher than Kylie Cosmetics, the $800 million beauty company owned by Kylie Jenner. 



Glossier

Operating almost exclusively online, Glossier is leading the way in beauty products. It has attracted more than $86 million in funding since founder Emily Weiss began selling beauty products in 2013. Revenues reportedly tripled from 2016 to 2017.  

According to Bloomberg, the company sells one of its popular $16 "Boy Brow" eyebrow shapers every minute, accounting for an estimated $8 million in sales per year.



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6 sailors from Britain's largest warship reportedly arrested in Florida on drunk and disorderly behavior

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HMS Queen Elizabeth

  • Britain's largest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, arrived in the US this week for training.
  • While on shore leave in Florida six sailors were arrested and detained over drunk and disorderly behavior, local news reports said.
  • One of them was stunned by a Taser when he refused to put his hands behind his back, the local WJAX-TV reported.
  • The warship is in the US to carry out F-35 trials with British and American pilots.

Six sailors from HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain's largest and most powerful aircraft carrier, were reportedly arrested and taken into custody over drunk and disorderly behavior in Jacksonville, Florida, this week.

The sailors, who were on shore leave, were arrested after locals found them fighting and and urinating in public, the BBC reported.

The incident took place on late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, according to Jacksonville's local WJAX-TV station.

Most of them were taken into custody on drunk and disorderly charges, The Florida Times-Union reported.

Three of them were also charged with resisting arrest. One pushed and pulled an officer, one was actively fighting and refused to stop, and another refused to put his hands behind his back and was ultimately stunned by a Taser, according to WJAX-TV.

The group were held overnight before being released back onboard the warship on Thursday morning, The Sun reported.

HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in the US this week after leaving the UK on August 18. It is on its way to carry out F-35 trials at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland with US and British pilots later this month.

HMS Queen Elizabeth II

The British navy acknowledged the incident but declined to provide further comment.

A spokesperson for the Royal Navy told Business Insider in a statement:

"We can confirm that a number of naval personnel are assisting US police with their enquiries – it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

"The Naval Service places great importance on maintaining the highest possible standards of behaviour from its personnel at all times."

Sergeant Larry Smith of the Jacksonville Beach Police Department also confirmed that all the arrests were related to alcohol, but that they were "a case of good people making bad decisions."

Smith told the Sun:

"Our officers went down to the ship to speak to their commanders, and while they were still out on the town on Thursday night, there were no more problems from the sailors.

"It was a case of good people making bad decisions, they got drunk and they fought among themselves.

"It happens. They seem to beat the mess out of each other and knock their teeth out, but once they pick up their teeth off the ground they hug and then are best friends again."

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest and most powerful aircraft carrier in British history. It took eight years to build and cost the Royal Navy £3.5 billion ($4.6 billion).

It is home to 900 people — 700 Royal Navy members and 200 industry personnel.

The deployment to the US is significant because it will mark the first fighter jet landing on a British aircraft carrier in eight years, since the decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal.

SEE ALSO: What life is like onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth

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San Francisco's new $2.2 billion transit center, the 'Grand Central Station of the West,' is officially open to the public — take a look around

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san francisco transbay terminal salesforce transit center 112

  • San Francisco's new four-block-long Salesforce Transit Center — and the stunning rooftop park located on top of it — is officially open to the public.
  • A project almost two decades in the making, the transit center was designed to be a central nexus for local transportation.
  •  Eleven bus lines stop at the station, and transit officials plan to eventually connect it to rail lines as well. 
  • The $2.2 billion transit center is being hailed as the "Grand Central Station of the West," and some have compared its park to The High Line in New York.


San Francisco's highly-anticipated Salesforce Transit Center and the new park located on its roof are officially open to the public.

Located in a colossal white building that snakes its way through the city's downtown South of Market district, the transit project was almost two decades in the making and was designed as a much-needed improvement to San Francisco's notoriously clogged transportation systems. Routes on eleven bus lines stop at the transit center. In the future, so too will Caltrain, the Bay Area's commuter-rail services, and California's High Speed Rail, which will run between there and Los Angeles.

The center's urban design has drawn comparisons to New York's new Oculus transit station, while its rooftop park has been likened to The High Line in New York, a park that's located on a former elevated rail line. But its new nickname harkens back further into Gotham's history.

The center has been dubbed the "Grand Central Station of the West." It's an apt moniker, given the building's scale and $2.2 billion budget.

Take a look around San Francisco's "Grand Central Station."

SEE ALSO: There's a 'water bar' in San Francisco that will pour you shots of fruit water, not booze — take a look inside

The transit center's bulbous white facade spans four blocks in downtown San Francisco. It's hard to miss.



Its exterior is made from perforated white aluminum that was shaped into wave-like forms.



The main building consists of five levels, including the rooftop park and the Grand Hall on its ground level.

The Bus Deck is above the ground level. The structure's two other levels are below-ground floors that were designed for rail lines but aren't yet in use.

Source: Transbay Program



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Mike Pence said he's '100% confident' no one on his staff wrote the anonymous New York Times op-ed, and he'd take a lie detector test to prove he didn't, either

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mike pence face the nation

  • Vice President Mike Pence denied any knowledge of the author of an anonymous op-ed published in The New York Times last week.
  • The explosive op-ed levels scathing hits on President Donald Trump and describes a "quiet resistance" within the administration.
  • Pence said he would take a lie detector test proving he didn't write it, too.
  • Suspicion of Pence's involvement first arose when readers identified an obscure term that Pence has used before.

Vice President Mike Pence denied any knowledge of the anonymous author of an op-ed published in the New York Times last week that slams President Donald Trump and describes a growing "resistance" within his administration. 

In one of two interviews aired Sunday morning, Pence emphasized on CBS's "Face the Nation" that neither himself nor his staff was involved with the op-ed, saying he was "100% confident."

"I know my people," Pence said. "They get up every day and are dedicated, just as much as I am, to advancing the president's agenda and supporting everything the President Trump is doing for the people of this country."

Suspicion of Pence's potential involvement arose when readers identified the term "lodestar" as an obscure term Pence has used in the past. Pence's office is also in question, as the author was only described as "a senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose job would be jeopardized by its disclosure."

When host Margaret Brennan pushed back on Pence's confidence, he admitted he hadn't asked specific staffers because he didn't feel the need.

"Honestly, I don't have to ask them because I know them," Pence said. "I know their character. I know their dedication and I am absolutely confident that no one on the vice president's staff had anything to do with this."

He also condemned the author, adding, "whoever this was, they should do the honorable thing and resign."

Pence joined a flood of senior administration officials who have stepped forward to condemn the article and deny their involvement.

He initially told Brennan he "wouldn't know" if his staff had anything to do with the article, but asked for the cameras to be turned back on so he could clarify in a continued interview, as he misunderstood her question.

Brennan also asked if the president's Cabinet ever discussed using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office as the op-ed claimed, and Pence said, "No. Never. And why would we?"

Pence said he'd take a lie detector test

The Times reported last week that Trump administration officials were considering using lie detector tests to find out the author's identity.

Pence said in an interview with "Fox News Sunday," he would agree to one "in a heartbeat" to clear his name from suspicion, adding the method would "be a decision for the president."

The vice president also suggested there might be legal consequences to the op-ed, to which host Chris Wallace objected.

Last week, Trump cited "national security" when he told reporters Attorney General Jeff Sessions should investigate the op-ed author.

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway also discussed the op-ed on air Sunday morning, telling CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper she believes the author "is going to eventually suss himself or herself out."

"I really hope whoever it is doesn't get a hero's walk, a red carpet unfurled ... What really was gained by being so cowardly?" Conway asked. "Come forward and say 'I disagree with this president's policies.' Plenty of Republicans have done that."

SEE ALSO: All the Trump officials who have publicly denied writing the anonymous New York Times op-ed

DON'T MISS: The White House has reportedly made a list of 12 people it thinks might have written the New York Times op-ed trashing Trump

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Serena Williams has been fined $17,000 over her fiery response to a penalty at the US Open that she called sexist

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Serena Williams smashes racket US Open

  • Serena Williams has been fined $17,000 after a chaotic US Open final, according to the Associated Press.
  • Williams faced three penalties during the match before losing to Naomi Osaka.
  • Fans rushed to Williams' defense that the umpire's calls were sexist.

Serena Williams is facing a hefty fine after a chaotic US Open final.

The Associated Press reported on Sunday that Williams was fined a total of $17,000 by the tournament referee's office on three code violations: "$10,000 for 'verbal abuse' of chair umpire Carlos Ramos, $4,000 for being warned for coaching, and $3,000 for breaking her racket."

The coaching violation came down from Ramos in the second game of the second set between Williams and Naomi Osaka, who would go on to win the tournament. Later in that set, Williams smashed her racket and angrily confronted Ramos.

"You owe me an apology," she said to the umpire. "I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what's right for her. I've never cheated, and you owe me an apology. You will never do another one of my matches."

Williams summoned the referee to protest Ramos' call, saying male players aren't punished for doing worse.

"Because I'm a woman, you're going to take this away from me?" she said. "This has happened to me too many times."

Fans, sportscasters, and tennis players rushed to Williams' defense, decrying the "double standard."

"When a woman is emotional, she's 'hysterical' and she's penalized for it," tennis legend Billie Jean King tweeted. "When a man does the same, he's 'outspoken' & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same."

After being defeated by Osaka, Williams gave an emotional interview, during which she told the crowd of fans apparently displeased by Ramos' decisions to stop booing and help Osaka celebrate her win.

The $17,000 fine will come out of William's $1.85 million prize money, according to the AP.

SEE ALSO: 'No more booing': Serena Williams gives emotional interview after dramatic US Open women's final

DON'T MISS: 20-year-old Naomi Osaka defeats Serena Williams in a chaotic US Open final racked by violations

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Jay-Z is worth $900 million — see how the rapper-turned-mogul makes and spends his fortune

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Jay Z

  • Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $900 million.
  • He's earned his fortune through a hip-hop career spanning nearly three decades and has also parlayed his success into several business ventures.
  • They include entertainment labels, a clothing line, alcohol brands, an upscale sports club, and a $600 million streaming service.


With a net worth of $900 million, Jay-Z is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world.

The rapper has earned millions from sellout tours and chart-topping albums over the course of his nearly 30-year career.

But music is far from his only money-making venture. Over the years, Jay-Z has parlayed his success in the hip-hop world into a fortune earned as an entrepreneur. His ventures include entertainment labels, a clothing line, upscale alcohol brands, and the music-streaming service Tidal.

Read on to see how Jay-Z has earned — and multiplied — his fortune.

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé is worth $355 million — see how she spends it on lavish mansions, yachting vacations, and a private jet for Jay-Z

Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world, with an estimated net worth of $900 million.

Source: Forbes



But the rapper came from humble beginnings, growing up poor in the Marcy housing project in Brooklyn, New York City.

Source: NPR



"The burden of poverty isn't just that you don't always have the things you need," Jay-Z told NPR in 2010. "It's the feeling of being embarrassed every day of your life, and you'd do anything to lift that burden."

Source: NPR



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