Dislike of de Blasio or Skelos could help decide NYS Senate race

The Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to tie GOP candidate Chris McGrath to Skelos, whose seat became vacant after he was convicted in December on federal corruption charges.

“Whoever is more successful in establishing the boogeyman might win—irrespective of the quality of the candidates,” said Baruch College Public Affairs Prof. Doug Muzzio.

McGrath in a new ad charges that if Kaminsky wins, “Bill de Blasio will be picking the pockets of each and every family in this district and on Long Island.”

Even before the ad was released, Kaminsky spokesman Evan Thies was telling the Daily News that Kaminsky’s ideology is closer to the more moderate Gov. Cuomo, who also happens to be more popular than the mayor in Nassau County.

He supported a Cuomo-backed bill to improve disability pensions for uniformed workers over a more modest version the mayor sought and wrote to the city ripping a plan to place homeless people at a Queens hotel located near the Nassau County border with zero public outreach, Thies said.

Senate Republicans, who used de Blasio as a boogeyman two years ago in races across the state, accuse Kaminsky of distancing himself from the mayor because polls show he is unpopular outside the city.

"Todd Kaminsky votes like Mayor de Blasio and the New York City liberals, and if he wins this seat it's going to mean higher property taxes for hardworking Nassau County taxpayers, free college tuition for illegal immigrants, and more school aid for New York City at Long Island's expense,” said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif.

In responding, Senate Democratic spokesman Michael Murphy focused on corruption issues in Nassau County, calling McGrath a “Skelos clone.”

Larry Levy, executive dean of Hofstra University’s National Center for Suburban Studies, quesionted the strategies of both parties.

“Turning McGrath into a so-called Dean Skelos clone will be at least as hard as trying to turn de Blasio into the boogeyman of Long Island,” Levy said. “Neither seem to have any basis in fact.”

He said, ultimately, turnout for presidential primary held the same day could have the biggest impact on the race. If the Republican primary is still in play, that will benefit the GOP while the same can be said if the Dems are still battling, Levy said. Skelos' old district has more Democrats than Republicans.

 

 

‘Deadpool’ dominates box office again, rakes in $51 million over weekend to lead all movies

NEW YORK (AP) -- Marvel's R-rated antihero smash "Deadpool" continued to dominate movie theaters over the weekend, earning an estimated $55 million and trouncing a trio of newcomers.

After pulling in a massive $152.2 million in its President's Day weekend four-day debut, the comic book adaptation from 20th Century Fox starring Ryan Reynolds as a foul-mouthed mercenary again topped the North American box office. Having already grossed $235.4 million domestically, "Deadpool" - made for just $58 million - is poised to become one of the most successful R-rated movies ever.

Globally, the film -- now certain to spawn a franchise of its own -- has made $491.1 million thus far.

Among new releases, the faith-based drama "Risen" debuted with $11.8 million. The film, in which Joseph Fiennes plays a Roman soldier investigating the death and resurrection of Jesus, was made for about $20 million by Sony's Affirm label, which targets evangelical Christian moviegoers.

A24's critically acclaimed Puritan thriller "The Witch" opened with $8.7 million, marking the biggest opening of the indie label behind the Oscar-nominated drama "Room." A24 celebrated the opening of Robert Eggers' directorial debut - an austere 1600s horror film, rigorously authentic to the period - as not only the company's biggest weekend yet, but one that put "The Witch" on course to be "the most successful film of all time with a goat in a starring role."

The Jesse Owens biopic from Focus Features, "Race," struggled to find its footing with $7.3 million. Directed by Stephen Hopkins, "Race" stars Stephan James as the Olympic sprinter.

Edging out the three debuts was Fox's "Kung Fu Panda 3," which made $12.5 million in its fourth weekend. The animated sequel, which has made $117.1 million in total, will lose its near-exclusive window of family moviegoing next weekend when Disney's "Zootopia" opens. That film has already begun its overseas rollout, where it made $31.2 million from 22 territories over the weekend.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Deadpool," $55 million ($85 million international.)

2. "Kung Fu Panda 3," $12.5 million.

3. "Risen," $11.8 million.

4. "The Witch," $8.7 million.

5. "How To Be Single," $8.2 million.

6. "Race," $7.3 million.

7. "Zoolander 2," $5.5 million.

8. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," $3.8 million.

9. "The Revenant," $3.8 million.

10. "Hail, Caesar!" $2.6 million.

 

Behind the Scam: What Does It Take to Be a ‘Best-Selling Author’? $3 and 5 Minutes. Nam Đz 6:57:00 PM NEWS

I would like to tell you about the biggest lie in book publishing. It appears in the biographies and social media profiles of almost every working “author” today. It’s the word “best seller.”

This isn’t about how The New York Times list is biased (though it is). This isn’t about how authors buy their way onto various national best-seller lists by buying their own books in bulk (though they do). No, this is about the far more insidious title of “Amazon Bestseller”—and how it’s complete and utter nonsense.

Here’s what happened in the book industry over the last few years: As Amazon has become the big dog in the book world, the “Amazon Bestseller” status has come to be synonymous with being an actual bestseller. This is not true, and I can prove it.

*****

Last week, I put up a fake book on Amazon. I took a photo of my foot, uploaded to Amazon, and in a matter of hours, had achieved  “No. 1 Best Seller” status, complete with the orange banner and everything.

How many copies did I need to sell be able to call up my mother and celebrate my newfound authorial achievements? Three. Yes, a total of three copies to become a best-selling author. And I bought two of those copies myself!

The reason people aspire to call themselves “bestselling author” is because it dramatically increases your credibility and “personal brand.” It can establish you as a thought leader. You’re able to show that you not only wrote a book, but that the market has judged it to be better than other books out there. It’s a status symbol, one of that cashes in on the prestige of one of man’s oldest past-times. At last, I had acquired this coveted title for myself.

I’m a partner at a marketing company called Brass Check. Over the years, we’ve helped launch 30 legitimate New York Times best sellers (including several at the sought-after No. 1 spot). My company has helped sell over 5 million books and advised or managed book launches with every major publishing house, including Amazon.  

We have important rules at my company about the projects we take on. We don’t work with authors whose books we wouldn’t read ourselves, and we don’t guarantee best-seller status. We say no to more work than we say yes to, but these principles help us avoid the gimmicky, one-hit-wonders who aren’t looking to write great books but instead are looking to trick people into thinking they have.

But it’s begun to feel a bit like a losing battle. Because those authors are everywherethese days. The title of my fake book was “Putting My Foot Down” for a reason: I’ve become utterly exhausted with phony “authors” and the scam artists and charlatans who conspire with these folks–the cottage industry that has built up around them, selling courses, instructions and hacks. A quick Google search returns dozens of “bestselling books,” courses, packages, schools, secrets, summits, and webinarsteaching you how to become a “bestselling author”. Hell, this guy even promises to show you how to be a bestselling author “Even if You Have No Book Ideas, Writing Skills, or Any Clue Where To Start” in a “5 Phase Formula.”

 

Google DeepMind works with NHS doctors on life-saving app

The app, Streams, has already been piloted in the Royal Free Hospital in North London where it was used to detect patients at greatest risk of acute kidney injury, and will also be trialled at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

The condition is a sudden loss of kidney function, often a consequence of dehydration, and normally associated with death. “We can detect from blood test results which patients are at risk,” said the co-founder of DeepMind Mustafa Suleyman. “25 per cent of deaths are preventable, so there’s a really big prize for us.”

This is the company's first indication of how it plans to apply machine learning algorithms to solve massive real world problems. 

"A very simple [technological] tool can be more impactful than a dose of antibiotics.”

Lord Ara Darzi

While refining its real-time diagnosis of dangerous illnesses including acute kidney injury and sepsis, DeepMind is also working with top surgeon and head of Imperial Health Partners, Professor Lord Ara Darzi and Dr Dominic King on integrating their healthcare task-prioritising app Hark into the DeepMind Health platform.

Hark addresses the second part of the problem in clinical healthcare – how best to intervene and prioritise doctors’ and nurses’ time when someone is critically ill. “The first part is detecting which patients are at risk, and then how we manage all the various clinical interventions is what Hark does,” Suleyman said.

101 Beauty Tips Every Girl Should Know

In the world of beauty, there are endless beauty tips and rules to keep you looking fabulous. From secrets about how to style your hair without heat to brilliant ways to fix a broken compact case, the more beauty tips you know, the better you’ll be prepared to handle every situation thrown at you — and look good while doing so. In the list of beauty advice below Beauty High breaks down all those tricks to make the industry less scary for women from makeup artists, hairstylists, skincare gurus and of course, our beauty staff. Remember, beauty should always be fun!

101. “Always keep your summer makeup minimal. Minimal and sheer makeup is the way to go when it’s hot and muggy outside.” – Mary Greenwell, celebrity makeup artist

100. “The best thing to do when you go to a makeup counter is be armed with what it is you want to do.”- Raychel Wade, founder of Cheek to Chic and La Prairie’s colour ambassador

99. Use excess eye cream on cuticles. The more you hydrate your cuticles, the stronger your nails will be.

98. For smudge-proof eye makeup, take blotting tissue to remove any oil or any excess makeup from the eye area. Then, apply a small dab of cream concealer to hold things in place.

97. “A good perfume should consist of balanced blend of notes arranged in a way that creates harmonious accord.”- Alexis Bergman, P&G’s Global Flavor and Fragrance Trends

96. To prevent hair color from fading in the summer months, use a conditioning treatment weekly or bi-monthly.

95. Breakout before a big event? “Take oral cortisone a few days before the event to clear your skin”- Ava Shamban, dermatologist and author of Heal Your Skin.

94. “In order to keep eyeliner from running and smearing, opt for liner formulas that offer stayproof wearability.”- Robin Schoen, Urban Decay Makeup Artist

93. Always allow about two fingers from your nose to where blush starts.

92. “Make sure you hydrate the skin and put on a primer”- Jessie Powers, makeup artist and national educator for Make Up For Ever

91. “Balance out your shimmer. If you’re doing a shimmery eye, opt for a matte lipstick.”- Raychel Wade, founder of Cheek to Chic and La Prairie’s colour ambassador

90. Brush out your curls with your fingers to give your hair a more tousled look.

89. To make your manicure last, apply a thin layer of clear every two days. Pay particular attention to the free edge at the top of your nails, where chips usually happen, and apply extra clear polish there.

88. Wear white eyeliner in your water line to make eyes appear less red.

87. “Take a shimmery gloss to the center of your lips, top and bottom – this will attract light to your lips, making them look pouty.”-Katrina Barrion, makeup artist for Giella Custom Blend Cosmetics

86. For slicked back hair, use a hair serum.

85. For the perfect cat-eye, “select a thin liner brush that is tapered to the point.”- Pamela Taylor, makeup artist. Use a gel eyeliner for extra staying power.

84. To make your cheek bones appear higher, use bronzer under the cheekbone and highlighter on the actual cheekbone, and remember to blend. Contouring at its finest!

83. Before you blow dry, start with a volumizing spray or light gel to give the roots some lift. Pull the brush up towards the ceiling to really boost volume.

82. For fuller lips, extend the lip line using a flesh tone lip liner. Be careful not to go overboard, though!

81. The #1 reason for flaky mascara is that the formula is too dry or old. Make sure to close mascara after use to help keep its moisture. To extend the life a bit, add 2-3 drops of saline solution into the tube and swirl the brush around.

 

Johnson & Johnson To Pay $72M For Ovarian Cancer Death Linked To Talcum Powder

“Just a sprinkle a day helps keep odor away.”

That was the slogan used by Johnson & Johnson to market their product “Shower to shower” back in the 80s

And while this may come to a surprise to many, before the product even became widely available there was already decade-old published research linking talc to an increased risk for ovarian cancer including one study where a majority of ovarian tumors had particles of talc embedded in them. (source)

Yes, you read that right. The company knowingly knew about the dangerous side effects of talcum powder and still proceeded with spending millions on marketing the product!

According to Reuters, Johnson & Johnson was ordered by a Missouri state jury to pay $72 million of damages to the family of a woman whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company’s talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for several decades.

Jere Beasley, a lawyer for Fox’s family, said Johnson & Johnson “knew as far back as the 1980s of the risk,” and yet resorted to “lying to the public, lying to the regulatory agencies.” He spoke on a conference call with journalists.

In addition, The Guardian reported that the verdict “doesn’t bode well for Johnson & Johnson” as it faces at least 1,200 still-pending lawsuits and possibly thousands more.”

How To Stop Bad Vagina Odor Naturally?

• Mix two cups of apple cider vinegar in warm bath water. Soak in it for about 20 minutes. Follow this remedy several times a week to get quick results.
• Eat two cups of unsweetened, plain yogurt daily.

Lynch confirms career Justice Department attorneys involved in Clinton email

Attorney General Loretta Lynch confirmed to Congress Wednesday that career Justice Department attorneys are working with FBI agents on the criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email practices and the handling of classified material.

Legal experts say the assignment of career Justice Department attorneys to the case shows the FBI probe has progressed beyond the initial referral, or "matured," giving agents access to the U.S. government’s full investigative tool box, including subpoena power for individuals, business or phone records, as well as witnesses.

The Associated Press reported earlier this month that career lawyers were involved, but Lynch's comments are the most expansive to Congress.

"If the FBI makes the case that Hillary Clinton mishandled classified information and put America's security at risk, will you prosecute the case?” Republican Congressman John Carter asked Lynch during a budget hearing.

"Do you know of any efforts underway to undermine the FBI's investigation? And please look the American people in the eye and tell us what your position is as you are the chief prosecutor of the United States," Carter pressed.

Lynch replied, "...that matter is being handled by career independent law enforcement agents, FBI agents as well as the career independent attorneys in the Department of Justice. They follow the evidence, they look at the law and they'll make a recommendation to me when the time is appropriate," 

She confirmed that the FBI criminal investigation is ongoing, and no recommendation or referral on possible charges had been made to her.

"I am not able to comment about the specific investigation at this time. But what I will say is again that this will be conducted as every other case. And we will review all the facts and all the evidence and come to an independent conclusion as to how to best handle it. And I'm also aware of no efforts to undermine our review or investigation into this matter at all."

Policy Privacy And Terms

Required by law

A "Privacy Policy" agreement is required by law if you're collecting personal data from users, regardless of the platform used (website, mobile app, desktop app etc.)

Personal data is any kind of data that can identify an individual: email address, first and last name, billing and shipping address, credit card information, and so on.

Use this agreement everywhere:

Web sites
WordPress blogs (or any other platforms: Joomla, Drupal)
E-commerce stores
Mobile apps: iOS, Android or Windows Phone
Facebook apps
Desktop apps
SaaS app
Digital products or digital services

Download the Free Template
For ecommerce stores

Including a Privacy Policy agreement for your ecommerce store is not only required by law, but it also builds trust with your customers and ensures that you stay in line with your legal obligations.

If you already have this agreement for your store, make sure to follow these tips:

Disclose what kind of personal information you're collecting from your customers
Disclose how the collected information may be shared or disclosed with third parties your store might be using (Google Analytics, Google AdWords etc.)
Inform how customers can review and change the information collected on them
Make sure to include the policy's effective date
If you don't have the agreeement yet, use the Generator to create it.


For iOS, Android or Windows Phone

You'll need the Privacy Policy agreement even if you don't collect any personal data yourself through the mobile app you're building, but instead use third party tools such as:

Google Analytics Mobile
Flurry
Firebase
Mixpanel
And so on
If you use at least one third party tool that might collect personal data through your mobile app, you need this agreement in place.

Each app store also requires you to have this agreement in place before submitting the mobile app. Read more about their specific requirements:

Requirements from Apple App Store
Requirements from Google Play Store
Requirements from Microsoft Windows Phone Store

For SaaS businesses

Most SaaS businesses need to collect at least 2 types of personal information from users: email address and payment information. This makes a Privacy Policy agreement mandatory for SaaS businesses.

Alal brothers: YouTube pranksters sorry for drive-by shooting video

THREE Melbourne brothers, known as the Jalal brothers, who caused outrage after they fired a fake AK-47 at a young girl, filmed fake abductions and suicide bomb stunts are in police custody.

Victoria Police said in a statement to news.com.au that Counter Terrorism Command detectives executed a warrant this morning in the Melbourne suburb of South Morang.

“The warrants relate to an ongoing operation. Three men presented themselves at the Crime Command Police Complex around 8.35 this morning,” the statement read. “The men, aged 20, 18 and 16 are currently in custody assisting with inquiries.”

While it is unclear if the brothers will be charged, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told 3AW he believed criminal offences were committed, including assault, imitation firearms and, if the boys made money from their videos, proceeds of crime.

It appears the brothers took themselves to police after doing the rounds on breakfast TV this morning.

They first appeared on Today when they admitted to host Karl Stefanovic that they went too far and promised to “tone it down a bit”.

The pranksters, who pretended to shoot the weapon out of a car while dressed in white robes, attracted a storm of criticism with Stefanovic questioning the trio over their antics.

The brothers admitted they had gone too far with their latest stunt and “were a bit stupid”.

Speaking on the breakfast show, the brothers apologised if they had offended anyone but did say they had permission from the father featured in the video to post it online.

“Now I love satire and some of your stuff is edgy, but you did get that one wrong, right?,” Stefanovic asked the brothers.

“Nup,” Max answered before Arman corrected him with “yes”.

“I mean, yep,” Max said before telling Stefanovic, “I can hardly hear you”.

When asked what their own parents thought about the prank videos, the trio were less forthcoming.

Max, the eldest brother who did most of the talking on behalf of the trio, answered: “No comment on our parents”.

Stefanovic then asked if they were in big trouble, to which they answered yes.

“I think people would be pleased to hear that,” he said.

The Today host, well known for his sense of humour, admitted there was some satirical genius in what the boys created but he hoped they had learned their lesson.

 

Japan's Sharp decides to accept Foxconn takeover offer: source

 

By Makiko Yamazaki

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Sharp Corp <6753.T> on Thursday agreed to a takeover by Taiwan’s Foxconn, a source familiar with the matter said, in what would be the largest acquisition by a foreign company in Japan’s insular technology sector.

The Taiwanese firm, known formally as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co <2317.TW>, has offered to invest 659 billion yen ($5.9 billion) in Sharp, sources have previously said.

Sharp’s board earlier concluded a two-day meeting to discuss whether to accept an offer by the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer over a rescue by a state-backed investment fund.

The source, who was not authorized to speak on the matter, declined to be identified. A Sharp spokesman declined to comment. Foxconn also declined to comment.

Shares in the ailing electronics maker briefly rose over 5 percent but pared gains to last trade flat.

Century-old Sharp was once a highly profitable manufacturer of premium TVs and a favored screen supplier to Apple. But it has struggled in recent years as massive investments in advanced LCD plants backfired amid price competition with Asian rivals.

The deal comes after five years of courting by Foxconn founder Terry Gou, who sees ownership of Sharp as a way to better compete with Asian rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co <005930.KS>.

Sharp’s liquid crystal display (LCD) panel technology is expected to help consolidate Foxconn’s position as the world’s biggest assembler of Apple Inc’s <AAPL.O> iPhones and iPads.

For Sharp, Foxconn’s ample funds will help stabilize its finances while the Taiwanese company’s global sales channels could help improve sales.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Zuckerberg, the professional nappy-changer

Berlin - Facebook founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg, whose first child was born in November, boasted that he could change a nappy in 20 seconds.

“I am competitive guy, I time myself to get and better, and I got down to 20 seconds,” the 31-year-old told an audience in Berlin where he was receiving an award from German publisher Axel Springer.

“The trick is to slide the new diaper under the old one,” he added.

Zuckerberg's Facebook page, which is “followed” by more than 43 million people, regularly features pictures of him with his wife Priscilla Chan, baby daughter Maxima and pet dog Beast. He has also posted a photo of him changing nappies.

Despite his massive wealth, Zuckerberg - depicted in the Hollywood drama The Social Network as a socially challenged computer geek - still turns up at the office in a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, topped off by his trademark hooded sweatshirt.

Touching on his famously dressed-down style he added: “I have coloured ones (t-shirts) too but I wear them only the weekend.”

As they announced the birth of their daughter in December, Zuckerberg and his wife said they would give away 99 percent of their shares in Facebook - valued at some $45-billion - in a philanthropy initiative “to improve the lives of all those coming into this world”.

 

Cape Town - An alleged car thief has been hospitalised after he was shot in the leg by a policeman outside the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Police spokeswoman Noloyiso Rwexana said the suspect, aged 25, was caught while allegedly trying to steal a car in the Cape Town CBD at about 10:50am.

Police attempted to make an arrest in Albertus Street when the incident took place.

“Police were attempting to arrest a suspect, a fight broke out and the suspect stabbed a police official.

“The suspect was then shot and wounded by a police official,” Rwexana said.

Hishaam Mohamed, the regional head of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, said the suspect had been walking bare-chested on Albertus Street with a big unconcealed knife.

The man was then pursued by two detectives dressed in plain clothes. At the corner of Albertus and Parade streets the knife-wielding suspect ran towards one of the detectives.

“On arrival, paramedics found the man slumped up against a stop sign. Assessments showed that the man had sustained a gunshot wound to his thigh and was in a serious condition.”

Meiring said paramedics treated the man and provided him with advanced life support interventions.

He was transported to New Somerset West Hospital.

 

Global economy will suffer 'a shock' if Britain leaves EU, G20 warns

Finance ministers from major economies agree the risk of 'Brexit' poses dangers for international stability

The global economy will suffer “a shock” if Britain votes to leave the European Union, the world’s 20 leading nations have warned.

In a joint statement, finance ministers from the G20 group of major economies unanimously agreed that the risk of “Brexit” posed dangers for international stability.

 

In what will be seen as a coded attack on Boris Johnson, who is campaigning to leave, he added that the leaving the EU would not be “some amusing adventure” but a serious threat to Britain and the world.

“Here at the G20, finance leaders and central bank governors of the world's biggest economies have raised serious concerns about the risks posed by a UK exit from the EU"

George Osborne

Speaking in Shanghai, the Chancellor said: “Here at the G20, finance leaders and central bank governors of the world's biggest economies have raised serious concerns about the risks posed by a UK exit from the EU.

"They have concluded unanimously today that what they call the shock of a potential UK vote to leave is among the biggest economic dangers this year. If that's their assessment of the impact on the world economy, imagine what it would do to the UK.

• EU referendum: David Cameron will not delay in pulling Britain out of EU if voters back Brexit, No10 vows

 

"This isn't some amusing adventure into the unknown. A British exit would hurt people's jobs, livelihoods and living standards - it's deadly serious," he said.

"It's my responsibility as Chancellor to make it clear to people what the economic risks are - and that we are stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU."

Reports from Shanghai suggested that Mr Osborne’s team were instrumental in ensuring that Brexit was included in the final summit communique.

The Italian Finance Minister, Pier Carlo Padoan, said that a decision by Britain to leave the EU would have negative global consequences.

"We would classify a UK exit from the EU as a powerful geopolitical shock, a negative shock," he said.