Dennis Schroder scores 18 in 4th to rally Thunder past Magic

ORLANDO, Florida — It’s difficult for anyone on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster to steal the spotlight from Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

Dennis Schroder managed to do it during a 126-117 comeback win over the Orlando Magic.


“Obviously, Dennis played an incredible second half in every aspect — defensively, offensively — and gave us great separation,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.

George scored 31 of his 37 points in the first half and Westbrook had his fourth straight triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, but Schroder’s five-minute run in the fourth quarter pushed Oklahoma City to its sixth straight victory Tuesday night.

The backup point guard scored 18 of his 21 points — including two 3-pointers and a pair of three-point plays — in a stretch when he hit seven consecutive shots. He outscored Orlando 18-8 by himself during that spurt, helping the Thunder rally from a five-point deficit to a 13-point lead in the process.

“I do the same every night,” Schroder insisted. “I try to stay aggressive, look for my shot, look for open teammates and just make the right play. It’s not like I’m out there 48 minutes, but it’s working out so far.”

The Thunder needed a boost after George cooled off considerably in the second half. He was 11 of 16 in the first two quarters, but only 3 of 8 after halftime.

“When you can do that, play with such unselfishness, it opens up things for everybody,” Donovan said.

Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Evan Fournier had 17 points and Aaron Gordon added 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Terrence Ross scored 16 off the bench.

It was another familiar ending for the Magic, who have lost four straight and seven of eight. They had their chances, rallying from a 15-point third-quarter deficit to lead by five early in the fourth, but couldn’t sustain the comeback.

“We lost No. 1 because (Oklahoma City) is good and played well,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “But when you’re not going to run back on every single possession — which takes no talent, by the way — they’re going to make you pay and they made us pay.

“No. 2, we’re fouling them in the backcourt when they’re in the bonus. It’s crazy. It’s stupid, losing basketball. And then we decide in the fourth quarter, we’re not going to pass the ball to each other. We’ve got guys dribbling out the shot clock when you’ve got to move the ball. You’re not going to win doing that.”

The Thunder squandered a 15-point lead in the third and were down 101-98 in the fourth before Schroder righted the ship. He had a three-point play, a 3-pointer and a 15-foot jumper as Oklahoma City scored 10 straight points to take a 108-101 lead. He added another three-point play and 3-pointer to make it 116-103.

Ross knocked down consecutive 3s to help Orlando cut the deficit to 116-111 with four minutes to play, but that was as close as the Magic got.

TIP-INS

Thunder: George has at least two 3s in 29 straight games. Stephen Curry and James Harden are the only other players in NBA history to do that. … C Steven Adams sat out with a sore ankle.

Magic: Gordon had eight points in the first two minutes, then missed his last six shots of the half. … Orlando has lost four straight home games and is 12-15 at home. … Jerian Grant played against his brother, Thunder forward Jerami Grant. Their father, Harvey Grant, had an 11-year NBA career. Jerami outscored Jerian 18-5.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Continue their three-game road trip Friday at Miami.

Magic: Continue their three-game homestand Thursday against Indiana.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Patriots, Rams arrive in Atlanta, get ready for Super Bowl week

ATLANTA — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have arrived. So have Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams.

Now it’s time for them to get to work.


The teams landed in Atlanta on Sunday and will practice this week before squaring off in the Super Bowl next Sunday in the NFL’s main event.

The AFC champion Patriots had a rally at Gillette Stadium earlier in the day before heading to the airport and boarding their flight.

“We’re not at the end yet,” Brady told the fans in Foxborough, Massachusetts. “We’ve got one more to go.”

It’s New England’s third straight Super Bowl trip and fourth in five years — and the ninth overall in the Brady-Bill Belichick era.

The Patriots, who beat the then-St. Louis Rams for their first title after the 2001 season, are looking to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the sixth time, which would tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in the Super Bowl era.

The NFC champion Rams are back in the city where they won their only Super Bowl title in the 1999 season, when they beat Tennessee.

During the team’s pre-flight rally at the construction site where the Rams’ multibillion-dollar stadium is rising in Inglewood, California, fans chanted “Greg! The! Leg!” for kicker Greg Zuerlein, who made a 57-yard field goal in overtime to beat New Orleans in the NFC title game.

Zuerlein strained his non-kicking foot at halftime of that game by slipping on a turf-covered metal plate during warmups on the Superdome field. The injury doesn’t appear to be serious, and the Rams expect him to kick in the Super Bowl, coach Sean McVay said Thursday.

The Rams are making their first appearance since losing the game in 2002 that launched the Patriots dynasty.

The previous time a Los Angeles-based Rams team was in the Super Bowl was in the 1979 season, where they lost to the Steelers.

source: sports.inquirer.net

No. 1 Novak Djokovic faces No. 2 Rafael Nadal in Australian Open final

MELBOURNE, Australia — The showdown between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final is their 53rd meeting on tour.

Djokovic will be trying to win the hard-court tournament for the record seventh time. He’s also bidding for a 15th Grand Slam trophy overall and third in a row.


For Nadal, Sunday’s match is a chance to win his second title at Melbourne Park. He’ll also be eyeing an 18th major championship, which would move him within two of Roger Federer’s men’s mark.

Nadal has not lost a set in the tournament so far.

When they met in the 2012 Australian Open final, Djokovic won in 5 hours, 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam title match in history.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Facebook getting its messaging apps connected

SAN FRANCISCO–Facebook said Friday it is trying to get its messaging apps to be friends, allowing encrypted missives be exchanged no matter which of its services are used.

The leading social network is behind free, stand-alone smartphone apps Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp.


Each service is popular, but users have to be in the same application to exchange to connect.


“We’re working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks,” a Facebook spokeswoman said in reply to an AFP inquiry regarding a New York Times report about the effort.

“As you would expect, there is a lot of discussion and debate as we begin the long process of figuring out all the details of how this will work.”

Facebook hoped to get the messaging apps communicating with one another, while remaining separate services, by the end of this year or early next year, according to the Times report.

Each of the Facebook-owned messaging services boasts more than a billion users. End-to-end encryption would mean messages exchanged between the services would be scrambled to hide contents from snooping.

source: technology.inquirer.net

New Android app tells you how long you spend on Facebook, Instagram

Google’s Digital Wellbeing, a feature on Pixel and Android One devices that can tell users how much time they spend on various apps, is coming to Android is the form of a new app called ActionDash.

In case you’re wondering just how much time you spend on your phone or perhaps just on particular applications, there’s now an app for that — and this one is for all Android users according to The Verge.

Essentially, ActionDash provides Android owners with the same information that Pixel and Android One owners have through the feature Digital Wellbeing.


Like the Google version, ActionDash offers a complete breakdown of a user’s daily phone activity right down to the minute. You can track your overall smartphone screen time or just the time spent on various applications like WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and the like.

According to The Verge, the applications are almost identical (apart from basic user interface), though the Android version doesn’t allow you to set usage limits; However, ActionDash’s developer Chris Lacy confirmed that he’s exploring ways to add that feature to the app.

ActionDash is currently available on the Google Play for free with an in-app purchase option to remove ads and get some extra minor features like dark mode. NVG

source: technology.inquirer.net

US Senator Kamala Harris jumps into presidential race

WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris, a first-term senator and former California attorney general known for her rigorous questioning of President Donald Trump’s nominees, entered the Democratic presidential race on Monday. Vowing to “bring our voices together,” Harris would be the first woman to hold the presidency and the second African-American if she succeeds.

Harris, a daughter of immigrant parents who grew up in Oakland, California, is one of the earliest high-profile Democrats to join what is expected to be a crowded field. She made her long anticipated announcement on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”


“I am running for president of the United States,” she said. “And I’m very excited about it.”

The 54-year old portrayed herself as a fighter for justice, decency and equality in a video distributed by her campaign as she announced her bid. “They’re the values we as Americans cherish, and they’re all on the line now,” Harris says in the video. “The future of our country depends on you and millions of others lifting our voices to fight for our American values.”

Harris launched her presidential as the nation observes what would have been the 90th birthday of the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The timing was a clear signal that the California senator— who has joked that she had a “stroller’s-eye view” of the civil rights movement because her parents wheeled her and her sister Maya to protests — sees herself as another leader in that fight.

She abandoned the formality of launching an exploratory committee, instead going all in on a presidential bid.
She plans a formal campaign launch in Oakland on Jan. 27. The campaign will be based in Baltimore, with a second office in Oakland.

Harris joins what is expected to be a wide-open race for the Democratic presidential nomination. There’s no apparent front-runner at this early stage and Harris will face off against several Senate colleagues.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York have both launched exploratory committees. Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are also looking at the race.

If Booker enters the race, he and Harris could face a fierce competition for support from black voters.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Democratic nomination, is also considering a campaign. Several other Democrats have already declared their intentions, including former Maryland Rep. John Delaney and former Obama administration housing chief Julian Castro.

Harris launches her campaign fresh off of a tour to promote her latest memoir, “The Truths We Hold,” which was widely seen as a stage-setter for a presidential bid.

She is already planning her first trip to an early primary state as a declared candidate. On Friday, Harris will travel to South Carolina to attend the Pink Ice Gala in Columbia, which is hosted by a South Carolina chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which Harris pledged as an undergraduate student at Howard University. The sorority, founded more than 100 years ago, is a stronghold in the African-American community.

South Carolina, where black voters make up a large share of the Democratic electorate, is likely to figure heavily into Harris’s prospects. And early voting in Harris’s home state of California will overlap with the traditional early nominating contests, which could give Harris a boost.

Harris’s campaign team is already taking shape and includes several veterans of Democratic politics.

Juan Rodriguez, who ran Harris’s 2016 Senate campaign, will manage her presidential bid. Her sister, Maya Harris, a former top adviser to Hillary Clinton, will be the campaign chair. The veteran campaign finance lawyer Marc Elias will serve as the Harris campaign’s general counsel, and Angelique Cannon, who worked for Clinton’s 2016 campaign, will serve as national finance director. David Huynh, who was Clinton’s director of delegate operations in 2016, will serve as a senior adviser. Lily Adams, a Clinton campaign alum who has worked as Harris’s spokeswoman, will be communications director.

Her staff says she plans to reject the assistance of a super PAC, as well as corporate PAC money. She’s invested heavily in cultivating a digital, small-dollar donor network before her presidential bid.

Before her 2016 victory in the Senate race, Harris made her career in law enforcement. She served as the district attorney in San Francisco before she was elected to serve as attorney general.

Harris is likely to face questions about her law enforcement record, particularly after the Black Lives Matter movement and activists across the country pushed for a criminal justice overhaul. Harris’s prosecutorial record has recently come under new scrutiny after a blistering opinion piece in The New York Times criticized her repeated claim that she was a “progressive prosecutor,” focused on changing a broken criminal justice system from within.

Harris addressed her law enforcement background in her book. She argued it was a “false choice” to decide between supporting the police and advocating for greater scrutiny of law enforcement.

She “knew that there was an important role on the inside, sitting at the table where the decisions were being made,” she wrote. “When activists came marching and banging on the doors, I wanted to be on the other side to let them in.”
Harris supported legislation that passed the Senate last year that overhauled the criminal justice system, particularly when it comes to sentencing rules.

Harris is framing her campaign through her courtroom experience. The theme of her nascent campaign is “Kamala Harris, for the people,” the same words she spoke as a prosecutor, trying a case in the courtroom. /ee

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Sean Payton: Obvious missed call cost Saints a Super Bowl berth

NEW ORLEANS — Sean Payton was glassy-eyed, calm and shrugged his shoulders at times, seemingly resigned to New Orleans’ bitter fate — as unfair as he thought it was.

And the Saints coach said NFL executives he spoke with by phone after a 26-23 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams agreed with him that officials on the field missed two obvious penalties on one late, game-turning play that might have prevented the Saints from advancing to the Super Bowl.


Officials could have called pass interference and helmet-to-helmet contact on Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman as he flattened Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis on an incomplete pass inside the Rams 10-yard line with 1:45 left in a tie game. The play occurred in close range of two officials along the sideline who never pulled out their flags.

NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron “couldn’t believe” no penalty call was called on the play, Payton said.



“It’s tough to get over it,” Payton said. “My problem with it is, I just don’t know, if we were playing pickup football in the backyard … it was as obvious a call — and how two guys can look at that and arrive at their decision? It happened though.”

As anger-infused, full-throated boos rained down relentlessly from the Superdome stands, replays on the stadium’s expansive video screens clearly showed Robey-Coleman’s high hit occurring before Drew Brees’ pass toward the right sideline arrived at the spot where Lewis might have tried to make a play on the ball if he weren’t being knocked to the turn.



“I bounced up looking for a flag and didn’t see one, so I was kind of shocked about that,” Lewis said. “I saw what everybody else saw.

“You all feel like it was obvious? There it is. Everybody knows it was obvious,” Lewis added. “I don’t know what else to say about it.”

Even Robey-Coleman seemed surprised.

“Came to the sideline, looked at the football gods and was like, ‘Thank you,’” Robey-Coleman said. “I got away with one tonight.”

Rams coach Sean McVay, now headed to his first Super Bowl at age 32, was less inclined to scrutinize the call publicly.

“Certainly I’m not going to complain about the way it was officiated, but I thought it was a competitive play,” McVay said. “I thought they let the guys compete within the framework of the rules and that’s part of what NFL football is about.”

Had a flag been thrown, the Saints would have run the clock down to the final seconds before setting up a short field goal try clinch the franchise’s second NFC title, Payton said. Instead, the Saints had to try the kick with more than 1:40 left — enough time for the Rams to drive for a tying field goal. The game then went to overtime, when an interception by Rams safety John Johnson III set up Greg Zuerline’s 57-yard game-winning field goal.

“We’ll probably never get over it,” Payton added.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who at age 40 is running out of chances to get to a Super Bowl, said it was “tough to swallow” the non-call.

“Plenty of times throughout the season, there’s calls that go against you, go for you,” Brees said. “But obviously in a situation like that where it seemed like everybody in the world saw it, it’s tough.”

Both Payton and Brees suggested that the way the call tarnished the result of a conference title game could stimulate discussion about widening replays to look at reviewing certain penalties committed at certain points of the game, as has happened in the NBA.

“There’s just too much at stake,” Payton said. “And listen, it’s a hard job for those guys. It’s happening fast. But I don’t know if there was ever a more obvious pass interference.

“We all want to get it right, right? We’ve got plenty of technology to speed things up,” Payton added. “Look, I’m on the competition committee. So, hopefully that provides a voice. I hope no other team has to lose a game the way we lost that one today, though. We were in position. … We’d be on our knee for three plays and — it’s disappointing.”

Brees said he expects the NFL’s replay rules to “constantly evolve as they try to make this game batter and try to make sure that it is as fair as possible.”

“There’s a lot happening out there and it happens very, very fast,” Brees said. “Obviously, if they were replaying pass interference or if somebody got hit early before the ball got there, then I’m sure that would have been reviewed today — and it would been found that that was P.I. 


“It’s easy to sit here and criticize. I’m sure that because of this, as a result of this, I’m sure there will be a lot of talk about potentially reviewing penalties,” Brees added. “Just like all the reviews that go up in the booth inside of two minutes. Maybe that’s something that will happen in regards to certain penalties as well that are game-changing penalties, which obviously that was today.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Chances to Get a Second Mortgage with Bad Credit

If you need funds quickly, but don’t have cash in the bank and can’t get a loan, borrowing on your property is a good next option.

In fact, getting a second mortgage in Toronto is usually cheaper than a loan because you are using equity in your home as security for the borrower.

Second Mortgage in Toronto

However, there are certain steps you can take to improve your chances of getting a second mortgage. If you have applied for a loan and been refused, you’ll know the reason why—and it’s most likely bad credit history.

First, use one of the three main online credit bureaus to find out what your credit score is. By checking out your credit rating, you should be able to pinpoint the problem and possibly fix it. For example, if you are weighed down with credit card debt, find a way of paying it off. Or, at the very least, increase your monthly repayments.

How to Take Out a Second Mortgage

Now, let’s take a look at the options. The first one is to take out a second mortgage, using the equity in your house as security against the second loan. If your bank or current mortgage lender won’t give you a second mortgage, then shop around. The best place to start is with a decent mortgage broker, who will have access to many different sources of funding, including online banks and financial firms.

When it comes to a second mortgage, 99 percent of the time you will pay a higher interest rate than the rate on your first (primary) mortgage. Your repayments will likely be higher, too. Don’t just take the first mortgage on offer. If the terms don’t work for you, such as a high interest rate or high payments, then ask the broker to seek out alternatives. You need to find a second mortgage that works for you and within your budget.

Finally, with this first option, you will likely be in the position of making two mortgage payments a month. That can stretch your finances and make covering your monthly expenses challenging.

Cash-Out Refinance Loan

The second option is to consider a cash-out refinance loan. This option is a new mortgage loan that replaces your current mortgage and, in addition, gives you the sum in cash that you want to borrow. The interest rate is going to be higher, and your monthly payments will be higher too. That means you have to think through this option carefully. If you suddenly lost your job, how would you make the second mortgage payments, as well as your day-to-day living costs?

If, after exploring every option for a second mortgage, you can’t find a lender, think about asking someone to co-sign your loan. This means that the co-signer will be responsible for the debt if you fail to make your payments.

Get the Facts Before You Borrow

Despite everything we’ve said above, you may find that the interest rates on the second loan are in fact lower, depending on the current interests rates and the economy.

Whatever you decide to do, check out the overall costs, conditions, and terms. And if something is confusing or doesn’t make sense, be sure to ask questions. At Northwood Mortgage, we will help you find that second mortgage in Toronto—even if you do have a bad credit rating.

source: northwoodmortgage.com

Stats don’t lie: Manny Pacquiao dominates Adrien Broner in punches

MANILA, Philippines—Adrien Broner may have felt he won a lopsided fight and oppose the judges’ ruling, but he can’t ever argue with numbers.

Punch stats showed that Manny Pacquiao dominated in every category making Broner a human punching bag during their fight for the WBA World welterweight title at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.


The numbers showed that Pacquiao landed 112 of his 568 punches while Broner, who backpedaled and defended for most of the fight, connected on 50 while throwing a total of 295.

Pacquiao’s power punches stat line of 82-of-197 dwarfs Broner’s 39-of-180 in the same category and the American’s total punches.

The Filipino icon earned the nod of all three judges. Dave Moretti had it 117-11 while Glenn Feldman and Tim Cheatham both scored it 116-112.

Broner argued that Pacquiao “was missing” and that he had more clean hits. Well, numbers don’t think so.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Razorback drummer Brian Velasco, 41

RAZORBACK drummer, Brian C. Velasco, died of suicide Wednesday morning in Manila. He was 41.

“Today we lost our brother… and our hearts are broken… we love you and we will always miss you Bri,” the band said in a post on its official Facebook page on Jan. 17.

Mr. Velasco was a drum instructor at RJ Guitar Center when he joined the Filipino hard rock band in 1996 at the age of 18 after one of Razorback’s founding members, Miguel Ortigas, left the band.

In an interview with RadioRepublic in 2013, Razorback guitarist Tirso Ripoll talked about choosing Velasco instead of an Australian drummer during auditions: “And we said, if we’re gonna be with this dude from Australia who smells funny, we were thinking, we’re going to be in a van for two hours with this guy? Or Brian, who’s nice, and we know him, he’s a nice guy…. Skills you can learn, but you can’t teach how to be a nice guy. You can’t teach how to be a real brother.”

Considered one of the most prominent hard rock bands in the country, Razorback — formed in 1990 — gained fame by being regulars in clubs like Kalye, Club Dredd, and Peligro and for performing covers of songs by bands such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.

The band is a frequent collaborator with another Filipino rock band, Wolfgang.

The band released its debut album, Hebigat Sounds Volume One, in 1995 which was followed by Beggar’s Moon in 1997, a year after Mr. Velasco joined the band.

Razorback’s third album, Star, was released the following year and one of its songs, “Voodoo, Who Do?,” was included as part of the soundtrack of Filipino artist William “Whilce” Portacio’s graphic novel series, Stone, which ran from 1998 to 2000.

In 2002, Razorback released its eponymously titled double CD album. Its most recent album was 2014’s Acoustik ng Ina Mo.

Mr. Velasco also played for other bands like Brain Salad and DRT.

“I don’t know what to say… Let’s remember Bri in the best way possible,” said former Wolfgang member Leslie “Wolf” Gemora, in a Facebook post. “Rest in Peace, drum brother. I pray that God accepts you into heaven. You deserve to be with the angels.”

In a series of Facebook posts, singer Nicole Laurel Asensio, who has taken over vocal work for the band after its longtime lead vocalist Kevin Roy left last year, mourned the death of the “ONLY friend who I can honestly say has seen me at my worst and who I’ve seen at some of his most painful too. You were one of my best friends since I was 16…. It kills me that I’m all the way on the other side of the world and all I want to do is hug you and I wont be able to, not even at your wake. I love you so damn much… on so many levels. I love you Brian C. Velasco.”

While Mr. Velasco recorded his suicide on Facebook, the video has been taken down and family and friends are calling on the public not to share copies of the video.

People who need help or assistance may call Hopeline hotlines 804-HOPE (4673); 0917-558-HOPE (4673); or 2919 (toll-free number for Globe and TM subscribers). — Zsarlene B. Chua

source: bworldonline.com

Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova advance in straight sets at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal has missed a lot of tennis since last September. He hasn’t missed a beat.

The No. 2-seeded Nadal had a 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 win over Australian wild-card entry James Duckworth on Monday in the first round of the Australian Open, his first match back on Rod Laver Arena since he had to retire in his quarterfinal match last year.

The 17-time major winner hasn’t played since retiring from his semifinal at the U.S. Open because of a knee injury, and then had surgery on his right ankle in November. He withdrew from a warm-up tournament in Brisbane in the first week of the season because of a muscle strain in his thigh.

“Not easy to come back after a lot of months of competition, especially against a player playing super aggressive every shot,” Nadal said. “It’s very difficult to start after an injury — I know it very well. It’s very special to be back.”

Wearing a sleeveless top, he showed no signs of any issues against Duckworth. His only hiccup came when he served for the match in the ninth game of the third set and was broken at love. He returned the favor very quickly, though, to seal his spot in the second round.

Nadal has only lost twice in the first round at Grand Slams — to Steve Darcis at 2013 Wimbledon, and to Fernando Verdasco here in 2016 — and is aiming to be the first man in the Open era two win all four majors at least twice.

Maria Sharapova has the second-best record among active women’s players in first-round matches at the majors, and she gave an illustration of why that’s the case with a ruthless 6-0, 6-0 win over Harriet Dart.

The 2008 Australian Open champion got play started on Rod Laver Arena and needed only 63 minutes to advance.

In her 15th trip to Melbourne Park and her 55th Grand Slam tournament, she’s acutely aware of the toll that the sun and long early matches can have on a player’s title ambitions, so she gets straight to business.

The 22-year-old Dart, playing in the main draw of a major for only the second time after getting a wildcard to play last year at Wimbledon, only got a look at one break point in the match — when Sharapova served a double-fault in the second set. She got seven of her 29 points from Sharapova’s double-faults.

Sharapova said she was still feeling pain in her right shoulder despite sitting out the end of last season after the U.S. Open.

Stung by a first-round loss at Wimbledon last year, Sharapova said she couldn’t afford to feel any empathy for Dart.

“I mean, there is no time for that, I’m sorry to say … when you’re playing the first round of a Grand Slam,” she said. “I think I was just focused on not having a letdown.

“I think it’s very easy to be in a position where things are flowing, you know, you’re doing all the right things, she’s making a few errors, you’re comfortable, easy to get complacent, and, you know, complacency is not great. I was glad that I did the right things from the beginning till the end.”

Up next for Sharapova is Rebecca Peterson, who beat Sorana Cirstea, 6-4, 6-1.

Also advancing were 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, No. 11 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 19 Caroline Garcia, No. 29 Donna Vekic and No. 31 Petra Martic.

Danielle Collins advanced to the second round of a major for the first time following a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over No. 14-seeded Julia Goerges, who won the title in Auckland to start the season.

Katie Boulter earned the distinction of winning the first 10-point tiebreaker under the Australian Open’s new system for deciding sets.

Boulter beat Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (6), including 10-6 in the tiebreaker. The new rule was introduced to ensure matches don’t get too lengthy — previously the third set in women’s matches and the fifth set in men’s matches at the Australian Open had to be decided by a two-game advantage.

Fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson won his first match at Melbourne Park since 2015 when he beat Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. Also advancing on the men’s side were No. 19 Nikoloz Basilashvili and No. 26 Fernando Verdasco.

Defending champions Caroline Wozniacki and Roger Federer were scheduled to play night matches later Monday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

HP LaserJet printers create boost productivity, savings with toner cartridge JetIntelligence technology

When it comes to creating lasting impressions through visually-stunning and professional-looking documents, most businesses trust HP LaserJet printers to deliver high quality print-outs. This is the reason why HP is committed to not only manufacture the most advanced printers but also to develop the print technology behind these machines.

Now, HP makes its LaserJet printers even more powerful and responsive to business needs as it equips its Original HP toner cartridges with JetIntelligence.


The HP JetIntelligence technology inside every original HP toner cartridge enables LaserJet printers to print even more high-quality pages and work at peak performance while ensuring utmost protection against counterfeit cartridges.


More prints for more value

The original HP toner cartridge with JetIntelligence has a page maximizer technology that uses smaller, more robust parts to fit even more toner particles inside each cartridge, ultimately resulting in more prints that can help reduce costs.

An intuitive print gauge technology also constantly tracks toner levels to predict cartridge life more precisely than ever before.

Quality prints at top speeds

Aside from JetIntelligence technology, the original toner cartridges—ColorSphere 3 toners for color HP LaserJets and precision black toner for monochrome HP LaserJets—are specially engineered to match the printer’s high-speed performance.

The toner particles of ColorSphere 3 toners have a wax core and soft polymer that melts at lower temperatures to provide 40% faster printing of glossy documents while consuming up to 50% less energy. A hard, durable outer shell also protects the toner particle from breakage and wear, for higher page yields. HP Polymerized Precision black toners, meanwhile, boast of a low-melt wax core surrounded by black polymer for fast and energy-efficient printing of crisp, black text and professional-quality graphics.

Cartridge authentication

Every original HP toner cartridge with JetIntelligence is equipped with HP’s exclusive anti-fraud technology that helps users manage costs and prevent the use of potential counterfeit or used cartridges. This is done by authenticating the cartridge as it is installed and notifying users if a used or counterfeit cartridge is detected.

An auto seal removal also automatically occurs “inside” the cartridge to allow for consistent, clean, and hassle-free installations.

To know more about how the HP JetIntelligence Technology inside original HP toner cartridges can help your business boost productivity while reducing costs, visit any authorized HP reseller outlet nationwide.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Marcus Morris, Jayson Tatum push Celtics to rout of weary Pacers

BOSTON — There’s no secret to the Boston Celtics recent roll.

The Celtics continued to share the offensive load, and the results showed again in a 135-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.


“It’s not too often that we’re going to put up 135 points, but I feel like consistently over the last few games, we’ve done a great job of making shots,” said Kyrie Irving, who had 12 points in 24 minutes before getting to rest the entire fourth quarter.

“We’re making shots. We’re continuing to make each other better and make those plays that we weren’t making at the beginning of the season.”

The Celtics had 32 assists — their fifth straight game with 30 or more — and put together their highest scoring game this season. Boston (25-15) also ended a three-game skid against the Pacers, who entered the night third in the Eastern Conference having won seven of eight.

“It just looked like we were gassed tonight,” Indiana coach Nate McMillan said. “We knew they could come out fast and they did. They came out very aggressive, attacking us and just we weren’t able to establish anything defensively against this group.”

Marcus Morris had 22 points and eight rebounds, Jaylen Brown also scored 22 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 for the Celtics, who have won five of six.

Gordon Hayward had 14 points, Daniel Theis added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Terry Rozier had 12 points and five assists.

Domantas Sabonis had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers (27-14), who had won seven of eight. Thaddeus Young had 10 points and eight rebounds, and Victor Oladipo scored 17 points.

The Pacers never led and fell to 5-2 in the second of back-to-back games this season. They wilted in the second half after beating Cleveland 123-115 the previous night.

“They just beat us in every category today,” Oladipo said. “Everything you can imagine, they beat us in.”

Boston led 68-53 at halftime after shooting 56.5 percent (26 for 46) in the first half.

Indiana used a 10-2 run early in the third and cut the margin to 79-67 on Sabonis’ hook shot with 5:31 left in the period, but Boston took off again and topped 100 points before the quarter was over.

Theis converted a three-point play to start the Celtics on a 12-3 run, and Boston closed out the period with another surge, getting back-to-back 3-pointers by Rozier for a 100-74 lead with 1:27 left.

KEEP SHARING

The Celtics’ string of 30-plus assist games is their longest since a six-game run in March and April of 1987.

“We’re all understanding that we’re trying to play faster and the ball movement has been working for us,” said Al Horford, who led Boston with eight assists. “It keeps the defense on their toes, really makes the other team work. It’s kind of contagious.”

OUT-PACED

Boston’s point total was also the most allowed by Indiana this season — eight more points than Charlotte scored on the Pacers on Nov. 27.

“The fourth game of a five-game road trip and you’re playing Boston on a back-to-back,” McMillan said. “In a situation like that, you knew they were going to try to be aggressive, run us out of the building right from the start. And we just never could keep up with them.”

TIP-INS  


Pacers: Tyreke Evans scored 15 points and Kyle O’Quinn had 11. … Bojan Bogdanovic was called for a technical foul with 8:43 left in the first quarter. … Young was called for another technical for saying something from the Pacers’ bench with two minutes left in the third quarter, and coach Nate McMillan got one with 16 seconds left in the period. … C Myles Turner was out with a sore right shoulder.

Celtics: Scored 68 in the first half, one point shy of their season-high for points in a half. … Topped their previous high of 133 points scored against Chicago on Dec. 6. … Tatum scored nine of Boston’s first 11 points and had 11 in the first quarter, going 5 for 6.

UP NEXT

Pacers: At New York on Friday night.

Celtics: Open up a three-game road trip Thursday night at Miami.

source: sports.inquirer.net

James Harden, Clint Capela lead Rockets over Nuggets

HOUSTON — With James Harden getting double-teamed almost every time he had the ball Monday night against the Denver Nuggets, he looked for other Houston Rockets to step up and make plays.

Chief among them was Clint Capela, who set a career high with 31 points as the Rockets beat the Nuggets 125-113.

“He did what he was supposed to do,” said Harden, who had 32 points. “He finished. He played extremely well. Played hard.”

P.J. Tucker set a career high with seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points to help Houston win for the 12th time in 14 games. Capela had 19 points by halftime as Harden fed him again and again.

“Whenever I’m under the rim and you put a little on me what’s going to happen is that 99 or 100 percent of the time I’m going to dunk the ball,” Capela said. “This is what happened tonight and I did a great job of finishing aggressive under the rim.”

Houston was up by 11 after two free throws by Torrey Craig with about 5 1/2 minutes left before Tucker and Harden made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to make it 117-100 about a minute later.

Gerald Green had 21 points and made six 3s on a night Houston made 22 3s for its sixth game this season with at least 20.


“We’re just a real tough team when we’re knocking down shots like that,” Green said.

Nikola Jokic scored 24 points for the Nuggets, who had a five-game winning streak snapped.

“Give them credit,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “You know Harden is going to get his, but when P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green score the amount of 3s that they made, I believe 13 combined, that’s a tough one to overcome.”

Harden had 14 assists, six 3-pointers and scored at least 30 points for the 13th straight game.


“He’s probably the hardest guy in the NBA to guard,” Malone said.

Coach Mike D’Antoni enjoys watching the different things Harden does to help his team win night after night.

“Whatever they throw at him, he’ll find the best play,” D’Antoni said. “He’ll also find a way to score. He’ll find his way, but he’ll also get everyone involved.”

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Malone said Will Barton (hip) is making progress and could return in the next couple of weeks. … Morris added 21 points off the bench.

Rockets: Houston traded Michael Carter-Williams and cash considerations to the Chicago Bulls on Monday for a protected second-round pick in the 2020 draft. The Bulls then waived the guard following the trade. … Chris Paul missed his eighth game in a row with a strained left hamstring. … Eric Gordon missed his fourth straight game with a bruised right knee.

WHAT A PLAY

The Rockets led 70-60 at halftime after Harden made two 3-pointers in the last 90 seconds of the second quarter. The first of those shots is sure to show up on highlight reels, as Murray slipped and fell to the court trying to guard him before Harden stepped back for the basket.

MAGIC NUMBER?

With Monday’s win the Rockets improved to 59-2 when scoring at least 120 points under D’Antoni.

THEY SAID IT

Jokic on Denver’s struggles against Houston, which has won nine straight in the series: “They beat us at our place and they beat us here. Last year, we didn’t win one time, so that team gives us a problem, but we have to find a way to beat them and play (better) against them.”

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Visit the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Rockets: Host Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hainan envisions China as a medical tourism destination

BEIJING — Southern China’s Hainan province has unveiled plans aimed at building the tropical island into a world-class medical tourism hub, combining high-end medical tourism with characteristic Chinese healthcare.

The move follows a plan released a week ago by the National Development and Reform Commission to encourage tourism-related activities in Hainan, such as medical tourism, horse racing, sports betting and an instant lottery.

Focusing on four key areas — medical treatment, medical cosmetology, rehabilitation and health promotion — Hainan will introduce internationally renowned institutions, insurance providers and intermediary service agencies to build a high-end foundation for the international medical tourism market, the plan said.

In 10 years, Hainan is projected to become a major medical tourism destination with total annual business revenue reaching 40 billion yuan ($5.84 billion).

Eight major tourism projects will be developed, covering fields such as cancer treatment and rehabilitation, fertility therapy, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease treatment and rehabilitation, environmental healing and sports recuperation, traditional Chinese medicine and spiritual retreat.

Medical tourism has become one of the world’s fastest-growing emerging industries, and Hainan has unique conditions for developing it, Governor Shen Xiaoming said on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 in April.

Under the plan, Hainan will tap its characteristic resources of vast coastal areas, tropical rainforests and hot springs to cultivate innovative healthcare and leisure products, and develop a high-end and characteristic medical tourism service system.

It will strive to establish a complete healthcare tourism service system that provides high-end, precision medical treatment and high-quality specialty in medical beauty and health promotion services, it said

To stimulate the industries, Hainan will explore flexible policies, regulatory models and management systems for investment, financing, fiscal and taxation, financial innovation, entry and exit, to create a highland for medical tourism opening up.

Worldwide, increasing convenience in transportation, expansion of the internet and improvement of people’s incomes have led to a booming medical tourism industry, which grows at about 20 percent annually around the globe. According to media reports, the business volume of medical tourism jumped to $700 billion in 2017 from $10 billion in 2000. In China, more than 600,000 people went overseas as medical tourists in 2016.

As a demonstration project, launched in 2013 by the State Council to explore international medical tourism, Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has been granted nine special preferential policies including permission to import medical technology, equipment and medicine, and cutting-edge technological research on stem cells before other parts of China.


Twenty-seven medical projects have been completed or are under construction in the pilot zone, and another 38 projects have passed medical technology appraisals. Eight projects are now open. All projects in the pilot zone are targeted to be completed within five years.

According to Shen, the pilot zone will first attract domestic patients who would otherwise travel abroad, and later patients from Southeast and even the whole of Asia. Last year, medical institutions in Sanya alone received nearly 20,000 medical tourists from overseas.

“Hainan will first attract domestic tourists with advantages of prices, convenience, language and culture over outbound medical tourism,’’ said Chen Yang­le, a professor at Hainan University’s Tourism College.

“The industry will also attract international medical institution investors. … In the long run, there will also be comparative advantages for Hainan to attract medical tourists from southeast Asian countries and other areas in terms of natural environment, favorable policies and convenient air services,’’ said Chen.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Dak Prescott, Cowboys push past Seahawks for wild-card win

ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak Prescott saw an opening up the middle, then three defenders between him and the first down.

The Dallas quarterback found a way to get there, and get his first playoff victory two years after a sensational rookie season ended in disappointment.


Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 137 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, Prescott scored on a sneak after his dazzling head-over-heels run and the Cowboys hung on for a 24-22 wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.

The win for the Cowboys (11-6) was the first for Elliott and Prescott after losing a divisional game in their playoff debut as first-year stars two years ago. Dallas will play at either New Orleans or the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round next weekend.

“It’s really just a chance to keep going on, simple as that,” Prescott said. “Me and this whole team, we want to win it all. You can’t do that without taking care of the first one. A lot of excitement, but my goal is bigger than just one playoff win.”

The loss ended a run of nine straight victories in playoff openers for the Seahawks (10-7). The Elias Sports Bureau says it was the longest streak in NFL history.

Leading 17-14, Prescott faced third-and-14 from the Seattle 17 with the 2-minute warning approaching. He took off up the middle on a QB draw, barged through a trio of defenders 6 yards short of the first and went down at the 1 when he was flipped head-first by Tedric Thompson.

Prescott, who also had an 11-yard scoring pass to Michael Gallup in the first half, scored on the next play in the eighth win in nine games for the Cowboys.

“He’s just a rare guy,” coach Jason Garrett said. “His leadership, his toughness, just his way, his spirit. It’s like none other. Somehow, some way, he’s going to figure this thing out for us.”

Dallas’ defense, ranked in the top 10 most of the season, stifled the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense and mostly kept quarterback Russell Wilson under control and handed him his first loss in four wild-card games.

The Seahawks had finished the regular season with six wins in seven games to secure Wilson’s sixth playoff trip in seven years despite a roster overhaul and 0-2 start.


“This has been a special, special year,” Wilson said. “Just the growth of our team, the men in the locker room, just the way that we’ve played together, just eliminating the doubters and the things that people thought that we could only do.”

Prescott, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 when the Cowboys lost to Green Bay at home as the top seed in the NFC, threw for 226 yards, and his sneak for what appeared to be a clinching score because Dallas burned more than five minutes while taking 24-14 lead.

But Tyler Lockett’s 53-yard catch set up a quick Seattle touchdown — Wilson’s 7-yard scoring pass to J.D. McKissic. The Seahawks got within two on their second 2-point conversion following an injury to Sebastian Janikowski.

The missing kicker left the Seahawks no good options on an onside kick with 1:18 remaining. Punter Michael Dickson’s drop kick was caught by Cole Beasley at the Dallas 31, sealing the first playoff win for the Cowboys since beating Detroit in the wild-card round in the 2014 season.

After Wilson ran for 4 yards for a touchdown and Mike Davis’ 2-point conversion run put Seattle up 14-10 late in the third quarter, Prescott led a 67-yard drive to put the Cowboys back in front for good.

A 34-yard pass to Amari Cooper , who had seven catches for 106 yards, led to Elliott’s 1-yard plunge after an apparent touchdown by the quarterback was overturned on replay.

Prescott then had a chance to give the Cowboys a 10-point lead, but K.J. Wright made a juggling interception in the end zone.

Dallas’ defense came through again, though, forcing a punt and giving Elliott a highlight play before Prescott added his. The NFL rushing leader stiff-armed Shaquill Griffin on a 17-yard run to get inside the 20.

Seattle got a double dose of bad news at halftime when Janikowski missed a 57-yard field goal on the final play and injured his left hamstring. He yelled as he grabbed the back of his leg and limped to the locker room, unable to return.

Still, the Seahawks took their first lead basically because the 40-year-old’s injury forced them to try.

Facing fourth-and-5 in Janikowski’s range from the Dallas 39, Doug Baldwin made a toe-dragging catch on the sideline for 22 yards. After Wilson’s TD run, the Seahawks pushed their lead to 14-10 on Mike Davis’ run.

But the Cowboys never did lose control of the Seattle running game after allowing Chris Carson’s first career 100-yard game in a Week 3 Seattle win that turned the season for the Seahawks, who finished the regular season with six wins in seven games.

Carson had just 20 yards on 13 carries. Wilson was 18 of 27 for 233 yards, with Lockett getting four catches for 120 yards. The Seahawks had 73 yards rushing after averaging 160 during the season. Dallas came in with the No. 5 rushing defense.

“Once we go up, we do a pretty good job of getting ourselves back down, knowing that we’ve got to start over next week and we’ve got to be able to do it again,” linebacker Leighton Vander Esch said. “It’s a full attack mode.”

INJURIES

Cowboys receiver Allen Hurns fractured his left ankle in a gruesome first-quarter injury. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said after the game that Hurns was “probably in surgery at this time.” Hurns was being dragged down by Seahawks safety Bradley McDougald at the end of a 14-yard catch for a first down when his lower left leg appeared to buckle. … Seahawks cornerback Neiko Thorpe left in the first half with a shoulder injury.

UP NEXT

Cowboys: New Orleans or the Los Angeles Rams on the road in the divisional round next weekend.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Man demanding straw attacks fast food employee, gets arrested

One man from St. Petersburg, Florida in the United States was recently captured assaulting a McDonald’s employee. The reason behind his outburst? A straw.

The video was recorded by Kinie Biandudi, a witness of the incident, and was shared all over social media by her brother TJ on Dec. 31. In the video, the man, identified by reports as Daniel Taylor, can be seen putting his hands on the employee, Yasmine James, who was standing behind the counter.


“My mom and sis Kinie Biandudi recorded this today… All started because he wanted a straw,” he wrote on Facebook.

In the video, Taylor forcefully grabs James by her shirt’s collar and pulls her towards him on the counter. James retaliates and defends herself by hitting him back before being pried away by fellow employees. In the end, Taylor can be heard demanding for a refund.

Taylor apparently walked to the counter to get a straw, but started screaming at the employees when he could not find any, as per ABC Action News on Jan. 2.

“He was yelling and walking toward the counter and the young lady behind the counter told him that it’s the law now that we’re not allowed to have straws in the lobby,” Biandudi was quoted as saying.

As per the report, the law took effect just last Jan. 1 and prohibits restaurants from having straws available in the open in the hopes of completely banning them by 2020. Customers must instead ask for straws should they want one.


Meanwhile, Biandudi also took to her Facebook on Jan. 2 to share that James was not fired by McDonald’s.

“The young girl said she used to box,” she wrote. “After this fight he came back and went behind the counter and tried to fight the manager. The guy left before the cops arrived.”

It was reported that Taylor also tried to kick another employee on the stomach while on his way out of the restaurant. He was eventually arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery. Cody Cepeda/JB

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Angelina Jolie to produce kids’ news show for BBC

Star of “Maleficent” and director of “Unbroken”, Angelina Jolie is adding another producer’s credit to a dozen-strong list by way of the ten-episode children’s series “Our World”.

The show is aimed at children between the ages of 7 and 12 years old, 7 being the age that children become aware of the news (per BBC-commissioned United Kingdom research) and just over 12 and a half being when the average U.S. child opens their first social media account (per a 2016 Common Sense Media report).

“Children today are exposed to a lot of opinion, but not necessarily to information that is fact-based and reliable,” Angelina Jolie said in the BBC’s announcement.

“As a mother, I am very pleased that the BBC World Service is taking this step. It is also important to me that the project is global, and will help young people in different countries to be connected to each other and to have greater awareness and understanding of the news on an international basis,” she explained.

Jamie Angus, the BBC’s World Service director, noted that, over a six-month period, “59 percent of 10-18 year-olds had shared a story that they either subsequently found to be inaccurate or were now uncertain as to its veracity,” according to another 2017 United States survey.

The show’s aim is to “give kids the tools to distinguish the genuine from the false and encourage them to develop critical thinking,” Angus said, “to ask themselves: who produced the video and why? Are they a reputable organization? Are they just telling one side of the story? Is there another view?”

“Our World” is to debut in 2019 in the form of a 10-week project pilot, with the BBC looking to distribute internationally through existing World Service partners and other broadcasters.

Jolie’s existing producer or executive producer credits include “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, “Unbroken”, “By the Sea” and “First They Killed My Father”, all of which she directed, as well as upcoming animated gorilla comedy “The One and Only Ivan”, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland crossover prequel “Come Away” and “Maleficent” and its 2020 sequel. JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

iPhone XI to feature long-distance 3D camera, says report

It’s no secret that the iPhone will get a radical upgrade in 2020 when Apple integrates 5G tech into the model, but what can we expect from the upcoming 2019 generation?

According to BloombergQuint, which was recently in contact with Sony, that company will be “boosting production of next-generation 3D sensors after getting interest from customers,” customers that include Apple Inc. In fact, Sony will be undergoing mass production in late summer to meet demands.


These new camera chips are expected to hugely impact mobile photography, gaming and phone user interface, and Sony hopes such tech will reinvigorate the slumping market.

Additionally, several rumors claim that Apple’s next flagship iPhone model will have three rear lenses that potentially have augmented reality functioning.

Apple will reportedly be using new camera features like these to draw their audience to the 2019 model, likely to be released in September, which will be difficult considering the already quickly growing anticipation for the 2020 generation.

In November, Fast Company noted Apple’s plans to release its first 5G iPhone in 2020 which will be powered by Intel’s 8161 5G modem chip, a release that may come a bit late considering some other phone giants’ first 5G devices are slated for the first half of 2019.

Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus all revealed plans to release their own 5G handsets early next year. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net