Bob Woodward: Trump thought Charlottesville cleanup ‘biggest f—ing mistake I’ve made’

(CNN)WARNING: This story contains graphic language.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author's new book, "Fear: Trump in the White House," is being released September 11. CNN obtained a copy.

Trump's August 2017 remarks concluding there was "blame on both sides" for the violence was a stunning moment early in his presidency that ignited a backlash over his views on race and consumed the White House for days. The new revelations may reopen that debate.

In the book, Woodward describes how then-White House staff secretary Rob Porter worked with Trump to write a second speech to try to repair his initial comments about violence at the marches.

Porter tried to convince the President he needed to clarify his remarks. But Trump appeared to resist, according to the book, repeatedly saying: "I don't know about this. ... This doesn't feel right to me."

Eventually, Trump agreed, and two days later in a televised speech he denounced racism, the "KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups." Woodward describes how White House aides were relieved, and chief of staff John Kelly encouraged staff to tell the President what a good job he did.

But then Trump turned on the TV.

One Fox News commentator gave Trump praise but also added, "That's almost an admission of 'Okay, I was wrong.'" Then Fox News correspondent Kevin Corke said: "Some 48 hours into the biggest domestic challenge of his young presidency, Mr. Trump has made a course correction."

Trump exploded at the coverage, Woodward reports. "That was the biggest fucking mistake I've made," the President told Porter. "You never make those concessions. You never apologize. I didn't do anything wrong in the first place. Why look weak?"

Trump continued venting to Porter, Woodward writes. "I can't believe I got forced to do that," he said. "That's the worst speech I've ever given. I'm never going to do anything like that again."

One day later, Trump spoke at an unrelated Trump Tower event, where he surprised his staff and doubled down on his original sentiment that "both sides" were to blame for the violence, equating white supremacists with what he termed the "alt-left."

"You had a group on one side that was bad and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent," Trump said. "Nobody wants to say it, but I will say it right now."

Porter was shocked, Woodward writes, and told Trump he thought the second speech was the only good one.

"I don't want to talk to you," Trump responded. "Get away from me."

The White House accused Woodward on Tuesday of spreading "fabricated stories" about Trump but did not rebut any of the specific claims in the book about Charlottesville.

"This book is nothing more than fabricated stories, many by former disgruntled employees, told to make the President look bad," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. "While it is not always pretty, and rare that the press actually covers it, President Trump has broken through the bureaucratic process to deliver unprecedented successes for the American people. Sometimes it is unconventional, but he always gets results."

Woodward's book relies on hundreds of hours of taped confidential background interviews and dozens of sources in Trump's inner circle, as well as documents, files, diaries and memos, including a note handwritten by Trump himself.

Woodward's reporting comes with a credibility that separates this book from previous efforts on Trump. The author and Washington Post journalist has won two Pulitzer Prizes, including one for his coverage of the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation.

The book describes a scene in the Oval Office in which then-chief economic adviser Gary Cohn tried to resign in response to Trump's comments. Trump berated Cohn, blamed his wife and "liberal Park Avenue friends," and told him: "This is treason."

Cohn eventually agreed to stay to help pass a sweeping tax bill. Kelly, who witnessed the exchange, praised the economic adviser's self-control.

"If that was me, I would have taken the resignation letter and shoved it up his ass six different times," Kelly told Cohn, according to notes Cohn made of the encounter, as reported by Woodward.

The book describes the aftermath of Charlottesville as a turning point for many in the White House.

Woodward reports that Kelly told then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon he was afraid a third of the Cabinet could resign because "this thing's on a knife's edge ... people are not going to tolerate it." But Trump's team largely fell in line -- there were no major resignations in the wake of Charlottesville.

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Serena Williams & Meghan Markle Are ‘Relying On Each Other A Lot’ Lately – Perez Hilton

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle are more alike than people might realize!

The two powerhouses have been friends for some time, but lately their bond has become tighter as both women are at the center of public attention wherever they go.

Whether it’s touring the world as a Royal or dominating the tennis court, no one else can fathom how much public scrutiny they’re facing!

In her first interview since losing the US Open, Serena opened up to Australian news show The Project about her feelings on the awful umpire debacle and her relationship with the Duchess.

When initially asked about how close the two are, Williams replied:

“We were actually just texting each other this morning. We have known each other for a long time, but we really are relying on each other a lot recently.”

As the interviewer aptly points out, it’s hard to think of other women in the public eye who deal with the media throws at the Suits star and the tennis legend.

Both ladies remain relatively unbothered, living their best lives with their husbands and family.

Serena shared what it was like watching her bestie tie the knot earlier this year:

“I felt like we were literally watching history. I feel like in a few years, when I look back at that moment, it’s just gonna be so historic. It’s gonna be something people never forget.”

Listen to the interview posted by The Project TV in full (below):

Lisa sits down with Serena Williams to chat about her incredible career, her friendship with Meghan Markle, and how she’s enjoying motherhood. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/mHKmaGM9ux

— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 23, 2018

[Image via WENN]

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South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary Is Blocked Yet Again By Pro-Whaling Countries

A decades-long proposal to create a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic Ocean has been thwarted yet again, with 25 pro-whaling nations blocking the motion at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Brazil earlier this week.

The sanctuary, proposed by Brazil and co-sponsored by Argentina, Gabon, and South Africa, was first deliberated in 1998 and lost its first vote in 2001. Their idea: to provide a safe space for whales, where the cetaceans are protected from human-related threats like whaling and shipping equipment. It would also allow for "non-lethal and non-extractive" scientific research, reports CNN.

"As minister for the environment in a country with 20 percent of the world's biodiversity in its forests, we feel highly responsible for the stewardship of our wealth, for the whole world, and this goes for cetaceans as well," Edson Duarte, Brazil’s environment minister, told an audience of delegates, reports AFP.

Had it gone through it would be the third whale sanctuary recognized by the IWC and its 89 member states, one of which is in the Indian Ocean and the other is in the Southern Ocean, close to Antarctica.

But to pass it needed the votes of at least three-quarters of the member states – and it failed, receiving just 39 instead. Three countries abstained and the remaining 25 countries, including pro-whaling nations Norway, Japan, and Russia, actively voted against it.

Their reason for doing so? Apparently, there isn't the science to back it up. They added that it wasn't needed because commercial whaling does not take place in the South Atlantic, which is strictly speaking true but only in an extremely limited and technical sense. 

This is not the first time the sanctuary has been proposed and no doubt it won't be the last time. Duarte has already said it is not the end, reports The Guardian. “We will work in other meetings of this commission this year to ensure that the sanctuary will finally be created,” he said.

“It so important for the conservation of whales in the entire world but especially in the South Atlantic.”

But many have said it will be impossible to do so without the backing of the pro-whaling nations and to gain that support there will have to be concessions. This may include the reintroduction of at least some commercial whaling, a practice that has been completely prohibited since the installation of a ban in 1980. Not that that ban hasn't been routinely flouted by countries deciding the rule does not apply to them. (Or under the dubious guise of "scientific research".)

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Rafael Nadal survives late-night marathon against Dominic Thiem

The world No 1 recovered from a first-set bagel to reach the US Open semi-finals following another late-night classic

Rafael Nadal recovered from a first-set bagel to defeat Dominic Thiem and reach the US Open semi-finals following another late-night classic in New York.

Twenty-four hours after Roger Federer fell to John Millman, his old rival avoided following him out of the tournament, but only just, completing a 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5) victory at 2.03am.

Ninth seed Thiem became the first player since Andy Roddick in 2004 to win a love set against Nadal in New York but the defending champion once again dug deep to come out on top of a gruelling battle played in more punishing humidity.

Nadal will now face third seed Juan Martn del Potro, who defeated John Isner, in a repeat of last years semi-final.

Remarkably, Thiem was the first top-20 player Nadal has faced at Flushing Meadows since his final win over Novak Djokovic in 2013, with last years title seeing him take on a succession of unexpected opponents.

And Thiem, the only man to beat Nadal on clay for the last two seasons, set about showing his opponent he meant serious business in his first grand slam quarter-final outside of the French Open.

The Austrian blasted 13 winners, made only two unforced errors and allowed Nadal just seven points in winning an extraordinary opening set.

It was only the fourth time in his long grand slam history that Nadal had lost a set 6-0 and just the third time at any level in nearly seven years. But the last time, against Philipp Kohlschreiber in Miami last spring, he fought back to win the match.

Nadals ability to look only forward and forget what went before is one of his most important strengths and he set about turning around the match, closing in on the baseline, forcing Thiem to play one more ball and, eventually, to go for too much.

The Spaniard secured the break he wanted for 5-3 only to give it back but a sloppy game from Thiem, who turned 25 on Monday, handed him the set anyway.

The momentum was with Nadal but Thiem regrouped in the third set and began to again blast winners into the corners. But, as in the second set, when the time came to keep his foot on Nadals throat, he instead loosened the pressure and lived to regret it.

Thiem was broken serving for the set and then could not hold on for the tie-break, saving two set points but not a third after planting a volley wide with the whole of the court available.

The fourth set was a wild 81-minute ride that began with Thiem facing break points, saw the Austrian threaten a double break before being pegged back and then a weary Nadal miss a chance to win the match.

With Thiem serving at 5-6 and 30-30, a desperate lunging forehand looked to be easy pickings for Nadal at the net only for the 32-year-old to net it.

Thiem held on for the tie-break, where another unexpected Nadal error, this time a short forehand into the net, sent the match into a deciding set.

With the clock ticking towards 1am and transport options dwindling, many fans headed for the exits while the two adversaries battled on.

Having looked the more weary of the two, it was Nadal who was applying the greater pressure and at 5-5, 0-40 it seemed this was his chance. But Thiem saved all three break points before denying Nadal a fourth opportunity with a stunning volley at the end of a remarkable point.

That they were still able to produce tennis of such quality was astonishing. There was no let-up in the tie-break and, after four hours and 49 minutes, it was Nadal who claimed victory when Thiem sent a smash long.

The Austrian hung his head before being consoled by Nadal who then held his arms aloft in celebration and relief.

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Kendra Wilkinson Has A Young New Boyfriend! – Perez Hilton

She’s taken!

Kendra Wilkinson is single no more, as the momma of two is said to be dating a young marketing manager named Frankie Conti.

According to an E! source, the new couple “hit it off immediately” when they met at a golf charity tournament back in July. Still, their relationship is only described as “very new and casual”:

 “They have been spending time together and going on dates recently.”

Another plus?? Kendra feels “there is no pressure” with Frankie, with the source adding that she likes how “he is a lot of fun.”

Must be a pleasant change from her previous divorce drama with ex Hank Baskett! We can’t help but wonder if he’s jealous though…

[Image via Instagram.]

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Oculus Hybrid Apps let you use 2D & 3D software simultaneously in VR

Oculus showed off the future of working in VR today. Rather than just splaying out 2D software on an infinite desktop, the new Oculus Hybrid Apps system lets you see both 2D screens and 3D models in VR at the same time. That means you could use a traditional image editing suite to change the look of a piece of a 3D object while also being able to rotate, move, and look around that object.

Hybrid Apps were announced at the Oculus Connect 5 conference today in San Jose where Facebook also revealed the new Oculus Quest headset, forward compatability for Oculus content, a mobile app for discovering and remotely installing software on the Rift, and the debut of the YouTube VR app on Oculus Go.

Hybrid Apps are built atop the Oculus Dash virtual desktop system announced last year. In this demo, you can see an artist using the 2D Substance Painter software to polish the colors and textures of a 3D robot model while being able to see changes live.

Oculus showed off a wide array of other new software today. Your Sims-style customizable Oculus Home can now sport Custom Developer Items so you can earn (or maybe one day buy) 3D goods within games. Earn an airship in a flying game, and that airship can float inside your Oculus Home when you’re done playing. The feature could let you build your own trophy wall, making those in-game achievements a lot more tangible.

Each year Oculus shows off the newest versions of its Avatars system that lets you create in-VR visual identity. They’re getting more lifelike thanks to additional hairstyles, skin tones, and accessories. And later this year, Oculus will launch Expressive Avatars that use its research on simulated eye and mouth movement as well as microexpressions to make them feel real.

Overall, Oculus Connect 5 felt a bit anti-climactic. Facebook has a lot of scandals distracting from its VR efforts while also triggering more scrutiny of any choices it makes related to privacy. What once might have been seen as mildly creepy now triggers damaging press cycles. Facebook ended up adding a privacy shield to cover the lens of its upcoming Portal video chat screen, Cheddar’s Alex Heath reports.

Combined with slow adoption of VR, it seems like there is less and less progress between Oculus’ annual conference. Instead of big advances in avatars, we get cosmetic upgrades and reveals of changes that won’t arrive for months. The newest Oculus Quest headset looks pretty similar to its previous prototypes.

At this point, the necessary technology for satisfactory VR has largely arrived. It’s now on Oculus and its legion of developers to build products and experiences that are simple, affordable, and impressive enough to be worth the hassle of face computing.

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Khlo Kardashian Is Heading Back To Cleveland, Y’all! – Perez Hilton

Back to the Midwest, she goes!

After spending the summer in Los Angeles, Khloé Kardashian and daughter True Thompson are heading back to Cleveland just in time for Tristan Thompson‘s NBA season.

Video: Who Will Khloé Kardashian Pick As Baby True’s Guardian?

Despite enduring a cheating scandal, the two parents are doing well. According to a People source on Wednesday:

“Khloé and Tristan are great… Ever since they have both been in L.A. with True, they have really worked on relationship issues. They had an amazing summer together and a gorgeous family vacation.”

Now that the “vacation has already ended,” the baller “has to be back in Cleveland for the new season.” The insider adds:

“He has games in October. They are all moving back to Cleveland, and it’s hard for Khloé. She will really miss Kris [Jenner] and her sisters.”

Although things are good between her and her boo, the Revenge Body host is really going to miss her KUWTK family.

“It’s not going to be easy for her… But she is committed to keeping her family together. And Tristan has shown that he is committed to Khloé, so Khloé will make it work.”

According to a second source, the Thompson family has always planned to go back to Ohio come fall. The second insider explains:

“It’s their home… But True will still spend plenty of time with her cousins and family in L.A. They’ll travel back and forth.”

We’re going to miss you, KoKo!

[Image via Khloé Kardashian/Instagram.]

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Facebook named in suit alleging job ads on its platform unlawfully discriminated against women

Facebook’s ad platform is facing charges that it has enabled gender-based discrimination against millions of women in a class action suit filed on behalf of three female workers and backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The legal action also names ten employers who are alleged to have used the social media giant’s platform to exclusively and unlawfully target job adverts at male Facebook users, thereby excluding women and non-binary users from receiving the ads.

The ACLU, law firm Outten & Golden LLP, and the Communications Workers of America have filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

BREAKING: We've filed charges against @Facebook and 10 employers for using the platform to target their job ads — for positions in male-dominated fields — only to younger men.

Facebook is violating federal civil rights law. Period.

— ACLU (@ACLU) September 18, 2018

The 10 employers and employment agency advertisers named in the suit, which the charges allege ran discriminatory jobs in “mostly” male-dominated fields, include a police department, multiple retailers, a software development firm and various installation, repair and remodelling companies. (All ten named in the suit are listed in the ACLU’s press release.)

“I’ve heard stories about when people looked for jobs in the classified ads and big bold letters read ‘help wanted-male’ or ‘help wanted-female.’ I was shocked to find that this discrimination is still happening, just online instead of in newspapers,” said Bobbi Spees, a job-seeker and lead complainant in the case, commenting in a statement.  “I shouldn’t be shut out of the chance to hear about a job opportunity just because I am a woman.”

“The internet did not erase our civil rights laws.  It violates the law if an employer uses Facebook to deny job ads to women,” added Peter Romer-Friedman, an attorney at Outten & Golden, in another supporting statement. “The last time I checked, you don’t have to be a man to be a truck driver or a police officer.  But Facebook and employers are acting like it’s the 1950s, before federal employment law banned sex discrimination.”

The charges allege that Facebook, via its platform, delivers job ads selectively based on age and sex categories that employers expressly choose, and that it earns revenue from placing job ads that exclude women and older workers from receiving the ads.

The ACLU notes that targeting job ads by sex is unlawful under federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“Sex segregated job advertising has historically been used to shut women out of well-paying jobs and economic opportunities,” said Galen Sherwin, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, in another supporting statement. “We can’t let gender-based ad targeting online give new life to a form of discrimination that should have been eradicated long ago.”

While online platforms are not as heavily regulated as publishing platforms the lawsuit argues that Facebook can be held legally responsible for:

1. creating and operating the system that allows and encourages employers to select the gender and age of the people who get their job ads, including providing employers with data on users’ gender and age for targeting purposes;
2. delivering the gender- and age-based ads based on employers’ preferences; and
3. acting as a recruiter connecting employers with prospective employees

We’ve reached out to Facebook for comment on the lawsuit. Update: A Facebook spokesperson told us: “There is no place for discrimination on Facebook; it’s strictly prohibited in our policies, and over the past year, we’ve strengthened our systems to further protect against misuse. We are reviewing the complaint and look forward to defending our practices.”

The company also told us that it will soon require all advertisers to consent that they will comply with its anti-discrimination policies and the law — in addition to prompts added last year when advertisers are creating campaigns that Facebook’s system identifies as offering housing, employment or credit ads.

This summer Facebook also announced it was whittling down the targeting categories advertisers can use — shaving more than 5,000 targeting options to “help prevent misuse”.

It’s by no means the first time the company has faced civil rights complaints related to its ad platform.

Back in 2016 ProPublica exposed how Facebook’s ad tools could be used to exclude users based on their “ethnic affinity” — including in protected categories such as housing, employment and credit opportunities which prohibit discriminatory advertising.

The company responded by saying it would build tools to prevent advertisers from applying ethnic affinity targeting in the protected categories. And also by rewording its ad policies to more clearly prohibit discrimination.

But the following year another ProPublica investigation showed it was still failing to block discriminatory ads — leaving Facebook to apologize for failing to effectively enforce its own policies (hmmm, now where else have we heard the company accused of that… ), and saying: “Our systems continue to improve but we can do better.”

Last year the company was also shown to have allowed ads that included hateful sentiments targeted at Jewish people.

Around about the same time that Facebook was facing renewed criticism over ethnic affinity targeting on its platform being used as a tool for racial discrimination, the company said it would also take a look at how advertisers are using exclusion targeting across other “sensitive segments” — such as those relating to members of the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities.

It’s not clear whether Facebook included gender-based discrimination in those 2017 self reviews too. (We’ve asked and will update this post with any response.)

Either way, it appears Facebook has failed to pick up on the potential for gender-based discrimination to be carried out via its ad platform.

And given all the attention its ad tools have attracted lately as a vector for discrimination and other types of abuse that looks careless to say the least.

Facebook’s ad platform has faced additional criticism in Europe for sensitive inferences it makes about users — given the platform allows advertisers to target people based on political and religious interests, meaning Facebook’s platform is quietly making sensitive inferences about individuals.

Privacy experts argue this modus operandi entails Facebook processing the sensitive personal data of individuals without explicitly asking people for their upfront consent (as would be required under EU law when you’re processing sensitive personal data such as political or religious affiliation).

An opinion on a person is still personal data of that person, they contend.

Facebook disagrees, disputing that the inferences its ad platform makes about users (based off of its tracking and data-mining of people) constitutes personal data. But it’s yet another bone of legal contention now being lobbed at the company.

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Big cameras and big rivalries take center stage at Photokina

Photokina is underway in London and the theme of the show is “large.” Unusually for an industry that is trending towards the compact, the cameras on stage at this show sport big sensors, big lenses, and big price tags. But though they may not be for the average shooter, these cameras are impressive pieces of hardware that hint at things to come for the industry as a whole.

The most exciting announcement is perhaps that from Panasonic, which surprised everyone with the S1 and S1R, a pair of not-quite-final full frame cameras that aim to steal a bit of the thunder from Canon and Nikon’s entries into the mirrorless full frame world.

Panasonic’s cameras have generally had impressive video performance, and these are no exception. They’ll shoot 4K at 60 FPS, which in a compact body like that shown is going to be extremely valuable to videographers. Meanwhile the S1R, with 47 megapixels to the S1’s 24, will be optimized for stills. Both will have dual card slots (which Canon and Nikon declined to add to their newest gear), weather sealing, and in-body image stabilization.

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The timing and inclusion of so many desired features indicates either that Panasonic was clued in to what photographers wanted all along, or they waited for the other guys to move and then promised the things their competitors wouldn’t or couldn’t. Whatever the case, the S1 and S1R are sure to make a splash, whatever their prices.

Panasonic was also part of an announcement that may have larger long-term implications: a lens mount collaboration with Leica and Sigma aimed at maximum flexibility for the emerging mirrorless full-frame and medium format market. L-mount lenses will work on any of the group’s devices (including the S1 and S1R) and should help promote usage across the board.

Leica, for its part, announced the S3, a new version of its medium format S series that switches over to the L-mount system as well as bumping a few specs. No price yet but if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.

Sigma had no camera to show, but announced it would be taking its Foveon sensor tech to full frame and that upcoming bodies would be using the L mount as well.

This Fuji looks small here, but it’s no lightweight. It’s only small in comparison to previous medium format cameras.

Fujifilm made its own push on the medium format front with the new GFX 50R, which sticks a larger than full frame (but smaller than “traditional” medium format) sensor inside an impressively small body. That’s not to say it’s insubstantial: Fuji’s cameras are generally quite hefty, and the 50R is no exception, but it’s much smaller and lighter than its predecessor and, surprisingly, costs $2,000 less at $4,499 for the body.

The theme, as you can see, is big and expensive. But the subtext is that these cameras are not only capable of extraordinary imagery, but they don’t have to be enormous to do it. This combination of versatility with portability is one of the strengths of the latest generation of cameras, and clearly Fuji, Panasonic and Leica are eager to show that it extends to the pro-level, multi-thousand dollar bodies as well as the consumer and enthusiast lineup.

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Googles fingerprints were all over todays Amazon event

Hidden among the 70 or so announcements Amazon made at today’s big Alexa event was one key hidden presence. Google’s offerings loomed large over much of the news flowing out from the big event.

It’s easy to understand why, of course. Assistant and Home have steadily been making up ground on Amazon over the last couple of years. In fact, just in time for today’s event, a study dropped noting that Google Home Mini was the best-selling smart speaker for Q2 of this year, dethroning Amazon’s popular Dot.

As one of the first products unveiled at the event, the newly refreshed Dot certainly bore the mark of Google’s influence. A new, fabric-covered design with improved sound promised to put the low-cost smart speaker on better footing against the Home Mini. It’s the first big hardware redesign for the product.

While Amazon also beat Google to the punch with the Echo Show, the refreshed version of the product also bears the mark of Google’s influence on the space. The original Show was clearly about function over form. This year at CES, however, Google upped the ante for the display-enabled category with its third-party Smart Displays. While the new Show has likely been in the works for some time, it’s hard not to see the influence of products like Lenovo’s.

Amazon does, however, deserve credit for not simply swiping from Google. The company is clearly interested in taking its own approach to the smart assistant category. Rather than, say, introducing a Google Max/HomePod competitor, the company introduced the elements (Sub, Link, et al.) for building a home stereo system, piece by piece. The Echo Auto, meanwhile, finds the company offering a plug and play solution designed to compete with the likes of Android Auto.

The rivalry between Amazon and Google that resulted in YouTube being pulled from the Echo Show is clearly a driving force behind many of the decisions on display at today’s event. And it’s clear that things are only going to heat up from here.

Check out our full coverage from the event here.

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Tiger Woods: I didnt know if Id ever win again after my injuries

The 14-time Major winner is proud of his achievement after recording first Tour victory for five years

The professional rejuvenation of Tiger Woods has delivered moments of personal significance. Last November, when starting out on his latest comeback trail, Woods asserted that he didnt want his two children to only know Dad as a YouTube golfer.

On Sunday, as Woods celebrated his 80th PGA Tour win and first for five years, he again pointed towards what Sam, 10, and Charlie, nine, may think. For so long, Woodss physical torment undermined his everyday life.

I think they understand a little bit of what dad does now, Woods said. I hadnt won any tournaments in which they can remember, so I think this will be a little bit different for them. To be able to have shared what I did with them at the Open this year, I had a chance, I had the lead. They felt it, that atmosphere.

They know what their dad can do on a golf course now. Its not what I used to be able to do. A lot of times they equated golf to pain because every time I did it, I would hurt, and it would cause me more pain. And so now theyre seeing a little bit of joy and seeing how much fun it is for me to be able to do this again.

It is fascinating that Woods has evolved into the peoples golfer, a domain he couldnt possible inhabit after tales of his extra-marital affairs emerged. The tribal scene as Woods strode towards victory was quite the sight. For his own part, Woods is clearly more open and appreciative of support than in his early, dominant days.

It means a lot more to me now in the sense I didnt know if Id ever be out here again playing, doing this again, he said. I dont know, 20 years ago, hell, I thought I was going to play for another 30 years. Thats just the way golf is. You can play until youre 70 years old.

Then, there was a point in time I didnt know if Id ever do this again. So yes, I appreciate it a little bit more than I did because I dont take it for granted that Im going to have another decade, two decades in my future of playing golf at this level.

The scale of Woodss achievement reverberated around golf. Nick Faldo conceded: I was one of many who didnt see this happening again. Jack Nicklaus, whose haul of 18 majors will again flash into Woodss view, offered further praise. I never dreamed Tiger could come back and swing the way he has, after surgery, Nicklaus said. I think you could argue hes swinging better than he has ever in his life. He has played fantastically.

The man himself had previously suggested he would only regard this comeback as complete should he win another major. In the aftermath of his two-stroke success at East Lake, the 42-year-old was of a mind to treasure the journey to this point.

Ive been sitting on 79 for about five years now and to get 80 is a pretty damned good feeling, he said. Just to be able to compete and play again this year, thats a hell of a comeback.

Some of the people very close to me, theyve seen what Ive gone through. Some of the players have seen what Ive gone through, and they know how hard it was just to get back to playing golf again, forget the elite level. Just be able to play golf again and enjoy being with my kids and living that life. And then lo and behold, Im able to do this and win a golf tournament.

Probably the low point was not knowing if Id ever be able to live pain-free again. Am I going to be able to sit, stand, walk, lay down without feeling the pain that I was in? I just didnt want to live that way. This is how the rest of my life is going to be? Its going to be a tough rest of my life. And so I was beyond playing. I couldnt sit. I couldnt walk. I couldnt lay down without feeling the pain in my back and my leg. That was a pretty low point for a very long time.

Justin Rose, who claimed the FedEx Cup and richest prize in golf $10m -with a share of fourth at East Lake offered a message of about time to Woods after the pair collected trophies. In some ways, Im half-joking because hes looked so good this year, and I think that its been a matter of time, Rose explained. I think that weve all been waiting for him to win, and weve all been wanting him to win.

I think its great for the sport, great for the game. He truly moves the needle like no one else out here, and he wins in style. He wins with charisma. Hes brilliant to watch.

The small matter of the Ryder Cup, featuring Woods, is a matter of days away. I think the weekend was a pretty good introduction into the Ryder Cup, for sure, Rose added. Not half.

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The heat is on as conflict deepens in fight for Spanish football’s soul | Sid Lowe

2-Month-Old Baby Gets Horrible Disease From Unvaccinated Sister, And His Moms Reaction Infuriates Everyone

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The Internet’s Reaction To This Model Programmer Shows Sexism In STEM Is Still A Big Problem

As any number of studies, analyses and personal anecdotes will tell you, it can be a struggle to be taken seriously as a woman in STEM.

With rife discrimination, harassment from superiors, and a depressingly sturdy glass ceiling, working in science and tech could take a toll on any woman. And woe betide anyone who wants to be attractive as well as accomplished – certain studies have shown that being beautiful can make it even harder for women trying to navigate a stereotypically "male" field.

With that in mind, let's turn to the case of one Lyndsey Scott.

Scott has enjoyed a reasonably prolific career as a programmer. After starting – as so many do – with an aim to code games to pass the time in middle school, she eventually graduated from Amherst College with a double major in Computer Science and Theater. She has created apps for iOS – some of which have been featured by Apple. She authors programming tutorials and mentors girls in tech. She's a StackExchange celebrity.

And she's also an actress and model, with a resumé that includes names like Calvin Klein and Victoria's Secret.

Last week, Instagram account @coding.engineer posted a photo of Scott on the catwalk during a 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion show, highlighting her abilities in coding. "CODING IS FOR ANYONE" the caption declared.

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But, despite her not-exactly-obscure achievements, the post started filling up with users mocking the idea that she could possibly possess the skills listed in the picture. Because misogyny.

Luckily, as you'd expect from someone with Scott's background in mentorship and advocacy, she did not take this lying down – replying with a list of her achievements for her doubters.

"I normally try to ignore [negativity]," she wrote in a follow-up Instagram post, "but decided to jump into the comment section of this one."

"Programmers can come in all shapes, sizes, genders, races, etc. so... think twice before doubting other women and girls [you] encounter in tech," she added. 

After the incident went viral on Twitter and Reddit, other women started sharing their own experiences of sexism in STEM.

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Talking to Buzzfeed, Scott highlighted the need for STEM fields to be more inclusive to women (here's some ideas on how, FYI).

"Male programmers outnumber female programmers by about 5 to 1," she said, "so I think they have to take the lead in holding each other accountable."

Scott is not the only person to promote this idea. As people are finally realizing, women and minorities don't need to be encouraged into STEM – what's needed is an end to the discrimination that forces them out. Thankfully, with role models like Scott, as well as initiatives like Jocelyn Bell Burnell's recent multi-million-dollar donation to support minorities in physics research, it seems the tide may slowly be starting to turn.

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35 ENFPs Share How They Heal Themselves After A Heartbreak

When mindfulness goes wrong.

Image by geralt via pixabay

By now, almost everyone is familiar with the purported benefits of meditation.

What was once a fringe spiritual practice in the West has, within the space of decades, transformed into a mainstay of modern culture and wellness advice.

Over the past few years, science has increasingly started to back popular claims about the effects of mindfulness and contemplation.

And studies now link regular attempts to focus our minds and calm our bodies via breathing exercises, chanting, or other meditative techniques to a host of benefits—everything from decreased stress and blood pressure, to increased cognitive abilities, to fundamental shifts in the way we process the world. Last January, Time even ran a cover story on America’s meditative “Mindful Revolution.”

Yet this rush to validate, package, and promote meditation as a universal good may actually come with unforeseen risks.

Although sitting and thinking may seem like an innocuous process, the fact remains that meditation is an altered state that we use as a tool to transform our bodies and minds.

And like any tool, although intended for good things—like introspectively confronting our thoughts and feelings and coming to terms with troubling realities—it can wind up causing harm when set towards tasks that it just isn’t meant for (like acting as a quick-fix concentration booster or anesthesia for emotional strife). In the case of meditation, as the practice proliferates in the West, we’ve become increasingly aware that for some people, especially those with mental or personality conditions, mindfulness can trigger anxiety, depressive episodes, or flashbacks to past traumas.

“Because meditation cultivates a type of witness awareness (I’m witnessing my thoughts, I am not my thoughts),” wrote Andrew Holecek, Buddhist spiritualist and teacher, “which if done properly can help us distance ourselves safely and beneficially from the contents of our mind, it can also exacerbate certain kinds of dissociative and depersonalization disorders.”

The Buddhist teachers and scriptures from which many Western teachers draw in creating their local adaptations of meditation regimens have long recognized these risks, with some texts describing anxiety and emotional pain as typical stages in one’s progress through meditative studies.

Some even describe these stresses as the mirror state to enlightenment, the confrontation of which is vital.

“There is a sutta [Buddhist scriptural verse]” where monks go crazy and commit suicide after doing contemplation on death,” writes Chris Kaplan of the Mind and Life Institute.

Photo by MeditationMusic.net via Flickr.

Most Buddhist teachers believe that, through the idiosyncratic personal guidance of a spiritual teacher and the supportive structure of institutions that have dealt with similar cases in years past, we can move past or benefit from confrontations with these troubling experiences.

But extracting good from the bad takes time, guidance, and patience that many of us in the meditative hoi polloi just don’t have access to or the inclination to use.  

Western practitioners have not completely ignored the risks that meditation poses. Groups like the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine have long included disclaimers in their descriptions of meditation and its benefits, pointing towards its potential dark side:

“Meditation is considered safe for healthy people. There have been rare reports that meditation could cause or worsen symptoms in people who have certain psychiatric problems, but this question has not been fully researched.”

Western practitioners have not completely ignored the risks that meditation poses. Groups like the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine have long included disclaimers in their descriptions of meditation and its benefits, pointing towards its potential dark side:

“Meditation is considered safe for healthy people. There have been rare reports that meditation could cause or worsen symptoms in people who have certain psychiatric problems, but this question has not been fully researched.”

Even this disclaimer (as is the wont of disclaimer style) makes the problem seem miniscule.

And it’s true that we don’t have a real sense of the scale of the problem in terms of the number of people it effects or the impact of negative meditative states. But the lack of research the NCCAM points to is now being filled by studies like Willoughby Britton’s Dark Night Project—a combination psychological study and recovery home for those damaged by meditation.

Britton was inspired to launch the project by two encounters during her psychiatry residency, when patients claimed severe emotional trauma caused by meditation.

These incidents were swiftly followed by her own personal case of meditative malaise that hit the problem home to the young psychiatrist and meditator.

“I thought that I had gone crazy,” recalls Britton of the experience. “I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I mean I had no idea why I was suddenly having all these… like terror was a big symptom of [my own negative meditative episode].”

As of now, the Dark Night Project has catalogued several dozen cases of negative meditative experiences so powerful they resulted in months to years of psychological incapacitation; this is why Britton established a recovery center alongside the study.

It will be years until this data is actually compiled into a meaningful body of information. But even these initial anecdotes—along with other lurid and haphazard accounts of “spiritual sickness” and erratic, dangerous behavior brought on by extreme meditative retreats and practices—seem to suggest that the perils of meditation, even if niche, are worth popular consideration and address.  

Photo by Ruth Hartnup via Flickr.

As we await definitive studies, one of the best ways to resolve the issue may be to appeal to older meditative traditions that already recognize and cope with the downsides of meditation.

Some meditation researchers, like Pacific University’s Sarah Bowen, suggest that trauma may arise because Western meditative traditions bypass the rigorous practices and intensive guidance of older meditation cultures.

By treating meditation like a spiritual smoothie rather than an intense and complex practice, we run the risk of confronting meditation’s dark sides, or at least sinking into them more easily than those who have a framework of coping and recovery in place.

There may, then, be some benefit, even if only prophylactic, in seeking out meditation traditions that privilege structure. Promoting this style of meditative practice may help to deter those who don’t want to take meditation seriously from pursuing the practice too far down risky, fast track paths. Yet encouraging this type of moderation will be difficult, as humanity loves a simple, silver bullet solution (as so many believe meditation to be).

It seems likely that people will continue to suffer under the dark side of meditation until high profile cases reach a critical capacity or—as the pendulum of pop obsession starts to swing in the other direction—the meditative trend begins to regulate itself. Until then, if your post-yoga om session has your mind turning to anxious or disturbing thoughts that you just can’t process or move past, it might be a good idea to just get up and walk away, rather than pushing yourself into the void. Or if you’re dead set on meditating, at least find yourself a therapist or spiritual guide familiar with the practice who can help you work through the dark states you’re coming up against.

This article originally appeared on GOOD.

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After being shamed, she exposed the double standard all breastfeeding mothers face.

via Facebook

There’s a sexist double standard in America that goes something like this: It’s acceptable for breasts to be shown on television, the Internet, in movies, and on newsstands. But if you dare pull a breast out in public to breastfeed a baby—the one activity that breasts were made for—you will probably be shamed.

No one understands this double standard more than Wittney Hope.

Hope was shopping at the Dillard’s in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when her baby began signaling that it was time to nurse. To be polite, Hope asked an employee if it was ok for her child to “eat here.”

The employee signaled that it was fine, so Hope lifted her shirt and began to discreetly breastfeed her child. The employee then told her she could not “do that” in the store and told Hope to go to the bathroom.

“I was completely shocked as I have never had anyone comment on me breastfeeding in the whole 18 months I have been nursing,” Hope wrote on Facebook.

As Hope exited the store, she walked by a massive advertisement for bras and she couldn’t believe the irony. Evidently, at Dillard’s, model boobs are ok for the world to see, but mom boobs are for the bathroom.

via Facebook

Here’s Hope’s full post that she wrote on Dillard’s Facebook page:

This afternoon while shopping in your store, (Hamilton Place- Chattanooga) my daughter got really fussy. I searched for a quiet secluded area to nurse my child. When I found a place I asked if it was okay for her to eat here. The employee at customer service nodded. I then began to nurse my child. I didn't use a cover up (I did that in the pic to prove the irony) I discreetly pulled my shirt down and her head covered me up. The same lady then told me I could not ‘do that’ here. She told me I would need to go to the restroom. I was completely shocked as I have never had anyone comment on me breastfeeding in the whole 18 months I have been nursing. Yet alone, another woman, possibly a mother herself. I repeated her to make sure I understood. Annoyed, she began to tell me the directions to the restroom again.. (Down the hall, take the elevator, then around the corner) I'm sure my hungry child would understand that we have to take a journey to somewhere more secluded where she can eat.. NOT. I immediately went and asked for the manager so I could file a formal complaint (which I did online) As we were leaving the store I passed by this advertisement for bras. I mean seriously the lady’s face is not even in this. Why is it acceptable for a giant picture of BOOBS to be on the wall but I can not feed my

Sincerely,

Pissed off Mommy who will never be shopping at Dillards

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Postmates raises another $300M, reportedly valued at $1.2B

On-demand delivery service Postmates announced this morning that it has raised $300 million in additional funding led by Tiger Global Management.

While the company’s press release doesn’t mention this, Fortune reports that the deal valued Postmates at $1.2 billion. Tiger’s Scott Schleifer is joining the board of directors.

Postmates does say that it’s completing “millions” of deliveries every month and is profitable in 90 percent of its markets, and that over the past four years, gross margins have “improved dramatically to nearly 50%.”

Over the past few months, Postmates expanded into more than 100 new cities (it’s now available in more than 400 U.S. cities, as well as Mexico City) and also announced partnerships with companies like Instacart and Walmart.

Postmates previously raised a $140 million round at a $600 million valuation in 2016. More broadly, it looks like VCs aren’t backing away from the on-demand delivery market — DoorDash, for example, recently raised $250 million at a $4 billion valuation.

“The transformation of how commerce moves in cities demands that we build the most innovative tools for businesses to keep up and distribute their products to the modern consumer — efficiently and cost effectively,” said Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann in the release. “Postmates is proud to be the first and largest on-demand network that is enabling the growth of retail across the country, and today’s investment accelerates our ability to pair technology with the vitality of our neighborhoods.”

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