Why the Euro 2016 final was overrun by moths

Excitement in Portugal ahead of Euro 2016 final

It will forever be remembered as the moth b***s final: a rather drab climax to Euro 2016 enlivened by a swarm of moths.

Related: Euro 2016: Guardian writers pick their highs and lows from France

As soon as pictures were broadcast of dozens of moths flapping around the stadium during the warm-up, out fluttered the moth memes. It became a meme swarm for many British critics of the Portuguese captain, after Ronaldo fell, injured, to the turf at the Stade de France, and a moth tended to his arched eyebrow.

Dozens of Ronaldos Moth Twitter accounts were created within seconds. The diving bell and the butterfly joked one wag. Just put 20 on #Ronaldo swallowing a moth, choking and rolling around on the floor for 20 minutes, said another.

Ronaldos moth was one of thousands of Silver Y moths, a migratory species that moves north through Europe each summer in search of new breeding grounds, returning south in the autumn.

Its an obligate migrant species a proper migratory species, says Richard Fox of Butterfly Conservation. Individuals must migrate and choose the right winds to fly at different altitudes to maximise the efficiency of their migration. Theres very clever stuff going on.

On a warm summers evening, the lights of the stadium act like an enormous moth trap, drawing down a migrating front of thousands of these moths.

Pictures show the moths rising from the turf in clouds when the referee, Mark Clattenberg, and officials first stepped on to the pitch. The moths had arrived in the stadium before the footballers almost certainly drawn down on the previous night when the floodlights were reportedly left on.

When youve got all these big mammals tramping around on the grass, the moths quite sensibly flew up and away, said Fox.

With winds blowing from the south and south-west over the past few days, Fox said the footballing Silver Ys could end up in Britain. After a miserable wet summer, their presence will at least give people something to spot in the Big Butterfly Count, the worlds biggest insect-recording scheme, which is launched by Butterfly Conservation this Friday.

Ronaldos moth-anxiety followed by injury heartbreak turned to joy when Portugal won the tournament. Given that the swarm of Silver Ys proved a lucky omen, perhaps Ronaldos crowning glory could be to become their champion: how about honorary president of Butterfly Conservation?

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFUB-TZrTQr6GrSWYQ6OApHicmXbg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779155117487&ei=qtSDV9i7KIKC3gHq6ZmwAg&url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/shortcuts/2016/jul/11/why-the-euro-2016-final-was-overrun-by-moths

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Conservatives rally around Mike Pence for vice president

Governor Mike Pence Speaks At The NRA-ILA Leadership Forum (2016)

Ever since Trump won the Indiana primary, thus becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, folks have been speculating about his choice for vice president. Talk has centered mainly around Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie.

The tier just behind Gingrich and Christie has been occupied by Bob Corker and Joni Ernst. However, both now say they dont want to tapped.

Neither Gingrich nor Christie holds much appeal for many conservatives. Speaking for myself, Gingrich is too flaky and Christie too centrist. (Corker didnt appeal to me either.)

With Ernst apparently off the list, whom do conservatives favor?

In my view, Tom Cotton would be a great choice, assuming hes willing. However, many conservatives seem to be rallying around Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

In fact, when Ernst withdrew, she suggested Pence should get the VP nod. She told Politico:

I will admit that I am a Mike Pence fan. He is so well-rounded, served as a governor and I think hes a great conservative. So I dont think he could go wrong.

Jeff Roe, the manager of Ted Cruzs presidential campaign, also raves about Pence. Roe said of Pence:

I think hed be fabulous. Hed be a rudder on a somewhat erratic campaign and he would have the right balance of being a full-spectrum conservative, having executive experience and legislative experience. Hes one of the best choices Ive heard mentioned.

Trump has said he would like a running mate who knows his way around Capitol Hill. Pence served for ten years in the U.S. House, including a stint as chairman of the House Republican Conference.

The Koch brothers may also be backing Pence. Its no secret that the brothers are Pence fans. According to Stewart Lawrence of the Daily Caller, they have come to admire the former Indiana congressman for his fiscal conservatism, opposition to abortion and Obamacare, and support for energy deregulation.

Moreover, Pence regularly speaks at public and private events sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, the organization founded by the Kochs. Pence openly supports the organizations activities in Indiana and has publicly praised the Kochs for their contribution to this country and to Indiana, in particular.

Pence is also popular with evangelicals. Hes strongly pro-life.

With the support of evangelicals, the Koch brothers, and mainstream conservatives like Joni Ernst, Pence seems like a logical selection, assuming Trump wants to shore up conservative support. If hes looking to win over moderates and/or increase his appeal to women, Pence becomes a far less compelling choice.

Is Pence actually under consideration by the Trump campaign, though? Yes, according to Michael Caputo, a former Trump adviser who left the campaign in late June. Pence has got a lot of support among senior aides, Caputo says.

But what does the candidate himself think of Pence? Who knows? Trump will have observed (1) that Pence was slow to endorse Ted Cruz in the Indiana primary, despite pressure from conservatives to do so, (2) that Pence eventually did endorse Cruz, but weakly, and (3) that the endorsement carried little weight with Indiana Republicans. As noted, it was Trumps rout of Cruz in Pences home state that all but assured Trumps nomination.

What Trump made of all this is anyones guess. Mine is that Trump wasnt overly impressed. However, its probably the impression Pence makes in meetings with the candidate that will count the most. He certainly wont want to come across as low energy, for example.

Would Pence agree to be Trumps running mate? Caputo seems to believe so. I think Mike Pence already voted with his feet by going to visit with Mr. Trump, he says. Indeed, he may have voted with his mouth when he praised Trump even as he endorsed Cruz in April.

Trump-Pence. Ill say this much for that ticket: it beats Trump-Gingrich and Trump-Christie.

Source: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/07/conservatives-rally-around-mike-pence-for-vice-president.php

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Pokemon Go Tips and Tricks

Pokemon GO Tips and Tricks

Pokemon Go may not have released officially the world over, but that hasn"t stopped eager fans from downloading the game anyway. Compared to older games, a lot has changed in Pokemon Go. So, whether you"re new to Pokemon or a longtime fan of the franchise playing Pokemon Go for the first time, it can be a little confusing. Here are some tips and tricks that can make your play-through easier.

(Also see: How to Download, Install, and Play Pokemon Go Right Now)

Know how to level upYou gain levels by catching Pokemon, exploring PokeStops, and battling at Gyms. Each of the aforementioned actions gives you some Pokemon Go experience, and as you gain more experience you level up. To do all of these, you need to be walking around. There is the odd chance that a Pokemon or two might show up in your house or office but by and large, you will need to be on the move to find them. From level 5, you can battle as the Gyms, and as you gain more experience, you"ll have access not just to Gyms but higher quality PokeBalls, and items that can augment your Pokemon. Having a higher trainer level gives you a better chance of taking over Gyms that may have multiple trainers. For this reason, remember to swipe every PokeStop, since that"s just free experience, and try to catch lots of Pokemon early on to gain levels quickly.

(Also see: Pokemon Go International Release Date Soon: Report)

Combat is differentUnlike usual Pokemon games where you choose from four kinds of moves to use against an enemy, Pokemon Go has you attacking by tapping a foe, and swiping to dodge its moves. Special attacks are activated by holding the screen. Battles only take place when you"re in a Gym. So no, you can"t duke it out against friends just yet. Which brings us to our next point...

(Also see: Playing Pokemon Go in India? Here"s Everything You Need to Know)

Hit level 5 as soon as possibleWhen you hit level 5 in Pokemon Go, you can join a team, either Red, Blue, or Yellow (in homage to the first three games in the series) and start to battle at Gyms. On joining a team you can assign a Pokemon you caught to an open Gym, or to one where other team members have already placed Pokemon. Only one Pokemon per player can be put in a single Gym.

Understand how Gyms workBefore you attack a Gym run by another team, you should check out its Prestige. The higher this stat is, the tougher it would be to take over. Lower a Gym"s Prestige to zero and the defending team loses control. This is possible by defeating its Pokemon.

(Also see: Pokemon Go Is Installed on More Android Phones Than Tinder: Report)

In order to keep your Gym"s Prestige up, simply train your Pokemon there. This is done by battling against Pokemon from the same team you"re on. Defeating them all increases Prestige, making it tough for other teams to attack. That"s because each Prestige level allows you to add one more Pokemon Trainer to the gym, making it tougher to defeat.

Occupying a gym is useful as it allows you to earn PokeCoins - Pokemon Go currency that allows you to buy items. You can redeem them based on the gyms you"re a part of, every 20 hours. You can also buy PokeCoins via the game"s store and it"s working in India on Android, complete with INR pricing ranging from Rs. 60 to Rs. 6,200, despite the game not being officially available in the country. If you"ve downloaded the app on iOS via the US store, in-app purchases should work as well, as long as you have a valid payment method on record.

PokeStops are your friendPokeStops are important landmarks in your area. These have blue markers on them. Clicking on the marker throws up an image of what type of location it is. Swiping it gives you items. These include Pokeballs, or a Pokemon Egg, which on hatching gives you new Pokemon for your collection. Hatching a Pokemon Egg requires you to place it in an Incubator, which you receive when you start the game, and then walking a specified distance - some eggs hatch after two kilometres, others need a lot more walking. If you"ve played Ingress- Niantic"s last game, you should have a good idea of where to look for PokeStops as the location data in Pokemon Go is based on that of Ingress.

(Also see: Pokemon Go Is Installed on More Android Phones Than Tinder: Report)

Evolution doesn"t happen after battles, but from itemsUnlike every other game in the Pokemon Go series, this Pokemon don"t evolve after battles. In order to turn your Charmander into a Charizard, or Pikachu into a Raichu, you"ll need to catch more of the same kind of Pokemon. Doing so nets Candy and Stardust. Gather enough, and you can use the Candy obtained to evolve it. This results in better attack power and more health for your Pokemon.

Download the Gadgets 360 app for Android and iOS to stay up to date with the latest tech news, product reviews, and exclusive deals on the popular mobiles.

Source: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/pokemon-go-tips-and-tricks-859448

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Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry hospitalized

Slash Gave Joe Perry Back His Prized Guitar - CONAN on TBS
Story highlights

• Joe Perry was performing with the Hollywood Vampires when he fell ill
• No information was released about what caused him to collapse

The musician, 65, had taken to the stage Sunday at Coney Island with his group the Hollywood Vampires when he became sick and was rushed to the hospital. The Hollywood Vampires is also made up of singer Alice Cooper and actor Johnny Depp.

Video from an audience member shows Perry appearing slumped on a portion of the stage at the Ford Amphitheater on the Coney Island Boardwalk before he staggers behind a wall on stage, where members of the New York police and fire departments attended to him.

It was unclear Monday what caused Perry to collapse. A tweet from Perry"s official account said, "Thanks to all of the fans reaching out and asking about Joe. He is stable right now, with family and is under the best care."

Likewise, Cooper tweeted "Thanks to everyone asking about our brother @JoePerry. He is stable right now, with family & is under the best care."

Friends and fans took to social media to express concern.

Kirk Hammett of Metallica tweeted, "Feel better bro," and Mtley Cre member Nikki Sixx tweeted, "Hang in there superstar. We need you..."

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/entertainment/joe-perry-sick-aerosmith-hollywood-vampires/

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Paper Round: Cristiano Ronaldo gets one over Lionel Messi and Andy Murray becomes a British great

Cristiano Ronaldo sale lesionado en la final de la Euro | Ronaldo"s injury
Murray"s at the double and joins the game"s greats

Andy Murray dominates the front and back pages of Monday"s national papers, with the Telegraph saying that Murray"s second Wimbledon title has cemented his place among the nation"s all-time great athletes.

The Guardian agrees, saying that Murray"s performances over the Wimbledon fortnight suggest that he should be mentioned in the same breath as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

And The Times go one step further, issuing a Murray wraparound front page, highlighting the Scot"s intentions to celebrate his triumph in style.

Paper Round"s view: Murray gets a lot of stick for his deadpan delivery in interviews and some contentious political statements, but the now two-time Wimbledon Champion deserves to be celebrated. Not only is he one of the best athletes his sport has ever produced, but he"s also a rare example of a sportsman willing to make a stand for issues that don"t directly influence him. If there were more famous athletes like Murray then the world would be a far better place.

Ronaldo receives reward for decade of dominance

Cristiano Ronaldo may have been in tears when he was stretchered off in the first half of Sunday"s final, but Portugal"s glory means he has got one over Lionel Messi - says the Sun. Messi missed a penalty in his losing international final appearance earlier in the summer, leading to a premature retirement, but Ronaldo has shown Messi how it"s done with a brilliant display of leadership - both on the pitch and from the sidelines.

Portugal"s Euro 2016 triumph is a fitting reward for Cristiano Ronaldo"s stellar international career - AFP

Paper Round"s view: Forget the Messi comparisons for now; it"s simply fantastic to see a player as good as Ronaldo achieve international glory. The Real Madrid man gets an awful lot of criticism for his posturing on the field, but the mantra "you can be arrogant if you can back it up" fits perfectly. Ronaldo comes across as a bit cocksure only because he knows that he is on a different level to many of his international team-mates. The biggest shame of Sunday"s final was to see Cristiano taken off so early - that was always likely to have an impact on the quality of the game.

Read the full story

Head rules Hart at Pep"s Man City

Joe Hart"s calamitous Euro 2016 has weakened his hold on the Man City goalkeeping position - AFP

Pep Guardiola is confident of signing Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to compete with Joe Hart for the Manchester City No. 1 jersey, reports the Manchester Evening News. The new City boss is a known admirer of the Barca stopper, whose distribution skills suit the manager"s style of play far better than those of Hart will. Barca were initially reluctant to sell, but have lined up Pepe Reina as cover and are happy to listen to offers over 15m.

Paper Round"s view: Hart is not a world-class goalkeeper. He"s a very good player with plenty of shot-stopping ability and penalty area presence, but he can"t hold a candle to the likes of Hugo Lloris and David de Gea. It wasn"t a popular view a month ago, but Hart"s appalling footwork and positioning against both Wales and Iceland highlighted exactly why Guardiola is right to be looking for a new No. 1. Ter Stegen is hardly the finished article either though, so the head-to-head should be an interesting one to watch once the new season gets underway.

Read the full story

Source: http://www.eurosport.com/football/premier-league/2016-2017/paper-round-cristiano-ronaldo-gets-one-over-lionel-messi-and-andy-murray-becomes-a-british-great_sto5682930/story.shtml

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"DB Cooper: Case Closed?"

In Search of DB COOPER

AP Photo/Reid Blackburn

FBI agents scour the sand of a beach on the Columbia River in February 1980, searching for additional money or clues in the D.B. Cooper skyjacking case, in Vancouver, Wash. Several thousand dollars of the hijacking money was found in the area days earlier.

AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Part of the money that was paid to legendary hijacker D.B. Cooper in 1971 is shown during an F.B.I. news conference, Feb. 12, 1980, where it was announced that several thousand dollars was found 5 miles northwest of Vancouver, Wash., by Howard and Patricia Ingram and their 8-year-old son Brian. The couples son found the money while on a family picnic.

It is one of the most fascinating unsolved crimes of modern times, not to mention one of the greatest mysteries of the Pacific Northwest: Who was D.B. Cooper?

On Nov. 24, 1971, a man with that pseudonym skyjacked a commercial airplane heading from Portland to Seattle using a briefcase bomb, extorted $200,000 and several parachutes after the plane landed and the passengers left, demanded the crew fly him to Mexico, then parachuted out somewhere near the Oregon-Washington border.

Dressed like a character from Reservoir Dogs, the unidentified man wearing a suit, tie and sunglasses, and smoking a cigarette became an instant and enduring source of speculation. Hundreds of possible subjects have been eliminated over the years.

Now comes D.B. Cooper: Case Closed?, a two-part History Channel documentary premiering next week that investigates some of the more promising Cooper suspects.

And one of them a man with North Coast connections may be the real Cooper, according to a pair of investigative journalists who spent five years secretly digging into the case.

The program takes viewers into the journalists 40-member cold case team the first D.B. Cooper investigation enlisting former feds, a dozen of whom are FBI.

Is Cooper still alive? How could a man who did something so sensational fly beneath the radar (so to speak) for 45 years?

D.B. Cooper: Case Closed? claims to answer these and other tantalizing questions.

Part one airs 9 p.m. Sunday on the History Channel; part two will air Monday.

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Source: http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20160708/db-cooper-case-closed

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Cordell Broadus happy to be back with UCLA football

Cordell Broadus 2013 Highlight Tape (OFFICIAL)

Fall Saturdays felt a little empty without football for Cordell Broadus. After walking away from the game due to personal reasons last year, the UCLA receiver watched games on TV. He saw the celebrations on the field, the fans in the stands and the love between the team and its supporters. He missed it. So much so that it literally kept him up at night, he said.

Now hes losing sleep for different reasons.

After meeting with head coach Jim Mora for a couple of hours, Broadus, a former four-star recruit, returned to the team as a walk-on receiver for spring camp. Hes fallen back into the football routine, waking up at 5:30 a.m. for practice, running routes and catching passes from quarterback Josh Rosen.

It was a lot of off-field issues I was going through, said Broadus, who added that it feels great to be back. But most importantly Im out here with my teammates and striving to be great every day.

PHOTOS: UCLA practices ahead of Spring Game

Two family tragedies contributed to Broadus decision to quit football last August before he was set to start his first fall camp with the Bruins. His grandmother passed away and his aunt lost a battle to lupus.

I was in a state where I wasnt mentally there, said Broadus, the son of rapper Snoop Dogg. Trying to keep up with a football schedule, you have to be very mentally strong and be able to keep up with all the obstacles that are thrown at you. And I feel like I wasnt going to give it my all with going through what I was going through.

Broadus is in a deep receiver pool, but the competition for starting roles remains open, receivers coach Eric Yarber said. Broadus, who is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, has had limited reps in team periods, but said he is committed to being patient and staying focused on the field.

VIDEO: Broadus on being back with the team

Broadus has had a good relationship with Rosen since the two were in eighth grade and said the quarterbacks support was unwavering during his departure and eventual return to the team. While he waits for his own dorm room, Broadus is sleeping on Rosens couch.

Hes awesome, hes been killing it, Rosen said of Broadus at the beginning of spring camp. Hes picking up the offense quickly. Hes a big receiver, physical. He reminds me a lot of JP (Jordan Payton), but hes going to evolve, just like all of us.

Part of Broadus evolution back into a full-time football player came on his first big hit during practice. Hes passed that hurdle, but hopes he doesnt have to face too many more like it.

It felt good, I missed it, Broadus said of getting hit again. Im trying to make sure I dont get popped anymore.

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Mora supports Guerrero

On Wednesday, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told Fox Sports Stewart Mandel that UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero did not vote the way he was supposed to vote, in the decision that banned satellite camps earlier this month.

Guerrero, the Pac-12s representative in the decision, voted to ban satellite camps, thus prohibiting coaches to participate in camps outside of their own practice facilities, despite 11 of 12 Pac-12 schools not supporting the ban, according to Scott.

After the controversy, UCLA head coach Jim Mora expressed his support of Guerrero on Thursday after practice.

Its unfortunate that Dans been put in the position that he is and the things that are being said about him by the commissioner of a major sports league have been said, Mora said. Its inaccurate and its unfair. ... Hes got tremendous integrity. Hes as well respected as any athletic director in the country and unfortunately, our commissioner took an undue shot at him and I dont think any of us have appreciated it. If you look at the articles that have been written and the letter than indicates why Dan made his decision, its very clear that Dan was correct in doing what he did.

In an email obtained by Sports Illustrated on Wednesday, Guerrero explained to his fellow Pac-12 athletic directors that when it appeared as though passage (of the ban) was imminent, he voted in favor of the proposal that resembled one already established by the conference.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160421/cordell-broadus-happy-to-be-back-with-ucla-football

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