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I've been a bath advocate for as long as I can remember; I'd take one every day if I could. Even though I rarely have the time to indulge in one these days, you can bet that when I do, I use a bath bomb — preferably one that's loaded with some sort of glitter or swirls of color. And while I believe all my soaks are special, my most recent discovery deserves a seat in bizarre bath time history. Why? The orb was infused with weed. No prescription necessary, the weed bath bomb comes from beauty company Mirai Clinical. Like a lot of the brand's products, it's packed with the hero ingredient persimmon, known for its odor-busting properties — but that's not why I tried it. My eye was on the cannabidiol (a.k.a. CBD). While there are other cannabinoids involved in the anatomy of weed, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two most recognizable, and most effective, pieces to the pot puzzle. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive, but it has been known to reduce inflammation and pain, which makes it the perfect addition to a warm bath. Despite its benefits, the legal treatment of CBD is very similar to marijuana in general. Luckily, Mirai managed to slip through the restrictions with its formulation, operating under the current law that states industrial hemp with less than .3% THC is legal in the U.S. And while it won't get you "high," don't discount its potent results. I'm not an athlete, but like a lot of other women, I deal with frequent lower back pain and sporadic bouts of cramping. So instead of taking Midol or rubbing essential oils across my abdomen, last weekend I decided to ease my PMS by sinking into a weed bath. Initially, it felt like your average soak — maybe even boring, since the bath bomb itself was white and did nothing when I dropped it in the water. But several minutes later, its effects suddenly hit: My entire body was tingling, I couldn't stop giggling, even my toes curled. The sensation felt like the next best thing to an orgasm, and after the full-body climax, a sudden wave of sedation crept up as I sunk deeper into the water. It might sound weird, but the sensation actually makes sense: CBD calms the nervous system and reduces stress. Even better, there's no research that claims that using the ingredient topically poses any threat. But, let me tell you: It is relaxing as hell. After 25 minutes, the sensation eventually wore off. That night, I went to bed feeling like I just had a one-night stand with my tub. So while your colorful bath water might make a great Instagram post, I'm willing to wager it doesn't illicit the same urge to light a cigarette and bask in the afterglow. Mirai Clinical De-Stressing & De-odorizing CBD Bath Bomb, $8, available at Mirai Clinical. Related Video: Read these stories next: Baby Foot Is Weird, Gross & The Best Thing EVER This Woman Took A Bath Wearing Coconut Oil — & It Went Horribly Wrong You Can Get Amazing Skin By Doing THIS In The Bedroom

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Federal health authorities are warning pregnant women not to travel to the parts of Miami where mosquitoes are believed to be spreading the Zika virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the advisory Monday, three days after Florida health officials confirmed several people had contracted the virus locally, almost certainly from mosquitoes. The state announced Monday that the number of cases had risen to 14 over the weekend. It’s the CDC’s latest travel advisory for pregnant women over the last year and the first in the continental U.S. CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden told reporters Monday that the move is unprecedented, and that the center had issued “no similar recommendation in recent years.” The travel advisory applies to a small part of Miami: All 14 cases have been reported in one square mile, just north of downtown. And so far, only two of the 14 infected people in Florida are women. The CDC is only telling women who are already pregnant not to travel to the area. For women who are trying to conceive, the CDC is telling women to wait at least eight weeks after they return from their trip and test negative for Zika, which can cause birth defects in the newborns of women who contract the disease while pregnant. In a conference call on Monday, Frieden said the agency decided to issue a travel warning because attempts to control mosquitoes “don’t seem to be working as well as we’d like.” He said “it’s possible” that mosquitoes are resistant to the insecticides being used or that there are “cryptic breeding places” in the city. It’s also possible, he said, that “this is a very difficult mosquito to control, particularly in a complex urban environment.” Frieden said he expects many more cases, though he doesn’t believe there will be a massive outbreak. “Nothing that we’ve seen indicates widespread transmission, but it’s certainly possible there could be sustained transmission in certain areas,” Frieden said Monday. The CDC is also stepping up its presence in Florida, dispatching an emergency response team to help investigate, research and sample mosquitoes in the area. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) had formally asked the federal government for emergency help earlier Monday. He has called for additional funding to fight Zika for months. More than 200 people have been tested for Zika over the last three weeks, after the state health department began investigating possible local transmission of the virus. A total of 2,300 people have been tested statewide since the outbreak began last year. About 300 have tested positive — more than any other state.  While Scott urged people, particularly pregnant women, to take precaution, he also sought to reassure the public that it remained safe to travel to Florida this summer. “Florida remains safe and open for business,” Scott said. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

Science

Biology

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch investor Reggeborgh on Tuesday said it wanted to buy all shares in building company VolkerWessels (KVW.AS) it does not already own, in a bid with a total value of 630 million euros ($694.3 million). Reggeborgh has a 63.5% stake in the builder and is now offering other investors 22.20 euros for each share they own. That bid represents a 25% premium on the closing price of VolkerWessels on Oct 28, a day before the company first announced the intentions of its majority shareholder, and is fully supported by the company’s board. The takeover would end a short spell of VolkerWessels at the Amsterdam stock exchange, after Reggeborgh decided to list around a third of its shares in May 2017, at an introduction price of 23 euros. The shares have fallen since, hurt by losses on large projects and the effects of stricter environmental rules on the construction sector. “As such, a further decrease of Reggeborgh’s shareholding has become unrealistic,” Reggeborgh Chief Executive Henry Holterman said, adding he still had full confidence in VolkerWessels’ potential. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Toby Sterling; editing by Jason Neely

Government

Law

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellAre Democrats turning Trump-like? House Democrat calls for gun control: Cities can ban plastic straws but 'we can't ban assault weapons?' Churches are arming and training congregants in response to mass shootings: report MORE (Ky.) and his Republican colleagues in the Senate have definitively stated that they do not intend to give any nominee President Obama presents for Justice Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court a hearing, much less a vote. There is a looming scenario that may require them to reconsider this stand. Before we get to that however, it should be stated that the current Republican position is one supported by logic and history — even if it has caused the voices of the left, specifically The New York Times and the rest of the mainstream media, to become apoplectic. In recent times, no president of one party has been granted the confirmation of a Supreme Court justice when the Senate has been controlled by the other party. This is because of the importance of the position and the precedence of such an action.  Supreme Court justices last long after a president departs. Their influence is immense; their appointment can fundamentally affect the direction of the nation. The politics of a divided government simply does not tolerate the idea that such a significant act should occur in the last few days of a president’s term. Both Senate Minority Leader Harry ReidHarry Mason Reid2020 Democrats fight to claim Obama's mantle on health care Reid says he wishes Franken would run for Senate again Panel: How Biden's gaffes could cost him against Trump MORE (D-Nev.) and his presumed successor, Sen. Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerLewandowski on potential NH Senate run: If I run, 'I'm going to win' Appropriators warn White House against clawing back foreign aid Colorado candidates vying to take on Gardner warn Hickenlooper they won't back down MORE (D-N.Y.), have made this point in the past. Reid made the argument aggressively; Schumer did so in a more artful but equally definitive manner. The Republican leaders of the Senate are today merely agreeing with the sage council of these two powerful Democratic leaders. But — and it is a large, real but — the majority leader and his team may want to rethink this decision if certain things occur. Let us presume that because he may have — after seven long years of ineptness — figured out how to govern, the president sends up a thoughtful, responsible, moderate as the nominee. Maybe this person is even a Republican. There was a trial balloon floated of the governor of Nevada, Brian Sandoval.  Sandoval quickly removed himself from consideration. But assume there is another person with a resume similar to his. Assume the president in an act of actually trying to govern, rather then score political points with his base, sends the name of such a person to the Senate.   Would this alone —  the presentation of a nominee who was thoughtful, responsible, moderate and a Republican —  suggest that McConnell and his team need to reconsider their stance of “no hearing, no vote”?     The answer is probably not — although the president would claim the high ground in the debate that would surely follow. And such a move would also put significant pressure on GOP senators up for reelection in contested states like New Hampshire, Illinois, and Ohio. But still the answer from the Republican leadership would, I suspect, be “no." But, this is only part of the play: The first act. The next two acts are the definitive game changers and it looks like they are well on their way to being written. Let us assume that the two presidential nominations are won by Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonLewandowski on potential NH Senate run: If I run, 'I'm going to win' Fighter pilot vs. astronaut match-up in Arizona could determine control of Senate Progressive Democrats' turnout plans simply don't add up MORE and Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpPossible GOP challenger says Trump doesn't doesn't deserve reelection, but would vote for him over Democrat O'Rourke: Trump driving global, U.S. economy into recession Manchin: Trump has 'golden opportunity' on gun reforms MORE. Let’s also assume that The Donald is a disaster. Neither of those assumptions are particularly outlandish guesses.  Hillary wins. The Donald not only loses but also costs Republicans control of the Senate.   This scenario is more than a mere possibility. Before Hillary is even inaugurated, in early January 2017 when the Senate meets, there will be an immediate action, a matter amounting to parliamentary spontaneous combustion.   The Democrats, the new majority in the Senate, will exercise the so-called “nuclear option.”  They will make the confirmation of  Supreme Court nominees a matter requiring only a simple majority: 51 votes. Just like that, a Supreme Court justice will be confirmed. Now consider who would be nominated: Someone who subscribes to the view that America is essentially a socially unjust place; who views our market economy as anathema; who believes that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the cause du jour.   The nominee will in other words be a young, intelligent radical, most likely a Harvard law professor with a worldview akin to that of Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenPossible GOP challenger says Trump doesn't doesn't deserve reelection, but would vote for him over Democrat Joe Biden faces an uncertain path The Memo: Trump pushes back amid signs of economic slowdown MORE (D-Mass.) The Court will swing wildly left. Justice Sonia Sotomayor will be made to look thoughtful, reasonable and even interested in precedent by comparison. I suggest my former colleagues think about this. Right now the odds-makers have made this scenario a prohibitive favorite.     The best deal in town will occur if the president sends up a decent nominee. If he does not, and instead sends up another liberal automaton, then McConnell and his gang should stick to their present justifiable course. But if he tries to govern and does present a rational, thoughtful, moderate, especially Republican nominee, they should take the deal.  The alternative scenario will be devastating. Judd Gregg (R) is a former governor and three-term senator from New Hampshire who served as chairman and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, and as ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Foreign Operations subcommittee.  View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

Politics

Law

YouTube is introducing a major change to its music chart system after discovering that artists and labels were using growth hacks to inflate how many people were watching their videos. YouTube is no longer counting “advertising views” when it comes to the company calculating its music charts. Instead, ranking for top-watched music videos will be based on organic plays, according to a new blog post. Running music videos as advertisements in front of other YouTube videos has become common practice within the music industry since it can be counted as a view if it’s watched for a long enough amount of time. This will help address calculated advertising campaigns that are launched specifically to land a music video on YouTube’s charts during the first 24 hours of being published. YouTube’s blog post acknowledges that people use these stats — many often touting record-breaking 24-hour views — as a “definitive representation of its instant cultural impact,” and it wants to ensure those numbers are accurate. “It’s a great honor and one we take very seriously,” the blog post reads. “As we look to maintain consistency and credibility across our platform, we’ve made some necessary revisions to our methodology for reporting 24-hour record debuts.” The new changes mean that videos eligible for record debuts must come from organic sources, including “direct links to the video, search results, external sites that embed the video and YouTube features like the homepage, watch next and Trending,” according to the blog post. YouTube’s music chart system has faced a few controversies over the last few months. In July, Indian rapper Badshah broke the record for most views in 24 hours, beating out BTS with 75 million views to their 74.6 million just months earlier. But people suspected that the rapper’s view total was inflated with artificial views. Bloomberg later reported that Badshah and his team purchased advertisements that either embedded or promoted the video. This led to a dramatically increased view count. YouTube decided not to acknowledge the record-breaking numbers. “Video advertising is an effective way to reach specific audiences with a song debut, but paid advertising views on YouTube will no longer be considered when looking at a 24-hour record debut,” the blog post reads. Similar tactics are often used by movie studios and TV networks that fight for record-breaking numbers, but those won’t be impacted. A YouTube spokesperson told The Verge that the change “is focused on aligning YouTube Music Charts and records with the industry standard and how we report to Nielsen and other third party charting companies.” The company isn’t making any platform-wide changes.

Technology

Music

It's been four years since we first launched 29Rooms right here in New York, and we're bringing it back bigger than ever this year. The 2018 29Rooms New York pop-up will include all new rooms, extra days for the public to visit, and a new evening package which includes alcohol and snacks. Tickets are officially on sale. So text your friends, pick a date, and buy tickets now. We will be launching a new theme in New York this September —  Expand Your Reality. The 29 all new rooms invite you to ditch the "I can'ts" that keep you from going after your dreams, and instead invites you to step into a realm of possibility. We're expanding minds, unlocking new passions, and helping you unleash your imagination at this year's event. Remember that back to school feeling where you picked out a new schedule, a new outfit, and dreamed that anything was possible? We are hoping to give you that feeling again this fall through Refinery29’s interactive funhouse of style, culture, and creativity — brought to life by an amazing group of talent, artists, and visionaries we will be announcing over the next couple of weeks. 29Rooms New York will be open to the public for eight days: Sept 6 through 9 and Sept 13 through 16. Each Friday and Saturday from 7-10 p.m. we will be hosting Starlight sessions, a new offering that comes with three drink tickets, light bites, a smaller group, and access to more rooms for dancing. The event tends to sell out fast, so don't wait. Get your tickets ASAP because you're not going to want to miss this stop! When is 29Rooms? 29Rooms is open to the public Sept 6th–9th & Sept 13th-16th. Each day will have three sessions, which will last three hours. The sessions are: 11 a.m.–2 p.m., 3–6 p.m., 7–10 p.m. Friday & Saturday 7-10 p.m. sessions are reserved for Starlight Sessions. Where is 29Rooms? 588 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 How much are tickets? $39.99 for General Admission. $129.99 for Starlight Sessions. Where can I buy tickets? Go HERE to Get Tickets. You'll be directed to Eventbrite. What is a Starlight Session? Starlight Sessions are held Friday and Saturday night from 7pm - 10pm. The 29Rooms Starlight Session ticket includes all of the magic of the General Admission ticket plus more room ro dance, create and explore, a smaller group of people admitted at once, three drink tickets, and light bites. This is the most intimate way to see R29Rooms

Design

Architecture

Alphabet Inc's Google said on Tuesday it has made "no changes" to its mapping platform in China, denying an earlier media report that claimed it was re-launching the function in China, where many of its services are blocked. Japan's Nikkei reported earlier that Google had set up a China-specific version of the Google Maps website for the first time in eight years and introduced a map application for Chinese iPhones for the first time. Google, however, stated that the Google Maps browser has been available in China for many years while there is no Maps application offered in the country. "There have been no changes to Google Maps in China. Maps has been accessible on desktop for years, but does not have an official presence in Android or iOS app stores in China," Google Spokesman Taj Meadows said in comments sent to Reuters. A Chinese version of Google Maps was accessible on Tuesday on mobile and desktop browsers with certain functions available, but Reuters was unable to find a Google Maps app available in Chinese app stores. Nikkei reported users could find an app, but if they tried to use features like navigation they were automatically transferred to an app from AutoNavi, a mapping company owned by China's Alibaba Group Holding. AutoNavi did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for a comment. Google has tried to re-enter the China market, where its main search platform is blocked along with its popular video platform YouTube, limiting its access to China's internet users. Google joined an investment in Chinese live-stream mobile game platform Chushou earlier this month after ramping up an artificial intelligence (AI) push last year, including launching an AI lab in December and hosting a match of the board game Go between its AI project Alpha Go and Chinese Go champion Ke Jie. Last month, Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai spoke at a high-profile tech event in China organised by the Cyberspace Administration of China, which oversees internet censorship. A full Google Maps app has not been available in China since the company pulled many of its services in 2010 after refusing to self-censor its search results. Since then, it has maintained a limited presence in the world's top smartphone market.

Technology

E-commerce

Aug 12 (Reuters) - Third Point Llc: * Third Point Llc cuts share stake in Yum Brands Inc by 54.5 pct to 2.5 mln shares - SEC Filing * Change in holdings are as of June 30, 2016 and compared with the previous quarter ended as of March 31, 2016 Source text for quarter ended June 30, 2016:(bit.ly/2aZDRz5) Source text for quarter ended March 31, 2016:(bit.ly/2bc41it)

Technology

Computer Science

BRASILIA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The studies division of Brazilian telecoms regulator Anatel has suggested modifications to a restructuring plan proposed by the board of debt-laden carrier Oi SA, a source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters late on Tuesday. According to the source, who requested anonymity because the matter is private, the division proposed that fees paid to bondholders who agree to inject capital into the carrier only be paid when the capital increase occurs, rather than beforehand. Under the board’s proposed restructuring plan, Reuters earlier reported, creditors that inject capital into the carrier could stand to earn fees of up to 500 million reais ($153 million), some of it upfront. The suggestions of the studies division will now be sent to the board of Anatel, which will deliberate further, the source said, adding Oi will hold a board meeting on Wednesday morning. Earlier in November, the board of Oi, which filed for bankruptcy protection 17 months ago, revealed its official restructuring proposal in a securities filing. However, Anatel demanded the company submit the plan to the regulator for review before filing it with a bankruptcy court. Oi and Anatel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. $1 = 3.26 reais Reporting by Leonardo Goy; Writing by Gram Slattery; Editing by Brad Haynes and Mark Potter

Business

Investment

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the 2017 Sexiest Man Alive will be revealed on Tuesday, Nov. 14! Ahead of the big day, we’re counting down with a handful of hot Hollywood stars who earned spots in the pages of the issue. PEOPLE’s Sexiest Triple Threat, rapper/actor/producer 50 Cent, defines sexy as having confidence. “I think a lot of a man’s confidence is connected to his accomplishments,” the 42-year-old Power star tells PEOPLE. “I don’t think men are as sexy as women are until we’re successful and it’s publicly noted. But if you can have the confidence to just be yourself … you’ll say things that make women laugh, know they like having you around because your energy is just good. It’s you being you versus you trying to be something.” What also gives him confidence is being a father to his son, 5-year-old Sire. “He’s the most important person in my life,” the rapper, né Curtis Jackson, explains. “He’s my motivation.” Check out yesterday’s sexy man of the day, Kofi Siriboe. And come back to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Nov. 14, to find out who’s been crowned 2017’s Sexiest Man Alive!

Other

Other

(CNN)Professor Fritz Vollrath keeps his spiders in luxurious accommodation on the roof of Oxford University. Dozens of plump Golden Orb Weavers cover the ceiling of a converted greenhouse, basking in the tropical humidity and lush foliage, as their intricate webs pluck delicacies from an ever-present swarm of flies. "I don't understand arachnophobia," says Vollrath, as he inspects his brood. After 40 years working with spiders, the German-born zoologist has developed a deep appreciation of their near-miraculous powers. Spiders create webs by spinning liquid protein into silk that is pound-for-pound stronger than steel, yet extremely flexible. The highly efficient process requires little energy, and many spiders recycle by eating and spinning a fresh web each day. Vollrath's mission is to harness the spider's powers for use inside human bodies, and he is creating silk implants that could transform regenerative medicine. Discovering the web As a student at the University of Oxford during the 1960s, Vollrath initially focused on the flight patterns of homing pigeons, supervised by Nobel Prize-winning ornithologist Nikolaas Tinbergen. But his curiosities soon led him to focus on spiders and their webs, which had been largely ignored in academic research. "In the early days it was about fascination with complex systems," Vollrath recalls. "The web is a complex, geometric structure, and the spider builds it, from itself, with very fine material. You think: 'How does that work? What rules does the animal use?'" Vollrath published his first paper on spiders in 1976, and followed it up with a flurry of groundbreaking studies that explored the unique properties and functions of their webs. His field research took him across the world, including long spells in Panama and Papua New Guinea, on the trail of exotic species with rare qualities. "I spent a lot of time just sitting in a chair in a forest watching spiders do their thing to understand their behavior," he says. "If you find an interesting one with unusual silk...you can dissect the spider to see the silk gland and how the silk is spun." The zoologist's revelations led to diverse collaborations. He worked closely with architects to design buildings based on webs, and even nets for catching space debris. He took commissions from the U.S. military to study how drugs, including LSD, affected a spiders' web building. "Caffeine was the worst because the spider is so nervous," he learned. But the most promising applications were in medicine. Since Ancient Greece, cultures have treated wounds by rubbing them with spider webs, believing this prevented blood loss and infection. Vollrath put this tradition to the test by creating spider silk dressings in a series of animal trials, and found they blended seamlessly within host tissue. "Spider silk is inherently biocompatible so the wound does not reject it," he says. The silk is also biodegradable, meaning the dressing is simply eaten away as the wound heals." "Even when the silk was not cleaned and just harvested from a web it would seal the wound, and we didn't have to remove it after." Read: The bionic skin that can feel a tumor The silk code Next, Vollrath set out to analyze the thread itself as it was reeled from a spider's abdomen. The zoologist discovered a unique alignment of the protein structures within, which proved resilient to stress and deformation. He identified this to be the source of the silk's unique strength and flexibility. Vollrath learned that a Golden Orb Weaver spider produces seven types of silk -- each for different purposes. Dragline silk, which the spider uses to hang from, proved the toughest. This became the model for a new type of biomedical implant that would offer the same supreme strength and resilience inside the human body, while solving a production problem. Manufacturing spider silk in bulk was impossible, as it could only be harvested one thread at a time from anesthetized spiders, and as arachnids they cannot be farmed because they are cannibals. Vollrath sought instead to bring in the powers of silkworms, which collectively produce over 150,000 tons of silk each year through an industrial process of rearing and boiling the worms. This method has served to produce luxury fabrics for over 5,000 years, dating back to Neolithic China. The silk from a silkworm, however, lacks the strength of spider silk, and contains a toxic glue that makes it less ideal for surgery -- but it would serve as a canvas to build upon. After becoming the head of the new Silk Group at Oxford University, Vollrath discovered a strain of wild silkworm whose silk had similar protein patterns to that of a spider. He sequenced the silkworm's proteins and matched them to the structure of spider dragline silk. The product of this was then dissolved to remove the toxic glue and then reconstituted as a tough, clean material that the Group named Spidrex. Read: How to create opioids for the masses Spider surgery The Silk Group's progress attracted commercial interest, which allowed Vollrath to launch spin-off company Oxford Biomaterials for the development of medical applications. He looked at using Spidrex to make artificial bone, and also tested it for use as dressings and sutures, but he eventually settled on knee replacements -- an area in desperate need of new solutions. There are 600,000 such procedures a year in the United States alone at a cost of $13 billion, and this figure is projected to rise sharply. "With cartilage there was nothing," he says. "There were plastics, but they really did not do the job." These implants have to be taken out eventually, which can have huge complications, Vollrath points out. The Group launched its second spin-off, Orthox, which used Spidrex to create a malleable material that could be shaped to replace knee cartilage and serve as a biocompatible scaffold to support tissue that would then regenerate over it. "You want cells to grow into it, to populate the new cartilage and re-enforce it as they develop," says Vollrath. "As the material degenerates the cells use it as a scaffold." The ideal for the team was to create an implant that would be replaced with original cartilage within five years. The implants are now midway through clinical trials, and Vollrath is pleased with their progress. "The people are happy and the surgeons are happy," he says, believing the implants could be widely available by 2018. A similar scaffold concept is being applied for nerve repair, through yet another offshoot start-up Neurotex. The team are hoping to apply this to the central nervous system and help reverse paralysis caused by severe spinal injuries -- yet another field in dire need of more options. The field of silk-based medicine is now teeming with possibilities. The Silk Age New studies are published almost every day exploring applications for silk in regenerative medicine. Research teams around the world are producing new materials using a range of creative techniques, such as implanting spider DNA into goats and even using yeast to spin silk. Silk material is now also being used for sutures, scaffolds, grafts and a vast selection of biomedical implants. "(Silk) could be standard practice for many medical procedures," says Professor Insup Noh, editor of Biomaterials Research journal. "Silk materials have already been approved as a medical raw material, which is a big advantage compared with other emerging polymeric biomaterials." Vollrath's group is now working on bicycle helmets, airplane panels and military uniforms, and studying the spider's ultra-efficient spinning process for use in advanced manufacturing. Spider webs have become a model for pollution sensors,, while synthetic spider silk is increasingly popular for clothing. After 40 years of rapid progress, the zoologist remains convinced he is still just scratching the surface of what his greenhouse guests can deliver. "Spider have been around for millions of years," says Vollrath. "There is so much more to learn from them." CNN's Jim Stenman contributed to this report.

Other

Other

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has declined to certify a financial disclosure report from former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott PruittEdward (Scott) Scott PruittEnvironmentalists renew bid to overturn EPA policy barring scientists from advisory panels Six states sue EPA over pesticide tied to brain damage Overnight Energy: Trump EPA looks to change air pollution permit process | GOP senators propose easing Obama water rule | Green group sues EPA over lead dust rules MORE, citing a $50-a-night deal he secured for a Washington condo, according to The Associated Press. The OGE said in documents released Tuesday that federal authorities never confirmed whether Pruitt's condo arrangement with a lobbyist’s wife was an ethical business arrangement, the AP reported. Pruitt resigned in July amid allegations that he used his position for personal enrichment and favors. The $50-a-night fee applied only to nights when Pruitt stayed at the condo, according to the AP. He rented the unit from a company whose co-owner is married to J. Steven Hart, who at the time was chairman of the Washington lobbying firm Williams & Jensen. After Pruitt’s resignation, the EPA’s ethics watchdog ended its investigation of the housing arrangement without making a determination. The OGE said that means it is unable to rule on whether Pruitt should have reported it as a gift, according to the AP. The EPA's internal watchdog also closed a second investigation covering several ethics allegations against Pruitt, including that he made subordinates find him personal housing, secure a mattress for his personal use and seek a “business opportunity” for his wife with Chick-fil-A. “Mr. Pruitt resigned prior to being interviewed by investigators. For that reason, the OIG deemed that the result of the investigation was inconclusive. The case will be closed,” the EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) wrote for both investigations. Neither the OGE nor the EPA immediately responded to requests for comment. The news comes a day after Pruitt’s successor, Andrew Wheeler, recused himself from review of a mining project represented by his former law firm. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

Politics

Government

GARAGE is a print and digital universe spanning the worlds of art, fashion, design, and culture. Our launch on VICE.com is coming soon, but until then, we're publishing original stories, essays, videos, and more to give you a taste of what's to come. Read our editor's letter to learn more. Part of fashion's function is to tell us what's next—whether that be a new skirt length, an obsession with floral prints, or a dalliance with a new subculture—but rarely is the picture a grim one. Visions of the apocalypse aren't exactly dancing in Bergdorf's buyers' heads, after all. But last Thursday, the underground-ish collective Vaquera—Patric DiCaprio, David Moses, Bryn Taubensee, and Claire Sully—presented a collection in collaboration with the dystopia du jour, Hulu adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel about a future in which a totalitarian, patriarchal regime overthrows the American government and makes women state property. The aspirational quality of the runway may seem at odds with the show's themes of oppression—those red robes and horse blinder bonnets don't exactly say, oppression: get the look!—but Vaquera's models stomped in tattered red garments, white suffragette aprons, and suffocating face-to-toe mesh that played with concepts of how clothing oppresses or liberates the person beneath it. For Vaquera, the runway is a space primed for disruption. "The runway is a really weird thing to begin with because people are sitting in an audience watching people walk back and forth," said Taubensee, impossibly flushed and young, in an interview after the show. "So to play off of that is really kind of easy, because it's already really bizarre." They said they owe part of that to choreographer Remy Maelen, who asked the models to walk with an aggressive hunch, and part to their models, who were found by their casting collaborator Walter Pearce: "We like models that have angst and personality," Sully said. Facing the photographers' pit, the models smashed flowers, ate tangerines, and made out. "There are already so many rules so to break—all you have to do is make one misstep," said DiCaprio. "So it's fun to just break them all." Curiously, all the looks shared the same shoe—a medieval slipper with a winkle picker toe and ballet ribbons, in the television show's fire engine hue or blinding white. The designers compared them to Converse, a ubiquitous do-it-all shoe that's been coopted by countless subcultures and yet retains an iconoclastic aura. It's a compelling contradiction. Can something be both delicate and harsh? And it suggests a tyrant's clothing is sometimes none too different from the people they rule over, which feels true to the moment (Uber's controversial C.E.O.'s daily uniform isn't so different from that of the company's drivers). And all that stomping: what does it mean when something vulnerable is used for aggression? No one should go so far as to say that footwear will bring us world peace or whatever, but Vaquera's fashion is demonstrative of a creative interrogation that the fashion world, which feels newly buzzing with political energy, is craving right now.

Art

Visual Art

Square Feet New York is seeking to replace the discount-clothing stores and doughnut chains that line its subway corridors with trendy food halls and upscale shops. Crowded, loud and gritty are qualities frequently associated with New York’s subway system. A place to relax with an ethnic dish and a cocktail, and perhaps browse a boutique shop? Not so much. But if a retail overhaul by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority succeeds, those kinds of leisure activities will become more common. In an effort to raise extra revenue needed to help improve service, the authority is seeking to replace the discount-clothing stores and doughnut chains that line its underground passageways with trendy food halls and upscale shops. The M.T.A. hopes to replicate the success of a three-year-old market at its Columbus Circle station, but the proposal has skeptics. Some question the logic of replacing any tenants when they can be hard to find in a challenging retail climate, while others say that stores will struggle until train delays are remedied. And equating the A train platform with a restaurant destination may be a stretch. “The stench and the extremely high temperatures and the rats make it hard to associate the subway with food,” said Peter Braus, a managing principal with Lee and Associates, a commercial brokerage firm in New York. “But there is something that retailers love, which is bodies.” The plan, announced this year, is likely to have the biggest effect in Midtown Manhattan, where a handful of high-traffic stations are set for makeovers, including the 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal stop for A, C and E trains. Featuring a long corridor with low ceilings lined with pipes, the station offers 8,800 square feet across 14 stalls, many measuring less than 500 square feet. Under the plan, a single landlord would lease the entire corridor, which for years housed tenants like a barber, a florist and clothing stores. The stalls would then be sublet to an “attractive mix” of stores and restaurants, according to the plan, which was hatched to coincide with expiring leases. Most of the stores are vacant; remaining tenants will have to request leases with the new developer. The developer would also be responsible for adding vents, water lines and a trash room. Rent has not been set for the corridor, which would be leased for at least 20 years. It will be determined after hearing from developers, who will submit bids next month. The authority will not simply go with the highest bidder, officials said, but will favor the right look and feel instead. Most of the tenants at the station under the Port Authority Bus Terminal were paying less than $200 a square foot annually, according to public data, with more than half shelling out less than $100 a square foot a year. Rents are usually lower for subway stores than for their street-level counterparts because the stores are often beyond the turnstiles, so customers have to pay subway fare just to drop in. But the rents at the Port Authority Bus Terminal station shops are still well below market rate, brokers say. Indeed, landlords ask more than $350 a square foot for aboveground storefronts in the immediate area. And in bustling Times Square, a block to the east, rents are far steeper, about $1,900 a square foot, brokers say. The transit authority could use the extra money that renting out the spaces would bring in. It is seeking to invest $40 billion in repairs and improvements in the next decade, including upgrades to subway tracks and signals to make trains more punctual. Approved bond financing worth $25 billion, backed by new congestion-pricing tolls, and sales and real estate taxes are likely to help alleviate the financial burden. But the authority, seeking to create new revenue sources, seems willing to embrace smaller-bore efforts, too. Vending machines selling toothpaste, deodorant, ear plugs and even colorful salads in jars have been popping up in stations. And the authority has been selling discarded train parts like seats, doors and maps. In August, a straphangers’ handle was available on its website for $25. The redevelopment of the retail spaces may not create a windfall overnight, said Janno Lieber, the M.T.A.’s chief development officer. He joined the authority in 2017 to oversee infrastructure projects after playing a major role in the reconstruction of the World Trade Center for Silverstein Properties. But the new options will be appreciated, he said. “We owe it to New Yorkers to create a dynamic subway environment,” Mr. Lieber said. “This is the right time for lots of reasons.” Adding restaurants, however tiny, to the underground corridors would be a stark change for the city. Even though lunch counters once dotted subway stations, including some on platforms, they mostly disappeared by the 1980s, when the subway system was plagued by low ridership and perceived as unsafe and unsanitary. For the subway stations that will be redeveloped, the authority is also relaxing its rules on alcohol sales, though the beverages cannot be carried outside restaurants. The station-as-destination concept is not without precedent. Fulton Center, a multilevel hub in Lower Manhattan that ties together more than a half-dozen subway lines, was redesigned in 2014 as a $1.4 billion transit and retail complex lit by a domed skylight. On a smaller scale is TurnStyle, the Columbus Circle market in a below-grade passageway, which offers 30 businesses, including 19 with food. Privately financed with $14.5 million, the 27,000-square-foot TurnStyle offers savory Bolivian pastries, Japanese rice cakes, bowls of ramen, homemade pasta and bubble tea. Since opening in 2016, the market has had a 90 percent occupancy rate, said Susan E. Fine, a principal at Fine Development Partnerships, the site’s developer. “It was unpleasant, not air-conditioned and ugly before,” Ms. Fine said, “and now it’s like a city street.” Formerly a director of real estate for the M.T.A., Ms. Fine was also involved with bolstering shopping options at Grand Central Terminal, which doubled its retail space in a sweeping renovation in 1998. Average rent for the Grand Central shops and restaurants is about $460 a square foot annually, according to the authority, which owns the terminal, and in August, all but one of its 95 spaces were rented. TurnStyle and similar ventures are making a smart bet by emphasizing cuisine, said Gene Spiegelman, a vice chairman of Ripco Real Estate, a retail-focused brokerage firm. Restaurant deals represent about 40 percent of all new retail leases in New York, Mr. Spiegelman said, up from about 25 percent about a decade ago. Privatizing subway retail is another positive trend, he said. “It makes better sense, because the private sector is much more effective,” he added. After choosing a developer for the 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal station, the transportation authority will solicit bids for two other hubs, Times Square and Rockefeller Center. The authority has focused some attention outside Manhattan, too. This year, it awarded the rights to upgrade the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn to CAI Foods, a division of the Zamperla Group, which owns the nearby Luna Park amusement park. For a starting rent of $450,000, CAI will redevelop nine of the station’s 11 retail spaces, which now have chains like Subway and Dunkin’. Among their replacements will be Rcade, a bar and restaurant with video games, according to the M.T.A., which said it had received 20 bids for the site. Subway retail shops offer their own benefits and drawbacks, said Lou Moskowitz, who owns Record Mart, a music store inside the Times Square station that his father, Jesse Moskowitz, founded in the Union Square station in 1958. The store, with 700 square feet, will be offered as part of the upcoming Times Square redevelopment, meaning Mr. Moskowitz could lose his space. The heat can be oppressive, he said as he stood by an industrial-scale air-conditioner that showed a temperature of 95 degrees. But he described satisfaction when rushing commuters pause to stop in. “It’s been great because we’re so central,” Mr. Moskowitz said.

Business

Retail

Call them "PEE-cans" or "puh-KAHNZ" or whatever you want, but pecans might just be the best nut. It's well-known that pecan pie is dreamy AF. Pecan praline, where do we even begin? But pecan tuile is the secret weapon we all deserve to have in our nutty arsenal. Shards of this featherlight, crispy, cinnamony, sweet treat will enhance everything from a salad to a bowl of ice cream. You can even go meta and sprinkle it on a slice of pecan pie. Or, you know, you can always just crumble it and shove it into your face like potato chips. We recommend this. Just mix, bake, shape, and cool. Think of it as edible fairy dust that tastes like a pumpkin spice daydream.

Food

Vegetarianism

To be frank, spa-inspired beauty lines aren't usually our favorite. Not only are they expensive, but more often than not, you can only buy the products in the actual spa. And who has time for that? For millennials on a time crunch, without a ton of cash, looking for a solid 100-like Instagram post, spa lines just don't make sense. Unless, that is, we're talking about Bliss. Bliss isn't new at all (it's been around for years, having originated in its own spa by the same name) and it's developed something of a cult following. But the brand wasn't always the buzziest until this week, when it officially announced its relaunch — complete with post-worthy packaging, new formulations, and lower price tags. And by low, we mean everything from Bliss now retails for under $25, which is pretty unheard of in the category. Even better, it's fixing the whole inaccessible issue by adding products to shelves in Target (March 18) and Ulta Beauty (April 1). If you're one of the brand's longtime fans, don't worry, because not every product changed completely — some oldies but goodies still remain, like the Triple Oxygen Mask and zesty Body Butters. Click ahead to check out the new rollout of Bliss' relaunched line, available now on the brand site.

Beauty

Skincare

Aug 18 (Reuters) - Bankrate Inc: * Bankrate Inc - ‍on Aug 18, co, Red Ventures received request for additional information from FTC in connection with FTC’s review of merger​ * Bankrate - ‍parties continue to expect that all required regulatory approvals for merger to be obtained, that merger will be completed by end of 2017​ Source text: (bit.ly/2wp7GDW) Further company coverage:

Technology

Computer Science

Facebook's iOS app is getting an update iPhone 6S users will appreciate: new 3D Touch actions. The social network is beginning to roll out support for new "peek and pop" 3D Touch actions in its iOS app. The update, which is starting to roll out to iPhone 6S users Thursday, allows iPhone 6S users to utilize 3D Touch while browsing their News Feed and other areas of the Facebook app. Facebook first began rolling out support for 3D Touch last year, but it only added quick actions, which you can access from the app's icon on your home screen. With the newest update, Facebook has expanded its support for the feature with new "peek and pop" gestures. Pressing lightly on a profile, link, Page, group or photo will trigger a preview of the content while pressing harder will open the link, photo, profile or group. Facebook says the update will begin to roll out to a small number of iPhone 6S users Thursday and will be available more widely in the coming months. The update is also welcome news for those waiting for more developers to take advantage of 3D Touch. Apple introduced 3D Touch last year with the iPhone 6S. The feature is powered by the addition of pressure sensitive senosors in the iPhone's display that are able to detect subtle variations in pressure. It, along with Live Photos, is one of the iPhone 6S' flagship features. But, as with most major new features, it's taken some time for developers to take full advantage of the capabilities afforded by 3D Touch, particularly since it's limited to people who have the newest iPhone. But now that Facebook and other major names are beginning to expand their support, it's likely more developers will begin to experiment with the features.

Technology

Social Media

Syracuse rallies to knock off No. 9 Virginia SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Apparently, no lead against the Syracuse Orange is safe enough for the Virginia Cavaliers. Syracuse erased a 12-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Cavaliers 44-28 in the second half on Saturday as the Orange downed ninth-ranked Virginia 66-62 in an Atlantic Coast Conference game before 27,553 fans at the Carrier Dome — the largest on-campus crowd of the season. In their previous meeting in last year’s NCAA Tournament, 10th-seeded Syracuse rallied from 16 points down in the second half to stun top-seeded Virginia and advance to the Final Four. “It shows a lot of determination from our players; I’m really proud of what they did today,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “It was an unbelievable comeback. Unbelievable. “I think it topped the other night (a 16-point comeback against North Carolina State) because of the way Virginia plays defense.” Depending on your point of view, Boeheim notched either his 1,000th or 899th career win as 101 Orange wins between 2004-07 and 2010-12 were vacated because of NCAA violations. The only other Division I coach with 1,000 victories is Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, who was at 1,060 entering Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. Under NCAA rules, Syracuse could not acknowledge the win as Boeheim’s 1,000th. But that didn’t stop Syracuse fans from storming the court after the game or waving signs congratulating Boeheim on No. 1,000, and it didn’t stop Boeheim from remaining on the court for a few minutes to wave to fans and bask in the upset win. “I’m just happy to win this game,” Boeheim said. “This was a huge game for us. We had to win this game. The number I’m concerned about going into today was 15. We had to get to 15 (wins) today. “The crowd was so instrumental in the game and I was trying to show them that.” Freshman guard Tyus Battle scored a career-high 23 points and Andrew White also tallied 23 as the Orange (15-9, 7-4 in the ACC) won its fourth consecutive game. Kyle Guy led the Cavaliers (17-5, 7-3) with 14 points, and London Perrantes added 11 points and eight assists. Trailing 34-22 at the half, Boeheim said he followed assistant coaches Mike Hopkins and Gerry McNamara’s advice that the Orange open the floor and allow wings Battle and White to penetrate against Virginia’s vaunted man-to-man defense. The Cavaliers entered the game ranked first in the nation in points allowed per game (53.4) and second in the ACC in field goal percentage defense (38.5). “In the first half, they did a really good job of protecting the paint and being tight in gaps,” said White, a fifth-year senior transfer from Nebraska who has scored in double figures in all but one of Syracuse’s games this season. “But in the second half, we were able to spread the floor a little bit more and kind of play ‘take ‘em,’ and it worked.” White and Battle scored a combined 28 points in the second half on 7-for-11 shooting and sank 11 of 14 foul shots. After shooting 39.1 percent from the floor and 25 percent from 3-point range in the first half, the Orange shot 73.7 percent in the second half (66.7 from 3-point range). “The second half, we talked about it, they spread us out and they attacked,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “”Those wings are good; they’re physical, they’re tough, they can create their own. We had a hard time keeping them in front.” Syracuse opened the second half on an 11-0 run as the Orange held the Cavaliers without a field goal for the first 7:11 of the half. Battle ignited the run with a 3-pointer and White capped it with another trey. After Guy ended the Virginia drought with a runner to put the Cavaliers ahead 36-33, White and Tyler Lydon hit back-to-back 3- pointers to give Syracuse a 39-36 advantage. “We knew it was coming,” Perrantes said. “We know they were going to try to put up a run, we just had to be able to fight and we didn’t.” Although Virginia pulled within two points on four occasions late in the game, the Orange never trailed again as Battle’s and White’s drives resulted in layups or foul shots. While Syracuse missed only five shots in the second half, the Cavaliers couldn’t mount enough offense against Syracuse’s 2-3 zone despite shooting 48 percent (24 for 50) overall and 50 percent (12 for 24) from 3-point range for the game. “We were just moving on defense, keeping our hands up,” Battle said. “I think in the second half we wanted to get out on the 3-point shooters a little more. If we’re moving like that, it’s tough to beat the zone.” The Cavaliers shot 7 of 11 from 3-point range in the first half as they built that 34-22 lead. After Battle tied the score 19-19 on a 3-pointer with 7:25 left in the half, the Cavaliers went on a 15-3 spurt to close the half, with guard Guy making two 3-pointers. Guy, who entered the game averaging 7.5 points per game, connected on three 3-pointers in the first half and forward Mamadi Diakite added eight points, four above his season average. But Syracuse stormed back in the second half, putting a rare smile on Boeheim’s face and propelling the Orange back in the hunt for a NCAA Tournament berth after some dismal non-conference losses. “I love seeing coach happy,” Syracuse guard John Gillon said. “He works so hard and he cares so much, just to see his work pay off means a lot to me and for me to be able to help him (reach 1,000 wins) and be just a little part of it is huge.” NOTES: Syracuse senior G Andrew White, who was 3 of 8 from 3-point range Saturday, entered the game averaging 3.22 3-pointers per game in league play, the highest in the ACC since Duke’s J.J. Redick averaged 3.86 treys per game in 2005-06. ... Despite the loss, Virginia has the best road record in ACC play (23-10) since the league expanded to 15 teams in 2013-14. ... Orange sophomore F Tyler Lydon had made 33 consecutive free throws before missing his first one Saturday. Brandon Triche holds the Syracuse record with 37 consecutive free throws.

Sports

Basketball

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here. 1. Cloudflare files for initial public offering The web infrastructure company has recently found itself at the center of political debates around some of its customers, including social media networks like 8chan and racist media companies like the Daily Stormer. In fact, the company went so far as to cite 8chan as a risk factor in its public offering documents. Even so, the company will likely be worth billions when it starts trading on the market. And we have to point out that Cloudflare actually made its debut on TechCrunch’s Battlefield stage back in 2010. 2. Apple is suing Corellium Corellium allows customers to create and interact with virtual iOS devices — a software iPhone, for example, running actual iOS firmware, all within the browser. Apple says this is copyright infringement. 3. YouTube shuts down music companies’ use of manual copyright claims to steal creator revenue Going forward, copyright owners will no longer be able to monetize creator videos with very short or unintentional uses of music via YouTube’s “Manual Claiming” tool. Instead, they can choose to prevent the other party from monetizing the video, or they can block the content. 4. Twitter leads $100M round in top Indian regional social media platform ShareChat ShareChat serves 60 million users each month in 15 regional languages — but not English, which the company says is a deliberate choice. 5. Apple, Samsung continue growth as North American wearables market hits $2B The numbers aren’t exactly earth-shattering, but they show significant growth for a category that felt almost dead in the water a year or two back. 6. Local governments are forcing the scooter industry to grow up fast For scooter startups, city regulations can make or break their businesses across nearly every aspect of operations, especially in two key areas: ridership growth and the ability to attract investor dollars. (Extra Crunch membership required.) 7. Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich will join us for TC Sessions: Enterprise on September 5 In a fireside chat, we’ll ask Russinovich about what Microsoft is doing to reduce the complexity of moving legacy systems to the cloud, and how enterprises can maximize their current cloud investments.

Technology

Cloud Computing