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Wide Receiver Sleepers for Fantasy Football Week 4

wide receiver sleepers for fantasy football week 4 pierre garcon 2015 nflI’ve had Steve Smith Sr. on my fantasy team in every league for the past two years now. I’m not overly happy with him right now after he was forced to leave the Thursday Night Football matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers early with back troubles, but after what he did last week I’m willing to forgive it. He’s by far my favorite fantasy receiver because he’s always considered too old and drops to the late rounds of the draft.

So with the Ravens OT win over Pittsburgh making me think about value receivers, here’s some that you may want to start this week, especially in one-day leagues:

Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers: Yes, I realize that in order for Boldin to do well Colin Kaepernick will actually have to throw the ball in his general vicinity…yes, I know that’s a lot to ask for, but at the same time Boldin is the No. 1 guy right now in San Francisco. The Green Bay Packers have been giving up a good number of points to go-to guys (most recently Jeremy Maclin), so the reward could very well be worth the risk.

Marvin Jones, Cincinnati Bengals: Jones has a touchdown in each of the Bengals last two games, and the way they’ve been spreading the ball there is no reason he doesn’t make it three in a row against the Kansas City Chiefs. On top of that, the Chiefs have given up eight touchdowns through the air over the past two weeks. Obviously Andy Dalton is not Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers, but he is playing as well as anyone right now. Take advantage of it before the playoffs roll around.

Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins: Two big reasons to trust Garcon here despite the QB issues. First, DeSean Jackson will be sitting out with hammy problems, leaving Garcon as the most reliable receiver on the roster. Second, the Philadelphia Eagles pass defense hasn’t been something to stress over. Brandon Marshall, Terrance Williams, and Julio Jones all tore apart Philly’s secondary, accumulating at least 14 points each during their respective weeks.

Okay, Kirk. Try not to screw this up for the good people now.

SHARK TANK 701: Ashton Kutcher vs Kevin O’Leary

shark tank 701 recap ashton kutcher with kevin oleary 2025The Season 7 premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank kicked off as entertaining as it always is. This season began with a bang, as the show invited “prolific investor and investor capitalist” Ashton Kutcher to the tank. Ashton joined tank regulars Kevin O’Leary, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner.

Although Ashton is known for his role as not-so-bright Michael Kelso on That 70s Show, he has more recently become involved in numerous high tech companies including Skype and AirBnb. In 2013, Kutcher was even named a product engineer for well-known PC company Lenovo. As a shark, Ashton undoubtedly proves he knows the right questions to ask when it comes to investing in entrepreneurs, but I will admit it was difficult to take him seriously. I couldn’t help but feel like the whole thing was a sketch on SNL or something, but I think with time he will be able to establish himself as a savvy investor, maybe even a permanent “shark.”

 Pitch #1: The Beebo

Seeking: $200,000 for a 20% stake

The Beebo is a shoulder sling that holds a baby bottle in place on the chest, allowing parents to bottle-feed their baby hands free. The product is well designed, but several of the sharks explain that they don’t think it solves a big enough problem.

However, Lori ends up asking Ashton to come in on a deal of $200k for 30%. Ashton, being a new father, decides to join Lori. This marks the first deal Ashton makes as a shark.

Pitch #2: Acton Rocket Skates

Seeking: $1,000,000 for a 3.5% stake

Acton’s Rocket Skates are electric-powered roller skates that can wheel up to 10 miles per hour. Although the company has been growing rapidly, the sharks are still hesitant towards investing $1 million for the measly 3.5% stake they are being offered. Unfortunately, the only shark that ends up offering is Kevin, but he asks for 15%. However, the entrepreneur isn’t willing to drop his company’s valuation that drastically and walks – I mean, skates away.

Pitch #3: McClary Bros. Drinking Vinegars

Seeking: $100,000 for a 15% stake

McClary Bros. Drinking Vinegars is a line of specialized vinegar cocktail mixers. They are sold as natural alternatives to sodas and other artificial mixers. Unfortunately, every shark that takes a taste or even a sniff is obviously put-off by the product. All of the sharks drop out, and Kevin even begins his usual spiel to the company owner, basically telling her to never speak of this idea again. It is here, we see Ashton taking a strong stance against the intimidating Mr. Wonderful and argue with him saying, “You’re belittling people, and that’s not okay!”

Unfortunately, I don’t think Kevin takes Ashton all too seriously either.

Pitch #4: SignalVault

Seeking: $200,000 for a 12.5% stake

SignalVault offers a card-sized device that blocks hackers from stealing your credit card information while it is “safely” tucked away in your wallet. The sharks become increasingly interested, as the entrepreneur tells them he makes each product for $.75 and sells them for $14.95.

Initially, Kevin offers $200,000 for 20%. Meanwhile, Lori offers him 200% for 18%. Shortly after, Robert Herjavec, who owns a multi-million-dollar Internet security firm, expresses interest in the business. The entrepreneur begins negotiating and tries to strike a deal with both Lori and Robert. He ends up closing a deal with both the sharks at $200,000 for 25%. Evidently, the more sharks you get, the more you have to pay!

You can catch next week’s episode of Shark Tank on Friday, October 2 at 9pm on ABC.

Sneak Peek:

Next weeks episode of Shark Tank includes: hummus with a twist, eyelash extensions, edible cups, a solution to forgotten passwords and a Shark Tank update on The Red Dress Boutique.

shark tank kevin oleary rules of sale 2015KEVIN O’LEARY AKA MR WONDERFUL’s Five Rules Of the Sale

Before he became “Mr. Wonderful,” Kevin O’Leary of “Shark Tank” scooped ice cream for his first job. Since then, he went on to build a company that has since sold for $4 billion and is the founder of O’Leary Financial Group.

“Business is war. My job is to salt the earth my competitors walk in, burn down their market shares, steal their customers, take all of their profits and go home and hug my kids,” O’Leary told ABC News’ “20/20.” “[I] get up in the morning and do it again.”

To O’Leary, 61, the hardest business job in the world is sales.

“Every business has sales. If you have no sales you have no business,” O’Leary said. “I don’t think it’s ever been more competitive than it is now. We not only have competition within our own country, but we have the world competing for our customers.”

1. Walk the Walk.

In this technique, it’s important for salespeople to know who they are and what they’re selling.

“Number-one rule: great salesmen and women understand it’s their destiny to be a salesperson and to be great,” O’Leary said. “It has to be there all the time, 24-7, no chink in that armor.”

2. Feel the Love.

O’Leary said salespeople need to be passionate about their products.

“You have to love the product you’re selling. You have to have an emotional bond with it. It has to be oozing from every pore that this is the greatest product you have ever sold,” he said.

3. It’s All About the Perfect Pitch.

“Don’t dribble on. Capture your audience immediately. Communicate your vision for why the product belongs in their hands. That’s the perfect pitch,” O’Leary said.

Of all the thousands of sales pitches he has heard, O’Leary said there has been one constant factor in companies that were able to gain an investor.

“In every case, that person was able to articulate the opportunity in 90 seconds or less,” O’Leary said.

4. Be Kind, Not Nice.

“I don’t trust nice people … I don’t believe that someone can be nice all the time,” O’Leary said.

“Every product has its merits and its downsides. Don’t lie about a product … as if there’s no problems at all. Create that bond of trust. That’s paramount.”

5. Be Sticky, Not Gummy.

Salespeople should know when to stop talking, O’Leary said.

“In sales your best friend is time and it’s also your worst enemy. You have to make a decision whether they’re ultimately going to buy from you or not,” he explained.

“As soon as you understand that they’re not, don’t waste your time. Cut them loose. Gummy people just keep going after the sale and wasting everybody’s time.”

Scott Disick Catching Girls Straight From High School & Demi Lovato Stripped Down

scott disick high school girl lindsay virkonik 2015 gossipEarlier this week, Scott Disick was seen partying around New York with a mysterious blonde woman. The two were seen bar hopping, attending a house party and eventually heading back to his hotel at around 6 AM.

Since photos of the two together surfaced, the woman has been identified as 18-year-old college student Lindsay Virkonik,

According to reports, Lindsay is currently attending Parsons School of Design in NYC. She apparently lives in a dorm room near campus and is aspiring to be a professional photographer and painter.

Lindsay is originally from Canada and has actually done some modelling gigs, as she is signed on with Toronto modelling agency Spot 6 Management.

In an interview with Daughterruns.com from earlier this year, Lindsay explained her decision to go to Parsons for school. Lindsay said, “Most of my inspiration comes from my environment, and the people I’m surrounded by. Nothing inspires me more than being in a creative environment, or seeing someone engaging in something they’re passionate about (thus why NYC is the dream ahhh).”

The young student also identified herself as a feminist in the interview, saying, “I hate to sound cliché Petra Collins/Tavi Gevinson and the whole Rookie “feminist art” movement, but no one represents young women better than young women themselves. So really, I’m just sticking to what I know. I think females are very complex beings that are too often dumbed down in the average representation that society delivers of us. So I like my work to focus on the complexity and depth of feeling rather than their physical attractiveness.”

Not only does Scott’s new girl seem completely different than his ex-girlfriend and mother of his three children, Kourtney Kardashian, she is also 14 years younger than him.

Sources close to Kourtney have revealed that she is completely “disgusted” with Scott and no longer wants anything to do with him, other than having him around for their children.

This has easily got that creepy feel like when Matthew McConaughey had that “Dazed and Confused” line, “The nice thing about high school girls. I get older, but they stay the same age.”



demi lovato vanity fair spread 2015 gossipSinger Demi Lovato completely stripped down for her newest spread for Vanity Fair.
The singer teamed up with photographer Patrick Ecclesine, where she came up with three rules for the shoot: “no makeup, no clothes, no retouching.”

Accompanying the spread, Demi explained her new outlook on life and new found confidence in herself that inspired the shoot. She explains, “I am about to launch an album that finally represents who I truly am. How do I embrace this new chapter in my life? How do I really walk the walk? What does it mean to be confident? It means letting go, being authentic, saying I don’t give a f*** and this is who I am. I want to show the side of me that’s real, that’s liberated, that’s free. What if we do a photo shoot where it’s totally raw? Super-sexy, but no makeup, no fancy lighting, no retouching, and no clothing. Let’s do it here, let’s do it now.”

This shoot definitely marks a new chapter for the star, as she previously struggled with body image issues, substance abuse and an eating disorder. However, she continues to embrace a healthy lifestyle and has made huge steps since her bout in rehab.

The images on Vanity Fair’s site showcase the young star in the nude, while posing in the shower, the bathroom and in her bed. This former Disney star has definitely grown up.

Atlanta Falcons MVP so Far This Season

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atlanta falcons mvp matt ryan or julio jones nfl 2015Matt Ryan or Julio Jones? Who have you got as the Atlanta Falcons’ MVP so far in 2015? Both have played lights out and have led the team to a 3-0 start this year. Ryan is as steady as ever of course, while Julio looks like he is the best receiver in the NFL, bar none. His three game tear has made mockeries of the NFC East’s secondaries with 34 catches, a three game record.

No doubt that Atlanta would not be where they are without their incredible QB / WR duo. That said, the Falcons’ MVP so far has to go to the offensive line.

This so called patchwork O-line has done an incredible job of keeping Matt Ryan safe so he has time to actually find Julio Jones. Hard to set NFL reception records when your quarterback is running for his damn life like Ryan was the past two years. Look no further than the last regular season game of 2014 against Carolina for an example of the worst blocking you may ever witness.

Ryan was sacked six times in that debacle of a contest. Compare that to just two sacks over the first three games of 2015 and you can see just how much this year’s offensive line has evolved.

Pro Football Focus has Atlanta’s O-line at number one in pass-blocking efficiency and total pressures allowed. That makes me happy as a Falcons fan and it probably helps Matt Ryan’s wife sleep better at night knowing her hubby isn’t getting hammered by nasty defensive ends every seven plays like last year.

Chris Morgan is the new offensive line coach in Atlanta and shares this early season glory with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Morgan was the assistant O-line coach in Seattle and came over to the ATL with Dan Quinn and we all know how the rushing game went at Beastmode central. And in case you think all the credit should go to Marshawn Lynch, Morgan was also a part of Washington’s Alfred Morris’ back to back 1,000 yard seasons.

That cannot be a coincidence, especially considering the Falcons’ O-line is rated third in run-blocking at PFF. Morgan and Shanahan made Devonta Freeman look like Marshall Faulk last week against Dallas. The holes that were opened for Freeman were a thing of beauty and allowed him to operate without defenders on him at the line of scrimmage. The offense is what kept the team in the game as the defense struggled mightily in the first half, giving up 28 points to the Cowboys.

I have said for the past three years that the Falcons were built in the image of the Patriots. They were constructed with the mindset of outscoring teams, with less focus on the defense. That is the right approach in today’s NFL where the offense has tremendous advantages due to the safety rules.

If the offensive line can continue to do their job at a high level, the Atlanta offense can score with anyone in the League. Yes, even the Patriots and Packers.

Of course the Atlanta defense has to do its job, but does not need to hold teams to ten points a game, an impossible task in today’s NFL.

Before I get way ahead of myself and have Arthur Blank holding the Lombardi Trophy in February, I know the season is very young. I also know that the Birds have played some less than intimidating defenses. The Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys are not even close to the top ten defenses when it relates to sacks. Dallas and NY are actually in the bottom four of the entire NFL.

If I were Arthur Blank I would give Chris Morgan a raise if week four results in another standout game from his offensive line. If Matt Ryan’s jersey remains clean he should make sure his guys up front have new Rolex watches on Monday morning. That’s not a joke.

To get results like Tom Brady, you have to have time to get the ball out on each and every play. That is part of what makes Brady look so good. If he were victimized by defensive pressure like Ryan has been the past couple of years, Brady would have looked average at best.

I don’t know if Atlanta’s O-line can keep up this phenomenal turnaround for 13 more regular season games. Each week holds different matchups that could exploit some weaknesses. If these guys can hold up though, Matt Ryan will have the best season of his career, while Julio wrecks receiving records along the way.

While I wait for Sunday’s kickoff I think I will go ahead and start a crowd funding campaign to get those watches for the O-line, just in case Matty Ice drops the ball.

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER 202: She’s Dying Recap

how to get away with murder 202 shes dying recap 2015 imagesOn this week’s “How to Get Away With Murder” (HTGAWM) it is goes from zero to 100 real quick.

Picking right back up where it left off, at the end of the last episode we saw Caleb and Kathryn’s aunt the two siblings Annalise is representing for the murder of their parents, had her throat slit in her car. The brother was seen coming back in from a “run” while the sister was painting of course, the are suspects.

When they are questioned by Annalise as to their whereabouts that night, Caleb lies and his sister backs him up. Annalise knows something is not right.

Eve and Annalise secretly meet in her car and she asks about Nate’s trial to which Eve tells her to stop micromanaging. They also talk about how much fun they had on their special night.

In the court room, since the prosecutor Ms. Sinclair found out from Asher that Eve and Annalise have a “friendship,” she brings it up in court, making Eve answer for it. Things get really heated and she calls for Eve to be removed from the case because it is clear that she and Annalise are in cahoots she helped Nate kill her husband.

Things cool down and the next day at trial, Annalise is called to the stand as a hostile witness. The Keating Five are in the courtroom trying to keep calm. After the first line of questioning gets too heavy, during the break Annalise gathers herself in the bathroom stall crying. Bonnie interrupts her moment with news that the siblings’ warrant has to do with Caleb’s DNA being found in their aunt’s car. “Always bringing me problems, never solutions” is what she tells Bonnie. Hmmm, someone is a little resentful.

West is tasked with taking Kathryn to work on what really happened the night of her aunt’s murder. He tricks her into telling him the truth, admitting that Caleb did leave. Meanwhile Bonnie talks to Caleb and he admits that he was only gone for 30 minutes but was nowhere near the crime scene.

Annalise is back on the stand and Ms. Sinclair takes her to task about the night of Sam’s death. It leads Annalise to go off on her while on the stand which played right into the prosecutor’s hand. When asked who she thinks killed her husband, Annalise says Nate which pisses him off. Behind closed doors, Nate tells Eve he’s not going along with their game, “find another way.”

Back on the stand, Eve batters Annalise about being a liar and a lot of other personal stuff. She makes a very convincing argument actually laying out everything that happened to a T and Annalise says nothing.

After what happened on the stand, Michaela realizes that if Frank was able to transfers Nate’s prints onto Sam’s ring, then the police could have done the same thing with Caleb’s which they found out is exactly what happened. The cops ran two separate DNA tests.

Bonnie and Annalise have a heart to heart where Bonnie tells her that she saved her and Annalise says “no, you needed to be saved from me.” She then goes into a rant about everybody needing to be saved from her. Eve’s line of questioning on the stand really got to her.

When Annalise goes to court for the siblings, brings up the two DNA tests. The judge rules that it is valid and the two are off the hook for the aunt’s murder.

As far as Nate’s case, because of Ms. Sinclair need to put Annalise on trial for Sam’s murder, the judge has no choice but to rule that there is not enough evidence to try Nate.

Eve shows up at Annalise’s house and they have it out. Annalise wants to know why she said those things while she was on the stand and asked if it was just to hurt her.  Eve tells her that in part it was because she still loves her. Annalise tells her that she was the best thing that every happened to her, the most beautiful thing to ever happen to her and they get it on.

The next morning, while Eve Leaves Annalise’s house, she invites Annalise to come to New York with her because she can’t stay in Sam’s house forever. She gives her a goodbye kiss and what do you know, Nate is staked out and sees the whole thing.

Back at Oliver’s place, he breaks down and tells Connor how he got the HIV. It happened after Connor cheated on him and he had a one-night stand. Connor is crushed because he feels that he is to blame.

Laurel visits Frank to celebrate getting an A on a test he offered to help her cheat on. He seduces her with his words, gets her all hot and horny and then throws her out.

Asher doesn’t know how to keep his big mouth shut and tells Ms. Sinclair that he and he team won and brags out going to make love to his lady to which she tells him to let Bonnie know that she is now the prosecuting attorney on the Hapstall sibling case.

Michaela gives into a guy who tried to get her number at the courthouse and they go on a date. What we find out while they are playing pool, and because West was roaming around at Rebecca’s apartment, is that they know each other (he was in one of her pictures) which makes me pretty sure he is eggs911.

We also get a deeper look into that big plot twist at the end of the season and it is clear that once again, the Keating Five have something to do with it.

It’s all kinds of juicy. Are you here for it?

NCAA College Football Week 4 Winners & Losers 2015

college football week 4 winners losers josh doctson 2015Winners & Losers From Week 4 Of The College Football Season

If anything, Week 4 of the 2015 college football season gave fans a clear favorite in the Heisman Trophy race. LSU’s Leonard Fournette ran all over Syracuse in a 34-24 victory on Saturday. Action out on the West Coast led to some movement in this week’s latest Coaches Poll. The Pac-12 had two games that featured four ranked opponents. It was another exciting weekend of football. Here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers in Week 4.

WINNERS

As mentioned, Fournette led LSU to its third victory of the season with his second consecutive 200-yard game. The 6-1, 230-pound sophomore ran for 244 yards on 26 carries against the Orange on Saturday. He also scored touchdowns on runs of 62 and 14 yards. Through three games, all LSU victories, Fournette has rushed for 631 yards on 73 carries and scored eight touchdowns. He is clearly the frontrunner in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Fournette could have another huge day next week as LSU entertains Eastern Michigan.

Michigan recorded its third straight victory and its most impressive thus far this season when it destroyed 22nd-ranked BYU 31-0 at home in the Big House Saturday. Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s squad performed admirably in just its fourth win over a ranked opponent in the past six years. De’Veon Smith rushed 16 times for 125 yards as the Wolverines piled up 254 yards on the ground. The Michigan defense was equally as good holding BYU to just 105 total yards of offense. Freshman Tanner Mangum, who finished 12-of-28 for 55 yards passing, ended the day with a paltry quarterback rating of 12.2. Michigan begins Big Ten play next week with Maryland.

TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson is certainly one of the best in the country. He showed it on Saturday in a dramatic 55-52 win over Texas Tech. Doctson caught 18 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns against the Red Raiders. As good as he was Saturday, it was a ball that he couldn’t catch that would prove to be the difference. Facing a fourth down inside the Red Raiders 10-yard line with under a minute to play, TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin tried to find Doctson on a slant route in the end zone. The 6-4, 200-pound senior leaped in an effort to catch the ball but could only get a hand on it. He tipped the ball which wound up in the arms of TCU running back Aaron Green to secure the victory. Doctson was second in the Big 12 in receiving prior to Saturday’s win. It is safe to say that he will be the conference’s leader this week.

Florida quarterback Will Grier completed a strike to Brandon Powell, who turned the fourth down play into an amazing 63-yard touchdown. The Gators would go on to win, 28-27, Florida’s 11th consecutive victory over Tennessee. Florida is now 4-0, 2-0 in SEC play and sits atop the East Division standings in head coach Jim McElwain’s first season.

Utah made the entire nation take notice with its 62-20 demolition of Oregon in Eugene on Saturday night. The 18th-ranked Utes got four touchdown passes from veteran QB Travis Wilson and over 500 yards of total offense in a game that Utah ran away with. Wilson completed 18-of-30 passes for 227 yards and ran six times for another 100 yards and a score. Running back DeVontae Booker carried the ball 22 times for 98 yards and completed one pass for 25 yards and a touchdown. The Utah defense bottled up Oregon QB Vernon Adams who was benched in favor of Jeff Lockie. The normally potent Ducks attack did rush for 222 yards but could produce just 20 points against a swarming Utah defense. The Utes are now 4-0, 1-0 in Pac-12 play. Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes are all but done.

LOSERS

It is a continuing a nightmare that Texas coach Charlie Strong would love to forget. The Longhorns are now 1-3 on the season after losing 30-27 to Oklahoma State on Saturday. A negative six-yard punt gave the Cowboys great field position and helped to set up Oklahoma State for its game-winning field goal. The Texas offense continues to struggle. The Longhorns had just one drive in the second half that went at least 10 yards. It doesn’t get any easier either as Strong and Texas still must face the best of the Big 12 later in the season.

Auburn is at a crossroads after a 17-9 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday. The Tigers have dropped two straight, both losses in the SEC West. The meat of their schedule is still coming and head coach Gus Malzahn needs to decide on a quarterback. Redshirt freshman Sean White started the game Saturday and fared well statistically but could not put a touchdown on the board. It was the first time since 2012 that a Malzahn offense failed to produce a touchdown in a game.

Georgia Tech appeared to be a contender in the ACC, but two consecutive losses have set the Yellow Jackets back. Head coach Paul Johnson’s squad dropped a 34-20 decision to Duke on Saturday. The Blue Devils dominated Georgia Tech getting three rushing touchdowns from Shaquille Powell. They also received a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from DeVon Edwards. The Yellow Jackets, who rushed for just 173 yards on Saturday, are now 2-2, 0-1 in ACC play and will face another tough opponent in North Carolina next week.

Apple, the Next Vector & Office Hololens

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apple vector office hololens 2015 techApple has been in the limelight for some time now and has gained a significant market share of desktop and mobile users. Unlike the world of Windows, Apple’s reports of viruses and malware has been few and far in between. PC fans argue that there’s not enough user base for malicious coders to target Apple just yet. But ever since the iMac, the iPhone and the iPad, it’s no longer the case. The long time lack of users had been a factor plus, Apple’s operating systems are arguably more secure than Windows. Mac OS X after all is a flavor of Unix and iOS is a protected walled garden of curated apps. But all that may change now that Apple’s products have become a big part of our lives.

Some Chinese hackers managed to break into the wall of Apple’s App Store and infected several apps with malware. The malware, known as XCode Ghost found its way into the App Store by piggy-backing into several submitted apps compiled using a fake copy of the Apple Xcode development software. At least 39 apps have been found to be affected and Apple has since pulled out these apps from the app store. But several thousand more apps may actually be infected. What does this mean for Apple? It means that the company needs to start making measures in further securing their app store and their software model in general. Though not exactly strong within the enterprise, many apps are used by consumers to make business transactions. Nowadays, most viruses, Trojans and malware are no longer designed as pranks. They are after the bottom line. These malware function as robots sending important user information such as credit card information and passwords to their creators or act as backdoors so the creators can get the information themselves. Now that Apple launched Apple Pay, malware authors are salivating and seeking to find other ways into the walled garden.

It’s been a long time coming for Apple. Malware authors may have been trying to get into Apple’s skin for a long time now and the ever-crafty Chinese hackers managed to find a crack in the wall. They are experts on walls. The affected apps include the popular messaging app WeChat, and the Uber competitor Didi Kuaidi. Some of these apps deal with financial information and may have already exposed their users’ bank records or credit card information.

Apple’s curated app store has been praised because it offers security from viruses and malware. Submitted apps are inspected by the company before being put on sale. Some users trade this security for flexibility by jailbreaking their devices to be able to download apps that doesn’t pass Apple’s standards. Jailbroken devices could easily become hosts to malware as unsanctioned apps could be malware in disguise.

But Apple’s scrutiny can only go so far. Sometimes it slips and here’s the result. Unfortunately, this incident won’t be the last. The more we depend on Apple products to purchase goods and services, more malware authors will try to get into the system, if they haven’t already. Apple has reached critical mass and will soon have its share of trojans, viruses, worms and other malware. This also means new business for Symantec, Kaspersky, McAfee and other security companies.

office hololens tech 2015 imagesOffice for Hololens?

Imagine writing a document on a virtual typewriter, ticking sound and all. Imagine holding a virtual pen to change something on the document or simply erasing a word or phrase by smudging the paper with your fingers. Imagine ripping the entire page and tossing it in a virtual bin in order to erase the whole document. That’s exactly the scenario this author envisioned when Microsoft introduced the Hololens. That someday, the revolutionary technology will be used for Microsoft Office.

Yes, it’s pretty laughable looking like an idiot typing in thin air. Like Steve Jobs high on LSD waving is hands around while listening to classical music when you’re actually designing your next presentation on PowerPoint. But in an office where everyone’s wearing a more compact version, colleagues would be seeing you actually doing something. The entire office would be surreal, like Iron Man or Final Fantasy surreal. But admit it, this author wasn’t alone in thinking the same thing no matter how ludicrous it would physically look like.

Corporate Vice President for Office 365 client Apps and Services Kirk Koenigsbauer thinks it’s a great idea. Instead of a bulky laptop or a clumsy tablet (unless you’re using a Surface Pro), users can just put on their Hololens headsets and enter a virtual office scrolling through virtual folders, akin to Phil Coulson searching through the files in Nick Fury’s toolbox in a cramped space in a scene of Agents of SHIELD. Also imagine looking at Excel 3D graphs from all angles and imagine a spreadsheet with an X, Y and Z axis. Pivoting data just became simpler. If Office 2016’s live co-authoring feature is considered during Hololens development, two users could easily edit an open Word document or Excel spreadsheet at the same time.

Microsoft is really onto something with the Hololens. Hopefully it won’t be vaporware and hopefully it gets released before someone beats them to the punch because they just might make office work something to look forward to.

LOVE & HIP HOP HOLLYWOOD 204 Nikki Gets Lil Fizzed Up

love hip hop hollywood 204 nikki lil fizz recap 2015Love and Hip Hop Hollywood is on and popping. While I prefer the Atlanta franchise myself, this one has its own brand of ratchedness that fits right in with the overall tone of all the shows. There is a lot going on so here is what went down.

Brandi is crazy as hell as it picks right back up from last week when she busted into Max’s session. Everyone clears out and she grills her husband as to what was going on. He says nothing but she keeps pushing him. He ends up leaving the studio and actually doesn’t go home for a couple of days. She finally hears from him and he comes back to the house to talk. She tells him how she feels, kind of, and he is cool and collected the whole time. He tells her that he doesn’t wear his ring because it’s a representation of her and she’s crazy. Max ends up leaving the house, throwing the wedding ring off in the yard somewhere and driving away. Brandi is not only mad as hell, but embarrassed that the neighbors saw everything. Because that’s what’s important right now.

Princess and Ray J have a conversation where he tells her that he wants her to be home and that she doesn’t need to be at Drake’s house, etc. This peeks her interest because the only way for him to have known that is for Teairra Marie to have told him. They have an argument where she pretty much lets him know that she is going to go out and get a life because he does the same thing. He doesn’t like it, says okay have a good life and kisses her on the cheek.

She later meets with Apryl and tells her what happened, in particular about him knowing where she’s been. Princess tells her that she thinks TM is messing with her and trying to sabotage her relationship. She tests Teairra by sending her a text inviting her to Vegas for a girl’s weekend. If Ray confronts Princess about it, then she knows TM is no good.

Which she should have known from the beginning as TM, while hanging out with Amber and Monice, sends a text message to Ray J letting him know about the Vegas trip. Ugh… such a loser.

Miles is troubled by the fight he had with Milan and goes to Hazel to get some clarity on the situation. He meets her during one of her sessions and tells her that he messed up and is willing to do what he needs to in order be with her bestie, Milan. She tells him that he needs to do something to show that, which he does.

The two later have dinner and Miles is more open with his interaction with Milan at the restaurant. He even shows him a tattoo of a crown with two “M”’s on it, which really touches Milan.

The situation between Fizz and Kamiyah gets pretty ugly as a popular male blogger Jason Lee gets involved. Let me say here that this dude is catty and messy as hell. Kamiyah goes to him talking about her relationship with Fizz and ends up telling him that her former lover can’t get it up and so on. She is definitely messy, but she is a woman, we are known for being that sometimes. But Jason? I just can’t with him.

Nikki and Fizz rekindle whatever thing they had going on and they go on a “day date” so that he can show her his “boss man” moves. He is part owner of a theatre and takes her there. She tells him about meeting with Jason Lee so that he can help with marketing for her lingerie line. Fizz says he doesn’t like that guy because he’s messy.

She meets with him anyway and also brings Hazel into the mix to help her with PR as she used to be a publicist. Before she arrives at the lunch, Jason tells Nikki that he doesn’t like Hazel and that she was never a publicist, which Nikki didn’t know the two had an issue. Hazel gets to the table and it is clear they feel a certain way about each other. They go back and forth and this fool throws a fucking drink in Hazel’s face… like a bitch… and then walks away. What man do you know will do some shit like that? A punk ass bitch one. Like seriously, I could not believe what I just saw. Neither could Nikki.

The episode ends with Nikki at Fizz’s house as the two wait for Kamiyah to come get her things. The plastic surgery loving Nikki tells her boo thang what happened with Jason Lee and Hazel and he looks both disgusted and disturbed. Kamiyah finally comes in and things get heated between her and Nikki. She throws stuff, Fizz puts her out, they cuss, they fuss, she punches him in the face. I’m like damn where is she from Inglewood?

There is truly never a dull moment on this show and next week looks to be just as juicy.

SHE’S GOT GAME 108 Recap

shes got game 108 recap images 2015It is winding down on She’s Got Game and things have gotten pretty interesting.

On this week’s episode, the five remaining chicks really show their place in Jayceon’s heart. We are told before the show even starts that due to events that happened while cameras were not rolling, Pricilla removed herself from the competition. I’m going to clue you into what that really means before I go on. She is accusing The Game of “touching” her and is now suing him for $10 million alleging sexual assult. Yep, that’s what she’s doing.

Now moving on, the girls and Game are in Miami and it is pretty clear that the stakes are high. In just a few weeks it’s go time and the new Mrs. Game will be chosen. Wanting to relax and chill before getting to work, The Game throws a party for himself, the girls and his friends.

So he brings together the people who brought him the girls that are left to get their opinion and to talk to them about what has been going on. He is definitely feeling Shyona as she is all up in his face the whole time, making the others feel a certain kind of way and all of them have a strategy to get to him except Briona. And she really doesn’t care to have one either because all she wants to do is drink and turn up.

The pool party is popping as everyone maxes and relaxes. Actress Lisa Raye talks to Game about Rebecca the girl she brought to the competition and tells Game that the other girls are not the business. She especially thinks that Jennifer is boring as hell.

Briona’ meets with her “mentor” and he tells her to chill because she is drinking way too much. But she doesn’t care. She takes some Hennessey to the head in the pool and just throws the whole bottle back. I mean this chick just does not stop and she doesn’t listen to anyone, including her mentor.

While Briona is over there acting like a child, Elle, who has been extremely aggressive during other episodes, has a talk with her mentor who tells her she needs to take it easy and charm Game. He knows about her behavior and says that she should be strategic and keep it cool. She says okay but does exactly the opposite. Even Game’s other friends tell her to calm down but she, like Briona, does not listen. I guess it’s just something about that liquor. She chases Game in the pool, grabs his junk, lets her nipples hang out and throws a glass of wine at somebody. She is off the chain and even her mentor, whom she steadily splashes with water, wants to send her ass home.

Then there is Jennifer and her mentor tells her that she needs to do something to get Game’s attention so what does she do- run a bubble bath… upstairs… in the middle of the pool party. She gets Game to come up stairs, which he eventually does. They get in the tub, laugh and drink champagne but it gets old real quick. And by old I mean boring. Jennifer actually drifts off to sleep and there is awkward silence between them. He ends up getting out the bath to go back to the pool party because it’s clear he was bored.

Back at the pool, Shyona gets most of the face time which makes Rebecca does not like but as Lisa Raye tells her, she stays cool.

The next day, Briona is hung over to the max, Elle is embarrassed at her behavior and actually says that she doesn’t remember half the stuff she did the night before which I personally find hard to believe. Her mentor ends up having a private conversation with Game and asks to withdraw her from the competition because of how she acted. Game says yes and bam, she’s gone.

After a drunken night of partying, guess what happens. The Game’s mom and grandma visits. The house is a mess, the girls aren’t ready and their overall first impression is not great to say the least. Especially Briona who ends up getting sick, throwing up in the bathroom from all the drinking and is taken to the hospital making her miss the dinner with Game’s family.

At dinner, no one likes the restaurant, which Jennifer picked. It feeds into the storyline on this episode that she is boring even to the point where every time she tries to speak during dinner, she is interrupted, which is actually quite funny.

That’s where it ended and it looks like Briona may actually get sent home next week. Now of course I am just speculating so you have to come back and see for sure, but after how she acted, I don’t know how she won’t.

Fantasy Football Start & Sit for Week 4: Andy Dalton & Alfred Morris

fantasy football start sit week 4 andy dalton nfl 2015The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens kickoff Week 4 in the NFL Thursday, which means it’s that time that we all forget about again: time to set those fantasy lineups!

I forgot to set one of my leagues this past week, so Steve Smith Sr. sat on my bench while the rest of my team limped to a disappointing loss with only 80 points. I set my lineup in my main league, however, and one Smith Sr. and A.J. Green showdown later I finished with a league-high 188 points.

Yes, I know you don’t care at all. I’m just trying to show that setting your lineup is important. So go do it. Here’s a little help for Week 4:

Get out there! Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals: I know, I can’t believe I’m saying this either. I’m one of Dalton’s biggest critics, and even I can’t deny that he looks like a completely revitalized player so far this season. In fact, Dalton is the No. 3 ranked quarterback in fantasy right now.

Let’s hope I don’t jinx anything by insisting that you start the red head this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs. Dalton likely wasn’t a high pick in your draft, so you should be able to trade for him if you don’t have him. Dalton finished with 36 fantasy points last week against the Ravens, with no outing lower than 22 points so far this season, so he could be the quick-fix to the quarterback problem a lot of people are having due to injuries.

The Chiefs defense has allowed eight touchdowns over the past two weeks to Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, and with A.J. Green playing extremely well and Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones contributing more than usual, Dalton should have no problem continuing the abuse of Andy Reid’s defense.

Get outta here! Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins: Morris may still be listed at the top of the depth chart, and Redskins’ head coach Jay Gruden may still insist that Morris is the man in Washington, but that’s simply not looking to be the case anymore. Morris only played about 15 percent of the Week 3 snaps against the New York Giants, with Matt Jones and Chris Thompson handling the majority of the carries.

Jones’ goal line fumble may give a few of those touches back to Morris; however, the Philadelphia Eagles have yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season, so things still aren’t looking overly positive for Morris in the backfield.

Probably best to just keep a safe distance for now.

Who’s Profiting From Fantasy Football?

who profits from fantasy football 2015 imagesSo Just Who Is Making All the Money on Fantasy Football?

Fantasy football is a big business, we know this by now. No one needed a media blitz from FanDuel and DraftKings to convince those of us who have been playing fantasy sports for years. There was a lot of money being spent long before we starting seeing guys like “Ehafner” on TV spots for FanDuel every 22 minutes.

The licensing for fantasy football is a huge profit center for the NFL itself. This money was being generated by season long leagues before the daily fantasy sports craze hit.

Money pools for season long leagues have been a staple of fantasy football since the beginning. Just like betting on actual games, it’s much more fun to set your lineups week to week knowing you have a chance to rip some cash from your buddies.

Now with DFS (daily fantasy sports) lots of individuals are making money by setting up new lineups each week. Many more are losing of course. Can’t have big winners without a ton of losers to fill the pot up.

The guys and gals that are actual fantasy players are making some money with this neat hobby that is still growing thanks to the advent of daily fantasy play. And there are actual professional fantasy players making full time livings playing a game. Guys like Charles Chon, aka Condia, is a professional player who is maybe the best known fantasy player on the planet.

Obviously people that can quit their job and rely on DraftKings or FanDuel are few and far between. Telling the boss to take his job and shove it is an unrealistic fantasy for those of us that would love to work 40 hours a week setting lineups and picking out the weak players in 50/50 leagues.

So besides the NFL and the few super smart pro fantasy players, who is making money with fantasy football and other sports?

To answer that we can take a look back at the early days of the gold rush in America. People went crazy over thoughts of getting rich quick by panning for gold. Finding a couple gold nuggets back in the mid 1800’s would be a good way to get out of a dirt floor house and into a civilized lifestyle.

However, one of the first millionaires as a result of the gold rush, never found any gold at all. Samuel Brannan instead took advantage of the trend and started providing the tools needed by theses gold seekers. The guy started his fortune by selling pans, picks, and shovels at an insanely high markup to desperate gold miners who were happy to pay the price to help them find their fortune.

Brannan made $36,000 (enough to buy a whorehouse in 1849 I’m guessing) in nine weeks to start out!

What we’re seeing with daily fantasy football is very similar to the gold rush. People see the TV ads with regular Joes winning stacks of cash and they dream of being that guy. We Americans are football crazy already. Mix that passion with the opportunity to win millions, or just a few hundred a week with fantasy football and you have a modern day gold rush.

People are panning the internet for fantasy gold each and every day. That trend is going to keep rising at a fast clip for the foreseeable future folks.

Just like the gold miners back in the day, most daily fantasy sports players will return to their dirt floor homes without that pot of gold. Many will make some money, some will break even while having a good time, and some will lose regularly.

Lots of money is being made the Samuel Brannan way, by providing tools to people looking to make money on DraftKings, FanDuel and also the smaller sites.

Expert analysis. Player models. Spreadsheets. Kindle books. Premium content. Membership fees. One on one consulting! All of this is available to help fantasy players increase their bankroll. I have paid for a membership myself on RotoGrinders.com, one of the top websites for fantasy advice and general content. I believe I paid $25 per month last year for a couple of months to see if it helped me with my fantasy leagues.

It helped some, but all those stats can be hard to digest.

There is also FantasyLabs.com that charges $59 / month. Pro Football Focus, maybe the best in depth stats analysis on the web, has a “Fantasy Gold” package for $30. There are many more premium sites out there and to be fair they all offer some level of free help to make your lineups more competitive.

Many of the premium packages are free if you sign up on one of the daily fantasy sports sites through the advice website’s affiliate. That way the expert site makes some money every time you deposit on DK or FD for example.

I don’t want to sound negative toward these expert sites. I think it’s great that these people can capitalize on fantasy football. Most of the people running these websites play the games themselves of course so they have real world experience to offer. It’s like Marshall Faulk breaking down a running play on the NFL Network. He’s been there and knows what the hell he’s talking about.

I’d love to see a millionaire made by simply giving advice about fantasy football. That would be just as cool to me as seeing a guy holding a giant DK check after a tournament win for a million bucks.

If you are planning on buying premium advice, just know this advice is not foolproof. If an expert could pick a perfect lineup 100% of the time, he would just sit back and win a million dollars each week. The advice available is more about strategy than telling you who to pick exactly.

Fantasy football is putting food on the table for a lot of different people, many in ways you might not have thought about. It is super cool that this simple hobby has expanded the sports universe in so many ways, many of which involve new businesses.

The NFL allows grown men to make money playing a game. Fantasy football is doing the same for those of us who can’t run a 4.4 / 40.

Nicholas Brendon aka Xander from Buffy arrested for choking girlfriend

nicholas brendon buffy vampire slayer arrested 2015

Most of know Nicholas Brendon as Xander from “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” as the guy who protected the girl, but real life can often be a very different thing for actors. An actor best known for his roles in the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Criminal Minds” got into an argument with a girlfriend, choked her and was arrested, police said Thursday.

Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris on “Buffy” from 1997 to 2003 and Kevin Lynch on “Criminal Minds” from 2007 to 2014, faces charges of robbery, obstruction of breathing and criminal mischief, Saratoga Springs police Lt. Bob Jillson said.

The girlfriend told police officers who were called to a downtown hotel on Wednesday night that she had gone to return property to Brendon and told him she intended to leave, Jillson said. But Brendon objected, grabbed her car keys and then threw her cellphone into the street when she tried to call for help, a police report said.

Lieut. Bob Jillson of the Saratoga Springs Police Department told People that police were called to a hotel around 11:30 p.m. for a reported domestic disturbance.

“We got to the room and we found a 33-year-old female there by herself, and she reported that she had been in a domestic incident with Nick, and he had subsequently left before we got there. She did not have any physical injuries that we were aware of,” he told People. The woman told police that she had visited Brendon to give him some belongings and that when she tried to leave, he took her car keys and smashed her phone.

“It sounds like it went downhill from there,” Jillson said. “He allegedly grabbed her by the throat and started choking her.”

Brendon, who has been arrested multiple times over the past year, was gone when officers arrived but was arrested a short while later a few blocks away. Jillson said alcohol was involved but he didn’t know if Brendon was intoxicated.

Brendon, who’s from Sherman Oaks, California, was released from jail Thursday after posting a $20,000 bond. He didn’t immediately comment on his Facebook page, where he posted a statement after a previous arrest. His manager didn’t return a phone call seeking comment.

In May, Brendon was charged with public intoxication while in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the XCon World Comic Convention. In March, he was charged with criminal mischief and property damage at a Florida hotel. In February, he was arrested on charges he refused to pay a bill at another Florida hotel.

Last October, he apologized after being arrested on charges of resisting officers and malicious injury to property after a confrontation at the Tree City Comic Con in Boise, Idaho.

Brendon has appeared in several other TV series, including “Married with Children,” ”Kitchen Confidential” and “Without a Trace.”