First Giraffe Born At The Maryland Zoo In More Than 20 Years

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore says the first giraffe calf born there in more than 20 years was delivered by 4-year-old Juma on Monday, Feb. 6.

Eleven-year-old Caesar is the female calf’s father.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome this beautiful calf to the Zoo family,” said Don Hutchinson, president/CEO of the Zoo. “She will bring a lot of excitement to the Giraffe House and make a wonderful addition to the herd.”

Juma went into labor at approximately 3 p.m. that day and the calf was born at 4:35 p.m.

“Standing is one of the first major milestones for a newborn giraffe, and she was able to fully stand on her own in just 50 minutes,” said Erin Cantwell, mammal collection and conservation manager. “It’s safe to say that we were all silently cheering her on and were very excited to see her up on four legs.”

“Juma is an amazing mother,” according to Cantwell. “Her instincts are on target. She is very attentive and has been very patient with the calf as she learns to nurse. Mother and calf are bonding well and appear to be settling into their new routine with ease. All the other giraffes are curious about this new addition — it’s fun to watch them watching the calf.”

During her first veterinary exam, the calf was measured at 6-foot-1 and weighed approximately 125 pounds.

“Health-wise everything looks pretty perfect so far,” says Samantha Sander, associate veterinarian. “All signs so far indicate we have a very healthy and strong female calf, and certainly an excellent mom.”

Juma and the calf will not be immediately visible to Zoo guests.

“We want to observe them and their interactions with the rest of the herd in a quiet setting for a little while longer,” concluded Cantwell. “Juma is a first-time mother and we want to ensure that we introduce her calf to the public in a way that keeps everyone comfortable and at ease.”

Isaiah Thomas ‘Confident’ He Can Lead the NBA in Scoring

Isaiah Thomas believes he can leapfrog Russell Westbrook (31.1 PPG) and lead the NBA in scoring.

Thomas, the No. 2 scorer in the L at the moment at 29.9 PPG, says it’s his goal to win the scoring title this season.

The All-Star point guard tied a Boston Celtics team record Wednesday night by notching his 40th consecutive 20-plus point game.

Per the Worcester Telegram & Gazette:

Catching Westbrook isn’t out of the question for Thomas. […] “That’s the goal,” Thomas said. “I think I can. I’m confident I can.”

Even if the 5-foot-9 Thomas doesn’t end up leading the NBA in scoring, he could still finish with the highest scoring average in Celtics history. Larry Bird owns the franchise record by averaging 29.93 points in the 1987-88 season. Bird scored 44 in his regular-season finale, but still fell five points shy of averaging 30. Thomas, who is averaging 29.88 points, is six shy of averaging 30.

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” Thomas said. “It would mean a lot, especially with such great players that played before me, but I mean I’m not aiming for it. It’s just if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’ll be all right.”

A Bit More Vitamin D Might Help Prevent Colds And Flu

It's long been known that vitamin D helps protect our bones, but the question of whether taking vitamin D supplements helps guard immunity has been more controversial. An analysis published Wednesday suggests the sunshine vitamin can help reduce the risk of respiratory infections, including colds and flu — especially among people who don't get enough of the vitamin from diet or exposure to sunlight.

Researchers pooled data from 25 studies that including more than 10,000 participants. The studies looked at whether vitamin D supplements cut the number of infections.

"We found that overall there was a modest protective effect," says Dr. Adrian Martineau, a clinical professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London who led the research team. Overall, he says, vitamin D supplements seemed to reduce the risk of infection about 10 percent.

People who had been vitamin D deficient when they enrolled in the studies saw more benefit. Their risk of infection was cut in half, according to the findings.

"What we found is that those with the lowest vitamin D levels experienced the greatest benefit from supplementation," Martineau says.

Acute respiratory infections are responsible for millions of emergency department visits in the United States each year, says Carlos Camargo, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and a senior author of the study. He says their findings support the notion that more foods should be fortified with vitamin D.

The U.S. has long fortified foods with vitamin D, including milk and other dairy products. Many food companies supplement orange juice products and cereals, too. And certain foods like sardines and other oily fish naturally contain significant levels of vitamin D. For instance, a serving of salmon can have almost a whole day's worth of vitamin D. And the body produces its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

So not everyone is convinced that this study should lead us all to the supplement aisle.

According to recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, most adults need about 600 IU (International Units) of vitamin D per day. Adults 70 years old and older are advised to increase their intake to 800 IUs per day.

Many Americans don't routinely get this amount from their diets, so a multivitamin can help make up the shortfall. "The standard multivitamin has about 400 IUs," says Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of the Institute of Medicine panel that wrote the vitamin D recommendations for children and adults.

Abrams says the guidelines, issued in 2010, were based on evidence that vitamin D helps protect bone health. "Now the controversy is whether there's enough evidence about other diseases to make [new] recommendations."

Over the last 10 years, a number of studies have suggested that the sunshine vitamin can help prevent disease. That has led people to think that higher doses of supplements are better. But Abrams says he's not convinced there's a benefit of taking a supplement for people who are not deficient. "It needs further studies to confirm."

Abrams says the importance of the new study is that it's a summary of 25 controlled trials. "And it shows that people with very low vitamin D [levels] do better when they're given supplements." He says this is not too surprising. "If you're deficient, getting an adequate amount will make a difference."

In other words, if you're getting the recommended 600 IUs of vitamin D from your diet, a supplement may not lead to any further benefit. But the growing interest in vitamin D has lots of people curious about their levels.

"Many of our patients come in and say: I want to be tested for vitamin D," says Monique Tello, a primary care doctor at Massachusetts General in Boston who has written about vitamin D levels. A lot of people suspect they're deficient, but she says determining the right level can be tricky.

The IOM report estimated that a vitamin D blood level of 20 ng/mL or higher was adequate for good bone health, and that anything below that was deficient.

Go inside Trump's vacation house, Mar-a-Lago

It's been just days since President Donald Trump left his Palm Beach, Fla. resort, Mar-a-Lago, but he's already planning a return trip this Friday through Monday, the Palm Beach Post reports.
This will be the third weekend in a row that Trump stays at his private club, which has been dubbed the "Winter White House."

Over the weekend, he and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and his wife, Akie Abe. A paying member of the club put photos of the meeting on Facebook.

The Federal Aviation Administration has already issued flight restrictions for Feb. 1 through the 20th, with the posting to be removed Feb. 21.

Trump was critical of President Obama when he took vacations or was photographed playing golf. He also told the media that he didn't anticipate taking much time off while in office.
"There's just so much to be done," Trump said just before taking office. "So I don't think we'll be very big on vacations, no."

Politico reported that one of Trump's weekends at Mar-a-Lago "could saddle taxpayers with a bill upward of $3 million."

About Mar-a-Lago

The resort is a historic Florida property, which was designed in 1927 by American architect Marion Sims Wyeth, who was also commissioned to build the Florida governor's mansion in Tallahassee.
The original owner, cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, donated the property to the U.S. government in 1973.

Trump purchased the property, and its antiques, in 1985. He made some improvements, including adding a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, including his signature gold finishes throughout, and debuted it as a private club.

WHITE HOUSE SPECULATION: Will Donald Trump's White House be as opulent as his Manhattan penthouse?

The President contends that his presidency does not pose a conflict of interests with his businesses. Although some critics have pointed out that Mar-a-Lago's membership fees doubled after Trump's
November victory. The inauguration fee spike doubled, from $100,000 to $200,000.

"I have 24 acres in Palm Beach and nobody has anything like that," Trump told Town & Country magazine in 2014. "A big house is on one acre. I have 24. It's the great estate of Palm Beach."

Selena Gomez returns to music with Kygo's new single

Selena Gomez is returning to music with the release of her first new song since 2015.

The single, “It Ain’t Me,” is by Norwegian DJ Kygo and features Gomez, who sings perhaps her most mature tune to date.

The singer, 24, took to Twitter to share the song with fans, writing, “It’s finally here!”

The “Hands to Myself” singer teased a previous snippet of the song in early February on her Insta stories. The lyrics: “I had a dream / we were back to 17 / summer nights and liberties / never growing up,” also featured a half profile of Gomez with a black X over her mouth.


The song narrates the story of a love destroyed over alcoholism above strummed guitar chords and Kygo’s pulsing piano.

This is Gomez’s first musical endeavor since her 2015 album Revival. The singer-actress has been keeping busy as executive producer of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, an adaptation of the best-selling young adult novel, which hits the streaming service March 31.

What Is Sleeping Beauty Syndrome?

A young woman in Minnesota has been diagnosed with a rare sleeping disorder that can cause her to sleep for weeks at a time. Afflicted with Kleine-Levin syndrome, also known as Sleeping Beauty syndrome, Delanie Weyer can suddenly feel tired and then sleep for two to five weeks.

The 23-year-old first experienced an episode in her late teens when she was on a school trip. “When I was 18, [I had] my first episode, is what they call it,” Weyer told CBS Minnesota. “I was sleeping a lot. When I was awake, I was delusional.” She said that she barely remembers the episode, and a similar thing has happened four times each year since then.

“I sleep anywhere from 15 to 20 hours a day” during an episode, she said. “When I am awake, I’m very spacey, delusional, just not in touch with reality. I just have no motivation to do anything, very depressed feeling, really frustrated because I don’t know what’s going on.” When she’s suffering from an episode, Weyer says, she only gets up to eat, drink, and use the bathroom — and the last time this happened, it went on for five weeks.

“I’ve missed major life events, I’ve missed a Thanksgiving, I’ve missed Easter,” Weyer said. “I missed my grandpa’s 85th birthday. I missed my 21st birthday because I was in [an] episode.”

At one point, her mom, Jean Weyer, had to fly to Wyoming to bring her home because she wasn’t awake enough to get herself home.

Weyer’s mom says that she couldn’t understand why her daughter was sleeping all the time: “I’m the typical mom that would make her, force her to get up, and she’s very irritable and again the blank stare, and I question was she lying to me, was she being lazy, was she taking some kind of drug,” she said. After seeing multiple therapists and doctors, Delanie was finally diagnosed by a sleep disorders specialist.

Sleeping Beauty syndrome is extremely rare. “It’s one in a million — literally,” sleep medicine doctor and neurologist W. Christopher Winter, MD, of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and author of the upcoming book The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It, tells Yahoo Beauty. Winter says that the condition is “so rare, it’s difficult to study.”

According to the Kleine-Levin Syndrome Foundation, the condition is a “rare and complex neurological disorder characterized by recurring periods of excessive amounts of sleep, altered behavior, and a reduced understanding of the world.” Sufferers are usually teenagers, but the condition can also occur in children and adults, the organization says. During episodes, people are not able to care for themselves, or go to school or work. “In between episodes, those with KLS appear to be in perfect health with no evidence of behavioral or physical dysfunction,” the organization says, noting that episodes can go on for 10 years or more.

Sanjeev Kothare, MD, professor of neurology at the NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center—Sleep Center who regularly treats people with Sleeping Beauty syndrome, tells Yahoo Beauty that it’s “completely debilitating. … It usually happens in boys, and they have episodes where they wake up one fine morning and then sleep for up to 20 hours a day, lasting anywhere from one week to four weeks,” he says. “All they do is wake up, eat, and go back to sleep.” They can also be hypersexual when they’re awake.

Experts aren’t completely sure what causes the condition, but Winter says it may have a viral origin. “Most people think that some sort of virus happens that’s affecting the part of the brain stem that’s responsible for arousal and sleep,” he explains. “It could be that you get the flu, that triggers some sort of autoimmune response on a part of the brain responsible for wakefulness, and you end up with Sleeping Beauty syndrome.”

NFL Combine 2017: 10 biggest snubs from list of invites

Every year, 330 NFL draft prospects are invited to Indianapolis to be tested mentally, physically and athletically in front of every NFL decision maker, plus most NFL scouting and coaching personnel.

However, even with 330 players invited, 15 percent of players drafted each year on average will have not been in attendance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

This year, the NFL opted not to invite eligible prospects who had previously been convicted of violent crimes, which excludes a handful of top players, most notably Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly.

This list of 2017 Combine "snubs" does not include those players, but rather players who were overlooked as draft-worthy prospects. Here are the 10 biggest snubs, organized by position.

Zach Terrell, QB, Western Michigan

The best quarterback at the East-West Shrine Game, Terrell was snubbed from the Combine in favor of Minnesota’s Mitch Leidner and Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight. While those two have better NFL size and arm strength, neither has shown the efficiency or ball placement to warrant draft consideration like Terrell has.

Terrell is likely a career NFL backup but could be a great one at that. And in today’s NFL, where effective backups are set to cost teams upwards of $6 million a year, Terrell and a Day 3 draft pick’s salary should be pretty appealing to NFL teams.

I’Tavius Mathers, RB, Middle Tennessee State

Mathers is a former Ole Miss transfer who emerged as a dual-value running back this season in his first year as a full-time starter. He's one of the better receiving backs in the 2017 NFL Draft class.

He offers explosiveness and top-end speed, and he’ll likely be a sub-4.50 40 talent at his eventual Pro Day. While it’s a loaded running back class and we could see upwards of 30 running backs drafted this year (most since 2000), Mathers will have to re-assert himself in that grouping.

Chad Williams, WR, Grambling State

A late Senior Bowl addition after he impressed at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Williams showcased why he was a productive senior at Grambling State this year. He offers great body control and coordination, and the Combine could have done wonders to show NFL teams his vertical speed. 

Even in a strong receiver class, Williams is highly likely to be a draft pick. He reminds of a lesser version of Brandon Marshall.

Taylor McNamara, TE, USC

One of the biggest “winners” from the East-West Shrine Game, the athletic tight end from USC was a shocking omission from the official invite list. McNamara offers awesome seam positioning and finishing ability with strength in traffic, and he proved as much during Shrine Game practices.

Still, as a non-Combine invite, McNamara might have an uphill battle to secure a draft position. As talented as the running back class is, this might be the deepest tight end class in recent history, and McNamara will have to continue to win over teams during the process, most notably at his Pro Day.

Jylan Ware, OT, Alabama State

Despite being a 6-8 offensive tackle with remarkable balance and lateral control in a relatively weak class, Ware continues to be overlooked for major all-star games and now the Combine.

Ware will likely have 20-plus NFL teams at his Pro Day now after being snubbed from the Combine, and he’ll be a sleeper offensive tackle to note who has legitimate left tackle potential.

DeAngelo Brown, DT, Louisville

Nose tackles are always valued highly by NFL teams because there simply aren’t enough defensive tackles capable (and big enough) to play the position. Brown was arguably Louisville’s most important defender this year, and his capability as a nose tackle should make him a strong choice to be a drafted.

His Combine testing numbers shouldn’t matter much, outside of his explosive testing and bench reps. Louisville will see good NFL team representation at his Pro Day to make up for it.

Jimmie Gilbert, OLB, Colorado

Maybe the most glaring and surprising omission from the Combine, Gilbert has been a productive, versatile and consistent edge rusher for the last two years. He was a big reason for Colorado’s surprising success this year.

As is the case with all edge rushers, the Combine testing numbers will be essential to his draft grade. Colorado is loaded with NFL talent this year, so he’ll have every NFL team in attendance when he finally gets to test. But he might be the most glaring missing player at this year’s Combine.

Jordan Herdman, LB, Simon Fraser

One of the most productive small school linebackers in the country, Herdman was a late Senior Bowl call-up due to injuries at the position, and he emerged as a quality 3-4 inside linebacker prospect.

While he’s a bit stiff and wouldn’t have tested overly well in quickness-based drills, his explosiveness and power testing could have helped earn him a draft pick. After impressing in his ideal role at the Senior Bowl, Herdman is still a small school name to remember as the draft nears.

Elijah Lee, LB, Kansas State

After a 110-tackle season and offering plus size for the position, the declared junior had a lot to prove at the Combine in terms of his lateral quickness and fluidity as a coverage linebacker and pass rusher. He's an effective 3-4 inside linebacker or 4-3 strong side linebacker, and his production proved as much.

But Lee's lack of great coverage range or sack production may limit the teams interested in him as a mid-round draft choice. If he can't produce impressive numbers at his Pro Day, Lee may end up seriously regretting his decision to enter the draft early.

Cornerback: Aarion Penton, Missouri

After a strong Shrine Game performance, Penton got “called up” to the Senior Bowl and impressed as one of the best nickel cornerbacks. He proved his value against the top slot receivers in the draft class, and his impressive and efficient slot coverage ability will continued to be valued highly by NFL teams.

Only one Missouri player was invited to the Combine (defensive end Charles Harris), so there should be a heavy NFL contingent at their Pro Day for Penton to show off hopefully sub-4.5 speed. If he does, he should secure a draft choice.

How do you know if someone is having a stroke?

Stroke, a condition in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted, is one of the leading causes of death in Singapore. In many cases, loss of life could be avoided if the people around the sufferer were able to recognise the symptoms. Here’s how:

FAST is an important acronym associated with stroke. It is a checklist of the most common warning signs, so when any of these signs are present, it is necessary to seek emergency treatment.

F-ace: Can the person smile? Is his or her eye or mouth drooping? Does one side of the face droop?
A-rm: Can the person raise both arms? Does one arm drift downwards?
S-peech: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is his or her speech slurred or strange?
T-IME: If the answer is yes to any of these questions, it’s time to call 995 and get the person to a hospital.

“Having a single symptom means a 66-per cent certainty of stroke, while having all three means it is 88 per cent certain,” says Dr Tu Tian Ming, a consultant in the department of neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) of Singapore. “Having early access to emergency hospital care may help to reduce the disability caused by stroke.”

Other symptoms of stroke are:

• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion or difficulty in comprehension
• Sudden difficulty or unsteadiness in walking
• Sudden difficulty in swallowing
• Sudden severe dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause

Different types of stroke

A stroke occurs when part of the brain gets damaged due to an interruption in its blood supply. This interruption could be because of a blockage or a leak in a blood vessel. When brain cells don’t receive essential oxygen and nutrients, they die. Delayed treatment, even for a few minutes, can cause millions of brain cells to die.

“Stroke symptoms depend on the size and location of the damaged area,” says Dr Tu.

There are two main types of stroke – ischaemic and haemorrhagic. In ischaemic stroke, which is the most common, the blood supply is affected due to a narrowing or blockage in a blood vessel. In haemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel bursts or develops a leak.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is known as a mini-stroke because there is a temporary disruption to the blood supply to the brain. TIA symptoms are similar to stroke symptoms and usually disappear after a few minutes. However, TIA should not be ignored since it could be a warning sign of a full-blown stroke.

”A stroke is an emergency and the outcome depends on how soon the appropriate treatment is started,” stresses Dr Tu.

Kutcher passionately testifies on his anti-sex trafficking efforts

(CNN)No one got "Punk'd" Wednesday morning when Ashton Kutcher came to Capitol Hill.

The actor testified Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a hearing on progress in combating modern slavery. Kutcher spoke on behalf of Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, an organization he co-founded with then-wife Demi Moore in 2009 that builds software to fight human trafficking.
These days, he called his "day job" his work as chairman of Thorn and also as a father -- he and wife Mila Kunis welcomed son, Dimitri Portwood, in November, and daughter, Wyatt, is two years old. (He caught a red eye to Washington after a Valentine's Day dinner with Kunis and will return home this afternoon.)

Ashton Kutcher walks with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) before testifying on Capitol Hill on February 15, 2017 in Washington, DC.
In an impassioned 15-minute opening testimony, Kutcher praised the committee for bipartisan cooperation on the issue, calling his opportunity to speak "one of the greatest honors of my life," his voice cracking multiple times as he recalled his work with victims.

"As part of my anti-trafficking work, I've met victims in Russia, I've met victims in India, I've met victims that have been trafficked from Mexico, victims from New York and New Jersey and all across our country. I've been on FBI raids where I've seen things that no person should ever see," Kutcher said. "I've seen video content of a child that's the same age as mine being raped by an American man that was a sex tourist in Cambodia. And this child was so conditioned by her environment that she thought she was engaging in play."
Kutcher pressed the importance of using technology as a tool that can be used to disable slavery, citing specific progress.

"It's working. In six months, with 25% of our users reporting, we've identified over 6,000 trafficking victims, 2,000 of which are minors. This tool has enhanced 4,000 law enforcement officials in 900 agencies. And we're reducing the investigation time by 60%," he said of a software tool called "Spotlight."
Another tool called "Solis" has taken investigation times from dark web material from three years to three weeks, Kutcher said.
He spoke knowledgeably on the issue and called for specific actions, including additional funding for the technology, fostering public-private sector relationships, looking into the pipeline for victims, including working with the foster care system and the mental health system, and differentiating solution sets for sex trafficking and labor trafficking with enforcement and legislation initiatives.
Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Corker called Kutcher's work "inspirational," and "a true testament to entrepreneurialism and people taking a risk toward social good."
Corker, his fellow committee members, including Sens. Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio, and Kutcher all wore red X pins, a symbol calling awareness to the issue of modern slavery.

Yup, you can get married at Taco Bell in Las Vegas

Not everyone dreams of a wedding at Taco Bell, but if you met your significant other in line for late-night tacos, this might be for you.

Taco Bell is giving two taco lovers the chance to tie the knot in the fast food chain’s Las Vegas Cantina restaurant as part of its “Love and Tacos contest.”

To enter the contest, couples simply tell what role Taco Bell played in their love story in a photo or a 30-second video, and post it on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #LoveAndTacosContest.

Starting March 1, fans will vote on their favorite couples and judges will choose the finalists.

The winning couple will get free airfare to Las Vegas, a Taco Bell catered dinner at the chain's Las Vegas Cantina restaurant, Taco Bell t-shirts, champagne flutes, and a slew of other perks like wedding photography, a private pool cabana and a VIP table at Drai’s nightclub,

For couples who don’t win the contest, but still dream of saying I do while nibbling on a Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch, there is still an opportunity to tie the knot at the flagship restaurant.

This summer, couples can purchase a $600 Taco Bell wedding package and “Walk  up to the counter and order a wedding right off the menu" at the Vegas location.


And if you're shaking your head at the idea of getting married on the cheap at Taco Bell, you might want to reconsider.  A 2014 study by two Emory University economics professors found that couples who spend less on their wedding may stay together longer.

Could the key to a long marriage be a wedding at Taco Bell?

Moosejaw, Michigan-Based Outdoor Retailer, Bought By Wal-Mart

Moosejaw, a Michigan-based retailer, was acquired by retailing giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc WMT 0.52% for $51 million in cash.

Moosejaw sells outdoor related items, including winter jackets, clothing, footwear, backpacking, climbing and general fitness apparel through its 10 physical stores in the state of Michigan and the Midwest, as well as through its online website.

Coincidence or not, Wal-Mart's acquisition comes at a time when its largest rival Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN 0.29% appears to be preparing for a major push of its own into the clothing and apparel market.

As part of Wal-Mart's acquisition, Moosejaw will continue operating its website and stores and will be run as a standalone entity. The acquisition is expected to be complementary to Wal-Mart's brand and its other e-commerce sites.

Related Link: Wal-Mart Cans Its Two-Day Shipping Charges

Wal-Mart also cited the strong apparel and accessories category which is, in fact, the one category for digital commerce. As such, the acquisition gives the retailer the experience of a well-established e-commerce player that has intimate knowledge of the active outdoor category.

In addition, Moosejaw's suppliers will be given the option of expanding their consumer reach through Wal-Mart's other e-commerce sites, including the recently acquired property Jet.com.

UPDATE: Warren Buffett's big bet on Apple may have made him $1.1 billion in just six weeks

Berkshire boosts Apple stake to 57.4 million shares as of Dec. 31 from 15.2 million shares on Sept. 30

If Warren Buffett can do a cartwheel, he's probably doing one right now, as Apple Inc.'s stock continued its surge and notched yet another record close.

The famed billionaire investor's investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(BRKA) , disclosed in a regulatory filing Tuesday that it loaded up on Apple's stock during the fourth quarter, increasing its stake to 57.36 million shares as of Dec. 31, up from 15.23 million shares as of Sept. 30.

Apple's stock(AAPL)rose 2.5% during the fourth quarter. But since then, aided by stronger-than-expected first-fiscal-quarter results (http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2017/01/31/apple-earnings-expected-to-rebound-thanks-to-iphone-7-live-blog/?link=instory), reported Jan. 31, the stock has shot up $19.20, or 16.6%, closing Tuesday at a record level for a second straight day.

If the stake remained unchanged, Buffett's Apple shares would be worth $1.1 billion more than they were just a little over six weeks ago.

Among other moves Buffett's Berkshire made during the fourth quarter, it slashed its stake in Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(WMT)to 1.39 million shares from 12.97 million shares. With the stock down 0.7% so far in 2017, Buffett may have saved $5.33 million by selling Wal-Mart shares.

Berkshire also added a new 8.04 million--share stake in Monsanto Co.(MON) , a new 166.64 million--share bet on Sirius XM Holdings Inc.(SIRI)and a new 43.2 million--share investment in Southwest Airlines Co.(LUV) , while selling off his entire 20 million--share stake in Kinder Morgan Inc.(KMI)and cutting his bet on Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)to just 928 shares from 15 million shares.

Berkshire more than doubled its stake in American Airlines Group Inc.(AAL)to 45.54 million shares as of Dec. 31 from 21.77 million shares on Sept. 30. His stake in Delta Air Lines Inc.(DAL)spiked nearly tenfold to 60.03 million shares from 6.33 million shares during the same time, while his investment in United Continental Holdings Inc.(UAL)rose more than sixfold to 28.95 million shares from 4.53 million shares.

Don't miss:Warren Buffett's investment in wearable tech? 'Simply updating' a 'safe bet.' (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/warren-buffetts-investment-in-wearable-tech-simply-updating-a-safe-bet-2017-02-09)

In total, the value of Berkshire's equity holdings increased 15% to $147.99 billion during the fourth quarter.

Berkshire's stock has risen 2.4% so far in 2017, closing Tuesday at a record high, while the S&P 500 indexhas climbed 4.4% this year, also booking a record close on Tuesday.

Reyes headed for Tommy John surgery, will miss 2017 season

JUPITER, Fla. • Alex Reyes One of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball and an early favorite for a Rookie of the Year will have to wait a year to prove it.

Alex Reyes has a complete rupture of a ligament in his right elbow and will require Tommy John surgery, the Cardinals confirmed Wednesday morning. General manager John Mozeliak met with Reyes earlier in the morning, and the player and team expect a second opinion to confirm the diagnosis.

Reyes will require 12 to 18 months to recover. Most starting pitchers miss about a year.

"Hopefully he'll be back better than ever," Mozeliak said. "It's obviously very disappointing. Had very high expectations for him. But I guess if you're going to look at it from a timing standpoint now he has a year to do his rehab and get everything that he's dealing with under control."

Reyes experienced a sharp discomfort in his right elbow Friday while throwing to prepare for spring training. The team put him through a battery of exams Tuesday, the first official day of spring training.

An MRI was ordered and the exam showed that Reyes' UCL had a complete tear. The 22-year-old righthander had previously had a partial (Grade 1) tear of the ligament, and he had pitched through flexor pain before. 

During an exam of his arm conducted in January the team found no evidence of additional damage.

Mozeliak said this was likely an "event" injury.

That means that it happened while he was pitching, and the elbow ligament just gave way at once, not over time.

The MRI scans are being reviewed by Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday, but the team expects his opinion to mirror the one of the Cardinals' medical officials. The surgery is tentatively scheduled for Thursday in Jupiter, Fla., and Dr. George Paletta is set for the procedure. Mozeliak said that Reyes has expressed an interest in having the surgery done as soon as possible.

The Cardinals had Reyes positioned as a candidate for the fifth spot in their rotation. He had an edge with his performance late in 2016, and he felt short of exhausting his rookie eligibility. Michael Wacha was Reyes' challenger for the fifth spot, and according to some within the Cardinals organization the more likely pitcher to open the season as the starter.

Wacha, who is coming back from a chronic shoulder injury, ascends to the leader for the fifth spot. The Cardinals must see health from him, and the team is unsure if his shoulder will be able to handle the workload of a starter.

The competition will open to include Luke Weaver and, in a role shift, former closer Trevor Rosenthal. The Cardinals have said they intend to "stretch out" Rosenthal so that he could serve as a multi-inning reliever. With Reyes out for the season, there are innings to be had for Rosenthal as a starter and elbow his way into the conversation.

Reyes is not a candidate for the "primary repair" surgery that The Post-Dispatch has reported on and Paletta has championed as a possible alternative to Tommy John surgery, an official said. The reason for this is twofold. First, the rupture is not in a location where it can be repaired at the bone, and that is a requirement for the "primary repair." Second, even if the tear was at the bone, Reyes is not at the same point in his career that Seth Maness or Mitch Harris was when they had the alternative procedure, and with so little data points to draw on there isn't the necessary precedent to know the outcome. Maness is the data to this point.

"When I met with him this morning you could definitely tell that he was down, disappointed," Mozeliak said. "Reality of all this is something I think he had some time to deal with as well. He's eager to get it going and to proceed with his rehab."

Gwen Stefani jokes that Blake Shelton forgot to call on Valentine's Day

Gwen Stefani joked Wednesday that boyfriend and 'The Voice' co-star Blake Shelton committed the ultimate Valentine's Day sin: "He forgot!" she said on NBC's 'Today Show.' "No, I'm just kidding. I got some beautiful flowers, lots of texts."

The couple spent the holiday apart, as Stefani is in New York promoting the show's upcoming season and Shelton is currently in his home state of Oklahoma.

Stefani admitted she wasn't sure if filming would be uncomfortable for her and Shelton, who confirmed their relationship more than a year ago but had yet to appear on the show as a couple.

"I was nervous at first. I was like, wait, is this going to be awkward? How am I going to act?" she said. "But it's just natural."

Even so, Stefani said, mixing work and personal lives has made for some touchy situations given the competitive nature of the show. Although there are perks to dating a fellow judge -- "I've learned a lot about country music just in the last year through him," she said -- the sabotage suspicion is always on high.

"Sometimes ... we're driving home, and I'm like, 'Do you think I should put [contestants] together? And them I'm like, wait, I'm not going to talk to you about this!" she said. "I don't know if you're the enemy or -- this is confusing!"

Among other shake-ups in the hit show's 12th season is a lowered age limit. Contestants can now be as young as 13 years old.

"They're so talented, it's hard to remember they're that age," Stefani said. "It's unbelievable."

PAL-V LIBERTY: THE FIRST CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL FLYING CAR READY FOR PRE-ORDER FOR ONLY $399,000

PAL-V Liberty, the first ever certified commercial flying car, has become a reality. PAL-V, a Dutch company, is ready to take you orders of this one-of-a-kind vehicle/aircraft, whichever way you want.

After nearly 5 years since its successful flight test and demo, the company's first flying car has fully complied with safety regulations set by global governing bodies. Robert Dingemanse, PAL-V CEO, said in a press statement: "After years of hard work, beating the technical and qualification challenges, our team succeeded in creating an innovative flying car that complies with existing safety standards, determined by regulatory bodies around the world."

The question now is: Are your pockets ready to order the PAL-V Liberty? A non-refundable deposit of either $10,000 or $25,000 for the Sport or Pioneer, respectively, is now accepted by PAL-V in order to reserve your very own flying car. Plus, they will accept a $2,500 refundable deposit for customers placed on the waiting list, reports Digital Trends.

The standard model, Liberty Sport, has a base price of $399,000. But this will only start selling once the Pioneer Edition has been sold out. By adding another $200,000, you get to have one of the only 90 copies of the Pioneer Editions.

The Pioneer Edition comes with special interior and exterior details, a little bit of personalized touch, and also additional features such as dual controls, power heating, electronic flight instrument system, and carbon fiber detailing. But both the Pioneer Edition and Sport models have an introductory training course in order to familiar the driver/pilot with the nature of the PAL-V Liberty.

PAL-V has kept a tight lid on the vehicle's powertrain. However, according to Car and Driver, both the engines are supplied by Rotax, an Austrian aircraft-engine maker. It has a fuel tank of 26.4 gallons, which is good for around 160 pounds of weight in gasoline alone.

The company claims that on road, the PAL-V Liberty's top speed is around 100mph with a 0-62mph of less than 9 seconds. Meanwhile, on air, it is able to travel up to 112mph, weighing at around 1413 pounds. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to transform into a flying car with the help of the Semi-Automatic Conversion System.

How Kate Upton Gets in Swimsuit-Ready Shape

Kate Upton is gracing the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue for the third time, and she looks better than ever thanks to her dedicated fitness routine.

“I found a training plan that really works for my body,” Upton, 24, told PEOPLE in December. “I love feeling strong, and strength training has really changed my body.”

Upton works out five to six days a week for at least an hour each time with her trainer Ben Bruno.

A typical workout session begins with a warm-up, which can include foam rolling and stretching, lateral band walks (walking from side to side with a resistance band around the knees) and lunges.

The warm-up is followed by a circuit-based strength-training workout, in which Upton does a series of three or four strength-building moves without rest in between. The circuits can include moves such as weighted hip-thrusts (Upton uses 200 lbs. for hers!), TRX rows, single-leg Romanian deadlifts and a body saw for core stability. She cycles through the moves without rest, which provides a cardio component as well.

Upton’s workout ends with conditioning exercises, such as weighted sled pushes and pulls, and rowing.

“One of they key tenets of my program is progressive overload,” Bruno previously told PEOPLE. “We do slow increases over time, so you build gradually. It’s important to always strive to be better, whether that’s with more weights or reps or moving to a harder exercise. With Kate we do all three at different points, so we’ve gradually built up.”

Upton can now deadlift over 200 lbs., do sled pushes with 500 lbs., and do bear crawls with 300 lbs.

“She’s insanely strong,” says Bruno. “Stronger than a lot of athletes I train!”

Philip Pullman to Release ‘The Book of Dust,’ First in New Trilogy

The novelist Philip Pullman, known for his wildly popular fantasy series “His Dark Materials,” will release the first book in a new trilogy in October, he told the BBC on Wednesday.

The first volume in the new series, called “The Book of Dust,” is to be released in the United States and Britain on Oct. 19. The name of the first volume has not been announced.

“At the center of ‘The Book of Dust’ is the struggle between a despotic and totalitarian organization, which wants to stifle speculation and inquiry, and those who believe thought and speech should be free,” Mr. Pullman said in an earlier statement. The new books will center on Lyra Belacqua, the heroine of “His Dark Materials,” who is trying to discover the secrets of “dust,” a mysterious cosmic force whose powers are a subject of recurring mystery in the first series.

The “His Dark Materials” trilogy, released from 1995 to 2000, consists of “The Golden Compass” (published as “Northern Lights” in Britain), “The Subtle Knife” and “The Amber Spyglass.”

The series centers on the coming-of-age of Lyra and Will Parry, heroes with intertwined fates who take on epic quests in fantasy universes, often battling with members of a sinister organization called the Church.

AMERICAN GIRL'S NEWEST DOLL IS A BOY

Beloved toy maker American Girl, known for its 18-inch female figurines is set to release its first ever male doll.

Beloved toy maker American Girl, known for its 18-inch female figurines, is set to release its first-ever male doll.

A spokesperson for American Girl said on Tuesday that "A boy character has been a top request from fans for decades."

His name is Logan Everett, and his character plays drums for Tenney Grant, a girl trying to make it big in Nashville.

Logan has a couple of looks, including one with a T-shirt that says, "Play Loud" under an unbuttoned plaid shirt.

The figure will be up for sale starting Thursday and will cost $115.