After the wintry mix and colder temperatures set in Thursday night, Friday started cold with wind chills falling into the single digits. Friday will only get into the mid 30's but wind speeds will settle down in the afternoon.

As a high pressure system moves in for the weekend we'll see a wonderful warm up that we haven't had in over 131 days. October 27th was the last time we got above 50 degrees and October 21st was the last time we broke 60.

We're set to hit both this weekend!

Sunny skies across the board with the high pressure center keeping things clear. This will develop a southwest breeze for Saturday and Sunday though that will transport the warmer temperatures into western Wisconsin.

Wind speeds will be from the west-southwest at 10 to 20 mph. There will be a few extra clouds mixing in Sunday as a low pressure system aims to bring light rain to Wisconsin to start next week.

Don't forget we spring ahead Saturday night so set the clocks forward, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. This is a good time to change their batteries.

Otherwise, the longer term forecast shows consistent 40+ highs and a few shots at rain. The warmer trend is still around as we head into the second week of March.

See the article here:
It's a "double brat and a beer on the deck" type of weekend - WQOW TV News 18

Before he was a beloved deckhand on Below Deck Mediterranean, Colin Macy-OToole commanded the ferry back and forth from Fire Island and shared some pretty insane incidents that occurred on his route.

Macy-OToole dished with the hosts from the Out in the Wild podcast about how he ended up on Below Deck Med, his crazy experiences as a ferryboat captain, plus his first encounter with Bravo producer Andy Cohen. Macy-OToole says his first brush with Cohen occurred long before he ended up on the show. He added that landing on Below Deck Med was almost a fluke as he was originally supposed to appear on Below Deck season 5 when Nico Scholly was bosun.

Even though he applied to be on the show as a joke, he was called for Below Deck season 5. His girlfriend at the time didnt want him to go on the show, so he backed off. Macy-OToole later found himself single and set sail on Below Deck Med. While he may have found some of the guests on the show to be pretty wild, their antics may not compare to what he saw as a ferryboat captain.

When the hosts asked for stories, Macy-OToole wanted to make sure they were appropriate for the audience. Ive got a couple of stories, but I dont want to be inappropriate, he says.

He recalls being approached by a passenger while he was hanging out with a young new crew member. A guy comes up to us and was like, Theres a guy you know, smoking. You cant smoke on the boat, Macy-OToole explains. This guys smoking in the back. Its midnight or whatever. So we asked the new kid, Alright check it out see whats happening. Macy-OToole reveals that when the new crew member ventured over to the passenger, he wasnt exactly smoking. But rather a passenger was performing oral sex on someone. Needless to say, Macy-OToole shared that the young new crew members life was forever changed.

But, Ive had people as a captain, guys come on the boat with just a shirt on, Macy-OToole says. No underpants. No anything. Hey, as long as youre sitting down and not being an a**hole, I dont care.

Speaking of Fire Island, Macy-OToole says he first met Cohen while he was working as a ferryboat captain. He says he met Cohen about five years ago when Cohen was staying on the island. He didnt know who I was at the time, Macy-OToole shares.

So if you have a house over at the beach, and you get an Amazon package, instead of you going back to Sayville and getting the package, well just deliver you the package, Macy-OToole describes. Like you just call in, I have a package for Cohen. So you pick it up, this is about five, six, seven years ago. And we have a package for an A. Cohen. So me and all the girls were there like, Oh that would be funny if it was Andy Cohen!'

Macy-OToole recalls docking the boat with Cohens package. And right in front, waiting for us to dock is Andy Cohen in his little bathing suit just booty popping. Im like, Alright its his.' Macy-OToole recalls that Cohen approached him for the package, which was $3 for the delivery. Hes like patting himself down, like, I dont have any money on me,' Macy-OToole says.

He remembers Cohen asking random people if they had any money and ended up borrowing the $3 from a stranger. Macy-OToole said he re-told the story on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen just kidding around. After the show, he gives me a bottle of Don Julio and says, Sorry for being a pain in the ass., Macy-OToole laughs adding he only told the story because he thought it was comical.

Read the rest here:
'Below Deck Med': Colin Macy-O'Toole Shares Wild Experiences in Boating (And the Funny Moment He Met Andy Cohen) - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Entrepreneurs are learning it's time to batten down the hatches in startup land.

Legendary venture capital firm Sequoia Capital sent a memo to its company founders and chief executives on Thursday, warning them of the potential business consequences of the coronavirus and its ripple effects. It described the pandemic as the "black swan of 2020."

The memo, which has been posted online and has spread through all of "tech Twitter," told company founders to prepare for the worst. The partners at the global venture firm have already seen startups suffer a decline in business activity and breaks in their supply chain. Fears of an economic downturn could make it much harder for them to raise outside funds, they said.

People on Twitter are describing the memo as "the sequel" to another dramatic warning from the firm 12 years ago.

On an early October day in 2008, Sequoia called an emergency meeting of its entrepreneurs, including Alfred Lin, a partner at Sequoia and a former executive at Sequoia-backed Zappos. Lin and others heard from a handful of partners and sat through a presentation on the worsening financial crisis and measures their businesses could take to blunt its effects.

The first slide had an image of a tombstone that read "R.I.P. Good Times."

The weeks leading up to the meeting saw the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the bailout announced, and the worst week of losses in the history of the Dow Jones.

In Sequoia's recent memo to founders, Lin shared a memory of the event.

"We didn't know then, just like we don't know now, how long or how sharp or shallow of a downturn we will face," Lin wrote. "What I can confirm is that the presentation made our team and our business stronger."

The deck, which we've shared with Sequoia's permission below, includes some of the same recommendations that the firm issued this week in its memo.

The slide show presentation known as "R.I.P. Good Times" gave Sequoia's company founders a gloomy forecast.

It predicted that venture-backed startups would raise smaller rounds at later stages if they could even secure a term sheet. They might see the number of exits slip, as companies take longer to go public, and the bigger companies change their acquisition strategy to conserve capital.

The firm told its founders that "acquiring entities will favor profitable companies," and it would be necessary for them to become cash-flow positive to survive.

Cuts were a "must," Sequoia's partners said. Entrepreneurs would need to review employee salaries, potentially decrease headcount, and slash their marketing budgets and they had to do it fast.

"Spend every dollar as if it were your last," the deck read.

The firm's recent coronavirus memo has been described as the "2020 version" of the "R.I.P. Good Times" deck, because of its take on the business landscape and smart recommendations for any startup.

We're sharing the full deck from 2008 with Sequoia's permission.

The rest is here:
Sequoia's coronavirus memo is eerily similar to another warning the VC firm gave to startup founders in 2008. Here's the full 'R.I.P. Good Times'...

For those looking to find strong Consumer Discretionary stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Deckers Outdoor (DECK - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Consumer Discretionary peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Deckers Outdoor is one of 240 individual stocks in the Consumer Discretionary sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #8 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

The Zacks Rank is a successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. DECK is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for DECK's full-year earnings has moved 5.18% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

According to our latest data, DECK has moved about 2.29% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, the Consumer Discretionary sector has returned an average of -13.45% on a year-to-date basis. As we can see, Deckers Outdoor is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Looking more specifically, DECK belongs to the Shoes and Retail Apparel industry, which includes 13 individual stocks and currently sits at #114 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 11.75% this year, meaning that DECK is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

DECK will likely be looking to continue its solid performance, so investors interested in Consumer Discretionary stocks should continue to pay close attention to the company.

Read this article:
Has Deckers Outdoor (DECK) Outpaced Other Consumer Discretionary Stocks This Year? - Zacks.com

There are so many jaw-dropping moments that Below Deck producers had a hard time choosing three. Pic credit: Bravo

There have been seven seasons of Below Deck with over 100 episodes airing. Below Deck executive producers, Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox, are revealing some of the most jaw-dropping moments of the series.

Fans of the hit Bravo show know there is plenty of shocking and dramatic moments for producers to choose.

The last season alone gave viewers some of the most WTF moments of the series, and that doesnt include what didnt air on television.

Along with sharing what fans get wrong about the show, Mark and Courtland are revealing the times that Below Deck made their jaws drop.

Yes, it was hard for them to pick three out of the million things that have shocked them over the years.

There is no question Ashton Pienaar going overboard during Season 6 was the scariest moment in the series.

Courtland said producers initially had no idea what was going on because they were in the control room.

As a producer, Im in the control room watching, and I can only see what the cameras are shooting. So, I see that moment. I see the rope starting around Ashtons ankle, and then I see him go in the water, and then three seconds later, I see a camera being set down on the deck of the boat. And, as a producer, Im yelling at my camera operators. Im saying, Why are we not shooting? Whats happening? And its not until well after the fact that I realize that our camera operator had set his camera down to untie the line to let Ashton free from the rope that hes entangled in, Courtland shared with The Daily Dish.

Season 1 featured Kat Held defying an order by Captain Lee Rosbach not to go out, and to stay on the boat. The captain watched her sneak off the yacht via the security cameras.

It made the producers list because it was so entertaining.

Thats one of those moments where its like. Its so perfect the way that it happens as Lees watching it and laughing at Kat walking off the boat. You couldnt script that any better than what actually happened in that real moment. As a producer, watching those things really happen on the boat, those are the things that, in the midst of a crazy production when youre tired, you see those moments, and youre like, that is completely amazing and magical, Courtland expressed.

Its time for a One Second Quiz: #BelowDeck Edition with @Lesdoggg #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/jSkOmb9uwy

Fallon Tonight (@FallonTonight) January 23, 2020

It might seem shocking that of all the WTF moments during Season 7, chef Kevin Dobsons penis cake made the list.

The reaction from the guests, minus the primary Jemele Hill because she already went to bed, was priceless.

Granted, Kevin was following orders by creating the penis cake Jemele wanted. However, chief stew Kate Chastain purposely let him deliver the penis cake knowing the primary went to bed.

Kevin is terrified by the reaction to that. He falls into a depression. You cannot write those moments, Mark admitted.

The producers revealed there are about five or six moments each season that keep life interesting for those working on Below Deck.

Those moments are also not necessarily the same ones fans would choose.

Below Deck will return for Season 8 in fall 2020 on Bravo.

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Read the rest here:
Below Deck producers reveal three jaw-dropping moments of the series - Monsters and Critics

Key point:Light carriers are smaller than regular supercarriers, but they are cheaper to build and still function like a flattop. They also carry Marines and their supplies and weapons to any fight anywhere in the world.

Were the USS America to cruise alongside the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the average Joe might struggle to distinguish their purposes. Both flat-tops measure longer than two-and-half football fields in length and carry jet fighters and helicopters.

But the America and her sistership Tripoli are technically Landing Helicopter Assault vessels numbered LHA-6 and LHA-7 respectively: super-sized members of the gator navy of amphibious assault ships designed to deploy the expeditionary units of the U.S. Marine Corps onto hostile shores. In addition to the Navy crew of 1,000-1,200 sailors and officers, each LHA can carry nearly 1,700 Marines.

Unlike the catapult-launched Rafale-M jet fighters on the Charles de Gaulle, the America and Tripoli can only deploy short-takeoff and vertical-lift capable jump jets from their decks. You can see a video of an F-35B hovering down for a landing on the America here.

Rather than using nuclear reactors to achieve brisk speeds of 30 knots, 45,000-ton LHAs use an innovative hybrid electric/gas-turbine propulsion system pioneered in the final Wasp-class LHD, USS Makin Island. The electric propulsion is used for slower cruising speeds while the gas-turbine becomes more efficient near the more modest maximum speed of twenty knots.

However, unlike the Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) they were based upon, America and Tripoli lack floodable well deck which can carry landing craft to ferry troops ashore. (This video shows how the Wasps cavernous well deck works.)

All that space has instead gone to dramatically expanded aviation facilities and fuel stores. The ships medical facilities were also reduced by two-thirds.

Instead of watercraft, the LHAs rely on squadrons of MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors, sophisticated hybrid aircraft combining the vertical lift ability of a helicopter and the speed and range of an airplaneto insert troops by air.

Officially, a typical air wing on the America would include a dozen Ospreys, six Harrier or F-35B jump jets, seven AH-1Z Viper attack and four CH-53K heavy transport helicopters to support troops ashore, and two MH-60S choppers for anti-submarine and search-and-rescue duties.

But if the Navy wants to, it could instead cram up to twenty fighters on the LHDs, turning them effectively into light aircraft carriersa class of ship the Navy hasnt built since World War II. Like the lower-end escort carrier, the concept was that there were many missions like aircraft delivery and convoy escort that would benefit from air support, but didnt require the massive firepower of a full carrier air wing with seventy to a hundred warplanes.

Indeed, during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 the Navy used the LHDs Bataan and Bonhomme Richard as pocket carriers primarily to launch Harrier airstrikes in Iraq.

However, the subsonic Harrier, though a versatile support platform, was substantially inferior in performance to equivalent land-based or catapult-launched fighters.

The new supersonic-capable F-35B Lightning II stealth jets entering service with the Marine Corps are far more capable of taking on fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and launching longer-range strikes. Combined with the F-35s surveillance capabilities, this means future air wings on LHDs and LHAs will be far more versatile.

As the Pentagons chief strategic contingency is preparing for the possibility of conflict with China, the Marine Corps sees the Pacific Ocean as its most important likely battleground.

A U.S.-China conflict might play out over small islands in the South China Sea in which the Chinese military has installed airfields, missile batteries and naval bases. And it may prove inefficient or risky to delegate a full-sized supercarrier to operations targeting these islands, or defend islands to which Marine and Army forces have deployed their own missile batteries.

Indeed, the LHD USS Wasp deployed in April 2019 with ten F-35Bs onboard and buzzed Chinese troops deployed at Scarborough Shoal, an occupied by Chinese troops but claimed by the Philippines.

Light carriers might also be appropriate in scale for protecting vital convoys traversing the vastness of the Pacific against sporadic air and submarine attacks using their onboard fighters and helicopters respectively.

The cost of the America-class LHAs reflects the efficiency argument well: the three ships ordered together were developed and built for $10 billion. Thats less than a single $13 billion Gerald Ford-classsupercarrier.

Bringing Back the Well Deck

Nonetheless, Marines have understandable objections to the removal of the ability to deploy landing craft from a nominally amphibious ship.

Afterall, air-cushion landing craft (LCAC) can carry up to 180 soldiers, 60-75 tons of supplies on each load, and vehicles as large as an Abrams main battle tank. Meanwhile, an Osprey can only carry 10-15 tons or thirty-two personnel. The only vehicle the MV-22B is certified to carry internally is a Growler jeep.

The Marine Corps, however, is increasingly convinced that D-Day style amphibious landings on defended beachheads are less and less likely to be viable in modern warfare.

Its not merely that they fear a bloodbath on the beaches of the sort depicted in Saving Private Ryan or Letters from Iwo Jima.

Strategists worry that long-range shore-launched anti-ship missiles will make it unlikely that landing craft, and even the larger LHDs and LHA carrying those landing craft, will be able to approach close enough to even deposit their troops in the first place. Surely, giant amphibious ships stuffed full with over a thousand Marines would be particularly tempting targets.

America-class LHAs can at least thin out threats up to thirty miles away with their two Evolved Sea Sparrow missile launchers before having to rely on Phalanx gatling cannons and Rolling Airframe Missile launchers and Nulka decoys for point defense. But none of these systems can even hope to stop anti-ship ballistic missiles entering service in Iran and China.

Thus, the Marine Corps recently abandoned its former objective of maintaining thirty-eight amphibious assault ships in service (it currently has thirty-two) which can deployed two full brigades into battle between them, in favor of dispersing troops amongst more numerous, though less capable, auxiliary and even robotic ships.

That may explain why the Navy prioritized the ability to launch additional troop-carrying Ospreys from over a hundred miles away which can land behind enemy lines rather than exposed beachheads.

But that doesnt change the issue of logistical throughput: if you need to rapidly reinforce a beachhead with heavy weapons, vehicles and supplies, landing craft are preferableespecially once nearby enemy defenses are suppressed.

The Ospreys themselves, while highly flexible, are also expensive to maintain and operate per flight hour. Furthermore, exhaust from both the Osprey and, especially, the F-35Bs inflict heat damage to the flight deck over time, limiting the advisability and increasing the cost of surging high-intensity flight operations over prolonged periods. The Navy has been continuously adapting the ships to prevent heat damage for years.

Therefore, in a bid to restore flexibility, the third America-class ship, Bouganville (LHA-8) which was laid down in March 2019 in Mississippi, will see the well-deck restored with a capacity for two LCACS. The island is trimmed down to allow more flight deck parking spot in compensation for lost hangar space. Armament and sensors are re-situated onto the vessels island superstructure, including a brand-new EASR radar also destined to equip future Gerald Ford-class carriers.

The new configuration inevitably requires tradeoffs. According to a chart at Navy Recognition, Bougainville falls squarely in between the Wasp-class LHD and the first two America-class boats with 38,000 square feet of deck space dedicated to aviation, but has less than half the aviation fuel capacity of her sister ships and more limited vehicle stowage.

Despite these downsides, the restoration of the ability to carry landing craft should improve the America classs flexibility. Still, naval planners will hopefully bear in mind the carriers secondary potential to serve as economy-size aircraft carriers for missions that dont require $13 billion supercarriers.

Sbastien Roblin holds a masters degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring.

Image: Reuters

Continue reading here:
F-35 Stealth Fighters Are Now Ready to Launch From America's "Light" Carriers - The National Interest Online

Building Interest

Built entirely of redwood, this gorgeous deck makes a bold backyard statement. To add interest and depth in this monochromatic space, the deck is terraced to feature a built-in hot tub above and a fire pit with surround seating below.

Not only does this modern home boast a gorgeous natural landscape and a 75-foot infinity pool, but it also features an ultra-relaxing hot tub. The hot tub's concrete surround blends effortlessly into the concrete hardscaping.

This gorgeous deck and hot tub from HGTV's Dream Home 2012 features stunning views of Utah's Wasatch Mountains.

An arbor with a bamboo canopy allows guests to enjoy views from this exquisite Wood Shop Co. deck rain or shine.

From the hot tub of the Trump Royale's contemporary penthouse, guests can take in luxurious views of Florida's Sunny Isles.

Featured in HGTV Dream Home 2011, a slate tiled terrace leads to a six-person, in-ground hot tub set in a stone base.

Earth tone colors and textures blend together to create this gorgeous stone hot tub and patio area. Stucco garden walls with a stone edge ensure extra privacy.

With countless seating options, a fireplace and a sunken hot tub, guests can lounge, sip and relax anytime in this sprawling backyard.

From: Abramson Teiger Architects

An intricate arched shade structure and outdoor kitchen play back up to the centerpiece of this al fresco spacea party-sized hot tub.

High above the city, this eclectic terraced deck features a relaxing hot tub and a potting shed.

A blue, teal and light green mosaic tile wall doubles as a water feature in this contemporary concrete hot tub.

With full panoramic mountain views, a luxurious hot tub, subtle recessed lighting and plenty of additional seating, this cliffside deck is the ultimate in outdoor living.

A dining area, firepit, grill, six-person spa, seating area and outdoor shower are all packed into this gorgeous 15' x 32' enclosed backyard.

This oceanfront spa was built tall to create the illusion that the tub's infinity edge blends seamlessly with the Pacific Ocean beyond. The herringbone patio and tiled tub can be seen from every room in the house, including the front door, making the outdoor space a crucial design element in this luxury home.

This small, plain, L-shaped backyard was transformed into a relaxing sanctuary complete with a hot tub, firepit seating area and lush tropical garden.

This modern patio features a unique cascading hot tub, a fire pit and gorgeous high desert views.

The rooftop patio of this contemporary penthouse apartment features a hot tub with a sweeping view of the city and a table that's perfect for dining al fresco. Glass walls surround and enclose the space without interrupting the view while a teak platform overlooks the rooftop garden.

This gorgeous hot tub entertainment hub comes complete with a colorful stamped concrete patio, inviting U-shaped bar, slate mosaic wall and beautiful, shady arbor.

Isn't this view incredible? Tucked away on a secluded rooftop, this wood deck hot tub is the ultimate mountain escape.

Surrounded by lush greenery, this secluded outdoor oasis features a rim flow edge hot tub that blends seamlessly with a simple concrete patio.

Curtain panels add privacy and protection from the elements in this transitional outdoor space. Safe from prying eyes, guests can curl up on the luxurious daybed or soak in the sunken tub nestled into the wood deck.

Love to entertain? This oceanfront deck offers auto canvas shades, a hot tub, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, TV and more.

A small deck is no excuse to skimp on luxury. This compact outdoor area features a relaxing reading nook, sunken hot tub and lounge chairs to take in the scenic mountain views in style.

Surrounded by a tall privacy hedge, this infinity edge hot tub flows seamlessly into the wading pool beyond and is the focal point of this relaxing, contemporary deck.

Glass walls enclose this private terracelocated in a home in the Camps Bay area of Cape Town, South Africa, offering a stunning view of both the ocean and Signal Hill.

A covered patio adjacent to a lush garden offers ample seating options, including a Z-shaped bench centered around a stylish fire pit. A few steps away, a large, relaxing hot tub is framed by yet another stylish wooden arbor with curtains that can be closed for privacy.

A luxurious tiled hot tub was built to complement the contemporary architecture of this custom desert mountain home.

This gorgeous terraced deck features lush landscaping and twin gazebosone sheltering a plunge pool/hot tub and the other shading a space for grilling.

Featured in DIY Network's Blog Cabin 2012, a wood-fired Japanese-style hot tub is a gorgeous addition to this outdoor retreat. To accomodate the sloping backyard, a terraced wood deck sits just above the unique cobblestone mat patio adding extra space for entertaining.

A serene urban getaway, this gorgeous rooftop deck features ipe decking, a built-in hot tub, cedar pergola, outdoor bar and a chic fire pit seating area.

Natural pebbles fill the space between large concrete panels to create a unique textural finish on this contemporary pool and hot tub patio.

This contemporary rooftop transitions effortlessly from indoor to outdoor with a swanky billiards room dividing a hot/tub pool deck from an adjacent lounge deck with sweeping views of the city.

This luxurious covered patio features concrete seating, a fire pit, a spa and a pool built in a sleek, linear design for effortless outdoor entertaining.

A planter box filled with perennial grasses and boxwoods hides this hot tub from prying eyes, while tempered glass allows for views of the city.

This sunken hot tub blends perfectly with the surrounding contemporary, gray decking.

Located immediately across from the shore of Lake Wakatipuhis, this compact yet luxurious deck features a glass-encased round spa and is the crown jewel of this Queenstown, NZ apartment.

Groupings of furniture allow guests to flow from area to area on this contemporary deck. An open wood staircase and privacy wall add rich color while the space's sleek design uses texture and shape to add natural interest.

A rustic sunken tub, complemented by colorful planters and outdoor furniture, is tucked into a cozy corner of this stone tile patio.

This cozy outdoor retreat offers a cool pool and shady pergola for warm days while a sunken hot tub and built-in firepit stand by for crisp nights.

As seen on HGTV's Vacation House for Free, contractor Matt Blashaw designed a back patio that has something for everyone. With plenty of ways to relax, whether in the hot tub or on the luxury outdoor sofa, this space provides the perfect getaway at the end of a long day.

A serene spa with stacked stone accents provides a great view from the living room of this contemporary home in Laguna Beach. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors allow the house and resort-like backyard to become one.

From: Studio 6 Architects

Designer Jeff Troyer added a teak deck and wall around this spa area, located just off of a blue tiled pool. A black and gray wood pergola provides a covered outdoor space complete with brown woven lounge chairs.

As seen on HGTVs House Hunters, this cozy backyard patio features a luxurious, roomy hot tub surrounded by lush plantings. A sculptural fountain encased in tile serves as an interesting focal point for the space.

Diversify your outdoor space with multiple decks that serve different purposes. This Kane Landscapes design features a spa area on one level and a raised garden/entertaining patio on another.

Read more from the original source:
Gorgeous Decks and Patios With Hot Tubs | DIY

Opening to the public next week, Edge is the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere.

The sky deck juts out an exhilarating 80 feet from a glass-facade building in Hudson Yards on the far West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Over a thousand feet in the air, the venue opens on March 11, but Yahoo Finance got a sneak peak during Rolling Stones private Women Shaping the Future event on Wednesday.

Edge is designed to take visitors out of their comfort zone to experience New York like never before, said a joint press briefing by its developers Related Companies, Oxford Properties Group, NYC & Company, KPF and Rockwell Group.

Bolted between the east and south sides of 30 Hudson Yards, the 7,500-square-foot deck sits 1,131 feet in the air. A video shows sketches of Hudson Yards on graph paper, coming to life, as guests jet up an ear-popping 60-second elevator ride to the 100th and 101st floors.

The Edge juts out 80 feet from the building in two tiers the entrance is a steep staircase up from the main observation deck made of triangular panels. The windy yet hefty sky deck is 765,000 pounds, made of 15 sections, each weighing between 35,000 and 100,000 pounds. Rather than competing with the skyline views, Edges sleek, minimal design puts New York City in the spotlight.

We wanted... to inspire visitors and ignite a new passion for New York City,said Jason Horkin, vice president of Hudson Yards Experiences. We hope our guests get to experience and enjoy New York City from a whole different perspective.

Courtesy of Related-Oxford.

The harrowing view below is hard to miss, with 360-degree views through angled windows that allow guests to lean out overlooking the city. The nine-foot-tall glass walls are made of 79 panels, totaling 3,000 square feet of glass. Each panel weighs 1,200 pounds and is angled 6.6 degrees outwards.

For the most daring guests, a 225-square-foot triangular floor has a glass panel that offers a view straight down 100 floors to taxicabs and construction cranes below.

Edge is the only sky deck that hangs off a building rather than being on the roof, said Horkin. The result is an experience where you are completely surrounded by sky... [You can] stand on the glass floor and look straight downits breathtaking no matter how many times you do it.

Just above the sky deck is Peak, a restaurant and bar by London-based rhubarb hospitality group that offers floor-to-ceiling views of New York City from the 101st floor. The restaurant offers small, intimate tables and a marble countertop bar appointed by a silver, crescent sculpture. Modern, angular lighting fixtures and silver-and-gold accents pair with cozy carpeting and velvet seating.

Courtesy of Related-Oxford.

The restaurant wraps around one side of the building, and the other side functions as an event venue, with marble floors and circular, gold hoop lighting. The venue also has a small, sleek bar downstairs, on the 100th floor.

The Edge will open to the public on March 11, and standard adult tickets will cost $36. The building and space is part of the Related Companies Hudson Yards development, a massive multi-use neighborhood with over 100 shops and restaurants. The Oxford Properties Group, NYC & Company, and KPF and Rockwell Group partnered with Related Development in the $25 billion development project.

Story continues

Read more from the original source:
A sneak peek inside the Western Hemispheres tallest outdoor observation deck - Yahoo Finance

We are now on to the second day of the March 2020 Ranked Season and we have seen the conclusion of the Mythic Point Challenge during the weekend to find out how Standard is progressing along. Thanks to the amazing community, the early Mythic decks of this season are being shared already! Be sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest updates and to share your decks with us.

If you want to have a look at the below decklists directly first, then use the below links:

Check out all Temur Adventures decklists!

You may have already seen thecorgibutts excellent deck guide on Jeskai Fires, but this time he has chosen arguably the best deck in the format currently Temur Adventures to rush to Mythic.

Check out all Rakdos Knights decklists!

Aggro decks are great to quickly climb the ladder as the games are generally faster. Snapconcede/modo here has chosen the trusty Rakdos Knights to achieve the task, despite the deck falling out of favor for Mono Red Aggro. The deck has better and bigger creatures overall, and Rotting Regisaur + Embercleave is still a deadly combo.

3

Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath

Cards 60

Check out all Sultai Ramp decklists!

Cardarelli used Bant Ramp to get a respectable record at the Mythic Point Challenge, and hes switched it up to Sultai for the initial ladder climb. He has made a few tweaks from Jaberwockis #1 decklist from the previous month.

3

Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath

Cards 60

Check out all Bant Ramp decklists!

Nissa, Who Shakes the World always finds a way to get into the metagame, as Crokeyzs Bant Ramp decklist is making its rounds as well.

Read more:
The First Mythic Decks of the March 2020 Ranked Season - MTG Arena Zone

After the 2016 presidential election, political airwaves seemed dominated by two refrains:

Donald Trump is our president!

Actually, Hillary won the popular vote.

Both statements are equally valid. Despite their gripes, liberals could not deny that Donald Trump would occupy the Oval Office. On the other hand, perhaps Republians should have qualified their enthusiasm by acknowledging that their candidate spoke for a minority of the American people.

These opposing outlooks are rooted in an underlying issue that is more complex than mere partisanship. The 2016 election is proof of a system that disproportionately rewards the rural vote. In vying for control of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency, urban political voices are at a disadvantage because of the outsized influence that sparsely populated states hold in our electoral system. The result is that representation in the federal government fails to adequately reflect public opinion. In an age of polarization along geographical lines, Democrats are the ones who lose out. If they hope to win in 2020, Democrats need to take into account this deep-seated rural advantage and shift their strategy to win more rural votes.

The numbers demonstrate this disconnect between the electoral and popular votes. Over the past few elections for the House of Representatives, Republicans have won a share of seats that is four to five percentage points higher than the portion of the popular vote they garnered. In the 2018 midterms, even as many Republican seats were taken by Democrats, their losses were hedged by gerrymandering according to one analysis, Democrats current advantage in the House would have been 16 seats larger if congressional boundaries had been drawn fairly.

The Senate, where Republicans control 53 seats, is even less representative of the popular vote: The 53 GOP Senators in the hundred-member body represent about 15 million fewer people than the 45 Democrats who sit across the aisle. And in the Electoral College, the five most rural states in America have twice as many electoral votes per resident as the five largest states do.

Believe it or not, the disproportionate representation of small states was a deliberate part of the Framers original plan. The Senate, for instance, was intended to guarantee that small states have a meaningful influence in government and are protected from the tyranny of the majority. The Electoral College was designed as a concession to Southern states, protecting the political influence of their voting populations while leaving slaves disenfranchised. The design of the Electoral College system was not a real problem until the 2000 presidential election, when George Bush won the White House through the Electoral College despite earning fewer votes than Al Gore. This was the first time since 1888 that the popular vote and the Electoral College produced opposite verdicts. But now that the previous two Republican presidents won in this manner, it is time for Democrats to take notice.

Why now, at the start of the new millennium, does the Electoral College fail to represent the views of the majority of Americans? Over the past few decades, geography has increasingly come to predict party affiliation: The Democratic Party now largely represents cities, while the Republican Party largely represents rural America. Before this sociopolitical sorting intensified at the end of the 20th century, the Constitutions bias against voters in major population centers affected both parties about equally. Republicans depended on moderate Eastern elites, such as the Rockefeller Republicans, as much as they did on social conservatives to form winning coalitions. Democrats, on the other hand, could count on urban political machines such as Tammany Hall, even while they also relied on the Solid South for victories, until they lost Southern support with the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

But the era of parties that crossed geographic lines is now a distant memory. The 13 most densely populated states are represented by 121 Democrats and 73 Republicans in the House. The other 37 less densely populated states are represented by 163 Republicans and 72 Democrats. The Republicans are definitively the party of rural America, and so they benefit from the advantages in representation that are built into the Constitution. The Democrats, standard-bearers of cityfolk, must deal with the ramifications.

The upshot is that while the Democrats should be cognizant of the systemic disadvantages they face, they need to reshape their political strategy to better suit the needs of moderate and even conservative voters in places such as the Rust Belt to compete outside of states like New York and California. In practice, they will have a hard time doing so because of the growing progressive wing of the party, which could alienate rural voters who might otherwise consider voting blue.

The challenge facing the Democrats thus adds a new twist to an important question: What exactly do working-class Americans care about? Even if the structural reforms presented by candidates such as Bernie Sanders are popular in urban centers, can they win over enough moderates to overcome our governments bias against the political influence of the coasts? Just as important: Is Bidens time-tested message to the Rust Belt enough to rebuild the blue wall?

The two wings of the Democratic Party offer different answers, and it is not clear which will more effectively resonate with voters. But if there is one thing that our broken system of uneven representation should teach Democrats, it is that they need to tailor their message to the highly diverse geographies around the country, not just to the urban centers. Even outside of the cities, our country moves. It breathes. It votes.

Arjun Shanmugam 23 can be reached at arjun_shanmugam@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

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Shanmugam '23: Democrats need to realize that the electoral deck is stacked against them - The Brown Daily Herald