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Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More

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Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More

Jackery’s new Jewel 2-in-1 Batter Pack/Lightning Cable, a deeply discounted flood light, BOGO lightning cables, and more lead Friday’s best deals.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more, and don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter.

Top Deals

Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Jackery Jewel, $16 with code JERJEWEL

Jackery makes some of the most popular battery packs around, but the brand new Jackery Jewel is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

Really, the Jewel isn’t so much a battery pack as it is a Lightning cable with a battery bulge in the middle. That 450mAh battery is only good for a ~15-20% charge, depending on the iPhone model, but that can be the difference between finishing the night with a working smartphone or an inert slab of glass.

When it’s plugged into a charger or computer, the Jewel also acts as a standard Lightning cable, except that while it’s refueling your phone or syncing data, it’s also recharging its built-in battery. Jackery sent me one of these to try out a few weeks ago, and I often find myself using it around the house when I want to stave off battery anxiety without tethering myself to a power outlet.

For a limited time, Jackery’s offering a 20% launch discount on the Jewel with promo code JERJEWEL, so if you want to add this to your charging gear collection, there’s no reason to wait.

https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Certif…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
EOOPRO Warm Weather Sleeping Bag, $21 with code JW843IQ5

This lightweight sleeping bag is only $21 with promo code JW843IQ5, but if we’re being honest here, I’m only really posting it because it’s the Friday afternoon of Gawker senior week, and that product image is one of the best things I’ve ever seen.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
FitDesk Under Desk Elliptical Trainer, $100

If you can’t find the time to get to the gym every day, this under-desk elliptical lets you squeeze in some light exercise while you fill out spreadsheets and file expense reports. $100 is the lowest price Amazon’s ever offered, and actually matches a Gold Box deal from a few weeks ago.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Allen Sports Deluxe 3-Bike Trunk Rack, $35

This Allen Sports bike rack can hang three bikes off the back of almost any sedan, hatchback, minivan, or SUV, and Amazon will sell it to you for just $35 today, its lowest price in months. Amazon’s built-in compatibility tool (at the top of the page) will even tell you definitively whether it will fit your car. Please, just be careful.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Fire HD 10, $180 | Fire HD 6, $70

The Amazon Fire HD 6 is one of the best sub-$100 tablets you can buy, and the Fire HD 10 makes for a great portable TV, and you can save on both today on Amazon as part of a back to school promotion.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC6I06S/…

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Tablet-10…

http://gizmodo.com/amazon-fire-hd…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
RAVPower 6' Lightning Cable + RAVPower 3' Lightning Cable, $13 with code M585VCOK

If you’re looking to add to your Lightning cable collection, RAVPower will give you a 3' cable for free when you purchase a $13, 6' cable today. That’s a little bit pricey for the 6' cable on its face, but it does have a fancy looking metal connector, as does the shorter cable that you’re getting for free.

Just add both cables to your cart, and use code M585VCOK at checkout.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166KRUYG?…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFKOU56?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
AmazonBasics Hanging Toiletry Kit, $12

Every traveler needs a good toiletry kit, and preferably a hanging one at that. This model from AmazonBasics isn’t made of fancy leather, and it’s not embroidered with your initials, but it’s down to an all-time low $12 today, and should last you for years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WTHIVHQ/…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
LOFTEK® 50W LED Flood Light, $47 with code LKNOVA20

This 50W flood light is not only equipped with a timer to program it for security purposes, it also has a remote controlled-dimmer and color-change setting and it’s waterproof. But wait, there’s more! It’s $10 less than it’s ever been on Amazon right now when you use the code LKNOVA20.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
2-for-$24 3-Wick candles at Bath & Body Works

The best thing about fall is all the fall smells. Not the actual IRL smells, but the ones that brands dig up for their limited edition things like Cinnamon Apple and Pumpkin Pie. You can stock up on those scents and more with 2-for-$24 3-wick candles from Bath & Body Works and make your whole place smell like Leaves or something.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Wi-Fi OBD2 Scanner, $9 with code OBDWIFI5

You’ve heard of Automatic’s smart driving assistant, but if $80-$100 is too rich for your blood, this cheap OBD2 dongle connects to any iPhone or Android device over Wi-Fi, and can fulfill many of the same functions using various third party apps.

Update: It seems like the double discount is working for some people, and not others. We’re not sure what exactly is going on, but even if it’s not working for you, $14 is a great price.

We’ve seen this exact model in the past for $14, and indeed, that’s what this deal was supposed to be. However, it seems like promo code OBDWIFI5 is applying two separate discounts right now, bringing it all the way down to $9.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C3HAHCS?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
2-Pack Hausebell Waterproof LED Headlamp, $14 with code 05HB2TDP

Illuminate any path with this 2-pack of LED headlamps, each with rechargeable batteries, for only $14 (the best price yet) when you use the code. Honestly, I think headlamps are absolutely necessary for anyone that does any outdoorsy activities or anyone that just likes to mess with their friends.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018LXIGGW?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker, $65

If you missed out a few weeks ago, this Char-Broil smoker is back down to $65 on Amazon today.

Obviously, there are bigger and better meat smokers out there, but if you’re just curious about the process, this is a fine starter model, particularly if you don’t have a ton of outdoor space. And if you’re the DIY type, there are even some easy modifications you could implement to improve it.

http://workshop.lifehacker.com/how-to-modify-…

http://lifehacker.com/why-a-smoker-a…

https://www.amazon.com/Char-Broil-142…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Aukey 500ml Oil Diffuser, $30 with code AUK500ML

Aukey’s hefty 500ml oil diffuser can last up to 16 hours without refilling, and can also works as a color changing night light to boot. That’s not a bad package for $30.

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Diff…

Don’t forget to pick up some oils!

https://www.amazon.com/Aromatherapy-E…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Anova Wi-Fi Precision Sous-Vide Cooker, $150

Ready to experience meat in a whole new way? You can pick up the newest model of Anova’s top-selling Sous Vide immersion circulator for $50 off.

http://lifehacker.com/5868685/sous-v…

Lifehacker has a great explainer on Sous-Vide cooking for you to check out, but the basic idea is that you seal the food in plastic bags, and then cook it in precisely heated water over a longer period of time. It sounds weird, but trust me when I say that it works like magic.

http://gear.lifehacker.com/bestsellers-an…

Every time we post this, we get some snark about the Wi-Fi connectivity, so just know that it’s optional. If you connect your phone, you can find a recipe via Anova’s app, and automatically program the cooker with one tap, but you certainly don’t need to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culinary…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
OxyLED T-01S Stick-Anywhere LED Light, $5 with code 4SCSPJDW

Stick-anywhere LED lights are great for everything from closets and cabinets to bathrooms and hallways, and this OxyLED tap model is just $5 on Amazon today with promo code 4SCSPJDW.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NS38AG?…

These run off of AAA batteries, so you should probably pick up some Eneloops while they’re on sale as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-BK-4…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Oral-B Pro 7000 SmartSeries Toothbrush, $100 after $20 coupon.

$100 is a solid price for any top of the line electric toothbrush, and Oral-B’s Pro 7000 SmartSeries add Bluetooth to the mix, just for kicks.

http://co-op.kinja.com/the-best-elect…

In addition to six different cleaning modes (including one for your tongue), a travel kit, a pressure sensor, and a timer, the Pro 7000 also syncs to an iOS or Android app that tracks your brushing habits and offers personalized feedback.

I know a lot of people are reflexively against the Bluetoothification of everyday household items, and that’s fine. What I’m saying is that even if you never download that app, this is still a fantastic toothbrush at $100. Just be sure to clip the $20 coupon on the page to get the full discount.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9X34XS?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Refurb VIZIO SB3820-C6 Sound Bar, $70

As long as you don’t mind buying a certified refurb, this 38" VIZIO sound bar is fantastic value at $70.

Without a subwoofer, this might not be ideal for a main home theater sound system, but it’d be a massive upgrade to, say, your bedroom TV’s built-in speakers. And when your TV’s turned off, it’ll also work as a massive Bluetooth speaker for playing music from your phone.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
GlowBowl, $15

You probably looked at that image up there and laughed. But let me tell you, there’s nothing funny about using the bathroom in the middle of the night and having to turn on an overhead light to see where you’re going. Because as soon as you hit that switch, you know you’re not getting back to sleep for another hour.

GlowBowl fits on just about any toilet, is motion activated, and can even output seven different colors of light. Most importantly though, it won’t wreak havoc on your circadian rhythms. It normally sells for $20, and is worth every penny, but you can pick one up from Amazon right now for $15, matching a Prime Day deal.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
TiVo Roamio OTA 1TB, $372

The TiVo for cord cutters comes with lifetime service and a 1TB hard drive, and Amazon’s offering the first deal we’ve ever seen on it today.

The original Roamio OTA sold for $50 with a 500GB hard drive, but you had to pay $15 per month for the TiVo service. The new model though comes with 1TB of space, and usually retails for $400 upfront, with lifetime service. Assuming you’ll use it for more than a couple years, that’s a good deal on its face, but Amazon’s taking an extra $28 off the sticker price right now, while supplies last.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…

Just note that this model is not compatible with cable services; it’s designed specifically for use with an OTA antenna, such as the top-selling Mohu Leaf.

http://lifehacker.com/five-best-indo…

https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Paper-thi…



Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
PlayStation Plus, $39

We see $10 off deals on PlayStation Plus just about every week, but today...are you sitting down? Today, you can save $11.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
30% Off Sale at Patagonia

The heat is raging on but that doesn’t mean your mind can’t be on the cooler months. Patagonia’s 30% off sale is full of cold-weather staples like their Nano-Air Jacket and Ultralight Down Vest (plus a few summer styles leftover as well). Stock up on men’s and women’s styles while the prices are way low.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Sorel Event at Nordstrom Rack

Sorel is one of your favorite winter boot brands, and the Tofino was the one to beat. If you’re dying to get out of this summer heat and are already thinking about the winter, grab one of these boots for under $100 at Nordstrom Rack. Not into the Tofino? There’s 90 different styles to choose from.

http://gear.lifehacker.com/these-are-your…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Omaker QC 2.0 Dual Charger, $4 with code QOM3OFT3

For several months now, single-port Quick Charge 2.0 wall chargers have bottomed out at $5. Today though, you can get a dual-port model from Omaker for just $4 with promo code QOM3OFT3.

https://www.amazon.com/Omaker-Charge-…

If your phone already supports Quick Charge 3.0, you can get a dual-port wall charger and a (non-Quick Charge) car charger for $20 as well. Just add both to your cart, and use code CQERFTDC.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BF3OZ9W?…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B182976?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Hoover Linx, $97

It’s 2016, and your vacuum shouldn’t have a cord anymore. The Hoover Linx features an 18-volt battery, a motorized brush that you can turn on and off, and an easy-to-empty receptacle, and Amazon will sell you one for $97 today. That’s not an all-time low, but it’s a solid discount from its usual $110-$130 price range.

https://www.amazon.com/Hoover-Cordles…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
5-Piece Samsonite Nested Luggage Set, $85 with code BONVOYAGE

Does Samsonite make the best luggage you can buy? Of course not. But $85 is still a ridiculously good price for a complete 5-piece set (with code BONVOYAGE). And with the company’s 10 year limited warranty, your investment should last for many trips to come.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Kohree 33' Copper String Lights, $8 with code OJXL6KVV | Kohree 20' Solar Copper String Lights, $10 with code 5FRVPXT3

Copper string lights are so hot right now (but not literally, because they’re LEDs), and you can choose from two different options on sale today. $8 gets you a 33' strand that plugs into the wall, or you can opt for a $10, 20' set that runs off of solar power.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016A33UIY?…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016B298S0?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
BLACK + DECKER Mini 3-Cup Rice Cooker, $14

Rice cookers have their place, but if you’re just cooking for a small group, and don’t have a ton of storage space, this $14 3-cup (cooked) model from Black & Decker might be all that your kitchen needs.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016Y8JS4K/…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
French Sailor’s Shirt, $20

If there’s one thing I have too many of, its striped shirts (or so I’ve been told). But if you, like me, appreciate a good Breton stripe and know that you can never actually have too many, this one’s for you. Grab 20% off sale shirts and sweaters from L.L. Bean, including this awesome striped number. That Heather Grey is calling my name.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Chromecast, $30 | Chromecast Audio, $30

If you still have any TVs without a Chromecast attached, Google’s official eBay store will sell you one at a $5 discount today (also available on Chromecast Audio). Plus, Google will throw in 90 days of unlimited Google Play music, plus two months of Spotify Premium (new users only) for free.

http://gizmodo.com/chromecast-201…

http://reviews.gizmodo.com/chromecast-aud…


If you missed out in theaters, Amazon and iTunes will rent you an HD copy of Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight for just a buck right now. As with all digital rentals, you’ll have 30 days to start watching, and then 24 (iTunes) or 48 (Amazon) hours to finish, so you don’t have to find time to watch it tonight.

https://www.amazon.com/Hateful-Eight-…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Nintendo Selects Preorders, $16 with Prime

A small new batch of $20 Nintendo Selects games will be released on August 26, and if you have Amazon Prime, you can get any or all of them for just $16 (discount shown at checkout).

https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Selec…

https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Selec…

https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Selec…

https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Selec…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
iClever BoostCube Travel USB Charger, $7 with code DEALBIG1

iClever’s BoostCube travel USB charger isn’t as small as the Aukey we highlighted earlier this week, but it can put out 12W and 2.4A per port, rather than sharing that amount of power between both. That’s a ton of power for $7 (with code DEALBIG1).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QTE09SY?…

http://deals.kinja.com/this-7-travel-…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Extra 60% Off Clearance at Perry Ellis

Perry Ellis is sailing into the end of the summer by clearing out their clearance rack. Save an additional 60% on clearance items, and stock up short-sleeve button downs for those end-of-summer BBQs or a nice polo for your friends’ engagement party.


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
KMASHI Bike Light/Bluetooth Speaker/USB Battery Pack, $18 with code 7WFFI67M

Speaking of deals to make your bike smarter, this $18 gadget from KMASHI is an LED headlight, Bluetooth speaker, and USB battery pack all rolled into one. That means you can roll between Pokéstops all night long, and be able to hear when a new Pokémon comes into range.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZTEKDYK?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
3-Pack Smartphone Dry Bags, $7 with code 4DXFH65T

You all know the drill with these dry bags by now. They keep your phone safe from the elements whether you’re surfing in the ocean, swimming in a pool, or just lounging on the beach, and $7 for a three-pack is about as cheap as you’ll ever see them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HPH55PU?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Anker Compact Car Jump Starter, $59

By now, most of you probably have a USB battery pack or two to keep your phones charged, and that’s great! But I’m willing to bet most of them won’t start your car if its battery dies.

The $59 Anker compact car jump starter has your standard pair of USB ports and a 10,000mAh built-in battery, but it also ships with a set of removable jumper cables to jolt your car’s engine to life in a pinch. Once you’re up and running, it’ll even recharge itself via an included 15V car charger, so it never even has to leave your glove box.

Hopefully you don’t need to use this often, but it’s one of those things you’ll be really glad you bought when the time comes. This particular model has been a little cheaper during a couple of Amazon Gold Boxes, but today’s price is still well below its usual $70-$80.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T2GT9L4?…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
No Man’s Sky, $48 for Prime members. Discount shown at checkout.

There’s a little-known indie game called No Man’s Sky out today on PS4, and if you have Prime, you can snag a copy for $48 (discount shown at checkout).

https://www.amazon.com/No-Mans-Sky-Pl…

In case you weren’t aware, this 20% video game discount is available for Prime members on all preorder and new release games (physical copies only), out to two weeks post-release. So if you’re ready to take off an explore the universe, this is an easy way to save $12.

http://deals.kinja.com/calendar-of-up…


Today's Best Deals: Jackery 2-in-1 Battery Pack/Lightning Cable, Under-Desk Elliptical, Meat Smoker, and More
Buy Two Snacks, Get $5 Off

Amazon bills this buy two and save $5 promotion as a back to school special, but I’m not going back to school anytime soon, and I would still love to buy some of these snacks. Eligible products include everything from Lays chips to Starbucks Refreshers to oatmeal, so head over to Amazon and pick out your two favorites.

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An Open Letter to My Future Daughter

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An Open Letter to My Future Daughter
Photo: Shutterstock

To my future daughter,

I wish I knew what sort of country you’ll grow old in. My generation thinks it inherited a raw deal, sure, but as I look around at the state of world in 2016, I can’t help but wonder, despairingly, how bad things will get by the time you inherit this crazy old planet.

I can’t take care of you your entire life—and I’m sure you won’t want me to, once you grow into your independence—and I can’t ensure that you’re equipped with all the the tools—mental, emotional, physical—to thrive in whatever society you’ll find yourself surviving in. And I can’t know at all what it’ll be like to experience all this as a woman, in what remains, distressingly, a world built to accommodate men.

All I can offer you is whatever passes for wisdom here in 2016. All I really have to give is the knowledge your old man has accumulated over his all-too-brief life, so far.

What I hope you know—what I need to tell you— is this: Gaucho is the best Steely Dan album.

Yes, sure, Aja is both commercially and critically more successful. Yes, it’s considered Steely Dan at the height of their pristine studio wizardry, a gorgeous and seamless melding of jazz and rock, with more soul and funk than they’re usually given credit for—overall the undisputed acme of that smooth California sound. But Gaucho, that glorious mess of a follow-up, is really the best work they ever did.

Look, Steely Dan never put out a bad album. Some people prefer their more traditionally rockin’ first couple albums, when they were actually a conventional, touring band. And that’s fine—they were a tight unit, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter was a helluva guitar player. But no one can deny, my unborn daughter, that their evolution into a pure studio act, and the relentless perfectionism of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, produced some of the best popular music of the 20th century.

It was on Aja that they achieved mastery over music—they produced, on vinyl, the perfect songs they heard in their heads. The tumultuous, years-in-the-making followup, though, saw them produce a beautiful deconstruction.

From the very beginning, Gaucho, with that meticulous shuffle from the legendary Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, is an icier, darker affair than Aja. The entire album glides along, future daughter, on a sort of exhausted groove—the sun’s up and the coke’s run out, but at least it’s still a beautiful day in Los Angeles.

The Aja singles had been unambiguously joyous. “Peg” and “Josie” are party music, albeit with the duo’s usual askew lyrical ambiguities (just what “foreign movie” is the narrator talking about with Peg?). “Hey Nineteen,” Gaucho’s first single, is a disturbing joke—a decrepit old hipster’s lament that his teen plaything thinks he’s square (which he is). The second single—featuring Mark Knopfler on guitar!—is probably the first ever heroin song that actually makes it sound fun.

Overall, unborn future daughter to whom I am directing this life advice, Gaucho is a sparser album, that ruminates on a couple mid-tempo grooves without exploding into Aja’s jazz epiphanies—there are fewer “difficult” chords and complex harmonies than its predecessor. This just gives us more of an opportunity to luxuriate in the demented consciousness of the characters inhabiting and narrating each song, each one a loser in an entirely different way, from the ridiculous Gaucho of the title track, abandoned by the side of the highway in his “spangled leather poncho,” to paranoid maniac in “My Rival,” who has detectives crawling around town looking for the man with a scar across his face and a hearing aid. Meanwhile, underpinning the whole thing is the foreboding knowledge that it’s the end of the ‘70s, and Gaucho’s L.A. losers are marked for extinction.

(One side note, future daughter: Steely Dan’s early-2000s reunion albums, Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go, are both solid outings—the latter in particular is underrated—but neither reach the heights of their prime-era output, and both are something of a return to a “live” sound as opposed to their baroque ‘70s studio perfectionism.)

It’s by no means a perfect album in the way Aja is—or even in the simpler way that Katy Lied is—but, my beautiful girl, I really want you know that I think Gaucho is the purest expression of the entire Steely Dan aesthetic.

Love,

Your Father


The Cuck is Gawker’s pop-up, bespoke men’s interest and parenting blog.

This Is Why There Are So Many Ties In Swimming

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This Is Why There Are So Many Ties In Swimming

Tonight three legends of swimming—Michael Phelps, Chad Le Clos, and László Cseh—turned in identical times to share silver in the 100m butterfly. Last night, Simone Manuel tied for gold with Canadian Penny Oleksiak in the 100m freestyle. Modern timing systems are capable of measuring down to the millionth of a second—so why doesn’t FINA, the world swimming governing body, increase its timing precision by adding thousandths-of-seconds?

As it turns out, FINA used to. In 1972, Sweden’s Gunnar Larsson beat American Tim McKee in the 400m individual medley by 0.002 seconds. That finish led the governing body to eliminate timing by a significant digit. But why?

In a 50 meter Olympic pool, at the current men’s world record 50m pace, a thousandth-of-a-second constitutes 2.39 millimeters of travel. FINA pool dimension regulations allow a tolerance of 3 centimeters in each lane, more than ten times that amount. Could you time swimmers to a thousandth-of-a-second? Sure, but you couldn’t guarantee the winning swimmer didn’t have a thousandth-of-a-second-shorter course to swim. (Attempting to construct a concrete pool to any tighter a tolerance is nearly impossible; the effective length of a pool can change depending on the ambient temperature, the water temperature, and even whether or not there are people in the pool itself.)

Sports that subject athletes to an identical course—bobsled, for example—can use thousandths because this question doesn’t matter. Speed skating uses thousandths, though given how start commands are issued in that sport and the incredibly slow speed of sound, maybe they shouldn’t.

Trump Spokesperson: 'Obama Went Into Afghanistan'

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Trump Spokesperson: 'Obama Went Into Afghanistan'
Source: Twitter

In an interview with CNN’s Victor Blackwell on Saturday morning, Trump spokesperson and historical revisionist Katrina Pierson said an untrue thing in a confident tone of voice.

According to Pierson, Barack Obama invaded Afghanistan. Remember?

“Barack Obama went into Afghanistan, creating another problem,” Pierson said.

Blackwell, doing lots of serious blinking, responded,“Ok so you’re saying Barack Obama took the country into Afghanistan post-2009, is that what you’re saying?”

To which Pierson gave her scholarly affirmation, “that was Obama’s war, yes.”

http://gawker.com/donald-trump-s…

This is not the first time Pierson has been inventive with regards to which president did what and when. Earlier this month, Pierson told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that she blamed Obama and Hillary Clinton for the death of soldier Humayun Khan in 2004 in Iraq.

Pierson told Blitzer, “It was under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that changed the rules of engagements that probably cost his life,” referring to a policy Obama enacted in 2009.

Robert De Niro Draws Comparison Between Mentally-Ill Character He Once Played and Donald Trump 

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Robert De Niro Draws Comparison Between Mentally-Ill Character He Once Played and Donald Trump 
Photo: AP

During an interview at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Friday, Robert De Niro compared Travis Bickle, his character in the 1976 Scorsese film “Taxi Driver,” to Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports.

“What he has been saying it totally crazy, ridiculous,” De Niro said of Trump. “He is totally nuts.”

Bickle is a fictional, mentally-ill New York City taxi driver who attempts the assassination of a senator.

Trump is really running for president.

The resemblance is uncanny, like looking in a mirror—and yelling.

Report: Anthony Weiner Still Bad at Flirting 

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Report: Anthony Weiner Still Bad at Flirting 
Photo: AP

So long as Anthony Weiner has an internet connection, the American public will always be reminded from time to time of how cheesy he is.

According to the New York Post, a Republican college student masquerading as a woman named “Nicki” baited Weiner into sending him his number after engaging in some horrible flirting over Twitter. The conversations unfolded while Weiner was in LA where he’d traveled to appear on Bill Maher’s “Real Time.”

The former-Congressman-turned-Carlos-Danger put his comedic chops on autopilot for this one. When “Nikki” joked about having a staff call her Ubers, Weiner responded, “I’m pretty sure there’s a ‘my staff’ joke here.”

http://jezebel.com/anthony-weiner…

Similarly, according to the Post, Weiner repeatedly referred to himself as a “mongoose,” bragging at one point that mongooses are “deceptively strong.”

Eventually the contact came to a close when Weiner sent the student his number and appeared to want to set up a meeting. “I’ll hit that location button thing,” Weiner wrote.

When the Post confronted Weiner about the correspondence, Weiner played it cool, claiming he knew all along that the exchange had been a, “playful joust with an obvious catfish.” (I’m sure there’s a “joust” joke in there somewhere.)

I’d believe Weiner too, if only he’d been funnier.

Newspaper Refers to Simone Manuel, Historic Gold Medal Swimmer, Simply As an "African American"

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Newspaper Refers to Simone Manuel, Historic Gold Medal Swimmer, Simply As an "African American"
Image via AP

It’s hard to keep track of all the instances of idiocy on display by reporters and commentators covering the Rio Olympics, numerous as they are. The San Jose Mercury News has waded into the already crowded field with this headline, attached to a story about Simone Manuel’s historic gold medal Thursday night:

When I first read this, I figured it must have been a terrible mistake: Some inept intern’s greasy fingers slipped before s/he could finish writing “Simone Manuel Makes History As First African American To Win Individual Swimming Gold,” because that is what she did.

But that can’t be what happened, unless “Michael Phelps” was just a heinous misspelling of “Historic Win,” since his name had no business in the headline in the first place. Michael Phelps is great and all, but the story is predominantly not about Michael Phelps. It’s about Simone Manuel, a 20-year-old Stanford student who tied for first in the women’s 100m freestyle in a dramatic nail-biter of a race.

The Olympics are a stressful time for journalists, who are under enormous pressure to throw up stories as results roll in, but the phrasing of the News’ apology implies that this was no error, that this was the intended headline for the piece, and that it was found to be a tad off base only in retrospect.

Next came the editor’s apology, and even that managed to shoehorn Phelps in there.

The original headline on this story was insensitive and has been updated to acknowledge the historic gold medal wins by both Simone Manuel and Michael Phelps. We apologize for the original headline. The story has also been updated.

You’ll also note that the person alongside Manuel in the original photo is not Michael Phelps, but Canada’s Penny Oleksiak, who tied Manuel for the win. Is anyone running this thing?


Imam Killed, His Assistant Wounded in Queens Shooting

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Imam Killed, His Assistant Wounded in Queens Shooting
Photo: NBC 4 New York

An imam was fatally shot in the head and another man, whom the New York Daily News reported to be the imam’s assistant, was critically wounded by gunfire in a lone-gunman attack on Saturday.

The shooting took place two blocks from the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, New York, NBC 4 New York reports.

According to the Daily News, dozens of Muslim men crowded around the scene of the murder, and many of them seemed to conclude the incident had been a hate crime.

Local resident Khairul Islam told the Daily News, “We blame Donald Trump for this…. Trump and his drama has created Islamophobia.”

According to two police sources who spoke to NBC 4 New York, their initial investigation into the crime indicates it was motivated by a robbery.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more details become available.

Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More

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Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More

Packing cubes, Exploding Kittens, and High Sierra hydration packs lead off Saturday’s best deals.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more.


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
AmazonBasics Packing Cubes, $20

Packing cubes can make organizing clothes and toiletries for your next trip a little less hellish, and this highly-rated set of four from AmazonBasics is only $20 today. That’s about $5 less than usual, and an all-time low. I actually own a set of these, and I absolutely love them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VBGRR8/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More

Anker’s kevlar-wrapped PowerLine cables have been an immediate hit with our readers, and you can upgrade your entire microUSB cable collection today with this $11 5-pack.

http://bestsellers.kinja.com/bestsellers-an…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XPQ5KK/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Exploding Kittens, $16 | NSFW Edition, $16

You know the guy that writes The Oatmeal webcomics? He made a card game, and it became the most-backed project in Kickstarter history, as measured by number of individual backers. If you weren’t one of them though, Amazon’s taking $4 off the standard and NSFW editions today, the first discount they’ve ever offered. Update: It was on sale during Prime Day, but this is the first discount available to all Amazon shoppers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TQY7A8/…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TU7LP2/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
ASUS Chromebook, $150

Chromebooks are about to get a lot more interesting, and you can add one to your arsenal for just $150 today, courtesy of Amazon.

http://gizmodo.com/google-just-ma…

As far as Chromebooks go, this is pretty standard fare. You’ll get an 11.6" screen, 16GB of onboard storage, and 10 hours of battery life, though it does include 4GB of RAM, which is double what you’ll find in most similarly priced Chromebooks. Today’s $150 price tag is the lowest price Amazon’s ever listed outside of Prime Day, so be sure to lock in your order while you still can.

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-C200MA-Ch…

And yes, this model will support Android apps.


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Aukey Bluetooth Headphones, $10

There are surely sleeker looking options in the cheap Bluetooth headphone space, but $10 is just about as good a price as you’ll ever see. Promo code EARBUDS5 should work on all three colors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014OTF4EO/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
High Sierra Hydration Pack Gold Box

High Sierra’s popular hydration packs come in all shapes and sizes, and over a dozen different models are included in today’s Amazon Gold Box. They run the gamut from a tiny pack for short hikes to frame backpacks for extended outings, and they’ll all be more expensive after today.


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More

Trump says America’s in the toilet, but you can buy three stainless steel mixing bowls, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and a whisk all for just $13, so things can’t be that bad.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179OY596/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
iClever Bluetooth FM Transmitter, $21

Want wireless streaming and handsfree calling in your older car? This $21 dongle receives the Bluetooth signal from your phone (or music files from flash drives and microSD cards), and transmits it to the FM radio station of your choice.

We’ve seen several deals on Bluetooth car kits in the past, but most require that your car include an AUX jack, whereas this only needs a working FM radio.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FQKYIJM/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Dremel 3-Tool Craft & Hobby Maker Kit, $79

You might not need to use a Dremel all that often, but it’s one of those things everyone should keep in their tool box, if only for sanding wood and carving jack-o-lanterns. And today, Amazon’s discounting the Dremel 2290 3-tool craft kit to an all-time low $79, matching a Gold Box deal from early July.

Of course, the kit comes with a standard 2-speed Dremel rotary tool, but what makes this collection special are the included extras: A pen-style rotary engraver, and a butane soldering torch. That makes this a great deal for everyone from home improvement projects to arts & crafts. Just note that like all Gold Box deals, this price is only available today, or until sold out.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DD85GQ8/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Andake Travel Pillow, $7 with code OSDTP699

Before you head out on your next summer trip, be sure to pick up this popular inflatable travel pillow for just $7 with code OSDTP699.

Most of these things are basically c-shaped inner tubes, which is okay, but this model includes extra cushioning on the sides to help you nod off without straining your neck, even if you’re flying economy.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019O2PM9S/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Cook N Home 4QT(20CM) Double Boiler and Steamer Set, $25

Steaming foods is one of the easiest ways to heat up a quick meal, and a double boiler can make surprisingly great scrambled eggs and sauces, and this $25, 3-in-1 set can handle both.

http://lifehacker.com/5973143/make-p…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHH0LZM/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Xbox One Gamepad, $39

If you’re in the market for a new Xbox One controller, this is about as cheap as they get. It even comes with a microUSB cable to connect it to your PC.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O65I2VY/…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Jackery Jewel, $16 with code JERJEWEL

Jackery makes some of the most popular battery packs around, but the brand new Jackery Jewel is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

Really, the Jewel isn’t so much a battery pack as it is a Lightning cable with a battery bulge in the middle. That 450mAh battery is only good for a ~15-20% charge, depending on the iPhone model, but that can be the difference between finishing the night with a working smartphone or an inert slab of glass.

When it’s plugged into a charger or computer, the Jewel also acts as a standard Lightning cable, except that while it’s refueling your phone or syncing data, it’s also recharging its built-in battery. Jackery sent me one of these to try out a few weeks ago, and I often find myself using it around the house when I want to stave off battery anxiety without tethering myself to a power outlet.

For a limited time, Jackery’s offering a 20% launch discount on the Jewel with promo code JERJEWEL, so if you want to add this to your charging gear collection, there’s no reason to wait.

https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Certif…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
FitDesk Under Desk Elliptical Trainer, $100

If you can’t find the time to get to the gym every day, this under-desk elliptical lets you squeeze in some light exercise while you fill out spreadsheets and file expense reports. $100 is the lowest price Amazon’s ever offered, and actually matches a Gold Box deal from a few weeks ago.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Fire HD 10, $180 | Fire HD 6, $70

The Amazon Fire HD 6 is one of the best sub-$100 tablets you can buy, and the Fire HD 10 makes for a great portable TV, and you can save on both today on Amazon as part of a back to school promotion.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC6I06S/…

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Tablet-10…

http://gizmodo.com/amazon-fire-hd…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
RAVPower 6' Lightning Cable + RAVPower 3' Lightning Cable, $13 with code M585VCOK

If you’re looking to add to your Lightning cable collection, RAVPower will give you a 3' cable for free when you purchase a $13, 6' cable today. That’s a little bit pricey for the 6' cable on its face, but it does have a fancy looking metal connector, as does the shorter cable that you’re getting for free.

Just add both cables to your cart, and use code M585VCOK at checkout.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166KRUYG?…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFKOU56?…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
LOFTEK® 50W LED Flood Light, $47 with code LKNOVA20

This 50W flood light is not only equipped with a timer to program it for security purposes, it also has a remote controlled-dimmer and color-change setting and it’s waterproof. But wait, there’s more! It’s $10 less than it’s ever been on Amazon right now when you use the code LKNOVA20.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
2-for-$24 3-Wick candles at Bath & Body Works

The best thing about fall is all the fall smells. Not the actual IRL smells, but the ones that brands dig up for their limited edition things like Cinnamon Apple and Pumpkin Pie. You can stock up on those scents and more with 2-for-$24 3-wick candles from Bath & Body Works and make your whole place smell like Leaves or something.


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Anova Wi-Fi Precision Sous-Vide Cooker, $150

Ready to experience meat in a whole new way? You can pick up the newest model of Anova’s top-selling Sous Vide immersion circulator for $50 off.

http://lifehacker.com/5868685/sous-v…

Lifehacker has a great explainer on Sous-Vide cooking for you to check out, but the basic idea is that you seal the food in plastic bags, and then cook it in precisely heated water over a longer period of time. It sounds weird, but trust me when I say that it works like magic.

http://gear.lifehacker.com/bestsellers-an…

Every time we post this, we get some snark about the Wi-Fi connectivity, so just know that it’s optional. If you connect your phone, you can find a recipe via Anova’s app, and automatically program the cooker with one tap, but you certainly don’t need to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culinary…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
GlowBowl, $15

You probably looked at that image up there and laughed. But let me tell you, there’s nothing funny about using the bathroom in the middle of the night and having to turn on an overhead light to see where you’re going. Because as soon as you hit that switch, you know you’re not getting back to sleep for another hour.

GlowBowl fits on just about any toilet, is motion activated, and can even output seven different colors of light. Most importantly though, it won’t wreak havoc on your circadian rhythms. It normally sells for $20, and is worth every penny, but you can pick one up from Amazon right now for $15, matching a Prime Day deal.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…


Saturday's Best Deals: Exploding Kittens, High Sierra, Dremel, and More
Omaker QC 2.0 Dual Charger, $4 with code QOM3OFT3

For several months now, single-port Quick Charge 2.0 wall chargers have bottomed out at $5. Today though, you can get a dual-port model from Omaker for just $4 with promo code QOM3OFT3.

https://www.amazon.com/Omaker-Charge-…

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Cops and Protesters Clash in Milwaukee After Fatal Shooting by Police

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Cops and Protesters Clash in Milwaukee After Fatal Shooting by Police
Screen shot via Ustream

News outlets in Milwaukee are reporting fires and other violence in the city tonight after a police officer fatally shot a 23-year-old man fleeing a traffic stop Saturday afternoon. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, police say that the dead man was carrying a stolen handgun.

The Journal Sentinel describes what was already a violent weekend in the part of the city where the man was killed:

The shooting occurred about one block northwest of the scene of a Friday evening homicide, and about four blocks west of a Saturday morning double homicide. Five people died in shooting-related homicides during a nine-hour stretch in the city on Friday night and Saturday morning.

After the police shooting, residents and riot police reportedly faced off with one another, and after a few hours, the confrontation escalated:

At one point, the officers got in their cars to leave and some in the crowd started smashing the windows and side of a squad car. Another vehicle was set on fire. As officers returned to the scene, this time many more in riot gear, as many as seven could be heard about 8:45 to 9 p.m.

The shots appeared to be fired in the air by someone in the crowd.

According to the newspaper, the crowd also chased reporters and a photographer, attacking one of them, and set a gas station on fire. A police officer was reportedly hospitalized after being hit by a brick.

Local television is reporting that an auto-parts store and a beauty-supply store are also burning.

Cops and Protesters Clash in Milwaukee After Fatal Shooting by Police

The Journal Sentinel described a failed effort to disperse the crowd:

The violence erupted not long after a woman who identified herself as family member of the dead man implored the people to leave the scene.

“We don’t want anyone else to go to jail or get hurt,” she told the crowd.

Live local news coverage can be found here.

New Details About Attica Prison Massacre Emerge, Including Names of Shooters 

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New Details About Attica Prison Massacre Emerge, Including Names of Shooters 
Photo: AP

In 1971, an uprising of inmates demanding better conditions at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York gave way to an attack on the facility by state police and guards, which left 29 inmates and 10 hostages dead.

Now, nearly 45 years later, historian Heather Ann Thompson, whose book on the uprising “Blood in the Water” comes out later this month, has unearthed new details about the riot, which have the potential to inspire civil or criminal charges against some of the shooters, the Associated Press reports.

Thompson’s most consequential finding are the names of state troopers whom investigators believe fatally shot hostages and inmates.

Thompson also found evidence, some of which had previously been suppressed, to bolster the claim that Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who ordered the retaking of the prison, was aware this action would likely end in indiscriminate slaughter.

“They knew they were going to kill hostages,” Thompson told the AP.

Thompson said that while it’s unlikely that a criminal ruling would be brought against the shooters (14 troopers and six correction officers, according to a previous investigation) so many decades later, she felt obliged to keep the names in and suggested to the AP that a civil rights case might still be brought against some of them.

“This is hugely controversial even today,” Thompson told the AP, “There’s no statute of limitations on murder. And there’s no statute of limitations on the possibility of filing civil rights cases.”

The Rochester Democrat and the Chronicle were the first to publish details from the book, on Saturday.

Reports: Ryan Lochte Held Up At Gunpoint, IOC Denies [Updating]

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Reports: Ryan Lochte Held Up At Gunpoint, IOC Denies [Updating]
Photo credit: Michael Sohn/Associated Press

A gunman held up Ryan Lochte at a party the U.S. swimmer attended last night, Fox Sports Australia and The Mirror are reporting. The IOC denies the report.

We’re harboring some skepticism about this story, given its sources, and will update as more reliable ones come in.

Lochte earned gold earlier in the Olympics as a member of the 4x200m freestyle relay; it brought his medal count up to 12, good for second all-time among male swimmers.

Update (10:39 a.m.): USA Today spoke with Lochte’s mother who confirmed the holdup:

Early Sunday morning, Ryan Lochte was with at least one U.S. teammate in a cab heading to meet up with Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira when the cab stopped to get gas, Ileana Lochte said.

She said the group was held up and confronted by people who had guns and knives.

Ileana Lochte said her son had his wallet taken but that was it. He notified her via text message afterward.

Update (11:38 a.m.): The Washington Post has details:

Thiago Pereira and his wife Gabriela Pauletti were in Club France, the French house in Brazil, and they were celebrating the birthday of a friend in common,” said Perez, Pereira’s spokesman. “Lochte was also in the same place, commemorating the same birthday. Ryan and Thiago are friends. Thiago and his wife left earlier, they left alone, the two of them. Thiago and his wife went back to their hotel. Then Thiago, on finding out what happened, called Ryan. Ryan is well, and Thiago said that the robbery, according to Ryan, was in the taxi. The taxi was robbed.

Update (12:45 p.m.):

Update (1:12 p.m.): A USOC statement:

According to four members of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte), they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village. Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities.

Update (1:23 p.m.): Lochte told NBC the robbers put a gun to his head:

Update (1:34 p.m.): NBC now has a full story:

“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, “Get down,” and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’

“Whatever.” NBC’s exclusive interview with Lochte won’t air until tomorrow, because even news gets tape-delayed on the Peacock Network.

More Than 7,000 People Rescued From 'Historic' Louisiana Flooding

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More Than 7,000 People Rescued From 'Historic' Louisiana Flooding
Photo: AP

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said on Sunday that 7,000 people have been rescued due to widespread flooding in the state, according to the Associated Press. That number has risen from 1,000 rescued on Saturday.

The water is expected to rise by several more inches still—the National Weather Service forecasted 2-6 inches of rain could possibly accumulate Sunday night. “It’s not over,” Edwards told NBC on Sunday. “The water’s going to rise in many areas. It’s no time to let the guard down.”

Officials have reported at least three people dead so far and a fourth person missing.

A Louisiana officer told the AP that more than 5,000 people have been displaced to shelters due to the flooding. Additional people are staying in private shelters such as churches, according to Edwards.

In the midst of the horrific flooding, videos of heroic rescue efforts have circulated social media, including one that records a woman and her dog being snatched in the nick of time from her drowning car.

Edwards declared a state of emergency on Friday when the rains began and called the floods “historic.” More than 1,200 soldiers have landed in Louisiana to assist with the rescue effort since the National Guard was called in.

Trump Threatens to Revoke NYT Press Credentials Again 

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Trump Threatens to Revoke NYT Press Credentials Again 
Photo: AP

Trump is throwing yet another tantrum at the New York Times, this time over a reported article published on Saturday that depicts the GOP presidential nominee as privately unhinged. As opposed to his more dynamic public persona, which is that of an unhinged, yet confident, individual.

The Times article draws on a series of interviews with “more than 20 Republicans who are close to Mr. Trump or in communication with his campaign,” some of them anonymous, to paint a picture of a man whose, “mood is often sullen and erratic.” So, different from what we were all expecting.

http://gawker.com/media-is-bias-…

Trump got on Twitter Saturday to calmly address the article’s claims:

And to do some fiction-reporting of his own:

He worked hard at it, even tweeting into the next day, like those reporters in “Spotlight”:

Between the tweets, Journalism Student Trump got religious in Fairfield, Connecticut on Saturday night saying, “the newspaper [the Times] is going to hell,” and added, “Maybe we’ll start thinking about taking away their press credentials.”

Trump made the same threat on August 1 in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, where he said, “No matter how good I do on something, they’ll never write good.”

Trump has revoked the press credentials of nearly a dozen journalists and news outlets.

Trump’s running-mate Mike Pence said in an interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace on Sunday that Trump’s media blacklist is a topic of discussion within the campaign. “I do believe in the public’s right to know,” Pence said.


Audit Finds 42 People Entered Into California State Gang Database Were Less Than One Year Old 

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Audit Finds 42 People Entered Into California State Gang Database Were Less Than One Year Old 
Photo: AP

An audit of California’s state gang database, CalGang, found 42 individuals in the database who were less than one year old at the time of of entry, 28 of whom are further classified as, “admitting to being gang members,” Voice of San Diego reports. A human baby typically utters its first word at around nine months of age.

It is not yet known whether some or all of these entries might be for adults whose ages were recorded incorrectly.

The findings of the audit, which was requested by the state Legislature and prompted by San Diego Assemblywoman Shirley Webster, were published on Thursday.

The audit also found that many parents are not being notified when their children are entered into the database, despite a 2013 law requiring they do so.

http://jalopnik.com/california-pol…

The audit affirms that some people remain in the database long after they should have been removed and that many are entered into the database without a substantial reason, according to VOSD.

Weber was not surprised by the finding, telling VOSD, “I’ve heard these complaints for years. As most folks know, my own son was threatened to be put on the gang list, and he hand’t done anything. I hear these things from parents on a regular basis. But I think some of my colleagues were shocked.”

According to its website, CalGang is a “State of California funded, Local Law Enforcement maintained and controlled Criminal Intelligence System that targets specifically Members and Criminal Associates of Criminal Street Gangs.” (Emphasis mine.)

On Friday, a bill written by Weber that would expand public scrutiny of the database advanced in the state Assembly, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting.

A CJR investigation published in March found that children as young as 9 are among the 150,000 people in the database, and that 85% of those in the database are black or Latino.

Furthermore, most people do not know whether they are in the database, nor do they have the right to find out. According to CJR, “The database’s operating guidelines require…secrecy and instruct law enforcement officials to say that they are advised against including references to the database in public reports, court documents or public testimony.”

Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More

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Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More

The Kindle Paperwhite (and books to put on it), water bottles, and a $30 range extender lead off Sunday’s best deals.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more.


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Amazon Tap, $115 | Amazon Kindle, $60 | Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, $100 | Amazon Fire HD 6, $70

Amazon just rolled out a few new back-to-school device sales, including $15 off the Amazon Tap, and $20 off the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BH83OOM/…

https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Kindle…

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Kindle-…

http://reviews.gizmodo.com/kindle-paperwh…

And in case you missed it earlier, a the Amazon Fire HD 6 is still $30 off.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC6I06S/…

http://gizmodo.com/amazon-fire-hd…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Kindle Ebook Sale

Obviously, your new Kindle won’t get much use if you don’t load it with books, and several top-sellers are on sale for $2-$5 each today.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
NETGEAR N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender, $30

Range extenders can’t work miracles, but if there’s one corner of your home that struggles to get a good Wi-Fi connection, this $30 gadget might be all you need.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0YLRUW/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Jackery Genesis iPhone 6/6s Case, $1 with code MJKF748C

If you bought a bulky case for your iPhone 6/6s and regretted it, Jackery will sell you an ultra-thin alternative for just $1 today. You even get to pick your color.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Ion Block Rocker, $100

When you hear the phrase “Bluetooth speaker,” you probably think of a small brick that can fill a room with decent-sounding audio. This is not that kind of speaker.

The Ion Block Rocker though has enough oomph to provide tunes for an entire block party or barbecue, and its 75-hour battery means you don’t even have to worry about plugging it in. As long as you don’t mind buying a refurb, $100 is a fantastic price for a speaker this loud.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016DYV8WU/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Water Bottle Gold Box

A whole bunch of different water bottles and travel mugs are on sale in today’s Amazon Gold Box from Ello and Pogo, including those fancy glass and ceramic ones that everyone seems to be carrying these days. Just note that like all Gold Box deals, these prices are only available today, so grab one before they’re all emptied out.


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
6-Pack TCP Soft White LED Bulbs, $18

If you’re ready to take the plunge into LED lighting, this 6-pack of higly-rated TCP soft white (2700K) bulbs is down to just $18 on Amazon right now, one of the best per-bulb prices we’ve ever seen. They aren’t dimmable, so you won’t want to put them in certain fixtures, but it’s a great bulk pack for filling out ceiling lights and lamps throughout your house.

Once you’ve got them, check to see if your local utility company offers rebates for purchasing LEDs. If so, it’s possible these could pay for themselves even quicker than they would otherwise.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KDZGBM8/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Stainless Steel Rolling Pin, $10 with code KGAOS8RH

I’m not sure if a minimal, stainless steel cylinder is the most practical design for a rolling pin, but I think it’s definitely the prettiest.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZH07MS/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Chefman RJ38 Air Fryer, $60

Fried foods are delicious. Fried foods will kill you. These are the laws of our cruel existence, and generally-speaking, there’s no avoiding them. I’m not going to tell you that cooking foods with this $60 air fryer is healthy, but Chefman claims that it uses 80% less oil than conventional deep frying, resulting in less trans fat in your favorite meals.


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
AmazonBasics Packing Cubes, $20

Packing cubes can make organizing clothes and toiletries for your next trip a little less hellish, and this highly-rated set of four from AmazonBasics is only $20 today. That’s about $5 less than usual, and an all-time low. I actually own a set of these, and I absolutely love them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VBGRR8/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More

Anker’s kevlar-wrapped PowerLine cables have been an immediate hit with our readers, and you can upgrade your entire microUSB cable collection today with this $11 5-pack.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XPQ5KK/…

http://bestsellers.kinja.com/bestsellers-an…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Exploding Kittens, $16 | NSFW Edition, $16

You know the guy that writes The Oatmeal webcomics? He made a card game, and it became the most-backed project in Kickstarter history, as measured by number of individual backers. If you weren’t one of them though, Amazon’s taking $4 off the standard and NSFW editions today, the first discount they’ve ever offered. Update: It was on sale during Prime Day, but this is the first discount available to all Amazon shoppers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TQY7A8/…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TU7LP2/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Aukey Bluetooth Headphones, $10

There are surely sleeker looking options in the cheap Bluetooth headphone space, but $10 is just about as good a price as you’ll ever see. Promo code EARBUDS5 should work on all three colors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014OTF4EO/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Estilo 12 Piece Measuring Bowl/Cu/Spoon/Whisk Set, $13

Trump says America’s in the toilet, but you can buy three stainless steel mixing bowls, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and a whisk all for just $13, so things can’t be that bad.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179OY596/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
iClever Bluetooth FM Transmitter, $21

Want wireless streaming and handsfree calling in your older car? This $21 dongle receives the Bluetooth signal from your phone (or music files from flash drives and microSD cards), and transmits it to the FM radio station of your choice.

We’ve seen several deals on Bluetooth car kits in the past, but most require that your car include an AUX jack, whereas this only needs a working FM radio.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FQKYIJM/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Dremel 3-Tool Craft & Hobby Maker Kit, $79

You might not need to use a Dremel all that often, but it’s one of those things everyone should keep in their tool box, if only for sanding wood and carving jack-o-lanterns. And today, Amazon’s discounting the Dremel 2290 3-tool craft kit to an all-time low $79, matching a Gold Box deal from early July.

Of course, the kit comes with a standard 2-speed Dremel rotary tool, but what makes this collection special are the included extras: A pen-style rotary engraver, and a butane soldering torch. That makes this a great deal for everyone from home improvement projects to arts & crafts. Just note that like all Gold Box deals, this price is only available today, or until sold out.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DD85GQ8/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
Andake Travel Pillow, $7 with code OSDTP699

Before you head out on your next summer trip, be sure to pick up this popular inflatable travel pillow for just $7 with code OSDTP699.

Most of these things are basically c-shaped inner tubes, which is okay, but this model includes extra cushioning on the sides to help you nod off without straining your neck, even if you’re flying economy.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019O2PM9S/…


Sunday's Best Deals: Amazon Gadgets, Range Extender, Water Bottles, and More
GlowBowl, $15

You probably looked at that image up there and laughed. But let me tell you, there’s nothing funny about using the bathroom in the middle of the night and having to turn on an overhead light to see where you’re going. Because as soon as you hit that switch, you know you’re not getting back to sleep for another hour.

GlowBowl fits on just about any toilet, is motion activated, and can even output seven different colors of light. Most importantly though, it won’t wreak havoc on your circadian rhythms. It normally sells for $20, and is worth every penny, but you can pick one up from Amazon right now for $15, matching a Prime Day deal.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…

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Scott Walker Activates National Guard After Destructive Protests in Milwaukee

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Scott Walker Activates National Guard After Destructive Protests in Milwaukee
Photo: AP

On Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker declared a state of emergency in Milwaukee County and activated the state’s National Guard in response to violent unrest that broke out in Milwaukee Saturday night following the fatal shooting of a black man by police, The Wall Street Journal reports.

http://gawker.com/cops-and-prote…

“I join Milwaukee’s leaders and citizens in calling for continued peace and prayer,” said Walker in a statement. “It is also important for citizens to know that Wisconsin is the first state in the nation to have a law requiring an independent investigation anytime there is a shooting by a law enforcement officer that leads to a death.”

According to police, four officers were injured and multiple cars and businesses were set on fire after the death of 23-year-old Sylville Smith, leading to 17 arrests. At a press conference on Sunday, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said that body cam footage demonstrated “without a question” that Smith had a gun in his hand when he was killed by police. From The Washington Post:

Saturday night’s conflict began with a traffic stop about 3:30 p.m., police said. After being pulled over, two individuals fled from the car, prompting the officer — a black 24-year-old with six years of experience — to chase them, Police Chief Edward Flynn told reporters Sunday.

Flynn said the stop was made for a suspicious vehicle that turned out to be a rental car.

Before shots were fired, he said, the entire interaction lasted between 20 and 25 seconds and covered just a few dozen feet. The 23-year-old suspect — identified by police Sunday as Sylville K. Smith — ended up running to a fenced yard where he turned toward the officer with a gun in his hand before he was shot, Flynn said.

Smith died at the scene and a second 23-year-old man was taken into custody. The chief noted that there was no evidence Smith discharged his weapon.

Alderman Khalif Rainey, who represents the area were the shooting occurred, urged the city to address the underlying problems he saw as the source of the unrest before it erupted elsewhere, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

“This entire community has sat back and witnessed how Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has become the worst place to live for African-Americans in the entire country,” said Rainey at a press conference early Sunday morning. “Now what has happened tonight may have not been right; I’m not justifying that. But no one can deny the fact that there’s problems, racial problems, here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that have to be closely, not examined, but rectified. Rectify this immediately. Because if you don’t, this vision of downtown, all of that, you’re one day away. You’re one day away.”

Donald Trump: "Remain True to Self"

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Donald Trump: "Remain True to Self"
Photo: AP

Sunday night, Donald Trump (once again) pushed back against a New York Times report suggesting the gaffe-prone lunatic might be willing to “adjust his tone” going into the general election, promising in an oddly inspirational tweet to never, ever change.

http://gawker.com/trump-suggests…

“I have always been the same—remain true to self,” wrote Trump. “The media wants me to change but it would be very dishonest to supporters to do so!”

In a followup tweet, Trump appeared to address criticism from within the Republican party about his inability to “stay on message,” blaming the media for the perception that he’s constantly saying wacky shit.

For months now, Trump’s advisors have suggested a “pivot” is just around the corner, but as much as his positions might change, Republicans must know the candidate himself never will.

http://gawker.com/desperate-for-…

Report: Secret Ledger Lists $12 Million to Trump Campaign Chief From Pro-Russian Party in Ukraine

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Report: Secret Ledger Lists $12 Million to Trump Campaign Chief From Pro-Russian Party in Ukraine
Photo: AP

According to The New York Times, handwritten papers recovered from the office of Ukraine’s former ruling party list $12.7 million in cash payments to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s current campaign manager, between 2007 and 2012. The Times previously reported on consulting services Manafort provided for the pro-Russian party of deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, but his earnings from the work are not known.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/us/…

Ukrainian officials say the listed payments come from a secret ledger Yanukovych’s Party of Regions used to keep track of off-the-books payouts, including cash given to election officials. Though his name appears in the ledger 22 times, it has not been proven that Manafort received the funds. From The New York Times:

Anti-corruption officials there say the payments earmarked for Mr. Manafort, previously unreported, are a focus of their investigation, though they have yet to determine if he actually received the cash. While Mr. Manafort is not a target in the separate inquiry of offshore activities, prosecutors say he must have realized the implications of his financial dealings.

“He understood what was happening in Ukraine,” said Vitaliy Kasko, a former senior official with the general prosecutor’s office in Kiev. “It would have to be clear to any reasonable person that the Yanukovych clan, when it came to power, was engaged in corruption.”

Mr. Kasko added, “It’s impossible to imagine a person would look at this and think, ‘Everything is all right.’”

Manafort’s lawyer denied that his client received “any such cash payments” or was involved with anyone who broke the law, suggesting that the allegations were politically motivated.

To be fair, at least one of Manafort’s political rivals appeared to be celebrating the news.

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