Victoria Pendleton has revealed she was on the brink of taking her own life as she battled severe depression. The double Olympic cycling gold medalist spoke bravely about how her life deteriorated last summer after she returned from a TV climb of Everest. She said had even worked out how to do it and "fantasised" about killing herself on a daily basis. At her lowest point, the 38-year-old revealed she woke up thinking "I dont want to see tomorrow". She called former British Cycling psychiatrist Steve Peters and thinks his answer might have saved her life. She told the Telegraph: “It was the one bit of sanity in the whole process. “I’m so grateful that he picked up. Because I don’t think I would be here if he hadn’t.” She revealed how Peters kept her talking as he contacted her twin brother Alex who went to her house and took the pills. After the ordeal, the track cycling star moved in with her mother in Hertfordshire for two months. She said she had … [Read more...] about Victoria Pendleton reveals call that saved her life as she considered suicide
Tentative deal to end LAUSD teachers’ strike brings celebration and disappointment
The strike has made teachers realize that, “we’re a lot stronger than we thought we were, so now we’re not going to let things slide,” said Nancy De La Torre, a first-grade teacher at Corona Avenue Elementary School in Bell. She’s OK knowing that the union didn’t get everything it set out for, because she feels that teachers will have more power in future negotiations, she said. … [Read more...] about Tentative deal to end LAUSD teachers’ strike brings celebration and disappointment
Moeen Ali makes England vow as spinner looks to make amends against West Indies
Moeen Ali has returned to scene of what he describes as his ‘worst ever’ bowling performance for England and vowed to make amends. And in a significant shift he admitted he is happy to try to reverse the embarrassing defeat at the Kensington Oval in 2015 as England’s only spinner, a role he has previously been keen to reject. Moeen is one of six survivors from four years ago when a five wicket loss helped the Windies draw the series and which signalled the end of Peter Moores’ second spell in charge. Back then he was still searching for form and fitness taking just 2-110 in a match he was expected to spin England to victory, but he is heading into this contest in a much more confident frame of mind following his successful series in Sri Lanka. “I definitely want to put things right from four years ago,” admitted Moeen. “It was probably the one time... I’ve bowled poorly a lot of times but that was probably the worst I ever bowled in an … [Read more...] about Moeen Ali makes England vow as spinner looks to make amends against West Indies
Google, Facebook spend big on U.S. lobbying amid policy battles
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc’s Google disclosed in a quarterly filing on Tuesday that it spent a company-record $21.2 million on lobbying the U.S. government in 2018, topping its previous high of $18.22 million in 2012, as the search engine operator fights wide-ranging scrutiny into its practices. FILE PHOTO - The outside of the Google offices is seen in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 18, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar In its filing to Congress on Tuesday, Facebook Inc disclosed that it also spent more on government lobbying in 2018 than it ever had before at $12.62 million. That was up from $11.51 million a year ago, according to tracking by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Google’s spent $18.04 million on lobbying in 2017, according to the center’s data. Google and Facebook declined to comment beyond their filings. U.S. lawmakers and regulators have weighed new privacy and antitrust rules to rein in the power of … [Read more...] about Google, Facebook spend big on U.S. lobbying amid policy battles
There’s a new app in China that shows which of your neighbors are racking up debt
China keeps taking the surveillance state that’s so pervasive in the country to new extremes, this time with an extension of the government’s controversial new “social credit” policy that involves a kind of public shaming for people racking up debt. A new app has been developed that Chinese citizens can access via the country’s popular WeChat messaging platform which will literally display a warning once they get within 500 meters of someone who’s in debt. The app has created what’s essentially a map of “deadbeat debtors,” according to Chinese state media, and shows you the debtor’s exact location, though it’s unclear if the displayed information includes a name or photo. Don't Miss: Take this rare opportunity to save up to $150 on Sony’s best wireless noise cancelling headphones Presumably it does identify the debtor in some way, since the point of this is for citizens to shame people who have accumulated debts … [Read more...] about There’s a new app in China that shows which of your neighbors are racking up debt