Trivia

Which U.S. State Has The Largest Amount Of Land Set Aside For Native Americans?

Minnesota                                                                           California

Idaho                                                                                      Arizona

Answer: Arizona

No U.S. state has more land set aside for Native American tribes than the state of Arizona. The state has 21 individual reservations, established as early as 1859 (the Gila River Indian Community created for the Pima and Maricopa tribes) to as late as 1984 (the Zuni Heaven Reservation, created for the Zuni tribe).

All told, over a quarter of the land in the state, 27.1 percent, is federally protected reservation land, with several of the numerous reservations overlapping slightly into the neighboring states of California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.

Not only does Arizona have the most reserved land, but it also contains the largest single reservation in the United States, the Navajo Nation reserve. The reserve, established in 1868 and found in the northeast corner of the state and extending slightly into New Mexico and Utah, covers 27,413 square miles and has a population of 173,667 people.

Diff Between FB Profile, Page, & Group

What’s the Difference Between a Facebook Profile, Page, and Group?

by Harry Guinness

Facebook is used by a lot of different people for a lot of different things, so it’s only natural that Facebook would have different sets of features for each of them. There are three main ways you can use Facebook: with a regular Profile, as a Page, or as a Group admin. Let’s look at what each is for.

Facebook Profiles

A Facebook Profile is what you probably think of when someone mentions Facebook. It’s a personal account for one person that’s (meant to be) in their real name.

With a Facebook Profile, you can:

• Connect with people by adding them as Friends or Following them (although you are limited to a maximum of 5000).
• Share statuses, photos, videos, links, and so on with your Friends and Followers.
• Post comments and share things on your Friends’ accounts or message them privately through Facebook Messenger.
• Like Pages and join Groups.
• Set up your own Pages and Groups.

There are obviously a lot more features, but that’s a broad overview of the main ones.

Although you will see some people set up Profiles for their businesses or some other purpose, it’s frowned upon by Facebook. A Profile is for a real person, not a shop.

Facebook Pages

A Page is similar to a Profile except it can be for anything—not just people. There are Pages dedicated to everything from famous authors to local secondhand car dealerships and circus troupes to fan fiction. How-To Geek has a Facebook Page where we share our best articles, along with geeky comics and other fun stuff.

If you’re looking to set up some sort of Facebook presence for your business, artwork, superhero alter ego, or even a more professional presence for yourself, a Page is what you’re looking for.

With a Facebook Page, you can:

• Have people connect with you by Liking the Page.
• Share posts that your Followers will see.
• Comment on posts on your own page.
• Respond to messages sent to your Page.
• Run advertising campaigns.

Again, there are other features but those are the most important ones.

You need your own personal Facebook Profile to set up a Facebook Page, although you don’t need the information to be public.

Facebook Groups

A Facebook Group is closer to a community forum than either a Profile or Page. Depending on how the Group is set up, it can be open to anyone on Facebook or just a chosen few. Most Groups are for people who share a common interest or are members of a club.

With a Facebook Group, members can:

• Post things to the Group.
• Comment on Group posts and interact with other members.
• Sell things.

You need a personal Facebook Profile to set up a Facebook Group, and the fact you are an admin will be public information.

Which One Should You Use?

If you want to do anything on Facebook, you need a Profile. It’s the table stakes. It’s best to set a Profile up in your real name, even if you’ve no intention of using it for more than administering your Pages and Groups. If Facebook finds out you’re using a pseudonym, your account could be blocked.

If you want to set up a way for your business to connect with people, then you need a Facebook Page. If you’ve got a physical business, you can list its location and opening hours. If you’re a service provider like a photographer or band, it’s a way for people to contact you.

If you’re trying to build a community or manage a club, you want a Facebook Group. Everyone is on pretty much equal footing and able to interact with each other.

You can also have multiple Pages and Groups and even have some overlap in purpose. We have a How-To Geek page, but if we wanted a Group for superfans to discuss our articles, we could create one as well. There’s no reason to limit yourself to just one of these things.

Onboard Credit

Onboard Credit: How to Get It, Where to Spend It

By Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor


Free. Money. Are there two more beautiful words in the English language? While money doesn't grow on trees, increasingly it can be found somewhere else -- on the high seas. Call it an incentive, call it a bonus; whatever you want to call it, onboard credit lets you spend more freely with less guilt. You've paid your cruise fare, and now you can splurge on those enticing extras -- Swedish massage, specialty restaurant, an excursion to swim with the dolphins -- without busting your budget.

Not many need convincing as to why onboard credit -- money automatically deposited into your onboard account-- rocks, but finding out exactly how to get it and where you can spend it is a bit trickier. We found eight ways to hit the OBC jackpot (some more preferable than others) and offer even more suggestions on how to burn through it, although you probably have your own ideas already.

How to Get It

Value-added Deals

If you've subscribe to the email list of any major cruise line, you have undoubtedly received colorful promotions encouraging you to book your next cruise, with a number of incentives. These periodic promotions, which are usually the same ones you can find on the homepage of the cruise line's website, almost always include some form of onboard credit.

You can receive OBC just for booking by a specified deadline. The lowest average we've seen is $25 per cabin, for an inside cabin, but the amount can range greatly. For a luxury line, onboard credit offers can extend to $1,000 per couple and beyond. Pay attention to whether the credit varies by cabin class and whether it's a per-person amount or per cabin. Amounts are often staggered by cabin category.

Booking With Travel Agencies

Whether you work with an individual travel agent or a large online agency, onboard credit is a booking bonus common in the industry. Most third-party sites offer an average of $100 per cabin as a booking bonus, but again, this varies. The larger the agency, the deeper their pockets when it comes to onboard credit. Loyalty is noticed; if you've worked with the same travel agent for every cruise, your OBC amount is likely to build over time.



Booking a Future Cruise While on a Cruise

While they have you onboard, cruise lines will do what they can to ensure you'll sail with them again. To lure cruisers who are on the fence, many lines have designated sales desks onboard their ships, with personnel available to offer you something to make a future cruise worth your while. Many vouch that this is the ultimate way to rack up onboard credit for that next sailing. Celebrity Cruises offers up to $500 per cabin when you book your next cruise onboard. If you make a deposit toward a future cruise on Norwegian, you earn $100 in onboard credit to spend instantly on the cruise you're already on.

Loyalty Program Offers

Loyalty is key to cruise lines. While first-timers are a booming market, return cruisers are more than just bodies on a ship; they're brand ambassadors. From a business perspective, treating your loyal passengers well yields return on investment. That's why onboard credit is one of the frequent rewards for continued patronage. The more you sail, the more perks you'll likely be awarded. Oceania has a tiered program, maxing out at $1,000 per cabin, for its most loyal cruisers (Diamond level). Norwegian's Latitudes Insider Offers is a promotion that doles out onboard credit up to $250 on select sailings to Latitudes members only.

Referrals

Spreading the good word isn't a thankless endeavor. Most cruise lines offer referral bonuses for new cruises booked by first-timers. So don't just book that amazing cruise deal yourself; get your skeptical friends to do the same, and use their bookings to your OBC advantage. The amount tends to be $25 per every referred cabin booked; this is the case onboard Royal Caribbean. Princess, on the other hand, deducts $25 in the form of a discount, rather than offering it as credit.



Credit Cards

Some cruise line credit cards (but not all) allow you to turn your accrued points into onboard credit, turning cash spent into cash made on your next cruise vacation. The return on investment is relatively low with this method. Royal Caribbean's card requires 10,000 points (or $10,000, one point for every dollar) to equal just $100 in onboard credit.

Editor's Note: Some credit cards are only available to North American residents.

Price Drops

You've booked and paid for your cruise, but you're still in the window of opportunity for the upgrade fairy to come knocking. If you notice that your cruise fare has dropped, many times the line will make up the difference through an onboard credit offer (within the 90-day window). This form of OBC is money back, rather than money gifted, but it still beats paying a higher cruise fare with nothing in return.

Become a Shareholder

If you love your cruise company enough to invest money in the brand, most major cruise lines offer a shareholder benefit in the form of onboard credit. Carnival Corporation (which includes Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, Costa, Aida, Ibero and P&O) offers up to $250 per cabin for cruises 14 days or longer, $100 for sailings of seven to 13 days and $50 per cabin for sailings six days or less. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Royal, Celebrity, Azamara, Pullmantur and Croiseres de France) offers a similar benefit to Carnival, with $200 per cabin for cruises 10 to 13 nights, $100 offered on cruises six to nine nights, and $50 for cruises less than five nights. Norwegian Cruise Line has a cut-and-dry offer of $100 in onboard credit per cabin for shareholders cruising seven days or more, and $50 per cabin for cruises six days or less. Check the fine print to make sure you're eligible (sometimes there are minimum share requirements) and redeem your benefit by contacting the line at least two weeks prior to your sail date.

Thanks to Jean McGill for the suggestion.

When Something Goes Wrong

It's not the best way to earn credit, but if something goes wrong on your cruise -- ship is stranded, misses port calls, experiences a significant malfunction, or you're just generally not pleased with the service -- one of the ways you may be compensated is through a future credit offer. The amount will vary depending on the situation.



Where to Spend It

Think of your onboard credit as virtual cash, as there are very few places onboard where you can't spend it (although these do vary by cruise line). It's always a safe bet to check the fine print or ask a cruise line representative about any OBC restrictions prior to that shopping spree. Here are the ways this credit might come in handy.

Shore Excursions

A pricey but significant part of many cruisers' experiences in port is shore excursions. While it might blow your credit out of the water, applying OBC to an excursion offers a free or discounted way to embark on a special shore experience.

Specialty Restaurants

Ships continue to add more alternative dining venues, and with the variety come cover charges galore. Avoid shelling out more clams for curated cuisine by using your onboard credit to dine where you like, without paying a dime more. In fact, your credit may be a better deal than a specialty dining package, as these certificates are often limited to specific restaurants. Using your own account ensures you choose the venues.

Spa Treatments

Many of us don't have the time or money to indulge in a little bit of me-time on a regular basis, but isn't that what a cruise is for? Onboard credit in the spa usually applies to anything on their treatment menu, and that list could be a long one. So wrap yourself in seaweed, paint your nails purple, or get a trim and a hot shave for formal night. OBC means you don't need deep pockets to pamper yourself.



Drinks

Unless you're cruising with a river or luxury line, alcoholic beverages are rarely found free of charge (not counting the Champagne during art auctions, of course). Sure, alcohol packages shave spending off your libations, but if you only need a couple of beers or one or two premium cocktails, using OBC is a better way to drink for free (and who doesn't love that?). Trying that cucumber-gin concoction or settling for an entire flight of rum will require fewer apologies to your wallet if you know that money is just the garnish atop your onboard account.

A la Carte Items

Sure there are still plenty of complimentary offerings onboard, but it's always what's not included that calls to us: Sometimes frozen yogurt just isn't as sweet as the gourmet gelato. The availability of unique treats at sea -- a Starbucks latte or cupcakes the size of your head -- is fun but fraught with added fees. Instead of feeling that dreaded nickeled-and-dimed sensation, use OBC as an excuse to forego regular for specialty coffees, or the buffet for Ben & Jerry's.

Private Islands

Just because you're on land, doesn't mean your OBC is null and void. If you're making a port call to your cruise line's private island -- for example, Labadee or Cococay with Royal Caribbean -- then your onboard account applies to any purchases made there. This includes the reservation of a private cabana.

Souvenirs

Like a gift card, OBC is applicable to most onboard purchases, from a commemorative model ship to that toothbrush you managed to forget. Designer stores are making an appearance at sea, thanks to more brand partnerships. Why wait to buy the iPod or Coach bag you've always wanted? Buy them in the middle of the ocean, and make the purchase memorable.

Professional Photos

A long-held cruise tradition, formal night portraits are a staple in the gallery of every cruising family's home. If you've ever forked over for a family portrait on land, you know the endeavor isn't cheap. Onboard credit can be used to turn the onboard photographer into your own personal paparazzi, immortalizing your airbrushed physique for generations to come.



Internet Packages

Some long to be out of touch on vacation, and some are terrified by the idea. If you find the need to connect, Internet at sea has long been an expensive and rather difficult undertaking. As speed and bandwidth continue to improve, pricing remains a challenge. Use your nifty onboard credit to share photos of you with pina colada in hand.

Casino Play

What could be better than gambling with your own money? Gambling with someone else's money! On some lines, casinos are off-limits when it comes to onboard credit, so check if your line allows it before you hit the slots. That said, the casino could easily double your OBC with the help of Lady Luck -- or lose it all, but at least you had fun, right?

Gratuities

Cruisers must also budget for gratuities, unless they booked an offer that has the service charge already prepaid. Again, using onboard credit for tips isn't allowed on all lines; check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly.

Best Way to Save Money on Tech

The Best Way to Save Money on Tech: Buy Used

by Whitson Gordon 

Technology is expensive. We geeks love to shower ourselves with new gadgets, but it’s awfully costly. There are a lot of ways to save money on your tech addiction, but none of them beat buying used.

Why Buying Used Is Awesome

I’m always looking for ways to save money. I’m rarely satisfied with a simple coupon or sale; I want insane deals. If it isn’t insane, I just don’t feel victorious.

Big “events” like Black Friday and Prime Day can be okay for shopping, but they’ll never match what you can get used. Here are some examples of great tech deals I’ve gotten recently:

• A Marantz A/V receiver for $35 (originally $799). It’s a bit old (released in 2008), and doesn’t support some newer tech like 4K and HDR, but I haven’t upgraded to those yet anyway—and it was easily the cheapest HDMI receiver I’d found, thanks to my local e-waste center. This is probably the best deal I’ve ever gotten. A modern HDMI receiver would cost at least $200, for features I don’t even need right now.
• A pair of Yamaha HS50M speakers for $150 (instead of $400 for a pair of newer HS5s). Instead of buying a new set of monitors, I got the previous generation used through Guitar Center for less than half off. They work and sound great.
• A Dell 2400MP projector for $50 (originally $950). Again, this one’s a bit old (released in 2006), and just shy of being HD, but a nearby school was getting rid of a few, and its 3,000 lumen brightness makes it perfect for backyard movie nights—the result looks much better than its 1024×768 resolution would imply, and a comparably light projector new would cost well over $100.
• A pair of Bose SoundSport earphones for $20 (originally $100), a 4th generation iPod Shuffle for $10 (originally $50), and a Nike+ SportWatch for $25 (originally $150). I guess these folks just weren’t getting any interest on these items, so they were easy to negotiate down—and now I have a serious workout kit for very little cash.
• A few Xbox 360 controllers for $10 (currently $30 new from most stores). I only needed these for a one-day Rocket League party with a few friends, but at $10, it was well worth it. Thanks to OfferUp, they were cheaper than the pre-owned ones from GameStop, and these ones don’t even smell like weed.

And those are just a handful of the deals I’ve found.

This works for all kinds of items, from the little stuff to bigger purchases like laptops, TVs, or even an Xbox One or PlayStation 4. I can’t guarantee every single item you want is available for some incredible discount (Apple products in particular keep their high value really well), but if you keep your eyes out, do your due diligence, and negotiate well, you can get a lot of stuff for way cheaper than you’d get it new—or, frankly, cheaper than most other people get it used.

Note, however, that most of this article discusses strategies that are hyper local, which means you’re going to have much better luck if you live in or near a decent-sized city. That’s just how these things go (more people = more items and more competition). I still recommend giving used gear a shot, but just note that if you’re in a rural area, it might be a bit more difficult.

How to Score Those Great Deals

There’s no secret formula to getting these good deals, and you’ll have to find what works best in your geographic region and on the sites you choose. Yes, the process takes a bit more work (and patience!), but it’s well worth it in the end. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Cast a Wide Net: Craigslist Isn’t the Only Site to Search

First, don’t just look at the old standbys. Craigslist is great, and I’ve gotten some great deals there. But you should also check out other options. OfferUp, for example, is a similar site with a prettier-looking interface and an easy-to-use app, so some people use it instead of Craigslist when they’re looking to sell. There are a fair number of items on it, but not enough users to generate a ton of interest in them—which means you can often get items for an absolute steal because they’ve been listed for weeks or months. (It also has negotiation features built-in, so it’s generally expected by its users.) LetGo is a similar app with more users, but a worse interface/search engine. I recommend searching Craigslist, OfferUp, and LetGo regularly for the stuff you want in order to cast as wide a net as possible.

There are other places to look though, too. For example, here in San Diego, the University of San Diego has an e-waste center that sells any working items that people bring in. An organization called Free Geek performs similar services in many other cities, including Portland, Chicago, and more. Search your local area to see what kinds of electronics recycling organizations are nearby—you’d be surprised at the deals you can find there. Even Goodwill has an online marketplace that you can search, though the deals are a bit more hit and miss. Facebook Marketplace is starting to become popular as well.

Plus, you never know what chain stores have used marketplaces. My computer speakers were bought through Guitar Center’s used marketplace, which I didn’t even know existed until I asked at the store. When in doubt, ask—you never know what you might find.

Be Patient: Set Up Alerts and Bookmarks

Once you have something you want to buy, search for it on all of the above sites (and any others you find). The goal is to cast as wide a net as possible so when a good deal goes up, you’re able to snatch it. The fewer sites you search, the less likely you are to find the good stuff.

You may not find what you’re looking for at the price you want right away. So I recommend bookmarking those searches in a folder so you can easily check back with them every couple of days or so. (For Craigslist, you can even set up an IFTTT alert when new items are posted matching your search terms.)

Eventually, provided you have halfway realistic expectations, you’ll see an item you want at a pretty great price—possibly even lower than most people are selling it for. Maybe someone’s trying to get rid of it fast, or maybe someone’s not getting any bites so they lowered the price of an already-listed item. These things happen all the time. The key is being patient until the item you want gets closer to your price range.

NOTE: Keep in mind that there are a few brands—like Rolex, for example—that may be more prone to counterfeiting. Make sure you do your due diligence in learning how to spot counterfeits before you accept a deal that seems too good to be true.

Negotiate: Most People Will Take What They Can Get

Lastly, when you search, be sure to search a little above your price range. Many of these sites (excepting larger marketplaces like Goodwill and Guitar Center) allow for—and even expect you to—negotiate. You can almost always bring someone’s price down, especially if the item has been listed for a while. Those Bose earbuds I mentioned earlier? They were listed for $35, I talked him down the last 15 dollars. The iPod Shuffle was originally listed for $20; I talked her down to $10. This is a key step, and it can be the difference between a great deal and a jaw-droppingly insane deal.

Negotiation isn’t hard, especially if you’re doing it over text or email. Just ignore the fact that most Craigslist sellers treat it like a hostage negotiation with two-word misppelled sentences. Make them an offer lower than what they’re selling it for, and maybe even a bit lower than your hoped-for price—they might negotiate you up from your original offer to meet in the middle. “Can you do $10?” is a perfectly acceptable message, and frankly more formal than most people will receive.

Sometimes they’re willing to negotiate, sometimes they aren’t—but if you don’t even ask, you’ll be missing out. Negotiating can get you five to 10 extra bucks out of a smaller item, and even more on bigger, more expensive items. Remember: the worst that happens is that someone says they’re firm, and you either meet their price or wait for something lower.

Just don’t get discouraged if people don’t respond to your offers. People are often bad about unlisting posts when an item is sold, so they’ll just ignore any messages after that point. Keep messaging people, and eventually you’ll get someone who responds and is willing to negotiate. Patience is key.

What If My Stuff Breaks?! I Need a Warranty!

Whenever I mention my affinity for buying used, I’m almost always met with groans. “But Craigslist is such a hassle,” they’ll say, or “What if it smells like some person’s cat?!” (Pro tip: Clorox is your friend.)

By far the most common fear, though, is that they’ll buy an item, it’ll break, and they’ll have wasted all that money on a dead gadget with no warranty.

This is a valid point, but in my experience, this isn’t very common. Only once have I ever bought a used item that broke soon after, and it was partially due to my own young naive stupidity (don’t buy hard drives used, people). But most people selling this stuff are just like you: people who spent a lot of money on a gadget and don’t use it as much as they thought, so they’re trying to squeeze a few bucks out of it instead of throwing it away. They’re not trying to take you for a ride (usually).

But things can still go wrong, and you won’t always get the protection of a warranty with these items. Even if you do still have a warranty, you won’t get the extended warranty offered by your credit card. Part of getting that insane deal is taking that risk, however small.

But here’s the thing: if you get good enough deals, it doesn’t matter if one of your items breaks. You can buy it again and still save money.

Most of the time, your stuff will work fine and last pretty well (provided you’re buying something that was well-built in the first place). And if you buy a lot of stuff used, you’re saving so much money that—if and when something does break—you’ll be able to replace it and still come out ahead in the long run (much the same way you end up saving money by not buying extended warranties). You’re only in trouble if a lotof your used stuff breaks, which is rather unlikely.

You Don’t Need to Buy Everything Used, Just Be Open to It

None of this is to say that you should do this for everything you buy. If you’re buying a product you know has a bad track record of failures (Microsoft Surface, anyone?) it might be worth it to get that warranty. Or maybe there’s a very specific model of TV you want, and you’re having trouble finding it used. There’s no shame in buying something new—just give used a chance, and be discerning about what actually matters. Sure, I could have bought an iPod Shuffle in my favorite color (blue), but if I can get a used green one for $10 with someone else’s name engraved on the back…I don’t think I’m going to shed many tears over the color. Buy according to your needs, and you can save a lot of money
.

New Worlds Richest

This Spanish Retailer Just Became The Richest Person In The World

Noah Kirsch , FORBES STAFF 

I cover the world's most successful entrepreneurs.  

Amancio Ortega (L) and daughter Marta Ortega Perez attend an event in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, in 2012. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Move aside, Bill Gates.

Amancio Ortega, cofounder of Spanish retailing giant Inditex, is now the richest person on the planet, with a $200 million edge over previous leader Bill Gates.

Ortega has held the top position three other times, but he has always relinquished the lead within a day. Most recently, he surpassed Gates on Tuesday, after shares of Inditex—the parent company to fashion chain Zara—rose just over 1%. But by the end of the afternoon he was $100 million behind the Microsoft cofounder.

Then, on Wednesday, Ortega regained the top spot. As of 12:05 pm Eastern Time, he was richer than Gates by a modest margin of $200 million.

Ortega, 81, is now worth an estimated $85 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time rankings of the world’s billionaires. His net worth is up $1.2 billion in the last month, but his ascent has also been aided by declines to the fortunes of Gates and Jeff Bezos, who have each held the title of world’s richest at some point this summer.

Bezos’ net worth has dropped by more than $4 billion in the last month as Amazon shares have fallen from a record high. Gates’ fortune declined earlier this month after a filing with the SEC revealed that he donated $4.6 billion worth of Microsoft stock to his foundation in June. That gift was first reported by Bloomberg.

Ortega became the richest person in the world for the first time in October 2015, but he lost his spot to Gates in less than 24 hours. He regained the lead in September 2016, but was quickly overtaken by Gates once again.

Cheapest Ways to Stream College Football

The Cheapest Ways To Stream College Football (Without Cable)

by Michael Crider 

We’ve shown you the cheapest ways to stream (almost) every NFL game this season. Now we’re back to do the same service for college ball…with one really big caveat.

You see, the NFL’s agreements with the various broadcast and cable networks are complicated. But thanks to the fractured nature of NCAA conferences and teams, the college football broadcast world makes pro football look like a playground shoving match.

College football is a Gordian Knot of conference agreements, broadcasting rights, scheduling, and generally huge amounts of money being made. And here’s the sad truth of the matter: if you want to watch as much college football as possible, cable or satellite TV is still the best solution. It’s expensive, but cable generally includes all of the local channels, conference-specific sports channels, ESPN, and regional sports networks, even on the cheaper packages.

But let’s say that you’ve cut the cord for economic reasons, and you’d still like to watch some college football. With some careful planning, you should be able to get about 80% of the games from major conferences via one or more streaming packages.

Which Channels Do You Want?

For a huge selection of Saturday games, we first want to focus on the four national broadcast networks and ESPN. ESPN generally includes ancillary channels like ESPN2, ESPNU, etc. Also, the College Football Championship will be on ESPN.

• ABC
• NBC
• FOX
• CBS
• ESPN

Next, we want to cover contingencies in the “Power 5” conferences with their various conference-owned networks. So far, four out of the five have made their own cable channels:

• ACC Network*
• Big 10 Network
• PAC 12 Network
• SEC Network

*At the moment, the ACC Network operates in ad hoc mode, only broadcasting for live sports events via ESPN affiliates. It should become a “full” network in 2019. As an affiliate it may or may not be available along with ESPN, or accessible via cable login in ESPN apps. 

These semi-exclusive networks aren’t as big a problem as they might initially appear. The ACC and SEC Networks are both operated in cooperation with ESPN, and the Big 10 Network is partnered with FOX Sports, so packages that include either or both of those will tend to throw in the dedicated college sports channels, too. PAC 12 coverage is more rare, since it’s an independent venture controlled by conference schools.

Unfortunately, you’ll usually have to omit single-team channels like the Longhorn Network and BYUtv, and sometimes regional sub-channels like Fox Sports Southwest or NBC Sports Network.

Local Channels May Be Limited (but You Can Just Use an Antenna)

Most of the services below include at least some of the national broadcast channels: ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS. But the availability for specific customers depends on the local station affiliates—the smaller companies that broadcast your local news and pay to syndicate daytime TV shows. Streaming availability for these channels can be spotty, especially if you’re in a rural area. So even though the streaming service says it offers FOX, your local FOX affiliate might not be part of the program. This can be alleviated with an over-the-air antenna, which allows access to those channels for free—though of course, you’ll have to switch to your regular TV input and usually can’t access it on your mobile device or PC.

Sling TV

Sling TV’s “Orange” package includes ESPN, and the “Blue” package adds on locals for FOX and NBC. Getting both packages will also open up regionals for Fox Sports and NBC Sports Network. Combined, they cost $40 a month.

You can add ABC local affiliates (if it’s supported in your area) with the “Broadcast Extra” package for another $5 a month, and the “Sports Extra” package includes the SEC Network and PAC 12 Network, also for an extra $5. Sling TV also appears to offer the ACC Network, though it seems to be situational: the ACC Network channel isn’t included on its master tier list, and users report that it’s only available when live sports are being broadcast. They also say that using a Sling TV login for ESPN apps and websites grants them access to the same streaming channel option, so I’m including it in the list.

That means that for $50 a month Sling gives you four out of five of our primary channels and three out of four conference networks, plus a few sports-focused extras. Not bad, but more expensive than other options on this list for the same level of coverage.

DirecTV NOW

DirecTV NOW, which is DirecTV’s streaming offering, includes ABC, FOX, NBC, and ESPN on its cheapest $35 a month tier, plus Fox Sports and the NBC Sports Network. But you’ll have to jump up to the $50 tier to add the SEC Network and ESPN’s college-focused ESPNU channel, and CBS and the other three conference channels can’t be added at any price. As such, we don’t recommend DirecTV NOW for college football.

PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue, Sony’s PlayStation-branded streaming service—which, to be clear, does not actually require a PlayStation to use—includes ABC, FOX, NBC, and CBS if your local affiliates play nice, plus ESPN, all on the cheapest $40-a-month tier. At the $45 tier, you can add the SEC Network and the Big Ten Network, which also includes ESPNU and other non-essentials like Fox Sports Southwest, FS1 and FS2, and the Longhorn Network.

There are no ACC or PAC 12 conference channels to be found on Vue, but if you root for an SEC or Big 10 team and your local channels are available through the service (or an antenna), it looks like a good deal. It hits seven out of nine of our primary goals with some good extras for $45 a month.

Hulu With Live TV

Hulu’s $40 Live TV package includes all of its standard streaming shows, plus a selection of live cable channels plus locals depending on your area. The lineup includes ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC—again, assuming your affiliates cooperate—plus ESPN and ESPNU. For conference options, it has the SEC and Big 10 Network. It also has a pretty good selection of our non-essentials, like FS1 and FS2, NBC Sports Network, and CBS Sports Network. That’s seven out of nine (the ad-hoc ACC Network is apparently not supported, though you may be able to log in via ESPN apps and watch it when it’s active) for $40.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is Google’s stab at cord-cutting, and it’s still fairly limited to major American markets. But where it’s active, it offers ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC (with possible holes in coverage based on local affiliates), plus the full range of ESPN and ESPNU channels. It also grants access to the SEC Network and Big Ten Network, and extras like CBS Sports, NBC Sports Network, and FS1 and FS2.

All that is available for $40, making YouTube an even match for Hulu With Live TV with the sane local and conference channels at the same price. But Hulu is available nationwide, and YouTube TV has some serious usability issues, putting it firmly behind the former.

No Clear Winner

Here’s the breakdown of channels available here. I’ve omitted the ACC Network for the 2017 college football season since it isn’t clear which packages support its ad-hoc streaming or ESPN login—that may change later on.

Obviously, in terms of price and channel availability, we’re looking at a close contest between PlayStation Vue, Hulu Plus Live TV, and YouTube TV. Common non-essential networks include Fox’s FS1 and FS2, with Hulu and YouTube having access to CBS and NBC dedicated cable sports and PlayStation Vue getting a slight edge for those in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona with Fox Sports Southwest and the Longhorn Network. If you prefer PAC-12 teams over Big 10, you might want to consider the more expensive Sling TV option…but you’ll also be missing CBS local TV. Remember that all of the local channels are conditional on affiliate cooperation, but if there are holes in your coverage, you can fill them in with an HD over-the-air antenna.

Now that the choices have been narrowed down, I recommend looking at the football schedule for the primary school you follow. I’m an Aggie fan, and all of the currently-assigned regular season Texas A&M games will be on FOX, ESPN/ESPNU, and the SEC Network, so all three are good options. Since Hulu also offers live streams of Adult Swim and TBS, and it’s $5 cheaper than the comparable PlayStation Vue, it gets my pick for my personal needs. Your hardware selection might come into it as well: here’s a quick breakdown of their availability at the time of writing.

PlayStation Vue is available on:

• Android
• iOS
• PlayStation 3 and 4
• Roku
• Apple TV
• Android TV and Chromecast
• Amazon Fire TV
• Web

Hulu with Live TV is available on:

• Android
• iOS
• Xbox
• Apple TV
• Chromecast
• Amazon Fire TV
• Roku and web support are “coming soon”

YouTube TV is available on:

• Android
• iOS
• Apple TV (via AirPlay)
• Chromecast
• Web

Weigh your options and the non-sports channels available to you… and remember that the restricted options of an all-streaming plan versus cable means you’ll probably miss at least one or two big games this year. Oh well—you can always hit a sports bar.

Eat More Fat, Fewer Carbs

Eat More Fat, Fewer Carbs

Research shows low-fat diets don't keep us alive longer

By Linda Hervieux,  Newser Staff

A man pours mayonnaise over a plate of french fries and sausage in Quito, Ecuador.   (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

(NEWSER) – Fat, it turns out, is good for you. Or at least it's not as bad as we previously thought, per a sweeping new study that suggests low-fat diets could increase the risk of early death, the Telegraph reports. The surprising findings published in the Lancet suggest that instead of limiting fat intake, we should be counting carbs. Low-fat diets "put populations at increased risk for cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Andrew Mente from Canada's McMaster University. Overturning dietary guidelines the world over, the research of Mente and his team indicates that a higher consumption of fats, even saturated fats like those found in meat and butter, reduces chances of dying earlier. The scientists who tracked 135,000 adults in 18 countries found that those who got more than 60% of their calories from carbohydrates, such as sugary drinks and processed foods like pasta and bread, had a 28% chance of dying early.

Those who consumed high levels of fats, even the saturated kind, saw their risk of early death drop by 23%. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the seven-year study found no link between fat consumption alone and heart disease or stroke, CBC News reports. But in a notable limitation, researchers were unable to measure levels of trans fat, often linked to heart disease, in study subjects. Study co-author Dr. Mahshid Dehghan says that when lowering fat consumption, people "by default" eat more carbs. He called for "relaxing current restrictions on fat and emphasizing ... carbohydrate intake." The "sweet spot," Mente adds, per the Telegraph, is maintaining a balanced diet, with about 35% of calories coming from fat. (For a longer life, go Japanese.)

Entertainment News

Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder to star in a romantic comedy together

The pair are re-teaming for ‘Destination Wedding’

By MAUREEN LEE LENKER@THEMAUREENLEE


Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder together in a rom-com?!! Stranger things have happened.

The pair, who previously starred together in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and A Scanner Darkly, are reuniting for a dark rom-com befitting of their on-screen personas.

Destination Wedding, directed by Victor Lyon, stars Reeves and Ryder as two unhappy, wholly unpleasant wedding guests who connect over their mutual misery. In spite of their better judgement, they find themselves falling for each other.

“Keanu and Winona bring a lot of history and chemistry to their roles, which adds a wonderful dimension to their performances and their dynamic,” said producer Gail Lyon.

The Fyzz Facility is set to fully finance and produce the project along with Gail Lyon, Elizabeth Dell, and Cassian Elwes.

Reeves was last seen in his summer’s John Wick: Chapter 2 and the Netflix project To the Bone, while Ryder will appear in the highly anticipated second season of Netflix’s Stranger Things on Oct. 27.

Oh, the Places

Oh, the Places God Will Take You!

Oh, the Places God Will Take You!
by Veronica Neffinger, ChristianHeadlines.com Editor

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  -Proverbs 3:5-6

Looking at my stash of postcards, I can’t help but think of the Dr. Seuss book title, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

I have been a lot of places (within the U.S. anyway): Bayfield, WI for their apple orchards and outdoor concert venue, winding Lombard Street in San Francisco, the mangroves of the Florida Keys, Pike’s Peak in Colorado...and the list goes on.

As I look at the postcards which mark each place I’ve been, I also can’t help but think that rather than the places I’ll go, the theme for my life has been “Oh, the places the Lord will take you!”

Sometimes these are literal, physical places like the ones mentioned above, but more often they are intangible places of spiritual growth.

All Christians seem to love the popular Proverbs verses: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,” but oftentimes it seems we do not trust in God to lead us down the right metaphorical path, while we do trust our GPS to get us to that scenic overlook, that historical attraction, that famed wonder of nature--all physical realities.

I would wager that many of us have discovered the hard way that when you think you know better than your GPS and you override it, you usually end up lost.

I don’t think it would be a stretch to claim that we often do the same with God as our guide.

It’s easy to think we know best how to direct our own paths and get where we want to go, but the truth is, we probably wouldn’t have many spiritual “postcards” hanging in the room of our hearts if we went our own way.

God is trustworthy. He is always ready to prove that.

I bet many, many of us could look back on the life we have already lived and point to dozens of times when we saw God’s hand orchestrating situations, bringing certain people into our lives, opening certain doors, closing others, bringing us to a place in which we can look back and see his Providence.

Many of us will also probably admit that those paths didn’t look very straight at the time when we were in the valley, but after all, it’s the same on a map: a road may look straight from a bird’s-eye view, but when you walk or drive it, you may find it has many bends and curves.

And yet, we still trust that the road will take us where the map or a GPS said it would take us--what if we did the same in our relationship with God?

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a few minutes to consider the path God has been leading you on and to renew your trust in His leading.

Further Reading
Psalm 48:14; Isaiah 58:11

A Back to School Prayer

A Back to School Prayer

by Dena Johnson

Father, as my children go back to school this week, I bring them to you as a living sacrifice, knowing you have given them to me to steward and train over the years.

My years with children in my home is coming to a close much faster than I anticipated. It seems as if it was only yesterday when my firstborn was an infant, completely dependent upon me for everything in his life. And this week I am sending him off to his senior year in high school. He stands tall and wise, a testament to your tender love and care throughout the years. Yet I wonder where I have failed to prepare him and his siblings for the world. I wonder if I’ve done everything I possibly can.

Our years together have been difficult, filled with trials and tests beyond anything we could have imagined. They have weathered multiple storms, learned to pick up the pieces and start again. They’ve seen your faithfulness as you’ve carried us through every wave that has knocked us down. Their lives are built on a firm foundation, their faith grounded on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Thank you for guiding them. Thank you for giving them wisdom and discernment well beyond their years.

As we enter this school year, my heart longs to see their continued growth in every area: the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. I release them to you in each of these areas.

For their hearts, I ask they would be soft and pliable, ready to be molded by you. I know their hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), but I ask your purifying fire to make them fully pure. Remove anything that would hinder their relationships with you. Get rid of the anger and bitterness, the unforgiveness that may be buried deep within. I know the battles my children have fought, the hurt they’ve experienced. Don’t let their hearts be hardened by the pain, but let them experience your healing as they open every little part of their hearts to you.

I ask for your guidance, that they would seek your face as they move into their futures. I pray you would guide their every step, leading them to walk in your purpose for their lives. Help them to be humble enough to surrender, to heed your voice in every decision they make. Give them ears to hear your voice and a relationship so strong that they are able to discern your voice from the many voices clamoring for their attention. Teach them to hear your voice and obey immediately.

As they grow and mature, I pray you would show them who they are and whose they are. May they see themselves as you see them, as children of the One True God. May they know they are a royal priesthood, a treasured possession, a masterpiece created by you. Help them shut out the voices around them, the voices telling them they will never be enough. Replace those voices with the truth of your word, the truth that says they were created for a special purpose.

No matter what happens, I ask you to make my children people of integrity. I pray they would always be the same people in public and in private. I pray they would live such holy lives there would never be a reason for ill words to be spoken against them. May they live honorable lives that silence all who make accusations against them (1 Peter 2:15).

May this year be a season of incredible spiritual growth. I pray they would fully surrender to you, go all in seeking your face. As they to you, I ask you to answer them and show them great and mighty things (Jeremiah 33:3). As they knock, help them to find you and all of the riches that are theirs as heirs in Christ Jesus.

Build their faith, a faith that is their own and not just mine. I know it requires trials and tests to refine our faith. It breaks my heart to see my children hurt, but I also know how faithful you are to your children as they wander through the wilderness. May they see your faithfulness providing for their every need. May their faith be purified and refined as they test you and take their faith as their own.

Give my children friends who love and glorify you. We know that as iron sharpens iron, so man sharpens man (Proverbs 27:17). Give them friends who encourage them in their faith, help them to walk more closely to you. If their friends don’t know you, I pray my children would be such a shining example that they can lead their friends to you.

It’s a harsh world out there, and I ask you to put a hedge of protection around my children. Keep them safe from any evil that might seek to encroach upon them. As they ride in cars and travel to and from school, activities, work, put your angels around their vehicles and protect them from any accidents that might be waiting for them.

I pray my children would always have a healthy dose of your wisdom as they live this life on earth. May they avoid the foolishness of this life, anything that would drag them away from your perfect plan for their lives. Help them to see the gift of wisdom at all costs, desiring to live your way all the days of their lives.

Father, keep my children close to you. I pray as I seek your face, as I seek to guide their minds, their hearts, their emotions, you would fill in the gaps where I am not perfect. I pray you would always do the parenting through me, that you would increase and shine through me, guiding them through me.

Thank you for blessing my life with these amazing gifts. I give them to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Broken Heart?

Broken Heart? The Lord is Close

Broken Heart? The Lord Is Close
By Rick Warren

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).

We’ve all had our heart broken in some way — maybe by disappointment, fear, shame, rejection, or ridicule. I would say to you, as your friend, I’m sorry. I really am. I care about the hurt that you have gone through, because God cares about it. He hurts with you. What was God doing when you were weeping? He was weeping, too.

In fact, it is in your pain that God is closest to you, whether you realize it or not.

The Bible says in Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”  (NIV). How does he do that? He saves us by giving us a heart transplant. It’s his specialty, in fact.

God says, “For the heart that’s guilty, I’ll give you a heart that’s forgiven. For the heart that’s resentful, I’ll give you a heart that’s full of peace. For the heart that’s anxious, I’ll give you heart that’s confident. For the heart that’s lonely, I’ll give you a heart full of love. The heart that has been bitter and angry? I’ll give you a heart that is forgiving and loving and generous instead. Let me do a heart transplant in you. I will set you free.”

Why do we need freedom? Because we’re all enslaved. We’re slaves to the expectations of other people. We’re slaves to past memories. We’re slaves to future fears. We’re slaves to current pressure. We’re slaves to the opinions of society, and on and on and on.

But all you have to do is open your heart to Jesus Christ and give him 100 percent of your heart. Say, like David in Psalm 119:32, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding” (NIV)

We must stop limiting God! We can’t even imagine how much he wants to do with our lives. Open your heart to him, and let him transplant it for his own.