The golf industry is weak, and it's hurting sales at retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods..

In the second quarter, sales at Dick's Golf Galaxy stores fell 9.3% on a comparable-store basis. This was actually worse than the 8.7% drop forecasted by analysts.

Dick's also said it would take a $20.4 million pre-tax charge related to restructuring initiatives in its golf business.

These charges include:

• A $14.3 million non-cash impairment of trademarks and store assets used in the Company's golf business;
• Severance charges totaling $3.7 million relating to the elimination of specific golf positions from the DICK'S stores, and from the combination of DICK'S golf and Golf Galaxy corporate and administrative functions; and,
• A $2.4 million write-down of golf-related inventory.

"We have consolidated our Golf Galaxy merchandising, marketing and store operations into DICK'S Sporting Goods," said Dick's CEO Edward Stack. "In addition, we have eliminated specific staff in our golf area within our DICK'S Sporting Goods stores. These changes are necessitated by the current and expected trends in golf. We will invest these cost savings into other aspects of our store operations and into the growth areas of our business."

Overall, the quarter wasn't bad for Dick's, which reported company-wide earnings and sales that beat expectations, and in morning trade on Tuesday, Dick's shares were up more than 5%.

This updated chart from Golf 20/20, which we highlighted earlier this year, shows that through June, rounds played in the U.S. are still down over last year. 

SEE ALSO: Here's How Obsessed With Golf Obama Really Is

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As science and medicine advance, here's a thought experiment about how we could treat our criminals differently from Oxford University's Rebecca Roache.

Roache envisions a future where we can use chemicals to manipulate an inmates sense of time. Through these chemicals, a criminal could be made to feel like she or he is spending 1,000 years in jail, even though the person might only be in jail for days or months or a year.

Roache is "a philosopher, not a scientist," and she's "not in charge of anyone." While it's her job to contemplate some macabre, controversial ideas, none of the ideas presented here are actually in development. They're just ideas.

A paper published in the Journal of Neuroscience outlines the nature of how we perceive time, and it has a lot to do with a neurotransmitter called GABA (other factors also come into play, like emotion and paying attention to a specific thing). Chemical manipulations of this neurotransmitter could be all we need to give criminals more prison time within a shorter-length sentence.

Roache writes in her blog, Practical Ethics, that the "subjective experience of duration could inform the design and management of prisons, with the worst criminals being sent to special institutions designed to ensure their sentences pass as slowly and monotonously as possible."

Put another way, Dr. Roache and her team aim to undo the shortcomings of the standard prison sentence as it applies to especially vile criminals. Regarding the tragic incident of a mother and stepfather who tortured and killed their four-year-old son to receive the UK's most severe prison sentence of 30 years, Roache calls the outcome "laughably inadequate." She argues that the punishment could be "enhanced" (perceptually prolonged) without any changes to the UK prison system.

Roache's ideas have drawn all kinds of criticisms — she responds to some of the common ones here. She's not "pro-torture," but she's especially interested in answering questions like "Is it important for punishment to be unpleasant?"; "What makes a punishment inhumane?"; "If we could use technology to ‘calibrate’ punishments to ensure that the subjective experience of a particular punishment is similar for anyone who receives this punishment, is this something we should do?"

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Tom Montag will become sole COO of Bank of America when his former co-COO, David Darnell, moves to Tampa to be with his family, Dealbook reports.

Montag left Goldman Sachs in 2008 to join Merrill Lynch before it merged with Bank of America.

Since then he's climbed the ranks to run Bank of America's investment bank and capital markets divisions. Additionally, for the past four years he's made more than CEO Brian Moynihan. Last year Montag made $15.5 million and Moynihan made $14 million.

In a memo to employees Moynihan wrote that despite his move Darnell would still “work across the company to execute our customer strategy, drawing on his knowledge of our businesses, markets and client relationships.”

Darnell, who may retire soon, will take the title of vice chairman and continue to oversee business banking as well as global wealth and investment management. Montag will continue running investment banking and capital markets divisions.

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Whether you like it or not, your clothing communicates — and it can have a serious affect on your ability to achieve success.

"Let's be clear: In the big picture of ultimate reality, what you wear neither defines who you are as a person nor determines your value as a human being," says Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc., and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results.""However, in the temporal realm of mere mortals, fair or not, people judge us by the way we look and that includes the way we dress." Especially in the workplace, clothing significantly influences how others perceive you and how they respond toward you, she says.

Researchers at the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) found that your appearance strongly influences other people's perception of your financial success, authority, trustworthiness, intelligence, and suitability for hire or promotion.

And, because perception is often reality, what you wear not only communicates who you are in the minds of others, but also influences your level of career advancement. 

The NRCC research also found that when you combine your appearance with communication skills, not only is others' perception of you affected, but their behavior toward you is also influenced. "Clothing plus communication skills determine whether or not others will comply with your request, trust you with information, give you access to decision makers, pay you a certain salary or fee for contracted business, hire you, or purchase your products and services," she says.

Here are seven tips to ensure your clothing has a positive impact on your success:

Don't show too much skin. That means no short skirts, strapless tops, or shoes that barely cover your feet.

Never wear dirty clothes. This seems obvious — but plenty of people think they can get away with wearing that dirty shirt just one more time before bringing it to the dry cleaners. News flash: You can't. 

Don't wear wrinkled clothing. Heard of an iron? Use it. You'll look neat and way more put together.

Wear clothes that fit you well. "Tailoring is a simple way to make clothes way more flattering,"writes BI's retail editor Ashley Lutz. 

She says it'll give you a polished look, and those around you will perceive you differently. So, stay away from clothing that is too tight or too baggy.

Always follow the dress code (or dress one step above). Don't understand dress codes? Read about them here and here. 

Wear appropriate shoes and accessories. Don't wear jewelry that is too flashy or obnoxious — and always wear comfortable shoes that are appropriate for work. Also, if you wear makeup, don't overdo it! 

Don't wear shorts. In some workplaces it's perfectly acceptable for women and men to wear shorts. But, if you really want to portray yourself as a professional, steer clear.  

"To achieve career advancement, avoid an unprofessional image that may enslave your career to others' misperceptions," Price says. "Instead, choose clothing that accurately reflects your credibility and ensures you 'sell for what you're worth.' Make sure your 'exterior' earns you a 'silent recommendation,'" she concludes. 

SEE ALSO: Here’s What 'Business Casual' Really Means

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The Pentagon has stuck with the F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter program despite dozens of technical problems and delays, strategic concerns, and massive cost overruns that have nearly doubled the initial cost estimate, raising the cost of building the planes to around $400 billion with a lifetime cost of up to $1.5 trillion.

One reason why the project has become such a boondoggle is that many states and countries are significantly invested in the plane, relying on its production for income and jobs.

Every U.S. state but Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, and Wyoming has economic ties to the F-35, with 18 states counting on the project for $100 million or more in economic activity, according to primary contractor Lockheed Martin. All told, the project is supposedly responsible for 32,500 jobs in the U.S. Globally, another nine countries have major ties to the F-35.

One way or another, America's multirole fifth generation fighter is coming — though it was most recently delayed to September 2017.

SEE ALSO: Here's why the Pentagon is spending such an unbelievable amount of money on the F-35

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Known for her roles as Matilda and Susan in "Miracle On 34th Street," and, maybe most notably over the last week, Robin Williams' 5-year-old daughter Natalie in "Mrs. Doubtfire," Mara Wilson took to her blog yesterday to openly grieve the death of her co-star and friend who died on August 11 after committing suicide.

Wilson, now 27, remained far from social media since learning of Williams' death last week, but wrote a wonderful tribute on her blog, describing him in the way his fans have come to know him: hilarious, kind, versatile in talent. 

But she also described a Williams the public may not have seen:

Robin was so on so much of the time that I was surprised to hear my mother describe him as “shy.” “When he talks to you,” she told her friends, “he’ll be looking down at his shoes the whole time.” I figured he must have been different with grown-ups. I wouldn’t see that side of him myself until a few years later, when I was invited to be part of a table read of What Dreams May Come. He came alive in the reading, and had us all laughing at lunch, but my strongest impression came when we saw each other for the first time that day. Robin crossed to me from across the room, got down to my level, and whispered “Hi, how are you?” He asked how my family was doing, how school was, never raising his voice and only sometimes making eye contact. He seemed so vulnerable. “So this is what Mom meant,” I thought. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time. He was a person now.

Wilson writes her regret of scoffing at the idea of a sequel to Mrs. Doubtfire:

I had thought maybe the next time I saw Robin I would explain myself to him, let him know that I had loved working with him but didn’t feel like we could do it again, and that being in major studio films again meant a level of scrutiny I didn’t think I could deal with. I wanted to apologize and know he understood. It hurts to know I can’t.

You can read Wilson's full blog post here. She ends her tribute with a memory — one of the best lines she had in Mrs. Doubtfire.

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' 'Mrs. Doubtfire' co-star tweets about losing her friend

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The left-leaning editorial board of the New York Times, no fan of Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), nevertheless wrote an editorial strongly backing him in his legal fight after he was indicted for allegedly abusing his office.

In the article, published online Monday night, the editorial board called Perry "one of the least thoughtful" politicians out there, but noted "bad political judgment is not necessarily a felony."

"Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is one of the least thoughtful and most damaging state leaders in America, having done great harm to immigrants, abortion clinics and people without health insurance during his 14 years in office. But bad political judgment is not necessarily a felony, and the indictment handed up against him on Friday — given the facts so far — appears to be the product of an overzealous prosecution," the paper wrote.

Perry was indicted by a grand jury on two felony counts last Friday. A special prosecutor has accused him of abusing his power to try and coerce a resignation from a district attorney whose office runs a state-level public integrity unit. Perry said he ultimately vetoed the public integrity unit's funding because the district attorney was arrested for drunken driving and was featured in a highly embarrassing video of some of her behavior.

The Times insisted the funding veto threat was "ill-advised"— but probably not illegal.

"Governors and presidents threaten vetoes and engage in horse-trading all the time to get what they want, but for that kind of political activity to become criminal requires far more evidence than has been revealed in the Perry case so far," the editorial board wrote. "Texas voters should be more furious at Mr. Perry for refusing to expand Medicaid, and for all the favors he has done for big donors, than for a budget veto."

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In our increasingly health-conscious world, people are increasingly sensitive to the impact of the foods they eat. 

A particularly controversial food is unprocessed red meat, which some believe to be a source of various health problems. However, many of these beliefs have no scientific basis.

Here are 5 common myths that have developed about eating red meat.

Produced by Ryan Larkin.

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The widely-followed MBA weekly mortgage application index used to be considered a leading indicator for home sales.

But in recent years mortgage applications have been flat while home sales have risen, according to Hui Shan at Goldman Sachs. 

There are three factors that explain the disconnect between the two indicators: 

1. "A changing relationship between mortgage applications and originations:" Not every mortgage application is approved and ends in an origination. "The pull-through rate, which is the origination to application ratio, can vary considerably over time," according to Shan. The pull through rate has risen from 2007 to 2012 because only those serious about home purchases and those that could afford it began to apply for mortgages, as opposed to the period from 2002 to 2007 when loose credit conditions drew in marginal borrowers.
2. "Shifting mortgage market landscape affects the reliability of the MBA application index:"The market share of the four large banks, Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America and Citi has fallen from 50% of all residential mortgages in 2011, to 31% in the first half of the year. This could skew the survey that the MBA index is based on. "In fact, the HMDA data show that purchase mortgage applications increased 10% from 2011 to 2012 whereas the MBA purchase application index only increased 3% during the same period."
3. "Cash transactions may stay elevated even as investor purchases decline:" Tight lending standards continue to cause the share of cash transactions to stay close to peak levels, even as their share in distressed sales continues to fall. "Because low-FICO homebuyers are more likely to rely on mortgages to finance home purchases, an increasing number of discouraged low-FICO borrowers contributes to elevated cash transactions."

Shan writes that for these three reasons we should also be more cautious when  forecasting home sales based on changes in the mortgage applications index.

SEE ALSO: This Startup Wants To Be The E-Trade Of Real Estate

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Since Amazon launched its first smartphone on July 25, the AT&T-exclusive device topped the site's best selling phones list for several days, but has seen slow growth in terms of usage, according to market research.

Dubbed the Fire phone, the device's most unique features are Dynamic Perspective, which allows the phone to react to how it is held and tilted, and Firefly, which can scan phone numbers, email addresses, and more than 100 million different objects to make it easy to buy them on Amazon.

For the most part, the phone recieved less-than-glowing reviews in the press.  

Amazon hasn't released any sales numbers yet, but Chitika Insights has kept track of its usage share growth since the launch. Chitika reports that adoption of the Fire phone has only grown incrementally, rather than exponentially over the last three weeks. In other words, usage growth has been slow, but at least it has been steady.

The Fire phone's usage share is .02%, which puts its launch on par with that of the Motorola Droid Ultra, but below the launch of the LG G3, likely in part because the G3 didn't launch exclusively to one carrier, like the Fire phone did. 

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos firmly believes in the importance of waiting patiently for long-term rewards, so this slow-burn effect likely isn't alarming for Amazon, though likely a little disappointing after all the hype around the launch. 

Chitika measures usage growth by analyzing tens of millions of North American ad impressions from smartphones.

Here's a look at how the Fire's launch compared to the G3's:

This chart shows how its launch compared to the Droid Ultra's:

SEE ALSO: 11 Of The Most Hilarious Product Reviews On Amazon

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The University of Chicago has long been known for its quirky application essay prompts, in past years asking potential students to "find" Waldo or literally compare apples and oranges.

This year's questions are no different. Students applying for the UChicago Class of 2019 have the option of writing about what makes odd numbers odd, why you are "here," or the power of untranslatable words, among other topics.

Because these prompts are not always that easy to tackle, we spoke to a UChicago admissions officer last year who explained what the college is looking for. His advice? There is no model answer, and have fun.

Here are this year's UChicago essays prompts, via the school's website:

2014-15 Essay Questions:

Essay Option 1.

What's so odd about odd numbers?

Essay Option 2.

In French, there is no difference between "conscience" and "consciousness". In Japanese, there is a word that specifically refers to the splittable wooden chopsticks you get at restaurants. The German word “fremdschämen” encapsulates the feeling you get when you’re embarrassed on behalf of someone else. All of these require explanation in order to properly communicate their meaning, and are, to varying degrees, untranslatable. Choose a word, tell us what it means, and then explain why it cannot (or should not) be translated from its original language.

Essay Option 3.

Little pigs, french hens, a family of bears. Blind mice, musketeers, the Fates. Parts of an atom, laws of thought, a guideline for composition. Omne trium perfectum? Create your own group of threes, and describe why and how they fit together.

Essay Option 4.

Were pH an expression of personality, what would be your pH and why? (Feel free to respond acidly! Do not be neutral, for that is base!)

Essay Option 5.

A neon installation by the artist Jeppe Hein in UChicago’s Charles M. Harper Center asks this question for us: “Why are you here and not somewhere else?” (There are many potential values of "here", but we already know you're "here" to apply to the University of Chicago; pick any "here" besides that one).

FOLLOW US! Check Out BI Colleges On Facebook

SEE ALSO: The 15 Most Ridiculous College Application Questions

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After a few teasers in July, the first trailer for “Homeland” season 4 is here, and it looks like we’ll finally see a return to the series we were first introduced to in 2011. 

If you haven’t been happy with the Showtime drama the past few seasons (it began dabbling in the romantics and side stories), the new one should be a huge revitalization to the series as it focuses on Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) out in the field in charge of Istanbul’s CIA unit. 

At this year’s TCAs (Television Critics Association), producer Alex Gansa confirmed season four will be a big change from the past, focusing on the "public and private costs of keeping America safe." 

The changes come at a time when the show has lost its position as an award’s show darling. 

While both Mandy Patinkin and Danes received Emmy nominations for season 3, it’s the first time since the series’ launch the show itself hasn’t received an a nod for its writing. It’s also the first time it will be left out of the best drama race.  

To kick off the new season, “Homeland” will return with two episodes October 5 at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

SEE ALSO: Photos from the new season of "Homeland"

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Emojis have invaded modern messaging, and now you can create your own.

Makemoji is a new app that lets you construct your own tiny little emoji icons, whether they be devilish smilies or a some other cuddly incarnations.

Makemoji has already raised $1 million in seed funding. And with an Instagram-like news feed and profile, it's technically the first social network for sharing emojis, beating the upcoming emoji-only "Emojli" social network to market.

The heart of Makemoji, however, is the emoji creation tool.

"The create screen is the meat of the app, where we spent 99% of development work and time," founder and CEO Tyler Breton told Business Insider. "You can start from scratch using circles, squares, and colors to create your own, or you can use one of the presets."

You create emojis by building upon the basic shape or body of your emoji and adding detail with each successive layer. You can then drag and resize each shape, or change the color settings by tapping on the paint palette icon.

If you make a mistake, you can wipe a layer clean with the eraser button. You can even build emoji around an existing photo by importing a photo from your Camera Roll.

The user experience here could be smoother (I often had to tap and re-tap an option or color to get it to read my input), but there's plenty of options to choose from, and the layer-by-layer process works pretty well.

When you're all done creating your emoji, you can give it a name or label and then send it via iMessage or upload it to Instagram.

All of the emojis you create are stored on your profile and posted to the Makemoji news feed, where others can share, comment, use, or repost their favorites.

Newcomers automatically follow the official Makemoji profile, which gives you access to a library of already-created emojis.

While Makemoji lets you insert your emojis into your iMessage conversations, the app differs from other emoji apps that can plug into your phone's keyboard, giving you instant access.

As of right now, there's no way to access your Makemoji creations from within iMessage. Instead, you have to go through the app, which will then insert your emoji into an iMessage conversation. It's a feature that feels like it should be there, and the current method adds a lot of friction to the act of using what you create. Perhaps in iOS 8, which will allow users to install third-party keyboards, Makemoji will find its way into the keyboard for easy accessibility.

At the end of the day, Makemoji isn't the polished emoji ecosystem it seeks to one day be, but it does offer a straightforward, precise, and fun way to try your hand at making your own emojis. That's not a bad start.

You can download Makemoji for free over at the App Store.

SEE ALSO: There's A New Social Network That Only Lets You Send Messages In Emoji

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Living standards in Russia's two biggest cities are slipping.

According to an Economist Intelligence Unit survey, Moscow and St. Petersburg have both seen their "liveability" rankings decline more than 3% in the past five years.

The survey ranked global cities based on stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education and infrastructure. The survey does not specify where the pair saw the greatest declines, but did note that "events in Ukraine" were having "knock-on" effects. 

There's other anecdotal evidence of the decline. According to Global Property Guide, Moscow´s resale apartment prices fell 8% in Q1 on an inflation-adjusted basis. In St. Petersburg they fell 4.6%. There was actually a surge in purchasing activity in the first half of 2014, but that was only because the Ruble had weakened, according to GPG. The Ruble has fallen 9% against the dollar in the past 12 months.

The rest of the list, above, all have been experiencing serious problems with unemployment, violence, civil unrest, and instability all around.

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The long and terrifying reign of the misbehaving valet is about to come to an end.

As long as you own a Corvette.

Chevrolet has introduced a new feature that enables Corvette owners to lock down most of the systems in their cars. So no more lying, cheating, stealing, joyriding valets to worry about. 

According to Chevy:

[T]he Corvette Valet Mode is turned on through the settings menu and activated by entering a unique four-digit code. A confirmation entry of the code simultaneously locks the storage bin behind the center stack display, the glove box and disables the radio and infotainment system.

But there's more:

With the introduction of the industry-first Performance Data Recorder for 2015, Corvette drivers can also record HD video, in-car audio, and vehicle data – including speed, engine RPM, gear position and g-force – when Valet Mode is active.

The video can be viewed instantly on the Corvette’s eight-inch color touchscreen when the car is parked, or downloaded to a computer.

This feature was initially aimed at enthusiasts who wanted to record Nurburgring-type videos of their track driving. But pretty quickly, Chevy figured out that the system could have additional uses.

Chevy also created a sum-of-all fears video to show Corvette owners exactly how Valet Mode can restore their ever-precarious peace of mind.

An unsuspecting Corvette owner pulls into an establish men that employs the dreaded valets.

This guy is just here to lend a face to the voiceover. 

Ah, to be a Corvette owner! Such an innocent, happy thing! 

Until...  

The valets arrive. 

Each valet has his or her own evil intentions. First up: THE MUSIC BLASTER. 

He'll get his hands on your stereo system...

...and crank it up!

THE CAT BURGLAR! 

She sees a 'Vette and thinks one thing and one thing only... 

There must be hot sunglasses in there someplace that were just meant for me.

THE ROOKIE'S crime is basic... 

...he just can't drive. 

But the biggest fear of all for a Corvette owner is that you'll run into this guy. 

THE LEAD FOOT has a need for speed. 

Oh no. This wild bunch isn't going to have their way with my 'Vette. 

Valet Mode shuts 'em out. 

No more thieving for her... 

...because she can't crack the code. 

Music volume will remain modest even if the Blaster's moustache doesn't. 

And as for that joyriding wannabe racer... 

You can record EXACTLY what he was up to after you handed over the keys. 

You are not happy... 

And he is SO busted. 

Watch the entire video below. 

SEE ALSO: 8 Rare Corvettes Plunge Into A Sinkhole

SEE ALSO: Video Shows The Moment A Bunch Of Rare Corvettes Plunged Into A Sinkhole

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When the news of James Foley's beheading by jihadist group ISIS started to make headlines yesterday, there seemed to be a common plea: Don't tweet graphic images from the video showing the American photojournalist's gruesome death. 

Instead, friends, colleagues, and strangers tweeted news links with photos of 40-year-old Foley, who had been missing in Syria since November 2012, during happier times. There was also a widespread #IsisMediaBlackout, that spread like wildfire Tuesday afternoon, in an attempt to not give ISIS the coverage they so badly wanted from the media.

Please tweet this photo of James Foley and not any of him in the hands of his gutless murderers. #RIPJamesFoleypic.twitter.com/cAcVVJgyDn

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) August 19, 2014

Then Twitter took it a step further, when CEO Dick Costolo announced Wednesday morning that any account sharing these brutal and disturbing images on Twitter would have their feeds frozen. 

But this rule seems to bend when it comes to New York City's dueling tabloids, The New York Daily News and The New York Post, both of which bore the headline "SAVAGES" over glaringly inappropriate images taken straight from ISIS's video of Foley's beheading. Both papers' social media accounts tweeted the images of their front pages this morning. 

Business Insider has blurred out the images.

This was the New York Post:

And this was The Daily News:

Twitter roared in outrage; calling for both tabloids to take down the images, saying that their graphic covers littering New York newstands was surely enough. Both social accounts remain intact.

@nypost this cover is by far your worst, most insensitive and tasteless. Whomever is responsible for this is out of touch and irresponsible

— andrew paskoff (@apaskoff) August 20, 2014

Business Insider reached out to Twitter, where a spokesperson told us the Post and Daily News accounts would not be suspended.

"The Post's tweet contains this warning for some users, depending on their media settings," an email from Twitter read, referring to a text block warning that shows up in place of the photo, allowing users the option to click through to the image or to skip over it. But both the editor and author of this story were not warned of the graphic nature of the image before it appeared on both of our Twitter timelines this morning; such is the case for many others. 

When asked why some accounts tweeting similar images of James Foley were suspended but not others, considering Costolo's apparent hardline stance on the subject, Twitter did not respond.

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In the shadow of rising tensions in the East China Sea, Japan is holding live fire exercise in the foothills of Mount Fuji until Sunday. Japan has held annual military exercises aimed at protecting its northern territories along its maritime frontier with Russia, although present realities have led to Japan shifting its priorities to island defense. 

The exercises, called Fire Power, are aimed at defending outlying Japanese islands from a hypothetical invasion. Fire Power is a first-of-its-kind exercise and follows new national defense guidelines. 

The exercise included battle tanks, helicopters, and elite soldiers displaying tactics that could be used if Japan needs to defend, or retake, its island territory in the East China Sea. Altogether, the exercise included 2,300 troops, 20 aircraft, and 80 tanks and other armored vehicles.

Tensions have been steadily increasing in East Asia as China has flexed its muscle, laying claim to places like the Senkaku Islands, which Japan currently views as sovereign territory. The strained relationship between the nations has raised the specter of modern-day great power conflict, and led to direct military competition between Japan and China. 

We have included some of the most striking images from the Japanese military exercise below. 

In the decades after World War II, the Japanese military played a small role within the country. 

However, new policies put in place by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have expanded the nation's military capabilities. 

A constitutional reinterpretation conducted by Abe's cabinet in July now allows Japan to play a greater role in collective self-defense measures.

Japan has sought to increase its military capabilities as tensions increase with China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. 

Japan has also shifted its military exercises to island defense and island assault.

Japan is establishing new military bases in its southern-most islands that are closer to China. 

Japan has also expressed interest in further modernization of its armed forces, and is set to purchase several F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. 

SEE ALSO: This map shows why the South China Sea could lead to the next world war

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America is facing a shortage of truck drivers, and that problem is expected to get worse.

The current shortage is estimated to be at 30,000, and a new regulation will help drive that higher.

A mandate requiring commercial vehicles to have an electronic logging device is likely go into effect in early 2015. This will make it harder for drivers to fudge the numbers and work more than the legally mandated limit on hours.

Right now 75% of the industry does not have these logging devices. Analysts expect 100% compliance within a year or two of the rule going into effect.

"Anecdotal comments have suggested that drivers will go to carriers that essentially, turn the eye if you will, at the hours of service regulation, because of manual logs," Brad Delco, an analyst at Stephens, told Business Insider in a telephone interview. "As a result they can essentially make more money, running more miles."

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted three million driver inspections in 2012 and found 950,000 violations. Of these, 450,000 were hours-of-service violations.

"In our view, drivers are motivated to drive as many miles as possible, as driver pay is based on a 'per/mile' pay scale," Delco and Ben Hearnsberger at Stephens write in a note. "As a result, we believe carriers without ELDs have an advantage in recruiting/retaining drivers as less strict adherence to HOS regulations equates to higher driver pay and therefore helps attract/retain more drivers."

The American Trucking Associations expects the estimated U.S. shortage of 30,000 to surge to 239,000 by 2022.

Driver Churn Will, However, Decline

Electronic logs are however expected to lower the turnover rate, which at large truckload carriers was 92% annualized in Q1, according to the ATA. Turnover refers to the rate at which drivers leave the industry and are replaced.

"One-hundred percent turnover doesn’t mean that every driver left," ATA chief economist Bob Costello previously told Business Insider. "If you keep a driver for 90 days, the rate generally drops in half. However, there are a group of drivers that churn, and they generally stay at a carrier for a short length of time (just weeks or a couple of months). Many drivers stay with a carrier for years."

Delco and Hearnsberger, however, think this could help lower the turnover rate among truck drivers.

Truck drivers we spoke to, one of whom, Jeff, had driven for 10 different companies, pointed to safety concerns, namely trucking companies asking them to run over hours, time away from home, and low pay as major reasons the industry faced high turnover.

"The reason you have such high driver turnover now is there are a lot of different jobs competing for these drivers," Delco said. "Whether it's local construction or work in the oilfield business, it's basically competing for these drivers, which causes them to always look at where the grass is greener."

It isn't just other industries, though — even within trucking some companies offer a signing bonus, and some offer more miles or load than others, and drivers moving more miles make more money.

Enforcing the use of ELDs on all carriers could reduce supply by 4% to 8%, Delco and Hearnsberger write. They believe that universal use of ELDs will level the playing field, "which would give no carrier/driver a distinct advantage over another due to falsifying log books,” they write in a note. “We believe this would result in a more rational pricing environment where best-in-breed carriers would win based on service/value.”

The good news for truck drivers is trucking companies are beginning to take note of their troubles and working toward improving pay and overcoming other obstacles in their way. For companies, however, the shortage will get worse before it gets better.

SEE ALSO: Here's The Real Reason Why The Trucking Industry Is Running Out Of Drivers

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If you already pay for a cable subscription, there's no better way to view your favorite shows on the go than NimbleTV.

NimbleTV is a free cloud-based streaming service that lets New York and Chicago residents stream live TV to their favorite devices, regardless of where they are.

Previously, the service was unavailable in Chicago, and customers needed to pay about $5 a month for a DVR setup.

The company's philosophy is that if you're already paying for a cable subscription, you should be able to sign in and watch the content that you're already paying for on any device you wish, and in any country.

The best part? It just works, and you can use practically any device. You can stream NimbleTV on your computer, iPad, iPhone, Android phone, Roku, and Apple TV.

The streaming service isn't affiliated with any cable company, but you will have to sign in with a cable subscription tied to a physical address in New York or Chicago, though CEO Anand Subramanian told Business Insider that there are plans to expand to 9 cities by the end of the year.

Once you sign in, you'll be greeted by a carousel of the same channels you'd see on your home TV.

You can browse your available channels, peruse your favorites, or search for a specific channel or show. Like most TV menus, you can keep watching a show in the upper right-hand corner while you explore the channel guide.

Scrolling through your subscribed channels is similar to browsing your TV guide. If a show is airing, you can stream it right then and there, but you'll also see what will be airing throughout the day.

NimbleTV lets you watch things in full-screen, but there's plenty of other options to mimic the traditional TV experience.

You can surf through channels using the blue arrow buttons at the bottom of your screen, or you can tap the "Menu" button to bring up a sidebar with options to navigate to your channels or recordings.

NimbleTV itself is free for existing cable subscribers, but if you want to record programs for later viewing, you'll need a cable subscription that includes DVR storage or subscribe to one of NimbleTV's own HD-DVR storage plans, which start at $4.99 a month for 10 hours of recording time.

Recording shows is a breeze, and you can choose to start recording at a moment's notice or schedule a future recording. There's even the option to record single episodes, only new episodes, or all future episodes.

Once a show has been recorded, you can watch it at your leisure from any device, even if you're in another country. It's a great option for college students to bring their family's cable plan with them to campus without having to buy a new plan.

If you live in the New York Metro area, you can use NimbleTV for free if you subscribe to Cablevision, Verizon FiOS, Time Warner, or RCN. NimbleTV just rolled out service to Chicago as well, but you'll need to have a cable subscription with Comcast Xfinity or AT-T U-verse.

You can sign up for NimbleTV over at its official website.

SEE ALSO: Use This Trick To See A Map Of Everywhere Google Knows You've Been

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New York City's cut throat culinary community made a rare allowance this spring, and gave the newly remodeled version Tavern on the Green a chance.

As an iconic restaurant that once represented some of the best this town has to offer in terms of dining experiences it was the least they could do.

Now, reading Eater critic Ryan Sutton's review of the revamped Tavern, it's safe to say that the restaurant has blown that chance.

Or rather, blown it up, let the dust settle, and then gone in with a fire hose to wash it completely away. The chance is done.

Sutton writes: "...Tavern is a de facto gastronomic ambassador for the Big Apple, an unfortunate phenomenon for a venue whose $22 mac 'n' cheese is real prison slop. And when the waiter upsells you into topping it off with salmon — because what's better than oily fish to pair with cheese-y, mushy, pasta — you'll have spent $32 on what is surely one the worst things anyone can eat outside of Rikers."

Woof.

Tavern on the Green was built in the 1930s by infamous city power broker, Robert Moses. It was meant to be a sheep barn, but instead ended up becoming an ideal type — a symbol of the most luxurious aspects of New York City life.

Previous reviews of this new iteration of the restaurant have been kind. They compared today's Tavern to the tired, busted restaurant that closed down in 2009.

Even the New York Times' Pete Wells admitted to going soft on Tavern because of the warm fuzzies the place gave him.

So you may detect an extra cup or two of enthusiasm in my voice when I say that under its new management, the building is woven into the life of the park more fully than in its last incarnation, a wedding-cake palace as imagined by a 6-year-old princess with a high fever. And you may hear a few teaspoons of added regret when I say that it’s not a good restaurant yet by any measure.

"Not a good restaurant" is basically an A+ compared to Sutton's stunning take down. The tale of his meal sounds like one of Ramsey's Kitchen's very worst Nightmares, from the food itself to the service.

Is your food underseasoned? A waiter brings over one of those cute little ramekins that better restaurants use to hold expensive fleur de sel. Here, the elegant cup is filled with what looks and tastes like iodized table salt. Did you order the $45 brunch to ensure quick access to carbohydrates? The included pastry basket, filled with passable croissants and stale pain au chocolat, might not show up for 20 minutes. Tea, requested when your (excellent) grits with chorizo and eggs arrive, might not come until your (absentee) waiter clears the entrees. Sugar? Five more minutes. Exhausting.

Sutton's review awarded Tavern on the Green zero stars (and may God have mercy on its soul).

Read the full review over at Eater>

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