By Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle Updated 6:49 pm, Monday, April 23, 2018 MINNEAPOLIS – The Rockets may have seemed to take the first round of the playoffs for granted, but it means a lot to one fan. Meng-Han Yang made the 7,138-mile trek from Taiwan to see his favorite NBA team play for the first time Monday night at the Target Center. The 23-year-old student at National Taiwan University in Taipei, who became a Rockets fan during the Yao Ming-Tracy McGrady days, said the trip is expensive, "But it's the playoffs." Yang, who is staying with a former high school classmate in Minneapolis, will be in Houston for Game 5, then return home on Sunday. "This is my first trip to the United States, and this is a good reason to come," Yang said. "It will be exciting." Yang brought a sign with him that read: "Always run as one in Taiwayn, but the time is now so I traveeled 7138 miles to #LockedIn." window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: … [Read more...] about Taiwanese fan makes first trip to United States to experience Rockets’ playoff games
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United States, allies launch strikes in Syria in response to suspected chemical attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States, France and Britain launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for a suspected chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again, President Donald Trump announced Friday. Explosions lit up the skies over Damascus, the Syrian capital, as Trump spoke from the White House.Syrian television reported that Syria's air defenses, which are substantial, have responded to the attack.Trump said the U.S. is prepared to sustain pressure on Assad until he ends what the president called a criminal pattern of killing his own people with internationally banned chemical weapons. It was not immediately clear whether Trump meant the allied military operation would extend beyond an initial nighttime round of missile strikes.Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said no additional strikes on Syria are planned: "Right now this is a one-time shot."British Prime Minister Theresa May said in London that the West had tried "every … [Read more...] about United States, allies launch strikes in Syria in response to suspected chemical attack
Pollstar: BOK Center No. 7 arena in United States
The BOK Center, which is approaching its 10th birthday, continues to break records and rank as one of the world’s busiest concert destinations.Pollstar announced Friday their 2018 First Quarter Top 100 Arena Venues based on ticket sales and the BOK Center finished No. 7 in the United States and No. 24 in the world.The Tulsa arena was also the highest-ranked arena in North America managed by SMG, the Philadelphia-based venue operator that manages over 230 facilities, nearly 70 arenas, and over 1.75 million seats worldwide.The No. 7 ranking puts the BOK Center behind Madison Square Garden in New York and in front of The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The Tulsa venue sold more concert tickets than arenas in several larger markets, including Kansas City, Dallas, Brooklyn, Nashville, Las Vegas, Chicago and Houston.“We are so thankful for the concert promoters and agents who continue to believe in the Tulsa market and we are so fortunate to be in a city that has embraced the … [Read more...] about Pollstar: BOK Center No. 7 arena in United States
Hannity: ‘Shifty’ Adam Schiff ‘Is By Far the Biggest Liar in the United States Congress’
During his show-starting monologue, Fox News’ Sean Hannity heaped praise upon President Donald Trump for bringing back his Mexicans “are rapists,” hyped up Devin Nunes’ latest moves against the FBI, and said the Deep State was shaking in its boots. And, oh yeah, he also called a member of Congress a big liar who looked stupid on a daytime talk show. “One of the biggest liberals trying to block this from happening, oh, our friend Democratic Congressman wannabe MSNBC conspiracy host Adam Schiff,” Hannity declared, stating Schiff was trying to stop Nunes from doing congressional oversight. “He is by far the biggest liar in the United States Congress!” Telling his viewers he has the evidence, Hannity said “Shifty Adam Schiff” has been “purposefully and maliciously misleading the country about what is really going on with the Russia investigation.” Claiming Schiff can”even remember his own lies,” Hannity … [Read more...] about Hannity: ‘Shifty’ Adam Schiff ‘Is By Far the Biggest Liar in the United States Congress’
The best and worst movie presidents in the history of the fake United States
Presidents.We’ve had 45 of them so far. (It's true Donald Trump is only the 44th person to hold the position, but he's still the 45th President of the United States. Grover Cleveland screwed up the count. He served two nonconsecutive terms and is considered the 22nd and 24th president. This fact brought to you by President’s Day, which is Monday, which is why we’re writing this and why you're reading it, thank you.)Our relatively young nation has had some stellar leaders (that tall guy with the big hat comes to mind) and some less-than-wonderful ones (Warren G. Harding). And we’ve had quite a few who have fallen somewhere between greatness and infamy.But it’s at the movies where presidents have truly run the gamut of leadership: presidents who are too good to be true and presidents who are wholly rotten even by the standards of the executive branch's more venal chapters.Here, then, is our (completely bipartisan) assessment of the best and … [Read more...] about The best and worst movie presidents in the history of the fake United States