Editors

USA TODAY

Her text messages wrecked lives

“You can’t think about it. You just have to do it. You said you were gonna do it.” So Conrad Roy III followed his girlfriend's text message and killed himself. Michelle Carter was sentenced Wednesday to 2½ years in prison for her role in his suicide, but she will serve 15 months, followed by five years' probation. In 2014, Carter, then 17, urged Roy, 18, in a text message to "get back in" a truck filling with carbon monoxide when he got momentarily scared. A day after Roy died, Carter posted on his Facebook page: “I’m sorry I let you do this.” The sensational case is a ripe subject for movies and books, but the judge made it clear during the sentencing that Carter can never profit from anything associated with this story.

White House job cost 'The Mooch' millions

Anthony “The Mooch” Scaramucci not only lost his job, his wife and seeing the recent birth of his youngest son, but he also could be taking a hit of $7.5 million. The former White House communications director, who didn’t get paid for any of his 10 days on the job, headed back to New York before picking up a “certificate of divestiture.” The special tax treatment would have saved Scaramucci from a 15% capital gains tax on his sale of shares in Skybridge Capital, which he sold to prevent conflicts of interest. Why not go back and pick up the form? It’s only given to current White House employees.

(Almost) time to break out the nachos and chicken wings

No, not because we're on the brink of Friyay. It's because:

Alabama Ohio State Florida State

That's right. Football, friends. Time to stop talking about it and actually start watching it is nearly here. There's lots to discuss, and the preseason Amway Coaches Poll is the topic du jour. No. 1 Alabama has been ranked in the top five in every preseason poll since 2009. Next is Ohio State, followed by Florida State. Southern California ranked No. 4. Clemson, last year's title game winner, rounds out the top 5. The full ranking is here. And some teams got snubbed (sorry, Notre Dame.)

Just stop with these 11 travel photos

Picture of you holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Check! Picture of your feet in the sand as a wave washes up? Check! The most perfect and enviable Instagram feed? Not so much. We’re all guilty of taking a touristy photo here and there. But certain photographic cliches are tiring. If you’re excited so much by a destination that you literally want to jump for joy, skip the jumping shot and channel that energy into actually taking in the location. When you're ready to take that picture, here's how to make your travel photos postcard worthy.

Keep dreaming. This penis sticker won’t protect from STDs or pregnancy.

A new product that claims to seal the tip of the penis during sex — without using a condom — may sound like a dream come true, but it could have unwanted consequences, according to some health professionals. The product, named "Jiftip," is a sticker that covers the urethra during sex and is touted as a way to “feel your partner, feel freedom, feel safe.” Sounds like an alternative to a condom, right? WRONG. The company says the product is "not intended or approved to prevent pregnancy or STDs." Jamin Brahmbhatt, a physician with Orlando Health, said the way the product is marketed may deceive users, and could lead to STDs and pregnancy. Bottom line: "Condoms are not the enemy."