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The GOP is using an obscure law to quietly repeal 5 major Obama-era regulations

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Donald Trump Paul Ryan

In government, there are ways to make a splash and ways to quietly get things done.

President Donald Trump made a splash on Monday with an executive order requiring that for every new regulation in the Federal Register, two get rolled back. The idea has a certain rhythm to it, but its exact impact is still unclear.

It's not easy for a president to simply roll back a regulation once it's made its way through a public "notice and comment" period and onto the Federal Register.

Congress, however, has powers the president does not. And the Republican majority there is taking full advantage of them.

Using a 1996 law known as the Congressional Review Act, Republicans are in the middle of rolling back major Obama-era regulations with little in the way of public attention.

The act gives Congress the power to undo "recently finalized" regulations with a simple majority vote in the House and Senate and then the president's signature. Right now, that means the GOP can unravel any Obama-era regulation finalized since June 2016.

Theoretically, as Brad Plumer notes at Vox, that could put more than 50 regulations on the chopping block. But it's rare for Congress and the president to use the law at all. In fact, it's been used only once before, under President George W. Bush, to repeal a Clinton-era ergonomics rule.

Right now, Congress is targeting five. And there's good reason to think more might come later. But here are the rules set to disappear soon:

SEE ALSO: The Trump administration could end up defending an Obama-era EPA rule in court

The stream protection rule

This environmental regulation for coal companies has been a GOP target since before the election, and Trump singled it out on his website after he became president-elect.

After a series of incidents where coal mines poisoned local water supplies, the rule was written to force mining companies not to begin new projects without first developing a plan to restore affected streams after the coal is hauled out of the earth.

The idea was that if the companies were responsible for monitoring and later restoring the health of these streams, they'd be less likely to poison them in the first place. Coal advocates argued it would put an unreasonable cost on the industry.

The House voted 228-194 on Wednesday to roll back the rule — which, like the other four on this list, had not yet gone into effect. The Senate agreed, voting 54-45 on Thursday. Trump is expected to sign the rule, and once he does, it will go up in smoke.



The Social Security gun rule

As part of the Obama administration's effort to tighten background check procedures for people who want to buy guns, this rule enlisted the Social Security Administration in identifying people with mental impairments that would disqualify them from owning a firearm.

The rule requires the SSA to add people from its database who have mental impairments preventing them from handling their own affairs to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Critics argued that it unfairly targeted and violated the Second Amendment rights of people with mental disabilities who might not be dangerous.

The House voted 235-180 Thursday to roll it back.



The "resource extraction rule"

This rule had an enemy no less powerful than the current US Secretary of State, and recent CEO of ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson. Created through the SEC under Dodd-Frank and the Consumer Protection Act, the rule required that oil companies and other resource extractors disclose payments to foreign governments.

Tillerson, who flew to DC to lobby against the section of the law driving the rule in 2010, argued that it placed an unfair burden on US companies that their foreign counterparts don't have to deal with, requiring them to disclose trade secrets.

After the vote on the rollback cleared the House Wednesday and the Senate early Friday, it appears this is a burden ExxonMobil won't have to deal with after all.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the 17 executives who met with Trump for his first business advisory council

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trump schwarzman barra business council

President Donald Trump assembled a table of 17 high-powered executives for the first meeting of his business council Friday.

The Strategic & Policy Forum is chaired by Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, who recruited the advisory committee's members. They include the CEOs of General Motors, JPMorgan, and Walmart. For the first meeting, the council discussed tax and trade, regulation, infrastructure, women in the workforce, education, and immigration.

Notably absent were Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, who said he could not attend due to a scheduling conflict, and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, who resigned just a day prior to the meeting in response to pressure from his employees and customers in the wake of Trump's immigration ban.

"We're bringing back jobs, we're bringing down your taxes, we're getting rid of your regulations, and there are some really exciting times ahead," Trump told the press ahead of the meeting.

Here's who had a seat at the table in the White House's State Dining Room.

SEE ALSO: Here are the 12 business leaders Trump hosted for his first big White House meeting

Stephen Schwarzman — Cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Blackstone

Schwarzman, the king of private equity, is the chairman of Trump's business council. As chairman, he selected its members, and told CNBC that the president "loved them all."

At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Schwarzman said he was bullish on Trump's effect on the economy. "We're going to have higher growth rates in the United States. We're liable to have a stronger dollar," he said. He noted that "We have to watch to see what happens [with] some of the tax proposals because they are highly complex. ... We have to be mindful of that."



Indra Nooyi — Chairwoman and CEO of PepsiCo

Nooyi, along with IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, was assigned to the tax and trade topic for the first meeting. 

The PepsiCo CEO found herself in a Trump-related fiasco following the election in November: In an interview with the New York Times' Andrew Ross Sorkin, Nooyi — who supported Hillary Clinton — congratulated Trump on his victory but noted that many of her employees were crying the day after his election, with minorities wondering if they would be safe in his administration. This led to a couple of viral fake-news posts and an online call to boycott Pepsi.

Nooyi joined the business council in December as has not commented on the administration since.



Doug McMillon — President and CEO of Walmart Stores

Though there are three female executives on the council, McMillon and EY CEO Mark Weinberger were tasked with speaking to the topic of women in the workforce.

The Walmart CEO has not personally released a comment about Trump. But Walmart joined the Americans for Affordable Products group, along with more than 100 retailers like Target and Best Buy, who are in opposition to the Republican-controlled House's proposed "border adjustment tax" that would place a 20% tax on imported goods.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 hobbies that look great on your résumé — and one that doesn't

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Habitat for Humanity

As the traditional career advice goes, you usually shouldn't include your hobbies on your résumé because they take up valuable space and waste the precious few seconds a recruiter spends skimming through your history.

But in some situations, they can actually add value to your résumé and help you stand out in a good way.

If you're looking for an internship at a company like Google, for example, one previous intern says hiring managers want to see interesting personal details on your résumé. "This is your time to shine and share some of the quirkier aspects of your personality that other, more traditional companies may not appreciate,"she writes. The key, as with all résumés you send out, is to know and target your audience.

Companies may also appreciate seeing a hobby on your résumé if it's related to the job you're pursuing, Ana Recio, senior vice president of Global Recruiting at Salesforce, tells Business Insider.

And if there's a chance your hobby makes you stand out as the more attractive candidate, you'd be wise to include it, Alyssa Gelbard, the founder and president of the career consulting and personal-branding firm Résumé Strategists, tells Business Insider.

"When a potential employer sees a candidate's hobbies, it provides insight into personality traits, industry knowledge, and can make you more attractive for a role," she says.

"But remember: Anything you include on your résumé is fair game during an interview, so make sure you can really talk about your passion for the hobby and why you included it on résumé," Gelbard says.

Here are 13 hobbies you should consider including on your résumé, as well as one you definitely shouldn't:

SEE ALSO: 34 things you should remove from your résumé immediately

DON'T MISS: 15 hobbies highly successful people practice in their spare time

Yoga

Yoga demonstrates your ability to stay calm and in control, Gelbard says: "If you're seeking a role in very busy, high-energy environment, like an advertising or PR agency, it can make you more attractive because you can better handle pressure."



Extreme adventure sports

Extreme sports like ultramarathons, racing mountain bikes, or skydiving can show potential employers that you're comfortable pushing boundaries, you're disciplined, you don't fear the unknown, and you are a calculated risk-taker, Gelbard says. "These traits are desirable for any leadership role, especially in younger, growing organizations," she says.



Video production

Video production as a hobby can make you an appealing candidate for a role in production or event planning. Broadcasting and live streaming are often components of events or conferences, so your knowledge or interest in video production can be helpful in the job. It also shows that you are precise, highly detailed, and focused — all key to events positions.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

25 mouthwatering foods to eat in India

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Gulab Jamun

India's cuisine reflects its vast population and landscape.

There's meat bathed in rich curries, fried dough covered in chutney and yogurt, and almost every spice you can imagine.

From sweet, syrupy desserts to hearty kebabs, we've rounded up some of the best dishes to eat throughout the country.

Pani puri

The best way to eat pani puri is to consume it all in one — large — bite. The street snack, which is commonly found in eastern and northern India, consists of a hollow, fried ball known as pani, which is then stuffed with puri, a mixture of flavored water. Other add-ins include onion, chickpeas, tamarind chutney, chaat masala, chili, and potatoes.



Keema

Keema is a flavorful dish of minced meat — usually goat or lamb — that's combined with green peas, garlic, onion, chilies, and ginger.



Chaat

Chaat is a broad term that refers to savory snacks served at street food stalls throughout India. Although there are many different kinds of chaat, the original features fried bread or potatoes smothered in chili, yogurt, chickpeas, tamarind sauce, ginger, and plenty of spices.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 highest-paid players in NFL history

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tom brady

In the NFL, lots of players sign big contracts. But unlike other sports, NFL deals are rarely guaranteed and few players see all of the money in those large deals.

But a select few have gone on to make big money in their careers, with 22 players having made at least $100 million.

The list of the 25 players with the most career earnings includes 19 active players, 15 quarterbacks, 1 Tom Brady, and 2 Mannings.

Using contract data obtained by Spotrac.com, here are the 25 highest-paid players in NFL history.

25. Dwight Freeney, DE — $97.6 million

Seasons: 15

Highest single-season earnings: $30.8 million (2007; includes $15 million signing bonus)

Championships: 1

Pro Bowls: 7

First-team All-Pro: 3

One thing to know: Prior to the 2007 season, Freeney signed a six-year, $72 million contract with the Colts and, in a rarity for the NFL, he made every penny of that deal.



24. Jared Allen, DE — $97.9 million

Seasons: 12

Highest single-season earnings: $20.9 million (2008; includes $15.5 million signing bonus)

Championships: 0

Pro Bowls: 5

First-team All-Pro: 4

One thing to know: Allen spent some of his earnings on at least one horse. We know this because when he announced his retirement in February, he rode off on a horse.



23. Champ Bailey, CB — $102.8 million

Seasons: 15

Highest single-season earnings: $16.5 million (2010; includes $3 million roster bonus)

Championships: 0

Pro Bowls: 12

First-team All-Pro: 3

One thing to know: Bailey's largest contract came after the 2003 season, when he signed a seven-year, $63 million deal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We tried the exact same salad from Chop't and Sweetgreen and the winner was clear

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Chopt and Sweetgreen Salads

A well-made salad is so much more than just lettuce, toppings, and dressing.

I decided to compare two major chains — Chop't and Sweetgreen— to see who has the better salad.

For consistency's sake I ordered the same salad at each, the kale Caesar.

Keep scrolling to see my verdict.

My first stop was Chop't. I had heard mixed reviews about the chain but had never tried it myself.



There was a bit of a line, but nothing compared to the line I usually see spilling out onto the sidewalk during prime lunch hours.



The line moved quickly and before I knew it, I was ordering my kale Caesar and watching it get chopped into small pieces, something that Sweetgreen doesn't do with their salads.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's everything we know about the Super Bowl ads airing this weekend

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audi

Super Bowl 51 is set to air on Fox on February 5 and, as usual, the big game's broadcast will be stuffed to the brim with big-money ads, reportedly costing $5 million for a 30-second slot.

Brands are now starting to share their ads and teasers as the Super Bowl draws closer.

We'll be keeping you up to date with all the latest commercials, teasers, and other Super Bowl ads news.

Scroll down to see what we know so far about the Super Bowl ads (we've organized all the news in alphabetical order, by brand.)

84 Lumber

Construction-supply company 84 Lumber has splashed out an estimated $15 million on a 90-second ad — its debut Super Bowl spot, AdAge reported. The ad, created by Brunner, will air in the second quarter, before half-time and aims to recruit new employees. 

However, the first cut of the ad has had to be scrapped after Fox rejected it for being "too political,"Campaign first reported. The creative had featured a wall blocking people looking for work in the US.

The final version seems, if anything, even more controversial. The ad appears to show a Mexican woman and her daughter on an arduous journey to find work. 

A website for the ad also asks viewers to "complete the journey during halftime," suggesting that the end of the duo's journey is "too controversial for TV."

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/J0Uk6ctu7nI
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


Audi

The automaker is returning to the Super Bowl for the ninth time, with an ad created by agency Venables Bell & Partners, according to Adweek.

Last year's spot featured David Bowie's "Starman":

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/yB8tgVqmKzw
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


Avocados from Mexico

Avocados from Mexico told Business Insider in December it was coming back to the Super Bowl in 2017. It's the third year in a row the brand has advertised in the big game.

This year's ad will be focused on promoting the fact that avocados are healthy, something the company was not explicitly permitted to do so in the past due to old FDA rules.

Here's the ad itself:

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/VneoEvAJX0g
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 21 wildest Grammy outfits of all time

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grammy wildestoutfits

The 59th Grammy Awards, held this year on February 12 at 8 p.m., are a time for music's biggest stars to show off their unique fashion sense on the red carpet.

But some stars make a bolder statement with their looks than others.

From Lady Gaga to Pharrell, keep reading to see the wildest looks from the Grammy Awards:

In 1999, Missy Elliot wore this white jacket and hat combo with feathers dangling from the sleeves.

She's had a few amazing Grammy Award's looks throughout the years.



Perhaps the most unforgettable Grammy Awards outfit ever was Jennifer Lopez's plunging Versace dress in 2000.

JLo's dress caused a stir across the internet and in the fashion world. In a blog post, Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, even said her dress was the reason the company invented Google Image Search.

Lopez says she still has the dress, but still doesn't understand the craze behind her outfit: "It was a nice dress. I had no idea it was going to become such a big deal."



The next year, Christina Aguilera decided to go for a very revealing dress and cornrows in her hair.

"This was a point in my life when I wanted to have braids, when I wanted to be able to be unafraid to experiment,"she told People.

Aguilera would likely be brought to task for cultural appropriation in this day and age. Actress and activist Amandla Stenberg has spoken about why white celebrities wearing cornrows is problematic, referencing Aguilera's look — watch it here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The wave of Wall Street deregulation is upon us

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donald trumpThe wave of financial deregulation is finally upon us. 

With the stroke of a pen, President Trump has potentially started the unwinding of many of the hallmark financial regulations of the Obama administration.

This afternoon, the president ordered a review of the 2010 financial regulatory law Dodd-Frank and directed the Secretary of Labor to review the fiduciary rule, a regulation set to go into effect in April.

The president has derided Dodd-Frank as "a disaster" and promised to "do a big number" on the law.

Trump said on Friday January 3 that he hoped to talk to JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon about revising the Dodd-Frank financial regulation

"There is nobody better to tell me about Dodd-Frank than Jamie," Trump said, referring to Dimon. "So he has to tell me about it, but we expect to be cutting a lot from Dodd-Frank because I have so many people, friends of mine, that have nice businesses, and they can't borrow money. They can't get money from the banks — they just can't get any money because the banks won't let them borrow because of rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank."

A full dismantling of Dodd Frank is unlikely, according to industry analysts. 

“Fitch does not believe that the Dodd-Frank Act will be repealed in full; however, select provisions are potentially subject to substantial revision," Joo-Yung Lee, head of North American financial institutions at Fitch Ratings, said.  

The administration is set to look at three key areas of the rule: 

Systemically Important Financial Institutions

Systemically Important Financial Institutions are corporations designated by the US Federal Reserve as large enough to pose a risk to the overall economy if they were to collapse. 

The Trump administration and many companies, such as General Electric, have hammered this label, because of the additional regulatory burden that comes along with the designation.

Proponents of the designation argue that stricter regulations are justified because of the "outsized risk" those companies pose to the economy. 

However, opponents, such as White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, say the multimillion dollar costs SIFI face is bad for business and slows down growth. In particular, Cohn has said that nonbanks should not be designated as SIFIs.

"These comments reinforce our belief that the non-bank SIFI insurers – PRU, AIG, MET – will be de-designated and that the odds of additional non-bank SIFI designations in this administration are effectively zero," Isaac Boltansky at research firm Compass Point said. 

 



Orderly Liquidation Authority

The orderly liquidation authority was implemented as a reponse to the massive bank failures that transpired during the height of the financial crisis. It aims to provide financial institutions that are on the brink of collapse with mechanisms to efficiently liquidate with out a government bailout, and tackle the so-called 'Too Big to Fail' problem.

White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told Bloomberg TV on January 3 that the so-called OLA didn't work.

"We think its a problem. We’re going to deal with the problem," he said.

"No one has proven and no one can prove that orderly liquidation works. There’s controversy to the plans, whether the plans are viable or not viable. We need to get some type of mechanism that we all agree works under every scenario. The one thing Dodd Frank never really dealt with, it never really dealt with 'Too Big To Fail,'" he added. 

Other Wall Streeters have expressed similar views. Billionaire hedge fund manager and big Republican donor Paul Singer said in a January letter to investors that the OLA was a "dangerous" expansion of regulatory power.

"There is no need for a separate resolution authority for large financial institutions, especially one which gives such arbitrary authority to a tiny group of regulators who have no ability to discern, in the midst of a crisis, what the heck is actually going on and what needs to be done," he said. 



The Volcker Rule

The Volcker Rule was established to prevent banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan from making speculative trades with their own money, a practice many lawmakers believed exacerbated the 2008 crisis. On Wall Street, it's referred to as proprietary trading. 

But many Wall Streeters blame the Volker Rule for impacting market liquidity. Federal Reserve staff in December published a paper in December that found that the Volcker rule had a negative effect on corporate-bond liquidity, or the ease with which buyers and sellers can find each other

In its fourth quarter letter to investors hedge fund manager Paul Singer of Elliott railed against the rule, saying: "The ban is metaphysical, has significant loopholes, diminishes market liquidity, and is the wrong approach to mitigating and managing risk."

Terry Duffy, the CEO of CME Group told Business Insider last month that he questioned its efficacy.

"I don't know if it should be repealed, but it should modified," he said. "Liquidity is critically important, and the fewer people you have providing liquidity, the less efficient the markets become. "

"And a lot of people say that makes it less efficient for Wall Street. It doesn't make it less efficient for Wall Street; it makes it less efficient for people around the world. Liquidity is extremely important whether you're trading in the markets or whatever you're doing in life."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We tried Ben & Jerry's new ice cream ' pint slices' and they are amazing

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Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Slices

Ice cream geniuses Ben & Jerry's just released new "pint slice" ice cream bars. The name comes from the fact that they look like a chocolate-coated slice of the brand's famous ice cream pints.

We got our hands on the four new flavors and we're happy to report that they taste just as delicious as they look.

Keep scrolling for some mouthwatering photos that are sure to make you sprint to your nearest grocery store.

The slices comes in four different flavors. Besides Chocolate Fudge Brownie (which has chocolate ice cream as its base), all the rest of the bars start with a base of vanilla ice cream. They are covered in a rich coating of dark chocolate.



Each box contains three bars (all the same flavor). Each bar is anywhere from 250-300 calories.



There's Americone Dream, which consists of fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and a thin layer of caramel swirled throughout the bar.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I drove a Chinese-made Buick through the heart of Trump's America to the Detroit auto show (GM)

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Buick Envision road trip

I love a long drive, preferring to hit the road every year to journey from suburban New Jersey, where I live, to Detroit for the North American International Auto Show.

It ends up being two days of driving to cover the roughly 1,200 miles round trip. However, with the right vehicle, the experience is bliss, even in January when the weather can be anything but cooperative. A flight takes only about two hours, but I like to get behind the wheel and see America.

In 2016, I made the trek in a Ford Escape, a popular compact crossover SUV.  Just to spread the love around the Detroit automakers, I went with the competition this year and asked Buick, a General Motors brand, if I could borrow an Envision, also a compact crossover, and slightly more luxurious than the Escape.

An added wrinkle: the Envision is made in China. And I would be driving it along the I-80 corridor, right through the heart of made-in-USA Trump country. 

There are no actual Chinese-branded vehicles for sale in the US, but there are two Chinese-made vehicles that are imported: the Envision and the Volvo S60 Inscription, a sedan that we drove and liked. Thus far, the BI Transportation team has been impressed with the Chinese-built cars that we've driven. 

But clearly, with the new administration in the White House, it remains to be seen whether more Chinese cars and trucks bearing US and European badges will make it into the country. 

The Envision I tested was priced slightly higher than $45,000, which means that it wasn't a cheap choice. And because it was fully tricked out, it came packed with luxurious and high-tech features.

Here's how the trip went:

SEE ALSO: We took a Tesla Model S on a road trip and learned the hard way how it's different from every other car

My chariot for this arduous jaunt was a 2017 Buick Envision, a compact crossover SUV manufactured in ... China! General Motors imported it from the Middle Kingdom to plug a glaring hole in the Buick lineup. It's one of just two Chinese-made vehicles on sale in the US. The other is the Volvo S60 Inscription.

You can read our review of the Volvo here.



The design of the Envision is nothing too snazzy. It gets the job done, but it doesn't stand out. Our tester was the Premier II trim level, with all-wheel-drive and plenty of techie features.



There's the familiar Buick "waterfall" grille and tri-shield badge.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best and worst movies out right now, according to critics

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The Comedian 1 Alison Cohen Rosa Sony Pictures Classics

February is always an awkward month for new movies. All of the Oscar darlings are already out along with the holiday blockbusters. And if you’re here, you’re probably looking for the best new movie to catch in theaters while you impatiently await the Oscars later this month. 

This week is a mixed bag, with some great documentaries and indie films in the mix of some not-so-hot-looking horror and romantic titles, because Valentine's Day is coming and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Despite the duds, February 2017 is already looking like it won't be as bad as January.

Here are the best and worst movies out right now, as rated by critics on Metacritic:

 

SEE ALSO: 50 movies that critics really hate but normal people love

THE BEST: "I Am Not Your Negro"

Metacritic score: 96/100

Summary: This documentary uses author James Baldwin’s notes on the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to explore current racial tesnsions in the United States.

What they’re saying:“It is a searing and topical indictment of racial prejudice and hatred in America that makes for uneasy viewing and is not easily forgotten.” —The Hollywood Reporter



"Oklahoma City"

Metacritic score: 74/100

Summary: This documentary traces the events that led to the Oklahoma City bombing, the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history. 

What they’re saying:“Oklahoma City suggests that conspiracy theories today have consequences for tomorrow — a message with terrifying implications in an age of fake news.” —The Los Angeles Times 

 



"Dark Night"

Metacritic score: 61/100 

Summary: The lives of six strangers intersect when a violent massacre occurs at a suburban cineplex.

Who’s in it: Anna Rose Hopkins, Robert Jumper, Karina Macias

What they’re saying:“At once a glib play on words and a sobering rumination on the mindset of a suburban America simultaneously obsessed with and plagued by gun violence.” —Variety

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 best places for Americans to live in Canada

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justin trudeau

In January, Donald Trump became the president of the United States.

But since he has taken office, he has garnered the lowest approval and favorability ratingsof any incoming president in recent American history: 45%, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Many Americans are thinking about jumping ship to neighboring Canada. The Canadian immigration site even crashed on Election night.

But where exactly are the best places to go?

You might look to the 2016 ranking of the "Best Places to Live for New Canadians" by MoneySense, a Toronto-based personal finance website. To compile the list, it studied 219 Canadian cities and towns and ranked them on different parameters of well-being, especially focusing on low unemployment rates, high percentage of immigrant populations, and low monthly rent. 

Check it out below.

 

SEE ALSO: How to move to Canada and become a Canadian citizen

10. Guelph, Ontario.

Estimated unemployment rate: 4.8%

Immigrants as a percentage of the population: 17%

Average rent for two-bedroom apartment: $1,027



9. St. Albert, Alberta.

Estimated unemployment rate: 5.1%

Immigrants as a percentage of the population: 9%

Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,383



8. Regina, Saskatchewan.

Estimated unemployment rate: 5.2%

Immigrants as a percentage of the population: 12%

Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,097



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best place to travel every month this year

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martiniqueThere's nothing worse than hitting a destination during peak travel season, which can mean massive crowds and overpriced hotels.

Often, the off-season — or even better, shoulder season — can be the best time to visit a place.

We teamed up with KAYAK to find the best international destination to visit each month of the year.

KAYAK looked at some of the most popular international destinations, and calculated the median monthly airfare and hotel rate. Activities and weather were also taken into consideration.

Here's the best place to visit every month of the year.

JANUARY: Cartagena, Colombia

Median airfare: $397
Median hotel: $168 

January is the cheapest time to fly to Cartagena, and just so happens to be the month Storyland, a 3-day festival that features the world's biggest DJs, takes place.



FEBRUARY: Martinique, French Caribbean

Median airfare: $521
Median hotel: $137

It's cold and you understandably want some sun. Head to Martinique, where February is low rain season and sunny skies beckon. Even better, Martinique's currency is the euro, meaning you can make the most of its favorable exchange rate, and the fact that you can get good deals even when booking last minute. 



MARCH: Medellin, Colombia

Median airfare: $454
Median hotel: $75 

Medellin was crowned South America's best destination, and made our list of 50 best places to travel in 2017. Cross it off your bucket list before everyone else does and prices rise. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's how much money Americans could save — or lose — under Trump's tax plan

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trump

President Donald Trump vowed throughout his campaign that he'd overhaul the US tax system, simplifying it and putting money back in the pockets of American citizens. 

Trump's proposed plan, if enacted, would almost certainly deliver on that first promise: It will pare down the seven current income tax brackets to just three, and it will eliminate personal exemptions in favor of increasing the standard deduction, among other changes geared at streamlining the tax code.

But will the plan result in more money for US workers? Taxes, unfortunately, remain stubbornly complicated — even in a system overhauled for simplicity.

For most people, the answer would be "yes." But it depends on who you are. Some of the simplification measures mean valuable tax breaks — like the head of household filing status — will vanish, leaving millions of families, including more than half of single parents, with a higher federal tax burden than in previous years, according to a report by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank.  

The Tax Policy Center has analyzed the Trump administration's proposed tax plan, comparing it with the current tax code to show who stands to gain the most — and who will wind up a loser — if Trump's plan becomes the law of the land.

Below, we break down the some various tax scenarios and how they affect different people. It's important to keep in mind: No law has been passed, so nothing as yet is a given. While their plans share similarities, Trump and House Republicans don't agree on everything. It seems likely the main contours of Trump's plan will come to legislative fruition, but our chaotic political climate has banished certainty to the quarters of the foolish.

Read on to see how your wallet would be affected under Trump's tax plan.

SEE ALSO: 5 ways your wallet will be affected by the economy in 2017

SEE ALSO: Americans spend most of their money on only 3 things

First off, here's a quick synopsis of some of the main changes that will affect people.

•  Instead of seven, we'd now have only three income tax brackets.

Current: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%, 39.6% 

Proposed: 12%, 25%, 33%

•  The standard deduction will go way up. It jumps from $6,300 to $15,000 for singles; for married joint filers it jumps from $12,600 to $30,000.

•  Personal exemptions and exemptions for dependents are eliminated, as is the head of household deduction.

•  Families with children under age 13 can deduct childcare costs, capped at the state average. 

•  The Alternative Minimum Tax, a complicated surtax that raises rates on middle- to upper-middle class earners, would be axed. It currently affects nearly 5 million people.

• Gift taxes and estate taxes are gone; capital gains held until death are exempt up to $5 million per individual.



Overall, under Trump's plan, every income level would see their average federal tax rate decline.

The Tax Policy Center analysis isn't just looking at income tax. It accounts for: individual and corporate income tax, payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, the estate tax, and excise taxes.



So, Americans at every income level would on average see more money in their pockets. The gains, in raw dollars, are largest for high-income earners.



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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The NFL coaches during the 2000 season, Bill Belichick's first with the Patriots

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Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick has outlasted his peers.

Belichick took over the New England Patriots in 2000 and hasn't looked back since, leading them to four Super Bowl wins, with a fifth on the line Sunday at Super Bowl LI.

But what about the other coaches around the league in 2000? Some were successful coaches who found jobs outside of football, while others seemed to fade into the background of the league.

Check out where the other NFL coaches from the 2000 season are today.

Bill Belichick joined the New England Patriots in 2000 after three years with the Jets. They finished the season 5-11.



Of course, Belichick went on to become a huge part of the Patriots dynasty. He's gone 201-70 with the Patriots, with plenty of more wins ahead.



Vince Tobin was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, but was fired and replaced by Dave McGinnis. They finished the season 3-13.



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Trump has already signed 21 executive actions — here's what each one does

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President Donald Trump's first two weeks in office were filled with a flurry of action, and he's just getting started.

The 45th president has signed 21 executive actions so far, with far-reaching effects on Americans' lives.

While many of them have been billed as executive orders in the popular vernacular, most of them were technically presidential memoranda or proclamations.

The three types of executive actions have different authority and effects, with executive orders holding the most prestige:

  • Executive orders are assigned numbers and published in the federal register, similar to laws passed by Congress, and typically direct members of the executive branch to follow a new policy or directive.
  • Presidential memoranda do not have to be published or numbered (though they can be), and usually delegate tasks that Congress has already assigned the president to members of the executive branch.
  • Finally, while some proclamations— like President Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation — have carried enormous weight, most are ceremonial observances of federal holidays or awareness months.

Scholars have typically used the number of executive orders per term to measure how much presidents have exercised their power. George Washington only signed eight his entire time in office, according to the American Presidency Project, while FDR penned over 3,700.

In his two terms, President Barack Obama issued 277 executive orders, a total number on par with his modern predecessors, but the lowest per year average in 120 years.

Here's a quick guide to the executive actions Trump has made so far, what they do, and how Americans have reacted to them:

SEE ALSO: Trump's wild first week in office was like nothing ever seen in the presidency

DON'T MISS: Tens of thousands protest Trump's immigration ban in cities and airports across the US

Executive Order, February 3: Reviewing Wall Street regulations

The order sets "Core Principles" of financial regulation to empower Americans to make their own financial decisions, prevent taxpayer-funded bailouts, and reduce regulations on Wall Street so US companies can compete globally.

It also directs the Secretary of Treasury to review existing regulations on the financial system, determine whether the Core Principles are being met, and report back to the President in 120 days.

Experts worry that loosening regulations could roll back the Obama administration's landmark retirement savings rule, Dodd-Frank, and delay a "fiduciary rule" for brokers offering retirement advice. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the progressive darling from Massachusetts, led the charge decrying the order.



Presidential proclamation, February 2: American Heart Month

This ceremonial proclamation invited Americans to wear red on Friday, February 3, 2017 for National Wear Red Day, and followed Congress' request in 1963 for presidents to annually declare February American Heart Month. The goal is to remember those who have died from heart disease and to improve its prevention, detection, and treatment.

Read the full text here »



Executive Order, January 30: For every new regulation proposed, repeal two existing ones

The order states that for every one regulation the executive branch proposes, two must be identified to repeal. It also caps the spending on new regulations for 2017 at $0.

Some environmental groups expressed concern that the order could undo regulations put in place to protect natural resources.

Read the full text here »



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How I spend my money differently at age 26 than I did at 21

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I feel like I’ve changed a lot in the past five years, and I’m mostly thrilled about it.

Five years ago, I thought jealousy was a sign of passion. I hadn’t yet realized that Confederate flags are inherently racist, in part because I grew up seeing them so often. I thought I had to smile all the time if I wanted people to like me.

I was still a few years away from coming out of the closet as bisexual.

I’ve come a long way since 21— but lately, the part of this transformation that I've felt particularly proud of is how I spend money differently at 26 than 21.

Even though I’m currently a little bit strapped for cash from going on adventures for half of 2016, I still feel like I’m making better choices with my money nowadays than I ever have. Granted, I have more money to work with now than I did at 21.

I was in college and living on my own back then, so financial stress was probably an even bigger part of my everyday life than it is today. That said, I don’t think I spent the money I did have as wisely as I should have. I’m not mad about it, though. If anything, I’m just grateful for what the past five years has taught me about money.

This is how I spend money differently at 26 than 21— I'm sharing, because I'm guessing you can relate.

I Mostly Buy Fancy Groceries Instead Of Fast Food

OK, so I definitely still hit up Taco Bell on a weekly basis, and I'm not ashamed of that. But back when I was 21, I was also frequenting places like Burger King and McDonald's on a regular basis. Like the majority of college kids, I was broke all the time and super-busy, so eating fast food was convenient.

Now that I'm doing better financially and I've totally given up meat, I spend most of my food money on fancy groceries instead of cheap burgers. It's way more satisfying, for so many reasons. Obviously, good groceries taste way better than fast food. It's more than just that, though.

Cutting out most fast food has helped me feel better about where my hard-earned money is going. Plus, since I try to stay stocked up on groceries at all times, I only have to leave the comfort of my home to eat if I want to — which means I actually spend less in the long-run.



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I Spend Less On My Boyfriends and More On My Nieces

I've always bought my nieces presents, but I used to spend considerably less on them than I spent on whoever I was dating at the time. These days, I'd rather spend money on my nieces than my boyfriends, because I've finally realized that my four nieces are far more deserving of high-quality gifts than any man I've ever dated.

I'm not trying to shame my exes here, but I'm embarrassed by how long it's taken me to realize that I've never actually dated someone who's appreciated me or my presents all that much. So these days, I splurge on my nieces instead of my boyfriends.



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I Make Vet Care A Priority For My Cats

The kitty featured above has been my little buddy through almost eight years of breakups, failures, moves, and successes. As of last spring, Smuggz and I welcomed a little orange stray into our clan, and she's pretty freaking cute. (She wakes me up every morning to play fetch, no joke.)

I've loved both of my pets for as long as I've had them, but I'm only just now starting to make their veterinary care a priority. This is partially because I make more money at 26 than I did at 21, but it's also because I've reached the point where I'd rather spend money on their health than a new gadget.

Both of my cats alleviate my anxiety and depression without ever being asked to, so it just doesn't make sense not to budget in regular check-ups for them — especially now that I can actually afford to.  



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18 photos that perfectly capture what parenting a toddler looks like

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Karen Jacot photographs families' morning routines for her series "Before 8am."
• She looks for moments of interaction and humor amid the morning rush.
• While mornings can be frustrating for parents, they'll look back on them with nostalgia.



Ask any parent of a little kid about what it's like to get them up and out the door in the morning. Chances are the answer will involve hurried breakfasts, lost shoes, and maybe even a tantrum or two.

Photographer Karen Jacot sees past the rushed, mundane routine. In her photo series entitled "Before 8am," she captures blink-and-you-miss-them moments of love, humor, and connection.

"I don't know if people see it the way I see it until they see the photos," she told INSIDER.

Karen Jacot is a documentary-style photographer who loves capturing unscripted moments.



In her "Before 8am" series, she photographs families' morning routines.



She wanted to feature something that every family experiences.



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These declassified maps show how the CIA saw the world at the height of the Cold War

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Perhaps more so than any other tool used by the clandestine services, an accurate map can mean the difference between success and failure, or life and death.

The CIA, renowned for its secrecy, has long kept its maps and cartographic methods under wraps.

But, in honor of the agency's Cartography Center's 75th anniversary, the CIA put a number of maps online, depicting how "the company" has viewed the world since its inception in the aftermath of World War II.

CIA maps Cuba Cuban Missile Crisis

President Franklin Roosevelt created the agency that would eventually become the CIA in the early 1940s. The map division produced a bevy of maps vital to strategic planning during the war, according to National Geographic.

The agency's mapmakers had a broad mission, asked to produce maps and data relevant to whatever national security issues the country may have encountered. In the process, "Geographers and cartographers amassed what would be the largest collection of maps in the world."

In a sign of how valuable maps were during the Cold War, the Soviet Union dedicated a great deal of resources and time to not only making exacting maps of foreign capitals and other cities, but also to make misleading maps of their own territory, meant to disrupt the movements of anyone who acquired those maps with nefarious intent.

In the early days, the CIA's maps were produced by hand, drawn in pen on translucent sheets that could be stacked, photographed, and printed. But the agency was one of the first to adopt digital technology.

"In 1966, a large working group, using a borrowed digitizer, compiled and digitized coastlines and international boundaries for the entire world—in a single weekend," the agency said in a release.

What maps got made varied with the geopolitical challenges of the moment, but as the maps below show, the quality never slacked.

SEE ALSO: 72 years ago, the Allies beat back the last great Nazi offensive — 16 photos of the Battle of the Bulge

Chinese railroad construction in the mid-1950s.



Oil transport and refining facilities in the Middle East in the early 1950s.



A map of French and Viet Minh areas of operations during the 1950s.



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