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9 of the toughest job interview questions you'll hear at companies like Disney, Twitter, and Facebook

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talking man sitting couch interview

Top companies seem to love tough interview questions.

Flub one tricky query, and you could end up derailing your whole job interview.

That's why it's important to be prepared.

Fortunately, there's Glassdoor. The job site hosts reviews and ratings for 640,000 companies in 190 countries.

Glassdoor recently analyzed all of the approved interview questions that US-based job candidates shared on its site during the last 12 months and picked out the ones that had been rated "very difficult" or "difficult" by community members.

Visit Glassdoor for a complete list of tough questions, which appear in no particular order.

Here are some of the potentially pitfall-inducing questions:

SEE ALSO: One of the world's biggest banks flew me across the country for a job interview and I completely bombed it — here's why

1. 'How do you explain a vending machine to someone who hasn't seen or used one before?'

Position: Global data analyst

Company: Bloomberg L.P.

More Bloomberg interview questions »



2. 'How many fire hydrants are there in Los Angeles County?'

Position: Software engineer

Company: Disney Interactive Studios

More Disney interview questions »



3. 'If your current employer had an anniversary party for you, what five words would be written on the cake to describe you?'

Position: District manager

Company: Express

More Express interview questions »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the key things to know about Uber's ties to the self-driving startup accused of stealing Google's technology (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Otto

Google's self-driving-car company Waymo filed an explosive lawsuit Thursday, alleging that Uber has used intellectual property stolen from Google in order to jump start its self-driving-car efforts.

The allegedly stolen technology revolves around the "lidar" sensor — a key component of self-driving cars that uses lasers to map the surrounding environment. Here's what we know so far:

  • Waymo learned of the alleged theft after one of its employees was inadvertently copied on an email that included machine drawings of what appeared to be Uber's lidar circuit board. Waymo claims the drawings bore a "striking resemblance" to its own lidar system.
  • At the center of the lawsuit is Anthony Levandowski, an original team member of Google's self-driving-car project who left the company to co-found Otto, a self-driving-truck startup Uber acquired.
  • The suit claims Levandowski downloaded 14,000 highly confidential files and trade secrets, including Waymo's lidar circuit board design.

So, the three big questions that need to be answered are:

  1. Was Waymo's technology really stolen by the founders of Otto?
  2. If it was, did Uber knowingly acquire Otto to get the technology?
  3. Or did Uber simply perform inadequate vetting when it acquired Otto?

It may be awhile before we learn the answers. But in the meantime, here's everything you need to know about Uber's relationship with Otto:

SEE ALSO: Google's self-driving-car company is suing Uber, accusing it of stealing its technology

JANUARY 2016: Anthony Levandowski, an original member of Google's self-driving-car project before it became Waymo, leaves after nine years to co-found Otto, a self-driving-truck startup.

Otto's three other co-founders are also ex-Googlers:

-Lior Ron, a special advisor at Google from January to December 2015.

-Claire Delaunay, Google's head of special hardware for projects from January 2013 to March 2014 and Robotics program lead from March 2014 to February 2016.

-Don Burnette, Google software engineer from May 2010 to February 2016.



Waymo alleges Levandowski attended meetings with high-level executives at Uber's headquarters on January 14, about two weeks before he quit.

Levandowski then formed 280 Systems, which later became OttoMotto LLC, on January 15, the lawsuit claims. Levandowski resigns from Waymo without notice on January 27, according to the suit.



MAY 2016: Otto releases a YouTube video of an 18-wheeler equipped with self-driving tech driving on a freeway without a driver behind the wheel, marking its public launch.

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

16 common hidden fees and how to avoid them

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Even when fees are disclosed, there is something about them that is both irritating and frustrating. Why not show the total price upfront, with the fees clearly identified?

When consumers don't notice the buried charges until right before payment, or when fees are kept out of sight for months on end, the sense of being ripped off is palpable.

Here are 16 fees consumers may not see coming  or pay without knowing it.

Unauthorized phone charges

Even legitimate cellphone fees can be confusing and annoying, but sometimes unauthorized fees are added to the bill as well, a practice called "cramming." Look for and investigate fees listed with vague descriptions such as "calling plan" or "membership." Federal laws prohibit phone companies from using misleading language to describe services and to identify the service provider that's charging each item on the bill.

If something doesn't check out, the Federal Communications Commission has advice on how consumers can protect themselves and file a complaint.



Modem or router rental

The modems or routers rented out by internet service providers may be necessary, but the recurring monthly rental fee is easy to forget and may go on long after the value of the device has been paid.

Spend a little up front to buy the hardware and avoid the extra monthly charge. The purchase can often pay for itself in less than a year.



Closing costs

First-time homebuyers agree on a price but can be caught unaware by all the expenses required to finalize the purchase. They can't necessarily be avoided, but some can be decreased by shopping around, and sellers sometimes can be convinced to pay part of the closing costs.

A loan estimate form must be given to borrowers within three business days after the lender has received a loan application. Page 2 of the form lists several services the lender requires (borrowers still may be able to save by choosing a different lender) and several costs that borrowers can shop for if they move forward with the lender.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How one woman saved $17,000 in 10 months while living in one of the most expensive countries in the world

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Nina Ragusa Berry Springs Australia

In early 2016, travel blogger Nina Ragusa set a lofty goal for herself: Sock away $15,000 (or more) in savings.

And she did it — boosting her savings account by over $17,000 in just 10 months.

Ragusa, who chronicles her adventures on her blog, Where in the World is Nina?, has been traveling the world for over five years, and she recently spent a year living in Australia with her boyfriend on a working holiday visa.

Despite Australia's high cost of living, Ragusa was determined to use the time to save up for future travel — she could always visit the country again as a tourist — and spent 10 months looking for ways to cut back her spending and stretch her paycheck.

Throughout her savings challenge, Ragusa implemented two basic rules:

  1. Work as much as possible.
  2. Don't spend any more than necessary.

From working 70 hour weeks to living on less than $3 per meal, here's how she was able to save over $17,000 while living in one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Note: All dollar amounts are in USD unless otherwise stated.

SEE ALSO: A 31-year-old who's been traveling the world for 5 years explains how she affords it

DON'T MISS: These 30-something school teachers retired with over $1 million after only 8 years of work — now they travel the world

Over the course of a year, Ragusa and her boyfriend lived in two different Australian cities: First, Melbourne, where she worked as a waitress, and later Darwin, where she found work at a surf shop and served drinks at a bar. Ragusa routinely put in 50 to 70 hours per week to maximize her earnings.

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 Nightcliff, Northern Territory, Australia

She typically made between $19 and $35 per hour — up to $48 per hour on holidays — and ended up saving about half of her total income. Her boyfriend, Garrett, saved alongside her and put away $30,000 of his own, thanks to a higher-paying job.

You can read more about Ragusa's time in Melbourne here, and her life in Darwin here.



She cites working as much as possible as the key to being able to save such a large sum. After all, you can only cut back your expenses so much.

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 Mindle Beach, Australia

"I worked so hard. Forty, 50, sometimes 70 hours a week," she writes on her blog. "I worked. And when I wasn't scheduled to work, I was working on my blog. There [were], of course, the few nights a week my boyfriend and I had a precious couple of hours to get lost in one of our shows together and enjoy a beer or glass of wine before passing [out] because we were so exhausted, but that's about it."



She kept her budget as streamlined as possible. Both Ragusa and her boyfriend aimed to cap their per-person expenses at $750 a month, which translated to around $40 per week for food and drink and $130 per week on rent.

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 Berry Springs, Australia



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 18 most congested cities in Europe

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paris, france

Navigation company TomTom published a list of the most congested cities in the world this week — and many of Europe's busiest cities featured on it.

The TomTom Traffic Index is based on 19 trillion data points collected over nine years from 390 cities, according to the Dutch company.

Each city's congestion level was given a percentage score out of 100, with levels ranging from 66% in the most congested cities to 9% in the least.

TomTom defined the congestion level as the "increase in overall traffic times when compared to a free flow situation (an uncongested situation)."

Ralf-Peter Schaefer, VP TomTom Traffic, said in a statement that the traffic index is "designed to help drivers, cities and transport planners to understand traffic congestion and, most importantly, how to reduce it."

Here are the 18 most congested cities in Europe.

18. Hamburg, Germany (33%)



17. Ankara, Turkey (33%)



16. Naples, Italy (33%)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 19 most sociable and friendly cities in the world

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dublin

The most social cities in the world have been revealed by global hostel booking site Hostelworld — and London doesn't make the top 20.

The Sociable Cities study analysed the social behaviour and attitudes of over 12,000 residents from 39 major cities in 28 countries.

It looked at 10 categories, including how — and how often — residents socialise, their general openness to others, trust in friends, and use of social media.

Scandinavian and North American cities top the list — and London doesn't appear in the top 20, ranking 21st.

From sunny Sydney to friendly Toronto, scroll down to see the most sociable cities on the planet.

19. Berlin, Germany

Residents in Berlin have the second highest level of trust in their friends, putting the city in 19th place.



18. Milan, Italy

Milan has the highest level of openess towards others, means it's the perfect spot for travellers interested in meeting locals.

Its residents are also the most willing to mingle while travelling themselves.



17. Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver, located in a country known for its friendly people, came in 17th on the list.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 best beaches in Europe in 2017

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*19. Cala Rossa (2)

Travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor has revealed the Best Beaches in Europe as part of its annual Travellers' Choice Awards.

The winners are chosen based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings on the site over 12 months.

While beautiful, white spreads of sand in Spain and Greece feature on the list, some of the other choices are more surprising.

Dorset's three-mile-long Weymouth Beach came in ninth place, while Cornwall's Newquay also ranked within the top 15.

TripAdvisor spokesman Hayley Coleman said: "UK’s Weymouth Beach beating beaches in Sardinia, Greece and Spain this year, proves that the UK’s beaches can more than hold their own against destinations with sunnier climes."

From Dorset to San Sebastian, scroll down to see the stunning beaches that have been named the best in Europe.

25. Plage de Palombaggia — Porto-Vecchio, France

Visit for powdery white sand and crystal clear water.

Best time to go: June to September



24. Praia Da Rocha — Praia da Rocha, Portugal

Visit for a walk along the sand or the boardwalk and nearby bars and restaurants.

Best time to go: April to November



23. La Pelosa Beach — Stintino, Italy

Visit for stunning scenery in Italy's Sardinia.

Best time to go: May to September



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 features you probably didn't know exist on WhatsApp (FB)

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Brazil Whatsapp messaging ban

WhatsApp's core messaging function is pretty easy to use.

But there's a lot more to the Facebook-owned messaging service — which surpassed 1 billion users in February 2016— than most of its users possibly know.

We take you through some of its most useful but less well-known features, including how to get WhatsApp on your computer, how to switch phone numbers on your account, and its newest Snapchat-like feature "status."

1. Stop photos and videos you receive in chats (WhatsApp media) from automatically downloading onto your phone and taking up precious space.

On an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy >Photos > Tap to toggle off the WhatsApp button



2. Use WhatsApp on your computer just like you do on your phone with the web app "WhatsApp for Desktop."

Click on this link to download WhatsApp for your computer and follow the install instructions.



You'll need to scan the barcode from the WhatsApp app on your phone to set it up. It's pretty simple.

In your phone's WhatsApp app, go to Settings > WhatsApp Web/Desktop and scan the barcode on the desktop app. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best Apple ad from each year since its 1984 Super Bowl hit (AAPL)

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apple runner

Apple celebrated its 40 year anniversary in 2016 with a number of references to its past in advertising. It released a video celebrating its 40 years in 40 seconds and an Apple Music playlist with music from its ads, which have helped position the company as an industry leader.

We chose the most important Apple commercial from each year since the company's watershed advertising moment at the Super Bowl in 1984.

From the celebrity-packed "Here's to the Crazy Ones," to the beginning of Apple's memorable demonstration-style ads, here are its best commercial hits.

Julien Rath contributed reporting to this article. Will Heilpern contributed to an earlier version of this post.

SEE ALSO: 25 Nike Ads That Shaped The Brand's History

1984 — "1984"

In 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh personal computer during the Super Bowl with a vision. The ad was directed by Ridley Scott. Apple's board of directors at the time hated the video, calling it "the worst commercial they had ever seen,"according to Walter Isaacson.

However, despite these initial doubts, "1984" became what some people consider the greatest TV ad of all time and it is in the Clio Awards Hall of Fame. After the ad came out, Apple went onto to sell 72,000 computers in 100 days, twice as many as had been anticipated, according to Forbes.

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1985 - "Lemmings"

Still on a high from its incredibly successful 1984 ad campaign, Apple hoped it could repeat its success with "Lemmings." Made by the same creative team as the year before and directed by Ridley Scott's brother Tony, Apple looked to replicate a similar formula.

However, "Lemmings," which featured mass suicide, turned into a complete disaster for Apple.

Viewers called the ad "insulting" and, due to relatively poor results following the commercial, Apple was forced to get rid of 20% of its staff. Founder Steve Jobs also left the company in 1985.

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1986 — "The Power To Be Your Best"

Apple's "The Power To Be Your Best" slogan began in the 1980s.

A mark of its success is that it was used well into the next decade.

The campaign faced some criticism by ad experts for failing to pick out Apple computers specifically, rather than computers in general. However, the campaign was largely successful.

It was even parodied by Saturday Night Live, becoming "The Power To Crush Other Kids."

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

CEO and former Wall Street banker reveals how to be the perfect dinner host

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Tasting Table CEO 7294

Before following his passion into the arena of food media, Geoff Bartakovics was working in finance. A business manager in fixed income trading at UBS, Bartakovics claims his seven years in banking helped set him up for success when founding Tasting Table, his growing food media empire that focuses on sharing quality recipes, food trends, and longer-form features on must-try restaurants.

We recently visited Bartakovics' home in SoHo, Manhattan — a delightful two-story, one-bedroom, that is situated in an old carriage house — to find out how he divides his time between being CEO of Tasting Table, and continuing one of his oldest passions: hosting dinner and cocktail parties.

Below, a tour of his home and his best tips for being an excellent dinner host.        

SEE ALSO: A former J.Crew exec just opened a menswear paradise for the modern guy who 'wants to look American'

Bartakovics' apartment is located across the street from the Tasting Table offices — which makes commuting a breeze.



Since he was a kid, Bartakovics has been cooking. "I was cooking dinner five nights per week starting at age seven," he said. "Psychologically speaking, you get a lot of love and kudos from neighbors and family friends for doing something weird like being the kid who cooks."



While Tasting Table covers all the basis within the food world — Bartakovics passion lies specifically in playing host, rather than going out. "Waiting 45 minutes for your seat even though you have a reservation is not my core passion," he said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best new apps and updates you may have missed in February

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Pinterest Lens

Messaging and dating apps had a big month in February. 

Old favorites like Pinterest and WhatsApp got exciting new updates, while up-and-comers like Hopper made big improvements. And Android Wear — Google's smartwatch operating system — got its first major update in nearly three years. 

Here are some exciting new apps and updates you may have missed this month. 

SEE ALSO: Here’s what’s new in Android Wear 2.0, the latest smartwatch system from Google

Google Maps now lets you send a list of recommendations to your friends

Google rolled out an update to both iOS and Android devices that allows people to build and share curated lists of recommended places within Google Maps. Users will also be able to follow their friends' lists, as well as view and edit lists on the desktop version of Maps. Lists are available to view and edit offline.



Android Wear is new and improved

In February, Google launched Android Wear 2.0, a redesigned version of its smartwatch operating system that runs on two new watches. One of the most exciting new features of Android Wear 2.0 is having the Play Store on a smartwatch. As long as the watch has a cellular connection, you can use apps on the watch and even make calls, regardless of whether your phone is in your pocket or at home. The new OS also features improved fitness tracking and more simplified user experience. 

Read more about the updates to Android Wear here



Hotline is a new dating app that forces you to talk to people on the phone

Hotline is a new dating app with an old-school feature: real-life phone calls. The subscription app — which is only available in New York right now — costs $9 per month and offers unlimited swiping but a limited number of matches (three at a time). Users can add photos and videos to their profiles, flesh out their info more than other dating apps, and gender identify however they'd like. 

Once you match with someone, you're required to call them on the phone before you can start messaging them, and the call has to last longer than five minutes. The app places the calls for you, so you won't have to worry about giving out your phone number to strangers. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 13 most awkward moments in Oscar history

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The Oscars honor moving performances and the highest acheivements in the film industry. But the ceremony itself? Never perfect, nor even close to it.

The comedic writing for the show often seems to falter, even with a good host, or hosts who seem good in theory (see: Anne Hathaway and James Franco).

Since the Oscar ceremony is brought to our living rooms as a live telecast, mistakes are bound to happen. Celebrites are people, too after all. 

Throughout the Oscars' 88-year history (coming up on 89), there have been plenty of uncomfortable, weird, and just offensive moments that made everyone at home and at the ceremony itself feel very awkward. 

Here are the most awkward moments throughout Oscar history:

SEE ALSO: Hollywood stars who rejected their Oscars

"Adele Dazeem"

In 2014, John Travolta introduced legendary singer Idina Menzel’s performance of “Let It Go” from "Frozen." For some reason, he called her "Adele Dazeem" with a weird accent. It immediately spawned many, many jokes on social media. A year later, Travolta and Dazeem — ahem, Menzel — presented together as a joke, and he kept touching her face. 

 

 

 

 



Jennifer Lawrence's fall

At the 2013 Oscars, Jennifer Lawrence got her first win for best actress for “Silver Linings Playbook." Dressed in a white and wide Dior gown, she tripped on her way up to the stage. In an act of notable chivalry, Hugh Jackman popped up from his seat to assist her, as did the presenter, best actor winner Jean Dujardin ("The Artist").

When she got a standing ovation, Lawrence joked that people were only doing it because they felt bad that she fell.



Seth Macfarlane 'saw your boobs'

Seth Macfarlane hosted the Oscars in 2013 and got a generally terrible reception from Hollywood and viewers across the country. The New Yorker called it a “hostile, ugly, sexist night.” 

Macfarlane opened the ceremony with a song called "We Saw Your Boobs," which called out actresses in the audience who had shown their boobs in movies. The whole bit demeaned serious actresses for serious roles in serious movies (some of the movies he pointed out involved rape scenes), just because they happened to be topless at some point.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 most powerful brands in the world

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Lego Batman Movie

Lego topped this year's ranking of the world's most powerful brands, according to a survey compiled by the business valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

Six of the top ten most valuable companies in the 500-strong ranking were technology companies. Google led the pack of most valuable companies, overtaking the 2016 leader Apple.

The survey ranks brands by their monetary value and also calculates the most "powerful" brands  – companies whose financial value is most impacted by their branding. 

10. McKinsey & Co

Brand strength: 92.7 

Brand value: $4.3 billion

Brand value rank: 392

What happened: McKinsey's global network is home to 10,000 consultants, 2,000 researchers and 1,400 partners from a variety of backgrounds. Former McKinsey employees have gone on to lead a number companies with revenues in the billions, such Boeing, Vodafone, and Credit Suisse. 



9. Johnson & Johnson

Brand strength: 90.1

Brand value: $9,1 billion

Brand value rank: 154

What happened: The CPG company agreed to buy the Swiss biotech firm Actelion for $30 billion at the end of 2016. 



8. PricewaterhouseCoopers

Brand strength: 90.9

Brand value: $18.5 billion

Brand value rank: 66

What happened: The consulting firm has 21,000 employees across 64 offices in the world. In 2016, it expanded its activities into the burgeoning tech disciplines blockchain and virtual reality.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These hybrid yachts are perfect for the eco-friendly traveler

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hybrid yacht

Even yacht designers are considering ways to make their products more eco-friendly.

Greenline Hybrid is a Slovenian builder of hybrid yachts dedicated to "maximizing your well-being on board" while "paying respect to the environment," according to its website. More recently, Greenline Hybrid unveiled four hybrid yachts at Miami's premier yacht show, Yachts Miami Beach.

Scroll down for a closer look at the yachts:

SEE ALSO: Take a look inside 10 of the most luxurious superyachts on sale at Miami's premier yacht show

1. The Greenline 33 is, as the name suggests, a 33-foot-long yacht. Greenline has sold 300 versions of the yacht in 28 countries since beginning production in 2010.



At a flip of a switch, you can dictate whether the yacht runs on diesel or electricity. When running on electricity, the yacht as a electric sailing range of 20 nautical miles (23 miles). It also comes with solar panels to help recharge the battery.



The yacht as a maximum range of 700 nautical miles and a maximum cruising speed of 18 knots (220 hp) when running on diesel.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's where 5 key Obama environmental policies stand under Trump

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Obama Trump

Donald Trump ran for office as a climate skeptic and critic of the Environmental Protection Agency.

So when one of the Trump teams' first acts after the election was publishing on GreatAgain.gov a manifesto on reversing the Obama-era course of American environmental policy, no one was surprised.

The then-president-elect's website promised to "end the war on coal," eliminate a number of "highly invasive" Obama administration environmental rules, and create an environmental agenda "guided by true specialists in conservation, not those with radical political agendas."

Now, more than a month into the administration, we're in a position to examine the real, material thrust of Trump's environmental agenda — which policies he's already begun to unravel, and which he's left alone.

Here's where, on February 24, 2017, Trump stands on the environment:

SEE ALSO: Every shred of available evidence shows policies protecting LGBT people save children's lives

ELIMINATED: The Stream Protection Rule

Mining companies dig up — or blast away — huge chunks of mountains to get at the coal buried beneath them.

All that material, which can include poisonous heavy metals, ends up scattered around the mining sites, and can potentially enter local streams. And once it's in the streams, it can enter the water supply, potentially threatening the health of local populations.

Under Obama, the EPA created the Stream Protection Rule, which would have required mining companies to study the health of local streams before and during mining activities, and then restore them to their original condition. Mining companies objected to the rule as too expensive.

Trump promised to kill the rule in his post-election environmental manifesto, and it was one of the easier targets. It had gone through a required notice and comment period, but was not yet in force.

Using a 1996 law called the Congressional Review Act that applies to regulations in that limbo period, the house voted to kill the Stream Protection Rule — along with four other new regulations — before it went into effect. The Senate also voted to remove the rule, Trump then signed the rule, and the Stream Protection Rule was no more.



ON THE ROPES: The Methane Flaring Rule

The Interior Department's Methane Flaring Rule targets methane release at natural gas extraction plants. Methane is a less common greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but much more potent. The rule, which has not yet gone into effect, is designed to limit the total amount released during natural gas extraction.

Like with the Stream Protection Rule, the House voted February 3 to scrap the Methane Flaring Rule under the Congressional Review Act. Now the Senate mulls its own vote on the matter, and the outcome remains unclear.



LIKELY TO BE ELIMINATED OR REPLACED: The Clean Power Plan

The Clean Power Plan is the most ambitious environmental policy of the Obama era. Through the EPA, it set targets for 47 states to reduce their power plant carbon dioxide emissions over the course of the next decade-plus. (Vermont, Hawaii, and Alaska were excluded due to peculiarities in their electrical grids.) Its goal is to cut national emissions 32% by 2030. 

Trump is expected to sign an executive order in the near future designed to repeal the Clean Power Plan, as he promised in his manifesto. But neither he nor his EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, have the power to kill it just by signing a piece of paper.

Instead, a Clean Power Plan reversal (or replacement) would have to go through the same complex rulemaking process as the Clean Power Plan went through.

Tied up in the question of the Clean Power Plan's future is the question of whether the federal government will continue to regulate CO2 as a pollutant. Pruitt has yet to take a public stance on that issue.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This high-tech bracelet will let you touch your long-distance partner from afar

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Hey bracelet

Anyone who's been in a long-distance relationship knows that not being able to touch your partner for weeks or months at a time is one of the toughest parts. 

While technology has caught up in other arenas — video chatting has never been easier and apps that help you find cheap travel are a dime a dozen — long-distance touch is essentially the final frontier. 

To help solve that problem, a Dutch tech company called House of Haptics has created the Hey bracelet, a wearable that lets you send touch over long distances. 

Before your mind descends into the gutter, the Hey bracelet is not a sex toy. It's worn on your wrist and is meant to simulate a "gentle squeeze," not a vibration or buzzing sensation. 

The Hey bracelet launched on Kickstarter about a month ago, and is not yet available to purchase. While there's no guarantee it will ever come to fruition, here's how the House of Haptics team envisions it working. 

SEE ALSO: Google helped build an app that designs you a personalized dress based on your lifestyle

The Hey bracelet comes in two colors: white and rose gold, or black and anthracite. The company plans to add red, blue, and green if it reaches its stretch goal of 2,000 backers on Kickstarter.



When you order a set, it comes with two bracelets (one for you and one for your partner) plus a charging cable for each bracelet.



The bracelets pair with your phone via Bluetooth. When you send a touch to someone, it's sent to the Hey app on your phone, which is then transferred to your partner's app and the other bracelet.

Eventually, the Hey app will run on both Android and iOS, the company says. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's everything we know about Nintendo's new $300 console coming this week, the Switch

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After years of waiting, Nintendo finally has a new video game console on the way: the Nintendo Switch.

nintendo switch

It's a hybrid console — you can play it at home on your living room television, or you can take it on the go. Here are the basics:

  • It's called Nintendo Switch.
  • It's scheduled to launch on March 3.
  • It starts at $300.
  • Nintendo has a gaggle of games starring its most prominent creations in the works.

There is, of course, much more to the Switch than that. We've finally got our hands on one, and have lots of to tell you. Here's everything we know about the Nintendo Switch:

SEE ALSO: I spent 48 hours with Nintendo's new game console, the Switch — here's what it's like

This is everything that comes in the $299 package.

Here's what's in the box:

• A Switch tablet — the console itself is the tablet.

• A set of Joy-Con controllers.

• The Switch dock, for connecting to your TV.

• The Joy-Con dock/gamepad.

• Two wrist straps for making sure you don't lose the Joy-Con while playing a motion game.

• Two cables (power and HDMI).



There are two bundles that each cost $300. One has a blue and a red Joy-Con, and the other has two gray ones.



Here's a good look at the Nintendo Switch dock and the Joy-Con Grip gamepad.

What you see above is exactly what'll come in the box when Nintendo Switch arrives on March, 3: the Nintendo Switch dock, the tablet-like console, and a home gamepad with the detachable Joy-Con in tow.

Notably, the controller is called the Joy-Con Grip. Since you can detach each of the Joy-Con bits and attach them to the Switch tablet, the Grip turns the Joy-Con into a more traditional gamepad. Unfortunately, the Joy-Con Grip that comes with the Switch isn't capable of charging the Joy-Con — you need to re-connect them to the Switch tablet while it's docked to charge the Joy-Con.

Of note: Everything in the package is also sold separately. Want another dock? You can buy one. Need just a left Joy-Con? Can do. Nintendo breaks it all down on its site.



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How Americans really feel about their country on 33 key issues, and how that has changed over 40 years

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Americans have strong opinions.

And now with President Trump — who ran an antiestablishment and populist campaign to win the White House — set to give a speech to a joint session of Congress this Tuesday, we're taking a look at how they view some of the big issues facing the country, as well as the major institutions that make up American political and civic life.

The "General Social Survey," a project of the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago, has been tracking several aspects of American life since 1972. Business Insider looked at the results of several survey questions about Americans' views on social issues, confidence in institutions, and federal-spending priorities between the 1970s and 2014, the most recent year for which data is available.

Here's how those attitudes have changed over the past four decades.

Overall happiness has been surprisingly stable over the past four decades. The proportion of Americans saying they're 'not too happy' has mostly hovered in the low teens.



Support for gun permits — a common form of mild gun control — has been broadly popular, though support has steadily dropped since the late '90s.



Meanwhile, gun ownership among Americans has been on the decline since the '70s. About half of households had a gun in 1970; under a third reported gun ownership in 2014.



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Here are 25 books Wall Street will be reading this spring

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Dave Lutz, the head of exchange-traded funds at JonesTrading, recently released his annual "Spring Break reading" list.

Over 600 Wall Streeters around the world contributed to this list of great books for outdoor reading.

From science-fiction thrillers to business profiles, the full list is stellar, but we're highlighting only the 25 most frequently mentioned books.

The list includes short reviews of the books — occasionally by the person that recommended them to Lutz. 

Here they are:

"Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike" by Phil Knight

"Was expecting a tale of how Nike rose to global domination, but instead got a very humble, human story about regrets and perseverance."

Find it on Amazon »



"Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice" by Bill Browder

"John Grisham-like thriller, part business and political memoir, and in it Mr. Browder, an early hedge-fund investor in Russia, tells the story of how the Kremlin raided his fund, kicked him out of the country and perpetrated an elaborate financial fraud.

The lawyer he hires to investigate the crime is murdered, and Mr. Browder seeks to avenge his death. It’s a hard book to put down."

Find it on Amazon »



"The Undoing Project" by Michael Lewis

"...a compelling collaboration between two men who have the dimensions of great literary figures. They became heroes in the university and on the battlefield―both had important careers in the Israeli military―and their research was deeply linked to their extraordinary life experiences."

Find it on Amazon »



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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? All of the players in the blockbuster deal that brought Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks

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The Carmelo Anthony trade remains one of the biggest trades in NBA history.

The 2011 blockbuster finally ended the saga known as "Melo-drama," sending Anthony from the Nuggets to the Knicks to form what was supposed to be a super-team with Amar'e Stoudemire.

The trade occurred just over six years ago, and with the NBA trade deadline drawing near, revisiting the deal remains fascinating. With so many changing parts — don't forget, the Minnesota Timberwolves were involved in the trade, too! — it resonated throughout the league.

With the help of Pro Sports Transactions, we tracked down where all of the players and draft picks are today.

Carmelo Anthony, of course, was the centerpiece of the deal. He wanted to go to the Knicks and essentially forced the Knicks' and the Nuggets' hands into dealing him before the trade deadline.



Today, Anthony is still on the Knicks, though trade rumors constantly swirl around him.



The Knicks also got Chauncey Billups, a respected, capable veteran point guard, in the trade.



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