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Here are the country's most and least popular senators

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Bernie Sanders

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is the least popular senator in America, while former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is the most popular, according to a new Morning Consult poll of the senators' constituents. 

McConnell, the most powerful Senate lawmaker, stands apart from the rest of his colleagues in having a net negative approval rating — more of his constituents gave him a negative review than a positive one.

But this is a step in the right direction for McConnell, who had a majority disapproval rating — 51% — in the lead up to the 2016 election.

Four of the top five least popular senators are Republicans. Notably, both senators from Vermont, Wyoming, and Maine make up the top six most popular. 

The poll surveyed 85,000 registered voters across the country between January and March 2017. 

The 5 least popular senators are: 

1. Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell

Approve: 44%

Disapprove: 47%

 



2. Arizona Republican John McCain

Approve: 51%

Disapprove: 43%

 



3. South Carolina Republican Lindsay Graham

Approve: 46%

Disapprove: 40%

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Thousands march across the country demanding Trump release his tax returns

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tax marchOn April 15, thousands of people in 48 states participated in Tax Marches, nationwide demonstrations that called on President Donald Trump to release his tax returns.

The marches — organized by a coalition of 70 progressive groups — took place three days before the deadline to file taxes in the US (April 18). Trump has so far declined to release any of his tax returns, claiming that they are under audit by the IRS.

Most presidents since the early 1970s have released at least one year’s-worth of tax returns, but Trump is not legally required to do so. 

The Tax March is expected to be one of the largest nationwide demonstrations since January’s Women’s March. From Washington, DC to San Francisco, there are predicted to be over 150 Tax Marches across the US.

Check out photos of the protests below.

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

Tens of thousands of people showed up for Tax Marches in 48 states around the US.



Organizers say the goal of the demonstration is to demand President Trump release at least one of his tax returns ...



... and to inspire people to call their representatives and ask them to put pressure on Trump.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

An on-demand delivery startup has started selling healthy fast-food out of a former McDonald's

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mealmade san francisco food delivery 3364

Jeff Nobbs, founder and CEO of on-demand food delivery startup Mealmade, is working to upgrade fast-food out of the most ironic of places: an abandoned McDonald's restaurant.

Founded in 2015 out of the on-demand mecca that is San Francisco, Mealmade caters to the customers whose specialized diets (think paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free) are ignored by most delivery apps, Nobbs says. Every dish is is made to order, cooked with healthy fats, and uses ingredients picked from farms within 200 miles, sometimes the day before.

The startup recently converted a former McDonald's restaurant into its new headquarters. Business Insider had the chance to go behind the kitchen doors and try the food. Take a look.

SEE ALSO: A startup selling 'bloody' plant-based burgers is ramping up — and McDonald's should pay attention

Since Mealmade moved into McDonald's, Nobbs says it's not unusual for someone to stumble in looking for the Golden Arches, though the front-of-house is completely empty.



A Big Mac is hardly what's for dinner at Mealmade. The startup serves healthy meals cooked in 10 minutes or less. Every dish is gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-glycemic.

Some ingredients, like proteins, are cooked halfway earlier in the day to speed up preparation during rush delivery times. But the dishes are never fully-prepared ahead of time or frozen.



Nobbs started paying attention to his diet as a teenager, when he was trying to "get big for the high school football team," he says. But it was hard figuring out the ingredients.

"I always thought it was really weird that, [with] something like consumer electronics, you go on Amazon and you see big pictures, detailed specifications, and user reviews. Then you go to restaurants and decide what you're going to put in your body, and there's like eight words to describe it," says Nobbs, who started his career running an e-commerce startup, Extrabux.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 21 most interesting people in Factory Berlin

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Brian Daly TechStars

Factory has become one of Berlin's best-known tech hubs since it was founded in 2011, and the six-storey building is now used by some of the city's most interesting founders, investors, and software engineers.

Members pay €50 (£42) a month and get access to desks, free coffee, a nap room, and ping pong tables. A number of larger corporate partners, including Google and Deutsche Bank pay considerably more to access Factory's entrepreneurial community. 

Over a thousand people have signed up to be Factory members and a number of well known startups — including Uber and SoundCloud — have chosen to base themselves out of private Factory offices, either in the main Factory building or in nearby satellite properties that offer slightly more privacy.

We rounded up some of the most interesting people working at Factory. See them here:

Full disclosure: The author of this story is a member of Factory Berlin. 

21. Lisa Lang — Founder and CEO of ElectroCouture

Lang founded ElektroCouture, an agency that helps brands to prototype and manufacture fashion and wearable technologies, in 2014. In typical Berlin style, the company uses "old" technologies and turns them into new, retro-style products.

Lang was also a mentor to European startups on the hardware.co accelerator programme, and was named one of the 100 most influential people in wearables by Wearable Technologies, which is a website dedicated to promoting wearables.

Twitter:@lilaineurope



20. Udo Schloemer — Founder and CEO of Factory Berlin

Udo Schloemer is the founder and CEO of Factory. He made his fortune in real estate — by focusing on the restoration of listed buildings and residential properties in Berlin — before going on to invest some of that money into early stage startups like Wunderlist, which was acquired by Microsoft. He set up Factory in 2011 and sells it as a hub for corporates to meet startups and vice versa.

Twitter:@UdoSchloemer



19. Søren Schmidt — Cofounder of Graphcool

Schmidt started his tech career in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a developer at business reviews website TrustPilot.

After nearly seven years, he left to cofound a food startup in London called Eat Better, which aimed to help people improve their diets. Now in Berlin, he's onto his next company: Graphcool. It's a developer platform that can be used to create web and mobile products. The platform launched a year ago and companies such as Twitter Germany and app developer Hackerbay have already signed up as early beta customers.

Twitter: @sorenbs



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 eerie images show what it's like to live on the China-North Korea border

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north korea china border

As North Korea ramps up its ballistic missile and nuclear testing programs, the world is watching the isolated peninsula with trepidation. 

Days after the US deployed a naval strike group to the region, China reportedly sent 150,000 troops to the border in the face of increasing aggression from North Korea.

China has long been the sole major ally and trading partner of the reclusive nation, but heightened tension has resulted in an economic slowdown in relations.

Nowhere is this slowdown more apparent than on the 880-mile long border between the two countries. Although trade continues, half-finished buildings and an eerie sense of abandonment showcase the strained ties.

Reuters photographers visited the Chinese city of Dandong on the border to see how the area has been affected, and the photos are fascinating. 

The border between China and North Korea has been described as the nation's "lifeline to the outside world."

Source: New York Times



The contrast between the two nations is stark. While much of the landscape along the North Korean side of the border is barren, punctuated with small towns...



... the Chinese side is dominated by the city of Dandong.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 19 cheapest places for a European beach holiday

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Zante, Greece

The Easter holidays are upon us, which means that summer is just around the corner, and fortunately Post Office Travel Money has just released a list of the 19 cheapest beach holiday destinations in Europe.

The report compares average prices of various holiday expenses for one day in the different destinations.

The measured costs include a cup of coffee, a bottle of local beer, a glass of wine, a bottle of water, a three-course dinner for two, and sun cream, among other travel essentials.

From Croatia to Ibiza, here are the cheapest destinations for a European summer holiday in 2017.

19. Ibiza, Spain — £131.02 ($164.18)

Cup of coffee: £1.22 ($1.53)

Bottle of local beer: £3.06 ($3.83)

Can of Coca-Cola: £2.18 ($2.73)

Glass of wine: £3.49 ($4.37)

1.5 litre bottle of still mineral water: £0.87 ($1.09)

Sun cream: £15.72 ($19.67)

Insect repellent: £7.43 ($9.30)

English newspaper: £1.83 ($2.29)

3 course evening meal for two (including a bottle of house wine): £65.52 ($81.99)

2 course lunch for two (no drinks): £29.70 ($37.16)



18. Sorrento, Italy — £118.51 ($148.50)

Cup of coffee:£1.75 ($2.19)

Bottle of local beer:£2.18 ($2.73)

Can of Coca-Cola:£1.75 ($2.19)

Glass of wine:£2.62 ($3.28)

1.5 litre bottle of still mineral water:£0.87 ($1.09)

Sun cream:£8.74 ($10.94)

Insect repellent:£6.99 ($8.75)

English newspaper:£1.88 ($2.35)

3 course evening meal for two (including a bottle of house wine):£65.52 ($81.99)

2 course lunch for two (no drinks):£26.21 ($32.80)



17. Nice, France — £116.64 ($146.16)

Cup of coffee:£1.31 ($1.64)

Bottle of local beer:£3.06 ($3.83)

Can of Coca-Cola:£3.06 ($3.83)

Glass of wine:£4.37 ($5.47)

1.5 litre bottle of still mineral water:£0.44 ($0.55)

Sun cream:£8.74 ($10.94)

Insect repellent:£6.12 ($7.66)

English newspaper:£2.36 ($2.95)

3 course evening meal for two (including a bottle of house wine):£60.10 ($75.20)

2 course lunch for two (no drinks):£27.08 ($33.89)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 charts that show why stocks could be in for a huge drop

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roller coaster seat belt

A few weeks ago, I spent two days giving multiple speeches alongside my friend Steve Blumenthal of CMG in New Jersey. I listened to Steve do deep dives on stock market valuations.

Steve puts a great deal of research into the topic, so I asked if he could share some data from time to time, and he agreed. With his help, I compiled valuation measurements used by people who know what they’re talking about.

Not surprisingly, they all point to the fact that equities are pricey. But what is surprising is the degree of overvaluation—we are talking about the risk of a 60% decline.

Below are 12 charts that paint the whole picture best. Let’s jump in.

Shiller’s CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted P/E)—A Measurement Process That Smooths P/E Over The Last 10 Years

The current Shiller’s CAPE P/E is 28.94, higher than at the market high in 2007, and higher than the bull market peak in 1966. Only 1929 and 2000 were higher.



Jeremy Grantham: GMO’s 7-Year Asset Class Real Return Forecast

Here’s how to read the chart:

  • GMO published these forecasts each month. There has been a high correlation over time between what GMO predicted and what turned out to be. An approximate 0.97 correlation, actually. That’s as close to the middle of the fairway as any forecaster has hit the ball, as far as I know, which is why you really need to take this forecast seriously.
  • As of February 2017, GMO is forecasting a -3.8% annual return for US large-cap equities and a -0.8% for US bonds over the coming seven years.
  • With a richly priced market (expensive hamburgers) and GMO’s strong return forecast history, we find it illogical and unwise to chase into passive buy-and-hold ETFs and index funds at this time. Yet, that is what is happening.

 



Hussman’s 12-Year Return Forecast: 0–2% Returns Before Inflation

John Hussman shared this next chart, and it shows that his 12-year forecast is for 0% to 2% returns before inflation.

This is a portfolio based on 60% equities, 30% Treasury bonds, and 10% Treasury bills. Basically, a typical 60/40 portfolio. Question: Do you really think there will be 0% inflation over the next 12 years?



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: The 13 most popular Netflix original shows

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stranger things

Netflix famously — or infamously — keeps its viewing numbers under lock and key, which has ironically opened all kinds of doors to quantifying which shows are standing out on the streaming service and which ones are fizzling out.

As Netflix continues to flood viewers with new programming, it's interesting to see which original shows viewers are most interested in and talking about. That's where social-media research firm Fizziology comes in. It specializes in collecting social-media data and advising its entertainment clients on what people want.

Fizziology measured the first week of Twitter activity for Netflix's original programming and revealed the shows that are generating the most buzz here in the US.

There were some surprising results and insights from the data, such as how well its new YA series, "13 Reasons Why," ranked, and which Marvel show was the only one to make the list. Also, it looks like Netflix's push into reality TV is paying off.

Here's a look at the most popular shows based on social-media activity on Netflix:

SEE ALSO: People are quickly losing interest in 'Iron Fist,' Netflix's panned Marvel show

DON'T MISS: 18 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

13. "Grace and Frankie"

Social volume: 25,036



12. "House of Cards"

Social volume: 70,514



11. "Bloodline"

Social volume: 83,538



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

LG's new G6 flagship smartphone is the company's best yet, but I'm hesitant to recommend it

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lg g6 wireless charging

The LG G6 is like no other smartphone LG has made, and it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Hopefully, it heralds a new era for LG flagship smartphones, complete with premium materials and interesting design choices, like rounded screen corners.

On top of improved design, LG finally woke up and ditched some antiquated Android features, like removable batteries, which makes way for modern features like water resistance. 

I've had some time with the $650 G6, and it's by far the best smartphone to come from LG. At the same time, my feelings are mixed about the new taller display. The G6's specs are also slightly outdated, which makes me hesitant in recommending it to friends and colleagues.

Ready for the deep dive? Check out the LG G6:

 

SEE ALSO: The company behind the Galaxy S8's iris recognition says it's superior to the FBI's fingerprint tech

The G6 is, by far, LG's best looking smartphone to date.



That's because LG is finally using premium materials, like glass and metal, instead of plastic.



Ditching plastic also means the back of the phone, and therefore the battery, is no longer removable. It's a worthwhile compromise to allow the G6 to compete with other flagship smartphones in terms of design.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These images show the stunningly fast progress of self-driving cars

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Team Ensco Darpa Challenge 2004We may not be zipping around in self-driving cars just yet, but the technology for autonomous vehicles has actually come a long way in the last decade.

When DARPA hosted its first driverless car competition in 2004, the possibility of self-driving cars ever becoming a reality looked bleak.

In fact, not one of the 15 teams that qualified for the final race finished the course and after just three hours into the 10-hour competition, only four cars remained operational.

While DARPA's first Grand Challenge competition was considered by some to be a failure, it did set in motion the whole idea of creating autonomous vehicles, and by the next Grand Challenge in 2005, five teams’ vehicles successfully finished the 132 miles course.

By 2007, which was the last year the competition was hosted, six teams finished the course.

Since then, tech companies and automobile companies alike have been chasing the dream of bringing self-driving cars to market, and they have made a lot of progress.

Google has already created a fully autonomous prototype and a slew of automakers have vowed to have self-driving vehicles by 2020

But the autonomous and semi-autonomous cars we see today look a lot different than their predecessors. Check out the forerunners below.

SEE ALSO: The fascinating evolution of the electric car

The Red Team’s car made it further than any other vehicle during the 2004 competition.

Carnegie Mellon, Intel, Boeing and others were behind the Red Team’s racing vehicle called the “Sandstorm.”

Although the vehicle did not finish the 150 mile course, it did travel the furthest distance at 7.4 miles.

As you can see on the vehicle, it’s sensing technology was a little less discreet than the sensors on self-driving vehicles today. 



SciAutonics II Team made it the second furthest but then ran into some trouble.

The self-driving dune buggy created by the team SciAutonics II, which was backed by several Southern California Aerospace firms, went a total of 6.7 miles before getting stuck in a embankment.

 



Stanford’s team was the first ever to finish the course.

Stanford’s vehicle dubbed “Stanley” took first place in the 2005 Grand Challenge, finishing the 132 mile race in six hours and 54 minutes. 

Stanford’s racing team worked alongside Volkswagen Electronics Research Laboratory to create the vehicle, which featured five LIDAR lasers, a video camera, and a GPS system.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

18 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

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new girl ratings season 6

It's about that time in the season when TV networks decide which shows have to go and which get another round. The pilot shows are being reviewed, and announcements will trickle in over the next few weeks.

The choices aren't always simple. With today's shrinking live viewership, more than just ratings factor into whether a TV show survives to see another season.

Among other things, networks are now looking at online, on-demand, and streaming viewership; awards appeal; social media audiences; and international sales.

Among the shows in danger of being canceled are last year's hits "Quantico" and "Blindspot," the long-running "New Girl," and a couple of spin-offs that didn't live up to the hype.

Here are Business Insider's predictions for the shows that will get the ax:

SEE ALSO: Every Marvel TV show ranked from worst to best, according to critics

DON'T MISS: The 18 worst new TV shows of the year so far, according to critics

"The Odd Couple" (CBS)

In December, CBS decided for the third season in a row not to order more than 13 episodes of the comedy, starring Matthew Perry. The show is CBS's lowest-rated comedy, so it's looking like a breakup is ahead for "The Odd Couple."

And if all that wasn't enough of a message from CBS to the show, there's this tweet from Perry:



"The Blacklist" (NBC)

"The Blacklist" may finally get the boot from NBC. For years, it was highly acclaimed by critics and creatives in Hollywood. James Spader was a real awards draw as well. But NBC is back on top of the all-important ratings, and "The Blacklist" is its lowest-rated returning show.

What's strange is that NBC produced a spin-off, "The Blacklist: Redemption." As you'll see in a bit, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.



"The Blacklist: Redemption" (NBC)

What's the sense in creating a spin-off of a show that has already overstayed its welcome? That's a question NBC executives should probably answer about "The Blacklist: Redemption.""The Blacklist" and its spin-off are both treading water. At the moment, "Redemption" is NBC's lowest-rated drama.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Every Doctor Who, ranked from worst to best

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Doctor Who Peter Capaldi

April 15 marks the beginning of the end for Peter Capaldi on BBC America's "Doctor Who."

At the end of the upcoming 10th season, Capaldi will wrap up his three-season run as the time-traveling, human-loving protector of the universe, the 12th official regeneration of the Doctor.

Capaldi's still-unnamed replacement will take on a tradition that dates back to 1963 and includes 14 men who have played the role over nearly five decades.

But as the search is on for Capaldi's successor, it's a great time to remind ourselves of the Doctors who won our appreciation and those who didn't.

Here is every Doctor Who ranked from the worst to the best:

SEE ALSO: The coveted 'Doctor Who' role almost went to a black actor

DON'T MISS: 18 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

14. Peter Cushing (1965-1966)

As a rule, we can't let someone who didn't play the Doctor for an actual TV season outrank those who did. That's the case for Peter Cushing, who played the doctor in two movies during the show's William Hartnell years: 1965's "Dr. Who and the Daleks" and 1966's "Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D." He had the misfortune of playing the doctor during the early years, which pulled heavily from the mad-scientist stock character and hadn't quite revealed his warmer side.



13. Paul McGann (The Eighth Doctor, 1996)

Paul McGann was considered highly unremarkable in the 1996 TV movie "Doctor Who." That may explain why it took another nine years before BBC brought back the series. He was given a chance to prove himself in the role again in a 2013 mini-episode in which his decision to fight in the Time War gave us John Hurt's the War Doctor. For that, we owe him our thanks.



12. John Hurt (The War Doctor, 2013)

Yes, it's kind of confusing where the late John Hurt's incarnation of the doctor, the War Doctor, fits into the picture. Though he appears for the first time during 2013's 50th-anniversary special alongside Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, the War Doctor actually lands after Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor.

Hurt won over fans with his portrayal of the doctor who chose to fight in the show's epic Time War.

Fun fact: At 74, Hurt was the oldest person to play the Doctor and appeared alongside Smith, who at 26 when signing on, was the youngest person to play the role.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 real people share the best relationship advice they've ever heard

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just married couple

Relationships are hard, and a sentence worth of wisdom won't change that. But it can help.

Over on Reddit, thousands of people have answered the question, "What's the best relationship advice you have ever heard?" with insights that relate to everything from conflict to commitment.

Below, we've rounded up some of the best advice on that thread, so you can navigate your next first date or the next decade of your marriage with confidence.

SEE ALSO: 7 things people think are terrible for their relationship that actually aren't

Don't let other people make or break your self-image

Writes cameronbates1: "Confidence isn't 'I know she likes me', confidence is 'I'll be okay whether she likes me or not.'

That wisdom is just as important once you're in a relationship. PM_ME_YOUR_PARTYPICS writes: "Don't go into a relationship expecting to be made happy. You have to be able to be happy on your own first."



Love isn't enough for a solid relationship

"Just because you love each other does not mean that you're good together long-term,"writes abqkat. "I love pizza, I loved my high school sweetheart - both make my stomach feel bad and I should have no part in either."

Meanwhile, ItAllBeganWithaBurst shares wisdom from their mom:

"The problem is that love isn't enough. You both have to be committed. There may be times you don't feel like you love each other, like you're so hurt or angry that you can't stand the sight of the other.

"But if you're both committed to the relationship, to the promises you made, then you'll work through it and you'll become stronger. Love without commitment just isn't enough."



Focus on your own relationship — not your friend's

"Practically everyone has a relationship that looks perfect from the outside looking in,"writes BrawndoTTM. "Unless you are EXTREMELY intimate with your friends, you will never have any idea what that couple's actual problems are until they break up and spill the beans."

Indeed, research suggests that people are notoriously poor judges of what others are thinking and feeling. That finding may extend to relationships — if you assume your friend and her husband are completely happy in their marriage, you're probably wrong.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 habits science shows will help you fall asleep faster and sleep better

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sleep insomnia

Sleep is hard, especially in a world where people spend their time busy and stressed.

But not sleeping, in addition to making you less efficient and more stressed, is terrible for your health.

Americans currently average 6.8 hours of sleep per night, down an hour from 1942. Four in 10 Americans don't even get the minimum of seven hours of sleep doctors recommend. That's a public health emergency. Fatigue leads to short and long term problems with mental and physical health.

Here's what the best research out there has to say about what you can do to help yourself fall asleep.

SEE ALSO: 12 foods you can eat as much as you want of and not gain weight

SEE ALSO: FOLLOW INSIDER on Facebook

1. Dim the lights in your room

This might seem obvious, but it bears repeating: One of the worst things you can do for yourself at night is keep the lights on. Bright light — especially blue-ish light — tells your brain that it's still daytime and prevents the release of chemicals critical for sleep, like melatonin. Harvard Medical School recommends using dim red lights in the evenings and, conversely, exposing yourself to bright lights during the day to help regulate your sleep schedule.

Sources: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School



2. Put your phone away you monster

We're getting to the surprises, we promise. But if we don't get through these none of the other tips will work. Study after study has shown that watching a screen before bedtime is terrible for your sleep — whether it's a TV screen, tablet, or phone. So if you want to fall asleep, step away from the pixels.

Sources: Pediatrics, Chronobiology International, Scientific American Mind, Sleep and Biological Rhythms



3. Kick your coffee habit

Coffee may help you deal with the symptoms of your sleep problems, but it also plays a role in causing them. Caffeine alters the melatonin levels in your brain, makes it take longer to fall asleep, and makes you sleep less — even if you aren't drinking right before bed time.

Sources: Sleep Medicine, Brain Research



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Chevy SS is a dinosaur — but it shouldn't go extinct (GM)

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Chevy SS

Technology is changing the way we drive.

This is a story we're told seemingly every day. The main characters are Tesla, Uber, Lyft, and lately, even the major automakers, who are pushing the envelope on electric cars and autonomous vehicles. The plot goes like this: In a few decades, driving a car will be to the 21st century what riding a horse was the 20th.

It's a compelling narrative. But then again, there are still some people who want to ride horses.

And there will probably always be some people who want to drive a car.

For those folks, Chevrolet has produced a smashingly good machine, the Chevy SS. Sadly, because the market for a stonking, ill-mannered rear-wheel-drive sedan is limited — and because GM is shuttering production at its Holden division in Australia, where the SS originates, Chevy is discontinuing the model. The SS will now join its predecessor, the Pontiac G8 GXP, on that great open road in the sky.

But not right away. We got our hands on a 2017 Chevy SS and piloted it around New York and New Jersey for a few days. To say that we were in automotive Elysium for the whole time would be an understatement. 

Here's why we feel in love with this rude beast:

SEE ALSO: The Jaguar XE 35T is something special — but it's up against some tough competition

The beast landed at our suburban New Jersey test complex as winter shifted to spring. Phantom Black Metallic was the exterior, and the interior got Jet Black leather. It's basically impossible to get the SS to cost you $50,000. All optioned up, ours came in at about $48,000.



The styling is epically subdued. Yes, the SS has a burly presentation, but any of number of BMW M-Sport cars are far more in-your-face.



To be honest, you could be easily forgiven for calling the SS boring. It looks like a basic GM sedan that's been slightly bulked up, with some added touches here and there to identify is as a member of the SS family, which once included Pontiacs, back before GM killed the brand. "SS," by the way, stands for "Super Sport."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I played the ridiculous and delightful new 'Rick and Morty' game — here's what it was like

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As a devout "Rick and Morty" superfan, I'm often an evangelist. "You haven't seen 'Rick and Morty'? How lucky you are to get to experience it for the first time, totally fresh!" I might say.

It's one of those shows — like "Arrested Development," or "Community," or "Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!"— where it's almost as famous for its cult following as it is for the show itself.

Rick and Morty

While fans eagerly await the much-anticipated third season (expected to arrive this summer on Adult Swim), there's a new game starring "Rick and Morty" that's planned for a much sooner launch: "Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality."

Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality

Sounds ridiculous (Rick-diculous?), right? It absolutely is. I spent 20 minutes with the game at a recent event. Here's what it's like!

SEE ALSO: Why you should watch 'Rick and Morty' — Adult Swim's brilliant twist on all things sci-fi

DON'T MISS: McDonald's chef says he's looking into bringing back Szechuan McNugget sauce after a cartoon called for its return

The premise is simple: You're a clone of Morty, and you're tasked with completing various insane objectives by — who else? — Rick Sanchez.

The structure of "Virtual Rick-Ality" is similar to that of "Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives," which makes sense given that the same company made both games (Owlchemy Labs). 

In "Job Simulator," you were tasked with — as the title suggests — simulating various jobs in VR. The twist is that all the jobs were re-creations of mundane tasks as viewed through the perspective of intelligent robots that run society in the distant future. Something as simple as being a short-order cook became a comical and ridiculous experience, with ingredients flying everywhere in a "Muppets"-esque fashion.

"Virtual Rick-Ality" takes that concept and moves it into a more narrative-based progression. There are momentary tasks that feel panicky in the same way many "Job Simulator" levels did, but you're just as likely to spend 10 minutes exploring every nook and cranny of the space you're in. And "Virtual Rick-Ality" rewards that exploration with delightful little nods to the series, from Mr. Meeseeks to Blips and Chitz.



My playthrough started in the family garage, seen here.

You can "teleport" around the garage — the room is divided into four areas (three of which are explorable) — as a means of completing early tasks for Rick. In my 20 minutes with the game, I fed an alien who's imprisoned underneath the garage, traveled to a satellite in space (through a portal, naturally), and used a Meeseeks to retrieve a package from the driveway. Seemingly simple tasks, perhaps, but made all the more enjoyable by the ongoing communications from Rick.



Let's be up front here: You need a powerful computer and an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset in order to play "Rick & Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality."

You'll also need a pair of Oculus Touch controllers if you're using the Rift, or a pair of HTC Vive controllers with the Vive, as the game is built entirely for the "room-scale" VR concept — which is to say that the game requires a powerful PC, a high-end virtual reality headset, motion controllers, and an open space to play it.

In case that isn't clear enough, we're talking about the deep end of VR here. To play this game, you're either one of these people who has a dedicated VR room or you're friends with someone who is. It's rad if you are that! If you're not, there's no other way to play "Rick & Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality" at the moment. And that's less rad. 

(As a consolation prize, there is another "Rick & Morty" game — "Pocket Mortys"— available for smartphones. I hear it's pretty alright, in the style of "Pokémon" games, but I've not played it.)



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How to protect your eyes if you stare at screens all day

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If you work in front of a computer all day, you're familiar with that irritated, fuzzy, and tired feeling your eyes have by the end of the afternoon. Everything starts to get a little blurry and sometimes your head aches. This cluster of symptoms is known as eye strain or computer vision syndrome, and it's a unique malady of our modern era, one that more than 60% of Americans experience.

It doesn't take long to start experiencing eye strain symptoms — just two hours in front of a screen starts to put people at risk, an amount of time that's incredibly easy to hit when you combine computer work, smartphone usage, television, tablets, and other screens. It almost seems inevitable.

Fortunately, there are a few things that experts say you can do to minimize the discomfort and potential damage of staring at a glowing screen all day. Here are four easy-to-implement tips that will make a huge difference:

 

 

SEE ALSO: 95% Of Americans Risk Eye Problems By Staring At Screens All Day

Enlarge Text

Staring at small text can make you squint and put your face closer to a screen, leading to fatigue and headaches, among other issues – so boost text size and color contrast to make things easier to read.




 



Blink

When we stare at screens, we forget to blink, which dries out our eyes. It’s hard to remember, but trying to make sure you keep blinking can help. Eye drops are another simple and useful way to keep eyes from getting too dry.



Adjust brightness

Screen glare can cause eye strain and headaches. Adjust your brightness to avoid reflections on your screen or consider getting an anti-glare film.



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6 details you might have missed in 'The Leftovers' season 3 premiere

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Kevin Michael and Matt The Leftovers season three premiere Book of Kevin

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "The Leftovers" season three premiere.

The third and final season of "The Leftovers" kicked off on April 16 with a cold open, showing a mysterious cult of people (who were based on a real religious sect called Millerism). From there, the show killed off two of its main characters within minutes and jumped forward in time three years.

As we learned more about how Kevin Garvey and the rest of Jarden's residents are doing, you might have missed some of the smaller moments that relate back to past plots and future themes. 

Keep reading for a look at the six most important details you might have missed.

The woman we followed in the cold open was meant to represent a real religious sect called Millerites.

INSIDER spoke with executive producer and the director for this episode, Mimi Leder, who revealed that the family we saw in the cold open were meant to be Millerites. 

Millerism is a religious sect that began in the 1840s in New York. A farmer named William Miller came up with a new way to interpret the Book of Revelation, and did mathematical calculations to determine when the Second Coming of Christ would occur and worthy believers would be carried into heaven.



There were a couple context clues that hinted at the people being Millerites. One was the series of dates shown on the chalkboard.

Miller's equations led to several predicted dates for the Second Coming of Christ. His first were deemed wrong because he had miscounted years, but when the final predicted date (October 22, 1844) did not end with believers being taken to heaven, the Millerites called it the Great Disappointment.

In the show, we see three dates: January 21, April 16, and August 7, 1844. The second date, April 16, was likely a nod to the premiere date of the episode.



The Great Disappointment was actually written on a chalkboard in "The Leftovers" scene.

When the woman returned to the church after her third night of waiting, there was a chalkboard in the background that had "great disappointment" and "ballocks" and "fool" written on it.

For more on Millerism and how it relates to "The Leftovers," read our full interview with Mimi Leder and Damon Lindelof.



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13 photos from one of Coachella's most notorious after-parties

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Coachella, Neon Carnival 2017

Now in its eighth year, the Neon Carnival— one of the most notorious after-parties during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — raged on in Thermal, California, this past weekend.

While unaffiliated with Coachella, the invite-only event has become popular with both celebrities and fans who are attending the music festival.

This year, celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Drake, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, and Diddy were spotted at the star-studded event. Ahead, take a look inside the party. 

SEE ALSO: We took to the streets of New York City to capture the trend that's killing the traditional fashion market

Neon Carnival is a giant dance party complete with amusement park rides, games, and photo booths.



The party is hosted on a landing strip at the Desert Resorts Regional Airport in Thermal, California.



DJ Ruckus played for the massive crowd.



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6 unconventional business books that will completely change your perspective

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monk reading

Sometimes it seems like dozens of new business advice books are published every month.

And to what end? Aren't most of them just about the same? So many repetitions of the same tired advice. It can feel like there isn't much left to learn.

But that's actually an illusion created by conventional wisdom. It's human nature to like things that you agree with and that confirm what you already believed about the world (enter confirmation bias). But that's not really the way to grow, and it's not what you came to Page19 for.

2016 is still young, meaning it's a great time to shake up stale thinking. We've combed the Blinkist library business books that don't just repeat the same rote advice you've heard a million times before. Ready for some fresh perspectives? Read on.

SEE ALSO: 10 books every new manager should read

'Think Like a Freak' by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Being able to come up with with freaky ideas is an absolute necessity for anyone looking to drastically change a business. But how to get started? "Think Like a Freak" provides a blueprint for thinking unconventionally and creatively. It is a book for anyone who likes to challenge common beliefs in the workplace.

Find it here >>

Read the Blinkist summary >>



'The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth' by Chris Brogan

Once you've learned how to think a little more creatively, here's a book to show you how you can build a successful business by channeling your inner freak. "The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth" shows how lateral thinkers, or "freaks," are transforming the modern world of business. It is a book for people who feel they don't fit the mainstream business mold and those who aren't afraid to focus on crazy ideas.

Find it here >>

Read the Blinkist summary >>



'The Misfit Economy' by Alexa Clay and Kyra Maya Phillips

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Find it here >>

Read the Blinkist summary >>



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