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Every 'Alien' movie, ranked from worst to best

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Alien Covenant 20thCenturyFox

With "Alien: Covenant" arriving in theaters Friday, director Ridley Scott is continuing the story of space's most horrific species that he started 38 years ago with his sci-fi classic.

Since then, we've been entertained and more than a little scared following the battles franchise hero Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) has had with all sorts of aliens — from the chest-burster in "Alien" to the menaces in "Aliens." Meanwhile, we held back laughter while watching the awful spin-off "Alien vs. Predator" franchise. 

Here we look back on all the movies to rank the best "Alien" movie:

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

8. "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem" (2007)

Made smack-dab in the dark days of the "Alien" franchise when Ridley Scott was too busy making movies with Russell Crowe to worry about what was happening to his creation, "Requiem" was apparently able to get off the ground solely on the basis of having the alien fight the Predator again.

It's a terrible sequel, featuring low-grade special effects and zero stars. We all have to thank Sir Ridley for deciding to make "Alien" prequels, or who knows which other characters from the 20th Century Fox library the alien would have fought next.



7. "Alien: Resurrection" (1997)

The last movie starring Sigourney Weaver is a disappointing attempt to expand the franchise. You can't ignore the star's apparent lack of interest in returning to play the character or Winona Ryder looking so out of place. But it does have some great character actors sprinkled throughout.



6. "AVP: Alien vs. Predator" (2004)

Director Paul W. S. Anderson (the "Resident Evil" movies) pits two iconic sci-fi characters against each other. I could give you a little sense of the plot, but, honestly, aren't you just watching to see the alien and Predator fight?



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We tried Chipotle's first ever dessert — here's the verdict (CMG)

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Chipotle Bunuelos 4

Chipotle has seen some rough times lately. 

Between menu fatigue, the E. coli outbreak, and struggling with customer service, the chain is still nursing its bruises — sales turned positive in the first quarter of this year for the first time since Q4 2015. 

Chipotle's hopes seem to reside in a new dessert addition: buñuelos.

The sugar and cinnamon-dusted fried tortilla bits are available as part of a limited test in New York City, and if they prove popular, a national rollout is possible. 

But how are they, and are they worth ordering? We grabbed a bag and tried them to find out.

 

SEE ALSO: Shake Shack will soon serve breakfast at its original NYC location — here's what it's like

The buñuelos come in a small paper bag, and are accompanied by a caramel apple butter dipping sauce. If that sounds outrageously sweet and rich to you, you're right.



These are certainly not traditional buñuelos — tiny deep fried dough balls, typically flavored with anise, cinnamon, or similar spices. These are alt-buñuelos, made of fried squares of flour tortilla, drizzled with honey, and dusted in sugar and cinnamon.



They resemble Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, to be honest. Alone, they're flaky and dry — yet they make a strangely satisfying snack to graze on.



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11 kitchen accessories that solve our biggest cooking annoyances

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

81Ozv0d nyL._SL1500_We all know making our own meals can save us money and help us be healthier, but it's not always the easiest option. If we're being honest, cooking can sometimes be a nuisance. 

There are instructions to follow, ingredients to collect and prep, and dishes to do afterward, which makes it all the more tempting to scrap the whole thing and order take out. 

I asked the Insider Picks team about which kitchen tools they use to make cooking easier. These picks can save you time before, during, and after you cook, so you can focus on actually enjoying your meal.

Although the items on this list cover the problems we've faced, we encourage you to send us an email if we missed your biggest kitchen gripe.

DON'T MISS: Everyone can extend the shelf life of their fruits and vegetables with this simple kitchen tool

An avocado slicer

I love guacamole, but removing the pit with a knife is pretty dicey. Most avocado tools are just for cutting it up, but the OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer does more. It slices the avocado in half, helps you pop out the pit, and cuts perfect slices for avocado toast or guacamole mashing.

 Malarie Gokey, guides editor

OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, $9.95



A tea infuser

I got really nice loose leaf tea from Harrods during the London leg of my last trip to the UK, but I didn’t have anything to keep the leaves out of my drink, so I bought this twisting tea ball from OXO Good Grips off Amazon for $10.

It’s actually in Insider Picks' buying guide for the best tea infusers, so you can read more about why it’s awesome there.

— Ellen Hoffman, Editor, commerce editor

OXO Good Grips Twisting Tea Ball, $9.99



A foldable cutting board

My house plans were not designed with me — or anyone — in mind. To compensate for limited counter space, I have to sit down at our kitchen table to prep any food, and it's just far enough away from the stovetop to mean some food might fall off the cutting board and onto the ground en route. This foldable one makes the process smoother, and I’m guaranteed to lose fewer ingredients on the way.

— Mara Leighton, commerce reporter

Joseph Joseph Chop2Pot, from $10



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WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Winners of 'Dancing With the Stars'

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melissa rycroft dancing with the stars

Next week, the finalists on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" will take the stage one last time during the season 24 finale. It's been 12 years since the ballroom dance competition premiered, which has seen dozens of celebrities waltz, fox trot, and more in hopes of hoisting the Mirror Ball Trophy. 

And if you can't get enough of the show, it gets better. Not only has the reality competition been renewed through the next television season, but next spring, a spinoff will launch called "Dancing with the Stars: Junior."

So while you impatiently wait for your favorite stars to take the stage Monday night, let's see where all the winners from the past 23 seasons are today.

Former Playboy model and "Baywatch" star Kelly Monaco made winning look easy in season one.

Monaco danced her way to the Mirror Ball Trophy with her partner, Alec Mazo, after fending off John O'Hurley and Charlotte Jorgensen in 2005.



Since winning the show, Monaco is still starring on ABC's beloved soap opera, "General Hospital."

She's also appeared in a few other TV series and movies.



Former 98 Degrees member and younger brother of Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey won season two as the fan favorite.

He and his dancing partner Cheryl Burke consistently racked up high scores all the way to the finale, where he ultimately won by defeating football player Jerry Rice and partner Anna Trebunskaya in 2006.



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Here's the simple trick to look your best in selfies from your smartphone

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Have you ever taken a selfie, looked at it afterward, and thought, That's not even what I look like!

The problem was likely wide-angle distortion, the property of smartphone lenses (and other superwide cameras) that renders their subjects a bit odd-looking and cartoonish.

Fortunately, there's a simple way around the problem if you understand a bit about the optics of these devices.

Here's what you need to know:

SEE ALSO: Billions of people have the same favorite color and number, and scientists don't know why

Here's the thing: Looking like a normal human being in photos is hard.

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And smartphones don't make it easier.



Manufacturers build them with super-wide-angle lenses that can stretch and distort your face in unflattering ways.

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Airline gate agents share 17 things they'd love to tell travelers but can't

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There are some things gate or ticketing agents at the airport — whether for job security reasons or to keep hundreds of anxious fliers happy — just can't tell travelers.

But that doesn't mean they don't want to. In fact, many of these things could be to their or your benefit, if only someone would speak up.

So Business Insider asked airline customer service reps to weigh in on the one thing they'd love to tell passengers but can't.

We've anonymously included some of the more constructive thoughts here:

SEE ALSO: Flight attendants share 13 of their favorite travel hacks

DON'T MISS: Flight attendants share 20 things most people don't know about the job

'Be honest'

"I've heard that excuse a thousand times."



'No, we can't just give you a free upgrade'

"Different airlines have different rules, but a change or upgrade can get you fired these days. And it's not worth our jobs. The airline computer system tracks everything, and big brother can be watching us."



'This job is more stressful than you know'

"I've been assaulted twice during my decades of working with the airlines. The stress of this job can be compared to working in any emergency room."

"We are under a tremendous amount of pressure."

"Many agents have been physically attacked by customers, including myself."



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PHOTOS: For NYU graduation, over 30,000 people pack into Yankee Stadium

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On Wednesday, thousands of students across the US headed to their campus stadium or lawn for their commencement ceremonies. 

Students at NYU took a different route.

Venturing far away from their lower Manhattan and Brooklyn campuses, they streamed up the subways en route to the Bronx.

Their destination? The iconic Yankee Stadium.

The stadium, which has a capacity of 54,251, is one of the largest and most expensive arenas ever built.

NYU has held its main ceremony at the stadium since 2008, having moved it from Washington Square Park after renovations to the park no longer made it possible due to lack of space. That's understandable — last year, a record-breaking 32,000 people filled the stadium.

This year's speaker was award-winning musician Pharrell Williams. His speech praised them for the social causes — emphasizing gender equality — that young people have prominently fought for, and urged them to continue being outspoken for their beliefs. 

“Don't be invisible. The days of being an anonymous activist or participant are over. How can we inspire if we are only behind the scenes? How will an anonymous donation ever inspire another? That was the way of previous generations. No disrespect, but don't be like them,” he said.

Perhaps no better place to receive this message than in the lofty confines of Yankee Stadium. 

Here are some pictures of the crowds from this year's ceremony: 

SEE ALSO: 'Can you please look away while I deliver the rest of the speech?': Will Ferrell tells new grads how to get past their fear of failure

 



 





See the rest of the story at Business Insider

HEDGE FUND READING LIST: Hundreds of investors say these 10 finance books are must-reads

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woman reading water beachSumZeroa social network for buyside investors, asked its members to share their favorite investment books in their user profiles.

The list is based on 1,120 responses, and ranked from least to most recommended. You can consider it a hedge fund reading list.

The books don't come cheap though. A used copy of the most recommended book retails for more than $900. 

Here they are:

"The Essays of Warren Buffett" by Lawrence Cunningham

"As the book Buffett autographs most, its popularity and longevity attest to the widespread appetite for this unique compilation of Buffett's thoughts that is at once comprehensive, non-repetitive, and digestible. New and experienced readers alike will gain an invaluable informal education by perusing this classic arrangement of Warren's best writings."

Find it on Amazon »



"Poor Charlie's Almanack" by Charlie Munger

"'Poor Charlie's Almanack' contains the wit and wisdom of Charlie Munger: his talks, lectures and public commentary. And, it has been written and compiled with both Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett's encouragement and cooperation. So pull up your favorite reading chair and enjoy the unique humor, wit and insight that Charlie Munger brings to the world of business, investing and life itself. With Charlie himself as your guide, you are about to embark on an extraordinary journey toward better investment, decision making, and thinking about the world and life in general. Charlie's unique worldview, what he calls a 'multidisciplinary' approach, is a self-developed model for clear and simple thinking while being far from simplistic itself."

Find it on Amazon »



"One up on Wall Street" by Peter Lynch

"America’s most successful money manager tells how average investors can beat the pros by using what they know. According to Lynch, investment opportunities are everywhere. From the supermarket to the workplace, we encounter products and services all day long. By paying attention to the best ones, we can find companies in which to invest before the professional analysts discover them. When investors get in early, they can find the 'tenbaggers,' the stocks that appreciate tenfold from the initial investment. A few tenbaggers will turn an average stock portfolio into a star performer."

Find it on Amazon »



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The 20 most-watched TV show finales of all time, ranked

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Full House

While we might be in a golden age for TV creatively, we're nowhere close to the appointment viewing of an older era.

Modern technology like DVRs has made it so people can watch several shows that air at the same time whenever they want. Before that, fans had to make hard choices about what to watch and make sure they got home in time for it.

And TV ratings don't come in the huge numbers of yesteryear. When they do, they tabulate viewing over several days. The 1990 series finale of alien comedy "Alf" brought 21.7 million viewers to their TV sets all at the same time. For comparison, last year's season finale for the most-watched show on TV, CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," had 14.73 million viewers.

Since we're in that time of year when dozens of shows are ending their runs, we compiled the finales that had the most Americans gathered around to watch ever.

Here are the 20 most-watched scripted TV series finales of all time:

SEE ALSO: All the TV shows that were just canceled

DON'T MISS: Here are all your favorite TV shows that are coming back for another season

20. "L.A. Law" (NBC) — 22.1 million viewers

After eight seasons, "L.A. Law" made its final closing argument on May 19, 1994. On the series finale, Becker (Corbin Bernsen) is feeling his best days are behind him at the ripe old age of 42. At the same time, the firm plans to celebrate senior partner Mckenzie's (Richard Dysart) 65th birthday, but he has a surprise for them: He's retiring. That throws the firm into chaos and forces the partners to look for new jobs.

Source: The Quad City Times



19. "MacGyver" (ABC) — 22.3 million viewers

The adventures of a young MacGyver are currently airing on CBS, but it's tough to live up to the success of the original crafty secret agent. The "MacGyver" series finale, which aired on May 21, 1992, in its seventh season, revealed that Sam — a cool, young biker, who helped out on a tough case — was actually MacGyver's son!

Source: World Heritage Encyclopedia



18. "St. Elsewhere" (NBC) — 22.5 million viewers

"St. Elsewhere" was a groundbreaking urban medical drama that aired on NBC from 1982 to 1988. Its alumni include Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., Howie Mandel, and Mark Harmon. Viewers tuned into its May 25, 1988, series finale to find out that the whole series took place in the very active imagination of a young autistic boy! 

Source: Star-News



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RANKED: The 11 best movies of 2017 so far

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Fate of the Furious Universal final

As we delve deeper into the summer-movie season, it seems like a good time to look back on the year so far in movies and highlight the most memorable ones. 

Box-office performance doesn't always dictate if a movie is good. Some of the titles below didn't make a huge killing at the multiplex, but there's a good chance that you'll be talking about them long after this year is over. And the early part of 2017 has had some surprising bright spots.

From studio giants like "The Fate of the Furious" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2," to indies including "Colossal" and "T2: Trainspotting," here are the 11 best movies of the year... so far:

SEE ALSO: 35 movies coming out this summer that you need to see

11. “Colossal”

Writer-director Nacho Vigalondo's unique mix of comedy, social commentary, and sci-fi is given its biggest exposure yet thanks to the casting of stars Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis for his latest movie. "Colossal" explores the dangers of alcoholism as Vigalondo puts Hathaway front and center playing a party girl who suddenly realizes she's controlling a giant that's destroying Seoul. Sudeikis is her old friend who is also her evil enabler. If you're seeking something different from a movie, this is it.



10. “T2: Trainspotting”

I know what you're thinking: Why the hell would anyone make a sequel to "Trainspotting"? But give this a chance if you haven't yet. Director Danny Boyle along with Ewan McGregor and the rest of the original cast from the landmark first movie deliver an impressive sequel that offers a new story but still celebrates the things we loved about the first one.



9. “The Lego Batman Movie”

Filled with the clever fun that made 2014's "The Lego Movie" a hit, this one has the added bonus of throwing in great Batman jokes as well. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet the 9 hedge fund managers who made the most money in 2016

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ray dalio2016 was a tough year for hedge funds. 

The industry as a whole only delivered a 5.4% return for clients, well below the S&P 500's return of 11.9%, according to data from eVestment.

Poor performance and high fees drove money out of the money managers' funds by about $70 billion last year, the biggest drop since 2009, according to data tracker HFR.

This backdrop, however, had little impact on the bottom line of many of the top hedge fund managers of the world.

According to Institutional Investor's Alpha magazine's recently released list of the top-earning hedge fund managers, the top 25 hedge fund heads earned $11 billion in total last year. 

Among the billionaires who posted subpar returns are Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel, who pocketed $600 million despite making investors in his main flagship funds just over 5%, according to the New York Times. And Dan Loeb, founder of Third Point, earned $260 million after his fund posted gains of just 6%.

To be sure, some fund managers performed well, such as Renaissance Technologies. The firm's Renaissance Institutional Equities Fund and Renaissance Institutional Diversified Alpha Fund gained 21.5% and 11%, per the Times.

While the amount of total money that managers made last year is down from others, according to the Times, it's still double than what it was in 2000, the year that Institutional Investor first rolled out the annual list. 

Following are the top nine earnings from the list:

SEE ALSO: The incredible life and career of Warren Buffett, the billionaire every investor looks to for inspiration

9. David Shaw, founder of DE Shaw & Co - $415 million



8. Michael Hintze, founder of CQS LLP - $450 million



7. Paul Singer, founder of Elliott Management - $590 million



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Here are the biggest bets made by top hedge funds in the first quarter

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Here they are: The darlings of hedge fund stock pickers. 

S&P Global Intelligence has released its Hedge Fund Tracker, which takes a look at the holdings of the ten largest pure play hedge funds.

Such firms focus on stock picking, have less than 100 positions, and are more activist in their nature than other hedge funds.

Viking Global Investors, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm, came in at number one with $23.8 billion in assets, according to the report.

In total, the 10 firms have positions in 389 stocks.

Following are the five biggest buys made by the top hedge funds last quarter. 

SEE ALSO: Meet the 9 hedge fund managers who made the most money in 2016

5. Formula One Group - $765 million

Soroban Capital, a New York-based fund founded in 2010, and Viking Global Investors both own 12 million shares apiece, with each holding a 6.9% stake. They are the top two shareholders in the company. 

Source: Bloomberg



4. Constellation Brands - $859 million

Soroban has a 2.7% stake in Constellation Brands with 4.6 million shares. Lone Pine Capital, another Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm, has a 4.2% stake with 7.2 million shares. 

Source: Bloomberg



3. Marriott - $1.4 billion

Soroban Capital also has a big position in Marriott. The firm has a 5.46% stake with 20.6 million shares. 

Source: Bloomberg



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The incredible life of DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis, the computer whiz who sold his AI lab to Google for £400 million (GOOG)

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Demis DeepMind

Demis Hassabis, the 40-year-old cofounder of renowned artificial intelligence (AI) lab DeepMind, is recognised worldwide as one of the smartest thinkers his field.

Nicknamed the "superhero of artificial intelligence"by The Guardian, Hassabis is a former child chess prodigy with degrees in computer science and cognitive neuroscience from Cambridge and University College London respectively.

Hassabis co-created the video game "Theme Park" game when he was just 17-years-old, before going on to found his own videogames company, and eventually DeepMind in 2010.

In January 2014, Hassabis sold DeepMind to Google for £400 million in what is Google's largest European acquisition to date. The company made history last year when its self-learning AlphaGo agent beat a world champion at the notoriously difficult Chinese board game Go. Now DeepMind is turning its attention to applying its algorithms to areas that can benefit humanity, including healthcare and climate change.

Hassabis was born in London July 27, 1976, to a Greek Cypriot father and a Chinese Singaporean mother.

Hassabis is the eldest of three siblings and his parents are teachers. According to The Guardian, his sister is a pianist and composer, while his brother is a studying creative writing.

"My parents are technophobes," he said during an interview with The Guardian. "They don't really like computers. They're kind of bohemian. My sister and brother both went the artistic route, too. None of them really went in for maths or science ... it's weird, I'm not quite sure where all this came from."

Hassabis now has two young boys of his own.



From an early age, he showed a natural aptitude for board games, particularly chess.

Hassabis first got interested in chess at the age of four while watching his father play a chess game against his uncle, according to Wired. Two weeks later, Hassabis was beating adults at the game.

By the age of five, he was competing nationally and he won the London under-eights championships at the age of six. When he was nine he was captaining England's under-11 team.



Hassabis bought his first computer when he was eight-years-old. It was a ZX Spectrum.

Hassabis bought the machine with £200 that he won from a chess match.

"The amazing thing about computers in those days is you could just start programming them,"Hassabis told Wired. "I'd go with my dad to Foyles, and sit in the computer-programming department to learn how to give myself infinite lives in games. I intuitively understood that this was a magical device which you could unleash your creativity on."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 of London's most exclusive private members' clubs, ranked by price

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London's private members' circuit has come a long way since the days of the stuffy gentleman's club.

The capital now boasts one of the most diverse selections of clubs in the world.

While areas such as Mayfair and Pall Mall are still synonymous with the members club scene, an explosion of more accessible, affordable, and arguably trendier clubs have shaken things up.

Whether you are looking for a wellbeing sanctuary, to indulge in the world of fine wine, fine art, live performances, and intrepid exploring, or just somewhere with cool rooms where cool-looking people hang out, each club has its very own niche, making it ever trickier to pick the right one.

We've rounded up a selection of London's most exclusive private members' clubs, which cost between £150 to over £5,000 — or the cost of a new car — for an annual membership.

Scroll down for a sneak peek inside some of London's best clubs, ranked in ascending order by the price of a standard annual membership and joining fee.

Disrepute, Soho — £150, no joining fee.

Disrepute, a "hidden gem" nestled within an opulent Soho basement, offers an expertly curated cocktail menu and an atmospheric space perfect for secret late night sessions. It is one of the most reasonably priced members' bars in London.

Membership privileges include priority reservations, the ability to book in parties of up to 12 people, and free access to special events, talks, and masterclasses.

A members' bar not in the conventional sense, according to the club, applications are welcome from people of all backgrounds and persuasions. Non-members are also welcome to book a table, subject to availability.

You can apply for membership here.



L'escargot, Soho — £450, no joining fee.

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Set in a Georgian townhouse in the heart of Soho above London's oldest French restaurant L'escargot, the chic Upstairs Club is accessed via a psychedelic carpeted spiral staircase.

It's a secretive hideout away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. There is an air of eccentricity to the club which offers its members access to a series of private rooms, including the salon noir, salon bleu, and salon rouge, which regularly host performances and general debauchery.

Under 28s can obtain a reduced membership of £250. If you don't have a proposer, you may be asked to visit the club and meet with one of the membership team for a drink and a brief introduction.

To apply, hopefuls should submit a personal profile online here.

 

 



Quo Vadis, Soho — £500, plus £150 joining fee.

Quo Vadis, easily recognisable by its iconic neon street sign, is another of Soho's members' haunts. The club consists of a first floor bar and lounge, and a dedicated members' restaurant, which serves quintessentially British cuisine. The second floor is home to the "Blue Room," an intimate, atmospheric lounge with open plan bar and first rate sound system.

It is popular among Soho’s creatives, foodies, and more generally seekers of relaxed business and serious pleasures. Members can enjoy £5 Martini Hours on Thursday and Fridays and half price Pie and Oyster Mondays.

Under 30s benefit from a discounted yearly rate of £300. The club doesn't have a blanket policy for membership and says it instead looks at case by case applications, accepting people without airs and graces who are interesting and happy to be themselves.

Prospective members can apply online here.

 

 



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Here's everything Apple is rumoured to be launching in 2017 (AAPL)

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Apple is notoriously secretive.

The Californian technology giant almost never speaks about upcoming products before they're officially announced. Journalists who ask about rumours and reports might get told "no comment"— if they're lucky enough to get a response at all.

But for all its mystery, it can't stem every leak. Reports and speculation inevitably swirls in the run-up to rumoured launches, while many of its products are released on a regular annual schedule. 

We're now five months into 2017, but there are still some pretty big launches expected from Apple — including an eagerly anticipated tenth anniversary iPhone, and the first new major hardware product Apple has unveiled in years.

Here they all are ...

A Siri smart speaker

Apple has only unveiled one major new hardware product since Tim Cook become CEO back in 2011: The Apple Watch. But that may finally be about to change.

The Cupertino technology giant is rumoured to be developing a smart speaker with its AI assistant Siri built-in. Right now, smart speakers and virtual assistants are all the rage in tech. Amazon has the Echo, while Google has Google Home. 

It is reported to come with a screen, may emphasise sound quality, and could even have facial recognition built-in.

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons it could be announced in June, at Apple's WWDC developers' conference, and start selling in the second half of 2017. He believes it will be a premium product — going for more than the Amazon Echo.



The iPhone 8

This is the big one. 

2017 marks ten years since the launch of the first iPhone, and Apple is believed to have big plans to mark the occasion.

The iPhone 8 is expected to come with an almost edge-to-edge screen without a physical home button, a juiced up camera with some augmented reality functionality, and a glossy iPhone 4-esque glass back, among other features. But it won't come cheap — rumours suggest it'll be $1,000-plus.

It could be difficult to get your hands on: There have been multiple reports that due to manufacturing difficulties, its commercial release might be delayed for months from the traditional September iPhone launch. And even when it does hit stores, it may still be hard to find.

But that's not the only iPhone launch to come ...



The iPhone 7s and 7s Plus

Alongside the iPhone 8, it looks like there will be an iPhone 7s too. It'd be an incremental update on 2016's iPhone 7, much like has been released in previous years. 

It's less exciting, but it will be cheaper than the iPhone 8, and should launch as normal following a September announcement event.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Stocks don't need the Trump bump anymore

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Trump NYSE

Does the stock market even need the Trump trade anymore?

Merely posing such a question may strike some equity enthusiasts as blasphemy. After all, in the months right after the presidential election, the sectors seen as most closely tied to President Donald Trump's proposed policies — most notably financials and industrials — soared.

But an interesting wrinkle has formed. Whenever one of the plentiful negative Trump headlines hits news wires, investors are mostly unshaken. A prime example came this past week, when Trump came under the most scrutiny yet, spurring the biggest drop in US stocks since months before the election — a decline that was largely erased in just two days.

That wasn't the first piece of news seen as a potential threat to Trump's economic agenda, and it certainly won't be the last. Yet here we sit, about 1% from another new record for US stocks.

It's introduced an idea that would've seemed far-fetched mere months ago: that while Trump's election victory undoubtedly boosted stocks on a short-term basis, market conditions are more than capable of supporting current valuations on their own.

"If the Trump administration disappeared or got beamed into space, I don’t think the market would plummet," Michael Antonelli, an institutional equity sales trader and managing director at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Milwaukee, said in a phone interview. "The immediate post-election rally was partially composed of optimism around Trump, but a lot of the sustained strength is due to good, old-fashioned data. People are forgetting that the stock market is more than just the actions of the president. "

Here's a breakdown of three themes supporting the idea that stock market would be just fine without the Trump trade: 

Corporate earnings are growing at the fastest pace in 6 years.

Profit expansion has historically been the biggest contributor to share price appreciation, and it's returned to the S&P 500 with a fury not seen in almost six years.

Companies in the benchmark are on pace to see 14% earnings growth for the first quarter of 2017, the most since the third quarter of 2011, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It marks the third straight quarter of earnings growth for the S&P 500.

"We’re all getting caught up with what Trump is tweeting on a given day, because it’s easy to get caught up," said Antonelli. "But beneath the surface, economy is still going strong, and companies are doing their best to grow."



Wall Street is getting increasingly skeptical that tax reform will have an impact on corporate profits this year, yet forward earnings forecasts remain robust.

After the election, the most highly-taxed companies in the US enjoyed a double-digit rally on expectations Trump would lower the corporate tax rate. During the campaign, the president suggested lowering the rate to 15% from 35%, a cut that would have an outsized impact on the profits for companies paying the most.

As it becomes increasingly clear that Trump is going to have difficulty passing legislation, returns for this group of stocks has leveled off, but not fallen victim to a major decline. Future profit expectations for the S&P 500 are, quite simply, too strong.

"The prospect for tax reform is uncertain, but the calendar suggests a low probability of any impact on 2017 EPS," Goldman Sachs chief US equity strategist David Kostin wrote in a May 12 client note.



The tech sector, which is leading the US stock market higher, isn't as wedded to Trump policies as other areas, and is benefiting from a surprisingly weak dollar.

Since the election, no sector has done more to boost US stocks than tech. It's largely due to the group's ability to expand profits. In the first quarter, tech companies grew earnings by 21%, tied for most in the S&P 500.

The group has gotten help from a surprising source: a weaker-than-expected US dollar. Due to the heavy weighting of so many mega-cap multi-national companies, tech indexes are particularly exposed to overseas markets. As exporters, their bottom lines benefit greatly from declines in the greenback.

Further, stock fluctuations in the industry are less tied to Trump's policies, making them less vulnerable to negative headlines. While companies that hold large amounts of cash overseas would benefit from the president's proposed repatriation tax holiday, the industry as a whole is less directly beholden to Trump.

"It’s really a perfect upside storm for the tech industry," Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird, said in a phone interview. "Earnings growth is good, the dollar is weak and the global economy is improving, and tech stocks are big exporters."



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This regional chain just beat Trader Joe's and Kroger as America's favorite grocery store

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080212 bb Publix 1

Americans can't get enough of Publix.

The grocery chain, which has stores throughout the Southeast, was recently voted best grocery chain in the US.

Publix tied with Wegmans for the top spot in an annual survey of almost 13,000 shoppers, conducted by the consumer insights firm Market Force Information

For the past four years, the store has ranked second in the survey, above giant chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Whole Foods. This year, Walmart came in last place in the ranking of 23 stores.

Publix was praised for its cleanliness, easy-to-navigate layout, and fast check outs. 

Here's what it's like to shop there:

The first Publix store was opened by George W. Jenkins in Florida in the midst of the Great Depression in 1930. It now has 1,146 stores across six states in the southeast.

The majority of its stores are in Florida and Georgia.

Source: Publix

 



It is the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the country. Last year, it reported $2.03 billion in net profits, up by 3.1% from $1.97 billion in 2015.

Source: Publix



In this year’s Market Force survey, Publix knocked Trader Joe’s from the top spot and beat major chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Whole Foods. It received high marks for its cleanliness, navigability, availability of items, and speedy checkouts.

Source: Market Force Information



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How to break free from the Apple ecosystem (AAPL)

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macbook pro iphone byebye

The iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch make for a great team, as they work with each other to streamline common tasks and make them easier to do.

However, there are several reasons you might want to explore other options, like Android phones and Windows computers.

Whatever your reason might be, leaving the Apple ecosystem can be a tough thing to do, and you might not find some of the useful features from the Apple ecosystem anywhere else.

To make the transition easier, though, here are a few tips to start with: 

SEE ALSO: 14 ways you can control your home with your voice using Amazon's Echo and Alexa

1. First, you'll need new, non-Apple devices.



The computer.

If you use software that isn't your web browser, your best bet is going to be a Windows 10 laptop. There are several Windows 10 laptops out there you might like at different price ranges. Here are five Windows 10 laptops that outprice the new MacBooks Pros, as well as out-speccing them. 

Those laptops I suggest in the link above are pretty powerful, but while they're also pricey, they're still less expensive than the new MacBook Pros. There are a bunch of great Windows 10 laptops in the $700 range that aren't as powerful; those could fit your needs, too. 

If 99% of the things you do on your Mac are based in a web browser, you could consider Chromebooks. They run Chrome OS, which is essentially the Chrome web browser, and they can cost a lot less than a Windows 10 laptop.



The phone.

There are a bunch of great Android phones, but if I had to pick one, it would be Google's own Pixel or Pixel XL.

It's the purest expression of what Google thinks a smartphone should be, and you'll get the latest Android and security updates directly from Google as they're released, not several months later like the majority of Android smartphones.



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5 towns saved from ruin by the booming legal weed industry

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The legal marijuana industry brought in upwards of $4 billion in sales in 2016, according to a new report from the Marijuana Business Daily. And small-town America is riding the high.

In the eight US states where recreational marijuana is legal, the marijuana "green rush" has breathed new life into the rural communities that welcome it. Cultivation facilities, dispensaries, and infused products companies create jobs and tax revenue for the cities and states, which then supports public infrastructure and community efforts.

Here are five towns that came back from the brink thanks to legal weed.

SEE ALSO: These California 'nuns' are making a living selling pot products on the internet

Residents of Sedgwick, Colorado, were in talks to disband the town when a medical marijuana dispensary opened for business.

Population: 150

A small town on the Colorado prairie saw its economy tumble in the early 2000s. The buildings were in disrepair. As one resident, a town clerk, put it, "It was turning into a ghost town."

Local officials began having serious discussions about unincorporating Sedgwick when the town passed an ordinance to allow a medical marijuana dispensary to open in 2012. People traveled from across the state and from nearby Nevada, where marijuana had yet to be legalized, to buy their bud in Sedwick. The lone dispensary expanded into recreational sales.

Dilapidated buildings began renovations. A "4-20 friendly" bed and breakfast took the place of a former bank. The tax revenue generated from medical and recreational marijuana sales allowed the town to build a maintenance fund that pays for new street signs and equipment.



Adelanto, California, struggled to recover when its largest employer, an Air Force base, left town. Legal marijuana gave respectable jobs to people..

Population: 33,000

A sleepy city located in San Bernardino County, Adelanto is what's called "a drive-through town." Few outsiders stay long. About 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.

In 2014, Adelanto was in debt for $2.4 million. A year later, the first industrial-scale marijuana cultivation site sprung up. That defecit is now half a million dollars, and the mayor tells LA Weekly he expects pot taxes to inject millions into the city coffers. The cost of land has also risen.

More commercial grow facilities have opened, giving blue-collar workers without college degrees the opportunity to make liveable wages. The tax revenue generated by marijuana cultivators is expected to pay for new housing, shops, and a concrete plant later in 2017.



Pueblo County, Colorado, home of one of the largest legal open-air marijuana farms in America, is sending students to college on the $425,000 in pot taxes it made.

Population: 161,000

Pueblo County, once an economic center of the state's plains, has been struggling to recover from a collapsed steel industry. Its unemployment rate, at 7.2%, ranks among the highest in Colorado. But newcomers have migrated there in recent years, hoping to find work in weed.

Since the first dispensary opened in Pueblo County in 2014, cultivation facilities, infused products manufacturers, and over 100 retailers have created more than 1,300 jobs in the industry. In 2015, more than one-third of construction projects there were tied to marijuana. 

The county's economic recovery is ongoing. But county officials say the industry generates almost $4 million in annual tax revenue, which funds 4H and Future Farmers of America efforts, medical marijuana research at Colorado State University Pueblo, and a first-of-its-kind scholarship program that will send graduating high school seniors to local universities this fall.

 



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Take a closer look at Ford's $400,000 GT supercar (F)

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Ford GT 22

I wrote an entire book about Ford's new GT supercar, but up until quite recently, I had only gazed upon the car at auto shows and watched the race-car version win the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France. Briefly, I sat in it at the 2017 Detroit auto show.

That all changed when Ford brought a brand-new GT to Manhattan's Classic Car Club to show off the $400,000 machine's multiple driving modes.

I slipped into the driver's seat, tucked in front of the mid-mounted 647-horsepower twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, and pressed the start button.

Wow.

The glorious machine came to life. Here's what it was like, inside and out:

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise indicated.

 

SEE ALSO: The new $400,000 GT is the greatest car Ford has ever built

The GT arrived on a rainy day in Manhattan. The "Liquid Blue" paint job was what the car wore when it was debuted to dropped jaws at the 2015 Detroit auto show.



I got in the driver's seat as quickly as possible.



The design is a symphony of bold gestures, smoothly flowing lines, and exotic shapes. The Ford design team worked in secret on the car for a year.



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