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25 Things You Should Know About Dating A Wall Streeter

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Patrick Bateman

We always hear about these Wall Street dating horror stories.

There's the rude email cover letter from an investment manager begging for a second date, the alleged stalking bank analyst and the finance guy's spreadsheet comparing his online dating prospects, just to name a few of the more recent ones.

So we have to set some ground rules when it comes to dating the masters of the universe.  

That's why we've reached out to both male and female bankers, traders, analysts and hedge funders, etc. to create a definitive guide for dating on Wall Street.  

Just remember: There are always exceptions to every rule. 

Don't give out keys to your apartment.

Source: Skirt In Finance

"Don’t give your banker boyfriend the keys to your apartment.  You will forget you gave them to him after his lack of ever using them, and then when he comes over at 4 a.m. after an all nighter, you will end up calling 911 and/or pepper spraying him."




Be discreet about personal things.

Source: M/37/Sellside Tech/Chicago

"If you're gonna slip him the keys to your apartment at work, roll 'em up in a copy of the FT and plop them on his desk."




Make sure everyone knows you exist.

Source: Skirt in Finance

"For girls: 9 out of 10 of you are a complete secret to your banker boyfriend’s office... send treats to make your presence known...”




See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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12 Fantasy Football Tips For Week 6

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Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts

We're officially more than a quarter of the way through the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennesee Titans set to square off to begin Week 6 on Thursday.

Several big-name players take a seat with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints all on byes this week.

We've given some tips on who we believe can fill the void for some of those players, as well as for some of your injured starters. The players we've chosen to sit are ones you believe you should have tempered expectations for this week and if you have a better option, go with it.

This week, some players are included that can still be snatched up on the waiver wire and could make immediate contributions for your team.

The advice we've given is based on 10-team standard leagues.

START: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback vs. NYJ

With several of the top tier quarterbacks from the beginning of the season faltering (Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Tony Romo), Luck has been extremely reliable. In four games, he's gone over 300 yards and thrown two touchdowns three times.

Season Total (four gms.): 96/177, 1,208 yards, seven touchdowns, five interceptions

16 carries, 104 yards, one touchdown



SIT: Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys Quarterback at BAL

Romo has been a whole different story. He's been rattled by the limited protection his offensive line has provided and has only five touchdowns this year. He should bounce back at some point, just not against Baltimore.

Season Total: 101/151,  1,148 yards, five touchdowns, eight interceptions

12 carries, 12 yards



START: Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons Running Back vs. OAK

Turner has bounced back from a few hiccups in the first two games when he struggled to run for more than 42 yards. Since then, he's averaging 5.6 yards per carry and he's always a threat to score near the goal line.

Season total: 73 carries, 324 yards, three touchdowns

Eight catches, 71 yards, one touchdown



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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See What These Baseball Stars Looked Like As Rookies

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derek jeter young old 2

The MLB playoffs are upon us, and it's no surprise to see the likes of Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte playing October baseball.

It really does feel like these playoff veterans have been around forever, but of course, every legacy has a beginning.

And a lot of these beginnings look awesome.

Derek Jeter rocked a mullet in the minors (1992)



Alex Rodriguez seemed more innocent back in the day (1995)



Andy Pettitte still makes strange faces (1993)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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8 Law Schools With Terrible Employment Rates

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law school graduates

Just 85.6 percent of law students who earned a law degree in 2011 were employed nine months later. It's the lowest rate of employment since 1994.

For those graduates lucky enough to find themselves employed, only 55 percent of them secured "full-time, long-term jobs" that require a law degree.

And yet the law schools keep churning out students ...

We've identified some of the schools with the highest rates of unemployment and underemployment, based on data from the Wall Street JournalSchools are listed alphabetically.

Click here to see the schools >

This is part of our comprehensive ranking of The Best Law Schools in America.

#11 Western New England University School of Law, Springfield, Mass.

Unemployed, seeking employment: 21%

Employed in jobs requiring a JD: 30%

Passed the bar exam the first time: 66%

Average State Bar Passage Rate: 88%

$38,116

According to US News, the average amount of student loan debt that Western New England University School of Law students from the class of 2011 were graduating with was $109,778. US News also reported that 93 percent of students graduated with debt.

Methodology: Tuition represented does not include the cost of living. The employment statistics represent law students from the graduating classes of 2011 nine months after graduation. Data was collected from the Wall Street Journal and the American Bar Association/Law School Admissions Council.



#10 University of Oregon School of Law, Eugene, Ore.

Unemployed, seeking employment: 21%

Employed in jobs requiring a JD: 41%

Passed the bar exam the first time: 75%

Average State Bar Passage Rate: 75%

$28,348 for Oregon residents; $35,368 for non-residents

Despite the pride that follows being the State of Oregon's only public law school, the University of Oregon School of Law's rate of unemployment still clocks in at 21 percent. Unemployment aside, the school's first-time bar exam passage rate is right on par with the state average at 75 percent.

Methodology: Tuition represented does not include the cost of living. The employment statistics represent law students from the graduating classes of 2011 nine months after graduation. Data was collected from the Wall Street Journal and the American Bar Association/Law School Admissions Council.



#9 Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, Calif.

Unemployed, seeking employment: 23%

Employed in jobs requiring a JD: 43%

Passed the bar exam the first time: 87%

Average State Bar Passage Rate: 72%

Awaiting the 2012-2013 incoming class of students coming at Pepperdine University School of Law is an annual tuition of $44,920 and an unemployment rate of 23 percent from prior graduating classes.

Methodology: Tuition represented does not include the cost of living. The employment statistics represent law students from the graduating classes of 2011 nine months after graduation. Data was collected from the Wall Street Journal and the American Bar Association/Law School Admissions Council.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The Incredible Transforming Apartment In London

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yo! home transforming apartment

The founder of Yotel, British entrepreneur Simon Woodroffe, has found a way to make an 860-square-foot apartment feel like an entire home using stage tricks, moving walls, and multi-purpose furniture.

London's Channel 4 News explored the flat with Woodroffe, who showed how the living room could become the master bedroom with a click of a button. And how a desk becomes the guest bedroom.

Woodroffe spent $200,000 creating the Yo! Home prototype, but it's unclear what it would cost for actual residents to buy or rent the apartment.

This "apartment of the future" is just the latest micro-apartment we've seen. New York City recently announced plans for 300-square-foot apartments, and an 8-by-10 foot pad in London is receiving offers for $280,000. Space is very valuable and expensive, as Woodroffe explained in his interview.

He said, "History will judge us of living in an absolutely primitive age compared to what it's going to be compared with the future of these types of home. People are going to say 'remember when they only had one space and it couldn't move around?'"

The apartment spans 860 square feet, which is the normal size of a two-bedroom apartment in London.



But Woodroffe wanted the small apartment to have the amenities of a home. Twelve walls and surfaces move in the apartment. Here's the living room before.



The master bedroom descends from the ceiling, covering the living room area.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? What The Former Lakers Players Who Kobe Bryant Trashed Are Doing Today

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kobe bryant los angeles lakers

Kobe Bryant looked back on the 2005-06 Lakers today, and he was pretty brutal.

Here's what he told the OC Register:

"I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team. I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown."

Kobe went on to call Parker "the worst."

We took a look back at that '05-'06 team — which Kobe single-handedly dragged to the playoffs — to see what the guys Kobe trashed so hard are doing now.

The answer: Most are on the last legs of their careers, while some have moved on altogether.

Smush Parker, who Kobe called "the worst," played in Iran last winter, and signed with a team in Venezuela most recently

Source: Sportando



Kwame Brown has made $58 million in his disappointing NBA career. He signed with the 76ers this summer



Chris Mihm hasn't played since 2009. He has since moved back to Austin, Texas and as of last summer was hoping to reconnect with Texas hoops

Source: Tribeza



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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After A Shaky Launch, Brewster Tries Again With A Major Update To Its iPhone App

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brewster right size app

When we first saw Brewster, we said it was destined to change the way we interacted with our iPhone contacts.

Brewster is a personalized address book that understands your social networking relationships and merges everything into a beautifully designed app. The goal is to make it easier to manage your contacts. And to that end, the app delivers.

Click here to jump straight to screenshots of the new features >

Brewster is back with a huge update that not only optimizes for the iPhone 5's larger screen but also brings some cool new features. Now when you press and hold a contact, you can easily rearrange the people in your life like you would rearrange apps on your phone's home screen.

Our favorite feature is the ability to mass email or text a group of your friends.

We got a chance to speak with Brewster's CEO and founder, Steve Greenwood, about how the changes to the app bring it closer to Brewster's goals. 

The following is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation with Steve.

Business Insider: What has changed with Brewster's new update?

Steve Greenwood: There are a bunch of things that have been changed. We've implemented a top-to-bottom improvement in the user experience. Users can now take more action with the app.

First, favorites. A great way to interpret the new favorites section of Brewster is to think of it as a modern-day speed dial. You can select your favorite people who you contact the most often and have them easily accessible.

Integrated into favorites is now quick access, which means you can set the form of communication (email, text, etc.) you use the most with a particular contact and have that at your reach.

Speed optimization is another thing we focused on. The app is now laser-fast.

The app's suggestions algorithm has been reworked to provide users with three to five times more accuracy than before.

BI: What are your favorite new features?

SG: I think the search is amazing, because it feels like a magic trick to me.

The update allows users to search for more than just names. If you're headed to a city, you can see exactly who you know in a particular area, or what is going in a town.You can search for places also, like comedy clubs.

BI: What's next for Brewster?

SG: What you can expect from us to to continue to help users learn more about their relationships, and that is sort of the spirit with where we're going. 

Brewster is something that is a labor of love for me. I am really passionate about what we're doing. It's really a lot of fun. Next things will also come from what people are sharing with us. We're trying to help people connect further with people they know.

Brewster is free and available for the iPhone.

If you're new to Brewster, the first thing you'll be asked to do is select favorites. It's easy, just tap the friends or colleagues you contact the most.



Here is the new favorites section in action. Users can select up to 12 favorites and have easy access to call, email, or text them.



Greenwood told us that the updates tab has now started to incorporate whenever you meet someone new. They will show up in this section. We also don't remember Brewster telling us when our friends birthdays were either.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Mitt Romney Is On The Verge Of A Major Electoral Map Comeback

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Romney, Obama

After staring at an extremely narrow path to Electoral College victory just two weeks ago, Mitt Romney has overtaken President Barack Obama in several national polls and is closing the gap in most swing states as well

Still, Romney faces a daunting challenge. As it stands now, all plausible paths to 270 votes will run through Ohio.

New York Times stat guru Nate Silver gives Ohio a 40.4 percent chance to be the election's "tipping point" state, about 24 percent higher than any other state. 

Assuming Romney can hold on to Florida and its 29 electoral votes — the latest polls show him tied with Obama, on average — the must-win will be Ohio.

First, here's the electoral map without filling in the nine most common "battleground states." Obama goes in with a 237-191 advantage.



Now here's the map if Ohio goes blue. Obama leads 255-191.



Even if Florida goes to Romney, things would be much simpler for Obama if he wins Ohio. He get to 270 this way...

Virginia = 13 electoral votes

Iowa = 6 electoral votes



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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A First Look At Tumblr's New Photo-Sharing App

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Photoset uploadTumblr just released a standalone iPhone app that lets you group pictures together to better tell a story. 

The app is super simple to use. You can use pre-existing photos from your camera roll or take new ones, and then group them together to make a photoset.

That multi-photo presentation is a key feature that distinguishes Photoset from Instagram, Facebook Camera, or Twitter's built-in photo sharing tool.

Once you organize your set of photos, you can share them on a website with its own unique link, or share with friends on social networks including Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter.

Intriguingly, it uses a new website, photoset.com, instead of tumblr.com.

The app is free and is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Launch the app from your iOS home screen



Photoset gives you a quick tutorial on how to get started



Choose photos from your camera roll or take a new one



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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20 People Who Overcame Depression To Become Rich And Famous

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gwyneth paltrow lindex modern preppy

In a given year, more than 18 million American adults – nearly 10 percent of the adult population – will suffer from a depressive illness.

So odds are good that you, a relative, or a co-worker has or will experience depression – and the cost of depression. Consider these stats…

  • Depression is the leading cause of disability in men and women.
  • Depression causes an estimated 200 million lost workdays a year – which costs employers $17 to $44 billion.
  • During the two years leading up to a diagnosis, the total excess health care costs and absence-from-work costs for people with undiagnosed depression is about $3,386 per person.
  • Suicide kills about 37,000 people a year in the U.S. – that’s more than the number of car crash deaths.
  • The cost of depression to society is an estimated $70 to $80 billion a year in the U.S.

While two-thirds of depressed people don’t seek help, 80 percent of those who do improve their lives significantly – which is why we’re informing you today is National Depression Screening Day. So check out these free self-assessments if you or a loved one is among that two-thirds:

As these famous survivors of depression prove, the illness can affect anyone, comes in various forms, and has various causes – but doesn’t have to disable you.

ALSO SEE:

1. Buzz Aldrin

Retired astronaut Buzz Aldrin struggled with depression and alcoholism after walking on the moon with Apollo 11.

“When I felt the paralyzing gloom coming on, I’d begin to drink heavily,” he wrote in his book “Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home From the Moon.” “The situation progressed into depressive-alcoholic binges in which I would withdraw like a hermit into my apartment.”



2. Terry Bradshaw

Former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw was diagnosed with clinical depression and put on the antidepressant Paxil CR about 12 years ago.

“Depression is a physical illness,” he said in a USA Today article. “When you’re clinically depressed the serotonin in your brain is out of balance… So I take medication to get that proper balance back.”



3. Lawton Chiles

Former U.S. senator and Florida governor Lawton Chiles – who never lost an election – was treated for depression with Prozac after retiring from the Senate in 1989.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 8 Best Sandwiches In New York City

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parm nyc

There's a ton of competition in the world of New York City sandwiches, and the release of our 2013 Restaurants survey saw a lot of movement on the best-of list.

Last year's winner was displaced by two shops in Queens, and a red-sauce Italian joint made its debut on the lineup with its old-school creations.

Click through the slide show to see the city's eight best sandwich spots, and compare the selection to last year's list here.

With all these tasty options, we think we're feeling a sandwich for at least three meals a day.

#8: Meatball Shop

Food: 24
Decor: 17
Service: 19
Cost: $23

An “original concept” that “works," this “rapidly expanding” meatball specialist offers “mouthwatering” orbs “served in a variety of ways” plus “even better” “make-your-own ice cream sandwiches”; “can’t-go-wrong” pricing ensures the “no-frills” setups are “always packed.”

Meatball Shop: Multiple locations



#7: Bouchon Bakery

Food: 24
Decor: 17
Service: 20
Cost: $25

Bringing the “Thomas Keller touch” to the masses, these cafe/patisserie combos purvey “transcendent pastries” and “fancy sandwiches” in “mall”-like settings; the mainly takeout Rock Center branch features “Today Show” convenience, while its sit down–friendly Columbus Circle sibling boasts “scenic” Central Park vistas.

Bouchon Bakery: Multiple locations



#6: Parm

Food: 24
Decor: 17
Service: 19
Cost: $29

They “elevate” chicken, meatball or eggplant parm to “dizzying heights” at this new NoLita adjunct to Torrisi, turning out “signature sandwiches” and other “just-right” “Italian soul food”; it’s already too “popular” for the “tiny” ’50s diner–inspired space, so expect a “lengthy wait” to “squeeze in.”

Parm: 248 Mulberry St.; 212-993-7189



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: The Versace Family Is Selling Its Modern Mansion In Milan For $63.8 Million

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gianni versace milan apartment $63 million

The late Gianni Versace and his family have an impressive real estate portfolio.

In June, Versace's Miami mansion hit the market for $125 million, making it one of the most expensive homes for sale in America. Now, his brother Santo has listed his Milan apartment for $63.8 million, according to Curbed.

The home spans more than 22,000 square feet across four floors, and was built in 1954.

Welcome to Via dei Giardini Milano.



The home was designed by architects Carlo De Carli and Antonio Carminati, representatives of the Modern Movement, in 1953 and 1954.



Santo Versace, Gianni's older brother, has listed the place at $2,787 per square foot.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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19 Reasons Why Paul Ryan Shouldn't Underestimate Joe Biden Tonight

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joe biden

Despite four decades of political experience, Vice President Joe Biden takes the stage in Kentucky tonight as the underdog in his debate against his Republican opponent Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Congressman who is 20 years Biden's junior. 

Conservatives have been eagerly awaiting this night since the moment Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced Ryan as his running mate. To those on the right, the vice president has become a caricature of a liberal buffoon — a reputation Biden himself has perpetuated with his frequent gaffes and uniquely intimate brand of retail politics. He has become the biggest laugh line at Republican rallies this cycle, and the conservative blogosphere has even wasted a good amount of time and bandwidth speculating that Obama was going to boot the V.P. off the ticket. 

But there are compelling reasons to believe that Biden has been seriously underestimated going into tonight's debate. The vice president and former Senator is an experienced debater — and as New York magazine's John Heilemann points out, he's been outperformed expectations almost every time. 

A quick spin through the Biden archives reveal that the vice president's potential advantages go beyond experience. And even if he falters against Ryan, Biden's unique political gifts basically guarantee that tonight's matchup is going to be a wild ride.

People vote for him even when he looks like this.



He's got great style.



Mullet + Bill Clinton = Boss.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Elvis Presley's Beverly Hills Estate Hits The Market For $13 Million

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elvis beverly hills home

The former Beverly Hills home of Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla has hit the market for $12.995 million, according to Trulia.

The home has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and spans 5,367 square feet.

The gated house sits on 1.18 acres of land, with stunning views of Los Angeles from the backyard.

Welcome to Hillcrest Road.



The house was built in 1958.



About $1.836 million worth of improvements went into the home in 2010, according to the Los Angeles County Tax Assessor website.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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7 Awesome Paris Hotels That Won't Break The Bank

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Hotel Joyce

Ahh, Paris—the art and fashion capital of the world known for its over-the-top luxury properties and bohemian boutiques.

But though some (or, really, most people) can’t afford a stay at the iconic, Hotel Plaza Athenee or the Hotel Mathis Elysees Matignon, it doesn’t mean they have to skimp on their Parisian experience. 

Even the most budget-conscious travelers are sure to find value options without having to turn to crowded, 6-bed hostel rooms or chain hotels near the airport—especially with the help of this guide.

Check out our top picks for budget-friendly hotels in Paris and start packing!

Hotel Palm Opera

The 38-room Hotel Palm Opera is a well-run boutique with a fantastic central location. Rooms are clean and sophisticated with modern Danish-style minimalist decor, flat-screen TVs, and French balconies that offer excellent Parisian views.

The bathrooms are as immaculately clean as are the rooms, which are also surprisingly spacious. There’s little else in the way of amenities other than a small on-site dining room for breakfast, but this allows this contemporary, stylish hotel to be such a good value.



Hotel Joyce

Hotel Joyce is a mid-range hotel, part of the Astotel chain group—yet this particular hotel is very un-chain-like in design. Quirky would be a good word to describe it—oddities such as car seats (with seat belts) and funky light fixtures hang from the ceilings. The unique design elements mix well with the historical aspects of the hotel—like the glass-roofed solarium and stone walls. 

And it all adds up to make this boutique hotel a fun value option in the 9th arrondissement. The street and neighborhood are quiet, but within walking distance are train stations, the Moulin Rouge, and restaurants, and rooms are bright with white walls, murals, and bold accents. Travelers on a budget—and with a bit of a good sense of humor—should check this place out.



Hotel WO—Wilson Opera

The Hotel WO—Wilson Opera is a convenient 30-room boutique with a focus on design. Rooms are small but charming, with flat-screen TVs, modern decor, and black and white photographs of Paris. It’s true that some rooms are downright tiny, and in the bathrooms in Classic Rooms the shower area is practically on top of the toilet—but booking a larger Superior Room solves this problem and doesn’t come at too high of a price.

Rooms on the upper floors are particularly desirable, as some have balconies and views of the Eiffel Tower. With free Wi-Fi and a convenient location for reaching popular museums and attractions, Hotel WO is a good pick.



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Why Australia Is The Ideal Spot For A $50 Million Solar Plant

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Australia wind farmAustralia's first major solar farm came to life on Wednesday, Oct. 10. 

The $50 million Greenough River Solar Farm project was sponsored by General Electric and Australian state-owned Verve Energy.

The plant can generate enough energy to power 3,000 homes, bringing the country one step closer to achieving its goal of obtaining 20 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2020, Rebekah Kebede of Reuters reports.

The 10-megawatt plan is located in Western Australia near the town of Walkaway. The region is perfect for a solar facility because it gets a lot of sun and not a lot of rainfall.  

Reuters explains why Australia is the ideal spot for a solar farm:

[Australia] has the highest average solar radiation per square meter of any continent in the world, according to government, and a population the size of New Delhi spread over an area the size of the contiguous United States.

The solar farm has 150,000 solar panels spread across 200 acres.  

SEE ALSO: 10 Innovative Energy Sources To Help Break Our Fossil Fuel Addiction > 

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When Biden And Ryan Talk Sequestration Tonight They're Talking About These Companies

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Joe Biden Paul Ryan

Whether you've heard about it or not, sequestration is a big deal to a lot of people and is directly tied to the economy.

When the subcommittee failed to agree on $1.2 trillion in budget cuts last November, it agreed that much of the cuts would come from defense.

Those cuts are slated to arrive Jan 1, 2013.

No other solutions have been offered, and the Pentagon looks to face drastic cuts in the New Year.

Whether sequestration falls remains to be seen, but these are the 25 largest defense companies in America that may feel those cuts the most.

The data is by SIPRI based on numbers from 2010 and rank in terms of sales.

#25 CACI International

Arms sales: $2.3 billion

Total profit: $107 million

Employees: 13,100 people

While CACI International doesn't make weapons, they supply the U.S. Army with an information lifeline.

The TROJAN satellite communication systems provide the Army with a global network of shared mission-critical intelligence.

Source: SIPRI



#24 Goodrich

Arms sales: $2.2 billion

Total profit: $579 million

Employees: 16,300 people

Goodrich is yet another company to get a piece of the F-35 Lightning II cake. They work on the fighter aircraft's landing system. 

The U.S. Air Force trusts Goodrich with making their ejection seat of choice, the ACES II. It is most widely used ejection seat today and is credited with saving more than 600 lives.



#23 DynCorp International

Arms sales: $2.4 billion

Total profit: $9 million

Employees: 23,000 people

DynCorp International provides logistical support to the U.S. government defense programs. 

In Afghanistan, they are engaged in removing and destroying landmines and light weapons.

They are also involved with supporting air operations and have big contracts with the Department of Defense to maintain rotary and fixed-wing aircraft for all U.S. military branches.  

Source: SIPRI



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Meet 11 Species That Are Set To Take Over The Earth

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Asian Tiger Mosquito

Invasive species are bad news. They compete with native critters for food, destroy local ecology and, in some cases, are even dangerous to humans.

And thanks to the increasingly global nature of our world, there are more and more animals discovered where they don’t belong every year.

Here are just a few pests that have hitched rides to distant shores, where they’re currently wreaking havoc.

Cane Toad

The cane toad is perhaps the most infamous invasive species. Native to Central and South America, it has been imported to a number of places — Florida, the Philippines, some Japanese islands, most islands in the Caribbean, and Hawaii, among other places — by farmers who hoped the creatures would wipe out local pests.

Instead, they got another kind of pest, one that’s much harder to get rid of. The cane toad is huge — the biggest, captured in 2007, was over 8 inches long and weighed nearly two pounds — and voracious, gobbling up many native species.

The toxins in the cane toad’s skin often kill animals that try to eat it (except for those animals who seem to deliberately get high by licking the toads), and it puts rabbits to shame with its reproductive capabilities; each female lays thousands of eggs each year.

Case in point: Australia. In 1935, 102 cane toads were introduced to combat the Greyback Cane beetle. By 2010, that number had ballooned to 1.5 billion toads spread over 386,100 square miles, and they show no signs of stopping.

The toads are hardy, too: They’ve been spotted coming out of brush fires or hopping away after being run over. One toad even survived being eaten by a dog, which threw up the perfectly-fine toad 40 minutes later.



Asian Tiger Mosquito

You’ll recognize this nasty bug, number four on the list of 100 worst invasive species, by the black and white markings on its body and legs. Native to Asia, it has spread to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the United States — first in Hawaii in the 1800s, and then the continental U.S. in 1985, when it hitched a ride from Japan in a shipment of tires. Unlike most other mosquito species, the highly-adaptable Asian Tiger is active during the day, and lays its eggs either near stagnant water or in fresh running water.

To nourish her eggs, the female feeds off of humans, birds and other animals with a rapid bite that allows her to eat and fly before she can be swatted.

The mosquito is a carrier of West Nile virus and dengue fever, among other diseases dangerous to people. Scientists in South America are experimenting with genetically modified versions of the males — which, when released into the wild, live just long enough to mate and pass on a lab-tweaked gene that kills the larvae shortly after they hatch — though the plan to introduce those modified bugs in Key West has been met with some protest.



Burmese Python

Burmese pythons, native to Southeast Asia, came to the United States in the 1990s as part of the international pet trade. When those pets escaped their enclosures or were released into the wild, they bred, and the first established populations were reported in 2000.

These massive snakes, which grow to an average of 12 feet (although larger ones have been found, and the snakes can grow to 20 feet in captivity), are eating their way through native species throughout Florida.

Scientists believe they could eat Florida panthers, and at least one has tried to eat an alligator (albeit unsuccessfully: the snake exploded). It’s now illegal to import the snakes.



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11 Islands That Will Vanish When Sea Levels Rise

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Solomon IslandsAs the climate warms, sea ice and the ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic continue to melt. These and other factors lead to increases in sea level and further warming of the Earth. Climate change will manifest in many many ways, including changes in weather patterns and more extreme weather events. 

For some, though, rising sea levels may leave them underwater, Michael Mann said in an interview with The Guardian earlier this month.

See the disappearing islands >

According to the EPA, global sea level has risen by eight inches since 1870. This change is already affecting many low lying islands that have had to adapt. Some populations are moving to higher areas, or are trying to buy land from other countries to migrate its citizens, and some have even developed new ways of farming to protect their agriculture.

2007 estimates from the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change's most conservative estimates suggest that global sea level will reach increase 8 to 16 inches above 1990 levels by 2090. The National Academy of Sciences predictions from 2009 suggest that by 2100, sea level could increase by anywhere from 16 inches to 56 inches, depending how the Earth responds to changing climate.

See the islands and how they are coping with rising sea levels.

Kiribati

The president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, is in talks with Fiji's military government to buy up to 5,000 acres of land in order to relocate the 102,697 people that live in his country.

President Tong tells The Telegraph that this is their last resort: "Our people will have to move as the tides have reached our homes and villages."

Kiribati is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia and is made up of 32 low-lying atolls and one raised island. Most of its population has already moved to one island, Tarawam, after the rest of their land disappeared beneath the ocean.

Villagers on Abaiang, one of the Kiribati Islands, had to relocate the entire village of Tebunginako because of rising seas and erosion. Kiribati Flickr



Maldives

The Maldives, consisting of over 1,100 islands to the west of India, is the world's lowest-lying nation. On average the islands are only 1.3 meters above sea level. The 325,000 (plus 100,000 expatriate workers who are not counted in the census) residents of the islands are threatened by rising sea levels.

A documentary called The Island President tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives as he confronts the rise of the sea level in his country. A rise of just three feet would submerge the Maldives and make them uninhabitable.The Maldives AP



Seychelles

Seychelles consists of 115 granite and coral islands in the western Indian Ocean, with a population of 87,122.

Scuba diver Micheal Espron tells The National: "The water used to be farther out. Soon, the water will be right up into the hotel."

He also says that tourism will be affected when there are no beaches left around the islands. Locals remember that there used to be much more land for people, but now tourists are seen cramming into the small area of beaches that remain.  Seychelles Beach

A rise of just three feet would submerge the Maldives and make them uninhabitable.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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It's Crazy How Much The All-New iPhone Still Annoys Me (AAPL)

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white and black iphone 5

I love my iPhone. I've been an avid iPhone user for just over four years. Even a week with the latest, greatest Windows Phone device couldn't get me to switch. 

But as I've been exposed to other mobile phones and operating systems I've realized that the iPhone is lacking in several areas.

I've had my iPhone 5 for three weeks now, and there are some key aspects of the hardware and software that just don't live up to what I've come to expect from Apple.

Passbook isn't practical yet.

The idea behind Passbook is great, but the implementation isn't.

There are a lot of companies that are taking advantage of Passbook. But holding tickets and gift cards in electronic form doesn't do much to clean out my wallet. I'm not jumping to pull out my Passbook app everywhere I go, I want to be able to use it more. 

I wish that Apple had made Passbook like a better Google Wallet, allowing me to actually pay for items. Apple already has my credit card for iTunes. What's the holdup?



The camera isn't as great as Apple says it is

In my experience, my iPhone 5 takes blurry pictures when I use the flash. That's unacceptable.

Users have been reporting a "purple haze" in photos. Some suspect that this "purple haze" comes from the sapphire crystal lens used on the camera but Apple says that you're just holding the phone wrong. Whatever. I want the camera to take great pictures no matter how I hold it.



The Wi-Fi leak issue

With carriers trying to force users onto limited data plans, smartphones need to connect to Wi-Fi networks without a hitch.

Some users report trouble connecting to Wi-Fi networks. And then there's a Verizon Wireless glitch, where phones used data even when connected to Wi-Fi.

This isn't some casual bug. It can cost users real money.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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