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5 things that will almost certainly happen in the Middle East in 2018

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Syrian soldier Aleppo

  • After 2017, we can expect to see situations and conflicts worsening in places like Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
  • We also have to keep a close watch on ISIS, which has been sliding into oblivion but retains pockets of activity.


It's always dangerous to make predictions about the Middle East.

After all, few experts foresaw Anwar al-Sadat's trip to Jerusalem in 1977, which led to the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab state, nor did they predict the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79 or the Arab uprisings of 2010-11.

Having taught and written about the Middle East for three decades, however, I feel confident in making the following forecast for the region in 2018.

SEE ALSO: This map shows how ISIS has been almost completely wiped out

The Syrian conflict will drag on without resolution.

In Syria, the government will continue to reconquer territory, but will not be able to expand its control across the entire country.

There are four reasons for this.

First, regime opponents who have borne the brunt of the regime's brutality for the past seven years know better than to throw themselves on its mercy now. In the past, they have treated government offers of amnesty with scorn. They will continue to do so.

Second, the government is too weak. Most of the territorial gains the government made during the past two years were accomplished by subcontractors — Hezbollah, Iranian units, Iranian-trained and controlled militias and private militias — not by the depleted government forces.

Third, the overwhelming majority of opposition groups operate within the confines of a single province. This indicates that they are local forces under the control of a local power broker. Having experienced the lighter hand of the government for the past six years, they are unlikely to willingly surrender their hard-won autonomy.

Finally, the Syrian civil war has been a proxy war with the West and Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies supporting the opposition. While that aid will certainly decline as a result of donor fatigue and logistical problems, it will probably not end. As a result, the opposition will not surrender from sheer exhaustion.

The former Arab League and United Nations peace envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, will be proved correct. Several years ago, he predicted the Syrian civil war would end with the "Somalization" of Syria.

Like Somalia, Syria will have an internationally recognized government and permanent representation at the United Nations. It will continue to issue and stamp passports and, if it so chooses, will send a team to the Olympics. However, like the government of Somalia, the government of Syria will reign, not rule, over the entirety of its internationally recognized borders.



Saudi Arabia's 'reforms' will fizzle.

Saudi Arabia will continue to make reforms under the direction of Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman, but those reforms will be purely cosmetic.

Although the crown prince has been portrayed as a reformer, it is important to remember that Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, once played that role as well.

The crown prince will continue to try to consolidate power in his branch of the ruling family. So far, he has imprisoned other princes and economic elites on charges of corruption, while spending US$300 million on a house in France.

He has also taken power away from another pillar of the Saudi ruling group – the religious establishment. In fact, the so-called "loosening" of restrictions in Saudi Arabia – allowing women to drive, opening entertainment centers, stripping the religious police of the power to make arrests and promoting a "more moderate" Islam – are all aspects of his campaign to divest the religious establishment of its power and centralize power in the hands of his immediate family.

Only by releasing prisoners of conscience from Saudi jails and ending the barbaric war in Yemen might the crown prince demonstrate he is a true reformer.

The crown prince’s push to liberalize the Saudi economy will also fail. Two years ago he announced his "Vision 2030." It includes a list of off-the-shelf neo-liberal recommendations intended to turn Saudi Arabia into a market economy within 14 years.

The implementation of Vision 2030 would mean ending a governmental tradition of buying the loyalty of Saudi citizens through subsidies and employment. It would mean ensuring a free flow of information in a country that, in 2017, Reporters Without Borders ranked 168th of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.

It would mean dramatically increasing female workforce participation from 22% to a stated goal of 30% – still well below the global norm of 49% – and adding 2.5 million private sector jobs. Finally, it means changing attitudes toward work in a country in which 11 million guest workers literally do all the heavy lifting.

All in 12 years.



The caliphate will be gone, but not the Islamic State.

If 2014 was the year in which ISIS seemed unstoppable, 2015 was the year the IS caliphate began to slide into oblivion.

At its height, ISIS controlled 40% of Iraq. At the beginning of 2017, that number slipped to 10%, and ISIS lost 70% of its territory in Syria. The caliphate also lost all the major towns it had taken. The caliphate is finished.

But what about IS, the movement? Some ISIS fighters have already given up. They have tried to melt into local populations or return home, although they have met resistance from populations out for vengeance and fearful foreign governments.

For the rest, there are two likely scenarios. First, since a significant number of ISIS fighters from Iraq, along with their leaders, joined ISIS because they harbored grievances against the Shiite-dominated government in Iraq, it is entirely possible that they will continue to wage an insurgency against that government. This is just what the Taliban in Afghanistan did after the Americans overthrew their government.

Second, it is even more likely that former fighters and freelancers will continue their attacks globally, with or without organizational backing. The world is not lacking in gullible and disturbed individuals.

Nevertheless, because ISIS will lack a base from which to disseminate its sophisticated propaganda, and because the appeal of high-risk but ineffectual ideologies wane over time, so too will IS’ appeal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Inside the beautiful cemetery where New York's rich and powerful were laid to rest

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gwcem (55 of 61)

Deep in Brooklyn’s interior lies Green-Wood Cemetery, one of the largest and most prominent burial grounds in the United States.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Green-Wood was a premier final destination, housing the remains of New York City’s elite in fields as varied as business, art, industry, and politics.

Among the most notable eternal residents are corrupt politician William “Boss” Tweed, toy store founder F.A.O. Schwarz, piano manufacturer Henry Steinway, and business magnates Charles Pfizer and William Colgate. More recent arrivals include famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and composer Leonard Bernstein. 

The 400-acre grounds, built in 1838, are a stunning example of the rural cemetery movement, with Green-Wood often looking more like a beautiful city park than a graveyard. 

We took a tour of the grounds with Green-Wood historian Jeff Richman, who let us in on all the stories hidden behind the monuments and gravestones.

SEE ALSO: Jeff Bezos has passed Bill Gates to become the richest person in history — here’s the secretive waterfront town where both billionaires live

This is the entrance to Green-Wood Cemetery, which lies at the edge of Park Slope. The gates were designed in a Gothic Revival style.



The cemetery occupies 478 acres of rolling hills, dales, ponds, chapels, and crypts. The cemetery was part of the rural cemetery movement, which believed in creating park-like cemeteries, as opposed to small plots attached to churches.

Source: Wikipedia



It lies on the last of the terminal moraines (debris formed from Ice Age glaciers) that form the hills in Brooklyn and Queens.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 things unsuccessful people do over long weekends

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sad woman snow cold upset lonely

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday — which means some workers in the US will be getting an extra long weekend.

• Business Insider reached out to three experts to get a sense of some pitfalls to avoid during long weekends.

• They recommended protecting and being intentional with your time off.



Some people across the US will have Monday off, thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We already know what successful people will be doing over the long weekend. And we know Martin Luther King Jr. Day is meant to allow for reflection about the enduring legacy of the Civil Rights leader.

But what about the unsuccessful people among us? What mistakes can we watch out for and avoid?

After all, you don't want your free time go down the drain.

With that in mind, let's discuss some behaviors to avoid. Here are 11 things unsuccessful people do over long weekends:

SEE ALSO: 11 things unsuccessful people do over the weekend

DON'T MISS: 14 things successful people do over 3-day weekends

1. They neglect their loved ones

"A three-day weekend lets you schedule this critical quality time," said Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

That being said, spending a long weekend getting away from everyone isn't necessarily a bad thing.

But unsuccessful individuals don't avoid people because they're mindfully trying to unwind — they do it because something's holding them back from connecting.



2. They stress out

We all need to rest and recharge our batteries from time to time. Unsuccessful people are unable to do this, even over long weekends. This leads to misery during a time that should be filled with relaxation and happiness.



3. They spend a ton of money (needlessly)

You don't want to blow all your cash right before the holidays.

Unsuccessful people don't know how to control themselves over long weekends and end up with empty wallets as a result. Squeezing too many impulse purchases into such a short amount of time is a really bad idea.

If you're looking to have a ton of fun on a budget, consider a staycation or just carefully budgeting your fun in the sun.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See the rescue efforts underway as the treacherous mudslides that have killed 20 people continue ravaging California

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mudslides ca jan 12 2018

The death toll is rising as mudslides continue to ravage southern California. 

Twenty people have died as a result of the disaster in the wealthy enclave of Montecito, a community about 90 miles up the coast from Los Angeles.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office says finding anyone alive in the muck at this point would be a "miracle," even as rescue workers continue searching for survivors this weekend. The eighteenth victim, an 87-year-old man, was found dead in his home on Friday, the Associated Press reported, and 25-year-old Morgan Christine Corey's body was unearthed Saturday in the mud. Hours later, rescue workers found body number 20: 30 year-old Pinit Sutthithepa, whose son and father-in-law also died in the slides. Sutthithepa's 2-year old daughter is still missing.

Rescue workers are using search and rescue dogs to help wade through the mud and rocks — which is sometimes thigh-deep or higher — to search homes and cars. The damage from torrential rains was made worse by recent wildfires in the area that charred the earth and scrubbed the land of vegetation, making the ground slicker and the slides more dramatic.

Take a look at what rescue crews are dealing with as they survey the deadly damage: 

SEE ALSO: This year's deadly flu season is reaching its peak — here's how to tell if you're contagious

Cal Fire search and rescue crews used their hands to get free as they trudged through the mud, looking for survivors.

Most people who have evacuated are being told to stay away from their homes for at least two weeks, the Associated Press reported. 



Crews are using search-and-rescue dogs to hunt for victims.



But time is running out, as authorities plead for the public's help locating four people who are still missing.

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

26 tourist landmarks in Europe that are worth lining up for, according to top travel experts

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pena palace portugal flickr mark fischer

We've all been there.

You've gone to the Eiffel Tower on your first day in Paris. Now you're three hours deep in queues and your schedule for the rest of the weekend has been thrown off.

Then you reach the top of the iconic tower, take in your surroundings, and realise that the very best thing about Paris's skyline is missing from your view.

There are many tourist traps which sound great in theory but will eat into your holiday in a big way. Once you go, you realise that — although they look great on a postcard — they aren't entirely worth the visit.

But there are plenty of landmarks that are worth the wait. Business Insider asked travel experts from the likes of Lonely Planet, Rare Escapes, and KAYAK for their favourite European landmarks that are actually worth visiting.

Scroll on to discover their top 26, ranging from London's Big Ben to the ornate gardens of Manoir d'Eyrignac in France.

SEE ALSO: The 25 places you need to visit in 2018, according to the world's top travel experts

The Shard in London, UK.

"When done properly, London's Shard is a great way to view the London skyline," according to Neil James Cartwright, vacation search engine KAYAK's travel expert.

"Most people pay to go to the viewing deck – where they are herded in with dozens of other tourists all vying for free space by the windows. A better alternative is to visit Gong Bar on the floor below the viewing deck.

"You may have to reserve a table ahead of time, and there is a minimum spend of £30 for a table, but you get to sit in a beautiful bar, with some of the best barmen in London creating amazing cocktails for you."

"The view is 99% the same as the viewing deck, and may even work out cheaper than paying for individual tickets if you are a small group. I'd highly recommend going at dusk, so you can see the views of London slowly fade away and be replaced by the twinkling lights of the city."



The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

"Istanbul is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated destinations in Europe," Cartwright said.

"The only city in the world to span two continents, you can really feel the blend of culture as you walk around, but one attraction which really made me stand and stare in awe was the interior of Hagia Sophia – or 'The Blue Mosque.'

"The intricate details of the mosaic covers every high wall and domed ceiling. The level of attention to the artwork and the sheer volume of the place really makes this a tourist attraction that is worth taking the time to visit."



Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"Tivoli, depending on the time of year, is one of the most beautiful amusement parks I've ever visited," Cartwright said.

"If you visit during the Christmas period, the whole park is themed with no expense spared on the lights and decorations. There are lakes with small boats, Chinese-themed buildings, and no shortage of small cafés and restaurants to have a glass of Gløgg and take a break from the cold."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The ugliest building in every US state, according to people who live there

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The Apex Building in Pawtucket

Architecture is a form of art. When a city constructs a new building, it should add beauty to its streetscape.

But that doesn't always happen. Every town across the United States likely has a tower, a government complex, or an office building that residents wish never went up.

Business Insider asked readers to name the one architectural eyesore they loathe in their state. Responses ranged from a building that looks like a giant wooden basket to a hotel painted solid gold.

The most unpopular buildings — two that were named by nearly a dozen readers — were Boston's City Hall, a concrete structure that one person described as "depressing," and Manhattan's 432 Park Avenue, a skyscraper that another reader said resembles "a very tall trashcan."

Here are the ugliest buildings in every US state, plus Washington DC:

SEE ALSO: Panasonic is building a 'smart city' in Colorado with high-tech highways, autonomous vehicles, and free WiFi

Alabama — The Government Plaza in Mobile



Alaska — The Westmark Hotel in Anchorage



Arizona — The City Hall of Tempe

Dishonorable mentions: The Century Link Tower and BMO Tower in Phoenix



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 electric cars you'll see on the road by 2025

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Aston Martin Rapide

  • While electric vehicles aren't posting big sales numbers yet, auto companies are making significant investments in them.
  • Both new and traditional car manufacturers plan to release electric vehicles in the coming years.
  • Some of the vehicles have specs and tech features that exceed most gas-powered cars.


While electric vehicles still represent a very small percentage of global car sales, automotive companies have made significant investments in them. As governments move to increase emissions standards, even traditional manufacturers anticipate electric vehicles playing a big role in the near future.

These are 20 electric cars you can expect to see by 2025:

SEE ALSO: The 10 most high-tech sedans you can buy

Porsche Mission E

Porsche's Mission E will hit the market by the end of 2019 and may start around $75,000.



The car will be able to charge wirelessly.

The car will pack two engines, 600 horsepower, and the ability to charge by sitting above a charging plate.



Volkswagen I.D. Buzz

Volkswagen is revamping its iconic minibus with the I.D. Buzz, which will hit dealerships in 2022.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Forget Iceland — these are the 10 places around the world everyone will be visiting in 2018, according to travelers

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nerja spain

We're barely into 2018, but travelers are already chiming in on this year's newest travel hotspots. 

TripAdvisor recently released its annual list of global travel destinations on the rise, and this year's list includes gems from Croatia to Kenya.

TripAdvisor based its rankings on year-to-year increases in positive reviews for attractions, restaurants, and hotels in each destination, as well as search and booking data.

Read on to see the 10 global destinations that are on the rise in 2018, as well as the average nightly cost of a local hotel:

SEE ALSO: These are the 10 places in the US everyone will be visiting in 2018, according to travelers

DON'T MISS: 13 of the best places to visit if you're planning a vacation in February

10. Casablanca, Morocco — The bustling Moroccan port city of Casablanca is a favorite for architecture lovers, between its mix of Moorish and European-style buildings and the largest mosque in Morocco. The average nightly hotel rate is $102.



9. Nerja, Spain — Nestled along Spain's Costa del Sol, the resort town of Nerja offers stunning views of the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains, as well as sandy beaches and cliffside coves. The average nightly hotel rate is $97.



8. Rovinj, Croatia — There are endless opportunities to explore in Rovinj, where steep cobblestone streets and piazzas beckon travelers to the seafront. The average nightly hotel rate is $110.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Scientists spent a month exploring the Gulf of Mexico's deep sea habitats — and the images they brought back are astonishing

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NOAA deep ocean

There's a spectacular, uncharted alien world right off the Gulf Coast, and a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) expedition sought to uncover its secrets.

This past December, a NOAA team, aboard the Okeanos Explorer, conducted the first of three month-long studies of the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico, with the dual aim of exploring the diversity of deep-water habitats and mapping the seafloor. 

Using a mix of remote-operated submersibles (ROVs), and shore-based instruments, the team brought back stunning images of previously unexplored areas. 

Here's a sample of what they found in the inky depths:

SEE ALSO: Here are the most stunning images NASA has ever taken of our planet

Over dozens of dives, NOAA's submersibles brought back images of deep-water creatures that had seldom been observed before.

Here, the coiled tip of a bamboo coral is pictured growing out of the sediment on the seafloor, thousands of feet below the surface. 



A submersible explores a shipwreck first spotted by an offshore drilling exploration firm in 2002.

The submersible, Deep Discoverer, conducted a full archaeological survey of the wreck, collecting 3D mosaic images and analyzing the life living on it. NOAA's researchers believe the ship is a merchant vessel dating back to around 1830. 



In this image, you can see a tiny snake star, surrounded by the spiny arms of larger sea stars coiled among the branches of a coral, at a depth of 1,315 feet.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We put In-N-Out and Five Guys to the test in a battle of the burger chains — and the winner surprised us

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in n out versus five guys 2x1

In a battle of the burgers, Five Guys is winning. The East Coast burger sensation claimed the top spot in a 2017 brand report from Harris Poll, based on input from over 100,000 consumers.

In-N-Out, a cult favorite on the West Coast, held the title for the previous two years and has long been considered Five Guys' top rival. The burger chain recently announced it's opening a distribution center in Colorado, which could allow it to expand further east. All stores must be located close to these hubs because of the company's strict policy of serving its food fresh.

Five Guys has grown its footprint along with its fandom. It has over 1,500 locations worldwide, while In-N-Out has about 300 stores across soon-to-be seven states.

With the rivalry heating up between these East Coast and West Coast chains, my colleague Rob Price and I decided to give them both a try in a back-to-back taste-test. Here's what we thought.

SEE ALSO: In-N-Out has added its first new menu item in 15 years — here's our review

The San Francisco Bay Area is a burger-lover's paradise, in part because it's home to Five Guys and In-N-Out locations. We tried the home team, In-N-Out, first.



When we arrived, nearly every table had been claimed.



The West Coast burger chain has a noticeably slimmer menu than fast-food giants like McDonald's and Burger King, with few options beyond burgers, fries, and shakes.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Flight attendants reveal 5 secrets for actually sleeping on a flight

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bridesmaids airplane

One of my favorite things to do on any flight over four hours is take a refreshing nap.

But it's not always easy to curl up and fall asleep in cramped and uncomfortable airline seats. So how do flight attendants, who sometimes have to catch some shut-eye in an overhead bin, do it all the time?

We rounded up some top tips for getting some restful sleep on a plane straight from the experts.  

Dress for flight sleeping success

Comfortable and warm clothes inspire sleepiness for a reason. If you want to sleep on the plane, try wearing an oversized hoodie, or looping a huge pashmina over your shoulders and around your neck. Don't forget your big, thick socks.

"On long flights it helps to have on comfortable clothing and loose-fitting shoes. Due to pressurization, our bodies swell and it can be uncomfortable if you aren't used to it," Southwest Airlines flight attendant Emily Witkop told Yahoo.

It's possible to go too far in your pursuit of sleep-inducing comfort, though. Whatever you do, don't be the obnoxious passenger that everyone on the plane tells stories about later.

"Don't wear your personal pajamas on the plane if you are over five years old. That is poor traveling etiquette and people will not disregard your just-rolled-out-of-bed look," Witkop added.

Also, never take off your shoes on the flight. Keep them on your feet after you get through the security checkpoint.



Pack the right sleep accessories

Packing things like a travel pillow, a good sleep mask that blocks out light, noise-canceling headphones/earbuds or earplugs, and soothing tisanes to sip, like chamomile or peppermint, can really help.

Want to avoid jet lag? Flight attendant Laurie Evans has over 10 years of experience flying with WestJet. She suggested using melatonin supplements to make the most of the short time you might have available for sleeping.

"Stress is the hardest thing after a long day. It can be really hard to unwind quickly especially when there's the worry you're going to miss your wake-up call,"Evans told CTV.

The best way to ensure sleep on the plane: Bring your best napping accessories in your carry-on.

"I must, must, must have an eye mask, a neck pillow, and noise-canceling headsets or earplugs. I also like to have a relaxation playlist to ease me into sleep,"flight attendant Kelly B. told Well and Good.



Make use of your window seat

If you board your flight with naptime on your mind, window seats are your best friend.

Due to differing window placements, some window seats are better than others for sleeping.

"On most of our planes, I look for the indent in the window. If the window indent is an inch or two in front of the seat, it’s the best place for your head to lean into," flight attendant Lauren McLaughlin told Yahoo.

If you’ve packed your comfiest sleep accessories and you’re in a window seat like this, you should drift off in no time — turbulence permitting.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 50 best-selling albums of all time

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Michael Jackson

The King of Pop reigns on the all-time list of best-selling albums.

Released in 1982, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" currently boasts a sales mark that no album is likely to touch anytime in the near or distant future. 

We compiled the RIAA's data for the best-selling albums in U.S. history (measured in "certified units" sold), and it's fascinating to see some of the names that appear in the top 50 — including a recent entry from Adele's "21."

Check out the best-selling albums of all time:

 

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling music artists of all time

50. Phil Collins — "No Jacket Required"

Certified units: 12 million

Buy it here >>



49. Matchbox Twenty — "Yourself or Someone Like You"

Certified units: 12 million

Buy it here >>



48. Led Zeppelin — "Led Zeppelin II"

Certified units: 12 million

Buy it here >>



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Amazon's Echo vs Google's Home: Here's how the two families stack up (AMZN, GOOG)

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Amazon's Echo family is finally has some real competition. Behold: The Google Home line of devices, aimed squarely at Amazon's equivalent Echo line of devices.

Google Home line

We're not talking about Bluetooth speakers here — we're talking about speakers that live in your house, permanently plugged in and connected to the internet, which you can command using your voice. In the case of Amazon's Echo line, you're speaking to Alexa; in the case of Google's Home line, you're speaking to Google Assistant. 

Following the announcement of two new Google Home devices in late 2017, Amazon and Google are on more even ground than ever before. But which to buy? Here's how the two families of devices stack up.

SEE ALSO: The Google Home Max is too loud and too expensive — and you should absolutely buy it

Amazon Echo vs Google Home

Price:

Amazon Echo: $100

Google Home: $130

What can it do?

Amazon Echo: Amazon's main Echo device is capable of playing music, giving you directions, ordering you an Uber, and a whole mess of other things. You can ask Alexa to re-order items from Amazon, or you can ask Alexa how far Pluto is from Earth. It's the gold standard in smart speakers, and the second-generation speaker both costs less and looks better than the first model.

Google Home: Google's main Home device is nearly identical, in terms of functionality, to Amazon's main Echo. It can play your music and answer questions and whatever else, all powered by "Google Assistant"— the name for Google's smart-ish AI assistant (Google's Siri, in so many words). 

Which should I buy?

At $30 less, and nearly identical in terms of functionality, Amazon's Echo is a no-brainer here. The Google Home seen above is nearly a year-old device at this point, whereas Amazon's second generation Echo is still fresh. Not only will you pay less with the Echo, but you'll get a newer device. Win-win.



Amazon Echo Dot vs Google Home Mini

Price:

Amazon Echo Dot: $50

Google Home Mini: $50

What can it do?

Amazon Echo Dot: Amazon's Echo Dot is an Echo in every way except loudness — we're talking about a tiny little device. If you were expecting serious sound out of this little hockey puck, you've got another thing coming: The Dot is an extension device, enabling you to network your Echo devices and play music in multiple rooms. You could use the Dot as an alarm clock, or you could just use it to hear the morning headlines ("Alexa, tell me the news"). 

Google Home Mini: Like the Dot, Google Home Mini is an extension device. It does everything that the Dot does, but it has one notable difference: A broadcast feature. Here's how it works: Say you're a parent, and you're in the garage waiting by your car for your kids to come downstairs. You've got a Home Mini in the garage, and various Home devices all over your house. You ask Home Mini to broadcast the message, "Get down to the garage before I freak out." And it will! Pretty fresh.

Which should I buy?

This one is far more of a toss-up. Both of these devices do roughly the same thing, cost the same price, and really exist to extend the functionality of the Amazon Echo or Google Home you already own. In so many words, don't buy an Amazon Echo Dot if you have a Google Home, and vice versa — these are items that you get after you choose to buy an Echo or a Home.



Amazon Echo Plus vs Google Home Max

Price:

Amazon Echo Plus: $150

Google Home Max: $400

What can it do?

Amazon Echo Plus: Amazon's Echo Plus can do everything a standard Echo can do, but it has better speakers and a built-in smart home hub. Normally, if you want to, say, control your Phillips Hue lights with an Echo, you have to teach it that "skill"— meaning, you go into the Alexa app and activate that particular ability before you can freely use it. In the case of the Echo Plus, it can detect and connect to stuff like that automatically. The Plus is a vision of the future of the Echo, and what Amazon's after: a connected smart home, controlled by voice, using Echo devices that are connected to smart lights and TVs and whatever else.

Google Home Max: If you're big into audio, the Google Home Max is for you. If you're not, the Google Home Max is very much not for you. This device is more of a speaker than a smart device, though it certainly does everything that all the other Google Home devices do. It's got Google Assistant built in, and you can order a pizza from Domino's (or whatever), but the real idea with the Home Max is to take on stuff like the Sonos Play 5 speaker and Apple's upcoming HomePod. To drive this point all the way home (get it?), Google introduced the Home Max with a video starring Diplo. If you don't know who that is, this speaker definitely isn't meant for you.

Which should I buy?

Whoa on that price difference. We're not talking about a $10 disparity here, but hundreds of dollars.

That said, though the Echo Plus and the Home Max occupy the same tier on their respective product line-ups, these aren't really comparable devices. The Echo Plus is intended as the main hub for your smart home (in addition to being a better music device than the entry-level Echo), whereas the Home Max is intended as the main hub of your music life. Despite the price comparison being obviously weighted in the Echo Plus' favor, what you really need to identify here is what you want this device to do. If you're looking to kit out your house like Marty McFly's house in "Back to the Future 2," the Echo Plus is for you. If you want an incredibly loud, clear speaker with voice control, the Home Max is for you. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The most ridiculous law in every state

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frog jumping contest

We've all heard urban legends and rumors about absurd laws in America, but you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

Sites like dumblaws.com — which rarely link to states' current statutes or may misinterpret them — only perpetuate the myths. Yes, it's illegal for a drunk person to enter a bar in Alaska. No, a woman's hair does not legally belong to her husband in Michigan. The list goes on.

We decided to undertake some legal legwork and identify the strangest statute still on the books in each state. You might find you're guilty of one or two violations.

A previous version of this article was co-authored by Christina Sterbenz.

SEE ALSO: Here's where you can legally smoke weed in 2018

ALABAMA: The City of Mobile may know how to throw down on Mardi Gras, but the use of confetti is strictly prohibited. To carry, manufacture, sell, or handle the party supply is considered an "offense against public safety."

Source: Municode Library



ALASKA: A person cannot get drunk in a bar and remain on the premises. The statute says an intoxicated person may not "knowingly" enter or camp out where alcohol is sold.

In 2012, police in Anchorage, Alaska, started enforcing the law by sending plainclothes officers into to bars to identify excessively drunk people and arrest suspects, according to ABC News.

Source: Alaska State Legislature



ARIZONA: No one can feed garbage to pigs without first obtaining a permit. You can swap out the trough for a waste basket if the swine are raised for your own consumption.

Source: Arizona State Legislature



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The incredible career of Jim Mattis, the legendary Marine general turned defense secretary

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Mattis Ukraine

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has achieved a legendary status on par with the heroes of the US Military's past.

Stories of his achievements and sayings are told in the same way that Patton, Pershing, Marshall, and MacArthur. He is widely viewed as above politics — a man dedicated to his job and his country.

In his 44 years of service, Mattis rose through the ranks of the military to the very top. He has received numerous colorful nicknames — most notably "Mad Dog" and "Warrior Monk"— and made a number of memorable statements that will likely be quoted by service members for a long time to come.

Take a look at the life and career of the Warrior Monk:

SEE ALSO: Trump was asked about a Marine general's prediction that a 'big-ass fight' is coming and said 'maybe he knows something that I don't know'

DON'T MISS: Why Trump's national security adviser thinks it might soon be time to bomb North Korea

James Norman Mattis was born September 8, 1950, in Pullman, Washington.



Mattis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves when he was 18 years old in 1969. He was commissioned a second lieutenant after graduating from Central Washington University with a history degree in 1971.



Mattis saw his first action as a lieutenant colonel in Operation Desert Shield in 1990.



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27 genius under-$100 ideas for an instant home upgrade

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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.

smart bulb

We're all for the "new year, new me" attitude at the beginning of the year, especially in regards to our homes. You eat, sleep, and relax in the same place for most of the time, so it makes sense that in addition to upgrades in other areas of your life, you're looking for a change in your home.

The HGTV marathon-fueled excitement of giving your space a total makeover quickly dies down when you remember you spent all your money on last year's holiday gifts or you made a resolution to be more budget-friendly this year.

Before you resign yourself to another year of the same old, same old, it's worth realizing that sometimes it's the smallest adjustments to your bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen that provide the biggest returns. 

These under-$100 changes are super easy to implement and prove that you don't need a revolutionary overhaul to achieve the feeling of new beginnings. 

SEE ALSO: 20 brilliantly simple and cheap upgrades that improve your everyday life

This small touch by the sink goes a long way.

Birch Lane Porcelain Soap Dish, $10.99, available at Wayfair



Mix and match vases of various shapes and sizes or showcase a large decorative one as a centerpiece.

Reactive Glaze Vases, $11-$55, available at West Elm



Display your books and knick-knacks on an easy-to-install floating shelf.

High & Mighty Floating Shelf, $24.88, available Home Depot



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The best videos of fans celebrating the Vikings' miraculous game-winning touchdown in the playoffs

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Vikings fans celebrate

  • The Minnesota Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints on the final play of the game on Sunday night, scoring the first walk-off touchdown in postseason history.
  • Vikings fans across the country rejoiced, providing the world with a whole new set of amazing fan reaction videos as they watch in utter elation as their team wins against all odds.
  • With the win, the Vikings earned a spot in the NFC Championship next week against the Philadelphia Eagles.


The Minnesota Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints on a miraculous play in the final seconds to punch their ticket to the NFC Championship.

The victory came on the last play of the game, with Vikings quarterback Case Keenum connecting with Stefon Diggs, who was able to scamper into the end zone thanks to a bit of blown coverage on the part of the Saints defense. It was the first walk-off touchdown in regulation in NFL postseason history.

On the field, players were in disbelief — Keenum looked as shocked as anyone that he had helped the team pull of the impossible, showing a range of emotions that began with disbelief and quickly worked its way to elation

In Minnesota, as well as among Vikings fans across the country, a similar wave of shock, awe, and delight — as well as screams at the television — took place in bars, homes, and wherever else Minnesotans had gathered en masse to watch the game.

As a result, sports fans were blessed with a string of fan celebration videos.

SEE ALSO: Case Keenum had a great reaction after throwing the miracle pass that sent the Vikings to the NFC Championship

Some were celebrating in their homes, surrounded by loved ones, all adorned in Vikings jerseys.

 

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Others quickly dove into song as Diggs found the end zone.

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Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild fans went insane as they put their hockey fandom momentarily on pause to cheer on their favorite football team.

 



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Tesla's largest US Supercharger station has a plush, private customer lounge in the middle of a folksy California town — take a look inside (TSLA)

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Tesla Supercharger Kettleman City

KETTLEMAN CITY, California — Amid swaths of farmland and a smattering of gas stations, fast-food restaurants, and motels, Tesla's largest-ever Supercharger station sits tucked away from the main street that runs underneath the 5 Freeway, on a corner lot that used to be a Burger King drive-thru.

Across the street to the east is a gas station and a Carl's Jr., to the south an auto-repair shop, and to the west two budget hotels.

Farther south across State Route 41, there's a recently built strip mall, curiously named Bravo Farms, whose architecture was designed to resemble old Western saloons of generations past.

The Tesla Supercharger station, unlike the Burger King before it, makes use of nearly all the available space. An expanse of covered solar parking shelters the 40 Superchargers on the lot. A private lounge invites Tesla travelers to rest in plush armchairs, plug in their mobile devices, and enjoy soothing music.

There are vending machines, restrooms, and Tesla staff inside the lounge. A separate display section shows off Tesla Energy products: the solar panels and Powerwall battery packs it sells to residential and commercial customers.

On one of the two large flat-screen displays inside the lounge is a real-time world map with the locations of every Supercharger station on the planet. There are three numbers at the bottom of the screen — kilowatt-hours delivered, miles enabled, and gallons of gasoline saved — that tick up as you watch.

This is now Tesla's domain. Its presence in an otherwise folksy enclave — one of at least six on the route here from Los Angeles — is a clear sign that Tesla is gearing up to own the electric-car future.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Model 3s are starting to show up in stores for the first time

DON'T MISS: Mercedes-Benz stole BMW's crown in US luxury-car sales for 2 consecutive years — now BMW is planning a comeback

Tesla says the Kettleman City Supercharger is its largest in the US. Another in Baker, California, sits along a major route connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

 

 



This trip served two purposes: to determine whether I could make it to the Kettleman City Supercharger without stopping to top up, and to check out Tesla's newest digs.



I planned to drive from Los Angeles in the red Model S P100D Tesla loaned to me. Before I got on the road, I stopped briefly at the Supercharger station on the SpaceX campus in Hawthorne.



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Bitcoin's main technology opens up opportunities to profit from these 14 stocks, HSBC says

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dan schuman paypal

It's quite easy to buy bitcoin. But it's not as straightforward to directly profit from blockchain, the technology that drives the cryptocurrency.

Analysts at HSBC have identified a handful of stocks mostly in the US, Japan, and China that let investors do just that.

Blockchain is basically a decentralized system that ensures everyone has the same information about payments at the same time. It's an obsession in corners of Wall Street, and central banks from China to Canada have discussed how it could be used.

"Cash usage is falling, accounting for c. 85% of global transactions today, and this is set to accelerate thanks to technology, benefitting customers (convenience), businesses (security) and governments (tax evasion)," HSBC's equity strategists wrote in a recent note.

"Blockchain is essentially a cashless payment solution, and those companies involved in cashless hardware, software and platform could therefore be set to benefit from a blockchain world."

The way HSBC screened for the stocks is dead simple: The analysts selected companies in the MSCI's All Country World Index whose business descriptions had any of the following terms: "mobile payment,""electronic money,""internet finance," and "mobile commerce."

HSBC's basket of stocks has gained 119.9% over the past five years, while the MSCI ACWI has risen 51%.

Here's the list:

SEE ALSO: One group of traders has risen to dominate bitcoin trading

"Mobile payment"



PayPal

Ticker: PYPL

Country: USA

Industry: Software & Services

Market Cap: $88.4 billion

2018 EPS growth estimate: 20.9%



Worldpay Group

Ticker: WPG

Country: United Kingdom 

Industry: Software & Services

Market Cap: $11.5 billion

2018 EPS growth estimate: 15.4%



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22 secrets every Disneyland lover should know

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Smellitzers

  • Disneyland has a lot of hidden secrets that even the most savvy fan might not know.
  • Disneyland pumps different scents into the park, so visitors will always associate different smells with Disney. 
  • Dozens of feral cats live on the Disneyland property: They're pest control.

Most Disneyland fans know the basic secrets of the "Happiest Place on Earth," like the hundreds of hidden Mickeys around the park, but we bet that even the most experienced Disneyland veterans have never heard some of these behind-the-scenes facts.

From the dozens of feral cats that are "employed" by Disney as pest control to the secret train car that's dedicated to Walt Disney's wife Lillian, we've rounded up 22 of the most fascinating secrets about Disneyland that will make you feel like an expert. 

Disneyland has a hidden members-only club — and it's the only place in the Magic Kingdom that sells alcohol.

Club 33 is the most difficult-to-access spot in Disneyland. Hidden in plain sight in New Orleans Square, this 5-star restaurant was originally envisioned by Walt Disney as a quiet place to personally entertain corporate sponsors and special guests.

If you want to eat at Club 33,  you have to either know someone who is a member, or put your name on the 14-year waiting list and pay up to $100,000 in membership fees.

Unlike Walt Disney World, Disneyland does not sell alcohol anywhere in the Magic Kingdom, except inside the secretive Club 33.

Check out INSIDER's account of what it's like to eat inside Club 33.



There are secret menu items all over Disneyland.

Yes, even Disneyland has secret menus. Besides the Mickey Mouse-shaped bread bowl, you can also get off-the-menu ice cream nachos at the Golden Horseshoe and loaded tater tots at River Belle Terrace, both in Frontierland.



Disneyland constantly pumps scents into the park, like the smell of fresh popcorn and baked goods on Main Street.

Have you ever noticed that Main Street always smells delicious? Or that the Haunted Mansion has a musty scent? There's a reason for that. Disney Imagineers invented the Smellitzer machine that can pump scents through hidden vents in the park.

Former Disney employee Jody Jean Dreyer wrote in her Disney memoir that the Imagineers understood that scent is a strong trigger for memory, which can help us associate Disneyland with childhood nostalgia, just by getting a whiff of popcorn. 



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