• This week, Amazon canceled three shows at once, all alternative comedies: "One Mississippi,""Jean-Claude Van Johnson," and "I Love Dick."
• Over the past few months, streaming services including Amazon, Hulu and Netflix have been canceling shows, even critical hits like ""Lady Dynamite,""Difficult People" and "One Mississippi."
• This is just the beginning, so now is probably a good time to get used to streaming services cancelling shows that you love. 

It’s been a brutal couple of months for fans of quirky, lo-fi streaming comedies. In November, Hulu unexpectedly canceled one of its first breakthrough series, the Julie Klausner–created Difficult People. Netflix last week pulled the plug on Lady Dynamite, killing the almost universally acclaimed Maria Bamford half hour just weeks after its second season premiered. And Wednesday night, Amazon blew up most of what’s left of its comedy roster, handing out pink slips to One Mississippi, I Love Dick, and Jean-Claude Van Johnson. Shocking as some of these cancellations may be to fans of the shows — including many TV critics — they’re not entirely unexpected.

The streaming revolution, while still young, is no longer in its infancy. OG online networks Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix now have several years of programming experience under their belts, and, more importantly, reams of data about what works and doesn’t with their subscribers. It’s only natural they’d begin using the reams of data they collect from audiences to begin fine-tuning their offerings. What we’ve seen in recent months — shifting strategies, abrupt cancellations, and even the death of an entire platform (see-ya, SeeSo) — is part of the medium’s maturation process. “They’re starting to act more like traditional, mature programming services,” one veteran television exec told Vulture Thursday. “They’re canceling shows which clearly weren’t working for them.” Still, even if the big picture regarding what’s going on seems pretty clear — streamers are growing up — the culling we’ve seen in recent months offers a few other lessons about the immediate future of nonlinear television.

SEE ALSO: The 29 HBO shows that critics and audiences both agree are wonderful

Streaming networks are not here to be your programming utopia.

During the early, heady pioneer days of streaming, outlets (particularly Netflix and Amazon) seemed to hand out automatic renewals to every show they produced. Seriously: Lilyhammer lasted for three seasons on Netflix. As our veteran TV exec notes, “At first, there seemed to be no rules; everything was a hit,” he said. “That’s bullshit. The law of averages says not everything will work.” As streamers were ramping up, there was good reason to be patient. First, they needed to make themselves attractive to potential series creators and TV studios who might have been hesitant about taking a chance on the new platform. House of Cards was hotly pursued by multiple networks, but it landed at Netflix because the streamer agreed to produce two full seasons without even seeing a pilot. Money was also obviously a factor, but for many creators, the lure of going to a Netflix or Hulu was not having to stress over ratings or worry about people finding their show within a few weeks.

And at first, streamers really didn’t care at all about audience numbers, since they knew people were still getting used to the idea of streaming shows. What’s more, as various online networks built their programming libraries, they had to be patient since they still only had a handful of originals to offer. But as those catalogues started growing, individual shows became much less important. Sure, die-hard fans of Lady Dynamite or The Get Down will deeply miss the shows, but it’s unlikely many will cancel their subscriptions as a result. While all Big Three streamers continue to up their overall content spends, they really don’t have unlimited budgets — particularly as they move into other genres, like talk shows (Netflix, Hulu) or live sports (Amazon). If a series isn’t clicking on some level — viewership, awards, pop-culture buzz — the fundamental rules of TV are going to kick in. “When something’s not working, you cut it off,” our TV veteran said. “At some point, they have to operate a business.”

Amazon does not want to be Netflix.

Even as all the major streamers have begun canceling shows in greater numbers of late, what’s been happening at Amazon represents a much more fundamental shift. Company CEO Jeff Bezos has made it very clear that, both in television and, apparently, feature films, he wants to evolve Amazon’s entertainment offerings. The art-house, critic-friendly fare championed by disgraced former Amazon Studios chief Roy Price (and TV head Joe Lewis) will be replaced by content designed to appeal to the masses, both in the United States and abroad. It’s a form of the tentpole strategy Disney has pursued in features under CEO Robert Iger, where smaller one-off movies made way for franchises like Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean. Toward that end, Amazon recently agreed to pay up to a quarter-billion (with a “b”) to develop a new The Lord of the Rings television universe. It’s not hard to see why a small indie-movie-like comedy such as I Love Dick didn’t have a chance under this new way of thinking.

The strategic shift further distinguishes Amazon Prime Video from Netflix. Even before Bezos changed course, it was always clear Amazon had no intent to try to race Netflix to become the dominant streaming network. And with good reason: While Netflix is fully focused on entertainment, TV and movies are a (relatively) small part of Amazon’s overall business plan. Shows like One Mississippi or movies like The Big Sick are just one of a dozen or so benefits of the annual Amazon Prime subscription; the prime benefit of Prime for most customers probably remains free two-day shipping of Amazon purchases. Exactly why Bezos thinks going big makes more sense than catering to smaller, yet passionate, bases of TV fans is unclear; he hasn’t really spoken much about his programming philosophy. It could be a sign he hopes to make Prime Video a stand-alone service, and big titles will be needed to get customers to sign up. Or maybe, as some in Hollywood think, Amazon might try to get into the linear TV business, buying an existing broadcast or cable network. If so, it would be smart to have programs with cross-platform appeal and the ability to attract advertisers. Whatever his thinking, Amazon Prime is likely never going to spend as much money on TV as Netflix, nor program as many genres. This week’s cancellations were probably inevitable given where Amazon is headed. (It’s also why fans of Catastrophe shouldn’t hold their breath for a season five of the show after season four premieres later this year.)

Cancellations in the streaming age will be more shocking.

In the world before streaming, fans and journalists often could tell when a show was not long for this world. Low ratings, time slot changes, episode count reductions: All were metrics which hinted a favorite show was on the bubble. That’s still the case today with linear TV. Even though it’s become harder to make predictions about a show’s fate as ratings become less important overall, there are usually signs something’s about to bite the dust. That’s not the case in the streaming world. Sure, the execs who run streamers have metrics — even more detailed data about who’s watching their shows, and how. The difference is, they’re not transparent about that information. Save for a handful of execs at individual outlets, most folks — even agents and producers — don’t know much about how programs are performing. Even when showrunners or agents do know some data, it’s hard to understand what it means since they only know how their own series are doing and not how they’re doing relative to other shows. As a result, decisions to kill a series often come out of the blue.

At least for now, streamers probably aren’t risking all that much with their sometimes seemingly arbitrary axings. As noted earlier, Netflix in particular has so many shows targeting so many consumers, no one series is likely to result in a wave of canceled subscriptions. It also still renews far more shows than it cancels, and it’s proven responsive to fan outrage: It ordered a Sense8 wrap-up movie when stans of the show spoke up following its cancellation.

Long-term, however, some streamers could risk doing damage to their brands, both among average viewers and Hollywood creatives. Amazon’s relatively sudden strategy shift, for example, could make some top-tier showrunners think twice about setting up shop at the streamer, even if their ideas fit within the company’s new blockbuster mentality. If Amazon can shift gears so quickly and abandon so many well-regarded series at once, what’s to stop the company from one day just deciding, “Eh, we don’t need to make TV shows anymore”? Mad Men creator Matt Weiner, for one, has to be wondering just how much marketing and promotion Amazon will give to his anthology series The Romanoffs, which as of now seems more likely than not to end after one season.

For the past seven years, Hong Kong has held the title of the world's priciest city for home-buyers, according to the 2017 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.

James Law, a Hong Kong-based architect, believes that his micro-homes could help alleviate the city's housing crisis. But his tiny home designs are anything but typical — they are concrete water pipes outfitted with all the amenities of a modern home.

Law explains more about his "tube home" design below.

SEE ALSO: The Netherlands is getting a 'vertical forest' skyscraper covered in over 5,000 plants — and apartments cost less than $900 a month

Called the OPod, the "tube homes" measure 100 square feet. For perspective, a standard one-car garage spans about 200 square feet.

Law's firm, James Law Cybertecture, manufactured the "tube home" pictured below from a 8.2-foot-diameter water pipe.

It includes a sofa that folds out into a bed, shelves, a mini fridge, a microwave, and a bathroom with a shower.

Right now, the home design is only a prototype. But Law said he plans to start selling the homes soon. His team is currently seeking permits from the city to start building.

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.

There’s a reason the most successful people in our society are often the most voracious — or dogged — readers.

Think about how many new ideas you’re exposed to in the pages of a book, compared to days in a year of your life alone. Frequent readers are constantly engaged with new ways of thinking, alternate perspectives, and a habitual effort for self-betterment. None of these things are exactly hurdles to success.

In fact, when Warren Buffett was asked about the key to success, he pointed to a stack of books, saying "Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it."

And for those of you that will do it, here are the reading books those hyper successful people have recommended over the years, curated with quotes about why this pick exactly.

READ THIS: Here are 15 books that will help you succeed in the tech world

Bill Gates: "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City"

As Desmond puts it: "Eviction’s fallout is severe. Losing a home sends families to shelters, abandoned houses, and the street. It invites depression and illness, compels families to move into degrading housing in dangerous neighborhoods, uproots communities, and harms children. Eviction reveals people’s vulnerability and desperation, as well as their ingenuity and guts."

Melinda and I have been working for some time to learn more about how Americans move up the economic ladder (what experts call mobility from poverty). "Evicted" helped me understand one piece of that very complex question, and it made me want to learn more about the systemic problems that make housing unaffordable, as well as the various government programs designed to help. Read his full comments here.

Source: gatesnotes

Buy it here >>

Warren Buffett: "The Intelligent Investor"

Jeff Bezos: "The Remains of the Day"

• There are right and wrong ways to get a bartenders attention.
• To figure out just what they are, we asked bartenders from around the world to weigh in.
• Among the many faux pas, don't ever yell, click your fingers — or even wave them. Bartenders hate that.

When the bar is packed and your bartender appears to be out of earshot, what do you do?

Do you wave your credit card in the air? Do you snap your fingers? Or maybe you reach over the bar and start pouring yourself a drink?

To find out the right and wrong ways to get a bartender's attention at the bar, we went directly to the source, and more than 30 bartenders from around the world weighed in with their opinions on the matter.

Below are some of worst things people do when they're trying to get a bartender's attention, as well as some better alternatives.

SEE ALSO: Bartenders share 13 things they'd love to tell customers but can't

DON'T MISS: Bartenders reveal what customers' drink orders say about them

Clicking or snapping your fingers at them

"Say excuse me, politely putting your hand up without waving it in the air. Just wait your turn. We see you, I promise. Never snap your fingers."

Yelling at bartenders to get a drink made right away

"You're not the only customer in the bar, so we'll get to you when we get to you, especially if it's busy."

"Don't yell at us if you have been waiting for more than a minute to be served. If you are looking like you're about to vent your frustrations on us, then we will ignore you until we are calm enough to handle your attitude."

Waving your finger

"The finger wave must have originated in the 7th circle of hell."

Grilled chicken: the timid, humdrum sibling of fried chicken.

While nowhere near as glamorous or greasy as its crispy companion, grilled chicken is starting to increase in popularity as it rides the wave of health-conscious dining. Most major fast-food chains offer grilled-chicken options, from sandwiches to nuggets — even Shake Shack is in on the trend now.

But seared chicken isn't masked by a delicious fried coating, so it has to be good to pass muster.

We tried grilled-chicken sandwiches from eight major fast-food chains — Burger King, Bojangles', Chick-fil-A, Hardee's, McDonald's, Shake Shack, Wendy's, and Zaxby's — to find out which is best.

SEE ALSO: We gorged ourselves on IHOP's All You Can Eat Pancakes and discovered why it was a horrible idea

9. Burger King Tendergrill

According to Burger King's menu, this chicken is marinated and seasoned with "pepper and herbs"— yet in reality, it tastes of utter nothing. The bun is weak, underwhelming, and prone to flattening. And with the sandwich coming in at 470 calories — the highest of any on this list by a long shot — its nutritional value is dubious at best. 

This is a chicken sandwich in the midst of an existential crisis. Is it meant to be an enjoyable, flavorful item or merely a bland vehicle for protein delivery? The chicken itself is dry, stringy, and tough. The lettuce and tomato are pallid, and the mayonnaise oversteps its boundaries in every bite. This sandwich leaves one in tangy despair.

8. Bojangles' Grilled Chicken Sandwich

The grilled chicken from Bojangles' is, in a word: disappointing. The chicken breast is flavorless and dry, which makes little sense considering how over-laden with mayonnaise the sandwich is. The bun sops up both mayo and tomato, leaving it a mushy mess. 

For New York City musicians, performing in the subway can provide extra pocket cash, a chance to practice their art, promotion until they stumble on the next opportunity, or even a modestly-paying career.

Performing for donations, also called busking, is legal ever since the constitutionality of a Depression-era ban was challenged in 1970 by poet Allen Ginsburg.

In 2013, we spoke to and photographed some of New York City's subway musicians.

SEE ALSO: A little-known travel app that is Airbnb-meets-Tinder helped me have the wildest night in Tokyo partying until sunrise

DON'T MISS: Inside the beautiful cemetery where New York's rich and powerful were laid to rest

Anyone can perform in the subways, so long as you don't use amplification on the platform. Amplification is allowed on mezzanine levels however. Spots are first come, first serve and there is an extensive etiquette to avoid treading on other performers' toes.

Manhattan-native Jacob G. Cohen is a cellist who has been busking full-time for over two years. He calls it a "real-life Kickstarter." The exposure he's gotten from busking helped fund a tour in Asia.

Hear his music here.

"I’m getting to play music all day, but not music where anyone has told me what to do. I have control over my whole life now, making more money, and meeting amazing people everyday," says Cohen.

• Amazon has narrowed its search for the site of its next headquarters, dubbed HQ2, to 20 cities. 
• The list of candidates includes Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Denver.
• The company said it will make a final decision this year.

Amazon has waded through 238 proposals from cities across North America that are eager to become the home of its new headquarters, HQ2.

On Thursday, the company announced that it has reduced the list to 20 finalists, which includes Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, DC, and New York City. 

In the next few months, Amazon will be working with these locations to investigate the bids in more detail before making a decision. Late last year, the company outlined several requirements for cities, including access to an international airport, a population of more than one million, and a "stable and business-friendly environment."

For the new headquarters, Amazon said it plans to invest over $5 billion and accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs, making it one of the largest corporate-civic giveaways in modern American history.

Take a look at the winning proposals below.

SEE ALSO: Amazon reveals the 20 cities that could be the home of its next headquarters

Atlanta, Georgia

Possible sites: A 120-acre site that includes railroads and parking lots in Downtown Atlanta has been named as the city's primary site for HQ2, sources told The Atlantic Business Chronicle.

Population: 472,522

Nearest international airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Notable universities: Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College

Economic incentives: At a recent city event, the mayor of Atlanta said the state and city are offering incentives and infrastructure improvements that would total over $1 billion.

Why Amazon could choose the city: Moody's has placed Atlanta second in the running, scoring it high on human capital and affordability.

Austin, Texas

Possible sites: The city has not confirmed which sites have been proposed. However, the Austin Business Journal reported that a local real estate developer had been considering pitching the Broadmoor Campus, which is partly occupied by IBM in the north of Austin.

Population: 947,890

Nearest international airports: Austin–Bergstrom International Airport

Notable universities: Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin

Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.

Why Amazon could choose the city: Austin is a well-known tech hub, but it has a lower cost of living than other tech cities like San Francisco and Seattle. Plus, Amazon would benefit from being close to one of its corporate offices as well as Whole Foods' headquarters.

Boston, Massachusetts

Possible sites: The city published an in-depth proposal outlining all the sites it had pitched in Boston. Its first recommendation was the Suffolk Downs racetrack between East Boston and Revere. However, three other areas were also presented around Downtown Boston and the waterfront, the South End/Back Bay area, and the Allston/Brighton area.  

Population: 673,184

Nearest international airports: Logan International Airport

Notable universities: Boston University, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT, and Northeastern University

Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.

Why Amazon could choose the city: There's a good public transportation infrastructure within the city, and it's well-connected to other major cities along the East Coast.

If there are two things a traveler should never go without, it’s a good hotel and great wine.

Get the best of both worlds at a stunning property in a classic vinicultural destination, where you’ll be wined and dined by world-class chefs and get to tour impressive vineyards and sample incredible terroir.

From Napa Valley to Mendoza, these wine country hot spots will make an oenophile out of any novice drinker.

SEE ALSO: Here's exactly how many days you should book your flight in advance to save the most on airfare

1. Six Senses Douro Valley, Portugal

Northern Portugal is famous for its Port wines, but in recent years, it’s the region's light clarets and rich, Burgundy-esque reds that have begun receiving the most recognition. Six Senses made its European debut here, transforming a 19th-century terracotta-colored quinta into a 57-room wellness retreat. Make the most of your time at Douro Valley by learning about local vintages in the wine library and sampling the terroir in nightly tastings, but make sure to leave time for some non-wine pursuits—namely, a hot-stone massage, a private forest circuit training class, and time in a meditation pod set high in the treetops above the snaking Duoro River.

2. Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort, California

Napa Valley has no shortage of top-tier hotels, but when it comes to privacy, Calistoga Ranch—tucked into a secluded canyon on 157 acres overlooking the valley—is in a league of its own. Start your day with a yoga class on the outdoor deck, followed by tastings at nearby bucket-list vineyards including Caymus and Opus One, and a “land to table”-style dinner at the lakefront restaurant. (Order the standout beef filet with toasted barley, braised greens, mushrooms, and dates.) Afterwards, take a bottle of Cabernet out to the porch of your freestanding cottage and lounge by the fireplace as you drink in the sounds of birds chirping from ancient oaks.

3. The Vines of Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina

Argentina’s Uco Valley is famed for its ability to produce quality wines at high altitudes. There’s nowhere better to taste the terroir than this 22-villa resort in the foothills of the Andes, two hours by car from the Mendoza airport. The Vines is part wine estate (it’s set on a 1,500 acre vineyard), part luxury resort (think floor-to-ceiling windows, fluffy duvets, electric fire pits, and spa-style bathrooms). The restaurant is headed up by none other than super-celebrity Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, whose pioneering open-flame cooking techniques lend hearty flavors to dishes like four-hours roasted lamb with Anna potatoes and watercress salad.

Protests erupted across the United States on Saturday, with thousands of demonstrators lining the streets of major cities, donning pink "pussyhats," and rallying against President Donald Trump.

The demonstrations are taking place on the one-year anniversary of Trump's inauguration and the 2017 Women's March, in which millions of people were believed to have protested simultaneously for women's rights and against Trump's election victory.

Here are some scenes from Saturday's protests:

SEE ALSO: More than 3 million people believed to have protested on the day after Trump's inauguration

DON'T MISS: The organization that planned the Women’s March is trying to turn the protests into election results in 2018

Women, men, and children took to the streets in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and various other cities.

There were also solidarity protests in countries like Italy, Japan, Germany, and Uganda.

Source: The New York Times.

The Women's March goes beyond offering just one singular message...

• Congress is one day into its government shutdown, and lawmakers appear no closer to a deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
• The immigration program has been a major sticking point for lawmakers, many of whom are trying to pair the issue with other immigration-related demands.

As Congress heads into the second day of a government shutdown, one of the key issues at stake is immigration, namely a program that protects hundreds of thousands of young unauthorized immigrants known as "Dreamers."

The Trump administration is terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and left Congress six months to enact some sort of replacement — and time is running out.

Though President Donald Trump and Republican leaders say they will not negotiate on immigration until the government reopens, Democrats are still pushing for a solution on DACA.

Here's what you need to know about the program:

SEE ALSO: Trump was reportedly fuming after John Kelly said his views on the border wall had 'evolved' since the 2016 campaign

What is DACA?

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program shields from deportation roughly 690,000 young unauthorized immigrants by providing two-year, renewable permits. DACA was implemented by the Obama administration in 2012, after several attempts to legislate a permanent solution for Dreamers failed in Congress.

DACA does not grant immigrants a legal status in the US, but it provides work authorization and defers any immigration enforcement or removal actions they might otherwise be subject to.

Applicants to the program were only accepted if they were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012. They also had to have moved to the US before they turned 16 years old, and lived in the US continuously since 2007.

They were also required to have graduated high school or obtained a GED, or completed prior military service, and to not have any prior felony or serious misdemeanor convictions.

The Trump administration announced September 5 it would wind down the program, calling it an act of executive overreach by the Obama administration and declaring it unconstitutional.

How is DACA being phased out?

The Trump administration gave Congress six months to enact a legislative solution, announcing last September that the program would be terminated on March 5, 2018.

The administration allowed those DACA recipients with near-term expiry dates to renew their permits one last time, so long as they applied by October 5, 2017. For a number of reasons, including mail delays, roughly 22,000 DACA recipients who were eligible to renew failed to do so on time, and advocates estimate that 122 immigrants per day have lost their DACA protections since September 5.

DACA's phase-out was further complicated in recent weeks by a ruling from a federal judge in California who ordered the Trump administration to resume processing DACA renewal applications.

The Trump administration quickly sought to appeal that ruling to the Supreme Court and a federal appeals court, but it did not seek a stay on the California judge's initial ruling and will therefore continue processing DACA renewals for the foreseeable future.

The uncertainty over DACA's termination date has prompted some lawmakers, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to argue that DACA should be excluded from funding negotiations because the program is not imminently at risk.

Immigration lawyers and advocates, however, argue that the uncertainty over DACA renewals only add urgency. Renewals can take months for the government to process, and that leaves both DACA recipients and their employers in limbo.

"It is going to be so detrimental to them, because they just don't know. It's hard for employers to plan," Theda Fisher, a partner at the Withers Bergman law firm, told Business Insider. "[DACA recipients] also all live in a world of uncertainty. So if they have a car loan or a mortgage or a family here, they're not sure if they're going to be able to pay their bills come later this year when their work authorization expires."

How do lawmakers feel about DACA?

Lawmakers on all sides of the political spectrum generally agree that DACA recipients were brought to the US through no fault of their own and grew up alongside Americans, and therefore should not face deportation en masse.

There are some exceptions, such as Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who has proposed that DACA recipients "go home" and that they could volunteer for the Peace Corps in their home countries.

King and some far-right immigration commentators argue that granting any type of "amnesty" to the DACA population would negatively impact American workers, particularly because DACA recipients are relatively well-educated, skilled, and competitive in the workforce. Economists say there is no evidence DACA recipients are systematically taking jobs away from American workers.

But in mainstream politics, the debate is not whether to let DACA recipients stay in the US, but what type of status to grant them.

Democrats believe DACA recipients should have a pathway to citizenship, and so should a broader population of unauthorized immigrants brought to the US as children who either fell outside of DACA's age parameters or who may have been eligible for DACA but failed to apply.

Some Republicans also support a pathway to citizenship, but hard-line conservatives prefer to grant DACA recipients temporary, renewable permits, as has been suggested in a recent House GOP bill. The lawmakers fear that granting citizenship to DACA recipients would lead to the naturalization of their parents or other relatives, whom they could sponsor.

President Donald Trump's first year in office is drawing to a close, and White House photographers have documented just about every day in thousands of photos.

From Trump's first 100 days, to top-level meetings with cabinet members and foreign dignitaries, the photographers employed by the White House were given access to capture defining moments of Trump's presidency that the independent press corps were not.

Here are the White House photos that stand out the most from Trump's first year in office:

SEE ALSO: The White House photographer has taken more than 2 million photos during Obama's presidency — here are the best

DON'T MISS: 10 cringe-worthy awkward moments from Trump's first year in office

January 20, 2017: President-elect Donald Trump walks to take his seat for the inaugural swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

January 31, 2017: Trump joins Judge Neil Gorsuch, his wife Louise, and other in prayer in the Green Room of the White House, following Trump's announcement of Gorsuch as his nominee to the US Supreme Court.

February 28, 2017: Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump delivers his Joint Address to Congress at the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

We are still three months from the 2018 NFL Draft, but players and teams are already jockeying for position, and experts are starting to weigh in on their early predictions with mock drafts.

We surveyed eight NFL Draft experts who have released mock drafts recently to get a consensus prediction for which players teams might be considering with all 32 first-round picks. Under this format, it is possible for the same player to appear in multiple spots and for some players with first-round talent to not appear at all if there is no consensus on where they might land. As we get closer to the draft we will be able to add more experts and we will start to see more agreement on most of the picks.

The experts: ESPN's Mel Kiper, Walter Football, RJ White of CBSSports.com, USA Today's Luke Easterling, Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com, Eric Galko of Sporting News, Rotoworld's Josh Norris, and DraftTek.

1. Cleveland Browns — Sam Darnold, QB

Experts: 5 out of 8

School: USC

Other notable possibilities: Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley

Key expert quote: Rang: "Like any young player, Darnold has his flaws, most notably an elongated windup, which contributes to both fumbles and interceptions. He is accurate (including on the move), athletic and tough. He also comes with a pro-caliber build, offense and media market, making the projection to the next level simpler than most of his competition. "

2. New York Giants — Josh Rosen, QB

Experts: 6 out of 8

School: UCLA

Other notable possibilities: Sam Darnold, Saquon Barkley

Key expert quote: Kiper: "Rosen is the top pure passer in this class. He looked better than Darnold when UCLA and USC played late in the season. Rosen, however, has dealt with injuries the past two seasons, and there already have been rumblings that he doesn't want to end up in Cleveland. There are some red flags. But some team is going to draft him high -- he has rare arm talent and has been much more secure with the ball than Darnold and Allen. The Giants could move into life after Eli Manning with a new franchise quarterback."

3. Indianapolis Colts — Saquon Barkley, RB or Bradley Chubb, DE

Experts: 3 each out of 8

School: Penn State (Barkley), North Carolina State (Chubb)

Other notable possibilities: Arden Key, Orlando Brown

Key expert quote: White: "Barkley is likely the top talent in the draft this year and a decent bet to go No. 1 overall despite the position he plays. The Colts will be looking for a new bell-cow back despite there being no proof that Frank Gore isn't a warlock who has defeated the slow march of time, and if Barkley is there at No. 3, he could be the top name on the board for the Colts. It wouldn't be too shocking to see them go pass-rusher or offensive lineman either. "

North Korea is arguably the most secretive nation in the world.

It shares long borders with China to its north, and also with South Korea. But the third, and by far the shortest, frontier is an 11-mile stretch of land it shares with Russia.

Unlike the Chinese border, the Russian one has allowed access to Google's camera cars, which can come pretty close to the Korea Russia Friendship Bridge ("Druzhny Bridge" in Russia), a rail link between the two nations.

Peek into North Korea from Linenaya Ulitsa, a road along North Korea's 11-border with Russia, through these 2013 photos:

SEE ALSO: Stunning photos reveal what childhood in North Korea is really like

READ MORE: Boats full of dead people from North Korea keep showing up in Japan — here's why

North Korea is notoriously secretive and hidden from Google Maps' Street View function — all the areas not in blue can't be accessed on the service.

The regions of Primorsky, Russia, and Josan-ri, North Korea, are divided by the Tumen River, a 320-mile long river along North Korea's border with China and Russia. There's Google Maps imagery up to the tip of Linenaya Ulitsa, a road that stops just before the river.

Tourists in Yanbian, a Chinese prefecture that shares borders with both North Korea and Russia, can peer into North Korea at a designated observation point, where you can see the rail bridge.

As a restaurateur, you need to be pretty exceptional to even be considered for a Michelin star. It takes a lot more to win a second. And to get the elusive third star, your food has to be practically unrivalled.

Business Insider spoke to the UK's most prestigious restaurants to compile a list of the best dishes to try at every two- and three- Michelin starred restaurant in the UK.

Some of their dishes have been on the restaurants' menus from day one. Others are personal favourites of the chefs, and more still earned their spot by being a hit with the customers.

At the time of publication, only 23 restaurants in the UK have two or three Michelin stars. Scroll on to discover the one dish to try from every Michelin two- and three-starred restaurant in the UK, ranked in alphabetical order and including the price for and a description of each dish.

(N.B. Prices for meals and set menus don't include wine.)

SEE ALSO: Every Michelin-starred restaurant in the UK where you can dine for £30 or less

Halibut, oyster, and seaweed at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in Mayfair, London — three Michelin stars

Tomato, garlic, cuttlefish, tripe, thyme, veal stock, and white wine make up this ultimate comfort food. Served with a herb salad, and a slice of cake to mop up the juices, this gratin holds many fond memories for Bosi whose grandma used to cook it for the whole family.

"It's a dish I cook myself at the restaurant as there isn't a recipe for it!" Bosi said.

Cost:£24 as an entrée on the à la carte menu, or £85 as part of a three-course tasting menu.

Assiette Anne-Marie at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire — two Michelin stars

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Throughout the spring and summer months, the gardeners at Belmond Le Manoir pick as many as 150 courgette flowers each day. This vibrant plate of vegetables represents the full cycle of spring. The courgette flower is stuffed with garden peas, baby courgettes, mint, marjoram and extra virgin olive oil. The dish is now named after head-gardener, Anne Marie Owens.

Cost:£170 as part of the three-course Specialities Menu.

"My mum's tripe and cuttlefish gratin" at Claude Bosi at Bibendum in Chelsea, London — two Michelin stars

Tomato, garlic, cuttlefish, tripe, thyme, veal stock, and white wine make up this ultimate comfort food. Served with a herb salad, and a slice of cake to mop up the juices, this gratin holds many fond memories for Bosi whose grandma used to cook it for the whole family.

"It's a dish I cook myself at the restaurant as there isn't a recipe for it!" Bosi said.

Cost:£24 as an entrée on the à la carte menu, or £85 as part of a three-course tasting menu.

President Donald Trump's first year in office has included many awkward moments.

Whether implying a 19th century abolitionist was alive or ignoring a handshake from the German Chancellor, Trump provided plenty of fodder for ridicule from his online critics and amusement from his supporters.

Here are 10 of the most cringe-worthy awkward moments from Trump's first year in office:

SEE ALSO: The 22 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

DON'T MISS: Trump's most outlandish, bombastic, and eye-popping tweets of 2017

Trump implies Frederick Douglass is alive

During a Black History Month event, Trump implied that Frederick Douglass, the revered 19th century black abolitionist, was alive. Speaking about Douglass in the present tense, Trump praised his accomplishments and claimed that the former slave and celebrated writer was becoming more well-known.

"Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice,"Trump said.

Critics ridiculed Trump for his comment. Comedian Seth Meyers joked,"Keep your eye on that Fred Douglass kid, he's going places. Fred Douglass is an up-and-comer."

Trump appears to reject a handshake with German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Trump appeared to reject an offered handshake from German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to the White House in March.

When photographers asked for a handshake, Merkel leaned over to Trump and seemed to ask him to shake hands.

Trump didn't appear to respond to the question, and he didn't look over at Merkel as she spoke to him. It's unclear if it was a deliberate snub or unintentional. They have shaken hands at other meetings since.

Melania Trump swats her husband's hand away

First Lady Melania Trump made waves when she appeared to swat her husband's hand away while walking down a tarmac in Tel Aviv with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, in May.

• The richest person in every US state has a net worth of at least $700 million. 
• Some of the millionaires and billionaires inherited their wealth, while others built companies from the ground up.
• Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffett each take the top spot in their home state.

America is home to the most billionaires— and billionaire wealth — of any country in the world. Only seven US states have no billionaires.

That's according to Forbes, which listed the richest person in every state by net worth as of June 2017. The list includes nine women and nine men who inherited their fortunes, while the rest are self-made.

Several siblings appear on the list, including the heirs of Mars Candy and Walmart. The siblings live in different states, earning them multiple spots on the list.

Most of the millionaires and billionaires on the list earned their fortunes in finance, real estate, tech, and retail.

Some notable billionaires — including Bill Gates — are absent on the list. Gates made the cut when this list was originally published but Jeff Bezos has since surpassed him as the wealthiest person in the state of Washington — and the world.

Below, meet the richest person in every US state.

SEE ALSO: 6 surprising things people always get wrong about American millionaires

DON'T MISS: From Beyoncé and Jay Z to Tom and Gisele — meet 7 of the world's richest power couples

Alabama: Jimmy Rane

Net worth: $700 million

Industry: Lumber

Source of wealth: Founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving

Hometown: Abbeville, Alabama

Alaska: Leonard Hyde, Jonathan Rubini, and families

Net worth: $340 million

Industry: Real estate

Source of wealth: Cofounded and co-own JL Properties

Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska

Arizona: Diane Halle

Net worth: $6 billion

Industry: Automobiles

Source of wealth: Inherited fortune from husband who founded Discount Tires

Hometown: Paradise Valley, Arizona

• Emirates has the largest fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s in the world.
• Emirates Engineering is tasked with keeping the fleet operating safely and effectively.
• Here's a look inside its facilities at Dubai International Airport.

Over the past three decades, Emirates has become a global aviation powerhouse. The Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based airline now operates the world's largest fleet Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s.

The tally includes 101 Airbus A380s, five times as many as the next largest operator of the superjumbo. And Emirates has committed to as many as 77 more of the planes. It also operates 166 Boeing 777 airliners. That means roughly 12% of all Boeing 777s produced over the past 25 years currently fly wearing Emirates livery.

And the people tasked with keeping these planes operating safely and effectively is Emirates Engineering. It's the airline's maintenance arm. 

Emirates engineering handles everything from routine line maintenance to comprehensive checks that require the disassembly of the airplane. They also do engine maintenance, cabin modifications, and aircraft upgrade projects. 

Emirates even has a paint shop where it can do custom liveries and decals. 

It's an organization that has proved to be immensely successful and is built on a team-focused culture of "when in doubt, ask for help" and an understanding of the importance of preventative maintenance.  

Emirates engineering is headquartered in a complex of hangars, engineering shops, and office building at the northern edge of Dubai Airport. The $350 million facilities opened for business in 2006.

Recently, Business Insider had the pleasure of a taking a tour of Emirates Engineering facility.

SEE ALSO: Airbus just landed the $16 billion Emirates deal it needs to save the iconic A380 superjumbo

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Emirates Engineering is based in a massive 136-acre complex of administrative buildings and hangars located on the northern edge of Dubai International Airport.

The facility's eight hangars help make up one of the largest free-standing structures in the world.

Our first stop, the Aircraft Appearance Centre. This is more than a paint shop. Here, workers are able to assess the condition of the aircraft's exterior. cleaning it, paint it, and apply any additional decals.

• Companies that achieve strong revenue expansion have historically seen their stocks climb.
• Goldman Sachs has identified the 14 S&P 500 companies set to see the biggest sales growth in 2018.

With the broader stock market expected to rise this year, it can be difficult to identify the companies set to leave their peers in the dust. But there are ways to sift through the noise to find the winners — assuming you know where to look.

One way to do this is to identify the companies most likely to see revenue expansion. And lucky for you, Goldman Sachs is here to help.

The firm ranked stocks in the benchmark S&P 500 index by expected 2018 sales growth, providing a handy guide to the companies the bank sees as most likely to enjoy revenue-driven gains.

It's important to note, however, that revenue is just one piece of the puzzle. Further down the income statement, earnings growth is another crucial piece. In fact, Goldman has a separate analysis ranking stocks by profit expansion, which you can learn more about here. Used in tandem, the two studies are intended to make it easier for investors to make good trading decisions.

Without further ado, here are the 14 stocks Goldman says will offer the biggest sales growth this year (Note: the firm's analysis excludes stocks from the financial, utilities, and real-estate sectors):

14. Priceline

Ticker: PCLN

Industry: Consumer discretionary

Goldman Sachs rating: Neutral

2018 expected sales growth: 14%

13. Apple

Ticker: AAPL

Industry: Information technology

Goldman Sachs rating: Coverage suspended

2018 expected sales growth: 15%

12. Broadcom

Ticker: AVGO

Industry: Information technology

Goldman Sachs rating: Not rated

2018 expected sales growth: 16%

• American malls are closing all over the US.
• A report done by Credit Suisse estimates that 20% to 25% of malls would shutter over the next five years, largely because of store closures.
• In 2017, 6,400 stores closed – a further 3,600 are expected to close in 2018. 
• These photos show how malls were forced to shutter as key anchors such as Sears and Macy's left. 

American malls are dying out.

Retail complexes all over the US are being clobbered by store closures sweeping the country.

In 2017, more than 6,400 stores closed and another 3,600 are expected to shutter in 2018. According to a report done by Credit Suisse, this will result in 20% to 25% of malls closing in the next five years.

A national retail apocalypse has crippled US malls as anchor stores such as Macy's and Sears, which take up large retail spaces and drive foot traffic, have shuttered stores and left malls with enormous gaps to fill. 

For many malls, this is an impossible task. 

Take a look at some of these haunting photos below that show home badly America's malls have been hit:

SEE ALSO: These 15 retailers could be the next to declare bankruptcy

This is the Carousel Mall in San Bernardino, California, which closed in 2017. The mall had been hanging by a thread after it lost its two main anchors, Montgomery Ward and JC Penney, several years before.

Source: Business Insider

Euclid Square Mall in Ohio had a similar fate and shuttered in 2016.

It was temporarily used by religious congregations who held services in old stores. In September 2017, Amazon announced plans to build a 1.7 million square foot fulfillment center in its place.

Source: Crain's

I've just been thrust back into using my old 2012 MacBook Pro, as my new-ish 2016 Touchbar model has a problem with its keyboard and is currently being repaired by Apple. 

Going back to older devices can be a negative experience, as newer models usually come with new features and improvements that should make older models feel obsolete. 

Instead, my old MacBook Pro is making my new model feel less useful.

Indeed, Apple has made some questionable changes to its more recent MacBook Pros that I thought I'd highlight. 

Check out four things that my old MacBook Pro does better than my newer model:

SEE ALSO: An upcoming iPhone update will let users decide if they want to throttle their performance — but Tim Cook doesn't recommend they do

A reliable keyboard.

Apple's started using its second iteration of its Butterfly keyboards, simply called Butterfly 2, in the 2016 MacBook Pro, and it's been a somewhat divisive feature. The keys are almost completely flat and they're designed to press down more evenly than regular keys. Some love it, others hate it. 

I actually quite like the Butterfly 2 keyboard, but it is insanely loud to type on. And it's not quite as comfortable to type on as the chunky keys on my old MacBook pro.

With that said, the Butterfly 2 is more susceptible to problems. My "g" key randomly started double-registering – where I pressed it once and two Gs appear on my screen. Sometimes, my MacBook Pro wouldn't register my "g" key at all. That's incredibly frustrating for someone who's job it is to write. The word "Google" would often appear as "oogle, ggooggle," or simply "oole." I went to CES with this problem, and it was a pain. 

Casey Johnston of The Outline experience a similar problem with the space bar on his MacBook Pro. Others began chiming in to report the same issue. Even Business Insider's own Kif Leswing had a similar issue, and also commented how Apple's solution is ridiculous. 

Apple's Butterfly keyboard may allow for thinner laptop designs, but it's not as reliable as the good old fashioned keyboards from MacBook Pros of yore.

An "Esc" key.

Why Apple removed the "Esc" key – short for "escape"– on the Touchbar MacBook Pro models is a mystery. 

It's been replaced with a touch-button in the Touchbar of my 2016 MacBook Pro, which is OK. But you sometimes have to tap the Touchbar to wake it so it can reveal the Esc key, which means you now need two button presses when you previously only had to do one. 

I didn't think this was a big deal until I returned to a keyboard that had a physical Esc key. I use it so often to leave full-screen mode on videos that the Touchbar solution seems like a nuisance. 

The MagSafe power connector.

Apple's new USB-C ports for charging lets you charge your MacBook Pro from either the left or right side of my newer laptop, which is actually pretty useful. And it's great that it uses the same USB-C standard as USB-C docks and adapters, which let you plug a wide variety of devices into one single USB-C port.

But the MagSafe charging connector was amazing. Accidental trips over the charging cable posed no risk to your laptop. And it has a small LED light to show you when your laptop was charging or fully charged. 

Apple's USB-C cable has no such LED, forcing me to open my laptop to see if it's charged or not. My MacBook Pro is also more vulnerable to trip-related damage. It hasn't happened to my MacBook Pro yet, but it's a matter of time. I tripped on a USB-C MacBook Pro review unit, which sent it tumbling down to the floor. Thankfully it wasn't damaged, as it was a short drop, but the USB-C cable connector was slightly damaged. 

It just feels like regression, even if USB-C is inherently better.