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The 100 best movies on Amazon Prime right now

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BI Graphics_The 100 best movies on Amazon Prime_4x3 Samantha Lee

If you aren’t using your Amazon Prime account to sit back and binge some of the best movies ever made, you are really not using it to its full potential.

The library of movie titles that are available for Prime members is vast and has an impressive mix of old classics and current releases.

We get it. You’re busy with your life, it’s kind of tough to scroll through all the titles. So we did it for you.

Here are the 100 best movies available right now on Amazon Prime:

Note: Numerous Amazon Prime titles drop off the streaming service monthly so the availability of titles below may change.

SEE ALSO: The 17 biggest Oscar snubs of 2018

“10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016)

This sneaky sequel to 2008’s “Cloverfield” looks at a whole new set of characters (and isn’t shot as a faux documentary — thankfully!) who have a lot more to worry about than an alien invasion.



“20th Century Women” (2016)

Partly based on director Mike Mills’ childhood, Annette Bening plays a single mom who tries to raise her son into a good man along with the help of two women (Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning).



“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” (2016)

A small financial institution in Chinatown is the only company to be indicted in the wake of the 2008 mortgage crisis. But this Oscar-nominated documentary, directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”), shows that the company wasn’t going to go down without a fight.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Amazon vs Apple vs Google vs Sonos: How 4 of the most popular smart speakers stack up

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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.

Homepod

The smart speaker market is more crowded than ever. But although many of these smart speakers do many of the same things — play music, give you information, control smart home accessories— each goes about it a little differently.

They're all pretty good, but you're probably only going to get one smart speaker. Making the right choice comes down which tech ecosystem you belong to/like the most and which services you use or plan on using with the device.

We broke down the need-to-know information for the four biggest smart speaker choices from Amazon, Apple, Google, and Sonos. We encourage you to compare them all against each other before making your choice.

SEE ALSO: 20 must-have tech accessories under $20

The Amazon Echo

The original smart speaker, Amazon's Echo is now in its second generation, and getting smarter all the time.

Services: Amazon wants the Echo to work with everything, so it's opened up the platform to every major audio service. In addition to its own offerings — Prime Music,Amazon Music Unlimited, Audible— you can play music from Spotify (premium only), Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more. 

Key features: Not only does the Echo support several services, it's also compatible with all major smart home accessories, in some cases exclusively. The Echo can also be used as a standard Bluetooth speaker to play a podcast or song from your local library. Alexa, Amazon's smart assistant, is also quick, accurate, and gets updated with new capabilities every week.

Who it's for: Openness is the Echo's greatest strength, so if you want a smart home speaker that works nicely with the biggest number of services, it's a good option. Of course, if you're a die-hard Google or Apple services user, or serious about audio quality, you may want to weigh your other options.

My take: Insider Picks recommends the Amazon Echo as the top pick in our smart speaker guide, and as a person who's used one every day for two years, I agree with that recommendation. Besides my phone, it's the one gadget I use first thing in the morning and before I go to sleep at night.

Price: If you're looking for the most virile smart speaker around, the Echo is well worth its $99.99 price.



The Google Home

Google got into the smart speaker game a little over a year ago, but it's made big strides in that time.

Services: Like Amazon, Google supports its own services, so the Home speaker is compatible with Google Play Music and YouTube Red in addition to Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and more. As a nice bonus, you won't need a premium Spotify or Google Play Music account to stream. Google has also partnered with several smart home accessory vendors to make it competitive with the Echo, so if you've already invested in Philips Hue bulbs, for example, you won't have to buy additional hardware if you switch.

Key features: The Google Home is just one part of the search giant's smart home plan, and it plays nice with its cousins. Have a Chromecast? You can send audio and video to it using your voice. 

Who it's for: Google requires you to link its hardware to your Google account, so it'll instantly have access to your information, which it can use to better serve you. If you're looking for a smart assistant who can tell you about your commute time because it knows where you live and work, or give you a top-level view of your week's calendar, the Google Home is a good choice. That said, if you don't want to submit your data to Google, this is a no-go.

My take: I've had limited hands-on time with Google Home speakers, but they seem to work very well. The smart assistant called up accurate information any time I asked and didn't get tripped up if I changed my query from "Is it going to rain?" to "Will I need an umbrella this week?"

Price: Steeper than the Echo's price, the Google Home's $129.99 price is worthwhile if you're plugged into the search giant's many popular services. If you use Chromecast-enabled products, it's also a good choice.



Sonos One

A speaker company first, Sonos' Alexa-enabled "One" speaker gives you the best of two different worlds.

Services: Everything mentioned in the Echo section, plus Apple Music and Google Play Music (without voice support.)

Key features: Everything mentioned in the Echo section, plus significantly better audio quality. It can also connect to other Sonos speakers — a big benefit if you've been investing in them over the years.

Who it's for:The Amazon Echo is a smart home gadget first, and a speaker second. That's fine for casual listening, but if you want the intelligence of Alexa baked into a speaker built with audio quality in mind, the One is a really good choice. It should be said that you can connect any speaker to an Echo over Bluetooth, but nothing beats a totally integrated solution. Plus, the One can play music from Google Play Music and Apple Music through the Sonos app.

My take: As a music lover, I liked the Onewhen I tested it late last year. It sounds good, plays any audio from every source, and wasn't spared any of the "smart" features that make the Echo so compelling.

Price: You'd likely pay over $199.99 to buy the Amazon Echo and a Bluetooth speaker to connect to the Echo, so the Sonos One ultimately ends up being a good buy.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the 4 times Amazon has panicked investors in other companies

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Jeff Bezos

  • Amazon has repeatedly showed an uncanny ability to disrupt entire segments of the stock market with corporate announcements.
  • The most recent example is Amazon's collaboration with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan, which spurred selling in healthcare stocks, but it's a dynamic that's happened repeatedly in recent months.


Amazon's newly announced collaboration with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan may have rocked the healthcare sector, but it's far from the first time Jeff Bezos & Co. have imposed their will on the market.

The company has made a habit out of crushing competitor market values with even the most basic of announcements, and their healthcare team-up is just the latest example of that.

The reasoning is simple — Amazon has a ton of cash and an unparalleled logistical network, and when it looks poised to enter a market, traders get scared and bail out of existing positions in other companies.

Amazon has done this so regularly, in fact, that it can be difficult to keep all the instances straight. That's where we come in.

Below you'll find a list summarizing recent examples of companies getting "Amazon'd"—  the Business Insider-coined term for when a stock finds itself at the whim of the ever-expanding juggernaut.

January 2018 — Healthcare stocks tumble after Amazon, JPMorgan, and Berkshire Hathaway announce collaboration to reduce costs for US workers

While the three companies weren't specific about what kind of enterprise they aim to create, noting only that they wanted to improve employee satisfaction while reducing costs, the announcement reverberated through the stock market.

Managed care and pharmacy providers absorbed the brunt of the selling, with companies including MetLife, Express Scripts, and UnitedHealth seeing large share drops that accounted for billions of dollars in lost value.



June 2017 — Grocery stocks slide after Amazon announces $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods ... and then again two months later after price cuts are announced

Amazon hit grocery stocks with a double-whammy of weakness in this particular instance, causing an initial drop after announcing its mega-acquisition of Whole Foods, then reigniting selling two months later after cutting prices.

The companies affected included KrogerSprouts Farmers MarketTarget, and Walmart, which fell anywhere from 2% to 8% on the various reports.



June 2017 — Athletic apparel retailers slide after report that Amazon was going to partner with Nike

In June 2017, Goldman Sachs published a report speculating that Nike was "close" to commencing a direct relationship selling product on Amazon.com. That caused selling in both athletic apparel manufacturers, as well as retail chains.

The companies affected included Dick's Sporting Goods, Under Armour, and Foot Locker.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 6 most elaborate tattoos fans have gotten to pay tribute to the Kardashians

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caitlyn jenner kardashian family

  • Millions tune in to watch the Kardashian's lives unfold on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."
  • Some fans are taking their love for the Kardashian empire to the next level with tattoos.
  • Here are the six craziest tattoos fans have gotten in honor of the Kardashians. 

Kardashian fans are no joke. Millions tune in to watch the family drama unfold every season on "KUWTK," cosmetics bearing Kylie's name sell out in minutes, and many even credit the sisters for the rise in lip procedures. The Kardashian empire isn't going anywhere anytime soon — and neither are those who live and breathe it. In fact, diehard fans are finding ways to show their loyalty in the most permanent way: with tattoos.

Ahead, check out the craziest ink people have gotten to pay tribute to the celebrity fam. Some are big, others are small, and some lucky ones have even inspired a tweet of approval from Kim herself. Us? We'll be sticking to our Kylie Lip Kits — color that only lasts the work day is enough for us.

This fan tweeted a photo of his large leg tattoos that celebrate the power couple that is Kim and Kanye and asked: “Kim Kardashian, do you approve of my new tattoo?” Turns out, she did. Kim responded to the leg art with lots of heart-eyed emojis, saying, “Omg, this tattoo is everything!!! I love you!!!” Aww.



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Johnny Cyrus is a Kylie Jenner superfan, and last year, he got creative with some Kylie Cosmetics-inspired art. On his inner arm, he inked exact color swatches from the celeb's Coachella Lip Kit collection. And you thought you were the most obsessed with makeup...



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More Kylie Cosmetics launches means more tats for Cyrus, who also got the Kyshadow emblem inked on his forearm.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 highest-paid players in NFL history

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Peyton Manning and Tom Brady

In the NFL, lots of players sign big contracts. But unlike other sports, NFL deals are rarely guaranteed and few players see all of the money in those large deals.

But a select few have gone on to make big money in their careers as there are now 26 players who have made at least $100 million.

The list of the 25 players with the most career earnings includes 17 active players, 17 quarterbacks, 1 Tom Brady, and 2 Mannings.

Using contract data obtained by Spotrac.com, here are the 25 highest-paid players in NFL history.

25. Champ Bailey, CB — $102.8 million

Seasons: 15

Highest single-season earnings: $16.5 million (2010; included $3 million roster bonus)

Championships: 0

Pro Bowls: 12

First-team All-Pro: 3

One thing to know: Bailey's largest contract came after the 2003 season, when he signed a seven-year, $63 million deal.



24. Alex Smith, QB — $106.5 million

Seasons: 12

Highest single-season earnings: $19.0 million (2014; included $18 million signing bonus)

Championships: 0

Pro Bowls: 2

First-team All-Pro: 0

One thing to know: Often referred to by the pejorative "game manager," Smith has his team to the playoffs for the fifth time in the last seven years.



23. Calvin Johnson, WR — $113.8 million

Seasons: 9

Highest single-season earnings: $25 million (2013; includes $20 million option bonus)

Championships: 0

Pro Bowls: 6

First-team All-Pro: 3

One thing to know: Johnson retired after the 2015 season because he was "in pain." He walked away from the final four years and $67.7 million on his contract.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Inside Hong Kong's lawless 'walled city' — the most crowded place on Earth for 40 years

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girard_kowloonB

Slightly north of Hong Kong Island there once stood one of the most densely populated places on earth.

From the 1950s until 1994, over 33,000 people lived and worked in Kowloon Walled City, a massive complex of 300 interconnected buildings that took up a city block.

Caught between China and the British-run Hong Kong government, the city was essentially lawless, equally known for its opium dens and organized crime as its dentists' offices. 

Photographer Greg Girard spent years investigating and documenting the strange place before it was demolished. Girard collaborated with Ian Lambot, another photographer, on a book about Kowloon, titled "City of Darkness Revisited," available here.

Girard shared a number of photos from the project with us in 2015, and you can check out the rest at the book's website.

SEE ALSO: This is the last generation of Chinese women to endure the painful tradition of foot binding

Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, an area north of Hong Kong Island. What began as a Chinese military fort evolved into a squatters' village comprising a mass of 300 interconnected high-rise buildings.



The city began as a low-rise squatter village during the early 20th century. After World War II, Hong Kong experienced a massive influx of Chinese immigrants. This led to a lack of housing in the city. In response, entrepreneurs and those with "squatter's rights" in Kowloon built high rise buildings on the space to capitalize on the housing demand.



At its peak, more than 33,000 people lived in the 6.4-acre city. It was considered by many to be the most densely populated place on earth.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The 6 quarterbacks taken before Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft

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tom brady

Tom Brady is back in a familiar setting: the Super Bowl.

On Sunday, Brady will play in his eighth career Super Bowl, and his third in four years, something most probably would have seen when Brady was drafted 18 years ago.

Brady's amazing career began in April 2000, when the Patriots famously rolled the dice and drafted the Michigan quarterback in the sixth round with the 199th pick overall. New England made the move despite Brady being thoroughly unimpressive at the NFL combine.

Six other teams drafted quarterbacks before the Patriots chose Brady. Here's a look at what happened to those other quarterbacks.

The Jets used the 18th pick on Marshall University quarterback Chad Pennington.



Pennington played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Jets and Dolphins, earning $51 million in his career.

He now runs the 1st and 10 Foundation with his wife and is a director for NFL Legends Community.

Source: The Lexington Herald-Leader, 1st and 10 FoundationNFL Legends Community



The 49ers drafted Hofstra's Giovanni Carmazzi in the third round with the 65th pick overall.



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See inside the luxurious resort GOP members stayed in for their retreat — and where Congress would have escaped to during the Cold War

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greenbrier

Every year, Republican members of Congress and their staffers convene for a three-day retreat — away from the hubbub of Washington — to socialize and discuss their party's agenda.

On Wednesday, GOP lawmakers traveled to this year's venue: The Greenbrier, a luxury resort in West Virginia, established during the 18th century, that has hosted US presidents and features an underground bunker where Congress was supposed to hideout in the event of a nuclear outbreak during the Cold War.

Take a look at what it's like inside this beautiful resort:

SEE ALSO: Train carrying GOP members of Congress collides with truck, leaving one person dead

DON'T MISS: Conspiracy theorists are already making wild claims about the Amtrak train full of Republican lawmakers that collided with a truck in Virginia

The Greenbrier is a large resort complex located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and includes a hotel, casino, golf course, and private residences.



The hotel was built in 1858. During the Civil War, Union and Confederate forces used the hotel grounds as a hospital and military headquarters.

Source: The Greenbrier



During World War II, the hotel briefly served as a detention center for diplomats of enemy countries, including Germany and Japan. It also served as a hospital to treat wounded American soldiers.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Eagles quarterback who will face Tom Brady in the Super Bowl nearly retired 3 years ago — and his career path is one of the wildest in recent memory

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Nick Foles

  • Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles is squaring off against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII on Sunday.
  • Foles has had an up-and-down career — after getting benched in 2015, he contemplated retirement from the NFL.
  • His journey from benchwarmer to Super Bowl starter is one of the wildest in recent memory.


Sunday's Super Bowl LII matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots will pit arguably the most accomplished quarterback of all time — Tom Brady— against the Eagles' unheralded quarterback Nick Foles.

While most of the talk leading up to the game centers on Brady's quest for a record sixth Super Bowl ring, Foles has a compelling narrative of his own. The 29-year-old journeyman looked to be the Eagles' franchise quarterback five years ago, before an injury, a trade, and a disappointing season had him contemplating retirement from the NFL.

Back with the Eagles, Foles was thrust into the spotlight after star quarterback Carson Wentz was sidelined with a torn ACL, forcing Foles back into the starting role with the hopes of an entire franchise on his shoulders.

Read on for Foles' wild journey from benchwarmer to Super Bowl starter.

SEE ALSO: The Eagles' Nick Foles could do something no quarterback has done since Tom Brady in 2001

DON'T MISS: Meet the 3 quarterbacks who got the Eagles to the Super Bowl to face off against Tom Brady

Nick Foles was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012 after a successful college career at Arizona. Foles initially backed up Eagles starter Michael Vick.



Foles started six games for the Eagles after Vick went down with a concussion. With Foles at the helm, Philadelphia went 1-5, and he was relegated to backup duty again the next season.



But when Vick went down again in 2013, Foles had his breakout year. He threw 27 touchdown passes, led the Eagles to the playoffs, and was named to the Pro Bowl.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

In a reversal, FEMA says it is not 'shutting off' hurricane aid to Puerto Rico — see how devastated the US territory still looks on the ground

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puerto rico

The lights are still out for nearly half a million Puerto Ricans.

After Hurricane Maria struck the US territory on September 20, a crippling blackout descended over its 3.4 million residents, cutting communication between loved ones, spoiling food and life-saving medications, and nixing access to banks and clean water.

The death toll, initially estimated at 64, is now thought to be at least 1,000, according to a recent New York Times analysis. Earlier this week, FEMA told NPR is was "officially shutting off" aid to the US territory on January 31, but on Wednesday the agency reversed course and said an end date for support was not yet set.

Nearly four months after the storm, more than 450,000 Puerto Ricans remain without power, and thousands have no clean water.

It's the result of an abused electric grid left to rot — and what's happening in Puerto Rico could happen in many other parts of America. Here's what it looks like on the ground.

SEE ALSO: Puerto Rico is taking a big step toward revamping how it gets power — and it could be a model for the rest of the US

DON'T MISS: Why this hurricane season was so disastrous

Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Nearly four months later, more than 450,000 Puerto Ricans are still living in a blackout.



The storm didn't just damage the island's already-fragile power supply. It also shredded flattened buildings, and leveled cars. Ernestina Lebron, a resident of Maunabo, still has no roof.



Life has not gotten back to normal. Hurricane Maria's death toll on the island is now thought to be closer to 1,052, according to a recent New York Times analysis.

Source: The New York Times



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

TOM BRADY: How the greatest quarterback of all time makes and spends his millions

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Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time. 

Brady already has five Super Bowl rings and on Sunday he will go for No. 6. He is also as good as ever at 40 years old, an age when most football players are already retired.

Off the field, Brady's life is pretty fabulous also. He's married to the world's most successful supermodel, has an Aston Martin named for him, and once owned a $20 million house with a moat.

Tony Manfred contributed to this report.

Brady was the fifth-highest-paid player in the NFL last season, making $28.8 million.

Source: Spotrac



Brady recently signed a 2-year, $41 million extension with the Patriots. A big chunk of his earnings last season came in the form of a $28 million signing bonus. This season he made a relatively modest $1 million salary and no bonuses.

Source: Spotrac



Brady is also the third-highest-paid player in NFL history, having already earned $197.2 million in his career.

Read more: The 25 highest-paid players in NFL history



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best place to visit every month this year, according to a popular online travel agency

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Couple at airport looking at airplane window

I make no secret of the fact that I love to travel. There's nothing quite like escaping for a little while to explore new places or revisit past favorites to get to know them better. I use points and miles to cover the cost of flights and hotels whenever I can, but I also keep a close eye on airfare and take advantage of cheap flights and travel deals.

Of course, planning travel can be overwhelming. Even before you get into the granular logistical details like flights, lodging, getting from the airport, what to do, and where to eat, you need to settle on something more elemental: where to go.

This can be unexpectedly tricky to figure out. Generally, you have a destination or a set of dates in mind — sometimes both — when you start to plan your next vacation. However, once you have those set, you need to consider things like costs, crowds, climate, and more.

CheapOair, an online travel agency, recently developed a list of top destinations for each month of 2018. The site built the list based on a number of factors, including new airline routes, weather, travel trends, and more, according to Tom Spagnola, the company's SVP of supplier relations.

Take a look at CheapOAir's destinations for 2018, and click here to start planning your own 2018 escapes.

Click here to search for travel with CheapOair.

SEE ALSO: This is the site you need to look at for super cheap flights before you book your next trip

January: Orlando, Florida

If you've been hankering to check out Disney, Harry Potter World, or any of Orlando's massive and legendary theme parks, January might be the best time of year.

While there's never really an off-season, things should be slightly slower in January as kids head back to school after the holiday vacation, but before winter breaks come around starting in February. According to CheapOair, the smaller crowds translate to lower rates at hotels. There's also the perk of avoiding the hot, muggy Floridian weather that comes around later in the year.

Click here to search for flights and hotels in Orlando, Florida.



February: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Vietnam is rapidly becoming a travel hotspot, according to market research firm Euromonitor. As private and public bodies continue working to improve travel infrastructure and increase tourism, Vietnam's popularity among American and European tourists is primed to explode.

CheapOair recommends traveling to Vietnam now, while things are still reasonably priced and not too crowded. According to Spagnola, "Our data revealed that Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City moved up the rankings in our predicted top international destinations for 2018."

Winter is one of the best times to visit Ho Chi Minh city and explore the country, since temperatures are warm and chances of rain are lower than the summer.

Click here to search for flights and hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.



March: Denver, Colorado

March can be a great time for deal-seekers to enjoy skiing vacations. Search around for discount airfare, especially as the ski season starts wrapping up and fewer people are competing for the best prices. As spring approaches, hit the slopes without being too cold, then relax on the deck of your ski resort.

Click here to search for flights and hotels in Colorado.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: The most authoritarian regimes in the world

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iran tehran uk embassy protest

The Economist Intelligence Unit has released its latest Democracy Index this week, which ranks 167 countries according to political and civic freedom.

Countries are given a score out of 10 based on five criteria. Above eight is a "full democracy," while below four is an "authoritarian regime."

Scandinavian countries topped the list and the US remained a "flawed democracy" in this index.

The study has five criteria: Whether elections are free and fair ("electoral process and pluralism"), whether governments have checks and balances ("functioning of government"), whether citizens are included in politics ("political participation"), the level of support for the government ("political culture"), and whether people have freedom of expression ("civil liberties").

Below are the world's most authoritarian regimes:

SEE ALSO: These are the best democracies in the world — and the US barely makes the list

21. United Arab Emirates — 2.69/10

Electoral process and pluralism: 0.00

Functioning of government: 3.57

Political participation: 2.22

Political culture: 5.00

Civil liberties: 2.65



20. Azerbaijan — 2.65

Electoral process and pluralism: 0.50

Functioning of government: 2.14

Political participation: 3.33

Political culture: 3.75

Civil liberties: 3.53



19. Afghanistan — 2.55

Electoral process and pluralism: 2.50

Functioning of government: 1.14

Political participation: 2.78

Political culture: 2.50

Civil liberties: 3.82



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Photos from inside Apple's new $5 billion headquarters (AAPL)

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Apple Park

  • Apple employees are moving into the company's new headquarters, Apple Park, and posting photos on Instagram.
  • The photos show a stunning-looking building, especially at dusk. 
  • Apple Park is not open to the public.

Apple employees are moving into their new $5 billion headquarters, Apple Park. The building in Apple's Cupertino, Calif. hometown will eventually hold 12,000 employees in a giant ring-shaped building designed to blur the indoors and outdoors.

Apple received temporary occupancy permits in December for 5 out of 12 different sections of its campus, VentureBeat recently reported. Occupancy permits for the rest of the other sections will be granted before the end of March, according to the report

Only Apple employees or specifically invited guests can access "the ring," but as the campus fills up, Apple employees are posting stunning shots to Instagram. 

There are lots of photos of Apple Park, but most of them were taken from a drone or a professional photographer — these pictures bring you inside and show you what it's like to work at Apple Park.

Check them out: 

SEE ALSO: Apple's $5 billion 'spaceship' campus is ready for takeoff — but some employees will be left behind

It doesn't look so big up close.

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At the golden hour, sunlight just streams into the building.

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The huge, clear windows let you peek directly into the building's first floor.

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I built and played Nintendo's next big thing, Nintendo Labo — and it was a surprisingly brilliant learning tool

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Nintendo's next big thing isn't a video game or a video game console.

It's foldable cardboard.

Nintendo Labo

Nintendo "Labo"— pronounced "lab-oh," like "laboratory"— is an entirely new concept from the quirky Japanese gaming powerhouse. Starting at $70, you get a kit full of buildable cardboard toys to complement the wildly popular Nintendo Switch console. There are games, of course, which are included in the package. 

More importantly, there are step-by-step instructions for building each of the toys in the set. Think: Lego meets model airplanes, but more fun.

I got to try Nintendo Labo this week ahead of its launch on April 20. What I found was a surprisingly brilliant learning tool aimed at kids growing up in a digital world.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo just unveiled an ambitious, bizarre new project called 'Labo' — here's how it works

DON'T MISS: Nintendo’s new idea ‘Labo’ may sound strange, but it’s actually a perfect fit given the company’s 128-year history

Here's the starter kit for Nintendo Labo, which is known as the "Variety Kit."

The $70 "Variety Kit," seen above, is the base level for Nintendo Labo; an $80 "Robot Kit" is also available, which contains a large and complicated robot suit. 



There are two main aspects to Labo: Building with cardboard, and then using those creations to play Labo games on the Nintendo Switch.

It's important to note here that you need a Nintendo Switch to play Nintendo Labo games. Labo is essentially a game for the Switch that comes with buildable toys, though that's underselling it.



In the Variety Kit, there are several different devices to build. I got to try building an RC Car and a fishing pole.

Each Labo build begins with a large sheet of relatively thin cardboard. The cardboard doesn't feel especially tough, but the final creations made with the cardboard are tougher than you'd think.  

The RC Car, for instance, begins with the sheet of cardboard seen above. Various shapes are perforated from the cardboard, which get punched out per a set of very charming instructions.

Here's the final product:

Nintendo Labo

You could, of course, just punch out everything immediately — and some people assuredly will do that, especially little kids. That's fine. The instructions will still identify each piece and explain how they all fit together. 

Labo, as I discovered, is tremendously forgiving. Just like cardboard! That's kind of the point.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

MORGAN STANLEY: These 15 companies are the most likely to get bought this year

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  • Companies targeted in mergers-and-acquisitions deals usually see their stock price increase, creating money-making opportunities for investors able to identify them.
  • Morgan Stanley has singled out 15 companies that meet its proprietary criteria as high-likelihood acquisition targets.


Wall Street expects mergers-and-acquisitions activity to accelerate in 2018, which should create opportunities for investors looking to profit from accompanying stock spikes.

After all, when an acquisition offer is made, the company being bought usually sees its share price increase. So the process is simple — identify potential acquisition targets, buy them, and hope a deal gets announced.

Easier said than done. But lucky for you, Morgan Stanley is here to make things a little easier.

The firm has developed a model that sorts stocks by acquisition likelihood. The methodology involves calculating the probability that a company will be on the receiving end of at least one tender offer. And in figuring out its list, Morgan Stanley weighs a combination of cohort information and stock-specific fundamentals.

Without further ado, here are 15 stocks that the firm says are among the most likely to receive an acquisition offer sometime in the next 12 months.

(Note that Morgan Stanley has screened its universe of companies to include only large and liquid stocks and that all company statistics are as of year-end 2017. The firm's list has also been culled so it doesn't include more than two companies from the same sector.)

Domino's Pizza

Ticker: DPZ

Industry: Consumer discretionary

Year-to-date trading volume: $44.5 billion

Market cap: $8.3 billion



Six Flags Entertainment

Ticker: SIX

Industry: Consumer discretionary

Year-to-date trading volume: $15.9 billion

Market cap: $5.6 billion



Pinnacle Foods

Ticker: PF

Industry: Consumer staples

Year-to-date trading volume: $17.5 billion

Market cap: $7.1 billion



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Firefighters reveal some of the most terrifying — and rewarding — moments on the job

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  • Photographer Paul Mobley documented almost 50 fire houses across America.
  • Mobley and writer JoEllen Kelly gathered firefighters moving stories about what brought them into this line of work.
  • The new book "American Firefighter" documents their stories and portraits. 

 

When photographer Paul Mobley set out to document almost 50 fire houses across America, he had no idea what the life of a firefighter entailed. 

By the end of his project, he had a newfound and immense respect for the men and women who serve in the field everyday. Mobley and writer JoEllen Kelly created a collection of moving photographs paired alongside each subject's personal story for the new book "American Firefighter."

"These courageous men and women experience the highs and lows of life on a daily basis and sometimes witness things the rest of us couldn't possibly imagine," Mobley wrote in his afterword in the book.

"From the first man we photographed in Missouri — Captain Mario Montero, who broke his back jumping from the third story of a house during a fire — I knew this was going to be a trip like no other," he wrote.

The fire houses welcomed Mobley with open arms, offering food and gifts as a thank you for documenting their work and hearing their stories. "These are the kinds of people I truly admire, the kinds of people I wish I could be around every day," wrote Mobley.

Ahead, a sample of portraits from "American Firefighter" and excerpts from their powerful stories. 

SEE ALSO: Nurses share a side to their profession that most people don't see

"I happened to be changing radio stations when I heard Howard Stern say something about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers. I wasn't sure this wasn't one of his 'bits,' so I went inside and turned on the TV. After the second tower was hit, I headed in to work."

"Between May 2001 and February 2006, I lived the life of an FDNY fire fighter. If you notice the date of May 2001, you'll recall that was just a few months before September 11. I was nine weeks out of the academy and just starting my training assignments of seven weeks on Engine 318 and seven weeks on Truck 166.

"I remember that day so clearly. I had just returned to my home in Queens after working the polls — it was a primary election day in New York City. I happened to be changing radio stations when I heard Howard Stern say something about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers. I wasn't sure this wasn't one of his 'bits,' so I went inside and turned on the TV. After the second tower was hit, I headed in to work.

"We got to the site before noon and frantically searched the collapsed structures until 2:00 a.m. We were back at it a multitude of times over the next few months. Among all the others, we lost six from my probie class, including the guy who sat right next to me. Firefighter Michael D'Auria and I helped each other through the academy and had looked forward to long careers in the department. I had only been on the department about four months, but I knew the FDNY I was now a part of was going to be different than the one I had joined."



"Within moments after entering a room, fire began to be visible behind us. Conditions had changed so rapidly that we became trapped, and I called a Mayday."

"In the winter of 2003, I was assigned to Engine Company 29. One day we were dispatched to a house fire. When we arrived, we entered the home and made it to the second floor. A captain from another company told us to find windows and ventilate the third floor. We made our way up, and encountered heavy smoke. Within moments after entering a room, fire began to be visible behind us. Conditions had changed so rapidly that we became trapped, and I called a Mayday. It soon became painfully clear that our only option was to jump out of the third-floor window, and I was not wearing my personal bailout belt that day — a serious mistake on my part.

"Jumping from the third floor seemed to happen in slow motion. I kept telling myself that it was not going to hurt. I watched the bricks from the building next door as I fell to the ground, landing on my feet. IT HURT. I knew that I was badly injured, but had no idea how seriously.

"I was quickly removed from the gangway and placed in the ambulance. One of the other firefighters with me was also very badly injured with a broken back and leg. A third firefighter made it to safety. I had also broken my back. It didn't require surgery, but I was in a body brace for several months."



"I developed an unquenchable desire to become a better firefighter, and since I was a new officer I was determined to learn as much as I could."

"I was also on the scene of another multiple line-of-duty-death-fire at Ebenezer Baptist Church in 2004, and I lost another good friend, Battalion Chief Charlie Brace. He died along with fellow crew member Fire ghter Rick Stefanakis.

"I was a pallbearer at Brace's funeral, but I was most humbled to be requested to accompany his wife, Jamie, to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Weekend when they were both honored.

"The Bricelyn Street fire in particular was a wake-up call to many of us in the department. I developed an unquenchable desire to become a better firefighter, and since I was a new officer I was determined to learn as much as I could. I took my promotional exams and rose through the ranks. I was the first female officer in the department, and unfortunately to this date the only female officer in the PBF of any rank." 



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How 11 highly successful business people keep themselves motivated every day

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Tom Ferry

Building a successful business and a life you love takes enormous self-discipline.

Top entrepreneurs and members of The Oracles share their top tips for mastering self-discipline so you don’t hit the "snooze button" on your goals and dreams.

SEE ALSO: 5 super-successful people share the one hack they use to make the most of their time

1. Be patiently unwavering.

Gary Vaynerchuk, founder and CEO of VaynerMedia, four-time NYT-bestselling author of "Crushing It!":

Self-discipline is your only option if you want to win. People talk about wanting to win but aren’t willing to make the sacrifices necessary.

Maybe it’s hard-wiring, but there’s never been a situation when I thought that not being disciplined or wavering was in my best interests. When you’re fundamentally patient like me, it makes everything quite easy. Quit being antsy for stuff to happen so soon.



2. Do things others aren’t willing to do.

Grant Cardone, top sales expert and NYT-bestselling author; follow Grant on Facebook or YouTube:

Everyone has discipline, but many apply it to the wrong things: most people’s version of discipline is a learned collection of bad habits.

Instead, be disciplined about taking massive, constructive actions that’ll provide the greatest value to your life and business. There’s no easy way to "have" discipline; you need to have a hunger to succeed. Do the things that others won’t, so you can live the life others can’t.



3. Master your thoughts.

Peter Hernandez, president of brokerage (California) at Douglas Elliman; co-founder of Teles Properties:

Discipline starts in the mind. Pay attention and listen to yourself think. Capture and convert every negative or defeating thought into the exact opposite, and repeat until the empowering thought becomes the dominant one.

Ultimately, discipline affords you freedom from everything you don’t want: freedom from fear of failing, financial insecurity, unwanted pounds, emotional immaturity, and mental laziness. The greatest discipline is controlling your thoughts. Everything emanates from the mind.



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17 of the coolest things your Google Home can do (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Since last October, many millions of people have purchased a Google Home device. 

Google sells three Home devices right now: The $50 Google Home Mini, the $130 Google Home, and the $400 Google Home Max, all of which have Google's artificially-intelligent Assistant built in. 

Last month, Google revealed that it had sold more than one Home smart speaker device every second since October. According to our own calculations, that means Google sold at least 6.8 million Home devices during the holiday season.

Now that millions of people own Google Home devices for the first time, it helps to know what you can actually do with them. Some features are obvious — like asking for the weather — but others aren't so obvious.

Here are 17 of the best Google Home features: 

SEE ALSO: Your Amazon Echo can now send text messages for you — here's how to do it

1. Play white noise while you fall asleep.

I prefer rain sounds to standard white noise, so I usually say "Hey Google, play the sound of rain." The device obliges with a steady downpour. 

The sound usually lasts until I fall asleep, but if you want to be sure it turns off at a certain point, you can also set a sleep timer. 



2. Broadcast something to every Google Home device in your house.

If you have more than one Google Home device in your home, you can broadcast to every single one simultaneously, sort of like an intercom. 

If you say, "OK Google, broadcast that it's dinner time," each device will ring a dinner bell. You can also say, "OK Google, broadcast that it's time for school."

The broadcast feature even works when you're not in the house. Saying, "OK Google, broadcast I'm on my way home" will trigger the devices inside your house.



3. Control your smart home.

At this point, Google Assistant can control more than 1,000 smart-home products from more than 100 brands like LG, Whirlpool, GE, and Nest. You can ask your Google Home to dim the lights, change the temperature, turn on a kettle or microwave, or even start your Roomba. 

You can check out a full list of compatible products over on Google's blog.



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Meet Abigail Kawananakoa, Hawaii's intensely private 'last princess' who's locked in a battle for control over her $215 million fortune

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abigail kawananakoa and royal hawaiian band

It sounds like a fairy tale gone off the tracks.

Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa is Hawaii's last living princess. She descends from an Irish businessman named James Campbell, who came to Hawaii in the 1800s and made a ton of money off his sugar plantation.

Now, Kawananakoa and her partner are involved in an ongoing legal battle over the fate of Kawananakoa's $215 million fortune, which she's used partly to support the preservation of native Hawaiian culture.

Take a look at some of the most interesting facts about Kawananakoa's life.

SEE ALSO: The fabulous life of Alexa Dell, the 24-year-old billionaire heiress who grew up in 'The Castle,' dated Tinder's CEO, and just got engaged with a million-dollar ring

This is Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa. She is 91 years old and goes by "Kekau" (pronounced kay-kow). She tends to be an extremely private person.

Source: The Wall Street Journal



Kawananakoa is Hawaii's last princess. If Hawaii were still its own nation with its own monarchy, she would likely assume the throne. She descends from James Campbell, an Irish businessman who came to Hawaii in the mid-1800s and made a fortune as a partner in a Maui sugar plantation.

Source: The Wall Street Journal



Her grandfather was Prince David Kawananakoa, who was named an heir to the Hawaiian throne.

Source: Associated Press



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