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What the most famous street looks like in 18 cities around the world

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hollywood walk of fame

Robert Frost may be proud of going down "The Road Less Taken," but chances are, he missed out on some of the world's most iconic sites for doing so.

From Abbey Road in London to the glistening Champs-Élysées in Paris, here's what 18 of the most famous streets look like in cities around the world.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris, France

The Champs-Élysées is considered one of the world's most beautiful avenues. Running through the 8th arrondissement in Paris, tourists from around the world flock to the famous street, either to drink in its history, check out its chic cafes and boutiques, or visit the Arc de Triomphe, one of the city's most famous monuments.



Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Khao San (or Khaosan) Road in Bangkok may be short at approximately 1,345 feet in length, but it is consistently filled with people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Packed with countless budget shops, stalls, restaurants, and guesthouses, Khao San has earned its descriptor as "the center of the backpacking universe."



Wall Street, New York, USA

Wall Street represents many things to many people. Some view it as the life-pulse of cut-throat capitalism, while others recognize it as one of the most important financial centers in the world. Despite its poor reputation, the eight-block-long street endures as a symbol of the American finance sector.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 best tech jobs in America in 2018

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Happy woman laptop

Tech skills are a hot commodity in the current job market, and if Glassdoor's list of the 50 best jobs in America is any indication, demand for them will only continue to grow. 

In fact, 20 out of the 50 jobs highlighted on the annual list are tech jobs, up from 14 out of 50 last year.

Even better news for people who can leverage technology to enhance their work on a daily basis? These jobs don't require you to work exclusively in the tech industry.

Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor's chief economist, told Business Insider that companies across all industries, including healthcare, finance, and retail, are hiring workers for these in-demand positions.

"Since every company is trying to become a tech company these days, they all need people who know how to collect, organize, and analyze data to help them make better, more informed business decisions," he said.

Glassdoor's 50 Best Jobs in America report identifies careers with the highest overall "job score," which is determined by weighing three factors equally: earning potential (median annual base salary), job satisfaction rating, and number of job openings. 

For a job title to be considered, it had to receive at least 100 salary reports and 100 job satisfaction ratings shared by US-based employees over the past year. The number of job openings per job title represents active job listings on Glassdoor as of January 1, 2018. 

Below are the 20 tech roles among Glassdoor's 50 best jobs:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best jobs in America in 2018

DON'T MISS: The 20 best tech companies to work for in 2018, according to employees

20. User interface (UI) developer

Overall job score (out of 5.0):4.1

Job satisfaction rating (out of 5.0):3.8

Number of job openings:1,004

Median base salary:$95,000



19. Business intelligence developer

Overall job score (out of 5.0): 4.1

Job satisfaction rating (out of 5.0): 3.9

Number of job openings: 882

Median base salary: $86,000



18. Systems analyst

Overall job score (out of 5.0): 4.2

Job satisfaction rating (out of 5.0): 3.7

Number of job openings: 2,710

Median base salary: $75,000



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 things Southerners say differently than everyone else

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texas cowboy

People in the American South have one of the most famous dialects in the United States, from their distinctive drawl to the versatile pronoun "y'all."

And there are some things Southerners say differently from the rest of the US.

Southern vocabulary can be confusing to outsiders, especially when a common word has a totally different meaning when spoken in the South.

Here are eight of the most perplexing Southern words that people from other places simply wouldn't understand. 

SEE ALSO: 27 fascinating maps that show how Americans speak English differently across the US

DON'T MISS: 9 things Southerners say that you won't hear anywhere else

Coke

In most parts of the country, Coke is the common nickname for Coca-Cola.

But in many parts of the South, coke with a lowercase C is just a term for soft drinks in general, a synonym for "soda" or "pop."

So if you're in the South and you offer someone a coke, don't be surprised when they respond, "what kind?"



Fixing

This "fixing" has nothing to do with repairing something. In some Southern dialects you can say you're fixing to do something if you're on the verge of doing it, like in the sentence "They were fixin' to leave without me."

The construction comes from an older version of the word "fix" meaning to prepare. Similarly, "fixings" are all the trimmings and side dishes that accompany a meal.



Barbecue

As anyone from the South can tell you, barbecue both a type of grill and the food you make with it — usually pulled pork coated in spices and sauce and cooked over a flame.

There are several regional variations of barbecue, with North Carolina, South Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas each claiming their own distinct method of preparation.

Whatever you do, don't use "barbecue" to refer to a gathering where barbecue is consumed — that's a "cookout" in the South.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Disappointing photos show what Disney parks look like in real life

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disneyland

Disney parks are famously magical, but that's not always the case.

From an animatronic sea-witch that lost her head to claustrophobia-inducing crowds, Disney parks can be disappointing. Sometimes it might be better to stick to exploring the countries at EPCOT.

Keep scrolling for photos that show how Disney parks aren't always fairytales.

Disney is supposed to be a magical place for you and your family to meet iconic characters and explore fun-filled rides and attractions.



...but you and your family are likely not the only ones trying to have an unforgettable vacation.

According to a report done by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Magic Kingdom alone had over 56,000 visitors on an average day in 2016. Add a few thousand more for holidays and school breaks.



Every little girl dreams of meeting her favorite princess...

Everyone has a favorite Disney princess — even Meghan Markle.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 TV shows that have gone through drastic cast changes

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grey's anatomy

Television shows can go through some drastic changes as their runs increase. 

As original cast members leave and new cast members join, the show can look a lot different from when it started. That includes shows like "Grey's Anatomy," which only has four original cast members remaining. Other shows are made to constantly change, like "Doctor Who."

Here are 13 shows that have gone through some drastic cast changes over their runs.

"Once Upon a Time" went through drastic changes after its sixth season.

Six longtime cast members left the show before the seventh season: Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), Henry (Jared Gilmore), Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and Zelena/The Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader). Some of them did return for at least one episode. But the show added a slew of new characters to the cast, including Andrew J. West as an older Henry.



None of the original cast of "Law and Order" made it to the end of the show.

Six main actors were featured during the police drama's first season. Of those six, Steven Hill lasted the longer. The actor didn't leave until season 10. S. Epatha Merkerson joined during season four and lasted through the end of the 20 seasons. Sam Waterston joined during season five and also lasted until the end. 



Mariska Hargitay is the only cast member of "Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit" to star on the show since season one.

Ice-T, who joined on season two, is the only other actor to stick around for roughly the whole show. Christopher Meloni, who played Elliot Stabler, was Hargitay's partner and left during season 12. Both Richard Belzer and Dann Florek started on season one and left during season 15. Now on season 19, the detective drama has added some new officers and district attorneys to the cast. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A top venture capital firm predicts these 8 trends will take over cloud computing in 2018

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APIs BVP

Bessemer Venture Partners knows the cloud.

The Silicon Valley venture capital firm meets with over a thousand cloud companies each year and keeps close tabs on its dozens of investments in the cloud market. Just to round things out, Bessemer also researches 78 cloud companies that have already gone public, keeping tabs on their performance so as to better advise their still-private investments.

All of this data comes together in the firm's annual State of the Cloud report, which Bessemer published Thursday. 

In the report, Bessemer investors Byron Deeter, Kristina Shen and Anna Khan share what they see in the year ahead for companies on the cloud. 

Here's what they expect to see in 2018. 

SEE ALSO: Three hot states are taking VC money away from Silicon Valley

APIs will continue to reign supreme

Bessemer predicts that APIs, which let programmers easily integrate their software and services with each other, will continue to drive innovation across tech.

Companies like Shippo offer an API to help e-commerce companies ship their products. The enterprise storage company Box is built around APIs to help software developers easily build cloud storage into their applications. In short, APIs make it easier than ever for engineers to build on top of existing technology in order to create new tools. 



Apps are payment companies now, too

Anyone who does yoga knows how convenient it is to sign up for a class and pay using the MindBody app. What you may not realize is that MindBody does the payments processing itself, on behalf of the yoga studio.

Bessemer predicts that more and more software companies will begin offering payment processing to businesses. In the same way that a yoga studio doesn't need to worry about taking credit cards if MindBody does it for them, more apps are going to centralize that function for all kinds of businesses. 

Other notable companies with so-called payments as a service include Shopify and Service Titan. 



Blockchain will take over in enterprise

Blockchain, the digital ledger technology at the heart of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, will make a big splash in the enterprise in 2018. 

Bessemer predicts that blockchains will be used primarily in the food, retail, and aviation sectors, where large enterprise companies like IBM and Oracle are already testing out new tools with clients.

In food, blockchains can be used to track produce from the farm to the store. This system makes it easier to track which produce is at what location — helpful in the event of a food-borne illness outbreak.

In aviation, Bessemer said, blockchains will make it easier to track parts for airplanes, which will ensure that companies are really getting the expensive, high-quality mechanical components they ordered, rather than counterfeit parts. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Rob Porter's not the only one — the Trump White House has been plagued by people not getting security clearances

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Rob Porter resigned at White House staff secretary on Wednesday after his two ex-wives went public with allegations that he abused them during their marriages.

The Intercept reported earlier that day that the FBI had spoken with both women about their allegations during background interviews about Porter. Those allegations reportedly contributed to the year-long delay in granting him the security clearance customary for staffers of his rank.

But Porter is far from the only Trump administration official to encounter problems or controversy over his security clearance. Democrats have been pressing the White House to provide details on its security clearance process, and lawmakers repeated that call on Thursday in the wake of Porter's resignation.

It's unclear how many White House staffers have been delayed permanent security clearance due to red flags raised during their FBI background checks, and deputy press secretary Raj Shah declined to answer when a reporter asked him for specific details during Thursday's press briefing.

But there are several top officials whose security clearances have been revoked — or at least heavily questioned by critics and the media.

Here are the figures who have come under fire:

SEE ALSO: 'He punched me in the face': The shocking allegations of abuse against the top White House staffer who just resigned

DON'T MISS: Hope Hicks, who is reportedly dating Rob Porter, may have helped draft a statement defending him after abuse allegations surfaced

Former White House staff secretary Rob Porter

Porter, in his role as White House staff secretary, was in charge of the flow of information that reached President Donald Trump's desk, alongside John Kelly, the chief of staff.

But after lengthy delays in being granted permanent security clearance, Porter reportedly grew suspicious and asked his second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, whether she had told investigators about their marriage.

"He believed that that was holding up his clearance," Jennifer Willoughby, Porter's second wife, told The New York Times. "I did describe my marriage in detail."

Willoughby and Porter's first ex-wife, Colbie Holderness, both publicly accused him of physically and emotionally abusing them, which he has denied.

"He was operating on an interim security clearance. His clearance was never denied, and he resigned," Shah said during the press briefing on Thursday.

"To summarize, the allegations against Rob Porter are serious and deeply troubling," he continued. "He did deny them. The incidents took place long before he joined the White House. Therefore, they were investigated as part of the background check, as this process is meant for such allegations."



Senior adviser Jared Kushner

Kushner's interim security clearance is the one that most enrages Trump's critics. He, like Porter, has not been granted a permanent security clearance and is still working on a temporary one while his application is under review.

Kushner's SF-86 form, a required part of the application process, has been amended several times to more thoroughly list his contacts with foreign officials.

Last July, Kushner added more than 100 names to the list, drawing criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike for his previous omissions. Even the top government official in charge of clearing background checks said he'd "never seen that level of mistakes."

Perhaps the most glaring omission from his SF-86 was that of Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, whom Kushner met at an infamous meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016, along with Donald Trump Jr. and then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Since then, Democrats have regularly asked why Kushner still possesses an interim security clearance, but there's little indication it will be revoked anytime soon.



Former national security adviser Michael Flynn

The security clearance granted to Trump's former national security adviser has long been a controversy embroiling the White House, though he only held the job for 24 days.

Flynn was first granted a security clearance under the Obama administration, in which he served as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

His clearance was last renewed in early 2016, according to the Associated Press, but Democrats have accused Flynn of lying in his interview about foreign payments he received for Turkish lobbying.

The lawmakers have also accused Flynn of failing to report a 2015 trip he took to the Middle East, and failing to report contacts he had with Israeli and Egyptian officials.

The security clearance questionnaires require applicants to report all meetings that occurred abroad and all contacts with officials of foreign governments that took place in the last seven years.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the gold-medal favorites for every single event at the Winter Olympics

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kamil stoch

The Winter Olympics are here!

Every four years, sports fans get to see the best in the world slide, skate, and ski their way to Olympic gold.

Below, we've listed the gold-medal favorites for every event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang South Korea — from downhill and cross-country skiing to skeleton and curling, and everything in between.

When watching the games over the next two weeks, these are the athletes to pay close attention to.

Here are the athletes expected to win gold in Pyeongchang this year.

Alpine skiing (men)

Downhill: Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway), 5-2

Super-G: Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway), 5-2

Giant slalom: Marcel Hirscher (Austria), 4-9

Slalom: Marcel Hirscher (Austria), 4-7

Combined: Alexis Pinturault (France), 2-1



Alpine skiing (women)

Downhill: Lindsey Vonn (USA), 5-6

Super-G: Lindsey Vonn (USA), 11-10

Giant slalom: Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 2-1

Slalom: Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1-4

Combined: Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 6-5



Alpine skiing (mixed)

Mixed team: Switzerland, 9-4



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The breakout stars to watch at the 2018 Winter Olympics

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Mikaela Shiffrin

During each Olympics, the games give rise to new stars who captivate the world for a few weeks.

Some are the most dominant men and women of their sport; some are underdogs who surprise the world with a win; others are just lovable competitors whose spirits win over fans.

With the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang kicking off on Thursday, we compiled a list of stars from all around the world that fans will want to know.

Learn more about them below.

Mikaela Shriffin, USA

Sport: Alpine skiing

Age: 22

One thing to know: Shriffin is the best alpine skier in the world and set to become a huge breakout star in Pyeongchang. She has 10 wins and 15 podium finishes in the 23 World Cup races she's entered this season, and is on pace to become the most decorated racer in the world if she can snag two golds in the Olympics.



Chloe Kim, USA

Sport: Snowboarding

Age: 17

One thing to know: Kim would have qualified for the Sochi Olympics, but she was too young. In the buildup to Pyeongchang, she became the first female to ever land back-to-back 1080s and won a gold at the Youth Olympic Games.



Marcel Hirscher, Austria

Sport: Alpine skiing

Age: 28

One thing to know: Hirscher has six world championship golds to his name, but only one Olympic silver. He'll be looking to change that in Pyeongchang, where he's the projected favorite to win the slalom and giant slalom events.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

One athlete to know from all 93 countries competing in the Winter Olympics

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Ireen Wust

The Olympics always captivate an international audience with their size, scope, and spirit.

Countries from all across the globe compete, and while there's a desire to be crowned best in the world, sportsmanship reigns over the fortnight's worth of events. Sometimes the best stories to come from the games are not about the champions, but rather the underdogs who finished despite the odds, or those who proved their mettle simply by making it to the Olympics.

Below we've collected a list including one athlete to watch from every country competing at Pyeongchang 2018. The athletes range from potential breakout stars to athletes helping to make their country's Winter Olympics debut, and there is no shortage of great stories to keep an eye out for and support.

Albania — Ergon Tola

Sport: Alpine skiing

Age: 31

One thing to know: Tola was the first Albanian to ever compete in the Winter Olympics, making his debut at the 2006 Games, but had to withdraw from the 2014 games due to injury. This will be his fourth Olympics and his third time competing.



Andorra — Marc Oliveras

Sport: Alpine skiing

Age: 26

One thing to know: Oliveras will be hoping that a miracle performance can help him bring home Andorra's first Olympic medal — the country has never taken home hardware despite appearing in every Winter and Summer Games since 1976.



Argentina — Nicol Gastaldi

Sport: Alpine skiing

Age: 28

One thing to know: Gastaldi is making her return to the games after competing in 2010 but failing to qualify in 2014.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's a look at North Korea's first musical performance in South Korea in 12 years

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As North Koreans arrived in South Korea ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, one particular group stood out from among the delegation.

The Samjiyon Orchestra, a musical ensemble that consists of 137 vocalists and musicians, showcased the start of the Winter Olympics with a highly choreographed performance in the city of Gangneung.

The orchestra wrapped up its 90-minute performance before an audience of 812 people on Thursday, and its second and final performance is scheduled for Saturday in Seoul.

Here's a look at Samjiyon Orchestra's first performance in South Korea since 2002:

Members of the Samjiyon Orchestra traveled to South Korea by ship on Tuesday. There, they were met by groups of conservative protesters, who shouted slurs at the art troupe from the docks below.



The orchestra is part of a larger art troupe that includes the much-hyped Moranbong Band, a pop-music band comprised of women selected by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.



The bilateral negotiations that took place before the orchestra's performance hit several snags. In late January, North Korea abruptly canceled a joint cultural performance that would have included performances from both countries. The country attributed its decision to South Korea's "insulting" media coverage.

Source: Reuters



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet North Korea's mysterious 'princess' Kim Yo Jong — the 30-ish sister of Kim Jong Un who just shared a historic handshake with South Korea's president

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In a rare show of diplomacy between the two Koreas, Kim Jong Un's younger sister traveled to South Korea on Friday for the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Her journey is considered a milestone of historic significance — she was the first member of North Korea's ruling family to visit the south since the Korean War in the 1950s, according to The New York Times.

Like her brother, and much of the rest of their family, few details are known about Kim Yo Jong and the life she lived before reaching a prime leadership role in the North Korean government.

Here's what we know about her so far:

SEE ALSO: The mysterious life of Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol-ju, who probably has 3 children and frequently disappears from the public eye

DON'T MISS: Mystery children and sibling rivalries — this is Kim Jong Un's family tree

Like many of Kim's family members, Kim Yo Jong's exact age is difficult to pin down. But she's believed to be between 29 and 31.



She's the youngest child of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and his consort Ko Yong Hui, a former dancer.

Source: Business Insider



She was partly educated in Switzerland, at the same school Kim Jong Un attended. But she returned to North Korea in 2000 after completing the US equivalent of the sixth grade.

Source: North Korea Leadership Watch



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Greta Gerwig is the 5th woman to be nominated for a best director Oscar — here are all the others

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greta gerwig SAG

Though the Academy Awards has a rich history, it hasn't, until very recently, been particularly inclusive.

But there's still a long way to go. Since the first woman was nominated in 1977, only five women have been nominated for directing. And only one of them won, when Kathryn Bigelow won for directing "The Hurt Locker" in 2010. 

Director, writer, and actress Greta Gerwig, who was nominated for "Lady Bird," is only the fifth woman to be nominated for an Oscar in the best director category at the Academy Awards, which has occurred annually since 1929.

Gerwig's critically acclaimed coming-of-age comedy earned her another nomination for best original screenplay. The movie's star Saoirse Ronan is up for best actress, and Laurie Metcalf for best supporting actress. A few weeks ago, Gerwig won best director in the comedy or musical category at the Golden Globes.

Here are all the women who have been nominated for best director at the Oscars:

SEE ALSO: Here are the 17 biggest Oscar snubs of 2018

Lina Wertmüller, "Seven Beauties" (1977)

In 1977, Wertmüller became the first woman ever to be nominated in the directing category at the 49th Academy Awards. She was also nominated for best original screenplay. Her film, "Seven Beauties," is an Italian-language movie about an Italian man who deserts the army during World War II, and is captured by Germans and sent to prison camp. 

Wertmüller lost the directing category to John G. Avildsen for "Rocky." Other nominees in the category were Sidney Lumet ("Network"), Ingmar Bergman ("Face to Face") and Alan J. Pakula ("All the President's Men").

 



Jane Campion, "The Piano" (1994)

In 1994, Campion became the second woman to get nominated for directing a film. "The Piano," about a mute piano player and her daughter, stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, and Anna Paquin, who won best supporting actress at age 11. 

At the 66th Academy Awards ceremony, Campion won for best original screenplay, but lost the directing category to Steven Spielberg, who won for "Schindler's List."



Sofia Coppola, "Lost in Translation" (2004)

Coppola's critically acclaimed comedy starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson was a favorite in the 2004 awards season, earning her a nomination for best director. The movie, about two lonely Americans who become friends after meeting at a Tokyo hotel, was also nominated for best picture. Though it didn't win in either of those categories, Coppola won the statue for best original screenplay. Coppola lost the directing category to Peter Jackson for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Other nominees in the category included Fernando Meirelles ("City of God"), Peter Weir ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"), and Clint Eastwood ("Mystic River").



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Amazon's two-hour Whole Foods delivery service will be fast and affordable, but it'll come at a major cost

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Amazon is doubling down on the grocery-delivery space. On Thursday, the company announced that it would begin offering free two-hour Whole Foods deliveries for Amazon Prime members.

The move may transform the grocery industry and could feasibly threaten the business of competitors such as Instacart—with whom Whole Foods has an existing delivery partnership.

But it also raises a number of questions about the logistics of such an endeavor and what it could mean for our roadways, neighborhoods, and labor system.

With two-hour delivery, a mere $35 minimum purchase amount, and access to thousands of items, Amazon’s program makes sense whether you’re doing a bulk grocery order or you’ve only forgotten a few last-minute dinner essentials.

When you place an order, pickers, who may or may not be Whole Foods employees, will collect your requested items, put them in “appropriate packaging,” and hand them off to Amazon Flex contract delivery drivers. These drivers currently make deliveries for other Amazon services, such as Prime Now, AmazonFresh, and Amazon Restaurants, using their own vehicles. Deliveries can be made between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and if it really is a last-minute ordeal, you can pay $7.99 for delivery within the hour.



While many home grocery services offer same-day delivery, this is an unprecedented level of convenience and affordability that could change consumer behaviors in a similar way that Prime has changed our online-ordering habits.

Many of us already have a Prime membership—Amazon doesn’t disclose this number but reports suggest Amazon has more than 80 million members as of April 2017—and this could further drive adoption. As opposed to Instacart’s $149 annual membership for “free” two-hour deliveries, Amazon’s Whole Foods delivery service really does feel free—it’s a sunk cost.



When there’s no incentive to consolidate purchases because of a shipping or delivery fee, we may find ourselves ordering smaller grocery loads on a more frequent basis.

Instead of a family making one or two grocery runs each week, we’ll have drivers making multiple runs for hundreds, if not thousands, of families in a community each week. Hopefully drivers will be able to consolidate multiple deliveries into single trips, but even so, that could mean more cars on the road, which could lead to worsened traffic and air quality in our neighborhoods.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Slopestyle is set to be one of the most high-flying, entertaining events of the Olympics — take a look at the insane course

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PyeongChang Slopestyle course

This is one event you definitely won't want to miss. 

Ski and snowboard slopestyle sends competitors one at a time down a terrain park constructed out of snow, filled with massive jumps and metal rails. It's only the second time this event has been showcased on a world stage, as it made its debut at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. 

The competitors get two qualifying runs, and two final runs to show off their best, most creative, and most athletic tricks to the judges. The highest single run score wins in the finals.

The competitors have three rail sections, and three jumps continuously linked in each run.

Unlike the other freestyle disciplines, like aerials and moguls, where conforming to a rigid expectation of what the judge's demand puts you ahead of the pack, slopestyle skiing — in a testament to its X-Games roots — is inherently creative and forces riders to think outside-of-the-box.

Take a look at the insane course below, courtesy of US Snowboard Team member Ryan Stassel's Instagram:

SEE ALSO: Here are the gold-medal favorites for every single event at the Winter Olympics

Here's an overall image of the entire course, showing the three rail sections, and the three jump sections.



Look for the riders to bring their imagination and get seriously creative on the rail sections.

Watch out for Oystein Braaten, the 22-year-old Norwegian skier, to throw down some of the most technical tricks in the rail section. Braaten's a heavy favorite to take the gold in ski slopestyle. 



For the skiers, the judges will want to see the riders spinning on, and off, the rails in both directions, and using their edges and the flex profile of their skis and boards to control their slide with style.

This is where skiers like Sweden's 26-year old Henrik Harlaut — one of the most creative of the bunch — will showcase their style by choosing unique lines through the course.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet the richest people in bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, who are worth more than $17 billion combined

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winkleevoss

  • Forbes on Wednesday released its first-ever list of the richest people in bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
  • Most of the people on the list are the founders and CEOs of the biggest companies in blockchain, the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
  • They're worth more than $17 billion and as much as $24 billion, though that number fluctuates daily with price swings in the crypto market.


The life of a crypto-billionaire is stressful.

After unprecedented gains over the past year — driving bitcoin, ether, and Ripple's XRP up 1,300%, 8,000%, and 32,000% — cryptocurrencies have come back down to earth in recent weeks.

As of Friday afternoon, bitcoin was down 28% since late January. On Monday, bitcoin hit $7,000, down 64% from its all-time high of nearly $20,000 in late December.

And as of Tuesday, the total value of all digital currencies had dropped by 61% from its peak on January 7, to $320 billion from $826 billion.

While stories abound of regular people making fortunes in crypto, the world's richest in the space are primarily those making the pans and shovels in the digital gold rush.

On Wednesday, Forbes magazine released its first-ever list of the richest people in cryptocurrency, similar to its Forbes 400 annual list, which dates back to 1982. The values are estimates based on the price of cryptocurrencies as of January 19.

In his letter explaining why the magazine created the list, Forbes' editor, Randall Lane, said such transparency could help the crypto industry move out of its shadowy beginnings to financial maturity.

Meet the world's richest bitcoin billionaires:

SEE ALSO: A certified financial planner explains just how risky of an investment bitcoin is

13. Valery Vavilov, 38, founded the bitcoin-mining company BitFury in 2011, which has mined about 800,000 bitcoins and employs 400 people. He's worth $500 million to $700 million.



12. Dan Larimer, BlockOne's 35-year-old chief technology officer who helped found three blockchain platforms, is worth $600 million to $700 million.



11. Brendan Blumer is the 31-year-old CEO of BlockOne, the company behind the blockchain platform EOS.IO. He is worth $600 million to $700 million.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I make $267,000 as a legal sex worker in Nevada — here's what I spend in a week

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nevada brothel

  • A legal sex worker operating out of Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada is sharing what she spends and earns in a week. 
  • Her paycheck varies depending on how many appointments she books, but she pocketed $267,000 in her first year. 
  • Condoms, lube, massage oils, and other necessary materials are all tax deductible. 

Welcome back to Money Diaries Monday! At the start of each week, we take a deep dive into Money Diaries in a variety of ways, from recurring articles to fresh pieces for the MD community.

Today, we asked a legal sex worker in Nevada to track her money for an entire week — both what she spends and what she earns.

Occupation: Legal Sex Worker
Age: 20s
Location: Mound House, NV
Salary: It varies. I typically bring in mid-six figures. My first year, I booked $511,000, pocketing half of that as my income pre-expenses. The house takes 50% of whatever I book. My goal is to book $750,000 this year. I've booked $534,000 this year so far — $267,000 pre-expenses and pre-taxes. During tax season, many things for us are deductible — condoms, lube, massage oil, photo shoots, my computer, my cell phone, the cost to get my hair cut, makeup, etc. I file as an LLC and pay just over $15,000 in taxes each year on average.
Paycheck: Varies, as I'm an independent contractor.

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,000. My roommates are two cats, two dogs, and one pig. I pay for pet sitters on an as-needed basis.
Student Loan Payments: Paid in full as of this month!

Other Monthly Expenses
Utilities: $352.42
Transportation: $527.03 for my car and car insurance
Fitness: $150/week to meet with a personal trainer and nutritionist
Car Registration: $557/year
Phone Bill: $108.67
Health Insurance: I am currently uninsured, but it typically costs $400/month and up for private insurance.
Savings: $15,000 in savings and investments

Day One

8 a.m. — The alarm goes off but I've been awake since 7:30 a.m. I’m an early riser by nature.

8:15 a.m. — Breakfast time for the animals! I have two cats, two dogs, and a mini-pig. I love spending my morning with them on my days off. After breakfast, we go for a walk around the block.

9 a.m. — Monday is one of my two days off each week. I consider it an errand day, when I go grocery shopping and take care of what needs to be done. Today, I have a breakfast date with my coworker and best friend Roxanne Price. We live right next to each other and often go out to a local breakfast spot. We talk about the work week, our cats, video games, etc. We switch off on who treats for breakfast; this week, it's my turn. $24.50

10:30 a.m. — Meeting and workout session with my personal trainer and nutritionist. I have low blood sugar, so it’s very important that I'm on top of my fitness and diet plans.

12 p.m. — Protein shake and supplements after my workout. $10

12:30 p.m. — DMV registration is due on my car for the year. Cue work-life crossover, where I notice a local client across the room. We exchange knowing smiles while we wait.

2 p.m. — Grocery shopping time! I drive to Whole Foods in Reno, as it's the only shop that stocks everything I need. I purchase a week's worth of groceries, including chicken breasts, salad mix, salmon, fruits, and assorted vegetables. $209.67

3:15 p.m. — My phone goes off just as I get home and start unloading groceries. One of my regulars is at the ranch looking to visit with me. I quickly toss the cold items into the fridge and head out the door.

3:20 p.m. — I make a pit stop at Starbucks for coffee and egg-white bites since my lunch is now to-go. $12.56

4:11 p.m. — J. is one of my local regulars. We exchange a hug and a kiss, then head back to my room to negotiate. We decide to go with our usual — the GFE or Girlfriend Experience — with a few new positions. J. uses Viagra, so we return to the bar to have a drink and catch up while we wait for it to kick in.

5 p.m. — We head to the office to book our date. Amount Booked: $2,000. Amount Earned: $1,000 (after the house's cut)

6:45 p.m. — I get home from my appointment and finish putting away the groceries.

7:35 p.m. — Dinnertime! I prepare some of the salmon I purchased earlier and decide to make this a working meal. I eat in front of my computer while I respond to email inquiries.

8:15 p.m. — Evening walk with the dogs.
9 p.m. — Netflix and tea. I’m catching up on Stranger Things in anticipation of the next season! I only have so much time to watch television, so I carefully pick and choose shows to follow.

10 p.m. — I turn off the overhead light and read The Lord of the Rings until I fall asleep.

Daily Total Spent: $256.73
Daily Total Earned: $1,000
Room & Board: $0. We pay $32/day for room and board at the Ranch even on our days off, as long as we maintain a room. The $32 cost is waived if you book a certain amount each day: Sunday to Thursday, you need to book $1,000 (before the house cut). Friday and Saturday, that amount goes up to $1,500.



Day Two

7 a.m. — Wake up. Despite today being one of my normal days off, I’ve got a photo shoot scheduled. No sleeping in — there’s hair and makeup to be done!

8:35 a.m. — I prepare egg whites at home and eat them in a pita wrap on the road to the blow-out bar for my hair and makeup appointment.

9 a.m. — Time for my appointment! I’m getting beachy waves and natural makeup done since this is an outdoor fall photoshoot. Many people assume we only take boudoir images, but some of my most popular pictures are of me out and about, living life! $125.67 (including $20 tip)

11 a.m. — Time to meet my photographer at the park. We start out taking photos of me in cute outfits on a bridge in a dress and work our way around the park with various outfit changes. $150

1:35 p.m. — We’re both getting hungry and the lights are starting to get a bit harsh, so we wrap up the shoot and go out for a sushi lunch, my treat. $66.67 (including $10 tip)

3:45 p.m. — Emails. So many emails. I spend my afternoon catching up on the online side of my business with website updates, emails, a new blog post, and more.

6:05 p.m. — Dinnertime! I grill chicken breasts for my meal, plus a few extras for the work week.

7:47 p.m. — I finish my day watching Netflix, reading a book (Sex at Dawn), and head to bed around 10 p.m.

Daily Total Spent: $374.34 (including $32 room and board)
Daily Total Earned: $0



Day Three

6:45 a.m. — I’m awake bright and early as it’s a work day! I start my day with a big cup of coffee, and a round of morning exercise. Stretching, Pilates, and strength-building exercises to keep my body in tip-top shape. Breakfast is my workday usual: egg whites, chicken breasts, and a protein shake, which I pack and take with me to work.

7:47 a.m. — Shower post-workout, then taking care of the animals and getting ready for work. I usually put my makeup on before I head to work since my shift begins promptly at 9 a.m. Today, I'm paying for a pet sitter. $15

8:45 a.m. — Out the door and on the way to the Ranch.

9 a.m. — My work shift begins. I check my emails while eating breakfast.

10:17 a.m. — The bell rings. Company! We all run out of our rooms and down the hallways to the front parlor, where we stand in a line and introduce ourselves to the gentleman that has just walked in. This is called a lineup. The gentleman walks up to the lady of his choice, takes her by the hand, and they then "go on tour." Since I am the one chosen, I take him around the back of the property and show off some of our bungalows and suites. The ranch is much larger than it looks from the front, so people are often surprised by the size of the facility! We wrap up the tour and head back to my suite to negotiate.

10:36 a.m. — We settle on $1,000 for our encounter, and head to the office to book the party. Here at the ranch, rather than "having sex," we say we are "having a party." It’s a term that's unique to the industry, but one I’m rather fond of. When we book a party at the ranch, I take the guest to the "Hooker Booker" office where the transaction takes place. The cashier handles the financial information — rather than the ladies — to protect our guests' information. Amount Booked: $1,000. Amount Earned: $500

12:05 p.m. — After the party, I settle down in front of my computer to continue working on emails. There are several more bells during this time, but I'm not picked.

1 p.m. — The doctor has arrived. By law, all legal sex workers must visit the doctor each week for STD/STI testing. If she comes back positive for anything, the girl is unable to work. The doctor cost is $75/week, and once per month we have to do blood work, which brings the cost up to $110. This is a normal exam week for me. This expense must be paid by the working ladies, and isn't covered by insurance. $75

3:05 p.m. — Lineup, and once again I am picked. We go on tour, and negotiate a simple massage party. I’m a trained massage therapist, so this is a frequent request. Amount Booked: $500. Amount Earned: $250.

4:10 p.m. — I break for lunch. Part of our room and board cost includes food and use of the kitchen. We get a hot meal daily, plus access to fruits, veggies, eggs, and leftovers, 24/7. I’ll tell you something — sex workers sure can eat. We certainly aren’t starving ourselves here! We have hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, pulled pork, steamed veggies, and cake for dessert. I happily indulge.

9 p.m. — My shift is over, and I pack up and head home for the day.

9:35 p.m. — It’s late and I'm already tired. I drink another protein shake for dinner, tend to my animals, and tuck in.

Daily Total Spent: $90
Daily Total Earned: $750



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How you should be spending Galentine's Day, based on your zodiac sign

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  • You don't need to be in a relationship to make the best of Valentine's Day.
  • Make it a Galentine's Day instead and do whatever it is your zodiac sign likes best.
  • If you're a Cancer, go see a fun concert. As for Aquarius', go to dinner and a movie alone — no judgement.

We've all been there... the dreaded day of love is creeping up on us and suddenly the majority of your girls have found themselves single and alone AGAIN. Instead of burying your heads in books and patiently waiting for the day to be over, plan a super fun adventure for you and your friends to change your Valentine's Day into an epic Galentine's day. 

Capricorn: Go on a Hike

Your ambitious nature and active mind will love when you grab your friends and hit the outdoors for some fresh air. The views will be a perfect opportunity to snap a cute Insta with your girls. 



Aquarius: Dinner and a Movie, Alone

You Aquarius girls don't care what people think of you, so you are confident enough in yourself to go out to dinner or grab a drink all alone. It is a treat yo self kind of day, so buy yourself something nice, enjoy the scenery, and catch up with your friends when you're done. 



Pisces: Binge Watch Classic Romantic Movies

Being sensitive and reserved, treat this day as the perfect escape from reality. Invite your girls over for a movie marathon of the classics: The TitanicThe Notebook, and all your faves. Grab the popcorn and cry your eyes out and forget the dumb boys who broke your hearts. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 signs that prove you're not ready for a relationship

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Woman Reading Cafe

  • Sometimes you're just not ready to be in a relationship, and that's okay.
  • Signs that you should just be single include not being happy with yourself, and not wanting to commit.


A good relationship can be hard to find. It's not all matchmakers, blind dates, and love at first sight. In fact, love at first sight probably doesn't actually exist.

The truth is, despite societal pressures, you might not necessarily be ready to find "the one," fall in love, or even go on a date.

Keep scrolling for eight signs that a relationship just isn't right for you at the moment.

You simply don't want to be in a relationship.

Sounds like a no-brainer, but sometimes we ignore our instincts.

If you know yourself and know that you're not ready or not willing to be in a relationship then why be in one? Yes, maybe you like a person a lot, but if you can't give the relationship 100% or you don't feel as though a relationship is possible right now, then you owe it to yourself — and others — to not get involved.

You're not alone if you want to be single. According to a 2014 Pew Research report, a record number of Americans have never been married.

Your reasons for not wanting to be in a relationship — no matter what they are — are valid, so you can honor them by listening to your gut and skipping the dating game for now.



You want to focus on other aspects of your life.

Work might be getting hectic or school could be taking up all of your extra time. Whatever the reason, you might not be feeling the need — or you might not have the energy — to focus on dating.

Sometimes we ignore these needs and enter into a relationship anyway. But if other aspects of your life are constantly taking priority over your significant other, your relationship will suffer. In fact, studies show that even the simple use of a smartphone could be ruining a relationship.

If you can't give enough attention and validation to make another person feel as though the relationship is reciprocal, you might want wait until you have enough time and energy to devote to a partner.



You're not happy with yourself.

We all have things we'd like to change about ourselves and insecurities to work on, but to quote RuPaul, "if you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?"

Your self-esteem (or lack thereof) can take a major toll on your relationship. In fact, according to Everyday Health, partners with low self-esteem were "more likely to view their relationship in black-and-white terms: as all good or all bad," which led to some deep issues in communication and perception.

Nobody's perfect. If you want to work on yourself, then it's probably best to focus on solely that for how ever long you think you need to.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Crazy videos show the A-10 Warthog doing what it does best — annihilating its targets

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a-10 warthog

The A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the Warthog, is popular — very popular. 

It's especially popular with ground troops, as the Warthog provides them with close air support when they're pinned down or in a pickle.

A-10 pilots are often considered different than other combat pilots, with a perspective more like the ground forces they so often protect.

It's why they've been referred to as "grunts in the sky."

In honor of the grunts in the sky, we've compiled seven short videos of the A-10 doing what it does best, whether in training or real-world scenarios.

Check them out below:

SEE ALSO: 15 photos of the legendary A-10 Warthog, which Congress wants to keep flying for years to come

DON'T MISS: US releases crazy video of an A-10 Warthog decimating a Taliban vehicle in Afghanistan

Here's the A-10 taking out an armored vehicle with a laser-guided bomb during a training exercise:

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Here's what it looks like in slow motion:

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This one shows the Warthog using its 30mm Gatling gun:

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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