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The best fast food in America

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Chicken Nuggets 1

We recently asked you to vote for your favorite fast food items. 

The results are in, and we're ready to unveil the best fast food in America.

More than 1,400 Business Insider readers took the survey.

We have winners for categories including burger, french fries, chicken nuggets, pizza, and more. 

Thanks for voting! 

Best fast-food cheeseburger: Five Guys 55%

Other contenders: Wendy's (14%), McDonald's (9%), Burger King (6%), Carl's Jr. (6%), Jack in the Box (3%), White Castle (2%), Checkers (1%)



Best fast-food French fries: McDonald's 54%

Other contenders: Five Guys (25%), Wendy's (7%), Burger King (7%), Jack in the Box (2%), Carl's Jr. (1%), Sonic (1%)



Best French fries at a regional chain: Shake Shack 32%

Other contenders: In-N-Out (31%), Whataburger (12%), SmashBurger (11%), Culver's (7%), Cook Out (4%)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

2 foolproof tips to buying better produce

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Supermarket grocery produce fruit vegetables

You're at the grocery store, and you want to buy a watermelon.

Shoot, how do you tell if they're ripe again?

America's Test Kitchen chef and food science expert Dan Souza shared two foolproof tips with us that you can actually remember when you're at the store.

Here's how to buy the best melons and avocados — two foods that are heavenly when they're good and downright gross when they're not.

Melons

You might think that a pale or tan spot on your watermelon is undesirable, but it's actually a good sign.

Souza told Tech Insider that this "ground spot" means the melon had time to rest on the ground and ripen.

"Fruits like watermelons don't continue to ripen after you pick them," he says. "So if they don't have that ground spot, they were picked immature, and they're not going to be any sweeter on your counter."

Once you identify ones with ground spots, Souza says to pick up a few and feel how heavy they are.

"The heavier one is the one you want to go with because water is very heavy. We know a pint is a pound," he says. "So the more water in there, the more juice, and the heavier it's going to be."

This heavy test works for any juicy fruit, Souza says, so you can identify ripe melons of all kinds and even citrus fruits this way.



Avocados

Picking the best avocados is surprisingly easy.

"Your best bet with avocados is to give them a gentle squeeze," Souza says, "to see if they're ripe and ready to be used that day." You want them to have some give without being totally mushy. (The color of the skin — see image — also provides a clue.)

If you don't plan on eating them that day or the next, pick an avocado that's a little firmer.

But one thing you unfortunately can't tell without cutting it open, Souza says, is whether the avocado will have those brown spots inside.

"A lot of that has to do with how they're handled during shipping, and it’s not visible on the outside," he says. "So unfortunately there's not a really good way to pick that. It's a total bummer. And they are expensive so it's a little bit tricky."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what it's like to eat at McDonald's in a city that bans beef

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McDonald's

I'm not a huge fan of McDonald's. A nearly lifelong vegetarian, I try to eat healthful food whenever I can. Even when I was a little kid and still ate meat, I rarely got to visit the Golden Arches and enjoy a Happy Meal.

While my colleagues and friends sometimes "treat" themselves to an Egg McMuffin breakfast or a Big Mac after a long day at work, I can honestly say I never have any desire to go there.

There is one exception. As a junior in college, I spent a year studying in Vienna and discovered I actually enjoyed the Austrian McDonald's. I went there all the time, drawn in by the allure of food that was both comforting and familiar and an intriguing variation of the kind of McDonald's available back home.

I could get plain vanilla soft serve and Gemüse (German for vegetable) nuggets, which were an Austrian version of chicken nuggets — only they were vegetarian. During that one year in my life, I became a loyal McDonald's patron.

In the decade that followed, I would go to McDonald's only once, to get my McDonald's-loving roommate a Big Mac and some fries after his dog died. Recently, though, I went back to Mickey D's again — again, in a foreign country. Intrigued by the notion of a US fast-food chain that might have some slight variations, I stopped by a Mumbai McDonald's while on my honeymoon in India.

I was particularly drawn to the McDonald's because I knew that, last year, the state that includes Mumbai became the latest in the country to ban the sale of beef. The city's McDonald's was sure to be non-traditional.

The McDonald's was off a hectic shopping area for pedestrians.



Ronald McDonald beckons us inside. He looks the same in India.



Right away, I'm presented with Mumbai's answer to the Big Mac: the Maharaja Mac, which it calls "The Social Burger."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This supercharged Lotus is a little yellow ball of fun

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Lotus Evora Sport 410"We couldn’t help ourselves," Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said of the new Lotus Evora Sport 410.

What did they do this time, you ask?

They made their Evora even lighter, of course...that's just what Lotus, the small, adorably financially woe-full British carmaker does, after all: they add lightness.

The newest Lotus model comes with the same 410 horsepower supercharged V6 found in the track-only 3-Eleven and oodles of carbon fiber, which makes it a whopping 70kg (154 lbs) lighter than the standard Evora.

Lotus claim the Evora Sport 410 will do 0-60 MPH in 3.9 secs and a top speed of 186 MPH. Production will be limited to 150 examples per year.

A North American version will be announced this year. The UK version will cost £79,900, or about $111,000.

SEE ALSO: An absolutely massive, record breaking container ship.

A new Lotus is born ...



... well, an old Lotus, but now with lots of carbon fiber, ...



... some more, supercharger-induced horsepower ...



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to tell a noisy coworker to shut up without making them hate you

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If you have ever worked in an open office or cube farm, there's a very good chance you've dealt with a noisy neighbor. 

"Loud and talkative coworkers can be one of the most annoying distractions on earth — and, unfortunately, they're pretty common in today's workplace," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, leadership coach, and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job." 

Dealing with a noisy coworker can be awkward, explains Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage." "Most people want to avoid conflict, as it's natural to want to get along and be liked by all your colleagues and to not be seen as high maintenance or a whiner, so the tendency is to grit your teeth and put up with it."

But Taylor says when you're dealing with a protracted situation that affects your livelihood and productivity — for instance, when your neighbor's voice carries into your client phone call, or distracts you from being able to compose an email — you know the line's been crossed and you must take action. "It's time to prepare for a diplomatic conversation and choose your words carefully," she says.

Here's what you can do:

SEE ALSO: 20 things you should never say to your coworkers

Address the issue — but remain friendly.

Taylor suggests taking your colleague to lunch or finding a neutral, quiet room or office to meet in. "Regardless of the venue, first discuss common interests inside and outside of work. Be kind and friendly."

Try something like: "Hey, I need your advice on something. I know it can be challenging working in such close quarters. Is there anything I can do to improve your work experience being that we work so close by each other? Do I tap my pen or slam my cabinet? You never know until you ask!" 

"Then, await a response before bringing up the issue,"says Taylor. "And when you do, say something along the lines of: 'I really appreciate your input; thank you. For me, it's sometimes difficult to concentrate, as I'm a bit sensitive to noise levels around me. I was wondering if you might have any suggestions.'"



Compromise.

Taylor recommends that you offer a compromise, if necessary, such as morning or afternoon times being more critical for you to have more quiet time. "Remember to thank your colleague for being open to listening to you. And ultimately circle back to a positive note, such as a common project or a topic of interest," Taylor says.

If that doesn't work — or you're not comfortable with having that conversation — continue reading for additional suggestions...



Bring the issue up with the entire office so that no one feels singled out. 

"Posting an informal survey of the top five office pet peeves on the lunchroom bulletin board, or raising the survey results in a meeting is a safe way to gently remind everyone of some basic office etiquette," says Kerr.

"In fact, everyone working in an open office concept should talk openly about the challenges of working in that kind of environment and agree upon some basic guidelines to ensure everyone plays nice in the sandbox."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 questions you should never ask at the end of a job interview

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job interview, boss, meetingWhen you're in the hot seat, there's a good chance your interviewer will turn the tables at some point and ask, "Do you have any questions for me?"

When you have the floor, you'll want to take full advantage of the opportunity to show that you've done your homework and to determine if the job is a good fit.

But it's imperative that you put just as much thought into what you ask as you do your responses to their questions, because your queries may reflect your knowledge of the company, your work ethic, your level of professionalism, and your interest in the role.

"In the first interview, you'll want to be sure to ask the right questions. Ask about the job and company; not questions that can come off as self-serving and give the impression you may not be a team player or be willing to give 100%," says Amy Hoover, president of the job board Talent Zoo.

She continued: "The sole purpose of the interview is to determine if you are a good fit for the company, and if it's a good fit for you. All the other issues and concerns should be addressed during negotiations after the job offer has been made."

Here are 17 questions you'll want to avoid during the first job interview, as they may do more harm than good:

SEE ALSO: 15 smart questions to ask at the end of every job interview

DON'T MISS: The 27 jobs that are most damaging to your health

What does your company do?

Questions like this will make you look unprepared. To avoid that, never ask anything that can easily be answered with a Google search.



What will my salary be?

Hold off on the money talk.



Will I have to work long hours?

This says, "I'm lazy."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The world in photos this week

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A selection of photos from some of this week's biggest news that you might have missed.

SEE ALSO: 21 stunning photos prove the US Navy and US Marine Corps have the best diving boards and swimming pools

Rebel fighters inspect a piece of a rocket that landed in an area that connects the northern countryside of Deraa and the Quneitra countryside in southern Syria on February 22.



Syria Democratic Forces fighters look through a scope and a pair of binoculars on the outskirts of al-Shadadi town, in Syria's Hasaka countryside.



Macedonian policemen stand in front of a gate over rail tracks as migrants wait behind at the Greek-Macedonian border. Additional passage restriction imposed by Macedonian authorities left hundreds of them stranded near the village of Idomeni, Greece, on February 23.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 investing tips I wish I could tell my younger self

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rearview mirror driving sunglasses

Sometimes I look back on my past as a young investor and want to kick myself. I didn't really know what I was doing back then, and made a number of mistakes that cost me money in the long run.

I did learn a lot and truly enjoy investing and saving now. But I wish I could go back in time and offer my younger self a few bits of advice. Here's my list of investing tips to the "young me" that'll hopefully spare you the same mistakes.

SEE ALSO: I spent years working from home — and it cost me more than I expected

1. Understand the value of compound returns.

Retirement is one of the last things you're going to think about when you've had hardly any time in the workforce. "What? Retirement? I'm only 22!" As crazy as it sounds, investing money in these early years is a crucial part of having a large nest egg upon retirement.

The earlier you start investing, the more time that money has to grow. And with a long time horizon, you don't have to be overly concerned about the ups and downs of the market.

 



2. Familiarize yourself with retirement accounts.

If you have some money, it may be tempting as a young person to simply open a brokerage account and begin buying and selling. But it's important first to understand the basics of retirement accounts and the advantages they offer to investors. Individual Retirement Accounts (or IRAs), along with 401K plans can allow you to save for retirement and get great tax benefits along the way.



3. Don't buy that thing — invest your money instead.

I cringe when I think about the useless stuff I bought when I was in my teens and twenties. Articles of clothing, music, movies, computer games, expensive meals with friends... I had a lot of fun, but I could have had as much fun living more frugally, and I think about how much money I'd have now if I'd bought stocks, instead.

Even a small amount of money placed in an index fund at age 18 has the potential to grow into a substantial sum. I wish I could go back and tell my young self to put at least some of my spending money in an account that would build value for my future self.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 unprofessional work habits that make your boss and coworkers hate you

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mistake boss employee nervous upset laptop explain

Do your coworkers or boss show signs that they secretly hate you?

If you answered "yes," then sure, it could be that they're generally disagreeable people. Or it could be you.

You may not realize it, but you could be engaging in workplace habits that make you look unprofessional.

While many of these habits violate the basic rules of common decency and respect, sometimes you need a reminder of how to behave at work. And since your office-mates aren't speaking up, we decided to chime in on their behalf.

Here's what you could be doing all wrong that makes you look unprofessional:

SEE ALSO: 13 bad habits you should break in 2016 to be more productive

DON'T MISS: 20 things you should never say to your coworkers

Bragging

"When we're proud of an accomplishment or about something good that happens to us, it's natural to want to share the news with others," says Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, an etiquette and civility expert and author of "Don't Burp in the Boardroom."

But sharing can easily become bragging, and she says there are a few key indicators that this is happening:

• If you go on and on, telling everyone and anyone who walks by.

• If you speak of it in a loud tone so that even the window washer can hear it through the thick glass.

• If you use a tone of superiority.

• If you feel the need to put down others and point out their failures.

• If you fail to say "thank you" when you are congratulated.

• If you start embellishing the story.

"When in doubt, try a little humility" Randall suggests.



Showing up late to work

"Punctuality is critical," Randall says.

"The professional thing to do is to arrive on time, ready to do what is expected. It's not like they just sprung this job on you," she says.



Rolling in 10 minutes late to every meeting

Similarly, showing up late to meetings shows that you neither respect your coworkers — who showed up on time, by the way — nor the meeting organizer, says Vicky Oliver, author of "301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions" and "Power Sales Words."

"Keeping people waiting can be construed as inconsiderate, rude, or arrogant," Randall says.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How 8 regular people earned $1 million

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happy couple friends smiling

The World Wealth Report 2015 has determined that a “strong economic and equity market performance helped create nearly a million (920,000) new millionaires globally in 2014.”

That trend is likely to continue in the foreseeable future, but do you, the average person reading this post, have a chance to join this exclusive club?

Absolutely.

And, here are eight ordinary people who have accomplished this feat.

Related: How to Become a Millionaire in Under 5 Years

SEE ALSO: 9 things to do in your 20s to become a millionaire by 30

1. Alicia Shaffer sold products on Etsy.

Alicia Shaffer, your average mother-of-three, was able to successfully turn her hobby into a million-dollar business. The California resident began selling her knitted wares and handmade goods on Etsy in 2011 and in under three years she was averaging $80,000 a month. Her Etsy marketplace, which is called ThreeBirdNest, receives more than 150 orders per day.



2. Johnny Ward started a travel blog.

Johnny Ward came from a single-parent family in Ireland. His family didn’t have enough money to travel when he was younger, but after visiting the U.S. and Thailand following graduation, Ward was bitten by the travel bug and began blogging about his adventures -- which has since made him a millionaire.

Ward has said: “I have a popular travel blog which generates a normal Western income through ads and affiliate commissions, in which I get a cut if one of my readers clicks through a link and makes a purchase, and I could live from that if I had to. However, having learned about SEO [search engine optimization], online marketing, corporate blogging, content creation and social-media management, as my blog grew more and more popular, I used my new skills to found a digital-media company which manages all those aspects of a company’s online presence. Now I have a team of people who manage that for clients around the world.”



3. Sara Blakely invented Spanx.

Sara Blakely was an average fax machine sales person with just $5,000 in her savings account. One day, while getting ready for a party, she cut the feet out of a pair of pantyhose so that she could wear a pair of pants more comfortably. Blakely knew she was on to something special and worked tirelessly to make her invention a reality.

After being rejected by a number of hosiery mills, she found one that was willingly to take a risk on her idea. Today, Spanx is a multi-million dollar company.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

14 stunning facts about Warren Buffett and his wealth

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warren buffett

Warren Buffett has been incredibly successful, and he's extremely wealthy. In fact, he's worth about $62.1 billion right now.

But how much is $62.1 billion really? And how good is Buffett at investing?

We've put together some facts that put his skill in perspective.

99% of Buffett's wealth was earned after his 50th birthday.

When Buffett was 52 years old, his net worth was about $376 million.

Plus, he made about 94% of his wealth after turning 60. At age 59, he was worth "only" $3.8 billion.

Talk about long-term investment strategies.

 

Source: Value Walk



Berkshire's Book Value beat the S&P 500 in 43 out of 46 years on a five-year rolling average basis.

This chart shows the five-year moving average annual price returns for Berkshire's stock and the S&P 500 since Buffett's takeover.

Since 1999, although Buffett has still tended to beat the market, it has been by a more modest amount than in the past.

 

Source: Business Insider



Among legends, Buffett has the longest track record for beating the market.

This chart compares investors with the S&P 500 over time. Buffett's outperformance has lasted longer than that of other great investors.

 

Source: Business Insider



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Disney spoofed a bunch of best picture Oscar nominees

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The 88th Academy Awards are Sunday on ABC and if you don't know all of the best picture nominees by now, this should help you out.

ABC parent company Disney put together adorable parody posters of a bunch of the nominees using characters from the release of it's upcoming animated movie, "Zootopia."

Disney did this previously with a few other movies including "Star Wars." Curiously, Disney didn't spoof all of the best picture nominees. "Brooklyn,""Spotlight," and "Room" are nowhere to be found.

Keep reading to see all of the mashups below.

"Mad Max" is now "Mad Yax: Furry Road" starring Tom Hairy and Charlene Therdar.



"The Big Short" becomes "Mr. Big Short," centered around the "Zootopia" mob boss. And, yes, his name is Mr. Big.



"The Revenant" now stars Leonardo DiCapolar in "The Hibernant." No Tom Hairy here. He's now Tom Howly.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This woman uses her hijab to transform into her favorite Disney characters

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From modest Muslim fashion bloggers to this 24-year-old racking up followers on Instagram for her account "Hijab Barbie," observant Muslim women have shown no shortage of creativity when it comes to styling their headscarves. 

Malaysian makeup artist Saraswati is no exception, and she takes things one step further by making her hijab a key element in her fantastic transformations into Disney characters, like Mulan and Ariel, as well as popular comic book heroes and villains. 

She documents her work on Instagram where her photos regularly get thousands of likes from her 68,000 followers. Check out this incredible transformation into the Mad Hatter for instance, which has over 1,300 likes.

Keep reading to see 15 of our favorite looks from Saraswati, courtesy of her stunning Instagram. 

Meet Saraswati, a makeup artist from Malaysia with a talent for creating whimsical looks inspired by comics and movies.

Instagram Embed:
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On Instagram, she's better known to her 68,000 (and counting) followers as Queen of Luna.

Instagram Embed:
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She regularly posts pictures of incredible makeovers that creatively incorporate her hijab as a design element.

Instagram Embed:
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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These 4 charts explain why oil crashed

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A worker walks past a pump jack on an oil field owned by Bashneft company near the village of Nikolo-Berezovka, northwest from Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia, in this January 28, 2015 file photo. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/Files Oil prices have cratered over the last two years and become a source of commotion, stress and volatility in the financial markets. There’s no question that there’s a long list of factors contributing to the price pressure – the increase in shale oil production, OPEC actions (or inaction), new supply (Iran), potentially lower demand as a result of global economic weakness – but they all combine to the most basic economic concept: supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand for extended periods, prices have to come down. The four charts explain what’s been going on.

Global oil supply versus demand

This chart shows the estimate global oil supply and demand on a quarterly basis since 2011. As one can see, while there have been momentary periods in the past where oil supply has exceeded demand, the extent and the length of time has been relatively small. All of this changed in 2014.



Global oil over supply

This chart shows the global over and under supply of oil using the estimates from the above chart. It’s an easier way to view the excess supply situation that we’ve had in the market for over eight quarters now and counting – looking at the chart notice two periods, the first part of 2012 (call it the first and second quarters) which is where we last had excess supply at elevated levels and also the first part of 2014, which was the beginning of the current excess supply.



Global oil inventory

This chart assumes that we had zero million barrels of Oil per day in stock at the end of 2012, and then adds in the over or under supply in a given quarter to estimate what the relative inventory is under that scenario. Again, as one can see, the inventory levels have increased every quarter for the last eight quarters.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 things you can learn in 10 minutes that will change your life

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laptop headphones

You're probably short on time reading this, and I don't blame you. Life moves fast. It seems impossible to keep up with hundreds of tasks being thrown your way every day, especially at the office.

In fact, more than two-thirds of employees reported being overloaded at work, according to Cornerstone's 2014 State of Workplace Productivity Report. And 84% think the overload won't be letting up anytime soon — it's increasing.

In light of this reality, you're probably searching for the best productivity hacks the internet has to offer, but you don't have a lot of time to apply them.

So here's a solution: Learn one of these 10 things in the next 10 minutes, and you'll be more productive for the rest of your life.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

SEE ALSO: Doing these 9 uncomfortable things will pay off forever

1. The Pomodoro Technique

Time management is huge for productivity. I've found the Pomodoro technique to be one of the most effective ones. It requires you to design your daily tasks in 25-minute intervals, forcing you to be extremely focused. — Syed Balkhi, OptinMonster



2. How to improve your average

Take five minutes to look up Dr. Stan Beecham's philosophy on elite minds, and then take the remaining five minutes to commit to improving your average. We tend to focus all our time on improving our peak performance while improving our average performance can have a much more dramatic impact on overall progress. — Douglas Hutchings, Picasolar



3. How to plan ahead

I learned this recently from the Stagen Leadership Academy. Weekly planning and setting appointments with myself for the following week (and then keeping those appointments) ensures I give my priorities the appropriate amount of attention. It's so easy to get distracted by what everybody else needs. This methodology ensures I stay on target with my own projects. — Corey Blake, Round Table Companies



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 signs you're about to get a job offer

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businesswoman walking phone call

You're relatively sure you aced the interview and felt like you were walking on air as you left the lobby. But now, hours seem like days and days like weeks as you wait patiently for a formal offer.

"Fortunately, you can put some of the puzzle pieces together as you decide your course of action during this uncertain waiting game," saysLynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, leadership coach, and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job." 

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," agrees.

"While you can never be certain, and you definitely don't want to get your hopes up prematurely, there are certainly signs that might hint that you're about to get some good news," he said.

Here are 15 signs an offer might be coming your way:

SEE ALSO: 12 signs you're about to be promoted at work

The interviewer nods and smiles a lot during the interview.

They could just be friendly — but if you notice a friendly and warm demeanor, it could be a good sign.

"It may mean they're comfortable around you and seemed to enjoy the time," says Taylor.

Nodding can also suggest a genuine interest in what you're saying.



The hiring manager tries 'selling' you on the company.

A shift from a barrage of questions to a marketing mode is a great sign they want to hire you, says Taylor.



Your interview is extended.

Did the conversation go way over the amount of time they scheduled? Did the interviewer invite you to continue the discussion over lunch or coffee?

If so, you may have it in the bag.

"Most interviewers make up their mind, whether they admit it or not, within the first few minutes and so those candidates that they know they will pass on will definitely get a quicker interview," Kerr explains.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 awesome robots that can play music better than most humans

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The intersection between robotics and art is becoming more pronounced.

German robot band

We've learned that robots are capable of making beautiful paintings, but they are also incredibly talented when it comes to making music. 

In fact, researchers have been experimenting with robots playing music from as early as 1985, and the results have been pretty outstanding.

From robots recording albums to aiding humans in transforming their music, here are 8 robots exhibiting musical prowess:

1985: This robot pianist was built by the Universidad Autónoma de Puebla in Mexico and is capable of reading musical scores and playing the piano.

RAW Embed

Called the Don Cuco El Guapo, the robot has camera for eyes that allow it to read music.



2005: Toyota created a robot capable of changing the internal pressure in its mouth so it can play the trumpet.

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The robot has agility in its arm and hands that allow it to play just like a human! Toyota also made other robots, like a tuba player and drummer, to create a robot marching band.



2008: Greg Locke, a New Zealand-based machine designer, created this robot rock band called The Trons.

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The Trons consist of Wiggy, the robot on lead guitar; Ham, the robot on rhythm guitar; Swamp, the drummer; and keyboard player Fifi, the Telegraph reported. They have recorded songs such as "Sister Robot" and "The Trons Theme."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This Audi station wagon is supercar fast — but you can't have one if you live in the USA

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Audi RS6 Avant Performanc

The station wagon is a dying automotive breed these days. Once the preferred mode of transportation for the American family unit, the wagon is currently facing an extinction-level event, known as the advent of the Crossover ERA, dominated by the SUVosarus species.

But there is one place where the wagon thrives: Europe.

Eurowagons aren't the hulking American Buicks that many of us remember from summer roadtrips. Rather, they're high-performance five-doors, often with luxury appointments.

Just take a look at Audi's new RS6 Avant Performance edition. This Audi isn't just a stylish cargo- and person-hauler — it's also a veritable road-going speed demon. 

Have a closer look!

SEE ALSO: The Audi RS 7 is one of the best cars in the world — and it just got better

A quarter-century ago, station wagons such as the Ford Country Squire dominated the realms of family transportation. Just look at that rear suspension!



But by the 1990s, minivans like the Toyota Sienna appeared on the landscape and began to force the American wagon from its natural habitat: suburbia.



Then came the big SUVs — superpredators like the Cadillac Escalade.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This is the exclusive Apple merchandise you can only get at its Silicon Valley campus (AAPL)

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Apple's legendary Cupertino, California, campus isn't especially hospitable to unwanted visitors, as you might expect from a company famous for its secrecy. 

There's really only one place on the Apple campus that welcomes visitors: A small Apple Store, located right at 1 Infinite Loop, and open to the public. 

Mostly, it's nothing special among the 463 Apple Stores in the world — wooden tables, lots of glass, and a Genius Bar. 

But in addition to the standard selection of Apple gadgets, it's the only place anywhere on earth where you can buy a special selection of official Apple merchandise. 

I stopped by the Apple Store at the company's headquarters, just minutes after the end of the company's annual shareholder's meeting, to take a look and shop around. Here's what I found:

SEE ALSO: 12 things Microsoft does better than Apple

The Apple campus is one of Silicon Valley's hottest tourist attractions. But besides an obligatory picture of the entrance sign, there's not much else to do ...



... except visit the on-campus Apple Store, which is open to the public. From the outside, it looks much like any other Apple Store anywhere else in the world. But on the inside ...



... well, it still looks like any other Apple Store. Same Macs ...



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These 7 maps explain the Middle East

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Middle East

Most investors know what an emerging market is. Some might even be able to offer a pretty good definition of what puts the “emerge” into emerging markets. But ask about the Middle East, and no one really knows what it is.

Geographically, it’s the region that stretches from the eastern Mediterranean and southern Turkey to the Iran-Afghan border.

The region, however, is far more complex than lines on a map. It can also be defined based on ethnic and religious bloodlines.

In the modern Middle East, the Arab world stretches from Morocco to Iraq and excludes non-Arab Muslim countries like Turkey and Iran.

If we think in terms of the Muslim world, this Middle East might stretch from Morocco to Afghanistan, south into Africa, and north into Central Asia and southeastern Europe.

The Middle East is the Arab core of the Muslim world. But thinking about the Middle East as exclusively Arab doesn’t work. Doing so excludes Turkey, Iran, and a very large Kurdish population spread across Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria.

Viewing it as exclusively Muslim is also deeply flawed. It would mean focusing on just a small part of the Muslim world. It also overlooks the Jews, Christians, Druze, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, Bahai, and other religious groups in the region.

The idea of the Middle East has become quite vague. To me, it’s where perhaps the world’s most complex war is raging.

Middle Eastern countries are those that are involved in this war, one way or another. The war may metastasize into neighboring regions, but this is its heart.

As we already defined the Middle East, let’s dig deeper into its demographics and history to understand the complexity of this region.

The Middle Eastern population is concentrated in the mountains

We learned from the first map that the northern region is mountainous, while the southern area is generally lowlands. Arabs mainly populated the south—save for Israel. The higher elevations of Turkey and Iran are non-Arab.

Mountainous terrain is typically less populated than lowlands due to factors like ease of making a living. Not so in the Middle East… since much of the lowlands lack water and offer a rather inhospitable quality of life.

Overall, most of the population clusters in the mountains of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. The other most populated areas are the eastern Mediterranean coast and the southwestern and southeastern Arabian Peninsula.



The mountainous northern region has a wide ethnic and religious diversity

Religious divisions are particularly important for understanding the Middle East, notably the division between Sunnis and Shiites. Also note the Christian and Jew mix.

In our view, conflicts begin with geography, as communities strive for security within their geography. Some people achieve security in remote mountain valleys. Others, like the Israelis caught on the lowlands without any natural barriers, are always insecure.

But an understanding of these many religious factions is not enough, as religious diversity in the Middle East is complicated by an array of ethnic subgroups.



The ethnic groups of Syria and Lebanon

The Kurds are largely Sunni Muslims. They are hostile to Arab Sunnis and Shiites.

The Druze are neither Muslim nor Christian, but can find themselves allied with either. The Druze who live in Israel, are allied with Israel.

The complexity of ethnic groups is partly due to the nature of mountainous regions, but also to the policy of the Ottomans.



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