Quantcast
Channel: Features
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live

4 steps newlyweds can take today to grow old together without going broke

0
0

Newlyweds

Tying the knot means making a commitment to share every aspect of your life with your significant other.

As you begin merging your money, one area that requires special attention is your retirement planning strategy. Building a nest egg as a team can be easier than doing it alone if you know which steps to take.

Here are four retirement planning moves for newlyweds.

SEE ALSO: 10 ways couples can finish rich

1. Assess your starting point

After getting married, it's a good idea to start planning for retirement by figuring out where you and your partner stand individually. This can help you gauge how much work you need to do to meet your long-term savings goals. For example, if you're both 30 years old and one of you has $100,000 in a 401(k) while the other has yet to start saving, your strategy may look different from the strategy of a couple whose retirement accounts have roughly the same balance.

In addition to what you do or don't have set aside for retirement, it's also important to look at the bigger financial picture to include any debts you each owe, including any unpaid student loans. Putting it all on the table will make it easier to decide how much you can save as a couple and who's responsible for paying what.



2. Evaluate your long-term goals

Once you've leveled the playing field so to speak, a good next step is to lay out your retirement saving goals and expectations. You may find that your interests are very similar, i.e. you both want to retire early and travel the world. On the other hand, you and your new spouse may have very different ideas about how to spend your golden years.

If you're in your 20s or 30s, planning ahead for the next 40 years can be difficult since there are so many things that can change. It may be easier to start setting goals for the next five or ten years. For instance, you may decide that you want to make debt payoff a priority and contribute just enough to your 401(k) to get the company match. If your partner would rather save first and pay down debt later, the two of you will have to figure out how to compromise.

Check out our 401(k) calculator.



3. Decide whether you need a joint investment account

One thing you and your spouse will need to do after getting married is update the beneficiary information on your 401(k), IRA or other retirement accounts. That'll ensure that each of you has access to those assets if something happens.

Beyond that, it's a good idea to think about whether you want to set up joint or individual investment accounts. A joint account can take some of the hassle out of pooling your assets, but it can backfire if you have very different risk tolerance levels. Individual accounts may be the safer bet if you're conservative in your approach but your spouse prefers more aggressive investing strategies.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Lotus is celebrating with a new, incredibly fast special edition of one of its sports cars

0
0

Lotus hethel evora

Lotus, maker of beautiful and extremely well-balanced sports cars, just announced a new special edition model to celebrate its long-time manufacturing home in England.

Lotus is calling this car the Hethel Edition Evora 400. As you might guess from the name, it's based on the Evora 400, which if you ask me, is already a very special car.

Like pretty much every other Lotus being built right now, it's fast, looks great, and probably handles better than most other cars on the road.

Check it out:

The Hethel Edition Evora 400 was designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of when the founder of Lotus, Colin Chapman, opened up shop in a new factory located in Hethel, England.

Lotus said that the "Hethel Edition Evora 400 is the first in a series of special products and events marking this important milestone in the company’s history."

 



With a manual transmission, the Hethel Evora 400 can do zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 186 mph.

With an automatic, it's still capable of doing zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds, but the top speed is cut down to 174 mph.

At 3,101 pounds, the automatic is also heavier than the 3,075 pounds manual-equipped car. But not by much.

The Hethel Evora 400 comes in just three exclusive colors: Essex Blue, Motorsport Black, and Racing Green.

For just three colors, that's a pretty good array to choose from.



Depending on which exterior color is selected, buyers can select from a black or red leather interior, or an Alcantara-filled interior.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The culinary team behind meal delivery startup Plated shares their best advice for people who are too busy to cook

0
0

PLATED author photo

As the head of culinary at meal kit delivery startup Plated, Elana Karp knows a thing or two about making cooking as approachable as possible. 

She and culinary manager Suzanne Dumaine head up the five-person team who carefully plans out the recipes that Plated subscribers can make with the ingredient kits they get in the mail. The emphasis is on creating locally-sourced, pre-portioned meals that even the newest of cooks can make at home, without sacrificing time or nutrition. 

And now Karp and Dumaine are about to release a brand-new cookbook based on the techniques they've used in their work for Plated. 

"The book is anchored on Plated-style recipes with respect to key techniques and very detailed instruction, but it enabled us to elaborate on those with different types of recipes, from Thanksgiving dinner to brunch to desserts and side dishes," Karp told Business Insider. "We were also able to make the recipes more flexible, allowing you to take each recipe and customize it by season, occasion, and the amount of time you have in the kitchen, whether it's 30 minutes or 2 days."

That means the recipes cover a lot of ground, from a simple pan-roasted salmon with seasonal vegetables to a somewhat more complicated roast Peking duck. The authors also include some beginner's tips, like how to wield a chef's knife and how to make basic sauces. 

Karp and Dumaine shared some of their best advice for those who are just getting started in the kitchen. Their book, "Plated: Weeknight Dinners, Weekend Feasts, and Everything in Between", will be released May 17, though it is currently available for pre-order.

SEE ALSO: What it's like to eat at the best restaurant in California, where a meal will cost you $310 a person

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

"Start simple." 

It's important not to try to do too much before learning the basics. 

"Don't bite off more than you can chew while you're still getting comfortable in the kitchen. There are plenty of easy and delicious recipes that don't require a million pots and pans or hours of prep," Karp said. "If you plan around what you know you'll have time for, you can get something great on the table without sweating over it."

One of the Plated team's favorites is their One-Pan Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables (pictured above). 

"It's an easy recipe that teaches core techniques, it's so easy to customize by season, and always creates that 'ta-da' moment when the chicken comes out of the oven, smelling (and looking) amazing," Karp said. "It always makes people feel proud."



Get comfortable with your kitchen knives. 

"We can't overstate the importance of knowing how to hold and use your knife, and getting comfortable with it," Karp said. "The better you become at prepping your food, the quicker you'll be able to prepare your food and even tackle more ambitious recipes (without panicking at the sight of the ingredient prep ahead)."



Learn how to marinate.

The magic of a good marinade is that it will both amp up the flavor of your dish and save you serious time. Karp and Dumaine devoted an entire section of their cookbook to perfecting marinades. 

"A marinade only requires a few ingredients and a whisk, and will automatically infuse your food with tremendous flavor — no major prep needed," Karp said. "With certain cuts of meat, you can even marinate up to 24 hours, so no need to babysit.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 basic rules to follow if you want to invest your money in stocks

0
0

Wolf of Wall Street

If you've maxed out your 401(k), have a fully funded emergency account, and are prepared for bigger, upcoming purchases, you may want to consider investing in the stock market.

After all, there are several compelling reasons to invest in stocks, financial journalist Andrew Tobias explains in the updated version of his 1978 investing classic, "The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need.""Unlike bonds, stocks offer at least the potential of keeping up with inflation," he writes, and, "Over the long run — and it may be a very long run — stocks will outperform 'safer' investments," such as bonds, CDs, and money-market accounts.

That being said, investing is always a risk. If you decide to go this route, consider "the most sensible way for most people to invest in stocks," as summed up by Tobias in the 10 points below:

SEE ALSO: Investing pros John Bogle, Warren Buffett, and Charlie Munger all agree on the best way for the average person to invest

Only invest money you won't need for a long time

Little, if anything, is guaranteed when it comes to investing.

You could earn money or lose it, so if you'll need quick access to liquid cash in the short term, you probably won't want to invest.

"Only invest money you won't have to touch for many years," Tobias emphasizes. "If you don't have money like that, don't buy stocks. People who buy stocks when they get bonuses and sell them when the roof starts to leak are entrusting their investment decisions to their roofs."



Don't time your investments

People have a tendency to "shun the market when it's getting drubbed and venture back only after it has recovered," Tobias explains.

However, "It is precisely when the market looks worst that the opportunities are best; precisely when things are good again that the opportunities are slimmest and the risks greatest."

In short: Don't get overly excited when the market is judged to be healthy, and remember that bad things aren't obvious when times are good. As legendary investor Warren Buffett likes to say, "You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out."



Invest periodically — not all at once

Rather than rushing to buy hundreds of shares when you're convinced the stock is going to take off, invest a portion of your paycheck in the market each month, Tobias recommends.

"Diversify over time by not investing all at once," he says. "Spread your investments out to smooth the peaks and valleys of the market. A lifetime of periodic investments — adding to your investment fund $100 a month or $750 a month or whatever you can comfortably afford — is the ticket to financial security."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 words and phrases you're using at work that make you sound dumb

0
0

the office michael scott

How you communicate with others at work plays a big role in how you're perceived, your capacity to move projects forward, your ability to generate trust, and how quickly you advance in your career.

That's according to Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

"Your ability to articulate your thoughts and ideas well have a direct correlation to how well you garner cooperation and persuade others to support your efforts and projects," she says.

"The words you choose also convey your emotional intelligence."

Your verbal communications can make or break your relationship with your boss, team, clients, business partners, and your industry network. And if you use language that dumbs you down, you may be misunderstood by those around you at work, which can significantly hurt your ability to advance.

"A well-spoken person never goes out of style," says Taylor. "While it can be tempting to use shortcuts when speaking, go into slang mode, or just follow the crowd, you should try not to."

Using the following words and terms can chip away at your professional image, she says. "We're all capable of falling into of these traps, but the trick is to catch yourself and avoid making them a habit."

Here are words and phrases we all use from time to time that may be dumbing us down:

SEE ALSO: 32 things you should never say to your boss

'Whatever'

"This is part of a 'set' or family that goes with 'Totally,' 'Like' and 'Um.' A family that no one wants to visit," says Taylor.



'!@%&$'

Avoid vulgar language and profanities at work. They're unprofessional and dumb you down.

"Having a trash mouth never got anyone promoted, and can get you into trouble at work. Save it for your ride home (unless you take mass transit)," Taylor writes.



'Literally'

"This makes you wonder how much productivity time in corporate America could be gained if this useless word could be 'literally' banished," she says.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: The 7 best affordable smartphones in the world

0
0

Moto G and Moto X Style

You're reading a site called Tech Insider, so it probably won't shock you to learn we love smartphones.

But the reality is that most devices that top our lists fall well outside the range of what normal consumers will want to or be able to spend.

For example: The most premium smartphone in the world right now is probably an iPhone 6s Plus with 128 GB of onboard storage. That'll run you $949 — well over the cost of many quality laptops.

But go into most carrier stores looking for a budget device and you'll likely be shown a wide array of, frankly, crappy and bloatware-ridden lemons not worth the boxes they come in.

That said, there are some excellent phones out there that won't starve your wallet. I've ranked them here, taking into account both issues of cost and quality in an attempt to tease out their true dollar-for-dollar value.

SEE ALSO: The latest version of Android is running on a tiny percentage of phones

7. iPhone SE (64 GB version)

The iPhone SE is Apple's budget smartphone, which is another way of saying it's scarcely a budget smartphone at all.

There's a $399 version of this phone, which would still be expensive compared to anything else on this list, but it only has 16 GB of onboard memory with no slot for an SD card. In other words, it's a device you'll likely grow quickly frustrated with since you'll be constantly deleting photos and other types of content to make more room for daily operations, and in my opinion, that can't be considered good value.

The $499 64 GB version is unquestionably the best value you can get in a new iPhone right now. It's a good choice for people who want to spend a bit less than the $600-$700 prices of other premium smartphones while getting similar specs, or people who just want something resembling a budget iOS device.

Click here for the iPhone SE review >>



6. OnePlus 2

The sequel to the Chinese company's first "flagship killer" smartphone is an excellent device. While OnePlus can no longer claim to make the only premium smartphone in the world under $400, it retains its spot in the pantheon of high-end affordables.

The device's most appealing features (above and beyond the standard zippy processor and 5.5-inch screen) include 64 GB of storage, a hefty battery, and nearly-pure Android — all for $349.

Click here for the OnePlus 2 review >>



5. Moto X Pure

Motorola has recently become one of the best manufacturers of high-quality, low-cost smartphones. And the company's flagship Moto X Pure is the highest-quality Motorola device on offer.

Running a just-shy-of-pure version of Android, it has a good camera, excellent screen, and plenty-fast processor. It's a great choice for many buyers, and it looks pretty good too, for $349.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 10 skills that will be in demand by all employers by 2020

0
0

facebook employees

In fewer than four years, employers will seek employees with very different skill sets than they do today.

In fact, on average more than one third of the desired skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered important to the job today, according to a recent report from the World Economic Forum.

The report, called “The Future of Jobs,” surveyed executives from more than 350 employers across nine industries in 15 of the world’s largest economies to come up with predictions about how technological advancements will force the labor markets to evolve.

Here’s a look at the top 10 skill sets respondents said will be most in demand by 2020.

 

SEE ALSO: 8 jobs every company will be hiring for by 2020

10. Cognitive flexibility will continue to be an important skill.

Cognitive flexibility is the ability of being able to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. 

It wasn't even a skill in demand in 2015, but will become more important during the next four years. 

According to the report, respondents said that a wide range of jobs will require a higher level of cognitive abilities—which include creativity, logical reasoning, and problem sensitivity—as part of the core skill set.  

 

 



9. Negotiation skills will still be in demand.

In general, social skills are going to become ever more important in the workforce. This makes sense because social skills are still something that, at least for the time being, are uniquely human. 

By 2020, negotiation skills will particularly be in high demand in computer and mathematical jobs, such as data analysts and software developers, according to the report. 

It will also be key skill in the arts and design job category, which includes commercial and industrial designers. 

 



8. Service orientation skills will be important.

Service orientation is defined in the report as actively looking for ways to help others and it also falls under the social skills umbrella. 

According to recent research paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, strong social skills will continue to become more important as robots and automation take more jobs. 

"The reason is that computers are still very poor at simulating human interaction. Reading the minds of others and reacting is an unconscious process, and skill in social settings has evolved in humans over thousands of years. Human interaction in the workplace involves team production, with workers playing off of each other’s strengths and adapting flexibly to changing circumstances. Such nonroutine interaction is at the heart of the human advantage over machines," the paper states. 

 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

4 job search mistakes you can get away with making

0
0

job search career

Sometimes you do absolutely everything right, but in the end, you don't get hired — and you feel absolutely lousy. But thankfully, there's a flip side to the "What just happened?" job-search coin. Have you ever received a call for an interview and thought "Uh oh?" because you didn't quite have your ducks in a row when you applied?

It happens!

Finding a new position's a whirlwind experience and everyone occasionally botches things; but sometimes the hiring managers may not even notice.

You heard me right. You might still get called for interviews even if you haven't done all your homework. So if you've landed that big meeting and are worried that you're starting off on the wrong foot, don't. Here are four common job search mistakes that you don't need to lose any sleep over—plus ways to get up to speed before the interview.

SEE ALSO: 'I interviewed over 100 people at Goldman Sachs, and this was the biggest mistake job candidates made'

1. You didn't find an in

It helps to know someone who-knows-someone-who-know-someone when you're a candidate, no question there! But not everyone lands their job through a backdoor and it's still entirely possible to move through the process without someone on the inside singing your praises.

And luckily, you still have time to browse LinkedIn and identify who you know at the company to demonstrate your interest and get some inside scoop before you go to the office.

Will your message seem a little out of the blue? Yup!

Could it be too late to ask for a good word? Maybe.

It's still worth a shot to start a dialogue and get whatever inside scoop about the team that you can. Say something to the effect of "I know I could've reached out sooner, but I'm very excited about the company and I'd love to ask you a few questions before my interview next Tuesday." Assuming you're on good terms with this person, he or she will likely be understanding.



2. You didn't follow the company on social media

If your career's based in the PR, communications, or social media space, not following a company is a clear faux paus. For the rest of us, it's a survivable job hunt misstep. When I was a hiring manager, I Googled every candidate I met with and skimmed their social profiles.

Skimmed.

Meaning I didn't have time to trip over the finer points of their profile activity. If I was excited to about a candidate, I didn't really care about whether or not she followed the company.

Of course, once that interview is on the books, go ahead and get stalking! Scan the company's web presence and take note of the things they talk about and how they talk about them, so you'll be in good shape. Follow, like, and share some of their posts and you'll be golden. The idea is to be able to talk about what they're up to if it comes up during your interview. You want to appear informed about their happenings.

 



3. You applied without doing any research

Truth talk: A hiring manager probably won't know if your application was the culmination of an arduous 20-point job search strategy in which you determined this was the perfect role for you or if you figured "Why not?" So, if you briefly looked at the ad, thought, "sounds pretty good," and clicked the submit button in a matter of seconds, you're not necessarily in hot water.

Whatever the case, you can apply on a whim, just don't ever expect to interview on a whim.

Make sure to take time before your interview to dive deep and really get to know the company. You'll want to be able to provide your interviewer with firm logic on why you're drawn to the team and the position at hand.

Related: 3 Common Reasons People Mess Up the Answer to "Why Do You Want This Job?"

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A science-backed 21-day program to be happier, healthier, and more successful

0
0

BIBetter

So you want to be happier, healthier, and more successful in 2016?

Faced with unlimited advice and little time to spare, it's hard to know where to start.

#BIBetter is a 21-day self-improvement program designed for the busy professional, featuring a few habits that will make a big difference and a bunch of tasks that most of us have been putting off for too long.

We recommend participating with at least one other person, so you have more fun and keep each other in check. You can start on any Monday and should complete actions on their specified day when possible.

The following slides go through the days and the science behind them in detail. You can also reference our infographic calendar.

SEE ALSO: 33 business books every professional should read before turning 30

MONDAY, DAY 1: Floss your teeth. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

Believe it or not, as many as 50% of Americans say they don't floss every day. If you are one of those people, then make today the day you start doing it consistently.

How can you get in the habit?

Stanford psychologist B.J. Fogg is one of the foremost researchers on habit formation. The takeaway from all his work: Floss one tooth.

As in, if you're trying to form a habit, it can be helpful to start as small as possible, with a minimum viable habit. The point, Fogg emphasizes, is to insert the structure of the activity in your day, rather than doing it perfectly every time. This way of thinking works for all habits, and it works for flossing, too — and if you floss the whole mouth, then you're doing even better.

Indeed, this core dental hygiene technique will clean your teeth and gums of plaque, protecting your teeth as you age and saving you on dental bills. Some studies have even found that flossing is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.



TUESDAY, DAY 2: Break a sweat. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

For a wide range of ailments, exercise is an almost magical cure, which "can improve memory and concentration, lessen sleep disorders, aid heart disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure, help sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, and raise low libido," notes Slate.

Just a little bit of exercise has huge benefits. Research shows that running just five to 10 minutes a day can add years to your life, and if you establish that minimum habit now of doing at least that, you can build on it. A seven-minute workout using interval training can make a huge difference.

Longer workouts are obviously great, too.

Think you're too busy to work out? Tell that to GE CEO Jeff Immelt, who gets up at 5:30 every morning for a cardio workout; or Xerox CEO Ursula Burns who has an hour of personal training at 6 a.m. twice a week; or Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, who gets up similarly early to take six-mile jogs; or Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who likes to ride his bike every morning.



WEDNESDAY, DAY 3: Write in a journal. Do it every day for the rest of this program.

Psychologists have been studying "expressive writing," or journaling about difficult moments in your life, for a few decades. They've found that a few minutes journaling improves everything from mood to immune system to sporting performance.

It works for work, too: A Harvard Business School study found that people who wrote about their jobs improved their performance by 23%.

"When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in self-efficacy," says HBS professor Francesca Gino. "They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they're doing and what they learn."

So as a part of this life-improvement adventure, we're asking you to reflect on your day, plus on whatever journeys we send you on. You should also take the opportunity to look at the tasks that lie ahead and start making plans for the ones that require preparation.

If you find journaling to be useful, then we encourage you to keep it up for the rest of your life.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Hollywood's biggest stars are at the Cannes Film Festival — here are the glamorous photos

0
0

george clooney amal clooney

It's Cannes time again.

That is, when Hollywood's elite travel to the French Riviera for the industry's most glamorous event of the year, the Cannes Film Festival.

This year, things kicked off with the latest movie from Woody Allen, "Cafe Society," which stars Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, and Blake Lively, among others. The premiere also put the sex abuse allegations against Allen back in the spotlight.

The latest Jodie Foster-directed movie, "Money Monster," starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, is also in the festival. As is the animated family movie "Trolls," with Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick lending their voices.

Below see the stars and more as they walk the historic Cannes red carpet. 

SEE ALSO: The 22 most exciting TV shows this summer you need to see

Here are Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake at Cannes for the premiere of "Trolls."



JT was also there for Woody Allen's new movie, "Cafe Society," which kicked off the festival.



Here's the filmmaker with his stars, Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Sorry Google, this is actually the best keyboard on the iPhone

0
0

Google on Thursday released a new keyboard for iPhone and iPad users, called "Gboard."

The keyboard itself is pretty nifty. You can tap or swipe across letters to text words and sentences, but you can also send emojis, GIFs, and search from Google — all within the keyboard.

Lots of people are loving "Gboard" right now. But I'd argue there's one better iPhone keyboard out there. Whether you want to send text, images, or GIFs, this keyboard has you covered, and most of the options you can choose from are also laugh-out-loud funny.

That's right. I'm talking about ChyMoji.

Blac Chyna a.k.a. Angela White is a model who's currently pregnant with Rob Kardashian's child. Rob Kardashian, of course, is the younger brother to Kim Kardashian.



Kim Kardashian released her own emoji app last December, called "Kimoji." She famously tweeted that her app broke the App Store, when it fact it didn't.



ChyMoji is Blac Chyna's response to Kimoji. There's a sordid history between Chyna and the Kardashians — Chyna previously had a baby with rapper Tyga, who's currently dating Kim Kardashian's half-sister Kylie Jenner, pictured below — but none of that really matters here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Amazing images of the world's greatest cities before they were cities

0
0

Brooklyn_Museum_ _Evening_Shower_at_Nihonbashi_Bridge,_from_Celebrated_Places_in_the_Eastern_Capital_(Toto_Meisho)_ _Utagawa_Hiroshige_(Ando)_ _overall

Like all living things, cities have lifespans. 

Some, like Paris, are ancient — over 2,000 years old. Others are adolescent in comparison, like Sydney, at just over 200 years old. 

Here are the maps, paintings, and old-time photographs that show the journeys of our greatest cities.

Rio de Janeiro was founded by Portuguese colonists in 1565.



Guanabara Bay, the second largest bay in Brazil, was one of the main draws.



By 1711, the city had grown.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 highest-paying jobs you can get without a bachelor's degree

0
0

real estate agent

Don't have the time or money to get a bachelor's degree?

Don't fret. There are plenty of high-paying jobs that only require a two-year associate degree or just a high-school diploma. 

According to the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 25 highest-paying jobs that you don't need a four-year degree to pursue.

Each has a median annual salary of at least $64,000.

This is an update of a story originally written by Vivian Giang.

SEE ALSO: 25 high-paying jobs you don't need any college experience to pursue

DON'T MISS: The 25 highest-paying companies in the US

25. Web developers

They design, create, and modify websites.

Median annual wage (2015): $64,970

Education required: Associate's degree

Projected job openings (through 2024): 58,600

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: None



24. Petroleum-pump-system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

They operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. 

Median annual wage (2015): $65,190

Education required: High school diploma or equivalent

Projected job openings (through 2024): 17,000

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training



23. Gas-plant operators

They distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.

Median annual wage (2015): $66,010

Education required: High school diploma or equivalent

Projected job openings (through 2024): 6,300

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

6 things you can buy today to save money tomorrow

0
0

shopping bags sidewalk

Did you know that spending on certain items can actually end up saving you money? That's because they make it easier for us to reduce recurring expenses, such as plastic water bottles or paper towels.

Take a look at this list and consider cutting back — many items can help reduce waste, too.

Here are six items that will cost you money now but may end up saving you more money in the long run:

SEE ALSO: 12 everyday items that pay for themselves 10 times over

1. Reusable water bottles

I like to have a bottle of water sitting on my desk at all times, but considering how much water humans are supposed to drink each day, that can mean going through quite a few water bottles every day. In addition to the cost of those water bottles adding up, they're also bad for the environment.

Luckily, water bottles are so fancy these days that they come in myriad sizes and some even come with built-in carbon filters that will remove most tap water impurities. You can also find specializing water bottles that keep your liquids chilled all day. Or, if you prefer chugging tea, you can use a thermos that keeps it warm.



2. Cloth napkins

A few years ago I grew disgusted by the number of napkins I was throwing away and switched overnight to only using cloth napkins. Purchasing cloth napkins can be a bit of an investment, but if you're handy with a sewing machine, they're easy to make. I've also found cloth napkins at thrift stores and the dollar store. While I initially purchased a supply of cloth napkins (enough to last us a week), I haven't had to replace any of them in nearly three years.



3. No-contract cell phones

Part of the reasons cell phones are so cheap when you renew your contract with your cell phone provider is because wireless companies make the bulk of their money from lengthy and pricey wireless contracts. If you're willing to pay more for your phone, it is possible to find much cheaper cellular providers. Do a web search for "no-contract cellular service" to find a provider in your area. It can be a pain to switch, but the savings make it well worth it.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 bookstores every reader should visit in their lifetime

0
0

brattle book shop boston

Are you someone who refuses to believe the theory that "print is dead"? Who always makes room in a suitcase for a paperback? Who finds it easy to spend more time at a charmingly ramshackle bookstore than a crowded tourist attraction? You're not alone.

The organizers of Independent Bookstore Day celebrate book havens and book lovers everywhere each spring, and what better way to mark the occasion than to seek out an indie book shop on your next trip?

"The idea of Bookstore Day, first and foremost, is to celebrate indie bookstores and the symbiotic community of authors, readers, booksellers, and book lovers of all stripes," Bookstore Day Program Director Samantha Schoech told me via email. Participating bookstores in the United States celebrate Bookstore Day by offering up special collectables, limited edition novels, and hosting author signings and other events for one day only — but there are plenty of picturesque print-hoarding spots around the world that are also worthy of a visit in spirit of the day year-round, even if this holiday doesn't formally broaden its reach beyond the U.S.

"We've already had a lot of contact with our counterparts in the U.K. and Canada and know that both Australia and New Zealand also have their own takes on bookstore day," Schoech says. Here are some of the most storied book shops to celebrate the bookworm in all of us.

SEE ALSO: The 7 most beautiful new libraries in the world

Shakespare and Company, Paris

One of the most famous and photographed independent book shops in the world, Shakespeare and Company sits along the Seine River in Paris and was an expat-author watering hole of sorts for some of literature's biggest names — James Baldwin, Allen Ginsberg, Anais Nin, Wiliam Burroughs — in the 1960s.

Prior to its reopening at its current location, Shakespeare and Company was a Sylvia Beach-owned shop just a few blocks away that hosted some even more storied names like F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, Earnest Hemingway, and T.S. Eliot.

There's no denying the historical importance of this place, but it's also simply a comforting spot to escape busy Paris and read a heavily used novel free of charge, hear a stranger expertly play piano, or stumble upon a famous writer. New and used titles fill this two-story shop to the brim, and it's the perfect place to pick up a worthy souvenir to read on your flight home. For a peek at its charming art- covered walls, packed shelves, and matted armchairs, watch the second film of Richard Linklater's Oscar-nominated Sunrise trilogy, Before Sunset.



Livraria Lello & Irmao, Porto

Harry Potter fanatics of all ages should make the pilgrimage to J.K. Rowling's former home away from home, Porto, if only in pursuit of the story's Muggle- world origin. Rowling taught English in Portugal's second city, and wrote some of the now-famous series around the time that she frequented Livraria Lello & Irmao's stained-glass upstairs cafe. The shop boasts breathtaking Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau architecture, and is suspected to be part of the inspiration for the Harry Potter series' settings.

RELATED: 11 Destinations Harry Potter Fanatics Need to Visit



Ler Devagar, Lisbon

South of Porto in Portugal's bustling capital, Lisbon's most versatile livraria is aptly named Read Slowly, and is equal parts cafe, local art gallery, concert/event venue, and brimming bookstore. Pop in for an espresso, to buy a new title, to take a peek at the long-standing art on both floors, or for an exhibition or poetry reading.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

About 80% of all cities have worse air quality than what's considered healthy — here are the 15 with the worst air pollution

0
0

China air pollution

Air pollution in urban areas is getting worse.

Between 2008 and 2013, global urban air pollution levels rose by 8%. 

Some 80% of all urban areas have air pollution levels above what's considered healthy by the World Health Organization, a new report said Thursday. The rate is even more dismal for cities with more than 100,000 people in low- and middle-income countries: The report found that 98% of those areas had unhealthy air. 

The most harmful pollutant to human health is called PM 2.5, particle matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter that's found in soot, smoke, and dust. PM 2.5 is especially dangerous because it can get lodged in the lungs and cause long-term health problems like asthma and chronic lung disease.

PM 2.5 starts to become a major health problem when there is more than 35.5 micrograms (µg) of PM 2.5 per cubic meter of air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. But the World Health Organizations recommends keeping yearly average PM 2.5 levels three times lower than that.

The most polluted cities on Earth have anywhere between 11 and 20 times that amount — based on the new WHO data from cities that collect it — and you might be surprised which make the top 15 list this year. 

CHECK OUT: 4 surprising ways warmer temperatures will change our food

READ NEXT: Americans are eating less of one fruit, and it could signal a bigger problem in our diets

15. Kanpur, India - 115 µg/m3 of PM 2.5

Kanpur, India has 11 times the annual mean of PM 2.5 that's considered healthy. The pollution is attributed to industrial activity in the area as well as motor vehicles.  



TIE 13. Shijiazhuang, China - 121 µg/m3 of PM 2.5

Shijiazhuang, the largest city in China's Hebei province, owes its high air pollution to industrial activity in the area. It's been so bad, in 2014 a man tried to sue the government over the smog in the city.



TIE 13. Dammam, Saudi Arabia - 121 µg/m3 of PM 2.5

Dammam, a city in Saudi Arabia's eastern province, is the sixth largest city in the country. Its high air pollution stems in part from the oil industry in the area. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This stunning car should make Audi and Porsche worry

0
0

McLaren 570S 1

The Americans have muscle cars, the Italians have supercars, and the Brits have sports cars. Great names such as Triumph, Jaguar, and Lotus dot Britain's sports-car landscape. Now the supercar specialists at McLaren are offering a modern take on the long-time British institution with a sports car of its own.

The 570S is the first car to emerge from McLaren's new Sport Series — 570 stands for the number of metric horsepower its engine produces, and the "S" stands for sport. It joins McLaren's stable of supercars and hypercars already in production. Although McLaren has been building championship-winning race cars since the 1960s and the occasional limited-edition supercar since the '90s, the company didn't set up its McLaren Automotive subsidiary until five years ago.

In the short time the operation has been in business, McLaren Automotive has managed to find profitability by selling ultra-high-priced but low-volume models. With the introduction of the Sports Series, McLaren is now able to offer a wider variety of cars with a broad range of price points. This isn't just the company's first sports car, McLaren hopes the Sports Series will completely transform its business. The Woking, England-based company expects the Sports Series to more than double the company's annual sales total to 4,000 cars over the next few years.

In the 570S, McLaren has found the weapon it needs to solidly stake its place as one of the world's great performance brands. With a base price of $184,900, the 570S marks the first time McLaren will offer a car for sale in the US with sticker price south of $200,000.

McLaren made a vermilion red 570S Coupe test car available for Business Insider to check out. This particular car was loaded with carbon-fiber upgrades and luxury options that pushed the as tested price up to $229,100.

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise credited.

SEE ALSO: I flew on a $61.5 million private jet, and now first class just won't suffice

When it comes to modern British sports cars, models like the Lotus Exige or ...



... the Jaguar F-Type immediately come to mind.



When most think of McLaren, it's usually images of the company's legendary speed-demon F1 hypercar or...



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Every vehicle used by the US Marine Corps

0
0

marines HMMWV

The Marine Corps is one of the most adaptable military forces in the world. 

Tasked with everything from assault operations to security missions, the Corps relies on a wide range of equipment suited for every possible mission. 

These are the vehicles that the Marines rely on to carry out missions from shore to mountain.

SEE ALSO: These are all the planes in the US Air Force

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP)

Mission: The MRAP is a specially designed and armored vehicle designed for survivability against Improvised Explosive Devices. Blast resistant bases provide support for the vehicle from below, while armor plating and armored glass provide protection for the vehicles upper body.

Source: US Marine Corps



Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV-7)

Mission: AAV-7s are tracked highly mobile vehicles that serve to ferry Marines and cargo through hostile territory. The vehicles are amphibious, and are equally able to serve in water and on land.

Source: US Marine Corps



M1A1 Abrams Tank

Mission: The principal battle tank of the Marine Corps, the M1A1 Abrams Tank weighs close to 70 tons. Heavily armed and armored, the tank provides firepower in support of Marine Corps ground forces.

Source: US Marine Corps



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

3 questions I ask myself to decide if it's worth paying someone to take over my chores

0
0

falling asleep doze snooze

When I lived in Manhattan I pretty much hired people to do most of the things that I didn’t enjoy doing myself.

I dropped my laundry off and it was magically washed, folded and delivered back to me. I ordered groceries online that were delivered to my doorstep. Once or twice I even had someone come in and clean my apartment (although this felt entirely too luxurious and wasteful to me, seeing as how I had about 400 square feet to deal with tidying).

After I moved to Colorado I quickly gave up most of these luxuries, (especially because in New York I lived on the fourth floor of a walk-up … would you want to carry kitty litter and heavy cat food cans up 50 steps?), but I still don’t really enjoy doing them myself. From time to time I still wonder if it would be worth it to hire someone else to take these pesky tasks off my hands.

To arrive at the answer of whether or not it’s actually worth the often-hefty price tag that comes with these types of services, I like to ask myself these three questions first before dishing out the cash:

SEE ALSO: 7 ways your credit score can affect your life

Question 1: Why don’t I want to do this myself?

The answer to this first question can usually help me determine whether or not it’s even worth moving on to the next two. For example, if the answer to “Why don’t I want to do this myself?” is simply that I don’t enjoy the task, to me, that’s not a good enough excuse to hire someone else to do it for me.

However, if the answer is that it takes a long time, I get frustrated with it and it distracts me from doing other potentially more important things, then I can begin to think about how much my time is worth to me, which brings me to question number two …



Question 2: How many hours would I have to work to pay off this person?

It’s a popular question that experts suggest people use when determining whether or not it’s worth purchasing items (as in, “How many extra hours would I have to work in order to afford this pink cashmere sweater?”), and it’s equally as helpful in this situation.

For example, if completing a task myself, for free, would take less than an hour, but to hire someone else to do it I’d have to pay him the equivalent of a couple hours worth of my salary, then I can safely determine that it’s probably not worth spending that money.



Question 3: What will I have to give up to pay someone to do this?

Assuming you haven’t budgeted these particular items into your monthly expenditures, it’s worth considering what you’ll have to forgo in order to pay for the services you want completed.

Of course the answer should never be that you’ll withhold money from your savings, retirement or debt repayment plans to pay for unnecessary expenses, but if you’re perfectly willing to forgo the dinner out with friends this week because you simply don’t have the time to get around to cleaning your apartment before your parents visit this weekend, then in that case, it might be worth hiring the cleaning service.

If this becomes a regular habit, it’s probably also worth taking a look at your budget and seeing where you can scale back permanently each month to make room for paying for this new element.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

3 common habits that make you look unprofessional in meetings

0
0

meeting

Love ’em or hate ’em, for a lot of us, meetings are simply a reality.

Maybe your organization has a weekly gathering for the department heads, or your boss insists on getting the whole team together each Thursday morning, or perhaps you sit down with the sales team twice a month to go over how you can help each other reach your overlapping goals.

Whatever the reason for the meeting, they’re probably a part of your professional life, and how you handle yourself within them is important if you want to be respected and viewed as competent.

You can bet I’m not talking about the obvious no-nos either. I would hope you don’t doze off, leave your text message alert sounds on, or speak out of turn and condescendingly to other people.

Those are amateur moves, but there are a bunch of other things you may be doing without even realizing the damage they’re causing your reputation. Read on so you can immediately shut them down:

SEE ALSO: 14 bad habits that will make everyone at work hate you

1. You don’t pay attention

Look, we all have to deal with the occasional wandering mind. It’s easy to get distracted, especially when a presentation is long or a speaker adopts a monotonous tone. But this tendency to totally lose track of the conversation around you can prove to be a big problem if you get called upon to offer feedback or if you suddenly decide to jump into the conversation after 10 minutes of zoning out.

And, actually it can be an even bigger problem if the reason you don’t know what’s being said is due to the fact that you’re focusing only on what you’re going to say next. Career Coach Bruce Eckfeldt calls this a “killer and unfortunately quite common.” He notes that it’s off-putting when you make a remark that doesn’t flow with the rest of the conversation, but worse, “disastrous” in fact, is when “you repeat the exact same thing someone said.” Not only does it undermine your credibility, says Eckfeldt, but it also makes you seem disrespectful of people’s time.

The way around this, aside from listening intently and giving your colleagues the respect they deserve is to arrive to all meetings as prepared as possible. This, explains, Eckfeldt, “allows you to focus on the details of the conversation rather than trying to get up to speed.” Taking notes is another good option, the idea being that by writing down snippets of what other people are saying, you’ll effectively be unable to get “stuck in your own head thinking about your next point,” Eckfeldt says.



2. You are too negative

The inclination to speak up and offer input that goes beyond agreeing what the leader has said, nodding in agreement, or commenting that her points are “interesting” and “great ideas,” may mean you’re actually coming across as too negative too often.

Of course, it’s OK to offer an alternative point of view or express a thought that’s contrary to what the other person is suggesting, but if your go-to to get a word in is playing devil’s advocate, you’re doing something wrong. Human Resources expert Tania P. MacDonald admits that she’s struggled with this very thing herself. In meetings, she admits she’s often inclined to play this instigating role “in order to get to the point of making a decision,” even though she knows that “always being negative helps no one.”

It’s better to find and present a solution, even if it means you’re the last person in the room to speak up. Taking time to collect your thoughts in an effort to not blurt out something negative simply because it’s the first thing that you can think to utter will not serve you well in the long run. Wouldn’t you rather be known as the person who problem solves as opposed to the guy who inevitably finds something pessimistic to point out?



3. You’re on your phone

I find this behavior not only incredibly rude, but also highly unprofessional, and I wish more organizations would ban phones in meetings because too many people just don’t get the problem with it.

Muse Career Coach Rajiv Nathan says that although it may seem obvious (clearly to some but not to all), a lot of professionals "aren’t aware that it’s a problem.” Nathan says that because holding your phone in your hand is such an instinctive habit, people genuinely don’t realize it’s not OK.

MacDonald agrees, saying, “If you are in a meeting, be in the meeting. Don’t use this as a chance to catch up on email or other work.” Sure, it can be tempting to carry it with you wherever you go around the office, but it’s not the way to demonstrate professionalism and respect for those you’re sitting with. Unless you’re awaiting an urgent call pertained to come kind of personal emergency, leave your cell on your desk or in your bag; it’ll be there waiting for you when you return.

While these are the three big issues, there are also smaller don’ts that catch people. Depending on your office culture, eating may or may not be appropriate. Watch that your body language doesn’t suggest that you’d rather be anywhere but where you are, and avoid the obvious: loud gum-smacking, getting up often to leave the room for calls, burying yourself in your laptop instead of the deck being presented.

Trust me when I say that the last thing you want is one of the senior people in your company writing you off as unprofessional because you don’t know how to handle yourself in a standard office meeting.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images