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What it's really like living in New York City on a $100,000 salary

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new york city manhattan carmel place micro apartment

  • New York City has some of the country's highest-paying jobs.
  • Nearly 30% of New Yorkers make six-figure salaries.
  • But a high income doesn't render you impervious to the city's high taxes and infamously high cost of living.
  • From tiny, 260-square-foot apartments to above-average-priced milk, here's what living in New York on a $100,000 salary can really look like.

SEE ALSO: Disappointing photos show what living in San Francisco on a tech salary really looks like

New York is a relatively high-income state.

Source: Data USA



And New York City has higher incomes than other parts of the country.

Source: Data USA



Many people flock to the Big Apple for the assortment of high-paying jobs the market has to offer.

Source: CNBC



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Inside the 40-year business partnership of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, who both started out working in the same grocery store and reportedly haven't had a fight in 60 years

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Warren Buffett Charlie Munger

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger never fight.

The pair discussed their working relationship on CNBC in 2018, but their partnership predates this interview by several decades.

With Buffett as Chairman and CEO and Munger as Vice Chairman, the two have run holding company Berkshire Hathaway together since 1978. The company is the world's fourth-largest public company, and has made Buffett the third-richest man in the world with an estimated net worth of $83.1 billion.

Read more: Warren Buffett is the world's third-richest man — see how the notoriously frugal billionaire spends his fortune

The duo met at a dinner party in their hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, where the two found much in common, including a sense of humor and the fact that they both worked for Buffett’s grandfather at the town supermarket as teenagers.

“The main thing we learned from the grocery store is we didn’t want to work in a grocery store," Buffett told CNBC.

Keep reading for a look through Buffett and Munger’s careers together, from their first days at Berkshire Hathaway to the company’s 50th anniversary.

SEE ALSO: The incredible life and career of Warren Buffett, the billionaire every investor looks to for inspiration

NOW READ: 16 brilliant quotes from Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's right-hand man

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger have worked together for 41 years at Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway.

Source: CNBC



Together, the two have achieved success and respect in the business world.



Both billionaires hail from Omaha, Nebraska ...

Source: Omaha World-Herald



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Photos show how Trump's 2nd nuclear summit with Kim Jong Un played out in Vietnam

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves from a car after arriving by train in Dong Dang in Vietnamese border town Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, ahead of his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang)

  • US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Vietnam for a nuclear summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
  • But the summit was cut short when the two countries couldn't come to an agreement.
  • Continue to see pictures of how the summit unfolded.
  • Read our full coverage of the summit here.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended up taking a 70-hour train ride to Vietnam for largely nothing.

On Thursday, Kim's second nuclear summit with US President Donald Trump was cut short after the two countries couldn't come to agreement on the terms.

It capped a whirlwind two-day trip for the two world leaders, which included a lavish dinner and some one-on-one time.

Continue to see some of the best pictures from the trip, and a recap of how it all went down.

SEE ALSO: Inside Kim Jong Un's personal train — which is bulletproof, has all-white conference rooms, and its own red carpet ramp

The two leaders' first summit was in Singapore in June 2018.

Their first meeting was a ceremonial, historic affair filled with pomp and circumstance.

Trump and Kim laid out an agreement between the two countries:

  1. The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
  2. The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
  3. Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
  4. The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.


North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Dong Dang, Vietnam, at the border of China, on Tuesday.

As Business Insider's Alexandra Ma reported, Kim took a two-and-a-half day ride on an armored train to get to Vietnam.



Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, also traveled to Vietnam.

Kim Yo Jong has become "an important aide" to her brother. She serves as the vice department director of the Workers' Party's Central Committee.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to tell if your iPhone is waterproof or water-resistant, and to what extent

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iPhone XS Max

  • The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were Apple's first smartphones designed to be water-resistant, and all subsequent models are as well, to varying degrees.
  • Despite an IP67 water-resistance rating (or IP68 for iPhone XS models), any iPhone 7 or later model of the phone can still be damaged by water exposure in certain conditions.
  • Apple's iPhone warranty does not cover hardware damaged by water, so the best bet is still to keep the phone dry.

 

Your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus is not waterproof. Neither are any of the newer phones the company has released. But the iPhone 7 was Apple's first water-resistant smartphone.

The difference between waterproof and water-resistant is the difference between a piece of hardware that almost surely won't break even with extended exposure to water and one that almost surely will.

Here's how to tell how water-resistant your iPhone is.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were the first water-resistant iPhones

iPhone 7 and iphone 7 plus

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were the first iPhones rated as IP67, which means the phones are resistant to splashes and can in fact be submerged in just over three feet of water for up to 30 minutes without damage. (For the record, the International Protection Marking, or IP code, was created by the International Electrotechnical Commission and is assigned to everything from phones to watches to toys to tools.)

Subsequent iPhone models including the 8, 8 Plus, X, and XR have the same IP67 rating. But Apple took this water resistance further with the new iPhone XS and XS Max.

The iPhone XS and XS Max are slightly more water-resistant than previous models

iPhone XS Max

In case you were wondering, the latest iPhone models, the XS and XS Max, took things a step farther and are IP68 rated, meaning they can withstand a 30 minute exposure in a little more than six feet of water. (I'd still recommend using your smartphone primarily on dry land, though. Or at least on a boat.)

Now, you might think that if your phone can be underwater for a half hour, you don't have much to worry about from a bit of rain or a spilled glass of water. And you probably don't, in fact, but it's better to play it safe. Apple's warranty does not cover issues caused by water, so if your phone is damaged by water in spite of that water resistance, you're left holding the bag, so to speak.

And over time, the water-resistant capabilities of your phone wear down. The rubber gaskets that seal out liquid at the lightning cable port, the SIM card slot, and around the buttons slowly degrades, losing water-blocking ability.

Also note that when we talk about water resistance, we're talking about clean freshwater, as far as Apple is concerned. They make no claims about the phone's resistance to damage caused by salt water or any other liquids, like coffee, motor oil, or Red Bull, to name a few of the fluids out there other than pure dihydrogen monoxide.

Prevent damage after your phone gets wet

And one note you need to make sure to remember: after your iPhone gets wet, whether from rain, a spilled beverage, or a total toilet submersion, don't plug anything into it until you are certain it's dry again. Connecting a charger or headphones via a wet port may well cause serious damage. Apple recommends waiting at least five hours before plugging anything in.

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The science behind why your phone shuts down when it's cold outside

This new online bank offers cash-back rewards, impressive interest on savings, and no-fee transactions — plus it can help you make better financial decisions

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empower banking 2

  • The personal-finance startup Empower is part of new wave of online banks giving customers better banking features. With lower overhead costs, they can offer attractive cash-back rewards, higher savings interest rates, and no-fee transactions. 
  • Its debit card, accepted like a Visa card and compatible with Apple Pay, gets 1% cash back on the first $1,000 spent each month. 
  • Its savings-account interest rate is 2.00%. Compare that with the national-average interest rate, which ranges from 0.1% to 0.2%, with some traditional banks offering rates as low as 0.01%. 
  • These features work with Empower's artificial-intelligence-powered assistant to help members earn more money with their bank and make smarter financial decisions. 

Mention thousand-people wait lists, and I would assume you're talking about the latest product launch from a millennial startup darling like Everlane. Personal-finance startups, however, can be equally skilled at generating buzz. 

As much as millennials love spending money on clothing and beauty brands that do business differently, they're also looking for new and different ways to manage that money, which is why, in late 2018, the personal-finance app Empower had more than 20,000 people put themselves on the wait list for its new mobile-banking product

The first product from Empower, cofounded by a former Sequoia Capital partner and backed in part by Alexis Ohanian's Initialized Capital, is a free personal-financial adviser that connects all your financial accounts, tracks your money, and helps you discover hidden savings. 

The next step for the nearly 500,000-user-strong company was to take the traditional banking industry head-on. Empower CEO Warren Hogarth told Business Insider:

Our users were so frustrated with their existing banks and wanted something more seamless, more personal, and more rewarding. For the industry, it changes the game. Consumers can now get paid to bank and have complete control of their finances from their pocket.

empower banking

Empower banking consists of a debit card and savings account, both insured up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Members get 1% cash back on the first $1,000 charged to the debit card, which can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, and they have access to a network of 25,000 free ATMs, plus one out-of-network ATM reimbursement per month. The card can also be added to Apple Pay and used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted.

Rewards and a generous savings interest rate are key to hooking members. The cash-back reward is boosted to 2% when users refer their friends to Empower. The savings account has a 2.00% APY, which gets a boost to 4.00% with a friend referral. One user said he made more in interest in one month with Empower than he did in one year with Wells Fargo (with its 0.01% APY), capping off his review with: "Online banking is the future, people!" 

Empower also gets rid of some of the most inconvenient features of traditional banking: fees and minimum balances. The usual list of add-on conditions, including monthly, overdraft, insufficient fund, and international transaction fees, are notably missing from its model. 

All the while, the company's artificial-intelligence-powered assistant is there to analyze your financial decisions and help you make better ones. It takes note of your spending behavior and patterns, sends instant notifications of debit-card transactions, and is available 24/7 via chat message. 

If you're one of the many who feel held back by their banking accounts, Empower is a competitive option to consider. It's easy to set up and, with its friendly user interface, enjoyable to use. 

To get started with this new mobile bank, download the Apple or Android app from Empower's website here.

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We visited a Victoria's Secret store on the day that it announced dozens of closures. Here's what we found.

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Victoria's Secret

  • Victoria's Secret announced that it is closing 53 stores in North America this year.
  • Its parent company, L Brands, reported fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, and same-store sales at Victoria's Secret were down 3%.
  • The brand has struggled in recent years — sales have slipped, and its provocative ads are being criticized by some as being tone deaf in the era of #MeToo.
  • We visited one of its stores to trial the shopping experience first hand. 

Victoria's Secret announced Wednesday that it will be closing as many as 53 stores in North America this year. This follows 30 closings in 2018 

The news came after the lingerie giant's parent company L Brands, released its fourth-quarter earnings results. Same-store sales for Victoria's Secret were down 3% for the quarter and overall for 2018. 

Read more: Victoria's Secret is closing dozens of stores

A spokesperson for L Brands told Business Insider that the company has not yet released a list of store closings. 

We visited one of its stores on Thursday morning to find out what it is like to shop there:

SEE ALSO: Overtly sexualized ads, controversial comments from executives, and sliding sales: Here's why Victoria's Secret had a huge fall from grace in 2018

The store we visited is located in downtown Manhattan, New York in the World Trade Center Westfield mall.

The mall, which opened in 2016, is classified as a Class A mall, which is determined by the sales-per-square foot of its tenants.

The reviews online are extremely positive. "Probably one of the best Victoria's Secret stores I have ever been [to]," one shopper wrote

"The customer service here is spectacular," another said

For this reason we were expecting a shiny version of a typical Victoria's Secret store. 



It lived up to expectations. Out first impression was good – the store was well organized and the inventory was neatly laid out. However, it wouldn't take much for this to descend into chaos; piles of inventory are a recipe for disaster in busier times.

A "Body by Victoria" display was front and center at the entrance. 

This was surprising. In the company's third-quarter earnings call in November, CFO Stuart Burgdoerfer said that these bras along with its Angels collection had seen weaker sales, which he blamed on lack on innovation with the bra. We would expect to see the best products at the front. 



We were also surprised to find that despite its the standard bulk buying deals on panties, there were no sales signs anywhere.

Wall Street has been critical of the level of promotions in Victoria's Secret stores in the past. One analyst said he believed its sister brand Pink was on the "precipise of collapse," because of the level of promotions. 

In a call with investors on Thursday, Burgdoerfer addressed this problem but said that it will "take a little bit of time" to reduce promotional levels. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Prose vs. Function of Beauty — how the two most popular personalized hair-care companies stack up

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

hair products 3_4

  • The shampoo and conditioner from two popular startups, Function of Beauty and Prose, cost more than the average bottle ($18 to $38), but for good reason: they're personalized to your exact hair type and hair goals. 
  • Both use hair quizzes to figure out what ingredients to include in your custom formulation. They steer clear of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, and GMOs when formulating their hair-care products, and instead defer to natural alternatives. 
  • Personalization and better ingredients are key components to both Function of Beauty and Prose's businesses, but differences like price, level of customization, and gifting options could make you choose one over the other. 
  • We broke down these similarities and differences in our comparison below. 

Forget monograms and engravings — the future of personalization lies in data and algorithms, which are being used to make everything from personalized vitamin packs to personalized pillows.

In women's hair-care, Function of Beauty, founded in 2015, and Prose, founded in 2017, are popular startups hoping that you never settle for catch-all shampoo and conditioner (or, god forbid, two-in-one shampoo and conditioner) again.

By using your answers to a "hair quiz" to create a unique formulation filled with natural, effective ingredients, they both make hair-care personal, which, considering the multitudes of hair types and needs out there, is the way it should've been all along. 

Function of Beauty and Prose share many similarities, including their basic business models (personalized hair-care, delivered), a ton of funding ($12.2 million and $25 million, respectively), and even founders utilizing their MIT smarts. So which one should you ditch your current shampoo and conditioner for? 

To help you distinguish between these two leading personalized hair-care companies, we've put them up head-to-head on important factors like level of customization, customer experience, price, and ingredients. We've tried both Function of Beauty and Prose's shampoo and conditioner, so we can attest to their quality. However, we'll let you make the final decision after comparing them below. 

If you're not sure which personalized hair-care startup you should try, Function of Beauty or Prose, we've cleared up their similarities and differences below. 

SEE ALSO: 14 of the most anticipated skin-care product launches of 2019 you can buy now

Let's get price out of the way first. Since these are personalized formulas, be prepared to spend more than $10 on your shampoo and conditioner.

Function of Beautysells two products: shampoo (8-ounce or 16-ounce) and conditioner (8-ounce or 16-ounce). There are a few different ways to buy them, and the prices are set regardless of ingredient content:

  • In an eight-ounce shampoo + conditioner set - $36 
  • In a 16-ounce shampoo + conditioner set - $49 
  • In an eight-ounce and 16-ounce mixed set - $43 
  • Individual 16-ounce shampoo or 16-ounce conditioner - $36 

Prosesells three products: shampoo (eight-and-a-half-ounce.), conditioner (eight-and-a-half-ounce), and a hair mask of the same size. Shampoo and conditioner cost $25 to $38 each, while the hair mask costs $38 to $58. The price varies depending on the specific ingredients that go into each unique formulation. You can buy them in any quantity and combination. 



Function of Beauty and Prose operate in similar ways.

First, take a hair quiz, the answers of which will be used to create your customized formula. Then, choose which products or set of products you want to buy. Prose sends you your hair-care products in seven days while Function of Beauty takes a little longer, up to nine days. Both services let you go back to your profile and readjust your hair quiz answers, and thus your formulation, when you want to reorder.  



But the hair quizzes themselves are pretty different.

Function of Beautyasks you some basic questions about your hair and scalp type, then has you select up to five hair goals (choices include volumize, color protection, anti-frizz, and curl definition). By asking what you want out of your shampoo and conditioner, the company assumes you already at least partially understand your hair and its various intricacies. 

Prose's hair quiz is more in-depth, resulting in 85 data points, and inquires about everything from what products you usually style your hair with to your diet and stress levels. It also asks about hair goals (though there are only four choices), but seems to focus more on your current hair characteristics to create whatever solution is most appropriate for your hair. 



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An eco-friendly footwear startup is turning plastic bottles into beautiful sneakers — each pair diverts 17 plastic bottles from landfills and rolls up to the size of a pair of socks

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july_blog_3

  • Barefoot shoe industry leader Vivobarefoot is now producing a line of shoes made from recycled water bottles ($75 - $210).
  • Each pair of shoes will be made from 17 recycled water bottles. Left to their own devices, those bottles would take ~400 years to decompose.
  • Vivobarefoot hopes this line will combat our desensitization to pollution. It's part of a larger trend
  • Increasingly sustainable production is a goal for Vivobarefoot, with hints at new materials coming down the pipeline. 

At the heart of the barefoot shoe movement is a belief that nature, ultimately, knows best.

The argument commonly includes the sentiment that there is no machine as elegant nor as intelligent as the human body — a mechanism we’ve spent much of our collective history trying to understand, whilst enjoying the considerable benefits of its near-incomprehensible complexity. 

So it's not entirely surprising that barefoot shoe industry-leader Vivobarefoot is rolling out a line of shoes made out of recycled water bottles. Instead of heading to the oceans (which is estimated to be more plastic than fish by 2050) or a landfill to decompose over 400 years, the material will be reworked into durable, high-performance shoes deployed to mimic and stabilize the anatomy of the human foot. Each pair will use 17 throw-away water bottles.

It makes sense, and is an extension of steps the company took in 2015 with their eco-canvas and eco-suede (each using 50% recycled PET). Nature is Vivobarefoot's inspiration, and its production process will now prioritize and protect nature — as a gesture of goodwill, common sense, and, if you like, a sort of royalty payment. 

According to the company, 2017 reports estimated that humans collectively bought 1 million plastic water bottles every single minute. And though plastic's convenience in modern life has afforded it a sort of ubiquity that makes such a figure appear standard rather than alarming, Vivobarefoot bills this generation as the one "to realize that its use comes at a devastating environmental cost."

Vivobarefoot, like many companies recently, is beginning to assume more responsibility for such a crisis of our own making. While most bottles are made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a highly recyclable material, fewer than half the bottles bought in 2016 were collected for recycling — and only 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles.

Screen Shot 2018 08 06 at 5.43.22 PM

But PET is a malleable, strong, and durable material — uniquely well-suited for incorporation into tough, versatile shoes. This clever reconceptualization is reflected in a larger trend of companies embracing unexpected materials, ranging from leggings made out of fishing nets to low-carb pasta made from chickpeas to cult-favorite sneakers made out of leaves. As long as the quality stays high and prices stay low, consumers are happy to support sustainability.

Thankfully, not much will change in the new recycled PET line except for the recycled material and the company's processes. For shoppers already aware of Vivobarefoot's sterling reputation for design, style, and durability, this is great news. In fact, I've written about Vivobarefoot in the past because they make one of my favorite pairs of city and travel shoes — the $125 Kannas which are lightweight, perforated, and roll up to the size of a pair of socks. 

Vivobarefoot shoes, like most barefoot pairs, are based upon the idea that a wider, minimalist shoe will allow the foot to function as it was designed to function. Wearers will benefit from the sensory input of their feet as well as their hands for a potential increase in balance and accuracy, and the muscles in the leg may develop more naturally and cohesively. 

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According to the company, the human foot is a biomechanical masterpiece that can cope with more than we ask it to nowadays. "By cramming it into a modern shoe, you negate its natural function." Your feet have 200,000 nerves in them — the same as your hands. By loading up on padding, you muffle the sensory feedback your brain would otherwise receive, resulting in clumsier, less skillful movement.

Vivobarefoot's new PET line will cover the gamut: minimalist sports shoes, trail shoes, 'ultimate' land and sea boots, and streetwear like suede chukka boots. Prices range from $75 to $210.

For the company itself, sustainability is an ongoing project. In 2018, they plan to introduce more recycled and traceable fibers into over 50% of the vegan line, with more clever material innovations just over the horizon. But, for now, the PET collection will suffice as tangible strides in the right direction, hopefully on the feet of people who will care about the larger message as much as Vivobarefoot. 

Shop the VIVOBAREFOOT recycled PET collection here, ranging from $75 - $210

SEE ALSO: 10 stylish sneakers to buy that aren't going to sell out in seconds

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Meet the 15 richest family-wealth dynasties in the US, who have a combined net worth of $618 billion

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walton family

  • The fortunes of wealthy family dynasties in the US have been increasing, according to a new report by the Institute for Policy Studies
  • The report looked at the 15 wealthiest family dynasties from the Forbes 400 list and found they have a combined wealth of $618 billion.
  • Since 1982, the combined wealth of the top three families has increased by 5,868%, totaling $348.7 billion.

Income inequality in America is getting worse, and dynastic wealth, which has been bemoaned by Warren Buffett, may be one of the reasons why.

The left-leaning Institute for Policy Studies' "Billionaire Bonanza" report examined the growing concentration of wealth in the US by looking at 15 dynastically wealthy families from the Forbes 400 list and data from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finance.

"Each of these family's wealth comes from companies started by an earlier generation, either a parent or more distant ancestor," the report said. "Each of them also represents a wealth dynasty passing generation to generation free from interruption."

Read more: How the billionaire Koch brothers became 2 of the most influential political donors in America

They found that the median American family owns just more than $80,000 in household wealth, while the 15 family dynasties own a combined $618 billion.

Since 1982, the combined wealth of the top three families — the Waltons, the Kochs, and the Marses — increased by 5,868%, totaling $348.7 billion.

Here's a closer look at how they and the rest of the wealthy dynastic families from the Forbes 400 built their wealth, ranked from lowest net worth to highest net worth. The estimated total wealth for each family is a sum of each individual family member's wealth listed on the Forbes 400 and does not include the wealth of any family members not on the Forbes 400.

Note that the Forbes 400 doesn't encompass all of America's wealthy dynastic families — some individual family members have less than the $2.1 billion in personal wealth needed to make the list.

SEE ALSO: The 25 richest American families, ranked

SEE ALSO: US inequality is only getting worse, and the 'dynastic wealth' bemoaned by Warren Buffett may be one of the reasons why

15. The Cathy family is worth $11 billion thanks to its fried-chicken fortune.

Source: The Billionaire Bonanza Report



The family's wealth comes from fast food chain Chick-fil-A, founded in 1967 by Samuel Truett Cathy.

Source: Forbes



His sons, Bubba and Dan, share the family's wealth, with a fortune of $5.5 billion each.

Source: The Billionaire Bonanza Report



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Justice Department veterans say GOP attacks on Michael Cohen's credibility are 'amateurish' and 'laughable'

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  • GOP lawmakers consistently attacked Michael Cohen's credibility during an explosive hearing before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, calling him a "pathological liar" and a "patsy" for the Democrats.
  • But Justice Department veterans criticized the strategy, calling it "amateurish," "idiotic," and "laughable."
  • "That's an idiotic argument for an adult to make," one former federal prosecutor told INSIDER.
  • "By definition, any cooperator who was involved in a criminal conspiracy at one point lied about it," another former federal prosecutor told INSIDER.

President Donald Trump, his allies, and Republican lawmakers were relentless in their attacks on Michael Cohen this week. The GOP ripped into the former Trump lawyer, calling Cohen a convicted liar who cannot be trusted.

Cohen, Trump's longtime former lawyer and fixer, took center stage on Wednesday when he testified before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with the president.

In addition to calling Trump a "racist," "cheat," and "con man," Cohen implicated him in criminal conduct while in office and revealed new details about ongoing criminal investigations into Trump's businesses.

Republicans, meanwhile, made their strategy clear from the get-go: keep the focus on Cohen's lies. To illustrate their effort, they propped up a poster on their side of the hearing room that featured a photo of Cohen with the caption, "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!"

Read more:The 8 biggest takeaways from Michael Cohen's blockbuster testimony against Trump

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, center, ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform talks with Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., left, and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., right, during testimony by Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows, both members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, pointed and shouted at Cohen during their questioning and illustrated the former Trump lawyer's long history of questionable dealings before branding him a "patsy" for the Democrats.

Other GOP lawmakers got straight to the point.

"You’ve claimed that you’ve lied but you’re not a liar," said Rep. Jody Hice, a Republican from Georgia. "Just to set the record straight, if you lied, you are a liar by definition."

"You’re either incompetent or you are a liar," said GOP Rep. Bob Gibbs.

Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar also chimed in: "You are a pathological liar. You don’t note truth from falsehood."

Patrick Cotter, a longtime former federal prosecutor who was part of the team that convicted the Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, didn't mince words when addressing GOP attacks against Cohen: "That's an idiotic argument for an adult to make. People who cooperate with prosecutors are always convicted criminals. That's the price of admission."

Jeffrey Cramer, a longtime former federal prosecutor who spent 12 years at the Justice Department, largely agreed.

"By definition, any cooperator who was involved in a criminal conspiracy at one point lied about it," he told INSIDER. "Prisons are full of people who were on trial where cooperators testified against them with supporting evidence. That's how you prove those cases: you use someone from the inside."

Read more: In closing remarks, Michael Cohen says his loyalty to Trump cost him 'everything'

Michael Cohen testimony

'It's like condemning somebody for being a hitman when he's testifying against the guy that hired him to do the hit'

Cohen pleaded guilty to several counts of tax evasion, bank fraud, campaign-finance violations, and lying to Congress. Since last year, he has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in several inquiries, including the FBI's Russia investigation and the Southern District of New York's investigation into Trump's business and financial dealings.

On Wednesday, Cohen told lawmakers that he had lied and misled investigators to protect Trump. But "I am not protecting Mr. Trump anymore," he said.

In court documents announcing Cohen's guilty pleas in the Russia probe and the SDNY's investigation, prosecutors wrote that Cohen admitted to committing crimes "in coordination with" and "at the direction of" an individual widely believed to be Trump.

On Wednesday, Cohen said the unnamed individual — described as Individual-1 in court filings — is the president. He also said Trump did not explicitly direct him to lie to Congress in 2017 about the now defunct Trump Tower Moscow deal.

But "in conversations we had during the campaign, at the same time I was actively negotiating in Russia for him, he would look me in the eye and tell me there's no business in Russia and then go out and lie to the American people by saying the same thing," Cohen said. "In his way, he was telling me to lie."

Cotter pointed to Cohen's statements, telling INSIDER, "If you're going to condemn Cohen as a liar, how much more must you condemn the person who told him to lie and on whose behalf he lied?"

"It's ridiculous and amateurish," he added. "It's like condemning somebody for being a hitman when he's testifying against the guy that hired him to do the hit. You made him a hitman. That's why he's your guy. It's laughable, and in a criminal case, that strategy would go nowhere."

Read more: Michael Cohen has reportedly been disbarred in New York state

Cohen on Trump Shoulder

'It's true that Cohen is a liar... but he's Trump's convicted liar'

Legal scholars said the GOP's argument that Cohen has a credibility crisis was also weakened by the fact that he provided documentation to support some of his claims about Trump's character and alleged criminal conduct.

For instance, he provided to the committee a copy of a check for $35,000, signed by Trump, that was dated August 1, 2017.

The check, Cohen said, was "pursuant to the cover-up, which was the basis of my guilty plea, to reimburse me — the word used by Mr. Trump's TV lawyer — for the illegal hush money I paid on his behalf [to the adult film star Stormy Daniels]. This $35,000 check was one of 11 check installments that was paid throughout the year — while he was president."

Cohen added that Trump gave him the check "as part of a criminal scheme to violate campaign finance laws."

"It's true that Cohen is a liar," Cramer said. "He's a convicted liar, but he's Trump's convicted liar. And if he's got documents proving what he's saying, I don't care that Cohen is a convicted liar. If he has documents, you should believe those documents because that's corroborating evidence."

He added: "If there are more documents like that — and I suspect there are and that prosecutors have them — that's legally significant, because it puts the president in the crosshairs as an unindicted co-conspirator."

SEE ALSO: The 8 biggest takeaways from Michael Cohen's blockbuster testimony against Trump

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Meet the three women who married Donald Trump

We visited Old Navy and saw why it became Gap's biggest asset before it was announced it was spinning off as its own company (GPS)

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  • After spearheading Gap Inc.'s growth, Old Navy is splitting off from its parent company. 
  • Old Navy sales increased by 3% in 2018, while sales of the Gap brand dropped 5% globally in the same period. 
  • We visited an Old Navy store to see why it's doing so well.

Old Navy has been spearheading Gap Inc.'s growth. Now, the brand is splitting off.

On Thursday, Gap Inc announced that it would be splitting the retail company into two publicly traded companies — Old Navy and a yet-to-be-named company that will consist of the Gap brand, Athleta, Banana Republic, Intermix and Hill City.

Read more:Old Navy splits off from Gap

Old Navy has in recent times been the most successful of the Gap brands. Globally, Old Navy sales increased by 3% in 2019, the company reported on Thursday. Sales of the Gap brand dropped 5% globally in the same period. 

Old Navy has been able to prevail over Gap and the other Gap Inc. brands, in part, because it sells similar styles to Gap at a lower price point. When we visited Gap in 2018, we noticed a lot of sale signs, a small variety of products, and generally high prices. 

We visited an Old Navy in late 2018, and saw why the chain has been the most successful of the Gap Inc brands:

SEE ALSO: We visited Five Below, the discount-store chain that's growing across America. Here's what it's like to shop there.

We visited the Old Navy in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.



In the entryway was a 75% off sign.



Denim was the first thing in the store. Everything was 30% off.



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11 kitchen tools that help me make the most of my small New York City kitchen

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ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide

  • I live in a New York City apartment, and the space in my tiny kitchen is prime real estate.
  • I've had to learn some cooking hacks to make the most of my space and seriously consider the appliances that have earned their place in my kitchen. 
  • Below you'll find the tools and appliances that made the cut, from an $11 kitchen scale to a $304 stand mixer.

In my dreams, I cook in a huge, fully fleshed out kitchen with tools and accessories that would make Gordon Ramsey jealous. When I wake up, I cook on a countertop that's barely big enough for my cutting board and a range with three functioning burners.

These restrictions haven't kept me from cooking, but they have made me really selective about what I keep in my kitchen. Everything needs to earn its keep, whether it's a basic kitchen scale or a high powered stand mixer. At the same time, I've had to figure out ways to make the most out of my space without doing major construction in my apartment. 

Below, you'll find the tools I use to trick people into thinking I have a big kitchen and the handful of tools and appliances I use often enough to justify keeping them. If having a small kitchen has kept you from getting into the kitchen, use these recommendations as a guide to make it work. It takes a little effort, but the results are fulfilling, and tasty! 

Keep scrolling to check out my favorite kitchen tools and appliances.

SEE ALSO: 28 useful kitchen gadgets you can get under $25

SEE ALSO: 30 appliances and tools that we swear by in the kitchen, from a $6 fish spatula to a $340 Dutch oven

A smart sous vide tool that lets me effortlessly cook restaurant quality meals

What it is: Joule Sous Vide, $199, available at Amazon

Why I love it: If my kitchen has a "secret weapon," it's definitely ChefSteps' Joule Sous Vide. The tool lets me make perfectly cooked meat and vegetables without much effort, and it has smart features that actually makes sense. If you've never cooked sous vide, here's how it works. 

First, you take the food you want to cook and seal it inside a plastic bag. Next, you fill up a container (a dutch oven will work perfectly) with water. Then you clip the Joule onto the pot, open its app, and select the food you're going to prepare. The Joule will kick on and start circulating water to get it up to that exact temperature. 

When it's ready, the app will tell you to insert your sealed food and set a timer to alert you when it's done. This might sound complicated, but the Joule makes it really simple. Once the food's done, you'll get an alert on your phone. I've used the Joule several times, and it's never failed me. My food is always perfectly cooked, and I never had to worry about a pan overheating or forgetting to turn the oven off.



A waffle maker that I actually use very often

What it is: Krups Waffle Maker, $52.99, available at Amazon

Why I love it: Krups' waffle maker is one of the few super niche appliances that I actually use very often. It has a knob that lets me set my waffles' doneness — from pillowy soft to nice and crispy — and a loud bell that alerts me when its grates have come to temperature and when the waffles are fully cooked.

Once I'm done, I can pop the grates off and wash them off in the sink. The grates are dishwasher safe, too. I always felt like waffles were one of the few foods I'd always have to order out, but Krups' waffle maker has turned them into one of my Sunday morning staples.



A powerful compact kitchen mixer that makes baking less messy

What it is: Kenmore Ovation Pour-In Top Stand Mixer, $304.99, available at Amazon

Why I love it: I don't have a lot of space in my kitchen for bulky appliances, but I've made an exception for Kenmore's Ovation stand mixer. Its five-quart glass mixing bowl is large enough to accommodate big batches of bread dough, cookie batter, or cake mix with ease, but its design is what sold me. 

Instead of pouring ingredients into the mixing bowl and hoping nothing flies out, the Ovation has a sealed bowl and a hole on top. When I bake, I put my dry ingredients in the bowl, seal it, and pour wet ingredients through the hole on top. The system works wonderfully and has cut down the amount of time I spend baking because I never have to think about cleaning flour or sugar from my floor. 



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I did hot yoga with a $98 mat that claims to get grippier the more you sweat — here's how it stacked up

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  • Manduka's GRP Yoga Mat ($98) is built to withstand heavy sweating so you can go to hot yoga without a towel. It took the veteran yoga company three years to create. 
  • I am an admittedly sweaty person, and my eternal complaint is that I slip around yoga mats and/or trip over bunched-up towels. 
  • I tried the Manduka GRP for a month to see how well it worked. While I'd hold off on calling it perfect, it is by far the best mat that I've found for sweaty yogis.
  • I gave away my other mats. To me, this one is definitely worth the $98 investment. 
  • Find more options in Insider Picks' buying guide to the best yoga mat you can buy

I can't tell you how many times I've left a yoga class — or, hey, even been in the middle of one — when someone has asked me if I am okay. The instructor, the girl to my left, the guy to my right, bystanders cleaning the studio windows. And I don't blame them.

My natural pallor converts to tomato red once we start pulsing, and the nonstop rolls of sweat — in my eyes, dripping into my mat, making it impossible to get a purchase on my own body — concern anyone who's had EMT training or watched a "Grey's Anatomy" episode once on an airplane to worry.

But, fear not, everyone, for I am fine. I may not be having as much fun as you — because I'm too busy digging my taut, exhausted heels into the mat to avoid hydroplaning off of it and into you — but I'll finish this 75-minute hot yoga class without a problem.

Despite the fact that my yoga practice often includes such uncomfortable compromises in the fine print, I loved the rest of it too much to stop going. So, for years, I put up with the slippery mats; stuffy, too-short towels; and butchering certain moves because my tendons were on fire from clinging to a now glass-like surface like Alex Honnold ascending a New Jersey skyscraper

Meet the Manduka GRP Mat ($98)

So, you can imagine my excitement — only overshadowed by skepticism — when I heard that Manduka, the company consistently responsible for the industry's best-performing yoga tools, had spent the last three years engineering a yoga mat that could withstand hot yoga without a towel: the GRP Mat.

"Bring the heat. Lose the towel. No matter how much you sweat, the Manduka GRP delivers supreme traction with no slip" the site reads.

The GRP (short for Grip Ride and Performance) is supposedly the ultimate hot yoga mat — and which should also work seamlessly in every other yoga environment.

It retails for $98, and it has some upgrades that make it Manduka's most innovative one to date: The top layer is leather-like for no-slip traction, the rubber core is charcoal-infused to absorb sweat and mitigate odor, and 100% open airflow filters moisture immediately to reduce sweat and bacteria buildup. According to the company, it should get grippier with sweat — an industry paradox — because unlike other closed-cell yoga mats (which is the standard), the GRP is made from open-celled polyurethane, which lets the mat breathe — taking in moisture, and letting it evaporate. 

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My experience using the GRP yoga mat

A few things immediately surprised me about the GRP: how thick it is (6mm thick, 5 lbs heavy), and how truly different the top layer feels — very much so like a leather, and unlike the suppleness of a rubber mat. GRP feels more substantial.

Upon unrolling it, I noticed it also had a pretty unpleasant smell. Though, if it worked well, this was nothing that I couldn't forgive, or fix with a deep clean.

In my hot yoga class, there were a few standout moments. One is that when you slap the mat on the floor there is a ring of finality to it — once it lays flat with a "smack" it's not moving. Even in all the classes I've taken to it since that first test, it has never slipped or moved during a class. 

Most importantly, though, the GRP Mat does a fantastic job of absorbing sweat. It's the only yoga mat I've comfortably used without a towel in a hot yoga class, and I was happy enough to toss my other mats in favor of this one. To me, there's no question that it's worth the $98.

grp steel grey texture retouched_4

It took far longer for me to even see the sweat on my mat (maybe 50-60 minutes into a hot yoga session), and even then it was far more manageable. It was refreshing to be able to attend hot yoga and be completely present — listening to the instructor, challenging myself in my poses, and enjoying transitions rather than slipping around. Over the month and many classes I tested it in, there were points when I started to lose a little traction, but I didn't experience it in most classes — far from the norm.

One thing I'd like to point out is that since it sucks up all the sweat from your body, you should be cleaning the GRP, just like any other mat. Manduka recommends the Everyday Yoga Mat Cleanser ($14) for regular maintenance and, for a deep clean, the Deep Cleaner ($18) every two-four months. Thankfully, an initial cleanse did help me get rid of the smell. 

Sustainability

According to Manduka, the GRP's core and bottom layer are made with sustainably harvested natural tree rubber and manufactured in a sustainable factory in Spain to ensure no toxic emissions are released into the atmosphere. Manduka's ability to keep prices low even with an integration of sustainable materials is one reason we picked their ProLite Yoga Mat as the best overall in our Insider Picks buying guide for yoga mats in January 2019.

Overall

The Manduka GRP isn't perfect, but it is far and away the best yoga mat I've used as a sweaty yogi.

I can get through hot yoga class without a towel, and that's something I've never been able to say before. The secondary concerns like the smell of the mat upon arrival certainly aren't deal breakers for someone who loves yoga but hates how sweat changes their practice. If you like having a light, thin yoga mat — and you're fine with just a mat and a towel in your practice — then you may opt for another mat. But, for me, the GRP has been an exciting discovery. 

All in all, it's a great use of $98, and I'm glad Manduka spent three years creating it. If you're considering the GRP, I'd recommend giving it a shot.

Buy the Manduka GRP Yoga Mat, $98

Join the conversation about this story »

The House Intelligence Committee plans to call Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg to testify

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  • The House Intelligence Committee is planning to call Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, to testify before the panel, INSIDER has learned.
  • Weisselberg is a key figure in the Manhattan US attorney's office's investigation into President Donald Trump's business dealings during the 2016 campaign.
  • He was granted immunity to testify to a grand jury last year but is not a cooperating witness. It's unclear if he will agree to appear before the House Intelligence Committee.
  • Weisselberg has been associated with the Trump family since the 1970s, and Justice Department veterans say he is best positioned, as the Trump Organization's chief bookkeeper, to help investigators shed light on whether Trump or his family members committed financial crimes.
  • "He knows this organization from the beginning," one former federal prosecutor said. "That's a star cooperating witness to have. He has the inside perspective, more than Cohen, more than anyone else. If you're Trump, that's the guy you don't want to cooperate."

The House Intelligence Committee plans to call Allen Weisselberg, the chief bookkeeper at the Trump Organization, to testify before the panel, two aides told INSIDER.

The news, which was first reported by The Daily Beast, could foreshadow more legal headaches for President Donald Trump, who is already weathering multiple federal and state investigations into his business, charitable organization, administration, 2016 campaign, and inaugural committee.

Weisselberg is a key figure in the Southern District of New York's (SDNY) investigation into Trump's financial dealings during the 2016 election.

Last year, Trump's former longtime lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to several counts of tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign-finance violations related to a $130,000 hush-money payment to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an affair she said she had with Trump. The president denies the affair.

On Wednesday, Cohen testified to the House Oversight Committee that he, Weisselberg, and Donald Trump Jr. committed a "garden variety financial fraud" in order to cover up the payment.

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In their charging document against Cohen, New York federal prosecutors said he sent monthly false invoices to Weisselberg, who forwarded them to Trump Jr.

In reality, prosecutors said, the invoices were meant to disguise the reason Cohen was being paid $35,000 in monthly installments — he was being reimbursed for facilitating the $130,000 hush-money payment to Daniels. The reimbursement checks, which continued even after Trump took office, were at times signed by Weisselberg and Trump Jr., as well as by Trump himself.

Weisselberg was granted immunity last year to testify before a grand jury in the SDNY's investigation into Trump and Cohen. He is not cooperating with prosecutors, and it's unclear whether he will accept the House Intelligence Committee's request to testify.

Patrick Cotter, a former longtime federal prosecutor who was part of the team that convicted the Gambino crime-family boss, John Gotti, underscored how useful Weisselberg could be to investigators scouring Trump's personal and business dealings.

"The financial guy, the guy Trump has to turn to every time he wants to spend more than 50 bucks, that's the guy who's best placed for an investigator to turn to," Cotter, who has extensive experience prosecuting organized crime, told INSIDER.

Trump Family

"If there's a suspicion that Trump mishandled his taxes or misrepresented his income for tax or loan purposes — anything related to his finances — Weisselberg is the guy who will know," Cotter added.

"As a prosecutor, if you had to choose who out of all the potential witnesses in an organization you want to talk to, the first person you turn to is the financial guy, the one who keeps the books."

Weisselberg has a long history with the Trumps. He worked as an accountant for Trump's father, Fred Trump, beginning in the 1970s. By the late 1980s, he was working directly under Stephen Bollenbach, who was the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization at the time.

In 2000, Weisselberg became the CFO of Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts. He also served as treasurer of the Trump Foundation, and he managed the Trump family's household expenses at times, as well.

"Weisselberg was there at the genesis," Cotter said. "He knows this organization from the beginning. That's a star cooperating witness to have. He has the inside perspective, more than Cohen, more than anyone else. If you're Trump, that's the guy you don't want to cooperate."

SEE ALSO: Justice Department veterans say GOP attacks on Michael Cohen's credibility are 'amateurish' and 'laughable'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The top 15 presidents according to historians

RANKED: The 10 best countries for women to work abroad

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  • The best countries for working female expats have been ranked by InterNations, the world's largest expat community.
  • The researchers found that women are more likely to move abroad to support their partner's career than their own. 
  • The ranking features countries from all over the world, and is an effort to encourage more women to take the plunge and put their own progression first.

Moving to a new country to start a new job is nerve-wracking, scary, and eye-opening. But it's also a fantastic way to learn more about new cultures, broaden your horizons, and develop new skills.

However, new research has found that women are less likely than men to move abroad for their career (25% compared to 38%). In fact, 28% of women cite their partner's job or education, or their relationship, as their main motivation for moving to a new country, according to the latest Expat Insider survey by InterNations, the world's largest expat community.

In short, more women are moving abroad to support their partner's career than their own.

Men, on the other hand, name their job as their main reason for moving somewhere new, and just 13% move for love or their partner's career or education.

Read more: RANKED: The 19 best countries to live in if you're a woman

In a bid to encourage more women to take the plunge and put their own progression first, InterNations surveyed 8,855 female expats globally to find out in which countries women are happiest with their career.

Work-life balance, job security, and career prospects were all factored into the ranking, which features countries from all over the world.

Scroll down to see the 10 best countries for women to work abroad, ranked in ascending order.

10. Australia. 70% of expat women are satisfied with their work-life balance in Australia (compared to 60% globally), and 60% say they earn more than they would in their home country.



9. Malta. Two-thirds of female expats on the island are pleased with their job security (compared to a global average of 58%), and 58% are satisfied with their career prospects (compared to 48% of men).



8. The Netherlands. 92% of female expats in the Netherlands are happy with the economy, which is far higher than the average of 64% worldwide.



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These are the 10 best iPhone photos taken around the world, according to Apple (AAPL)

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  • Apple announced the winners of its "Shot on iPhone" competition this week.
  • The images were taken around the world on iPhone models ranging from the 7 to the XS Max.
  • The winners will have their images featured on billboards, in Apple retail stores, and online.

Of all the ways Apple has enhanced the iPhone in recent years, its camera upgrades may be the most apparent, especially when it comes to taking zoom shots, low-light photos, and portraits.

And photographers have wasted no time in finding creative ways to leverage these improvements in their work.

Earlier this year, Apple invited iPhone photographers to submit their best images as part of its "Shot on iPhone Challenge." The 10 winners, which Apple announced this week, will have their images featured on billboards, the company's retail stores, and online.

Apple said a variety of iPhone models were used to snap the winning shots, from the 7 to the XS Max.

Contestants were permitted to edit the photos through tools in the iPhone Photos app or third-party software. The photos were evaluated by a panel of judges that included Pete Souza, the chief official White House photographer for President Barack Obama; the travel photographer Annet de Graaf; and Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Take a look at the winning photos:

SEE ALSO: Smartphones are getting weird again, and it could be a sign that the industry is on the brink of another huge change

Taken by Alex Jiang (US) on an iPhone XS Max.



Taken by Blake Marvin (US) on an iPhone XS Max.



Taken by Andrew Griswold (US) on an iPhone XS.



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This $80 smartwatch has a longer battery life than the Apple Watch or Fitbit and many of the same features — here's what it's like

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  • The Amazfit Bip ($79.99) proves you don't have to spend more than $100 for a good smartwatch.
  • I've worn it daily for more than a month and primarily use it to keep track of my physical activity and sleep and to receive phone notifications. 
  • While it lacks the sleek sophistication of its $200 to $350 counterparts, it still impressed us with its month-long battery life and variety of features you'll use every day. 

Though Apple and Fitbit are probably the first names to come to mind when you think of wearables, Chinese wearables company Huami is quietly giving them a run for their money with its under-$100 Amazfit Bip smartwatch.

I've been wearing it for the last five weeks and had multiple friends mistake it for an Apple Watch. It never gets any less satisfying for me to explain that it's actually a smartwatch they've never heard of, and it costs a fraction of its more famous doppelgänger. 

The Amazfit Bip is only $80, but has so many useful features that you'll be surprised it doesn't cost more: fitness, heart rate, and sleep tracking, physical activity guidance, and the ability to receive app, call, and text notifications. It can also act as a timer, stopwatch, compass, or personal weatherman. It does all of this on an incredible battery that lasts for weeks (yes, plural). 

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As a longtime Fitbit user, I can say without a doubt that wearing a fitness tracker has improved my health by motivating me to move more, whether that involves going for an evening run in order to maintain my run streak, or simply taking a lap around the office when I've been sitting down for too long. With the Amazfit Bip, you can set step goals, then see how much you're walking and how many calories you've burned, down to each hour of the day. When you haven't moved in a while, you'll get a nudge in the form of a watch vibration, and the watch celebrates when you've reached your daily step goal.

The watch can also accompany you on activities like outdoor running or cycling and track stats like your pace, heart rate, and stride, but in my experience the activity guidance features weren't always completely accurate, and I preferred using the Nike Run app. It works perfectly, however, as a casual day-to-day activity tracker. 

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The sleep tracking function, made more accurate with the watch's heart rate monitor, is also the source of endless fascination and utility. The watch breaks down your deep and light sleep and offers insights that help you get more consistent, restful sleep. Combined with the physical activity reports, the sleep data lets me draw connections to my overall mood and energy level and I can tweak my routine so I feel 100%, or as close to it as possible, every day. 

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Other than for activity and sleep tracking, I use the watch to receive phone notifications since it's distracting to pick up my phone every time it lights up next to me. I'll occasionally use its timer and stopwatch when I work out or cook dinner, its alarm to wake me up every morning, and its weather report. 

Compared to those of the Apple Watch and Fitbit smartwatches, the Amazfit Bip's interface isn't as refined or polished, but one big reason why I sing the Amazfit Bip's praises anyways is that it juggles multiple features on a suspiciously strong battery. After five weeks of daily use, it has 33% battery left. Other smartwatches need to be charged every one to three days, but my Amazfit Bip is still going strong. I do have my screen brightness set fairly low, and only choose to receive text notifications, so the exact battery life can vary depending on the combination of your preferences. However, it should still last about 30 days on a single 2.5-hour charge, which is really impressive. 

amazfit bip

The watch is available in four colors and offers a variety of watch faces. It has a barely-there feel on your wrist, and the screen is easy to read, even in the bright sunlight. Insider Picks associate editor Brandt Ranj, who also tested the watch and liked its features, found that the silicone band irritated his skin, so if you have more sensitive skin, we would recommend switching out the standard band for a different material.

If you're looking for a reliable smartwatch with a fair amount of customization, and you don't care for the glossy or extraneous features of the bigger brands, you'll be very happy with the Amazfit Bip. It's easy to use, it helps you practice healthier habits, and its long battery life means you have one less device to think about charging all the time. For less than $100, no other smartwatch comes close. 

Shop the Amazfit Bip for $79.99 at Amazon here

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Meet Bernard Arnault, the richest person in Europe, who's worth $80 billion and controls LVMH, the world's largest maker of luxury goods

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French businessman Bernard Arnault is the richest person in Europe. He's worth an estimated $80.8 billion, according to Bloomberg.

As the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, known as LVMH, the world's largest maker of luxury goods, Arnault is also the richest person in the fashion industry. LVMH sells products that include Louis Vuitton handbags, Dom Perignon Champagne, TAG Heuer watches, and Rimowa luxury suitcases.

Arnault is the fourth-richest person in the world after Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett.

Read more: Meet the Wertheimers, the secretive French brothers worth $42 billion who control Chanel, own vineyards in France and Napa Valley, and breed racehorses

Now, four of Arnault's five children are part of the LVMH empire. His daughter, Delphine, is the executive vice president at Louis Vuitton and apparent heiress to LVMH. 

Arnault, who lives in Paris and has a vacation home on the French Riviera, attended one of the most prestigious engineering schools in France and was named CEO of luxury goods holding company, Financiere Agache, in 1984, according to Bloomberg.

Here's a look at Arnault's career, life, and family.

SEE ALSO: Meet the Ambanis, the richest family in Asia, who live in a $1 billion skyscraper and mingle with royals, politicians, and Bollywood stars

DON'T MISS: A day in the life of a Deutsche Bank managing director, who wakes up at 5:00 a.m., spends 10 days of the month traveling, and works out twice a day even while on business trips

Bernard Arnault is the richest person in Europe, worth an estimated $80.8 billion.

Source: Bloomberg



The 69-year-old French businessman is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, known as LVMH, a position he's held since 1989. LVMH is the world's largest maker of luxury goods.

Source: Bloomberg



The business is a family affair; four of Arnault's five children hold positions at LVMH brands.

Source: Bloomberg



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We flew on Honda's new $5.25 million private jet. Here are its coolest features.

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  • The HondaJet Elite is an updated version of the Honda HA-420 HondaJet that debuted in 2015. 
  • The Elite launched in 2018 and is now the only version of the HondaJet in production.
  • The HondaJet Elite boasts increased range, a quieter cabin, an available galley, and a host of other tweaks.
  • The HondaJet Elite starts at $5.25 million, $350,000 more than the original HondaJet.

The Honda HA-420 HondaJet is one of the most capable small private jets in the world.

The original HondaJet, which entered production in 2015, was the Japanese industrial giant's foray into the world of aviation as a manufacturer. It was also the culmination of three decades' worth of research and development work led by Honda Aircraft Company CEO Michimasa Fujino.

Read more:HondaJet's CEO explains why the $5.25 million private jet's nose is inspired by a pair of Ferragamo high heels

In 2018, Honda introduced an updated version of the plane, called the HondaJet Elite to match the designation given to the company's luxury spec automobiles.

Updates include an extra fuel tank that boosts range to more than 1,650 miles from 1,400 miles, a quieter cabin, and an available galley.

The Elite was initially sold alongside the original HondaJet but has now taken over as the only version of the plane in production.

Business Insider recently had the opportunity to experience a flight aboard the company's latest offering at Honda Aircraft's home in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Read more:I flew on Honda's new $5.25 million private jet to see if it's faster, quieter, and more luxurious than before. Here's the verdict.

In case you're wondering, the HondaJet Elite starts at $5.25 million, $350,000 more than the original HondaJet.

Here's a closer look at the HondaJet Elite's coolest features.

SEE ALSO: Delta is the first US airline to fly the new Airbus A220 jetliner. Here are its coolest features.

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1. Carbon-composite airframe: The cabin is made of a carbon-fiber-epoxy composite designed to be lighter and stronger than traditional aluminum construction.



2. Nose design inspired by a pair of high heels: Fujino said the nose shape of the HondaJet was inspired by a pair of Ferragamo heels he spotted at a duty-free shop on vacation.



Here's another view of the nose.



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I attended an exclusive dinner and discussion for Amex Platinum cardholders with one of the best chefs in the world — here’s what the once-in-a-lifetime experience was like

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Massimo Bottura Amex BIO Event in Hong Kong_2 (American Express)

  • One of the perks that comes with the Platinum Card® from American Express is access to exclusive events and dining reservations via the By Invitation Only program.
  • While the card comes with a ton of benefits and opportunities to maximize your value — for instance,  I got more than $2,000 worth of value in my first year — the By Invitation Only program is more of a luxury perk.
  • Tickets to these events can be costly, but they're often once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
  • I recently had a chance to attend one of these events, an intimate discussion and dinner.
  • Here's what it was like.

Although various banks and credit card issuers offer things like early access to concert tickets or exclusive seating at events, no brand owns the experiential space like American Express.

Since its early days issuing travelers checks in the late 1800s through its launch of a dedicated travel division in 1915 — which still exists today — American Express has kept its rise to global financial powerhouse aligned with travel and experience.

As the demand for "premium" products increased as credit and charge cards became mainstream products through the 1950s and 1960s, American Express has taken a strong approach toward providing members with exclusive opportunities. 

In 2017, Amex doubled down on this by relaunching its famed Platinum Card. Facing fierce competition in the premium space from JP Morgan's Chase Sapphire Reserve rewards credit card, American Express boosted its travel and experience platforms.

In addition to significantly expanding the network of airport lounges that cardholders can access, Amex added new benefits to the card, and began launching new programs and opportunities while expanding previously existing ones. Although the company's Membership Rewards program continued to be valuable, it attacked the Sapphire Reserve by playing to its own strengths. 

"[Amex has] stayed true to [its] origins, and as we've learned more about and from our card members, and seen their taste and interest evolve, we've strived to evolve as well," said Janey Whiteside, EVP of global premium products and benefits at Amex, during an interview with Business Insider. "Now in 2018, we see that our Platinum card members are passionate about travel, entertainment, superior service, and have evolved in how they undertake that."

One of the strategies was to launch a new "Global Dining Collection" benefit for cardholders. As part of this benefit, Amex partnered with hundreds of top and famous restaurants around the world. Card members can access exclusive reservation slots held for Amex, and enjoy things like off-menu perks and gifts, when making a reservation through the Platinum Card's complimentary concierge service.

In addition, Amex developed deeper relationships with several of the world's top chefs while expanding its "By Invitation Only" series. The company offers about 100 of these events each year, all around the world. 

By Invitation Only events, which are exclusive to Platinum and Centurion card members, include things like backstage tours at concerts, special trips, VIP access to events like the Monaco Grand Prix, access to cocktail parties with thought leaders and insiders across a range of industries, and more.

I've written before about how the Amex Platinum Card offers a ton of value, easily enough to outweigh its annual fee. In some ways, as long as you're comfortable floating the initial annual fee each year, the ultra-premium credit card can actually help you with frugal travel (even if that may be a stretch).

It's important to note that the By Invitation Only events are not similarly value-producing.

These events are not free, and are targeted more for the "luxury lifestyle" set or people splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Events can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on what they are and what they entail. However, in exchange for the high cost, you're typically able to experience something that's truly inaccessible.

Because I've reported on the By Invitation Only program before, but have never experienced one, American Express invited me to attend a recent event hosted in New York City, where I'm based. Attendees at the event would have the opportunity to join an intimate, private discussion with star chef Massimo Bottura, and, later, enjoy a multi-course tasting menu and wine pairing.

Bottura is the mastermind behind Osteria Francescana, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy that has been named "the world's best restaurant." Bottura, who was featured in the first episode of Netflix's "Chef's Table" and in an episode of the Aziz Ansari comedy "Master of None," is famous in the culinary world for telling the story of childhood and life in Italy through his cooking, expressing themes of art, history, family, music, and more. Described as "a poet, storyteller, and artist as much as a cook," Bottura curates a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.

Here's what the Amex By Invitation Only event was like.

Click here to learn more about the Amex Platinum Card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

SEE ALSO: I got more than $2,000 worth of value from the American Express Platinum credit card in my first year — despite its $550 annual fee

The afternoon involved a small presentation with Bottura describing the inspiration for a few of his famous dishes, and taking questions from the 20-30 of us in the audience.



The talk took place in the afternoon. Later in the evening, we reconvened for dinner, which took place at the Peninsula Hotel. While there were a number of attendees, the room was laid out in a way that felt small and cozy, rather than overly large and wide open.



As we walked in, we were handed a glass of champagne, shown our seat for the evening, and directed to a table where Bottura was greeting diners and offering a sampling of aged parmesan with a rare, aged balsamic.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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