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Michael Bloomberg suggests doubts about #MeToo movement and allegations against Charlie Rose

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Mike Bloomberg

  • Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York mayor, expressed doubts about the #MeToo movement that could put him at odds with the Democratic Party.
  • The media mogul used disgraced TV anchor Charlie Rose as an example and questioned whether allegations of sexual coercion and harassment against him are true. 
  • Irin Carmon, a reporter who led two investigations into Rose's conduct, told Business Insider that Bloomberg was wrong to second-guess the dozens of allegations against Rose.
  • Bloomberg says he's considering a run for president as a centrist Democrat in 2020.

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York mayor, suggested doubts in a recent interview about the #MeToo movement, citing disgraced former TV news anchor Charlie Rose's ousting from the media industry following harassment allegations against him. 

"The stuff I read about is disgraceful — I don't know how true all of it is," Bloomberg said in an interview with The New York Times of allegations that have arisen as part of the movement against sexual misconduct. 

Bloomberg, who is exploring a 2020 presidential run as a centrist Democrat, brought up Rose's case unprompted, suggesting that he doubted the veracity of the allegations that Rose made crude and unwanted sexual advances on numerous women, many of them colleagues and subordinates, over the course of many years. 

Rose, who was fired from CBS News and PBS after several women came forward with their allegations last fall,  broadcast his nightly program — "Charlie Rose" — from Bloomberg's company studios for years. Bloomberg also stopped re-broadcasting Rose's interview-based show after the allegations surfaced. 

"We never had a complaint, whatsoever, and when I read some of the stuff, I was surprised, I will say. But I never saw anything and we have no record, we've checked very carefully," he said of the allegations against the 76-year-old journalist, which included that he groped women and exposed himself to them. 

Rose apologized in a statement to The Washington Post after the paper's initial story exposing the misconduct allegations last November, acknowledging that he had "behaved insensitively at times."

"I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate," he said. "I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken."

Bloomberg argued that the public should "let the court system decide" whether someone charged with sexual misconduct is guilty or innocent, despite conceding that most cases will never get their day in court. 

"You know, is it true?" said Bloomberg, whose position on the #MeToo movement would undoubtedly anger many in the Democratic party. "You look at people that say it is, but we have a system where you have — presumption of innocence is the basis of it."

Irin Carmon, one of the reporters who led two Post investigations into Rose's conduct, suggested that Bloomberg was wrong to second-guess the dozens of allegations against Rose — many of which were corroborated by sources with contemporaneous accounts of the incidents. She added that while many alleged incidents occurred too long ago to be tried in court, three of Rose's accusers have sued him. 

"Since Mr. Bloomberg owns a news organization, he probably already knows that the stories were extensively reported," Carmon told Business Insider in an email, adding, "As for the courts, three of the women we spoke to are in fact now suing Charlie Rose and CBS, but many more have allegations that fall well outside the statutes of limitation."

SEE ALSO: Michael Bloomberg is weighing a 2020 run as a centrist Democrat

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NOW WATCH: An aerospace company reintroduced its precision helicopter with two crossing motors


MoviePass competitor Sinemia has launched an unlimited movie-ticket subscription plan for $29.99

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Movie theater

  • MoviePass rival Sinemia is now offering an unlimited movie-ticket subscription plan for $29.99 a month.
  • This is the first unlimited plan since MoviePass ditched its popular $9.99 one in August.

 

As MoviePass has pulled back its movie-theater subscription service to cater to the casual moviegoer, Sinemia wants to be the new home for power users.

In a press release sent out on Monday, Sinemia announced it has launched the $29.99 unlimited plan for 2D movies in the US, Canada, and Australia.

“While most of our plans are focused on the modern moviegoer who sees one, two, or three  movies each month, we want to serve every type of movie lover and that includes frequent moviegoers looking for an unlimited tickets option,” said Rifat Oguz, CEO and founder of Sinemia in the release. “We’ve spent  four years testing and fine-tuning our unlimited tickets model and are confident this is the right price to sustainably offer such a plan.”

Sinemia's unlimited plan is the first since MoviePass scrapped its popular unlimited $9.99 plan in August for a more realistic $9.95 for three movies per month (previous to 2017, MoviePass' unlimited plan ranged from $50 to $35 per month).

Sinemia has worked hard to find a fan base in the US as it does in other regions of the world, and it's certainly getting to a point where audiences (and the industry) have to begin to take notice.

For months, it's been a vocal competitor of MoviePass, having put together numerous tiered plans ranging from one movie to three per month, with options for IMAX and family plans. And in late August, a survey from the National Research Group revealed that Sinemia's two movies for $7.99 per month was the most popular movie-ticket subscription plan among moviegoers. 

Riding that momentum, Sinemia is swinging for the fences with its unlimited plan. Here's hoping it works out better than it did for MoviePass.

SEE ALSO: MoviePass' parent company wants approval for dramatic reverse stock split of up to 1-for-500, just months after its 1-for-250 one failed to stabalize the stock

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Netflix's new original movie 'The Land of Steady Habits' is a compelling portrait of mid-life crisis

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land of steady habits

  • Netflix's new original film, "The Land of Steady Habits," has earned positive reviews from film critics.
  • The film stars Ben Mendelsohn as a Connecticut father who, in the throes of a mid-life crisis, retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife. 

 

Netflix's new original movie, "The Land of Steady Habits," earned positive reviews from film critics ahead of its premiere on the service Friday.

The film stars Ben Mendelsohn ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") as Anders Hill, a Connecticut father who, in the throes of a mid-life crisis, retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife. 

"The Land of Steady Habits" is based on a 2014 novel of the same name by Ted Thompson.

Here's how Netflix described the film in a release:

"Into his mid fifties and newly retired, his grown son's college tuitions paid in full, Anders decides he's had enough of steady habits: he leaves his wife (Edie Falco), buys a condo, and waits for freedom to transform him. Stripped of the comforts of his previous identity, Anders embarks on a clumsy, and heartbreaking journey to reconcile his past with his present."

The film was written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, who also wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed upcoming movie "Can You Ever Forgive Me?," which stars Melissa McCarthy in a true story of a biographer who sold forged letters from famous authors. Holofcener's last directorial effort was the 2013 romantic comedy "Enough Said," which starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini.

"The Land of Steady Habits" currently has an 84% "fresh" rating on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and most critics had praise for Holofcener's directing and script.

"Laying it all out with a piercing authenticity, Holofcener makes us hope that the wait till her next feature is not quite so long," Kenneth Turan wrote in a review for the Los Angeles Times.

"No detail ever seems to go unnoticed in Holofcener's world, and viewers could spend the entire running time simply admiring her powers of surveillance," Elizabeth Weitzman wrote in a review for The Wrap.

Watch a trailer for the film below, and find the feature film on Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The 7 best movies in theaters right now, according to critics

Join the conversation about this story »

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Here are all the new ways Apple can help you combat your smartphone addiction in iOS 12 (AAPL)

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WWDC 2018 ios 12 bedtime

  • Apple introduced a suite of new tools to combat smartphone addiction in iOS 12, the new software update for iPhones and iPads that's now available to download.
  • The new tools allow you to set limits on how much you're using certain apps, group your notifications, and enable "Do Not Disturb during bedtime."
  • Parents can also set and manage limits on their kids' iPhone and iPad use.

Apple's latest software update for iPhones and iPads, iOS 12, is now available to download, and it contains new tools to help you spend less time on your phone. 

The new features are intended to help people understand how much time they're spending on their iOS devices. You can now set time limits on certain apps, enable Do Not Disturb while you're sleeping, and get reports on your smartphone activity. 

Apple unveiled the new features in June at its annual developer conference, WWDC.

Here are all the new tools for helping combat smartphone addiction:

  • Do Not Disturb during bedtime. Turn on the feature before heading to bed and you won't see notifications until the next morning. When you pick up your phone during the night, it will only show the time. In the morning, you'll be "gently eased into your day" — when you're ready to see all your notifications, tap the screen.
  • Set an end time for Do Not Disturb. By force touching on the Do Not Disturb button in your control center, you'll now see the option to set a specific end time.
  • Turn off notifications for apps you’re no longer using. Your phone will alert you to apps you haven't used in a while and allow you to shut off notifications entirely.
  • Grouped notifications. This is a big one! Now, your notifications will be grouped by the app they're sent from. Now, you can "triage" a whole group of notifications by swiping them away. 
  • Screen time. This feature will provide an activity summary that details how you used your iPhone or iPad over the course of a week. It will provide insight into how much time you're spending on your phone and where you're spending it, including which apps you're using, how many times you pick up your phone, what's drawing you in, and what's sending you the most notifications. 
  • App limits. You'll be able to set time limits for individual apps. When you spend a lot of time on an app like Instagram, your phone will send you an alert saying "5 minutes left on Instagram today." Once you’ve reached your limit, you’ll see a notification telling you to move on.
  • New parental controls. Parents will now be able to get notifications about their kids' smartphone use. They'll be able to set limits for how long their kids are using certain apps, and cut off access to apps that aren't age appropriate. 

For instructions on how to get started downloading iOS 12 on your iPhone or iPad, click here.

SEE ALSO: 6 reasons you should buy the iPhone 8 over the new iPhone XS

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NOW WATCH: Apple might introduce three new iPhones this year — here’s what we know

Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation chances are starting to unravel

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WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 06: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has come under fire for a sexual assault allegation from when he was a teenager.
  • The burgeoning scandal has prompted Democrats and even several Republicans to call for additional hearings, which would delay any confirmation vote.
  • Kavanaugh has emphatically denied the allegation.

WASHINGTON — Days after allegations surfaced that Judge Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a teenage girl while he was in high school, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee is in limbo as lawmakers contemplate additional hearings and delaying procedural hurdles and votes necessary to advance the confirmation process.

When Kavanaugh's accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, came forward as the alleged victim, it sent the Senate committee tasked with vetting Kavanaugh's nomination into a tailspin.

All 10 of the Judiciary Committee's Democrats signed a letter to Republican Chairman Chuck Grassley asking to delay the Thursday vote to shepherd Kavanaugh out of the committee. Later Monday morning, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, one of the few undecided Republicans on confirmation, called for both Kavanaugh and Ford to testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee.

Coupled with calls for delaying the vote by retiring GOP Sens. Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, what Republicans thought would be a swift confirmation is now hanging by a thread.

Grassley said in a statement Monday afternoon that he was attempting to establish follow-up calls with Judiciary Committee ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein, but that her office is refusing to comply.

"The standard procedure for updates to any nominee’s background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties," Grassley said. "In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford. Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinstein’s office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused. But as a necessary step in evaluating these claims, I’ll continue working to set them up."

Grassley also chastised Democrats by noting that Republicans were kept in the dark about the letter Ford sent to Feinstein via California Rep. Anna Eshoo.

"Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week," he added. "Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs. The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed."

The more Republicans start to call for delayed votes, the more likely it is going to happen, as the GOP's Senate majority is slim.

Republicans are concerned about what action the White House might take, as well. There is an expectation among GOP aides that Trump will go after Ford for accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault. If Trump were to do so, it could make things even more difficult for Republicans.

White House is sticking by Kavanaugh

Regardless, the White House is standing by Kavanaugh, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing about the allegations dating back to the early 1980s.

"This is a completely false allegation," Kavanaugh said in a statement Monday morning. "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or to anyone."

Kavanaugh also said he would be willing to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee on any additional material or testimony they might want from him.

"Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday," he added. "I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity."

On Monday, CNN reported that Kavanaugh had hired Beth Wilkinson as an attorney from the prominent Washington, DC, firm Wilkinson Walsh and Eskovitz. Ford is represented by Debra Katz, who has often specialized in sexual misconduct cases.

Conservative activist groups are rallying to Kavanaugh's defense, as well. The Judicial Crisis Network announced on Monday it would be launching a $1.5 million advertisement campaign to combat what it called attacks on Kavanaugh's character.

SEE ALSO: Here's an evolving count of which senators are voting for Trump's Supreme Court pick

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: An aerospace company reintroduced its precision helicopter with two crossing motors

The 15 biggest ways your iPhone will change in iOS 12 (AAPL)

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new iphones 2x1

iOS 12 is the newest operating system for Apple's iPhones and iPads. It's not a radical change from iOS 11, but it introduces a bunch of new features that could change the way you use your iPhone.

You can download it now on most recent iPhones and iPads on Settings > General > Software Update.

Here are 15 of the biggest changes in iOS 12: 

 

1. Older iPhones are getting a speed boost.

iOS 12 makes older phones like the iPhone 6+ much faster: 40% faster app launches, 50% faster keyboard opening, and a 70% improvement in opening the camera, according to Apple. 



2. You can turn your face into an animated cartoon called Memoji.

With iOS 12, Apple is bringing another exclusive feature to iPhone X owners: personalized animated emojis that Apple calls Memoji. Like Apple's Animoji, which were also exclusive to the iPhone X, the new Memoji allow you to design your own animated emoji, which can also be controlled by your facial expressions thanks to the iPhone X's extra sensors.



3. Now notifications from the same apps will be stacked on your lock screen.

Notifications are now grouped together by app and topic. Swiping will dismiss multiple notifications at the same time, and you can easily change your notification settings from the tray.

More info available here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The rise of Marc Benioff, the bombastic Salesforce CEO who's buying up Time Magazine for $190 million (CRM)

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marc benioff segway salesforce 2003

It seems like Salesforce CEO and founder Marc Benioff never leaves the spotlight.

Between Salesforce's upcoming Dreamforce mega-conference in San Francisco, his philanthropy, and his willingness to take political stands, it seems like he's always in the spotlight — even if, sometimes, it's because he's facing protests over Salesforce's work with the United States Customs and Border Patrol.

Now, Benioff is taking center stage once again, amid a surprise announcement on Sunday that he and his wife, Lynne Benioff, intend to buy up Time Magazine for $190 million. The move makes the tech CEO a media mogul, too, much like how Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is also the owner of the Washington Post. And just as with Bezos, it could make Benioff a target in President Donald Trump's ongoing war on the news media

Salesforce itself is in a good position at the moment: Under Benioff's leadership, the company has swelled to a $106 billion market cap, even as it hit $10 billion in annual revenue for the 2018 fiscal year. It's gone from an upstart Oracle rival to a cloud computing behemoth in its own right. Earlier this summer, Salesforce named former Oracle exec Keith Block as Benioff's co-CEO, giving Benioff some backup in the highest echelons of the company.

Here's how Benioff, with an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion, worked his way up to the national stage from humble origins.

SEE ALSO: The rise of Larry Ellison, the jet-setting billionaire founder of Oracle

Marc Russell Benioff was born in San Francisco on September 25th, 1964, the son of Joelle and Russell Benioff. Benioff is something of an anomaly among Silicon Valley CEOs — he was actually born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.



His father, Russell Benioff, owned a local department store in San Francisco. "I learned my work ethic from him," Benioff once said.



While in high school, Benioff sold his first app — software called "How To Juggle" for the TRS-80 Model 1 computer — to a computer magazine for $75.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to get a job at Netflix, and what it's like to work there

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Reed hastings

  • Netflix has a notably unique company culture, which its CEO Reed Hastings once outlined the philosophy of in a 2009 slide deck. 
  • Drawing from a recent LinkedIn Q&A with Netflix and from a 2016 Reddit AMA hosted by a Netflix employee, we've compiled a list of quotes on the company's hiring process and culture.

 

Netflix is famous for its unique company culture, which does not tolerate either failing employees or "brilliant jerks."

The company recently held a LinkedIn Q&A where users could ask questions about its culture and philosophy, and its answers largely echoed a famous slide deck CEO Reed Hastings released in 2009 to summarize Netflix's management philosophy.

Though the company has morphed significantly since then, diving into original content and expanding across the globe, Netflix has maintained a commitment to its culture.

That means that working at Netflix isn’t quite like working anywhere else, and neither is getting hired there.

Drawing from a 2016 Reddit AMA hosted by a purported Netflix employee and from last week's LinkedIn Q&A, we've compiled the following essential quotes on Netflix's hiring process and company culture:

The interview (via Reddit):

About 40-50% of the interview is about making sure your personality is compatible with our company culture. The rest is about making sure you're technically capable … They flew me out and interviewed me for eight hours. It seemed really easy at the time, but I now realize that a lot of the questions were checking that my personality was a fit for the company. No crazy technical questions that I hate.”

Culture fit was a big part of the hiring (via Reddit):

“You'll talk to about eight or so people, some from HR, some higher-ups, some of the team you're applying to. Typically if even a single person doesn't like you, it's unlikely you'll be hired. Ultimately the decision is with the team that's hiring but it's very rare for them to overrule a single ‘no.’”

There's a list of qualities they expect in an employee (via LinkedIn):

"You need to have relevant experience for the role you are applying for and on top of that, when you interview in person, demonstrate qualities that showcase Netflix values. Are you courageous? Are you humble? Are you curious and passionate and ask thoughtful questions about the business? Are you able to and open to providing and receiving feedback to be better? Are you scrappy, have grit and willing to roll up your sleeves regardless of your title? Are you a team player? Are you inclusive and self aware? These are all things we look for."

No one cares where you went to school (via Reddit):

“I'm a college dropout. I haven't heard a single person discuss education or degrees. When you're working with people who have 5, 10, or even more years of experience education doesn't matter anymore. It's all about what problems you have the knowledge to solve.”

There’s independence with responsibility (via Reddit):

“At every other place I've worked, there's a very strict hierarchy and everyone is working on whatever the orders from up high are. In a sense that's also true at Netflix, but the orders are less orders and more context about what the big picture is and what is going on with the numbers. And everyone is expected to pitch in in their own way. You can give someone a problem and they can solve it without going back and asking you for the exact procedure.”

On whether you can binge-watch Netflix at work (via LinkedIn):

"Freedom and responsibility — you choose how you want to spend your day doing what," a company representative responded on LinkedIn. "No one is saying you can or cannot do something, but you have to be responsible in moving the business and making an impact. For some teams it is necessary to watch our titles because they work on them."

"To be candid, there are a lot of fast-paced and exciting projects happening, so there probably isn't time or as much of a priority to catch up with personal Netflix viewing."

You have to perform (via Reddit):

“Netflix is definitely more cutthroat about firing ‘dead weight’ than every other company I worked for. If you're not working out for whatever reason, there's no reason to keep you.”

This person also said there weren’t any real “entry-level positions.” So if you were looking to get hired straight out of college, you’re probably out of luck. Though there are definitely people who have begun their Netflix careers in their mid-20s.

The "best" and "worst" part of the job are the same (via LinkedIn):

"The best thing is the freedom to do whatever you think is necessary to move the business forward. The worst thing is that nobody will tell you how to spend your time or what exactly you should be working on (outside of setting larger goals for your role). Determining which projects will truly be impactful is up to you, and sometimes that is really hard."

If you want to take a look at Reed Hastings' famous 2009 slide deck, scroll down:

SEE ALSO: Netflix held a Q&A on LinkedIn, and everyone seemed to have the same 2 burning questions







See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This 116-year-old luxury resort may look like a European castle, but it's actually tucked away in the mountains of New Hampshire

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omni mount washington resort

  • It may resemble a European castle, but this luxury resort is tucked away in the woods of New Hampshire.
  • Omni Mount Washington Resort was ranked the best hotel in New Hampshire by the US News and World Report.
  • At the resort, guests can fly through treetops on zip line, play tennis, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride in the winter, and get massages, anti-aging manicures, facials, and many other treatments at a 25,000-square-foot spa.
  • Rates are $350 to $500 a night on average but can range up to $700 for family suites.
  • The hotel is rumored to be haunted by a well-mannered ghost.

 

The Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire is "one of the original grand resorts of New England," according to Suzanne Joyella, a representative for the resort.

With its "stately guest rooms, sensational dining, full-service spa, skiing, and 27 holes of golf," the resort offers something for everyone, Joyella told Business Insider.

Industrialist Joseph Stickney had the hotel built between 1900 and 1902 — and it's rumored that his wife, Carolyn, who died in 1936, still haunts the hotel. Forbes included Omni Mount Washington Resort in a 2017 list of America's 25 most haunted hotels. But not to worry: Carolyn is a well-mannered ghost, according to Town and Country magazine.

Take a look at the hotel and grounds below.

SEE ALSO: This luxury resort on Maine's largest island costs up to $2,000 per night and is a gateway to one of the country's most stunning national parks

DON'T MISS: The 100 most scenic restaurants in the US

Omni Mount Washington Resort is nestled in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire, near Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern US.

Source: Google Maps, New Hampshire State Parks



White Mountain National Forest is a landscape of mountain lakes and streams, hardwood forests, and alpine peaks.

Source: US Forest Service



The 200-room resort is more than 100 years old, built between 1900 and 1902 by 250 master craftsmen and originally called the Mount Washington Hotel.

Source: Omni Mount Washington Resort



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What happens when you sleep in your contacts

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You really want to take that 3pm nap, but you don't feel like taking out your contacts. After all, what's the worst that could happen? We spoke to an eye surgeon to find out. Following is a transcript of the video.

Irina Belinsky: Some contact lens brands say that it's okay to sleep in them, but as a general rule, it's really not. Contact lenses are safe, but they're safe if you take care of them appropriately, and part of good contact lens hygiene is not sleeping in your contact lenses. Think of the contact lens as foreign material in your eye. It's sort of like a sponge, and to be comfortable, the contact lens needs to be moist, so, it absorbs moisture from your eye, and it can also trap bacteria, and so, it's very important to take your contact lenses out to clean them periodically.

Leaving them in when you sleep can cause an eye infection that can sometimes be really, really bad. A lot of the infections can be mild and go away with antibiotic eye drops, but some infections can be really, really severe, and even if they go away, they can cause scarring of the surface of your eye, which is the cornea, and that scar can cause sort of a permanent change in your vision. Sometimes an infection can be devastating, and it can completely cause the eye to scar to the point that someone might need a corneal transplant or lose vision completely.

Really serious blinding kind of infections related to contact lens wear are rare, fortunately. If they were common, then nobody would ever wear contact lenses. So, they are exceedingly rare, and they usually have to do with really, really bad contact lens hygiene. So, good contact lens hygiene has to do with a few things. One, knowing if your contact lens needs to be changed every month or every two weeks and trying to stick to that, even if you have to put a little reminder in your calendar. The more common thing that we see is just contact lens overwear. The cornea gets devoid of oxygen. So, a contact lens does start to break down over time so it doesn't have a smooth surface. It's gonna form micro-breakdown kind of edges, and the contact lens will also dry out. I mean, your eye just doesn't have enough moisture to keep a contact lens in there forever.

If you think of the contact lens as a sponge, like the sponge in your kitchen, you have to clean it every so often, and you might even have to replace it every so often, because it just doesn't do the job right anymore. A contact lens can become kind of folded and entrapped in the eye underneath the lid, so, I have seen that where patients come in with chronic red eye, and you look around very carefully and sometimes, and this is also rare, but you can actually extract a contact lens that has probably been there for months.

It can happen if you put it in wrong. It can happen if you sleep in it. It can happen if you don't take it out, or if you forget to take it out. Take your contact lenses out. Don't leave them in. Take them out every day.

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Imax CEO says he's in 'active discussions' with streaming services like Netflix about releasing their movies (IMAX)

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roma

  • Imax CEO Richard Gelfond said at a conference his company is in "active discussions" with streaming services about showing their original content on a large-format screen.
  • Gelfond said he would respect the exclusive theatrical window if Imax shows any streaming titles.

 

Would you leave your couch to see a Netflix movie on an Imax screen?

That's the crux of discussions the leading large-format screen company is having with not just Netflix, but all of the streaming services.

Imax CEO Richard Gelfond said during a session at Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference that his company had been in "active discussions" about streaming original movies getting the Imax treatment.

"Over time, to me, it's inevitable that these big blockbusters that people are spending all this money on, are going to have a theatrical release and I think almost certainly an Imax release," Gelfond said.

Imax has already gone down this road with Netflix in the past.

Netflix's 2016 movie, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny," the sequel to the Oscar-winning 2000 original, was quietly shown on 10-12 Imax screens when AMC allowed the movie to be on large-format screens in select theaters in New Jersey and California during the movie's opening weekend. (The box-office results for those screenings were never reported).

Gelfond said any deal Imax had with a streaming title would respect the 90-day exclusive theatrical window currently in place for all theatrical releases. That's a surprising development since all the major movie chains generally will not show Netflix movies as the streamer never obeys the 90-day theatrical window. (In contrast, movies relased by Amazon have a traditional theatrical release before streaming.)

But this may be the latest indication that Netflix is more willing to respect the theatrical window.

Gelfond's comments come on the heels of reports that Netflix is going to give an expanded exclusive theatrical run to its award season hopeful, Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma," that way it doesn't get slighted like the streaming giant has in the past with titles like previous Oscar hopeful, "Beasts of No Nation."

An Imax source told Business Insider that the discussions with streaming companies are still in the early phases, but it's not hard to imagine consumer interest in seeing streaming titles on Imax, especially if they are shown there first.

Looking forward, there's the sequel to the Will Smith sci-fi movie "Bright" and Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman" on Netflix that would be great to see on an Imax screen. Maybe even the first few episodes of Amazon's upcoming "Lord of the Rings" series would be worth watching on a large screen before binge-watching back home. And there's also Apple's content coming soon. 

SEE ALSO: MoviePass competitor Sinemia has launched an unlimited movie-ticket subscription plan for $29.99

Join the conversation about this story »

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9 fast food companies that give their employees some of the best perks — from a pound of free coffee a week to paid trips around the world

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Starbucks barista

  • The fast food business isn't exactly known for doling out a ton of perks — or high pay.
  • But there are some exceptions among major fast food giants.
  • Check out some of the best perks that fast food workers at companies like Starbucks and Chick-fil-A get.

Fast food isn't known for being the easiest industry to work in.

In fact, employees from fast food giants have participated in a lengthy Fight for 15 campaign to demand that companies pay them a living wage.

But that doesn't mean that it's all gloom and doom for fast food workers. Some companies do provide employees with appealing benefits.

Here's a look at some of the top perks in the fast food business:

SEE ALSO: McDonald's drive-thrus are 'not suitable for horses' — and 11 other insider facts about McDonald's that employees know and most customers don't

DON'T MISS: 7 insider facts about Panera Bread that employees know and most customers don't

SEE ALSO: Employees from Costco, Walmart, and Target share their worst horror stories — and they'll make you rethink how you act when you shop

Taco Bell will award $3 million in scholarships this year

The Taco Bell Foundation established its Live Más Scholarship for Restaurant Employees back in 2016.



This year, Taco Bell will give millions to its scholarship program

According to the company's website, the scholarship is not based on grades and involves no essays or test scores.

Instead, they are looking for "the innovators, creators and dreamers."



In-N-Out managers get to travel the world

In-N-Out employees don't just bring home bigger paychecks than most fast food employees.

Thrillist reported that In-N-Out managers who meet their goals get to embark on free trips.



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We did the math to calculate exactly how long it would take Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to earn the $190 million he used to buy Time magazine

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marc benioff

  • Marc Benioff and wife Lynne Benioff announced Sunday that they're buying Time magazine for $190 million.
  • The acquisition will cost Benioff around 21% of the estimated $900 million he earned from March 2017 to March 2018, according to our calculations, and only about 4% of his total $4.9 billion net worth.
  • It takes Benioff about two and a half months to earn $190 million. It would take someone earning the typical US annual salary every day more than 11 years to earn that same sum.
  • Benioff isn't the first billionaire to purchase a media title — Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post for $250 million in 2013, and Laurene Powell Jobs acquired a majority stake in The Atlantic. 

On Sunday, Salesforce CEO and co-founder Marc Benioff and wife Lynne Benioff announced they are buying Time Magazine for $190 million cash as individuals. 

This isn't the first time Time magazine finds itself in new hands recently: The move comes not even one year after Meredith Corporation acquired its namesake company, Time Inc., which also houses well-known titles including People, Better Homes and Gardens, and Entertainment Weekly.

Nearly $200 million is a fortune, but to Benioff, it's not as much as it sounds. According to Forbes, his 2018 net worth is $4.9 billion, nearly $1 billion more than his $4 billion net worth in 2017. That means in just a year, his net worth increased by $900 million, earning him a spot on Forbes' 2017 and 2018 richest people in the world lists.

Broken down, that's:

  • $102,740 an hour
  • $2.47 million a day
  • $17.3 million a week
  • $75 million a month

According to the Wall Street Journal, Time, which generated $173 million in revenue in 2017, has an operating profit of $33 million. At $190 million, the Benioffs purchased the nearly century-old magazine for more than five-and-a-half times its operating profit — and around 21% of Benioff's estimated earnings over the past year. At $75 million a month, Benioff's wealth only had to grow for two and a half months to be able to afford the deal.

When you look at Time's purchase price compared to Benioff's total $4.9 billion net worth, it cost him a measly 3.88% of his wealth to acquire the magazine.

To put things in perspective, the median annual US salary in the second quarter of 2018 was $45,552, according to data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Benioff makes more than twice that much in an hour.

As noted above, the $190 million Benioff spent on Time is roughly 21% of his earnings last year. For the median US worker, that 21% rate is equivalent to $9,565. A person earning the median annual US salary every day would need 4,171 days, or more than 11 years, just to be able to afford Benioff's Time acquisition. 

Benioff may be a billionaire, but these numbers don't even begin to stack up compared to how much other billionaires make in an hour. Other notable billionaires, like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, make Benioff's $102,739 hourly rate look like pennies.

how much money billionaires make in hour chart

Benioff follows in the footsteps of other billionaires — Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post for $250 million in 2013, and Laurene Powell Jobs acquired a majority stake in The Atlantic.

The deal is expected to close in 30 days. As of September 17, one day following his acquisition announcement, Benioff's net worth is estimated at $6.6 billion by Forbes. 

SEE ALSO: We did the math to calculate exactly how much money billionaires and celebrities like Jeff Bezos and Kylie Jenner make an hour

DON'T MISS: Billionaire Marc Benioff's $190 million deal for Time could drag tech deeper into Trump's firing line

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Democrats are starting to think Brett Kavanaugh is toast as Republicans anxiously dig in

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WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 6: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

  • Republicans are still bullish on confirming Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, despite him being accused of sexual assaulting a teenage girl when he was in high school.
  • Democrats are demanding the FBI investigate the matter, while behind the scenes they are becoming increasingly optimistic that his nomination could sink.
  • Republican staffers on the Senate Judiciary Committee conducted a call with Kavanaugh late on Monday, even though their Democratic counterparts refused to participate.

WASHINGTON — While Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is embroiled in an allegation that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl while in high school, Republicans and Democrats are growing increasingly at odds with what kind of process should come next and putting the appeals judge's confirmation chances on thin ice.

Senators are breaking out into multiple factions:

  • Democrats would like the FBI to reopen a probe of the allegations from Kavanaugh's accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
  • Most Republicans have carved out their stance that follow-up calls should be made with Kavanaugh and Ford.
  • Some Republicans want additional testimony from Kavanaugh and to hear from Ford under oath, which would likely delay the necessary procedural vote the committee scheduled for Thursday.
  • Republican Sen. John Kennedy said Monday, after a meeting of Senate GOP Judiciary Committee members, that there "will be a full opportunity for the accuser and the accused to be heard."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement Monday afternoon that the FBI should handle the matter, not Judiciary Committee staff.

"The FBI has the resources and know-how to conduct an objective, independent evaluation of these sensitive allegations with appropriately trained investigators," she said. "This isn’t just about an interview, it’s about analyzing information and gathering the facts. That’s what the FBI does, and that’s why they’re in charge of the background review process."

But Republican staffers have already begun the process. At the direction of the committee's chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, staffers conducted a phone call with Kavanaugh late Monday afternoon, while Democrats refused to take part.

Possibility of additional hearings

While Kavanaugh testified for several days earlier this month, the possibility of additional hearings is becoming more real by the minute. And some Republicans, including one of the only swing votes on Kavanaugh's confirmation in Sen. Susan Collins, want a more in-depth approach to assessing both sides of the story.

"For my part, I believe that it’s very important that both Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh testify under oath about these allegations," Collins told reporters on Monday. "And for my part I need to see them and listen to their answers to the questions in order to make an assessment."

The different positions on how to handle the allegations has some Democrats thinking Kavanaugh does not make it through the confirmation process and at risk of losing crucial votes he might need from the Senate's moderate Democrats facing re-election. One Democratic aide told Business Insider that "this gives red state [Democrats] all the cover they need" to not feel pressured to back Kavanaugh, while another thinks he is "toast."

Meanwhile, Republicans are digging in their heels, confident that they can still get Kavanaugh through to confirmation. If they cannot confirm him, many GOP aides believe the next nominee would not be as difficult, as the urgency to fill the vacant seat would increase and Trump could even end up selecting a more conservative nominee.

And Trump himself appeared to not balk at the prospect of delayed hearings, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that if "it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay."

"But again, this is something that should have been brought up long before this. They had the information in July as I understand it," Trump added. "That’s a long time ago and nobody mentioned it until the other day. You know, it’s very unfortunate they didn’t mention it sooner. But with all of that being said, it will, I'm sure, work out very well."

SEE ALSO: Here's an evolving count of which senators are voting for Trump's Supreme Court pick

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We took a look inside Michael Jackson's 12,600-square foot house — here's why it's been on the market for 3 years

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Michael Jackson

  • Michael Jackson's famed Neverland Ranch has been on the market since 2015 despite millions of dollars in renovations, a large price cut, and a new name.
  • Jackson's former 2,700 acre property boasts a 12,598 main residence, two guest houses, a lake, a 50-seat movie theatre, a tennis court, a 14-ft lagoon-style pool, a dance studio, and barns.
  • At $67 million, here's what the new Sycamore Valley Ranch has to offer and why it's been on the market for three years.

Michael Jackson's famed Neverland Ranch hit the market in 2015 hoping to ring in buyers under a new identity as Sycamore Valley Ranch.

However, the 12,598 square foot French-Normandy style residence located in Los Olivos, California has been on the market for three years, despite a 33% price cut from its original $100 million listing price by Sotheby's International Realty and Hilton & Hyland.

Jackson, who bought the property for $19.5 million in 1987, defaulted on a loan after financial hardships and entered Neverland into an ownership agreement with private investment firm Colony Capital in 2008 for $23 million, according to ABC News.

After millions of dollars in renovations, the 2,700 acre ranch boasts a main residence with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms, two guesthouses, a four-acre lake, a 50-seat movie theatre, a tennis court, a 14-ft lagoon-style pool, a dance studio, barns, and separate staff facilities.

"This quintessential California estate is now ready for the next chapter in its journey," Sycamore Valley Ranch's listing agent Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker said in a statement, the Los Angeles Times reported.

For $67 million, the King of Pop's former home could be yours, although you'll have to pass "extensive prequalification," according to The Wall Street JournalHere's what Sycamore Valley Ranch has to offer:

April Walloga and Alyson Penn contributed to an earlier version of this story.

SEE ALSO: 50 photos show how obsessed the wealthy are with underground mansions

Welcome to Sycamore Valley Ranch, the former Neverland Ranch that once belonged to Michael Jackson. Jackson originally purchased the property for $19.5 million in 1987.

Source: Variety



The 2,700-acre property is on the market for $67 million, down 33% from its original $100 million listing price in 2015.

Source: Bloomberg



Under Jackson’s ownership, Neverland Ranch was a Peter-Pan inspired fantasyland with an amusement park, exotic animals, and a Disney-themed train station.



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Mark Judge: Meet Brett Kavanaugh's high-school friend and the other man named in Christine Ford's allegations against the Supreme Court nominee

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Brett Kavanaugh

  • Mark Judge is Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's high school friend and was named in allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh.
  • Christine Blasey Ford says Judge was in the room when the alleged assault took place.
  • Judge claims the alleged assault never happened and said it wouldn't fit Kavanaugh's character.
  • But Judge has come under scrutiny over past writings on rape, masculinity, and alcoholism. 
  • The allegations against Kavanaugh could derail his Supreme Court nomination. 

The allegations that have upended the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have also opened scrutiny on another man: Mark Judge, who Christine Blasey Ford claims was also in the room when she says Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her as a teenager.

Ford claims that Judge laughed as Kavanaugh assaulted her and assisted him, claiming both were "highly inebriated" at the time. 

"Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom as I was headed for a bathroom up a short stair well from the living room," Ford said in a letter to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

"They locked the door and played loud music precluding any successful attempt to yell for help," Ford added. "They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaugh's hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me."

Ford said she was only able to escape the situation when Judge jumped onto the bed and the "pile toppled." 

Judge denies Ford's claims

Judge, like Kavanaugh, denies the alleged assault occurred and has claimed such an act would be contrary to Kavanaugh's character.

"It is not who he is," Judge told The New York Times, adding that school they both attended instilled within them values that would've urged against such behavior. 

Kavanaugh and Judge both went to Georgetown Prep, an elite, all-boys high school in the Washington, DC, area. 

Judge, an author, filmmaker, and journalist, has floated some controversial ideas and opinions in his writings.

In 1983, for example, one of Judge's high school yearbook quotes read: "Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs."

Judge has also come under fire for racially charged comments, and reports have suggested he used to routinely post images of young women on social media.

His social media accounts have apparently been deleted in recent days, however, but many of his writings are still available for access. 

He didn't respond to a request for an interview.

Judge wrote a memoir on his alcoholism in high school, referencing a friend named 'Bart O'Kavanaugh'

Years after high school, Judge wrote a memoir, "Wasted: Tales of a Gen X Drunk." It chronicled his struggles with alcoholism while a teenager, painting his days at Georgetown Prep as filled with parties and black-out drunk nights. 

Judge changed names in the book to protect people's privacy, but he at one point referenced a friend named "Bart O'Kavanaugh." The character was described as someone who got so drunk he "puked in someone's car the other night."

Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, on Monday referenced Judge's writings on his alcoholism when discussing the alleged sexual assault.

"My client had a beer. ... The men were stumbling drunk, one only needs to look at the writings of Mark Judge — who was the other person present — to know that he wrote ... that they were all drinking so heavily that they would black out repeatedly," she said during an appearance on CBS "This Morning."

Judge once wrote an op-ed criticizing women who 'dress like prostitutes'

Judge, who has written opinion pieces for an array of publications, including The Daily Caller, in November 2013 wrote an article about rape for the online magazine Acculturated that has come under scrutiny in light of Ford's allegations. 

"Feminists argue that no means no, and that men need to understand that," Judge wrote at the time. "There’s never any excuse to rape, a crime that I think is almost akin to murder because the rapist kills a part of the human soul. And yet what women wear and their body language also send signals about their sexuality."

Judge went on to say that women who "dress like prostitutes" send out certain signals and use their bodies for "cheap theatrics." 

In a separate article written by Judge for SpliceToday in September 2015, he argued it's good for young men to understand that "no means no" but also said there's an "ambiguous middle ground" in which a woman seems interested and a man must "prove himself to her."

"If that man is any kind of man, he’ll allow himself to feel the awesome power, the wonderful beauty, of uncontrollable male passion," Judge added. 

Judge once said Barack Obama is 'the first female president'

In an August 2013 op-ed for the Daily Caller, Judge also offered some of his views on masculinity and suggested former first lady Michelle Obama was the real "man" in her relationship with then-President Barack Obama. In this context, Judge expressed a longing for the days former President George W. Bush was in the White House. 

"Barack Obama is the first female president," Judge wrote.

"With her love of violent movies, her fixation on fitness, and death glare that appears when she doesn’t like what she’s hearing, Michelle is actually more man than her husband," Judge added. "Oh for the days when President George W. Bush gave his wife Laura a loving but firm pat on the backside in public. The man knew who was boss."

Kavanaugh and Ford have both expressed a willingness to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the alleged assault. Some now believe Judge should also be called to testify

SEE ALSO: 'Dems and their usual nonsense': Donald Trump Jr. mocks Kavanaugh accuser in Instagram post

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FEMA chief Brock Long is reportedly being investigated for improper use of government vehicles

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Brock Long

  • Federal prosecutors are handling an investigation into FEMA director Brock Long's use of government vehicles. The inquiry stems from concerns about Long driving the vehicles home during off-hours.
  • The prosecutors will determine whether Long and two other employees using government vehicles to travel from Washington, DC, to his home in North Carolina violated any federal laws.
  • Long strongly denied any wrongdoing regarding his use of the vehicles, and pushed back on reports he had been asked to resign during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Federal prosecutors are handling an investigation into FEMA director Brock Long's use of government vehicles. The inquiry stems from concerns about Long driving the vehicles home during off-hours, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Long and two other FEMA officials are accused of using government vehicles for personal travel between Washington, DC, and Long's home in North Carolina at the taxpayer's expense. The probe into Long's actions has thus far been handled by FEMA's inspector general.

Early on Monday, the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform launched their own investigation into Long. Chairman Trey Gowdy requested Long provide documentation about the vehicles and details on other government officials who may have been on the trips to the Committee. 

Federal prosecutors will now determine whether or not to bring criminal charges against Long's alleged conduct, people familiar with the investigation told the Journal. It is not yet clear whether prosecutors in Washington, DC, or North Carolina are conducting the inquiry, or what charges they are weighing bringing against him.  

The congressional and criminal probes come as Long is currently leading the agency's response to Hurricane Florence, which has affected millions on the coasts of North and South Carolina. 

The negative publicity around Long's travel led Trump administration officials to consider firing Long as recently as last Friday, and replacing him with another administrator — even as Florence barreled towards the East Coast.

FEMA officials who spoke about the probe on the condition of anonymity to The New York Times defended Long's use of government's vehicles for personal travel, explaining those vehicles include "classified communications equipment" that the FEMA administrator must have access to at all times per agency protocol. 

The officials who have traveled with Long on his trips home also said they paid to stay at close by hotels using taxpayer money. 

Long strongly denied any wrongdoing regarding his use of the vehicles, and pushed back on reports he had been asked to resign during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."

“These vehicles are designed to provide secure communications and the program was actually developed in 2008 — it ran for me the same way it’s run for anybody else,” Long said. “And you know, it’s my understanding that maybe some policies were not developed around these vehicles.”

SEE ALSO: Photos and videos show the flooding and devastation as Hurricane Florence hits the Carolinas

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THE BIG ONE: Trump slams China with tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods, taking the trade war to the next level

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  • President Donald Trump hit China with tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
  • The move is seen as a major escalation of the US-China trade war.
  • China is expected to respond with more tariffs.
  • Economists expect the tariffs to increase the cost of goods for US consumers and possibly slow the broader US economy.

President Donald Trump ordered the US Trade Representative to impose a tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, catapulting the US-China trade war to the next level.

"For months, we have urged China to change these unfair practices, and give fair and reciprocal treatment to American companies," Trump said in a statement. "We have been very clear about the type of changes that need to be made, and we have given China every opportunity to treat us more fairly. But, so far, China has been unwilling to change its practices."

"As President, it is my duty to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and our country itself," Trump added. "My Administration will not remain idle when those interests are under attack."

The latest tariffs, along with previous rounds on $50 billion of Chinese goods and metal imports, will mean over half of all Chinese goods coming into the US are subject to the duties.

China's Ministry of Commerce has promised to respond to Trump's latest attack with tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods. This means that between 85% and 95% of American imports coming into China will be subject to a tariff from the trade war.

According to a senior administration official the duty levied on the incoming goods will be 10% when the measure goes into effect on September 24, then the tariffs will increase to 25% at the start of 2019. The delay is partly designed to give US businesses time to adjust their supply chains the official said.

In addition to being much larger than previous rounds of tariffs, the new set zeroes in on different targets. The first round of tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods focused almost exclusively on industrial goods, but Monday's tariffs also included a large amount of consumer goods.

The final list of goods was tweaked slightly from the initial list released in July. Roughly 300 items, or tariff lines, were removed from the list including consumer electronics such as smartwatches, industrial chemicals, safety products like bicycle helmets, and child safety furniture like high chairs.

Despite the removals, the administration still expects the total value of the goods subject to the tariffs to be $200 billion.

The move willy also solidify Trump's commitment to to the trade war despite the Treasury Department's recent overtures to Beijing. China will reportedly decline further talks if Trump goes through with the tariffs on Monday.

Talks with the Chinese have so far been unproductive, the administration official said, despite clear signals from the US on what needs to be done by China in order to reverse the tariffs.

The Trump administration launched the trade war due to allegations of intellectual property theft by China. The White House has argued that the tariffs are necessary to pressure Beijing to change fundamental economic practices and protect US businesses operating in China.

The president also threatened to slap tariffs on another $267 billion worth of Chinese goods, which would mean all imports from China would be subject to duties.

Economists estimate the tariffs will prompt an increase in prices for both US businesses and consumers. That could slow spending on large investments and consumer purchases, potentially harming the broader economy.

Stocks declined on a pre-announcement statement by Trump's pre-announcement statement with the Dow Jones industrial average closing down 91 points, or 0.35%, for the day.

Here's a timeline of the US-China trade war so far:

  • March 1: President Donald Trump announces tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum, including metals from China.
  • March 22: Trump announces plans to impose a 25% tariff on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. China announces tariffs in retaliation to the steel and aluminum duties and promises a response to the latest US announcement.
  • April 3: The US trade representative announces a list of Chinese goods subject to the tariffs. There is a mandatory 60-day comment period for industries to ask for exemptions from the tariffs.
  • April 4: China rolls out a list of more than 100 US goods worth roughly $50 billion that are subject to retaliatory tariffs.
  • May 21: After a meeting, the two countries announce the outline of a trade deal to avoid the tariffs.
  • May 29: The White House announces that the tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods will move forward, with the final list of goods released June 15. The move appears to wreck the nascent trade deal.
  • June 15: Trump rolls out the final list of goods subject to new tariffs. Chinese imports worth $34 billion would be subject to the new 25% tariff as of July 6, with another $16 billion worth of imports subject to the tariff at a later date. China retaliates with an equivalent set of tariffs.
  • June 18: Trump threatens a 10% tariff on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
  • July 6: The first tranche of tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods takes effect; China responds in kind.
  • July 10: The US releases an initial list of an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese goods that could be subject to a 10% tariff.
  • August 1: Washington more than doubles the value of its tariff threats against Beijing, announcing plans to increase the size of proposed duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%.
  • August 3: China says it will impose tariffs of various rates on another $60 billion worth of US goods if Trump moves forward with his latest threat.
  • August 7: The US announces that the second tranche of tariffs, which will hit $16 billion worth of Chinese goods, will go into effect on August 23.
  • August 23: The US imposes tariffs on another $16 billion worth of Chinese goods, and Beijing responds with tariffs on $16 billion worth of US goods.
  • September 7: Trump says the tranche of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods is coming "soon" and threatens to impose tariffs on another $267 billion worth of Chinese goods.

SEE ALSO: Trump's trade war with China is still raging — here are the states that could end up getting whacked

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Conservatives, including Fox host Laura Ingraham, promoted claims about the wrong Christine Ford in an attempt to smear Kavanaugh's accuser

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  • The Drudge Report and several prominent conservatives shared a story citing negative reviews purportedly written by students of Professor Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. 
  • The comments instead concerned a different woman — Professor Christine A. Ford. 
  • Drudge, Fox host Laura Ingraham, and radio host Mark Levin all deleted their social media posts linking to Grabien's story, but none of them issued corrections. 

As right-wing activists and pundits seek to discredit sexual assault allegations made by a woman against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, several prominent conservatives shared a viral piece of false information about the judge's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in Northern California. 

On Monday, the conservative website Grabien News published a story quoting negative reviews purportedly written by Ford's students on RateMyProfessors.com. The Drudge Report, a right-leaning news aggregation site, shared the post with its 1.4 million Twitter followers. Laura Ingraham, one of Fox News' top opinion hosts, and Mark Levin, a right-wing radio host, also tweeted out the story. 

"Christine Ford is the worst educator I have experienced," one former student wrote anonymously on the website. "Something's wrong with her," wrote another. 

One key missing fact: they were reviews of a different Christine Ford. 

The comments instead concerned a former instructor in the social work department at California State University-Fullerton, Christine A. Ford. 

Blasey Ford, who identified herself to The Washington Post in an article published Sunday, says that when she was 15 years old, Kavanaugh, then 17, pinned her to a bed and groped her while his friend watched in a home in Montgomery County, Maryland. Kavanaugh, she alleges, covered her mouth with his hand and turned up the music to mask her screams.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Blasey Ford told the Post. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

The professor also explained her initial reluctance to speak on the record about the allegations, thus revealing her identity and opening herself up to criticism and attacks. 

"Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation," she told The Post. 

Journalists and others quickly pounced on Grabien's false story, which did not include a writer's byline, and criticized the website and Drudge for promoting "fake news."

 

Grabien News later retracted the story and replaced it with an editor's note. 

"We've since learned there are two Christine Fords working in clinical psychology in California and we wrote this report about the wrong Christine Ford," the site wrote. "We regret not going to greater lengths to ensure this was indeed the same Christine Ford. Please do not share this article with anyone (and if you have, delete it/withdraw it); we are only leaving the page up so you can see this important update." 

Drudge, Ingraham, and Levin all deleted their social media posts linking to Grabian's story, but none of them issued corrections or informed their followers that the information was false. 

Kavanaugh has flatly denied the allegations, calling them "completely false."

"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes — to her or to anyone," he said in a statement.

Both Kavanaugh and Ford have agreed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the accusations, and are set to appear before the committee next Monday. 

SEE ALSO: Michael Bloomberg suggests doubts about #MeToo movement and allegations against Charlie Rose

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