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The most expensive New York City neighborhoods in 2018, ranked

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  • PropertyShark just released its rankings of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City in 2018.
  • Manhattan neighborhoods dominated the list, with eight of the top 10 spots.
  • The median sale price among the 10 most expensive neighborhoods ranges from $1.31 million to $3.85 million.

PropertyShark just released its rankings of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City, and, unsurprisingly, Manhattan dominates the list.

All but two of the 10 most expensive New York City neighborhoods are in Manhattan; the two outliers are in Brooklyn.

According to PropertyShark's analysis, the only two new entries to break into the top 10 are West Village and Greenwich Village.

Read moreA $20 million penthouse may be about to shatter the record for the most expensive home sold in Brooklyn — here's a look inside

TriBeCa topped the list with a median sale price that's nearly $1 million more than that of the second most expensive NYC neighborhood. Notably, this is the second consecutive year TriBeCa has taken the top spot.

Some NYC neighborhoods are also among the most expensive zip codes in America: A previous PropertyShark analysis ranked three Manhattan zip codes (10013, 10007, 10282, respectively) in the top 25 most expensive US zips.

Here are the 10 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City in ascending order, along with the median sale price in each. You can see the full ranking of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods on PropertyShark.

SEE ALSO: Here's what the most expensive house for sale in every US state looks like

10. Little Italy (Manhattan)

Median sale price: $1.32 million



9. Greenwich Village (Manhattan)

Median sale price: 1.35 million



8. Flatiron (Manhattan)

Median sale price: $1.57 million



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A top YouTuber did a ‘blind’ test to find the very best smartphone camera, and the iPhone lost in the first round (AAPL, GOOG, GOOGL)

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Marques Brownlee, iPhone vs Blackberry

  • On paper, and in technical comparisons, the iPhone XS ranks among the world's best smartphones when it comes to photography.
  • But in a blind test conducted by popular YouTube tech vlogger Marques Brownlee, the iPhone XS flunked out in the first round.
  • Crazier still, it lost against a BlackBerry smartphone. Google's Pixels, renowned for their camera quality, fared just as poorly.

One of the main reasons that people buy the iPhone is for its ability to take high-quality, detailed photos. And it certainly does that!

But based on the results of a new video from YouTube vlogger Marques "MKBHD" Brownlee, it seems like another factor may be far more important: Brightness.

In a massive blind photo test that Brownlee conducted over social media, he pit 16 different smartphones against each other. Both the iPhone X and the iPhone XS flunked out in the first round to less capable smartphones — Xiaomi's Pocophone F1 and TCL's BlackBerry Key2, respectively.

That's right: Apple's flagship iPhone from this year and last failed out in the first round, against phones that are barely considered competition normally.

Google's flagship Pixel line did just as poorly, albeit against more technically competitive devices.

Marques Brownlee (Huwaei Mate 20 Pro vs Pocophone)

His test was simple: Put two photos of the same subject next to each other and have his millions of social media followers vote on which looked better to them. 

It's hardly a scientific poll, but that's not the point — what you see is what matters.

Most people are looking at photos on smartphone screens, through social media apps that compress images. They're using apps on their smartphone to edit images before sharing. They're trying to see faces clearly. Does the image "pop?" Is it bright? 

That kind of interaction with photos leads to a different type of preference.

"The most important thing to people, when viewing these photos straight out of camera, was just exposure — brightness, basically," Brownlee says in the video. "Nine times out of ten, the brighter, more saturated, more punchy-contrasty photo, won. Every single round — it's pretty consistent." 

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

It says a lot about what actually matters in smartphone cameras, and what may matter to you.

Are you taking a lot of extremely detailed photos with your smartphone? If the answer is no, then maybe you can wait a little longer next time before upgrading your smartphone — or maybe it's finally time to start considering those mid-range, less expensive smartphones.

If nothing else, the video is a fascinating look into modern smartphone camera options — see it for yourself right here:

SEE ALSO: The iPhone XS has a few new camera tricks hiding under the hood — here's what they do

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NOW WATCH: I tried cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner using Google Home Hub and found there are two major flaws with it

A self-made millionaire who interviewed 100 other millionaires found there's a surprising habit many have in common

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rich person

Turns out, many millionaires have more than huge bank accounts in common: They also don't have a budget.

That's what John of personal finance blog ESI Money, who retired early at the age of 52 with a $3 million net worth, found after interviewing 100 millionaires over the past few years. Forty-six of the 63 millionaires he asked don't have a budget, which he said surprised him.

"While it was not expected, the reasons millionaires don't need a budget makes sense — they make a lot and have self-control,"he wrote in a blog post. "In other words, they make a ton, spend only a portion of it, and have plenty left over. Who needs a budget?"

The median net worth of millionaires John interviewed was $2.3 million. While 90% of them were men, 93% were married, so John said he considers the women millionaires as well. The median age was nearly 50.

John interviewed one millionaire who spends $90,000 a year. He only buys necessities and only books vacations with a deal.

"I track our accounts using Mint and Personal Capital, and use cash back credit cards exclusively for every possible expense. But, we have never made a formal budget," the millionaire told John.

He added: "Every few months I look to see if my cash balance is bigger than it was a year ago. If it has grown, I invest the money. If dropped, I try to hold off on discretionary expenses. Last year according to Mint, we spent $90,000, including $13,000 on home improvement projects."

Read more: The author of 'The Millionaire Next Door' explains 3 ways anyone can build more wealth

John wrote that this is similar to his personal experience — he and his wife had a budget early in their marriage to give them more control when tracking spending habits until they "developed our moderately frugal lifestyle to the point where it was second nature" and knew they wouldn't overspend.

They didn't have a budget for 15 years until approaching retirement.

"This is the experience most millionaires have," he wrote. "Their incomes have grown, they don't spend a lot relative to those incomes, and so they don't use a budget. Yet many still track spending in one way or another." 

It makes sense considering another common trait among self-made millionaires. Thomas C. Corley, who studied rich people for five years, found that the majority of them considered themselves frugal. They also keep their expenses low and avoid the "lifestyle creep," or the tendency to spend more whenever they earn more.

It seems that a budget may be good for becoming a millionaire, not for being one.

United Income CEO Matt Fellowes previously told Business Insider that making a budget is an effective way to identify and reduce unnecessary spending, and that it will help one retire as a millionaire.

As John puts it: "A budget is great for the early phases of a financial plan, but if you can grow your income and develop self-discipline not to spend, it's not vital to your success later on."

SEE ALSO: I asked 100 millionaires how they spend, save, and invest, and they told me exactly what I expected to hear

DON'T MISS: 11 signs you're going to be wealthy, even if it doesn't feel like it

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NOW WATCH: Tim Cook's estimated net worth is $625 million — here's how he makes and spends his money

Here are the top iPhone apps and games of the year, according to Apple (AAPL)

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apps, countless apps

  • Apple announced its top iPhone and iPad apps of the year on Tuesday.
  • There are a lot of hidden gems on the lists, including Procreate Pocket, Donut County, and Froggipedia.
  • Download links are below.

If you're looking for apps for your iPhone, Apple's year-end awards are a good place to start.

Apple revealed its top apps of the year on Tuesday, including hand-picked suggestions for iPhone app of the year and iPhone game of the year.

Apple also revealed year-end charts for the most downloaded apps on iPhones and iPads. The most downloaded app of 2018 was the Google-owned YouTube. In second place was Facebook's Instagram, and behind it was Snapchat.

Here are the top iPhone and iPad apps of the year:

Apple's iPhone app of the year is Procreate Pocket, a sketching and drawing app.

Check out Procreate Pocket on the App Store. 



Apple's iPhone game of the year is Donut County, a $5 puzzle came in which you play as a raccoon.

Youtube Embed:
//www.youtube.com/embed/LU6liK1E3Aw
Width: 560px
Height: 315px

Check out Donut County on the App Store.



Apple's iPad app of the year is Froggipedia, a $4 augmented-reality app for studying amphibians and frogs.

Youtube Embed:
//www.youtube.com/embed/lqyfrK85UAg
Width: 1280px
Height: 960px

Check out Froggipedia on the App Store.



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Facebook plummets down list of best companies to work for after catastrophic year

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Mark Zuckerberg protest

  • Facebook has lost its crown as the best place to work in America, falling seven places down Glassdoor's 100 Best Places to Work list.
  • It is Facebook's lowest ranking in the survey since 2015, when it finished in 15th position.
  • A string of scandals has dented company morale, according to an internal survey obtained by The Wall Street Journal.
  • Despite the negative reviews, feedback on Glassdoor remains largely positive.

Facebook has tumbled seven places on Glassdoor's list of the best places to work after a year of scandals, data breaches, and employee discontent.

Glassdoor published its list of the 100 Best Places to Work in 2019 on Tuesday, which is based on ratings and reviews left by employees.

Last year, Facebook topped the bill as the number one place to work, but now it has fallen to number seven, just behind LinkedIn. It is Facebook's lowest ranking in the survey since 2015, when it finished in 15th position.

A series of scandals this year have impacted morale, according to the results of an internal company survey obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Back in 2017, 84% of the workforce "said they were optimistic about the company's future," a figure that has since dropped to just 52%. And 72% of employees previously said "Facebook was making the world better"— now it's 53%.

Read more:Facebook employees react to the latest scandals: "Why does our company suck at having a moral compass"

Glassdoor identified frequent complaints from employees, which included "poor work-life balance" and "long hours."

One review from November, titled "Six months of strange tech cult," said the company displays a "complete lack of moral responsibility for the world." Another, also from November, lamented "the product is not technology, its [sic] the users."

Under "advice to managers," one employee wrote: "Please get the company out of bad reputation slump... align business objectives with long-term strategy of connecting people and communities."

But Facebook's overall ratings remain positive, with 96% of reviews saying they approve of CEO Mark Zuckerberg at time of writing. One reviewer described it as "Disneyland" for software engineers, and another wrote: "Don't believe all the negative press."

SEE ALSO: The 29 best tech companies to work for in 2019, according to employees

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's why virtual reality still hasn't taken off, despite being around for nearly 2 decades

Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian says there's an especially 'frightening' difference between the lives of rich and non-rich people in America

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  • Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian says he was surprised to learn that rich Americans have access to much better healthcare than the average person.
  • In a recent YouTube episode with Chelsea Fagan of the Financial Diet, he said he's learned that there's a whole different world of healthcare for rich people, from private medicine to hospital tiers, and it's "jarring."
  • He also finds said the financial products the rich are offered compared to everyone else makes his "head spin."

There are some major differences between those who have money and those who don't.

In a recent YouTube episode with Chelsea Fagan of The Financial Diet, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian was asked what he thinks people with money know that people without money don't know. The episode was sponsored by Empower, a mobile banking app that's backed by Ohanian's venture capital firm, Initialized Capital.

"I thought I'd be handed like a book when [I made money] ...like the book of sh-- only rich people know," he said. "I never got this, and I still am learning things and it's amazing and I know I'm going to be continuing to be learning stuff, and I'm going to be continuing to scratch my head and wonder how is it possible this whole other world exists."

Ohanian said one of the most "frightening" things he's learned since having money is that wealthy people have better access to quality healthcare.

Ohanian explained that he was raised with the assumption that all healthcare and all hospitals are basically the same — that there's not a big difference, and people just go to the hospital near them.

Read more: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian says he wants to teach his and Serena Williams' daughter to code: 'She already has 3 laptops'

"Only in recent years as I've had to encounter the stuff for loved ones and have I had people who have obscene wealth, relative to my own — very wealthy and old money wealth — have I learned there's a whole other world, from concierge medicine and private medicine to very different tiers of hospitals and quality of care," Ohanian said. "And I literally never even heard of these before, let alone walked into them or seen them and now that I have, it is jarring."

He continued: "I think that's one of those things that if we all as a public understood, really understood the difference, I think folks would be even more upset than they already are about the quality of healthcare in this country, because it is staggering."

Ohanian said this realization "shook" him because it made him rethink the care his loved ones received years ago when they weren't aware of the differences and didn't have access to better healthcare financially. Now, he said, it's a priority to him as a husband and a father to get the very best healthcare. 

"My wife and daughter are going to have access to things I never even dreamed of," Ohanian said, speaking of wife Serena Williams. "I didn't think it was that different, but it turns out it is."

But that's not the only difference he sees when it comes to the wealth divide.

"The same way the difference in medicine makes my head spin, the difference in financial products is along the same lines," Ohanian said, referencing a high-net-worth person's relative ease of qualifying for a loan, for instance, compared to the average American.

He continued: "And it's subtle, these are very subtle things, but they add up a lot, especially when you think of the implications it has in the rest of the country, the rest of world."

SEE ALSO: Serena Williams' Reddit cofounder husband Alexis Ohanian 'thought tennis was a joke of a sport' before he met her

DON'T MISS: Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian explains why 'shutting down' with family and 'The Golden Girls' is important to Serena Williams' success

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Tim Cook's estimated net worth is $625 million — here's how he makes and spends his money

Here's when you can expect your employer to send the form you need to file your taxes for 2018

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tax day 2019

  • Taxpayers have until Monday, April 15, 2019, to submit their 2018 tax returns.
  • You can't file your taxes until you receive your W-2 form from your employer, which must filed and postmarked on or before January 31.
  • A recent report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration warned of an increased risk of a delayed start to the 2019 filing season due to the new tax law

The deadline for filing your 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019.

But in order to submit your tax return, you first need a W-2 form, or Wage and Tax statement, from every employer you had during 2018. If you're a freelancer, you'll need 1099 forms.

So when should you expect your employer to send out your W-2 form?

The IRS has yet to release an official announcement, but typically employers must file and postmark tax-related documents by January 31. Therefore, you should receive your forms by early February.

However, a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released in September 2018 warned of an increased risk of a delayed start in the 2019 filing season due to the new tax law

Read more: Tax Day is April 15. Here's what you can expect when filing under the new tax law

If you haven't received your form by mid-February, you should first contact your employer and request a copy or ask that it be resent, according to the IRS. If that doesn't work, you can then contact the IRS at 800-829-1040. You'll need to provide the following information:

  • Name, address, Social Security number, and phone number
  • Your employer's name, address, and phone number
  • Dates you worked for your employer
  • An estimate of your paid wages and federal income tax withheld during 2018

If you still don't have your W-2 by April 15, you can use the W-2 substitute, Form 4852and estimate your wages and withheld taxes. Note that the IRS could delay your refund while verifying the information. You can also file for a six-month extension using the IRS Free File.

If you receive your W-2 after filing and the information is different than what you claimed, you'll need to file an amended tax return using Form 1040X.

Once you file your taxes, you should receive your tax refund within 21 days of filing.

Read more:

SEE ALSO: 10 things you probably didn't know you could deduct on your taxes

DON'T MISS: You may be able to cut down your tax bill with a little-known credit if you saved for retirement this year

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Tim Cook's estimated net worth is $625 million — here's how he makes and spends his money

'We can do better': The Navy's newest fleet commander says US ships and sailors got 'beat up' during NATO's biggest exercise since the Cold War


Trump reportedly told the Pentagon to increase the defense budget to $750 billion after saying he would cut spending by 5%

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  • President Donald Trump has reportedly asked Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to prepare a $750 billion budget proposal for military spending 2020, according to Politico.
  • Just months ago, Trump asked every major cabinet agency to submit proposals cutting their budget by 5% next year.
  • Since his presidential campaign, Trump has appeared to vacillate between wanting to boost and diminish military spending.

President Donald Trump has reportedly told Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to prepare a $750 billion budget proposal for 2020, according to Politico's Wesley Morgan.

This request comes just months after Trump asked every major cabinet agency to submit proposals cutting their budget by 5% next year, according to The Washington Post. Trump said he wanted to see the defense budget decrease by 2%, from $716 billion to $700 billion.

Politico's sources said that that Trump met Tuesday with Mattis and the Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and decided on the $750 billion number. One source, a former administration official, said Trump suggested this figure as a "negotiating tactic" to make sure Democrats don't push the defense budget below $733 billion, which is what Mattis and the chairman of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees had wanted.

Read more: The 15 countries with the highest military budgets in 2017

In November 2018, those two chairmen, James Inhofe, and Mac Thornberry, published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal urging the President not to cut military spending. "Any cut in the defense budget would be a senseless step backward," they wrote. "The Pentagon would be forced to cut in areas where the most money can be saved quickly — troops, new equipment, training and maintenance—as it did under sequestration in 2013."

Trump called the $716 billion 2019 defense budget 'the most significant investment in our military in our war fighters in modern history'

Trump has appeared to vacillate between advocating for increasing and decreasing military spending. Bumping up defense spending was a big part of his presidential campaign, CNN reported. When he signed the $716 billion 2019 defense budget, he called it "the most significant investment in our military in our war fighters in modern history."

And according to The Washington Post, Trump has threatened to shut down the government if he doesn't get at least $5 billion for the construction of a border wall.

On Monday, however, Trump tweeted: "I am certain that, at some time in the future, President Xi and I, together with President Putin of Russia, will start talking about a meaningful halt to what has become a major and uncontrollable Arms Race. The U.S. spent 716 Billion Dollars this year. Crazy!"

Politico reported that the $750 billion number isn't official yet, and should be announced this week.

The defense budget includes the Pentagon and Department of Energy funding for the US nuclear arsenal, Politico reported. However, defense funding is still subject to the Budget Control Act spending caps, so this increase wouldn't be put into action until lawmakers agreed to a deal to lift the caps.

SEE ALSO: Trump is reportedly thinking about getting rid of Mattis, and he's given 'Mad Dog' a new nickname

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NOW WATCH: Here's how easy it is for the US president to launch a nuclear weapon

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The players from LeBron James' legendary 2003 NBA Draft

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lebron james draft day

  • The 2003 NBA Draft is regarded as one of the best of all time.
  • The first fives picks alone produced NBA legends like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade — some of the most successful players in NBA history.
  • Like all drafts, it also produced busts who didn't accomplish much in the NBA and fell out of the league quickly.
  • Today, many players are still involved in basketball while some have moved on entirely.

The 2003 NBA Draft remains one of the most legendary drafts in NBA history.

Though it may lack the depth of the classic 1996 Kobe Bryant draft, it was among the most top-heavy we've ever seen: LeBron James went first, and the top five picks were rounded out by Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.

Of course, like all drafts, it also produced some famous busts, role players, and players who went into other fields after their playing days were over.

See what happened to the top 29 picks of the draft below:

Tony Manfred contributed to this report.

LeBron James was picked No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.



James is in his 16th season and is still regarded as the best player in the NBA and one of the best players of all time, with four MVPs and three titles. He's now with the Los Angeles Lakers.



Darko Milicic was picked No. 2 overall by the Detroit Pistons.



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Joe Jonas says Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra are 'a match made in heaven'

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Priyanka Chopra Nick Jonas wedding

  • Joe Jonas opened up about the relationship between Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, who recently got married. 
  • "Seeing Nick's face when he first met her, and the way he talks about her, and then getting to meet her and seeing what an amazing person she is, I knew right away that they definitely were a match made in heaven," Joe said during an interview with "Entertainment Tonight."
  • The singer went on to say that the two ceremonies (a Christian service and a Hindu ceremony) were "so beautiful" and his "face hurts from smiling so much."

 

Joe Jonas says that Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra were a good fit for each other from the start.

"Seeing Nick's face when he first met her, and the way he talks about her, and then getting to meet her and seeing what an amazing person she is, I knew right away that they definitely were a match made in heaven," Joe said during an interview with "Entertainment Tonight."

The DNCE lead singer added: "My face hurts from smiling so much. The ceremonies themselves were so beautiful. The Indian ceremony was something that was new for me. We were all in tears."

Recently, Joe opened up about the couple's lavish wedding celebrations and said that he was so overwhelmed with emotions that he "blacked out for a minute" while giving his best man speech.

"This is not only my brother, [but my] best friend, and to see him marrying his dream girl, there were a lot of tears the whole weekend and a lot of smiles," he said during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show.

Nick Jonas Priyanka Chopra

Read more: Priyanka Chopra describes the moment at her wedding when she realized marrying Nick Jonas was 'the best decision of my life'

Nick and Chopra tied the knot during two extravagant ceremonies that took place in India. They had a Christian service for Nick's faith and a Hindu service to honor Chopra's background.

In several interviews, the couple has explained what attracted them to each other. The "Quantico" star told Vogue that she realized that Nick was different from other men she had encountered because he told her that he admired her "drive" and the way she views the world

Moreover, Nick knew that he wanted to marry the actress after three dates. He previously explained that he knew Chopra was "the one"because "the thing that really connected both of us is our love for family and faith and the importance of being connected to those that are always going to be there for you."

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.   

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NOW WATCH: This 13-year-old scientist invented a safer way to treat pancreatic cancer, and he hasn't even started high school yet

35 Big tech predictions for 2018

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35 big tech predictions for 2018Technology is increasingly disrupting every part of our daily lives.

Smart speakers and voice assistants let us interact with our homes and with retailers in new and seamless ways.

Smartphones are taking over as the dominant shopping device.

Viewers continue to move away from traditional TV toward digital platforms.

And the list is growing.

Nearly every industry has been disrupted by digital technologies over the past 10 years. And in 2018, we expect to see more transformative developments affect our businesses, careers, and lives.

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has put together a list of 35 Big Tech Predictions for 2018 across Apps and Platforms, Digital Media, Payments, Internet of Things, E-Commerce, Fintech, and Transportation & Logistics. Some of these major predictions include:

  • Cryptocurrencies will become more widely accepted
  • Google and Apple will challenge Amazon in the smart speaker space
  • The resurgence of the VR market
  • The real self-driving car race will begin
  • Drone regulations will relax
  • Alibaba’s international expansion
  • Gen Z will become a major focal point for media companies and advertisers
  • Payment security will become paramount
  • Smart home devices will take off

This comprehensive list of 35 predictions can be yours for free today. As an added bonus, you will gain immediate access to our exclusive free newsletter, Business Insider Intelligence Daily.

To get your copy of this FREE report, simply click here.

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Miley Cryus crashed Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner's 'Carpool Karaoke' to sing 'Party in the USA'

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miley cyrus hailey baldwin kendall jenner carpool karaoke

  • Models Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin appeared on the latest episode of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series.
  • The series was inspired by "The Late Late Show" host James Corden's popular show segment and is available on Apple TV.  
  • Jenner and Baldwin chose to sing along to Cyrus' hit 2009 song "Party in the USA" as Cyrus mouthed the words from outside the vehicle.
  • The two stars belted out the words to the "classic" track, and the "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" singer eventually got into the car to join them. 
  • Watch a snippet of the episode in the video below. 

 

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.   

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NOW WATCH: A Harvard psychologist reveals the secret to curbing your appetite

Nick Ayers will not replace White House chief of staff John Kelly as suspected

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Nick Ayers

  • Nick Ayers, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence and White House chief of staff John Kelly's long-suspected replacement, will reportedly not be taking over the role. 
  • The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday evening that Ayers, who has been rumored to be President Donald Trump's top pick to replace Kelly since 2017, couldn't agree with Trump for a timeline on the job.
  • Ayers tweeted to confirm he would be departing at the end of the year for his native Georgia.  

Nick Ayers, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence and White House chief of staff John Kelly's long-suspected replacement, will reportedly not be taking over the role. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday evening that White House officials said Ayers, who has been rumored to be President Donald Trump's top pick to replace Kelly since 2017, couldn't agree with Trump for a timeline on the job. 

Ayers has been the long-suspected replacement for retired Marine Gen. Kelly, with reports saying he's been Trump's top choice to assume the spot since 2017. However, the 36-year-old father of young triplets could not commit long-term to the job, which Trump decided was a dealbreaker. 

New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman tweeted that Ayers would likely move into a role with the Trump-aligned super PAC America First Policies, which he helped launch. 

Trump announced Saturday that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly is on his way out of the administration, saying Kelly will be leaving "at the end of the year" and he will announce his replacement in the next day or two.

Ayers tweeted to thank the president, vice president, and other colleagues before he departs at the end of the year, back to his native Georgia. 

Axios reported Trump was considering Rep. Mark Meadows, the chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, among three other candidates. 

Reuters reported Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was also being considered for the role. However, it remains unclear who will replace Kelly. 

SEE ALSO: Meet Nick Ayers, the leading candidate to take over for John Kelly as White House chief of staff

DON'T MISS: Trump says chief of staff John Kelly is leaving the White House at the end of the year

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NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

Dolphins pull off stunning upset over Patriots with last-second hook-and-ladder play

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  • The Miami Dolphins ran a miraculous hook-and-ladder play in the final seven seconds to pull off a stunning 34-33 win over the New England Patriots.
  • Bill Belichick put in Rob Gronkowski to play deep defense, and it backfired, as Gronkowski took the wrong angle to try and stop Kenyan Drake.
  • The win kept the Dolphins in the AFC playoff race while the loss prevented the Patriots from clinching the division.

The Miami Dolphins pulled off a miracle, 34-33 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday with a stunning, last-second play.

After the Patriots failed to score a touchdown on a final fourth quarter drive, instead settling for a field goal, the Dolphins got the ball back trailing 33-28 with seven seconds to play.

Ryan Tannehill threw a pass to the 47-yard line to Kenny Stills. Stills then lateral-ed the ball to DeVante Parker, who lateral-ed to Kenyan Drake. The announcers even seemed resigned to the Dolphins losing, when all of the sudden Drake found some running room.

Bill Belichick's Hail Mary defense came back to bite him, as Rob Gronkowski was playing deep to try to break up any deep passes. As Drake found room to run, Gronkowski mis-played the angle and couldn't catch Drake. Drake ran free for the game-winning touchdown.

Incredible!

The loss prevented the Patriots from clinching the AFC East for the tenth straight year and continued a bizarre pattern in which the team has struggled in Miami.

The loss was also a huge one for the Dolphins as it moved them to 7-6 and within striking range of one of the wild card spots in the AFC. 

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NOW WATCH: The legendary economist who predicted the housing crisis says the US will win the trade war


Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is facing backlash for encouraging people to visit Myanmar, where social media may have helped fuel a mass genocide

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Jack Dorsey

  • Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sparked outrage with his positive Tweets about his recent trip to Myanmar.
  • Social media platforms — including Facebook and Twitter — may have worsened a humanitarian crisis there.
  • Twitter users are responding criticizing Dorsey's posts for being "tone-deaf."

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently visited Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, for his birthday, to participate in a 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat. Since then, he's been posting photos and detailed descriptions of his trip on Twitter, encouraging other people to go there if they can.

Now, Dorsey is facing backlash against his supposedly ignorant promotion of Myanmar, where social media platforms — including Twitter and Facebook — allegedly helped fuel a mass genocide, SFGate and other outlets reported.

"Myanmar is an absolutely beautiful country. The people are full of joy and the food is amazing," Dorsey wrote in one Tweet. "I woke up at 4 am every day, and we meditated until 9 pm," read another Tweet in the same thread. Another read, "If you’re willing to travel a bit, go to Myanmar."

A Reuters investigation published in August 2018 reported that Facebook was hiring more Burmese speakers to review hate speech posted in Myanmar. In March, a United Nations investigator had said Facebook was used to incite violence against the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group, with posts calling the Rohingya things like "non-human kalar dogs." (Kalar is a derogatory word for Muslims.)

Read more: The 18 biggest tech scandals of 2018

Reuters reported that hate speech spread on Twitter as well. In August 2017, Rohingya insurgents attacked police stations, setting off military activity that caused 700,000 people to abandon their homes. New Twitter accounts appeared in Myanmar, and the Tweets portrayed the Rohingya as illegal immigrants. One Tweet Reuters spotted read: "There is no Rohingya in Myanmar they are only illegal immigrant and terrorists."

Twitter has a "Hateful conduct policy," which prohibits "attacking groups of people on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin." However, in August, Reuters reported that such Tweets were still available on the site.

In response to Dorsey's Tweets about his visit to Myanmar, people are posting critical messages such as, "Leave it to a rich guy to step over bodies while taking pics on his vacation," and calling Dorsey's posts"tone-deaf."

As of yet, Dorsey hasn't posted any follow-ups.

In November, Reuters reported, Facebook said a human rights report it commissioned showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from fueling violence. On a Slate podcast in March, Adam Mosseri, Facebook's vice president of product management, said he and his team "lose some sleep" over their potential role in the humanitarian crisis.

SEE ALSO: Facebook says it did not do enough to halt the spread of hate speech and violence in Myanmar

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'Cyberpunk 2077' may finally release in 2019 — here's why it's one of the most anticipated video games in the world

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Cyberpunk 2077

  • CD Projekt Red, the game developer behind the acclaimed "Witcher" series, has been working on its next video game, called "Cyberpunk 2077."
  • CD Projekt Red announced "Cyberpunk 2077" all the way back in 2012, but the company's Turkish publisher says it will be ready in 2019.
  • At Microsoft's E3 press conference in June, fans finally got a first look at actual gameplay from "Cyberpunk 2077." The footage hit Twitch and YouTube two months later to much fanfare.
  • We've broken down the highlights from the "Cyberpunk 2077" reveal to give you an idea of what to expect from one of the most anticipated video games.

SEE ALSO: 'Hollow Knight' is the best video game I've played in years — and it's a total steal right now at just $10

In Cyberpunk 2077, you play as V, an urban mercenary and cyberpunk who takes on dangerous jobs for money.



You create your own version of V: You can choose to be male or female, which affects who you can romance in the game. Many non-playable characters you'll meet are bisexual, but not all of them are.



You can also choose your haircut, tattoos, and put points into various attributes like Strength, Constitution, Intelligence, Reflexes, Tech, and something called "Cool."



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This guy followed 'Red Dead Redemption 2' characters for a full day and discovered just how detailed the game really is

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red dead redemption 2

"Red Dead Redemption 2," out now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, is one of the most detailed video games ever developed.

Just how detailed is the game exactly?

While there are tons of activities and storylines to explore in "Red Dead Redemption 2," Joe from the YouTube gaming channel DefendTheHouse recently decided to spend a full day in the game just following around a handful of non-playable characters, or NPCs, and nothing more.

The results are fascinating. These characters hardly play a role in the game, yet they still have unique schedules and characteristics.

Take a look at what happens when you follow random people around in "Red Dead Redemption 2" all day:

SEE ALSO: The 7 most incredible things I've seen in 'Red Dead Redemption 2,' the huge new blockbuster game from the makers of 'Grand Theft Auto'

Here's our first NPC. Let's call him Shepherd. Around 8 a.m., Shepherd heads off to work.



He tends to sheep at the farm between 8:30 a.m. and noon.



Around 12:30 p.m., Shepherd moves bags of feed to the farm for the pigs, sheep, and goats.



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The Influencer Marketing Report: Research, strategy & platforms for leveraging social media influencers

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This is a preview of the Influencer Marketing (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the top platforms, as well as strategies for social media influencer marketing, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Social Media Influencer Marketing Success Metrics

The concept of a brand hiring a popular personality to promote a product or service isn't new, and brands know that celebrity endorsements can sell products. In the age of social media, however, brands are finding new ways to leverage popular figures as brand ambassadors, and these people aren't necessarily famous actors, singers, or athletes.

How brands are leveraging social media influencer marketing

While brands certainly continue to tap celebrities for endorsement deals, they’re also starting to enlist social media personalities, broadly known as “influencers,” for advertising campaigns. Social influencers generally focus on specific content areas — like fashion, beauty, parenting, or gaming — and cater their content to a specific vertical.

A new report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, identifies the ways brands can find and manage relationships with social media influencers. It notes the most engaging industry verticals, the pitfalls to avoid, and the opportunities to cash-in on. Finally, it explores how major social platforms are increasingly building out tools that enable their most popular users to build their personal brands.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • Influencer marketing ad spend is poised to reach between $5 billion and $10 billion in 2022. Taking the midpoint of $7.5 billion as a base case, this represents a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38%.
  • Brands need to fine-balance providing influencers with enough creative freedom, while also ensuring the messaging positively reflects the brand. Nearly 40% of influencers believe that overly restrictive content guidelines are one of the biggest mistakes brands and agencies make when working with them. 
  • Influencers tend to have higher user engagement than content generated by brands. The average influencer engagement rate across industry verticals is 5.7%. As a comparison, the average engagement rate for brands on Instagram has fluctuated between 2-3% in the past year. 
  • Authenticity is key for influencer marketing messaging. Brands should give influencers sufficient creative freedom to keep posts authentic, as it makes posts less likely to be dismissed by users. Other best practices include repurposing influencer content for multiple platforms, evaluating the audience and following of an influencer, and leveraging data to optimize future campaigns. 

 In full, the report:

  • Outlines recent steps the top social platforms are taking for influencer posts.
  • Details the best practices brands should adopt when starting out with influencer marketing. 
  • Discusses the top verticals that are poised to benefit the most from influencer marketing, and which ones are growing. 
  • Highlights the factors that will be critical for compliance with social platforms and the FTC.

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A new report predicts huge swaths of Americans should expect bigger tax refunds — but not everyone is set to benefit

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tax refund

  • The new GOP tax law went into effect at the start of 2018, and a UBS analysis suggests it could have a big impact on federal tax refund checks set to go out next year.
  • UBS estimated that on average, married couples with children should see a pretty sizable bump in refund checks compared to last year, while single filers may see slightly smaller refunds.
  • Because of changes to the federal deduction for state and local taxes, residents of higher-tax locales like New York and California might also see a hit.

While filing taxes is never fun, many taxpayers get a much-needed boost from the ensuing refund. With a new tax law that went into effect at the start of 2018, many families are set to see a bigger bump to their refund checks next spring.

A recent note from a team of UBS analysts takes a look at how tax refunds are set to change under the new law. The UBS analysts estimated an increase in overall tax refunds between $42 billion and $66 billion next year compared to the 2017 tax year.

The $42 billion estimate came from a top-down analysis using estimates for total income and tax receipts so far in 2018 from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. They then estimated changes in deductions between 2017 and 2018 based on the likely effects of the new law, in particular the larger standard deduction, which could lead to fewer tax filers itemizing deductions, and the lack of personal exemptions.

Read more: Tax Day is April 15. Here's what you can expect when filing under the new tax law

By applying the new tax rates to estimate the total amount of income taxes due in 2018 and comparing that to the above estimates of tax receipts, UBS found that the latter is about $42 billion larger than the former, giving this value for the total increase in refunds next year.

Bigger refund checks for married filers with children in 2019

UBS also did a bottom-up analysis of how various types of households would see their tax refunds affected by the new law. The analysts applied the new rates and IRS withholding guidelines to a married couple with two children filing jointly and a single filer taking the standard deduction at various income levels to estimate how refunds would change between the 2017 and 2018 tax years.

They found that most married filers with two children would see a pretty sizeable boost in their refunds for 2018 compared to 2017, especially those making under $40,000 a year and those making between $125,000 and $400,000. One of the biggest factors noted by UBS was an increase in the size of the child tax credit and in the income threshold for claiming that credit:

married filers

Meanwhile, UBS estimated that single-filers in most income brackets will see a smaller refund on average in 2018 compared to 2017:

single filers

UBS combined this bottom-up analysis with statistics on how many households fall into different income brackets from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey to estimate $66 billion in aggregate refunds in 2018.

The analysts also pointed out that there will likely be geographic disparities in tax refunds next year. One of the changes in the new tax law is a $10,000 cap on the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT), which previously had no upper limit. That means that high-income filers in jurisdictions with higher state and local taxes will likely have a bigger tax bill for 2018, and consequently a lower refund.

UBS named California and New York in particular as states with higher taxes and thus larger shares of residents filing with the SALT deduction, and with larger average SALT deductions claimed in the past. The new limit on that deduction likely means higher-income residents of those states will see smaller refunds next spring.

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