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More than 1.2 million homes in North and South Carolina sit outside government-designated flood zones, and that could lead to vast uninsured losses during Tropical Storm Florence, report says

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hurricane florence flood house.JPG

  • A number of homes in North and South Carolina at risk of flooding during Tropical Storm Florence, even though they sit outside of federally designated flood zones.
  • While some homeowners living in official floodplains are required to have flood insurance, others — including those who own some of the 1.2 million homes that sit outside the flood zone — are not.
  • Last year’s Hurricane Harvey caused $17 billion in damages covered by insurance and $40 billion in losses that were uninsured

Some homes in North and South Carolina at risk of flooding during Tropical Storm Florence sit outside federally designated flood zones.

While some homeowners living in official floodplains are required to have flood insurance, others — including those who own the more than 1.2 million homes that sit outside the flood zone — are not, and that could lead to vast uninsured losses as Florence inundates the region, according to disaster research analyst Chuck Watson, who was cited in a CNN report published Friday.

Heavy rainfall has already taken a toll on the region, and rescues got underway on Friday. Florence was downgraded  from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm Friday. The National Hurricane Center said catastrophic flash floods were likely in areas of both North and South Carolina.

At least five people have died, according to multiple news reports on Friday.

how hurricane forms infographic

The vast majority of homes in the Carolinas don’t have federal flood insurance, CNN reported Friday. Only about 340,000 homes out of a total of about 7 million in the two states have flood insurance, CNN said.

Additionally, roughly 800,000 homes in North Carolina and 430,000 in South Carolina located in low-lying areas or close to rivers are in danger of floods, even though they sit outside of federally declared flood zones.

Last year’s Hurricane Harvey caused $17 billion in damages covered by insurance and $40 billion in losses that were uninsured, Watson said.

Perhaps inspired by last year’s Harvey, Irma and Maria, flood insurance across the country grew 3% from the previous year to 5.1 million having flood insurance.

Currently, fewer homeowners in North and South Carolina own flood insurance than they did five years ago. In North Carolina, the number of flood insurance policies dropped by 3.6% since 2013, and 1.2% in South Carolina, according to an analysis of government data cited by The Wall Street Journal.

Robert Hartwig, a risk-management and insurance professor at the University of South Carolina, told The Journal: “Residents of these states are materially less prepared than they were in the past to deal with the financial consequences associated with major flooding events.” 

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Firefighters knelt and prayed outside a North Carolina home where a mother and her baby were killed as Hurricane Florence made landfall

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GettyImages 1033173118

  • Firefighters gathered to pray outside the Wilmington, North Carolina, home where a mother and her baby were killed after a tree crashed through the roof during Hurricane Florence on Friday. 
  • At least three other people died Friday. Florence has weakened to a tropical storm, but dangerous flooding and strong winds were expected to continue into Saturday.

Firefighters knelt and prayed outside a Wilmington, North Carolina, home where a mother and her baby were killed on Friday, after a tree crashed through the roof as Hurricane Florence made landfall, CNN reported.

A man inside the home was also injured. He was rescued and taken to a hospital.

As of Friday night at least three other people died as a result of the storm. Though Florence was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm Friday, dangerous flooding and strong winds were expected to continue into Saturday.

More than 60 people were pulled out of a collapsing Wilmington motel at the height of the storm Friday morning, the Associated Press reported.

More than 775,000 customers were without power as of Friday night, according to The North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned his citizens that Florence was “going to continue its violent grind across our state for days.”

"Our hearts go out to the families of those who died in this storm," Cooper told local reporters. "Our focus now is getting people away from immediate danger. And then it will shift to putting our communities back together."

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NOW WATCH: 5 animals you wouldn’t suspect are actually fearsome predators

How automakers can compete in the future of mobility

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Mobility Market

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Automakers are on the verge of a prolonged period of rapid change to the way they do business, thanks to the combined disruptive forces of growing on-demand mobility services and self-driving cars, which will start to come to market in the next couple of years.

By the end of 2019, Google spinoff Waymo, Uber, and GM all plan to have fleets of autonomous cars deployed in various US cities to provide on-demand rides for passengers. By eliminating the cost of the driver, these rides are expected to be far cheaper than typical Uber or Lyft rides, and even cheaper than owning a car for personal transportation.

Many industry experts are predicting that such cheap on-demand autonomous rides service will result in a long-term decline in car ownership rates — PwC predicts that the total number of cars on the road in the US and EU will drop from 556 million last year to 416 million in 2030.

This decline in car ownership represents an enormous threat to automakers’ traditional business models, forcing them to find alternative revenue sources. Many of these automakers, including GM, Ford, and Daimler, have plans to launch their own on-demand ride-hailing services with fleets of self-driving cars they will manufacture, potentially giving them a new stream of recurring revenue. This could set them up to take a sizeable share of a market that is expected to be worth trillions by 2030.

However, competing in the on-demand mobility market will pit legacy automakers against ride-hailing services from startups and tech giants that have far greater experience in acquiring and engaging consumers through digital channels. To succeed in what will likely be a hyper-competitive market for urban ride-hailing, automakers will have to foster new skill sets in their organizations, and transform from companies that primarily produce vehicles to ones that also manage vehicle fleets and customer relationships.

That will entail competing with startups and tech giants for software development and data science talent, as well as reforming innovation processes to keep pace with digital trendsetters. Automakers will also need to create unique mobile app and in-car experiences to lure customers. Finally, these automakers will face many overall barriers in the market, including convincing consumers that self-driving cars are safe, and dealing with a complex and evolving regulatory landscape.

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, delves into the future of the on-demand mobility space, focusing on how automakers will use fleets of self-driving vehicles to break into an emerging industry that's been dominated thus far by startups like Uber and Lyft. We examine how the advent of autonomous vehicles will reshape urban transportation, and the impact it will have on traditional automakers. We then detail how automakers can leverage their core strengths to create new revenue sources with autonomous mobility services, and explore the key areas they'll need to gain new skills and capabilities in to compete with mobility startups and tech giants that are also eyeing this opportunity. 

Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • The low cost of autonomous taxis will eventually lead car ownership rates among urban consumers to decline sharply, putting automakers’ traditional business models at risk.
  • Many automakers plan to launch their own autonomous ride-hailing services with the self-driving cars they're developing to replace losses from declining car sales, putting them in direct competition with mobility startups and tech giants looking to launch similar services.
  • Additionally, automakers plan to maximize utilization of their autonomous on-demand vehicles by performing last-mile deliveries, which will force them to compete with a variety of players in the parcel logistics industry.
  • Regulatory pressures could also push automakers to consider alternative mobility services besides on-demand taxis, such as autonomous on-demand shuttle or bus services.
  • Providing these types of services will force automakers to make drastic changes to their organizations to acquire new talent and skills, and not all automakers will succeed at that.

In full, the report:

  • Forecasts the growth of autonomous on-demand ride-hailing services in the US.
  • Examines the cost benefits of such services for consumers, and how they will reshape consumers’ transportation habits.
  • Details the different avenues for automakers to monetize the growth of autonomous ride-hailing.
  • Provides an overview of the various challenges that all players in the self-driving car space will need to overcome to monetize their investments in these new technologies in the coming years.
  • Explains the key factors that will be critical for automakers to succeed in this emerging market.
  • Offers examples of how automakers can differentiate their apps and services from competitors’.

Subscribe to an All-Access pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

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Trump is reportedly upset about old video footage showing him throwing rolls of paper towels at first-responders in Puerto Rico

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trump paper towels puerto rico

  • President Donald Trump has reportedly been fixated on unflattering news reports about his response to Hurricane Maria, which slammed Puerto Rico in September 2017.
  • Trump has particularly been irritated by video footage of him throwing rolls of paper towels to a crowd of relief workers on the island, according to The Washington Post. The footage prompted accusations that Trump lacks empathy.
  • "I'm not to blame for this," Trump said about Maria at one point, according to one of his advisers.
  • Trump continued to cast doubt on the final death toll from Hurricane Maria on Friday, and distorted an academic study that estimated 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico in the months after the storm.

As Hurricane Florence continued its destructive path in North and South Carolina on Friday, President Donald Trump has reportedly been fixated on unflattering news reports about his response to Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico in September 2017.

Trump has particularly been irritated by video footage of him throwing rolls of paper towels to a crowd of relief workers on the island, according to a Washington Post report published Thursday. Trump had characterized his gestures as good-natured, but the footage prompted accusations that Trump lacks empathy.

"They had these beautiful, soft towels. Very good towels," Trump said during an interview with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in October. "And I came in and there was a crowd of a lot of people. And they were screaming and they were loving everything. I was having fun, they were having fun. They said, 'Throw 'em to me! Throw 'em to me Mr. President!'"

"The next day they said, 'Oh, it was so disrespectful to the people,'" he added. "It was just a made-up thing."

The death toll in Puerto Rico in the immediate aftermath of Maria grew from six to 13 by the time Trump arrived on the island. But later that day, the number grew to 34, according to The Post. Millions of homes and businesses lost power after hurricane made landfall, making it the largest blackout in US history and the second-largest in the world.

Hurricane Florence

"I'm not to blame for this," Trump said about Maria at one point, according to one of his advisers cited by The Post.

Trump resurfaced the debate this week when he boasted about his administration's response to the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico.

"Puerto Rico was incredibly successful," Trump said on Tuesday, adding that the island was fraught with issues prior to the hurricane. "It was one of the best jobs that's ever been done with respect to what this is all about."

Trump's remarks did not go unnoticed.

Carmen Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, admitted there were some bureaucratic problems on the island, but she slammed Trump's comments and described them as "despicable" and "adding insult to injury."

"Everything is about him and political posturing," Cruz said. "The man has no idea, he has no solidarity, no sympathy, and no empathy for anything that does not make him look good."

Trump continued to enrage his critics in a series of tweets on Friday night, casting doubt on an academic study that calculated nearly 3,000 deaths in the months following Maria.

"'When Trump visited the island territory last October, OFFICIALS told him in a briefing 16 PEOPLE had died from Maria.'" Trump quoted The Post's story in a tweet. "This was long AFTER the hurricane took place. Over many months it went to 64 PEOPLE. Then, like magic, '3000 PEOPLE KILLED.'"

puerto rico hurricane maria

The George Washington University study analyzed the total number of deaths during a six-month period and compared them to historical patterns — without classifying any death as a result of Maria.

"They hired.......GWU Research to tell them how many people had died in Puerto Rico (how would they not know this?)," Trump added. "This method was never done with previous hurricanes because other jurisdictions know how many people were killed. FIFTY TIMES LAST ORIGINAL NUMBER - NO WAY!"

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló appeared to be aware of the critical distinction between Trump's tweet and the study.

"Mr. President— I'd very much be willing to walk you through the scientific process of the study and how [George Washington University] arrived at the excess mortality number estimate," Rosselló replied to Trump's tweet. "There is no reason to underscore the tragedy we have suffered in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria."

Rosselló added: "In the meantime, I hope you consider sending a message of support to show you stand with all of the US Citizens in Puerto Rico that lost loved ones. It would certainly be an act of respect and empathy."

SEE ALSO: 'God bless us all if this man continues on this path': Puerto Rican mayor rips into Trump's disaster-relief effort amid Hurricane Florence

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'Stop glorifying predators': It looks like former Trump lawyer John Dowd wrote to the editor of a Cape Cod newspaper to complain about sharks

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John Dowd

  • President Donald Trump's former lead lawyer, John Dowd, complained about sharks in a recent letter he wrote to the editor of a local newspaper in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
  • An increased number of seals in the Cape has caused the population of great white sharks in the area to rise dramatically over the past decade, according to experts.
  • "The glorification of these dangerous predators in Chatham is reckless and a threat to the future of this beautiful community," Dowd wrote.

President Donald Trump's former lead attorney John Dowd now has a new target: great white sharks.

Dowd, who left the White House in March after going toe-to-toe with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, urged Cape Cod authorities to take action against the sharks and warned against their "glorification" in a letter to the editor of The Cape Cod Chronicle.

Shark experts in Massachusetts say an increased number of seals on the Cape has caused the population of great white sharks in the area to rise dramatically over the past decade. The first known shark attack on a human in six years was reported in August after a man was hospitalized in Truro.

"I swim in oyster pond twice a day, but not [anymore]," Dowd wrote in the letter dated August 30. "We have seals in the swimming area. The seals need to be regularly harvested to stop the current problem and to end the era of the shark which is scaring visitors."

Dowd's letter responded to an earlier editorial which argued that the fear of sharks on Cape Cod was overblown, and that feeding on seals, who are natural prey for great whites, should not be construed as "attacks," but rather completely normal behavior for sharks.

"I recently took a trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Newport, Block Island and Nantucket. They have no seal or shark problem," Dowd added. "The glorification of these dangerous predators in Chatham is reckless and a threat to the future of this beautiful community."

But conservation experts say shark attacks on humans are extremely rare and usually accidental. On average, sharks kill 6 people a year.

"... Sharks are not known to target people specifically, and when they do bite people, it's usually a case of mistaken identity,"the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said earlier this summer. "Sharks 'test the waters' with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It's how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid."

SEE ALSO: The population of great white sharks is spiking near Cape Cod — and beachgoers are seeing more of them in the water

SEE ALSO: 11 myths about sharks that you should stop believing

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

The Treasury Secretary's hectic schedule after Lehman Brothers' collapse illustrates the chaos of the financial crisis

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Hank Paulson

  • Saturday marks exactly 10 years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the biggest bankruptcy in the history of the United States, and the defining event of the financial crisis.
  • The days after Lehman's collapse were a frantic scramble to prevent the collapse of the whole financial system.
  • At the heart of that scramble was Henry "Hank" Paulson, the then-US Treasury Secretary.
  • An extract from Paulson's calendar two days after Lehman's collapse so just how hectic things were.
  • Paulson had 42 calls or meetings between 7.00 a.m. and 1.20 p.m. on September 17, 2008.

Exactly 10 years ago, Lehman Brothers collapsed into administration. It was the biggest bankruptcy in the history of the United States and the defining event of the financial crisis, which ravaged the global economy between 2007 and 2009.

Lehman's bankruptcy sparked genuine fears in the US that the country's entire financial system could collapse. It led to a crazy scramble by senior bankers and politicians to insulate the industry, and the wider economy, from the threat of contagion.

One of the most crucial figures during this period was Henry "Hank" Paulson, the United States Treasury Secretary. He was the most senior politician with responsibility for the financial industry and the conduit between the US government and big banks.

Lehman collapsed on September 15, and Paulson's schedule in the days following provides a glimpse into the chaos

The schedule, printed in Andrew Ross Sorkin's epic account of the crisis, Too Big To Fail, reveals just how crazily busy and hectic the days around Lehman's collapse were. Paulson, who was Treasury Secretary between 2006 and 2009, took a staggering 42 calls and meetings between 7.10 a.m. and 1.20 p.m, and a total of 69 over the course of the entire day.

Those calls included one to then-President George Bush, several to Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, and New York Fed head Tim Geithner, as well as conversations with Lehman CEO Dick Fuld, Goldman Sachs boss Lloyd Blankfein, and JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon.

"Paulson's calendar and call log illustrates the frantic scramble," Sorkin wrote underneath the schedule, noting as well that the log "does not reflect calls on his cell phone or home phone."

Check it out below, with the first half of the day reproduced in full:

  • 7.10 a.m. to 7.20 a.m. — Call from President George W. Bush
  • 7.20 to 7.40 — Call from Tim Geithner, New York Federal Reserve Chairman
  • 7.40 to 7.45 — Call to Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan CEO
  • 7.45 to 7.50 — Call from Sheila Bair, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  • 7.50 to 8.00 — Call to Tim Geithner
  • 8.15 to 8.20 — Call to Dick Fuld, Lehman Brothers CEO
  • 8.20 to 8.30 — Call to Jamie Dimon
  • 8.30 to 8.35 — Call to Chris Cox, Securities and Exchanges Commission Chairman
  • 8.35 to 8.50 — Staff Meeting, Secretary's Large Conference Room
  • 8.50 to 9.05 — Call to Congressman Steny Hoyer
  • 9.05 to 9.10 — Call to Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke
  • 9.10 to 9.15 — Call to Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs CEO
  • 9.15 to 9.20 — Call to Chris Cox
  • 9.20 to 9.30 — Call with Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin
  • 9.30 to 9.50 — Drop by Ken's [adviser Ken Wilson] meeting with Richard Davis, President and CEO of US Bancorp, and Andy Cecere, CFO and Vice Chairman
  • 9.50 to 10.05 — Call to Ben Bernanke
  • 10.05 to 10.10 — Call to Tim Geithner
  • 10.10 to 10.20 — Call to Chris Cox
  • 10.20 to 10.25 — Call to Tim Geithner
  • 10.25 to 10.30 — Call to Senator Richard Shelby
  • 10.30 to 10.35 — Call to Senator Chris Dodd
  • 10.35 to 10.40 — Call to Congressman Barney Frank
  • 10.40 to 10.45 — Call to Congressman Spencer Bachus
  • 10.45 to 10.50 — Call to Congressman John Boehner
  • 10.50 to 10.55 — Call to Josh Bolten, President Bush's chief of staff
  • 10.55 to 11.00 — Call to Congressman Barney Frank
  • 11.00 to 11.05 — Call to Ed Herlihy, a lawyer at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
  • 11.05 to 11.15 — Call to Congressman John Boehner
  • 11.30 to 12.00 — Phone interview with Greg Ip of The Economist
  • 12.05 p.m. to 12.10 p.m. — Call to Josh Bolten
  • 12.10 to 12.15 — Call to Chris Cox
  • 12.15 to 12.20 — Calls to Lloyd Blankfein and Tim Geithner
  • 12.20 to 12.25 — Call to Ben Bernanke
  • 12.25 to 12.30 — Call from John Thain, Merrill Lynch CEO
  • 12.30 to 12.40 — Call to Ben Bernanke
  • 12.40 to 12.50 — Call to Chris Dodd
  • 12.50 to 12.55 — Call to Ben Bernanke
  • 12.55 to 1.00 — Economic Principals Lunch, Ward Room, White House
  • 1.00 to 1.05 — Call to Chris Cox
  • 1.05 to 1.10 — Call to John Mack, Morgan Stanley CEO
  • 1.10 to 1.15 — Call to Tim Geithner
  • 1.15 to 1.20 — Call to Senator Richard Shelby

SEE ALSO: The 27 scariest moments of the financial crisis

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NOW WATCH: I woke up at 4:30 a.m. for a week like a Navy SEAL

This wearable chair will allow you to sit anywhere - here's how

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  • The LEX is designed to be worn on the lower body, allowing for quick and easy use. 
  • The chair is light, weighing just over 1 kilogram and is built to withstand up to 120 kilograms (261 pounds.)
  • It costs £189 ($338) to pre-order on their Kickstarter. 

 

Lex is a wearable chair that's meant to provide a seat in any location.  

Creators Astride Bionix says the design of the chair helps with posture and can benefit in long commutes, travels and even in the workspace. 

The chair is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter where it is available to pre-order for about £189 ($338.)

Produced by Amanda Villa-Lobos

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The best photos from every single year of Prince Harry's remarkable life

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prince harry age 3

Prince Harry turns 34 on Saturday, September 15, just a few months after marrying 37-year-old actress Meghan Markle in a highly anticipated royal wedding in Windsor on Saturday, May 19.

While His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales is certainly still young, he's already had a pretty incredible life, which is only set to continue into his and Markle's married life as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Aside from his high-profile relationship, Prince Harry travels the world — both with the royal family and as part of this charity efforts — and often competes in Champagne-filled sporting tournaments.

His life hasn't been without hardships, either. He and brother Prince William both struggled with their mental health after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.

To commemorate his birthday, we've found the best photos from every single year of Prince Harry's remarkable life. Scroll down to take a look.

SEE ALSO: This is why Harry is called Prince of Wales, not England

Harry was born on September 15, 1984. Here he is with his mother, Princess Diana, and brother, Prince William.



AGE 1: Harry with Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain, Prince William, Diana, and his father, Prince Charles, at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca on July 9, 1986.



AGE 2: The Princess of Wales holds Prince Harry at the Royal Palace, Majorca, Spain on August 9, 1987.



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Inside the most exclusive party of Singapore's Grand Prix, where celebrities and billionaires pay up to $35,000 for the ultimate party experience that includes a fashion show, concerts, and free-flowing Champagne

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singapore grand prix party Amber Lounge

  • People from all over the world are flocking to Singapore for the Singapore Grand Prix motor race on September 16.
  • But attendees come for more than just the race — they come for the wild, over-the-top parties.
  • The all-weekend extravaganza at Amber Lounge is known to be the most extravagant party of the Singapore Grand Prix. 
  • And it's not cheap — ticket packages range from $477 to about $35,000.

 

If you're coming to Singapore for the Grand Prix, you're also likely going for the parties. 

The weekend's wildest party can be found at Amber Lounge, a pop-up club that is only created for the Singapore Grand Prix, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, according to Iolande Skinner, a representative for Amber Lounge.

The Amber Lounge parties attract celebrities and billionaires from all over the world, where they're bound to mingle with the drivers. 

"Every Formula One driver has Amber Lounge on speed dial after a race," Kimi Raikkonen, a 2017 Ferrari driver, told The New York Times. "It’s the only place to celebrate with friends and team members."

Business magnate Richard Branson, singer Justin Bieber, and Kim Kardashian have been seen at Amber Lounge parties in various locations, Skinner told Business Insider. 

The Singapore location for 2018 is Temasek Reflection, Singapore Water Wall behind Millenia Walk, 1 Temasek Avenue, Singapore 039192. 

Here's a look at the club's lavish all-weekend party that will cost you $10,000 just for a table.

SEE ALSO: I stayed in the $6.6 billion mega-hotel in the heart of Singapore, and it wasn't anything like 'Crazy Rich Asians'

Singapore's Grand Prix festivities kick off on the island nation in mid-September, with celebrations culminating the day of the race, September 16, 2018.

Source: Singapore Grand Prix



The swanky Amber Lounge, a pop-up club that only exists during the Singapore, Monaco, and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix races, is famous for hosting the wildest Grand Prix parties.

Source: Amber Lounge



The extravagant Singapore Grand Prix event spans the entire weekend.

Source: Visit Singapore



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The top city for young professionals who want to make more money, live cheaply, and have fun in 2018 is in South Dakota

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Sioux Falls South Dakota

  • Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is the place to be for young professionals.
  • The financial-tech company SmartAsset recently released its annual report of the top US cities for young working people.
  • Sioux Falls came out on top once again in 2018, largely thanks to its low cost of living and high employment rate. 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is a yuppie's paradise.

The financial-tech company SmartAsset recently released its second annual report on the best US cities for young professionals, and Sioux Falls took the top spot for the second year in a row. Minneapolis; Seattle; San Francisco; Austin, Texas; and Anchorage, Alaska, also appeared in both this year's rankings and last year's list.

SmartAsset looked into a city's median gross rent, its five-year change in median earnings, its entertainment and arts establishments, and its job diversity. It also took into account the number of people aged 25 to 34 in the city, as well as the unemployment rate and the labor-force participation rate for that population.

Sioux Falls boasts an unemployment rate among young adults of 1.49%. What's more, SmartAsset found that the median full-time employee in the city would have to dedicate just 23% of their earnings to pay the median rent in the city.

The city's newspaper, the Argus Leader, reported earlier this year that Sioux Falls is home to 183,200 people, marking a 2.5% bump from last year. According to the US Census Bureau, the city's median household income was $54,110 in 2016.

Sioux Falls is also home to the outdoor Christian music festival LifeLight, a bronze casting of Michelangelo's David sculpture, and a park that's "one of the oldest sites of long-term human habitation in the United States,"according to South Dakota's official travel site.

SEE ALSO: South Dakota urges Supreme Court to click 'buy' on internet sales tax

DON'T MISS: South Dakota philanthropist gives $100 million to nonprofit

READ MORE: South Dakota could be first state to tweak 'Marsy's Law'

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NOW WATCH: There's a secret room behind Mount Rushmore that is inaccessible to tourists

Here are the 16 biggest video games launching this fall, from an all-new ‘Fallout’ to the hotly-anticipated ‘Red Dead Redemption 2'

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Red Dead Redemption 2

Can you smell it in the air? This year's "Madden" has already arrived, its annual mid-August launch signaling the coming wave of blockbuster video games about to arrive on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. 

Huge new entries from already massively popular franchises are the standouts this year, and "Red Dead Redemption 2" (seen above) is the heaviest heavy of them all. The long-awaited sequel to Rockstar Games' brilliant original "Red Dead Redemption" is a kind of "Grand Theft Auto" meets "The Magnificent Seven"— a fitting game from the folks behind the "Grand Theft Auto" series. 

But this fall isn't all cowboys and train robberies.

super smash bros ultimate

Below, we've put together the 16 biggest games slated to arrive in the biggest game release season of the year:

SEE ALSO: Nearly 5 years after launch, we compared the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One — and it's a harder decision than ever

1. "Madden NFL 19"

New year, new "Madden" game. 2018 is no different, and the latest entry in the football simulation series is available to buy now.

A handful of changes are being made this time around, like every year, but let's be honest: You're not buying "Madden" because of changes. Is anyone? "Madden NFL 19" is simply the latest iteration of a formula that's been working for over 25 years, which is exactly what it's supposed to be.

Release Date: August 10

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC



2. "Marvel's Spider-Man"

The new "Spider-Man" game — a PlayStation 4 exclusive game — features a massive New York City that you can swing around, with plenty of enemies to pummel along the way. It's focused on re-creating the Spider-Man experience as closely as possible.

This is the classic Peter Parker/Spider-Man you already know and love.

"Our Spider-Man features a 23-year-old Peter Parker who has become a masterful Spider-Man," the game's creative director, Bryan Intihar, said of the game. "While he may be more experienced, Peter and Spider-Man's worlds continue to collide as he tries to juggle them."

Release Date: September 7

Platforms: PlayStation 4



3. "NBA 2K19"

For the 2oth anniversary of the NBA 2K series, newly minted Los Angeles Laker LeBron James is gracing the cover.

As per usual, "NBA 2K19" is a gorgeous basketball simulation — the basketball equivalent of "Madden" for football. It sets the standard for sim basketball games. Also like "Madden," it doesn't change too much from year to year. The focus is on updating the game to be a strong reflection of the current NBA, and it consistently delivers on that. Expect "NBA 2K19" to continue that tradition.

Release Date: September 11

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch



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Is buying a house a better investment than the stock market? We did the math, and the answer is clear

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home for sale

  • Owning real estate is often the biggest financial commitment someone will make, while investing in stocks is generally a key component of building wealth.
  • Using data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Yahoo Finance, we compared housing prices and stock prices over the past couple of decades.
  • In that time, stocks have clearly had higher returns — but there are a few caveats.
  • This is a simplified comparison meant to reflect on past performance. The best decision for your money depends on your individual circumstances and needs.

Home ownership is one of the biggest financial commitments most Americans will make, while investing in stocks is widely seen as a key component of building wealth.

We decided to take a look at how housing prices and stock prices have fared over the years.

Using house-price indexes from the Federal Housing Finance Agency and prices for the S&P 500 from Yahoo Finance going back to 1991, we looked at how the two compared at various times in the past 27 years, as well as how housing prices in some of the biggest cities in the US have fared against stocks.

In most cases, stocks have outperformed housing prices over the decades, as a nine-year bull market continues to roar.

It's worth noting that this is a very simplified comparison. Stocks and houses are, of course, two very different types of investments. Home ownership comes with property taxes and upkeep costs, but also provides the key service of being a place for someone to live that stocks clearly do not. Stock ownership can involve brokerage and other fees.

Further, stock prices tend to be more volatile over time than housing prices. While it is possible to accrue great riches in the stock market, it's also quite possible to lose it all. Housing prices have tended to rise more steadily over time, but as the mid-2000s housing bubble and subsequent bust showed, that increase is far from guaranteed.

Given those caveats, here's how two of the most important financial markets for ordinary Americans have evolved over the past three decades.

SEE ALSO: Here's how much the typical millennial, Gen X, and baby-boomer worker earns in every US state

DON'T MISS: Here's how much you would have made investing $1,000 in Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and 19 other major companies back in the day

Since the start of the FHFA series in January 1991, stocks have dramatically outperformed housing prices.

Even with the dot-com crash and the stock-market crash in the wake of the financial crisis of the late 2000s, the cumulative gains in the stock market since the beginning of the 1990s have resulted in a gain of over 700%, while housing prices have increased 164% in that time.



But timing matters. Starting at the top of the dot-com bubble in September 2000 leads to a narrow edge for housing prices.

Housing prices are up about 85% while stocks are up 79% since September 2000, when the stock market peaked during the tech bubble.



Buying at the post-tech-bubble bottom for the stock market had the opposite effect.

Housing prices are up 60% and stocks are up 233% since October 2002.



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Where Americans can trace their ancestry, in 17 maps

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America USA July 4th Independence Day Flag

  • Americans come from a wide variety of ancestries.
  • Using data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, we found how common various ancestries are in all 50 states.
  • For instance, Irish ancestry is most concentrated in the northeast, while Mexican and Mexican-American ancestry is most common in the states that share a border with Mexico.

Americans come from all over the world, and American families have countless stories about their origins.

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey asks several questions about residents' economic, social, and demographic characteristics and situations. One of the questions on the survey asks respondents to report their families' ancestries.

Using individual-level data from the Minnesota Population Center's Integrated Public Use Microdata Series for the 2016 American Community Survey, we found the total number of respondents in each state reporting various ancestries as either their first or second response to that question.

About 84% of respondents listed at least one ancestry. The following maps show the percentage of those who gave at least one answer that said they had a particular ancestry for 17 of the most common ancestries in the US.

SEE ALSO: Here are the most common ancestries in every US state

Americans with German ancestry are common in the upper Midwest



Irish ancestry is most concentrated in the northeast



A large part of the African American and Afro-American population in the US lives in the south



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Google may have just revealed the colors of its upcoming Pixel 3 phone (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Google Pixel 3 colors

  • A Google promo site may have revealed the colors of the upcoming Pixel 3 smartphones. 
  • The site shows the outline of the phone in three colors: black, white, and mint. 
  • The colors are just the latest in a string of leaks about the Pixel 3. In the weeks and months leading up to the launch, numerous photos and videos have leaked that appear to reveal the design and specs of the upcoming phones.

We may now know the colors of the upcoming Google Pixel 3. 

A Google promo site first spotted by Droid Life displays what might be the Pixel 3 in three colors: white, black, and mint. The page features the outline of a phone, along with the words "Coming Soon" and some digital confetti. Clicking on the Google logo on the phone switches between each color. 

Here's the white version:

Google Pixel 3 white

And here's the black version: 

Google Pixel 3 black

Google is expected to unveil the new Pixel 3 in both regular and the larger XL sizes at its Made By Google event on October 9. But Google's thunder may have already been stolen: In the weeks and months leading up to the event, numerous photos and videos have leaked that appear to reveal the design and specs of the upcoming phone. In fact, someone seems to have left one of the new phones in the back of a Lyft car earlier this month.

So far, looks like the Pixel 3 XL will have a design similar to the Pixel 2 XL, except for a notch at the top of the device similar to the iPhone X. The standard-sized Pixel 3 will likely look similar to last year's Pixel 2.

SEE ALSO: A new Pixelbook laptop from Google may have just leaked in an online ad

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Steve Bannon says 'Time's Up' is 'the single most powerful potential political movement in the world'

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Steve Bannon

  • Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon spoke at The Economist's Open Future festival on Saturday.
  • During the event, Bannon said he thought the "Time's Up" movement was "the single most powerful potential political movement in the world." 
  • Bannon appeared at the festival less than two weeks after the New Yorker booted him from a similar event, after other speakers threatened to pull out. 

President Donald Trump's former chief strategist says he's surprised the #MeToo movement hasn't had more impact on corporate America.

Steve Bannon says he thinks Time's Up is "the single most powerful potential political movement in the world."

Bannon spoke Saturday in New York during an ideas festival sponsored by The Economist. His comments came the same week Les Moonves stepped down as head of CBS Corp. and the network fired "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager. Both men deny sexual misconduct allegations against them.

Asked about Time's Up, Bannon said: "I'm quite shocked that the #MeToo movement hasn't cut through corporate America with a bigger scythe, because I think there's a lot of potential there."

Time's Up is a movement against sexual harassment that picked up speed last year.

Bannon spoke at the Open Future festival less than two weeks after The New Yorker booted him from its own festival, when other speakers threatened to pull out over Bannon's inclusion. 

Despite similar negative feedback, The Economist stood by its decision to host Bannon. 

Economist Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes said in a letter published Tuesday that they asked many different kinds of people to take part in the event, including those "with whose views we agree and disagree."

"Mr. Bannon stands for a world view that is antithetical to the liberal values The Economist has always espoused," Beddoes wrote.

"We asked him to take part because his populist nationalism is of grave consequence in today's politics," he added. "He helped propel Donald Trump to the White House, and he is advising the populist far-right in several European countries where they are close to power or in government. Worryingly large numbers of people are drawn to nativist nationalism. And Mr. Bannon is one of its chief proponents."

Protesters gathered outside the Economist event on Saturday to show their distaste for Bannon, holding up signs that read "Shame" and "Would you invite Joseph Goebbels to speak?"

SEE ALSO: Steve Bannon's message to Trump voters: It doesn't matter if your congressman is a 'RINO' — vote for them, or else Trump gets impeached

DON'T MISS: Steve Bannon amplifies Trump's war on tech, brands Facebook, Twitter, and Google's bosses evil 'sociopaths'

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All the biggest Emmy snubs of 2018, from 'The Terror' to 'The Good Place'

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The Terror

Not everyone can be a winner, or even a nominee.  

The Emmys are on Monday night, and nominations came out in July, with some surprises and many disappointments. 

In 2018, there were 728 shows on the ballot and 2,372 performances, so, of course, some shows and performances had to miss out on nominations, even if they deserved them.

Unfortunately some of the absolute best shows and performances eligible didn't get any recognition, like AMC's "The Terror" and "Halt and Catch Fire." And some didn't get the nominations they deserved, like NBC's "The Good Place" and HBO's "Insecure."

The 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by "SNL's" Colin Jost and Michael Che, will air live Monday, September 17 on NBC at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Here are all the 2018 Emmy snubs:

SEE ALSO: The 2018 Emmy nominees have been announced, with 'Game of Thrones' and Netflix leading the pack

DRAMA SERIES



"Halt and Catch Fire"



"Killing Eve"



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KJ Apa trolls the intimate photo that 'Riverdale' co-star Cole Sprouse posted of Lili Reinhart

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kj apa lili reinhart instagram

 

The stars of "Riverdale" never pass up an opportunity to troll each other. 

On Friday, Casey Cott (known for his role as Kevin Keller on the hit CW show) posted a photo of co-star KJ Apa (who plays Archie Andrews) on Instagram. In the image, Apa was seated on a chair and facing a mirror as Cott took the photo with his phone. The latter captioned the snap: "Both the birthday and my gift. My little muse, have a good day my love."

Both the birthday and my gift. My little muse, have a good day my love.

A post shared by Casey Cott (@caseycott) on Sep 14, 2018 at 12:32pm PDT on

The post was met with praise, laughter, and heart emojis from Apa, Sprouse, and several other co-stars. Fans of the series also noticed that the image closely resembled a shirtless photo of Lili Reinhart, which was shared by Cole Sprouse in honor of her 22nd birthday.

The two actors, who play on-screen couple Jughead and Betty, have kept their real-life relationship under wraps for the most part since speculation started in 2017. In addition to sharing more photos of each other lately, the couple also made fun of fan reactions to their relationship

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IoT Report: How Internet of Things technology is now reaching mainstream companies and consumers

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This is a preview of the Internet of Things (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the IoT ecosystem, tech trends and industry forecasts, click here.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming how companies and consumers go about their days around the world. The technology that underlies this whole segment is evolving quickly, whether it’s the rapid rise of the Amazon Echo and voice assistants upending the consumer space, or growth of AI-powered analytics platforms for the enterprise market.

Investments into Internet of Things solutions

And Business Insider Intelligence is keeping its finger on the pulse of this ongoing revolution by conducting our second annual Global IoT Executive Survey, which provides us with critical insights on new developments within the IoT and explains how top-level perspectives are changing year-to-year. Our survey includes more than 400 responses from key executives around the world, including C-suite and director-level respondents.

Through this exclusive study and in-depth research into the field, Business Insider Intelligence details the components that make up the IoT ecosystem. We size the IoT market and use exclusive data to identify key trends in device installations and investment. And we profile the enterprise and consumer IoT segments individually, drilling down into the drivers and characteristics that are shaping each market.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

  • We project that there will be more than 55 billion IoT devices by 2025, up from about 9 billion in 2017.
  • We forecast that there will be nearly $15 trillion in aggregate IoT investment between 2017 and 2025, with survey data showing that companies' plans to invest in IoT solutions are accelerating.
  • The report highlights the opinions and experiences of IoT decision-makers on topics that include: drivers for adoption; major challenges and pain points; deployment and maturity of IoT implementations; investment in and utilization of devices; the decision-making process; and forward- looking plans.

In full, the report:

  • Provides a primer on the basics of the IoT ecosystem.
  • Offers forecasts for the IoT moving forward, and highlights areas of interest in the coming years.
  • Looks at who is and is not adopting the IoT, and why.
  • Highlights drivers and challenges facing companies that are implementing IoT solutions.

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BMW just unveiled a new electric SUV concept to take on Tesla's Model X — take a closer look

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bmw vision inext

  • BMW unveiled an electric concept SUV, the Vision iNEXT, on Saturday.
  • The vehicle's features include autonomous driving technology, voice control, and a projector that can show images or videos on objects held by passengers.
  • A production vehicle based on the concept is planned for 2021.

BMW unveiled an electric concept SUV, the Vision iNEXT, on Saturday. The concept shows some of the technology the company may use in the future. A production vehicle based on the concept is planned for 2021.

The concept includes autonomous driving technology, voice control, a projector that can show images or videos on objects held by passengers, and a touch control feature that allows drivers and passengers to change vehicle settings by drawing on their seats with their fingers.

Here's what the Vision iNEXT looks like:

bmw vision inext

bmw vision inext

bmw vision inext

SEE ALSO: We drove an all-new $116,000 Lexus LS 500 to see if it can still strike fear into the hearts of Mercedes-Benz and BMW — here's the verdict

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How fintechs are upending the mortgage space and creating opportunities for retail banks

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provider swtiching UKThis is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Mortgages are valuable for retail banks, but they're also complex products. In the UK alone, mortgages account for almost 60% of retail banks' profits. But mortgage lending can be a complicated process — it involves estate agents, appraisers, and conveyance agents.

This complexity has resulted in major consumer pain points, like a lack of understanding of mortgages, inconvenient access channels, and difficulty switching providers. In an increasingly digital landscape, tech-savvy consumers are starting to demand simpler ways to take out mortgages, and legacy providers are suffering. In the US, the top three incumbent lenders together captured about 45% of the overall mortgage market in 2011; they hold just 24% in 2017.

But a new class of mortgage-focused startups have developed a range of business models to help incumbents update this valuable product for the digital age. Their strategies vary between geographies: In countries like the US and UK, where homeownership is culturally important, they help incumbents keep consumers interested in taking out home loans.

Meanwhile, in countries like Germany and Switzerland, where people prefer renting, they help incumbents attract new mortgage customers. Some incumbents are already partnering with these players, while others have opted to launch in-house initiatives. Each strategy has its pros and cons, but incumbents must adopt an approach to avoid losing relevancy and market share.

There are still some fundamental problems in the insurance market that present obstacles to innovation — for both startups and incumbents. But there are ways to overcome them while making mortgages more attractive for consumers and improving returns for lenders.

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence looks at the fundamental problems dogging the current mortgage process and examines why these flaws are becoming impossible for incumbent mortgage providers to ignore. It also outlines the types of fintechs stepping in to drive innovation in the mortgage space, some current efforts by incumbent banks, and hurdles still standing in the way of large-scale change in the mortgage industry, as well as what can be done about them.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report: 

  • Mortgages are among retail banks' most profitable products, but these lenders have been slow to adapt mortgages to a digital economy. This has created pain points in the customer journey, like inconvenient access channels, and difficulty switching providers.
  • Ignoring these pain points is no longer an option for incumbents. The rise of alternative, digital-only mortgage firms is putting them under increasing pressure to make mortgages more attractive.
  • Fintech startups have detected an opportunity in incumbents’ slowness to innovate, and have developed several strategies to help them, like broadening their distribution channels, improving customer relationships, providing attractive front-ends, and making their back-ends more efficient.
  • Some incumbents have instead chosen to innovate their mortgage processes in-house. There are pros and cons to both strategies, which incumbents should weigh in order to add the most value for customers and their own businesses. 

In full, the report:

  • Examines the flaws in the mortgage status quo that are upsetting consumers and dampening returns for lenders.
  • Discusses why incumbent lenders can't afford to delay innovating any longer around this product.
  • Outlines different ways mortgage fintechs are breathing new life into this product, including by helping incumbents.
  • Looks at some mortgage efforts already underway by incumbent lenders, and some considerations that should guide their projects.
  • Gives an overview of hurdles still standing in the way of large-scale change in the mortgage space, and how they can be overcome.

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