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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3661774" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="jose-ramirez">Jose Ramirez</keyword> is a boxer unlike most others.</li><li>Ramirez spoke to Insider ahead of his world super lightweight title defense against Viktor Postol. But rather than plug the fight, Ramirez wanted to promote social issues instead.</li><li>His political awareness outside the ring has drawn comparisons to Muhammad Ali, who transcended <keyword id="6362171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boxing">boxing</keyword> because of his stances on war, race, and class.</li><li>Considering the anti-immigrant rhetoric from the highest political office in the United States, there is perhaps no fighter, with a "pro-immigrant and proud" message as important as Ramirez's.</li></ul>Jose Ramirez is a boxing champion unlike most others, and it's easy to see why.Ahead of a world title fight, it is customary to call your opponent a loser, incite violence at the weigh-in ceremony, or even issue bone-chilling death threats.But Ramirez, a 28-year-old from central California, is different.Days before he defends his WBC and WBO super lightweight belts against the Ukrainian Viktor Postol at a behind-closed-doors ESPN show in Las Vegas Saturday, Ramirez spoke to Insider about his family, his relationship with God, and his political ideals.Ramirez answered with graceful diplomacy when we asked about Donald Trump. He told us that he's "pro-immigrant and proud." And he talked at length about agriculture, green policies, and community spirit.The fighter's activist mentality has drawn comparisons to Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight champion who transcended boxing because of his positions on race, class, and war."Jose Ramirez, in my view, is the most socially involved American fighter since Muhammad Ali," Ramirez's promoter <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/jose-ramirez-became-socially-involved-american-fighter-since-muhammad-ali-184735533.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bob Arum, the 88-year-old founder of the powerful Las Vegas fight firm Top Rank, told Yahoo Sports</a>.Ramirez's manager Rick Mirigian said similar to <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article205387669.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sacramento Bee</a>. "Whether it's water or immigrant rights, he puts his money where his mouth is."<h2>From the fields to the fights</h2>The sun would beat 100-degree heat onto Ramirez's neck as he worked the farms during the summer holidays as a kid.He'd labor outside in his teenage years, picking bell peppers in the fields, wanting to work and earn money so he could pay for his own things — clothes and a cell phone — as well as help out with a bill or two at home, relieving some of the financial burden from his parents.And so he found a job in the agriculture business, making $390 a week."During the day, I would wake up at 4 a.m. or 4.30 a.m., go to work at 5 a.m, finish at 4 p.m. and go to the gym for 4.30 p.m., train for two hours, and then go home and rest so I can do it all again the next morning."That was a typical day during those summers," he recalled.Ramirez never changed his work ethic even when school restarted in September. He's always been an early-riser."I'd wake up early and go for a run," he said. "Then I'd go to school, learn, go to the boxing gym afterward, and I played soccer as well after high school. Training with the team in the evenings."I'd then go home, do my homework, and sleep."<h2>A child of immigrants</h2><div type="image" title="Jose Ramirez and Rick Mirigian" height="450" width="900" msid="77824088" hostid="261"></div>Ramirez's pro-immigrant stance is defined by his lived experience. "My parents migrated from Mexico in 1987. I was born in the United States in 1992, first-generation, raised in a small farming community in California with a population of 10,000 people who dedicated their lives to the agriculture business."That's what I saw," he said. "A first-generation kid in that community where people had similar upbringings and lifestyles."My parents dedicated themselves to be good and loving. They taught me what's good and what's bad - faith in God. And made sure they were raising me and my siblings in the best way possible."Ramirez said he loved life as a boy and didn't see that other kids may have had "extra privileges.""Our innocence was colorful," he said.He started boxing at eight years old in the year 2000. Even at that young age, his dream was to become a champion and knew if he rose to the top he could earn serious cash to "give more privileges to my family than we were used to."To give my future kids a better school, better education, making sure we don't struggle for food and live check by check."Back to the beginnings, it was a very simple life. I feel very honored I was raised in such a humble community. I grew up appreciating who those people were [farmers] … making it easy for the rest of America to go to the local goods store and get their food."That's where my passion for these hard-working people started off."<h2>A political awakening that packed a punch</h2><div type="image" title="Jose Ramirez" height="1000" width="1500" msid="77824089" hostid="261"></div>Ramirez is a fighter by trade. That's clear. He's unbeaten in an eight-year professional career with 17 knockouts from 25 wins.He became a world champion in 2018 before annexing a second belt the following year with a signature stoppage win over Maurice Hooker in Arlington.Against Hooker, Ramirez foiled his foe with expert head movement, a superior ability to close the gap and box inside, and make his opponent wince with painful body shots.The referee jumped on Hooker when the Texan was on the ropes, getting battered by a merciless Ramirez in the performance of his career.Watch the highlights here:No doubt, Ramirez is an exhilarating fighter. And should he keep winning while competing in talent-rich weight categories, he will become a great one.But speaking to Insider, Ramirez was always humble. He never bragged. And he also refused to bad-mouth opponents — those in the ring, and outside of it.Insider asked Ramirez about Trump, his stance on immigration, and what he would do to combat anti-immigrant mentality, should he seek office in a post-boxing career."We are pro-immigrant and proud," he said, adding that he wants to motivate people."They should be proud to be immigrants just as an American, as a European American, who might have colored eyes and light skin."I want to remind people that America is a land of opportunity. And part of that is to motivate politicians to fight for immigration reform. We have the power to elect certain officials and it's their job to work for us."These elections, I haven't heard much about immigration reform besides opening or closing the borders. It's sad to see people running for president, who don't have answers to those questions."<h2>Green policy, clean water</h2>Immigration reform isn't the only issue Ramirez is passionate about.As <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/jose-ramirez-became-socially-involved-american-fighter-since-muhammad-ali-184735533.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports reported</a>, "he's lobbied for water rights on behalf of the California Latino Water Coalition. He's worked to raise money for scholarships for needy students [in his community], who wouldn't be able to attend college otherwise."Ramirez told Insider: "In California, it's a very environmental state, so I'd lean more towards parties that benefit the animals, going green."He said because California is so agriculturally important to the rest of the country, providing many crops nationwide, the importance of correct water storage, and farmers having enough water to farm cannot be understated.<h2>A Pacquiao, Klitschko, and Ali for 2020 and beyond</h2>Fighters have hung up the gloves to concentrate on politics before. The former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is the current mayor of Kyiv.The eight-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao is a senator in the Philippines.It also brings us back to Ali, the man Ramirez's manager Mirigian and promoter Arum compare him to when it comes to social awareness.So, does Ramirez look up to Ali, Pacquiao, and Klitschko?"The only inspiration I have is to do the right thing and to do God's will," he said."Whatever policy, campaign, or movement I get behind, is because I truly believe in it and I know that it would do best for the people. That's my biggest motivation right now.These are weird times. I don't know if I can get into politics as I'm way too honest with myself."Boxing is his future, for the time being. "Right now, I want to focus on my career, and on being a good father, a good son, and a good friend. Respecting the people, respecting everyone's decision, and praying for everyone so they have a positive outcome."<h2>Fighting Postol</h2><div type="image" title="Jose Ramirez vs Viktor Postol faceoff" height="1087" width="1500" msid="77824090" hostid="261"></div>Ramirez defends his two super lightweight world championships Saturday at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.It is a highly-sanitized venue colloquially known as "The Bubble," and has been <keyword id="2349386" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="top-rank">Top Rank</keyword>'s go-to destination in the coronavirus era.It has <a href="https://www.insider.com/clay-collard-former-ufc-becomes-one-of-boxings-biggest-hits-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made a cult hero out of the former UFC fighter Clay Collard</a>, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-elvis-rodriguez-kos-his-opponent-with-a-jab-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a budding star in Elvis Rodriguez</a> — who also fights Saturday — but it is Ramirez who is the biggest name to enter "The Bubble."Few wins in boxing last year made as big a statement as Ramirez's thumping victory over Hooker, and Ramirez acknowledges it as his best performance to date."The reason why was because of who I faced — another champion who was undefeated and that really elevated my ranking in the sport."Ramirez told us he's excited to finally continue where he left off in 2019, desperate to compete after two coronavirus-enforced cancelations of this bout.Ramirez had "two training camps with no reward" but now the fight is here. "I'm eager to do my best, perform at my best, and leave everything I have in that ring."Ramirez is visualizing victory so he can attempt to unify his two titles with the other two major championships in the 140-pound division — both of which are owned by the Scottish boxer Josh Taylor, a Top Rank stablemate."After Postol, that is definitely the fight [to make]," Ramirez said. "Josh Taylor is a great, unified champion. I'm a unified champion. [Whoever wins can] go on to the next division as the undisputed best."Taylor is a great fight," Ramirez said. "Everyone would be paying attention."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/why-boxing-comes-easy-for-erislandy-lara-cuban-defector-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boxing is easy for Erislandy Lara because he already won the biggest fight of his life — becoming a US citizen after defecting from Cuba</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/andy-ruiz-jr-laughs-about-dillian-whytes-brutal-knockout-loss-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prominent people in boxing are gloating after the British heavyweight Dillian Whyte suffered a brutal knockout loss Saturday</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/jordan-wright-leaves-hole-in-ufc-opponents-face-wins-debut-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An unbeaten American left a hole in his opponent's face which was so bloody, the UFC doctor stopped the fight after 91 seconds</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-joe-smith-send-eleider-alvarez-through-the-ropes-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An American boxer called Joe Smith landed a 1-2 punch combination so powerful it blasted his opponent through the bottom ropes</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/anderson-silva-and-conor-mcgregor-agreed-a-ufc-mega-fight-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-would-be-glad-to-fight-conor-mcgregor-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Khabib Nurmagomedov says he would happily fight Conor McGregor again in one of the biggest UFC bouts of all time</a>

Boxing champion Jose Ramirez has been compared to a modern-day Muhammad Ali, and could follow Manny Pacquiao into politics

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;ALID=2C0BF1FFV2YR6#/SearchResult&amp;ALID=2C0BF1FFV2YR6&amp;VBID=2C0BX4PDOZ67&amp;POPUPPN=14&amp;POPUPIID=2C0BF1FZFDIY6">REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini</a>Brazilian top model Gisele Bundchen poses before a fashion show by German designer Karl Lagerfeld as part of his latest inter-seasonal Cruise collection for fashion house Chanel at the Paseo del Prado street in Havana, Cuba, May 3, 2016.</div></div></div>Good morning! Here's what you need to know in markets on Thursday.Credit Suisse is cutting jobs in London, according to people familiar with the matter. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/credit-suisse-cutting-trading-jobs-2016-5">The bank is putting about 130 people at risk of redundancy in the global markets business in the UK capital</a>, according to the people. The cuts started Tuesday and continued into Wednesday. Of the 130, about 80 are in fixed income, with the other 50 in equities, the people said.Alphabet's YouTube is working on a paid subscription service called Unplugged that would offer customers a bundle of cable TV channels streamed over the Internet, Bloomberg reported. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-youtube-planning-online-tv-service-bloomberg-2016-5?IR=T">The project is slated to debut in the US as soon as 2017</a>, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the plan.Trinity Mirror is pulling down the shutters on the New Day, in an abrupt reversal just 10 weeks after launching the first new national paper in Britain for 30 years. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/04/trinity-mirror-to-close-the-new-day-just-10-weeks-after-launchin/">The Telegraph reports</a> that the company is expected to announce the closure as part of a trading update on Thursday morning. The final edition is likely to be on Friday.The European Commission is likely to block Telefonica's sale of the British telecom business O2 to Hutchison group in Hong Kong due to fears it would inflict higher prices on British consumers, a source told AFP on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/05/eu-likely-block-sale-o2-telecoms-competition-grounds">"We expect European competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, to block the sale," said a source close to the matter</a>, indicating that a decision was expected this month.Asian shares are down. China's benchmark Shanghai Composite is down 0.18% at the time of writing (6.30 a.m. GMT/1.30 a.m. ET) and the Hong Kong Hang Seng is down 0.43%. Japan's Nikkei is still closed for a public holiday.The latest figures on growth in Britain's services sector are coming. Markit's PMI for April is expected to slow to 53.5, from 53.7 a year earlier. Anything above 50 signals growth, while anything below means contraction.The New York Stock Exchange's owner has shelved plans to gatecrash a merger between London Stock Exchange and its German counterpart, saying it no longer intended to stage a rival bid for the British bourse. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-exchange-ice-shelves-plans-for-london-bourse-counter-bid-2016-5?IR=T">Intercontinental Exchange's CEO Jeffrey Sprecher accused the London exchange of failing to respond to the US group's approaches despite several attempts to arrange meetings,</a> meaning it did not have enough information to make a formal offer.Bangladesh's central bank chief will meet the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a senior executive from global financial messaging service SWIFT next week to seek the recovery of about $81 million (£55.7 million) stolen by hackers, officials in Dhaka said. Two Bangladesh Bank officials said the bank believed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-bangladesh-bank-officials-say-to-meet-ny-fed-swift-seek-to-recover-stolen-money-2016-5?IR=T">both the New York Fed and SWIFT bore some responsibility for the February cyber heist.</a> The officials spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to brief the media.China will invest 77 billion yuan (£8.1 billion, $11.9 billion) this year in building aviation infrastructure, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Wednesday, citing the country's civil aviation regulator. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said the investment, which will focus on airports, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-china-to-invest-119-billion-in-aviation-infrastructure-in-2016-xinhua-2016-5?IR=T">will initially lead to 11 key construction projects and 52 aviation-related upgrades to existing facilities, Xinhua reported.</a>Tom Hayes, the former banker convicted for his role in rigging the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), is trying to raise money for an appeal against his conviction using a crowdfunding platform. Hayes, who could serve as long as 11-years in jail for his role in the scandal, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/tom-hayes-turns-to-crowdfunding-to-raise-money-for-an-appeal-against-his-conviction-2016-5">is attempting to raise £150,000 on crowdfunding site FundRazr so that he can appeal his conviction.</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-interesting-men-world-watches-rolex-breitling-jorg-gray-2015-8">These are the watches worn by the smartest and most powerful men in the world</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="N3NGJ0djpb_DdQzkXVopAvbq5AmmiuOx" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

10 things you need to know in markets today

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Netflix</div></div></div>December is almost here and Netflix has released its list of TV shows and movies coming to the streaming site.Get ready for a lot of new and returning original Netflix series. Along with a second season of "Fuller House," there are nearly 30 new and returning Netflix originals.There's the return of some classics including "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Animal House." Netflix will also feature this year's Spock documentary and, just in time for Christmas, this year's summer blockbuster "Captain America: Civil War" will be available.Here's the full list of December releases. We've highlighted some favorites below.Available 12/1/2016"Always" (1989) "Angels in the Snow" (2015) "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Paramount</div></div></div> "Beyond Bollywood" (2014) "Black Snake Moan" (2007) "Chill with Bob Ross" Collection (1990) "Compulsion" (1959) "D2: The Mighty Ducks" (1994) "David Blaine: Street Magic" (1997) "Dreamland" (2010) "For the Love of Spock" (2016) "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce" Season 2 (2015) "Glory Daze: The Life and Time of Michael Alig" (2016) "Harry and the Hendersons" (1987) "Hitler: A Career" (1977) "Holiday Engagement" (2011) "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" (1989) "House of Wax" (2006) "Hannibal" (2001) "Merli" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Merry Kissmas" (2015) "National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978) "Picture Perfect" (1997) "Rainbow Time" (2016) "Rodeo &amp; Juliet" (2015) "Swept Under" (2016) "Switchback" (1997) "The Angry Birds Movie" (2016)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">YouTube / Screenshot</div></div></div>"The Crucible" (1996) "The Little Rascals" (1994) "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000) "The Rock" (1996) "The Spirit of Christmas" (2015) "Toys" (1992) "Uncle Nick" (2015) "Waking Life" (2001) "Way of the Dragon" (1972) "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story" (1993) "White Girl" (2016) "Wildflower" (2016) "Zero Point" (2014)Available 12/2/2016 "Fauda" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Hip Hop Evolution" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Pacific Heat" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/3/2016"Lost &amp; Found Music Studios" Season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/5/2016"Mad" (2016) "The Good Neighbor" (2016)Available 12/6/2016"Blue Jay" "Homeland (Iraq Year Zero)" Season 1 "Reggie Watts: Spatial" NETFLIX ORIGINAL "The Devil Dolls" (2016) "The Model" (2016)Available 12/8/2016"The Cuba Libre Story: Season 1" NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/9/2016"Captive" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Cirque du Soleil Junior - Luna Petunia" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Club de Cuervos" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Fuller House" Season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINAL<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Netflix</div></div></div> "Four Seasons in Havana" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Medici: Masters of Florence" Season 1-NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Spectral" NETFLIX ORIGINAL "White Rabbit Project" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/10/2016"Lucky Number Slevin" (2006) "Phantom of the Theater" (2016)Available 12/11/2016"Breaking a Monster" (2016)Available 12/12/2016"Ricardo O'Farrill: Christmas Special" NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/13/2016"Colony" Season 1 "Killswitch" (2016) "I Am Not a Serial Killer" (2016) "Nobel" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/14/2016"Versailles" Season 1 (2015)Available 12/16/2016"Barry" NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Call Me Francis" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Crazyhead" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "No Second Chance" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Rats" (2016) "The Adventures of Puss in Boots" Season 4 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/19/2016"Miss Stevens" (2016)Available 12/20/2016"Disorder" (2015) "Gabriel Iglesias: Sorry For What I Said When I Was Hungry" NETFLIX ORIGINAL "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" Season 6 (2016) "Ten Percent" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "The Break" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/23/16"Travelers" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Trollhunters" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/25/16<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Disney/Marvel</div></div></div>"Captain America: Civil War" (2016) "When Hari Got Married" (2013)Available 12/27/16"Ajin" Season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINAL "Chasing Cameron" Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable 12/28/16"Comedy Bang! Bang!" Season 5 (2016)Available 12/29/16"The Hollywood Shorties" (2016)Available 12/30/16"The Eighties" Season 1 (2016)Available 12/31/16"Big in Bollywood" (2011) <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-rolled-ice-cream-has-a-hidden-flavor-2016-11">This rolled ice cream has a hidden flavor inside</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="1mcWFtNzE6GdAGeeqXRPB51MC47rpR1U" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Here's everything coming to Netflix in December

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Americans work a bewildering <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/10/why-women-are-judged-far-more-harshly-than-men-for-leaving-work-early/">1,836 hours a year</a> - far more than most of the rest of the world. But they take far less vacation than anyone else. In 2013 Americans squandered <a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/allworknopay">169 million vacation days</a>, and last year a whopping <a href="http://skift.com/2015/01/05/travel-habits-of-americans-41-percent-didnt-take-any-vacation-days-in-2014/">42% of working Americans didn't take a single vacation day</a>. This is a travesty. Here are 8 reasons why Americans should take their vacation days.<h3>You are literally throwing money away. </h3>According to the study "<a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/AllWorkNoPay_AmEx_P.TO_.pdf">All Work and No Pay: The Impact of Forfeited Time Off</a>," last year, Americans gave up on $65.6 billion in time-off benefits. What this means for you, as an individual, is that you essentially said thanks but no thanks to $748. In other words, you did $748 of free work.<h3 dir="ltr">You are hurting the economy.</h3><a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/Oxford_UnusedTimeOff_FullReport.pdf">A study </a>by Oxford Economics found that the economy would gain $160 billion in total business sales and $21 billion in tax revenues if American workers actually took all of their PTO. This translates into 1.2 million new jobs across pretty much all industries.<h3 dir="ltr">You are being less productive.</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Counterintuitively, taking time off actually increases productivity, though the main reason Americans don't take their days is for fear of looking like slackers. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/22/travel/u-s-workers-vacation-time/">According to CNN</a>, taking a vacation "can increase performance by 80%." Even crazier, <a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/fact-sheets/Happiness_FactSheet_P.TO_.pdf">another study </a>shows that a whopping 91% of senior business leaders totally know that their employees are less productive when they don't take time off (and that time off boosts workplace morale, retains employees and has health benefits) - and yet, most of them don't seem to encourage it either.Mental fatigue is as real as physical fatigue, so just like you need to take a break after exercising, your brain needs regular breaks as well. The same Oxford Economics study reported that a whopping three quarters of workers surveyed said they felt recharged after a vacation, half that they felt more focused, and 41% that they were less stressed.<h3 dir="ltr">You are ruining your chances at promotion.</h3>While you might think that working weekends and forfeiting vacation makes you look dedicated and will help you climb the career ladder faster, the opposite holds true. Apparently, <a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/fact-sheets/AWNP_ExecSumm_P.TO_.pdf">employees who didn't use their vacation days (those who leave more than 11 days unused, specifically) were 6.5% less likely to get a raise </a>or bonus than their holidaying colleagues.<h3 dir="ltr">You are ruining your health.</h3>Have you heard of burnout? This trendy buzzword has steadily become a real - and common - issue, as men and women work longer hours and take fewer days in an effort to look dedicated.<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11020089">A study</a> found that men at risk for heart disease were 30% more likely to have a heart attack when skipping vacation for five years in a row than those who took a week off each year, but that even just skipping one vacation increased their risk.Women didn't fare much better. <a href="http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/135/8/854.short">A different study </a>found that ladies who took days off only once every six years were almost eight times more likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack than those who took two vacations a year. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16218311">Another</a> study found that taking a vacation - no matter how short or how close to home - improved women's mental health. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111887591">According to Karen Matthews</a> of Mind Body Center at the University of Pittsburgh, the body needs time off to regenerate. After surveying 1,399 participants from studies on cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and other diseases, the center found that time spent not working decreased depression, lowered blood pressure, and even meant slimmer waistlines.<h3 dir="ltr">You are making yourself miserable.</h3>When you don't take your PTO, your personal life suffers too. According to a<a href="http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/fact-sheets/Happiness_FactSheet_P.TO_.pdf"> study</a> by Project Time Off, 74% of employees who were encouraged to take their leave reported being "extremely" or "very" happy with their personal relationships with family and friends.<h3 dir="ltr">You are stifling your own creativity.</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>On <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/23/pf/vacation_days/">CNN.com</a>, Robert Kriegel, author of "How to Succeed in Business Without Working So Damn Hard," says that many workers have their best ideas when they're away from work, and finally have the time and distance to think outside the box.<h3 dir="ltr">You see it as a luxury, when it's a right and a necessity.</h3>Europeans see their vacation days as a hard-earned right. Americans see it as a luxury they can't afford. Therein lies the problem.And ironically, working longer hours and more days doesn't make Americans any more efficient or productive. In fact, <a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/03/14/bring_back_the_40_hour_work_week/">40+ hour weeks diminish returns</a>, which becomes apparent when looking at countries like Germany, <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/why-germans-have-longer-vacation-times-and-more-productivity-1/">who get more done in fewer hours</a>.Long story short: take a vacation America. You deserve it. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cuba-internet-problem-havana-tech-interview-local-2015-6">No Instagram, no Twitter, no Facebook - there's basically NO internet in Cuba</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="BmcW52dToWKG7X61ULByX0cJ1vjTVwCV" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

8 reasons why Americans should take their vacation days

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Lucas Jackson</div></div></div>Stocks went nowhere on Monday after last week saw the major averages move back into the green for the year.The biggest story, though, was the ongoing saga at pharmaceutical giant Valeant, which somehow took an even stranger turn to start the week.First, the scoreboard:<ul><li>Dow: 17,618, +16, (+0.1%)</li><li>S&amp;P 500: 2,050, +1, (+0.1%)</li><li>Nasdaq: 4,805, +10, (+0.2%)</li><li>WTI crude oil: $41.70, +1.4%</li></ul><h2>Valeant</h2>Yes, this story gets stranger.Here's an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/valeant-has-been-halted-for-news-pending-and-everyone-is-guessing-the-reason-why-2016-3">overview of the latest news</a> on Monday morning:<ul><li>CEO Mike Pearson is on his way out, but will keep the top post at the company until a successor is named. In effect, though, he's now a lame duck.</li><li>Bill Ackman is joining the board.</li><li>CFO Howard Schiller was asked to step down.</li><li>Schiller declined.</li><li>Valeant also said that Schiller had engaged in "improper conduct," which contributed to the company's misstatement of past financial results.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schiller-former-valeant-cfo-lawyer-statement-2016-3">Schiller said he did not</a>.</li><li>Valeant shares gained 7%. In the last year the stock is down about 80%.</li></ul>But as <a href="http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-03-21/valeant-sold-some-drugs-twice">Bloomberg's Matt Levine wrote on Monday</a>, perhaps the oddest part of this latest twist is that as things seem to get worse for the company - Valeant's <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885590/000119312516511157/d164248d8k.htm">disclosure on Monday</a> contained a lot of details about what financial statements it would restate and why - executives keep trying to get closer to the company.Schiller is being asked by Valeant to distance himself. And, despite the company being more or less the scourge of the corporate world right now, he's not just saying no but doing so emphatically. Very odd! Of course, Valeant is blaming Schiller for the whole thing, and what, really, do you think he's going to do? Roll over?It seems like another life when we were sitting here <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/valeant-shares-crash-october-21-2015-10">writing about Andrew Left and his declarations</a> that this weird specialty pharmacy company, Philidor, was a major issue for what was then a massively successful feat of corporate engineering. It was October. Of course, in a way, it was: That was $140 a share ago.And so while much of the attention now is fixed on folks like Bill Ackman and Sequoia - who have taken an absolute bath on Valeant shares - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wally-weitz-on-valeant-2016-3">Matt Turner reupped some February commentary</a>, from investor Wally Weitz, related to the company that outlined what caused him to bail out of the stock in October."Enron" is mentioned.<h2>Merger Monday</h2>Before we knew that even weirder things were going to happen to Valeant, the big news on Monday morning was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/merger-monday-march-21-2016-3">three mergers worth more than $37 billion</a> crossing the tape before the open.Sherwin-Williams and Valspar got us started on Sunday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-sherwin-williams-paint-company-to-acquire-valspar-for-113-billion-2016-3">announcing an $11 billion combination</a> of coatings and paint companies. Sherwin-Williams shares fell about 6% following the announcement; Valspar gained 24%.In the financial-data space, Markit <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/markit-ihs-to-merge-2016-3">announced</a> that it would acquire US rival IHS in a $13 billion deal, sending shares of IHS up about 9%.The most interesting announcement on Monday was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/marriott-raises-offer-to-buy-starwood-2016-3">Marriott's new offer to acquire Starwood Hotels</a> in a deal that would once again create the largest hotel chain in the world. This new deal, worth about $13.6 billion, or $79.53 per share, follows news out on Friday that Starwood received a binding and superior offer from Chinese insurance giant Anbang that valued the company at $78 per share.Marriott had five days to respond. And it did.<h2>Apple</h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-event-live-blog-iphone-se-ipad-pro-2016-3">Apple had an event on Monday</a>.It announced a new iPhone and some new iPads.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-event-live-blog-iphone-se-ipad-pro-2016-3">Here's the full rundown of new stuff, via Kif Leswing</a>.Shares of the company closed very slightly down on Monday.Perhaps it is just my age, or that Apple now undoubtedly owns the consumer tech hardware space - so much so that whatever the company puts out next seems inconsequential: People will buy it anyway - but these events only get stranger and less interesting.There was, maybe six or seven years ago, a sort of cult appeal to watching Steve Jobs pace on stage and talk with such effortless zeal about a cellphone. Perhaps it was Jobs himself, or that in 2009 and 2010 what the iPhone offered was so amazing you couldn't wait to just see someone play with it on stage and talk about how great your life would be once you'd acquired this device.You could only get an iPhone, though, after your extremely inflexible two-year phone contract was up. And only on AT&amp;T.But the twice-yearly ritual of Apple executives in jeans and dark T-shirts using slides to reveal the latest product you'll get a baby-boomer family member this upcoming holiday season just isn't that exciting. Not anymore.Or as David Aron Levine <a href="https://twitter.com/davealevine/status/711980402072809473">said on Twitter</a> of Monday's presentation: "When Apple became Dell."Sort of feels that way. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-reality-distortion-has-run-out-2016-3">Julie Bort agrees</a>, I think.Unrelated: Twitter turned 10 on Monday. Congrats, <a href="https://twitter.com/jack">@jack</a>!<h2>Ray Dalio</h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bridgewater-ray-dalio-succession-radically-transparent-culture-2016-3">Bridgewater's Ray Dalio spoke with Business Insider's Rich Feloni</a>.The interview is fantastic, wide-ranging, and a great window into the mind of Dalio, who is now - seemingly as forever - in the financial media's view. After all, Dalio runs the world's biggest hedge fund."The biggest challenge is that it can make people uncomfortable to have their mistakes and weaknesses so transparently shown," Dalio said of the company's so-called "radical transparency" management principle, which is about as on-brand as it gets."Since everyone has weaknesses, that experience happens to everyone who comes into this culture. Some people come to love it because they find learning about their weaknesses to be invaluable. It helps them guardrail themselves against their weaknesses, and they can be more themselves because they don't have to continue to hide their mistakes and their weaknesses."And this is only a few sentences!On the topic of weaknesses and what the big challenges are for folks that join Bridgewater, Dalio adds (emphasis mine):Most people have a hard time confronting their weaknesses in a really straightforward, evidence-based way. They also have problems speaking frankly to others. Some people love knowing about their weaknesses and mistakes and those of others because it helps them be so much better, while others can't stand it. So we end up with a lot of people who leave quickly and a lot of people who wouldn't want to work anywhere else.Of course, you don't have to work at Bridgewater to know this is true.I don't, for example, read the comments on my posts, which would be a way of confronting my weaknesses in a really straightforward, if perhaps not always evidence-based way. I do not, however, run a hedge fund (or work at one).<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bridgewater-ray-dalio-succession-radically-transparent-culture-2016-3">You should read the whole interview, obviously</a>.<h2>Helicopter Money</h2>Bundesbank head Jens Weidmann <a href="http://www.bundesbank.de/Redaktion/EN/Interviews/2016_01_29_weidmann_funke_mediengruppe.html">told German media</a> that helicopter drops from central banks are not a "manna from heaven."That is, the money doesn't like, literally, fall from the sky. Or heaven. Either way. But helicopter drops, a more recently whispered-about option for monetary policy makers who have already doubled-down efforts to goose inflation and stoke economic growth by making interest rates negative and buying more and more assets, are seen as the next step. This would more or less involve central banks putting electronic money in your bank account. It is not seen as desirable, but when nothing else you're doing works, why not, right? <a href="http://www.bundesbank.de/Redaktion/EN/Interviews/2016_01_29_weidmann_funke_mediengruppe.html">Here's Weidmann</a> (emphasis mine):Helicopter money isn't like manna from heaven - it would tear gaping holes in central bank balance sheets. Ultimately, it would be down to the euro-area countries, and thus the taxpayer, to shoulder the costs because central banks would be unprofitable for quite some time. The question of whether and how money is given away to the general public is a highly political one that would need to be addressed by governments and parliaments. Central banks don't have a mandate to do so, not least because it would mean redistributing assets on a huge scale. It would be nothing short of unreservedly commingling monetary and fiscal policy, a step which would be incompatible with the notion of central bank independence. Instead of raising the prospect of ever more daredevil feats, it would actually be wiser to pause for thought. Monetary policy isn't a panacea - it can't replace urgently needed reforms in individual countries, nor can it solve Europe's growth problems. That would simply be too much of a tall order, and it would most certainly end in tears.And so as we've written about here a few times, the thing with what's happening at central banks right now - again, negative rates, asset purchases, and so on - is that we're very much past the economic debate and more into a moral one. That is: while dropping money in private citizens' bank accounts might increase inflation, is it achieving inflation targets the "wrong way"?The other side of this, from a central banker's point of view, is that what the bank values over almost all else is its political independence. That is: central banks right now can act according to the economic conditions presented by global markets, not the political pressures of their governing bodies. Federal Reserve officials, for example, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-bernanke-on-audit-the-fed-2016-1">have been outspoken</a> against bills to "audit the Fed" and other efforts to make monetary policy "rules based."On the European Central Bank front, president Mario Draghi has long been calling for fiscal action from its member states as a supplement to the ECB's easy monetary policies. So the puzzle is: central banks can't act alone to restore the economy but yet they must act alone in setting policy. Helicopter drops, evidently, wouldn't be acting alone. Weidmann <a href="http://www.bundesbank.de/Redaktion/EN/Interviews/2016_01_29_weidmann_funke_mediengruppe.html">also makes some interesting comments</a> about the possibility of getting of the €500 note. In short, it's a political decision, either way. <h2>Additionally</h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/housing-supply-crisis-is-looming-2016-3">I wrote about housing</a>. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-housing-supply-graphic-2016-3">Twice</a>. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bi-most-important-charts-march-2016-2016-3">Most Important Charts</a>.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/schlumberger-ceo-presentation-march-21-2016-3">Schlumberger gave a very grim picture of the future of the oil industry</a>.<a href="https://blog-imfdirect.imf.org/2016/03/21/monetary-policy-and-financial-stability-canadas-house-price-dilemma/">The IMF on Canada</a>. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/raul-castro-political-prisoners-cuba-2016-3">Obama in Cuba</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/marines-attack-helicopter-military-weapon-zulu-cobra-2016-3">The 'Zulu Cobra' helicopter is one of the Marines' most powerful weapons</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="0zb3dnMTE6-QawCIxD9EmsObwInmKKBb" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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