Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The trailer of <keyword id="2765009" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Singh-is-Bliing">Singh Is Bliing</keyword>, Akshay Kumar’s upcoming movie opposite <keyword id="135209" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amy-Jackson">Amy Jackson</keyword>, was released today, and it’s a treat for the fans of Khiladi Kumar, who want to see him doing everything, be it comedy, romance, or action. 
 
Akshay plays Raftaar Singh, a Sikh man who roams in the streets of Punjab with his pet lions. To avoid getting married to an overweight woman, Singh relocates to Goa, where he falls in love with Amy Jackson, a non-Hindi speaker. We also catch glimpses of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Bollywoods-11-Hottest-Star-Entrepreneurs/Lara-Dutta/slideshow/23897243.cms">Lara Dutta</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Here-is-the-list-of-the-winning-performances-at-IIFA-2015/Kay-Kay-Menon-Best-Performance-In-A-Negative-Role/slideshow/47584849.cms">Kay Kay Menon</a> and <keyword id="15316" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rati-Agnihotri">Rati Agnihotri</keyword>. 
 Amy can be seen doing some serious action, including high kicks and horse riding. In a cameo appearance is choreographer-turned-director <keyword id="21117" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prabhu-Deva">Prabhu Deva</keyword>. 
 
Catch the trailer here. 
 
 
 
Kumar, who is also the producer of the movie along with business partner Ashwini Yardi, is riding high on the success of his last release <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Akshay-Kumar-Unveils-The-First-Look-Of-Brothers/articleshow/46501120.cms">Brothers</a>. In the past, his company Grazing Goat Pictures has produced <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/IndependenceDaySpecial-7-Bollywood-movies-that-redefined-the-concept-of-freedom/OMG-Oh-My-God/slideshow/48390627.cms">OMG - Oh My God!</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Fugly-Is-Messy-In-Spite-Of-Limited-Success-For-The-RestIts-A-Flop-Show/articleshow/36716851.cms">Fugly</a>. 
 
The movie would release on 2nd October 2015. 
 
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/akshaykumarofficial/photos/a.10151757074123283.1073741826.20143593282/10153330152698283/?type=1&amp;theater">Image Source</a>

Catch the trailer of Singh Is Bliing

Once again, <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> has gone into overdrive and a fivesome was released on Friday the 13th. The big release was <keyword id="184700" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fugly">Fugly</keyword>, of course, a <keyword id="556777" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="comedy-drama">comedy drama</keyword> directed by <keyword id="29915" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="actor-director">actor-director</keyword> <keyword id="121984" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kabir-Sadanand">Kabir Sadanand</keyword> and co-produced by none other than Akki (<keyword id="2823" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Akshay-Kumar">Akshay Kumar</keyword>). However, this one has seen limited success at the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword>. The other four flicks of the week include Md. Mohibul Haque-directed <keyword id="582722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="action-thriller">action thriller</keyword> <keyword id="2343872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="18-11-A-code-of-secrecy">18.11… A code of secrecy</keyword>; <keyword id="1403873" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prakash-Saini">Prakash Saini</keyword>’s <keyword id="2249858" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chal-Bhaag">Chal Bhaag</keyword>, a crime comedy; <keyword id="934838" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Debaloy-Dey">Debaloy Dey</keyword>’s <keyword id="30679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="horror-flick">horror flick</keyword> <keyword id="1092690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Machhli-Jal-Ki-Rani-Hai">Machhli Jal Ki Rani Hai</keyword> and finally, <keyword id="824801" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="unforgettable">Unforgettable</keyword>, a romantic flick directed by <keyword id="1050162" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arshad-Yusuf-Pathan">Arshad Yusuf Pathan</keyword>. Although the plots and the genres widely vary, there is one thing in common – all these four movies have turned out to be <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword> disasters. 
 
Fugly hit 1,100-plus screens in India and managed to collect Rs 2.95 crore on the opening day in spite of mixed reviews. <keyword id="303" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Director">Director</keyword> Kabir Sadanand was happy, though. “Good 1st day for @FuglyTheFilm, domestic box office collection of 2.95 cr. So guys go out there and watch the film, fight against the Ugly,” Sadanand tweeted on Saturday. The movie netted around Rs 9.5 crore after the first three days (Rs 7.23 crore as per trade figure). Although it had a big release, the movie’s budget is quite low (around Rs 16 crore) and Fugly just might avoid ending up in the red. 
 
But even then, Sadanand’s third outing as a director takes him nowhere near his earlier release <keyword id="30111" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tum-Milo-Toh-Sahi">Tum Milo Toh Sahi</keyword> (2010). Fugly is all about four close <keyword id="343" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Friends">friends</keyword> – <keyword id="330" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dev">Dev</keyword> (<keyword id="1466941" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mohit-Marwah">Mohit Marwah</keyword>), <keyword id="6815" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Devi">Devi</keyword> (<keyword id="1788525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kiara-Advani">Kiara Advani</keyword>), <keyword id="1438" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gaurav">Gaurav</keyword> (<keyword id="132330" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="boxer-Vijender-Singh">boxer Vijender Singh</keyword>) and <keyword id="967" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aditya">Aditya</keyword> (<keyword id="1664323" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arfi-Lamba">Arfi Lamba</keyword>) – living a fast-track life in and around <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword>. But when the corrupt cop <keyword id="2343896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="R-S-Chautala">R.S. Chautala</keyword> (<keyword id="4666" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jimmy-Shergill">Jimmy Shergill</keyword>) takes control of their life, the foursome gets entangled in social issues and tries to find solutions, Bollywood ishtyle. The outcome is a wobbly plot that fails to delve into the myriad layers of reality or string together a robust, coherent human drama. At the end, the movie with a mission and a message (it is bound to remind you of <keyword id="3735" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rang-de-basanti">Rang de Basanti</keyword>) simply ends up in a meaningless mess. 
 
The other four flicks look like box office bombs although 18.11… A code of secrecy endeavours to decode terrorism. And this time, a <keyword id="49316" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Software-engineer">software engineer</keyword> (<keyword id="2343901" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rehal-Khan">Rehal Khan</keyword>) comes to the rescue with a hi-tech alert system and fights off all the baddies. The opening day collection of 18.11 stood at an approx. Rs 15 lakh, but the weekend numbers are not in yet. 
 
 
 
Prakash Saini’s Chal Bhaag tells the tale of three crooks – <keyword id="2333769" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Munna-Supari">Munna Supari</keyword> (<keyword id="109372" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deepak-Dobriyal">Deepak Dobriyal</keyword>), <keyword id="320578" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Daler-Singh">Daler Singh</keyword> (<keyword id="2249438" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Varun-Mehra">Varun Mehra</keyword>) and <keyword id="6412911" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="bunty">Bunty</keyword> (<keyword id="947916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tarun-Bajaj">Tarun Bajaj</keyword>). A deadly game of hide and seek with the police begins after they are charged with a political murder and in the process, you get a chilling glimpse of fake encounters and other atrocities. But the movie fails to retain the momentum or the irreverent, light-hearted tone that would have made it a well-rounded <keyword id="530399" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Black-Comedy">black comedy</keyword>. Official numbers are not in yet, but according to industry insiders, nett collection of the first three days has fallen well below Rs 1 crore. 
 
And the same holds true for the other two movies – Machhli Jal Ki Rani Hai and Unforgettable. Both are box office washouts although Machhli may hook the horror movie fans. As expected, the plot is a cliché where <keyword id="173" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ayesha">Ayesha</keyword> and Uday (<keyword id="437076" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Swara-Bhaskar">Swara Bhaskar</keyword> and <keyword id="344170" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhanu-Uday">Bhanu Uday</keyword>), a happy couple, fall prey to <keyword id="589050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paranormal-Activities">paranormal activities</keyword>. It has all the usual trappings to get you <keyword id="843642" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="spooked">spooked</keyword>, including an act of exorcism for a climax. On the other hand, Unforgettable features the eternal love triangle, with <keyword id="23365" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Iqbal-Khan">Iqbal Khan</keyword>, <keyword id="551555" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Alka-Verma">Alka Verma</keyword> and <keyword id="276456" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hazel-Crowney">Hazel Crowney</keyword> in the lead roles. This is another <keyword id="2076872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Box-office-bomb">box office bomb</keyword> that could not garner more than Rs 20 lakh on Day I and then sank into oblivion. As it is a high-budget movie and shot at the UAE, it is quite likely that Unforgettable would not be able to cover the costs. 
 
Images: Indiatimes

Box Office: Fugly Is Messy In Spite Of Limited Success; For The Rest,
It’s A Flop Show

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">TapdaqTed Nash.</div></div></div>When Ted Nash was 16 he decided to build an app to test out Apple's new App Store. He called it "Fit or Fugly," and it claimed to scientifically analyse photos of your friends to judge whether they were attractive or not.It was a simple app, more of a joke than anything else. But as people bought iPhones and experimented with the App Store, Fit or Fugly took off.The app was downloaded over 6 million times, and it received 180,000 downloads in a day. Nash priced his app at $1, so take away Apple's 30% App Store cut, and he made $126,000 (£85,000) in just a single day. It wasn't bad for a 16-year-old living in a farmhouse in Somerset, experimenting with the App Store.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Fit Or Fugly</div></div></div>Nash didn't stop there. He made a lot of money from Fit or Fugly (later renamed FaceRate), but he released another app that skirted controversy: Little Gossip. It was an early version of modern apps like Secret, Whisper, and Yik Yak that allow people to post anonymous comments online. But Little Gossip was designed for schools.Nash says he was 17 when he released Little Gossip. "I didn't do socialising, to be honest. I was useless at it," he says. "I built a platform that was totally anonymous for my friends at school to write about what happened the night before." But that platform for his friends at school quickly spread to other schools, then to universities and offices. Little Gossip was flooded with anonymous posts, and it was more than Nash could handle.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Little GossipA screenshot of Little Gossip before it was shut down.</div></div></div>"In the first hour we had something like 33,000 hits," he says. "We ended up getting 50,000 pieces of gossip submitted every day." Nash decided not to moderate the content (known as gossips) on his service. Instead, he left it to become a free-for-all, and malicious content spread."About 10% of all gossip submitted was incredibly malicious, to the point of it being dangerous. If someone was on the receiving end of that you could become mentally unstable or suicidal. I was getting complaints left, right and centre. I was getting legal threats from different people at school."Nash says that journalists started to take notice of his site, and some even travelled to his family home to ask him about it. "The intercom was ringing on the gate, and my Mum went out after having her morning shower, in her dressing gown, to find The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and The Guardian outside our gate saying 'Does Ted Nash live here? We want to talk to him about Little Gossip.' Mum was like 'What on earth have you done?'"<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1340570/LittleGossip-com-Teachers-horror-website-private-school-cyber-bullies.html">The Daily Mail</a>A 2010 Daily Mail headline about Little Gossip.</div></div></div>Eventually Nash shut down Little Gossip because of the negative press attention and malicious content that spread through the site. "If I was in Silicon Valley I could have gone and raised a hell of a lot of money and grown it," he says, but he still pulled the plug.That was back in 2011. Now, five years later, Nash is still involved in the App Store. But this time he's not developing apps himself. Instead, he's running a mobile advertising company called <a href="https://tapdaq.com/">Tapdaq</a> that helps developers attract users to their own apps. It works by encouraging users to shuffle between similar apps on the Tapdaq network, preventing them from getting bored and leaving.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">TapdaqThe Tapdaq team.</div></div></div>It's all about building a community of likeminded developers that have similar apps. One developer who runs a shooting game could use Tapdaq to advertise his app to another, similar, app. It doesn't matter whether it's an app they own or one by another company, Tapdaq lets them cross-promote.They "collaborate with each other as opposed to compete" and encourage users to swap between their apps. Right now Tapdaq is more about retaining users rather than showing ads to them, but that functionality is coming soon.Nash previously created its own virtual currency known as "daq" that developers could earn and trade for app installs. It was a complicated way of encouraging developers to sign up, and Tapdaq killed off "daq." Nash now admits that his virtual currency for developers was "convoluted" and "over-intellectualised."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Supercell"Clash of Clans."</div></div></div>Tapdaq works well for "freemium" apps, games that are free to play and include paid extras, but many freemium companies have seen their fortunes fall. Rovio, Mind Candy and King have all struggled with retaining users. How do app developers build a sustainable model in freemium?"The only company that is delivering time and time again is Supercell," Nash says. "Their new game 'Clash Royale' is number one top grossing and I can see that smashing all records that 'Clash of Clans' did before it. They really are an exception. It's an incredibly difficult business to get right."<a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-avoid-freemium-games-want-suck-wallet-dry/">There has been a vocal backlash</a> against freemium games and developers who list games as free but then pack them full of paid extras and ads to make back their money. <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/07/18/google-freemium-not-free/#aT.W50YfHSqq">Both Google</a><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Tech/2014/1120/Apple-stops-calling-games-with-in-app-purchases-Free"> and Apple</a> stopped listing those apps as "free" because, well, they aren't. Nash stresses that it's a "really difficult balance" for developers to get right, but says that ads built into apps are less intrusive than, let's say, a full-screen pop-up banner for another game.One thing Nash sees happening is ads built into games, like an in-game billboard that is an actual ad for another app. That may sound far-fetched, but in 2008 then-senator Barack Obama paid to include billboards with his face on in racing game "Burnout." Players in 10 US states saw the ads for his presidential campaign as they raced past.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4qDvF2VWAE">YouTube/3003BG</a></div></div></div>This time Nash's mission isn't to sort people into "fit" or "fugly" or find out what his friends did last night. It's now much more noble: He wants to help independent app developers attract and retain users. He sees an industry where advertisers are being "ripped off" by the technology they use to promote themselves, and only the top 0.1% of app developers are able to buy users in any meaningful amounts.Nash wants to turn the app advertising model on its head and help smaller, more interesting, developers to surface their content. Can he do it? Well, he certainly knows how to make the App Store work for him. Now the difficult part is doing the same for other developers. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inmates-word-phone-call-tech-prison-2016-6">Cutting edge tech discovered a popular word inmates say during phone calls - and prison officials were surprised</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NqYWU1NDE6yFKjm-eit4LT2hwERUaNjV" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

This 25-year-old entrepreneur made a fortune in the App Store - now he's trying to fix the biggest problem with mobile ads

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>A former interpreter who served alongside US troops in Afghanistan was detained at the international airport in Houston with his wife and five kids after traveling to the US from Kabul.</li><li>While the man's wife and children were temporarily released into the US in response to pressure from Democratic lawmakers, 48-year-old Mohasif Motawakil reportedly remains in the custody of the Customs and Border Protection agency.</li><li>The reason for the detention is reportedly because someone opened sealed medical records, causing officials to question the authenticity of the family's documents.</li><li>The family is said to have been traveling on Special Immigrant Visas, which are granted to those who are in danger in their home countries due to their service with the US troops.</li></ul>A former interpreter who helped US troops in Afghanistan before fleeing the country with his family was detained at the international airport in Houston, Texas, on Friday upon their arrival from Kabul, according to a <a href="https://twitter.com/RAICESTEXAS/status/1083844241783062530" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas-based immigration advocacy group</a>.Mohasif Motawakil, 48, was detained by Customs and Border Protection along with his wife and five children, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/12/he-helped-us-troops-fled-afghanistan-cbp-detained-him-houston-an-advocacy-group-said/?utm_term=.112017de9c0a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told&#xa0;The Washington Post</a>. Though his wife and children have since been released, Motawakil is still being held by authorities.RAICES said Motawakil served alongside US troops as an interpreter from 2012 to 2013, later working as a US contractor in his home country.He and his family were reportedly traveling to the US on Special Immigrant Visas, which are hard to come by and granted to those whose lives are in danger as a result of their service with the US military.Special Immigrant Visas take years to obtain, and tightened immigration controls have apparently made the process even more difficult for applicants."The father remains detained and his wife and children were allowed into the US pending the outcome of his proceedings," CBP <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/defense/425037-former-interpreter-for-us-troops-in-afghanistan-detained-by-cbp-threatened">told</a> The Hill, further explaining that "due to the restrictions of the Privacy Act, US Customs and Border Protection does not discuss the details of individual cases."The temporary release of the mother and the children was <a href="https://twitter.com/RAICESTEXAS/status/1083913547212414976">attributed</a> to the efforts made by four Texas Democrats working on behalf of the family.Texas Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Joaquin Castro called CBP while Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee supported the family at the airport.Nonetheless, the family is is "confused and traumatized" by the situation, RAICES spokesman William Fitzgeral told The Post. Motawakil's wife and children spent Friday night at the Afghan Cultural Center in Houston.The reason for the detention is murky, but Fitzgerald told The Post the family was threatened with deportation after someone - potentially a relative - opened sealed medical records, leading authorities to question the authenticity of the family's documentation.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more of INSIDER's immigration coverage:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/national-emergency-to-build-the-border-wall-what-would-happen-2019-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Here's what would happen if Trump declared a national emergency to build his border wall</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-told-trump-national-emergency-was-option-to-build-wall-report-2019-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Mattis reportedly told Trump before he resigned that a national emergency was the most realistic option to get the wall and the Pentagon could help build it</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-border-wall-works-because-wheels-work-on-secret-service-cars-2019-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Trump said he knows a border wall will work because wheels work, and the Secret Service uses 'really expensive' cars with wheels</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-border-crisis-speech-not-fixed-by-wall-shutdown-2019-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BORDER CRISIS: Experts say there is no security crisis, but there is a simple way to fix immigration - and it's not a wall</a></li></ul><div></div><div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-combat-jets-refuel-navy-military-aerial-fighter-2018-12">The US Air Force refuels combat jets in midair with a 'flying boom system' - watch it in action</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

A former Afghan interpreter who reportedly helped US troops was detained in Texas and threatened with deportation

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomson Reuters</div></div></div>Via Dave Lutz at JonesTrading, here's a quick guide to what traders are talking about ahead of the market open:Good Morning! Markets are continuing their hawkish positioning, with Fed Funds showing a 32% chance of a June Hike, Was 4% this time on Monday. All eyes on 2 Voters speaking today - Fischer (9:15) and Dudley (10:30). The SPX is off 28bp, and rallying quickly from lows as WMT jumps 4% early on #s. Over in Europe, a Possible terror attack on EgyptAir flight has travel stocks under pressure - that coupled with a sharp drop in HC stocks in Germany (Bayer confirming MON) has the DAX off 1% in heavier than normal Volume. FTSE is fairing worse, as Miners getting hit for 4%+ in London. Over in Asia, Nikkei gained 10bp as Yen fell, while the Mothers Index rebounded 1.5% from yesterday's slaughter - China was little changed as the yuan traded to the lowest level since Feb, Aussie was hit for 60bp as Miners weighed, while April's FOMC hawkish minutes weighing sharply on Emerging Markets globally. With that "Policy Sensitive" 2YY holding near 2month highs - the DXY is sharply higher against major Asian currencies, while Commodity currencies, led by Aussie, drop quickly on hawkish repositioning. Sterling is at a 3 1/2month high on Brexit polls (remain gaining) and strong retail sales data, that coupled with the FOMC has Bunds and Treasuries under pressure once again, both yields flirting with yesterday's highs. It's a fugly day for Commodities, with Ore losing 1.2%, Rebar 60bp in China - and we have Metals red across the board in the States, as Silver drops 3%, Gold 1.5% and Copper 1%. WTI is off 2% and under $48 ahead of the contract roll today, as supply disruptions in Canada and Nigeria begin to abate. Natty is losing 1% ahead of inventory data later today, failing to hold upside $2. Ahead of us today, we get ECB Minutes at 7:30 - then heavy headers at 8:30 from Weekly Jobless Claims, Chicago Fed Nat Activity Index and Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook hitting. Fed's Fischer (neutral, Voter) Speaks in New York at 9:15, just ahead of the Leading Index at 10. Fed's Dudley (dove, Voter) Speaks on Macroeconomic Trends at 10:30, right when that Natty Gas Inventory data hits. The US Treasury is selling off $11B in TIPs at 1, and at 2:30 WTI Contracts roll with the close of NYMEX Trading. We could start getting headers from G7 - Treasury Sec. Lew arrives in Japan for G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/waterfall-hidden-in-the-grand-canyon-2016-4">There's a remote waterfall hidden in the Grand Canyon that you can hike to</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="IwcWU3MzE6l1S3YcPGPcFcdeOwt5UcHS" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Here's a super-quick guide to what traders are talking about right now

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><keyword id="14392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Elle-magazine">Elle magazine</keyword>Melissa McCarthy fans are upset she's covered in a coat while the other actress cover models are wearing nearly nothing.</div></div>Actresses Melissa McCarthy, Marion Cotillard, Shailene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon, Naomie Harris, and Penelope Cruz are all <a href="http://www.elle.com/" target="_blank">Elle cover</a> models on this month's "Women in <keyword id="2370" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="hollywood">Hollywood</keyword>" issue.
But while the five slim actresses are wearing skimpy tops, dresses, and even swimsuits on the cover, "Bridesmaids" star Melissa McCarthy is fully covered in an oversized, grey coat.
And now critics are slamming Elle for covering up the curvy actress.
<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/10/15/melissa_mccarthy_in_elle_the_magazine_put_the_plus_size_comedian_on_its.html" target="_blank">Slate</a> went so far as to call McCarthy the magazine's "token plus-size cover girl," whose coat is "so huge that she could hide her 'Mike and Molly' co-star Billy Gardel underneath."
Fashion blog <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-or-fab-the-covers-elle-wih-2013-10-2013/melissa-mccarthy-elle-wih-nov-13-cover" target="_blank">Go Fug Yourself</a> were among the most vocal, writing: "I kind of can't believe they put the plus-size actress on their cover BURIED INSIDE A GIANT COAT."
Former model Cynthia Bailey told "Good Morning America" that "times have changed. Fashion has changed ... I just immediately thought, "What a missed opportunity to represent all the curvy girls of the world."
Elle just <a href="http://www.gossipcop.com/melissa-mccarthy-elle-magazine-cover-controversy/" target="_blank">released a statement</a> responding to the <keyword id="37125" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="controversy">controversy</keyword>:
"On all of our shoots, our stylists work with the stars to choose pieces they feel good in, and this is no different: Melissa loved this look, and is gorgeous on our cover. We are thrilled to honor her as one of our Women in Hollywood this year."
McCarthy, too, even <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/10/melissa-mccarthy-calls-controversial-elle-cover-kind-of-amazing/" target="_blank">previously said of the cover shoot</a>: "[Elle is] a magazine I grew up with and I hadn't done anything quite like that. I was nervous… It was kind of amazing." 
Here's some of the other cover models' shots. One of these things is not like the other:
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.elle.com/">Elle Magazine</a></div></div>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.elle.com/">Elle Magazine</a></div></div>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.elle.com/">Elle Magazine</a></div></div>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image">Elle magazineMelissa McCarthy fans are upset she's covered in a coat while the other actress cover models are wearing nearly nothing.</div></div>

Elle Magazine Responds To Critics Who Call Melissa McCarthy A 'Token Plus-Size Cover Girl'

It's no secret that the tech industry is dominated by men. 
And now, it's also no secret that it can be hard to be a woman in tech.
Last week, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adria-richards-dongle-and-forking-jokes-2013-3">a joke about dongles and forking at a tech conference led to two people losing their jobs</a>, and sparked a discussion about <keyword id="6390075" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sexism">sexism</keyword> and a lack of women in the tech industry. 
Yesterday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/being-a-woman-in-tech-2013-3#comments">we covered how Google software engineer Julie Pagano says</a> her experiences in technology have felt like death by 1,000 paper cuts. 
In both cases, many people responded with offensive, sexist comments. These comments, while not representative of the entire tech community by any means, suggest that many of the complaints that women like Richards and Pagano have are entirely valid. 
After we <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adria-richards-dongle-and-forking-jokes-2013-3">reported the Donglegate story</a>, commenters called Adria Richard's racist, "another low self esteem tech girl," a "C%*#, and a "typical uptight bitch."
Meanwhile, over on Adria Richards' Facebook page <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/21/4132752/thug-mentality-how-two-dick-jokes-exploded-into-ddos-and-death-threats">and elsewhere on the Web</a>, people called her a handful of other derogatory words, with some going as far as making both rape and death threats. 
In Pagano's <a href="http://juliepagano.tumblr.com/post/46206589124/my-experiences-in-tech-death-by-1000-paper-cuts">blog post</a>, she reflected on how her life has been plagued by men patronizing her and dismissing her ideas. While in college, she had to succumb to her engineering professor's sexist jokes. At an old job, those in authority would pat her on the head to dismiss an idea, and make comments when she would wear makeup to work. 
Similar to what happened with Donglegate, the commenters made their opinions known:
<ul>
<li>
"You know what the typical guy would do, he would either suck it up and become better, quit or start his own company," jeffdavis <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/being-a-woman-in-tech-2013-3#ixzz2OZWVqpwh">writes in the comments</a>. "You know what the typical woman would do, she would bitch the first chance she gets...oh wait."
</li>
<li>
"Oh spare me your agony!" David Conley <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/being-a-woman-in-tech-2013-3#ixzz2OZWVqpwh">writes in the comments</a>. "She chose to work in a male-dominated profession. Guys will be guys. Stop taking things so personally. Grow a thicker skin. Have you been touched improperly? Have you been stopped from advancing in your career? Has any male actually said anything to your face that was inappropriate? No....so...grow up! Believe me...if a guy had to work in a female dominated area....the table would be turned. I'm so SICK of these whining women!"
</li>
<li>
"Sounds like another man-hating, pug-fugly lesbian that finds something wrong with absolutely every aspect and facet of a man's existence, and bitches about it to no end," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/being-a-woman-in-tech-2013-3#ixzz2OZWVqpwh">Filet-O-Fug wrote in the comments</a>. "Doesn't this never ending bitching constitute "creation of a hostile workplace"? It would if roles were reversed. Uggch!" 
</li>
</ul>
Women in tech
First, there's the "<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/03/15/solving-the-pipeline-problem-how-to-get-more-women-in-tech/">pipeline problem</a>," meaning that there's a lack of women attaining degrees in engineering and computer science.
"Women in general need to be part of that industry," Linda Miller, co-founder and CEO at mobile communications app deets, tells Business Insider. "It’s a huge industry and it’s growing as you know. You want everybody to be able to participate."
But at the same time, some women <a href="http://juliepagano.tumblr.com/post/46206589124/my-experiences-in-tech-death-by-1000-paper-cuts">are discouraged</a> from pursuing technical degrees. And for those who do end up in the tech industry, it's not always smooth sailing — neither from a personal nor professional standpoint. 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-in-silicon-valley-2013-3">CNNMoney recently completed a one-and-a-half year long investigation in which they discovered</a> that racial minorities and women are generally underrepresented in management roles. And to make matters worse, certain <keyword id="6357722" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</keyword> tech <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-in-silicon-valley-2013-3">companies seem to be</a> actively trying to hide how many women and ethnic minorities work for them. 
Priyanka Sharma, who now does product marketing over at Outright, used to work for one of those Silicon Valley tech companies. 
"I actually had circumstances where managers themselves would say, 'Oh, you're just a girl from India,'" Sharma tells Business Insider. 
Sharma ended up leaving that Silicon Valley company, and said her experience at Outright has been a total 180-degree shift. 
That's mostly because there are more women in management positions at Outright, Sharma says. 
"The right kind of mentorship and the right kind of managers is the best way to encourage women," Sharma says. "And a debate about how many women engineers is not as relevant as having women in leadership roles."
Regarding "Donglegate," Sharma says that because the tech industry is so dominated by men, it sounds like people were "so angry that a woman challenged them so much that they tore [Richards] apart."

How Mens' Reactions To 'Donglegate' Show Sexism Exists In The Tech Industry

LifeProof's waterproof phone case is the only iPhone case I need - here's why it's worth the $90

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/APTOPIX-Miss-America-Shoe-Parade/da21023dd9cd4d04a336b5d2028f98e7/1/0">AP Photo/Julio Cortez</a>Beauty queen and U.S. <keyword id="15350" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Army">Army</keyword> Soldier Theresa Vail would apparently make a really bad spokesperson for <keyword id="931173" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="women-in-combat">women in combat</keyword>. </div></div>Implementing women into combat roles, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/panetta-approves-women-in-combat-roles-2013-1">as was directed by former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta earlier this year</a>, has been a tough sell to the male-dominated military community.
Thankfully, the ace spinsters at the Army have the answer: just don't make the ladies too pretty.
According to internal emails <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/army-pr-push-average-looking-women-100065.html?hp=f3">obtained by Kate Brennan at Politico</a>, Col. Lynette Arnhart, the head of a team studying how to best implement the changes, had this to say to Army spokesmen:
In general, ugly women are perceived as competent while pretty women are perceived as having used their looks to get ahead. There is a general tendency to select nice looking women when we select a photo to go with an article (where the article does not reference a specific person). It might behoove us to select more average looking women for our comms strategy. For example, the attached <a href="http://www.ausa.org/publications/armymagazine/archive/2013/11/Documents/Cone_Nov2013.pdf" target="_blank">article</a> shows a pretty woman, wearing make-up while on deployed duty. Such photos undermine the rest of the message (and may even make people ask if breaking a nail is considered hazardous duty)
Col. Christian Kubik, chief of public affairs for the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, was on the "To" line of Arnhart's email. Brennan reports that he forwarded on to all public affairs officers involved in the mission, with the instructions: "A valuable reminder from the TRADOC experts who are studying gender integration - when [public affairs officers] choose photos that glamorize women (such as in the attached article), we undermine our own efforts. Please use 'real' photos that are typical, not exceptional."
The implication here is that the less "pretty" a woman is, the more "tough" she is. 
Naturally, people jumped all over this, and the Army backpedaled. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Be all you can be...except in the looks department. From <a href="https://twitter.com/politico">@politico</a> <a href="http://t.co/IvkcSUAJ0b">http://t.co/IvkcSUAJ0b</a>
- Hope Hodge Seck (@HopeSeck) <a href="https://twitter.com/HopeSeck/statuses/402895621083787264">November 19, 2013</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck">
The Army is looking for a few "average-looking women" <a href="http://t.co/xuVBqLVjfv">http://t.co/xuVBqLVjfv</a>
- Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) <a href="https://twitter.com/blakehounshell/statuses/402898382449938432">November 19, 2013</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en" data-cards="hidden">
PRETTY GIRLS don't win wars. But FUGLY CHICKS, that's your grand-daddy's army right there. <a href="http://t.co/21E3nwIhY4">http://t.co/21E3nwIhY4</a>
- Joe Bono (@JoeBonoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBonoDC/statuses/402917863297912832">November 19, 2013</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Article cites internal e-mail conversation. This is NOT an Army position. <a href="http://t.co/QtzwozQSeO">http://t.co/QtzwozQSeO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/politico">@politico</a>
- U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/statuses/402908940888842241">November 19, 2013</a></blockquote>

'Average Looking Women': The Army's Secret Scheme To Sell Gender Neutral Infantry

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ReutersA woman rides a Bird scooter in Los Angeles.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>This year marks the first spring and summer where well-funded scooter startups, such as Bird and Lime, will be fully operational in Europe.</li><li>It's an important test because more people are likely to choose to hop on scooters as the weather warms up.</li><li>But these companies are fighting multiple regulatory battles around the world, as various cities try to stem a flood of scooters either through licensing schemes or banning them altogether.</li><li>City regulators have, by now, heard lots of talk about the future of mobility from well-funded companies such as Uber, Mobike, Ofo, and Taxify who then caused major headaches.</li><li>Business Insider spoke to scooter startups Bird and Wind to find out how they will balance expansion with avoiding their predecessors' mistakes.</li></ul>The story is, by now, familiar.An ambitious, multi-billion dollar company thinks it can help solve one of the biggest problems facing humanity right now: Climate change.Too many people rely on driving their cars to get to work, the argument goes, and that's bad for city congestion, air pollution, the planet, and overall health and happiness.This bolshy, well-funded upstart says it has the right solution, if only your city would consider changing the rules.Its name? Uber, Taxify, Mobike, Obike, Ofo, Bird, Lime - delete as applicable.<h2>Scooters are the third wave of companies promising a radical change to city commuting</h2>The summer of 2019 promises to be the summer of scooters, at least in Europe.Bird, the California poster child of the scooter startups, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/r-bird-scooters-roll-into-paris-tel-aviv-2018-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">only launched in Europe in July 2018</a>. Rival Lime similarly only expanded in June 2018. European peers, such as Sweden's Voi and Berlin's Wind, have also expanded through 2018. In other words, this will be the first time big, well-funded scooter startups are fully operational during Europe's warmest season - and it's a crucial test. Scooter firms expect that the warm weather will herald an increase in demand, since people are more likely to zip around outdoors while it's sunny.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/profile-reddit-de-google-community-2019-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Thousands of Reddit users are trying to delete Google from their lives, but they're finding it impossible because Google is everywhere</a>"Springtime is where it gets really exciting," Matt Turzo, EMEA chief operating officer for Wind, told Business Insider. "These last few weeks, as the weather turns, have been enormous. People see Wind scooters are they walk around the city. The weather is so nice, they just jump on them."But this crop of startups will need to prove to regulators they can handle the additional load, both in terms of wear-and-tear on vehicles, and ensuring scooters aren't just dumped around cities.They will also need to prove they're different from some of their predecessors in mobility.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomson ReutersFormer Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, who was widely perceived to have encouraged a culture of rule-breaking.</div></div></div>London's regulators, for example, may well be feeling jaded after several waves of venture-backed companies arrived promising to relieve the city's congestion and instead caused further headaches, or simply disappeared.The capital's transport regulator had a lengthy fight with Uber over safety issues, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-wins-london-licence-2018-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">ended up granting the company only a temporary licence for London</a>.The regulator <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taxify-stops-operations-london-tfl-investigation-license-2017-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">separately banned rival Taxify</a>, which skirted the city's licensing rules.Then the Chinese bikesharing giants Mobike, oBike, and Ofo arrived, promising to get the city's population exercising. Obike <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/local-councils-unhappy-after-obike-littered-the-streets-of-london-with-thousands-of-yellow-bicycles-2017-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">dumped bikes all over London without asking local authorities</a>, then shut up shop a year later. Mobike pulled out of the UK after a year in operation. Ofo is reportedly close to bankruptcy.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://twitter.com/DanielRDuP/status/909597625405415425">Twitter/DanielRDup</a>oBikes dumped on the top of a bus stop shelter in Melbourne.</div></div></div>It is a delicate time, then, for newcomers to wade in with promises of a transport revolution. Patrick Studener, Bird's European chief (and an Uber alumnus), told Business Insider in an interview that the company was aware of the sector's short history. "We have to be respectful because we've seen other companies or other modes of transport roll out very quickly, and there's a backlash to innovation, if innovation passes too aggressively or in the wrong way," he said."I certainly know, I feel sometimes there's scar tissue there from time to time. When you talk to people, it's like, 'Oh no, not another innovation on mobility.' But it's up to us to explain why there should be room for us. I think we've been showing this."Studener said Bird's approach was not about growth at all costs, but launching sustainably. "I don't want to launch in all of the cities," he said. "We want the right cities, we want to launch the right way."Studener said Bird had spent "a lot of time in advance" talking to various cities before launching scooters there."We're the new kids on the block, so people should ask questions, and we should have good answers for those questions," Studener added. "That's resulted in us having great relationships with regulators and city planners, who are ultimately stewards of the city... that's certainly what we'll do going forward, instead of just rushing in."That may be true now, but Bird certainly ran into regulatory trouble when it first got started in the US. The company <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bird-scooters-20180215-story.html">had to cough up $300,000 in fines</a> in Santa Monica, its first ever city, over allegations it didn't secure the right business licenses.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Lucy Nicholson/ReutersPeople ride Bird scooters in Santa Monica, California, U.S. July 23, 2018. Picture taken July 23, 2018.</div></div></div>Wind's Matt Turzo came to the startup from Lyft. Lyft, although it has run into the same regulatory issues as Uber, doesn't quite have the same reputation for a growth-at-all-costs mentality.Like Bird's Studener, he said the firm tries to be as open as possible with regulators."At Wind, we take a Lyft-esque approach of having that conversation and being willing to have a discussion," he told Business Insider. "We enter those discussions with the assumption that regulators want to do the best for their constituents, they have a job to do." Some cities are more receptive than others.Bird launched in France with comparatively few problems, which Studener described was keen to trial technologies that would reduce CO2 emissions, and work new regulation out as it went. But in London, electric scooters are technically illegal <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-scooters-illegal-1835-highways-act-2018-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">thanks to a 135-year-old law</a> originally designed to regulate horse-drawn carriages.The UK government, lobbied by the likes of Bird and Lime, is making friendly noises about change but progress is likely to be slow. Both firms have hired former UK government advisors to help make their case to European city regulators. And Bird has won the right to carry out an extended <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bird-launches-electric-scooters-in-london-olympic-park-2018-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">trial of its scooters in the Olympic Park</a> in east London.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images</div></div></div>And Madrid banned the bulk of e-scooters of its street last year, but then granted thousands of licenses to a range of companies including Voi, Wind, and Uber's Jump scooter service. Bird was <a href="https://diario.madrid.es/blog/notas-de-prensa/el-ayuntamiento-concede-18-autorizaciones-a-servicios-de-patinete-electrico-compartido/">one of seven scooter startups to be declined</a>.Ultimately, Studener is optimistic, since most countries want to reduce their emissions. Bird and its rivals, of course, bill themselves as an environmentally friendly way to commute - although <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-benefits-of-trendy-e-scooters-remain-unclear/">researchers say the picture isn't so simple</a>.<h2>A summer of scooters will probably mean a summer of injuries too</h2>When Business Insider rode a scooter last week at Bird's offices in east London, it was undeniably exhilarating.The appeal is clear, particularly on a sunny day: hop on a scooter and you can get from A to B while also getting to know a city. It's also distinctly more pleasant than suffering through the fug of London's metro.Wind's Matt Turzo said this is a key selling point for his firm's scooters. "There's a role to play in terms of liberating the commuter, and getting people to engage with their city in a way they never have before. It's about not having to plan a journey two hours in advance, to make sure you can get across the city."A rise in scooter usage will probably mean more accidents too, which will be another test for startups.Reliable injury data on scooter injuries is difficult to obtain. In the UK, the Department of Transport measures vehicle accidents, but doesn't break out electric scooters into a separate category.What data has come from the US suggests scooters can cause serious injuries, and possibly a higher rate of injuries. There have also been a number of deaths in the US related to e-scooters.<a href="https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/78431">A study by Portland's Bureau of Transportation</a> found the e-scooter injury rate to be 2.2 accidents per 10,000 miles - much higher than the US national average for motorbikes (0.05 per 10,000 miles) and cars (0.1 per 10,000). Not all of these incidents relate to rental e-scooters, so the average is probably lower. Tarak Trivedi, an emergency physician and health services researcher at UCLA, conducted a comprehensive study last year about how scooters could send people to A&amp;E departments. The study found electric scooters were associated with 249 emergency room visits between September 2017 and August 2018, with injuries reported including bone fractures, lung contusions, and dislocations. Only a tiny fraction of riders had been wearing a helmet. (Bird <a href="https://mashable.com/article/e-scooters-helmets-bird-lime-injury-study/?europe=true#f8TG6dNkKkqm">criticised the report</a> for not focusing on road injuries and deaths from motorcycles and cars too.)Trivedi told Business Insider he decided to research emergency room visits after using electric scooters himself when they first rolled out in Los Angeles."I recognised that once [scooters] became a billion dollar industry, these would come to all parts of the world," he said. "These are vehicles that can move you up to 15mph, but some people we saw were disrespecting the nature of the beast. There were people who were intoxicated, or riding irresponsibly with two people on one scooter. It's about recognising this isn't just a toy, it's like an automotive."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Getty ImagesIt's not a good idea to ride these things with two aboard.</div></div></div>Trivedi added that earlier designs meant the scooters didn't work properly. "There was a certain type of thumb brake, which stick. You want something that you can clutch and the mechanism won't fail when you need it most," he said. Small wheels, he added, would throw someone off the scooter if they hit an obstacle.Despite records of some fairly horrifying-sounding injuries, Trivedi thinks scooters are ultimately a good innovation."Anything that reduces car rides is a good thing for the environment and for us as a society," he said. "There's definitely a focus on safety that could be encouraged... maybe there should be slower speeds, and proven safety designs."Both Bird and Lime have promised to take steps on safety, with Lime's chairman saying last year the firm <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lime-chairman-on-scooter-companys-high-tech-safety-plans-2018-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">would lock out drunk users</a>. Both firms have also given away free helmets as part of marketing campaigns.Studener said: "Everything we do starts with safety, the development and design of the scooter, to tutorials that we lay out."He said, if used correctly, scooters were "on par" with bicycles in terms of safety, and that most road accidents could be attributed to cars rather than other vehicles. <h2>The UK will miss out on scooters for the time being</h2>The UK, for now, will miss out on the summer of scooters.While the Department of Transport (DfT) announced in March that it would review the legal status of electric scooters, it didn't say when such a review would take place. A spokesman for London's transport regulator emphasised the safety of scooters in a statement to Business Insider: "We welcome the review's focus on safety as this aligns with our commitment to Vision Zero and ensuring that any new forms of transport are safe. However, the key question is on timing as there no indication when the review will take place."Bird's Studener acknowledged it could be many months before rental electric scooters are available en masse in the capital."Regulatory reviews can go on for many months," he said, adding: "I'm really excited about this. Any movement in the right direction, I'm excited about. If they had come out and said 'Scooters are fine starting Monday,' that would have been lovely. But that's also a bit unrealistic."A lot of the regulation is quite old, and [the Department for Transport] said it's not shy about updating the law, and that's what we're for. I appreciate that whatever they do, it'll be around for a while, so they have to think about all the knock-on effects." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-stadia-video-game-platform-console-unveil-2019-3">Watch Google unveil Stadia, its new video-game platform that streams across devices without a console</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

The scooters wars are coming to Europe this summer. But first they have to prove they're not like Uber.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image">Business Insider</div></div>The premise of the challenge was simple: Survive one week without using any mobile <keyword id="6354741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Apps">apps</keyword> whatsoever. Basically, I would willfully reduce my high-powered cellphone into husk of its former self, demote it to "dumbphone" status so I could only use it to text, make phone calls, and jolt myself into consciousness in the morning with an alarm. 
Despite being a tech lover, I'm not an app junkie by any means. I pretty much stick to the basics and my very low interest in games saves me from dropping dough on Candy Crush Sage or anything else. One week of deprivation couldn't be that hard. 
Ha. 
<h2 class="p2">Denial</h2>
You don't realize how often you scroll through your Twitter feed until you can no longer scroll through your Twitter feed. 
The morning of my first App-less Day was a whirlwind of little realizations. I couldn't wake up to a leisurely perusal of Tumblr, read the headlines of the top New York Times stories, or check the weather. Okay, sure, I technically could have done all those things on my real computer, but the clunkier process deterred me. 
Then in my haste to leave my apartment, I also completely forgot to grab either a book or my iPod. Usually, before work, I catch up on the developments in the tech world by perusing a few Twitter lists and refreshing my Feedly on the train (I take the 7, so I have a solid 15 minutes above ground before descending into the connectionless bowels of the city). 
Today: zip, zero, nothing. 
Sardined between the other sleepy commuters, I gazed coolly at their phones and MP3 players, feeling like a pseudo-martyr on a quest towards app-free enlightenment. Although I felt less prepared going into work, I congratulated myself for my restraint and for noticing all the crazy-cool graffiti that I didn't usually lift my eyes to see. 
As the day got going, though, it didn't take me long to I discover my own nervous tic: I have a habit of clicking on my phone, jabbing the Twitter app, and refreshing it absent-mindedly, checking for mentions or replies. Now, all I was doing clicking my phone on, staring at the screen, and clicking it back off forlornly. 
Other withdrawal symptoms started manifesting themselves loud and clear, too: I would fiddle with my phone purposelessly, make weirdly prolonged eye contact, feel like that poor clueless kid in middle school who's always missing out on some inside joke. I also became a fairly manic texter, rekindling conversations that had fizzled out several days before because what the hell else was I supposed to do while waiting in line for my bagel?
<h2 class="p1">Shock</h2>
Get off your phones, you jerks. 
When you have a smartphone, it's like you're never alone. Or bored. Boredom disappears because you always have something to read, or watch, or stare at blankly while avoiding conversation on the elevator. 
Without a smartphone, you realize how much alone time you really have. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge" style="width:400px"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Instagram" title_caption="Those tacos could have used my filtering skills. " class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5252be83ecad0470264e65be-960/insta-1.png"></a>InstagramThose tacos could have used my filtering skills. </div></div>That, and how much of your daily existence you usually feel the need to share with the world. Cutting off my normal regimen of Foursquare, Tumblr, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, I watched my communication levels plummet. It was like all my hilarious, pithy observations were going to waste inside my own brain! So many delicious meals unphotographed!
Also, I started noticing other people's cell phone use with the same wrath as my mother. Whenever I was talking to someone and noticed their eyes flit towards their little screen, I'd be overwhelmed with a matronly indignation. The nerve! 
I felt it the most when I entered the eerie quiet of a packed 7 train at 6 p.m. We were all doing our own thing, except I had no thing, so I was just staring at everyone else, especially the silent 20-somethings with their backs and necks hunched over their glowing devices. Hey, former self. 
Waiting feels so much more significant when you have nothing to do, and, fine, I'll admit it: Bathroom visits got a whole lot more boring. 
<h2 class="p1">Horror</h2>
One frustration after the next. 
At the beginning of the week, I made a seminally bad decision in deciding not to turn off my app notifications. Meaning that every time I received a message, tweet, like, or reblog, I would have to willfully ignore it. Oh, the emails I forced myself to flick away! The Snapchats I had to ignore! 
Snapchat really did kill me, too. I'd get a snap from someone, want to tell them why I couldn't respond for a week, and then realize that I didn't actually have their number, just their Snap handle. Awkward.
Plus, I'm in a long-distance relationship, and sometimes you just need to send your boyfriend a cross-eyed selfie, ya know?
A particularly embarrassing app-free moment occurred at work when I saw on my phone that I'd been tagged in a picture on Facebook. I swiped away the notification and went to check it out on my real computer. LOL's commenced ... Until I realized that the hilariously fugly photo of me was not illuminated on my own, tiny, personal screen, but glowing brightly towards the entire half of the office sitting behind me. Checking your personal FB at work: not a thing without a phone. 
In general, the glorious privacy of a smartphone allows you to search for the things you'd be embarrassed to have anyone else see-including the simple math equations that you should be able to do in your head (by God, did I miss my calculator app). 
Going app-abstinent also meant that I was constantly forgetting things. No ever-present to-do lists, no quickly typed reminders or long-reads saved for later. Instead of writing notes for this article on my phone, I had to bust out a good ol' fashioned pen and paper. The inconvenience of the extended elbows necessary for the physical writing process earned me more than a couple of glares on the train. Whoops. 
<h2 class="p1">Temptation</h2>
Lead us not into temptation, but help me find where the eff I am. 
I found truth in my mother's other favorite mantra one evening after work: "You kids don't know how to get anywhere these days without your phones."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge" style="width:400px"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Screenshot" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5252bf966bb3f7842ffdcbb4-960/help-1.png"></a>Screenshot</div></div>I'd walked to a Happy Hour with a friend, but several hard ciders later, I peaced out alone. Slightly buzzed, I tried to make my way to the subway without my trusty Google Maps and I don't dramatize when I say that I quite literally walked in a circle. 
Then, the next day, I wanted to try out a new coffee shop to force myself to be productive, but I neither had any idea where I should go, or would have been able to find my where there without a map. I felt a surge of longing for my good pal Yelp. 
Midway through the week, apps I don't usually even use began to tempt me and I felt the strain of having to be tethered to a computer to send updates or give warnings (like when you realize on the subway platform that, sorry boss, you're going to be about 40 minutes late for work). 
Probably the greatest temptation to my streak came Thursday night, when I had to wait a half hour with absolutely nothing to do for my friend to get into Port Authority. My finger hovered over that Tumblr icon nearly to the point of pain. 
<h2 class="p1">(Semi)Acceptance </h2>
I got a crash-course in my own thought process. 
Admittedly, there were some situations where it was almost nice not using apps: I felt like I had an excuse to be even lazier than I am usually. 
"Um, you should find us a place to eat on Yelp!" 
"Will you just look up the directions on your phone, please?" 
"Someone else should take the picture, actually. I can't Instagram it!" 
"I don't know, why don't you Google it?" 
I was like very bossy little kid, almost gleeful about the fact that I couldn't operate sufficiently on my own. 
I had a lot of one-on-one time with my brain, got to coo over way more adorable babies on the train that I would have if my eyes were glued to a screen, and forced myself into lots of small talk. 
In a way, abstaining from apps came down to trust. I just had to trust that I didn't need to be connected 24/7. The world wouldn't spontaneously combust if I didn't read a tweet, send an email, respond to a snap. 
No, I definitely couldn't give up my beloved apps on any <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-this-20-something-hasnt-owned-a-cell-phone-in-4-years-2013-10" target="_blank">permanent basis</a>, but it was nice to give myself a brief break from the constant connection. 
Now, see y'allz on Instagram.

You Searched For "Fugly" and got 11 results

Catch the trailer of Singh Is Bliing

Nandini Sharma

Box Office: Fugly Is Messy In Spite Of Limited Success; For The Rest, It’s A Flop Show

Sanghamitra Mandal

This 25-year-old entrepreneur made a fortune in the App Store - now he's trying to fix the biggest problem with mobile ads

James Cook

A former Afghan interpreter who reportedly helped US troops was detained in Texas and threatened with deportation

Ryan Pickrell

Here's a super-quick guide to what traders are talking about right now

Akin Oyedele

Elle Magazine Responds To Critics Who Call Melissa McCarthy A 'Token Plus-Size Cover Girl'

Aly Weisman

How Mens' Reactions To 'Donglegate' Show Sexism Exists In The Tech Industry

Megan Rose Dickey

LifeProof's waterproof phone case is the only iPhone case I need - here's why it's worth the $90

Owen Burke

'Average Looking Women': The Army's Secret Scheme To Sell Gender Neutral Infantry

Brian Jones

The scooters wars are coming to Europe this summer. But first they have to prove they're not like Uber.

Shona Ghosh

Living Without Apps: My Week in Hell

Jillian D'Onfro

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides