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<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Welcome back! A 72-year-old VC investor still runs four marathons a year. He spoke to BI about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/training-tips-for-older-runners-from-72-year-old-marathoner-2024-10">how he fits the training into his busy schedule</a> as he tries to run 100 marathons before he turns 100.In today's big story, a final look at the impact a Harris or Trump presidency <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-preview-consumer-outlook-how-trump-harris-housing-taxes-2024-11">will have on your finances</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: A survey exclusively shared with BI shows how a slice of Wall Street <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-election-predictions-professional-investor-survey-2024-11">thinks the election will go</a>.</li><li>Tech: Nvidia is replacing Intel in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-struggles-qualcomm-deal-chip-industry-turmoil-2024-9">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a>.</li><li>Business: We spoke to more than 750 people about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cant-find-job-unemployment-applications-retirement-mba-age-competition-openings-2024-11">their struggles finding a job</a>.</li></ul>But first, let's go over it one more time.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">The White House and your wallet</h2><div type="image" title="Trump and Harris." height="1743" width="2323" msid="114952573" hostid="261" sizebytes="392138"></div>On the eve of election day, we're offering a final breakdown of how both candidates might affect your wallet.Business Insider ran a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-preview-consumer-outlook-how-trump-harris-housing-taxes-2024-11">five-part refresher series</a> last week examining how the policies proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump impact US consumers.With little middle ground between the two candidates, there are a wide range of implications. Let's get into it:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/market-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-trump-harris-stocks-bonds-crypto-2024-10">Investing</a>: The corporate tax rate is the major difference between the two sides that'll likely have the biggest impact on markets. Trump's plan to reduce the rate, which stands at 21%, is viewed by most as beneficial for corporate earnings. Harris wants to raise the corporate tax rate, which would likely have the opposite effect.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-expensive-goods-price-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-trump-harris-2024-10">Cost of things</a>: Both candidates are looking to keep leveraging tariffs, but Trump's policy is much more aggressive. His broad-based 10%-to-20% tariff on most imported goods will ultimately make those products more expensive, according to most economists. When it comes to grocery prices, Trump previously said he'd restrict food imports to boost local farmers. Harris wants a federal ban on price gouging, but that'd only be applicable during national emergencies.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-affordability-supply-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-homebuyers-harris-trump-2024-10">Housing</a>: Harris wants to boost construction, with a goal of adding 3 million new housing units during her first term. The former president views his immigration plan — deporting millions of people from the country — as a way to address the housing shortage. Banning mortgages for immigrants living in the US illegally is another way to lower demand, according to Trump.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-cut-tariff-plan-outlook-presidential-election-scenarios-harris-trump-2024-10">Taxes</a>: Trump is expected to expand on the tax cuts he established in 2017. The highest earners in the country, those in the top 0.1%, would see a tax reduction of nearly $280,000 whereas middle-income Americans would get a $1,000 break on their taxes, according to one analysis. Harris' proposals will favor lower-income earners, although she's promised to not raise taxes for anyone making below $400,000. She does support a minimum income tax for billionaires.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/childcare-costs-presidential-election-scenarios-parents-paid-leave-harris-trump-2024-10">Childcare</a>: Both candidates have discussed increasing the amount of the child tax credit, which currently provides up to $2,000 per child. Harris has also zeroed in on childcare costs, promising to cap those expenses at no more than 7% of families' income. Neither candidate has suggested funding childcare facilities or boosting hiring, which is a key issue for the industry.<h3 id="77f31a4c-8462-4e3d-a71f-838cb79493fb">News brief</h3><h2 id="1fcd294b-3f53-425f-9f20-4093e8623b59">Top headlines</h2><ul><li>Harris leads Trump by three points in a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-iowa-polling-lead-swing-states-2024-11">new poll in GOP-leaning Iowa</a>.</li><li>TGI Friday's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tgi-fridays-files-for-bankruptcy-2024-11">filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a>.</li><li>Scoop: Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand Goop <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gwyneth-paltrow-goop-lays-off-employees-pivot-beauty-food-fashion-2024-11">conducted another round of layoffs</a>.</li><li>In an all-hands, Intel CEO addresses employee concerns about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-chips-act-funding-all-hands-meeting-2024-11">the US election and CHIPS Act funding</a>.</li><li>WATCH: How Elon Musk is reshaping American politics. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-reshaping-american-politics-ahead-of-2024-elections-2024-11">A conversation with Politico and BI</a>.</li><li>How a free meal cost an investor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-a-free-meal-cost-an-investor-his-retirement-savings-2024-10">his retirement savings</a>.</li><li>The China threat and the EV slowdown — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/auto-industry-faces-trouble-in-china-ev-slowdown-2024-11">2 takeaways from a busy few weeks in auto news</a>.</li><li>Record producer Quincy Jones has <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quincy-jones-dead-obituary-2024-11">died at 91 in his home in Bel Air</a>.</li><li>The US dollar is jittery, and it's not <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-dollar-presidential-election-fed-interest-rates-china-npc-stimulus-2024-11">only because of the presidential election</a>.</li><li>The Navy's top ballistic missile interceptor comes with a heavy price tag, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-top-interceptor-missile-heavy-price-tag-low-procurement-2024-10">but the US can't afford to go to war without it</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Photo of Wall Street with American flags" height="1333" width="2000" msid="114952577" hostid="261" sizebytes="241826"></div><ol><li>These investors give the slight edge to Trump. A survey of some of SumZero's investor community, which includes small hedge funds and family offices, found 53% believe <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-election-predictions-professional-investor-survey-2024-11">Trump will win the election</a>. That follows other signals the finance world is sending that it views Trump as the favorite, including European stocks trading at a discount due to concerns over tariffs.</li><li>Interest rate cuts are back. The Fed will announce Thursday what it plans to do with rates, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interest-rate-cuts-federal-reserve-election-jerome-powell-inflation-jobs-2024-11">most traders expecting a 25-basis-point cut</a>. After that, there's one more chance for the Fed to cut rates in December, although JPMorgan's strategy chief said a Trump win <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-win-fed-pause-rate-cuts-easing-jpmorgan-david-kelly-2024-11">could give the central bank pause</a>.</li><li>Wall Street analysts are scratching their heads over Comcast's potential reorg. The company's president suggested it might spin out CNBC and MSNBC into a new firm while retaining NBC and adding a partner to its steamer. On paper the move makes sense, but analysts question how the cable networks could survive by themselves and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/comcast-cable-network-spinoff-peacock-partnership-deal-wall-street-analysis-2024-11">who would be willing to team up with Peacock</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Jensen Huang" height="3526" width="5289" msid="114952576" hostid="261" sizebytes="532426"></div><ol><li>A monumental swap. S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices announced Nvidia will replace Intel in the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, which looks to project the most relevant picture of the US economy. It shows <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-struggles-qualcomm-deal-chip-industry-turmoil-2024-9">how far Intel has fallen from relevancy</a>, and raises questions about the future role it'll play in computing and AI. BI's Emma Cosgrove explains <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-nvidia-replacing-intel-dow-jones-industrial-average-explained-2024-11">why it's such a big deal</a>.</li><li>Everything we know about the Apple Intelligence rollout. Some of Apple's long-awaited AI features rolled out last week, including a new Siri interface and enhanced Messages. However, other features unveiled at WWDC in June won't be available until 2025. We've got <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-intelligence-features-rollout-timeline-iphone-16-2024-9">an estimated timeline of the rest of the releases</a>, based on what Apple experts and the company have said since WWDC.</li><li>Some Democratic political advertisers are still betting on X. Though Musk's ownership has shifted the platform's political stance, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democratic-political-advertisers-using-elon-musk-x-twitter-2024-11">a small number of Democratic ad campaigns still see opportunity</a>. Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Texas Rep. Colin Allred are among the Democrats still hanging on tight to X.</li></ol><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="Fish with price tags." height="3000" width="4000" msid="114952579" hostid="261" sizebytes="975922"></div><ol><li>Endless options are ruining e-commerce. The allure of online shopping was the ability to compare a variety of options from the comfort of your home. But what happens when there are literally tens of thousands of products to choose from? Information overload, choice paralysis, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/online-shopping-ecommerce-comparison-burnout-too-many-choices-overwhelming-decision-2024-11">extremely frustrated shoppers</a>.</li><li>The great American shoplifting spree. Regular Americans are shoplifting everything from tape measures to blocks of cheese, and they don't feel particularly bad about it. Some of these opportunists view it as a way of fighting back against <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-class-shoplifting-retail-theft-crime-stealing-stores-2024-11">goods that are unjustly expensive</a>.</li><li>The biggest woes of finding work. BI spoke to over 750 people who have struggled to find a job, from older workers just shy of retirement to eager recent graduates. They shared what they're most frustrated with, including fake job postings, competition from AI, and the feeling of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cant-find-job-unemployment-applications-retirement-mba-age-competition-openings-2024-11">being shut out from some careers</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Fox Corp, Goodyear, Marriott, and other companies report earnings.</li><li>Boeing's unionized workers vote on a new pay offer.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York. Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London.

Here's a final breakdown of how both presidential candidates might affect your finances 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Microplastics have been found in the human body in recent studies.</li><li>Scientists are trying to understand their potential negative effects on our health.</li></ul>An expert on how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/human-blood-microplastics">microplastics</a> affect our health shared how she reduces her exposure at home.Professor Fay Couceiro leads a team at Portsmouth University, UK, that researches the potential health impacts of these fragments of plastic measuring less than five millimeters long. She told Business Insider that the study of microplastics initially started in marine biology. Not only do microplastics harm marine ecosystems, they damage associated economies. An estimated $500 to $2,500 billion is lost annually because of how marine microplastics impact industries including fishing and recreation, according to a 2019 study by researchers at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.Once scientists found microplastics in all parts of the marine ecosystem, they discovered them everywhere else they thought to look, too, Couceiro said.<div type="image" title="A glass beaker with water and microplastics, held by someone in a white coat and plastic gloves." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325882" hostid="261" sizebytes="53160"></div>Research suggests that microplastics could contribute to the development or worsening of health issues such as asthma, Couceiro said. A study released earlier this year, meanwhile, suggested <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">microplastics increase the risks of stroke</a> and heart attacks. That's concerning, considering that microplastics have been found in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">human blood, brains, and testicles</a>.Although experts don't yet fully understand how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/you-are-consuming-microplastics-how-much-what-to-know-risks-2022-4">microplastics</a> affect our health, Couceiro said that "it would be sensible to try to limit the number we expose ourselves to while we determine what the problems are."Couceiro added that while legislation and wider systemic changes are needed to meaningfully reduce the number of microplastics we come into contact with, there are things we can do to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expert-how-i-keep-baby-family-safe-toxic-plastic-microplastics-2023-1">reduce exposure</a> at home.<h2 id="af91ad2d-fdb9-4cc9-a1d1-4c2028bb7c07">Don't microwave food in a plastic container</h2>Couceiro tries to remove food from plastic packaging before microwaving it whenever she can. But she doesn't stress if this isn't possible when she eats out.<div type="image" title="A steaming Thai green curry in a microwaveable plastic pot." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325879" hostid="261" sizebytes="121222"></div>Heating plastic means it breaks down more easily and can release microplastics into food, a 2023 study published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology found.<h2 id="d8db174e-3632-4810-87d9-0365d40b9dd6">Don't buy plastic clothes and carpets</h2>Couceiro recommends people buy clothes and carpets that aren't made from plastic."You don't have to go and replace all your clothes and carpets — especially not at the moment when things are so tight," she said. "But if something is starting to wear out, and you're thinking about buying a new one, look at what non-plastic alternatives are out there that you can afford."She still has a few pieces of polyester clothing, which she plans to replace non-plastic items when the time comes.<h2 id="151047ca-b498-4803-8816-c2a5992dea67">Vacuum regularly</h2>"The more you vacuum, the less plastic will be in the air from your carpet," Couceiro said.If you don't have much carpet in your home, don't worry about this one too much, she said.<h2 id="418e7f7a-deb6-41af-9b4b-24a2c93e90f1">Avoid plastic cookware</h2><div type="image" title="Wooden and ceramic kitchen utensils and bowls with a metal grater." height="1412" width="2124" msid="114325880" hostid="261" sizebytes="103910"></div>"When you see things like plastic spatulas melting and bubbling, there's little pieces of plastic coming off them," she said.Where possible, Couceiro cooks with metal or wood cookware instead of plastic, and avoids buying plastic utensils.<h2 id="4cc175a5-ccca-4fe1-9305-a291d8397f47">Avoid really fluffy materials</h2>This can be tough with kids, so Couceiro just limits fluffy materials in her home rather than banning them.But she's wary of them because they are more likely to be made of plastic fibers that shed easily.<h2 id="d6503b62-a0ec-48e9-8d00-de373ad69f39">Ventilate your home</h2>Couceiro likes to have fresh air in the house, and recommends ventilating your living space by opening windows to reduce the number of microplastics in the air.But, she said, you have to make sure that you won't be undoing the benefits by allowing pollution into your home, which is more likely if you live near busy roads or in a city center.Alternatively, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/best-air-purifier">air purifiers</a> can help improve air quality if left running for long periods, she said.

An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home

<div type="image" title="In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit" msid="114284206" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> On September 18, 2024, the <keyword id="19951097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-fed" source="keywords">US Fed</keyword> delivered a jumbo-sized surprise to the global economy. Not only did they trim their interest rates by a massive 50 basis points to bring their yields down to 5%, but also hinted at further rate cuts in the upcoming months. This move from the fed and several other central banks globally had pushed expectations high for a similar rate slash closer home, from the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> this month. But governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword>, in a “picture abhi baaki hai” moment, decided to hold the repo rates here steady, leaving them unchanged at 6.5% for the record 10th straight time. Although, he did tinker with the policy stand, changing it from “rate cuts are absolutely off the table” to a more accommodating “we’re okay with bringing down the rates, if needed”. This, rather neutral, stance from India’s financial custodian sparked hopes for a rate cut in December this year. However, the stubborn <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> levels in September have again dented such hopes. As consumers, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo this is about, since it hardly makes a difference to your regular financial routine. Well, the majority of both economic growth and inflation is closely connected to this policy stance from the central bank and it does have a rather indirect effect on both our earnings and spending. But more directly, it would have clear implications for those looking to own a house. Even the slightest modification of interest rates, or the lack of it, influences the <keyword id="19916018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emi" source="keywords">EMI</keyword> you pay significantly. So, all aspiring homebuyers, is this the right time to take out a loan and buy a house? Can you expect a rate cut anytime soon, and what will that mean for your home-owning dreams? We lay it out. <h2>What’s the connection?</h2>You see, buying a house is no small feat, at least financially. The task becomes even more herculean if you are scouting for your own roof in cities like Delhi, Noida, Bangalore or Mumbai where, as Circuit from Munnabhai says, “room shuru hote hi khatam ho jata hai”. Naturally, you’ll have to take a <keyword id="6354730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan" source="Orion">home loan</keyword> from the bank. Don’t be mistaken, the bank won't give you a loan that covers 100% of the value of the property you want to own. Rather, your loan amount will be equivalent to a certain percentage of the property’s total value. RBI’s guidelines on this are pretty clear: <ul><li>If your loan amount is up to Rs 30 lakh, you can get a loan worth 90% of the property’s value.</li></ul><ul><li>If the loan amount is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, you are eligible for a loan worth 80% of the property’s value. </li><li>If you are taking a loan of more than Rs 75 lakh, your loan amount will be equivalent to 70% of the property’s value. </li></ul>Now assuming that you have the money, it's all about paying back the principal amount, but not without a little (read hefty) interest added on top. See, when you’re taking a home loan, you are actually signing up for a long-term, even multi-decadal financial commitment, which will unfailingly present itself to your bank accounts and finances every single month, in the form of EMIs, or equated monthly instalments). When you take a home loan, you can choose to pay the interest in two ways (talk about choices!). One is that you decide to keep a fixed rate of interest throughout the tenure of your home loan. So, if you opt for a 25-year fixed-rate home loan at the rate of 8.8% p.a., you’ll have to pay interest at this rate for the next 25 years, till your entire loan is paid off. Yes, you can go backsies and switch to a floating-rate home loan by paying a fee. Floating, as the name suggests, means that your interest rate is not set in stone. But starting October 2019, when it comes to a floating interest rate home loan, your payable interest and EMIs are directly impacted by any changes in <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword>, which were left unchanged by RBI this time around. Why are these two so chummy, you might ask. Well, <keyword id="173069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan-interest" source="Orion">home loan interest</keyword> rates are a sum of two things: <ol><li>Repo Rate (the rate at which RBI lends money to banks)</li><li>Operational cost + margins</li></ol>Any plus or minus in this equation would send your home loan interests tanking, or skyrocketing. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat explains that any change in the repo rates impacts the cost of funds and thereby the home loan interest rates. “When the interest rates are expected to reduce, the corresponding impact will be in the form of a reduced EMI. Home loan borrowers should always try to borrow at a floating rate when interest rates are expected to reduce and at a fixed rate when the interest rates are expected to increase. This minimizes the outflow in the form of EMIs that the home loan borrowers will experience”, he continues. So, no change in repo rates means no change in your home loan interest payout and no financial relief whatsoever. A rate cut, which most experts are anticipating will start this December, would mean your EMI payments come down, and your wallet might save a little more. But there’s also a chance of an UNO reverse happening. In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Consider this. You took a floating interest rate home loan worth Rs 50 lakh in January 2022 at 8% p.a., for a period of 20 years. This brings your total monthly EMI to Rs Rs 41,822. But, as luck would (or won't) have it, RBI raised the interest rate by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023, bringing it to its current status of 6.5%. Some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that now, your home loan interest payout will also rise by a hefty 2.5%, taking the total to 10.5%. In other words, you’ll have to dish out Rs 49,919 per month as EMI. Now, won't you heave a sigh of relief if the RBI were to bring down the interest rate by say, even 50 basis points, or 0.5%? Agreed, your EMI will come down just marginally, to Rs 48,251. But look at this over a 20-year period, and you’ll see how big the difference is. <h2>Are rates set to change anytime soon?</h2>Generally, RBI hikes the repo rates if it sees inflation spiralling out of control. Then, in a bid to reduce consumer spending, it raises interest rates to make borrowing expensive. But when the apex bank sees sluggish consumption in the economy, inflation in control and wants to boost spending, it slashes down on interest rates, making it more lucrative for people to borrow. As of now, most experts are not anticipating any changes in the interest rates anytime soon. This means home loans are not getting cheaper anytime soon. The CPI data, which came out yesterday, saw inflation rise to 5.49% in September, compared to 3.65% last month. Food and beverage prices jumped to a four-month high of 8.36% in September, as opposed to a 5.3% rise in August. So a rate cut seems a no-go at the moment! Apurva Sheth, Head of Market Perspectives and Research, SAMCO Securities explains that the RBI had probably expected a hardening of inflation and that's why it chose to hold on to the rates in the monetary policy announcement last week. “Now, it seems that RBI will take a cautious stance going ahead and will not be in a hurry into rate cuts like its global peers”, he added. In all this, one thing is clear, in the grand movie of the Indian economy, the RBI has chosen stability over drama. And just like in every good Bollywood film, we're left wondering what twist the sequel will bring. Until then, it might be “The End" for rate cuts, but the show must go on for the Indian economy!

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Chris Williams, ex-VP of HR at Microsoft, created an easy way to plan meetings.</li><li>Participants are ranked from level five to one based on their importance.</li></ul>In over 40 years of executive experience, I've been in far too many meetings. Even as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-microsoft-vp-what-i-learned-from-working-2023-4">the VP of HR at Microsoft</a>, there were overcrowded meetings I should've avoided. Meeting bloat feels inevitable until you realize most of the people shouldn't have been invited.I've learned an easy way to tell if you should be in the room. This strategy is useful afterward to see if the meeting was worth your time and it can <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/6-ways-to-eliminate-meeting-fatigue-and-be-more-productive">make future meetings better</a>. It's called "Rank the Room."There are five levels of involvement in a meeting: from the most important, level five, to the least important, level one. Ideally, a good meeting would be filled with level fours and fives, with a few threes for perspective. The others shouldn't be there.Here's a look at the levels.<h2 id="0ca544a2-94d1-4de4-8e77-dd3652c9c84f">At the top, at level five, is the meeting organizer</h2>They called the meeting to solve a problem, explore an issue, and create some results. They lead the discussion and drive to the outcome. They're at the top because, without them, there would be no meeting.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5-ways-to-dramatically-improve-meetings-2016-2">After the meeting</a>, the level five should evaluate it. Was it a good discussion? Did they lead and ensure everyone participated well? Did it last exactly as long as necessary? Was there a clear and distinct outcome? Does everyone know their role in the next steps?<h2 id="0d1b2809-49f1-492e-b230-88519feef144">Level-four people are directly affected</h2>These are the people who are directly impacted by the meeting's outcome. They are expected to be active participants and have a stake in what happens next. The results of this meeting will change what they do. They must be there, no question.Afterward, if you were at level four, you should have been core to the discussion. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-speak-up-at-work-communication-skills-heather-hansen-2022-3">Did you speak up</a>? Were you an effective advocate for your interests? Did you listen well to others and work toward progress? Or did you sow conflict? Worse, did you just let the meeting happen around you?<h2 id="877555e3-a3cb-42cd-b12c-fd877b53a03b">Level three people add value</h2>They have insight or experience with the issue. Level three people provide a perspective that might be missed. They speak rarely, only when they can include something that shifts the conversation. Even if they aren't directly affected by the result, they <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pwc-hr-performance-signs-good-at-job-2024-6">certainly add value</a>.At level three, you need to be brutally honest with yourself after the meeting. Did you contribute significantly to the meeting? <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-you-should-never-do-in-office-etiquette-coach-tips-2024-10">Did you talk too much</a>, or not at all? Were your inputs actually heard? If you were the meeting organizer, would you add yourself to the follow-up meeting?<h2 id="dc37411a-8050-4928-9692-089e4fe3e712">Level two people observe and learn</h2>These participants are there to observe and sometimes learn. Often little more than stenographers, they don't have to be there. Seen yet never heard, their absence wouldn't change the meeting outcome.If you went in as a level two, be very clear with yourself. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/learn-work-naturally-good-enjoy-career-2024-3">What specifically did you learn</a> from that meeting? How did your being there help the meeting at all? Or did it just help you? If the latter, you were really just a one. And you shouldn't have been there.<h2 id="70507f8f-1fa8-4463-ab9f-45e8d17b1169">Finally, at the bottom are the level one people</h2>They are there because they want to be or because someone feels an obligation to include them for some vague reason. They offer nothing and take away even less. They're often the reason the meeting is bigger and takes longer than necessary.If you went in — or came out — as a one, your attendance was a mistake. You probably <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-generative-ai-tool-copilot-can-help-attend-fewer-meetings-2024-4">should have skipped it</a>.<h2 id="d4fe9b21-085f-47d1-aedb-4f80f9cf8d79">Know when you shouldn't be in a meeting</h2>Participating at level three should be optional and even special. Think carefully about whether you really have a perspective or insight that might change the outcome. Be honest and bow out if you don't.Don't develop a reputation as a hanger-on, as someone who is always there.If you spend most of your time as a level three in meetings, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-imposter-syndrome-versus-bad-at-job-2024-9">face it, you're just a level two</a> who occasionally says something witty. Reserve your wisdom for the times when it's useful and valuable.If you're going to be a two or lower, just decline. You will save time and your sanity. You won't be missed. No one is keeping score of how many times they saw you this week.<h2 id="96c7787c-0c4d-4757-9f20-102ebf035ece">Plan a good meeting</h2>Every meeting should have a clear agenda and include precisely the right people in the room. No more and no less.As the organizer, your job is to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cutting-work-meetings-can-make-you-happier-and-more-productive-2024-7">decide what the meeting is about</a> — exactly what you want to accomplish. Ranking the participants is a great way to decide who needs to be there.Some of the fours will insist on bringing along some threes. You might think of a three who would be nice to have but try to resist. Remember, it's your meeting. Everyone three and below doesn't need to be there.Control meeting bloat by ranking the room in advance. Do that and you win the meeting game. Everyone will thank you. <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://clwill.com/">Chris Williams</a> is a former VP of HR at Microsoft. He's an executive-level advisor and consultant with more than 40 years of experience leading and building teams.

Should you be at that meeting? An ex-VP of HR at Microsoft shares how to rank the room — and decide if you should even be in it.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="22530133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mass-IT-outage" source="Orion">mass IT outage</keyword> is affecting flights, banks, and supermarkets around the world.</li><li>James Bore, a cybersecurity expert, told BI there's no remote or automatic solution for the problem. </li></ul>Airlines, banks, retailers and healthcare providers are experiencing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/major-disruptions-airline-bank-london-stock-exchange-microsoft-outage-2024-7">widespread disruptions linked to an IT outage</a> after <keyword id="19895622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microsoft" source="keywords">Microsoft</keyword> reported problems linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm <keyword id="20424191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crowdstrike" source="keywords">CrowdStrike</keyword>. James Bore, a cybersecurity expert and managing director of Bores Group, told Business Insider the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mass-it-outage-companies-operations-airlines-affected-microsoft-crowdstrike-2024-7">outages appear to have been caused by a tool called Falcon</a> from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which is widely used to protect computers from attacks. The tool has a corrupted file that is "knocking out computers, putting them into what's known as the '<keyword id="1659959" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blue-screen-of-death" source="Orion">blue screen of death</keyword>.'" Bore said the issue can't be fixed automatically as it requires a manual reboot in "safe mode" and deleting the offending file. "There is no automated way to do this. There is no way to pull that file back or send out a new update, meaning every computer affected has to have some manual interaction," he said. Each fix should only take between 30 and 60 seconds, but problems could persist for some time, Bore added. "It depends on how quickly they can deal with the problem at the source, whether they can pull down that file because the way that modern infrastructure works is likely to be replicated across the world in local servers. For CrowdStrike Falcon to pull it down now, changing that, making sure it's updated, that does take time," he said. Ian Thornton-Trump, Cyjax's chief information security officer, told BI that what has been done cannot be undone for those blue-screen machines. "If the machines can be booted in safe mode, they may be able to issue an out-of-band update or patch. That's time-consuming — if the machines are critical, they might actually consider restoring from backup or a shadow copy [a built-in Microsoft recovery feature]." Microsoft and CrowdStrike didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. <h2>How to try to fix your PC</h2><ol><li>Bore said the first step is rebooting your computer, which should give a "safe mode" option once it restarts. (You won't have a network connection, and that's intentional).</li><li>2. Open the File Browser and find where CrowdStrike is installed, probably in a folder called C:\Windows\system32\drivers\Crowdstrike. "Be very careful not to mess with anything else in the system32 folder, as you can cause whole new problems that way," Bore advised.</li><li>In the Crowdstrike folder look for a file called (C-00000291*.sys — then delete that file and reboot the computer. Microsoft wrote in an X post that users can "restore their Windows 365 Cloud PC to a known good state prior to the release of the update" on July 19 to fix the issue and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-365/business/restore-overview">linked to a guide</a> on how businesses can do so. In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://azure.status.microsoft/en-gb/status">post</a> on the website of Microsoft's Azure cloud service, the company said it had received reports that switching devices on and off again had worked to restore affected "virtual machines" that run remotely. However, it warned that users might need to switch their machines on and off again as many as 15 times for this method to work.</li></ol>Correction: July 22, 2024 — This story has been updated to clarify the path to the folder where CrowdStrike is usually installed.

The only solution to the 'blue screen of death' may be a manual fix — here's what you can try

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kylie Kelce is married to the former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.</li><li>Kylie is dedicated to raising awareness about autism, including among her three daughters.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kylie Kelce. It has been edited for length and clarity.I never imagined that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jason-kelce-defends-wife-homemaker-heckler-both-work-2024-5">Jason and I</a> would be household names in Philadelphia or that strangers would know our kids' names.It has forced some conversations that I didn't think we would need to have. When we leave the house now and go into public spaces, I tell <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travis-kelce-jason-kelce-family-football-2023-11">our daughters</a> that if they don't want to say "hi" to people, they don't have to.Interestingly, it's a lesson they learned from my neighbor Tim. He has autism, and when growing up, we were very close. Today, he's Uncle Tim to my three daughters.I've spoken many times about how my interest in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/autistic-kids-parents-share-tips-advice-support-2023-6">autism community</a> started very young. Just like how Tim helped teach me <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-was-diagnosed-with-autism-never-felt-different-harry-potter-2021-8">about neurodiversity</a>, he's now teaching his honorary nieces. My girls get to benefit from having Tim in their lives. He's an outstanding introduction to autism and neurodiverse individuals. And I am very, very lucky that they get to interact with him in their young years the same way I got to interact with him because he really is one of the best people on this earth.The girls love Tim for Tim, but our oldest has started to notice he's different from some of her other uncles. Wyatt is 4, and she's a social butterfly, so she gets frustrated if Tim <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spelling-technique-may-aid-non-speaking-autistic-people-2023-6">doesn't want to interact verbally</a> with her. One time in particular, she was annoyed he wouldn't say "hi." And I told her, "Well, Uncle Tim will say 'hi' to you when Uncle Tim is ready."That's the space and grace we would give anyone we interact with. We haven't even really talked about Uncle Tim being different or that he processes the world differently. It's just common decency: If someone doesn't want to say "hi" to you right at that moment, they don't have to.<h2 id="a356a777-8311-47cf-bb28-e8bf625d68d5">That lesson has helped me teach the girls about public interactions</h2>Honestly, it's a very fine line and a blurred line when people approach Jason and me and address the girls by name. And it's no fault of anyone because all of the interactions are based completely on kindness.Still, it is something that I make a point to address with our girls. We talk about '<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/talking-to-strangers-is-healthy-2015-9">stranger danger'</a> because being approached by a stranger who knows your name is something I don't think anyone can prepare you for.As the girls get older, we're going to keep the lines of communication open so they can talk with us about anything that makes them uncomfortable, including public attention.<h2 id="485a8ffe-2975-409c-90a9-a839c35e9501">I don't worry about people's opinions on my marriage</h2>Raising three girls has really united <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jason-kelce-pregnant-wife-doctor-super-bowl-2023-2">Jason and me as a team</a>. Right now, it's us versus the children, and we're outnumbered. We're not in man-to-man coverage anymore.As public figures, Jason and I know there's talk about our marriage, but we don't give much thought to it. We use social media in a way that is authentic to us and I make a conscious effort not to offer us up for the opinions of others. I don't really mind other people having opinions because I don't really think twice about it. I also just don't often give the opportunity for people to supply those opinions.Keeping the outside sources as quiet as possible is a really great way to just keep it together and be present with each other. We are very secure in our marriage.<h2 id="ec8d252f-5612-4a91-8d25-6d6db08c052c">I talk with Tim about sharing his story</h2>I'm passionate about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/eaglesautismfoundation/">Eagles Autism Foundation</a>, and people often want to know why. I share about Tim and always make sure to check in with him to make sure he's OK with me talking about our story.Tim isn't one for the spotlight, so I'm helping him with an anonymous donation. The donation will give people with tactile needs the chance to interact with art, including the art that Tim makes.I'm grateful that I know Tim, and I tell him that. And I think that that's really as simple as it is. I'm grateful that I've had the absolute pleasure of having Tim in my life. That has fueled everything else that has transpired.

I married Jason Kelce. Fame changed how I parent but I refuse to let it affect my marriage.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a ship on Tuesday morning.</li><li>The bridge is close to several major distribution centers, including Amazon and FedEx.</li></ul>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/francis-scott-key-bridge-baltimore-collapses-after-struck-large-boat-2024-3">collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore</a> could have major effects on distribution and deliveries for businesses in the area.Baltimore's biggest bridge collapsed early on Tuesday morning after a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-we-know-dali-francis-scott-crash-collapse-maryland-bridge-2024-3">cargo ship</a> crashed into one of its support beams, prompting Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to declare a state of emergency.Several <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baltimore-bridge-collapse-developing-mass-casualty-event-2024-3">vehicles were on the bridge</a> at the time, Kevin Cartwright, the communications director for the Baltimore Fire Department, told the Associated Press.The collapse prompted the immediate close of the Port of Baltimore, which is one of the US' biggest ports by volume and value of cargo and the biggest US port for cars and light trucks, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-26/vehicles-plunge-into-water-after-ship-rams-into-baltimore-bridge?embedded-checkout=true">Bloomberg</a>.It may also delay companies' deliveries by road because they have to find an alternative route to cross the harbor.Around 11.3 million vehicles drive over the bridge each year, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://mdta.maryland.gov/Toll_Facilities/FSK.html">Maryland Transportation Authority</a>, and Amazon, Home Depot, FedEx, BMW, and Volkswagen all have distribution centers and warehouses just east of the bridge at Sparrows Point."This is a huge issue that is going to motivate an all-hands-on-deck response to offset the financial hit," Dave Marcotte, a longtime retail and supply chain expert from Kantar, told Business Insider. "It's going to snarl container seaboard, train routing, and East Coast trucking for a while," he added. <div type="image" title="Google maps Baltimore" height="1060" width="2364" msid="108797869" hostid="261"></div>Neil Saunders, managing director of the retail division at data analytics and consulting company GlobalData, told BI via email that the collapse could "have a negative impact on journey times and costs for both incoming and outgoing goods from those centers."He said the "main impact" would be local but added, "There might be a slight regional impact as other centers have to increase volume to compensate, but this should not be too onerous as most retailers can divert delivery traffic via other routes."The bridge was one of three routes for vehicles to cross the harbor alongside two tunnels. The MDTA is advising drivers on alternative routes to take.<h2>The bridge is near major distribution sites</h2>Tradepoint Atlantic, the logistics hub at Sparrows Point, is home to distribution sites for various retailers and delivery companies, including Amazon, Home Depot, FedEx, Under Armour, McCormick, and Floor and Decor. BMW and Volkswagen also have sites there.Tradepoint Atlantic said it had been "in constant contact" with emergency response officials and leaders from the city and state. When asked about the impact of the bridge's collapse on its operations, a BMW spokesperson told BI it expected only "short-term traffic delays."Volkswagen said its operations were unaffected as its Baltimore facility was "located on the sea board of the bridge collapse." But said there "may be trucking delays as traffic will be rerouted in the area."Both Home Depot and McCormick, which manufactures spices and seasonings, said their distribution centers in the area were open and operating. And, a spokesperson for FedEx said they have contingency plans in place to "lessen any potential impacts on service," without specifying what these are.Business Insider contacted the other companies for comment but had not heard back when this article went live.When the Volkswagen Group vehicle terminal opened in 2020, the automaker <a target="_blank" href="https://media.vw.com/en-us/releases/1357">said</a> it would import and process about 120,000 Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley vehicles from Europe and Mexico each year, serving about 300 dealers in the mid-Atlantic region.The BMW vehicle distribution center, which opened in 2022, was designed to support more than 125 BMW and Mini dealers in central and eastern US, the company said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/article/detail/T0367173EN_US/bmw-of-north-america-celebrates-grand-opening-of-new-vehicle-distribution-center-at-tradepoint-atlantic-terminal-in-baltimore-maryland?language=en_US">press release</a> when it opened. BMW said the 35-acre site would act as a distribution hub for vehicles from manufacturing facilities and be used for vehicle inspections, repairs, and maintenance.McCormick <a target="_blank" href="https://mccormickcorporation.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mccormick-announces-plans-open-new-northeast-distribution-center">said</a> in 2020 that it expected its site at Tradepoint Atlantic to become its biggest distribution site."This is going to be catastrophic for many reasons," one resident told local CBS affiliate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-baltimore-ship-strike/">WJZ</a>. "Number one, the harbor's blocked. Number two, we're not going to get any more new car deliveries at this time. Amazon is just on the other side of the river and you can forget your same-day, next-day delivery packages.""The beltway is going to be a parking lot. The tunnels are going to be over-jammed," he added.<h2>Local businesses prepare for ongoing disruption</h2>The Hard Yacht Cafe, located about a mile from the bridge, told BI that it wasn't yet clear how the collapse would affect its business."The area of destruction is a major artery for traffic. We can't be sure what kind of impact this is going to have on our business but this will for sure disrupt all travel both auto and boating for weeks to come," Alexander DelSordo, majority owner of the café and Anchor Bay Marina, told BI via email."It's going to take weeks to get back to some kind of normalcy with regards to travel," he added.A worker at Royal Farms, a convenience store at Hawkins Point on the southwestern end of the bridge, told BI at about 7:30 a.m. local time that it was open as usual and all its staff had been able to get in so far.Has your business been affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge? Email these reporters at gdean@insider.com or mhanbury@insider.com.

Baltimore businesses are trying to figure out how the bridge collapse will affect them

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I'm a professional declutterer, and I know how a messy workspace could affect your productivity.</li><li>First, you should remove anything unnecessary from your desk and file the rest.</li></ul>If you have a lot on your plate at work, then <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ultimate-home-office-guide-for-2024-2024-3">your desk</a>, office, or cubicle is likely less than beautifully organized.While we're not all going to maintain pristine workspaces, you will most likely be more productive at work if your desk is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/family-garage-sale-decluttering-tips-2024-9">clean and organized</a>.I'm a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/professional-declutterer-shares-why-people-hold-on-to-things-2023-3">professional declutterer</a> specializing in clearing out spaces and ensuring they are properly utilized. So I know you can benefit from a tidier work environmentHere are five tips to get there.<h2 id="aaa79c28-a1ac-4b45-86a4-2342c93b6f02">Get rid of things you're never going to get to</h2>Less is more when it comes to workspace organization. The more you have, the more time and energy you'll spend keeping track of everything. A deep dive into your piles of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/back-to-school-supplies-order-in-bulk-2023-8">paper and supplies</a> will generally uncover a lot of stuff you don't need or use.If you have many notes pinned to a bulletin board or stuck to your computer monitor, determine whether you're even seeing them anymore. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-loneliness-does-to-the-body-and-brain-2023-12">Our brains</a> can only process so much information at once; the rest we just skip over.Instead, create a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/forget-to-do-list-use-4-techniques-maximize-your-productivity-2020-2">to do list</a> and remove all the one-off notes to yourself.<h2 id="02607542-57ba-400b-bb47-4f2165dff1b9">Get real with yourself</h2>Most of our clutter is aspirational — both on your desk and your computer.You tell yourself: Of course, I will read that newsletter, institute that 10-step <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/time-management-and-productivity-hacks-2016-7">time management</a> system, and reply to that two-month-old email. But while you're thinking about doing those things, other, more urgent work is piling up.Give yourself a time limit to return to non-essential items. Put "To Read" items in a file folder with a date on it. If you haven't read or acted on them in a month or two, chances are you never will. Do the same with the electronic stuff. If the date comes and goes, just ditch it.Resist the temptation to take one more look — lest you fall prey to the siren song of Maybe One Day.<h2 id="b113a975-d522-4bc3-955f-899fc740fe53">Clear off the surfaces</h2>A flat surface is a magnet for clutter — whether at home or at work. Papers are herd animals; they seem to belong in groups. If your work surface is hidden by a pile of papers, Post-its, and other random items, it's hard to get anything done.Get your file folders to do the organization for you by creating a section of your drawer or desk for current working files. These hold any projects or information you'll likely need for your ongoing projects. If you've got a file drawer within reach, put this section at the front. If not, put a small rack on your desk that will hold a few file folders. Label them and fill them up.Other <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parent-remote-work-return-to-office-2024-9">office supplies</a> need specific homes, too. They may be in your desk drawers or in other containers. For example, if you want things like pens or Post-it notes to live on your desk, give them a jar or a box. As long as an item has a home, you'll know where to find it and where to put it when you're done with it.<h2 id="3fc6d9ce-5423-42d8-ac1f-d252620e34ec">Think through your filing system</h2>Once you've disposed of most of your papers and files, you will probably be left with some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/documents-needed-for-mortgage-application">essential documents</a>. What should you do with all of them?Whether your information is mostly paper or electronic, keeping it organized and properly labeled will make your life a lot easier. If you're having trouble remembering where you put something important, your filing system is likely less system and more sinkhole.In your filing cabinet, try putting all the tabs on the left edge of the folders in alphabetical order. Staggered tabs may seem easier to identify, but I think they just confuse the eye. Color coding can also help you quickly identify the type of file you're looking for. If your folders are bursting at the seams, use more of them.<h2 id="1d97372e-b800-429a-bc11-1ac6568b9b45">Organizing deserves a time slot</h2>You may feel like you're too busy to clear your desk at the end of the day, but this will be 10 minutes well spent. Make a ritual of ending your workday by filing papers, putting away office supplies, and generally making your desk look welcoming for the morning.If you're having trouble finding time to manage your work clutter, consider scheduling a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-on-one-weekly-meeting-with-boss-mistakes-2024-1">weekly meeting</a>. Put it on your calendar, and don't ignore it.Time spent organizing may feel like it's interfering with work time, but maintaining your environment is part of your work and will make it easier to complete your other projects.

I'm a professional declutterer. Here's how to clean up your workspace so you can be more productive.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Large companies like Disney and Uber have arbitration clauses in their Terms of Use.</li><li>Arbitration is when a neutral third party settles a dispute instead of a jury trial.</li></ul>Companies are using a simple strategy to avoid courtroom litigation when disaster strikes: the fine print.Terms and conditions have become a ubiquitous part of life for many people, from purchasing concert tickets to applying for a credit card. The legal agreement between businesses and their customers spells out both parties' responsibilities under a contractual relationship.That legal agreement can include an <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-plaintiffs-law-firms-bring-mass-arbitration-cases-class-actions-2021-11">arbitration clause</a> that removes a customer's right to sue a company when things go wrong — whether the customer knows it or not. Instead, they can be forced to use a neutral third party to settle a dispute instead of a jury at trial.In some cases, companies are using infinite arbitration clauses, which can extend to individuals beyond the original contractual parties, requiring all disputes to be settled out of the courtroom, and can be enforceable even after terminating a service."Infinite clauses stretch to the horizon and last forever. They are less a contractual provision and more a kind of arbitration servitude," David Horton, a professor at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, wrote in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.It's a near-century-old practice that some legal experts say should be modernized for the digital age.<h2 id="27cb7a2c-c011-4afd-9917-00dc1588da6c">The Disney case</h2>In the case of large companies, arbitration clauses included in one service can often apply to any service the company offers.This scenario gained attention earlier this year after a New York State man filed a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-wrongful-death-lawsuit-theme-park-2024-8">wrongful-death lawsuit against Disney</a> and a restaurant operator who runs a pub at Disney Springs. Disney does not own the restaurant.Jeffrey Piccolo's lawsuit said his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, died in October 2023 from a "severe acute allergic reaction" after dining at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, where they asked a staff member on "numerous occasions" if allergen-free options were available. The staff member assured them the restaurant did, but Tangsuan collapsed inside Planet Hollywood later that night and was transported to a local hospital, according to the complaint.A medical examiner's investigation determined she died due to "anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system."<div type="image" title="A photo of a sign on a water tower with the Disney Springs logo" height="1704" width="2560" msid="115384767" hostid="261" sizebytes="276990"></div>In response, Disney filed a motion to compel arbitration, arguing that Piccolo could not sue the company because he had agreed to its Terms of Use when signing up for a free Disney+ trial years earlier and again when purchasing tickets to its theme park. Disney quickly found itself in a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-wrongful-death-lawsuit-legal-argument-pr-nightmare-2024-8">PR nightmare</a> as people online called the move "very dystopian" and urged users to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions in retaliation.After the criticism, Disney reversed course and dropped its motion to compel arbitration. The case is pending in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Orange County, Florida."At Disney, we strive to put humanity above all other considerations. With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss," Josh D'Amaro, the chairman of Disney Experiences, said in a statement.Although Disney relented, Piccolo isn't the only one to get caught up in the fine print, and he likely won't be the last.Lawyers and legal experts who spoke to Business Insider said there is little consumers can do to avoid arbitration clauses in an era when signing contracts often happens with the tap of a finger."I think the only thing we can do is opt out of the internet," Joseph Cammarata, a partner at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata &amp; Siegel, P.C. in Washington DC, told Business Insider.<h2 id="7db68ead-3086-4a47-adf0-1c0cf75edcf6">Large companies use arbitration to avoid damaging their reputations in a public trial</h2><div type="image" title="Preview of John and Georgia McGinty alongside the crashed Uber vehicle." height="3264" width="2962" msid="115384769" hostid="261" sizebytes="435138"></div>Like Disney, Uber made headlines this year for a 2023 lawsuit filed by Georgia and John McGinty in the Superior Court of New Jersey.In a September court filing, the couple said they were riding in an Uber in March 2022 when the driver ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle. The court filing said Georgia sustained multiple injuries, including rib, cervical, and lumbar spine fractures. She also experienced damage to her abdominal wall, pelvic floor, and a protruding hernia.John sustained "severe" fractures to his left arm and wrist and a fractured sternum, according to the lawsuit.Uber responded by filing a motion to compel arbitration, which that court denied. However, Uber appealed, and New Jersey's appellate division sided with the company, which said the McGinty's could not have a courtroom trial because Georgia agreed to its Terms of Use in 2022 for an unrelated Uber Eats order. The couple pushed back, saying their underage daughter made that order and have filed an appeal."While the plaintiffs continue to tell the press that it was their daughter who ordered Uber Eats and accepted the Terms of Use, it's worth noting that in court they could only 'surmise' that that was the case but could not recall whether their daughter ordered food independently or if Georgia assisted," an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Georgia McGinty, who was involved in an Uber car crash." height="3024" width="4032" msid="115384772" hostid="261" sizebytes="674730"></div>Stacey Lee, a professor of law and ethics at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, told BI that consumers are increasingly running into arbitration clauses, but how businesses use them isn't necessarily new."It has always been the default for businesses to want to go to arbitration for a number of reasons," Lee said."You're not going to have a class action lawsuit, you're not going to have it plastered on top of the front page, there's limited discovery, and businesses have a little more control over who the arbitrators are," she said.Arbitration usually has three arbitrators selected from the Arbitration Association of America. They're often business professionals with experience in a specific field."Their knowledge of the customs and norms of the industry is very different than a judge's, and because they're on the business side, they have a tendency to agree more with the business interpretations of how things work," Lee said.Cammarata said companies know juries might be less sympathetic to their arguments."They want to limit public accountability and responsibility," he said. "A jury may listen and say, 'Uber, are you kidding me?'"However, arbitration isn't inherently anti-consumer or unfair to the average person. Compared to courtroom litigation, arbitration can cost less money and be a quicker process. People also can request an appeal in arbitration, but it's not the same as a courtroom trial, where they would have the right to do so.This private form of settling legal disputes arose with the Federal Arbitration Act in 1925, making it nearly 100 years old. John Carpenter, a partner at the California-based law firm Carpenter &amp; Zuckerman, said the arbitration clause is due for an update."The problem is we're applying a statute that goes back to 1925 to 2024," Carpenter said, "It's an entirely different world. The world we live in now wasn't even conceivable in 1925."Carpenter said that arbitration was generally used to determine one-on-one agreements, but now "it's being used digitally in terms of use agreements and essentially contracting away an entire branch of government with a click."<h2 id="dcbb6564-3ff6-4ae5-98ab-600c97fc4c6e">How consumers protect themselves from arbitration clauses</h2>Cammarata said one way consumers can navigate arbitration is to check if a company's terms of use has an opt-out clause. That, however, relies on consumers reading through the businesses' Terms of Use, which are often lengthy and written in legal jargon."First of all, they haven't read it, so they don't even know that they agreed to arbitration, let alone to opt out," he said.Lee said that while courts tend to be critical of arbitration clauses in employment agreements, they're less so regarding things like streaming services or rideshare apps."Increasingly, courts are like, 'You can read. You scroll through and click yes. It is now your responsibility," Lee said. "You can walk away from the service, and it doesn't affect your life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness."John said he believes courts need to reexamine the Federal Arbitration Act."It's going to require legislative action to take a look at this," he said.

How century-old arbitration laws are failing consumers in the digital age

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Department of Government Efficiency wouldn't be a department, but an outside advisory group.</li><li>Under current law, Congress needs to approve most budget changes, limiting the DOGE's power.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a new effort to slash what he sees as federal inefficiency, with Elon Musk as cost-cutter-in-chief.Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-cabinet-election-x-2024-9">made good on a campaign promise</a> when he tapped Musk to co-lead the proposed "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE, alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.Musk says he wants to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget to make it more efficient and effective. Beyond that, though, little is known about how the DOGE will function and how much power it — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">and Musk</a> — will have.Musk did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment for this article. A representative for Ramaswamy declined to comment.<h2 id="2dc0c03e-9977-4403-9201-3d55e844524d">What do we know about the DOGE?</h2>Despite its name, the DOGE will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-doge-gets-a-government-checkmark-on-x-2024-11">not actually be a government department</a>, as departments are permanent and can only be created by Congress. Instead, it will function "outside of the government" and disband by July 4, 2026, Trump said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Trump and Musk at a rally" height="2584" width="4184" msid="115360794" hostid="261" sizebytes="161264"></div>The name DOGE is an homage to Musk's preferred cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, which shot up in value after Trump won the election. Under current law, the DOGE might not be able to accomplish much, since Congress controls federal spending."They have no power. No power at all," Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Brookings Institute who led efforts to reform the federal government under former President Bill Clinton, told Business Insider. "They do make recommendations, and once they make recommendations, the expectation is that the government will act on them."There's no guarantee that a recommendation will turn into a policy, especially given that many of the DOGE's suggestions will likely require congressional approval, Kamarck said.<h2 id="0f11a880-6c1f-4025-a722-a860ae33d16c">The DOGE's $2 trillion goal is something of a pipe dream.</h2>Federal spending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">reached $6.75 trillion in 2024</a>. Multiple experts told BI that it's unlikely Musk will be able to cut his desired $2 trillion without sacrificing programs that have wide bipartisan support or fall under federal mandatory spending, like Medicare and Social Security. Kamarck called the $2 trillion goal the "most unrealistic" part of the whole DOGE plan.Trump has long been preoccupied with cutting what he sees as Washington's waste and fraud."The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will ultimately be staffed and dedicated to this mission," Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump's transition team, told BI in a statement.Quoting former Rep. Barney Frank, Kamarck said that excess federal spending is "marbled" <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-government-efficiency-what-us-spends-2024-11">throughout the budget</a>, like fat throughout a steak, making the DOGE's desired $2 trillion in cuts tricky."It just doesn't work, unless you decide to start cutting Social Security benefits or Medicare, at which point all hell breaks loose," she told BI. "And you know, the bromance between Trump and Musk will end very quickly."Known for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-efficiency-companies-tesla-spacex-x-2024-11">streamlining efficiency at his companies</a>, Musk says he wants to cut bureaucracy, shrink the federal workforce, and trim the number of federal agencies down to no more than 99 (there are currently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies">more than 440</a>).Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office, told BI that he doubted that the loosely defined group would be able to accomplish much given its sprawling $2 trillion target."It is hard for me to get seriously ginned up about it until there's a real structure there that suggests that this makes some sense and has a purpose," he said. "If something is designed to do everything, it will do nothing."<h2 id="6bcaf431-1be5-4839-9b83-d0f24a7146cf">The DOGE will exist "outside of government."</h2>In one scenario, the DOGE could function as an advisory committee, which Trump can create through an executive order. The president-elect said the DOGE will work with the Office of Management and Budget, which prepares the president's budget request for Congress."They have made clear that this is a non-governmental department, which is not a familiar term, and so it's not really clear how the organization will operate because of that," Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the progressive nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen, told BI. "It might be an advisory committee of non-governmental actors, but even from that posture, it won't have the authority to alter budgets or fire employees or rescind regulations."<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Elon Musk" height="1910" width="2707" msid="115360796" hostid="261" sizebytes="118134"></div>Kamarck said that there are specific rules laying out how much interaction external committees can have with the government, but it's not clear how Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy envision the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-hiring-staff-how-to-apply-2024-11">internal infrastructure of the DOGE</a>."How are they going to talk to each other? How are they going to meet with each other? Are they going to go talk to anybody in the government, or are they just going to make up things from 50 miles away?" she said.On November 14, the DOGE <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1857076831104434289">said in a post on X</a> that it is seeking "super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ per week on unglamorous cost-cutting." Musk said on his <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1857112441529700671">personal X account</a> that the positions will not be paid.<h2 id="4c25da3e-39de-44e2-a1c5-c7249f9fc728">Trump has talked about changing a key law that limits his federal spending power.</h2>Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy may try to circumvent the congressional obstacles standing in the way of their cost-cutting agenda. Last year, Trump expressed interest in going after the Impoundment Control Act, a 1974 provision that requires the president spend funds that Congress has appropriated."Bringing back Impoundment will give us a crucial tool with which to obliterate the Deep State, Drain the Swamp, and starve the Warmongers," the president-elect <a target="_blank" href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-using-impoundment-to-cut-waste-stop-inflation-and-crush-the-deep-state">said in a video</a> in June 2023.Holtz-Eakin said attempting to skirt the impoundment act would be like rewriting history, and Kamarck told BI that any attempt to not spend money that Congress has appropriated poses big Constitutional questions."If he tries to change the law so that he can impound funds, my guess is there'll be a fight in the Congress and he'll lose," she said.<h2 id="4956dc95-91da-4028-b1b3-d843a1509397">Musk could bump up against many conflicts of interest but likely wouldn't have to divest from his companies.</h2>If the DOGE is a federal advisory committee, Musk and Ramaswamy would likely be "special government employees," who are experts or consultants that can work for a federal agency or the White House for up to 130 days. They do not get paid and, crucially, would not have to divest from their companies."They've been clear also that they're staying in their roles as the heads of companies and in other places," Gilbert said. "Not being a part of government means they don't have to deconflict themselves."In a press release for Public Citizen, Gilbert said that Musk's "own businesses have regularly run afoul of the very rules he will be in position to attack" as the DOGE co-lead.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy" height="5504" width="8256" msid="115360795" hostid="261" sizebytes="4296554"></div>In the role, Musk and Ramaswamy would still be bound to federal ethics laws and have to recuse themselves from conversations that affect them personally, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/doge-what-can-musk-do-with-the-department-of-government-efficiency?srnd=homepage-americas">Bloomberg</a> reported. With his companies under investigation from at least 20 federal regulatory agencies and SpaceX having more than $15 billion in federal contracts, Musk could face many such conflicts.Kamarck said that there's no "firm line" about when employees need to take themselves out of discussions, but that lawyers address questions on a case-by-case basis.Musk has expressed public frustration with what he views as overbearing federal oversight, which he said has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html">slowed down his pace of business</a>.By law, meetings of advisory committees, like the kind the DOGE could be, need to be open, and Musk has no problem with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-leaderboard-federal-government-spending-trump-2024-11">transparency</a> — in fact, he seems to invite it. In a post on X, the billionaire promised to post all of the group's actions online <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-leaderboard-government-spending-marketing-genius-doge-donald-trump-2024-11">"for maximum transparency</a>" and said the public should chime in with their opinions.It's also possible the group might intentionally avoid becoming a federal committee because of the increased oversight and scrutiny, Holtz-Eakin said."It's not a federal committee as far as I can tell," he said. "I think that's deliberate. If you do that, then you're subject to lots of things like a conflict of interest you have to sign off on, and I think that would be a nightmare for Mr. Musk. And so they're not going to let it tiptoe toward federal jurisdiction."Until Trump actually forms the DOGE, if he ever does, the legal and bureaucratic details remain murky, and the experts BI spoke with aren't convinced that it will work well."It sounds a little screwy, frankly," Kamarck said.

How Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency could actually work

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-axis-shifted-melting-ice-climate-change-2021-4">Polar ice melt driven by climate change</a> is affecting Earth's rotation, according to new research.</li><li>We may have to adjust timekeeping by "skipping" a second in 2029.</li></ul>The climate crisis has gone so far that it's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/groundwater-pumping-causes-earth-rotational-pole-to-shift-study-finds-2023-7">altering the shape and spin of our planet</a>, and changing our experience of time itself, according to a new <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=6e0ebadf62e8f47a67cc7282306158a72bdd5063f2fb3125a3504cbcc1d89ccf&amp;postID=6605b6fa669ae113e1c59c9b&amp;postSlug=human-activities-change-earth-spin-time-keeping-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41586-024-07170-0.epdf%3Fsharing_token%3Dn1K3Lv83uuFdqGIlB55OhNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0M8eI6W1yLpWHEpE-RIkTCyYE2WIbRIkp2z3i1LfYhEU3YrU-85lxnPetCiUSDS5sZh2Yqx8exdxhiHVjsNg32gYMg9UFjTwdCeHAJyzUAmdpjxRja_Ev5m6jX89sSeTy-5GMAG9cTExYZgXc-LYQwOViaP1wIrgTvdQ3Q23voktQ%253D%253D%26tracking_referrer%3Dwww.cnn.com">study</a> published in the journal Nature on Wednesday."Enough ice has melted to move sea level enough that we can actually see the rate of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-spinning-around-axis-more-quickly-2021-1">Earth's rotation</a> has been affected," Duncan Agnew, a geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and author of the study, told <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=195d94915c7be3972827c534262e8b53a0fc3dd3efb23944e2d14f69350381c6&amp;postID=6605b6fa669ae113e1c59c9b&amp;postSlug=human-activities-change-earth-spin-time-keeping-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-00932-w">Nature</a>.<div type="image" title="3D Render of Planet Earth in blue-black space with sun beams peeking over the top" height="1500" width="3167" msid="108882044" hostid="261" sizebytes="111358"></div>Don't worry — this change in Earth's rotation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-if-earth-stopped-spinning">won't be catastrophic</a>. However, it does mean that we'll have to adjust our time keeping, which may be a problem for much of the computing we rely on.<h2>Ice melt could delay the dreaded negative leap second</h2>Humans track time in seconds, minutes, and hours, and these measurements are dictated by Earth's rotation on its axis and the sun's position in the sky — what's called the solar timescale.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-rotation-slowing-helped-bacteria-produce-oxygen-2021-8">But the solar timescale is not very precise because the planet's spin has never been constant</a> — it changes based on how fluids both above and below the crust move.Therefore, humans invented a more precise way of time keeping with atomic clocks and the atomic timescale.But, every 1.5 years, or so, on average, these two timescales misalign because of the Earth's inconsistent rotation rate. When that happens, we <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leap-second-december-31-2016-12">accommodate with what's called a leap second</a>: a second that is added to the atomic timescale to realign it with the solar timescale.We've been adding leap seconds this way since 1972, but we haven't needed one since 2016.That's because <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-spinning-around-axis-more-quickly-2021-1">Earth has spun faster and faster</a> over the last eight years for reasons scientists are still trying to understand.<div type="image" title="A standing clock on the side of a small town road." height="1413" width="2120" msid="108882045" hostid="261" sizebytes="468964"></div>As a result, scientists predict that we would need the first-ever negative leap second by 2026. Meaning we'd need to subtract a second from the atomic timescale, instead of adding one.But this new research suggests that climate change is slowing down the acceleration of Earth's rotation and will delay that negative leap second to 2029.Losing one second of time may not sound like much. But <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-compute-engine-leap-smear-deals-with-61-second-minutes-2015-6">adding and subtracting leap seconds poses big problems for computing</a>, so much so that the International Bureau of Weights and Measures voted to get rid of them by 2035.Computers, financial exchanges, GPS, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaires-companies-going-to-space-need-rules-2024-3">spaceflight</a> rely on extremely precise timekeeping, so leap seconds can lead to "serious malfunctions in critical digital infrastructure," the Bureau wrote in its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bipm.org/documents/20126/64811223/Resolutions-2022.pdf/281f3160-fc56-3e63-dbf7-77b76500990f">resolution</a>. It added that the negative leap second which may soon be necessary "has never been foreseen or tested.""We do not know how to cope with one second missing. This is why time metrologists are worried," Felicitas Arias, former director of the Time Department at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, told <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=195d94915c7be3972827c534262e8b53a0fc3dd3efb23944e2d14f69350381c6&amp;postID=6605b6fa669ae113e1c59c9b&amp;postSlug=human-activities-change-earth-spin-time-keeping-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-00932-w">Nature</a>.While Agnew's study suggests we have more time before facing this worrying unknown, it's worth noting that Earth's spin is very difficult to predict, and the new study is not necessarily a definitive forecast."There's a very great uncertainty about this," Judah Levine, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/03/27/leap-second-melting-poles-climate-time/">The Washington Post</a>. "A few years ago, there were predictions in the other direction."<h2>How melting ice slows Earth's spin</h2><div type="image" title="Earth's core illustration" height="2680" width="4020" msid="108882046" hostid="261" sizebytes="474888"></div>There are three main mechanisms that control the Earth's spin:<ul><li>One is tidal friction, or the interaction between moving ocean water and the ocean floor, which slows Earth's rotation.</li><li>The second is changes in the ice caps that covered Northern Canada and Scandinavia during the last Ice Age, which made Earth more spherical, speeding up its rotation rate, according to Agnew.</li><li>And finally, currents of magma inside <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rare-element-arctic-lava-suggest-earth-core-may-leaking-2023-10">Earth's spinning, liquid core</a> change irregularly, causing it to rotate faster or slower and altering the entire planet's rotation in the process.</li></ul>But now, a fourth influence has come to scientists' attention: climate change.As average global temperatures rise, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/antarctica-thwaites-doomsday-glacier-melting-collapse-flooding-curtains-2024-3">polar ice is melting at an unprecedented rate</a>, dumping water in the oceans. As that meltwater moves from the Arctic toward the equator — a process that is raising sea levels and causing devastating coastal flooding — our planet grows slightly wider around the middle, which slows its rotation.<div type="image" title="glacier calving splinters of ice fall into ocean" height="1674" width="2500" msid="108882047" hostid="261" sizebytes="255576"></div>Picture a figure skater spinning with her arms above her head. Now imagine that she lowers her arms to extend them out at her sides, causing her spin to slow down. Earth's widening equator is having a similar effect on its spin."To me, the fact that human beings have caused the rotation of the Earth to change is kind of amazing," Agnew told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/27/climate/timekeeping-polar-ice-melt-earth-rotation/index.html">CNN</a>.Perhaps you've managed to escape the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-wildfires-smoke-us-air-quality-2023-6">mega-clouds of wildfire smoke</a>, historic floods, and debilitating heat waves so far. But this new study reveals that the climate crisis is affecting even the most intimate aspects of our day-to-day lives. Nobody escapes time.

Human activities are changing Earth's spin so much that it might affect how we keep time

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: spoilers ahead for Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine's film adaptation of "The Idea of You."</li><li>In the book, Solène breaks up with Hayes and ignores his calls and texts until he eventually stops.</li></ul>Director Michael Showalter's film adaptation of Robinne Lee's "The Idea of You" takes a few creative liberties in telling the story of a 40-year-old divorcée falling in love with a 24-year-old boy band member."The Idea of You," releasing on Prime Video on Thursday, follows a whirlwind romance between art gallery owner Solène Marchand (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anne-hathaway-sober-celebrate-quitting-alcohol-for-kids-motherhood-hangovers-2024-4">Anne Hathaway</a>) and pop star Hayes Campbell (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bottoms-movie-cast-real-ages-versus-characters-2023-9">Nicholas Galitzine</a>), who meet when she takes her daughter to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coachella-most-daring-celebrity-looks-2024-4">Coachella</a>.Here's how the movie's conclusion offers a more promising future for Solène and Hayes than Lee's novel.<h2>In the book, Solène breaks up with Hayes and ghosts him</h2><div type="image" title="Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes and Anne Hathaway as Solène in &quot;The Idea of You.&quot;" height="2000" width="3000" msid="109783748" hostid="261" sizebytes="129056"></div>In Lee's novel, Solène ends the relationship because she and Hayes are in different phases of their lives, and her relationship with her 12-year-old daughter Isabelle is suffering because of the negative attention on their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/celebrity-couples-with-the-biggest-age-differences-between-them-2017-9">age gap</a> romance.Weeks later while on a few days off from touring, Hayes shows up at her doorstep with eyes swollen from crying about their breakup. They have sex, and he reveals that he quit the band for their relationship. Solène tells him that he can't halt his career, and she doesn't want the added pressure for their relationship to succeed or the guilt if it fails. She makes him leave her house, saying that perhaps she didn't love him, but loved the idea of him.Hayes returns to the band, with the press never learning that he briefly quit in a last-ditch effort to save their relationship. In the months following their breakup, Hayes repeatedly reaches out to Solène, but she ignores him. Hayes' calls and texts decrease over time until he eventually gives up."And then one day, they stopped," Lee writes at the end of the novel. "Long, long before I had stopped loving him."Lee's 2017 book, which became even more popular during the pandemic, prompted <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/yuqokd/the_idea_of_you_by_robinne_lee_and_the_ending/">frustration</a> from fans who called the ending abrupt and rushed. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.joannereadsbooks.com/post/the-idea-of-you-by-robinne-lee">Book</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.maryse.net/books/book-review-the-idea-of-you-by-robinne-lee.html">bloggers</a> who invested in the love story felt blindsided and devastated by the way Solène and Hayes' relationship concluded.Luckily, fans can rejoice in knowing that their film counterparts have a more favorable outcome.<h2>In the movie, they reconnect years after breaking up</h2><div type="image" title="the idea of you movie still" height="990" width="1485" msid="109783751" hostid="261" sizebytes="128106"></div>In the film, the constant attention become too much for Solène. In addition to the paparazzi and reporters waiting outside Solène's art gallery and home, her daughter Izzy is bullied at school.Solène breaks up with Hayes because their romance is affecting her relationship with Izzy, who is her main priority. Later that night, Hayes visits Solène, she apologizes, he tells her he loves her, and they kiss. They agree to revisit their relationship in five years, but in the meantime, they'll be open to other chances at happiness.The movie then jumps years ahead showing Solène and Hayes thriving in their separate worlds. Solène's relationship with Izzy is back to normal and Hayes has gone solo.While watching TV, Solène sees Hayes, who's now sporting some facial hair, performing on "The Graham Norton Show." He plays guitar and sings a ballad inspired by their romance, with lyrics like, "We still have time." In his interview with the talk show host, Hayes says that he's been touring nonstop, but has upcoming time off in LA to see someone.When Hayes arrives in California, he visits Solène's art gallery. The movie ends with Solène smiling as she locks eyes with Hayes for the first time in years.Director Michael Showalter explained the reasoning behind the change in a recent interview with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/idea-of-you-director-book-change-ending-exclusive-newsupdate/">RadioTimes.com</a>, saying that he wanted his film to have a hopeful and uplifting ending.

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