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☆ Instacart shoppers are camping out in parking lots to compete for orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Instacart shoppers said that they are waiting around for hours in parking lots just to claim orders. Insider spoke with five Instacart shoppers across the country about their recent experiences picking and delivering orders on the app. "Overwhelmingly, shoppers say they choose to earn income through the Instacart platform because of the freedom and independence they get with a flexible schedule," Instacart told Insider. Insider sourceBundling orders helps Instacart, but shoppers say that they're a burdenBatch orders — when Instacart combines multiple shoppers' orders — are another source of frustration for workers. "Multi-order batches have been a part of our earnings structure for many years and represent only a small number of full-service batches," Instacart told Insider.

Persons: It's, —, Caroline, Instacart, Jim, Alex Bitter Organizations: Service, Instacart, Costco Locations: Utah, Caroline, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois

☆ 'Watermelon snow' phenomenon turns Utah's mountains pink and red
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Ashley R. Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It’s certainly pretty to look at, but what’s behind the natural phenomenon that’s nicknamed “watermelon snow”? The species of algae causing the colorful Utah snow is called Chlamydomonas nivalis. That bloom is a sign of the algae’s reproductive stage, during which there’s a secondary pigment that’s created which darkens the algae’s cells, according to Hotaling. This pigment acts as a blocker of ultraviolet rays that protect the algae’s cells from solar radiation. There are no human health concerns for water quality and for anyone who comes into contact with the watermelon snow, according to Hotaling.

Persons: Scott Hotaling, Hotaling, Brandon Miller, “, they’ve, ” Miller, it’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Utah Locations: Utah, Cache County , Utah, Hotaling, California , Utah, Nevada

☆ From Titanic tours to space exploration: extreme tourism is on the rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Kukenan (L) and Roraima mounts are seen from the Tec Camp, near Venezuela's border with Brazil January 14, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File PhotoJune 21 (Reuters) - The $250,000-a-head expedition that vanished this week en route to the deep-sea wreck of the Titanic ocean liner is just one example of extreme tourism that is becoming more commonplace for those who can afford it. Branson's Virgin Galactic Holdings said last week its first commercial spaceflight, called "Galactic 01", would launch between June 27 and June 30. Before he set his sights on space, Branson was one of an elite group of extreme hot-air balloon travelers, becoming the first to traverse the Pacific Ocean in a balloon in 1991. Reporting by Julia Harte; editing by Donna Bryson and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Branson, Arthur Conan Doyle's, Julia Harte, Donna Bryson, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Tec, REUTERS, SPACE, Virgin Galactic Holdings, SpaceX, Heli, Thomson Locations: Roraima, Venezuela's, Brazil, Indian Kashmir, India, Pakistan, New Delhi, Mount Roraima, Venezuela

☆ Train review: What it’s like to ride the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

That's according to Matthieu Ollier, manager of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, who said the train's Grand Suites cost 24,000 euros ($25,850) for a one-night trip from Venice to London. A train steward on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The ensuite bathroom in the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express' Budapest Suite. The bar car on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Source: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Persons: Matthieu Ollier, Willy Wonka's, Chris Dwyer, Ollier, John Travolta, Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, Wes Anderson, Agatha Christie's, Christie, Champagne —, Austria's Brenner, Chef Jean Imbert, Jean Imbert, —, serenaded Organizations: Orient, Express, Orient Express, Athénée, Venice Locations: Venice, London, Belmond, United States, Paris, Bucharest, Munich, Istanbul, —, Budapest, Murano, Tsar, Austria's, Switzerland, France

☆ ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ wins Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The 76th Cannes Film Festival - The Palme d'Or Award - Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. A Chopard representative displays the Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded to competing films, during an interview on the day of the opening ceremony of the festival. Justine Triet's "Anatomy of a Fall" won the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in a ceremony Saturday that handed the festival's prestigious top prize to a twisty French Alps courtroom drama. "Anatomy of a Fall," which stars Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband's death, is only the third film directed by a woman to win the Palme d'Or. Quentin Tarantino, who won Cannes' top award for "Pulp Fiction," attended the ceremony to present a tribute to filmmaker Roger Corman.

☆ I felt strung out in the San Francisco Bay area so I moved to a small mountain resort in Washington state with my husband — here's why it was the right choice.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leslie Cousins was born and raised in the Bay Area, but started to feel strung out living in California. Cousins and her husband moved to a small mountain resort community in Cle Elum, Washington. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, while my husband Joe grew up in Boston and Chicago. Suncadia is located in a city that has a population of 2,299 compared to the 7.5 million population of the Bay Area. We belonged to a golf club in the Bay Area, and my husband was hoping to find a similar club community.

☆ Great-grandmother, 95, tasered by officer in Australia had walking frame and knife, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —Homicide detectives in Australia are investigating why a police officer felt so threatened by a 95-year-old woman clutching a walking aid and steak knife that he needed to Taser her inside her nursing home. I can’t take it any further as to what was going through anyone’s mind when he used the Taser,” Cotter said. “This is an outrage.”How it unfoldedPolice say they were called to the address around 4:15 a.m. on Wednesday to reports of a resident with a knife. Two officers found Nowland in her room, with a knife in her hand, Cotter said during the briefing on Friday. “It is fair to say that she was armed with that knife.

☆ Russian oil producer sets self-driving trucks to work on Arctic tundra
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, May 5 (Reuters) - Driverless trucks produced by Russia's Kamaz (KMAZ.MM) have begun to carry cargoes across the snowy Arctic tundra for oil producer Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), the energy company said on Friday. Gazprom Neft said the trucks will service the Vostochno-Messoyakhskoye oilfield in the Gydan peninsula. Companies across the globe have poured billions of dollars into developing the driverless technology they say will increase road safety and alleviate truck driver shortages. Gazprom Neft is one of Russia's leading oil producers in terms of use of advanced technologies, including in tapping hard-to-recover oil. Kamaz also plans to use driverless trucks along the busy road between Moscow and St Petersburg, Russia's two largest cities.

☆ Floating sea life thrive in Great Pacific Garbage Patch
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Translucent, fragile marine creatures that drift through the sea are riding the motion of the ocean to a destination that’s infamous as a home for trash: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A surprising number of delicate, floating invertebrates, called neustons, are making the Great Pacific Garbage Patch home, according to data from a new study. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the Sargasso Sea are both oceanic gyres — marine zones where multiple ocean currents converge to form a vortex (though the Sargasso Sea is known for its floating algae rather than drifting garbage). There are five main oceanic gyres, and the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is where the best-known garbage patch lies. But when long-distance swimmer and environmental activist Benoît Lecomte swam through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 2019, he and his crew gathered data on floating life as well as drifting litter.

☆ The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is peaking, giving you the chance to see up to 40 shooting stars an hour. Here's how to watch.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is due to peak May 5, offering up to 40 shooting stars per hour. The dazzling display is known as the Eta Aquarids and takes place in May each year when Earth travels through debris left behind by Halley's Comet. The meteor shower is active this year from between April 15 to May 27, but it is expected to peak on May 5. NASAThe Eta Aquarids are one of the few showers that favor the Southern Hemisphere. So you will have to wait over 20 years to see another Eta Aquarids outburst," he added.

☆ The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is about to peak, giving you the chance to see up to 40 shooting stars an hour. Here's how to watch.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is due to peak May 5, offering up to 40 shooting stars per hour. If you're heading out to see the display, here are NASA's top tips for getting the best look. The meteor shower is active this year from between April 15 to May 27, but it is expected to peak on May 5. NASAThe Eta Aquarids are one of the few showers that favor the Southern Hemisphere. So you will have to wait over 20 years to see another Eta Aquarids outburst," he added.

☆ Sonic world of animals: Listen to an extinct bird's mating call
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

What’s sometimes lost in this feast for the eyes is the sonic world of animals — audible to humans in the case of birdsong. Source: British Library“Animals: Art, Science and Sound” showcases the British Library’s wildlife collection, which contains over 250,000 recordings of animals from around the world. Source: British LibraryThe species was declared extinct in 2000. The song of a nightingale Published by the Gramophone Company Ltd. in 1910, it was the first published recording of any animal. Source: British LibraryThe groundbreaking release marked the beginning of commercial wildlife recording that culminated in the 1970s.

☆ Irsina, the Italian village being repopulated by Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

More than 15 families from the US and Canada have bought old properties in this remote village, known for its premium wheat fields and olive groves. The first foreign “pioneer” to buy a house in Irsina was Sandy Webster, a 63-year-old writer from San Diego. The couple fell in love with the village, bought an old house with thick stone walls, antique furniture and ancient maiolica-tile floors, and spent four years renovating it. “When we got here in 2016, over 80% of the population had fled to the newer district of Irsina, the old Irsina was empty and we loved how it looked. Their house, built into the old village walls, was on sale for 70,000 euros ($77,000).

☆ Airbnb has descended on America's small cities. Now locals must decide how to contain it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In cities both small and large, some locals are calling out short-term rentals for making housing more expensive. The same question is perplexing local governments and fueling impassioned locals to weigh in: What should we do about Airbnb-style, short-term rentals? Jacob Boomsma/Getty ImagesFor Bozeman Tenants United, it's simple math: Bozeman homes should be occupied by Bozeman residents first, before out-of-towners. Formed in 2020, Bozeman Tenants United surveyed Bozeman residents on the most pressing issues in local housing and landed on short-term rentals. Fire Thunder said the increase of short-term rentals and vacation-owned properties is just one harbinger of a concerning trend.

☆ How Unusual Was This Winter’s Snowfall Across the U.S.?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Zach Levitt | Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Boston New York City 120 inches 120 80 80 Previous years since 2003 40 40 This year Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Philadelphia Washington, D.C. 120 120 80 80 40 40 Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Boston 100 inches Previous years since 2003 80 60 40 20 This year Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr.

Organizations: + + +

☆ Tigers have personality traits similar to human extroverts and introverts, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tigers have personality traits similar to extroversion and introversion in humans, researchers have found. Tigers that score higher on "majesty" eat more, have higher group status and mate more often. Tigers that scored for "majesty" were highly rated on words such as dignified, confident, and fierce and placed low on terms like withdrawn oterms feeble. "Steadiness" in tigers was associated with high ratings for words like friendly, gentle, and loving but ranked low for words such as aggressive or cruel. Abdellaoui told The Guardian that the words were all initially Chinese, and some of their meanings might be harder to translate.

☆ Private jet flights in Europe soar to record levels — and most were ultra-short journeys
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A private jet is landing over the snowy mountains of St. Moritz in Switzerland. Private jet emissions, which have a disproportionate impact on the environment, were found to have more than doubled in Europe in 2022. Analysis published Thursday by environmental campaign group Greenpeace showed the number of private jet flights in Europe last year rose by a whopping 64% to reach a record high of 572,806. The analysis found that the countries with the most private jet flights in Europe last year were the U.K., France and Germany. The most popular destinations for private jet flights in Europe in 2022 were the French Riviera city of Nice, France's capital of Paris and Switzerland's second-most populous city of Geneva.

This valuation comes after a rich global history showcasing wars fought over salt, trade routes built for commodities, taxes levied against the mineral and even cities named in sodium's legacy. "You could not have an international economy if you didn't have salt," Mark Kurlansky, author of "Salt: A World History," told CNBC. "We're seeing that the majority is deicing salt," Seth Goldstein, equities analyst with Morningstar, told CNBC. However, if too much salt permeates our environment, the effects can be dangerous, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Runoff from deicing salts that keep our roads safe in wintry weather is the most obvious way that salt enters the environment.

Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere." REUTERS/Christinne Muschi Acquire Licensing RightsThe Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. The federal government said it has relocated more than 5,500 asylum seekers to other provinces since June, the first time it has done so. Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes.

Persons: Zulema Diaz, Maryangel Diaz, Carlos Osorio, Diaz, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, Sean Fraser, Alejandro Mayorkas, Trudeau, Biden, Zulema, Eric Adams, Kate Smart, Fabien Levy, Smart, Ilze Thielmann, Raymond Theriault, Theriault, Christinne, Pierre, Luc Bouchard, You’re, Jamie Chai Yun Liew, Anna Mehler Paperny, Ted Hesson, Denny Thomas, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: REUTERS, New, . Homeland, Washington , D.C, Ottawa, New York City, Department of Homeless Services, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, Reuters Graphics Canada, United, Colombian, Immigration, Refugee Board, Canadian, Reuters, U.S, . Citizenship, Immigration Services, TLC, Border Patrol, University of Ottawa, Thomson Locations: U.S, Quebec, Niagara Falls , Ontario, Canada, CHAMPLAIN , New York, WASHINGTON, Peru, United States, New York City, Plattsburgh, Washington ,, New York State, New York, Haitian, Syracuse, El Paso, West Virginia, Niagara Falls, Guatemala, Champlain , New York, Montreal, Canada's province, Manitoba, Washington

[1/5] Asylum seekers board a bus after crossing into Canada from the U.S. in Champlain, New York, U.S., February 28, 2023. Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere." The Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes.

[1/3] A truck drives through a flooded road after an atmospheric river storm system in Hayward, California, U.S. March 10, 2023. As much as 5 inches (13 cm) of rain has already fallen in some spots across the county, with some seeing as much as 7 inches. U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday declared an emergency in California, ordering federal assistance to help local, tribal and state officials respond to the severe weather. The heavy rains in northern and central California raised concerns that melting snow from a spate of blizzards in mid-elevation mountains could add to runoff and cause flooding downstream. Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y.— One recent snowy afternoon, Ali Azimi, a 32-year-old civil engineer from Afghanistan, asked a Canadian official here whether he was allowed to cross over a short footpath at the end of Roxham Road and into Canada. “I want to be arrested,” he said. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer responded that he couldn’t tell Mr. Azimi what to do. Seconds later Mr. Azimi, followed by fellow Afghan national Reza Rasa, 31, walked across the border, and the two were escorted into a processing center by the officer.

☆ 3 big questions about the state of Goldman Sachs heading into its second-ever investor day
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

All eyes are on 200 West Street in lower Manhattan today, the global headquarters of Goldman Sachs and site of the bank's second-ever investor day. Goldman's first investor day, in 2020, included plenty of discussion about the importance of building out its consumer bank. Will new details emerge regarding the asset and wealth management division that show the business is heading in the right direction? Goldman's asset and wealth management division will likely get plenty of attention today. Speaking of David Solomon... Goldman's CEO appeared on a recent episode of the bank's podcast, "Exchanges at Goldman Sachs."

☆ People who moved to Tennessee for cheaper homes and a laid-back life say they're happy — for the most part
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The 50-year Florida resident decided to pack up and move to Memphis, Tennessee, for a more manageable mortgage payment while on a fixed income. Foster said clients have recently moved to Tennessee from New York, New Jersey, and California. He traded snowy Buffalo for the ease of southern livingMichael and Danielle Ekstrum moved to Tennessee after becoming empty nesters in 2018. A retiree fed up with California's overcrowding bought a home in Tennessee without thinking twiceMichael and Bonnie Tyler moved from Sacramento, California, to Jonesborough, a historic town in eastern Tennessee. "There's too much traffic, too many people, it's way too expensive, and there's no water," Tyler told Insider.

☆ New images offer rare glimpse of the DMZ between North and South Korea where wild animals find peace and flourish
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New images were released showing a "wildlife sanctuary" in Korea's demilitarized zone (DMZ). The project marks 70 years since the Korean armistice agreement split the nation between North and South. Photographs show many rare flowers and endangered animals living in the area. "After the Korean War, the DMZ had minimal human interference for over 70 years, and the damaged nature recovered on its own," the site said. The DMZ is home to plants and animals "completely unique to Korea" — 38% of which are endangered, Google said on the project site.

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