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• Google CEO Sundar Pichai will testify before Congress on Tuesday.
• The tech exec plans to paint a positive picture of technology's potential and push back against allegations of bias.
• But the tech giant is facing increasing public and political scrutiny.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai plans to push back against allegations of bias and affirm his company's support for America when he testifies before Congress on Tuesday.

Ahead of the 46-year-old tech exec's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on accountability and transparency at Google, his prepared remarks have been released. 

As Google has come under the spotlight for its reported plans to re-enter China with a censored search engine, and as employees push back against the company's work with the military, Pichai's testimony highlights the search advertising giant's American roots. 

"I believe in people and their ability to use technology to improve their lives. I’m incredibly proud of what Google does to empower people around the world, especially here in the US," he plans to say.

Pichai's testimony  — at a hearing about "Transparency and Accountability" at the Silicon Valley-based search engine — is optimistic about the potential of technology. But it comes as Google, and the broader tech industry, faces growing political scrutiny. 

Google has struggled with growing employee revolts in recent months over its work with the military and its handling of executive misconduct claims, even as it faces allegations of anti-conservative bias by right-wing activists. 

"We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and we’ve put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards. I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests," Pichai will say.

"We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions — and we have no shortage of them among our own employees. Some of our Googlers are former servicemen and women who have risked much in defense of our country. Some are civil libertarians who fiercely defend freedom of expression. Some are parents who worry about the role technology plays in our households. Some—like me—are immigrants to this country, profoundly grateful for the freedoms and opportunities it offers. Some of us are many of these things."

His testimony is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT on Tuesday.

Here are Pichai's full prepared remarks:

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NOW WATCH: What it takes to drive a 42-foot-long fire truck

• The Golden Globe nominations were announced Thursday. 
• A number of the nominated movies are still in theaters, while many of the shows are on streaming services. 
• INSIDER used Just Watch to find where fans could stream or watch the nominated films and shows.
• Here's how you can watch everything, excluding movies that aren't in theaters or available to stream.

"Black Panther"

Nominations: Best motion picture (drama), best original score (Ludwig Göransson), best original song ("All the Stars")

Where to stream: Netflix

Where to rent/buy: YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Fandango Now, Vudu, Playstation, Microsoft 

"BlacKkKlansman"

Nominations: Best motion picture (drama), best actor in a motion picture drama (John David Washington), best actor in a supporting role in any motion picture (Adam Driver), best director (Spike Lee) 

Where to stream: N/A

Where to rent/buy: YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Fandango Now, Vudu

"Bohemian Rhapsody"

Nominations: Best motion picture (drama), best actor in a motion picture drama (Rami Malek)

Where to stream: N/A

Where to rent/buy: In theaters now

• Travelers attempted to bring some memorable items onto airplanes this year.
• Whether it was inside carry-on luggage or checked bags, passengers attempted to smuggle knives, nunchucks, and swords onto their flights.
• TSA even caught a woman in Florida with a live python in her bag.

The restrictions for carry-on luggage have gotten stricter as the years have gone on, and people seem to have a hard time coming to terms with that — even in 2018.

The TSA has seen it all: it even runs a successful Instagram account that is quickly approaching 1 million followers, and details some of the more bizarre items people have tried to smuggle on board with them. This year, everything from fake grenade-launchers to a live snake have tried to make it onto a plane. 

Here's a rundown of some of the oddest items people have tried to get through airport security in 2018.

Someone traveling to Barbados wrapped a live python in a nylon stocking, and then tried to hide it inside of an external hard drive.

This July, a passenger flying from Miami, Florida, to the Grantly Adams International Airport in Barbados put a live snake in her checked luggage. She thought she could get away with sneaking the python onto the plane by first placing the animal in a nylon stocking, and then placing it into a computer's external hard drive.

TSA caught on when their screening detected a large "organic mass" inside of the hard drive, prompting them to call a bomb expert to further inspect the luggage. That was when the snake was discovered. 

Though the python was "harmless," according to TSA's Instagram, "an organic item concealed inside electronics raises security concerns." 

The passenger was fined an undisclosed amount and missed the flight. It's still unclear why she was attempting to smuggle the snake onboard in the first place.

Someone tried to bring a literal sword aboard.

This sharp weapon was discovered at the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, and though it was "carefully wrapped," a sword is still not allowed as a carry-on item.

Speaking of sharp objects, there's something fishy about this huge knife ...

TSA's Instagram has been rife with knives lately, including these fish-themed ones.

... and these knives didn't do a good job camouflaging themselves.

Travelers can't pack any kind of knife — even a pocket knife — in their carry-on luggage.

Knives can, however, travel in checked baggage. But as the TSA suggests, it doesn't hurt to check your local or statewide laws if you're unsure about a potentially risky item.

You'd be surprised at how many people try to bring replicas of weapons onto planes, like this "bomb" discovered in October.

The TSA Instagram explains that even something slightly resembling a weapon cannot be brought onto an airplane. 

And these fake groomsmen bombs. 

Someone tried to sneak these replicas of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, too — to which the TSA officer replied, "Holy [expletive], is this real?"

These fake grenade-launchers were discovered at the Lihue Airport in Hawaii this year. When explosives (or items resembling them) are detected, a TSA explosives specialist or bomb expert must be called to the scene to inspect them further, which can lead to delays, missed flights, and even full-fledged evacuations.

Believe it or not, ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors are also prohibited — but that didn't stop a traveler at Nashville International Airport from trying to "cut" in line this year. 

A traveler tried to get this gargantuan pair of scissors onto an airplane in Texas via carry-on luggage. Unfortunately, scissors this big are forbidden; only scissors measuring up to 4 inches from their fulcrum are allowed in carry-ons.

However, if you are headed to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and need giant scissors, fear not: you can pack them in a checked bag.

This San Antonio traveler thought they could glide through security with neon green nunchucks. 

The 'chucks were quickly confiscated this August.

And someone else packed an axe.

This skull-adorned axe was discovered at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in June.

Freddy Krueger's glove was stashed inside a carry-on bag in Atlanta, Georgia.

This "Nightmare On Elm Street" glove was discovered in a carry-on in Atlanta. It couldn't pass through TSA security, of course, but according to Instagram, if the traveler (Freddy Krueger?) had checked it, it would've been good to go.

Several travelers this year refused to "bury the hatchet." 

Hatchets are also forbidden as carry-on luggage, but checked, they're good to go.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Read more:
• TSA agents reveal the 5 most annoying things travelers do at the airport
• 19 surprising things you can take on a plane — and 3 things you can't
• 15 hacks that will help you get through airport security quicker

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NOW WATCH: This is how airport security differs across the globe

• Despite Airbnb's rules prohibiting any surveillance devices, some Airbnb guests have found hidden cameras in their rentals. 
• These cameras can be found in everyday household items like clocks, USB chargers, and light bulbs.
• In the video above, Business Insider's Michelle Yan tests out a couple of spy cameras from Amazon in the office. 

Michelle Yan: What are you doing?

Emma Fierberg: I'm looking for the camera. Is it on the doorknob?

Michelle Yan: It's not on the doorknob.

Michelle Yan: So, we got our hands on some spy gear from Amazon. (These are so tiny). There's supposed to be some cameras hidden inside these normal-looking objects. Let's start with the clock.

SILLEYE WiFi Hidden Clock Camera

• Price: $36.99
• Live video on phone
• Records up to 60 mins

The camera's right here. Like now I can't see the camera at all.

And then, the smart charger.

YSD Spy Camera Smart Charger

• Price: $28.99
• Video and audio recording
• Can charge your phone
• Offers loop recording

Wow. It looks like a normal USB charger. The only thing, the camera's right here.

And then the last one is a dice.

Crazepony Mini Hidden Spy Camera

• Price: $20.69
• 60 mins on 2-hour charge
• Offers loop recording

So we just chose these three items, but there are plenty of other kinds of spy cams out there. We saw some coat racks, some light bulbs, pens, and even a screw. Some Airbnb hosts have been putting cameras in their homes to spy on their guests, despite the Airbnb rules.

These spy cams are pretty easy to hide because they look like everyday objects that you would put on a desk, or use normally. I'm gonna set these up tomorrow morning before my coworkers get in, and see if they notice.

Today, I'm gonna be setting up this alarm clock right over there. And it should pull up the view. And there it is. We're gonna use this USB charger as our next spy cam. So we're gonna insert our little memory card in here. Looks like a normal person just charging their phones. I'm gonna put this dice and record her. There it is.

We've hid these spy cameras around the office for a couple of hours already, and nobody has noticed. And that's honestly really shocking and really surprising. There was one that was like literally right in front of my coworkers, and they just didn't notice. I'm gonna show them clips of themselves, and see how they react.

Alex Appolonia: I feel like we're being interrogated.

AJ Caldwell: Alright, what's this?

Michelle Yan: Alright.

Alex Appolonia: You're up to no good, Michelle.

Michelle Yan: Here it is.

Emma Fierberg: Is this secret footage of me?

Rob Ludacer: Yeah. That was us.

Alana Yzola: What recorded me? I'm scared.

Jack Houston: Wait, what?

Alex Appolonia: Are you spying on us?

Michelle Yan: What are you doing?

Emma Fierberg: I'm looking for the camera.

Rob Ludacer: If I turned to look, will it still be there in a way I can determine?

Michelle Yan: Yes.

Emma Fierberg: Is it on the doorknob?

Rob Ludacer: Ah, the charger.

Kevin Priolo: Is it looking at us right now?

Michelle Yan: Mmm-hmm.

Kevin Priolo: That's so spooky.

AJ Caldwell: It's the clock then. That's a camera?

Alana Yzola: That is wild, and dangerous.

Kevin Priolo: I'm terrified by it, but I want one.

Emma Fierberg: Oh, this is bigger than I thought.

Jack Houston: We were having like a private moment talking about the package over there.

AJ Caldwell: Ingenious. Not cool.

Jack Houston: I hope I'm not like picking my nose at my desk, or something.

Kevin Priolo: This is like "Spy Kids."

Alana Yzola: Is there any, like, given way to tell?

Michelle Yan: Unfortunately, the best way is just, like, examine it. If you look really closely, you could kinda see the camera.

Alex Appolonia: Just watch your back now, 'cause we're gonna get you back.

Michelle Yan: Oh no!

Alana Yzola: In today's society, nothing is secret, nothing is apparently sacred, so thank you for opening my eyes to the dangers of technology. I feel like I'm in an episode of "Black Mirror" right now.

Michelle Yan: These cameras are a big privacy issue. It was all fun and games because we're in an office setting, and all of these are my coworkers, and I would tell them that I filmed them, but if it were coming from someone you didn't know, and in a place where you thought was a private place, then it's a different story.

Next time you go into an Airbnb, or even anywhere private, always just double check things that you see around you because there may be a camera hidden inside. And if you do end up finding a hidden camera, you should contact the local police. 

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Minted, an online stationery marketplace that features independent artists across the globe, offers customized postage stamps for as little as 35 cents per stamp.
• You can customize them with personal photographs or designs for everything from Save the Date envelopes to year-round stationery to holiday greeting cards.
• Altogether, it's a unique and pretty cheap way to make the few times of the year we use snail mail feel more personal.

For the few times a year that we use snail mail, it pays to go all-out — if only to hear from your mom, grandma, or uncle how much your card meant to them this year.

To make the process a bit more personal, you may want to use Minted. It's an online marketplace employs hundreds of independent artists across the globe, crowdsourcing art and graphic design through monthly design challenges. As a shopper, you get unique artwork at not much more — and sometimes less — than you'd pay elsewhere, while also supporting small businesses and artists around the world. You'll find mostly stationery, wall art, and decor here.

One of the best hidden gems on Minted is their custom-made postage stamps for as little as 35 cents per stamp. That means you can get a sheet of 20 for about $24 total. Instead of going to buy a pack from the post office to lose in your kitchen's miscellaneous drawer, you can make your own custom ones that have some personal connection and importance. If you're looking for the most cohesive mailing possible, you can even order matching stationery and envelopes from the "same suite" by scrolling down — a feature especially useful for mass sends like the holidays or wedding invitations and "Thank You" cards.

The best part of Minted's custom postage stamps is that you can use personal photographs that you upload right onto the site, whether you choose to feature your new dog, child, or fiancé. 

There are custom options for your Save the Date, holiday greeting card, or year-round missives that range from your family name in your choice of colors to something more abstract and unique. You can filter options by category (baby and kids, holiday, stationery and occasions, and wedding) as well as color options and pricing. You can get them in three postage weights: one oz (50 cents), square or two oz (71 cents) or postcard (35 cents). 

It's a nice way to make those few snail mail occasions — often the most personal and formal of times — feel even more special. If you're going to go to the trouble of buying an envelope and ordering cards, it's not too much of a stretch to go the extra mile for postage that feels like you. It also doesn't hurt that you can order them online. 

Make your own custom postage stamps here for as little as 35 cents per stamp on Minted >>

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• Kelsey Berreth, 29, was last seen shopping at a Woodland Park, Colorado, grocery store on Thanksgiving.
• She was officially reported missing by her mother on December 2.
• On November 25, her employer said they received a text message from Berreth saying she needed to take the next week off. That same day, her phone pinged near a cellphone tower in Idaho.
• Patrick Frazee, Berreth's fiancé and the father of her one-year-old daughter, was invited to a press conference on Monday but did not attend. However, police say he is being cooperative.

The mother of a Colorado woman who has been missing since late November spoke at a press conference on Monday, pleading for help to ensure her safe return home.

Kelsey Berreth was last seen alive a little after noon on Thanksgiving Day, when surveillance footage captured her shopping at a Woodland Park, Colorado, grocery store with her one-year-old daughter.

It wasn't until December 2 that her mother, Cheryl, reported her missing.

At the Monday afternoon press conference, Woodland Park police chief Miles De Young said that when Cheryl couldn't reach her daughter, she called Kelsey's fiancé, Patrick Frazee, who said he last saw her on Thanksgiving when he picked up their daughter. He said the last time he heard from her was on November 25, when they texted.

Police contacted the Pueblo business where Berreth works as a flight instructor, and they said they also received a text from her on the 25th, saying she needed to take the following week off from work. That same day, Berreth's cell phone pinged nearly 800 miles away near Gooding, Idaho. Officials say Berreth has family in that area.

Read more: 8 unsolved stories of young people who have gone missing across the US

So far, De Young says that Berreth's disappearance is being treated as a missing person's case. He said they have no suspects at the moment, and are asking for the public's help in finding Berreth.

It was revealed at the press conference that Frazee was invited to the briefing, but did not attend. Nevertheless, cops have not identified him as a person of interest and say he has been cooperating. He continues to care for his one-year-old daughter.

Cops have searched Berreth's home and vehicles, but not Frazee's. Berreth's mother says that while her daughter and Frazee were in a relationship and shared a child, they had never lived together. When investigators searched Berreth's home they found a batch of untouched, cold cinnamon rolls.

De Young said there is no record of domestic violence reports from the couple.

At the press conference, Cheryl said that her daughter was "not the kind that runs off." She described Kelsey as someone who is "reliable, considerate and honest."

"Kelsey, we just want you home call us if you can and we won't quit looking," her mother said.

Berreth was last seen wearing a white shirt under a gray sweater, jeans or dark blue pants, white shoes and carrying a brown purse. She is described as being 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds.

The Woodland Park Police Department is asking anyone with information on Berreth's disappearance to call 719-687-9692.

The family has also set up a Facebook page to give updates on the case.

• Read more mysteries on INSIDER:
• 8 famous movies about true crime — and what they got wrong about the real-life cases
• 5 true crime podcasts to listen to if you're obsessed with real-life mysteries
• A man was arrested after breaking into the home of missing teen Jayme Closs and stealing her clothing, police say

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The Kentucky Wildcats have struggled out of the gates this season despite entering the year with a plethora of talent and extremely high expectations.
• In the then-No. 2 Wildcats' season debut, the then-third-ranked Duke Blue Devils handed head coach John Calipari the worst loss of his coaching career at any level in the form of a stunning 118-84 rout at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.
• Kentucky readily handled its next six opponents — none of which belong to one of the Power 5 conferences or were ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll — before taking on the Seton Hall Pirates at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.
• Seton Hall shooting guard Myles Powell hit clutch back-to-back three-pointers down the stretch to put his team ahead by three with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation, but Wildcats guard Keldon Johnson miraculously drained a half-court heave at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
• The Pirates pulled ahead early in overtime and managed to hang on for the 84-83 upset, knocking Kentucky back 10 slots in Monday's AP Top 25 Poll and giving Big Blue Nation serious cause for concern heading forward.

The Kentucky Wildcats are ordinarily a staple amongst the top college basketball teams in the nation, but John Calipari's squad has hit some major turbulence early in this season.

In the then-No. 2 Wildcats' season debut, the then-third-ranked Duke Blue Devils handed head coach John Calipari the worst loss of his coaching career at any level in the form of a stunning 118-84 rout at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.

Nearly five weeks and six double-digit wins against unranked, non-Power 5 conference opponents later, Kentucky looked as though it had gained back some much-needed confidence in gearing up to face the Utah Utes, No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels, and Louisville Cardinals before the end of the year. The Wildcats had just the Seton Hall Pirates standing in their way before heading into a tough stretch in their schedule, and they managed to become Kentucky's worst nightmare.

Senton Hall shooting guard Myles Powell caught the then-No. 9 Wildcats on their heels and erupted for 28 points in the down-to-the-wire contest. The Pirates used an 11-0 run to pull themselves back from a six-point halftime deficit, and the two sides swapped leads the rest of the way.

With just 1:18 left to play, Powell hit a clutch shot from beyond the arc to tie the game at 67 before draining a sensational step-back trey to give Seton Hall a three-point lead with 1.5 left to play.

Not to be outdone, Kentucky guard Keldon Johnson received the inbounds pass and miraculously drained a half-court heave at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

The Pirates jumped out to an early overtime lead but the Wildcats came back late and took an 82-81 lead with 43.9 seconds remaining and used a free throw to extend that lead to two, but Seton Hall's Myles Cale hit a go-ahead three with 9.5 seconds remaining to secure the upset.

The Pirates earned a single vote in the AP Top 25 Poll for Week 6, but it was Kentucky who was severely impacted by Saturday's outcome. The Wildcats dropped a whopping 10 spots in the poll to No. 19 in the country. Kentucky will need to use all three of its remaining December contests to sure up play before heading into conference play in an unusually competitive SEC. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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• US companies are paying more than ever before in tariff duties: $6.2 billion in October. The October tariff collections represented a 104% jump from October 2017.
• The sudden spike came because of President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum, and Chinese goods.
• US companies paid $2.2 billion more to import goods subject to Trump's tariffs in October.
• The costs are causing major disruptions for American companies, including investment delays and layoffs.

The cost of President Donald Trump's trade war is starting to soar.

Trump has cheered billions "pouring into the coffers of the USA," but new data shows companies' costs starting to reach new records:

• In October, US companies paid $6.2 billion in tariffs, up from $4.4 billion this past September and $3.1 billion in October 2017.
• That's a 104% year-over-year increase, despite just a 13% jump in the value of imports, according to data compiled by Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, a pro-free-trade group, and the research firm The Trade Partnership.

The total payments in October is the largest monthly tariff collection amount in history, according to the groups.

Read more:Trump is losing the trade war with China based on his favorite report card, and it's probably going to keep getting worse

Tariff rates have been higher in the past, especially when duties were the primary source of government funds before the income tax was created in 1913. But inflation means the nominal value of the tariff collections today is much higher.

Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum, and nearly $250 billion worth of Chinese goods are clearly having an effect, the data showed:

• Tariff collections on steel hit $446 million in October, and aluminum tariffs collected $134 million, according to Tariffs Hurt the Heartland.
• Since the steel and aluminum tariffs kicked off in May, US firms have paid $3.1 billion to import the metals.

October also marked the first month that Trump's 10% tariff on roughly $200 billion worth of Chinese goods went into effect, adding onto 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that were imposed back in July. The new round caused a marked jump in tariff collections on those goods.

• Before the tariffs being imposed, companies paid $0.4 billion a month to import the same goods, which jumped to $2.6 billion in October.
• That means Trump's tariffs cost US firms $2.2 billion in additional costs in October alone and $4 billion more since China tariffs were first imposed in July.
• In sum, US companies paid $7.4 billion more in tariffs as a result of Trump's trade war since the first tariffs went into place in May, and the amount is steadily increasing.

For his part, Trump has cheered the amount of money coming into the Treasury, tweeting about the collections as part of a trade tirade on Tuesday.

"We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN," he said.

Read more:We just got a new sign that the pain from Trump's trade war is getting worse, and it's spreading to even more businesses like restaurants

But despite the president's proclamations, most economists warn that these costs are mostly being borne by American companies. In turn, a growing number of firms are reporting a delay in investments, slower pace of hiring, and even cost cuts such as layoffs. If cost increases continue, US companies have warned, consumer prices could also start to rise.

If that were to happen, or if Trump were to go through with threats to place tariffs on imported cars or more Chinese goods, the costs could eventually become a drag on US GDP growth.

SEE ALSO: Trump's 'Tariff Man' tweet was an homage one of his favorite presidents who ran on a platform of tariffs

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• Huawei is one of the top electronics makers in the world.
• Huawei is the largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in the world, and is the second-largest maker of smartphones in the world, behind Samsung.
• Despite Huawei's international success, the company's devices are extremely difficult to buy in some markets, like the United States.
• Some government agencies believe Huawei equipment contains backdoors that allow the Chinese government to snoop on customers. Huawei vehemently disputes these accusations.

Huawei is back in the news again as the company's chief financial officer — who also happens to be the daughter of the company's founder — was arrested in Canada on suspicion of violating US trade sanctions on Iran.

While the incident may have major repercussions on the relationships between China, Canada, and the United States, people might be wondering why they have never heard of Huawei, which is a massive and influential tech company in most parts of the world.

Here's why Huawei's products are extremely hard to find in certain markets like the United States: 

SEE ALSO: I've used the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR — here's which one I'd recommend buying

Huawei is a massive tech company. It's the largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in the world, and the second-largest maker of smartphones in the world, only behind Samsung.

Huawei had almost $93 billion in sales last year — about as much as Microsoft over the same period.

Over the years, though, Huawei has faced numerous accusations relating to espionage and surveillance, from countries around the world.

Here are some articles about the snooping allegations:

• "Ex-CIA chief accuses Huawei of industrial espionage" - The Telegraph
• "Huawei faces exclusion from planned Canada government network" - Reuters
• "Spy software found preinstalled on Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi smartphones" - Epoch Times
• "Six top US intelligence chiefs caution against buying Huawei phones" - CNBC
• "Spy chiefs fear Chinese cyber attack" - The Times
•  "African Union accuses China of hacking headquarters" - The Financial Times

• Salesforce will hire Paula Goldman as its first Chief Ethical and Humane Use officer.
• Goldman will spearhead a new Office of Ethical and Humane Use, which focuses on developing strategies to use technology in an ethical and humane way at the company.
• This announcement comes during a year of protests in Silicon Valley over how companies — including Salesforce — put its technology to use, as tech workers protest deals with the U.S. military and immigration authorities. 

In the midst of the ongoing controversies over how tech companies can use artificial intelligence for no good, Salesforce is about to hire its first Chief Ethical and Humane Use officer.

On Monday, Salesforce announced it would hire Paula Goldman to lead its new Office of Ethical and Humane Use, and she will officially start on Jan. 7. This office will focus on developing strategies to use technology in an ethical and humane way at Salesforce. 

"For years, I've admired Salesforce as a leader in ethical business,” Goldman said in a statement. “We're at an important inflection point as an industry, and I'm excited to work with this team to chart a path forward."

With the development of the new Office of Ethical and Humane Use, Salesforce plans to merge law, policy and ethics to develop products in an ethical manner. That's especially notable, as Salesforce itself has come under fire from its own employees for a contract it holds with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"We understand that we have a broader responsibility to society, and aspire to create technology that not only drives the success of our customers, but also drives positive social change and benefits humanity," Salesforce's Office of Ethical and Humane Use says.

Read more: Military work is a lightning rod in Silicon Valley, but Microsoft will sell the Pentagon all the AI it needs

Goldman will report to chief equality officer Tony Prophet. Before Salesforce, Goldman served as Vice President, Global Lead, Tech and Society Solutions Lab at Omidyar Network, a social impact investment firm started by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.

She has also served on Salesforce's Advisory Council for the Office of Ethical and Humane Use, which includes industry experts and academics. This council focuses on how to build technology in an ethical fashion.

“Working with Paula as a member of the Advisory Council, I was immediately impressed by her exceptional leadership and thoughtful approach to truly complex issues,” Tony Prophet, Salesforce Chief Equality Officer, sad in a statement. “I'm confident Paula is the right person to lead us into this next chapter at Salesforce."

Goldman is also the founder and director of Imagining Ourselves, a project of the International Museum of Women. She has received the Social Impact Award from the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, and a Muse Award from the American Association of Museums.

However, she'll have a tough challenge ahead, as she navigates the increasingly murky world of Silicon Valley ethics, as Salesforce itself gets drawn into the debate around right and wrong ways to use technology. 

Salesforce has come under fire

In Silicon Valley, employees and activists continue to protest tech giants' use of artificial intelligence and other technologies that could potentially be used for unethical ends.

For example, at Google, thousands of employees signed a petition — and some even resigned— over Project Maven, a contract with the Department of Defense that would see the company's AI used to analyze drone footage.

Following the internal backlash, Google CEO Sundar Pichai published a set of ethical principles on how it will use AI. Google also decided not to renew its contract with the Department of Defense, and later, decided to drop out of a bid for a $10 billion cloud contract with the Pentagon. Still, there is ongoing controversy internally and externally at Google over Project Dragonfly, a project to build a censored search engine for China.

This controversy has touched Salesforce, too. More than 650 Salesforce employees wrote a letter to CEO Marc Benioff to protest the company's work with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in light of President Donald Trump's zero-tolerance immigration policies. 

Weeks later, tech workers and activists demonstrated in front of Salesforce Tower, the company's San Francisco headquarters. Also, a non-profit group that provides legal services to immigrants rejected a $250,000 donation from Salesforce, saying that it couldn't accept the money unless the company canceled the contract.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• "Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown recently told INSIDER that he thinks the beloved film about a gay relationship, "Call Me by Your Name," is "problematic as f---."
• Brown, who has worked with survivors of sexual assault as a therapist and social worker, believes that the movie glorifies "predatory behavior."
• "It looks like a grown man having sex with a little boy. And for me, I just was not OK with that," he said.
• Brown also said he's "tired of this continued narrative of pretty white boys as the only representation of the LGBTQ community."

"Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown believes Luca Guadagnino's beloved film "Call Me by Your Name"— which details the love story of 17-year-old Elio and his father's 24-year-old graduate-student assistant Oliver — is "problematic as f---."

"I've worked with many survivors of sexual assault, especially in the LGBTQ community, which oftentimes goes unreported. And so the minute I saw that movie, I thought, 'Here we are glorifying this sort of relationship,'" Brown, who is a licensed psychotherapist and social worker, told INSIDER while promoting his partnership with Ford.

"I know we're calling him a college student, but it looks like a grown man having sex with a little boy. And for me, I just was not OK with that. And I was like, 'Why are we pretending like this is OK in any sense? Fashion or form?'"

The film, which is based on André Aciman's novel of the same name, stars Timothée Chalamet as Elio and Armie Hammer as Oliver, who were respectively 20 years old and 30 years old while filming the movie.

Brown said that, for him, the optics of this casting makes the story feel more uncomfortable.

"I haven't read the book, but I understand that the college student character is like, 19 years old [Editor's note: Oliver is 24 in the book]. And so the relationship between him and this 17-year-old boy — I guess it 'makes more sense,' and I'm doing air quotations there," Brown said. "But there is predatory behavior there that I see, especially in the movie, where Armie Hammer looks dramatically older than this young man."

"I think to myself, 'If that was an older man, or a perceived college student who looked that much older with a 16 or 17-year-old girl, we would have all had a hissy fit.' We would have recognized that this is a problem. But for some reason, because it was two men, we're just like, 'Oh, well this is just exploration,'" Brown continued.

Hammer himself seems aware of this criticism: He has cited age of consent laws in the film's defense, pointing out that in most US states, the age of consent is 16.

Indeed, the story takes place in Italy in 1983, where the age of consent is 14. As Slate points out, same-sex age of consent laws have historically been higher due to homophobia, but that doesn't appear to have been the case in Italy.

Read more:A fan flew to Italy to seamlessly match the most romantic scenes in 'Call Me by Your Name' to their real-life places

Of course, legality doesn't automatically make something ethical. But Slate senior editor Jeffrey Bloomer noted that the relationship between Elio and Oliver is clearly consensual and, "in any case, this is a fictional depiction, not an ethical endorsement."

"We need to resist the revulsion that often comes with thinking about sexual relationships outside the idealized 'charmed circle' (of the straight, married, same-age sort) and consider the specifics of the situation," Bloomer wrote. "That's not to give cover to pedophilia or any other form of violation, but to acknowledge that human desire can be far more complex and intractable than we might like to admit. Not every relationship removed from our comfort zone is abuse."

Brown doesn't simply take issue with the characters' ages, however.

He also expressed frustration with the expectation that queer people should simply be "thankful" for any type of representation onscreen, regardless of whether it's undercooked or problematic.

"I'm tired of this continued narrative of pretty white boys as the only representation of the LGBT community," he said. "Every movie is like, 'Look! I'm a pretty white boy and my life is hard but maybe it'll get better!'"

Brown noted that neither Chalamet nor Hammer are gay, to the public's knowledge, which is another source of discomfort for the marginalized LGBTQ community.

"I understand this was based on a book, but what about if that would've been a young woman who was a lesbian? Why couldn't it have been a young trans man? Let's get more representation," he said.

"I talk about this a lot with trans actors," Brown continued. "Give trans actors the opportunity to play trans people. They already aren't given the opportunity to play other roles, and especially when you have brands like Victoria's Secret saying, 'We don't even want them walking in our runway show,' and now we're saying they can't even play their own authentic experience?"

Read more: A transgender woman responded to a Victoria's Secret executive's controversial comments with her own lingerie ad

"It's the same thing if there's a gay role," Brown said. "There are so many talented — and popular — gay celebrities. Why not pop one of them in there?"

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: Here's how easy it is for the US president to launch a nuclear weapon

• The Golden State Warriors lost four of five after the on-court dispute between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, but have since righted the ship, winning six of eight games.
• Green is slated to return from a toe injury on Monday, and people will be watching how he and Durant interact on the court.
• The bigger and more interesting challenge will be the return of DeMarcus Cousins from a torn Achilles.
• Nobody is sure how Cousins will fit on the court with the Warriors, and it could make for an interesting chemistry experiment for the reigning champions.

Nearly one month has passed since Draymond Green and Kevin Durant's on-court blow-up, and the Golden State Warriors have slowly righted the ship.

In the wake of Green's explosion on Durant — one so cutting that some thought it might threaten the team's future— the Warriors lost four of five, including four in a row, falling to 12-7. The team was without Draymond Green, who was out with a toe injury, and Stephen Curry, who was out with a strained groin, but they looked uninspired on both ends.

They have slowly crawled back since, winning six of eight games since that rare losing streak and now stand at 18-9. The improved play was helped by the return of Curry, who is shooting lights-out this season.

Now, the team is prepared for two more big tests: the returns of Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins.

Getting Green back should be a good thing for the Warriors. Green's versatility and skill on defense were missed while he was out, and his ability to pass and spread the floor unlocks much of the Warriors offense.

Of course, everyone will be watching how Green and Durant interact. They've only played one game together, a 107-86 loss to the Houston Rockets, three days after the blow-up against the Los Angeles Clippers. Durant and Green appeared to be tolerant of each other, but the performance wasn't exactly inspiring.

The team appears to have moved on, but Green and Durant haven't played together since the incident. Green has been out with an injured toe, and any signs of friction will undoubtedly be analyzed by the NBA world when he returns. One report from Yahoo indicated that teams were circling the Warriors to see how they would respond to the dispute.

Assuming Green is integrated back into the fold seamlessly, the more significant event on the horizon will be the return of Cousins.

Cousins has been sent down to the Warriors' G League team to continue his rehab from a torn Achilles, a crucial step in his comeback. The Warriors are reportedly targeting a return for Cousins sometime after Christmas.

Nobody knows how Cousins will work with the Warriors. His shocking decision to join the Warriors this summer was a low-risk, high-reward move for the team. Even Steve Kerr has admitted that Cousins' stint with the team will be short. Because Cousins signed a one-year deal, the Warriors don't have his full Bird Rights and can only offer him a moderate raise. If all goes well with Cousins, then he'll seek out a much bigger contract in free agency. If it doesn't go as planned — well, the Warriors probably won't want to re-sign him.

But the Warriors have never had a player like Cousins. Theoretically, he could fit their scheme by spreading the floor. He would also be a playmaker from the low and high posts, and even work one-on-one, acting like the type of scorer they've never had at the center position.

But at the same time, it is not hard to imagine a scenario where Cousins doesn't fit with the team. He's generally a plodding center. He likes to have the ball, and some of his preferred shots may not mix with the Warriors' game plan. It's unclear how often they'll halt their usually crisp, fluid, motion-based offense to let him post up or go one-on-one.

What if Cousins and the Warriors don't mesh? Golden State has the talent to outlast opponents, even with some less-effective lineups. But what if the Warriors best players don't click with Cousins? Will his minutes vanish? Will they have to mix and match stars to fit his skill set better? Will they have to close games with him on the bench?

And what if they begin losing games? The addition of Cousins has been considered a positive challenge for the Warriors — a new and interesting piece to integrate into the team to keep players engaged. But if things go south for any reason, it will be a fascinating chemistry experiment in Golden State.

The Warriors likely feel good about where they stand. They haven't had a fully healthy team in weeks. They had a near-catastrophic blow-up that seems to have blown over for now. Even in the deep and dangerous West, it's unclear who the second-best team is that could truly challenge the Warriors.

The returns of Green and Cousins should only add to the intrigue of the team and reveal how the season will play out.

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In the past, TIME Magazine's choices for Person of the Year have often been controversial and, in some cases, have sparked widespread public outcry.

Many criticized the fact Donald Trump was picked as TIME's Person of the Year in 2016, for example, after running an extraordinarily divisive presidential campaign and ultimately winning the US election. But those who did so seemed to misunderstand how TIME comes to a decision and perhaps weren't aware of some of the more dubious people who received the title in the past.

TIME bases its choices on the person or thing that had the "the greatest impact on the news, for good or ill."

Sometimes the most newsworthy person or thing might also be widely despised, so popularity is not necessarily a prerequisite in terms of TIME's ultimate choice.

Here are some of the most incendiary picks TIME has made since it first started naming a "Person of the Year" in 1927.

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler, among the most infamous and reviled leaders in world history, was named TIME Person of the Year in 1938.

"Hitler became in 1938 the greatest threatening force that the democratic, freedom-loving world faces today,"the magazine said in early 1939 as it explained the choice.

The Nazi leader's aggression in Europe in the late 1930s shocked the region and the wider world, which was still weary from World War I.

In 1938, European leaders sought to appease Hitler as he pushed the region toward another major conflict by allowing him to annex the Sudentland, a region in what was then Czechoslovakia. Hitler had already annexed Austria earlier in the year.

The efforts to quell Hitler's imperialistic ambitions ultimately failed, and he launched World War II with Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939.

Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin was chosen as TIME's Person of the Year in 1939 and 1942.

The Soviet leader is often pointed to as one of the most ruthless authoritarians in history.

Stalin was an influential figure of the era between his brutal, bloody rise to power in Russia as well as his central role in defeating the Nazis during World War II.

"The year 1942 was a year of blood and strength,"TIME said of Stalin in early 1943. "The man whose name means steel in Russian, whose few words of English include the American expression 'tough guy' was the man of 1942. Only Joseph Stalin fully knew how close Russia stood to defeat in 1942, and only Joseph Stalin fully knew how he brought Russia through."

The latter half of 1942 and the early part of 1943 was a major turning point in the war due to the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. Many historians consider it to be the greatest battle of World War II, as it stopped the German advance on the Eastern front and changed the entire outlook of the war for the Allies.

Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Krushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union with Stalin's death in 1953, and was named TIME Person of the Year in 1957.

He led the Soviets during a crucial part of the Cold War, including amid the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

The US and the Soviets had been allies during World War II, but they quickly became adversaries as the globe's most powerful countries in the wake of the conflict.

In 1957, the US went into a panic after the Soviets launched the Sputnik satellites, marking the beginning of the space age and space race between the US and USSR.

As TIME explained its choice of Khrushchev for Person of the Year in early 1958, it wrote, "The symbols of 1957 were two pale, clear streaks of light that slashed across the world's night skies... With the Sputniks, Russia took man into a new era of space, and with its advances in the art of missilery, posed the US with the most dramatic military threat it had ever faced."

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

Regtech solutions seemed to offer the solution to financial institutions' (FIs) compliance woes when they first came to prominence around 24 months ago, gaining support from regulators and investors alike. 

However, many of the companies offering these solutions haven't scaled as might have been expected from the initial hype, and have failed to follow the trajectory of firms in other segments of fintech.

This unexpected inertia in the regtech industry is likely to resolve over the next 12-18 months as other factors come into play that shift FIs' approach to regtech solutions, and as the companies offering them evolve. External factors driving this change include regulatory support of regtech solutions, and consultancies offering more help to FIs wanting to sift through solutions. Startups offering regtech solutions will also play a part by partnering with each other, forming industry organizations, and taking advantage of new opportunities.

This report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, provides a brief overview of the current global financial regulatory compliance landscape, and the regtech industry's position within it. It then details the major drivers that will shift the dial on FIs' adoption of regtech over the next 12-18 months, as well as those that will propel startups offering regtech solutions to new heights. Finally, it outlines what impact these drivers will have, and gives insight into what the global regtech industry will look like by 2020.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Regulatory compliance is still a significant issue faced by global FIs. In 2018 alone, EU regulations MiFID II and PSD2 have come into effect, bringing with them huge handbooks and gigantic reporting requirements. 
• Regtech startups boast solutions that can ease FIs' compliance burden — but they are struggling to scale. 
• Some changes expected to drive greater adoption of these solutions in the next 12 to 18 months are: the ongoing evolution of startups' business models, increasing numbers of partnerships, regulators' promotion of regtech, changing attitudes to the segment among FIs, and consultancies helping to facilitate adoption.
• FIs will actively be using solutions from regtech startups by 2020, and startups will be collaborating in an organized fashion with each other and with FIs. Global regulators will have adopted regtech themselves, while continuing to act as advocates for the industry.

In full, the report:

• Reviews the major changes expected to hit the regtech segment in the next 12 to 18 months.
• Examines the drivers behind these changes, and how the proliferation of regtech will improve compliance for FIs.
• Provides our view on what the future of the regtech industry looks like through 2020.
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• Helios and Matheson, the parent company of MoviePass, has scheduled another shareholder meeting.
• Unlike a meeting it canceled last month, this is its standard annual gathering of shareholders, where investors will get to vote on its director nominees and what it pays executives.
• Even those proposals could prove controversial, considering how much the company's stock has declined this year — as much as 99% from the start of the year.

MoviePass' parent company has once again scheduled a shareholder meeting. 

But this time it won't be asking for investors to give it permission to reverse split its stock. 

Helios and Matheson Analytics, which bought MoviePass in mid-2017, on Monday notified shareholders that it will be holding its annual meeting on December 27. The company is asking investors to vote on its directors, approve its chosen auditor, and weigh in on its executives' compensation. 

"Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, please cast your vote as promptly as possible," Stuart Benson, Helios and Matheson's chief financial officer, said in a letter to shareholders. 

The meeting announcement follows a tumultuous year for the company and an abortive attempt by it to hold a separate meeting this fall to approve what would have been its second reverse stock split this year. The company originally scheduled that meeting to be held in mid-October before delaying ittwice and ultimately canceling it in the face of widespread shareholder opposition to the plan. 

Read more: Investors seem to be balking at MoviePass' parents' plans to reverse split its stock again — and for good reason

It had hoped to use the reverse split to boost its share price, which has been mired at about $0.02 for months now. The company faces imminent delisting from the Nasdaq for failing to meet its listing standards. That could make it harder for investors to buy and sell shares and for the company to raise more funds.

It will be a standard meeting, but it still could draw sparks

The upcoming meeting, by contrast, has a much more standard agenda, although it could prove every bit as controversial, given the company's stock performance over the last year. Helios and Matheson's stock price has fallen more than 99% this year. 

The first thing shareholders will vote on is Helios and Matheson's five director candidates. Four of those candidates — company CEO Ted Farnsworth; Muralikrishna Gadiyaram, who founded the company's former Indian parent entity, Helios and Matheson Information Technology; management consultant Prathap Singh; and Gavriel Ralbag, the managing director of Gold Edge Capital — have served on its board since 2016. Joseph J. Fried, an attorney who runs his own law firm, is the only new director nominee. 

Farnsworth and Gadiyaram in particular could draw opposition. Farnsworth has served as Helios and Matheson's CEO since January 2017 and spearheaded both its acquisition of MoviePass and its decision to slash the price of MoviePass' subscription service to $10 a month. That moved caused Helios and Matheson to burn through $321 million in just the first nine months of this year, an amount it replenished largely through issuing and selling billions of new shares of its stock. 

The company has revised its offering multiple times this year to try to reduce its cash burn.

Gadiyaram, meanwhile, was arrested in India for allegedly stiffing a creditor and has been accused of fraud there, as Business Insider reported. 

Helios and Matheson encouraged shareholders to vote for all five of its nominees.

"Mr. Farnsworth’s extensive business experience ... led us to conclude that he should serve as a director," it said in a regulatory filing detailing the upcoming meeting at proposals investors will vote on.

"Mr. Gadiyaram’s deep experience in the information technology and data analytics sector," it continued, "gives him an exceptional understanding of our businesses and led us to believe that he should serve as a director.

The company nominally paid its CEO $8.9 million last year

Shareholders will also get their "say on pay"— an advisory up-or-down vote on executives' compensation. There too, they could express their ire, particularly with regard to Farnsworth's pay.

Helios and Matheson gave its CEO a total pay package of $8.9 million last year. That included $225,000 in salary, $1.35 million in cash bonus, stock awards worth $7.25 million at the time they were granted, and $76,050 in housing expenses.

The company hasn't yet awarded the shares underlying the stock award to Farnsworth, because they have to be approved by shareholders first. But those shares are now worth just $49.50, thanks to the dramatic decline in the company's stock price. 

Helios and Matheson paid Stuart Benson, its chief operating officer, $235,500, including $200,000 in base salary and a $35,500 bonus. It gave Parthasarathy Krishnan, its then-chief innovation officer, $2.9 million in total pay last year, $2.7 million of which came in the form of a share award.

The date of the company's annual meeting is unusually late. Public companies typically hold them soon after releasing their annual reports, which Helios and Matheson published in April. And last year, the company held its annual meeting on October 27.

However, the company has held a series of special shareholder meetings this year to authorize the issuance of new shares and to reverse split its stock. 

• Read more:
• MoviePass' parent company is delaying a shareholder vote on its reverse-split plan — again
• The parent company of MoviePass just gave another indication that shareholders are balking at its plan to reverse split its stock
• MoviePass' parent company just freed up some room to sell more stock — after already increasing its share count by 80,000% since July
• MoviePass' parent company says the $65 million in new funding it just raised isn't exactly 'new'

SEE ALSO: MoviePass' parent company has boosted its share count by an unbelievable 80,000% since July — but it's run out of room to issue new stock

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• VMware is showing steady growth with a 14% year-over-year revenue growth this past quarter, driven by its revitalized cloud strategy — an area in which it had historically been seen to be weak.
• Analysts laud a recent partnership with Amazon Web Services, the leader in cloud computing, as being a sure sign that VMware is on the right track. 
• The concern was that the cloud would hurt VMware's traditional business, which has always been in the data center. But the trend towards so-called hybrid cloud has benefitted VMware, analysts now say.
• VMware is a subsidiary of Dell.

When the cloud first started to loom over Silicon Valley, some Wall Streeters were concerned VMware — a publicly-traded, $65 billion subsidiary of Dell that helps companies manage their server infrastructure — couldn't weather the storm.

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud overshadow the cloud landscape, as more companies move their computing and data storage systems off their servers and onto these major platforms. More recently, Kubernetes, a popular cloud computing technology started by Google engineers, was thought to make VMware's flagship technology obsolete by helping developers manage their infrastructure more directly.

Now, things are turning around, as Wall Street analysts say that VMware's cloud strategy is gaining momentum, as proven by its newest partnership with Amazon's market-leading cloud business. With AWS Outposts, companies can bring hardware into their data center, powered by VMware software, that integrates with the Amazon cloud.

Indeed, this past quarter, VMware reported 14% year-over-year revenue growth, beating analysts expectations, driven in large part by its revitalized cloud strategy. VMware isn't necessarily growing like crazy, but it's still making steady gains.

"There is fear on Wall Street that the cloud is probably bad for VMware's business. I think that view is premature and and misses what VMware is doing," Edward Parker, Director and Data and Cloud Infrastructure Analyst at BTIG, told Business Insider. "The fact that AWS announcement uses VMware software on premise is a validation they're making real progress."

The hubbub around AWS Outposts has underlined VMware's hybrid cloud strategy. While in the past, VMware has focused on traditional on-premise data center infrastructure, it has evolved its strategy to take public cloud into account, as well, in what the industry calls hybrid. Beyond AWS Outposts, VMware also announced it would acquire two hybrid cloud-adjacent startups, CloudHealth and Heptio.

"What's interesting about the [Outposts] announcement is VMware in some regards has been considered a legacy enterprise software provider," Parker said. "They are very clever in terms of pivoting the business in this hybrid cloud challenge."

Sanjay Poonen, COO of VMware, calls the partnership, with on-premises, private cloud and public cloud services coming together, a "Berlin Wall movement."VMware has been touting hybrid cloud all along, and its goal, Poonen says, is to be the leader in that space. Its biggest competitor in hybrid cloud, analysts say, is Microsoft.

"We've been proving that hybrid cloud is the best option," Poonen told Business Insider. "The reality is customers want the best of both worlds. It was our recognition that [Amazon is] the leader in the public cloud, and that brings us to them. It was their recognition that we're the leaders in private cloud, and that brings them to us."

Read more: Wall Street says Amazon and VMware are teaming up to take down Microsoft in the cloud wars

Parker says that he's heard from cynics that this is merely delaying the inevitable, and the Amazon style of public cloud will eventually swallow everything, hybrid or no. While he shares some of those concerns, he says the market is heading towards hybrid cloud.

"Cloud is the defining trend, but it's becoming more and more evident that it can't solve all problems for all company," Parker said. "I still think cloud will grow and proprietary on-premise will slowly decline, but it's going to be a long process, but for the most part, companies will have to deploy on both in the near future. That's what VMware is trying very hard to solve."

Also, VMware and Amazon's partnership is mutually beneficial, say boosters. Take AWS Outposts: Companies can use VMware Cloud to run their infrastructure, or run AWS cloud on-premises, marking a first for Amazon in running its cloud services in the data center. 

"I think that is a partnership that is going to be more and more front and center," Daniel Ives, managing director of equity research at Wedbush Securities, told Business Insider. "It was significant for the industry as a catalyst for the hybrid cloud evolution to hit its next phase of growth."

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• Zillow is part of a growing group of real-estate companies in the United States that buy homes directly from homeowners.
• Through Zillow's service, which will be available in eight US markets by the end of 2019, homeowners receive a preliminary offer within two days and close the sale in as little as seven days from signing.
• But these companies charge a higher fee than a real estate agent, typically ranging from 6% to 13% of the purchase price.
• One research analyst told the LA Times that by 2021, i-buyers could account for 10% of the existing home sale market.

Everything is easier online — even selling your house.

More Americans are turning to online real-estate companies like San Francisco-based startup Opendoor and Zillow to quickly sell their homes; no open houses, considering multiple bids, or waiting on a buyer to work out financing, the Los Angeles Times' Andrew Khouri reports. 

Zillow Offers is already available in four US markets — Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Denver — and will soon be launching in Riverside, California, Zillow announced on Tuesday.

The service radically simplifies the selling process for homeowners: They enter their address online, answer questions about the home, send in photos, and wait for Zillow to consult a local real estate agent and come up with a home value estimate. It takes only about two business days, Khouri wrote.

Then Zillow sets up an in-person walkthrough before handing over a confirmed offer. If the homeowner accepts the offer, they choose a closing date between seven and 90 days from signing. Real estate agents are still a part of the process, but they're handled and paid by Zillow, not the homeowner.

SEE ALSO: I'm a financial planner — here's why I won't buy a home

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• "ERA" is the most common entry in crosswords, as well as "ARE,""AREA," and "ORE."
• If a clue is in plural, the word will probably end in "S."
• "Cheating" by checking a letter or word is encouraged if you're stuck.

Crossword puzzles can be intimidating if you don't do them regularly. With all of those blank squares, it might even feel like you're sitting down to take the SAT or a spelling test.

But Deb Amlen, columnist and editor of Wordplay at The New York Times who wrote the official guide to solving The New York Times crossword puzzle, and Matt Gaffney, a professional crossword puzzle constructor who has written over 4,000 puzzles for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and others, don't want you miss out on the fun.

Here are nine crossword tricks to help you get better at solving the puzzles.

If you're new to the New York Times crossword puzzle, start on Monday

The New York Times crossword puzzles increase in difficulty as the week goes on, with the hardest puzzle appearing on Saturdays. If you're just getting started, begin with the easiest ones.

"If you want to build up your skill set, I would start with the Monday puzzles and get confident with that before you then push to the Tuesdays and Wednesdays," said Amlen.

Fill in what you know first

If you know the answers to any of the clues right away, write those in first. Amlen says fill in the blank clues tend to be the easiest because the brain loves filling in the missing information.

"Grab the low-hanging fruit first. That's what we call 'gimmes,'" said Amlen. "Go fill in your 'gimmes' because there's nothing like writing in the grid to really increase your confidence. And if your confidence increases, your abilities sometimes increase along with it."

Know common crossword puzzle words

"ERA" is the most common word in crossword puzzles, as well as "ARE,""AREA," and "ORE," according to Gaffney.

"Anything that's 3 or 4 letters and vowel-heavy is going to be pretty common, so ERIE is a crossword writer's favorite lake and IOWA and OHIO our favorite states," he said. "Every grid needs some of these words to keep things together, but we also try to work in snazzier entries as well."

"YOKO ONO" and "BRIAN ENO" are also popular names to use for their useful letter patterns, according to Amlen.

Use the crossings

If you're stuck on a word that goes across, Amlen suggests try filling in more words that go down to add more letters to it, Wheel of Fortune-style. The inverse is true with a word that goes across — answering more words that go down will add letters to it.

If the clue is plural, the answer will probably end in "S"

Tenses have to match, so if the clue is in plural, the answer will be in plural, too.

"Even if I don't know the answer to that plural clue, I may just drop in an 'S' at the end because I know it's going to be a plural," said Amlen.

Look out for "veiled capitals"

According to Amlen, a "veiled capital" is when the first word of a clue is a proper noun — it would be capitalized anyway since it's the first word, so it's not always clear that it could be referring to something else. For example, a clue that began with "Outback" could be referencing the Australian outback or the restaurant chain Outback.

Hone your skills with practice

Like any other skill, mastering crossword puzzles takes time.

"Practice, practice, practice, like everything else," Gaffney said. "Something like 12% of crosswords are comprised of the 250 most common grid entries, so if you nail those 250 down you've got about one eighth of most grids figured out."

Take breaks when you're stuck

Crossword puzzles are meant to be fun. If your brain is getting tired, take a break and revisit it later.

"It's not the SAT. You're allowed to put the puzzle down if you get frustrated," said Amlen. "The fascinating thing to me is that your brain continues working on it in the background. When you come back to it, you might be able to fill in more than you thought you could."

"Cheat" if you need to

If you ask Amlen, looking at the answers when you're stuck isn't cheating — it's learning.

"If you have to look something up and you don't know it, but you learn about it so you know it for next time, that's a good thing," she said.

Solving some puzzles digitally allows you to just look at one word or letter and keep working on the rest of the clues.

"If you're solving digitally, you'll have the option of checking just one entry or even a single letter if you're stuck; frequently, that one letter or word can break open the entire grid," said Gaffney. "So don't throw the puzzle aside when you hit a wall — just peek at a letter or word you really want and see if that doesn't do the trick. Next time, maybe you won't need the cheat."

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Read more:
• 14 crossword puzzle clues you can only solve if you're really smart
• A 91-year-old woman completed a crossword puzzle that was actually a $116,000 artwork
• Only 2% of people can solve this Einstein riddle — see if you can figure it out

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