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The shift from cable platforms to streaming is widely evident. And this shift is not just a passing trend but a transformation that is likely to last. With consumer preferences evolving, it's crucial for businesses to keep themselves updated with the latest technologies, and crucially innovate. These were the insights shared by <keyword id="19108136" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Srinivasan-KA" source="Orion">Srinivasan KA</keyword>, Chief Revenue Officer and co-founder of <keyword id="19108137" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="amagi-corporation" source="Orion">Amagi Corporation</keyword>. He engaged in a discussion with <keyword id="19108138" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mark-aldrich" source="Orion">Mark Aldrich</keyword>, General Manager of the Media Entertainment Segment at AWS, in the SaaS Scions web series hosted by Business Insider <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> and <keyword id="8632828" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="aws-india" source="Orion">AWS India</keyword>. The conversation revolved around the significance of cloud technology, the ongoing transformation within the industry, and the evolving demand within the streaming space. India has earned the moniker of being a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) powerhouse, and rightly so. Over the last few years, India has given rise to 15-17 SaaS unicorns. <keyword id="45963" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="srinivasan" source="Orion">Srinivasan</keyword> highlights that this success enables Indian companies to engage in global competition like never before. Unlike the past, significant capital, extensive local operations, or established relationships are not critical to penetrate the SaaS domain. Now, the essentials are talent and a keen comprehension of addressing global customers' challenges in distinctive ways. This, Srinivasan noted, was the key to thriving in the SaaS landscape. Discussing the tech evolution over the decade and the deep integration of cloud tech at Amagi, Srinivasan noted that this shift has immensely benefited their operations. Back in the late 2000s, he adds, the first line of code written at Amagi was on the AWS Cloud. Their ability to swiftly experiment and adapt, even if some endeavours didn't succeed, has been pivotal for their success. This agility, he mentioned, is the result of aligning with the cloud's advancement trajectory. He further stated, "Our journey has paralleled the cloud's progression, with substantial contributions coming from AWS, driving a significant portion of cloud-based innovations." Talking into streaming, Srinivasan underlined the presence and prospective growth of ad-supported models. He pointed out that numerous sizable publicly traded enterprises exhibit a significantly higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for their ad-supported tiers compared to pure subscription tiers. Highlighting the financial benefits, he stated, "These blended models undeniably deliver superior Return on Investment (ROI) for content proprietors." Additionally, he anticipated a significant shift towards content no longer being bound by exclusivity, marking a substantial change in the streaming landscape. Delving into the multitude of collaborations within the streaming domain, Srinivasan noted that this pattern is set to expand due to a heightened focus on cost-effectiveness. Network and content collaborators are increasingly integrating their broadcasting and digital streaming activities into a unified tech framework. This strategic shift aims to streamline operations and eliminate the perception of these businesses as separate entities, thereby fostering a cohesive approach to their management. Srinivasan emphasized the significance of partnerships as a means to establish a comprehensive platform – an all-encompassing end-to-end solution that caters seamlessly to customers' needs. Examining the current priorities of content creators and owners, Srinivasan highlighted a dual transformation. At the forefront, consumers are transitioning from linear platforms to streaming services and from subscription-based models to advertising-driven ones. Simultaneously, the backend is undergoing transformation for streamlined scaling on the streaming front, cost-effectiveness, and the shift from conventional hardware to cloud infrastructure. The advent of cloud computing presents a shift in focus from obtaining customer data to optimizing its utilization to provide tailored solutions and enhanced experiences to consumers. Srinivasan observed that businesses expand their content to global markets with minimal localization and now tap in to enhanced monetization opportunities. To address this challenge, Srinivasan noted their proactive engagement with clients. Their approach involves presenting diverse monetization models. In addition to strategic business consultations, Amagi is offering technology guidance to underscore the implications on the technology architecture. The landscape of media and technology is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the shift from traditional models to streaming. The insights shared by Srinivasan KA during his discussion with Mark Aldrich highlight the necessity for businesses to stay abreast of evolving consumer preferences and embrace cutting-edge technologies to remain competitive. India's emergence as a SaaS powerhouse with a significant number of unicorns illustrates the global potential of Indian companies, underpinned by talent and problem-solving prowess. The integration of cloud technology, as exemplified by Amagi's journey, underscores the role of adaptability and agility in navigating the evolving digital landscape. Furthermore, Srinivasan's observations regarding ad-supported models, collaborations, and the transition to cloud infrastructure highlight the industry's dynamic nature. The strategic interplay of technology, partnerships, and data optimization is shaping the way forward for media, content creation, and streaming services. And adding another feather to India’s SaaS-innovation cap. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on insiderstudios@businessinsider.in

Driving Value Through Unification of Digital Space & Operations- Srinivasan KA

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>German pharmaceutical and chemical giant Merck KGaA has agreed to acquire US life sciences company Sigma-Aldrich for $17 billion, or $140 per share in cash.
That's a massive 37% premium to SIAL's Friday closing price of $102.37.
Here are the key details from the announcement:
 Merck to acquire Sigma-Aldrich for $140 per share in cash, valuing company at approx. $17 billion (€13.1 billion)
 Acquisition expands Merck Millipore's global reach, increasing the company's presence in North America and adding exposure to fast-growing Asian markets
 Customers benefit from broader offering of complementary products and capabilities and leading e-commerce platform in the industry
 Merck plans to maintain significant presence in St. Louis and Billerica, Massachusetts
 Life Science contribution to Merck earnings more than doubles
 Transaction expected to be immediately accretive to EPS pre and EBITDA margin
"This transaction marks a milestone on our transformation journey aimed at turning our three businesses into sustainable growth platforms," Merck Chairman Karl-Ludwig Kley said. "For our life science business it's even more than that: it's a quantum leap. In one of the world's key industries two companies that fit perfectly together have found each other to present a much broader product offering to our global customers in research, pharma and biopharma manufacturing, and diagnostic and testing labs.
"As such, the combination of Merck and Sigma-Aldrich will secure stable growth and profitability in an industry that is driven by trends such as the globalization of research and manufacturing. What's more, the combination gives us the possibility to invest even more in innovation going forward. We are delighted to make this compelling proposition to Sigma-Aldrich's shareholders, who will obtain full and certain cash value for their shares."

This Week Kicks Off With A $17 Billion Mega Merger

Courtesy of Elizabeth AldrichThe author, who made money resolutions for the first time in 2019.<ul class="summary-list"><li>In 2019, I set money resolutions for the first time in my life. I wanted to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-save-money-2019-2">save more</a>, boost my income, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-investing">start investing</a>.</li><li>I almost doubled my income as a freelancer, and I did build up a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-an-emergency-fund">generous emergency fund</a>, although I didn't quite hit my original savings goal.</li><li>In the final month of 2019, I finally took the plunge and started investing. I chose <a href="https://betterment.evyy.net/zGObM" rel="nofollow">Betterment to invest for short-term goals</a>, like a portion of my emergency fund, and Vanguard for long-term goals, like retirement.</li><li><a href="https://betterment.evyy.net/zGObM" rel="nofollow">Start investing with Betterment today and reach your financial goals in 2020 »</a></li></ul>I used to scoff at New Year's resolutions. My least favorite type of resolutions were anything related to fitness or money. But as 2018 turned a corner into 2019, I felt myself experiencing a change of heart. I'd recently paid off all my debt and gotten to a place of relative stability in my freelancing career. I even had some money saved up for the first time. Suddenly, I could see a whole world of financial freedom - one in which I could buy things that I value without going into debt, invest in opportunities for my future, and even save for retirement - come into focus on the horizon. I realized that I never set money goals because I never believed they were possible for me to achieve, and now that I'd hit some big financial milestones, I finally felt like I had a chance.So, in January of 2019, I set financial New Year's resolutions for the first time in my life: I wanted to increase my income, build a healthy emergency fund, and start investing. Here's how it went.<h2>I nearly doubled my income</h2>I quit my job to travel in 2015 and started freelance writing in early 2016. The first couple of years were rough, but I was excited in 2018 when my freelancing income finally reached what I'd been making at my old full-time job: $40,000 per year. After that, I set a goal for 2019: to make significantly more than what I was making in my old job.In the end, I nearly doubled the income from my previous job as a freelancer. In 2019, I made about $75,000 before taxes. This is more than I ever could've made by now in my old job, considering a typical raise was around 3%. In four years, I've achieved a raise of almost 100% through self-employment. This solidified my hope that a career change would increase my income potential.<h2>I fell short of my savings goal but still built a one-year emergency fund and a "self-investment" fund</h2>At the beginning of 2019, I started with $13,000 saved in an emergency fund, most of which came from a $10,000 inheritance I received when my grandfather died. It felt good to finally have some money in my high-yield savings account and not have to worry that something as simple as a car repair would put me into debt.That feeling I got from seeing my savings account grow only motivated me to kick my savings habit into overdrive. I wanted to beef up my emergency fund a bit, since self-employment means my income fluctuates from month to month. But I also wanted to save for things like additional schooling, retirement, and investment opportunities.I set a stretch goal for myself: to have $50,000 in my savings account by the end of 2019. I knew it was a long shot, and I didn't quite hit it. But I did get to $40,000 in savings. I set up automatic deposits into my savings account of $3,000 per month for the first nine months of the year to reach that goal. I canceled the automatic deposits in October because my partner finally got enough time off work to go on a long trip to Europe, and we wanted to spend that money traveling for five weeks since he rarely gets time off.I probably would've reached $50,000 if I hadn't spent five weeks in Europe this fall, but I've decided not to beat myself up about falling short of my goal because that trip was well worth the money. I still saved more money than I thought I could.<h2>I took the plunge and started investing</h2>My final goal was to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-investing">start investing</a>, something that has always made me nervous. I didn't take the plunge until the last month of 2019, but it finally happened.Since my emergency savings is in a high-yield savings account with Betterment, I decided to <a href="https://betterment.evyy.net/zGObM" rel="nofollow">open an investment account with Betterment</a> to invest a portion of my emergency fund. I chose to invest 50% in bonds and 50% in stocks for some added security, since stocks are riskier and I might need to draw on this money in the event of an emergency.<a href="https://betterment.evyy.net/zGObM" rel="nofollow">Start investing with Betterment today and reach your financial goals in 2020 »</a>Then, I wanted to invest another $10,000 of what I'd saved into a retirement fund. I went with index funds at Vanguard and followed the <a href="https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Three-fund_portfolio">three-fund portfolio</a> strategy, with the great majority of those funds invested in stocks since they're being saved for a long-term goal.<h2>My financial resolutions for 2020</h2>For 2020, my financial goals involve doubling down on my savings and investment plan with a focus on building my retirement fund. I do feel behind on that given that I'm 30 and just now getting started, but luckily, it's never too late.I also want to rebuild my emergency fund immediately, as I had to take a few thousand dollars out of it when my car's transmission died right before the holidays. So I'll prioritize that before I funnel my savings into investing.Finally, I want to set a stretch goal for my income: hit the six-figure mark. I don't know if it'll be possible, but I like to set goals for myself that go a little past what I think I can achieve. It's like that old saying - shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you'll still land among the stars.While I don't always meet my money goals, I realize that's just a part of life. We can't plan for everything. But having a plan does make goals I once thought were impossible come to fruition.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/savings">savings and retirement</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-retire-early-steps-for-early-retirement">How to retire early</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-high-yield-savings-accounts-rates-right-now">The best high-yield savings accounts right now</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-has-the-best-cd-rates-right-now">The banks with the best CD rates</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-save-money-in-high-yield-savings">When to save money in high-yield savings</a></li></ul>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-fake-christmas-trees-made-artificial-science-channel-2018-12">How artificial Christmas trees are made</a></h3>

I used to think New Year's resolutions were cheesy until setting 3 helped me double my income and save nearly $30,000

Courtesy of Elizabeth AldrichThe author in Costa Rica.<ul class="summary-list"><li>I never wanted to have kids or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-a-house-step-by-step-guide">buy a house</a>, so I didn't worry about my finances in my 20s.</li><li>As I got closer to my 30s, though, I realized that money could buy me the nontraditional life I wanted.</li><li>I set a goal to pay off debt and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-money-to-save-in-emergency-fund-rules">build an emergency fund</a> by 30 and achieved it. In my 30th year, I <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-investing">started investing</a>.</li><li><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=bus__falc_bicontent&amp;utm_content=bipfi_turning_30" rel="nofollow">A financial planner can help you reach your money goals, no matter what they are. Use SmartAsset's free tool to find a qualified professional today »</a></li></ul>They say it's important to set financial goals for the future, but it's hard to plan for a future you can't imagine.For most of my life, I had no clear picture of what adulthood would look like for me. I didn't want kids, actively opposed marriage, and wasn't interested in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-a-house-step-by-step-guide">buying a home</a>. I had lofty ambitions of traveling to every country in the world or becoming the next great American novelist, but no tangible career goals pegged to titles or ladder-climbing. Nothing I wanted looked anything like the lives I saw adults around me living, which made me dread turning 30. I cried on my 26th birthday because I was finally closer to 30 than 20.When I graduated from college, I spent some time bouncing around jobs aimlessly and wandering around the country in between them without any clear direction, although I did have fun. Eventually, I quit my job with meager savings to road trip around the U.S., and then again to backpack around Central America. I went nearly $10,000 into credit card debt, twice, and never saved money for anything but travel, but I wasn't too bothered by it. It was as if I believed my life would just end after my 20s. Spoiler alert: It didn't. But my admittedly immature outlook on money did.I never used to build long-term savings or invest because I didn't have the typical goals of starting a family or buying a house. As I got older, I realized that financial stability and freedom can be used for all kinds of things and that I could leverage savings to build the life that I want, even if it's a nontraditional one.<h2>I realized that fun didn't have to end with my 20s</h2>Eventually, I turned 28, and then 29. And as I approached 30, I realized something that probably shouldn't have shocked me, but it did: I was getting "old," and my life was still fun. In fact, as the clock struck midnight and I officially entered my 30s, I felt my life was the best it had ever been.As I got older, I realized that I didn't have to cave to the pressures to have a "normal" adulthood. I turned 30 unmarried, child-free, and partying it up at MTV Spring Break in Cancun - a fact that would have made my 14-year-old self squeal with joy. I make my living as a writer, I live in a foreign country, and in my 30th year, I traveled to more than a dozen countries.<h2>Setting financial goals for my 30s and beyond</h2>Now that I'm finally seeing that I can have any future I want, no matter how unconventional, I've got lots of ideas of how I'd like to pass my 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond. In my 20s, I was fine living low-budget, because my idea of fun was traveling in hostels and going to cheap concerts and dive bars with $1 whiskey shots. As I enter my 30s, my tastes have gotten markedly more expensive. Not only can I no longer stomach bottom-of-the-barrel liquor or spend my travels sleeping in un-air-conditioned rooms filled with sweaty backpackers, but I have ideas of fun that look more like investments and require long-term savings. <a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=bus__falc_bicontent&amp;utm_content=bipfi_turning_30" rel="nofollow">Talk to a financial adviser about money goals that make sense for you. Use SmartAsset's free tool to connect with a qualified professional »</a>I would love to take more writing classes and maybe pick up painting as well. Writer's retreats are calling my name from Iceland to Mexico, and I have several book projects I want to complete. I wouldn't mind buying some land to cultivate, and starting my own business - perhaps a small bed and breakfast with a coffee shop, or a hostel and brewery combo. All of these require me to save money.<h2>I made 3 goals: Pay off debt, build an emergency fund, and start investing</h2>Just shy of my 30th birthday, as all of this started to come into focus, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/money-resolutions-helped-me-earn-and-save-more">I made three financial goals for myself</a>: pay off debt, build an emergency fund, and start investing, in that order.I'd already been using multiple <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-transfer-credit-card-balance-pay-debt">balance transfer credit cards</a> to pay off what started at about $10,000 in credit card debt for several years. Unfortunately, balances on other cards started going up as I was paying off my original debt, so I still had about $6,000 left to pay off when I got serious. I vowed to stop using my credit cards until I got all of my balances down to zero, and I put all of my disposable income toward paying them off. I set up automatic payments on all of my credit cards so that I didn't have any excuses for not putting my money toward them.When I only had $3,000 left, I received an email from my father saying he was giving me $10,000 of the money my grandfather, who had recently died, left to him. The old me probably would've spent that money on an epic trip, but the almost-30 me was feeling grateful and not wanting to let it go to waste. I used $3,000 to paid off my credit cards and $3,000 to buy an old used car because I'd recently moved to a new country and didn't have a car at the time. Then, I put the remaining $4,000 in a high-yield savings account, which became the beginning of my emergency fund. Not a penny was spent impulsively.By the time I turned 30, I was debt-free and had built up a $15,000 emergency fund. Now, as I'm nearing the end of my 30th year, I'm still debt-free, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/should-you-invest-your-emergency-fund-argument">I've got $30,000 in my emergency fund</a> and $5,000 in a self-investment fund, and I've started investing in Vanguard index funds to build my net worth. Maybe one day I'll use my savings to open a hostel or a bed and breakfast, or maybe I'll use it to go on a round-the-world trip in retirement. I'm still not locking myself into one life plan, but now, I've got options.I've managed to save money this year by following a lot of different tips and tricks. I set up automatic deposits into my high-yield savings account, and I've minimized my fixed costs by living in a low-cost-of-living area while maximizing my income by working online as a freelancer. However, the most important step to reaching these goals was changing my mindset around money. Money can give you the power to create your own life, even when, or perhaps especially when, the life you want doesn't go down a traditional path.<h3><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=bus__falc_bicontent&amp;utm_content=bipfi_turning_30" rel="nofollow">Talk to a financial planner today to set - and reach - your money goals. SmartAsset's free tool can connect you with a qualified professional »</a></h3><ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney">personal finance</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-open-high-yield-savings-account-now-interest-rates-down">4 reasons to open a high-yield savings account while interest rates are down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-open-wealthfront-cash-account-savings">It took less than 10 minutes to open a high-yield cash account with Wealthfront and earn more on my savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-a-house-with-no-money-down-home-loans">How to buy a house with no money down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-save-money-in-high-yield-savings">When to save money in high-yield savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">Best rewards credit cards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don't</a></li></ul> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-yule-log-became-christmas-tv-tradition-bizarre-wpix-fire-wood-burning-history-2017-12">The bizarre history of the Yule Log Christmas special</a></h3>

Turning 30 convinced me to make 3 smart financial moves I'd been avoiding for years, and I'd tell anyone to do the same

Things aren't looking so great for Iron Man in the final trailer for the film. 
Tony Stark is getting worried about protecting his girlfriend Pepper Potts, he can't sleep, and the Mandarin is out to ruin his life. 
"<keyword id="745513" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Iron-Man-3">Iron Man 3</keyword>" comes out May 3. 

Now, that you've watched the trailer, here are some bits you may have missed:
The Mandarin has a following: 
<div class="image-container click-to-enlarge" style="width:600px"><div class="image"><a title_source="Marvel screencap" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51362dad6bb3f7af48000011-960/mandarin-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/video/iron-man-3-theatrical-trailer-030044893.html">Marvel screencap</a></div>
A glimpse at Aldrich Killian's (Guy Pearce) lab. Mini-spoiler: It looks like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iron-man-3-villain-mandarin-2012-10" target="_blank">Extremis testing</a> is taking place.
<div class="image-container" style="width:600px"><div class="image"></div>Marvel screencap</div>
Was Pepper Potts also among those experimented on?
<div class="image-container" style="width:600px"><div class="image"></div>Marvel screencap</div> 
Cue this scene from the first trailer last year:
<div class="image-container" style="width:600px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVrT4iaS4LQ">YouTube screencap</a></div>
The mark around Tony Stark's eye:
<div class="image-container" style="width:600px"><div class="image"></div>Marvel screencap</div>
Here's a better look at Iron Man's legion of Iron Men from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-poster-iron-man-3-poster-shows-multiple-iron-men-2013-2">last week's poster</a>. From the trailer, it looks like they're on his side. Look at the suits!
<div class="image-container click-to-enlarge" style="width:600px"><div class="image"><a title_source="Marvel screencap" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/51362e5aecad04995c000000-960/iron-man-3-iron-men.jpg"></a></div><a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/video/iron-man-3-theatrical-trailer-030044893.html">Marvel screencap</a></div>

The Final 'Iron Man 3' Trailer Shows More Of Villain Mandarin

Marvel and Lucasfilm's "Star Wars" franchise are both owned by Disney. So it's not a surprise that one may pop up as an Easter egg in the other universe. Disney's latest theatrical release, "Captain America: Civil War", <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/captain-america-civil-war-star-wars-easter-egg-2016-5">has a big nod to "Star Wars"</a> more than halfway through the film. But there's another "Star Wars" Easter egg that pops up in a lot of Marvel movies. Have you noticed it?In almost every single "Star Wars" movie, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akF2ljenqYE">somebody loses an arm or a hand</a>. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) famously loses his hand to Darth Vader, in an iconic scene from "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">LucasFilm via YouTube</div></div></div>If you've been watching the latest Phase Two Marvel movies closely, you'll notice a character has been losing an arm - or hand - in each film, too.Phase Two refers to the second of the three phases of <a href="http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe">Marvel's Cinematic Universe</a>. Phase Two kicked off in 2013 with "Iron Man 3" and it ended with 2015's "Ant-Man." In total, it includes six films.President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, a self-proclaimed "Star Wars" fan, confirmed the gag is an homage to a galaxy far, far away during the press tour for "Avengers: Age of Ultron." But it didn't start that way."So I'm obsessed with 'Star Wars' - and it didn't start out as intentional, but it became intentional," Feige <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Marvel-Secretly-Cuts-Off-Hands-Star-Wars-Tribute-Here-Proof-70906.html">told Cinemablend</a>. "It sort of happens in every 'Star Wars' movie, but I was sort of looking at it, 'Okay, is Phase Two our '<a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Empire-Strikes-Back-Fan-Trailer-Perfect-68361.html">Empire Strikes Back</a>'?' Not really, but tonally things are a little different. Somebody gets their arm cut off in every Phase Two movie. Every single one."And the "Star Wars" gag didn't just stop in Phase Two. It appeared in "Civil War," too, the first film in Marvel's Phase Three.Keep reading to see all the severed arms as they appear in the Marvel Universe so far."Iron Man 3" (2013)Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) loses his arm during his final battle with Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.).<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=140&amp;v=Ke3IB9PvlQA">LucasFilm via YouTube</a></div></div></div>"Thor: The Dark World" (2013) Thor lost his hand momentarily when Loki pretended to chop it off in a grand visual illusion.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Marvel via YouTube</div></div></div> "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014) <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=140&amp;v=Ke3IB9PvlQA">Marvel via YouTube</a></div></div></div>Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is seen losing his arm in a flashback where he falls off a train and is thought to be dead."Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=140&amp;v=Ke3IB9PvlQA">Marvel via YouTube</a></div></div></div>Groot (Vin Diesel) loses both of his arms during his first encounter with Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Don't worry, they grow back. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZoO8QVMxkk">Marvel</a></div></div></div>Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) gets his arm chopped off by villain Ultron, setting him up for his namesake, Ulysses Klaw (get it?). We'll probably see him again in 2018's "Black Panther.""Ant-Man" (2015)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Marvel</div></div></div>Near the end of the film, Ant-Man nemesis Yellowjacket loses his right arm before the rest of him disappears into the void when his suit starts shrinking non-stop."Captain America: Civil War" (2016)In the final showdown between Iron Man, Captain America, and The Winter Soldier, Iron Man lasers Bucky Barnes' robotic arm right off. The moment was <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/captain-america-civil-war-trailer-spoiler-2016-3">briefly spoiled in an early trailer for the film</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.techinsider.io/civil-war-trailer-analysis-2016-3">Marvel</a></div></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-avengers-age-of-ultron-trailer-marvel-disney-movies-2015-3">Disney just dropped another 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' trailer - and it's the best one yet</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="dydnkydDq66jQR2pSmNNi2ZTKXv0R62D" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

There's a 'Star Wars' Easter egg in a lot of Marvel movies

Marvel and Lucasfilm's "Star Wars" franchise are both owned by Disney. Now, they share even more than just a common owner. Have you caught the "Star Wars" Easter egg that pops up in a lot of Marvel movies?In almost every single "Star Wars" movie, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akF2ljenqYE">somebody loses an arm or a hand</a>. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) famously loses his hand to Darth Vader, in an iconic scene from "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>If you've been watching the latest Phase Two Marvel movies closely, you'll notice a character has been losing an arm - or hand - in each film, too.Phase Two refers to the second of the three phases of <a href="http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe">Marvel's Cinematic Universe</a>. Phase Two kicked off in 2013 with "Iron Man 3" and it will end with this summer's "Ant-Man." President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, a self-proclaimed "Star Wars" fan, confirmed the gag is a homage to a galaxy far, far away during the recent press tour for "Avengers: Age of Ultron." But it didn't start that way."So I'm obsessed with 'Star Wars' - and it didn't start out as intentional, but it became intentional," Feige <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Marvel-Secretly-Cuts-Off-Hands-Star-Wars-Tribute-Here-Proof-70906.html">told Cinemablend</a>. "It sort of happens in every 'Star Wars' movie, but I was sort of looking at it, 'Okay, is Phase Two our '<a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Empire-Strikes-Back-Fan-Trailer-Perfect-68361.html">Empire Strikes Back</a>'?' Not really, but tonally things are a little different. Somebody gets their arm cut off in every Phase Two movie. Every single one."With two more films to go in Phase Two - "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Ant-Man" - Feige gave away a bit of a spoiler. Since <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/avengers-age-of-ultron-review-2015-4">we've seen "Age of Ultron,"</a> we can confirm it definitely happens in that film. Here are all the severed arms as they appear in the Marvel Universe so far:"Iron Man 3" (2013)Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) loses his arm during his final battle with Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.).<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>"Thor: The Dark World" (2013) Thor lost his hand momentarily when Loki pretended to chop it off in a grand visual illusion.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div> "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014) <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is seen losing his arm in a flashback where he falls off a train and is thought to be dead."Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Groot (Vin Diesel) loses both of his arms during his first encounter with Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Don't worry, they grow back. You can see more arm slicing in "Age of Ultron" May 1 and "Ant-Man" July 31. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-avengers-age-of-ultron-trailer-marvel-disney-movies-2015-3">Disney just dropped another 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' trailer - and it's the best one yet</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="dydnkydDq66jQR2pSmNNi2ZTKXv0R62D" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) marked the end of 2015 with a stark reminder of the trail of deaths left by gun violecne in the US.On Thursday, the senator sent out a seemingly endless series of tweets detailing "every injury and every death in every mass shooting this year.""Seeing all these shootings together you can't help but wonder, how is it possible that we can see this carnage and continue to do nothing?" he <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/682636524383375361">wrote</a>.Murphy has been one of the most outspoken proponents for gun-control legislation since 2012 following the infamous shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which left 27 people dead including 20 children.As the New York Times noted, Murphy <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/opinion/sunday/dowd-chris-murphys-gun-control-crucible.html">dedicated one of his first speeches on the Senate floor</a> to the gun violence, telling the story of one of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. Murphy has also <a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/12/3/9842946/san-bernardino-shooting-chris-murphy">criticized</a> his congressional peers for saying that their "thoughts and prayers" are with victims of mass shootings, while refusing to pass significant gun control legislation.Murphy <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/682633253367357440">wrote</a> that he was using the&#xa0;Gun Violence Archive to document the mass shootings. The website <a href="http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/methodology">defines a mass shooting</a> as four or more people shot in a single incident at the same general time, not including the shooter.<h3>Here are some of Murphy's tweets:</h3><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><h3>Click <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT">here</a> to continue reading Murphy's tweetstorm.</h3> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/republican-presidential-candidate-politifact-lying-data-2015-12">Here are the Republican candidates who lie the most</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="BuY3hqeTq4lmdh4jILsvvvo9rC7LBbjC" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

US senator fires off epic tweetstorm chronicling every mass shooting of 2015

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iron-man-3-trailer-2012-10">YouTube screencap</a></div>The first <a href="http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/iron-man-three-review-1200413714/" target="_blank">"Iron Man 3" reviews</a> are out after the film's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iron-man-3-world-premiere-red-carpet-photos-2013-4" target="_blank">world premiere in Los Angeles</a> last night.
If you're worried that the third time won't be a charm for Tony Stark, the sequel has already launched successfully in a dozen overseas locations, aiming toward a <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-iron-man-446492" target="_blank">$110 million debut</a> in its opening week. 
The first wave of <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man_3/" target="_blank">'Iron Man 3' reviews are overwhelmingly positive</a>, praising Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley's menacing villain The Mandarin, and surprise twists from director Shane Black.
Black took over the director's chair from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0269463/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Jon Favreau</a> who oversaw the first two films to screen, a role which <a href="http://www.deadline.com/2011/02/shane-black-to-direct-marvels-iron-man-3/" target="_blank">worried some</a> since he's mostly known for screenwriting ("Lethal Weapon"). Previously, he had other film under his directorial belt, 2005's "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/">Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang</a> in which Robert Downey Jr. also stars.
"<keyword id="745513" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Iron-Man-3">Iron Man 3</keyword>" follows Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) after the fallout of last year's summer blockbuster, "The Avengers."
The film is partially based on a six-issue "Extremis" comic in which villain The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) unleashes an army of soldiers with the help of scientist Aldrich Killain (Guy Pearce). 
"Iron Man 3" won't be in U.S. theaters until May 3, but, until then, here's what you need to know before deciding to see the film.
Downey Jr. is as superb as ever in his return as Tony Stark:
<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/iron-man-3/review/444861?utm_source=feedly">The Hollywood Reporter (THR</a>):
"Downey is at his superhero genius best here, rattling off dialogue both clever and boilerplate with non-repetitive aplomb ... The star executes almost continual verbal pirouettes, barking out sardonic quips and rejoinders even in moments of greatest distress but, due to his exceptional lingual dexterity, it rarely gets old and never seems condescending to the admittedly cartoonish context."
Black does a fine job back in the director's chair, and will remind fans of his last go-around with Downey Jr.:
<a href="http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-shane-black-and-robert-downey-jr-test-tony-stark-in-action-packed-iron-man-3" target="_blank">Hitfix</a>:
"'Kiss Kiss Bang Ban' fans in particular are going to find themselves howling at the film's framing device and at a few twists and turns in the detective elements of the story."
<a href="http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137603" target="_blank">Empire</a>:
"It’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with a lot of extra bang."
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=5EjG-1U3wqA">YouTube screencap</a></div>One thing everyone can agree on: Ben Kingsley's Mandarin villain is amazing. 
<a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/review/a474698/iron-man-3-review-a-witty-well-oiled-entertainment-machine.html">Digital Spy:</a> 
"One of the great surprises of the movie is Kingsley's turn as the Bin Laden-ish bad guy, hamming it up and giving Stark a reality check on who's to blame for all this." 
<a href="http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/iron-man-3" target="_blank">Total Film</a>: 
"Kingsley’s ultra-menacing turn as The Mandarin is nothing short of sensational."
<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/going-out/film/iron-man-3-3d-film-1851115">The Mirror:</a> 
"Barely a scene goes by without a killer of a one-liner, with The Mandarin getting some of the best. In fact, he might be the most eye-catching superhero villain since Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight."
<a href="http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137603" target="_blank">Empire magazine</a>: 
"People will be talking about Ben Kingsley’s performance for ages to come — it’s a tricky, delicate role, handled beautifully." 
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=5EjG-1U3wqA#!">YouTube screencap</a></div>Not enough is said about the film's other villain, Guy Pearce's scientist-gone-rogue Aldrich Killian. <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/23/iron-man-3-review-2">IGN</a> provided the best analysis:
"Special mention should also go to Guy Pearce, who is just about believable as the unfortunate Killian in the film’s early scenes, and then absolutely spellbinding as the character becomes more refined and ambiguous later on in proceedings." 
Despite all the revealing teasers and trailers of late, there are a few unexpected twists that will still surprise: 
<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/iron-man-3/review/444861?utm_source=feedly" target="_blank">THR</a>: 
 "The ante is upped beyond mere contemporary relevance by some major surprises—one of them, at the 75-minute mark, quite startlingly funny—that shoot the film up to an entirely different level of screwy humor and large-canvas spectacle."
Some of the action sequences may hit close to home for some. There's a scene that shows an attack in front of Hollywood's Chinese Theatre where it appears bombs go off:
<a href="http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/iron-man-three-review-1200413714/?utm_source=feedly" target="_blank">Variety</a>: 
"Although clearly unintentional, the movie’s recurring images of severed limbs and burning bodies can’t help but strike a queasy note in light of the recent events in Boston."
The film's a trite long at more than two hours. (The film's runtime is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/" target="_blank">130 minutes</a>.)
<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/going-out/film/iron-man-3-3d-film-1851115">The Mirror:</a>
"If there’s a criticism, it’s that the film slows down somewhere around the halfway mark and it wouldn’t have hurt to chop out a good 20 minutes from that epic running time."
<a href="http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/iron-man-3" target="_blank">Total Film</a>:
"Coming in at just over two hours, it suffers a few saggy sequences (Rhodes’ detour to Afghanistan, for example) that weigh down the film’s convoluted middle act."
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>Jason Merritt/Getty</div>There's a breakout star in Ty Simpkins ("Insidious") who plays Stark's mini-sidekick.
<a href="http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-shane-black-and-robert-downey-jr-test-tony-stark-in-action-packed-iron-man-3" target="_blank">Hitfix</a>:
"Ty Simpkins ... plays a kid who runs into Tony at his lowest point, and what could be a disgustingly syrupy relationship in the wrong hands is actually very funny and does a nice job of reminding Tony about humility."
The biggest downsides with a new director is that the film feels a bit overwhelming and overly reliant on technology: 
<a href="http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/iron-man-three-review-1200413714/" target="_blank">Variety</a>:
"Favreau’s handcrafted touch is conspicuously absent, particularly his affection for retro, Ray Harryhausen-esque visual effects. (This is by far the most digital-looking series entry.) Perhaps fittingly for a movie that introduces a new generation of remote-guided Iron Man suits, “Iron Man 3” all too often feels as if it were assembled by a machine."
<a href="http://www.timeout.com/london/film/iron-man-3?intcid=leader" target="_blank">Time Out</a>:
"He [Black] seems out of his depth during the larger set pieces: the action sequences are busy and confusing, especially the misjudged, threat-free climax. The result is a film which never settles into a comfortable groove. It tries to be an angsty ‘Dark Knight’-style game changer, an ’80’s-throwback action romp, a nudge-wink pastiche and a CG-fuelled spectacular."
Don't see it in 3D. 
<a href="http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/iron-man-3" target="_blank">Total Film</a>: 
"3D post-conversion adds absolutely nothing, apart from some irritating plastic glasses to your face and a layer of murk that renders set-pieces occasionally hard to follow." 
Overall, the film is a thrill ride:
<a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/23/iron-man-3-review-2" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 
"A superhero flick with smarts, depth and a marvelously mischievous sense of fun."
<a href="http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137603" target="_blank">Empire</a>:
"If this does turn out to be Downey Jr.’s final solo outing, it’s a very strong exit."
General consensus: See it ASAP
Shane Black hits it out of the park in his second directorial debut with Robert Downey Jr. at his side once again. Though early trailers for the film made the third "Iron Man" <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-iron-man-3-vs-the-dark-knight-trailers-2012-10?op=1" target="_blank">appear as broody as a "Dark Knight" film</a>, it looks like another fun ride with Downey Jr. in the driver's seat as Tony Stark. 
"Iron Man 3" is out in the U.S. May 3.
Check out a trailer for the film below:

'Iron Man 3' Reviews: Ben Kingsley's Villain Steals The Spotlight

For people working in the shadows of the intelligence community, "illegal" holds a much different meaning than what most view as a violation of law. The same goes for "assets" or "eyewash."
These are terms that shed light on the secret world of spycraft, and they help professionals at CIA, NSA, or intelligence services of the military talk to one another in a common language and present information to decision-makers.
The website Public Intelligence obtained an unclassified glossary of terms and definitions for counterintelligence professionals created by the <a href="https://publicintelligence.net/counterintelligence-terms-and-definitions/">Defense Department a couple of months back</a>. At 359 pages, it's a hefty read, so we pulled out some of the most interesting and unique terms here.
"Asset"
No, we're not talking about a stock. In intel-speak, an asset is anything that holds intelligence value. This can be technical - a hacked phone for example - or a human asset: A person working for a foreign intelligence agency who has agreed to share secrets a spy is looking for.
"Asset validation"
Not every source is going to be a meaningful one. Just as a journalist may test a source or press for other information to confirm what he or she is being told, an intelligence asset needs to be "validated" - meaning there is a process to make sure the asset is authentic, reliable, and useful.
"Walk-in"
While spies often have to go out and look for people to turn against their homeland and spill secrets, sometimes a potential asset just shows up at the embassy door. These are referred to as "walk-ins" or "volunteers," although they don't have to literally go to a location.
Former CIA officer Aldrich Ames and former FBI agent Robert Hanssen were both "volunteers" to the Soviet KGB.

This is an arrangement made to make sure a spy's cover isn't blown. It's the spy's version of an alibi if the spy were to be picked up by the bad guys. If a spy is inside Iran posing as a businessman, then his backstop would be documents, financial records, and a phone number back to his office that would vouch for him, as one example.
"Cover within a cover"
If the backstop may not hold up, a spy may revert to this "Inception"-like phrase. In going to his or her cover within a cover, a spy would admit to doing something less serious than espionage, which would hopefully explain away the suspicious activities the spy was observed to be doing.
"Oh no sir, I'm just a tourist taking pictures."
"Eyewash"
Let's say a CIA officer successfully recruits a member of Russia's intelligence service, the FSB. Because both sides have had problems with their files being given away to the other side, the CIA officer may make an "eyewash" entry to protect the new source.
When writing about the recruitment effort, he or she might write that an attempt was made to get information, but the FSB agent balked at the idea.&#xa0;It's like lying to your personal diary.
"False-Flag Recruitment"
A common piece of trade craft involves a spy's effort to recruit assets by deceiving them into believing the spy is from a different country.
In his book "A Spy for All Seasons," former CIA officer Duane Clarridge writes that "Israelis have often used this technique by impersonating CIA officers when trying to recruit Arabs."

Illegals are the spies operating in deep cover. They have no overt relationship with their intelligence service, nor do they operate out of an embassy or have diplomatic cover. They are operating in a country illegally and alone.
Sometimes this means they will simply burrow in and pose as just an average person in the neighborhood.
<a href="https://publicintelligence.net/counterintelligence-terms-and-definitions/">As recently as 2010</a>, the U.S. uncovered a ring of 11 "illegals" from Russia who had assumed stolen identities and reported back to Moscow since at least the 1990s. These types of spies could also be referred to as "sleepers" if they are just there, waiting to be told what to do next.
"Agent"
To intelligence personnel, an agent more often refers to an asset or source from a foreign entity. While movies and media often refer to "CIA agents," the correct term is actually CIA officer. A CIA agent would better describe a mole inside the agency that is under the control of a foreign intelligence service who is throwing secrets its way.
"Confusion agent"
This is a spy who has the goal of screwing up the opposition's intelligence service, rather than gaining any information.
Here's an example: At an embassy function sure to be teeming with military leaders, diplomats, and spies alike, it would be the confusion agent's job to keep the other side's spies occupied with boring chit-chat so he or she can't listen to what the diplomat nearby is saying.

"Active measures"
The use of a confusion agent can also be put under operations known as active measures - <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol53no4/pdf/U-%20Boghardt-AIDS-Made%20in%20the%20USA-17Dec.pdf">which were often carried out by Soviet intelligence during the Cold War</a> - to spread disinformation, manipulate media, and push propaganda.
Former NSA analyst John Schindler wrote <a href="http://20committee.com/2014/07/08/active-measures-havana-style/">about one such operation recently</a>, in which Cuban intelligence was able to influence The Daily Caller website to publish scandalous allegations that U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) was engaging with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.
"Brush contact"
You've seen it in spy movies, of course. Also known as the "brush pass," it's a brief encounter between friendly spies to share a few words or documents. These are risky maneuvers, and there are better and safer ways to pass messages, like having a pre-arranged site that is accessed by each side at different times.
"In the gap"
If it's absolutely necessary that two spies meet up for a quick conversation, they would want to be "in the gap" of surveillance. This means they have no eyeballs, cameras, or microphones pointed in their direction for at least a few seconds, but not any longer than a minute.
"Jack in the Box"
Besides being a restaurant home to always-great waffle fries, "Jack in the Box" refers to a dummy placed in a vehicle to deceive the other side into thinking there are more people inside. If a spy wants to make it seem like he or she is not alone, the spy might put a blow-up doll in the passenger seat.

Spies are taught to watch for when they are being watched.
In a vehicle, this might mean taking frequent turns or heading out into the country to see if there's a tail. On the street, a spy's eyes would be looking for people who look as if they might be a little too interested in what they are doing.
But it's much harder to spot "ghost surveillance" - the "extremely discreet and seemingly omnipresent" type of surveillance, according to the manual, which watches the target from out of view.
"Spy dust"
Also known as <a href="http://intelligenceref.blogspot.com/2010/11/spy-dust.html">Metka</a>, spy dust was a chemical compound used by the Soviet KGB that could be applied to a target to mark that person for surveillance. Once applied to clothing, shoes, or elsewhere, the invisible compound could be picked up on infrared by people following, <a href="http://intelligenceref.blogspot.com/2010/11/spy-dust.html">according</a> to Intelligence Reference.
"Rabbit"
Instead of a target, a rabbit is what intel folks would call the person they are watching and/or following.
"Black-bag job"
Think of this as the spy's version of breaking and entering, but instead of burglary, the intention is to enter a target's residence to discreetly learn more about him or her. Also known as "surreptitious entry," the manual says this type of operation is often carried out by FBI agents against foreign intelligence agents operating inside the United States.
"Cover stop"
Spies are usually working "under cover" but still know they are most likely under surveillance. To go where they need to go, and ultimately to steal secrets without getting caught, they may make cover stops, which give what appear to be innocent reasons for going out.
This could be as simple as a trip to the grocery store where a spy makes a brush pass with a friend in aisle nine.
"Rolling car pickup"
This term is fairly self-explanatory. It's a move in which someone is picked up so smoothly, the car hardly stops or seems as if it's moving forward normally.
While not exactly the same, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/video-of-us-capturing-al-libi-2014-2">closed-circuit footage from February</a> showed a CIA and Delta Force team capturing a terror suspect off the street in Libya and putting him in a van. The entire sequence took only 40 seconds.

If a spy is dialing a hello number, it usually means he or she is in trouble. This trade craft term refers to a phone call in which the person on the other end doesn't identify who or where he or she is, giving only a codeword or some other signal the spy would know the meaning to.
Random example: Spy calls the hello number and the person on the other end says "it's raining in Florida right now." To anyone else listening, it could mean the weather is terrible in the Sunshine state, but the real meaning could be that the spy needs to get on a plane and get out of the country immediately.
"Shape"
This refers to activities that try to change the behavior, perceptions, and capabilities of an adversary. Similar to "active measures," this bit of jargon deals with preparation that often happens before people may enter a foreign land.
Military commanders will say they are "shaping the battlespace" by dropping leaflets in a village for instance, before they send in troops to try to gain intelligence.
"Motivation"
Motivation holds the same meaning as you probably think, but it's an important term in the intelligence community for when a spy is trying to recruit a source. An asset's motivation for giving away secrets could boil down to ideological, financial, sexual, ego, coercion, or a combination. If a spy wants to recruit a source, he or she needs to understand the "why" first.
Historically for American spies, the manual says, the motivation has been money. One of the worst intelligence leaks in U.S. history came from former <a href="http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/robert-hanssen">FBI agent Robert Hanssen,</a> who sold secrets to the Soviet Union, and later Russia, for $1.4 million over 22 years.

While some hackers break into computers just out of curiosity or in an effort to score some cash, there are plenty of others who are working in the intelligence community. In the U.S., most are in a special NSA unit called TAO, or <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-nsa-uses-powerful-toolbox-in-effort-to-spy-on-global-networks-a-940969.html">Tailored Access Operations</a> (Many other countries have their own versions of this unit).
Put simply, TAO is the unit of hackers trying to break into foreign computers, and one technique they can use is pharming. In a pharming attack, a user is redirected to a website other than what he or she was trying to go to, but the person doesn't know it. For example, TAO could duplicate a bank's website where the target enters in all his or her account information and logs in successfully, but in the process, the data also gets captured by the hackers.
Pharming can be used in conjunction with, or in an independent "phishing attack" - usually in the form of an email that looks friendly but contains links to very unfriendly places.
"SCIF"
The SCIF, as it's referred to by intelligence professionals, is the acronym for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. It's the room or building where the really sensitive and secret information is held and processed, which has physical and procedural methods to keep those secrets in.
Before entering a SCIF, intel analysts usually have to give up their phones, thumb drives, and other media that could potentially be used to take out information. The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/18/bradley-manning-wikileaks-hearing">procedures aren't always followed</a>, as the U.S. Army learned soon after former intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning started spilling secrets to the Wikileaks website.&#xa0;

You may have heard of a double agent, which is a spy playing for both sides.
Well, there's also a triple agent. Like the double, this person may "wittingly or unwittingly" withhold significant information from two intelligence services at the urging of a third service.
"Clean phone"
A clean phone is a brand-new - usually pre-paid - mobile phone a spy can use that won't be traced. These are burners taken out of the box that ensure more secure communications.
Of course, that doesn't mean a call couldn't be picked up as it travels over the air, but a spy can at least be safe in knowing the purchase or user probably won't be traced.
<h3>
 NOW WATCH:&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/unbelievable-interesting-world-facts-2014-8">7 Crazy Facts That Sound Fake But Are Actually True</a>
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How To Talk Like A Spy

For people working in the shadows of the intelligence community, "illegal" holds a much different meaning than what most view as a violation of law. The same goes for "assets" or "eyewash."
These are terms that shed light on the secret world of spycraft, and they help professionals at CIA, NSA, or intelligence services of the military to talk to each other in a common language and present information to decision-makers.
The website Public Intelligence obtained an unclassified glossary of terms and definitions for counterintelligence professionals created by the <a href="https://publicintelligence.net/counterintelligence-terms-and-definitions/">Defense Department a couple months back</a>. At 359 pages, it's a hefty read, so we pulled out some of the most interesting and unique terms here.
"Asset"
No, we're not talking about a stock. In intel-speak, an asset is anything that holds intelligence value. This can be technical - a hacked phone for example - or a human asset: A person working for a foreign intelligence agency who has agreed to share secrets a spy is looking for.
"Asset validation"
Not every source is going to be a meaningful one. Just as a journalist may test a source or press for other information to confirm what they are being told, an intelligence asset needs to be "validated" - meaning there is a process to make sure the asset is authentic, reliable, and useful.
"Walk-in"
While spies often have to go out and look for people to turn against their homeland and spill secrets, sometimes a potential asset just shows up at the embassy door. These are referred to as "walk-ins" or "volunteers" although they don't have to literally go to a location.
Former CIA officer Aldrich Ames and former FBI agent Robert Hanssen were both "volunteers" to the Soviet KGB.

This is an arrangement made to make sure a spy's cover isn't blown. It's the spy's version of an alibi if they were to be picked up by the bad guys. If a spy is inside Iran posing as a businessman, then his backstop would be documents, financial records, and a phone number back to his office that would vouch for him, as one example.
"Cover within a cover"
If the backstop may not hold up, a spy may revert to this "Inception"-like phrase. In going to their cover within a cover, a spy would admit to doing something less serious than espionage, which would hopefully explain away the suspicious activities they were observed to be doing.
"Oh no sir, I'm just a tourist taking pictures."
"Eyewash"
Let's say a CIA officer successfully recruits a member of Russia's intelligence service, the FSB. Since both sides have had problems with their own files being given away to the other side, the CIA officer may make an "eyewash" entry to protect the new source.
When writing about the recruitment effort, he or she might write that an attempt was made to get information, but the FSB agent balked at the idea. It's like lying to your own personal diary.
"False-Flag Recruitment"
A common piece of trade craft involves a spy's effort to recruit an asset by deceiving them into believing they are from a different country.
In his book "A Spy for All Seasons," former CIA officer Duane Clarridge writes that "Israelis have often used this technique by impersonating CIA officers when trying to recruit Arabs."

Illegals are the spies operating in deep cover. They have no overt relationship with their intelligence service, nor do they operate out of an embassy or have diplomatic cover. They are operating in a country illegally and alone.
Sometimes this means they will simply burrow in and pose as just an average person in the neighborhood.
<a href="https://publicintelligence.net/counterintelligence-terms-and-definitions/">As recently as 2010</a>, the U.S. uncovered a ring of 11 "illegals" from Russia who had assumed stolen identities and reported back to Moscow since at least the 1990s. These types of spies could also be referred to as "sleepers" if they are just there, waiting to be told what to do next.
"Agent"
To intelligence personnel, an agent more often refers to an asset or source from a foreign entity. While movies and media often refer to "CIA agents," the correct term is actually CIA officer. A CIA agent would better describe a mole inside the agency that is under the control of a foreign intelligence service who is throwing secrets their way.
"Confusion agent"
This is a spy that has the goal of screwing up the opposition's intelligence service, rather than gaining any information.
Here's an example: At an embassy function sure to be teeming with military leaders, diplomats, and spies alike, it would be the confusion agent's job to keep the other side's spies occupied with boring chit-chat so he or she can't listen to what the diplomat nearby is saying.

"Active measures"
The use of a confusion agent can also be put under operations known as active measures - <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol53no4/pdf/U-%20Boghardt-AIDS-Made%20in%20the%20USA-17Dec.pdf">which were often carried out by Soviet intelligence during the Cold War</a> - to spread disinformation, manipulate media, and push propaganda.
Former NSA analyst John Schindler wrote <a href="http://20committee.com/2014/07/08/active-measures-havana-style/">about one such operation recently</a>, in which Cuban intelligence was able to influence The Daily Caller website to publish scandalous allegations that U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) was engaging with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.
"Brush contact"
You've seen it in spy movies, of course. Also known as the "brush pass," it's a brief encounter between friendly spies to share a few words or documents. These are risky maneuvers, and there are better and safer ways to pass messages, like having a pre-arranged site that is accessed by each side at different times.
"In the gap"
If it's absolutely necessary that two spies need to meet up for a quick conversation, they'd want to be "in the gap" of surveillance. This means they have no eyeballs, cameras, or microphones pointed in their direction for at least a few seconds, but not any longer than a minute.
"Jack in the Box"
Besides being a restaurant home to always-great waffle fries, "Jack in the Box" refers to a dummy placed in a vehicle to deceive the other side into thinking there are more people inside. If a spy wants to make it seem like he or she is not alone, they might put a blow-up doll in the passenger seat.

Spies are taught to watch for when they are being watched.
In a vehicle, this might mean taking frequent turns or heading out into the country to see if there's a tail. On the street, a spy's eyes would be looking for people who look like they might be a little too interested in what they are doing.
But it's much harder to spot "ghost surveillance" - the "extremely discreet and seemingly omnipresent" type of surveillance, according to the manual, which watches the target from out of view.
"Spy dust"
Also known as <a href="http://intelligenceref.blogspot.com/2010/11/spy-dust.html">Metka</a>, spy dust was a chemical compound used by the Soviet KGB that could be applied to a target to mark them for surveillance. Once applied to clothing, shoes, or elsewhere, the invisible compound could be picked up on infrared by people following, <a href="http://intelligenceref.blogspot.com/2010/11/spy-dust.html">according</a> to Intelligence Reference.
"Rabbit"
Instead of a target, a rabbit is what intel folks would call the person they are watching and/or following.
"Black-bag job"
Think of this as the spy's version of breaking and entering, but instead of burglary, the intention is to enter a target's residence to learn more about them without them ever finding out. Also known as "surreptitious entry," the manual says this type of operation is often carried out by FBI agents against foreign intelligence agents operating inside the United States.
"Cover stop"
Spies are usually working "under cover" but still know they are likely under surveillance. In order to go where they need to go, and ultimately - steal secrets without getting caught - they may make cover stops, which give what appear to be innocent reasons for going out.
This could be as simple as a trip to the grocery store where a spy makes a brush pass with a friend in aisle nine.
"Rolling car pickup"
This term is fairly self-explanatory. It's a move where someone is picked up so smoothly, the car hardly stops or seems like it's just moving forward normally.
While not exactly the same, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/video-of-us-capturing-al-libi-2014-2">closed-circuit footage from February</a> showed a CIA and Delta Force team capturing a terror suspect off the street in Libya and putting him in a van. The entire sequence took only 40 seconds.

If a spy is dialing a hello number, it usually means they are in trouble. This trade craft term refers to a phone call where the person on the other end doesn't identify who or where they are, but only gives a codeword or some other signal the spy will know the meaning to.
Random example: Spy calls the hello number and the person on the other end tells he or she that "it's raining in Florida right now." To anyone else listening, it could mean the weather is terrible in the Sunshine state, but the real meaning could be that the spy needs to get on a plane and get out of the country immediately.
"Shape"
This refers to activities that try to change the behavior, perceptions, and capabilities of an adversary. Similar to "active measures," this bit of jargon deals with preparation that often happens before people may enter a foreign land.
Military commanders will say they are "shaping the battlespace" by dropping leaflets in a village for instance, before they send in troops to try to gain intelligence.
"Motivation"
Motivation holds the same meaning as you probably think, but it's an important term in the intelligence community for when a spy is trying to recruit a source. An asset's motivation for giving away secrets could boil down to ideological, financial, sexual, ego, coercion, or a combination. If a spy wants to recruit a source, he or she needs to understand the "why" first.
Historically for American spies, the manual says, the motivation has been money. One of the worst intelligence leaks in U.S. history came from former <a href="http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/robert-hanssen">FBI agent Robert Hanssen,</a> who sold secrets to the Soviet Union, and later Russia, for $1.4 million over 22 years.

While some hackers break into computers just out of curiosity or in an effort to score some cash, there are plenty of others who are working in the intelligence community. In the U.S., the vast majority are in a special NSA unit called TAO, or <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-nsa-uses-powerful-toolbox-in-effort-to-spy-on-global-networks-a-940969.html">Tailored Access Operations</a> (Many other countries have their own versions of this unit).
Put simply, TAO is the unit of hackers trying to break into foreign computers, and one technique they can use is pharming. In a pharming attack, a user is redirected to a website other than what they were trying to go to, but they don't know it. For example, TAO could duplicate a bank's website where the target enters in all their account information and logs in successfully, but in the process, the data also gets captured by the hackers.
Pharming can be used in conjunction with, or in an independent "phishing attack" - usually in the form of an email that looks friendly but contains links to very unfriendly places.
"SCIF"
The SCIF, as it's referred to by intelligence professionals, is the acronym for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. It's the room or building where the really sensitive and secret information is held and processed, which has physical and procedural methods to keep those secrets in.
Before entering a SCIF, intel analysts usually have to give up their phones, thumb drives, and other media that could potentially be used to take out information. The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/18/bradley-manning-wikileaks-hearing">procedures aren't always followed</a>, as the U.S. Army learned soon after former intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning started spilling secrets to the Wikileaks website. 

You may have heard of a double agent, which is a spy playing for both sides.
Well, there's also a triple agent. Like the double, this person may "wittingly or unwittingly" withhold significant information from two intelligence services at the urging of a third service.
"Clean phone"
A clean phone is a brand-new - usually pre-paid - mobile phone a spy can use that won't be traced. These are burners taken out of the box that ensure more secure communications.
Of course, that doesn't mean a call couldn't be picked up as it travels over the air, but a spy can at least be safe in knowing the purchase or user probably won't be traced.

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