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Vintage photos from the 1980s show America's shopping malls in their heyday

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AmericanShoppingMalls

  • Photographer Stephen DiRado spent two and a half years visiting shopping malls in Massachusetts in the 1980s documenting everyday life.
  • The photos that have emerged present unique time capsule of both the decade and a time when shopping malls were at their peak.
  • The photos are a stark contrast to the photos we see today of empty and dying shopping malls in middle America.

As an emerging photographer in the 1980s, Stephen DiRado began exploring malls in and around his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, as a means of exploring his own middle-class upbringing.

At the time, shopping malls had become the meeting place for America's youth, as teens of every different stripe milled about the food courts, smoked cigarettes, and went from chain store to chain store in search of temporary employment.

For two and a half years, DiRado visited malls in Worcester and all over Massachusetts for nearly 18 hours a week to document mall-goers and the strange world that American capitalism gave birth to.

DiRado shared a selection of the photos with us here, but you can check out the rest at his website.

SEE ALSO: China's 'Las Vegas' is leaving billionaires behind in favor of the rising middle class — see inside the $3.4 billion mega-casino leading the charge

DiRado was born in the late 1950s, just as malls were starting to be built to serve the growing middle class.



As a young kid in the 1960s, DiRado and his friends met up at the neighborhood "five and dime" stores to hang out, drink sodas, and buy snacks.



The owners of the neighborhood "five and dime" stores were well-known members of the community.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 39 most anticipated movies for the rest of 2018

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creed ii

Right now, all is well in the movie world.

The summer movie season is hitting on all cylinders and looks to be one of the best in history, while as a whole, 2018 is up 8% in ticket sales (which is huge) and could be looking at over $11 billion in revenue by the time the year ends.

That's assuming the good times at the multiplex keep going in the second half of the year.

With big event movies like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's "Skyscraper" and "Aquaman" yet to come, mixed with more dramatic but equally anticipated titles, like "A Star Is Born" and "Creed II," things are looking positive. 

Here are 39 movies coming out before the end of the year that you shouldn't miss:

 

SEE ALSO: The 16 best TV shows of 2018 so far

“Skyscraper” - July 13

Dwayne Johnson mixes a little "Die Hard" with "The Towering Inferno" for his next thrill ride. Here he plays a family man who has to save that family from the largest building in the world before the bad guys (and the fire raging) gets to them first. Everything you expect from The Rock is in this one — and more. He's sporting a prosthetic leg this time.



“Eighth Grade” - July 13

It doesn't matter if you're 20 years old or 70 years old, there are some things about growing up that are universal, and comic-turned-director Bo Burnham highlights them warts and all in this beautiful movie. We follow teenager Kayla (Elsie Fisher) as she maneuvers transitioning from middle school to high school. Filled with comedic moments, this is also a heartfelt look at the wonder of growing up and how when you're in your teens everything sucks.



“Blindspotting” - July 20

One of the most talked-about movies at Sundance this year thanks to how it looks at race, Black Lives Matter, and the gentrification of Oakland, this is a movie that's very hard to narrow down in a few sentences. You kind of have to trust us that it's worth your time. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How a 6-time Nathan's hot dog eating champion forever changed the classic July 4th contest with a simple mental shift

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takeru kobayashi

  • In 2001, Japanese competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi forever changed the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, a Fourth of July tradition.
  • Before Kobayashi ate 50 hot dogs with buns in 12 minutes, the record stood at 25 1/8 in the same amount of time, but after his performance, the record was regularly broken and now stands at 72 in 10 minutes.
  • In an episode of the podcast "Freaknonomics Radio," Kobayashi argued that his success was more psychological than physical, and that by setting a vastly bigger record, he redefined what people thought was possible, allowing them to push themselves.

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every Fourth of July at Coney Island in Brooklyn since 1967, is like the World Cup of competitive eating.

Last year, American Joey Chestnut not only claimed the championship title for the tenth time, but set a new record for the second year in a row by finishing 72 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

It's become normal to expect competitors from around the world to eat such ungodly amounts of processed meat and their doughy rolls at rapid speed.

But it wasn't until a 23-year-old from Japan named Takeru Kobayashi entered the scene in 2001 and ate 50 hot dogs and buns that anyone believed this was possible. Before Kobayashi, the record was just 25 and 1/8 eaten in 12 minutes.

In a 2014 episode of the podcast "Freakonomics Radio," host Stephen Dubner interviewed Kobayashi and got insight into his goal-setting and motivation that's applicable far beyond such an extreme contest.

As Dubner put it, "He redefined the problem he was trying to solve."

"Here's what the other competitive eaters were asking themselves: How could I fit more hot dogs in my stomach?" Dubner said. "Kobi asked a different question: How can I make one hot dog easier to eat?"

When Kobayashi was in college in Japan, a friend of his enrolled him in a competitive eating contest on a lark, but Kobayashi decided he'd give it his all. He paced himself better than his competitors and won.

Realizing that it was his psychology more than the size of his stomach that allowed him to win, he made a giant leap and decided he would be the greatest competitive eater in the world, and would one day be crowned at Coney Island.

"The key to me was that I had to change the mentality that it was a sport — it wasn't having a meal," he told Dubner. Kobayashi said he noticed previous competitors in the hot dog eating contest ate as if a friend had dared them to eat a bunch of food, whereas he saw an opportunity to dissect the physical action of eating and optimize it for speed and efficiency.

Kobi began intensely experimenting with different techniques for sausage (American-style hot dogs weren't available in Japan) and bun consumption. It was during this time he crafted the game-changing bun dip, where he dipped the hot dog bun in a cup of water to break down its starch, squeeze out the excess water, and toss it into his mouth as a ball. It wasn't appetizing (or visually appealing), but it worked.

takeru kobayashi

That year, he more than doubled the existing championship record with the 50 hot dogs he ate in 12 minutes. He would win six years in a row before Chestnut dethroned him as the dominant force on the Coney Island circuit in 2007.

What was even more remarkable is that the same people who previously averaged around 25 hot dogs were now pushing themselves to 40 or 50.

Some mimicked Kobayashi's approach, but more importantly, he had redefined the limit itself. As Dubner noted, Kobayashi had broken a 40-year artificial barrier.

"I think people have to have a reason to rethink what could be wrong," Kobayashi said. "I think the thing about human beings is that they make a limit in their mind of what their potential is, and they decide that, 'Well, I've been told this or this is what society tells me' — they've just been made to believe something."

Kobayashi told Dubner that he found his days on the competitive eating circuit to be more profound than most would think.

"If every human being actually threw away those thoughts and they actually did use that method of thinking for everything, the potential of human beings, I think, is really great," he told Dubner.

You can listen to the full podcast episode below.

This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on July 3, 2017.

SEE ALSO: The 15 best business books to read this summer

DON'T MISS: The terrifying amount of calories, fat, and sodium consumed at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Forget Chicago and New York — the best hot dog in the world is in Iceland

9 fun, free places to watch Fourth of July fireworks in New York City

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Fireworks July 4 Independence Day New York City



Celebrating the Fourth of July around New York City can't be beat.

On Tuesday, the annual Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks will mark its 42nd celebration. The event is set to start at about 9:25 p.m. ET, according to Time Out.

The seven barges launching the fireworks will be positioned on the East River off Manhattan between 24th and 41st streets.

Here are some great, free places where you can catch the fireworks this Fourth of July:

SEE ALSO: From spending 7 years in prison to battling a yellow fever epidemic, here's what the Founding Fathers were doing before their act of rebellion made them famous

DON'T MISS: The 9 weirdest jobs of America's Founding Fathers

SEE ALSO: 5 famous 'facts' about the Fourth of July that aren't true

Macy's lists the intersection of 42nd Street and FDR Drive as an official viewing spot.



It's a convenient location if you want to stay in midtown.

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The folks at 34th Street and FDR Drive may have the best seat in the house. According to Macy's, onlookers here will be positioned "almost directly in front of the barges."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

3 science-backed skin-care tricks for a more glowing complexion in one month

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skin care

We don't all have the time or the money for extravagant skin care treatments — and many products don't really work anyway

But science suggests you can make your skin happier, healthier, and smoother if you know what to put on it

"A good skin care regimen is so important to overall skin health and maintaining a youthful appearance to your skin," dermatologist Kathleen Suozzi from the Yale School of Medicine told Business Insider.

Suozzi suggested three simple tricks you can perform at home that will lead to noticeably better-looking skin by the end of one month.

That said, she advised that to accurately determine whether an approach works, you have to try a skin care regimen out for at least three to six months. 

"It's really a marathon and not a sprint," Suozzi said.

Here's the low-hanging fruit to start with.

SEE ALSO: How to look and feel healthier in one month, according to science

First, use alpha hydroxy acids to exfoliate, make your skin feel softer, and minimize wrinkles.

Alpha hydroxy acids are chemical compounds that are naturally present in fermented milk, citrus fruits, and sugar cane.

They're a key ingredient in many chemical peels and skin products because they can help make your skin brighter and softer, and also help improve the appearance of thin wrinkles.

"What alpha hydroxy acids do is they shed off the top layer of dull skin," Suozzi said. "By helping that turnover and shedding the excess dead skin cells that can collect on your skin, it gives the skin a more bright appearance, softer feel, and can also help even out pigmentation." 



To try a peel out at home, choose a pad that includes an alpha hydroxy acid. Some of the most common ingredients to look for include glycolic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid.

Dermatologists like Suozzi often perform alpha hydroxy acid peels in the office, but she said you can use an alpha hydroxy acid peel pad at home once a week. Many of the products will say something like "at-home peel treatment" or "facial peel pads," but look for one that includes some kind of alpha hydroxy acid. Most work like a facial cleanser pad and tingle a bit when you rub them on your face. 

Suozzi recommends that you start slowly to see how your skin reacts to this treatment. And be careful if you go out in the sun afterwards, because the new skin will be especially sensitive.

Then depending on your tolerance, you can increase the frequency of your peels to two or three times a week.

 



The second tip might sound obvious: remember to moisturize.

Suozzi said this skin problem comes up again and again.

"Moisturized skin appears plumper and healthier than dry skin," she said, adding, "you don't have to spend a lot of money on these expensive night creams."

Suozzi said that although people often comment how much better their skin looks after a facial, a lot of that improvement is simply because their skin has been adequately moisturized.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A look at the daily routine of James Madison, who owned 4,000 books, was too embarrassed to be seen without a hat, and drank up to a pint of whiskey a day

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James Madison

  • James Madison was the fourth president of the US and one of the primary thinkers behind the US Constitution.
  • In his personal life, Madison was extremely introverted and a voracious reader.
  • Here's a look at his daily routine, which involved reading, writing, and occasionally racing his wife Dolley around the porch of Montpelier.


James Madison accomplished a lot.

Over the course of his long political career, he served as a member of the Continental Congress, US representative, and Secretary of State in the administration of his close friend Thomas Jefferson.

He was also elected president in 1808.

Madison's legacy as commander in chief was decidedly mixed. He's considered one of the worst presidents of all time when it comes to his foreign policy. Also, there's the small fact that the British swooped in and burned DC during his tenure.

But primarily, he is remembered as the "Father of the Constitution," thanks to his crucial contributions to the supreme law of the US.

Here's a look at the Founding Father's daily routine:

SEE ALSO: A look at the daily routine of Thomas Jefferson, who rose early, drank coffee, and wrote a lot

DON'T MISS: 5 famous 'facts' about the Fourth of July that aren't true

SEE ALSO: A look at the daily routine of Alexander Hamilton, who loved coffee and worked for marathon stretches of time

Madison would rise early. When he wasn't traveling or living in DC, his primary residence was Montpelier, a plantation house in Orange, Virginia. Paul Jennings, Madison's enslaved valet, would help him dress every morning.

Source: "James Madison: A Biography"



At the age of 15, Jennings helped save Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait of George Washington before the British burned the White House. Later in life, Jennings was purchased and freed by Daniel Webster. He also published an autobiography detailing his experiences as a slave.

Source: "A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison"



Madison enslaved over 100 men, women, and children during his lifetime. Upon his death, he did not emancipate his slaves in his will.

Source: Montpelier, Hauenstein Center



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This map shows what a huge challenge it will be to rescue the soccer team stuck in a Thai cave system

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Thailand cave rescue

  • A soccer team and its coach are stranded in a partially flooded cave system in northern Thailand.
  • Authorities say they need to either learn to dive or wait months for flooding to subside before they can leave.
  • The map shows how complicated it will be to get them out.

A soccer team stranded in a Thai cave system for more than a week was found relatively healthy on Monday, but it may take months to get everyone out.

Authorities say the only ways the 12 teenage boys and their coach can escape will be by learning to scuba dive, getting dragged out by divers, or waiting months for the flooding that trapped them in the cave to subside.

The Tham Luang cave system in the Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand is a complex series of tunnels that are now partially flooded:

Thai Cave Map

The boys, who are ages 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach were found alive on an elevated dry rock about 2 1/2 miles from the mouth of the cave after nine days of searches.

It was particularly difficult for the rescuers to locate them because the cave system consists of dark, narrow bends that sometimes fit only one person, Ben Reymenants, one of the divers involved in the search, told Sky News.

It took the divers at least four hours to swim to the point in the cave system where the team was located, he said.

"This is one of the more extreme cave dives that I have done," Reymenants added. "It is very far, and very complex. There is current. The visibility can be zero at times."

thailand cave water pump

The group entered the cave on June 23, the BBC reported. It was most likely dry when they entered, but rushing waters later clogged the way back with mud and debris.

Water levels in the cave are expected to rise as the summer goes on, as Thailand's rainy season usually lasts from May until October.

Divers are supplying the group with food and medicine, Thailand's Navy SEALs said on Facebook.

Two Thai medical workers have also joined the cave's occupants to keep them company and monitor their health, the SEALs added.

SEE ALSO: Watch the moment rescuers found 13 trapped soccer team members alive in Thailand

READ MORE: A Thai soccer team was found alive after being trapped in a cave for 9 days — here's how long humans can survive in those conditions

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We tried a caffeine-free charcoal latte made with ground coconut shells

The 50 best TV show seasons of all time, according to critics

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Breaking Bad

The most critically acclaimed TV shows in history have earned their praise by repeatedly producing innovative and memorable seasons.

Shows like "The Wire," "Breaking Bad," and "The Larry Sanders Show" consistently won over critics, and their best seasons have set a standard for what great television should look like.

To find out which series have been the most influential, we turned to the review aggregator Metacritic for its list of the all-time best TV seasons, which ranks shows by their composite critical reception. We used audience scores to break any ties.

Check out the 50 best TV-show seasons of all time, according to critics:

SEE ALSO: The 20 most-watched TV episodes ever, ranked

50. "The Handmaid's Tale" (Season 1)

Metacritic score: 92/100

User score: 7.8/10

Notable episodes: ""Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum," "Jezebels"



49. "Homeland" (Season 1)

Metacritic score: 92/100

User score: 8.3/10

Notable episodes: "The Weekend," "Crossfire,"Marine One"



48. "Rectify" (Season 2)

Metacritic score: 92/100

User score: 9.1/10

Notable episodes: "Mazel Tov," "The Great Destroyer,"Unhinged"



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

You can get $10 off a Lyft ride this week if you live in New York City — Here's how

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  • In collaboration with the New York City Department of Transportation, Lyft, Curb, and Via are offering discounts for riders.
  • It's part of an effort to discourage drinking and driving during the July 4th holiday. 
  • The discounts are valid June 29 - July 8 at 11:59 pm, and can only be used once. 

If you live in New York City you probably don't drive in the first place, but the NYC Department of Transportation will give you a $10 rideshare discount to discourage drinking and driving this week anyway. 

In an effort to reduce drunk driving during the July 4th holiday, NYC DOT is offering discounts for Lyft, Curb, and Via until July 8 at 11:59 pm. A quarter of yearly accidents happen during Memorial Day and July 4th, NY DOT said in a tweet

The Lyft discount can be added by using the promo code KNOWYOURLIMIT, or by entering your phone number on Lyft's website. The discount can be used for rides taken between 8 pm and 2 am. 

Lyft discounts

Curb discounts can be received by entering the code 4NOWDI in the app. 

Via discounts require the promo code KNOWYOURLIMIT, and can be used between 8 pm and 3 am. 

The promo code for each service can only be used once. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What the future of Apple looks like

The first 'It: Chapter Two' cast photo reveals adult Losers' Club — including Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader

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  • Warner Bros. released the first cast photo for next year's "It: Chapter Two," the follow-up to last year's blockbuster horror hit.
  • The photo features the full Losers' Club members, who are adults in the sequel.
  • The cast includes Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader.

 

Warner Bros. has released the first cast photo for the follow-up to last year's blockbuster horror film, "It," to celebrate the start of filming. The sequel, "It: Chapter Two," follows the adult versions of the Losers' Club seen in the first film, who were terrorized by the murderous clown Pennywise in the small town of Derry.

27 years later, the Losers' Club is reunited when Pennywise makes his return. The movie's official Twitter tweeted the photo on Monday with the caption "Back to Derry with these Losers."

From left to right, the photo features Jessica Chastain (who plays an adult Beverly), James Mcavoy (Bill), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike), Jay Ryan (Ben), James Ransone (Eddie), Bill Hader (Richie), and Andy Bean (Stanley).

The movie also stars Bill Skarsgard, who's returning as Pennywise; Teach Grant as an adult Henry, the neighborhood bully; Xavier Dolan as Adrian Mellon, who is a bullied gay man in the Stephen King novel; and Will Beinbrink as Tom Rogan, Beverly's abusive partner in the novel. 

"It: Chapter Two" comes to theaters September 6, 2019.

SEE ALSO: 'It: Chapter 2' has started filming — here's everything we know about the blockbuster horror sequel

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why the World Cup soccer ball looks so different

The 34 colleges that produced the most US presidents

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Donald Trump



It's a question that any American history buff — or future White House hopeful — is bound to ask. Which college has the distinction of producing the most US presidents?

That'd be Harvard University. It's an unsurprising win, considering Harvard is the oldest school in the country.

But a number of other schools also happened to help shape the minds of the 44 men who served as president of the US. Ivy League institutions, small Christian colleges, and state research universities all made the list.

Keep in mind, these presidents didn't necessarily graduate from all of the schools on this list. A number, like the ever-nomadic William McKinley, John F. Kennedy, and Jimmy Carter, bounced around between a number of institutions due to financial reasons, health difficulties, or changing preferences. But the people who went on to become US presidents did study at an undergraduate level at all of these institutions.

But don't take any of this as an unabashed endorsement of collegiate-level study. Plenty of other presidents, including George Washington, never even attended college.

Here's a look at which undergraduate schools have produced the most US presidents:

SEE ALSO: From spending 7 years in prison to battling a yellow fever epidemic, here's what the Founding Fathers were doing before their act of rebellion made them famous

DON'T MISS: A look at the zodiac signs of all the US presidents

SEE ALSO: The 17 weirdest jobs of US presidents

Fordham University: One president

Donald Trump attended this Bronx-based Jesuit school before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

According to "The Trumps: Three Generations of Builders and a Presidential Candidate," the president's sister Maryanne said that Trump chose to attend the college because "That's where he got in."



Occidental College: One president

Before attending Columbia University, Barack Obama studied for two years at Occidental College in Los Angeles.



Columbia University: One president

Obama transferred to Columbia University as a junior. There, he studied political science with a specialty in international relations, as well as English literature.



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6 songs that spike over 1,000% in YouTube views on July 4th

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lana del rey

A significant number of people usher in our nation's Independence Day by listening to pop singer Lana Del Rey, according to new data from YouTube.

Del Rey's 2012 single, "National Anthem," leads a list of six songs that spiked over 1,000% in YouTube views on July 4th last year, compared to their daily averages in 2017, the company said in a release. 

However, YouTube could not account for the percentage of folks who surely found themselves watching Del Rey's video (which alludes to JFK's assassination) by accident while searching for the actual national anthem. 

The remaining tracks on the list include a few classic, USA-themed ballads from the likes of Ray Charles, Simon & Garfunkel, and others.

Here are the 6 songs that spike over 1,000% in views on July 4th:

SEE ALSO: The 5 songs on Drake's new, 25-track album 'Scorpion' that are actually worth listening to

6. Toby Keith — "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)"

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Spike on July 4th, 2017: 1,321%



5. Simon & Garfunkel — "America"

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Spike on July 4th, 2017:1,770%



4. Lee Greenwood — "God Bless the USA"

Youtube Embed:
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Spike on July 4th, 2017: 2,049%



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 5 winners and losers of the first half of 2018 at the box office

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avengers infinity war

What a difference a year makes. This time last summer we were trying to manage through one of the worst movie seasons ever, with disasters like "The Mummy" and "Transformers: The Last Knight." Now, it's as though everything Hollywood puts out is a box-office hit.

The movie business is having a very good year.

With early-year successes like "Black Panther" and "A Quiet Place" matched with the huge performances by "Avengers: Infinity War," "Deadpool 2," and "Incredibles 2," the 2018 box office is up a healthy 8% from last year, and the summer movie season is up more than 15% compared with last year.

Jeff Bock, a senior box-office analyst at Exhibitor Relations, said it's quite simple: This year, the sequels are actually good.

"Cinephiles may not want to hear this, but sequels, spin-offs, and superheroes have been the guiding forces at the box office in 2018," Bock told Business Insider. "The difference between this year and last, Hollywood is offering up more sequels that audiences actually wanted to see."

To look back at how we got here, we've listed the five winners and five losers at the box office so far in 2018:

SEE ALSO: The 39 most anticipated movies for the rest of 2018

WINNER: "Black Panther"

We can no longer say February is the bumping ground for lousy movies. "Black Panther" didn't just shatter box-office records when it did a $202 million opening earlier this year; it proved that audiences wanted diverse stories told to them on the big screen. The film is still the highest-grossing movie of the year in North America so far, with $699.8 million domestically. Worldwide the movie has grossed over $1.3 billion.



LOSER: "Solo: A Star Wars Story"

For any other movie, almost $370 million earned worldwide in just over a month in theaters would be a job well done. But not for a "Star Wars" movie. The standalone young Han Solo movie disappointed the critics and fans, leading to talk that the public had finally hit "Star Wars" fatigue. This was a major blow for Disney/Lucasfilm, which now has to go lick its wounds and rethink how it wants to go forward with telling the beloved saga (and how much content audiences can stomach).



WINNER: "A Quiet Place"

One of the biggest success stories of the year, John Krasinski's $17 million thriller about monsters that attack anything that makes a sound has become an international hit, as it has taken in an astounding $329.8 million to date. It proves that the horror/thriller genre is still one of the most inventive and worthwhile in the industry.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 things people think are fine to say at work — but are actually racist, sexist, or offensive

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upset coworker

  • Unconscious bias is everywhere — especially in the workplace.
  • To avoid a toxic workplace culture, it's important to know which phrases and actions can make employees from different backgrounds or identities feel uncomfortable and targeted.
  • These unconscious expressions of racism or sexism are known asmicroaggressions.

Microaggressions are unconscious expressions of racism or sexism. They come out in seemingly innocuous comments by people who might be well-intentioned. 

From telling a new female worker that she "looks like a student" to asking a black colleague about her natural hair, microaggressions often exist in the workplace, too. And they can make a workplace feel unsafe and toxic

"Because microaggressions are often communicated through language, it is very important to pay attention to how we talk, especially in the workplace and other social institutions like classrooms, courtrooms, and so on," Christine Mallinson, professor of language, literacy, and culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, told Business Insider.

Because microaggressions are so subtle, it's hard to know if you're committing one or if you're on the receiving end.

"One thing is that they are in a sense ambiguous, so that the recipient is apt to feel vaguely insulted, but since the words look and sound complimentary, on the surface (they're most often positive), she can't rightly feel insulted and doesn't know how to respond," Robin Lakoff, Professor Emerita of Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, told Business Insider.

Here are some of the most common microaggressions:

SEE ALSO: Here's the presentation Google gives employees on how to spot unconscious bias at work

DON'T MISS: There's a war on the way women talk — and it needs to end

'You're so articulate'

"When a white colleague tells a colleague of color 'You're so articulate' or 'You speak so well,' the remark suggests that they assumed the person in question would be less articulate — and are surprised to find out they aren't," Mallinson told Business Insider.

Commenting on a black person's language or speaking habits has a complicated history, and this is a problem that African-Americans especially encounter in the workplace or school.

"We (a white-dominant society) expect black folks to be less competent," wrote A. Gordon in The Root. "And, speaking as a white person, when we register surprise at a black individual's articulateness, we also send the not-so-subtle message that that person is part of a group that we don't expect to see sitting at the table, taking on a leadership role."

What to say instead: Nothing. You can commend people on their specific ideas or insights, but commenting on how people speak is unnecessary.



'Oh, sorry, wrong person'

If you're an underrepresented minority, and there's one other person of your identity in the room, there's a chance that the majority group will confuse your names. 

"When I started grad school, the intro class was taught by two white women and I was one of two Mexican-Americans in the cohort," one Buzzfeed reader shared. "They constantly called me Maria, the other girl's name. My name is Alejandra and we look nothing alike."

What to say instead: Learn your coworkers' names. It's a pretty basic concept. 



'My boss is crazy'

Calling your female boss "crazy" or "hysterical" has sexist undertones, because these words have a long, problematic history. 

"In the past, especially in 19th century Europe, women who had anxiety or who were seen as troublemakers were often diagnosed as being 'hysterical,'" Mallinson told Business Insider.
"The word 'hysterical'
comes from the Greek word hystera, meaning uterus, signifying that the so-called disease was specific to women."

So, when you call a woman "crazy," it suggests that her concerns or actions are illogical, rather than the result of critical thinking. 

What to say instead: Try to understand your colleague's viewpoint rather than ascribing her actions as illogical. If you still don't agree, you could say: "I don't understand her perspective on this" — then ask her for her insights. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 23 best icebreakers to use at a party where you don't know anyone

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summer party

  • Parties where you know virtually no one can be awkward, especially if you're not sure how to start a conversation.
  • You could rely on the classic, "So what do you do for a living?" But then you run the risk of coming off as the least interesting or original person at the party.
  • The following icebreakers should help you get an interesting conversation going with ease.


Maybe you're interested in making a new professional contact, or perhaps you simply want to make a good impression on a friend of a friend.

Whatever the reason, busting out the clichés upon the first introduction is never a good idea.

To mix the conversation up a bit, try using one of these 17 icebreakers. They should help ease you into an engaging conversation with people you've never met before.

SEE ALSO: 11 festive things to do in New York City over the holidays that look fun — but aren't

'Hello'

This one may seem simple, but a smile, a name, and a confident handshake can sometimes go a long way, Ariella Coombs wrote for Careerealism.com.

"Sometimes the easiest way to meet someone is to offer a handshake and say 'hi,'" she wrote.



'I'll be honest, the only person I know here is the bartender, and I just met him two minutes ago. Mind if I introduce myself?'

Humor is a good method to put another attendee at ease and jump-start a lighthearted conversation.



'What do you do for fun when you're not working?'

Asking personal questions about people's activities outside of work can help solidify a connection, Shan White, owner of Women's Peak Performance Coaching, told Refinery29.

Asking about someone's after-work hobbies is "semi-personal, yet still professionally acceptable to ask," White said. "This can bring some levity and humor into the conversation while also letting you see what lights them up — what brings them real joy."



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Russia is blanketed in sunlight nearly 24-hours a day this time of year — here's what it looks like at every hour

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11 1 StPetersburgWhiteNights Russia (2 of 19)

  • Every year in June, St. Petersburg and much of northern Russia experiences the famous "White Nights" phenomenon.
  • From mid-May to mid-July, St. Petersburg is so far north that it experiences near-24-hour sunlight. Even when the sun is down — for a couple hours after midnight — the sky is white, hence the moniker of "White Nights."
  • Toward the end of June, the city has the Scarlet Sails festival to commemorate the end of the school year and the longest night of the year.
  • While in Russia for the World Cup this year, I experienced the "White Nights" and decided to take a photo at every hour to document the unbelievably beautiful light in the city.

I was very excited to visit Russia this year for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but my favorite part of the trip ended up being something I didn’t plan on.

When I arrived in St. Petersburg two weeks ago, I found that the city was experiencing the so-called “White Nights” phenomenon. Located on the Bay of Finland, St. Petersburg is so far north that from mid-May to mid-July, the city has sunlight nearly 24 hours a day. 

Towards the end of June, when the days are the longest, the sun sets after midnight and rises around 2 a.m. But even then, the sky is never really dark.

It’s an unusual feeling to see the sun setting so late and rising so early. It throws your biological clock out of whack, tricking your body into thinking it needs less sleep. Not a bad problem to have when you have a lot of activities planned for each day.

St Petersburgians take full advantage of the long nights, sitting out in cafes and restaurants until late. Many restaurants and bars stay open 24 hours. Many of the tourist attractions stay open late as well.

There are downsides to the surplus of sunlight. Football teams in town for the 2018 FIFA World Cup worried about their players having trouble getting enough rest due to the sunlight and whether it would affect their performance. 

While I can barely pass a soccer ball, I was thrown off-kilter by the "White Nights," often tossing and turning until 4 a.m. and sleeping through the middle of the day.

But being awake at odd hours provided a lot of time to see the city. I decided to take a photo at every hour to document the beautiful light, and the views, as you'll see here, were stunning.

I was excited on my first day in St. Petersburg to see the famous "White Nights." Unfortunately, the persistent sunlight from the night before screwed up my sleeping schedule. By the time I got out of the apartment, it was 3 p.m.



The character of the light around 4 p.m. was very similar to midday in most other places



Around 5 p.m. the light started to change. The sky was clear and the sun bright and hot overhead, but the buildings began to cast deep shadows on the walls.



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Everything tennis icon Roger Federer eats and drinks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

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Roger Federer

Roger Federer skipped the clay season so that he could be as fit and fresh as possible for the 2018 Wimbledon Championships — and continues his campaign against Lukáš Lacko in the Round of 64 on Wednesday.

Even at 36, Federer continues to marvel on the courts. He triumphed at the first major of the year, the Australian Open, and is regarded as the favourite to pick up a second Grand Slam title of the year in London this month.

To maintain his sporting dominance, Federer has to eat right. So what sort of food does a 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion eat?

Here's everything Federer likes to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

SEE ALSO: People are asking who would win in a match between Roger Federer and Serena Williams — and the winner is clear

DON'T MISS: This is the one record Roger Federer has set that future tennis players will struggle to beat

This is 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, who is widely considered as the best male tennis player of all time.



To start his day, Federer prefers to go sweet rather than savoury and reportedly enjoys homemade waffles with a fresh fruit compote on the morning of a match.

Source: The Guardian



To wash the waffles down, Federer has fresh juice, coffee, and a vinegar shot.

Source: The Guardian



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The Embr Wave is a wearable that helps you stay warm in freezing-cold offices, or cools your off when it's too hot — here's what it's like to use

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Embr Wave

  • The Embr Wave is a "personal thermostat" — a wearable you strap onto your wrist to help you feel more comfortable indoors.
  • Embr Labs says after three minutes of using the device, you can feel up to five degrees warmer or cooler.  
  • I tried the Embr Wave for a few days, and found that it helped me feel more comfortable when I was overheated, or shivering in a frigid office. 

Working in an office these days is an exercise in personal temperature control. 

One minute, you're sweating it out after your commute on public transit, or even just the walk into your office. The next minute, you're shivering in the arctic temperatures dictated by the thermostat. 

That struggle is what inspired the team at Embr Labs to create the Embr Wave, a "personal thermostat" you wear on your wrist. 

The Embr Wave works by heating or cooling on its own, depending on your needs. The idea is that, with the press of a button, you can feel more comfortable in your environment — in fact, Embr Labs says after three minutes of using the device, you can feel up to five degrees warmer or cooler.  

"Temperature is as much subjective as it is objective," Sam Shames, CEO of Embr Labs, told Business Insider. "Heating a building is like setting the temperature of a shower for hundreds of people." 

It all comes down to skin temperature. When you're feeling cold, your core body temperature doesn't actually change, but your skin temperature does, Shames said. Putting something warm against your skin will provide some relief and make you feel more comfortable in your environment.

Sweatshirts in the summer

The idea behind the Embr Wave originated in a lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013. Shames — along with his cofounders, Matthew Smith and David Cohen-Tanugi — were so cold while working in the lab, they were bundled up in sweatshirts in the middle of the summer.

Embr Wave Cooling

They came up with the idea for Embr Wave and submitted to the Intel Make it Wearable competition that October. From there, their story blew up.

"We started getting emails from people all over the world who said that temperature was the biggest problem in their lives," Shames said.

By 2017, Embr Labs had launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising $630,000 — more than six times its $100,000 goal. The company also attracted investors like Intel and Bose.

The Embr Wave officially went on sale in March, and it doesn't come cheap — it costs a whopping $300, nearly as much as an Apple Watch Series 3. 

Aiding the 'thermally underserved'

The Embr Wave is intended for a group of people Shames refers to as the "thermally underserved population" — people who are frequently uncomfortable in their indoor surroundings, either because it's too hot or too cold. 

I happen to be part of that population — I'm almost always way too hot — so I tried out the Embr Wave for a few days to see if it made a difference. 

One of the best features of the Embr Wave is that the temperature sensation comes in waves. When you first put it on, just press the thin light bar on the front of the device, then press and hold on either the left or right side of the button — left for cold, warm for hot.

From there, you'll feel a warming or cooling sensation intermittently for either five minutes or three minutes respectively. If you're not satisfied by the end of a session, just knock on the front of the device and it will restart. The only downside of that design is that if you accidentally set the temperature too hot or too cold, you have to wait for it to be done and try again. 

While the device is heating or cooling, you'll see the light bar glow in waves. Here's the Embr Wave in action:

Shames recommends that you take the Embr Wave on and off as you need it. You don't have to wear it like a standard wearable — instead, just strap it on when you feel uncomfortable. 

This is a good thing, too, because the device is decidedly ... huge. It's nice looking, thanks to its metal mesh band and almost complete lack of buttons, but it certainly isn't subtle. In fact, I often felt like I was wearing a house arrest monitor on my wrist. 

Looks don't really matter, though, because the Embr Wave actually works. I tested it everywhere I could — at my apartment, on the subway, in the office, while walking from the subway to the office, etc. — and truly felt a difference in how comfortable I was.

The Embr Wave certainly isn't a cure-all. In one situation where I was actively sweating on a too-hot subway car, it could only help me so much. But most of the time, it provided me with a pleasant cooling sensation that saved me from feeling warm and irritable. Of course, the same feeling could probably be achieved by running your wrists under cold water, but the Embr Wave can be hidden under a shirt sleeve and worn while you continue to work or sit in a meeting. 

So, do you really need a $300 wearable with only one function? Probably not. But if you're among the thermally underserved, you might want one. 

SEE ALSO: Everything we've heard so far about the Pixel Watch, the rumored Google smartwatch said to be coming later this year

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Apple can fix HomePod and Siri

Here is Michael Jordan's 56,000-square foot house in Chicago and why it is still on the market after 6 years

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Michael Jordan house

Michael Jordan's enormous house in Chicago is still on the market after six years despite cutting the price nearly in half and still paying more than $100,000 each year in property taxes.

The house was originally listed for $29 million and has every bell and whistle you can think of. There's a pool with a grass island in the middle of it, a door from the Playboy Mansion, a table based on the streets of Baghdad, and MJ-branded golf flags.

Below we take a closer look at the house and why it is struggling to find a buyer. Most images are from footage provided by Concierge Auctions.

Tony Manfred contributed to this post.

The 56,000 square-foot, 7-acre compound from the air.



The gate to get in, fittingly.



The price on the house has dropped several times and is now going for $14.9 million, or about $265 per square-foot. That is a far cry from the original $517-per-square-foot price. It should also be noted that the exact price is $14,855,000 and the numbers in that price add up to 23 because of course they do.



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Middle Eastern cuisine is poised to take over America, and it reveals a huge change in how people like to eat

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Hummus&Pita Co Food

  • Fast-casual restaurants serving Middle Eastern food and Mediterrean food are suddenly everywhere. 
  • Although Mediterranean food and Middle Eastern food are different, they have a lot of overlapping flavors.
  • Cava and Roti are just a few of the chains that have been rapidly growing across the United States.
  • Whole Foods predicted that Middle Eastern cuisine would be one of the top culinary trends in 2018 because of a growing demand for fresh, healthy, and flavorful food.

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants seem to be popping up on every corner. 

Taïm, Cava, Hummus & Pita Co., and Roti are among the fast-growing restaurants that have been serving fresh Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in a fast-casual style, with more and more national chains and local businesses hopping on the trend all the time. 

Middle Eastern cuisine has been rising in popularity in recent years, and Whole Foods predicted it would be one of the top food trends of 2018. According to Whole Foods, hummus, pita, and falafel are "entry points" into Middle Eastern food, and spices like harissa, cardamom, and za'atar will likely start popping up on menus more and more.

Though Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food are distinct from one another, "Mediterranean" is often used as an umbrella term to describe both. For example, flatbreads, roasted meat, and hummus are generally considered stables of both types of cuisine.  

Leila Hudson, associate professor of modern Middle East culture and political economy at the University of Arizona in Tucson, explained to QSR magazine, "Mediterranean is a much more popular selling point. People generally understand what that means." 

Tamim Shoja, who owns SKWR Kabobline in Washington, DC, told QSR: "We did a lot of research, and what kept sticking out was how many restaurants represented themselves as Mediterranean when they were not. I came to the realization it was a marketing thing. Mediterranean is something that is approachable."

See how Middle Eastern food is taking over: 

SEE ALSO: The co-founder of By Chloe, the chain that wants to be the McDonald's of vegan fast food, just opened a new restaurant. Here's what it's like to eat there.

Taïm, an Israeli chain operated by chefs Einat Admony and Stefan Nafziger, has three locations in New York and two more coming soon.

Source: Business Insider



To aid in its expansion, the founders of Taïm have partnered with an investment group spearheaded by Chipotle vets Phil Petrilli and Bethany Strong. On the menu are a variety of falafel dishes that you can order on a pita or platter. It also has salads, fries, sides, and smoothies, all generally priced around $8 to $12.



Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food is packed with flavorful spices and fresh veggies. The Mediterranean diet is said to be one of the healthiest diets because of its focus on vegetables, proteins, and whole grains.

Source: Business Insider



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