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An aristocrat who claims his family should have inherited the throne of Monaco is suing France for $401 million

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Monaco Grand Prix Yachts

  • A French aristocrat is suing France for €351 million ($401 million) in damages.
  • Count Louis de Causans says the French state cheated his family out of the throne of Monaco.
  • De Causans told Le Parisien that "sleight of hand" had allowed the French state to rewrite Monaco's laws of succession.
  • De Causans' ancestor was apparently once Monaco's rightful heir, but missed out on the throne because he was German, and France was on the brink of World War I at the time.


Louis de Causans is a prince without a kingdom — or so he says.

The French-born count is seeking compensation of €351 million ($401 million) in damages from France, which he says cheated his family out of the throne of Monaco.

The aristocrat, full name Louis Jean Raymond Marie de Vincens de Causans, told Le Parisien that "sleight of hand" had allowed the French state to rewrite Monaco's laws of succession during the reign of Luis II of Monaco (1922-44).

He said: "I want the truth to come out and this injustice perpetrated by France on my family to be put right.

"In reality, my cousin Prince Albert acceded to the throne by a sleight of hand … France found a solution to get its hands on Monaco. Afterwards, they managed business on the Rock as they wished."

Louis de Causans

He said Louis II had no heirs, meaning the throne should have passed down to his branch of the Grimaldi family, making his ancestor Guillaume II de Wurtemberg-Urach the new ruler.

However, Guillaume II was German — and to have a German ruler of Monaco at a time when France was on the brink of war with their neighbours was unthinkable.

So, Louis II adopted his illegitimate daughter Charlotte Louise, whose mother was a cabaret singer. A law, which was later deemed illegal, was passed in 1911 to secure her succession.

"I thought it was the Grimaldis' fault, but then I found out it was the French state that caused this dramatic turnaround for us," De Causans said.

It's easy to see why De Causans is upset. Monaco's current ruler Albert II is worth $1 billion. However, he stressed that he does not blame the prince for his qualm.

Le Parisien also spoke to De Causans' lawyer, Monsieur Jean-Marc Descoubès, who said that the enormous sum of money being demanded was in line with the losses sustained by the aristocrat's family.

"His fortune would be out of proportion with what it is today," Descoubès said.

You can watch the full interview in French here.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 10 richest billionaire royals in the world right now

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How one film can fix the superhero genre

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With so many superhero films dominating the box office, the so-called "superhero fatigue" has begun setting in. Is this simply because there are so many of them or is there a problem in how these stories are told? Surprisingly, there is one film that could possibly solve most of the problems in the modern superhero genre, the 1999 sci-fi masterpiece "The Matrix" by the Wachowskis. Using a narrative theory known as "The Hero's Journey", let's take a look at what made "The Matrix" such a success and has let it stand the test of time. Following is a transcript of the video.

Narrator: What makes a great superhero movie? It's the million dollar question in Hollywood right now, or more accurately six billion, with Marvel creating what is now the most successful film franchise in film history based solely on superheroes. And after decades of this superhero craze, we've essentially seen every possible iterations or versions of the genre.

Some are excellent, pushing boundaries, and attempting to redefine the genre. While others, well... Marvel and DC movies can be fun and enjoyable, but there's one film that really exemplifies a great superhero movie. Let's go all the way back to 1999, the year Wachowskis released their cyberpunk masterpiece - The Matrix.

Despite its heavy sci-fi undertones, The Matrix, at its core, is a superhero movie. I mean look at it. An unlikely hero develops unique powers to protect the world from evil. Now add an iconic look, a few memorable set pieces, and this. That's right, Marvel and DC have The Matrix to thank for this iconic three-point hero landing that has become the staple of the genre. Put all of this together and you've got the classic formula for a superhero film.

But what makes The Matrix shine is in its narrative structure, specifically the journey the Keanu Reaves' character Thomas Anderson goes through to become Neo, the chosen one. To better understand this, let's take a look at a narrative structure called the hero's journey, by Joseph Campbell. Campbell believed that every piece of fiction regarding a hero goes through a very specific set of stages, 17, to be precise. Later screenwriter Christopher Vogler would simplify these 17 stages down to 12. These stages then can be broken into three distinct acts, departure, initiation, and return. Every film about a hero follows this distinct pattern. The hero sets on a journey, faces a series of challenges, and then returns home after a triumphant victory. Most superhero blockbusters focus on this second act, the initiation, often characterized by these big final boss battles. It's what also makes these films so entertaining to watch, as everything builds up to one final, climactic battle, that Vogler names The Ordeal, where our hero faces the most difficult challenge yet.

But what happens afterwards? Is this part of the movie as memorable to you? Probably not. Which is a shame, because this final act, the return, is perhaps the most important part of any hero's journey. And this is where The Matrix truly shines. Let's step back and look at The Ordeal. It occurs in The Matrix when Neo and Trinity set out on an impossible mission to rescue Morpheus from the clutches of the evil agents. Our heroes are successful and for a second it seems as though things are starting to wrap up. But that's not quite what happens here. As they return to the real world one by one, they are compromised and Neo is left to face the agents alone for the first time.

This stage is referred to as the road back by Vogler where the hero "begins to deal with the consequences "of confronting the dark forces of The Ordeal "and is pursued by the vengeful forces he has disturbed." That's exactly what happens, a chase between Neo and the agents as he searches for a way back. Neo is eventually cornered, and then something truly unique happens. This scene came as a shock to a lot of the people watching The Matrix for the first time and it's a shock that is well deserved by the Wachowskis. The film is riddled with uncertainties about whether Thomas is truly Neo, the prophesized chosen one. At one point we even hear that he isn't, from the prophet herself. Ironically, and symbolically, the person who has the most trouble believing is none other than Thomas himself. This is beautifully visualized when Neo fails to make a seemingly impossible jump, a metaphorical leap of faith. And that's why perhaps the best cinematic moment in The Matrix happens in this scene.

How do you visualize faith? To the Wachowskis, that answer is choice. Upon further viewing, it's surprising to see just how many times choices are visualized throughout the film. But it asks the same question every time. Do you choose to escape and avoid the harsh reality of truth, or do you choose to confront and believe it. When all odds are against Thomas, he chooses to believe in himself. That's when we witness a transformation, a moment in which a simple man becomes a hero. And when our faith for the hero is finally proven right, it feels well deserved. This stage, by the way, is actually called resurrection, where the hero is "purified and transformed "through the most dangerous meeting with death."

And perhaps this is where a lot of superhero films today fall short. Most of them choose to follow a safe, proven formula that neither raises the stakes, nor truly tests our hero. We're supposed to simply accept them as heroes without knowing why it is that they deserve it. It makes for an easy viewing, but also a highly predictable one. There are of course a few exceptions, most notably in films like The Dark Knight, or recently, Black Panther. But it seems that many still fail to understand why it is that we love superheroes so much. As much as we love watching our heroes fight and win, it's the side of them that makes them human, their vulnerability, but still the willingness to fight against all odds, that keeps us coming back. Because it's only after moments like these, after a truly harrowing journey, that a real hero is born.

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A day in the life of a United Airlines flight attendant, who woke up before 3 a.m. and ran circles around me for 9 hours

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Day in the life of a flight attendant 18

  • Robert "Bingo" Bingochea is a Denver-based flight attendant for United Airlines who commutes to work from his home in Phoenix.
  • Bingochea has been a flight attendant with United for seven years and previously worked in the airline industry in other capacities.
  • Though he says every day on the job is different, we joined him on a trip from Denver to Houston and back to capture what a day in the life of a flight attendant may look like.

It's 3 a.m., and I'm jolted awake by the ring of the hotel phone.

The bright red numbers on the clock next to me are the only thing illuminating my pitch-black hotel room, and I groan as I roll over and steal another five minutes of sleep.

When I checked in to the hotel at 10:30 the night before and asked for my wake-up call, the front-desk clerk was horrified to hear how little sleep I'd be getting.

"At least I'm getting the 'true' experience," I tell myself. "Flight attendants probably do this all the time."

As it turns out, Robert "Bingo" Bingochea, a 63-year-old who has worked with United Airlines as a flight attendant for seven years, went to bed early that night, and he has already been awake for more than an hour by the time I finally bolt out of bed. He's had his morning coffee, watched some TV news, and checked the weather from his hotel room before I even clicked the lights on in my room.

Like me, Bingochea has also flown in the day before the 5:24 a.m. flight from Denver to Houston.

He's what you call a "commuter" in the airline industry. He's a flight attendant based out of Denver, but he lives in Phoenix with his wife and commutes to Denver for each trip he works.

Bingochea got the first flight into Denver the day before our flight, which isn't uncommon for commuters, since flying standby means you aren't guaranteed a seat on the flight you want, and it can sometimes take a full day to get a flight on standby.

I'm shadowing him for the day, and we're to meet at Denver International Airport to begin our journey together.

SEE ALSO: Here's what it's REALLY like to be a Delta Air Lines flight attendant, one of the most competitive jobs out there

DON'T MISS: Flight attendants share the 25 things they wish passengers would stop doing — and one thing you can get away with

SEE ALSO: 11 insider facts most flight attendants know — and you probably don't

As our flight will begin boarding at 4:50 a.m., I arrive at the airport at 4 a.m. I'm scheduled to meet Bingochea at United's In Flight area, but before that, we both need to go through airport security.

Just my luck, getting through the Transportation Security Administration's security takes me longer than anticipated. I must remove my shoes, take all electronics out of my bag, and place them, exposed, in the screening bin. And, since I wear some medical devices, I'm treated to a full pat-down and tested for bomb residue.

Bingochea, on the other hand — and other flight attendants flying through Denver International — goes through an expedited TSA screening, a process that usually takes less than a minute.



Bingochea has packed enough clothes — rolled, of course — and supplies to last at least four days. "You want to be ready for everything," he tells me. "Anything can happen."

Apart from the essentials like extra underwear and T-shirts, medication, and clothing, he also takes a couple of trinkets with him: a pink, rubber frog that was his daughter's when she was younger always goes around the world with him, as does his Vietnam Veteran cap, which commemorates his time as a medic in the US Army during the Vietnam War.

In general, Bingochea doesn't pack a lunch. He'll bring some snacks with him, but he opts not to eat while he's working — it makes him sluggish — and instead budgets enough money to try the different cuisines where he's traveling.



As a passenger, you won't ever see United's operations station. With the swipe of my handler's United Airlines ID badge, we take an elevator up to the fourth floor, home of United's conference rooms, HR and IT departments, and Inflight Services.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We made a timeline showing the entire history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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MCU Timeline 4x3

It all started with 2008's "Iron Man," but the Marvel Cinematic Universe actually stretches back millions of years.

The history includes far more than what we see on the screen. Thankfully, there's plenty of context within the 20 movies so far to give us a sense of just how far back it goes and when important events not seen in the movies take place.

We've put together a timeline that details the entirety of the MCU, based on the movies (we excluded events from television shows, like the Marvel Netflix series). The timeline can be confusing and isn't entirely concrete. We've included year ranges with each slide below to give a decent understanding of when events took place. Specific years that we know for sure are noted, as well.

From the birth of the Infinity Stones to the Thanos snap, the MCU has built an impressive timeline of events. We hope this timeline, which puts all major events (including ones you forgot about) together will help you better understand some characters' backstories and how specific events have shaped the universe so far.

Check out our in-depth MCU timeline below:

The icons in this key represent the movie that each event on the timeline occurs during or is mentioned in. The Infinity Stones are color coded to match the color they are in the movies.

 

 

 



Big Bang – 1939: Poignant events in the MCU, such as the birth of the Infinity Stones and vibranium landing on Earth, occur long before any of the movies in the MCU actually take place. But they have a lasting impact on overarching stories and events that take place in individual films.



1940 – 1950: Steve Rogers becomes Captain America, an event that jumpstarts the formation of the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) and, eventually, the Avengers.



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Here are the 10 most famous cars in movie history

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sean connery aston martin db5

  • A car is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think “movie star,” but there are a select few that have become Hollywood legends.
  • Batman simply wouldn't be the same without his Batmobile. Neither would James Bond without his 1964 Aston Martin DB5.
  • Here's a look at our list of the 10 most famous movie cars of all time.

While cars are rarely the stars of movies, except perhaps in the Pixar film "Cars," motor vehicles often play critical roles in films. James Bond's globe-trotting adventures would be a lot less exciting without his fleet of heavily armed and armored cars prepared by Q. And the Caped Crusader would be considerably less impressive if he had to spend all his time running around on foot.

Steve McQueen's "Bullitt" wouldn't have been nearly as memorable without the now-iconic car chase featuring a  menacing Dodge Charger on the hunt for the hero's 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback.

The cars on this list so greatly enhanced the films in which they were featured that they transcend the individual movie, becoming part of the greater cultural landscape.

Certain star cars like General Lee from "The Dukes of Hazzard," KITT from Knightrider, and the A-Team van were left off the list. Even though many of them have taken their turn on the big screen, their fame is mostly centered around their time on TV.

Without further ado, here is our list of the most iconic cars in cinematic history:

SEE ALSO: I flew Virgin Atlantic from London to New York to see if Richard Branson's airline is still one of the world's best — here's the verdict

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10. 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Herbie

The 1968 American comedy "The Love Bug" put a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle front and center as the main character of the film. But this was no ordinary punch buggy — It was a sentient VW named Herbie who sported red, white, and blue racing stripes and would, perhaps surprisingly, be featured in a half-dozen films over the decades following the release of the original.



9. 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance Ecto-1

Ecto-1 is the name the "Ghostbusters" gave their odd, now-iconic Cadillac featured in the 1984 film.

The car, heavily modified for the movie, was strange enough looking even without the added lights, sirens, and fantastical detection hardware on the roof — the 20-foot long, 6,500-pound 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance had huge tail fins and a massive front end bearing multiple lights and a big, shiny grill.



8. Lotus Esprit S1 Wet Nellie

The Lotus Esprit S1 featured in the 1977 James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" was part car, part submarine, and completely awesome. So much so, in fact, that none other than Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk purchased the original submersible vehicle a few years ago and says he plans to restore it into a working submarine once again.

Of course the movie featured two different vehicles, one a regular road-ready car, the other a unit created specifically for the underwater scenes. But “Wet Nellie,” as the movie car was known, looked great above or below the waves.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Almost a fifth of young people in Britain are so addicted to their smartphones that they spend more than seven hours a day online (AAPL, GOOG, GOOGL)

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Teen girls on phone

  • The UK's media regulator recently found that around 1 out of 5 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 use their phones for over 7 hours a day.
  • That's 49 hours of phone time per week. 

Sobering new statistics from Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, suggest that some young people use their phone for over 7 hours a day — a huge portion of waking hours. 

About a fifth of young people between 16 and 24 spend more than seven hours online. That works out to two full 24-hour days per week, according to the Telegraph, which published parts of the Ofcom results. 

Some other surprising stats from the Telegraph article:

  • Britons check their smartphones every 12 minutes on average. 
  • More than half of younger users say their devices interrupt face-to-face conversations with families and friends.
  • Young women between 16-24 years old appear to be more addicted to their smartphones than young men, averaging four hours a day, versus three for the same age group for men. 

Smartphone overuse has become a hot-button issue around the world. Apple, which makes the iPhone, is including new usage limitation features in the next version of its software, iOS 12. 

Google has also included so-called "digital wellness" features in Android P, which will likely become available for more phones over the next year.

These software features allow users to limit time in specific apps and monitor the amount of time they are using their phones. 

More details from the Ofcom study are available at the Telegraph

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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.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A relationship therapist breaks down the 10 most common fights couples have

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unhappy fighting couple

  • The most common fights couples have focus on issues like finances, sex, and parenting.
  • That's according to Rachel Sussman, a relationship expert and marriage counselor in New York City.
  • Sussman said all these conflicts come down to communication skills — or a lack thereof. 


When I asked Rachel Sussman, a a relationship expert and marriage counselor in New York City, about the most common fights couples have, she started mentioning things like chores and social media. I was skeptical. These issues seemed relatively trivial, especially compared to infidelity or a clash in parenting styles.

But Sussman explained that the fight isn't so much about the issue itself as it is about a lack of communication. "If you're someone who has really poor communication skills," she told me, "that might mean that the minute your partner brings something up, you get very defensive, or you start with the 'tit for tat.'" Which means that "no matter what you're arguing about, that could escalate into a really big fight."

Sussman described 10 of the most common sources of conflict among the couples she sees — and importantly, she said, working on your communication skills is the key to resolving them all. "If you can communicate well, you can get through these issues in a way that can actually bring you closer together," she said. "And if you can't communicate well, it makes it so much worse and can actually tear you apart."

SEE ALSO: 7 common reasons people say they got divorced

Commitment

When unmarried couples come to see Sussman, they often want to talk about commitment. Typically, Sussman said, one partner feels like they're more committed than the other. Or, one partner wants to "move the relationship forward" by moving in together or getting engaged and is encountering some resistance.



Chores

If couples are fighting about household chores, Sussman said, it's probably because "one person feels like they're taking the lion's share of the work."

In Sussman's experience working with heterosexual couples, that person is usually the woman. Meanwhile, she added, "I often hear the men feeling that they're doing a lot but they don't get credit for it. They get picked on a lot."

Indeed, according to a 2007 Pew Research poll, sharing household chores is the third most important factor in a successful marriage. (The first two are faithfulness and a happy sexual relationship).

And in an excerpt from "Fast-Forward Family" published 2013 in The Atlantic, three researchers write that even today, women still tend to shoulder the brunt of their family's housework.



Social media

Sussman said she's seen a spike in the number of complaints about a partner's social media habits in the last five years. Typically, couples with these kinds of problems are in their 20s and 30s.

One person might complain, for example, "that their life is plastered all over social media or they think their partner is addicted to their phone." Sussman's also heard from people who are worried that their partner is following a ton of models on Instagram.

Another common issue? Staying in touch with an ex on social media.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Omarosa claims Trump wanted to get sworn in on 'The Art of the Deal' instead of the Bible at his inauguration

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Trump Omarosa

  • In her new memoir, "Unhinged," former White House adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman claims President Donald Trump considered getting sworn in for the presidency on his book, "The Art of the Deal."
  • Though it's not mandatory for presidents to use the Bible for the swearing-in portion of an inauguration ceremony, it has been standard practice throughout US history.
  • Manigault Newman wrote that she told Trump that although she knew he wouldn't be a "traditional president," the idea was "just too crazy."
  • Manigault Newman claimed Trump tried to convince her that he was kidding after she shot down the idea.

In her new memoir, "Unhinged," former White House adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman claims President Donald Trump considered getting sworn in for the presidency on his book, "The Art of the Deal."

In the days leading up to his inauguration, Trump allegedly said, "Omarosa, what do you think about me getting sworn in on 'The Art of the Deal?'"

Though it's not mandatory for presidents to use the Bible for the swearing-in portion of an inauguration ceremony, it has been standard practice throughout US history. Manigault Newman questioned Trump as to why he wouldn't continue this trend.

"'The Art of the Deal' is a bestseller! It's the greatest business book of all time," she says Trump told her. "It's how I'm going to make great deals for the country. Just think how many copies I'd sell—maybe commemorative a inauguration copy?!"

Manigault Newman wrote she then told Trump that although she knew he wouldn't be a "traditional president," the idea was "just too crazy." She said she warned Trump not to "repeat that idea to anybody else," claiming the two then laughed and Trump wanted her to believe "he was kidding."

The White House did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on the anecdote.

White House officials spent the weekend hitting back at discussion of the allegations Manigault Newman makes in her book, with the press secretary Sarah Sanders saying the book is "riddled with lies and false accusations" in a statement released Friday afternoon, Trump calling Manigault Newman Newman a "lowlife " on Saturday, and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway dismissing the claims on the Sunday political shows.

Trump inauguration

Manigault Newman said the alleged exchange was revealing in two ways.

First, she claimed it was a reminder that Trump "has no knowledge of the Bible at all," adding, "It might as well be a paper brick to him."

Manigault Newman cited Trump's infamous gaffe about "Two Corinthians" during the 2016 campaign as evidence of his biblical ignorance.

"Since the Bible has little significance to [Trump], it may have felt disingenuous to him to take an oath on it," Manigault Newman wrote. "But 'The Art of the Deal' meant a lot to him. Nothing has more meaning to Donald than himself."

Manigault Newman said this conversation was also revealing in the sense Trump "hadn't fully made the shift from being a salesman" and was still "hardwired to constantly promote Trump brands." She claimed it was natural for Trump to think of the inauguration as a "branding opportunity."

Trump was ultimately sworn in on two Bibles, including one that President Abraham Lincoln used and another that Trump's mother gave him when he was a child.

"Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House" comes out on August 14.

SEE ALSO: Kellyanne Conway hits back at claims in Omarosa's upcoming tell-all book, says the former White House staffer has 'undercut her own credibility'

DON'T MISS: Full coverage of 'Unhinged' here

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Meet the woman behind Trump's $20 million merch empire

'They're making decisions about us without us': Omarosa says there are no African-American senior staffers left in the White House

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Omarosa Manigualt newman

  • Former White House senior staffer and "Apprentice" contestant Omarosa Manigault Newman said no African-American senior staffers have been employed at the White House since her departure.
  • "They're making decisions about us without us," she said in an interview with MSNBC on Monday.
  • Manigault Newman's memoir on her time as an adviser for President Donald Trump, "Unhinged", is set to be released this week.

Former White House adviser and "Apprentice" contestant Omarosa Manigault Newman said no African-American senior staffers have been employed at the White House since her departure in January.

"Right now, there is no African-American senior staffer in the White House," Manigault Newman said in an interview with MSNBC on Monday. "And there are issues that face this community that can't be ignored. They're making decisions about us without us. And I knew that if I left, that this community would suffer."

Manigault Newman continued by noting that every administration in recent history has had an African-American serve in an assistant role to a sitting president. Manigault Newman also said President Donald Trump's administration does not care and has not tried to fill her position since she was fired in December 2017.

Monday's comments were not the first that Manigault Newman has made about the lack of African-Americans in the West Wing. After she was fired from the White House, Manigault Newman said the "lack of diversity" made her feel "very lonely" in the administration.

"It has been very, very challenging being the only African-American woman in the senior staff," Manigault Newman told ABC News in December.

She has been on a media tear promoting her new book, "Unhinged," which makes many claims about her time in the White House.

The White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the memoir was "riddled with lies and false accusations." Trump called Manigault Newman a "lowlife" in a series of tweets attacking his former director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison.

Kellyanne Conway struggles to name top African-American White House staffers

Kellyanne ABC

Manigault Newman's interview came just one day after counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway struggled to name prominent African-American staffers who work in Trump's White House in an interview with ABC News.

Host Jon Karl asked Conway for the name of any top African-American staffer since Manigault Newman's departure.

Conway pointed to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson, but Karl pressed her to name someone who works in the White House.

Former White House aide Marc Short appeared on ABC after Conway and identified the staffer as Ja'Ron Smith, who he said works in the East Wing. Smith's LinkedIn profile lists his title as Director of Urban Affairs and Revitalization.

"(He's) done a fabulous job and ... he's been very involved with Jared Kushner and President Trump on prison reform. He's been there from the beginning," Conway said, adding that he works in an office in the Executive Office Building.

"But not in the West Wing," Karl said. "What does that say to have not a single senior advisor in the West Wing who's African American?"

"I didn't say that there wasn't, but hold on," Conway said, as Karl pressed again for a name. "There are plenty of people."

Conway then shifted focus, saying the administration's valuing of minorities can be seen in "the actions of the president," and that the staff has "a number of different minorities."

Manigault Newman's memoir on her time as an adviser in the Trump White House, "Unhinged", is set to be released Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Omarosa Manigault says it was 'very lonely' working with White House staffers who 'had never worked with minorities'

DON'T MISS: Kellyanne Conway struggles to name top African-American White House aides

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Meet the woman behind Trump's $20 million merch empire

The Koch brothers are worth over $50 billion each after years of family feuds and massive lawsuits — here's how they spend their wealth

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koch brothers oil refinery 2x1

  • The Koch brothers are two of the richest men in the world.
  • Charles and David Koch each have a net worth of $53.7 billion, according to Forbes.
  • Their fortunes come from their 42% stakes in the Koch family business: Koch Industries.
  • Charles is currently the company's president and CEO, while David just announced that he was retiring from the firm.


The Koch brothers are two of the richest people on planet earth.

Charles and David Koch tied for eighth on Forbes' 2018 list of the wealthiest billionaires in the world.

And they're also two of the most controversial billionaires out there, at least when it comes to their political contributions. Jane Mayer's 2015 book "Dark Money" outlined how the two Kansas natives reportedly used their fortunes to forge a formidable web of political influence, with the intent of promoting their libertarian values.

Still, that hasn't stopped the Kochs from clashing with figures on the right, mostly notably US president Donald Trump. The two brothers have spoken out against Trump's tariffs.

So how did the Kochs come to amass so much wealth and wield such influence in the first place? The answer lies within the history of their family business: Koch Industries.

Here's a look at how the brothers became billionaires in the first place.

SEE ALSO: Meet the significant others of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and more of America's richest people

DON'T MISS: The Koch brothers have reportedly been secretly funding Hollywood movies — including 'Wonder Woman'

SEE ALSO: The 31-year-old Koch heir suing his ex-fiancée over a $250,000 ring is known as 'king of the wild pants' and plays tennis at Mar-a-Lago

The groundwork for the duo's wealth was laid by their father, Texas native and MIT graduate Fred C. Koch.

Source: "Sons of Wichita," "Dark Money"



The family patriarch joined the Keith-Winkler Engineering Company of Wichita, Kansas in 1925. Later that year, the firm was renamed the Winkler-Koch Engineering Company. A groundbreaking gasoline refinement technique bolstered the young company.

Source: "Dark Money," "Sons of Wichita," Fred and Mary Koch Foundation



But lawsuits from established competitors forced Koch Sr.'s firm to look abroad for work. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Winkler-Koch Engineering Company ventured into a Europe on the verge of war, building refineries that proved crucial to the development of both the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin and Nazi Germany.

Sources: HuffPost, The New York Times, "Dark Money," NPR



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We tried out 4 phone lenses that let you take photos that aren't possible with your stock iPhone camera — take a look

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Moment lenses

Mobile phone cameras are incredibly powerful now, and although they still aren't as powerful as modern DSLR cameras, you shouldn't let your phone's photo capabilities go to waste.

However, there are still certain things mobile cameras can't do on their own. One of the advantages of having a standalone, DSLR camera is the ability to swap out lenses for different applications. You can use a wide lens to capture as much of a scene as possible, or use a tele lens to get sharp, crisp shots of subjects far away. Your phone probably only has two lenses at most — iPhones have one standard semi-wide lens (about 28mm), and a medium lens (about 56mm). These get the job done for most tasks, and they do it well, but sometimes it feels like there's something missing.

Moment, a mobile photography company, is trying to fill in the gaps where your phone camera falls short. Although phone cameras won't be replacing DSLRs anytime soon, Moment makes lenses that are designed to give your smartphone camera a wider array of possibilities, including macro, tele, and fisheye shooting. 

We tried out Moment's 60mm tele lens($89.99), the 18mm wide lens ($99.99), the 'Superfish' fisheye lens ($89.99), and the macro lens ($89.99). To attach the lenses to your phone you'll need one of Moment's phone cases— we used the 'Battery Photo Case ($99.99) for the iPhone 8 Plus (cases for other phone models are available), which provides some backup battery charge to your phone, and it has a shutter button to allow you to easily capture photos without needing to tap your screen or volume button. The cases let you attach a lens to either the 1x or 2x cameras on your phone, depending on how much additional zoom you want (Note: you'll have to manually switch which lens your phone is using in order for this to work). 

Here are the results we got from the lenses: 

Here's the 'Superfish' fisheye lens.



The fisheye lens was probably the most fun to use.

If you've watched a skateboarding video from the 90s, you're familiar with fisheye lenses. They have a super wide focal length, meaning you can capture a large amount of the scene (although it will be distorted, which is part of the charm). 

 



The Superfish lens works well for quick street photography — you don't have to spend a lot of time lining your shots up.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Man arrested after alleged car ramming terror attack on UK Houses of Parliament which injured 2 people

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Westminster 4 2018 08 14 .JPG

  • A car hit pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into the barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Tuesday morning.
  • Police are treating it as a terror attack.
  • A male suspect in his 20s was arrested.
  • Two people are injured, but they are not believed to be seriously hurt.

Two people have been injured after a car crashed into the barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Tuesday.

The silver Ford Fiesta hit several cyclists and pedestrians before colliding with the barriers at 7:37 a.m. local time.

Police arrested a man in his 20s at the scene, on suspicion of terrorist offences. He had been driving alone.

While the suspect has been detained, the car remains on the scene and is being searched. Police have not found any weapons.

Google maps annotated

Two people were treated at the scene and were taken to hospital. The London Ambulance Service said the injuries are not believed to be serious.

Sky News broadcast footage appearing to show a man being detained after the crash, whom the network circled in red.

Houses of Parliament crash

A witness, named James, told LBC News:

"I was coming up to Westminster on a Santander bike. On the right-hand side of the road as you come up to Parliament, there was a female cyclist on the floor injured with others surrounding that.

"An ambulance turned up and tried to attend to the person. I was going to continue towards Parliament, but was told to get off my bike.

"Considering recent events, I wanted to get out of the area. I returned the way I had come and then cycled around the back of Parliament.

"There was smoke coming out of the car and there were suspicions there was a device, but that was unconfirmed, I was just told that by another cyclist.

"They also said the car went across the road."

Westminster 2 2018 08 14 .JPG

Videos tweeted by Sky News and Euronews/NBC UK journalist Vincent McAviney showed heavily armed police at the scene as the man is led from the car in handcuffs.

Westminster Station has been closed as police respond to the event. Several streets around nearby Parliament Square and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off. 

In 2017,  52-year-old Briton Khalid Masood rammed his car into pedestrians on the pavement along the south side of the Westminster Bridge, injuring more than 50 people and killing five.

Masood crashed his car into the fence outside New Palace Yard and fatally stabbed an unarmed police officer before being shot dead. 

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This London restaurant serves flower-shaped dumplings made with a purple flower extract

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  • London restaurant Patara serves purple dumplings.
  • They are shaped by hand.
  • A butterfly pea flower extract makes the dough purple.
  • One portion costs £9.50 ($12).

 

London restaurant Patara serves handcrafted purple dumplings. The dish, called Chor Muang, has a filling of caramelised chicken, herbs, and peanuts.

A butterfly pea flower extract makes the dough purple.

"The original recipe is from the opening of Patara more than 28 years ago in London," said Executive Chef Viktor Chai. "The dumplings are different from other ones because of the handcraft and the lilac colour."

The dish takes about four hours to complete, with the dough and the filling taking two hours each.

Patara makes about 50 per day. One portion costs £9.50 ($12).

Produced and filmed by Claudia Romeo

SEE ALSO: This London shop makes blue cheese ice cream — here’s what we thought when we tried it

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Video shows the exact moment a car crashed outside the UK Houses of Parliament in a suspected terror attack

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uk parliament attack car aerial footage

  • Video shows the moment a car hit several people and crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Tuesday.
  • The silver Ford Fiesta can be seen driving across two roads before the crash.
  • Watch the footage below.

Video footage shows the exact moment a car crashed outside the British Houses of Parliament in a suspected terror attack on Tuesday morning.

The footage, recorded from a rooftop nearby, was published by the BBC on Tuesday morning, a few hours after the attack.

It shows a silver Ford Fiesta driving across two roads and hitting nearby pedestrians and cyclists, before crashing into barriers outside the House of Lords.

Watch the video here:

Police arrested a man in his 20s at the scene, on suspicion of terrorist offences. He had been driving alone.

While the suspect has been detained, the car remains on the scene and is being searched. Police say they have not found any weapons.

Two people were treated at the scene and were taken to hospital. The London Ambulance Service said the injuries are not believed to be serious.

 

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I tried to climb the 'plank walk' in China known as 'the most dangerous hike in the world,' but just getting there was the hardest part

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mount huashan

  • The Plank Walk on China's Mount Hua is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous hikes in the world.
  • Hikers walk across a few planks of wood bolted into the side of a 7,000-foot peak to reach a small shrine. While hikers are harnessed, it is a terrifying adventure.
  • I recently tried to do the Plank Walk on a visit to Mount Hua, but encountered obstacle after obstacle that prevented me from completing it. While hiking Mount Hua was an incredible adventure, I was never able to make to the Plank Walk due to massive crowds and bad timing.

You've probably seen the photos of tourists hanging off the side of a stunning mountain. Or else, walking across a few thin planks bolted into a mountainside, their faces buzzing with adrenaline.

When I found out that the site of those photos is in China, I decided that I had to visit on an upcoming trip to the country.

Located about an hour from Xi'an, one of China's most popular cities for tourists, Mount Hua or Huashan (shan means mountain in Mandarin) is considered to be one of the world's most dangerous places to hike.

The mountain is considered to be one of China's five sacred mountains and is one of the most popular tourist attractions and pilgrimage sites for Chinese people.

The mountain actually has five main peaks — a North, South, East, West, and Center. The infamous plank walk is located on the mountain's highest peak, South, which has a height of 7,070 feet. 

But nothing went quite as planned on my trip.

Here's what happened:

SEE ALSO: I visited the viral, 1,400-foot glass bridge in China — and it was a traveler's worst nightmare

To get to Mount Hua from Xi'an, you have to take a 40-minute bullet train to a 30-minute minibus that takes you to the base of the mountain. But due to a quirk in China's train ticketing (they stop selling 30 minutes before the train departs), I couldn't get on the 8:30 a.m. train.



While a train runs every 30 minutes for most of the day, for some reason, there were no trains until 10 a.m after the 8:30 a.m. That meant that I didn't even get to the base of the mountain until a bit after 11 a.m. Some people start hiking the mountain before sunrise to see everything.



The view from the bottom of Mount Hua is lush. It looks less like a single mountain than a series of granite peaks cut into a valley laden with greenery. Knowing that hiking Mount Hua's five peaks can take between 5-7 hours depending on your fitness level, our only chance to make it to the "plank walk" was to take the cable car.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 grammar mistakes that almost everyone makes — and how to avoid them

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grammar

  • Grammar mistakes often occur within the daily flow of communication.
  • The most common grammar mistakes happen when the incorrect word or phrase sounds correct, but it actually isn't.
  • These culprits range from misplaced apostrophes to the "then" versus "than" dilemma.

 

Using grammar properly enables you to get your message across in the clearest way possible.

As the executive editor at Avenue, a luxury lifestyle magazine based in New York City, I work with a lot of copy, from emails to short web posts to longer feature stories. The most common grammar mistakes I see occur when someone uses incorrect words, phrases, or punctuation because it sounds right to them.

Learning to recognize these common errors can help you communicate more clearly in your writing, which can give you a boost in any field.

Here are 10 grammar mistakes that almost everyone makes, and how to avoid them:

1. First come, first served

The proper way to write this expression is "first come, first served," because the people in the scenario will be served in a specific order. The idiom is often mistakenly written as "first come, first serve."

2. Misplaced apostrophes

Adding "apostrophe 's'" to a noun indicates possession. A common area where people misuse apostrophes is with last names.

If your last name is Johnson and you want to invite people to a party, the invitation should read: "The Johnsons invite you to a summer soirée," not "The Johnson's invite you to a summer soirée."

3. i.e. and e.g.

These two abbreviations are often used interchangeably, but their meanings are different. I.e. is Latin for id est, which translates to "that is." Thus, i.e. should be used to clarify something.

It can informally be replaced with "in other words." "He is training for the marathon before work, i.e., he puts in over a dozen miles each morning."

E.g. is short for the Latin "exemplī grātiā," which means "for example."

"I've recently started cooking with local ingredients, e.g., tomatoes and corn."

4. Whet your appetite

This common phrase is often incorrectly written as "wet your appetite." "Whet" means to sharpen. Thus, "whet your appetite" is correct, as it indicates that you're sharpening, or prepping, your appetite to enjoy a meal.

5. Invite/invitation

Formally, "invite" is a verb, and "invitation" is a noun.

However, the English language is constantly evolving, and Merriam-Webster now allows for "invite" to be used as a noun as well.

Thus, both "I haven't responded to her invite yet" and "I haven't responded to her invitation yet" are correct, but the former may annoy some of your more grammar purist friends.

6. Pique your interest

People can often distinguish between the homophones "peek," which means "to look," and "peak," which refers to the top of a mountain or a similar shape.

However, "pique" is used in the phrase "pique your interest," because "pique" means to excite or energize. Thus, if something "piques your interest," that means that it excites you.

7. Brands and 'they'

A brand is a singular entity, thus is takes the pronoun "it." "Kleenex is my favorite brand because they have the softest tissues" is incorrect, since Kleenex is a singular noun.

The sentence should read, "Kleenex is my favorite brand because it has the softest tissues."

8. Piece or peace of mind?

As "peace" and "piece" are homophones, or words with different spellings and meanings that sound the same, be sure to use the correct spelling to be clear on your meaning. "Peace of mind" refers to serenity. To give someone a "piece of your mind" is to harshly express a concern.

9. Then/than

Another classic case of word misuse is between "then" and "than."

"Than" indicates comparison. "I have more time than you do."

"Then" is an adverb used to indicate time. "I had a meeting, and then I went to lunch."

10. Due diligence

To do your due diligence on something is to do a very thorough job. However, "due diligence" is often mistakenly written as "do diligence."

"He exercised due diligence in preparation for the case" is the correct, as it means that the subject went to great lengths to get ready.

SEE ALSO: 9 grammar rules you're probably breaking without realizing it

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All the notable people and politicians Sacha Baron Cohen has 'duped' for his new TV series, 'Who Is America?'

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showtime who is america

Sacha Baron Cohen's new Showtime series, "Who Is America?," caused a stir before its premiere last month, as several Republican politicians felt the need to get ahead of the show in explaining how Cohen "duped" them to appear on it.

The former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the former congressman Joe Walsh, and the former US Senate candidate Roy Moore were among those who preceded the show's premiere with statements explaining their appearances on the series and criticizing Cohen.

In the show's pilot episode, Cohen, disguised as an Israeli "anti-terror expert," roped several Republican congressmen and former elected officials into voicing their support for a program that would arm toddlers with guns to prevent school shootings.

On Sunday, in episode five, the former Milwaukee sheriff and avid Trump supporter David Clarke told Cohen, who was in character as a Finnish YouTuber, that "you don't want to take sides" regarding fascists in 1930s Germany.

Before the show's premiere, Matt Drudge of The Drudge Report tweeted a list of political and media figures he said Cohen had "finked" for the series, including Palin, Howard Dean, and David Patreus, each of whom may (or may not) appear in the show's final two episodes.

Here are the notable people and politicians who have appeared on "Who Is America?" so far:

SEE ALSO: Sheriff David Clarke told Sacha Baron Cohen 'you don't want to take sides' on fascists in 1930s Germany

Sen. Bernie Sanders

The show's first episode began with Cohen interviewing Sanders, the Vermont senator who was a Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, as a right-wing conspiracy theorist character named Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr.

Sanders, with a perplexed expression, politely dodged and shut down various absurd questions on income inequality and other topics from Cohen's Ruddick.



Larry Pratt, executive director emeritus of Gun Owners of America

In the strongest segment on the pilot episode, Cohen's Israeli "anti-terror expert" character, Col. Erran Morad, introduced Pratt and several other conservative political figures to a fake program called "Kinderguardians" that would arm children as young as 3.

Pratt endorsed the program and, reading off a teleprompter, said: "Toddlers are pure, uncorrupted by fake news or homosexuality. They don't care if it's politically correct to shoot a mentally deranged gunman. They'll just do it."



Florida congressman Matt Gaetz

Cohen's Morad character interviewed Gaetz for the pilot's segment on arming toddlers, but Gaetz wisely sidestepped the topic, saying, "Typically members of Congress don't just hear a story about a program and then indicate whether they support it or not."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Netflix's new original, 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,' is a romantic movie that explores the aftermath of WWII

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

  • Netflix's new original movie, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," has earned positive reviews from film critics and social media users since its premiere on Friday.
  • The film, a romantic drama/comedy set mainly on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel, in 1946, is adapted from a 2008 historical novel of the same name by Mary Anne Shaffer, and it stars Lily James. 

Netflix's original movie, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," premiered on the service Friday and has earned positive reviews from film critics and social media users. 

The film, a romantic drama/comedy set mainly on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel, in 1946, is adapted from a 2008 historical novel of the same name by Mary Anne Shaffer. It stars Lily JamesMichiel Huisman, and Glen Powell.

Here's Netflix's description for the film: "A London writer bonds with the colorful residents of Guernsey as she learns about the book club they formed during the WWII German occupation." 

Currently at a 79% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes,"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" has earned a few laudatory reviews from film critics. 

"An old-school, old-fashioned entertainment, a romantic drama bursting with scenic vistas and earnest charm that contains just enough mystery to keep us involved," Kenneth Turan wrote in a review for The Los Angeles Times.

"Buoyed by a reliably appealing star turn from James, this handsome tearjerker mostly sidesteps the tweeness of its title to become, somehow, both an old-fashioned romance and a detective story trumpeting gender equality," Harry Windsor wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

The film also illicited strong reactions from social media user: 

Watch the movie on Netflix. 

SEE ALSO: Spike Lee's new film 'BlacKkKlansman' is based on an electrifying true story, and it has a 98% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes

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Silicon Valley's favorite high-fat diet is beloved by everyone from venture capitalists to LeBron James — here's how it works

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avocado

  • The keto diet is one of the trendiest diets around, but it was originally developed to help children with epilepsy suffer fewer seizures.
  • It kicks the body into a natural fat-burning mode, called ketosis, by starving a person's system of carbs and sugars, which are typically the first fuels we burn.
  • Some people say being in ketosis helps them focus and decreases their appetite, while trimming belly fat.
  • Anyone who wants to try going keto should consult their physician first.
  • More research is needed on the long-term effects of the high-fat diet for the general public.

Dieters from Silicon Valley to the Hollywood hills are convinced the trendy keto diet is nature's miracle plan for the body and the brain. 

The high-fat regimen has become the go-to eating plan for celebrities like Halle Berry and the Kardashians, Silicon Valley tech workers,venture capitalists, and sports stars like LeBron James. Fans of the diet believe it can burn off belly fat, tamp down hunger, and increase energy, all while allowing them to gobble up more fatty and oily foods. 

The diet relies on a natural fat-burning state called ketosis. It’s the same process that happens automatically when people starve.

In ketosis, the body switches from its default mode — burning carbs and sugars for fuel first — and begins forcing itself into breaking down fatty acids for functioning. Entering ketosis usually takes at least a few days.

Doctor Priyanka Wali previously told Business Insider that most people use up leftover glycogen stores in about five days, and experts agree it takes at least one to three months to see and feel all the benefits of the restrictive plan. 

The keto diet wasn't originally developed for weight loss. Physicians started prescribing the diet in the 1920s to help with tough-to-control epileptic seizures that weren’t responsive to other drugs. The diet can significantly reduce the instance of seizures in children, and in some cases, stops them completely. It can also help control blood glucose levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. 

Read more:Silicon Valley's favorite diet can lead to kidney trouble — here's how to go keto without getting sick

Many keto fans who don't have epilepsy or diabetes report feeling sharper and more energetic on the diet. Some competitive athletes are also convinced that following a keto plan also helps them perform. Ultra-marathoner Zach Bitter, the world record holder for the longest distance run in 12 hours, says going keto most of the time helps him speed into record-breaking athletic performances.

The US military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) also poured $10 million into developing a ketone ester drink that generates energy from ketones, hoping to one day give its soldiers on the battlefield an extra edge both physically and mentally. The drink is on the market now for performance athletes.

But research on the keto diet for athletes is still mixed: some studies suggest that relying on fat can actually hurt an athlete’s performance. Large-scale studies are needed to know for sure.

Keto by the numbers

One of the trickiest things about the keto diet is all the careful counting it requires. 

Dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick at the Cleveland Clinic suggests people going keto should aim to get 70% to 80% of their calories from fat, with less than 10% from carbohydrates. To that end, most keto dieters try to keep daily carb intake between 20 to 50 grams. 

Considering there are roughly six grams of carbohydrates in a single medium-sized carrot or a serving of unsweetened Greek yogurt, keto meal planning requires a hefty dose of forethought. It’s not as simple as swapping a slice of morning toast for a few strips of bacon.

Since going keto can get complicated in a hurry, one Redditor even created a handy keto food pyramid that he encourages people on the keto diet to print out and put on their fridge. 

Here’s what's safe to include on a keto diet

Keto

  • Meat (pretty much any kind, including poultry and red meat.)
  • Fish.
  • Leafy greens.
  • Eggs, including the cholesterol-rich yolks.
  • Cheese.
  • Oils, especially those containing healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats (like olive oil). This is critical because relying too much on more saturated fats from dairy and meat can cause digestion issues and hurt your heart.
  • Avocados, another great source of monounsaturated fats.
  • Nuts and seeds.
  • Cauliflower is a keto-friendly veggie that is low in carbs and high in dietary fiber. Many keto dieters use it as a substitute for bread, pasta, and crusts.
  • Berries, especially blackberries and raspberries.
  • Heavy cream.
  • Lots of water and other unsweetened drinks to stay hydrated. Tea and coffee are both fine.
  • There might even be a place for dark chocolate on the keto diet. Most people suggest sticking to cacao concentrations higher than 70% to 80%. Lower concentrations are too carb-loaded.

What to avoid on the keto diet

apples

  • Sugar. (Duh. This is all carbs.)
  • Other carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and wheat-based flour. (There's one big caveat to this rule, however, which we'll dive into below.)
  • Anything made with corn, especially high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners.
  • Legumes like chickpeas and beans of all kinds. These nutrient-rich foods are high in belly-filling protein and fiber, but the idea with ketosis is to rely more on fat for fuel. Many keto dieters limit their protein intake to around 10% to 15% of a day's calories, which means that a single cup of black beans could put you in range of a daily limit. Besides, that cup of black beans will also serve up a hefty dose of carbs. 
  • Most fruits. A single apple could put you over your carb count for the entire day. Check the nutrition facts before you indulge in fresh fruit.
  • Milk. Again, too high carb. A cup of whole milk has 12 grams, while the same amount of whipping cream has less than eight. 

While it might seem tough to limit carbohydrate intake this strictly, there's one important loophole to keep in mind. Because some carbs come from dietary fiber, which the body doesn’t break down and absorb, keto dieters can subtract those from their daily count.

This number is called net carbs, and it's a better measure of how many carbohydrates you're ingesting. For example, while a medium carrot has six grams of carbs, about 1.7 of them are dietary fiber, making chewing up a carrot a net carb intake of just over 4g. Likewise, more than 75% of the carbs in spinach are fiber, making it a relatively safe choice for keto-ers. Kirkpatrick suggests dieters limit their net carb intake to 25 grams a day.

Like any restrictive diet, it’s hard to get a balanced plate of all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy on a keto plan, so you might also have to supplement with things like extra calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The keto diet is not doctor recommended for pregnant women, people with liver and kidney problems, or anyone prone to gout. 

Whatever your goals, it’s essential to talk with a professional dietitian or doctor before embarking on the diet.

SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley's favorite diet can lead to kidney trouble — here's how to go keto without getting sick

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