At its worst, the science fiction genre can produce enjoyably bad or terribly unwatchable cinema. 

The Metacritic data we compiled here to track the most critically panned sci-fi movies of all time finds contemporary eyesores like Netflix's Will Smith-led "Bright" alongside older films like 1978's "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!"

The apocalyptic allegory "Left Behind" makes two appearances on this list, once for its 2001 original and, lower down the list, for a 2014 remake starring Nicholas Cage. 

The list consists of the lowest-rated movies on Metacritic's site that feature a "sci-fi" tag.

Here are the 69 worst science fiction movies of all time, according to critics:

SEE ALSO: The 32 worst Netflix original movies of all time, according to critics

69. "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" (2015)

Critic score: 29/100

User score: 3.5/10

What critics said: "A comedy that's so witless and unfunny and shoddily made it makes 'The Hangover 2' look like 'The Godfather 2.'" — Entertainment Weekly

68. "Aliens vs Predator - Requiem" (2007)

Critic score: 29/100

User score: 4.4/10

What critics said: "A tasteless, witless, mindlessly perfunctory bloodbath that has the discourtesy to take itself seriously. Pitting aliens against predators may be the height of frivolity, but God forbid anyone have fun with it." — The AV Club

67. "Alien vs. Predator" (2004)

Critic score: 29/100

User score: 5.5/10

What critics said: "Take a wretched premise. Imagine the worst picture that could be made from it. Then imagine something even worse. That's 'Alien vs. Predator.'" — San Francisco Chronicle

• American culture as it relates to food can be different from what you find in other countries.
• A LinkedIn software designer named Aniruddh Chaturvedi moved to the US from India in 2011, and listed what he found to be the most surprising things about the food industry in the US.
• He was struck by the huge portion sizes at restaurants, Americans' obsession with coffee on the go, and the phenomenon of free soda refills.

America's relationship with food can be a surprise for people who have never been before.

Aniruddh Chaturvedi, a senior software designer at LinkedIn, came to the US from India in 2011 and noticed several things about American food culture that were different from his native country.

Chaturvedi detailed his most surprising observations in a Quora post, drawn from his experience as a student at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University and his time working in the San Francisco area. He emailed additional thoughts to Business Insider.

Here are the things he found most bizarre, from the size of restaurant portions to the phenomenon of free soda refills.

SEE ALSO: The most surprising things about America, according to a Silicon Valley engineer who moved from India 7 years ago

DON'T MISS: 16 mouth-watering global dishes Americans don't even know they're missing

'Unfortunately, it is expensive to be healthy in America.'

"Rich people are thin/well maintained, poor people are fat. This stems from the fact that cheap food is fatty, rich people don't eat cheap food — they tend to eat either home-cooked food which is expensive or eat at expensive/healthy places. Unfortunately, it is expensive to be healthy in America."

'American serving sizes are HUGE!'

"American serving sizes are HUGE!"

I am by no means a small eater, but it usually takes me at least 1.5 meals to finish the entree."

Americans tend to 'waste a lot of food.'

"Americans waste a lot of food. It is very easy to buy in bulk because it's so much cheaper and as a result a lot of wastage occurs."

• Chick-fil-A is introducing five new items this fall.
• Three will be added to the restaurant's regular menu, and two will be exclusively on the catering and online-order menus.
• The chain said the items were meant to help customers during the hectic back-to-school season.
• The additions include a grilled-chicken catering bundle and 30-count nuggets. 

Chick-fil-A is introducing five new items this fall for the back-to-school season.

Three will be added to the restaurant's regular menu, and two will be exclusively on the catering and online-order menus. The items were available nationwide as of Monday.

"We know the beginning of the school year can be hectic for families and we hope these new options help make life a little easier for our guests," Amanda Norris, Chick-fil-A's executive director of menu and packaging, said in a press release. "Many of our guests aren't aware we have a catering menu, so we're excited to introduce some new options that are perfect for an after-school snack or to entertain family, friends and co-workers."

The new items include a grilled-chicken catering bundle and 30-count nuggets. See what else has been added:

SEE ALSO: Dunkin' is dropping the 'Donuts' from its name — and people are freaking out

The 30-count nuggets are available at all stores nationwide and through the Chick-fil-A app.

Waffle potato chips were previously only on the catering menu but can now be purchased as a side. The chips are gluten-free are meant to be an alternative to the chain's waffle fries.

The fruit-cup mix has been altered based on customer feedback — it now has fewer apples and more premium fruit options, according to Chick-fil-A, with fresh strawberries, blueberries, red and green apple pieces, and mandarin oranges.

• The White House counsel, Don McGahn, is leaving the Trump administration this fall, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
• McGahn is said to have cooperated extensively with the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing by Trump.
• McGahn has reportedly clashed with Trump and may have incriminated him during 30 hours of interviews with Mueller's team.
• After the news of McGahn's conversations with Mueller went public, Trump tweeted that McGahn was not a "RAT" like the White House counsel John Dean in the Watergate scandal.

The White House counsel, Don McGahn, is leaving the Trump administration in the fall, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

His planned departure comes after he cooperated extensively with the special counsel's investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing from Trump.

Trump said McGahn would "hopefully" leave the administration after the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

"I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!" Trump said.

Trump was said to have clashed with McGahn after Trump openly pondered a pardon for Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman whom a jury last week found guilty of financial crimes unrelated to the campaign.

Vanity Fair reported on Monday that McGahn refused to participate in the pardoning process and that Trump considered bringing on a new lawyer.

McGahn was already reported to have extensively cooperated with the special counsel Robert Mueller in a way that could have incriminated Trump in the investigation into whether he obstructed justice in connection to the Russia investigation.

The New York Times reported earlier in August that McGahn had given 30 hours of interviews to Mueller over the past nine months. The report said that during those talks, McGahn and his lawyer focused on absolving McGahn of wrongdoing while candidly discussing inner-circle conversations with Trump related to the investigation.

These discussions reportedly touched on Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey and his focus on putting loyal officials in charge of the investigation, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Trump called The Times' story "Fake" because he said it implied that McGahn had become a "RAT" like John Dean, the White House counsel who cooperated with prosecutors in the Watergate scandal that helped end Richard Nixon's presidency.

Trump insisted that he actually allowed McGahn and others to cooperate with Mueller because he had "nothing to hide" and wanted to get to the end of the investigation.

More quietly, away from the scandals that dominate news coverage, McGahn helped Trump select a record number of conservative federal judges in what may prove to be one of Trump's more consequential moves as president.

Emmet Flood, a former Clinton administration official who joined the White House in May to help with the Russia investigation, is a likely replacement for McGahn, the news website Axios reported.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The Justice Department is investigating whether former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, President Donald Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz, and others were paid by a Malaysian fugitive with laundered funds.
• Christie and Kasowitz are part of a legal team for Jho Low, a fugitive Malaysian businessman whom the US Justice Department is investigating in connection with the alleged embezzlement of $4.5 billion from a Malaysian fund called 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
• There's no definitive evidence that any person who received payments was aware the money could've come from the ill-gotten funds.

The Justice Department is investigating whether former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz, and others with ties to the Republican Party were paid by a Malaysian fugitive with laundered funds.

Christie and Kasowitz are part of a legal team for Jho Low, a fugitive Malaysian businessman who, according to US court filings, played a key role in the alleged embezzlement of $4.5 billion from a Malaysian fund called 1Malaysia Development Bhd, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Justice Department is now reportedly looking into whether Low paid for legal services by laundering money that was embezzled through two associates. Low's access to the global financial system has been severely limited since 2016, which has raised suspicions about how he has paid for an array of expenses.

At present, there's no definitive evidence that any person who received payments was aware the money could have come from the funds Low is alleged to have embezzled, according to The Journal.

Civil lawsuits have been filed by the Justice Department in California federal court against Low to recover assets the Justice Department alleges he purchased with the embezzled funds, including mansions, artwork, and a yacht. The Justice Department is also pursuing a criminal investigation against Low, The Journal said.

Christie is representing Low in the asset-forfeiture cases in California, while Kasowitz is representing the fugitive Malaysian financier in Justice Department matters.

Low has also retained the services of the lawyer Bobby Burchfield, who has served as an outside ethics adviser for the Trump administration. Ed Rogers, the Republican lobbyist based in Washington, is also reportedly consulting Low on his legal woes.

Elliott Broidy, a Republican fundraiser with close ties to the Trump administration, is consulting Low, too, according to the report. Broidy was brought into Low's services by Pras Michel, a founding member of the Fugees hip-hop group, who may have been one of the intermediaries who helped Low make payments.

The Justice Department is also investigating whether Broidy attempted to sell his influence in the Trump administration to the Malaysian and Chinese governments.

Low is closely linked to former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who's facing legal troubles of his own after being arrested in Kuala Lumpur in July. Najib pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and criminal breach of trust in relation to the broad investigation surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Bhd fund.

SEE ALSO: Steve Bannon: Republicans just gave Trump 'a flashing green' light to replace Jeff Sessions

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A North Korean defector's harrowing story of escape

• A famous group of 14 men and one woman will serve as pallbearers for Sen. John McCain's memorial in Washington, DC on Saturday.
• The six-term senator and war hero will have multiple ceremonies in Arizona and Washington this week.
• McCain selected bipartisan senators, statesmen, and former presidents to honor his memory.
• President Donald Trump is not invited.

The pallbearers for Sen. John McCain's memorial service in Washington, DC on Saturday will be full of famous faces.

Among the 14 men and one woman who will carry the late Arizona senator's casket at the Washington National Cathedral ceremony include an A-list actor, a former vice president, and a billionaire. Highlighting his unyielding tough stance on Russia, an outspoken Putin critic will also be a pallbearer.

Former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama will be among the few eulogizing McCain, but current President Donald Trump is not invited.

McCain notably asked his two presidential election opponents to speak at his funeral, and chose bipartisan pallbearers to carry his casket and honor his six terms in the US Senate and 22 years in the US Navy.

Sens. Kelly Ayotte, Lindsey Graham and Joseph Lieberman, son Jimmy McCain, daughter Sidney McCain, former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, and daughter Meghan McCain will also speak at the DC ceremony. Full details are available on this website, and a livestream will be available here starting at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will eulogize McCain in Arizona on Thursday and serve as a pallbearer in DC on Saturday. The two grew close during their many years serving in the Senate together, and Biden's son, Beau, died of the same brain cancer McCain had.

Saturday's high-profile ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral will follow multiple memorials in McCain's adopted home state, Arizona, on Wednesday and Thursday, and lying in state at the US Capitol on Friday.

A separate list of pallbearers and ushers will be honoring McCain at his memorial in Phoenix, as well.

Here's the full list of pallbearers for the DC memorial, with descriptions provided by the event's organizers:

Warren Beatty: Friend. Actor and filmmaker, and political activist. He received 14 Academy Award nominations for his work as an actor, director and screenwriter.

Former Vice President Joseph Biden: Friend. Former Vice President of the United States, six-term United States Senator from Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Michael Bloomberg: Friend. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bloomberg L.P. Served three terms as Mayor of the City of New York. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading philanthropists.

Secretary William Cohen: Friend. Founding partner of the Cohen Group. Formerly, the United States Secretary of Defense, three-term Senator from the State of Maine, and three term United States Representative from the Second District of Maine.

Stephen Dart: Friend. Businessman.

Richard Davis: Friend. Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Pegasus Capital Advisors, LP. Formerly, national campaign manager for Senator McCain presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2008, Special Assistant to President Reagan.

Carla Eudy: Friend, President, the Eudy Company. Longtime fundraiser.

Sen. Russ Feingold: Friend. Visiting Professor at Marquette University Law School. Formerly, three-term United States Senator from Wisconsin and US Special Envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sen. Phil Gramm: Friend. Visiting Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Former Vice Chairman of UBS Investment Bank, three-term United States Senator from Texas, and three-term United States Representative from the Sixth District of Texas.

Sen. Gary Hart: Friend. Author and attorney. Professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. Formerly, US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Co-chairman of the US Commission on National Security for the 21st Century, and two-term United States Senator from Colorado.

Vladimir Kara-Murza: Friend, Vice Chairman of Open Russia, and Chairman of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom.

Gov. Tom Ridge: Friend. Formerly United States Secretary for Homeland Security, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and seven-term United States Representative from the 21st District of Pennsylvania. Veteran of the Vietnam War.

Mark Salter: Friend. Author, Formerly, Chief of Staff to Senator McCain.

Fred Smith: Friend. Founder, Chairman and President of FedEx. Formerly, an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Veteran of the Vietnam War.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse: Friend. Serving his second term as United States Senator from Rhode Island. Formerly, Attorney General for the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; US Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.

Remembering the life and legacy of John McCain:

• Former presidents, congressional leaders, and the military commend John McCain's storied life and service
• Sen. Lindsey Graham gives an emotional statement after John McCain's death
• 'We know that his flame lives on, in each of us': Meghan McCain remembers her father
• 10 of John McCain's best quotes on courage, happiness, and character
• 10 photos show John McCain's heroism in Vietnam and his lasting impact on the US military
• The incredible life of John McCain, in photos
• A look at the life and fortune of John McCain, who has a sprawling real estate portfolio and donated $1.7 million in book sales to charity
• In his new book, McCain revealed how he found out he had brain cancer
• As a POW in Vietnam, John McCain refused release until his fellow prisoners were freed, making him a hero in the eyes of many
• Politicians are backing Sen. Schumer's call to rename the Russell Senate Office Building for John McCain

SEE ALSO: McCain wins the final round of his rivalry with Trump in his farewell to the American people

DON'T MISS John McCain wanted Obama and Bush to speak at his funeral, but Trump's not invited

Join the conversation about this story »

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

• Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has a strategy for encouraging underperforming employees.
• He told the Financial Times that he tells them: "What you're doing is really important."
• The technique ties back to the idea that people need to feel as if their work has meaning. 

Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn knows exactly what to do with lazy employees.

The founder of the language-learning app, which has been valued at $700 million, recently discussed his strategy for dealing with unengaged employees in an interview with the Financial Times.

"You can turn somebody from being a lazy person to being the most committed person if they honestly believe that the company and you, as a leader, think what they're doing is important," von Ahn told the Financial Times. "It's amazing how motivating it is to sit with somebody and say, 'What you're doing is really important.' I use that a lot."

His technique is backed up by the results of a 2016 survey from LinkedIn and Imperative involving 26,151 global LinkedIn members that aimed to find out how many people "optimize their job to align with work that matters to them." It found that 73% of "purpose-oriented professionals" said they were satisfied with their jobs, as opposed to 64% of non-purpose-oriented employees.

And von Ahn has indicated that he's on the lookout for purpose-driven people. He told the Financial Times that he doesn't believe that waving around massive paychecks will attract top candidates to Duolingo.

"If it requires you paying them off to come work for you, I don't think they're going to be in it," he said. "We prefer missionaries to mercenaries."

The job site Glassdoor's list of average base salaries at Duolingo provides a glimpse into pay at the company, saying that senior software engineers could earn $110,396, lead designers could make $97,793, and product managers could bring home anywhere from $83,000 to $115,000 a year.

Von Ahn previously told Business Insider that his team vetted talent by conducting extensive reference checks, ensuring that prospective employees aren't arrogant jerks, and refusing to hire any doubt-provoking candidates.

SEE ALSO: The CEO of language app Duolingo says too many people make the same mistake trying to learn a new language

DON'T MISS: A CEO says he always does the same thing before offering anyone a job

SEE ALSO: A CEO who sold 2 companies to Google gives his best advice on taking career risks

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NOW WATCH: A psychologist reveals a trick to stop being lazy

• Kayla Itsines is an award-winning certified trainer and entrepreneur whose Bikini Body Workout program and SWEAT app has a following of over 20 million.
• Kayla Itsines's Bikini Body Guide 12 week program includes three 28-minute HIIT workouts, three cardio sessions, and two recovery days each week.
• I decided to give Kayla Itsine's BBG a try — here's what has happened so far at four weeks in.

When Kayla Itsines, an award-winning certified trainer and entrepreneur, was running one-on-one sessions in Australia, she was booked for weeks straight and had no way of helping clients from all around the world who reached out to her online. "This really frustrated me," she told Forbes.

So Itsines and her partner, Tobi Pearce, founded Bikini Body Training in 2013. In 2014, they released the Bikini Body Guide (BBG), a 12-week workout program that users could purchase as a PDF and use wherever, whenever.

Next, Itsines and Pearce developed their program into a top-ranking fitness app, Sweat, where users can find Itsines's curated workouts and other features like a nutrition plan, cool downs, a place to save progress photos, and your weekly workout schedule. Over 20 million women use Itsines's app, workout plan, books, and fitness equipment.

The weekly schedule (which ramps up slowly at first) consists of three 28-minute HIIT workouts — one session focuses on legs, another on arms and abs, and one on full body — three cardio sessions, one recovery session with guided stretches, and a rest day. You can mix and match the workouts depending on what works best for your body.

I decided to give the viral 12-week BBG program a try to see if I would have results like the hundreds of thousands who tag their before and after pictures using #BBGtransformations on Instagram— here's how I'm feeling one month in.

SEE ALSO: Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been on the Supreme Court for 25 years today — here's the workout she uses to stay on top of her game

I am no stranger to working out.

I have run four half-marathons, completed the Physique 57 workout program and Ruth Bader Ginsburg's workout, and exercise regularly. I even finished one round of the Bikini Body Guide last year.

Regardless, I was prepared to be sore because the workout program is designed to target all of your muscles — including ones you didn't know you had.

I was up for the challenge, especially after scrolling through Bikini Body Guide Transformation pictures people proudly post on Instagram.

Speaking of Instagram, The Bikini Body Guide hashtag has almost seven million posts from a supportive community of women who leave encouraging comments and advice on each other's posts. They even plan local meetups to do the BBG workouts.

Each high-intensity plyometric training workout includes two series of four exercises that you complete in seven-minute circuits, twice. For each circuit, you do each of the four exercises as many times as you can in the seven minutes.

I often end up doing each exercise (for example 15 squats, 15 burpees, 15 sumo squats, 30 weighted step-ups) twice per circuit. There is a one minute break between circuits and a much-needed cool down to stretch when you're done.

It's tough … really tough. You'll be sweaty, and you'll savor the minute-long break between sets, but at least your hard work pays off. I find the abs day to be the most difficult, in part because I have scoliosis and can't do all of the crunches correctly. I make modifications, like doing regular crunches instead of full-body crunches. Listen to your body and don't be afraid to modify.

If you have the app, you can also check the alternative exercise to see if it works better for your body.

Before booking any kind of travel, I always start in the exact same place: Kayak.

The travel site has been my go-to for years, helping me book everything from business trips to vacations to quick weekend getaways.

But as time goes on, I've started wondering: Am I finding the best flights? Is there an easier-to-use site out there?

I turned to Google Flights to test whether Kayak should still be my top choice for booking travel. I use Google services almost everywhere else in my life — Maps, Gmail, Drive, Photos, Google Assistant, the list goes on — and I figured that if anyone could topple Kayak, it would be Google.

The services have a lot of features in common, the main one being that they both aggregate flights from major airlines and both take you off their sites to actually book your trip. But I was curious which had more standout features — and, of course, which could find me cheaper flights.

Here's how Kayak and Google Flights compare.

SEE ALSO: I tried out Apple's largest iPhone — and it made me love my iPhone 6S even more

Let's start with standout features the services have in common. Both Kayak and Google Flights let you track flight prices over time.

If you're not ready to book yet, both Kayak and Google Flights let you track a specific flight over weeks or months.

Both services will also let you know whether they think it's a good time to buy, based on historical data.

Both Kayak and Google Flights show you what they think are the best flights.

Google says it shows you flights that "give you the best trade-off between price and convenience, based on factors such as duration, number of stops, and airport changes during layovers."

Kayak says its results are based on duration, price, number of stops, and carrier type.

There are several key differences between the two services though. For one, Google Flights is faster than Kayak.

Google loads almost instantly, but Kayak takes a few seconds:

• Sen. Bernie Sanders recently announced a new plan that would require corporations to pay for employees' federal assistance, a move the progressive lawmaker said would force companies to pay a livable wage.
• Sanders has made special example of Amazon, claiming the company's employees don't receive enough pay and are forced to live on support from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aka food stamps.
• Amazon fired back at Sanders on Wednesday, calling the claims "inaccurate and misleading."
• Amazon said Sanders was referring to a small subset of Amazon workers who chose part-time work and that employees received adequate benefits and pay.

Amazon on Wednesday fired back at Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Democrat, after months of attacks from the progressive lawmaker regarding the retail giant's working conditions and pay.

"Senator Sanders continues to make inaccurate and misleading accusations against Amazon," the company said in a statement.

Sanders, a former 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, recently announced a plan that would require companies to pay for the federal assistance received by their employees. He singled out Amazon and CEO Jeff Bezos as a primary example.

In a statement Friday, the senator said putting large corporations on the hook for workers' benefits would force companies to pay a "livable wage" to employees.

"While Mr. Bezos is worth $155 billion and while his wealth has increased $260 million every single day this year, he continues to pay many Amazon employees wages that are so low that they are forced to depend on taxpayer funded programs such as food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing just to get by," Sanders said.

Workers at large companies such as Amazon, McDonald's, and Walmart receive $150 million in federal aid, Sanders said.

A petition that implored Bezos to "pay your workers a living wage and improve working conditions at Amazon warehouses" received more than 105,000 signatures as of Friday, according to Sanders' office.

Sanders' move comes after a series of high-profile media reports about the working conditions of Amazon warehouse employees. The senator has launched attacks against the company for months, even holding a town hall with an Amazon employee to highlight pay and benefits grievances.

Amazon strongly denied Sanders' claims, saying all employees received competitive pay and solid benefits. The company took particular issue with the senator's suggestion that many employees were on food stamps.

"Senator Sanders’ references to SNAP, which hasn’t been called 'food stamps' for several years, are also misleading because they include people who only worked for Amazon for a short period of time and/or chose to work part-time — both of these groups would almost certainly qualify for SNAP," Amazon said.

The retailer also said that while Sanders "plays politics and makes misleading accusations," the company was investing in new job-training programs for workers and improving benefits like paid family leave.

In addition to its written response, Amazon invited Sanders to tour one of the company's fulfillment centers and urged employees to write to the senator about their experience working at the retailer.

Following Amazon's statement Sanders released a rebuttal of his own in which he did not back down on his criticism.

"Bottom line: the taxpayers of this country should not have to subsidize employees at a company owned by Mr. Bezos who is worth $155 billion. That is absurd," Sanders said.

The senator cited statistics that showed the median salary for an Amazon employee is $28,446, well below the median US worker salary. Additionally, the senator raised more worker safety concerns.

"Amazon’s warehouses are on the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s list of most dangerous places to work in the United States," he said. "According to the NCOSH, seven Amazon workers have died on or near the job since 2013, including three workers within five weeks at three separate locations last year."

Sanders said in the statement that he planned to take up Amazon's invitation to visit a fulfillment center in Chester, Virginia, and had tried to visit a fulfillment center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in July but could not be accommodated by the company.

This is not the first time this year that Amazon has become entangled in politics. President Donald Trump waged a war of words against the company and Bezos in March and April, calling for antitrust investigations and questioning the company's relationship with the US Postal Service.

SEE ALSO: Jeff Bezos reveals what it's like to build an empire and become the richest man in the world

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A North Korean defector's harrowing story of escape

As the year flies by, the list of canceled TV shows piles up.

While there's been somewhat of a quiet period since May, some networks are still cutting shows throughout the summer.

The most recent cancellation comes from USA, which just confirmed that "Mr. Robot" will end after its fourth season set to air in 2019. 

ABC also canceled the previously renewed "Roseanne" revival in late May, after Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. However, ABC announced a spin-off called "The Conners" without Barr coming this fall.

The long-running "The Jerry Springer Show" is ending after 27 seasons and 4,000 episodes, and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" is ending after 12 seasons. NBC's "Timeless" was also canceled for the second year in a row. NBC had reversed its first decision to cancel the show last year after fan outcry.

We'll update this list as more are announced.

Here are all the shows that have been canceled this year, including those from networks and Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The worst TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

Amazon

"Jean-Claude Van Johnson" — Amazon, one season

"I Love Dick" — Amazon, one season

• President Donald Trump unblocked more Twitter users on Tuesday after a US court ruled in May that preventing people from following him violated individuals constitutional rights.
• US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald ruled that comments on the president's Twitter account was a public forum and that blocking users for their views violated their right to free speech.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday unblocked some additional Twitter users after a federal judge in May said preventing people from following him violated individuals constitutional rights.

U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan ruled on May 23 that comments on the president's account, and those of other government officials, were public forums and that blocking Twitter Inc users for their views violated their right to free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University on August 10 sent the Justice Department a list of 41 accounts that had remained blocked from Trump's @RealDonaldTrump account. The seven users who filed suit had their accounts unblocked in June.

The 41 blocked users include a film producer, screenwriter, photographer and author who had criticized President Trump or his policies. At least 20 of those individuals said on Twitter that Trump had unblocked them on Tuesday.

The 41 users were not a comprehensive list of those blocked by Trump. Rosie O'Donnell, a comedian, said on Twitter late Tuesday that she remained blocked.

The White House did not immediately comment late Tuesday.

The ruling has raised novel legal issues. The Internet Association, a trade group that represents Twitter, Facebook Inc, Amazon.com, and Alphabet Inc, filed a brief in the case earlier this month that did not back Trump or the blocked users but urged the court to "limit its decision to the unique facts of this case so that its decision does not reach further than necessary or unintentionally disrupt the modern, innovative Internet."

Trump has made his Twitter account, with 54.1 million followers, an integral and controversial part of his presidency, using it to promote his agenda, announce policy and attack critics. He has blocked many critics, preventing them from directly responding to his tweets.

The U.S. Justice Department said the ruling was "fundamentally misconceived" arguing Trump's account "belongs to Donald Trump in his personal capacity and is subject to his personal control, not the control of the government."

Buchwald rejected the argument that Trump's First Amendment rights allowed him to block people with whom he did not wish to interact.

Trump could "mute" users, meaning he would not see their tweets while they could still respond to his, she said, without violating their free speech rights.

The Internet Association said the court "should make clear that this case does not implicate the overwhelming majority of social media accounts throughout the Internet."

"Despite any First Amendment status that this court might find in the 'interactive spaces' associated with President Trump’s account, Twitter retains authority to revoke access to both his account and the account of any user seeking to comment on President Trump’s account," the group said.

It also warned "there is a considerable risk that any decision that may recognize isolated public forums on Twitter will be misunderstood to hold that Twitter, too, can be subject to First Amendment scrutiny...Twitter itself is not a state actor when it blocks or withdraws access to its account-holders or users, and it is therefore not subject to the First Amendment’s restraints."

Many of the Twitter users who were blocked by Trump took to the social media platform to celebrate being unblocked by Trump.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Michael Perry)

Pat Ralph contributed to this report.

SEE ALSO: 13 charts reveal Donald Trump's Twitter habits — from his favorite topics to time of day

DON'T MISS: Trump lashes out at media hours after revealing 'very good' meeting with New York Times publisher

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• Sen. Bernie Sanders replied to Amazon after the retail giant responded to the senator's criticisms about worker pay and safety.
• Sanders rebutted Amazon's claim that workers were paid a competitive wage and were given good benefits.
• Sanders called it "absurd" that some Amazon workers were relying on federal assistance while Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world.

Sen. Bernie Sanders struck back at Amazon in a growing battle between the corporate-skeptic lawmaker and one of the largest companies in the world.

"Bottom line: the taxpayers of this country should not have to subsidize employees at a company owned by Mr. Bezos who is worth $155 billion. That is absurd," Sanders said.

On Wednesday, Amazon replied to months of criticism by Sanders regarding the company's treatment of workers and employee pay. The company argued that worker pay was competitive for the industry, that the benefits Amazon offered were generous, and that conditions in its fulfillment centers were "safe."

In a reply statement, Sanders disagreed with all three assertions:

• On wages: Sanders pointed to numbers from Amazon that showed median worker pay was $28,446. Additionally, the senator's spokesperson pointed Business Insider to a study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance which claimed pay at Amazon fulfillment centers is 9% lower than the industry average for similar work.
• On benefits: While Sanders did not respond to Amazon's points about the company's benefits, the senator said that he believes the company uses contractors for its work that do not receive the same benefits. "If Amazon is so proud of the way it treats its workers, it should make public the number of people it hires through temporary staffing agencies like Integrity Staffing Solutions and make public the hourly rate and benefits those workers earn," he said.
• On safety: While Amazon contended its workplaces were safe, Sanders highlighted incidents at the company's fulfillment centers. "Amazon’s warehouses are on the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s list of most dangerous places to work in the United States," the statement said. "According to the NCOSH, seven Amazon workers have died on or near the job since 2013, including three workers within five weeks at three separate locations last year." The senator also said he would request the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to look into the fulfillment centers.

The back-and-forth comes after Sanders announced Friday that he would introduce a bill requiring large employers to pay for the federal assistance their workers received. The plan would force companies to either shoulder the burden for things like federal housing assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , Sanders said, or pay their workers more.

Here's Sanders' response in full:

Let’s start with the facts. All over this country, many Amazon employees, who work for the wealthiest person on Earth, are paid wages so low they can’t make ends meet. Thousands of Amazon employees are forced to rely on food stamps, Medicaid and public housing because their wages are too low, including 1 out of 3 of its workers in Arizona and 2,400 in Pennsylvania and Ohio, according to The New Food Economy. Bottom line: the taxpayers of this country should not have to subsidize employees at a company owned by Mr. Bezos who is worth $155 billion. That is absurd.

Amazon has been less than forthcoming with information about their employment practices. What we do know is that Amazon’s median employee pay is only $28,446 — 9 percent less than the industry average and well below what constitutes a living wage in the United States. Further, we believe that many of Amazon’s workers are employed by temporary staffing agencies and contractors and make even less than the median Amazon employee.

Unfortunately, this is all the information we have because Amazon refuses to make public complete information about the wages and benefits provided by the contractors it uses to run fulfillment centers across the country. If Amazon is so proud of the way it treats its workers, it should make public the number of people it hires through temporary staffing agencies like Integrity Staffing Solutions and make public the hourly rate and benefits those workers earn.

It’s not only low wages that are of concern with regard to Amazon. There are deeply disturbing stories about working conditions at fulfillment centers run by Amazon and its contractors. Amazon’s warehouses are on the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s list of most dangerous places to work in the United States. According to the NCOSH, seven Amazon workers have died on or near the job since 2013, including three workers within five weeks at three separate locations last year. I will be asking the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to investigate unsafe working conditions at Amazon fulfillment centers.

In terms of visiting a fulfillment center, last month I was visiting Wisconsin and requested to visit the fulfillment center in Kenosha. Unfortunately, Amazon could not accommodate me then. In September, I look forward to visiting the fulfillment center in Chester, Virginia, and working out the details with Amazon. We have heard from workers there, including Navy veteran Seth King, about unsafe working conditions and at least one person has reportedly died at the warehouse.
 
On September 5 we are going to introduce legislation to end the absurdity of middle class taxpayers having to subsidize large, profitable corporations, many of which are owned by billionaires. If Amazon, Walmart and other corporations won’t pay their workers a living wage, our bill would establish a 100 percent tax equal to the amount of federal benefits received by their low-wage workers. The American taxpayer should not be subsidizing the richest people in history so they can underpay their employees.

SEE ALSO: Amazon and Bernie Sanders launch war of words over worker pay, safety conditions at the retail giant

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• The tiny village of Sagaponack is the most expensive zip code in the Hamptons.
• A study by GoBankingRates found that you'd need to make at least $853,738 to live there comfortably.
• The median price of a home in Sagaponack is $7.1 million.
• Celebrities and businesspeople, including talk show host Jimmy Fallon and billionaire investor  Ira Rennert, own homes in the secluded village.

The Hamptons, a series of beach towns dotting eastern Long Island, is well-known as a summer retreat for the wealthy and famous of New York.

Within these affluent communities, a tiny village of 491 people stands out as the priciest zip code — and by some calculations, the most expensive in the entire country.

Sagaponack, a village in the town of Southampton in the 11962, has been called home by CEOs, musicians, famous authors, and celebrities. 

In Sagaponack, a typical home is listed for $7.1 million, according to a study by GoBankingRates. In order to live comfortably in the Hamptons village, you'll need to make at least  $853,738 a year, according to the analysis.

Here's a look inside the exclusive Hamptons community.

SEE ALSO: How much you need to earn to live in the most expensive zip code in every state

DON'T MISS: 10 cities where you can make 6 figures and still feel broke

Sagaponack sits in The Hamptons, a stretch of affluent seaside communities on New York's Long Island.

Source: Google Maps

It's about a 2.5 hour drive from New York City.

Source: Google Maps

The median listing price for a home in Sagaponack is $7.1 million.

Source: GoBankingRates

• Bank examiners and federal law enforcement are investigating a suspiciously large check deposited to the account of the Russian ambassador to the US, Buzzfeed reported on Wednesday.
• The Russian embassy's $120,000 lump-sum payment made in November 2016 to Ambassador Sergei Kislyak was twice as large as his previous annual salary payments, according to the report.
• Federal investigators have previously probed Kislyak's contacts with at least three Trump campaign officials during the 2016 campaign and presidential transition.

Examiners at Citibank and investigators from the FBI are reportedly probing a suspiciously large December 2016 transaction from the Russian embassy to ambassador Sergei Kislyak, Buzzfeed News reported on Wednesday.

Investigators are apparently examining a check from the Russian embassy marked "payroll" for $120,000, believed to be Kislyak's lump-sum 2016 salary, deposited in November 2016 shortly after President Donald Trump won the presidential election, according to Buzzfeed.

The $120,000 payment is more than two times the amount of Kislyak's annual salary in the previous two years, according to financial documents reviewed by Buzzfeed. The branch manager at the Citi location Kislyak used reportedly said the payment was a salary, a claim Citibank financial examiners were unable to independently verify.

Federal law enforcement, including the special counsel Robert Mueller, has been investigating a larger pattern of suspicious financial transactions made by the Russian embassy, but the unusually large payment to Kislyak carries additional significance given his contacts with Trump campaign officials around that time.

Senior White House adviser and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner enlisted Kislyak in an effort to set up a secure communications back-channel between the Trump transition team and Russian government using diplomatic resources — which does not appear to have materialized — during the transition in December 2016.

Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn plead guilty last December to charge of lying to investigators about multiple December 2016 conversations with Kislyak. As part of his plea deal, Flynn became a cooperating witness in the Mueller probe.

They also spoke on the phone multiple times in the time period between when the Obama administration announced sanctions on Russia over their interference in the 2016 election and Russia decided against retaliatory measures, a decision Kislyak told Flynn was made "at the Trump team's request," according to Mueller's indictment of Flynn.

In March 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Mueller probe after failing to disclose a September 2016 meeting with Kislyak during his initial confirmation hearing.

Mueller is investigating Russia's 2016 election meddling, the Trump campaign's possible involvement, and whether Trump has obstructed justice during the course of the probe.

There is no indication thus far that Kislyak's unusually large salary payment had any relation to his contacts with Trump campaign officials.

Kislyak himself did not respond to Buzzfeed's request for comment, and the Russian embassy in the US did not comment on the specific transaction, only stating that it did not violate any laws. Buzzfeed had previously reported on Kislyak's allegedly suspicious payments in January.

SEE ALSO: 'The worst day of the Trump presidency': Manafort's conviction and Cohen's plea deal land within striking distance of the White House

DON'T MISS: Here's everyone who has been charged and convicted in Mueller's Russia probe so far

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SEE ALSO: We visited Five Below, the discount-store chain that's growing across America. Here's what it's like to shop there.

We visited the Old Navy in Chelsea, NYC.

In the entryway was a 75% off sign.

Denim was the first thing in the store. Everything was 30%.

As the late Sen. John McCain laid in state at the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday, Cindy McCain lay her head on her husband's casket in mourning.

It was the first time that Cindy and her children had been seen in public since the senator and Vietnam War hero died on Saturday, after a battle with brain cancer.

Two memorials will be held in Arizona before McCain's coffin is taken to Washington, DC for more services on Friday and Saturday. He will be buried at the Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland on Sunday.

SEE ALSO: A star-studded cast including Joe Biden and Michael Bloomberg will serve as pallbearers at John McCain's memorial service in DC

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Cindy McCain arrived at the funeral on the arms of her two sons, 29-year-old James (left) and 31-year-old John, who goes by Jack (right).

McCain's daughter Meghan, left, started crying as she arrived at the on the arm of her husband Ben Domenech.

Pictured walking ahead of Meghan is her adopted sister Bridget. The McCains adopted Bridget when she was just three months old in 1991, from an orphanage run by Mother Teresa in Bangladesh.

John McCain passed away on Saturday, a little more than a year after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

After his death, his wife issued this statement: 

"My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years. He passed away the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved, in the place he loved best."

• In states across the US, Democratic voters are embracing progressive candidates in gubernatorial races, marking a major shift in the party's politics. 
• On Tuesday night, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary election for governor of Florida, becoming the first black gubernatorial nominee in the state's history. 
• With Gillum's victory, Democrats have three black, progressive candidates for governor in November's midterms.

In states across the US, Democratic voters are embracing progressive candidates in gubernatorial races, marking a major shift in the party's politics. 

Beyond indicating a slide toward progressivism for Democrats, a number of these candidates also have the chance to make history from a demographic standpoint. 

On Tuesday night, Talahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary election for governor of Florida, becoming the first black gubernatorial nominee in the state's history. 

Gillum, who supports policies such as legalizing marijuana, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Medicare-for-all, was endorsed by progressive darling Sen. Bernie Sanders. He defeated former US Rep. Gwen Graham, who's decidedly more centrist. He will now face Republican nominee US Rep. Ron DeSantis.

The race between Gillum and DeSantis, who was endorsed by Trump, epitomizes the deeply polarized nature of US politics at the moment. 

Within less than a day of the primary result, DeSantis drew ire after he made a racially-charged remark about Gillum. DeSantis also slammed Gillum for his "far-left views" as he contended the Democratic nominee would make a mess of things in Florida if elected. 

President Donald Trump also went after Gillum on Twitter, describing him as a "failed Socialist Mayor." This comes amid reports Trump recently warned Christian leaders there will be "violence" if the GOP doesn't perform well on Election Day. 

Indeed, it seems that diverse, strongly left-leaning candidates have Trump and his supporters quite concerned about what could happen in November. 

History could be made in November in multiple races

With Gillum's victory, Democrats have three black, progressive candidates for governor in November's midterms.

The Talahassee mayor joins Stacey Abrams of Georgia and Ben Jealous of Maryland in that regard. Abrams and Jealous were also endorsed by Sanders. 

Meanwhile, David Garcia, a progressive Latino, won the Democratic primary election for governor in Arizona on Tuesday. Garcia, like Gillum, supports policies such as abolishing ICE and Medicare-for-all. 

All four states had centrist candidates four years ago, but in the Trump era progressives are seemingly taking the Democratic Party by storm.

Moreover, Gillum could now become the first black governor of Florida, Jealous the first black governor of Maryland, and Garcia the first Latino governor of Arizona in decades. And if Abrams wins, she would be the first black female governor in US history. 

Notably, there are no black governors in any of the 50 states at present. 

Correspondingly, the Democratic nominee for governor of Idaho, Paulette Jordan, is also a progressive and has the chance to make history in November. Jordan could be the first Native American governor in the US. 

Democratic voters are embracing unconventional candidates

In states like Florida, Georgia, and Arizona, which have large cohorts of conservative voters, it can be risky for candidates to embrace left-wing politics.

Gillum and Garcia have been decried as dangerous socialists by their opponents. Abrams, who is an unapologetic progressive but isn't quite as far to the left as Gillum and Garcia on issues like healthcare and immigration, has even faced similar attacks. 

But the stark contrast such candidates offer to Trump's hyper-nationalistic brand of politics seems to have attracted Democratic voters. "Socialist" is no longer such a dirty word in America's political discourse. 

In short, 2018 has opened the door for unconventional Democratic candidates to win in an array of races. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's stunning upset over US Rep. Joe Crowley in New York's 14th Congressional District is emblematic of that fact.

'The progressive movement is transforming the country'

As it happens, Ocasio-Cortez was among the first to celebrate Gillum's big win on Tuesday night. After the news of Gillum's victory broke, she tweeted, "The progressive movement is transforming the country - and he proved that again tonight."

As in any election, none of these candidates are guaranteed to win this fall, but they aren't necessarily long-shots either.

Ultimately, the results of their respective races could have significant implications for not only Trump's agenda, but also the Democratic party's platform and presidential nominee in 2020. 

Simply put, the era of centrist Democratic candidates could be nearing an end as the party desperately searches for an antidote to Trumpism. 

SEE ALSO: Beto O'Rourke is quickly becoming a national figure for Democrats at a time when the party has no clear leader

SEE ALSO: 'These are violent people': Trump reportedly told Christian leaders there would be 'violence' if the GOP lost in midterms

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• Starting a job is an exciting new chapter that furthers your career.
• A career change can be overwhelming, but if you prepare ahead of time, you'll transition into your new position with ease.
• Author Ryan Ariano researched his industry and made a game plan before starting his job, and it helped him get off to a great start.

Starting a new job is like moving to a place you've never been before: It can be scary and exciting at the same time.

I've found success in several different industries, but it wasn't until four years ago that I combined my love of travel with my experience working at a talent agency, my marketing skills, and my production knowledge to become an entertainment travel agent.

My future boss warned me during the interview that it would take half a year to get up to speed. But using a few tips honed over a life of job-hopping, I got up to speed in about half that time and even earned my first raise in four months.

Here are seven of the smartest things I did before starting my new job:

SEE ALSO: 7 lessons I never forgot from the best bosses I ever had

1. Know your industry

If you're staying in the same industry, this stage can be a short one: All you have to figure out is your company's identity. For example, in my experience in the talent agency world, I'd seen the difference between the buttoned down A-List blue chip super agency, the A-List "hip" Hollywood agency, the less flashy TV agency, the music agency with film talent, etc. Agents at each house had to reflect their agency's distinct culture, mannerisms, and approach to negotiation.

If you're diving into a new industry like I did, there's a lot more homework to do. I made a comprehensive list of hotels culled from every magazine, blog, and travel show I could find. When I had an agent ask for suggestions for a director in Shanghai, I could rattle off the Waldorf and the Mandarin Oriental. And when a VIP asked for suggestions for his five-star vacation, I knew that Palawan, Philippines was the hottest new destination.

2. Know your company

You'd never use a new power tool without reading the directions first. The same goes for starting a new job.

Aside from basic conduct rules and the vacation policy, there are procedures and penalties in the company manual that you need to understand. About halfway through my company handbook, I uncovered a travel bonus triggered after a few years at the agency.

If you can, try to find an employee list with photos or look up your company on LinkedIn before you start. My new colleagues were flattered by the fact that the new team member already knew who they were.

3. Get some new threads

"Dress to impress" is a classic job tip, and for for good reason: Sharp, well-fitting clothes can make you look and feel more professional.

My new office is decidedly more casual than my former talent agency, which meant I had to update my button-down and slacks game and put my suits aside.

You don't need to blow a ton of money on a new wardrobe. But my crisp, never-worn dress shirt and slacks gave me a boost of confidence that set the tone from day one.

• The FBI is publicly denying a report claiming China hacked Hillary Clinton's private email server, a claim President Donald Trump amplified on Tuesday night. 
• A report published Monday by the Daily Caller alleges a Chinese-owned company hacked Clinton's private email server and obtained thousands of her emails while she was the US Secretary of State.
• A spokesman for the FBI told NBC News that the bureau "has not found any evidence" Clinton's server was compromised by a hostile foreign actor. 

The FBI is publicly denying a report that claimed China hacked Hillary Clinton's private email server.

Right-leaning news website The Daily Caller first published that allegation on Monday, and President Donald Trump later amplified it on Twitter. 

The Daily Caller article alleges a Chinese-owned company based in Washington, DC, hacked Clinton's private server and added a line of code that made copies of all her emails and automatically forwarded them to the company, citing two unnamed sources The Daily Caller says were briefed on the matter. 

Trump addressed the story on Tuesday, writing, "report just out: 'China hacked Hillary Clinton’s private Email Server.' Are they sure it wasn’t Russia (just kidding!)? What are the odds that the FBI and DOJ are right on top of this? Actually, a very big story. Much classified information!"

An FBI spokesperson told NBC News, "the FBI has not found any evidence the (Clinton) servers were compromised," citing a July report from the Department of Justice's inspector general which reviewed the FBI investigation of Clinton's use of a private email server. 

In the inspector general's report, a forensic analyst is quoted as telling Department of Justice investigators he was "fairly confident" Clinton's personal server had not been compromised. 

The joke about Russia in Trump's tweet refers to the Russian government's alleged hack of the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2016 election.

Special counsel Robert Mueller's office, which is probing Russian interference in the 2016 election, indicted 12 Russian security officers in July for those breaches and other charges, including money laundering and identity theft. 

Clinton's use of a private email server during the time she served as Secretary of State was the subject of a high-profile FBI investigation spearheaded by the agency's former director, James Comey.

The FBI ultimately cleared Clinton of any wrongdoing in July 2016, but did call her handling of official emails on private accounts "extremely careless." Comey later came under fire for reopening the inquiry just 10 days before the presidential election. 

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