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How to turn off text message previews on your iPhone, to help keep your private conversations private

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millennial gen z texting.JPG

When a message appears on your iPhone— even when your phone is locked — the message preview can be a welcome feature.

However, a message preview can also be a privacy issue, depending on who's looking over your shoulder, or has eyes on an iPhone laying out in the open. 

Fortunately, there's a middle ground: You can be alerted to the presence of a new message, without the contents of the message appearing on your screen. 

Here are the four steps you need to disable Message previews through your Notification settings, meaning you'll still get the alert on your iPhone's lock screen — sans preview text. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

How to turn off message previews on your iPhone

1. Go into your iPhone and open the Settings app.

2. Tap "Notifications." You can use the Search bar at the top to find it as well.

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3. Under "Notification Style," scroll until you see the "Messages" tab. Tap it.

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4. Under "Options" you'll see a setting for "Show Previews." Open the tab and select "Never" or "When Unlocked."

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Now, when you receive a message, you'll still see a banner alerting you to the new message on your lock screen, but with no contents of the message included.

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But because any kind of alert can at times be an unwelcome intrusion onto your screen, while you're in your settings, you can also disable the notifications entirely. 

To do this, after you tap "Messages" in the Notification Style list, simply tap the slider that reads "Allow Notifications."

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

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How to connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac computer in 5 simple steps

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man on wireless keyboard mac apple

  • You can connect a wireless keyboard to your Mac in the same way that you pair any other Bluetooth device.
  • Many Bluetooth-enabled wireless keyboards will connect to your Mac, and once you've paired them, connecting them again is a quick process.
  • If you connect a wireless keyboard to your MacBook, its built-in keyboard will continue to work as normal.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you want to kick back on the couch and type on your Mac from across the room, or if you just want to use a new keyboard, it's easy to connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac computer. 

You can connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac desktop computer, like an iMac or Mac Mini, or even a MacBook laptop. If you connect a keyboard to a MacBook, it doesn't cancel out the laptop's built-in keyboard — you can use either one you want.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

iMac (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

Mac Mini (From $799.99 at Best Buy)

How to connect a wireless keyboard to your Mac

1. Turn on the wireless keyboard.

2. Click the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen and hit "System Preferences."

1 Wireless Keyboard

3. Click on the Bluetooth icon to be taken to taken to the pairing screen.

2 Wireless Keyboard

4. Put the keyboard into active pairing mode. The way to do this will vary by keyboard, so check the specific instructions for your keyboard.

5. When the device's name pops up on the screen in the Bluetooth window, click on it.

3 Wireless Keyboard

You will now likely have to tap a series of keys on the wireless keyboard before your computer will recognize it. 

These are often the Z key and the question mark (?) key. 

Once you've finished this process, your wireless keyboard should pair with your Mac.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: These 2 cases will keep any MacBook protected for under $25

Join the conversation about this story »

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I found a 'secret' coffee shop hidden in one of NYC's busiest neighborhoods. Here's why it's a remote worker's paradise.

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Au Bon Pain sign

  • Recently, Business Insider embarked on a mission to different shops and cafes in Manhattan to find the best places to do work without a WeWork membership.
  • Starbucks took the top spot, followed closely by a surprising upstart: Au Bon Pain.
  • In fact, there's a secret Au Bon Pain nestled in an unexpected corner of Manhattan. Located in a nondescript office building steps from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, this Au Bon Pain was quiet, spacious, and well-stocked — something difficult to find in Manhattan.
  • If you're a remote worker looking for a centrally located spot in Manhattan to get things done, look no further.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

With WeWork unsteady,remote work on the rise, and New York City still absurdly expensive (and crowded), New Yorkers and visitors trying to get work done outside of the office face a difficult dilemma. I experienced this firsthand when I embarked upon a quest to determine which coffee shops are best to do work in.

Unsurprisingly, most were cramped and loud. On top of the many New Yorkers yelling into their phones, most also blasted playlists. I could barely hear myself think, and the lack of outlets left my phone battery dangerously low.  

But there's an affordable and quiet respite hiding in the wilds of Midtown. Easily accessible by subway — and by foot, if you're enjoying Madison Square Park or Bryant Park — with a delightfully ambient soundtrack, this may just become my new go-to spot in Manhattan.

Welcome to the Au Bon Pain at 1251 6th Avenue.

SEE ALSO: NO WEWORK? NO PROBLEM: Here are the best coffee shops to get your work done if you can’t afford a coworking space

Upon arriving, I discovered that there was a whole outdoor patio area — perfect for anyone looking to enjoy the fall weather.

On a surprisingly warm Friday afternoon, patrons worked on laptops, read, and chatted on the patio.



The fridges were well stocked, and salad and sandwich selection was ample.

Since this is one of Au Bon Pain's more spacious locations in the city, there was a wide range of food available.

Even though I came in the afternoon, just a few hours before closing, I had my pick of food. While I don't think Au Bon Pain is going to win any awards for gourmet food, you'd be surprised how often coffee shops in New York burn through their food supply — even my local Starbucks is perpetually under stocked.



There was a wide array of seating, suitable for everything from a co-working group to families visiting from out of town.

If you have out-of-town guests in New York and running around Midtown, this could be a great spot to take a break. 



There were 32 outlets in the store, making it a freelancer's paradise.

For remote workers, laptops are their offices — and that means they're at the mercy of their battery. After my day in transit, power levels were dangerously low. But pretty much every table at Au Bon Pain had ample outlet access.



Just steps outside of Au Bon Pain was a rare pocket of New York greenery, making it feel all the more hidden.

When I emerged from Au Bon Pain, I found myself in a rare green plaza — an anomaly in Midtown. It made the coffee shop feel all the more hidden.



And right across the street was NBC Studios and "The Tonight Show."

I didn't see Jimmy Fallon, but maybe that's a testament to how secretive this Au Bon Pain is. 



Radio City Music Hall, which has hosted iconic concerts (and my college graduation), was right nearby — meaning you could hop straight from Au Bon Pain to a show.

If I had to run to a performance after work, Au Bon Pain seems like a great place to work remotely.



I would definitely return to this Au Bon Pain. As corporate outposts go, it met and exceeded all of my expectations. However, I'll still try to stick with local coffee shops.

The beauty of a corporate coffee shop is that you generally know what to expect, and it's not putting a significant strain on finances for you to camp out with your laptop.

Au Bon Pain offered all of that and more — I would definitely return for another productive day. However, I will still do my best to frequent local coffee shops, even if it means squeezing into an outlet-less table with the rest of Manhattan. 



The 25 best places to live in the US if you're a renter

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madison wisconsin

In a time when the cost of rent is so high that a minimum-wage worker needs 2.5 full-time jobs to afford rent for a one-bedroom apartment in most of the US, finding an affordable place to live can seem like an endless, disheartening game. 

But renters, who spent a record amount of money on housing in 2017, don't have just costs to worry about — they also need to look at factors like distance to work and safety.

SmartAsset took all of this into consideration in its recent report on the best cities for renters. The company looked at data for 96 cities, comparing them across seven different metrics: rent-to-income ratio, percent of housing stock dedicated to renting, eviction rate, density of entertainment establishments, crime rate, unemployment rate, and average commute time.

Read more: The 20 worst US cities for financial stability

SmartAsset ranked each city in every metric, then weighted all metrics equally to calculate each city's average ranking, which determined the final list.

California is the most represented state, with seven cities making the list. Turns out, the Midwest is a great area for renters, too, with six cities making the top 25. 

Below, see the best 25 places to live for renters, ranked. All rent prices are sourced from Zillow and represent the median for all rentals in the metro area.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best places to live if you want to save a lot of money

DON'T MISS: How much renters pay to live in the most expensive neighborhoods in 9 major US cities — and in the most affordable

25. Yonkers, New York

Median rent: $2,038

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 44.3%

Unemployment rate: 4.9%



24. Anaheim, California

Median rent: $3,200

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 40.1%

Unemployment rate: 3.1%



23. Cincinnati, Ohio

Median rent: $1,353

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 56.1%

Unemployment rate: 4.2%



22. Santa Ana, California

Median rent: $2,600

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 38.5%

Unemployment rate: 3.1%



21. Columbus, Ohio

Median rent: $1,350

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 56.6%

Unemployment rate: 3.8%



T19. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Median rent: $1,200

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 56%

Unemployment rate: 4.7%



T19. Los Angeles, California

Median rent: $3,200

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 43.7%

Unemployment rate: 4.7%



17. Henderson, Nevada

Median rent: $1,319

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 55.6%

Unemployment rate: 5.0%



16. Seattle, Washington

Median rent: $2,400

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 57.1%

Unemployment rate: 3.7%



15. Virginia Beach, VA

Median rent: $1,400

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 55.7%

Unemployment rate: 3.2%



14. Lexington, Kentucky

Median rent: $1,195

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 56.1%

Unemployment rate: 3.8%



13. New York, New York

Median rent: $3,000

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 49.3%

Unemployment rate: 4.1%



T12. Glendale, California

Median rent: $2,950

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 39.6%

Unemployment rate: 4.7%



T12. Jersey City, New Jersey

Median rent: $2,250

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 56.9%

Unemployment rate: 4.4%



10. Omaha, Nebraska

Median rent: $1,350

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 57.9%

Unemployment rate: 3.4%



9. Irving, Texas

Median rent: $1,950

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 67%

Unemployment rate: 4.0%



8. Nashville, Tennessee

Median rent: $1,695

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 57.3%

Unemployment rate: 2.7%



7. San Diego, California

Median rent: $2,723

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 47.5%

Unemployment rate: 3.5%



6. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Median rent: $1,700

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 54.3%

Unemployment rate: 2.9%



5. St. Paul, Minnesota

Median rent: $1,700

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 51.7%

Unemployment rate: 3.1%



4. San Francisco, California

Median rent: $3,410

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 64.2%

Unemployment rate: 2.6%



T3. Irvine, California

Median rent: $2,143

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 54.2%

Unemployment rate: 3.1%



T3. Boston, Massachusetts

Median rent: $2,600

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 51.7%

Unemployment rate: 3.3%



2. Austin, Texas

Median rent: $1,700

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 54.9%

Unemployment rate: 3.0%



1. Madison, Wisconsin

Median rent: $1,600

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 51.1%

Unemployment rate: 2.6%

 



How to add an email account to your Samsung Galaxy S10, and check all of your email in one integrated inbox

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Galaxy S10

  • You can add multiple email accounts to your Samsung Galaxy S10, and see all of your email in one integrated inbox. 
  • To add an email account, you'll need to go to your Galaxy S10's Settings app, in the Accounts and backups section.
  • Before you begin setting up your email, be sure you have all your login information. For a POP3 or IMAP email account, that includes server names and port numbers. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Do you have more than one email account and want to keep tabs on them all at once? It's easy to add all your email accounts to your Galaxy S10, whether they're webmail like Gmail, a personal IMAP account, or a corporate email like Microsoft Exchange. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $899.99 at Best Buy)

How to add an email account to your Samsung Galaxy S10

How to add basic email services like Gmail or Yahoo

For basic online email services, also called webmail, you should only need to know your username and password. Be sure you have that information handy before you begin. 

1. Start the Settings app.

2. Tap "Accounts and backup."

Email 1

3. Tap "Accounts."

4. Tap "Add account."

Email 2

5. Tap "Email."

6. Depending upon which kind of mail account you're adding, tap "Gmail," "Yahoo," or "Hotmail."

7. Enter your email address and password as requested. 

Email 4

8. Repeat the process for all your accounts.

That's all there is to it — within a few minutes, all your email should appear in your Email app.

How to add a POP3, IMAP, or Exchange account

Make sure you have all the information you need to configure your account. For an IMAP or POP3 account, you'll need to know additional details like the server names and port numbers, which you can find on the support page for your email service provider. 

For an Exchange email account, you may need to know the Exchange server name. 

1. Start the Settings app.

2. Tap "Accounts and backup."

3. Tap "Accounts."

4. Tap "Add account."

5. Tap "Email."

Email 5

6. Tap "Other." 

7. Enter your email address and password, and then tap "Manual setup" at the bottom of the screen. 

Email 6

8. In the pop-up menu, choose the correct type of account (POP3, IMAP, or Microsoft Exchange).

9. Fill in the server settings using the login information for your email account. 

Email 7

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: We compared Samsung's Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+ to determine which phone you should buy

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Investors are pouring hundreds of millions into startups working to treat hearing loss. Here are the 4 biotechs vying to disrupt the $7 billion market.

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Doctor examines a patient's ear.

  • Around 48 million people in the US have hearing loss, but there are no approved drugs to treat it.
  • Currently, hearing aids and devices called cochlear implants help people who have impaired hearing, but the devices aren't cures.
  • Four companies—Frequency Therapeutics, Decibel Therapeutics, Akouos, and Sound Pharmaceuticals—are all developing drugs to treat different types of hearing loss. All have raised considerable funding rounds.
  • Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Around 48 million people in the US have hearing loss. Right now, there are no drugs approved to treat it.

Currently, hearing aids and electronic devices called cochlear implants help people who have impaired hearing from aging, noise exposure, genetics or side effects from drugs.

While these devices can improve hearing, none of them can cure hearing loss. 

"Hearing loss is a huge problem and not well served," David Nierengarten, managing director at the investment firm Wedbush, told Business Insider. "We all know hearing aids and implants work, but aren't a great solution and can't serve millions of people who suffer from hearing loss."

At least four startups have raised a total of $349 million to tackle a market that's growing as the population ages and exposure to noise levels increase. By 2024, Americans could spend an estimated $7 billion on hearing devices alone each year, according to Transparency Market Research.

'The ear is a challenging organ'

The hunt for a better understanding of hearing loss extends beyond startups. Apple recently announced a study on hearing in partnership with the University of Michigan to evaluate individuals' exposure to sound over time to see if it will affect their hearing.

Inner ear biology is extremely complicated and is one reason why progress has been slow. Trying to target drugs in that area is even harder. 

"The ear is a challenging organ. It has one of the hardest human bones to study," said Paula Cobb, chief operating officer of Decibel Therapeutics, one of the companies working on hearing therapeutics.   

Some companies are working on hearing loss therapies that could be given as pills. Others are experimenting with gene therapies, which change the genetic information in cells, often to counteract genetic defects. 

Because hearing therapeutics are still in the early stages of development, Nierengarten said there's a lot of room for investment. But without any drugs to build off of, investors are treading carefully in the space. 

Read on to see the four companies that have raised millions to develop new treatments for hearing loss.

Frequency Therapeutics - $147 million

The biotech company is focused on creating therapies that repair damage caused to the ear by a range of degenerative diseases. Frequency's initial focus is on sensorineural hearing loss, the most common type of hearing loss, which is caused by damage to the fine hairs in the inner ear that sense sound waves. 

The lead therapeutic program, FX-322, intends to regenerate hair cells through the activation of progenitor cells already present in the ear. 

The drug is in early stage trials in people and proved safe in a small initial study. In July 2019, Astellas Pharma obtained exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the drug outside of the US, with Frequency receiving $80 million immediately.

The same month, the company brought in $62 million in a Series C funding round led by Perceptive Investors. Frequency, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, filed to go public in September. 



Decibel - $107 million

The Boston-based therapeutics company is focused on creating treatments for inner-ear disorders.

One drug is in an early-stage trial in people. The drug is designed to protect hearing in people receiving cancer treatments that can harm their ears. 

"We want to be able to tell doctors that there is something you can do to cure hearing loss," Cobb, Decibel's chief operating officer, said. "Within the last couple of years there have been some high-science companies coming forward in the hearing space. The time is now and the science is ready. In 10 to 20 years from now, there will be important medicines in the space making a real difference."  

Decibel has disclosed total investments of $107 million, with a Series A round of $52 million in 2015 and series C funding of $55 million last year. There was additional undisclosed funding from Google Ventures in 2017, a Decibel representative said. 



Akouos - $57.6 million

The Boston-based company is working on targeted gene therapies for sensorineural hearing loss.

Akouos' leading therapy, AK-OTOF, is in the early stage of development, but the drug will try to improve hearing in individuals with hearing loss for genetic reasons, the company said in a statement in September. The company estimates that up to 200,000 people may have the genetic mutations that it's targeting.

Human trials are expected to begin in 2021, Manny Simons, the CEO of Akouos, told the Wall Street Journal.

The company raised $50 million in a Series A venture round led by 5AM Ventures and New Enterprise Associates in August 2018. The total raised so far is $57.6 million, according to PitchBook. 



Sound Pharmaceuticals - $37 million

The Seattle-based biotech aims to treat sensorineural diseases in the inner ear. The company has two drugs in mid-stage trials in people to treat acute noise-induced hearing loss and Meniere's disease, an ear problem that can lead to dizziness and hearing loss. 

The drug for Meniere's diseases, SPI-1005, has shown some promising results in mid-stage trials. The trials showed that people given the drug for 21 to 28 days  improved tinnitus and restored some hearing loss in patients affected by Meniere's disease. 

CEO Dr. Jonathan Kil said he wants to start late-stage trials of the treatment before the end of this year. 

"It's an opportune time in the space,"  Kil told Business Insider. "We want the drug to be in phase 3 by the end of the year and have it apply more broadly to tinnitus." 

 

 



How to hide the dock on your Mac computer in 2 different ways, to get rid of the application icons on your screen

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Macbook Air

The dock on a Mac computer allows you to select applications for quick access along the bottom of your screen. 

From web browsers to favorites such as Pages and iTunes, you can customize your dock to ensure you can open anything quickly and easily. 

While customizability and ease of access is beneficial, the dock can also limit your screen space and at times, functionality. 

Fortunately, it's possible to hide the dock on your Mac computer. 

Here's how to do it. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

How to hide the dock on your Mac using System Preferences 

1. Click on the Apple symbol in the upper left corner.

2. Scroll down and click on System Preferences.

3. Click on Dock.

Hide_dock1

4. Check the box next to "Automatically hide and show the Dock."

Hide_dock3

The dock will now disappear. To access it, move your cursor to wherever you've put the dock — either the bottom of the screen by default, or one of the sides if you've moved it. 

How to hide the dock on your Mac using a keyboard shortcut

You can also hide your dock by pressing this keyboard shortcut — Command(⌘)+Option+D.

You can then bring your dock back up by moving your cursor to where your dock was, or again pressing Command(⌘)+Option+D.

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SEE ALSO: The best laptops you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

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Everlane's $98 sneakers are carbon neutral, unisex, and incredibly comfortable — here's how they've held to 6 months of testing

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Screen Shot 2019 04 24 at 5.46.07 PM

  • Everlane's unisex leather sneaker The Trainer ($98), is the inaugural product of its sneaker brand Tread by Everlane.
  • The Trainer reflects Everlane's attempt, two years in the making, to make the world's lowest-impact sneakers. The Trainer's anatomy breaks down to a 94.2% virgin-plastic-free sole, leather from the world's cleanest tannery, and renewed laces and lining.
  • Four reporters tested The Trainer in their everyday lives ahead of the launch. Find our thoughts on comfort, fit, and style below, plus a six-month update on how they've held up.

Everlane's sneaker brand, Tread by Everlane, debuted with the unisex leather sneaker The Trainer ($98).

As of now, The Trainer ($98) comes in over ten colors, three editions, and in men's sizes 7-13 or women's sizes 5-12.5. Colors range from off-white to black to pale pink. 

The Trainer was Everlane's response to a plethora of customer requests and, ideologically, a proposed answer to the enormous waste of the sneaker industry. Ruled by hype, flash, and $900+ ugly unicorns, sneakers have become the ultimate trend piece. Add to that a lifespan that's closer to six months than a few years, and you've got one of the industry's worst footprints.

The Trainer is supposed to be different. Engineered with sustainable, durable materials and manifested in a versatile design, it's supposed to be the world's lowest impact sneaker. 

everlane tread sneakers butter

The sole is 94.2% free of virgin plastic. Instead, Everlane uses recycled and natural rubber — preventing an estimated 18,000 pounds of rubber from making its way into landfills and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 54%. Everlane has pledged to nix virgin plastic entirely from its supply chain by 2021. 

The full-grain leather is produced at Saigon TanTec, "The world's cleanest tannery." The Gold-certified tannery uses natural lighting and solar energy, and, according to Everlane,  42% less electricity and 56% less fresh water than those already considered the best in the industry. Altogether, the tannery emits 20% less greenhouse gas than conventional leather finishing. 

Even The Trainer's laces and lining emit 18% less carbon than average. Altogether, the recycled plastic in each pair renews 9.5 discarded bottles. 

Screen Shot 2019 04 24 at 5.35.24 PM

To further reduce their impact, Tread by Everlane said it is offsetting 100% of the carbon emissions from its sneaker production. First, the brand had a third-party firm calculate the full carbon footprint of the trainer, which tallied up to 28.9 kg CO2e (which includes the impact of raising cattle) for the shoe's life cycle. Then, Tread partnered with NativeEnergy — a leading carbon offset provider — to support projects that reduce greenhouse gases. Right now, that means working with ranchers to improve cattle-grazing practices on American grasslands, begetting better soil health, cleaner waterways, and more carbon sequestration since healthy grasslands pull an enormous amount of carbon from the air. Beyond that, the company says it plans to keep getting better. As alternate materials and more efficient processes become available, the brand will respond in kind.

Before the launch of Tread, four Insider Picks reporters tested Everlane's Trainer to give you an idea of what they're like in person. Find our thoughts and takeaways below. Since then, we've updated this article with longterm input — so you know what to expect months down the road.

Four reporters tried Everlane's Tread Trainer ($98). Find their personal experiences below: 

The Trainer, $98 

I'm all for brands using more environmentally-friendly materials and production methods to make sneakers, but it usually shows in the product itself. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's sometimes nice to have a more timeless sneaker that doesn't boast obvious branding or scream "recycled" — and that's exactly why I like the Everlane Trainer.

It has all the style elements that make up a good trainer: a low-top silhouette, a sharp sloping shape, and lots of overlapping stitched panels with contrast in materials and patterns. The overall design isn't groundbreaking, but what makes them feel special is Everlane's ability to strip away wasteful materials while maintaining such a classic look.

Six-month testing update: It's only been a few months since Everlane released Tread, but the sneakers have been and will continue to age well. For me, that's extremely important because sustainability and fleeting fashion trends are counterintuitive. Not only will you be a conscious consumer by purchasing shoes that are thoughtfully made to have a low carbon footprint, but you won't have to run out and buy different sneakers in six months because they went out of style. — Amir Ismael, Insider Picks reporter 



The Trainer, $98 

As someone who lives a 20-minute power-walk away from the nearest subway entrance, I prioritize comfort in my shoes. They need to look good, but I won't make excuses for a cute pair that gives me blisters.

My first impression of The Trainer was its comfort. I pulled them on and walked 40 blocks comfortably on cushiony soles with zero break-in time. The chunky shape comes off compact (my size 9 feet looked unexpectedly small) and contained rather than costumey. In terms of style and performance, I'd wear them everywhere from errands to airports and dressed up with blazers at our casual office (thank you, leather) or with sundresses on the weekend.

Now, after owning them for months, I can say the fit has gotten better with time; My typical size 9 was the right move. It's also nice to know that the leather has held up well to the grime of the city.

If you think you'd wear them enough to justify spending $98, you should be happy with looks, style, and comfort. Plus, supporting sustainable innovation certainly doesn't hurt. 

Six-month testing update: The Trainers have held up well over six months of semi-frequent use. The leather has been easy to clean up with a damp cloth, and the shoes are just as comfortable as they were in the beginning. — Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter



The Trainer, $98 

Normcore is in right now. Or that's what I hear (and see). These sneakers...well, they're definitely normcore.

With style writers in an endless existential debate over the meaning of Allbirds for the world of fashion, the hype surrounding Everlane's Tread must surely sound like a death knell. But even as someone who hasn't quite fully embraced the dad-chic aesthetic (though full disclosure, I'm an unabashed fan of Allbirds), I found that the Tread sneakers were an easy fit in my footwear rotation.

They're simple and chunky, but they actually looked great — if I do say so myself — with a pair of slim tapered jeans. I had the black pair with white soles, for what it's worth, and liked the contrast offered by the soles. Anyone who's seen the rebirth of those plain white chunky Reeboks and Adidas sneakers will find that these fit right in, with a slightly more contemporary profile.

They were also quite comfortable, and seem to run true-to-size, if not a tad snug, so if you're usually between sizes I might suggest going up. I have medium-to-high arches, and found that I could stand for at least an hour without any discomfort. The soles are thick enough that peddling a bike was easy, and, although I've only had them for a few days, they seem like they'll hold up as well as any comparable, less sustainably produced shoe.

At $98, they're a bit pricey for a plain shoe, but considering their comfort and minimal environmental impact, I'd recommend these. — David Slotnick, Insider Picks senior reporter



The Trainer, $98 

Sneakers, especially of the athleisure sort, can get a bad rap — they're not formal enough, they're not functional enough, they're unnecessarily flashy. Yet, a sneaker is one of the most enduring styles, and understandably so. 

Everlane seemed to be a member of the anti-sneaker camp for a while, until they launched Tread — and my feet are pretty glad they did. From the outside, the Tread sneakers look similar to most of what's on the market right now — think simple, unisex, monochromatic (barring a black and white pair), chunky enough to be considered part of the "dad sneaker" trend. On the inside, they're pretty comfortable. I found the footbed particularly cushy, and the chunky sole — whether you think it's trendy or not — makes walking long distances a lot more pleasant. The sneakers, with their stylish combination of leather and suede, fit right in with my simple uniform of ripped jeans and a white T-shirt.

The coolest part about these shoes, in my opinion, is their minimal environmental impact, which Everlane is still working to improve. While the style and comfort hold their own, I think their sustainability is what sets these sneakers apart and makes them well-worth the $98. — Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter




Is your CEO brilliant, a jerk, or both? Here's how to tell

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Adam Neumann

Rob SheltonAdam Neumann's actions at WeWork are classic "brilliant jerk." He is a smart, entrepreneurial visionary with great charisma. But, he also established a corporate culture that was filled with large doses of alcohol and drugs (according to employees who spoke to Business Insider and saw both passed around at company parties). Many questioned if the business could ever be profitable, given the significant upfront lease commitments, especially in the face of an economic turndown or less than stellar occupancy rates. He had lots of self-dealing where he received large payments from the company to buy or lease his personal assets. And, he had control of the company through dual class shares that gave him ten votes for each of his shares. Finally, the directors and funders had to admit that Adam Neumann was not cut out for the CEO job, and they fired him.

Is the creative CEO in the company you work for or in the company that you are investing in brilliant, a jerk, or both? We have seen numerous examples of visionary corporate leaders who set out to change the world. Some have succeeded, like Steve Jobs, who built Apple into a trillion-dollar company. Others are like Elizabeth Holmes, who created Theranos as an innovative blood testing company and then took the company into bankruptcy, losing investors almost a billion dollars. 

Marc Epstein

Jobs has certainly been referred to as a "brilliant jerk." Elon Musk, trailblazer CEO at Tesla, has behaved erratically in the past and, for some, undermined his credibility as a leader. Travis Kalanick's leadership at Uber has helped change the way transportation operates in cities around the world, but his brash operating style and the company culture he created led him to be tossed out of the company. One exasperated Uber board member proposed adding "No brilliant jerks allowed" to Uber's list of cultural values.

SEE ALSO: 10 harmless mind tricks that make people like you more

How to tell what kind of jerk you have on your hands

So how can you tell whether your creative leader is going to be a Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos creating amazing companies, or an Elizabeth Holmes or Kenneth Lay (from Enron) that destroyed their companies? How can you tell the difference? 

These are critical questions for board members, investors, employees, and others that choose to work with dominant visionaries. To answer these questions, we talked with leading board members and executives that work with dominant visionaries and are able to provide some guidance on how to detect the red flags and develop approaches to successfully managing and working with these leaders. These are explored in our new book "The Brilliant Jerk Conundrum: Thriving with and Governing a Dominant Visionary."



What is different about dealing with dominant visionaries?

The challenge for board members, investors, and employees alike is how to deal with these dominant visionaries who are often brilliant, unpredictable, difficult to work with, and sometimes downright mean. But it's also how to support the creative talent of brilliant new leaders while still maintaining the necessary structure, systems, and guidance that is required for effective corporate governance.



They really are different

Dominant visionaries show up in new Silicon Valley startups and also in old established companies. They can be the CEO and founder, or they can be other executives who are not afraid to exercise their power. No matter what their origin or position, they are charismatic leaders with a disruptive vision. And their magnetic personality and story attracts investors, customers, and employees. They are all confident — but sometimes they have hubris and are overconfident.

The history of these eccentric visionary leaders is mixed. While some of these leaders soar and achieve great success, others crash and burn. When we look at the spectrum of these extraordinary leaders, we see brilliance combined with stubbornness and a penchant for breaking rules. Some of these firebrands start out acting as role models but then deteriorate into unattractive behaviors, sometimes turning into jerks or liars or both.

Read more:The life and rise of Shane Dawson, a $12 million YouTuber with a history of offensive remarks who just dropped a documentary on Jeffree Star



They lead with executive omniscience

Dominant visionaries typically use three ways to control their companies and we call this the aura of executive omniscience:

  • Asymmetric power. Often dominant visionaries have almost total control over their boards. Boards are supposed to be independent, but in many instances the CEO is also chairman and is able to direct the outcome of all votes. In addition, dual-class ownership structures may provide the leader with absolute voting control.
  • Cult of personality. Many of these leaders are visionaries with bigger-than-life personalities coupled with a story of how they will change an industry and maybe the world. They are quite persuasive and able to convince people to follow them. These leaders exude confidence and may bully people in pursuit of their vision. 
  • Opaqueness. By controlling the free flow of information, leaders are often able to block visibility to performance data that is critical to effective decision making and governance. When the board is not provided with information needed to govern and is shielded from a clear picture of company performance, governance is significantly harmed.

The presence of any of these three elements does not guarantee there will be a problem, but it is a clear signal there could be a problem.



There is a lot at stake here

Two important lessons emerged from our discussions with board members, extensive research, and experience dealing with the conundrums of multiple brilliant jerks:

  1. The presence of an authoritarian trailblazer requires special handling. The traditional corporate governance principles are needed, but must be supplemented with additional practices. With an inspired and highly controlling powerhouse at the helm, boards, investors, and employees need to be ready for a different journey
  2. The best actions to govern, thrive, and survive depend on the type of visionary you are dealing with. Dominant visionaries are not all the same. With some visionaries, there is a risk of getting in the way and curtailing the value they could create. With other types, complacency is a huge mistake. Left unsupervised, their behavior could destroy the company.

Our work is at the nexus of corporate governance and innovation and looks at how boards and others can best manage and work with leaders like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk and other dominant visionaries to maintain corporate control while not stifling innovation and creativity. This is the conundrum.

Marc J. Epstein, PhD was, until recently, Distinguished Research Professor of Management at Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University in Houston, Texas, as well as a former professor at Stanford Business School, Harvard Business School, and INSEAD. Dr. Epstein has written extensively on corporate and nonprofit board governance, the role of boards of directors, organizational trust, and corporate accountability. He is the author of 20 books and well over 200 professional papers that have won numerous top academic, professional, and business awards. Connect with him via theconumdrumpress@gmail.com.

Rob Shelton is a globally recognized Silicon Valley–based consultant, author, and speaker on entrepreneurial excellence, breakthrough innovation, and scaling to drive rapid growth. Over the past 40 years, Shelton served as trusted partner and adviser to CEOs and senior executives at leading organizations in the valley and around the world. Connect with Shelton via theconumdrumpress@gmail.com.  

Together, they previously collaborated (along with Tony Davila) on Making Innovation Work: How to Manage It, Measure It, and Profit from It (2006), a bestselling book from Wharton School Publishing. Their newest book, The Brilliant Jerk Conundrum, is available via Amazon and other fine booksellers.



'On some level, no one deserves to have that much money,' billionaire Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in response to Bernie Sanders saying billionaires shouldn't exist (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook Q&A, October 3, 2019

  • In a rare move toward transparency, Facebook livestreamed its employee Q&A session on Thursday evening.
  • It covered a wide range of topics, but one particularly interesting question concerned Sen. Bernie Sanders' recent statement that "I don't think that billionaires should exist."
  • Zuckerberg, a billionaire, partially agreed with Sanders. "On some level, no one deserves to have that much money," he said. "I think if you do something that's good, you get rewarded. But I do think some of the wealth that can be accumulated is unreasonable."
  • "I think you can think at the same time both that it's unfair that any individual might have that much wealth, yet still think that it's better for everyone that there's choice and competition of the ideas that get pushed out there," he said.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is a billionaire many times over — somewhere in the range of $70 billion, according to this year's Forbes 400.

In September, 2020 US presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders made a declarative statement about billionaires in an interview with The New York Times: "I don't think that billionaires should exist."

When Sanders said as much, he was explaining his plans for a wealth tax and a National Wealth Registry. "This proposal does not eliminate billionaires, but it eliminates a lot of the wealth that billionaires have," he said, "and I think that's exactly what we should be doing."

bernie sanders

On Thursday, in a rare move toward transparency within Facebook, the social media giant livestreamed its employee Q&A for anyone to see — and one brave employee asked Zuckerberg about being a billionaire.

"As the only billionaire I can consult this matter on, Mark, what is your perspective on Senator Sanders' statement?" he asked.

"I understand where he's coming from," Zuckerberg said. "I don't know if I have an exact threshold on what amount of money someone should have. But on some level, no one deserves to have that much money. I think if you do something that's good, you get rewarded. But I do think some of the wealth that can be accumulated is unreasonable."

Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have pledged to give away much of that vast wealth across their lifetimes through their philanthropic organization. But, as Zuckerberg pointed out, this type of philanthropy from the ultra-rich is widely criticized as a small group of unelected wealthy people choosing what does and doesn't get funded.

Read more: Mark Zuckerberg livestreamed his latest Facebook employee Q&A and blamed an intern for leaking the last one

"We're funding science for example," he said, in a reference to the philanthropic organization he and Chan run. "And some people would say 'Is it fair that a group of wealthy people get to, to some degree, choose which science projects get worked on?' I don't know how to answer that exactly."

Zuckerberg then made the argument for philanthropy and, more broadly, for the approach to philanthropy taken by billionaires like Zuckerberg.

"The alternative would be the government chooses all of the funding for all the stuff," he said. "What I worry about a little bit when I hear sentiments like what the Senator suggested is the suggestion that this should all be done publicly, I think, would deprive the market and world of a diversity of different attempts that can be taken."

This free market argument is a foundational belief in Libertarianism — that choice in the market is more important than government regulation. Sanders' wealth tax is a refutation of that philosophy that intends to impose strict financial regulation on the wealthiest Americans.

Zuckerberg believes you can have it both ways. 

"I think you can think at the same time both that it's unfair that any individual might have that much wealth, yet still think that it's better for everyone that there's choice and competition of the ideas that get pushed out there," he said.

Check out the full Q&A right here:

Live from our weekly internal Q&A

Live from our weekly internal Q&A.

Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, October 3, 2019

SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders says billionaires shouldn't exist as he rolls out a wealth-tax plan that's even more aggressive than Elizabeth Warren's

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Robots make burgers at this San Francisco start-up backed by Alphabet Inc.

Target says these will be the 32 toys every kid wants this holiday season (TGT)

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Target is looking to hit a bullseye with its toy selection this holiday season.

The national retailer recently published its latest "Bullseye's Top Toys" list, its annual roundup of the top-rated toys for the upcoming holiday season. These products include action figures, board games, hover boards, and gaming tech. Some items feature deals exclusive to Target, while others appear to reflect the company's recent team-up with Disney.

Read more: Walmart says these will be the 48 toys every kid wants this holiday season

"Coupled with our expanded fulfillment options, including our popular same-day services, we're making it easier than ever for families and gift-givers to choose Target this holiday season," Target's senior vice president of merchandising Christina Hennington said in a statement posted on the retailer's website.

Here's a look at the most anticipated toys at Target:

SEE ALSO: 7 mind-blowing facts about Target's business

DON'T MISS: Target is resurrecting its collaborations with Lilly Pulitzer, Zac Posen, Hunter, and other designers, and it's taking precautions to avoid the massive frenzies that plagued past events

SEE ALSO: Target is doubling down on same-day delivery as Walmart and Amazon spar over one-day delivery

L.O.L. Surprise! Amazing Surprise



Ryan's World Treasure Chest

Price: $79.99 Target exclusive



Animal Planet Extreme T-Rex Adventure Playset

Price$39.99Target exclusive



PAW Patrol Super Mighty Pups Lookout Tower

Price$99.99



PJ Masks PJ Seeker

Price: $54.99



Our Generation Movie Theater Playset

Price$149.99Target exclusive



Barbie Malibu House

Price$99.99



Jetson Strike Hoverboard

Price$149.99Target exclusive



Viro Rides Vega 2-in-1 Scooter

Price$299.99Target exclusive



Hot Wheels Colossal Crash Trackset

Price$99.99



Beyblade Burst Turbo Championship Clash Battle Set

Price$79.99Target exclusive



Marvel Avengers: Endgame Titan Hero Series

Price$9.99 to $23.99Target exclusive



Monster Jam Mega Grave Digger RC

Price$99.99



Fortnite Jumbo Loot Llama Piñata

Price$70.99



Fisher-Price Linkimals

Price$26.99



LeapFrog RockIt Twist

Price$49.99



Nintendo Switch

Price$199.99



Really Rad Robots Turbo Bot

Price$49.99



Owleez

Price$49.99



Cry Babies Interactive Baby Doll

Price$49.99Target exclusive



Little Live My Real Rescue Pink Scruff-a-Luv

Price$39.99Target exclusive



Buffalo Games Classic Pinball Board Game

Price$29.99Target exclusive



Pictionary Air

Price$19.99



Capsule Chix Ultimix Pack

Price$49.99



Poopsie Rainbow Surprise Slime Kit

Price$69.99



Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Stamper Kit

Price$24.99



Snapstar Pop Royalty: Echo’s Debut on the Pink Carpet

Price$24.99Target exclusive



LEGO Star Wars Resistance Y-Wing Starfighter

Price$69.99 



Disney Frozen 2 Arendelle Castle

Price$199.99 



Star Wars Ultimate D-O Interactive Droid

Price$149.99 Target exclusive



Disney Frozen Frantic Forest Game

Price$15.99 Target exclusive



LEGO Disney Princess Elsa’s Jewelry Box Creation

Price$39.99



I'm a social scientist and Holocaust refugee. To have true equal pay, we need a mindset shift

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Riane Eisler

  • Riane Eisler is an internationally renowned social systems scientist, cultural historian, and attorney. Her most recent book, co-authored with anthropologist Douglas P. Fry, is "Nurturing Our Humanity."
  • She is also a refugee of the Holocaust, which inspired her to study why different groups try to establish power over others. One of these issues is with the "gendered system of values" she sees in most cultures.
  • Eisler writes that traits seen as stereotypically "feminine," like soft emotions, are systemically devalued. But the systems that value of "masculine" traits have led to some of the "biggest problems" humanity faces.
  • To work towards true equity, society needs to have a mindset shift.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

I was a child refugee from the Holocaust. This impacted me greatly, pushing me to investigate the root causes of forces driving one group to seek and establish power over other groups. Today, I am a social systems scientist and cultural historian. I have spent the last four decades exploring social structures and values in relation to the major issues of our times. One of those issues is the unequal treatment of men and women in all realms of life, including the wage gap that persists between them. 

From soccer fields to the C-Suite, the rallying cry for equal pay for equal work by women is growing louder. While it is certainly necessary to focus on pay equity, let's not let those efforts prevent us from reexamining – and working to change — the broader social context that needs fixing.

Most cultures today, including American, are rooted in a gendered system of values. Besides the unnecessary and harmful fact of cutting behaviors and traits into two separate halves — the things women do, and the things men do – our old gender stereotypes and the devaluation of the "feminine" have biased us against anything stereotypically associated with women.  

Cooperation, love, kindness and the work they give rise to, including caring for people starting in childhood — these are among the behaviors stereotypically associated with women.  They are considered "soft," have been labeled "women's work," and given little or no economic value. And traits that align with "soft" behaviors have also been devalued — even scorned. 

Terrence Real, co-director of the Harvard University Gender Research Project, noted that young boys and girls in the US start off by being equally emotional, expressive, and dependent. But whereas girls are generally allowed to remain emotionally expressive, boys are subtly, and at times dramatically, socialized away from expressing their "soft" emotions and dependency needs. They are taught that "real" men despise and suppress in themselves anything that is "soft" or feminine, and to despise other men who express that aspect of their humanity.

In other words, our gendered system does not just create inequalities between men and women: it attaches unequal value to the very concepts and definitions of "masculine" and feminine"  No wonder female soccer players are perceived as less valuable than their male peers and that the work of caring for children is not economically valued. 

This dynamic is especially prevalent in what I call "domination" systems such as the one we are currently battling.  In domination systems, family, economic, and social structures support rigid top-down rankings: man over man, man over woman, race over race, religion over religion, etc.  Extreme examples include despotic regimes such as ISIS or the Taliban, North Korea under Kim Jong-un, and abusive parental behavior in individual families.  Fear, force, and insecurity are important factors in holding domination-oriented social systems together.  I discuss this in more depth in the new book I have written with anthropologist Douglas P. Fry, "Nurturing Our Humanity."

To varying degrees, we still find a domination orientation in our workplaces — athletic fields included.  Top-down rankings, fear of missteps that might lead to job loss or the destruction of a career and insecurity about myriad issues large and small abound.  Women must constantly ask themselves: Do I dare call my boss out on a flawed analysis he presented that will shape strategic planning for years to come? Is it okay for me to express my thoughts in a meeting?  Will my colleagues resent me for leaving earlier than they do each day to pick up my baby from daycare — and will this cause me to lose opportunities, responsibilities, status and pay?

Read more: At my first boardroom meeting, there wasn't a seat for me at the table full of white men, so I asked the CEO to move over

The 'partnership system'

In contrast, relations in what I call a "partnership system" — beginning with gender and childhood — are based on mutual respect, accountability, and equity.  Importantly, activities such as caring, caregiving, and nonviolence are not considered inferior or unproductive. We see the positive impact of partnership principles like equality, care, compassion, mutual respect, and accountability in European nations such as Sweden, Finland, and Norway, where men and women are partners in both the family and national leadership and a generally high standard of living, low crime rates, and high happiness scores prevail.

If we are to meet the growing calls for equal pay, we must call for a mindset shift — one that leaves behind old thinking in which anything associated with gender is viewed as "just" women's issues, and marginalized or ignored.  We must recognize that stereotypically "feminine" attributes are inherent in all people — male and female — and that these traits have immense value to society. At the same time, there is also an immense cost for scorning or devaluing these attributes, for men as well as for women.  

On the individual level, Dr. Real found that boys suffer from the requirement that they disassociate themselves from soft emotions …  For boys, he writes, "the development of their own sense of masculinity is not, as in most other forms of identity development, a steady movement toward something valued, as much as a repulsion from something devalued. Masculine identity development turns out to be not a process of development at all, but rather a process of elimination."

On the societal level, the domination-oriented systems we have inherited, founded upon stereotypical "masculine" attributes including domination, toughness, and a proclivity toward aggression, generate and exacerbate the biggest problems humanity faces today: the destruction of our natural environment, poverty, violence, war ...

When we recognize that stereotypically "feminine" attributes are inherent in all people, male and female, we begin to move toward an enduring equality between men and women in the workplace.  We also begin to shift to a system in which "productive" work is redefined to include caring for and educating people, and the significant economic value of these activities is acknowledged — ultimately changing how we measure economic health. These changes are needed for a day-to-day reality in which both boardrooms and nurseries are filled with equal numbers of women and men compensated equally, human value is seen as just that, and the work of caring for children, the elderly, and the sick, now still mostly done by women for free in households and poverty wages in the market, is justly rewarded. 

Joining together we can leave the gendered system of values that continues to cause so much misery behind — making our world better for all. 

SEE ALSO: 4 career lessons women often learn too late, according to an executive coach

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Animated map shows how cats spread across the world

The average American household size is on the rise for the first time in over a century, and it's partly because millennials can't afford to live by themselves

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roommates

  • The average American household size has increased for the first time in more than 160 years, according to the Pew Research Center.
  • Pew researcher Richard Fry said the trend is related to an increase in both the number of multigenerational family households and the number of Americans living in shared quarters.
  • As millennials play catch up from the Great Recession and struggle to afford soaring rent and housing prices, they're doubling up to save money.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The average American household size is on the rise — for the first time in 160-plus years.

From 1790 to 2010, the average US household size declined from 5.79 people to 2.58, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of US Census data. In 2018, that number saw an uptick for the first time since 1850 (Pew noted that average household size is not available for the years between 1790 and 1850), with 2.63 people per household. While this trend is seen among most age groups, it's most prominent among adults ages 35 and older.

Pew researcher Richard Fry wrote that the previous decline in household size correlated with the decrease in the number of children women were having, as well as fewer extended family living arrangements.

The uptick is likely due to several factors, Fry wrote. For one thing, from 1980 to 2016, the number of Americans living in a multigenerational family household has increased from 12% to 20%.

There's also the fact that, since the Great Recession, more Americans are residing in shared quarters, whether it's with a roommate or with parents, Fry wrote. The number of shared households increased from 17% to 20% from 2007 to 2019, he said.

Read more: The 25 US cities where the most millennials still live with their parents, ranked

Millennials are doubling up to afford housing and save money

The Great Recession left millennials, particularly the older cohort, playing catch up with their finances. As they struggled with wage stagnation, student-loan debt, and rising living costs, it became difficult for them to save. That's not to mention today's housing market: Both rent and home prices have increased exponentially since the 1980s, according to Student Loan Hero.

As Allie Volpe previously reported for The Atlantic, the number of Americans aged 18 to 34 with roommates increased by 23% from 2005 to 2015, according to the US Census Bureau.

Consider the 35% of millennials still living with their parents, according to Country Financial's Security Index. Doyle Williams, an executive vice president at Country Financial, said in a press release that this time can give millennials the chance to build an emergency fund and save for a down payment.

There's also the rise of communal living, or "co-living" spaces, in urban areas like New York and San Francisco.

"The market for communal living, or 'co-living,' spaces is quickly crowding," wrote Business Insider's Melia Robinson, adding that they're "competing for millennials' dollars as young people continue moving to high-priced urban areas."

Living with others is becoming a necessity to cut costs in trying times.

SEE ALSO: The trendy co-living spaces attracting millennials in New York and San Francisco are just the latest version of a concept that's been around for 200 years

DON'T MISS: More than half of 20-somethings still count on money from their parents to pay their bills

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The most expensive racing pigeon sold for $1.4 million in China. Here's why people drop millions on these prized birds.

This $60 cotton shirt from Everlane is the perfect oversized button-up

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  • Everlane's $60 Silky Cotton Oversized Shirt is the perfect iteration of the oversized button-up. 
  • Drapery along the shoulder blades creates an oversized look without adding bulk, and the material is slightly smoother than traditional cotton.
  • It's also easy to care for: throw it in the washing machine and tumble dry on low.

If you've spent time online, you're probably familiar with the "expectation" vs "reality" formula used to communicate the disconnect between what we often hope to be true, and what is in fact true.

For me, no piece of clothing embodies this principle better than the oversized button up.

In my mind, an oversized button-up creates a mirage of the effortless, masculine-chic of former rom-com stars — the Diane Keatons, Meg Ryans, and Julia Roberts. But in reality, it more often looks like your older brother's hand-me-down — a deflated cotton parachute you need to be cut out of. 

Everlane's $60 Silky Cotton Oversized Shirt is the affordable exception to this rule. It's tapered where it should be (your arms, your sides) and voluminous where it should be (your back) so you don't lose your shape entirely. Thanks to smart pleating across the shoulder blades, the "oversized" effect is achieved mostly through draping, so it doesn't balloon out indiscriminately when tucked in. In the end, the fit is relaxed and refined.

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My Blue Indigo shirt also has a slight luxe sheen to it, thanks to the "Silky Cotton" that makes it feel smoother and slicker than traditional cotton. Like all cotton, it's cooling and soft. It's also easy to care for; machine wash it, and if you're feeling attentive, tumble dry low. I typically skip the latter, and it's survived intact in texture and color thus far.

It's a classic, so it comes in classic colors — black, blue indigo, off-white, and grey and white pinstripes. It's lightweight, so I can't speak to the sheerness of lighter colors, but I can wear black undergarments underneath the Indigo without issue. It's true to size, and comes in sizes 00 through size 16. 

While you can find cheaper button-ups elsewhere, I haven't found a better option for an oversized fit. There are more expensive options — like Ayr's $125 Deep End shirt— but this is the best option I've found for the price.  

Overall, it's the shortcut for a closet staple that's easy to do incorrectly. Per Everlane's description, it is, in fact, "that perfect button-down you can never find, found." It's got the breathability and softness of something you'd scout secondhand stores for, and the intuitive design that's most successfully found in of-the-moment production. 

The Silky Cotton Oversized Shirt, available at Everlane, $60

Join the conversation about this story »

5 bizarre houses in the Bay Area that have caused controversy and torn neighborhoods apart

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45 Berryessa Way_exterior_55 flintstone house

  • California and the Bay Area specifically are known for their unorthodox, quirky nature.
  • People often have strong feelings about these unique homes, and may either love them or hate them.
  • Some homes are so controversial that the owners have been fined or even taken to court.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

With unusual buildings, there's often someone who thinks its an eyesore. The Bay Area is no exception.

Silicon Valley and the nearby Bay Area are known for the luxurious mansions that are home to tech millionaires, but they also have some experimental architecture that pushes the limits of what counts as a home.

Some examples have even been challenged in court as public nuisances. Unusual paint jobs and architectural oddities make some houses stand out in monotonous neighborhoods.

Here are 5 controversial houses in and around Silicon Valley. Whether they're eyesores or cool works of art is for the beholder to decide.

SEE ALSO: A four-floor penthouse in an iconic working San Francisco clock tower is on sale for $6 million

1. The Flintstones House in Hillsborough, California.

This cartoon-inspired house in Silicon Valley isn't loved by everyone. The California town it was built in, Hillsborough, sued the owner of this house Florence Fang in March to force her to remove dinosaur statues and a sign that reads "Yabba Dabba Doo."

The town called her additions to the property a "public nuisance" in the lawsuit and claimed that she did not have proper permits for the additions, according to the New York Times.

 



The owner is counter-suing and alleging discrimination. The court case is ongoing.



2. The "Fish House" in Berkeley is famous in the area.

Architect Eugene Tssui designed this unusual home for his parents based on the tardigrade, a micro-animal that is considered nearly indestructible, according to local media publication Berkeleyside.

His parents wanted a home that could survive an earthquake, so Tssui based his design on the creature, although he now calls it by the better-known name of Fish House.

 



A 1995 East Bay Express article called "Not in My Backyard" covered the drama between Tssui and his Berkeley neighbors, who didn't want the sci-fi looking house on their street.

One neighbor told the paper, "It's not that I don't like the house. Somewhere else it might be okay, in the hills, for example, or with more space in the desert. In Disneyland, I think it's a cool house."

Today, the home is a popular tourist attraction.



3. The Bike House in San Francisco is unlike anything else.

This Laurel Heights home incorporates bikes into every aspect of the building, including windows made from wheels, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

It stands out in a neighborhood of predominantly Victorian and Edwardian-style houses.



4. The Alameda "Spite House" is one of only a few such structures left in the US

A spite house is a building constructed to annoy neighbors or city officials, usually by blocking out sunlight, street access, or just being an eyesore. 

According to Atlas Obscura, this house was built around the turn of the century, when the city of Alameda took most of a plot of land inherited by Charles Frolling in order to build a street.

Frolling had intended to use the land to build his dream home, but the city and an unsympathetic neighbor ruined his plans.

To get back at them, Frolling used what little land he had left to build an oddly proportioned house: 20 feet high, 54 feet long, and only 10 feet wide.

He built the house as an intended eyesore to remind the city of how it wronged him, and also to inconvenience his neighbor by partially blocking street access.

This house was grandfathered in; modern zoning laws wouldn't allow a structure like this to be built today.



5. An octagon-shaped home in San Francisco is unusual.

For a time in the 19th century, octagon-shaped houses were all the rage, because they were thought to be more efficient, with fewer building materials, and cheaper to heat, according to Atlas Obscura.

In reality, they were difficult to furnish and layout floor plans. The style became known as "Fowler's folly," after the misguided man who promoted them.

This house was built in 1861 and is now owned by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.




How to reset your Google Wifi device in 2 different ways

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If your Google Wifi isn't working properly, or you're going to send the device back to Google, you should perform a factory reset first. 

Resetting your Google Wifi wipes all data off the device, helping it work properly as well as protecting your data and erasing your settings.

Just note that if you perform a reset on the device itself, this information will still be preserved on the app for up to six months.

Here's what you need to know to reset your Google Wifi, in two different ways. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Google Wifi (From $259 at Best Buy)

How to reset a Google Wifi on the device 

1. Unplug the Google Wifi unit's power cable.

2. Begin holding down the reset button on the back of the device.

google wifi

3. With the button depressed, reconnect the power source.

4. When the unit flashes white, then blue, release the button.

If the hardware continues to flash blue for another half minute and then the lights turn solid blue, the reset is underway. 

Once the blue flashing begins again, the device is reset and can be used like new or sent away.

How to reset a Google Wifi in the app

1. Pull up the Google Wifi app and click on the "Settings" section.

2. Open the "Network & General" tab.

3. Tap the "Wi-Fi points" tab under Network.

4. Tap "Factory Reset" and then confirm on the next screen by tapping the same words again.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

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The richest man in Hong Kong just pledged $127 million to help small, local businesses struggling because of the mass protests that have been sweeping through the city

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  • Li Ka-shing, the richest man in Hong Kong, has pledged to donate HK$1 billion ($127 million) to help local businesses suffering after months of mass protests caused an economic meltdown, his charitable foundation announced October 4.
  • Now in their seventeenth week, the protests escalated October 1 after a police officer shot a protester.
  • The tumult also erased billions off of the fortunes of the city's wealthiest citizens, Li included, Business Insider previously reported.
  • In August, Li took out newspaper ads asking the protesters to "stop anger and violence in the name of love."
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hong Kong's richest man is stepping to help businesses struggling to recover from months of political and economic unrest.

On October 4, Li Ka-Shing, the billionaire often called "superman," said that he plans to contribute HK$1 billion ($127 million) to a $2 billion recovery fund set up by the Hong Kong government through his charitable foundation. The foundation said in a statement that local authorities would help it decide how to distribute the funds.

Li said that the gift was intended to "ease the pressure" on the city's small businesses and that it "will take the lead" in encouraging others to contribute to recovery efforts, according to a statement translated by Forbes.

The Li Ka-Shing Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on where the funds will be sent and how they will be spent.

Li previously asked Hong Kong protesters to "stop anger and violence in the name of love"

In August, Li took out newspaper ads asking the protesters to "stop anger and violence in the name of love." The protests began in July over an extradition bill with mainland China but have since expanded their focus to police actions and their democratic system. Li spoke out in favor of the protesters in September after things became violent, Bloomberg reported. The unrest continued to escalate, however, as protesters threw acid on authorities and a police officer shot a protester on October 1.

Read more: The richest man in Hong Kong has lost $3 billion since July, and now he's joining the chorus of wealthy citizens calling for the 10-week protests to end

According to an August report by The Financial Times' Hudson Lockett, a stock market rout thought to have been caused by the protests wiped an estimated $3 billion off Li's net worth in July and August. The collective net worths of Hong Kong's 10 richest people shrank by approximately $15 billion during that same period, according to Lockett. Billionaires Merlin Swire, Peter Woo, and the Kwok family also put out statements condemning the protests though their companies, Business Insider previously reported.

Li, 91, has a net worth of $27.1 billion, according to Forbes. Li, who was born in China but moved to Hong Kong in 1940, began his career as a factory worker. He built his fortune as a real-estate developer and major investor in port operator and cell phone carrier CK Hutchison Holdings. Li retired from the conglomerate in May 2018, but still serves as a senior advisor.

Li is also a noted philanthropist: In June, he pledged to cover 5 years of tuition for an entire college class, a move that will cost him $14.4 million each year. 

SEE ALSO: Boardroom battles, bribery, and kidnapping: Meet Hong Kong's richest family, who has lost over $2 billion since the protests began

DON'T MISS: The investment firm founded by Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, just bought the biggest pub and brewery chain group in the UK — here's his incredible rags-to-riches life story

Join the conversation about this story »

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13 billionaires who dropped out of college before making their fortunes

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You don't need an Ivy League degree to become a billionaire. In fact, some billionaires don't have degrees at all — though not always for lack of trying.

Some dropped out to focus on their companies, like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while others made their fortunes long after leaving school, like Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick. These billionaires dropped out of a wide variety of schools, from Harvard to UCLA to The City College of New York.

Read more: 5 Hollywood celebrities who became billionaires and are vastly more rich than their peers

Approximately 1 in 8 billionaires on the 2018 Forbes 400 ranking of the wealthiest people in America was a college dropout, Business Insider's Rachel Premack previously reported. 

Keep reading to meet 13 billionaires who also happen to be college dropouts.

SEE ALSO: Meet Laura Arnold, the billionaire philanthropist taking on the parole system with Jay-Z and Meek Mill

DON'T MISS: This is how the world's 5 youngest billionaires spend their time and money

Fashion designer Ralph Lauren dropped out of Baruch College at The City College of New York.

The 79-year-old designer founded his eponymous fashion company by selling ties out of his desk drawer while working in an office in the Empire State Building, according to the company's website

Called "the man who made American fashion cool" by Forbes, Lauren currently has a net worth of $5.8 billion — and he only finished two years of college.



WhatsApp cofounder and former CEO Jan Koum dropped out of San Jose State University.

Koum worked at Yahoo for nine years before founding WhatsApp, Business Insider previously reported in May 2017.

The 43-year-old computer programmer has a net worth of $10 billion, Forbes estimates. 



Mark Zuckerberg left Harvard after his sophomore year to focus on Facebook.

Zuckerberg founded the social network to help fellow students learn the names of the people in their classes, Business Insider previously reported. He dropped out shortly after.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur has a current net worth of $66 billion, Forbes estimates.



Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson dropped out of the City College of New York.

Adelson first became wealthy after founding a company called COMDEX that hosted technology-focused trade shows, Business Insider previously reported in May 2019. In 1995, Adelson and his partners sold it along with other smaller shows to SoftBank for $862 million. 

The 86-year-old has a net worth of $33.1 billion, Forbes estimates.



CNN founder Ted Turner left Brown University before graduating ... but not by choice.

Turner was expelled from Brown for allowing his girlfriend to live with him in his dorm room, Business Insider previously reported. Despite the rather murky end to Turner's time as a student there, the university issued him honorary degrees years later.

The 80-year-old has a net worth of $2.2 billion, Forbes estimates.



Ty Warner, the creator of Beanie Babies, dropped out of Kalamazoo College in 1962 because he couldn't afford it, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Warner went on to sell encyclopedias, work as a valet, and sell stuffed animals for now-defunct toy company Dakin before founding Ty Inc. and creating the iconic Beanie Baby, according to HuffPost. Forbes reports that Warner also owns several hotels, including the Four Seasons in New York.

But Warner's career wasn't without controversy. He pled guilty to charges of tax evasion in 2017 for hiding income in a Swiss bank, according to HuffPost.

The 74-year-old now has a net worth of $2.6 billion, Forbes estimates.

Source: Chicago Tribune



DreamWorks Animation cofounder David Geffen once lied about having graduated from UCLA to keep a job in the mailroom of now-defunct talent agency William Morris.

Geffen later admitted publicly that he had actually dropped out of the University of Texas at Austin, according to Forbes. He worked as a talent agent at William Morris prior to founding DreamWorks.

The 76-year-old is now the richest man in Hollywood, and Forbes estimates that his net worth is about $8.4 billion.

Source: Business Insider



Michael Dell dropped out of the University of Texas at Austin to sell computers.

As a student, Dell spent his spare time upgrading PCs and selling them from his dorm room, Business Insider previously reported in November 2018. He made $180,000 in his first month of business the summer after his freshman year and never went back to school.

The 54-year-old has a current net worth of $30.6 billion, Forbes estimates. 



Oracle founder Larry Ellison dropped out of two different universities.

Ellison enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after high school but dropped out during his sophomore year after his adoptive mother died, Business Insider previously reported. He later completed one semester at the University of Chicago.

Read more: The life and rise of billionaire Oracle founder and international playboy Larry Ellison, who dropped out of college twice and has a $68 billion fortune

The 75-year-old has a net worth of $63 billion, according to Forbes.



Bill Gates left Harvard after two years to found Microsoft.

In 2010, The Harvard Crimson called Gates "Harvard's most successful dropout." He left the Ivy League school during his sophomore year in 1975.

The 63-year-old is worth $102 billion, according to Forbes.

Read more: Bill Gates is no longer the 2nd-richest person in the world. Here's how he spends his $107 billion fortune, from a luxury car collection to incredible real estate



Uber cofounder and former CEO Travis Kalanick studied computer engineering at UCLA before dropping out to work on now-defunct search engine Scour.

After Scour filed for bankruptcy, Kalanick also founded a networking-software company called Red Swoosh. Kalanick sold Red Swoosh to Akamai for $23 million in 2007, Business Insider previously reported. He used some of that money to spend a year traveling the world before founding Uber.

The 43-year-old has a net worth of $3.7 billion, Forbes estimates.

Read more: The life and rise of Travis Kalanick, Uber's controversial billionaire co-founder and former CEO



Donald Newhouse dropped out of Syracuse University to join his family's publishing business.

Newhouse went on to build that business, Advance Publications, into a media empire. The company now owns numerous television stations, newspapers, and magazine publisher Conde Nast, Forbes reports.

Newhouse, 90, now has a net worth of $12.8 billion, according to Forbes, and in 2016, he returned to Syracuse to accept an honorary degree and deliver a commencement speech to that year's graduating class.



Carnival Corp. chairman Micky Arison dropped out of the University of Miami to help his father found their now-famous cruise line.

The first position Arison ever held at Carnival was sales representative. He went on to serve as the company's CEO for 34 years, according to Forbes.

Arison, 70, has a net worth of $7.7 billion, Forbes estimates.

Read more: The 25 richest people in New York, ranked



26 thoughtful cookbooks to gift to every type of home cook

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26 thoughtful cookbooks to gift 4x3

  • If you're shopping for someone who loves to cook, your best bet may be a cookbook they don't already have.
  • Below, shop 26 of the best cookbooks you can give — ranging from the classics to trendy new titles.

Do you know someone whose greatest joy is arranging an artisanal cheese board, watching "Barefoot Contessa," or "coaxing" flavors out of ingredients? For them, a cookbook may be your most thoughtful gift. Pair it with a rolling pin, apron, or nice bottle of wine. Or, keep a couple on hand as expert-level host gifts for the holiday season

Below are 21 cookbooks to give as gifts this year — spanning notable newcomers, cult-favorite food-blogs-turned-books, and award-winning tomes from renowned chefs that reimagine the culinary landscape. Some are best sellers, some hidden gems, and some plucked from our own thoughtfully stocked kitchens at home.

Below are 26 giftable cookbooks:

"Antoni in the Kitchen" by Antoni Porowski

Antoni in the Kitchen, $17.99

Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert on Netflix's "Queer Eye" reboot, has debuted his first cookbook. It's full of weeknight healthy-ish meals that are typically composed of fewer than five ingredients. 

 



"Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over" by Alison Roman

Nothing Fancy, $29.25

This is the cookbook you go to when you have either want to have a fun night in with a friend or a party with fifteen friends. Alison Roman is here to help you keep the occasion fun and not stressful. Expect vegetables and grains and how-tos for a DIY martini bar, coconut-braised chicken and chickpeas, and pans of lemony turmeric tea cake. 



"Feast" by Sarah Copeland

Feast: Generous Vegetarian Meals for Any Eater and Every Appetite, $24.39

Sarah Copeland's "Feast" includes over 140 vegetable-based recipes that cater to cooks of all skill levels and meal occasions — from peppery Hungarian cuisine to bibimbap. 



"Eat What You Watch" by Andrew Rea

Eat What You Watch: A Cookbook for Movie Lovers, $22.36

The is the perfect cookbook for the movie buff, setting down many iconic movie moments into recipes — from the redemptive birthday cake in Sixteen Candles to the elaborate timpano from Big Night. 



"Natural Wine for the People: What It Is, Where to Find It, How to Love It" by Alice Feiring

Natural Wine for the People, $13.89

Know friends who love wine, and might appreciate an intro into natural wine? This condensed illustrated guide makes short work of the fundamentals: minimal intervention, lack of additives, and organic and biodynamic growing methods.



"The Frankie Spuntino Kitchen Companion" by Frank Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo, and Peter Meehan

The Frankie Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual, $18.14

Frankies Spuntino is a tin-ceilinged, brick-walled restaurant in Brooklyn that draws crowds from every walk of life for food that is deeply satisfying. Here, the entire Frankies menu — and it's reimagined Italian American comfort food — is adapted for the home cook. 



"The Southerner's Cookbook" by Garden and Gun

The Southerners Cookbook: Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories, $26.12

"Garden and Gun" is a magazine for all things Southern, including the best of cooking dining, cocktails, and customs. The basics like biscuits and fried chicken are present, as well as uniquely regional dishes like sonker from North Carolina and Minorcan chowder from Florida. 



"Mastering Spice: Recipes and Techniques to Transform Your Everyday Cooking" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Mastering Spice, $24.50

Readers will learn all about spice from Lior Lev Sercarz, owner of New York City spice shop La Boîte, and a professionally trained chef who has cooked at some of the world's most renown restaurants. Every section begins with a master recipe and technique, then Lior teaches readers how to change the spices or a few of the ingredients to get a profoundly different dish for a more creative and intuitive way of cooking.



"Platters and Boards" by Shelly Westerhausen

Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual Spreads for Every Occasion, $17.99

In her best-selling cookbook, author and food blogger Shelley Westerhausen shares 40 casually chic spreads (complete with meat and drink pairings) that anyone can make and enjoy. It's also a visual cornucopia that's just as satisfying to flip through as to use when hosting get-togethers. 



"Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking" by Dana Shultz

Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking: 101 Entirely Plant-based, Mostly Gluten-Free, Easy and Delicious Recipes, $29.99

"Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking" is the highly anticipated cookbook from the popular food blog "Minimalist Baker," covering over 100 simple, delicious, vegan recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, one bowl or pot, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. 



"Weeknight Baking: Recipes to Fit Your Schedule" by Michelle Lopez

Weeknight Recipes, $35

If you're looking for a how-to on balancing a love of baking with a busy schedule, Michelle Lopez is the right fit. On top of a demanding tech job, Lopez has been running the popular blog "Hummingbird High" for the past several years. In her cookbook, Lopez delivers delicious confections alongside cute stories and time-saving tips and tricks. 



"Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow." by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes, $15.99

This best-selling cookbook is full of the recipes Shalane Flanagan ate while training for her historic 2017 TCS New York City Marathon win. That includes pre-run snacks, recovery breakfasts, and 30-minute dinners that are healthy but also taste indulgent — perfect for athletes of any kind. 



"A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches" by Tyler Kord

A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches, $14.39

Chef Tyler Kord reveals the recipes that made his New York City sandwich shop No. 7 Sub so delicious. As Insider Picks reporter Brandt Ranj put it, "what makes the cookbook 'super upsetting' are many of the revelations it contains about the realities of factory farming, produce accessibility, and balancing the desire to create food that's affordable while also paying his staff a living wage. This cookbook made me drool and think, which is no small feat."



"The Food Lab" by J. Kenji López-Alt

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, $39.89

Winner of the James Beard Award for General Cooking and the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award, "The Food Lab" has been called the "one book you must have, no matter what you're planning to cook or where your skill level falls" by The New York Times Book Review. Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes (heat, energy, molecules) that make the food great — showing that often, conventional methods don't work very well, and home cooks could benefit from new — but simple — techniques. 



"The Missoni Cookbook" by Francesco Maccapani Missoni

The Missoni Family Cookbook, $38.71

The Missoni family is best known for their bright knitwear, but they're also known for throwing coveted Fashion Week dinner parties. This aptly colorful cookbook is curated by Francesco Maccapani Missoni, son of Angela Missoni, and details the family's favorite delicious recipes. It's the perfect mix of fashion and food.



"Jerusalem" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Jerusalem: A Cookbook, $18.99

Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were both born in Jerusalem in the same year — Tamimi on the Arab east side and Ottolenghi in the Jewish west. Their cookbook is a unique, cross-cultural homage to the vibrant flavors of the city in totality, in over 100 recipes. 



"A Baker's Year" by Tara Jensen

A Baker's Year: Twelve Months of Baking and Living the Simple Life at the Smoke Signals Bakery, $15.30

"A Baker's Year" is part biography, part recipe guide by Instagram bread-baking sensation Tara Jensen. It's broken up into 12 chapters (one per month) and contains both a recipe reliant upon seasonal ingredients as well as a chronicle of what's happening in Jensen's life at the time. It's personal, compelling, and compiled with good at-home recipes. 



"Molly on the Range" by Molly Yeh

Molly on the Range: Recipes and Stories from An Unlikely Life on a Farm, $26.78

Molly Yeh is the star of Food Network's "Girl Meets Farm" and winner of the Judges' Choice IACP Cookbook Award. "Molly on the Range" explores home, family, her Jewish and Chinese heritage, and Yeh's Midwestern farm life. 



"Plenty" by Yotam Ottolenghi

Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi, $17.99

"Plenty" is the well-lauded cookbook from Yotam Ottolenghi that launched him as an international food celebrity. Ottolenghi includes 120 vegetarian recipes in "Plenty" that meld the surprising flavors and fresh combinations of London's diverse cuisine. 



"Cooking for Jeffrey" by Ina Garten

Cooking for Jeffery: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, $19.95

One of the best-loved cookbooks of recent years, "Cooking for Jeffery" celebrates Garten's joy of cooking for loved ones — particularly her husband, Jeffrey, ever since they were married over 40 years ago. The delicious, comforting meals the Gartens shared became the basis for her career in food, and this cookbook is an homage to them. 



"The Flavor Bible" by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs, $24.99

Drawing on dozens of leading chefs' combined experience in top restaurants across the country, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg set down a definitive guide to seasoning ingredients to coax the greatest possible flavor from them.



"Appetites" by Anthony Bourdain

Appetites: A Cookbook, $28.12

"Appetites" boils down 40-plus years of professional cooking and traveling into this the canon of all the dishes that (in Bourdain's opinion) everyone should know how to cook. 



"Heritage" by Sean Brock

Heritage, $31.34

Sean Brock is the chef behind the popular Husk and Mcgrady's restaurants in Charleston and Nashville. Brock grew up in Appalachia and Charleston, and much of his culinary drive comes from preserving and celebrating heritage foods of the south — with an inspired reinterpretation of recipes he learned at home and at work. "Heritage" is a very personal cookbook, with notes that also explain Brock's background and give context to his food and essays. 



"Power Foods" by Whole Living Magazine

Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, $16.46

Whole Living Magazine helps you incorporate more of the world's healthiest foods — like berries, tomatoes, and nuts — into everyday meals. The cookbook is broken into chapters on breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, soups, main dishes, and so on for easy navigation. 



"A Feast of Ice and Fire" by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer

A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook, $22.61

Look no further for a practical but entirely fun gift for Game of Thrones fans. With a foreword by George R.R. Martin, this book pieces together recipes for honeyfingers, lemon cakes, and the meals served at a feast at Winterfell. 



"Dining In" by Alison Roman

Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes, $25.46

This is one of the most notable cookbooks of the moment. "Dining In" comes with over 100 recipes for chic dishes that utilize quick-trick techniques for building ideal flavor and saving time. 



14 animals that are surprisingly legal to own as pets in the US

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Domesticated Fox

  • Celebrities from Michael Jackson to Salvador Dali have popularized the idea of owning exotic animals as house pets. 
  • From lions to tigers to bears, some of the exotic animals that are legal to own in the US will surely surprise you. 
  • Though it may be legal to own some of these animals, many experts advise against it because of the special care these animals require. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

George Clooney and Miley Cyrus have happily called baby pigs their pets. Tori Spelling famously cares for a chicken named Coco who sleeps in her bed.

But those creatures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unusual animals that are legal to privately own in the US.

The laws regarding exotic pet ownership vary by state. Animal rights advocates advise against keeping most wild animals in captivity, but that hasn't stopped exotic pet lovers from legally owning everything from ferrets and foxes to more dangerous beasts like alligators, bears, and tigers.

Here is a list of 14 animals that are surprisingly legal to own in the US. 

SEE ALSO: 10 jobs that pay well and let you live out your childhood fantasy, from stunt performer to ice cream taster

DON'T MISS: 7 things I wish I'd known before adopting a dog

Salvador Dali owned a pet anteater — and you can too.

It's been 50 years since eccentric artist Salvador Dali was photographed in Paris walking his pet anteater, but this unusual animal is still beloved by plenty of modern-day exotic pet enthusiasts.

Especially beloved is the 10-pound tamandua— the diminutive cousin of the giant anteater — which makes for a cuddly, non-violent companion in many states. Tamanduas love to gobble up termites and — you guessed it — ants, though this doesn't make them an effective form of pest control, according to many experts.



The majority of tigers live as pets, not in the wild.

About 5,000 tigers live in legal captivity in more than a dozen states — many as privately owned pets — while the population of wild tigers has dwindled to about 3,890, according to the World Wildlife Fund

Owning a pet tiger may sound thrilling — Mike Tyson sure thinks so— but caring for it can be a serious challenge. A tiger's diet can consist of up to 88 pounds of meat in one sitting, and its enclosure should be as big as 40 square miles. While studies show tigers can peacefully coexist with people, any frustrated, cooped-up cat has the capacity to eventually lash out.



Foxes are as smart as dogs, and could be on the way to domestication.

It may sound odd, but over the years, wild foxes have been bred to live almost like dogs and cats — but not exactly, as they're hard to fully domesticate. 

Today, pet foxes are legal in up to 15 states, but the rules vary by breed. The most common, the fennec fox, is an adorably petite pack animal that is pretty docile — though it is still important to note that even these tiny furry friends are not fully domesticated.



Pet tarantulas can be quite the handful.

They might technically be warm and fuzzy, but tarantulas will balk at human handling and generally prefer a dark place to hide out until their next meal. That meal typically consists of other creepy crawlies like crickets, mealworms, and roaches

While these supercharged spiders may not be your typical family pet, plenty of intrepid arachnophiles disagree — and it's perfectly legal for them own tarantulas in many states.



An alligator is a huge commitment — and it might outlive you.

Believe it or not, it's legal to privately own this notoriously deadly reptile in a number of states, according to FindLaw, including the unofficial home of the gator: Florida.

Pet owners tend to fall in love with baby alligators, which are less than a foot in length and virtually harmless. But adults can grow to be more than 11 feet long, weigh a whopping 1,000 pounds, and live up to 50 years, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Plus, their carnivorous appetite is practically insatiable — and pet owners can be seen as tasty meals.



Kangaroos are controversial, but they're legal in some states.

Though kangaroos are indigenous to Australia, some have made their way into backyards throughout the US. Many animal advocates, however, are fighting back against the laws that allow private citizens to keep them as pets, arguing that inhumane conditions have led to too many kangaroo deaths at the hands of unprepared caretakers. 

Wallabies, a smaller and more docile kind of kangaroo, are a bit more common in the exotic pet world — Elvis Presley briefly had a couple— but like their larger counterparts, they can also become dangerous when agitated, according to The Spruce Pets.



If you're stressed out, consider a pet llama.

The cool, low-key llama is often recruited as a therapy animal, which is why it makes such a great family pet in the states where it's legal.

A pet llama is loyal, affectionate, clean, and generally low-maintenance as long as it has plenty of outdoor space — and preferably a furry cohort by its side, as llamas are herd animals, according to Good Housekeeping.

Need another compelling reason to adopt a few of these cuties? It turns out llamas rival guard dogs in their ability to ward off predators, according to Mother Earth News.



Owning a skunk isn't as stinky as it sounds.

Most domestic skunks have been bred in captivity, where they've had their scent glands removed at a young age, according to PBS. Some animal advocates have called the practice inhumane, as de-scented skunks likely wouldn't survive in the wild if they got lost. 

But those who call this surprisingly playful creature a pet in the 17 states where it's legal know that a very well-fed skunk that gets a lot of attention, affection, and discipline likely won't stray far from home.



A porcupine can be a pretty easygoing pet — but it can also be prickly.

Yes, it's possible to pet a porcupine, and a number of states allow you to keep one as a pet. But safely handling this spiky rodent takes patience and skill. That lesson has been learned the hard way by one too many curious dogs who have found themselves on the receiving end of a quill attack.

Porcupines can be trained to a degree — and some even grow to be affectionate toward humans — but bear in mind they're solitary creatures who can become violent when agitated.



Yes, boa constrictors can easily kill you, but they probably won't.

Despite its ominous name, a boa constrictor is quite gentle when properly cared for. This usually involves custom enclosures with simulated tropical conditions and a diet consisting of pre-killed rats and mice on a weekly or monthly basis, according to The Spruce Pets

Needless to say, this exotic, non-venomous pet is not for the faint of heart. But its docile nature — when not provoked, of course — has earned it legal status in plenty of states.



A pet cougar can be tamed, but it can never be domesticated.

Wildcats are just that — wild. Yet a number of US states allow you to keep them in captivity, according to Big Cat Rescue.

A popular choice for exotic pet owners is the cougar, which is obviously also a risky one.

Though a privately owned cougar will eventually grow accustomed to its owners, it can never be domesticated like a dog or a cat. The best you can hope for is a docile — and sometimes playful — pet that won't crush you to death with its powerful jaw.



Two-toed sloths are the darlings of the exotic pet world — just ask Kristen Bell.

Actress Kristen Bell went viral in 2012 after she publicly burst into tears upon meeting a two-toed sloth. The internet largely agreed — these tree-dwelling creatures are irresistible. But they're also high-maintenance creatures that are accustomed to wild, tropical habitats that can't always be duplicated by pet owners. 

Even though sloths are legal to own in several states, the Sloth Conservation Foundation warns not to mistake their slow-moving nature for comfort. Stillness is actually a defense mechanism they've developed to blend in when they feel threatened by predators.



A pet bear can be your best friend — or your worst enemy.

Oh my, you really can keep a bear as a pet in more than a dozen states — though that won't be the case for long if the Humane Society has its way.

And while bears have been known to develop affectionate relationships with their human caregivers, there have been far too many cautionary tales of bears who snapped and mauled people out of nowhere after lifelong relationships. That's because — pets or not — bears are wild animals with primal instincts that can be activated in the blink of an eye.



Owning a pet monkey is like raising a toddler for 40 years.

Sure, monkeys are cute and in some ways remind us of tiny humans — but that's part of the reason they're such a handful to raise as pets. Monkeys require constant care and attention, and many will live up to 40 years, according to the Primate Rescue Center

That means four decades of diapers, not to mention aggressive behaviors like biting and throwing feces. Still, that hasn't deterred exotic pet owners throughout the US from owning everything from mischievous capuchin monkeys (like Ross had on "Friends") to high-maintenance chimpanzees (think Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles).



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