As the famous saying goes, the only two things certain in life are death and taxes. The possibilities of death are endless, so see where you you stack up against the odds of dying from different causes in any given year in America based on the most recent data from the National Safety Council.
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While most New Yorkers avoid the wandering crowds of tourists, costumed characters, and bombarding big screens of Times Square, I chose to live there.
After renting in the Upper West Side for two years and being fed up with my reliance on the temperamental No. 1 train, I decided to look for a new apartment that had more access to trains.
My search landed me in a year-long lease in the neon heart of New York City — where I had 12 subway lines to choose from.
As 2015 comes to an end, and an estimated 1 million flock to watch the famous New Year's Eve ball slowly descend, here's what it was like to live at the center of the world's third most visited tourist attraction.
NOTE: My rent skyrocketed — believe it or not — and I was forced out of my beloved Times Square neighborhood.
We at Business Insider aren't recommending man buns — it's a trendy style that's already at least partially on it's way out.
So we're not saying you should do a man bun, but if you really want to, we'd like you to at least know how to do it properly.
Most guys don't have a clue when it comes to long hair care — especially if they've never worn their hair long before.
The first thing to know about man buns is what kind of hair is able to be styled in that way. Your hair must be pretty long. An authentic man bun is usually around six or seven months of growth for a six to eight inch mane of hair. If you're not there yet, the best you're usually going to be able to do is a top knot, which isn't an authentic man bun.
Once you have that, here's what you're going to need to do:
Now that there's more hair on your head, you need to take care of it properly. The only-shampoo routine isn't going to cut it anymore. Find a conditioner, and use it every time you wash your hair — which shouldn't be as often as you think. Shampoo takes out all the moisture and oils from your hair, and conditioner puts it back. You also shouldn't wash your hair as often, because the oil makes it easier to put it up in a bun
When you don't have a lot of hair, you probably won't notice much of a difference. However, if your mane is long and thick, your dried out hair is going to look messy. Invest in a conditioner.
Yes, this adds another step to your shower routine, but no one ever said this was going to be easy.
When you do step out of the shower, go easy with the drying. Excessive rubbing can make the hair frizzy and unmanageable.
Next, you're going to want to rethink the product you're applying to your hair. Only certain products, like styling cream or oils, will work. They'll give your hair more body and tame it a bit giving it a flatter look. It won't dramatically change the style of your hair to give it hold like it would if with shorter hair.
Once dry, massage the product throughout your hair with your fingers making sure you coat it evenly. This also might take a little longer than you're used to. Hairstylist Aaron Grenia, owner of IGK Salon in New York City, told Details that you shouldn't use a comb at this stage, as that will end up looking too "dressy."
Finally, it comes to styling it. Pull the hair straight back, at level that's about even with your eyes, fold it over in half, and put an elastic hair tie over the folded part. The other option is to make the bun further on top of your head, near th crown. Most men elect not to tie the bun near the shoulders, as this has a more feminine and messy look.
Make sure when you pull the hair back, your grip is not too tight, as that could lead to hair loss.
And that's it!
As for keeping up the style, here's where things get a little easier. Since the man bun by nature is a messier "natural" style, it's relatively easy to keep up. You want it to look "tidy but not too done," Grenia told Details. "Clean and organized but not styled."
Jon Snow from "Game of Thrones" has it mastered. Here's what a man bun should look like from the front:
SEE ALSO: 4 steps for the perfect shaving routine, according to a dermatologist
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NOW WATCH: The most controversial men’s hairstyle of 2015
Kathryn Hunt was recently awarded a TED fellowship for her work as a paleo-oncologist, studying cancer through history. She's also a cancer survivor herself, so we asked for her advice on how to handle a cancer diagnosis.
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Each year photographers from around the world enter their pictures into the annual National Geographic photo competition.
With more than 13,000 entries, here are the winners from this years' contest.
All photos published with permission by National Geographic.
SEE ALSO: 10 stunning portraits from the 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
Category: Places
Location:Shalu, Taiwan, Taiwan
This photo was taken during Chinese New Year's Eve of 2015 in Taiwan. I noticed how the light was coming into the room as our family members passed incense sticks to each other, sending our prayers and paying respects to our ancestors.
The photo is symbolic, as the passing of incense sticks represents the knowledge and wisdom passed down from generation to generation.
Category: Nature
Location: Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, China
As the largest mountain ranges in Central Asia, Tian-shan ('sky-mountain' in Chinese), has one of the best collections of natural landscapes in the world and is seen by many as a paradise for outdoor adventures.
Thanks to the richness of sediments compounded with the power of erosion by rivers flowing down the mountains, the north face of Tian-shan is carved into stunning plateaus and colorful canyons hundreds of meters deep, resulting in this surrealist painting in nature.
Category: Places
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Anytime something funny or noteworthy happened this year, you can bet the internet had already gif'ed, meme'd, and tweeted all about it.
We looked back and rounded up the moments from 2015 that sent us into tweetstorms, from Drake's "Hotline Bling" video to Zayn leaving One Direction to #TheDress that's either black and blue or white and gold.
Read on to relive all the times the internet nearly exploded this year.
SEE ALSO: 27 people who determine what's cool in America
DON'T MISS: RANKED: The top 10 hottest YouTube videos of the year
Katy Perry performed "California Gurls" at the Super Bowl in February among a sea of beach-themed backup dancers, but it was the awkward dance moves of the shark to her left that stole the show. Appropriately dubbed "Left Shark," the dancer's apathetic movements quickly caught fire on social media, inspiring meme after meme and becoming the most talked about moment of the show.
We asked @nytmag readers: If you could go back and kill Hitler as a baby, would you do it? (What's your response?) pic.twitter.com/daatm12NZC
— NYT Magazine (@NYTmag) October 23, 2015In October, the New York Times Magazine posted the results of a survey in which readers answered the question "If you could go back and kill Hitler as a baby, would you do it?" True to form, Twitter exploded with jokes about the ridiculousness of the question and "Baby Hitler" became a trending topic. Some laughed off the inquiry, while others criticized the ethical implications it raised.
Even presidential candidates weighted in: Jeb Bush would do it, but Ben Carson would pass.
Is it black and blue? Or white and gold? No one could agree on the color of a striped lace dress posted by Tumblr user swiked and picked up by BuzzFeed. The raging debate shook the internet, seemingly ending friendships and tearing apart families as #whiteandgold became the top trending topic on Twitter. Everyone had an opinion, including stars like Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian West, and the dress became one of the most meme'd events of the year.
One of the most exciting ways to explore a city is through its cuisine — just ask a foodie.
Food- and drink-rating site Zagat asked editors around the country to make a case for the US city they believe had the biggest year in food. The editors looked at new openings, award-recognition, and national media attention to determine which cities had the most victorious years. The final list ranks the 17 best food cities in the country.
From LA's legendary Mexican fare to NYC's award-winning chicken sandwich, here's what went down this year in the best food cities in America.
SEE ALSO: The 13 hottest American cities for 2016
SEE ALSO: The best burger in every state
San Diego cemented its status as a competitor in the national food scene this year when it punched up its Baja cuisine with delectable and modern takes on traditional Mexican fare. But don't worry — the city's legendary taco offerings continue to flourish.
San Diego was also a location on this fall's Top Chef season 13, along with Palm Springs and Los Angeles, bringing some welcome attention to the SoCal food scene.
A party-fueled culinary scene turned posh in Miami this year as the city's hotels drew celebrity chefs far and wide and events like Art Basel went international.
Seafood-centric Mediterranean fare has long been Miami's staple, but now it's innovating with an unexpected lineup of impressive dinners and pop-ups.
Charleston continues to try out new food concepts year after year and 2015 was no exception, delivering one victory after another in the realm of elevated comfort. The executive chef of farm-to-table favorite FIG earned the Southeast's James Beard Award for Best Chef, and a slew of award-winning restaurateurs opened some of the coolest new eateries like renovated cigar factory Mercantile and Mash.
Turning 40 is a major milestone. You're getting older, but you're still young enough to do something crazy, like bungee jump or take a trip on a whim. There's a good chance that you probably have more money to spend, too. We've come up with a bucket list of 40 things everyone should do before they turn 40.
SEE ALSO: 30 experiences everyone should have before they turn 30
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"A woman should be able to defend herself, regardless of the shoe she is wearing," said Avital Zeisler, a 26-year-old former ballet dancer that teaches a "Stilettos and Self-Defense" class in New York City.
The class teaches women both how to defend themselves while wearing heels, and how to use them as weapons.
While she says she'll never give up on wearing heels, she does have a particular way of selecting a pair.
When trying them on in a store, she suggests sneaking in a few kicks, pivots, and a survival stance when no one is looking.
Find out more about the Soteria Method, Zeisler's own approach to self-defense, here.
Story by Sophie-Claire Hoeller and editing by Andrew Fowler
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Kanye West has been voted GQ's "Most Stylish Man" of 2015, racking up 520,119 votes online and beating out 19-year-old model sensation Lucky Blue Smith's 445,073 votes.
He also beat out "Games of Thrones" star Kit Harington, James Bond actor Daniel Craig, and even David Beckham. This marks the second year in a row the rapper-turned-fashion mogul has been voted by the magazine's readers as the most stylish.
It wasn't just GQ readers who came out to support West, however. Much of the Kardashian and Jenner clan — wife Kim, sisters-in-law Kourtney and Khole, and even matriarch Kris — tweeted in support of West, urging their followers to vote for him in the poll. At one point Kim even claimed they had "broken" the polling system, as the polls closed, continuing her streak of claiming to "break the internet."
West has had a busy 2015, even if he didn't release an album — especially in the fashion world. His Yeezy label collaboration with Adidas debuted at New York Fashion Week in February and his Yeezy Boost series of sneakers has been the talk of sneakerheads all year. According to GQ, his "elevated, athletic-inspired aesthetic is part of the reason the athleisure look hit critical mass this year." They note that West's wardrobe is frequently scrutinized by fans and the press alike, including his favorite sweatsuits, his penchant for velvet blazers, and his beloved Chelsea boots.
SEE ALSO: How men's hairstyles have evolved over the last 50 years, from the mullet to the man bun
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NOW WATCH: Adam Savage from 'MythBusters' has an incredible connection to the 'Star Wars' franchise
Esther Perel is a couples therapist based in New York and the author of the international best seller "Mating in Captivity."
By Alana Kakoyiannis.
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The "corpse flower" at the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden near Adelaide, Australia, bloomed this week. It's the first time the flower has bloomed in the 10 years that the garden has owned it.
The flower, which grew to six feet, attracted hundreds of visitors. This timelapse video from the garden shows why.
Story by Tony Manfred and editing by Ben Nigh
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A massive methane leak in Southern California has been spewing 110,000 pounds of natural gas into the air every hour for over two months. The situation has caused Los Angeles County to declare a state of emergency and temporarily relocate over 1,000 residents and two schools. And because methane is invisible to the naked eye, the Environmental Defense Fund has released infrared video of the plume to show the catastrophic extent of the leak.
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The Fifth Avenue home of the late philanthropist Carroll Petrie has been sold to Wall Street billionaire James Tomilson Hill, vice chairman of the Blackstone Group hedge fund, The Real Deal reports.
Hill passed through the notoriously picky co-op board at 834 Fifth Ave. to buy the $30 million two-bedroom apartment. It features 11.5-foot height ceilings, a real fireplace, and a staff wing.
The building has some of the most expensive real estate in the city, and Jets owner and businessman Woody Johnson sold a condo in the building for $80 million last year. Rupert Murdoch also previously owned an apartment at the address.
Hill's slicked-back hairstyle is reportedly the inspiration for the physical appearance of Michael Douglas' character in the 1987 film "Wall Street."
Serena Boardman of Sotheby’s International Realty had the listing, which has since been taken down after selling.
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If you don't have time to cook yourself a gourmet meal, or lack the skills, the Moley Robotics Kitchen is for you.
UK-based company Moley Robotics created this concept kitchen prototype, which includes an oven, stove, touchscreen unit, and robotic arms and hands. The hands are equipped with tactile sensors, and can chop, stir, pour, use a blender and utensils, and turn the stove on and off.
MasterChef winner Tim Anderson had his cooking skills recorded in 3D, which were then translated into instructions for the robot chef, who can now replicate Anderson's movements on its own.
The kitchen operates via built-in touchscreen or smartphone app. While it can currently only make crab bisque, users will be able to choose from an iTunes-style library of over 2,000 recipes from around the world once the consumer version launches in 2018.
"Food is the basis of a good quality of life. You need to have proper nutrition. My goal is to make people's lives better, healthier, and happier," Moley founder Mark Oleynik said in a Moley Robotics video.
Story and editing by Chelsea Pineda
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A Vietnamese filmmaker made a short video exposing the truth behind trendy, curated, and out-of-this-world photos on social media. The viral video, which has more than 1.5 million views on YouTube, shows how the making of these amazing pictures is usually not as glamorous as the final project.
The video might just be the cure for FOMO, which stands for the fear of missing out, a feeling that often accompanies viewing the (seemingly) adventurous lives of friends on social media platforms.
Story and editing by Andrew Fowler
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At some point or another all of us have experienced a rough patch. The trick is to pick yourself up and keep going. Tony Robbins, bestselling author of "Money: Master The Game," reveals the best way to get yourself out of a funk.
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Ever find yourself making resolutions each year to hit the gym, quit smoking, or run a marathon, only to end up in a spiral of disappointment and self-loathing?
Fear not! We've put together some tips on the best ways to keep your New Year's resolutions.
Here's what you should do:
Many people have the problem of making overambitious resolutions that they have no hope of sticking to. Psychologist Peter Herman coined the term "false hope syndrome" for the cycle of setting unrealistic expectations, failing to meet them, and repeatedly trying to change.
In a 2009 study in the journal journal Behavior Therapy, Herman and his colleagues found that people who were given resolutions to exercise or meditate a set number of hours a week were not likely to succeed as well as they had expected, suggesting the goals were too ambitious.
So rather than trying to lose 50 pounds all at once or quit smoking cold-turkey, it's probably wiser to set smaller goals you're more likely to achieve, like losing 5-10 pounds a month or cutting down a few cigarettes each week.
Another problem many of us have is that we tend to set outcome-based resolutions, like deciding to run a marathon or land a top job. But as Harvard social psychologist Amy Cuddy explained to Tech Insider, if we don't achieve these outcomes — many of which can be unrealistic — we can feel like a failure.
Cuddy suffered this problem herself, when she once decided to become a marathon runner. Every year, she would run a few miles in January, and then give up, disappointed that she wasn't suddenly running marathons, she told Tech Insider.
So instead of setting outcome-type goals, Cuddy recommends focusing on the process that leads to that outcome. So if you want to run a marathon, you could resolve to run a little bit each day, and gradually work your way up to longer distances.
Too often, our resolutions can involve changing negative things about ourselves, Cuddy notes, like being overweight or having bad finances. But this only reinforces negative feelings about ourselves.
So you may be better off focusing on positive things you'll enjoy, like signing up for a sports class or learning how to cook healthy homemade meals, Cuddy suggests.
Finally, it's important to remember that most of our resolutions involve change, and change is hard.
As clinical psychologist Joseph Luciani notes in US News & World Report, "all change entails emotional friction," which leaves us feeling stressed. And stress makes us more likely to fail.
So, instead of giving up on our resolutions at the first sign of struggle, cut yourself some slack, but keep at it. You'll get there eventually.
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Every year, thousands of people flock to Times Square to watch a giant, sparkly ball descend the flagpole at One Times Square seconds before the New Year arrives.
Due to the rarity of available bathrooms, some of them even wear diapers.
The well-attended tradition started back in 1907, according to The New York Times. That year, an "electrically illuminated ball" dropped above the One Times Square, which The Times then owned, for the first time.
Fact: The New York Times invented the Times Square Ball Drop in 1907. http://t.co/nrppG3Rtedpic.twitter.com/RlOudNtLXP
— NYT Archives (@NYTArchives) December 31, 2014
People started celebrating New Year's in Times Square as early as 1904, but the ball didn't come into play until three years later, to mark the arrival of 1908.
The Times originally constructed the building for a fireworks display, but when the city outlawed them, chief electrician Walter Palmer came up with the idea to drop a lighted ball from the top of the tower instead.
The ball has dropped from that tower, now owned by Jamestown Properties, every year since (except for 1942 and 1943 due to a wartime "dimout").
The aesthetic, however, has changed throughout the years. In 1920, a 400-pound wrought iron ball replaced the original. In 1955, an aluminum ball, weighing only 150 pounds, replaced the iron one. The 1980s appropriately added neon lights, rhinestones, strobes, etc. Then, in 2000, Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting completely redesigned the New Year's Eve Ball.
Finally, in 2007, Waterford Crystal and Phillips Lighting redesigned the ball again, making it the amazing version the world sees tonight — 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles illuminated by 32,256 Philips Luxeon LED lights.
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