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The latest news from Life
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    lottery winner

    • The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high $868 million after nobody won on Tuesday.
    • While it may be tempting, buying a lottery ticket is almost certainly not worth it.
    • History has shown us countless examples of lottery winners whose lives took a turn for the worse after hitting the jackpot.

    The Mega Millions jackpot reached a record-high $868 million after nobody won Tuesday's drawing.

    The announcement gives hope to lottery players across the country who dream of striking it rich with a few lucky numbers.

    While buying a ticket may seem tempting, the numbers suggest that it almost certainly isn't worth it.

    But even if it does pan out, winning the lottery will not solve all of life's problems.

    In fact, many people's lives became notably worse after they hit the jackpot, as you can see from the following cautionary tales.

    SEE ALSO: Someone in California bought a winning lottery ticket worth more than half a billion dollars — here's exactly what a lottery winner should do, according to a financial adviser

    DON'T MISS: We did the math to see if it's worth it to buy a ticket for the Powerball jackpot

    Lara and Roger Griffiths bought their dream home … and then life fell apart.

    Before they won a $2.76 million lottery jackpot in 2005, Lara and Roger Griffiths, of England, hardly ever argued.

    Then they won and bought a million-dollar barn-converted house and a Porsche, not to mention luxurious trips to Dubai, Monaco, and New York City.

    Their fortune ended in 2010 when a freak fire gutted their house, which was underinsured, forcing them to shell out for repairs and seven months of temporary accommodations.

    Shortly after, Roger drove away in the Porsche after Lara confronted him over emails suggesting that he was interested in another woman. That ended their 14-year marriage.



    Bud Post lost $16.2 million within a nightmarish year — his own brother put out a hit on him.

    William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988, but he was $1 million in debt within a year.

    "I wish it never happened," Post said. "It was totally a nightmare."

    A former girlfriend successfully sued him for a third of his winnings, and his brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him in the hopes he'd inherit a share of the winnings.

    After sinking money into family businesses, Post sank into debt and spent time in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector.

    "I was much happier when I was broke," he said, according to The Washington Post.

    Bud lived quietly on $450 a month and food stamps until his death in 2006.



    Martyn and Kay Tott won a $5 million jackpot, but lost the ticket.

    Martyn Tott, 33, and his 24-year-old wife, from the UK, missed out on a $5 million lottery fortune after losing their ticket.

    A seven-week investigation by Camelot Group, the company that runs the UK's national lottery, convinced officials their claim to the winning ticket was legitimate. But since there is a 30-day time limit on reporting lost tickets, the company was not required to pay up, and the jackpot became the largest unclaimed amount since the lottery began in 1994.

    "Thinking you're going to have all that money is really liberating. Having it taken away has the opposite effect," Kay Tott told The Daily Mail. "It drains the life from you and puts a terrible strain on your marriage. It was the cruelest torture imaginable."



    See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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    let it go

    • Breaking up is hard. Breaking up with someone who has abused you is even harder.
    • You will feel confused and traumatised for some time.
    • It's not all terrible though — distance will make you realise you're stronger.
    • Trauma doesn't stay with you forever, and there are actually several positives from what you went through — even if you're still hurting.


    A common misconception about moving on from an abusive relationship is that the trauma stays with you for life. Even if you end up in a great relationship, you may still be lost in your old one, unable to fully let go.

    In reality, this is usually simply a sign you haven't moved on yet. Breaking up with an abusive person is hard, and it can take people months, or even years, to fully recover. But that doesn't mean it's impossible.

    Perpetua Neo, a doctor of psychology and expert who works with women who are healing from damaging, toxic relationships, said if you sort through your pain, work out what demons you have that resulted in you being attracted to a bad person in the first place, then the magic begins.

    "The narcissist didn't want you to gain anything from being with them, but actually you ended up taking everything and becoming stronger," she told Business Insider. "One thing people I've worked with find is that they gain a fuller, more whole version of themselves after leaving the narcissistic ex."

    You will probably be in agony for a while, because your body has essentially been addicted to the intermittent love the abuser gave you. But in time, you will realise that you are so much stronger, resilient, and capable of finding someone who isn't going to discard you for being you.

    Here are seven lessons you can take away from the traumatic experience of loving a toxic person — and the strengths you gain from moving on:

    1. Using empathy as a superpower

    Empathy can be both a gift and your kryptonite. Neo said if you have too much empathy for others, it can mean you start to honour someone else's story over your own. If you do this all the time, it can lead to an "empathy burnout," meaning you give and give, but begin to lose any care for yourself.

    "We forget that we need to nourish ourselves first and foremost before we can nourish somebody else," Neo said. "So in this sense, after the break-up, people start to use empathy as a superpower, and think of empathy as this burden, like: 'Why do I go for people who tell me their sob stories?' Then after that you realise you don't need to take on everybody else's energy."

    2. Boundaries are healthy

    The more time that passes, the more you will realise how troubling the way you were treated was. Becoming very clear about your boundaries means you have a better idea of the kind of person you really are. You also know what you are willing to tolerate, and you will be better at realising who will and won't respect you.

    "Boundaries are the 'hell nos' in our life, and sometimes we don't feel like we have permission to say 'hell no,'" Neo said. "Once we are really clear about what our boundaries are, and we stop seeing them as bad things, we actually get very clear about what is unacceptable. From then I can trust myself to have as much fun as possible, because I've communicated my line already."

    3. Gain a new perspective

    In life, we are all subjected to ideas of how we are supposed to act. Some people will be more influenced by them than others. For example, films often clearly convey some of the power dynamics we are exposed to.

    In "The Little Mermaid," Ariel falls in love with a prince and, in order to be with him, she grows legs and gives up her voice. In "Star Wars," Han Solo grabs Princess Leia inappropriately. In James Bond films, notorious for their misogyny, Bond forces himself on female characters such as Pussy Galore.

    "What does that say to girls watching films like that?" Neo said. "When we keep watching this stuff about inappropriate behaviour, we stop understanding what acceptable behaviour is."

    Coming out of an abusive relationship can give you a new perspective about what you might have looked over in the past while you thought you'd met the love of your life. If you run into a person in the future who you think might hurt you, or acts in a way that makes you uncomfortable, you'll find you're more able to take a stand, Neo said.

    4. Dealing with difficult people gets easier

    Realising your own boundaries in romantic relationships helps you out in other walks of life too. You'll be able to say "here's my line, do not cross it" to people in your family, friendship group, and even at work.

    "Our voice is our sense of autonomy — if you can't express what you want more of and what you want less of, or nothing of, then you're not going to build a sense of solidity," Neo said.

    "Maybe your boss isn't a narcissist, but they're a bit selfish and caught up with their own world. And then if you're an over-giver, you're going to give more than your colleagues — so you'll get burned out and exhausted by it.

    "So once you are very clear about all this and you practise your boundaries, you will find you have a lot more energy."

    5. You become more resilient

    Being with a toxic, abusive person can make you feel like you are being mentally broken over and over again, Neo said, because they always move the goal posts and demand more and more from you. She said living that sort of life will show you just how resilient you really are, and bring forward the strengths you never knew you had.

    "You know he tried to break you once and you're not going to break again," Neo said. "It's this ability to bounce back from adversity or difficult events. When it comes to trauma sometimes people believe that it's going to stay in your for the rest of your life, and nothing is going to shift. But you bounce back and recover and become a stronger version of yourself."

    A traumatic experience like an abusive relationship will change you, Neo said, and you will feel totally broken for quite a while. But once the fog starts to lift, and you see it for what it really was, you fix yourself so you're indestructible.

    6. The urge to help others increases

    Neo said once your energy stops being completely focused on your pain, you'll begin to realise that you are not alone. You're not the first person to be taken advantage of, and you won't be the last, as these sorts of people seek out new victims time and time again.

    When you understand this, you won't be able to let it go. Neo said many of her clients have gone on to help at women's shelters and written about their experiences on blogs.

    Instead of being insular and sad, you will get a new lease of life, Neo said, and want to spread your message. You'll realise just how important your story is to people who might be going through the same thing. You might even be able to prevent it from happening to someone else.

    It's incredibly difficult to notice the signs of a narcissist, or an abuser. This is because they are highly skilled masters of smoke and mirrors. Only when you have hindsight will you be able to see through the mask.

    By having the gift of hindsight you can help others you think might be in trouble, even if that is just by being someone they can talk to.

    7. You can identify the red flags

    There are a number of red flags that someone isn't a good person to be around. It may be something obvious, such as rude behaviour, but a lot of the time the signs are pretty subtle.

    Looking back and gaining perspective on a damaging relationship helps you identify the traits that drew you towards that person in the first place. Perhaps they were mysterious and captivating, and they ended up being a narcissist. Meeting someone else who makes you feel the same way your abuser did at the beginning is a code red.

    "That's your body's way of telling you someone is bad for you," Neo said. "As you become stronger and much wiser you become discerning, and that's not a negative. Then you can own the fact you are discerning, that makes you pretty damn formidable."

    SEE ALSO: People often stay in abusive relationships because of something called 'trauma bonding' — here are the signs it's happening to you

    Join the conversation about this story »

    NOW WATCH: I woke up at 4:30 a.m. for a week like a Navy SEAL


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    92MUIBLA

    Established online mattress retailer Brentwood Home introduces the Crystal Cove mattress, a uniquely dual-sided mattress specifically designed to promote therapeutic recovery and deep, restorative sleep.

    The 100% vegan, non-toxic mattress balances the latest in sleep technology — activated charcoal-infused memory foam and precision-tuned coils — with essential natural elements, such as 100% natural Dunlop latex. As part of the Crystal Cove collection, it features a signature luxe stitched gray cover and perfectly complements their best-selling yoga and meditation pillows. Its customizable design is carefully-crafted for the consumer living an active lifestyle with a desire for a high-quality, non-toxic sleep solution.

    Active recovery or gentle support — you choose.

    The Crystal Cove’s dual-sided design provides a customizable sleeping experience, simply by flipping the mattress.

    The luxury plush side is designed for active recovery and features their signature activated charcoal-infused memory foam. As one of the most effective cooling and purifying minerals, activated charcoal helps trap toxins and chemicals in the body, allowing them to be flushed out and preventing reabsorption. The foam is designed to energize in response to body heat, which is the key to providing highly adaptive comfort and pressure relief.

    The gentle firm side provides responsive support and features 100% natural Dunlop latex, which is breathable, durable, naturally responsive, non-toxic, antimicrobial, and eco-INSTITUT® certified. This sustainably-farmed latex enables zoned pressure-point relief where you need it most.

    Certified non-toxic and planet-friendly.

    The Crystal Cove mattress is completely GREENGUARD Gold Certified by UL Environment. This means it has been scientifically tested in environmental chambers to meet some of the world’s most rigorous, third-party emissions standards for prolonged chemical exposure and pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, and phthalates.

    In addition, for each mattress sold three trees are planted through the National Forest Foundation. It’s part of an ambitious effort to help stem the impact of climate change and help replant America’s forests.

    Handcrafted in Southern California.

    All Brentwood Home mattresses are handcrafted in their own Los Angeles factory, feature a one-year risk-free trial with free shipping and returns, plus a 25-year warranty.

     

    This post is sponsored by Brentwood Home.

    Join the conversation about this story »


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    credit cards

    • Your credit score may slowly be getting worse over time without you realizing it.
    • Maxing out your credit cards can hurt your credit score, even if you pay your bills on time each month.
    • Things beyond your control, such as a change in loan servicing, can also hurt your credit score.
    • Here are five ways to know if you have a bad credit score, even if you think you have good credit.

     

    In the US, credit is scored through a point system based on your payment history, outstanding balances, length of credit history, and types of credit accounts.

    Credit scores range from 300 to 850, with a good credit score falling anywhere above 670, according to credit bureau Experian. A low credit score could impact your ability to get a mortgage or rent an apartment and could mean you have to pay a higher interest rate if you take out a loan.

    There are some simple ways to build credit and gain a good score, like making consistent, on-time credit card payments. But there are certain things beyond your control that could also be hurting your score — and you may not even know it.

    According to Matthew Cooper, co-founder and CEO of the payment app Earnup, the way credit scores are calculated in the US is "incredibly unfair to your average consumer," not only because the formula for calculating credit scores is complicated, but it also keeps changing.

    Here, Cooper highlighted a few ways you might have hurt your credit without realizing it, so you can take steps to improve your score.

    SEE ALSO: How to figure out the best time to buy a home, according to a mortgage analyst

    1. You've made late payments

    "Paying bills after the due date is the number one reason people have bad credit scores," Cooper told Business Insider. If you pay your bill more than 30 days late, you are likely to be reported to the credit bureaus, according to Cooper.

    However, there may be a way for you to delay or skip a payment without damaging your credit. "Contact your biller if you're going to pay late and see what your options are," Cooper said. "There is very often a solution, especially in personal lending and student loans," he said.

    You could also call a credit counseling service for advice on how to handle your situation



    2. You make minimum payments on credit cards

    "Even if you pay on time, if you run high balances and only make minimum payments you can lower your credit score," Cooper said.

    If you're charging up your credit cards but not paying down the balance, you might have exceeded the optimal debt-to-available-credit ratio without knowing it. Your credit score can suffer if you have used more than 30% of your available credit. The ratio is calculated on your total credit and debt, not on each card.

    To keep your credit score within a good range, keep an eye on this ratio and calibrate your monthly payments to keep your balances low. If that's not possible, you could open another credit card to extend the amount of credit available to you, thus reducing your ratio.



    3. Your loan has been sold, and you don't know it

    "One of the reasons that people have bad credit and don't know it is because their loan was sold or transferred to a different financial institution," Cooper said. This is a particular issue for mortgages, because your mortgage may be sold several times during the life of the loan, according to Findlaw.

    If your mortgage servicer, which is the bank or processor to whom you send your mortgage payments, changes (which often happens when a loan is sold), it can cause problems.

    You may think you're making your mortgage payments on time, but if your payment is going to a different place, you could end up falling behind.  Cooper noted that this is a particular problem for people who set up automatic payments, because they might not open pro forma mailings from their servicers.

    Mortgage servicers are required to notify you of any changes. To avoid this credit score pitfall, make sure your mortgage servicer has your current address, email, and phone number. And open everything you get from your servicer, even if it looks like junk mail.



    See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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    ztylus case

    • The Ztylus Revolver M Series case for the iPhone X features a revolving wheel on the back containing six built in-lenses.
    • You can rotate the wheel to select the lens you want, then place it right in front of the phone's camera lens. 
    • The case comes with macro/super macro, fisheye/telephoto, and wide/telephoto lens pairs. 
    • It costs $34.95, and is available on Amazon. 

    Sometimes your phone's camera lens isn't enough for the type of pictures you want to snap — whether it's wide-angle fisheye shots or bigger zooms than what the phone is capable of. 

    There are plenty of external lenses available for mobile photography, but they can easily get expensive, and they usually require the user to carry around different lenses that need to be swapped out. The Ztylus Revolver M Series case for the iPhone X offers an all-in-one package of six lenses, at $35. 

    The case has a revolving wheel on the back, which contains 3 pairs of lenses: macro/super macro, fisheye/telephoto, and wide/telephoto. Instead of removing a lens and replacing it with another, you can simply rotate the wheel and extend the external lens to the phone's existing lens. 

    The rotating wheel is magnetic and removable, so you don't need to have unnecessary extra bulk if you won't be using the lenses.  Because the lenses are stored inside the wheel, you also won't need lens caps to protect the glass. However, as mobile phones weren't necessarily intended to be used with external lenses, some image distortion can be expected. 

    The M Series case comes in 16 color options, and is available on Amazon. 

    SEE ALSO: Google's amazing Pixel 3 and the sleek Samsung Galaxy S9 are 2 of the best Android smartphones on the market — here's which one you should buy

    Join the conversation about this story »

    NOW WATCH: Here's what caffeine does to your body and brain


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    Paul Manafort

    • Prosecutors on Wednesday charged a senior Treasury Department employee with leaking suspicious financial activity reports to the news media.
    • Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, 40, was arrested Tuesday and will appear in court later on Wednesday.
    • The alleged leaked reports related to President Donald Trump's former campaign advisers, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, as well as the Russian embassy.

    A senior adviser for the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) was charged Wednesday with leaking suspicious financial activity reports related to President Donald Trump's former campaign advisers, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, as well as the Russian embassy.

    Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, 40, was arrested Tuesday and is set to appear in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday, CNBC reported.

    Prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint that Edwards leaked the suspicious activity reports — known as SARs — or described their contents to a reporter "on various occasions" between October 2017 and October 2018.

    They also said they found a flash drive in her possession on which she allegedly saved SARs, and a cellphone through which she had communicated with a reporter through an encrypted app.

    Prosecutors also alleged Edwards lied about her contact with the reporter and denied speaking with media.

    Geoffrey Berman, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting Edwards' case, said in a statement on Wednesday that Edwards "betrayed her position of trust" by leaking the reporters.

    "SARs, which are filed confidentially by banks and other financial institutions to alert law enforcement to potentially illegal transactions, are not public documents, and it is an independent federal crime to disclose them outside of one's official duties," Berman said. "We hope today's charges remind those in positions of trust within government agencies that the unlawful sharing of sensitive documents will not be tolerated and will be met with swift justice by this Office."

    The Trump administration has sought for months to crack down on leakers within the government, dramatically ramping up the amount of Justice Department investigations into leaks.

    SEE ALSO: US moves to take control of Paul Manafort's condo at Trump Tower

    Join the conversation about this story »

    NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory


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    Robert Mueller

    • The special counsel Robert Mueller is said to be facing intense pressure to wrap up the Russia investigation soon.
    • Two US officials told Bloomberg that Mueller is expected to deliver his key findings shortly after the November midterm elections.
    • Mueller is likely close to tying up the obstruction thread of the Russia investigation, but legal experts say he doesn't appear close to wrapping up the investigation as a whole.

    Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein is ramping up the pressure on the special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

    Mueller is expected to deliver key findings shortly after the November midterm elections, two US officials told Bloomberg.

    He is also reportedly close to getting answers to the two core questions in the investigation: whether members of President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow to sway the 2016 race in his favor, and whether Trump sought to obstruct justice after the existence of the Russia investigation became public knowledge.

    News out of Mueller's office has been relatively slow over the last few weeks, which legal experts say suggests the investigation is continuing to run smoothly.

    But Rosenstein's reported demand of the special counsel raises new questions about whether the White House is pressuring the deputy attorney general to shut down the Russia investigation as Rosenstein's own future at the DOJ hangs in the balance.

    Trump's legal team has for some time called for Mueller to issue his final report soon so that it is not released too close to the midterm elections.

    Mueller has not given any public indication that he will do so. But his team is said to have told Trump's lawyers earlier this year that it expected to wrap up a report on the portion of the investigation involving whether Trump obstructed justice by the end of the summer.

    Donald Trump

    But that timeline grew longer as Trump's legal team and the special counsel's office repeatedly failed to agree to the terms of a presidential interview.

    Trump's team is currently in the middle of providing written answers to the special counsel on questions focusing on potential collusion with Russia. Mueller has reportedly made clear that he wants to ask follow-ups as well, and prosecutors have not ruled out a one-on-one sit down with the president.

    Jed Shugerman, a professor at Fordham Law School, said he believes it is significant that Mueller agreed to narrow the scope of his initial questions for Trump to focus on collusion rather than obstruction.

    "It suggests Mueller thinks that's more significant and worthwhile at this stage," he said.

    Shugerman added that Mueller's questions about collusion indicate that "he probably has sufficient evidence for obstruction. If forced to allocate his time to obstruction or Russia, he is choosing Russia. And probably [because] he has big leads."

    Mueller seems nowhere near finished investigating collusion

    paul manafort

    The special counsel snagged his most significant victory in the Russia investigation in September, when he secured the cooperation of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

    "Manafort's cooperation is the single most important advancement for the Mueller probe," said Patrick Cotter, a former federal prosecutor who was part of the team that convicted the Gambino crime boss John Gotti. "He is the single most important witness thus far, because his position was such that he can shed light on the most critical question of what the president knew, and when he knew it."

    What Manafort knows is important for several threads of the Russia investigation, like the hack of the Democratic National Committee and any communication between Trump campaign members and Russian interests.

    But the biggest value he brings to Mueller is the ability to shed light on the controversial June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between campaign officials and Russian lobbyists.

    Manafort attended the meeting along with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and it eventually emerged that, contrary to Trump Jr.'s initial statements, the meeting was pitched as "part of Russia and its government's support" for Trump's candidacy.

    It is a federal crime to accept something of value from a foreign government in connection to an American election, and experts have suggested that if Trump campaign officials took the meeting to get dirt on then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, it could place them in serious legal jeopardy.

    The midterms are less than a month away, and it's highly unlikely that Mueller will release anything before November 6, out of concern that it could violate DOJ guidelines about taking any overt actions that can be seen as influencing the outcome of an election.

    If Mueller is going by Rosenstein's timeline, it's possible he could release something big shortly after the midterms.

    But so far, his office has given no indication that it is anywhere close to wrapping up the Russia probe, and experts say it's unlikely he will be done by November, though Manafort's cooperation likely moved up the timeline.

    In addition to Manafort, Mueller's team also flipped his former deputy, Rick Gates, the former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and a former Trump campaign foreign policy aide, George Papadopoulos

    The special counsel is also speaking to Michael Cohen, Trump's former longtime lawyer who pleaded guilty over the summer to separate charges related to tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations.

    SEE ALSO: 'It's getting lonely on Trump Island': Mueller just snagged his biggest victory yet in the Russia probe

    Join the conversation about this story »

    NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory


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    schumer mcconnell

    • Senate Majority Mitch McConnell said both parties should sign on to entitlement reforms to help get the deficit under control.
    • McConnell said any deal to reform entitlements like Social Security and Medicare would have to be bipartisan.
    • There's no way Democrats are getting on board with entitlement changes.

    Senate Majority Mitch McConnell on Tuesday advanced a longtime Republican policy goal on how to tackle the debt during an interview Tuesday, but the idea probably won't gain a foothold anytime soon.

    During an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, McConnell said that to get the federal budget deficit under control — the deficit grew to $779 billion in fiscal year 2018, the largest since 2012 — Congress needs to reform entitlements such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

    Despite an appetite for reforms and full control of the federal government, Republicans have made no headway on entitlement reform during Trump's presidency.

    "I think it’s pretty safe to say that entitlement changes, which is the real driver of the debt by any objective standard, may well be difficult if not impossible to achieve when you have unified government," McConnell told Bloomberg.

    But the GOP leader also laid out exactly why his solution to the deficit and debt would not happen anytime soon: There's no way Democrats are getting on board.

    McConnell emphasized that any significant changes to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security would need to get sign off from both parties.

    "It’s a bipartisan problem: unwillingness to address the real drivers of the debt by doing anything to adjust those programs to the demographics of America in the future," McConnell said.

    But cooperation in Congress is at a historically low level. Bitter partisan battles like the recent confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh have seen the overall number of bills passed take a serious dive over the past few years.

    Democrats have been reluctant to help advance any major goals of the GOP-led federal government, and Democratic leaders immediately blasted McConnell's idea.

    "In budget after budget, Congressional Republicans have exposed their cynical agenda: give massive, unpaid-for handouts to further enrich big corporations shipping jobs overseas and the wealthiest 1 percent, and stick seniors, children and families with the bill," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said. "Under the GOP’s twisted agenda, we can afford tax cuts for billionaires, but not the benefits our seniors have earned."

    Additionally, Democratic policies are also heading in the opposition direction of McConnell's goals.

    Instead of pairing tax cuts with entitlements cuts, Democrats are suggesting these programs become even more generous and paired with tax increases. As McConnell mentioned in the Bloomberg interview, a growing number of Democrats are supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for All" plan, which would expand the government healthcare program to all Americans with funding from a tax bump.

    Going it alone might be possible using budget reconciliation if Republicans maintain control of both chambers of Congress, which is unlikely based on recent forecasts. But even then, it could some at a political price, as it would give Democrats an easy way to hammer the GOP in 2020.

    There is widespread opposition to spending reductions for entitlements according to polling:

    • A May 2017 poll from the Pew Research Center found just 15% of Republican and 5% of Democrats supported a reduction in Medicare spending, while just 10% of Republicans and 3% of Democrats want to see a reduction in Social Security funding. 
    • An April 2017 poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 40% of people want an increase in spending on Medicaid compared to just 12% who want a decrease. On the other hand, 57% of people wanted more Medicare spending while just 6% wanted a cut.

    Entitlement cuts can be politically potent for the opposition. For instance, Republicans attacked Democrats for years over supposed cuts to Medicare benefits as part of the Affordable Care Act. While the claim was misleading, it proved to be a popular and powerful attack.

    On top of the opposition from Democrats, it's unclear if Republicans could get their entire party on board with the idea — especially their leader. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to not cut Social Security and Medicaid before, and reiterated a similar position during an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.

    "I haven’t heard that," Trump said when asked about McConnell's interview. "I’m leaving Social Security. I’m not touching Social Security."

    Last year, a Republican member of Congress told Business Insider's Joe Perticone that Trump told him he wouldn't consider changes to entitlement programs until a theoretical second term.

    SEE ALSO: One of Republicans' biggest promises about their tax law is coming apart at the seams

    Join the conversation about this story »

    NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory


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    Trump US military

    • President Donald Trump repeatedly portrays himself as a gung-ho supporter of the US military, but a year and a half into his tenure the president has yet to visit American troops in a war-zone.
    • The vast majority of Trump's commander-in-chief predecessors dating all the way back to World War II visited troops in war zones, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
    • Both Bush and Obama met with US troops in combat zones soon into their first terms. 

    President Donald Trump repeatedly portrays himself as a gung-ho supporter of the US military, but over a year and a half into his tenure the president has yet to visit American troops in a war zone.

    Since Trump took office, American troops have been killed everywhere from Somalia and Niger to Yemen and Iraq. In 2018 alone, five US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.

    But Trump has yet to visit Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria, among other places where US troops are putting their lives on the line to execute his orders. 

    This is arguably out-of-step for a president who's filled his cabinet with generals, boasted about making the military stronger than ever, called for an expensive (and recently cancelled) military parade in the capital, and lambasted NFL players for allegedly disrespecting the troops by kneeling during the national anthem. 

    In short, Trump has often talked the talk when it comes to the military – barring controversial comments about Sen. John McCain's time as a POW in Vietnam as well as widely criticized attacks against Gold Star families– but will he walk the walk? 

    Trump's predecessors often visited US troops in war zones overseas

    The vast majority of Trump's predecessors dating all the way back to World War II visited troops in war zones, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama. And both Bush and Obama met with US troops in combat zones soon into their first terms.

    Bush, for example, met with ground troops in Baghdad within 10 months of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. By the end of his time in office, Bush made four trips to Iraq and two to Afghanistan. 

    Comparatively, Obama visited troops in Iraq in 2008 while he was still a senator and made another visit within his first three months as president. Ultimately, Obama made four trips to Afghanistan as president. 

    Obama Afghanistan

    The war in Afghanistan is over 17 years old and there's no end in sight

    Trump promised to ramp down America's involvement in the war on terror as a presidential candidate. But the realities of the presidency have thus far made it difficult for him to do so and he's even increased US troop presence in some cases. Last year, Trump sent several thousand more troops to Afghanistan, for example. 

    Presidential visits to troops stationed in harm's way boost morale. The war in Afghanistan just had its 17th anniversary, and the roughly 15,000 US troops stationed there could benefit from seeing the president at a time when many Americans have seemingly forgotten about the conflict. 

    Moreover, as commander-in-chief some might say Trump has a duty to visit those he orders into harm's way. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, definitely seems to feel this way. 

    Reed on Wednesday told reporters Trump should honor the sacrifices service members make by visiting troops stationed in combat zones. "I think it should be done," Reed said. "It's not just to get an idea what is going on, but to personally thank the men and women of the United States who are exposing themselves to great dangers for the country."

    The White House did not immediately respond to a query from Business Insider as to whether the president had any plans to make such a trip sometime in the not-so-distant future. But Trump addressed the topic in a recent interview with the Associated Press, stating he didn't think a visit to US troops in a combat zone is "overly necessary."

    "I will do that at some point, but I don’t think it's overly necessary," Trump said. “I've been very busy with everything that’s taking place here…I’m doing a lot of things. But it’s something I’d do. And do gladly."

    "Nobody has been better at the military," Trump added. "I have done more for the military than any president in many, many years."

    SEE ALSO: This graphic shows why the Afghanistan War is getting worse after 17 years

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    Big Little Lies

    How much are networks shelling out to bring Hollywood stars to TV?

    In this age of proliferated programming, marquee names have become essential to bring sizable audiences to shows. And the competition among networks and producers has driven industry salaries to new heights.

    On Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the stars of HBO's "Westworld" would be getting big raises ahead of the sci-fi drama's third season.

    At its height, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman reportedly negotiated $1 million salaries for the upcoming second season of HBO's Emmy-winning drama, "Big Little Lies."

    Jim Parsons of CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" made headlines in August for walking away from a reported two-year, $50 million paycheck for two more seasons of the sitcom, which CBS subsequently decided to end in 2019.

    Here's how much the highest-paid stars on TV are earning per-episode:

    Note: Some salaries may include producing fees.

    Jethro Nededog contributed to a previous version of this story. 

    SEE ALSO: Warner Bros. triumphed over Disney in public sentiment after hiring James Gunn for 'Suicide Squad 2'

    $1,000,000 — Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter



    $1,000,000 — Reese Witherspoon, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter



    $1,000,000 — Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

    Source: Variety



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    roman abramovich

     

    Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the UK's Chelsea soccer team, is known for his mind-boggling collection of superyachts, luxury cars, private planes, and lavish homes around the world. 

    The Wall Street Journal once nicknamed his global collection of extravagant possessions "The Roman Empire."

    Once the richest man in Russia, Abramovich has amassed a vast personal fortune. The 51-year-old billionaire is the largest shareholder of Evraz, Russia's second-biggest steelmaker, and also owns stakes in the world's largest producer of refined nickel, according to Bloomberg.

    In 2008, Abramovich's wealth peaked at $23.5 billion, Forbes reported. Today, estimates for his net worth vary greatly, from $11.6 billion to $14.1 billion.

    Here's how Abramovich spends his billions.

    SEE ALSO: 10 things people buy when they have more money than they'd ever need

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    Roman Abramovich is a Russian billionaire with an estimated net worth between $11.6 billion and $14.1 billion.

    Source: Forbes, Bloomberg



    Once the richest man in Russia, Abramovich's net worth peaked in 2008 at $23.5 billion.

    Source: Forbes



    The 51-year-old billionaire became a high-profile figure in Britain after he acquired Chelsea Football Club in 2003.

    Source: Bloomberg



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    Air Cooled Porsches

    • The Bridge, an exclusive, annual car and art event in Bridgehampton, New York, features impressive displays of rare and expensive cars.
    • Author Steven John drove a loaned Ferrari GTC4Lusso T to the event and documented 14 of its stand-out vehicles.

     

    I was recently fortunate enough to land an invitation to The Bridge, an exclusive annual automobile-centric event. Though only in its third year, The Bridge is already one of the world's most impressive displays of rare, expensive, immensely powerful, and simply beautiful motor vehicles.

    I spent the weekend with a lovely Ferrari GTC4Lusso T, borrowed from Ferrari. It's a grand tourer, twin-turbocharged V-8-that packs 680 horsepower into an elegant, curved body. It has an all-glass roof, seating for four adults, passes 60 miles per hour in less than 3.4 seconds, and tops out around 208 MPH, according to Ferrari. And it sells for a mere $298,000 MSRP.

    On normal roads in normal neighborhoods, the car is an absolute head turner, something I experienced myself multiple times with a mix of awkwardness and glee. At The Bridge? My Ferrari blended right into the crowd and frankly took a back seat to most of the stunning cars on display.

    But that's no knock on the Lusso. Rather, it clarifies the caliber of the 150 vehicles gathered together on a clear mid-September day with a cool offshore breeze that curled around tens of millions of dollars’ worth of automobiles.

    The event also featured 12 world-class art galleries, erected in temporary buildings and displaying an eclectic mix of artwork both modern and generations old. The common theme there, too, was rarity and price.

    From The Bridge’s car-studded fields, here are 14 of the most amazing, powerful, gorgeous, rare, and downright weird vehicles I saw:

    SEE ALSO: 5 things you can learn in a day that will make your life better

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    1. Ferrari 365 California

    The Ferrari 365 California debuted in 1966, and the vehicle is as much of a stunner today as it was more than half a century ago. Getting a look at this 4.4-liter V12 convertible is a lot more likely than getting your hands on one, though even spotting one in person is rare: only 14 were built.



    2. McLaren 600 LT

    According to McLaren's website, "an LT is the most extreme expression of a McLaren you can get. Pushed to the edge, pushed as far as it will go in terms of performance and exhilaration." So yeah, this is a fast car. According to McLaren, goes from zero to 62 mph in about 2.9 seconds. That figure is conservative. It's almost certainly faster.



    3. Alfa Romeo

    An antique right-hand drive, the Alfa Romeo was perched prominently on a high point of The Bridge golf course and drew a constant stream of admirers. The 1930s-era convertible was in pristine condition, though I couldn't help thinking I'd hate to be in the car if it rolled over.



    See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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    Helm email server

    • Helm, a $500 device with a $99 yearly subscription plan, lets you operate an email server out of your own home. 
    • Your email and data is stored on the device in your home, and it's encrypted before traveling through Helm's servers. 
    • Helm claims to collect very little information from its users — just the necessary payment information and device diagnostics.
    • While no server is completely secure, this could provide peace of mind to people who don't trust large tech companies to protect their data. 

    It's not hard to get the impression that big tech companies can't effectively keep our data safe. 

    Just in the past few weeks, Google disclosed a security bug that exposed hundreds of thousands of private accounts on the Google+ social network. Facebook admitted that 29 million users had private information stolen. It's easy to decide to quit using social media sites, but nearly everyone needs or uses an email service. Email is the backbone of every internet account — you almost can't get by in life these days without an email address. 

    One solution is to run your own in-house email server, as plenty of companies and tech-savvy individuals do. 

    This means that a private entity is in control of the email server and all of the information stored there. There's no need to place your trust in a tech company that has proven itself to be vulnerable to security bugs or breaches. 

    But if you're not an IT pro, the idea of setting  up an email server can be pretty intimidating. That's where Helm comes in.

    Helm wants to make that a reality for the everyday email user — someone who probably wouldn't know how to set up an email server from scratch. Helm's $500 device is an in-home email server, meaning all of your data and emails are stored on the device right in your home. Helm doesn't collect much information about its users besides the necessary details like payment information and device diagnostics, and any communication or data are encrypted when they leave the Helm device. 

    With traditional email services like Gmail or Yahoo, your data and emails are stored on a server controlled by the email provider. You don't have much control over what that company does with your data.

    Helm stores your emails and data in your home, but that doesn't mean it's completely safe. Any server can be attacked, regardless of where it's located. However, you're paying for the control over your emails and the ability to be free from a tech company storing your data. Helm also says it hires hackers to try to locate vulnerabilities in the device or its software, and it plans to release improvements and boost security through future software updates. 

    You can choose to store a backup of your emails on Helm's servers, but those backups are encrypted and require your security key in order to be decrypted. 

    Helm features a standard 120GB of storage, but that can be increased to up to 5TB with additional hardware. The device also comes with physical encryption keys for encrypting data locally on the machine and offline for a secure backup. The device costs $500, and has a $99 subscription fee for every year after the included one-year subscription. 

    For more information, or to purchase a device, visit Helm's website here. 

    SEE ALSO: This clever $35 iPhone case has a scroll wheel with six built-in lenses — and it turns your phone camera into a Swiss-army knife for taking pictures

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    chateau 1

    • A Ukrainian man who was reported dead in his home country was found alive and well, living a "lavish lifestyle" in France earlier this month.
    • Europol said Tuesday it had arrested an unnamed Ukrainian citizen after they discovered him living in a castle in Burgundy that dates back to the 12th century.
    • They said the man was living off laundered funds from a corruption scheme. During the October 5 raid they seized a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom and three works by Salvador Dalí.

    dmytro malynovskyyA Ukranian man who had been declared dead in his home country was arrested earlier this month, after European Union law enforcement agents found him alive and well, living a "lavish lifestyle" in a French castle.

    In an October 16 press release, Europol said the man, who they dubbed the "King of the Castle," was living off money laundered from a corruption scheme.

    French law enforcement officials first started investigating the man in January, after growing suspicious of his purchase of the Chateau de la Rochepot, near the town of Dijon in the Burgundy region. The castle, which dates back to the 12th century, is a popular tourist attraction and was previously owned by the descendants of former French President Marie François Sadi Carnot, who was assassinated in 1894, according to The Telegraph.

    When they reached out to Ukrainian officials for more information on the castle's new owners, they learned that he was wanted in his home country for large-scale corruption.

    europol 2

    Due to the international element of the case, French authorities requested the aid of Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, which discovered that the man had managed to evade capture by forging death certificates.

    On October 5, French law enforcement and Europol agents arrested the man, seizing his castle, 4.6 million euros, a Rolls Royce Phantom, and three unnamed works by Salvador Dalí.

    Europol officials did not release the identity of the man, but three sources who spoke with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty identified him as 36-year-old Dmytro Malynovskyy.

    europol 1

    A Ukranian government website says Malynovskyy has been missing since August 2014, just six months after the Ukranian Revolution resulted in then-President Viktor Yanukovych fleeing the country after revelations of widespread governmental corruption.

    Electoral records RFE/RL viewed showed Malynovskyy had previously run for the Odesa city council, in 2006, representing the same party Yanukovych belonged to.

    RFE/RL reports that the fraud and forgery Malynovskyy was allegedly involved in regarded Defense Ministry property in Odesa.

    Ukranian prosecutors are reportedly in the process of securing the suspect's extradition. Three others associates were also arrested in the October 5 raid.

    SEE ALSO: 75 years ago, US bombers flew into the 'most violent, savagely fought, and bloodiest' battle of their campaign to halt the Nazi war machine

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    Heather Nauert

    • State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert is under fire from reporters and other critics after posting a photo of herself smiling outside a Saudi government complex in Riyadh.
    • Nauert took the photo while visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss the disappearance of Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
    • Some interpreted Nauert's photo — along with President Donald Trump's defense of the Saudis — as evidence that the US is trivializing the Saudi government's disregard for human rights.

    Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman who doubles as one of the US's highest-ranking diplomats, came under fire after posting a photo of herself on Wednesday smiling outside a Saudi Arabian government complex during a visit to Riyadh to discuss the alleged torture and killing of a US resident and Saudi dissident. 

    Nauert, also the acting under-secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, accompanied Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a trip to Turkey and Saudi Arabia this week to meet with the country's leaders to discuss journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance. The Saudis have denied involvement in his disappearance, while President Donald Trump has defended the country as an "important ally."

    Some journalists and former government officials pointed to the photo Nauert posted of herself on her personal, public Instagram account as yet more evidence of the Trump administration's callous response to the Saudi government's human rights violations.

    "If I were the State Department's spokesperson, on an official trip to learn more about the dark, dubious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a U.S. resident, I probably would have skipped the tourist-in-Riyadh photos. But that's just me," tweeted David Gura, an MSNBC and NBC correspondent. 

    #SaudiArabia at The Royal Court

    A post shared by Heather Nauert (@heathernauert) on Oct 16, 2018 at 8:04pm PDT on

    "This is not a good look," tweeted BuzzFeed national security correspondent Vera Bergengruen of the photo. 

    Nauert, a former Fox News host who did not have foreign policy experience when she joined the State Department last year, is reportedly on the president's lists to replace outgoing US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 

    It comes amid growing evidence — including audio recordings released by the Turkish media— that a delegation of Saudi officials tortured, killed, and dismembered Khashoggi with a bone saw. Trump has resisted intensifying calls to condemn the regime and instead defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from the charges and emphasized that Khashoggi — a Virginia resident — isn't a US citizen. 

    "Here we go again with you're guilty until proven innocent," Trump told The Associates Press on Tuesday. 

    Pompeo was also photographed smiling and shaking hands with Prince Salman and told reporters that the Saudis had repeated their denials of any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance, issuing a statement saying the regime had promised to conduct a "thorough, transparent, and timely investigation" into the matter. 

    Trump has stressed the importance of the US's financial ties with Saudi Arabia, calling the Middle Eastern nation an "important ally," while citing tens of billions of dollars in US-Saudi arms deals. (Other US presidents, including Barack Obama, have also continued arms sales to governments with poor records on human rights). 

    Walter Shaub, the former head of the US Office of Government Ethics, said Nauert's photo is part of a broader set of problematic optics the administration is employing to send a message to Saudi leaders.

    On Tuesday, in a move seen by experts as an attempt to placate Trump, the Saudi government followed through on its promise to contribute $100 million to US relief efforts in Syria, The New York Times reported. 

    Some Republican members of Congress have spoken out on the issue, putting pressure on Trump to punish Saudi leaders for their alleged crime. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, said this week that the president should consider canceling some arms deals, while Sen. Lindsey Graham, said Tuesday that the crown prince "has got to go" and called on Trump to "sanction the hell out of" the Saudi government. 

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    coffee

    • Many of our favorite holidays were invented by brands to pad sales.
    • There is no official body that approves holidays in the United States (Congress can only set federal holidays), which is why there are so many of them.
    • “Fake” holidays succeed when they offer either fun or strengthen an emotional connection to food or a cause.

     

    It seems like every day is a holiday now, an ode to some food, cause, or even a facetious accent. Thanks to social media, brands and consumers alike can think up new holidays wholesale and promote them to a wide audience.

    For example, while Halloween wasn’t created by a company, the candy industry at the start of the 20th century tried to turn the second Saturday in October into Candy Day, The Atlantic reported. That is until Halloween proved a more suitable candy-centered holiday. Call it a half-win.

    In that spirit, let’s take a look at some other popular holidays invented by brands.

    SEE ALSO: 9 items you should always buy from Costco's Kirkland Signature brand

    1. National Pancake Day

    Outside of the US — especially in the U.K. and Ireland — there’s an official Pancake Day, which takes place every year on Shrove (or “Fat”) Tuesday, the day before the start of the Lenten season. It’s a day people in the United States may know better by its other name: Mardi Gras.

    The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) seized the branding opportunity and brought IHOP National Pancake Day to the United States in 2006, giving away free short stacks of pancakes and raising money for charity in the process.

    IHOP usually aligns National Pancake Day with Fat Tuesday, but they’ve been known to move it around by a week or so. It’s their holiday, after all.



    2. National Rotisserie Chicken Day

    For lovers of chicken-on-a-spit, June 2 – National Rotisserie Chicken Day – is the time to shine. It will also probably come as no surprise that the king of rotisserie chicken sales, Boston Market, is the company behind it, the Detroit Free Press reported.

    The chicken chain submitted their proposal in April 2015 to National Day Calendar, one of the main unofficial bodies that reviews new “holiday” requests from brands and companies, and received approval in May of the same year.



    3. National/International Coffee Day

    Lots of countries have had National Coffee days, but one of the first documented “International Coffee” holidays was developed by the All Japan Coffee Association back in 1983 and set for October 1st, according to the company.

    It wasn’t until 2015, however, that International Coffee Day went truly international, with 35 countries in the International Coffee Association signing on.

    Much of the U.S., however, celebrates National Coffee Day on September 29, according to the National Day Calendar.



    See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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    • Lottery winners' lives aren't always better with millions — 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt in just a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education.
    • For some, the moment they receive their prize money can come with grim after-effects like divorce, theft, lawsuits, drug addiction, overspending, and even death threats.
    • Watch the video above to learn about four people whose lives took a turn for the worse the moment they won the lottery. 

    The Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots have reached over $1 billion combined, as of this writing. There's a lot you can do with that kind of money, like try the most expensive tasting menu in the world or buy a private jet. 

    But winning two lotteries is even less likely than winning one — math suggests you shouldn't even play. 

    Winning millions in cash can be more of a target than a blessing, earning you more attention than you expected. Some family members, exes, and spouses have plotted their own claim to the money by any means necessary, including lawsuits, divorces, and even attempts to kill the winner. For that reason, there are a couple things people can do if they win.  

    It's important to remember that money doesn't solve all of life's problems. In fact, many lottery winners' lives took a turn for the worse, and they also managed to lose all the money.

    Watch the video above to learn about four people whose lives took a turn for the worse the moment they won the lottery. 

    This article has been updated from its original version.

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    JetBlue Airbus A320

    • JetBlue is offering free flights for select passengers this November, but it comes with the slight catch that those selected must be service-oriented and interested in volunteering while on the trip. 
    • Titled "JetBlue for Good Month" on the airline's webpage, JetBlue is promoting a travel initiative centered around volunteer work.
    • The trip will take place from November 27 to November 30 of this year. 
    • JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider, "We chose a destination that we feel we can have a really big impact on, and a place where our volunteers could see a visible difference at the conclusion of the trip."
    • Those interested can register on a JetBlue website that asks them to answer questions in a short quiz and provide a 150-word statement about why volunteering is important in their lives. 

    JetBlue is offering free flights to select passengers for a trip this November, but it comes with the slight catch that those selected must be service-oriented and interested in volunteering while on the vacation. 

    Titled "JetBlue for Good Month" on the airline's webpage, JetBlue is promoting a travel initiative centered around volunteer work.

    According to Thrillist, the airline's promotion will take 100 people—50 passengers and a guest of their choice—on an all-expense paid volunteer trip to a still-undetermined location. 

    While the destination is still under-wraps, JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider, "We chose a destination that we feel we can have a really big impact on, and a place where our volunteers could see a visible difference at the conclusion of the trip."

    The trip will take place from November 27 to November 30. 

    While the trip is all-expenses paid, it will only be leaving from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, and guests will need to find their way to and from New York on their own dime in order to take part in the promotion, according to Thrillist. 

    Those interested can register for a chance to be selected on this website, where they will be asked to answer a series of philanthropic-related questions as well as write a 150-word statement outlining why volunteering is important to them. 

    Screen Shot of JetBlue

    JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider the promotion will focus mainly on three pillars of service: youth and education, community, and environment; with crew members and those selected rotating to projects that focus on those specific areas. The airline will be working with existing charities and non-profits that they are already partnered with for the promotion, and the airline is seeking people who are passionate about wanting "to do good."  

    On Wednesday afternoon, JetBlue posted a short video about the promotion on social media. 

     

    SEE ALSO: JetBlue will sell you $31 one-way tickets on select routes for one day only

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    iron fist

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

    While there's been somewhat of a quiet period since May, some networks have cut shows throughout the summer and fall.

    The most recent cancelations come from Comedy Central and Netflix. Comedy Central announced that "Nathan for You" is ending after four seasons. And Netflix recently canceled "Iron Fist" after two seasons, and announced that "Orange is the New Black" will end with its upcoming seventh season. 

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

    In other notable cancellations, USA's critically acclaimed "Mr. Robot" will end with its upcoming fourth season, and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" is ending after 12 seasons. 

    We'll update this list as more are announced.

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

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

    Amazon



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



    "I Love Dick" — Amazon, one season



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    rod rosenstein

    • Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein told The Wall Street Journal the Russia investigation has already revealed a multi-faceted Russian effort to meddle in the 2016 US election.
    • Rosenstein added that he has a "solemn" responsibility to oversee and prosecute such cases, and that he is "pleased the president has been supportive of that."
    • President Donald Trump has repeatedly derided the ongoing Russia probe, calling it a politically motivated "witch hunt" and a "hoax."
    • "I believe that our department and our office have been appropriately managing that investigation," Rosenstein told The Journal, referring to the Russia probe.
    • Rosenstein's comments came after it was reported that he has been pressuring the special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation.

    Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said on Wednesday that the special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation has already revealed an elaborate and widespread effort by the Russians to meddle in the 2016 US election.

    Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Rosenstein said, “I have a solemn responsibility to make sure that cases like that are pursued and prosecuted, and I’m pleased the president has been supportive of that.”

    President Donald Trump, whose campaign is at the center of the Russia probe, frequently derides the investigation as a politically motivated "hoax" and a "witch hunt." To date, he and his Republican allies in Congress have spearheaded several efforts — many of which have been successful — to force the Justice Department to disclose sensitive information about the investigation and who it's targeting.

    In addition to investigating whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the race in his favor, Mueller is also examining whether Trump sought to obstruct justice at various points throughout the inquiry.

    Trump has made numerous public and private attempts to exert more influence over the investigation, at one point reportedly wondering why "my guys" at the "Trump Justice Department" weren't protecting him from scrutiny.

    Trump also often gripes about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation last year, after it emerged that he had not been forthcoming during his confirmation hearing about his contacts with Russians during the campaign.

    Sessions is widely rumored to be leaving after the November midterm elections, and Trump is expected to clean house at the DOJ then as well.

    Meanwhile, Rosenstein's own job hangs in the balance following a New York Times report that said the deputy attorney general suggested secretly recording Trump and invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office shortly after Trump fired then FBI director James Comey last year.

    Rosenstein vehemently denied the claim, and subsequent media reports also cast some doubt on the veracity of The Times' reporting. Still, Rosenstein reportedly offered to resign multiple times after the report came out because he wanted to avoid being fired and wanted to leave on amicable terms.

    Things between Trump and Rosenstein seemed to simmer down a bit after they met aboard Air Force One last week.

    Though Rosenstein declined to discuss the allegations or his conversations with Trump, he told The Journal, “The president knows that I am prepared to do this job as long as he wants me to do this job. You serve at the pleasure of the president, and there’s never been any ambiguity about that in my mind.”

    Rosenstein has long been a key target of Trump's ire as the president complains that he is not doing enough to rein in Mueller. Trump was also infuriated when it emerged in April that Rosenstein greenlit an FBI raid of his former longtime lawyer Michael Cohen's property.

    “I believe that our department and our office have been appropriately managing that investigation,” Rosenstein told The Journal, referring to the Russia probe.

    His interview with the outlet came after Bloomberg reported earlier Wednesday that Rosenstein has been pressuring Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation.

    Two US officials told Bloomberg that Mueller is expected to deliver his key findings shortly after the midterms. But legal experts say that while Mueller appears close to tying up the obstruction thread, he likely won't be finished with the collusion thread by November.

    Join the conversation about this story »

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