Quantcast
Channel: Business Insider
Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live

The very traits that make you good at your job can also make you terrible in relationships

0
0

couple talking smiling

  • Success at work can sometimes come at the expense of relationship stability.
  • That's because the qualities that make someone good at their job can also make them a less-than-ideal partner.
  • This phenomenon is especially common among entrepreneurs, who tend to seek novelty and resist routine.
  • Still, some experts say that, in moderation, certain traits that help someone at work may also help their relationship. 


At the Couples Institute in Menlo Park, California, therapist Peter Pearson works with many entrepreneurs and their partners.

And he's noticed a pattern.

"Just about every entrepreneur has that attitude of, 'I don't like people telling me what to do,'" Pearson said. Instead, they prefer to be in the driver's seat.

That typically doesn't bode well in a relationship — or at least not for long. Despite the entrepreneur's desire for control, Pearson said, a marriage is "not a hierarchy."

What's more, Pearson has seen that entrepreneurs tend to resist anything that resembles structure, predictability, or routine. That's why they relish the variety and fast pace of startup life.

But over time, every marriage begins to develop routines around things like who does the dishes, who takes out the trash, and who picks the kids up from school. As a result, Pearson said, "the marriage starts to feel humdrum and not as interesting, stimulating, or exciting as [the entrepreneur's] work."

It's a common theme: The traits that make you successful at work end up hindering your ability to be in a relationship. And while this phenomenon is hardly limited to entrepreneurs and their partners, they tend to draw the most attention.

In some cases, entrepreneurs may find it difficult to enter a stable relationship in the first place.

Ty Tashiro, a psychologist and relationship expert, said entrepreneurs tend to be what he calls "high novelty-seeking." That means they score high on measures of openness to experience (i.e. intellectual curiosity and the desire to discover something new) and low on certain aspects of conscientiousness, like being orderly and planful.

"Novelty seekers are so much fun to date," Tashiro said. "They are exciting; they will do all these novel and unique things with you." He added that entrepreneurs tend to get absorbed in the moment, which means "they are really into you and they're really into the relationship and that feels great."

But here's the catch. "People high in novelty-seeking also get bored more easily, which means they'll get bored with you."

Traits that are necessary in certain careers may be turnoffs for romantic partners

Professionals in other fields may experience similar issues.

Being in a relationship with a CEO, for example, can be problematic, Tashiro said. Research suggests that CEOs tend to have higher levels of psychopathic traits than the rest of the population.

"When it's contained, it's part of the reason they're successful in those jobs," Tashiro said. "You need that emotional numbness to negative feedback that a lot of great CEOs have. Otherwise you get overly sensitive about things and can't move forward."

Some people who score high on psychopathic traits don't feel any negative emotions even when they get punished, which "if you're in a really nasty corporate battle or struggling for survival in the marketplace, is not a bad person to have leading you around," Tashiro said. "But in the context of intimate relationships, it's always going to lead to tears."

unhappy fighting coupleJoseph Burgo, a marriage and family therapist and clinical psychologist, said that for people working in highly competitive fields — think litigation or investment banking — it can be "hard to switch off those traits, and it doesn't play well at home."

Burgo also cited surgeons, or people in roles where they have to be emotionally detached. "It's hard to turn it back on at home," he said.

Marriage and family therapist Sarah Epstein (a college classmate of mine), wrote "Love in the Time of Medical School," about the ups and downs of dating and then marrying a medical student (also a college classmate of mine). In her interviews with other partners of medical students, she realized that doctors' seeming coldness can hurt their relationship even if it's not directed at their partners.

"It can be off-putting watching them be emotionally detached in their work," she said, for example — even though it makes sense that a doctor can't realistically get invested in every single patient they treat.

Sometimes the traits that make you successful at work can also — in moderation — improve your relationship

Jay Goltz, a business owner and speaker, remembers talking to his friend's wife nearly 30 years ago and hearing her say, "If I was your wife, I would have thrown you out years ago."

Eventually, Goltz understood that she meant they were too similar, both assertive and strong-willed. That is to say, he made a wise decision marrying someone who wasn't nearly as domineering as he.

At the same time, Goltz said one of the reasons marriage is hard is because you don't get "immediate feedback" like you would at work if you overstepped your boundaries.

"If you did marry someone who's not as assertive or aggressive," Goltz said, "they might not have the wherewithal to say, 'Look, you're not at work. When you say stuff like that, it bothers me.' They're just going to suffer in silence."

Still, Burgo said those extreme personality traits that make someone successful in their career can also help in a relationship. For example, "the very competitive, aggressive person can often use that to protect the family."

And as long as you're not too emotionally distant, that calmness and rationality "can be helpful in negotiating things that might otherwise become explosive and overly emotional in a relationship," Burgo said.

As for Epstein, she's certain that the traits that make her husband a skilled physician are the same traits that initially drew her to him. His determination and single-minded focus are things she finds attractive — but they can be "detrimental if they go too far," like if she feels the relationship is secondary to his career.

When it comes to the relationship, she said, these traits are only beneficial in moderation. "That's always the catch."

SEE ALSO: Divorce isn't a failure, therapists say. In fact, it could mean the marriage was a success.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Snoring was ruining my relationship — here’s how a sleep doctor fixed my sleep apnea


A look at the daily routine of Benjamin Franklin, who didn't always follow his own 'early to bed, early to rise' advice

0
0

Benjamin Franklin

  • Benjamin Franklin left behind detailed writings about his typical daily routine.
  • His schedule varied over the years — as did his commitment to some of his own popular aphorisms.
  • According to his fellow Founding FatherJohn Adams, Franklin didn't always follow his own advice in his later years.


Benjamin Franklin was a true Renaissance man.

After getting his start in the printing business, he went on to establish himself as a leading writer and political thinker in the English colonies in North America; invent the lightning rod, bifocals, and swim fins; make a number of crucial scientific discoveries; and help draft the Declaration of Independence and secure his country's' freedom from England.

The Founding Father got a lot done, so it's no surprise that he earned the unofficial moniker of "First American."

And it's definitely not a shock that he was pretty intentional about his time, according to his autobiography. 

Here's a breakdown of what Franklin's days looked like:

SEE ALSO: I followed Benjamin Franklin's daily schedule for a week, and the most rewarding part was also the most difficult

DON'T MISS: The turkey was never going to be the US national bird — here's the truth behind Thanksgiving lore

DON'T MISS: Visiting a modern-day salon where people discuss Ben Franklin's ideas showed me how valuable his insights can be 290 years later

You probably know the old cliche, which is popularly attributed to Franklin: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." According to his autobiography, the Founding Father did wake up early, rising at 5 a.m.

Source: Business Insider, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"



He would then wash up and practice positivity and gratitude by addressing "Powerful Goodness." This "Powerful Goodness" was Franklin's concept of God. The Founding Father was a Deist, meaning he believed in a higher being.

Source: Business Insider, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin," The Washington Post



Before 8 a.m., Franklin would also get down to business and do some reading.

Source: "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Netflix's 6 original Marvel superhero shows, ranked from worst to best

0
0

luke cage

Netflix made a deal with Marvel Comics back in 2013 to produce four Marvel-universe shows and a mini-series.

The deal expanded last year, when Netflix released its sixth Marvel show, "The Punisher." Its latest Marvel release was the second season of "Luke Cage," which premiered to positive reviews this week.

To find out which of the Marvel Netflix shows have fared the best among critics, we turned to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes for the composite critical receptions of all seasons for each series. We used audience scores to break any ties. 

Here are Netflix's six original Marvel shows, ranked from worst to best, according to critics:  

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Netflix's 25 original comedy shows, from worst to best

6. "Iron Fist" — 17%

Critic score: 17%

Audience score: 75%

Netflix description: "Danny Rand resurfaces 15 years after being presumed dead. Now, with the power of the Iron Fist, he seeks to reclaim his past and fulfill his destiny."



5. "The Punisher" — 63%

Critic score: 63%

Audience score: 93%

Netflix description: "A former Marine out to punish the criminals responsible for his family's murder finds himself ensnared in a military conspiracy."



4. "The Defenders" — 76%

Critic score: 76%

Audience score: 75%

Netflix description: "Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist join forces to take on common enemies as a sinister conspiracy threatens New York City."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

People have the wrong idea about the 3 most popular procedures in South Korea, the plastic surgery capital of the world

0
0

PlasticSurgeryKorea (1 of 1)

  • South Korea has the highest rate of plastic surgeries per capita in the world.
  • The most popular surgeries are skin whitening, nose jobs, and double-eyelid surgery, which many critics have taken to mean that Koreans are trying to look more Caucasian or white.
  • Alfred "Haeppy" Leung, a Seoul-based YouTuber, explained that the beauty ideals that Koreans are trying to achieve with plastic surgery are based on long-standing Korean beauty standards and have little to do with Western beauty standards.

SEOUL —With the highest rate of cosmetic surgeries in the world and nearly 1 million procedures a year, South Korea is often called the world's plastic surgery capital.

Some estimates have suggested that around one in three South Korean women between 19 and 29 have had plastic surgery. Others have put that number at 50% or higher.

By far the most common surgery that Koreans do, according to Dr. Choi Min of Answer Plastic Surgery in Gangnam, is a blepharoplasty, or double-eyelid surgery, where they insert a crease in the eyelid to make the eye look bigger. The two other popular procedure are rhinoplasties, or nose jobs, and glutathione injections, which slows pigmentation in the skin, thus giving a fairer skin tone.

Many Western critics, plastic surgeons included, have taken the prevalence of these procedures to mean that Koreans desire to look more Caucasian or white. Only about 50% of East Asians have "double eyelids," while it is widespread among Caucasians.

But Alfred "Haeppy" Leung, a Seoul-based YouTuber with WeFancy, a channel that examines Korean culture, believes that this is a major misconception about plastic surgery in South Korea.

"The misconception that, 'Koreans just want to look white,' is a symptom of western arrogance and Eurocentrism and has no basis in reality," Leung told Business Insider. "Pale skin has always been a standard of beauty not only in East Asia but all of Asia, based on the implication that the lighter the skin the less one was in the sun working outdoors."

Further, the type of nose bridge that Koreans tend to ask for in a rhinoplasty is markedly different from the the ideal Caucasian nose bridge. And the crease above the eyelid has always been sought after in Asian cultures both because it is rare and because it creates visually larger eyes, according to Leung. 

The misconception is one battled frequently by plastic surgeons in Asia, as Li Binbin, a Beijing-based plastic surgeon, explained to the South China Morning Post last year.

South korea plastic surgery double eyelids

“In the East, we have our own beauty standards. The majority of Chinese don’t have very big eyes. That’s why people all want [the double-eyelid surgery]," Li said.

Even Dr. Robert Flowers, who has received some credit for popularizing the surgery in the US, disputes the notion that blepharoplasties are about making Asians look more white. 

"The general idea then — and I keep hearing it even today — was that Asians who have facial and eyelid surgery want to 'Westernize,' Flowers told New York Magazine in 2014. "And that's even what Asian plastic surgeons thought they were doing then as well. But that's not what Asians want. They want to be beautiful Asians."

Common procedures beyond eyelid surgery, nose jobs, and skin whitening are also aimed at achieving specifically Korean beauty standards, not Western, according to Leung.

"For example, Koreans like slimmer jawlines while Westerners like stronger jawlines. Westerners like higher protruding cheekbones while Koreans tend to like flatter cheekbones. Koreans tend not to like very thick and full lips, while lip fillers are considered a standard procedure in western cosmetic surgery," Leung said. 

SEE ALSO: I let a doctor in the plastic surgery capital of the world suggest how I should change my face, and he came up with $30,000 of surgeries

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Korean parents are having their kids get plastic surgery before college

I've been to 25 countries, and there are 16 things you'll almost never find outside the US

0
0

houston texans cheerleaders

  • Many things that are common in the United States are nearly impossible to find in other countries.
  • They include food items like peanut butter or Southern-style biscuits.
  • They also include everyday items like mailboxes and red Solo cups.


There are many things that, for better or for worse, you can only find in America.

Common food items like peanut butter or Southern-style biscuits are nearly impossible to find in other countries, for example. The same goes for everyday sights like mailboxes, take-out boxes, and red Solo cups.

At least that's what I found in my travels to 25 different countries. With each new country I visit, from Costa Rica to the Philippines, I find more and more examples of things that I didn't realize were distinctly American.

Read on to see 16 things that you won't find outside the United States.

Peanut butter

Peanut butter is a staple of school lunches across America, but you'd be hard pressed to find it outside of the States. It was one of the food products I didn't realize I would miss until I was deprived of it. 

Although you may get lucky and find a jar at an international grocery store, peanut butter is one of those foods that non-Americans don't know what they're missing out on.



Cheerleading

Cheerleading is almost exclusively an American activity. Thanks to American movies and TV, many people in other countries are aware of cheerleading, but few have actually seen it in person. For now, it's part of what distinguishes sporting events in the US.



Take-out boxes

First-time visitors to the US are frequently shocked at the massive portion sizes offered in American restaurants.

While their surprise is justified, they may not realize that in the US, it's also very common for customers to take home leftover food in a take-out box. The practice isn't nearly as common in other countries.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

5 famous 'facts' about the Fourth of July that aren't true — and what actually happened instead

0
0

American flag face paint USA US America fan

  • The Fourth of July is a big deal in the US.
  • It marks the 13 colonies' declaration of independence from Britain.
  • There are a number of popular historical tales out there about the US's Independence Day.
  • Here are a few that are untrue or impossible to actually verify.

The Fourth of July is all about fireworks, food, and freedom for many Americans.

In the US, Independence Day commemorates the 13 colonies' decision to rebel against King George III and declare their independence.

But be careful before you start regaling your friends with Fourth of July lore.

There are plenty of popular myths about Independence Day disguised as common knowledge.

Here are a few "facts" about the Fourth of July that are actually historically bogus:

SEE ALSO: A look at the daily routine of Benjamin Franklin, who didn't always follow his own 'early to bed, early to rise' advice

DON'T MISS: What the Founding Fathers were doing before their act of rebellion made them famous

The founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776

On a hot summer day in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress declared the 13 colonies independent from the Crown. Massachusetts delegate and future US president John Adams was certain that he'd witnessed history — and that the date would live on in memory.

"The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America," wrote Adams, in a July 3, 1776 letter to his wife, Abigail.

Poor Adams. He was only off by two days. The Continental Congress actually issued an initial resolution asserting independence from Britain on July 2, which was then revised and finalized on July 4.

However, historians believe that the signing didn't take place until about a month later. Emily Sneff, research manager of the Declaration Resources Project at Harvard University, writes that 49 of the 56 signers didn't even add their signatures the declaration until August 2, 1776: "It took several months, if not years, for all of the signatures to be added."

She cites the Journals of the Continental Congress, which include this August 2 entry: "The declaration of independence being engrossed and compared at the table was signed."

So, why do we gather together to blow things up and grill meat on the Fourth? The Declaration was technically agreed to on that day, and the copies distributed throughout the colonies were dated July 4, 1776.

As a result, that was the date that stuck in people's minds.



The Revolutionary War was all about the American colonies and Britain

As any American student can tell you, Independence Day in a nutshell was the rebellious, teen-aged colonies finally having it out with their overbearing mother country. And France helped, too.

It's probably more helpful to look at the war through the lens of the power struggle between France and Britain. The American Revolution was, in many ways, more of an episode in their drama, as opposed to an earth-shaking event, in and of itself.

The American Revolution took place on the heels of the French and Indian War — one of the theaters of the Seven Years' War between France and Britain.

That North American clash provided a prelude to the Revolution, launching George Washington's military career and prompting a victorious but cash-strapped Britain to raise taxes on its colonies.

France's eventual decision to dive into the fight on the side of the colonists was a chance for payback.

That being said, it's understandable why the American Revolution is a bigger deal in the US than other countries— it is our history, after all. Plus, it's probably fair to say that the rebellion, along with the spread of the Enlightenment, sparked future global changes, including the French Revolution.



The Liberty Bell cracked on Independence Day

The Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell are forever tied together in the popular imagination.

As the lore goes, after the colonies declared independence, the citizens of Philadelphia partied so hard that they cracked the bell, which was first made in 1751.

While it's a great story, this tale is total nonsense. First of all, the official announcement about the Declaration didn't go out until July 8.

"On that day, lots of bells were rung to celebrate public readings of the Declaration, and the Liberty Bell was probably one of them," writes historian Joseph Coohill — who blogs about historical myths under the name Professor Buzzkill.

We have no way of knowing for sure, though, since the state house steeple in which the bell was housed was kind of falling apart and under repair at the time, according to the Independence Hall Association.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'THIS WAS A TARGETED ATTACK': 5 killed, several injured in shooting at Capital Gazette newsroom in Maryland

0
0

capital gazette shooting

  • Five people were killed and several were "gravely injured" in a shooting Thursday afternoon at the Capital Gazette's newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, police said.
  • Anne Arundel County acting police chief William Krampf said it was a "targeted attack."
  • The suspected gunman, described by officials as a white man in his late 30s, is in custody. Police haven't released information about a possible motive.
  • Multiple news outlets identified the suspected gunman as 38-year-old Jarrod Ramos. A man with the same name sued the newspaper for defamation in 2012, the Baltimore Sun, CBS News, CNN, NBC News, and other outlets reported. The case was eventually dismissed, and that decision was upheld on appeal, according to the reports.
  • Newsroom employees tweeted details of the shooting, with one reporter saying the gunman shot through a glass door and opened fire on employees.

Five people were killed and several others were "gravely injured" in a shooting at the Capital Gazette's newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, authorities said Thursday.

One suspect is in custody and being interviewed by police, said Lt. Ryan Frashure of the Anne Arundel County Police Department. 

"This was a targeted attack on the Capital Gazette," Anne Arundel County acting police chief William Krampf told reporters during a news conference hours after the shooting.

One of the newspaper's reporters, Phil Davis, tweeted: "Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can't say much more and don't want to declare anyone dead, but it's bad." He added that he was safe and was waiting to be interviewed by police.

"There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload," he said.

Capital Gazette Shooting Map 2 (1)

What we know about the shooter

Authorities described the suspect in custody as a white man in his late 30s but said they didn't share information about a possible motive. The Associated Press reported that the man was not cooperating with police.

"At this point, we're still talking to the individual, we're engaging with the individual," Frashure told reporters at a news conference.

During a press conference on Thursday evening, police said they knew the suspect's name, but declined to share that information. After that press conference, multiplenewsoutlets identified the suspected gunman as 38-year-old Jarrod Ramos.

A man with the same name sued the newspaper for defamation in 2012, the Baltimore Sun, CBS News, CNN, and NBC News reported, among other news outlets. That case was dismissed, and the judge's decision was upheld on appeal.

Citing local law-enforcement authorities, NBC News and CNN reported that the suspect had "altered" his own fingerprints in an attempt to stall investigators working to identify him. Both news outlets said authorities later learned the suspect's identity through the use of facial-recognition technology. Police did not immediately confirm that information.

Krampf said threats to the newspaper "were sent over social media as recently as today."

Authorities also said that a "long gun" was used in the shooting and that no gunfire was exchanged between the gunman and officers.

There were roughly 170 people in the building at the time of the shooting, and most of them were escorted out safely, police said.

The local NBC affiliate WBAL reported that authorities had found a suspicious package and that bomb squads were responding. Krampf said the item that they thought was an "explosive device" had "been taken care of."

Agents from the Baltimore division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms also responded to the scene, the agency tweeted.

What we know about the people affected

An intern for the newspaper, Anthony Messenger, tweeted that there was an active shooter and pleaded for help. He later said a colleague had been shot.

capital gazette intern

The Capital Gazette journalists Joshua McKerrow and Danielle Ohl tweeted that Davis and Messenger were safe, as were several other colleagues, including Chase Cook, Pat Ferguson, Paul Gillespie, Selene San Felice, and Rick Hutzell.

One newsroom employee named Rachael Pacella was taken to the hospital with an injury, Ohl said.

Jimmy DeButts, an editor at the paper, tweeted that he didn't have any information to share but that reporters and editors gave their all each day.

"There are no 40 hour weeks, no big paydays — just a passion for telling stories from our community," he said.

He added: "We are there in times of tragedy. We do our best to share the stories of people, those who make our community better. Please understand, we do all this to serve our community."

Video from the AP showed employees walking out of the building with their hands in the air.

Leaders react

Gov. Larry Hogan said he was "absolutely devastated to learn of this tragedy in Annapolis," adding that he was in contact with officials at the scene.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland tweeted that his heart was with the "families, friends, and loved ones of the victims," saying that "we must unite to end the violence."

In another tweet, Van Hollen addressed Davis directly.

"Phil, I can't imagine what you and the entire Capital Gazette team are going through right now," he said. "Journalists shouldn't have to fend off bullets in the newsroom while doing their jobs — this is not normal. Stay strong."

President Donald Trump was also briefed on the shooting.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," he tweeted. "Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene."

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

SEE ALSO: Reporter tweets account of shooting in his own newsroom: 'There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload'

AND THIS: 'Devastated & heartbroken. Numb.': Editor of Annapolis, Maryland newspaper has raw, emotional reaction to deadly shooting in his newsroom

Join the conversation about this story »

This map shows every state that has legalized marijuana

0
0

BI Graphics_legal marijuana map

  • Recreational marijuana is legal in nine states and medical marijuana is legal in 30 states.
  • A 2017 Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans support legalization.
  • Oklahoma became the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana on Wednesday. 

Oklahoma became the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana on Wednesday. Residents voted 56-43% in support of the ballot initiative, which is one of the most permissive medical marijuana laws in the US. 

Nine states and Washington, DC, have legalized marijuana for recreational use — no doctor's letter required — for adults over the age of 21. 

In January, Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana through the legislature, rather than a ballot initiative, when the governor signed the bill into law.

Marijuana prohibition began 80 years ago when the federal government put a ban on the sale, cultivation, and use of the cannabis plant. It remains illegal on the federal level.

Despite the efforts of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been on a crusade to stamp out legal marijuana since his appointment, the industry is exploding.

Legal marijuana sales exploded to $9.7 billion in North America in 2017, according to a report from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. That represents a 33% increase over 2016, shattering previous expectations about how quickly the marijuana industry could grow in the face of federal prohibition.

The report also predicted the legal marijuana market will reach $24.5 billion in sales — a 28% annual compound growth rate — by 2021, as more state-legal markets come online.

Support for marijuana legalization reached new highs in 2017. A Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans favor legalization, and a majority of Republicans back it for the first time.

SEE ALSO: We went inside the best marijuana shop in America — here's what it was like

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Legal marijuana may have several health benefits


There have been 154 mass shootings in the US so far in 2018 — here's the full list

0
0

capital gazette shooting

  • The number of mass shootings in the US this year reached 154 on Thursday.
  • Five people were killed and several were "gravely injured" in a shooting at the Capital Gazette's newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, police said.
  • There have been nearly as many US mass shootings as days in 2018.

 

Five people were killed and several others were "gravely injured" in a shooting at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, authorities said Thursday.

The incident marked the 154th mass shooting in 2018, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings in the US. To put this into perspective, we are 177 days into the year, which means the US has had nearly as many mass shootings as days in 2018.

Americans are more likely to die from gun violence than many leading causes of death combined, with some 11,000 people in the US killed in firearm assaults each year.

There is no broadly accepted definition of a mass shooting. Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as a single incident in which four or more people, not including the shooter, are "shot and/or killed" at "the same general time and location."

The government also doesn't have an official definition. In 2013, a report from the Congressional Research Service, known as Congress's think tank, described mass shootings as those in which shooters "select victims somewhat indiscriminately" and kill four or more people — a higher bar than Gun Violence Archive's, as it doesn't take injuries into account.

In 2013, a federal mandate lowered that threshold to three deaths.

Data from Gun Violence Archive also shows that more than 7,000 people have died from gun-related violence so far this year and more than 13,300 others were injured.

Here's a complete list of the mass shootings— as defined by Gun Violence Archive — that have occurred in the US so far in 2018. 

You can view a report of any incident by visiting the list at gunviolencearchive.org.

SEE ALSO: These are the victims of the Florida high school shooting

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Former White House photographer describes what is was like to capture Obama on the worst day of his presidency

The CEO of Twitter says one of the best productivity tools is a free app that comes installed on every iPhone

0
0

jack dorsey


 

There are a slew of downloadable productivity apps available for those looking to reflect, take notes, and streamline their workdays.

But Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, sticks to iOS Notes, a free app that comes installed on every iPhone.

He recently explained what he uses it for in a tweet:

Dorsey said he uses his iOS Notes to document much of his thought process and to stay on top things. The app is free on all Apple products and syncs across users' iClouds. 

And iOS Notes isn't the only free note-taking app that Dorsey has praised. Dorsey shared in April that his team begins each meeting with reading and commenting on a Google Doc.

"This practice makes time for everyone to get on same page, allows us to work from many locations, and gets to truth/critical thinking faster," Dorsey tweeted

Clearly, the busy CEO is a fan of taking meticulous notes.

And it's a simple but effective strategy just about anybody can use to get ahead in their career.

Having frank and frequent discussions with your boss and writing everything you discuss down should provide a clear roadmap for where and how you can improve.

And as Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant," previously told Business Insider, it's always a good idea to keep an electronic file of your work, correspondence, and kudos.

"It can come in handy if you have a boss with no legitimate reason to fire you," she told Business Insider. "Also keep kudos that have accumulated from managers, clients, colleagues, business associates, and vendors. You will be well-prepared should you need to refute a poor evaluation."

On the flip side, should you need to make a case for a raise or promotion, these notes will also come in handy.

SEE ALSO: How dual-CEO Jack Dorsey manages to run both Twitter and Square

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: One of your most important career decisions is who you have kids with

LIONEL MESSI: How the most expensive soccer player in the world spends his millions

0
0

Lionel Messi



Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest soccer player alive, and with that incredible success comes fabulous wealth. 

Messi is the second highest-paid athlete in the world, and the highest paid soccer player, according to Forbes, after boxer Floyd Mayweather and ahead of his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Despite his insane wealth and popularity, he's is one of the most private people in the sport.

He drives a $200,000 car and lives in a nice house, but the rest is a mystery.

He has made $111 million so far in 2018.

Source: Forbes



He signed a new contract in 2017 which pays him over $80 million annually.

Source: Forbes



He makes an additional $27 million in endorsements.

Source: Forbes



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

All of the mistakes people make when buying, ordering, and drinking wine — and what to do instead

0
0

women drinking wine

  • There are plenty of mistakes people make when drinking wine, according to wine judge, writer, and consultant Sarah Abbott.
  • People often don't spend enough on a bottle — and an extra couple of pounds or dollars can make all the difference.
  • An open bottle only lasts for a couple of days — and even red wine should be kept in the fridge when open.
  • Scroll down to see the rest of the mistakes people make, and how to fix them.


From whisky and gin to rum and tequila, there are plenty of mistakes people make when buying, ordering, and drinking liquor — but there are even things you could be doing wrong when enjoying a humble glass of wine.

Business Insider spoke to Sarah Abbott, an official Master of Wine and International Wine Challenge (IWC) judge who has worked in the industry for 15 years, to find out the most common errors wine drinkers make.

sarah abbott

Coming from a family of restauranteurs, Abbott said that when her mother got a job running a country hotel, "Chablis started appearing in the fridge" along with "posh cheese" and she started getting into the world of wine.

Now, she's the director of wine events and education company Swirl, is a wine writer, and works with companies in the industry advising on wine sourcing and marketing.

"I consult to all sorts of clients, judge at IWC, work with the beautiful weirdos of wine, and work with unusual wines to get them into the market," she said, adding that she also runs consumer events to "help people discover what they like and try new things."

Here are all of the mistakes people make when buying, ordering, and drinking wine, according to Abbott.

1. Thinking screw top means cheap

"The biggest mistake is people thinking screw cap is for cheap wines," she said. "Those days are long gone, people have got to let go of that old idea.

"Screw cap is fantastic for aromatic wines, [because] you don't have the risk of cork taint. Especially with wines from the new world and New Zealand, some of the best wines are bottled as a screw cap."

Still, she added that more traditional wine producing countries and regions that specialise in reds tend to stick to a cork because it is "more resilient when it's being moved around," while when a screw cap gets knocked, it's more likely to break the seal.

screw top wine

2. Not spending enough

This may seem easier said than done, but spending just a few pounds or dollars more can make all the difference.

Of the UK, Abbott explained: "We have such high duty in this country, one of the highest rates through Europe. If you do buy a cheap wine, if you're buying it at £5.99, so much of that is being taken up by duty. If you go from £7.99 or £8.99, the amount of money actually going into the liquid/bottle doubles immediately.

"People don't realise that by spending £2 more you get so much more for your money."

She said that if you're on a budget, try to buy one decent £8 or £9 bottle a week instead of two £4 bottles.

"If you're really on a budget, drink beer," she joked. "Wine is quite expensive to produce, and there are other options for easygoing drinks. Wine is a bit more of a treat."

3. Buying grapes and brands you know

"People tend to have a lack of confidence in their own taste, [and they] also tend to be a bit conservative," Abbott said.

"The thing to bear in mind with the UK wine market, the range of wines we have available in this country is astonishing, it's really quite hard to go wrong.

"If you're looking for something really tasty and delicious at a good price, the lesser-known names, grape varieties, and countries are a fantastic way to find value."

She added: "People allow themselves to be a bit intimidated by wine, [but] we have fantastic wine buyers in this country at every area of the market. People could afford to be a lot more brave and adventurous."

4. Not shopping at wine stores

wine store

If you need an extra push to discover something new, it's worth checking out a specialist wine shop instead of your local grocery store, according to Abbott.

"People think they'll be intimidating or expensive but they're really not," she said. "You can say: 'I'm eating this,' or 'I want to buy a present for a friend and I normally like this' — everyone from Oddbins to the new independent specialists [will help].'"

5. Ignoring award-winners

"Look for wines that have won awards. If you see something has got a medal but you've never heard of it, it's worth giving it a try.

"We see some amazing and surprising wines come through, and people can really have fun with that, they should have a lot of confidence with that."

6. Assuming cheap whites are worse than cheap reds

It's a myth that cheap whites are worse than cheap reds, according to Abbott.

"If you are very sensitive to tannins, which you get in red wines, a modest quality red can be a bit rustic in its tannins, perhaps a bit unbalanced. At least with white wine you haven't got the tanin to worry about."

However, she added that there are other ways for a modest quality (cheap) white wine to lack in taste.

Overall, she said: "There's not a lot of bad wine, [but] there's quite a lot of boring wine."

7. Not asking a bartender for their wine selection

"When I order wines by the glass, I always say 'Which wines do you have by the glass?'

"If you go to a place, what should always happen, if you say 'I'd like a glass of white wine,' they'll say A, B, or C — if they just hand you a glass of white wine it's probably a sign they're not taking it seriously."

She added that when that happens, you're probably better off ordering a gin and tonic.

waiter wine

8. Saying no when a waiter asks if you'd like to try the wine

"When they say 'Would you like to try the wine?' you should always say yes," she said. "It's not whether or not you like it, it's whether or not it's faulty.

"You should always have the chance to try the wine. What you're looking for is any off flavours — cardboardy, corked wine [which] tastes a bit musty."

And, if it doesn't taste right, Abbott said you should "have the confidence to say it's off — don't say 'just pour it.'"

9. Overfilling your glass

"People tend to overfill their glass. If you have a glass of wine, with each pour just fill it to about ⅓ full of the glass," Abbott said, adding that this allows the aromas to develop in the glass.

"White wine doesn't get warm too quickly, and if it's red, it allows the wine to breathe."

She added that it also slows your drinking down slightly for more responsible consumption.

Glass of rosé wine

10. Drinking red wine warm and white wine cold

"People tend to serve white wine too cold and red wine too warm," Abbott said. "The colder you serve a white wine the less you can taste it, the more it deadens the aromas."

However, she added that if you bought a cheap white wine in desperation, "chill that to the max."

"With red, if you let it warm naturally to room temperature that goes really well," she said, adding that lighter-bodied reds, like Tempranillo and Beaujolais, are perfectly served lightly chilled, especially in the summer.

11. Storing it standing up

"If you're storing a special bottle for any more than a couple of weeks or months, store it lying down, on its side, and try to keep it away from bright lights and high temperatures," Abbott said. "It doesn't have to be cool, just stable.

"You don't want temperatures that get very hot and very cold — a wine rack in the kitchen, as long as it's not next to a cooler, [should] be fine."

She added that for really fine wines — five, 10, or 15 years old — it's worth looking into storage solutions that keep humidity and temperatures more controlled.

However, for standard wines, "a wine rack in a cool, stable, not bright place is absolutely fine."

wine bottles in rack

12. Keeping an open bottle for too long

Some of us may crack open a bottle and come back to it a number of times over the course of a week or two.

However, the longest wine should last is a week — and that's only when it's a strong, sweet wine like port, medeira, or sherry.

"The more alcohol and sugar in the wine the more preserved it is," Abbott said. With sweet wines, she said: "Once you open them they'll last for a week, as long as you put a cork back in and put them in the fridge."

For white wine, if a cork or stopper is used and it's kept in the fridge, it will still only last one to two days, or two to three for red — which should also be kept in the fridge, which keeps them "cool and fresh," she said.

"If you find you're not drinking all of your wine and you want to have more later in the week, you can get inexpensive vacu-stoppers that have a pump action and take the air out of the bottle," she added. "You can keep white wine three to four days like that, red wine four to five days."

SEE ALSO: The 3 mistakes people make when buying, ordering, and drinking whisky — and what to do instead

SEE ALSO: The biggest mistake people make when drinking wine is choosing the wrong glass — here's exactly how to drink Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Sneaky ways Costco gets you to buy more

The 28 most dangerous countries in the world

0
0

Syria SANA Damascus military government Syrian State Islamic StateThe Institute for Economics and Peace this week published the Global Peace Index 2018, which ranks major nations around the world by how safe, or unsafe, they are.

The report ranked 163 countries based on how peaceful they are. The ranking is determined by 23 factors, which include murder rate, political terror, and deaths from internal conflict.

While the safest countries tend to be highly developed nations in the west and in eastern Asia, the most dangerous places are concentrated in Africa and the Middle East — where poverty and war create a highly unstable mix.

Syria, a country plagued by a brutal seven-year-long civil war, ranks as the most dangerous country on the planet, closely followed by other war ravaged nations like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Peace Index ranks countries from high to low, so the higher the number, the less safe the country. Check out the list of the world's most dangerous countries below.

SEE ALSO: The 31 safest countries in the world

28. India — 2.504



27. Philippines — 2.512



26. Eritrea — 2.522



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Your chances of living longer are better once you reach 105 — further evidence that humans may not have reached their age limit yet

0
0

old man surfing

  • A new study suggests once people reach 105 years old, their chances of dying every day are about 50-50.
  • This means the risk surges as we age, but it essentially levels off if we reach 105.
  • It adds to the debate between two groups of scientists about whether humans have reached their upper age limit or not.


The oldest person ever was the French woman Jeanne Calment who died at the age of 122 years, 164 days in 1997 — a record she's held for 21 years.

As nobody has outlived her age since then, it could be assumed that humans have reached their limit. But according to a new study, published in the journal Science, this may not be true.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and Sapienza University in Rome tracked the lives and deaths of nearly 4,000 Italian people aged 105 and older between 2009 and 2015. They found that the odds of dying after reaching 105 essentially plateaued.

It becomes more likely we are going to die with every day we are alive, because death rates rise exponentially as we age. However, if we get through our 80s, the chances of dying decelerate, and by age 105, our chances of dying every day are about 50-50.

"It's the equivalent of tossing a coin each year," Jim Vaupel, one of the authors who is a specialist in ageing at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany, told The Guardian.

The results showed people between 105 and 109, also known as semi-supercentenarians, had an expected further lifespan of one and a half years. That life expectancy was the same for the 110-year-olds, also called supercentenarians, which is why there is a plateau.

"Our data tell us that there is no fixed limit to the human lifespan yet in sight," said Kenneth Wachter, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of demography and statistics and senior author of the study, in a statement. "Not only do we see mortality rates that stop getting worse with age, we see them getting slightly better over time."

There is a fierce debate in the scientific community about whether humans have reached their upper lifespan limit or not. Vaupel and Wachter believe their paper is evidence that we may not have.

Mortality rates surge as we approach our 80s and 90s because of degenerative diseases like dementia, and higher risk of stroke, cancer, and pneumonia.

But Wachter and Vaupel pose a theory in their paper — that people who survive these ailments do so because of natural selection. The more frail people die earlier, while more robust people can reach supercentenarian ages. According to Wachter, a similar lifestyle pattern is seen in flies and worms.

"What do we have in common with flies and worms?" he said. "One thing at least: We are all products of evolution."

SEE ALSO: Sex could improve your memory when you're older, according to a new study — further proof that it's good for the brain

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why pandas are the most overrated animals on the planet

8 of the best craft beer and food pairings for summer

0
0

Craft Beer Pairings 10

  • Craft beer can elevate your taste buds to a new level when paired with the right foods.
  • According to a Nielsen CGA survey, 80% of craft beer drinkers typically drink craft beer on food-led occasions.
  • Craft beer expert Julia Herz shared her best food pairings for more than a week's worth of craft beers, from BBQ short ribs to mint watermelon salad.

Summer is officially here, and with it, craft beer season.

While a perfectly handcrafted beer is palatable on its own (in any weather), pair it with the right bite and your taste buds will be elevated to a whole new level. 

Food can make, break, and even drive the experience of a craft beer. In fact, 80% of craft beer drinkers typically drink craft beer on food-led occasions, Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association, told Business Insider, citing a 2017 Nielsen CGA survey.

But there's an art to master behind craft beer and food pairings. Luckily, Herz offered her best pairing recommendations with enough craft beers to last you more than a week.

From expected pairings, like BBQ beef short ribs with malt-forward beers, to unexpected complementary flavors, such as mint watermelon salad with a lemondrop pale ale, take her tips to the tap and craft your ultimate beer experience.

SEE ALSO: The best beer in every state, according to beer enthusiasts across the US

DON'T MISS: MAPPED: Craft beer is booming in these US cities

Seventh Sons is a strong ale that matches the intensity of grilled peaches with a dense, creamy dessert-like summer sweet corn custard. "Jammy malt character (as described by the brewery) should provide contrast to the seasonal custard and intertwine with the fruit," Herz said.



Pair The Cold One with grilled littleneck clams with garlic, butter, and Sriracha. Herz calls contrasting cold beers with warm, buttery clams "the stuff of summer legends."



A malt-forward beer like Ponysaurus Scottish Ale shares complementary flavors with the caramelized sweetness of BBQ beef short ribs. Herz recommends adding red cabbage and carrot summer slaw for a shot of acidity to brighten up the pairing.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Sicario' sequel director says not having Emily Blunt led to a movie with no morals

0
0

sicario 2 Sony2

  • "Sicario: Day of the Soldado" director Stefano Sollima said the difference between this movie and the original is this one has no "moral guidance" for the audience.
  • The stakes are also higher, which led to some unforgiving scenes, including one of a graphic suicide bombing.
  • Sollima said the scene was vital to show that, in this movie, stars Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin are not playing by any rules.
  • The director hopes the movie sparks a discussion, especially with the movie coming out in the midst of Trump's zero tolerance policy for anyone crossing the US border illegally.


Italian director Stefano Sollima's fascination with the underworld has fueled his career.

From a look at how organized crime influenced politics in Rome for 2015’s “Suburra,” to the TV series version of “Gomorrah” (based on Roberto Saviano’s book and Matteo Garrone’s feature film), which gave a glimpse inside one of the Italian mafia’s most powerful regimes, they are all projects that are gritty portrayals of the clash between law enforcement and criminals.

Now Sollima brings his style to Hollywood with “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” (in theaters Friday), the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2015 critically acclaimed “Sicario.”

In the first movie, we follow Kate Macer, an idealist FBI agent played by Emily Blunt who is enlisted by a government task force, led by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and flanked by the mysterious Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro), to assist in the escalating drug war on the US/Mexico border.

With its breathtaking cinematography by legendary DP Roger Deakins and powerful script from Taylor Sheridan (“Hell or High Water”), Villeneuve created an instant classic.

sicario bluntSo Sollima admits he was confused when he was approached to make a sequel to a movie that felt like such a standalone. However, he became a little more interested when it was explained to him that the plan was to make a movie simply "in the spirit" of the first. And then he was completely sold when he read Sheridan’s script. By the time he finished reading it, the “different kind of sequel” pitch was certainly accurate, down to Blunt’s Kate Macer character being nowhere to be found.

“Emily Blunt is an amazing actress, but her role was sort of a moral guidance for the audience,” Sollima told Business Insider over the phone. “In 'Sodaldo' we don’t have that. This is closer to my vision of storytelling. I prefer not to have a moral guidance for the audience.”

And that is evident in the first 10 minutes of “Soldado.”

In the movie, we are taken deeper into the Mexican drug cartels and the shady politics played by the US government. But to fully have the audience buy into the plot, Sollima believed he first had to show them that this one had even higher stakes than the first “Sicario.”

To open the movie, a group of terrorists walk into a big box store on US soil and detonate bombs attached to themselves. The way Sollima has the scene shot, the audience is pulled into the chaos rather than watching it play out from a safe distance. The camera follows the men to the entrance of the store. As they continue to walk in, moments later you see them explode in different areas of the store. The camera then stays on one girl crying by the registers. Her mother then comes into the frame to grab her and, as they turn to leave, they freeze in shock looking at something off camera. The shot pulls back to reveal another suicide bomber in front of them. As the mother pleads to let them go by, the bomber, whispering a prayer, triggers the bomb and the explosion kills them all as the screen goes to black.

sicario 2 sony5

It’s revealed that the terrorists were trafficked across the border by a Mexican cartel, which leads to Graver and Alejandro getting the call to devise a plan for some payback.

Sollima said Sheridan, who wrote the screenplay for “Soldado,” wrote the terrorist bombing scene differently. In the script, the camera is pulled far back to show the suicide bomb attack. But the director said the intimacy of that moment was needed.

“I think it was the best way to get inside the story,” he said. “You want the audience to be fully into the plan, ‘Let’s have revenge.’”

And the shot of the mother and daughter being killed was to show that no one is safe in this movie.

“When you see the kid, you are thinking, ‘It’s impossible, this is not going to happen,’ and when it does happen you realize anything can happen in this movie,” Sollima said. “That was really important.”

Things only get more intense: the movie features a child kidnapping, drone strikes, and a whole lot of shootouts.

However what Sollima, or anyone involved with the movie, could never have predicted was that the movie would be released at a moment when the topic of borders and immigration are dominating the news cycle and social media.

In the wake of President Trump’s controversial zero tolerance policy, the news cycle has been flooded with the aftermath, which includes coverage of thousands of children being separated from their families due to the policy (Trump has since signed an executive order ending family separations). Now “Soldado” is suddenly thrust into the narrative.

As ads for the movie show violent acts on the Mexican border, it’s safe to say that Sollima’s “no morals” storytelling could turn off some audiences going to the theaters looking for some escapism.

sicario 2 Sony

Then there’s another possibility: “Soldado” could suddenly be used as a tool for those who agree with the zero tolerance policy.

Is Sollima concerned?

Sollima said he wasn’t, but believes it’s healthy for a movie to launch a conversation.

“It’s what you expect, people are going to discuss it,” he said. “You provoke a discussion.”

He said that’s what’s great about making gangster movies: topics can be explored and discussions can be launched.

“You have some code of the genre that you’re playing with and this means you are going to tell the dark side of something with a lot of action, but if you’re smart enough, through the lens of the genre you can reflect on the reality of the world around you,” Sollima said.

Regardless how “Soldado” performs its opening weekend in theaters (it has a 73% Rotten Tomatoes rating with a 97% “want to see” rating), don’t expect Sollima to make a part three in the “Sicario” franchise. When asked if he was interested, he made it pretty clear that this was a one-and-done for him.

“It’s more interesting to have a saga where you have completely different directors doing each movie,” he said. “They will hire another director with their own vision and style.” 

SEE ALSO: Jessica Chastain explains why she thought her new Western would never get made

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 science facts that 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' totally ignored

MoviePass has launched an official online merch store, but there's not 'Gotti' gear — yet

0
0

moviepass merch moviepass

  • MoviePass has launched merchandising.
  • Mugs, shirts, and caps are on sale. It even landed a deal with Marvel to sell "Black Panther" shirts.
  • But, sadly, no "Gotti" gear yet.


Diehard MoviePass fans, now you can show your support of the monthly movie-theater subscription app by sporting its merch.

This week the company launched a merchandising web page through Represent, the crowd-funding merchandise platform. Now you can wear a MoviePass t-shirt, hoodie, hat, or sip your morning coffee out of a mug that's got the logo right on it.

“We are officially merchandising now," MoviePass told Business Insider on Thursday via a statement. "We will continue to expand store offerings and products and also provide timely merchandise tied to movies and titles which may be marketed in particular to some subscribers based on their tastes."

Its current movie-tied merch is for "Black Panther." Through the blessing of Marvel, the MoviePass store features "Wakanda Forever" hoodies, long sleeves, and t-shirts with the face of the M'Baku character on them. They even got the actor who plays the role, Winston Duke, to model with the one of the shirts on.

john travolta gottiPrices range from $14.99 for a MoviePass mug to $49.99 for a hoodie. The "Black Panther" shirts range from $29.99 (t-shirt) to $49.99 (hoodie).

We are sad to find, though, that currently there is no merchandise related to the movie "Gotti," which MoviePass has a stake in.

The movie on the notorious mobster John Gotti, played by John Travolta, is the latest release through the company's distribution arm, MoviePass Ventures. It has become an internet sensation following the marketing for the movie calling out its 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

MoviePass said currently it has no plans to release merchandise related to "Gotti" but "that could change."

We hope so. We would definitely buy a shirt with Travolta's face on it as Gotti with "Trust the people" written on it.

SEE ALSO: MoviePass has deep ties to an Indian company that's been accused of defrauding creditors and got kicked off 2 stock exchanges

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The world is running out of sand — and there's a black market for it now

Toys R Us will close all of its US stores by the end of Friday. Take a look back at what it was like in its heyday.

0
0

Toys R Us NJ 1996


As Toys R Us nears its end, fans of the store are lamenting its demise.

The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September and officially filed for liquidation in March. As a result, more than 700 Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores across the United States will be closing for good by Friday, June 29.

The store has been saddled with debt since a leveraged buyout in 2005 and struggled to keep up with competitors.

Though many Toys R Us fans were aware of this, they're still heartbroken to see it go.

In 1948 in Washington, DC, Charles Lazarus opened a baby-furniture store that would become the first Toys R Us after expanding into toys in 1957.

In the 1990s, Toys R Us was the biggest toy seller in the US, expanding rapidly as it pushed out smaller chains. But by 1998, things had changed, and Walmart began selling more toys than Toys R Us in the US — a signal of more trouble ahead.

Take a look back at what Toys R Us was like in its heyday:

SEE ALSO: We went to a Kohl's store and saw how it's bucking the trend of dying department stores and malls

As Toys R Us prepares to close its doors for good, fans are lamenting the death of the chain and looking back on their favorite childhood memories.



This is what a store in New Jersey looked like in 1996.



It had everything a kid could want. This photo from 2001 shows the Imaginarium section of a New Jersey store.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Drake confirms rumors that he has a son on his new album 'Scorpion'

0
0

drake 5

  • On his new album "Scorpion," Drake confirms rumors that he has a son — a subject which entered the public consciousness with the release of Pusha-T's diss track against Drake, "The Story of Adidon," last month. 
  • "Scorpion," a 25-track, double album, is now available on all major streaming services.

Drake released his fifth studio album, "Scorpion," on Friday. Among other noteworthy elements, the double-sided album finds Drake confirming the rumors of the past month that he has a son. 

In his headline-grabbing diss track "The Story of Adidon," released in May, rapper Pusha-T accused Drake of both hiding a son and allegedly planning to reveal his son to the world alongside an upcoming line of Adidas clothing that Drake was set to release. 

"Look at the way we live / I wasn't hiding my kid from the world, I was hiding the world from my kid," Drake raps on the "Scorpion" track "Emotionless," confirming the existence of his first child. 

Drake raps at length about his son on several of the album's tracks, including the closing song "March 14," which finds Drake discussing how he had only ever met his son's mother "two times":

"Yesterday morning was crazy / I had to come to terms with the fact that it's not a maybe / That s--- is in stone, sealed and signed / She's not my lover like Billie Jean, but the kid is mine / Sandi used to tell me all it takes is one time / S---, we only met two times. Two times / And both times were nothing like the new times / Now it's rough times/ I’m out here on front lines just tryna make sure that I see him sometimes."

"Scorpion," the longest album of Drake's career, clocks in around 89 minutes over the course of 25 tracks. The LP features guest appearances from Jay-Z and posthumous vocals from Michael Jackson and the late singer-producer Static Major. 

The album is now available on all major streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.

Listen to it below via Spotify:

SEE ALSO: Ed Sheeran sued for $100 million, accused of copying Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Apple is having so many problems right now

Hugh Grant on how he found sympathy for his corrupt and 'incredibly spoiled' character on new series 'A Very English Scandal'

0
0

a very english scandal

  • In "A Very English Scandal," available on Amazon Prime starting Friday, Hugh Grant plays Jeremy Thorpe, a real-life British politician put on trial for allegedly conspiring to murder his former lover, Norman Scott.
  • Grant told Business Insider that, while he believes Thorpe was guilty, he found sympathy for him because he lived in a time when his sexuality wasn't accepted in society. 
  • Grant, who was a student at Oxford during the scandal in the late 70s, said that at the time, it was unfortunately the source of "schoolboy" jokes throughout Britain. 

Hugh Grant says that the "tragedy" of being a gay man in a world that refused to accept it helped him have more sympathy for his character — politician Jeremy Thorpe  in "A Very English Scandal," which drops on Amazon Prime Friday. 

At a New York City tea hosted by Amazon in June, Grant sat down with Business Insider and other journalists to discuss the series. The series, which is based on a true story and poignant event in British history, follows Thorpe in the decade following an affair in the early 1960s with Norman Scott (played by Ben Whishaw). Norman is openly gay and tells people about his affair with Thorpe. But in the series, Thorpe goes out of his way and uses his privileged position to prevent it from getting out in the press, and eventually conspires to have Norman killed. 

Grant said that Thorpe, though corrupt, "incredibly spoiled," and in Grant's opinion guilty of conspiring to murder his ex-lover (Grant compared Thorpe's acquittal to O.J. Simpson's), is a tragic figure because he hid his sexuality for his entire life. Grant says this helped make his performance sympathetic, even though his character was awful in many ways. 

"The tragedy of being unable to express your own sexual nature, and especially not being able to love someone in that context ... I think we kind of hit at that," Grant said. "[Thorpe] probably was in love with Norman Scott back at the beginning. Because of the law and social mores, he was either unable to let that develop with him or with anyone else in his whole lifetime. Even though he loves his wives, he was never able to really be himself. So I found that tragedy rather sympathetic."

Grant, who mentioned that he's met men like Thorpe who still exist today in British politics, said that he prepared for the role by reading books about Thorpe and the scandal, talking to people who knew him (some who said he "couldn't hurt a fly, and some called him a "monster"), and by watching footage of Thorpe on YouTube. In his research, Grant learned that Thorpe lived an "extraordinary double life." Grant also remembers the scandal, but not fondly — he was 18 or 19 and at Oxford at the time.

"I'm afraid it was just a source of great schoolboy jokes," Grant said. "For the whole nation it was schoolboy jokes. And it was too good to be true. It was like Monty Python, here with this member of the establishment, ex-Oxford and Eaton, very well connected, on trial with his lover saying, 'and then I had to bite the pillow.' And the Vaseline, I mean, the jokes, there were thousands of jokes ... 'join the liberal party and widen your circle.' That's how he was really regarded, I'm afraid."

SEE ALSO: Hugh Grant is stunning in 'A Very English Scandal,' which explores the dark side of Britain's politics and justice system

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The world is running out of sand — and there's a black market for it now

Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images