The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Teachers form the backbone of our educational system. They teach us everything we need to know in and beyond the classroom, and with endless enthusiasm, patience, and compassion along the way.

As the year winds down, it's only proper to show them some love and appreciation. Teaching any age group — kids, teens, adults — is a difficult job that most of us can only attempt to understand. So, as you say goodbye before winter break, make sure to give your teacher the thanks they deserve. 

They have more than enough mugs in their cabinet by now that you probably shouldn't default to giving them one, no matter how witty the slogan on it is. Instead, give them one of these 25 thoughtful and useful gifts. If you're not already one of their favorite students, you surely will be after they receive something from this list.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

A fragrant candle

Gift an Otherland Candle, $36

These sophisticated coconut and soy wax candles come in scents ranging from refreshing Canopy (fig, ivy greens, mint) to rich Chandelier (champagne, saffron, leather). The beautiful look, delightful scents, and personalized matchbox make this candle gifting experience special. 

A detailed poster of the opening lines from famous novels

Gift the Pop Chart Lab 'Diagrammatical Dissertation on Opening Lines of Notable Novels', $30

English and grammar teachers will appreciate this chart diagramming the opening lines from 25 famous works of fiction. After admiring the partitioned, color-coded picto-grammatical representations, they'll want to read the books all over again. 

A portable tea set

Gift the Zens Mobile Moon Portable Tea Set, $49.99

Don't just give them the tea infuser. Give them the cups and a handy carrying case, too, so they can enjoy a hot cup at work or at home. The glass teapot has an integrated infuser plus two indentations for easy holding, and the tea cups are double-walled and resistant to high temperatures. All the pieces fit snugly in the eye-catching hardshell case so they can take their favorite tea from home to school and beyond. 

• 2019 could be the year of the first treatments for kids with peanut allergies.
• Two companies are competing for a market of around $3 billion. Both are seeking approval from US regulators to start selling their products.
• The treatments aren't a cure, but do reduce the risk of a dangerous allergic reaction to peanuts.
• Some parents say they prefer one product over the other, but it has a key drawback.

Josh Mandelbaum, 13, has a secret.

For five years, a small circular sticker on his back, around the size of a quarter, has contained the very thing that the New Jersey teen is allergic to: peanuts.  

The patch is part of a growing trend that aims to use triggers like peanuts to help those with allergies. The aim is to desensitize them and act like a kind of guard rail against accidental exposure. 

You might soon be able to get a prescription for these treatments. The patch and another first-of-its-kind peanut allergy pill could be approved by U.S. regulators as early as next year, and both have the potential to be blockbuster medications.  

About 15 million people in the U.S. have food allergies to things like milk, eggs and wheat. Peanut allergies are the most common food allergy among kids, and have been on the rise over the last decade. The market for the treatments is huge, and eventually could reach around $3 billion in total sales, according to Stifel analyst Derek Archila. 

Doctors currently have little to offer patients besides advising them to avoid what they’re allergic to and always carry an EpiPen or product like it to rescue them if they have a life-threatening allergic reaction. Moreover, those with peanut allergies are less likely to outgrow it than other food allergies, and it’s hard to predict how severe an allergic reaction might be.

A treatment, not a cure

The new approach has worked for Josh, his mother, Lianne Mandelbaum, who is also a food allergy advocate, told Business Insider. Josh first tried out the product, DBV Technologies’ Viaskin Peanut, as part of a clinical trial years ago.

In the beginning, as part of a “food challenge” used in the trial, Josh had an allergic reaction after eating the equivalent of a fraction of a peanut, Lianne Mandelbaum said. Two-and-a-half years later, it took much more, about one and a half peanuts, to spur a reaction.

While that may sound like a tiny change, it's made a huge difference in how Josh lives his life. He can now confidently go to school and sit in a cafeteria that serves peanut butter, for instance, his mother said.

The patch isn’t a cure: Josh continues to avoid peanut products, for example, and has to be careful about accepting food that could be unsafe. But it's been empowering, she said, and given them peace of mind. 

"I just don’t want him to die from eating the wrong cookies," she said. "We live in a human society. Humans make errors. That’s why you want a safety gap."

Mandelbaum was so pleased with the results that she fought to let Josh keep using the patch after the trial ended, through an expanded access program. The only side effects he’s seen have been itchy red welts, which have eased over time.

Josh would wear it for the rest of his life if he has to, she told Business Insider.

How it all came together

People with allergies are usually advised to keep away from what they’re allergic to.

But controlled exposure, called immunotherapy, has also been part of allergists’ arsenal of tools for many years now, including through allergy shots for pollen, mold, dust and more.

Physicians in private practice have also tried this with peanuts and other food allergies. In what’s called “oral immunotherapy treatment,” patients eat small amounts of peanut or another allergen, which increases over time.

Though these have had success, they aren’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and may not be covered by health insurance. And, like other immunotherapy approaches, they have risks, including the chance of an allergic reaction.

The search for a more standardized approach eventually led to the creation of Aimmune, which is developing AR101, a capsule of peanut protein that is mixed into food.

When the company was first started, the big question was “how do you take a food, which is inherently variable and highly unpredictable, and make it into a medicine?” Dr. Daniel Adelman, Aimmune’s chief medical officer, explained.

The company has done that by focusing on peanut protein, which is where the allergens in the nut are, and using that to re-educate the immune system, he said.

Seeking FDA approval

Dosing of AR101 starts at a very low level, or half a milligram of peanut protein, and then increases over about six months to 300 milligrams, or roughly the equivalent of one peanut kernel. Patients then continue on at that level as a maintenance dose.

Aimmune aims to file with the FDA this month for approval to treat patients ages 4 to 17; a decision could arrive by early fall of 2019. DBV filed for FDA approval of Viaskin Peanut in October to treat patients ages 4 to 11, with a decision expected next year.

The products could potentially reduce a life-threatening allergic reaction to a milder one, giving patients, their loved ones and their doctors an added layer of safety, Dr. Purvi Parikh, clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone and a board-certified allergist, told Business Insider.

If they are found to be safe and effective, they could dramatically change patients’ quality of life, Parikh said, reducing an untold amount of anxiety and stress for them and their families.

But which company could end up leading the space is more unclear. A group of doctors polled by Stifel's Archila slightly favored DBV’s product, he said, though the analyst also noted that there has been controversy over DBV’s clinical trial data.

Some parents of children with allergies told Business Insider that DBV’s patch seemed safer to them, because it doesn’t require actually eating an allergen. The company also touts this as a potential benefit on its website, saying that its approach “offers a potentially strong safety profile because of how it works via the skin.”

Read more:An experimental treatment for peanut allergies just succeeded in a key trial

Tamara Hubbard, a licensed counselor whose nine-year-old son is taking part in an ongoing trial for the patch, called the product “life-changing.” She was initially drawn to it over other options because the process was slower and avoided gastrointestinal side effects, Hubbard said.

A giant question mark

On the other hand, those on the patch likely won’t know exactly how much allergen they can tolerate, because — absent completing a “food challenge” — they wouldn’t be eating it.

Which product a family chooses will likely thus depend on their own preferences, Hubbard, who specializes in food allergy counseling, among other things, said.

Aimmune’s Adelman also emphasized the latter perspective in an interview with Business Insider.

“I think that the biggest danger to a child who is peanut allergic is going out into the world and thinking they are protected if they’re not,” he said.

Pricing — another giant question mark hovering overhead — could also be an important factor. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a nonprofit that evaluates drug prices and, is still reviewing the products and plans to release reports on them in the first half of next year. 

The companies haven't said how much the drugs will cost.

Parents, meanwhile, said that they hope everyone who wants these products can get them.

“Everybody who has food allergies deserves to have access to lifesaving treatment,” food allergy advocate Mandelbaum said. “It should be available to everybody.”

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Medicaid is a state and federal health insurance program offered to some low-income Americans.
• Eight months after she was dropped from her parents' health insurance, author Olivia Young had her first medical emergency.
• She was eligible for Medicaid, which has helped her through $50,000 in medical bills.

I got through 26 years of life without ever having a medical emergency much worse than the flu. I never had a surgery, save the standard wisdom-teeth removal that nearly everyone underwent during high school.

That is, until almost immediately after I was removed from my parents' health insurance policy.

It was like the lyrics of that Cinderella song, "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)." Growing up, I was always covered as a dependent by my parents' healthcare plan, which allowed me to get annual physicals and anything else I needed (which truly wasn't much).

Then, eight months after I turned 26 — the age when I, by healthcare standards, became an "independent" — I found myself in the emergency room with kidney stones.

At the time, I didn't know what was causing me to thrash, scream, and vomit (no, really) from pain. I just woke up one morning in agony and assumed my appendix was bursting, which does require medical attention, I confirmed with a quick Google search. And, to make the situation even worse, I no longer had insurance.

A year before this incident, I had quit my full-time public-relations job to travel around the world. I was a healthy — or so I thought — vegan marathoner who didn't have a steady income, so when my parents' insurance dropped me, I wasn't exactly rushing to purchase a plan of my own.

Read more: I'm a burned-out millennial who quit a high-paying 9-to-5 job to travel full time

A visit to the emergency room

In fall 2017, I was visiting my hometown in Ohio for a few months before continuing my travels in Australia. While I was there, I started to feel a dull-but-intense internal aching that quickly developed into a sharp, blinding pain. By the time my father rolled me into the emergency room in a wheelchair, I was almost blacked out. I couldn't sit still or speak in complete sentences. The nurses even administered a blood test to make sure I wasn't an addict before they would give me any pain relief.

What came next was a five-day stint in the hospital packed with an array of CT scans, two cystourethroscopies, and a steady flow of medicine that I knew I would never be able to afford. I begged the doctors and nurses to let me leave, knowing the bills were mounting by the minute. But instead of discharging me, they sent a patients' rights representative to my room to explain Medicaid.

Medicaid is a health-insurance program offered to low-income Americans and funded by both the federal and state governments. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also called Obamacare, gave states funding to offer Medicaid to many more of their low-income residents, though some states decided not to take it.

Ohio was one of the states that expanded its Medicaid program under the ACA. In Ohio, you can qualify for Medicaid if your annual income is less than roughly $16,800 for a single person, a requirement I had no problem fulfilling with my minuscule freelancer's salary (and to answer the question you're probably asking: Yes, I do live on $1,000 per month).

The representative walked me through the application process, and I was approved for full coverage almost immediately. But I wasn't quite in the clear just yet.

It was surprising (or, rather, horrifying) to receive about a dozen bills totaling $50,407 in my mailbox weeks after I was released: $27,158 for the hospital stay itself, $1,874 for a few hours in the emergency room, $801 for anesthesia, and the list went on. The bills, I learned, were being sent to my previous insurance provider, which, of course, refused to pay them because I was no longer a member.

Spared a lifetime of debt

So, I boarded my flight to Australia, as planned, with $50,000 in medical bills on the brain. It took me three months (and countless international calling minutes) to get my former insurance company taken off of my digital health file before Medicaid would pay so much as a dime. Then, I was tasked with having each service provider rebill Medicaid individually.

Some were harder to get in touch with than others. About $3,000 worth of bills ended up in the hands of collections agents before I could square them away. Now, one year after my kidney-stones emergency, I'm still struggling to get the last few bills paid.

Nonetheless, four-digit figures are much easier to live with than five-digit figures. Today, my kidneys seem to be stone-free, and I've been spared a lifetime of debt thanks to Medicaid, of which I'm still a member today. Slowly, I am easing out of the poverty bracket and lining up healthcare plans for the future because I certainly won't be wandering the streets without health insurance anymore.

Want to tell us your healthcare story? Email Zach Tracer at ztracer@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: I spent college studying and interning, but I didn't realize I'd missed a huge opportunity until it was too late

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• Facebook threw its annual holiday party for employees last weekend.
• It was themed around a winter village, with attractions including chainsaw ice-sculpting, a "thumbs up tavern," and costumed dancers.
• It's been a pretty rough year for Facebook employees, and morale dropping following multiple scandals.
• Attendees shared photos of the revelry on Instagram.

Facebook employees blew off steam this weekend with a two-day party at a swanky San Francisco venue that featured a custom-built winter wonderland, chainsaw-ice-sculpting, and Christmas dancers.

On Friday and Saturday, the Silicon Valley tech giant threw its annual official holiday party for employees. This time around, it was held at the Palace of Fine Arts, and was centered around a winter village with attractions including a Facebook "thumbs up tavern," sweet shop, "toy shop," and ski chalet-like decor. 

It's been a tough year for Facebook employees, with morale dropping precipitously following multiple scandals — from Cambridge Analytica to the social network's role in the spread of hate speech amid genocide in Myanmar. The company holds festive celebrations for its employees every year; in previous years it has rented out San Francisco's AT&T park, and thrown Great Gatsby-themed shindigs.

The party may have been held over two nights, but it sounds like that was for crowd control reasons rather than because it was a non-stop bacchanalian carnival — Facebook has tens of thousands of employees in the Bay Area, after all. An attendee told Business Insider that it was incredibly crowded, with queues for everything.

COO Sheryl Sandberg was spotted there on Friday night, we're told; it's not clear if and when other senior leadership attended. But there was also a private area for execs and VIPs only, so they may have sheltered away from the crowds.

SEE ALSO: The 18 biggest tech scandals of 2018

Attendees' Instagram posts provide a window into how Facebook employees let their hair down at the party. There was a life-size bear ice sculpture there, which was carved via chainsaw. (Click the arrows on the Instagram post for a video and more images.)

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One of the central areas featured shipping containers and a ski-lift gondola.

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The winter village street was bedecked in holiday lights and festive decorations.

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Coffee drinkers are a diverse lot, and if you're going to buy a gift for one of them, you better have the who's who down pat.

There's, of course, the quintessential café brooder, who might need a little pick-me-up. Maybe a chocolate to go along with the dreary cup of black coffee that's always glued to their hand. Or how about the peppy aerobic workout-obsessed early riser? They could probably stand to have a French press in their on-the-go life. The do-it-yourself artisan might fancy a cold brew kit for the home. And so on.

Whatever the temperament of your oh-so-temperamental coffee lover(s), you'll be sorted out below with these 22 fun and useful gifts for coffee lovers.

Still shopping for more gifts? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

SEE ALSO: 15 fun and unique gifts for tea lovers to spread holiday cheer

DON'T MISS: 15 thoughtful gifts for book lovers to satisfy the bookworm on your list

A paired coffee and chocolate gift box

Bean Box's Deluxe Coffee & Chocolate Gift Box, available at Amazon, $68

Fresh coffee beans paired with fresh chocolate is nothing short of divine, and if the recipient of this trove can't appreciate it, their soul is surely black as coal — which is probably what you should gift them next year.

Read our guide to the best chocolate you can buy online here.

A guide to help them make better coffee

How to Make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean, available at Amazon, $15.35

Because we could all use a few pointers on our morning cuppa. 

A mokka espresso pot

Bialetti Mokka Espresso Pot (3-cup), available at Amazon, $29.95

This should be a staple in every household. Easy, rich, and oh so crema-y when done right. Also, consider the Bialetti Express Set for two ($44.69).

Check out our full guide to stovetop espresso makers here.

• Former Vice President Joe Biden leads the pack of potential Democratic presidential candidates, according to a new poll of likely Iowa caucusgoers.
• Poll respondents also ranked Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke as their top picks.
• Just two other people on the list of 20 potential contenders broke 5% support among the poll respondents: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Sen. Kamala Harris.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is the leading contender on a list of 20 potential Democratic presidential candidates, according to a new poll of likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa released Saturday evening.

The CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll surveyed 455 people between December 10 and 13, with a whopping 32% saying Biden was their first choice for president.

Here's who else broke 5% support among the respondents:

• Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont: 19%
• Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas: 11%
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts: 8%
• Sen. Kamala Harris of California: 5%

Other prominent names polled among the likely caucusgoers were Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Iowa is the first state to vote in presidential nominating contests, serving as somewhat of a bellwether for how the primaries could play out across the country.

Respondents to the CNN/Des Moines Register poll were somewhat divided over whether they wanted an experienced politician or a fresh face to challenge President Donald Trump.

Nearly half of the respondents, 49%, said they preferred a "seasoned political hand," while 36% favored a "newcomer," reflected by O'Rourke's relatively high ranking.

"This is obviously a warm welcome to some people who are really familiar to caucusgoers in the state," J. Ann Selzer, the president of the firm that conducted the poll, told The Des Moines Register. "But there's also some welcoming of newcomers who are only now starting to come to the state and get to know the people who could shape their future.

Respondents also largely agreed that the most important priority for them in the Iowa Democratic caucus was voting for a candidate who could beat Trump, rather than a candidate who agreed with them on major ideological issues.

In the poll, 54% of respondents said it was more important the candidate have a strong chance of beating Trump, and just 40% said the candidate should share their positions.

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NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• The family of seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, who died in Border Patrol custody last week, has disputed US officials' account of her death.
• Despite what US officials say, Jakelin had been given food and water and was in good health during her journey to the US, her parents said in a statement on Saturday.
• Jakelin's family is urging authorities to conduct an "objective and thorough" investigation into the death.
• But the Guatemalan consul also said Jakelin's father said he had "no complaints" about the Border Patrol agents, and said they did everything possible to help her.

The family of a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died in US Border Patrol custody is disputing an account from US officials who said she had not been given food or water for days.

In a statement released by lawyers, the parents of Jakelin Caal said the girl had been given food and water and appeared to be in good health as she traveled through Mexico with her father, 29-year-old Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz. The family added that Jakelin had not been traveling through the desert for days before she was taken into custody.

Tekandi Paniagua, the Guatemalan consul in Del Rio, Texas, told The Associated Press that he spoke with the Jakelin's father. The consul said Nery Caal told him the group they were traveling with was dropped off in Mexico about a 90-minute walk from the border.

Border Patrol officials did not immediately respond to the family's comments.

Paniagua also told CNN that Jakelin's father said he had "no complaints about how Border Patrol agents treated him and his daughter," and that agents did everything within their power to help Jakelin.

Read more: The 7-year-old migrant girl who died in Border Patrol custody fled an intensely poor Guatemalan village

The family's statement was released Saturday during a news conference in El Paso, Texas, at an immigrant shelter where Jakelin's father is staying. Her family did not attend and has asked for privacy.

Jakelin and her father were seeking asylum in the US and were among a large group of migrants arrested Dec. 6 near a remote border crossing in New Mexico. Hours later they were placed on a bus to the nearest Border Patrol station, but Jakelin began vomiting and eventually stopped breathing. She later died at a Texas hospital.

According to a timeline released by Customs and Border Protection on Friday, Border Patrol agents first became aware of the girl's symptoms during the bus ride, which arrived at the station 90 minutes later — by which point Jakelin had stopped breathing.

Border Patrol officials on Friday said agents did everything they could to save the girl but that she had not had food or water for days. They added that an initial screening showed no evidence of health problems, and that her father had signed a form indicating she was in good health.

But the family took issue with that form, which was in English, a language her father doesn't speak or read. He communicated with border agents in Spanish but he primarily speaks the Mayan Q'eqchi' language.

"It is unacceptable for any government agency to have persons in custody sign documents in a language that they clearly do not understand," the statement said.

Read more: The 7-year-old migrant girl who died in Border Patrol custody received medical care 90 minutes after first showing symptoms

Jakelin's family is urging authorities to conduct an "objective and thorough" investigation into the death and to determine whether officials met standards for the arrest and custody of children.

A cause of death has not yet been released. A private prayer service was held in Texas on Friday so her father could see Jakelin's body before it is taken to Guatemala, said Ruben Garcia, director of the Annunciation House shelter where her father is staying.

"All of us were moved by the depth of his faith and his trust that God's hand is in all of this," Garcia said.
Family members in Guatemala said Caal decided to migrate with his favorite child to earn money he could send back home. Jakelin's mother and three siblings remained in San Antonio Secortez, a village of about 420 inhabitants.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• The best chew toy for heavy chewers should be made from durable materials with no filling or small parts that could become a choking hazard.
• Made from ultra-strong rubber and available in five different sizes, the KONG Extreme Dog Toy is our top pick for the best chew toy for heavy chewers.

Sharp teeth are no match for flimsy dog toys, but even the toughest toys can be torn to shreds by an aggressive chewer. Providing your dog with plenty of chew toys is important because it helps keep his teeth clean, provides him with mental stimulation, and it satisfies his natural desire to chew. Plus, it keeps him away from your shoes.

When it comes to dog toys for a tough chewer, there are certain things to look for. Durable materials like rubber and rope are the most likely to stand the tough-chewer test.

Avoid things like squeakers, latex, and plush toys because not only will your dog tear through them in no time at all, but the materials pose a choking hazard. It’s also important to choose toys that are appropriate for your dog’s size.  

While no dog toy is indestructible or completely chew-proof, we’ve assembled a collection of some of the toughest toys on the market for your heavy chewer. In addition to reading reviews from other pet parents, we’ve tested these toys ourselves  — well, our test dog has — so you can be confident in our choices.

Here are the best chew toys you can buy:

• Best chew toy overall: KONG Extreme Dog Toy
• Best dental chew toy: Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew
• Best ball chew toy: Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball
• Best treat-dispensing chew toy: West Paw Zogoflex Tux Interactive Treat-Dispensing Chew Toy
• Best rope chew toy: Mammoth Flossy 3-Knot Rope Tug

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best chew toy overall

Why you'll love it: Available in five different sizes and made from ultra-durable rubber, the KONG Extreme Dog Toy is perfect for heavy chewers of all breeds and sizes.

From Chihuahuas to Great Danes, heavy chewers come in all breeds and sizes, so the best chew toy overall is one that comes in plenty of sizes to match. It should also be made from tough materials and designed for long-lasting durability. The KONG Extreme Dog Toy is our top pick for the best chew toy for heavy chewers because it is virtually indestructible, comes in five different sizes, and can be filled with treats for added mental stimulation.

KONG is one of the top dog toy brands on the market, known just as much for the versatility of its products as for their durability. We’ve tested several KONG toys, and they are all extremely durable and well-made. Our test puppy couldn’t get enough of the toy’s erratic bouncing action, and it stood up well to his sharp puppy teeth.

The KONG Extreme Dog Toy takes the popular shape of the KONG Classic, but it is made from the brand’s most durable rubber materials. In addition to satisfying your dog’s need to chew, this toy also provides enrichment, exercise, and dental benefits.

In its review, Rover names the KONG Extreme Dog Toy one of the most durable dog toys, and we have to agree. Though the classic shape was featured in the review, Rover comments that the KONG Extreme Collection includes a tire, a ball, and an assortment of other shapes. Woof Whiskers likes that it can be filled with treats or used to play fetch. 

With more than 6,000 reviews on Amazon, the KONG Extreme Dog Toy is easily one of the most popular chew toys on the market. Dog owners love the durability and simple design, though there are some comments that the ball has a chemical smell at first and may leave black marks.

Pros: Extremely durable materials, five different sizes, can be filled with treats, non-toxic materials, helps clean teeth

Cons: May have a chemical smell at first, may leave black marks

Buy the KONG Extreme Dog Toy on Amazon for $11.99 to $39.99

The best dental chew toy

Why you'll love it: The Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew is made from ultra-tough materials and covered with gently rounded nubs and bristles to scrape plaque and tartar off your dog’s teeth.

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, roughly 80% of dogs over the age of three already have some degree of dental disease. Brushing your dog’s teeth on a regular basis is the best way to keep his teeth clean and healthy, but dental chew toys can help as well. The Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew is our top pick for the best dental chew toy.

The Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew is designed to satisfy a dog’s natural desire to chew while also providing dental benefits. Available in three different dinosaur shapes and two different sizes, these chews stand the test of time. Covered with gently rounded nubs and bristles, this toy helps scrape plaque and tartar off the surface of your dog’s teeth as he chews, reducing his risk for periodontal disease.

K9 of Mine names the Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew one of its top picks for the best “indestructible” dog toys for aggressive chewers, and we agree with that assessment. The reviewers do comment, however, that it is best for dogs up to 50 pounds. Canine Journal also reviews this toy favorably, noting that it comes in several naturally flavored options. Our test puppy enjoyed the toy for a while, and there were no problems with breakage.   

The Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew comes in several different shapes, including a smaller puppy-friendly version of the T-rex shape. Some shapes have more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon with dog owners commenting on the durability of the toy, though some reviews mention that the materials are very hard without much give.

Pros: Helps remove plaque and tartar from teeth, comes in several shapes, made in the USA, available in flavors

Cons: Broken pieces may be sharp, materials don’t have much give, may not be a good fit for dogs over 50 pounds

Buy the Nylabone Dental Dinosaur Chew on Amazon for $9

The best ball chew toy

Why you'll love it: Made from ultra-durable, non-toxic materials and designed to bounce and float, the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball is our top pick for the best ball toy for heavy chewers.

Some dogs live to chase down a tennis ball, but, once they get it, it doesn’t take long for the ball to be torn to shreds. If you have a super chewer in your life who also loves a good game of fetch, you’ll need a durable dog ball toy. Our top pick for the best ball toy for heavy chewers is the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball.

The Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball comes in an assortment of bright colors and is made from ultra-tough materials. These materials are non-toxic, BPA-free, and phthalate-free, plus the toy is made in the US. Our test puppy absolutely loves to play fetch, so this was one of his favorite toys in the lineup. The size was appropriate for a puppy, and he didn’t seem to mind the mint flavor.

This ball is firm on the outside to withstand heavy chewing, but hollow inside so it still bounces and floats. It is infused with mint oil that will leave your dog’s breath smelling fresh, and it has just enough give to ensure that it isn’t too hard on your dog’s teeth and gums.

Bustle includes the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball in its list of the best dog toys for heavy chewers, commenting that the ball is great for playing fetch, even on the water. Terribly Terrier calls it the “toughest dog ball on the market.” 

In addition to having more than 200 reviews on Amazon, the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball also carries an Amazon’s Choice award. Dog owners love the safety and durability of the materials, though there are some comments that the ball may be too large for toy breeds.

Pros: Durable non-toxic materials, dishwasher safe, floats on water, bounces, infused with mint oil, made in the USA, 100% guaranteed

Cons: May be too large for toy breeds, some dogs dislike the mint flavor

Buy the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Diamond Plate Dog Ball on Amazon for $15.95

• Zillow is part of a growing group of real-estate companies in the United States that buy homes directly from homeowners.
• Through Zillow's service, which will be available in eight US markets by the end of 2019, homeowners receive a preliminary offer within two days and close the sale in as little as seven days from signing.
• But these companies charge a higher fee than a real estate agent, typically ranging from 6% to 13% of the purchase price.
• One research analyst told the LA Times that by 2021, i-buyers could account for 10% of the existing home sale market.

Everything is easier online — even selling your house.

More Americans are turning to online real-estate companies like San Francisco-based startup Opendoor and Zillow to quickly sell their homes; no open houses, considering multiple bids, or waiting on a buyer to work out financing, the Los Angeles Times' Andrew Khouri reports. 

Zillow Offers is already available in four US markets — Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Denver — and will soon be launching in Riverside, California, Zillow announced on Tuesday.

The service radically simplifies the selling process for homeowners: They enter their address online, answer questions about the home, send in photos, and wait for Zillow to consult a local real estate agent and come up with a home value estimate. It takes only about two business days, Khouri wrote.

Then Zillow sets up an in-person walkthrough before handing over a confirmed offer. If the homeowner accepts the offer, they choose a closing date between seven and 90 days from signing. Real estate agents are still a part of the process, but they're handled and paid by Zillow, not the homeowner.

SEE ALSO: I'm a financial planner — here's why I won't buy a home

DON'T MISS: How Trump's new tax law affects homeowners at every income level from $83,000 to $336,000 a year

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Tim Cook's estimated net worth is $625 million — here's how he makes and spends his money

• A new private club in Colorado may be one of the most exclusive ski resorts in the world.
• Cimarron Mountain Club is only open to 13 members who pay at least $2.65 million plus annual fees of $62,000 for private access to the 1,750-acre wilderness area.
• Members also get a 35-acre piece of land on which they can build a chalet — but no "mega-mansions" are allowed.
• The membership will also include access to a lodge with dining areas, a bar, an outdoor spa, a fire pit, and a warming hut.

At one of the world's most exclusive ski resorts, a lucky 13 members pay an initial fee of at least $2.65 million for private access to the 1,750-acre wilderness area — plus a spot to build a personal chalet.

Cimarron Mountain Club in Colorado was founded by Jim Aronstein, a retired natural resources lawyer, and his wife, Patsy, with the goal of creating "a sanctuary for 13 families who want to ski untracked powder and preserve a beautiful wilderness setting for future generations to enjoy," a representative for the Club told Business Insider.

Read more: It looks like the place everyone wants to go skiing this winter is in the middle of the desert

"I was simply tired of the ski resort experience and dreamed for decades about creating the world's only, intimate and private wilderness club with skiable terrain to rival the best," Aronstein told Business Insider. "My wife and I identified more than a dozen potential sites, located in six Rocky Mountain states and provinces, and visited every one. In the end, just one met all the criteria."

The Aronsteins bought the property in 2004 and the Club officially launched in July 2018, with six member families already signed up and seven remaining spots.

"What has and continues to make CMC so special is our commitment to preserving the powder, protecting the wilderness, and sharing it all with just 13 member families and their friends," Aronstein added.

Here's a look at the super-exclusive resort.

SEE ALSO: This luxury resort on Maine's largest island costs up to $2,000 per night and is a gateway to one of the country's most stunning national parks

DON'T MISS: Are 'luxpeditions' the new glamping?

Cimarron Mountain Club sits in the San Juan Mountains, a rugged mountain range in southwestern Colorado that makes up part of the Rocky Mountains. It's about a 4.5-hour drive from the winter resort town of Aspen.

Source: Cimarron Mountain Club, Colorado Encyclopedia, Google Maps

So far, six families have paid $2.65 million for their memberships and cabin sites, leaving seven memberships up for grabs at $2.8 million each. The annual fees are between $62,000 and $67,000 and include 115 days of skiing per member family, Club labor, operations, and other fixed expenses.

Source: Cimarron Mountain Club

The current members are all "powder hounds," according to a resort representative. "Highly successful entrepreneurs or titans of industry. They all have kids and they all want CMC to be a place to impart lasting memories and values. Skiing has been a part of their families' lives for some time."

Source: Cimarron Mountain Club

Maps can tell us a lot about what happened in 2018 — from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding to the results of the Midterm elections. 

The Graphics Insider team compiled 56 of the maps we created this year that visualize the many ups and downs of 2018.

Follow along through 2018 in maps, from wildfires and baby name trends, to the cost of products around the world and Trump's tariff war.

Andy Kiersz contributed to this article. 

In January 2018, the Trump administration proposed auctioning off nearly all US coastal waters for offshore drilling. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management estimated the new plan would make "more than 98%" of the waters off the US available for oil and gas leasing over the next five years.

Read the full story here.

On February 9, the 2018 Winter Olympics began in Pyeongchang, South Korea. More than 200 athletes on the roster for the US Olympic team competed. Even though they tend to live where the training is best, they were born all over the country.

Read the full story here.

In March, there was a string of deadly bombings in Austin, Texas, at seven locations in total. Two people were killed, and seven were injured.

Read the full story here.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• We've rounded up the best charging cables for all kinds of devices, including the iPhone, Android phones, USB-C laptops, and Micro-USB powered gadgets like headphones and Kindles.
• Anker, Native Union, Nomad, and Fuse Chicken make the best charging cables hands down.

There's nothing worse than having one charging cable and then losing it, so why not stock up on a bunch of cables so you're never without your power source?

After all, the one that came with your phone, headphones, Kindle, or other gadgets may not be the best charging cable you can use. Some cables charge faster than others, offer more durability, or are simply longer than the cables that came in the box.

I've tested thousands of charging cables over the past five to six years as a professional tech reviewer, so I've see just about every charging cable of note. I've rounded up my favorites of all time in this handy guide. Whether you want an affordable everyday cable, a super strong one, a universal cord that charges all your devices, or a nice long cable that has a lot of reach; we have a charging cable recommendation for you.

One last note before you check out our picks: Most of our favorite charging cables come in lightning (for iPhone), Micro-USB (for older Android phones, headphones, Kindles, etc.), and USB-C (for new Android phones and some laptops) styles so you can choose the charging standard you need.

Here are the best charging cables you can buy:

• Best charging cables overall: Anker
• Best long charging cables: Native Union
• Best universal charging cable: Nomad
• Best durable charging cables: Fuse Chicken
• Also check out our guides to the best lightning, USB-C, and Micro-USB cables

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best charging cables overall

Why you'll love them: The Anker PowerLine cables are the best cords for most people with their sturdy design, fast charging speed, and fair price point.

Anker's charging cables are our top pick for the best charging cable in our lightning, Micro USB, and USB-C cable buying guides because they are simply the best.

These cables are fast to charge your phone or sync data, they're durable, and they're affordable. You can get lightning cables for your iPhone, USB-C cables for your new Android phone or laptop, or Micro-USB cables for your older Android phone and other electronics. 

The cable is strengthened with Kevlar and the stress points near the charger and the USB connector are reinforced for added durability. They're slightly wider than the connectors on other cables, but the Anker cables should fit most phone cases.

Anker also makes different kinds of cables, including basic ones and slightly pricier Powerline+ cables that are covered in double-braided nylon for added strength. Either way, you're getting a great charging cable.

To ensure that it's cables last, Anker bent the PowerLine cables more than 5,000 times in testing. The company also offers an 18-month warranty in case of any issues.

Anker's PowerLine cables come with a Velcro tie to help you wrap up any extra cord length you don't need. You can get the cables in black, white, blue, red, or gray.

Buyer reviews are very positive, and tech reviewers agree that Anker makes excellent cables for a very reasonable price. Digital Trends, Best Products, and The Wirecutter give Anker high marks.

Pros: Made from durable aramid fiber, lots of lengths, 18-month warranty, fast charging, reinforced stress points, lightning cables are MFi certified by Apple, USB-C cables are safe

Cons: None

Shop all Anker Powerline charging cables for $6 to $30

The best long charging cables

Why you'll love them: The 10-foot Native Union Night cables give you a long reach, so it doesn't matter if the outlet is far away.

If you've ever struggled with a short cord, you'll absolutely love Native Union's 10-foot-long Night Cable. It also has a weighted knot that keeps it from pulling your phone off the table while it's charging. Plus, it's durable and stylish. You can get the cable with lightning and USB-C endings in several colors.

Native Union makes its cables out of braided nylon, which is strong and doesn't tangle. The cable is covered in braided nylon, a TPE rubber sleeve, a tinned copper braid, and a grounding layer for protection. Inside all those layers are wires that are also protected and reinforced, some with Kevlar fibers.

To test for durability, Native Union puts is cables through a 10,000 bend test. The company also offers a limited lifetime warranty in case of any mishaps.

I've used the Native Union Night cable for the past five years as my main charger, and it has never let me down. I've bent it all sorts of ways, and it hasn't frayed at all. I typically use the weight to keep my iPhone on my nightstand while I charge it, but it's easy to adjust when I need the weight anchoring the cord in another place. 

The Night cable is also highly rated by users on Amazon and Native Union's website. Many tech publications also recommend Native Union's Night cable.

Pros: It's 10-feet long, weighted so it doesn't fall, covered in sturdy woven fabric, 12-month warranty, lightning cable is MFi certified by Apple, it bends but doesn't break

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Native Union Night lightning and USB-C cables on Amazon for $39.99

The best universal charging cables

Why you'll love it: The Universal Cable by Nomad has lightning, Micro-USB, and USB-C endings, so you can charge any phone with it.

If you've ever wished for a cable that could charge all your devices — including a USB-C laptop, a lightning iPhone, and a Micro-USB pair of wireless headphones — you're in luck: The Universal Cable from Nomad is the one cable to rule them all.

It has lightning, Micro-USB, and USB-C ends to charge any phone and many other devices. The core cable is USB A to Micro USB, and it has conversion caps for charging lightning and USB-C devices.

The cable measures 1.5 meters in length, so it's a decent length, and you can wrap up the excess cable with the included tie. You can also get shorter lengths.

The cable is 10K Mil-spec flex tested and Apple MFi approved. Its braided ballistic nylon covering keeps it strong and prevents fraying even with intense use. Nomad guarantees that the cable will last at least five years.

We tried out one of these cables and loved it. It's the only cable you'll ever need. No matter what devices you, your friends, and your family carry, this cable can charge them — no questions asked.

Pros: Works with all phones, MFi certified, strong, five-year guarantee

Cons: A bit pricey

Buy the Universal Charging Cable at Nomad for $29.95 to $34.95

• A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released in October detailed how even just half a degree of rise in the world's temperature would result in severe, catastrophic effects, making the climate unlivable in the most severe cases.
• If you are wondering what life might be like in such a scenario, Dubai can give you a good approximation. For more than half the year, temperatures are regularly around 105 degrees Fahrenheitand have gone as high as 119 degrees Fahrenheit, with plenty of humidity. It makes being outside for more than a few minutes unbearable.
• Dubai has developed into a series of climate-controlled indoor spaces including more than 65 malls, apartment buildings with entire indoor cities attached, and car-centric design that discourages walking outside. You can spend entire days without ever stepping outside.

It's become more clear than ever this year that climate change is very real and that we are already seeing the effects.

A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released in October detailed how even just half a degree of rise in the world's temperature would result in severe, catastrophic effects.

As Business Insider's Kevin Loria summed up: That half of a degree will make drought-prone regions much more likely to experience severe drought, and areas prone to heat waves or intense hurricanes will get more of those disasters, too. These factors could trigger huge migrations of people and mass extinctions of animals. 

In short, the climate will get a lot less livable, particularly in places already vulnerable to high temperatures.

As I hung out in Dubai last month, it struck me that the city's severe climate and its adaptation to that climate was a good approximation of what I imagine living with the severe effects of climate change to be.

During Dubai's long summer, stretching from mid-April through October, temperatures make it unbearable to be outside for more than a few minutes. Temperatures are regularly around 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) and have gone as high as 119 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius), with plenty of humidity.

The city's adaptation to that climate? A proliferation of interconnected climate-controlled spaces, including more than 65 malls, residential and office buildings with entire indoor cities attached, metros, and indoor parking lots. 

For a certain social millieu — I'm talking native Emiratis and the wealthy expats with white-collar jobs — one could go entire days or weeks during the summer without stepping outside. You go from your air-conditioned apartment in a residential skyscraper to the indoor parking lot, and then drive to your office, park in the indoor lot, and head upstairs to the office skyscraper.

If you need to do grocery shopping or pick up a present, there are likely retail stores, grocery stores, or an entire retail complex attached to your office building or apartment building.

If you want to spend a Saturday out with your family, grab coffee with a colleague, or enjoy an "al fresco" dinner and a movie, you are likely doing it inside at The Dubai Mall, a $2 billion complex with  1,200 stores, hundreds of restaurants, a movie theater, a luxury hotel, an Olympic-size ice-skating rink, a virtual-reality theme park, and an aquarium. Or, perhaps you'll visit one of Dubai's dozens of other megamalls with similar amenities that blur the line between mall and city block.

Meanwhile, for the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in Dubai who aren't lucky enough to live in air-conditioned megacomplexes, Dubai can be a hellscape during the summer — just as the climate might be for the developing countries that will be hardest hit by the effects of climate change.

Dubai is getting so good at simulating the outdoors inside that its next megaproject is dedicated to just that. Dubai Square, set to become the world's largest mall, is built around a four-lane "boulevard" that mimics a wide city street, a piazza, and an entertainment center for concerts and theater shows. It will even have the Middle East's largest Chinatown.

The net effect of this kind of development is that nearly all "public" or "social" space in the city is a corporatized shopping destination.

"[In the UAE] the mall is a social space, not just a shopping space," Justin Thomas, an associate professor of psychology at Zayed University, wrote for The National in 2014.

"The mall is where three generations of the same family take an evening stroll; the mall is where the Abu Dhabi Readers (a book club) meet to discuss works of literature."

When you can't hang out in social spaces outside, whether it's due to a severe climate or pollution, you find indoor spaces to do so.

It's hard to say that's de-facto bad when such malls and climate-controlled spaces are providing livable spaces outside of the home in a city that desperately needs them. But there is a creeping feeling that something is lost when all public spaces exist solely so large corporations can make a profit.

If I was going to take a guess at where our hyper-consumerist world is heading in the event the world can't get its act together on climate change, I'd say it's going to look a lot like Dubai.

And Dubai, for its part, will have to keep adapting to its extreme climate. The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi found in a report last year that under its most severe climate change scenario, nearly all of Dubai would be underwater due to rising sea levels.

• More on Business Insider's visit to Dubai:
• A walk through Dubai's supercity of futuristic skyscrapers made me uneasy for any city that mimics its rapid development
• I visited outlandishly wealthy Dubai, known as the 'city of gold,' and was surprised by how much fun you can have even without billions
• Dubai's most outrageous open-air market sells only gold and has a $3 million, 141-pound gold ring
• Dubai is already a tourist favorite, and now the city's sights are set on the next milestone: becoming the center of art in the Middle East and Africa
• Dubai has a $20 billion megacomplex with the world's 2nd-largest mall, the world's tallest building, an aquarium, and 1,200 stores. I can't imagine why any tourist would visit.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The author of 'Boy Erased' reveals what gay conversion therapy is really like — and how he survived it

• Starbucks opened a Reserve Roastery in New York on Friday.
• The new Starbucks Reserve Roastery is the fourth of its kind in the world and is completely unlike a typical Starbucks.
• The Roasteries are meant to be upscale, and they feature cocktail bars, bakeries, and unique elements. 

SEE ALSO: We compared the grocery-shopping experience at 6 major chains in 2018, and this one impressed us the most

We got an early peek at the Reserve Roastery on Wednesday morning. It's located in the Meatpacking District.

The store was overwhelming. To the left of the entrance was a big merchandise store.

There were products for sale from a few different collections, including Starbucks' New York collection and its holiday collection.

• The Chartwell Estate in Los Angeles is for sale for $245 million.
• That makes it the most expensive home for sale in the US.
• The historic California estate is 960 times more expensive than the typical American home, which costs $255,000.

A Los Angeles mansion is on the market for $245 million, making it the most expensive house for sale in the US — and about 960 times more expensive than the typical American home. 

The median US home price was $255,000 as of the second quarter of 2018, according to data compiled by ATTOM Data Solutions.

Sitting on nearly 11 acres, the main home of the Chartwell Estate was designed by Sumner Spaulding in 1930, according to the listing. In the 1980s, the mansion's interiors were renovated by designer Henri Samuel — but no recent photos have been released, keeping the inside of the home a mystery. 

The expansive grounds of Chartwell include manicured gardens, a 75-foot pool, and views that span from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. There's also a car gallery that fits 40 vehicles, a five-bedroom guest house, a tennis court, and a 12,00-bottle wine cellar. Last year, the property was listed for $350 million.

Chartwell is listed with several agents: Jeff Hyland, Drew Fenton, and Gary Gold of Hilton & Hyland (a Christie's International Real Estate affiliate), along with Jade Mills, Joyce Rey, and Alexandra Allen of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, and Drew Gitlin and Susan Gitlin of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.

Here's a look at the sprawling estate's grounds.

SEE ALSO: The iconic mansion from ‘The Godfather’ is on the market for $135 million — here's a look inside the 29-bedroom Beverly Hills estate

The Chartwell Estate sits on 10.39 acres in Bel Air, Los Angeles, one of the most "prestigious residential communities in the city of Los Angeles," according to luxury real estate firm Hilton & Hyland.

Source: Hilton & Hyland

The 25,000-square-foot mansion has 11 bedrooms, 18 bathrooms, and a ballroom.

Source: Realtor

The home was built in the 1930s for civil engineer Lynn Atkinson and later purchased by late Univision billionaire A. Jerrold Perenchio.

Source: Los Angeles Times

• PropertyShark just released its rankings of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City in 2018.
• Manhattan neighborhoods dominated the list, with eight of the top 10 spots.
• The median sale price among the 10 most expensive neighborhoods ranges from $1.31 million to $3.85 million.

PropertyShark just released its rankings of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City, and, unsurprisingly, Manhattan dominates the list.

All but two of the 10 most expensive New York City neighborhoods are in Manhattan; the two outliers are in Brooklyn.

According to PropertyShark's analysis, the only two new entries to break into the top 10 are West Village and Greenwich Village.

Read more: A $20 million penthouse may be about to shatter the record for the most expensive home sold in Brooklyn — here's a look inside

TriBeCa topped the list with a median sale price that's nearly $1 million more than that of the second most expensive NYC neighborhood. Notably, this is the second consecutive year TriBeCa has taken the top spot.

Some NYC neighborhoods are also among the most expensive zip codes in America: A previous PropertyShark analysis ranked three Manhattan zip codes (10013, 10007, 10282, respectively) in the top 25 most expensive US zips.

Here are the 10 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City in ascending order, along with the median sale price in each. You can see the full ranking of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods on PropertyShark.

SEE ALSO: Here's what the most expensive house for sale in every US state looks like

10. Little Italy (Manhattan)

Median sale price: $1.32 million

9. Greenwich Village (Manhattan)

Median sale price: 1.35 million

8. Flatiron (Manhattan)

Median sale price: $1.57 million

• President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, steel, aluminum, and more.
• Trump has also threatened to impose more tariffs on Chinese goods and imported cars from around the world.
• According to a report from the Tax Foundation, Trump's existing tariffs will cost every middle-class family $146 — and the threatened tariffs could push that to $453 in a year.
• The tariffs will also be a drag on the economy and cost tens of thousands of jobs.

President Donald Trump's trade battles are projected to hit middle-class families hard, according to a new study, especially if the president follows through on all of his threats.

According to a report from the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation, current tariffs will cause a squeeze for middle-class Americans — and lead to fewer jobs in the US. The think tank also estimated that the economic pain of the tariffs would get much worse in the event Trump follows through on all tariffs he has threatened.

"These tariffs will increase the tax burden on Americans, falling hardest on lower and middle-income households, and reduce economic output, employment, and wages," said Erica York, an analyst at the Tax Foundation.

While tariffs have the immediate effect of raising costs at a port of entry for goods, York said those effects can eventually filter to businesses and consumers purchasing imported goods.

• "Tariffs can raise the cost of parts and materials, which would raise the price of goods using those inputs and reduce private-sector output. Tariffs also result in consumers paying more for goods than they would have otherwise," York wrote.
• "Price increases such as these reduce the after-tax value of both labor and capital income; as tariffs reduce the return to labor and capital, they incentivize Americans to work and invest less, which leads to lower output."

Read more:Trump's trade war with China is the biggest threat to the US economy in 2019, and it's making economists the most worried they've been in years»

Here's a breakdown of some of the effects of the currently imposed tariffs, according to the study:

• A decrease in GDP by 0.12% over the long run — the equivalent of $30.4 billion lost.
• The elimination of 94,300 full-time American jobs.
• A decrease in after-tax income of 0.3% for all Americans — and a greater decline for the middle class. According to York, for Americans in the middle quintile of income earners, the after-tax wage decrease amounts to 0.33%, or $146 per taxpayer.

While the tariffs in place are expected to be a negative for the US, Trump's threatened tariffs on imported autos and the remaining $255 billion worth of Chinese goods would make things even worse.

If Trump follows through on his threats, here are a few of the downsides, according to the study:

• A decrease in GDP by 0.38% over the long run — the equivalent of $94.4 billion lost.
• The elimination of 292,600 full-time American jobs.
• A decrease in after-tax income of 0.92% for all Americans. For Americans in the middle quintile of income earners, the after-tax wage decrease would be 1.04%, or about $453.

Proposed tariff increases are on hold while the US and China try and work out differences and get a deal before March 1, but it's unclear if the two sides will be able to come to an agreement. The auto tariff proposal is expected to reach Trump's desk soon, but advisers have been urging the president not to move forward with the restrictions.

As for current tariffs, Trump has so far been unwilling to drop duties on imported steel and aluminum — even calling the measures a great success.

SEE ALSO: Trump is failing to achieve one of the biggest goals of his trade war, and he only has himself to blame

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• The 116th Congress will be sworn into office on Jan. 3rd — and the incoming House of Representatives is shaping up to be the most diverse House in history. 

• There will be more women, women of color, openly LGBT members, and millennials serving in the House than ever before. Those gains in representation, however, are largely concentrated among Democrats. 
• See how the demographics of the House will change in January with our interactive graphic. 

The 116th Congress will be sworn into office on Jan. 3rd — and the incoming House of Representatives is shaping up to be the most diverse House in history. 

The 2018 midterms saw historic gains in Congressional representation for women, people of color, LGBTQ+, and younger candidates — with the vast majority of those gains coming from Democratic candidates. 

A record 103 women were elected to serve in the 116th House, an increase of 22% over the 84 women who served in the 115th House. Combined with five new female Senators and ten female Senators not up for re-election, a total of 131 women will serve in the 116th Congress. 

Read more:12 records the 2018 midterm elections smashed

While 52% of the 67 incoming House Democratic freshmen are female, only two, or 4.5% of the 44 incoming Republican freshmen are women — West Virginia's Carol Miller and Arizona's Debbie Lesko. Lesko won a special election earlier this year to replace Rep. Trent Franks, who resigned in the wake of a sexual misconduct scandal. 

Republicans saw their roster of female House representatives gutted 43% from 23 members to 13, as many Republican women either stepped down to run for higher office — like Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee and Kristi Noem in South Dakota — or were unseated by Democratic challengers. 

As the blue wave swept through suburban America, it unseated many Republican women in its wake, including Karen Handel in the Atlanta suburbs, Barbara Comstock in the DC suburbs of Northern Virginia, and Mimi Walters in Orange County, California — formerly reliable Republican areas. 

The 116th House will also boast more women of color than ever before, including the first Native American women to serve in Congress and the first African-American women to represent Illinois and Massachusetts in the House, respectively.

As with gender, the gains in representation for people of color are heavily concentrated in the Democratic Party. A full 34% of the incoming House Democrats but 2% of their Republican colleagues identify as people of color. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio will be the only incoming non-white freshman Republican. 

Read more:  2 photos show the stark difference in the new representatives Democrats and Republicans are sending to Congress

Furthermore, four of the 15 Republican representatives who were identified as Hispanic or African-American in the 115th House either retired or lost-re-election to Democratic challengers, including Florida's Carlos Curbelo and Utah's Mia Love. Among the 200 Republicans in the 116th House, 90% will be white men. 

While two of the 115th House's LGBT members, Krysten Sinema of Arizona and Jared Polis of Colorado, resigned to pursue higher office, four new Democratic LGBT candidates were elected: Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Angie Craig of Minnesota, and Katie Hill of California. There have been no openly LGBT Republicans in the House or Senate since 2006. 

The 115th House was one of the oldest in history, but 2018 midterms also ushered in a wave of younger Gen X'ers and Millennials elected to Congress. Come January, the average age of a member of the House will decrease a full decade from 57 to 47. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Allbirds, one of the most popular online shoe companies right now, has released its best-selling sneakers in throwback colors. 
• Though the startup sells a simple selection of silhouettes and styles, it keeps its loyal customers engaged and draws in new ones with periodic color updates. This limited-edition collection bringing back fan-favorite colors is no exception to the strategy. 
• You can check out some of the throwback colors below, which include a speckled "Starry Night" navy and an eye-catching "Kotare Lemon" yellow. 
• New colors often sell out, so if you want a style in your size, you should act quickly. 

Ever the expert at generating renewed interest in its already-popular footwear, online shoe startup Allbirds released "throwback" colors today. This collection of popular past colors was brought back from the Allbirds archive to include bright corals, dusky pinks and purples, and a gray collaboration with fitness brand Outdoor Voices. 

You can find these colors only in its signature Wool Runner. Since launching this popular, minimalist style, the company has expanded into Wool Loungers, Tree Runners, Tree Loungers, and Tree Skippers. These shoes have drawn acclaim from shoppers and media far and wide for their use of innovative materials (merino wool, eucalyptus, and sugar cane), all-day comfort, and simple yet instantly recognizable look. 

While Allbirds' classic colors like black, white, and charcoal are excellent basics to own, they'll always be available to purchase. It's the limited-edition colors that you need to be on the lookout for because they can sell out quickly. 

Whether you've always wanted to try the sneaker that everyone knows and talks about, or you (like us) already own multiple pairs and need to add to the collection, this "new" color collection is a great opportunity to do so. There are 24 colors in total, though not all are available in both Men's and Women's styles. 

Here's a first look at the colors dropping today. 

Shop men's Throwback colors at Allbirds here before they sell out

Shop women's Throwback colors at Allbirds here before they sell out

Dark Kea Red with Black Sole

Men's Dark Kea Red (Black Sole) Wool Runners, $95

Tuke Chili with Cream Sole

Men's Tuke Chili (Cream Sole) Wool Runners, $95

Women's Tuke Chili (Cream Sole) Wool Runners, $95

Kea Red with Kea Red Sole

Men's Kea Red (Kea Red Sole) Wool Runners, $95

Women's Kea Red (Kea Red Sole) Wool Runners, $95

• The most expensive home for sale in New Jersey is a $29.5 million mansion in Mahwah.
• The sprawling estate sits on a 46-acre property that includes an outdoor infinity pool, horse paddocks, an indoor riding arena, a soccer field, a basketball court, and a 20-stall barn.
• The lavish interior includes an English-styled pub, a home movie theater, another pool, and a 1,400-bottle wine cellar. 
• It's only about 25 miles from Manhattan. 

The most expensive home in New Jersey is a sprawling, $29.5 million estate that includes an outdoor infinity pool, an English-style pub and private movie theater, an indoor riding arena, a soccer field, and other lavish amenities.

And it's only about 25 miles from New York City.

"It's a breathtaking sanctuary within 30 minutes of Manhattan," Vicki Gaily, listing agent and founder of Special Properties, Division of Brook Hollow Group Realtors Inc., told Business Insider.

The property, called the River Oak Farm, sits on 46 acres of land in Mahwah that includes athletic fields, horse paddocks, hiking trails, ponds, and mountain views of the Manhattan skyline. Mahwah was recently ranked as one of the best places to live in New Jersey. 

The current homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, describes the property as "46 acres of complete privacy and seclusion" and "the perfect retreat for those who wish to escape the hustle and bustle of Manhattan" in an email.

Although it's the most expensive home in New Jersey, the Mahwah house is listed for a whopping $215.5 million less than the most expensive home in the country, a $245 million mansion in Los Angeles that costs 960 times more than a typical US home.

Here's a look at the New Jersey property. 

SEE ALSO: What it's like living in the most expensive zip code in New York, where the average home price is $5.5 million

DON'T MISS: This $245 million Los Angeles mansion is the most expensive home for sale in the US — and it costs 960 times more than a typical US home

River Oak Farm is a sprawling estate in Mahwah, New Jersey, that includes an outdoor infinity pool, an indoor riding arena, a soccer field, a basketball court, a 20-stall barn, and other lavish amenities.

Source: Special Properties, Division of Brook Hollow Group Realtors Inc.

It's about 25 miles from upper Manhattan in New York City.

Source: Google Maps

The 10-bedroom home sits on 46 acres of land. The main living floors open up to three outdoor terraces that offer scenic views of horse paddocks, athletic fields, rolling hillsides ...

Source: Special Properties, Division of Brook Hollow Group Realtors Inc.