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Olympic athletes make some ridiculous faces

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rio-olympics-funny-faces

Winning gold medals isn't always pretty.

But if you want to perform superhuman feats of strength, endurance, and artistry at the Olympic games, sometimes you have to twist your face into strange contortions. 

We salute these 25 athletes who care more about winning than being photogenic — and the photographers who captured their expressions forever

Patricio Garino shoots the ball during a preliminary round game between Nigeria and Argentina.



Brazil's Neymar Jr. heads the ball during a match against Iraq.



Team USA's Laurie Hernandez prepares to land on the balance beam.

This is why 16-year-old Hernandez is about to tear up the gymnastics world



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the 20 best games for less than $20

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the last of us remastered

Video games can be an incredibly expensive hobby.

Luckily, there are a ton of incredible games for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, and PC that are less than $20 right now!

SEE ALSO: 13 video game consoles you've probably never heard of

"Batman: Arkham Knight"

The fourth installment in the "Batman: Arkham" series, "Batman: Arkham Knight" was the first in the franchise developed for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As such, the game is absolutely gorgeous.

In addition to climbing and gliding across Gotham, this game marks the debut of the Batmobile, allowing you to charge through the streets blazingly fast. When the going gets tough, however, the Batmobile transforms into a tank mode that lets you maneuver more deftly through the city's winding corridors.

"Batman: Arkham Knight" also features incredible voice acting across the board, especially from Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who perfectly nail the chemistry between Batman and The Joker (respectively).

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Buy it on Amazon.



"Child of Light"

"Child of Light" is an unusually intimate and beautiful game unlike anything else you've ever played.

It's structured like a fairytale, meaning all the characters speak in rhyme, and the art style looks like it was carefully painted by hand with watercolor.

You play as Aurora, a young girl stranded in the middle of a fantastical world trying to find her family and return home. Along the way, you'll meet magical creatures, fight evil goblins and demons, slowly unraveling the mysteries of where you are and how to escape.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Buy it on Amazon.



"Dishonored: Definitive Edition"

When "Dishonored" came out in 2012, critics were blown away by its ability to seamlessly blend stealth and action gameplay.

You play an assassin framed for the murder of Dunwall's Empress, and it's your job to set the record straight. Whether you do so vengefully or with tact is up to you.

Rather than have highly structured levels with just one solution, "Dishonored" lets you choose how to proceed: take out enemies one-by-one without ever being detected, or blast in and use any number of supernatural abilities at your disposal.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Buy it on Amazon.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I've been investing in real estate for the past 5 years — here are 10 things to ask yourself before you start

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house front yard 2Our start in real estate began from very humble beginnings.

My husband and I bought our first property at the ages of 23 and 25, on October 25, 2011 after our 3rd move in 18 months. I had just graduated from grad school and was unemployed and without a job.

We bought a home based on one income and used my husband’s VA loan. Fast forward four years to today; we own seven houses, with two more expected to close by Christmas. We have a net worth of over $400,000 and make almost $2,000/month on our REI rentals.

All of this was courtesy of investing in rental property and thinking outside of the box using the little resources we had. Of those four years, I only worked in a professional capacity for less three of those years, due to relocation for my husband’s job (military pilot).

I share this as inspiration; not as a brag. You can do anything you set your mind to in real estate. In real estate, no beginning is too small, no investment is too large.

Real estate is an awesome investment. It is adaptable to your goals, and your pool of resources. The benefits of owning rental properties are as vast as your goals and desires. Don’t let analysis paralysis or the fear of failure stop you from getting started!

You will make tons of mistakes. Trust me — I did!! Still, I am so thankful for our real estate investments. Most importantly, I’m glad I started.

Real estate comes in many forms — multi-family, shopping centers, storage units, industrial office buildings, residential housing — all of which come with different sizes and price tags.

There are lots of financing and management strategies. This unique melting pot of options means that anyone can gets started with a little bit of wisdom and a lot of out of the box thinking no matter their financial planning.

For this guide we are going to focus on residential single family homes and how to buy rental property in this category.

While we’re focusing on single family homes, with some minor adjustments, this plan could work for many other types of rental property.

The key is to have a model that works, and to use that model to guide your plan. A great plan allows you to get to your goal with minimal mistakes.

Here are 10 things to evaluate before you buy your first income property:

SEE ALSO: An HGTV star says one equation can tell you if your rental property is worth it

What type of property do you want to get started?

While there are tons of property types; we are going to focus on single family. Even within this niche you can get started with a personal property meaning you live in it first and rent it out when you move or you can buy a rental property. This means that it is a rental property from day one.



Do you want to be a local investor or are you willing to buy long distance in the best real estate markets?

Being a local investor allows you to be able to check on your properties easily if there is ever an emergency. It also makes it easier to self-manage or supervise a property manager.

Long distance allows you to invest where the market make the most sense for cashflow; not just your local market (i.e. Kentucky versus New York City). You can live and work in California and invest in the Midwest where your money goes a lot further with higher returns.



Do you want cash flow or cash flow and appreciation?

Some markets such as California, DC, or New York City, see large amounts of appreciation that a landlord can anticipate. Other areas such as small town Texas, Wisconsin or upstate New York are cheaper and return large cash returns but the house will never go up in value. When you sell the house it will be worth the same amount you paid for it.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 things you should know before jumping into 'No Man's Sky'

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The newest PlayStation 4 blockbuster may be the biggest game ever made.

No Man's Sky

"No Man's Sky" is a gorgeous space exploration game. Its main feature is a massive universe, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 quintillion (18,000,000,000,000,000,000) planets to discover, mine for resources, and map. That's a lot of universe to explore! 

With such a huge game comes anxiety. What to do first? What am I doing wrong? It can feel overwhelming. Agreed! Here are all the things I wish I'd known before putting 15 hours into "No Man's Sky":

SEE ALSO: The biggest PlayStation 4 game of the year is basically 'Minecraft' in space with 18 quintillion planets

Don't worry about saving resources — you'll find plenty more!

"No Man's Sky" is a game where your main actions are exploration and mining, and the combination thereof. The further you explore, chances are you'll find some pretty rare stuff. And the first time you find this rare stuff — gold, for instance — you'll want to hoard it. "What if I need it to build such and such in five hours?!" 

Stop. Relax. Breathe. With 18 quintillion planets, there's plenty of "rare" resources to go around. Letting go of the concept of rarity will free you to enjoy the game even more. Space pirates steal your precious cargo? Don't worry. There's plenty more.



The same goes for upgrading your ship/suit/gun. Don't bother digging in and upgrading the stuff you start with too much. You'll find better stuff.

The ship you start the game with is fine. The gun (mining tool) you start the game with is fine. The suit you start the game with is fine. All of them could be better, and you can make them better. 

But you don't have to do that right from the jump. In fact, you probably shouldn't do that, because you'll find even better stuff along the way. Every planet you visit is full of entirely new versions of the stuff you start the game with. Don't like your ship? There are crashed ships all over the place, just waiting to be found. Better yet, some of them have sweet upgrades that would otherwise take a ton of time to build. So instead of trying to slowly make your stuff better, give it a few hours. Find some stuff in the wild, then consider how you want to approach improving the stuff you've got.



Don't worry about money too much — you can get money from pretty much everything in "No Man's Sky."

I know, I know — you've been hustling your whole life. What's to stop you from hustling hard to get that space cash in "No Man's Sky?" Logic, I hope. 

I spent an hour mining resources, flying those resources to a trading post, and trading them in for cash. Turns out that was a tremendous waste of time. For every plant and animal you document in-game, you get in-game cash for uploading them. For every planet you encounter, you get in-game cash for uploading them. For every star system you enter, you get in-game cash for uploading them. 

All of which is to say: Don't bother wasting your time early on mining rare resources and re-selling them. You'll get tons of money along the way.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 facts about cheating that couples — and singles — should know

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It's a lot of couples' worst nightmare: Someone succumbs to temptation and strays.

Maybe it's an emotional affair — they fall in love with a coworker — or maybe it's a sexual affair — a one-night stand after a few drinks.

Psychologists have spent years studying the science of infidelity, including what makes someone inclined to cheat, how your partner is likely to react after you cheat, and how to bounce back from cheating.

Below, we've rounded up some recent findings and how they might help you maintain a strong relationship.

SEE ALSO: 15 relationship facts everybody should know before getting married

Men and women react differently to flirting outside their relationship

A 2008 study found that, after flirting with an attractive person of the opposite sex, men were less tolerant of their partner's transgressions — while women were more so.

It's possible that men don't feel threatened by temptation and women do, or that men do feel threatened but their response isn't to protect the relationship.

The 2008 study also found that men could be taught to use "if-then" strategies to protect their relationship from tempting alternatives.

In other words: "When an attractive woman approaches me, I will do [whatever] to protect my relationship." In fact, after developing their if-then strategy, men were just as likely as women to protect their partnership, as measured through a virtual-reality game.



If you're economically dependent on your spouse, you're more likely to cheat on them

Recent research suggests that a person who is economically dependent on their spouse is more likely to be unfaithful— and that's especially true for a man who relies financially on a woman.

Interestingly, when women are the breadwinners, they're less likely to cheat. When men are the breadwinners — specifically, when they earn more than 70% of the total household income — they're more likely to cheat.



We think everyone is cheating — except our partner

Relationships are bound to disintegrate — but not yours, of course!

In a recent study, university students reported that the average person of the opposite sex has about a 42% chance of cheating on their partner.

But when it came to their own partners, participants estimated that there was about a 5% chance that their partner had already cheated on them and about an 8% chance that they would cheat on them in the future.

As it turns out, 9% of participants said they'd really strayed.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 amazing destinations where your dollars go further this year

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Woman Traveling Alone

This is a good year to be a budget traveler—now is an exceptional time to take advantage of the strong US dollar around the globe.

Favorable exchange rates and overall affordability can get you more for your money everywhere, from easy-to-reach places like Canada to bucket-list destinations like South Africa and Australia.

Here’s where you can score cheap hotels, stretch your dollar sightseeing, and even indulge in bucket-list trips for a lot less than usual.

SEE ALSO: 18 countries where you don't have to leave a tip

Canada

Last year, for the first time since 2004, the Canadian dollar tumbled below 72 cents. It’s slowly making a comeback, but still hovers at a bargain 75 cents, low enough to justify a cross-border shopping spree where your mental math can happily mark down everything at 25 percent off.

Canadian stores near the border fly American flags, heralding the arrival of Yankee neighbors and their strong-dollar pocketbooks. Americans are catching on—border crossings are up and cities have seen an influx of U.S. visitors.

Lower hotel prices complement the favorable exchange rate: In both Montreal and Toronto hotel rates have dropped significantly in price, according to Hotels.com.



Australia 

If Australia is on your bucket list, this is your year.

The Australian dollar took a hit in 2015, dropping to a six-year low. By December it had plunged almost 12 percent against the U.S. dollar, and is now at about 76 cents.

Although flights to Australia can eat up a sizable chunk of your budget, you’ll save once you hit the ground with the strong U.S. dollar. And increased direct flights from major U.S. cities make it more convenient than ever to get there.

Daunted by the flight time? Don’t be—at just under 15 hours from Los Angeles, it’s about the same length as a flight to Rome. In December, American Airlines and Qantas both added daily service between LA and Sydney, and Qantas also added daily nonstop flights between San Francisco and Sydney.



Russia 

A deep recession and plummeting oil prices continue to prolong the fall of the Russian ruble. The country’s currency has recently hit historic lows, losing more than half of its worth as of the end of last year. For travelers, this means paying around 50 percent less for nearly everything from hotel rooms to cappuccino.

At McDonald’s in Russia, a Big Mac costs 114.00 ruble ($1.53) compared to $4.93 in America. The Economist magazine’s Big Mac Index, comparing the cost of the McDonald’s burger in cities around the globe, names Russia as one of the world’s most undervalued currencies right now.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are all the ways you can recharge a Tesla (TSLA)

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Tesla Road Trip 2016

About a month ago, I drove my kids to camp in the Catskills. Our chariot for the journey was a Tesla.

And not just any Model S, but a P90D with Ludicrous Mode: the baddest, fastest, coolest Tesla in all the land. 

The idea was to see if this four-door luxury "family car" with supercar-beating acceleration — 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, claimed — could handle a journey of decent length (about 240 miles round trip) involving two adults, three kids, and the gear of a pair of campers for two weeks.

Quite a test, eh? And we decided to put the Model S through its charging paces. All of them.

Read on to learn about all the different ways you can rejuice this most famous of electric cars.

SEE ALSO: Hackers show how they tricked a Tesla into hitting objects in its path

The pearl white Tesla, equipped with everything, landed in the driveway of our suburban New Jersey test car HQ.



It was a Model S, in P90D trim. The "P" for "performance," the "90" for the 90 kWh battery pack, and the "D" for a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup.



The trip would cover 117 miles, one-way.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

21 mind-blowing psychology findings that explain the baffling choices you make every day

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If you assume that you understand why you think and act the way you do, you're probably wrong.

Decades of psychological research suggest that people behave in ways that are mysterious and perplexing — even to themselves.

We sifted through the Quora thread, "What are some mind-blowing facts about social psychology?" and pulled out the most fascinating findings. (Some fall outside the realms of social psychology, but we thought they were worth including.)

Read on to find out why we label other people jerks and ourselves victims of circumstance; why powerful people are messier eaters; and why we'd rather give ourselves electric shocks than sit alone for 15 minutes (seriously).

SEE ALSO: 12 things you're doing that make people dislike you immediately

1. We often subscribe to the majority opinion, even when it's obvious the majority is wrong

"People often go to surprising lengths to conform to the majority opinion,"writes Quora user Leo Polovets, referring to an experiment conducted by psychologist Solomon Asch.

Back in the 1950s, Asch designed an experiment in which participants saw three lines and were asked to say which one was longest. One line was clearly longer than the others.

In each iteration of the experiment, just one participant was surrounded by a group of confederates, who all reported that one of the shorter lines was longest. Sure enough, three-quarters of participants agreed with the rest of the group at least once.

In 2005, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Gregory Berns replicated the experiment and found similar results. Berns also scanned participants' brains while the experiment was going on and determined that group pressure actually caused people to change their perception of reality, while disagreeing with the group caused people to experience emotional discomfort.



2. We don't always realize that the environment has a huge impact on our behavior

In countries where drivers' licenses have an opt-out box for organ donation, the rate of consent is significantly higher than in countries where there's an opt-in box, according to research.

"Making a decision is difficult so often times people resort to the default option,"says Christopher Lee.



3. We incorrectly assume that most people support common behavior

One way to explain this phenomenon, writes Anunay Arunav, is, "when no one believes, but everyone thinks that everyone believes." In other words, individual members of a group privately believe one thing, but think that everyone else in the group believes the opposite.

This phenomenon can help explain why certain cultural practices and government policies persist long after support for them has waned.

The term was coined in 1931 by psychologists Daniel Katz and Floyd Allport, when they discovered that most college students didn't support racial segregation, but were convinced that their classmates did.

More recently, researchers asked college students about their attitudes toward alcohol use and their estimates of their peers' attitudes. Most students believed they were more uncomfortable with alcohol use on campus than the average student.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 superhero movies that brutally demolished the cities they were supposed to save

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henry cavill man of steel

Superheroes are supposed to save us.

But they seem to tear into their cities more and more, especially in the movies. Whatever happened to that Spider-Man aphorism, "With great power comes great responsibility?"

Of course, epic battles mean there will be epic destruction. Marvel Comics went meta with its series "Damage Control," which focuses on a company that cleans up the property damage caused by super-fights.

The latest comic-book movie, "Suicide Squad," didn't even wreak that much havoc compared to its peers.

These 13 superhero movies couldn't contain themselves and were the worst offenders of city destruction.

SEE ALSO: Here are all of the superhero movies coming out in the next 5 years

"Man of Steel"

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The worst offender. Zack Snyder's first installment in the DC Extended Universe demolished a city like no other film. Not only does Superman uncharacteristically kill in this movie, but he also never attempts to take the fight out of Metropolis. He first turned his attention to the terraform that was in the middle of nowhere, rather than try to handle the one in the center of the city. And then even when his and Zod's fight went into space, they still crashed back into Metropolis. 

It's what spurred the action of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," but the damage overall was estimated to cost about $700 billion (in a fictional world, of course), according to Buzzfeed.



"X-Men: Apocalypse"

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Apocalypse uses Magneto's powers to manipulate the earth's magnetic poles and cause worldwide destruction, such as crushing the Sydney Opera House. The climactic battle between the X-Men and Apocalypse's Four Horsemen takes place in Cairo, a city not often featured in superhero movies. Unfortunately, its first appearance is also its last because the Egyptian city is turned to rubble. 

"Apocalypse" also sees the destruction of the X-Mansion — though everyone is saved in another great Quicksilver montage — and, at the hands of Magneto, also the destruction of Auschwitz, an unnecessary emotional and shocking moment. 



"Avengers: Age of Ultron"

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"Ultron" features the worst destruction in a Marvel film. There's the obvious destruction from when Ultron raises most of Sokovia so that its fall would wipe out civilization. Another city is turned to rubble. 

There's also the unnecessary fight between Iron Man and Hulk. Hulk goes on a rampage and terrorizes a city, and Iron Man has no choice but to match his terror and wreck a market area, high-rises, and the streets to try to get him to stop.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 energizing snacks that are better than coffee

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I love a cup of coffee in the morning to start my day. However, a lot of times I feel like I need a second cup of coffee by the afternoon, but I don’t want to have that much coffee in one day. Instead, I love snacking on foods that are not only tasty, but that also give me some energy to survive the day. If you need more energy in the afternoon just like I do but don’t want to reach for another cup of coffee, here are some great snacks that pack a punch to keep you moving.

1. Banana with a Tablespoon of Nut Butter

Banana and nut butter are not only great together, but are also one of my favorite combos, because, well, peanut butter is heavenly in my eyes. Also, the sugar in the banana takes longer to metabolize, which gives you long-lasting energy instead of a sugar rush. The protein in the nut butter will provide you with long-lasting energy as well.



2. Whole Grain Crackers with a Tablespoon of Hummus

The complex carbs in whole grains will provide you with long-lasting energy, while the hummus will help fight off hunger. Thus, this snack is great for fighting that weak, tired feeling you get when you are hungry. You can be creative too and try some international hummus recipes you might never of had before to spice up your snack life.



3. Plain, Non-Fat Yogurt with Granola

This is a protein-packed snack, which will help boost your energy levels for the rest of the day. Just be careful, as some granola brands are high in sugar. I recommend that instead of buying granola to try making this healthy recipe for a great snack.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 most innovative features in the 2017 Audi Q7

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2017 Audi Q7

Audi's 2017 Q7 SUV sets the bar high for cutting-edge auto technology. 

It's loaded with innovative features that improve safety and also help make the ride more enjoyable. 

Recently, I had the chance to drive a $69,000 Q7 model and got to experience a number of these features first hand. 

Here's a look at some of the car's technology that I found most impressive. 

SEE ALSO: 16 high-tech features you need in your next car

Virtual instrument panel

Audi's "Virtual Cockpit" system is a 12.3-inch panel display that shows vehicle instruments, navigation, and infotainment information.

You can customize this display so certain information is more prominent on the display. For example, you can show the fuel consumption front and center, or you can opt to show navigation in the display. 



Retractable display

The display on the dash appears when you turn on the car and disappears when you shut it off. 

All of your media is displayed here, as well as car settings. When you shift to reverse, the display will also show you everything the rear-end camera is seeing. 



Blind spot awareness

A light on the side-view mirrors lights up when someone is in your blindspot, alerting you to not switch lanes when it's dangerous. 

I found this to be one of the car's most useful features, especially when driving on busy city streets. The system will even alert you when pedestrians and bicyclists are in your blind spot. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

People are finding some truly crazy-looking creatures in 'No Man's Sky'

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One of the most incredible parts of the newly released PlayStation 4 game "No Man's Sky" is the incredible variety of alien animals that inhabit the game's 18 quintillion planets and moons. Look no further than this bizarre...thing I found on my first day playing:

No Man's Sky

Indeed! This cow-/dinosaur-like animal is just one of the dozens of bizarre creatures I've encountered in just the first few days with "No Man's Sky." With the game going wide on Tuesday, millions of these bizarre animals are being spotted all over the enormous in-game galaxy.

We collected some of the craziest ones below:

SEE ALSO: The biggest PlayStation 4 game of the year is basically 'Minecraft' in space with 18 quintillion planets

DON'T MISS: 8 things you should know before jumping into 'No Man's Sky'

Okay, let's start light. These turtle-y little guys were actually shown by the game's developer at one point. Not super strange just yet.



But wait...what's this? Is that some sort of a cat...thing?



The mischievous look in his eye confirms it. He's a creep.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 daily habits keeping you from getting rich, according to a man who spent 5 years studying millionaires

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frustrated

Author Thomas C. Corley spent five years studying the lives of both rich people (defined as having an annual income of $160,000 or more and a liquid net worth of $3.2 million or more) and poor people (defined as having an annual income of $35,000 or less and a liquid net worth of $5,000 or less).

He then differentiated what he calls "rich habits" and "poverty habits"— essentially, the tendencies of both groups — which he details in his new book, "Change Your Habits, Change Your Life."

"From my research, I discovered that daily habits dictate how successful or unsuccessful you will be in life," Corley writes.

No predictions of the future or guarantees of riches here. But if you want to be successful and build wealth, it won't hurt to start by nixing these 11 common, yet costly, habits:

SEE ALSO: 13 habits of self-made millionaires, from a man who spent 5 years studying rich people

1. Gambling

"There is no such thing as getting rich quick," Corley writes. "Financial success takes time, takes initiative, and requires relentless effort. Those who gamble are deluded into thinking there is a shortcut to success."

In his study, 52% of poor people gambled on sports at least once a week and 77% played the lottery every week. Conversely, 84% of rich people did not bet on sports and 94% did not play the lottery.

"Self-made millionaires don't pursue any get-rich quick schemes. Instead, they make a habit of pursuing their dreams and their goals."



2. Eating an unhealthy diet

"Poor health habits create detrimental luck," Corley writes.

In his study, 97% of poor people ate over three hundred junk food calories each day, 69% ate fast food three or more times a week, 69% ate candy more than twice a week, and 66% were overweight by at least 30 pounds.

Wealthy people value their health, says Corley. In addition to eating healthy, they exercise consistently, sleep seven or more hours every night, and make a daily habit out of flossing.



3. Drinking too much alcohol

While the occasional glass of wine or beer is fine, drinking too much could impede your chances of financial success.

"Fifty-four percent of the poor in my study drank more than two glasses of beer, wine, or alcohol each day," Corley reports. "Eighty-four percent of the self-made millionaires in my study drank less than that."

Drinking too much could affect your memory and ability to think clearly, Corley explains. Plus, it's a lot of extra calories and isn't part of a healthy diet.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 photos that show why Prague has the most beautiful library in the world

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Strahov Library Philosophical Hall edited

Prague's Strahov Library is the most beautiful library in the world.

Housed in the city's Clementium complex, it's not only filled with thousands of books, but gorgeous frescoes and different antique objects of historical curiosity.

The Strahov Library is a testment of what libraries are supposed to do. While some people might bemoan bookless libraries as a forerunner of the apocalypse, libraries have been more than just about books for centuries. The best libraries aren't places where books sit and gather dust. They're access points to research information of all kinds. The Strahov Library has always been a place that honors knowledge itself. The internet is just the latest step in that same tradition.

Take a look inside the most beautiful library in the world.

The library is housed in the Strahov Monastary, part of the historical Clementium building complex in Prague.



There are two halls in the Strahav library. The first one to be built, between 1671 and 1679, is the Theological Hall.

Source: Office of the Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov



The Theological Hall was designed by Abbot Jeroným Hirnhaim and the architect Giovanni Domennico Orsi. There are tons of books on the walls.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

23 surprising things that can make you successful

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warren buffett

Sure, we all know that an Ivy League education, a stint at a blue-chip firm, and stellar sales skills can help us get ahead. But it may surprise you just how many other, seemingly random variables can contribute to your professional success. 

From the month you were born to your comedic timing, the weirdest quirks can affect how successful you'll ultimately be.

We combed through research on success to identify 23 surprising things that can influence your career trajectory. While some factors can be sought out, others are beyond your control.

This is an update of an article originally written by Alison Griswold.

SEE ALSO: 11 habits of highly successful people

For starters, your birth month may be important in determining success

Many studies look at what's variously called the "relative-age effect,""month of birth bias," or "birth-date effect."

The basic principle is that kids born right before an annual cutoff date for starting school or sports are at a disadvantage because they're essentially a full year younger than other members of the group. That can make a big difference in some children's physical, emotional, and intellectual maturity. On the other hand, just missing the date tends to mean you'll be more developed than your peers.

Malcolm Gladwell popularized this idea in the book "Outliers," which explored how more professional hockey players from Canada were born in January, February, and March than any other months. The reason? Canada's cutoff date for hockey programs is Jan. 1.

Similar research has shown that the number of CEOs with June and July birthdays is far below the expected normal distribution. That's because kids born in June and July are usually the youngest in school, potentially putting them at an early intellectual disadvantage.



Your birth order can also influence your personality and development

Research suggests that first-borns tend to be highly ambitious and competitive and excel academically.

According to a 2013 studyit's thanks to their parents, who give them their best parenting but ease up on kids born later. As Derek Thompson points out at The Atlanticinternational surveys of birth orders and behavior suggest that first borns tend to have higher IQs and perform better in school across the globe. "Looking at parent evaluations of children from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth in 1979, the researchers found that mothers are much more likely to see their first children as high-achievers. They regard their subsequent children as considerably more average in their class."

By contrast, the youngest siblings are often the most creative and entertaining in their families, which in some kids can help them end up in creative roles or mid-level management.

Finally, studies suggest that only children tend to be more self-centered and success-seeking, and can also be unusually mature because they spend so much one-on-one time with their parents. Like first-borns, they can end up in C-level or six-figure positions, but tend to be less satisfied with their jobs than people with siblings.



Public or private school? It turns out that more expensive isn't always best

Research suggests that public schools actually outperform their costlier private peer institutions. University of Illinois professors Christopher and Sarah Lubienski published that surprising finding in their book, "The Public School Advantage: Why Public Schools Outperform Private Schools."

According to their research, students at private schools generally do well because they come from wealthy backgrounds and families with more advantages. But public schools are actually better when it comes to teaching math and keeping their teachers trained in the latest instructional methods.



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A former McKinsey partner shares 7 techniques that will energize you when you're feeling burnt out at work

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caroline webb

Sometimes, you just find yourself lacking energy or motivation at work.

Rather than waste your day feeling sorry for yourself, there are a few fast and easy ways to overcome burnout at the office, says Sevenshift CEO, McKinsey senior adviser, and former McKinsey partner Caroline Webb.

Her new book, "How to Have a Good Day," is a collection of career best practices she's learned in her 16 years as a consultant.

Here are the techniques she recommends trying the next time you find yourself unable to accomplish anything at work.

SEE ALSO: A former McKinsey partner says a 5-minute exercise every Friday can make you more successful at work

1. Think about what you're grateful for.

Webb makes use of an exercise called "three good things," which is simply taking a moment to think about three things you're grateful for, whether it's something positive that happened earlier that day, things you cherish in your life, or even just a moment that made you smile. "And yes, you will feel better as a result, even if the good things aren't very big," she writes.

Webb cites research led by Martin E. P. Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania that found such an exercise had a notable positive impact on test subject's self-reported happiness over the course of six months, as it develops habitual optimistic thinking.

Webb recommends setting aside a particular each time to go through the exercise, and to write down your three good things in a notebook.



2. Do a random act of kindness.

UPenn's Seligman also found, in his words, that "doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested."

If you're feeling burnt out, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to step outside of yourself and help someone out. Let one of your colleagues know how you appreciate them or offer your help to a coworker the next time you see them struggling.



3. Find something interesting in even the most mundane situations.

When Webb worked at the Bank of England in the mid-1990s, she and her colleagues would occasionally play "buzzword bingo," where they'd pass a painfully dull meeting by tallying up all of the jargon speakers would toss out. It not only brought grins to their faces, it also caused them to pay attention to what was being said when otherwise they might have drifted off.

She writes that your approach doesn't have to be as subversive. For example, if you're working on a complex group project, make it a point to learn more about how your teammates are doing their jobs. You'll not only gain a better appreciation for your coworkers, but you'll become more engaged in the task and handle your own responsibilities better.



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The 10 most beautiful planets people have found so far in 'No Man's Sky'

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One of the most anticipated games of the year, "No Man's Sky," just came out and people are taking to social media to share some of the incredible planets they've discovered so far.

No Man's Sky

In "No Man's Sky," you can explore an entire galaxy with your trusty little spaceship. You'll gather resources, catalog wildlife, and when you're ready to leave, just hop in your ship and head to the next planet! The whole game is procedurally generated, which means that every planet was created by an algorithm, rather than by the hand of a designer.

You might think that would yield boring environments, but the worlds of "No Man's Sky" are anything but dull. Here are the best of the best, curated from this thread on the gaming forum NeoGAF.

SEE ALSO: People are finding some truly crazy-looking creatures in 'No Man's Sky'

Some planets are pretty homogenous looking, like this one that's varying shades of yellow and green.



But others are much more diverse, like this planet with fluorescent pink grass.



This one has some kind of creepy, abandoned tower.



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12 celebrities you didn't realize are absurdly rich

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dolly parton

There are some celebrities whose sheer fame, and correspondent wealth, you don't question, be it Mick Jagger or Madonna.

But then there are the entertainment figures who you might recognize, but you never understood how much money they've accumulated over the years.

Sure, Dolly Parton is a country superstar, but did you realize she's actually worth quite a lot more than Mick Jagger?

From musicians who have put in their dues to TV stars cashing in on syndication, here are the most surprising celebrities who are filthy rich.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

Martin Lawrence - Estimated net worth: $110 million

He hasn't been in the public eye as much recently, but Martin Lawrence has made a number of savvy career moves over the years. His first big one, the sitcom "Martin," which he cocreated, became one of Fox's highest-rated shows in the '90s. The comedian parlayed that into a number of blockbuster movies, notably his "Bad Boys" franchise with Will Smith.



Ray Romano - Estimated net worth: $120 million

How successful was "Everybody Loves Raymond"? A whole lot more popular than its tepid critical reception would lead you to believe. And Ray Romano wasn't simply the face of it: As an executive producer of the sitcom that ran for nine years, as well as voice in the "Ice Age" films, the comedian never has to worry about money again.

 



Birdman - Estimated net worth: $150 million

The rapper is not as well-known as some of the artists on his roster, like Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, but as the head of Cash Money Records, he's become one of the top hip-hop moguls of this era.



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12 times Donald Trump disagreed with Warren Buffett

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump has made his business record the centerpiece of his campaign. When he’s not talking about banning Muslims, building walls, or trashing war heroes, he’s usually talking about all the huge (Yooge!) success he’s had in business.

But what do we really know about this man’s business philosophy? To catch a glimpse, here are 12 twelve times that Donald Trump disagreed with the Oracle of Omaha.

This was run with permission from www.TheCharlieton.com.

On Reputation

“In the second grade, I actually gave a teacher a black eye—I punched my music teacher because I didn’t think he knew about music and I almost got expelled.” – Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal, p. 71

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett



On Billionaires

“You have to be wealthy in order to be great, I'm sorry to say” – Donald Trump, 26 May 2016

“Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.”— Warren Buffett



On Options

“I keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first.” – Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal, p. 50

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything"— Warren Buffett



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Here are the best TV shows of the past year, according to critics

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cuba gooding jr people v. oj simpson

The Television Critics Association has announced the winners of its 32nd annual TCA Award nominations.

Every year, the group of TV critics from dozens of TV news outlets, newspapers, and websites nominate and then vote on the shows and stars they feel delivered the highest quality entertainment on the small screen.

This year, FX's "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" won the most awards.

But what other shows and their talented stars did the critics feel were the cream of the crop?

Here are the best shows and stars on TV, according to critics (and what they what they won):

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 20 worst TV shows of the year so far, according to critics

DON'T MISS: The 10 favorite TV shows of Democrats and Republicans

Program of the year: 'The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story' (FX)

Other Nominees:

“The Americans” (FX)

“Fargo" (FX)

“Game of Thrones” (HBO)

“Making a Murderer” (Netflix)

“Mr. Robot” (USA Network)

“UnREAL” (Lifetime)



Outstanding achievement in drama: 'The Americans' (FX)

Other nominees:

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)

“Game of Thrones” (HBO)

“The Leftovers” (HBO)

“Mr. Robot” (USA Network)

“UnREAL” (Lifetime)

 

 



Outstanding achievement in comedy: 'Black-ish' (ABC)

Other nominees:

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (The CW)

“Master of None” (Netflix)

“Silicon Valley” (HBO)

“Veep” (HBO)

“You’re The Worst” (FXX)

 



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