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Google is up 1,780% since its IPO exactly 12 years ago — these are the only 10 companies that have done better (amzn, goog, crm, isrg, alxn, nflx, aapl, regn, ilmn, pcln, mnst)

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larry page sergey brin google

Twelve years ago, on August 19, 2004, Google debuted on the Nasdaq as a public company at $85 per share.

Since then, Google has grown from a search engine into a tech behemoth, changed its corporate name to Alphabet, and seen its stock shoot up 1,780%.

It's been a pretty impressive climb for Alphabet (née Google), but there are 10 companies that have beat out the company that has made its original name a verb.

There are, of course, some huge tech growth companies, but the number one name on the list may come as a surprise (or at least it did to us).

All of these come from Bespoke Investment Group, which challenged people on Twitter to name three.

So come up with your own list of guesses, and scroll down to see if you got it right:

Amazon

Ticker: AMZN

Price on August 19, 2004: $39.36

Price as of open today: $758.45

Percent change since Google's IPO: 1,827%

Source: Bespoke Investment Group



Salesforce

Ticker: CRM

Price on August 19, 2004: $2.99

Price as of open today: $76.60

Percent change since Google's IPO: 2,464%

Source: Bespoke Investment Group



Intuitive Surgical

Ticker: ISRG

Price on August 19, 2004: $24.91

Price as of open today: $684.88

Percent change since Google's IPO: 2,649%

Source: Bespoke Investment Group



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 things unsuccessful people do over the weekend

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sunbathing suntanning tanning tan summer float water beach ocean swimming bathing suit woman relax sleep

Everybody's working for the weekend, but how you spend your two days off may say something about how successful you are.

What you get up to doesn't really matter, per se. If you prefer lounging around the house to spontaneous adventures, that's great! You probably need that time to wind down.

When it comes to weekends, the main thing that separates successful people from unsuccessful people is mindfulness.

Are you planning ahead and truly thinking about how to spend your free time?

Here are 11 things that unsuccessful people tend to do over the weekend — and why to avoid them:

SEE ALSO: 18 damaging behaviors of unsuccessful people

DON'T MISS: 12 habits of unsuccessful people

They don't have a plan

Not every minute of every hour of your weekend needs to be planned out, but it's good to have a general idea of what you'd like to do or get done — even if you're just scheduling downtime.

That'll allow you protect your time, and maybe even schedule in some fun events.



They don't make time for loved ones

It can be hard to make time for the ones you care about during the hectic week. Make up for that over the weekend.



They let technology take over

Put away your phone. Shut off your work email — and make it clear to your coworkers that you won't be responding. Don't get addicted to technology.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 37 highest-paying jobs in America

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anesthesiologist

C-Suite executives are known for pulling in a pretty penny. But as it turns out, doctors make even more.

That's right: On average, those sporting scrubs and stethoscopes bring home fatter paychecks than those donning suits and ties, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates survey.

The survey, which reflects May 2015 salary and employment data gathered from more than 1 million businesses, found that nine of the nation's top 10 highest-paying occupations are in the medical field.

The best-paying job of all: anesthesiologist.

On average, anesthesiologists in the US earn an average annual salary of $258,100 — which is more than five times what the average American earns.

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, these medical doctors are responsible for the safety and well being of patients before, during, and after surgery. In the US, they're required to complete a four-year undergraduate college degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year anesthesiology residency program. Most anesthesiologists become board certified, and many complete an additional fellowship year of specialty training.

A 2014 physician compensation report by Medscape found that nearly 80% of anesthesiologists spend 40 hours or more per week with patients.

Here are the 37 highest-paying jobs in the US— all of which earn more than $115,000 a year, on average:

SEE ALSO: 17 high-paying side jobs you can do in your spare time

37. Computer and information research scientist

Mean annual pay: $115,580

Number of people who hold this job in the US: 25,510

Projected growth (2014 - 2024): 11%



36. Optometrist

Mean annual pay: $115,750

Number of people who hold this job in the US: 35,300

Projected growth (2014 - 2024): 27%



35. Judge, magistrate judge, or magistrate

Mean annual pay: $116,100

Number of people who hold this job in the US: 29,020

Projected growth (2014 - 2024): -1%



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The stories behind 6 iconic Olympic shoes

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michael_johnson

The Olympic games host the best athletes in the world, so it's only fitting that these all-star athletes have the best athletic gear to match.

Two sneaker powerhouses, Nike and Kith, have joined forces to showcase the most celebrated Olympian's shoes. Sneakerheads and Olympic enthusiasts alike can visit the pop-up museum in New York City to see some of the most memorable sneakers that helped dunk, sprint, and jump athletes like Scottie Pippen and Carl Lewis to victory.

From flashy $30,000 gold running spikes to some of the world's lightest shoes, these are the six most iconic sneakers that came out of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

The Olympic Gold Shoe was created for track legend Michael Johnson, who wore them in the 1996 Summer Olympics. While their color alone was a bold statement, the shoes redefined the way athletes and shoe companies work together.



While creating these for Johnson, Nike designer Tobie Hatfield noticed that Johnson's right leg rotated significantly when he turned a corner, so he created a custom spike plate for each foot.



Johnson said, "Opting for gold shoes could have been considered downright cocky, but I was confident and never doubted my ability to deliver gold medals to match my shimmering footwear."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 of the most impressive Olympic feats of all time

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Michael Phelps

On August 11, swimmer Michael Phelps won his 13th individual gold medal at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

At that moment, he broke a record for individual titles set by the ancient runner Leonidas of Rhodes, who won 12 individual events with his last Olympic victory in 152 BCE — more than 2,000 years ago.

Phelps, with 23 gold medals overall, is pretty great — "the greatest Olympian of all-time,"according to Olympics historian Bill Mallon.

But his moments of triumph are far from the only incredibly impressive ones out there. Here are some of the most impressive Olympic feats of all time:

SEE ALSO: Here's what Michael Phelps eats every day for the Rio Olympics

Phelps isn't the only current Olympian blowing people's minds. US swimmer Katie Ledecky is "among the greatest endurance athletes ever, full stop," according to Dr. Michael Joyner, a physician and Mayo Clinic researcher who is one of the world's top experts on fitness and human performance. Joyner says her world-record performance in the 800-meter swim this year was especially impressive.

Check out how Ledecky is transforming what we think is possible when it comes to athletic performance.



Phelps has dominated swimming events for multiple Olympics now, but his stunning eight gold medals at the Beijing Games in 2008 were a particularly impressive moment.



In the 1976 Montreal Games, 14-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci did something that was considered so impossible that the scoreboard hadn't been built to display her score: a perfect 10. She did it six more times in those games, leaving with three gold medals, a bronze, and a team silver medal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These photos of the world's greatest athletes celebrating with their families are adorable

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rio olympics families

Some Olympians gain worldwide fame and millions of social media admirers. But their biggest fans are the ones that have been there since the very beginning of the athletic careers — their families. 

Turns out, even the greatest athletes in the world still just want to hug their parents after a big game.

Here are 18 photos that show Olympians celebrating with their husbands, wives, parents, siblings, and very adorable children. 

Ron, Nellie, and 16-year-old Adria Biles cheer on Simone in the women's gymnastics team final.

Simone Biles left Rio with four gold medals, one bronze, and a reputation as the greatest gymnast of all time



Michael Phelps celebrates winning his 20th career gold medal by kissing his three-month old son Boomer and fiancée Nicole Johnson.

Here's why little Boomer became an unlikely star of the Rio games



Team USA cyclist Kristin Armstrong won her third gold medal in the the individual road time trial — she's the first athlete ever to win gold three times in a row in the same cycling event. Her son thinks she's pretty cool, too.

Source: New York Times



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Citi, Wells Fargo, and 8 other banks are hiring for high-paying jobs like crazy right now

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Woman with Umbrella Citi Bank

On the search for a new job in finance? Then you may want to check out openings at Citi or Wells Fargo.

Those banks are doing some of the heaviest hiring right now for jobs that pay six figures a year, according to Indeed.

The job search engine recently compiled a list of big US banks trying to fill the most full-time jobs that pay over $100,000. The salary data is a combination of company and user input.

Here are the 10 financial-services companies with the largest number of job openings right now for high-paying jobs:

SEE ALSO: The highest-paying companies in the US outside of tech

9 (tie). Bank of America

Job openings (for positions paying over $100,000 a year): 104

Founded in 1904, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company now has over 200,000 employees.



9 (tie). Wells Fargo

Job openings (for positions paying over $100,000 a year): 104

The financial-services company, founded in 1852, employs about 265,000 people.



8. BNP Paribas

Job openings (for positions paying over $100,000 a year): 127

The French multinationalbank employs close to 200,000 people around the globe.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 8 most breathtaking islands in the world


8 simple ways to make your boss love you

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boss workplaceWinning your boss' favor isn't so hard to do.

And it's not about kissing up by complimenting their new haircut or volunteering for every single new assignment.

Instead, it's about figuring out what they want from you and being strategic in making them feel good.

To help you ingratiate yourself with your manager, we consulted both scientific research and expert opinion. Read on for the eight most compelling insights we learned.

SEE ALSO: These 9 behaviors separate star employees from everyone else

1. Get to work early

Research from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington suggests that employees who get into the office early are generally perceived by their managers as more conscientious and receive higher performance ratings than employees who arrive later.

And it doesn't matter if those who get in later stay later, too.

If you feel that you'd be more productive working from, say, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., consider explaining the situation to your manager and confronting their potential "morning bias" head-on.



2. Ask for advice

You might be wary of asking your boss anything — whether it's how they got to this point in their career or which marketing strategy they think you should go with.

But research from Harvard Business School suggests that asking for advice doesn't make you look stupid — it can make you seem more competent, which is presumably how you want your boss to see you.

In one experiment, 170 university students worked on a series of computer tasks and were told they would be matched with a partner who would complete the same tasks. (The partner was really a computer simulation.) When they'd finished the tasks, the "partner" either said, "I hope it went well" or "I hope it went well. Do you have any advice?"

As it turns out, students who'd been asked for advice rated their "partner" more competent than those who hadn't been asked for advice.

The researchers explain that when you ask for advice, you're validating the person's intelligence and experience, so they feel good about you in turn.



3. Manage up

"Managing up" is a term for learning what your boss really cares about and making sure you deliver on that.

As Dave Kerpen, founder and CEO of software company Likable Local, told Business Insider, "It's about helping your manager look great to his or her manager. And ultimately by doing that you're going to position yourself better for success."

Kerpen expects his team at Likeable Local to manage up to him. For example, he doesn't care that his head of marketing shows up late almost every day — as long as she's on time Monday morning, delivering a great report at the company-wide meeting.

Kerpen recommends either asking your boss directly what's important to them or subtly trying to figure it out on your own.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

LinkedIn HR chief recommends 3 books to all new managers

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susan cain and pat wadors at the new work summit

As the head of HR for LinkedIn, the professional social network with more than 400 million active users around the world, Pat Wadors is constantly having conversations about what tools and resources managers and their employees need to succeed.

She says learned two fundamental truths about management:

1. Great managers need to be passionate about developing the talents of others, but they don't need to fit into a certain personality type.

2. To make the most of a team, its leader needs to discover what motivates each employee, and then be transparent about ensuring their needs are met.

We recently spoke with Wadors, and she shared the "trifecta" of business books she recommends all new managers read.

SEE ALSO: LinkedIn's HR chief shares her best career advice for 20-somethings

'Quiet' by Susan Cain

Wadors, a self-described introvert, said that she learned in her early 30s that she wouldn't have to pretend to be a different person if she wanted to succeed as a leader.

At LinkedIn, Wadors wanted to let other introverts know that they could follow in her footsteps even if they weren't loud, outgoing, and aggressive. Last fall, she partnered with "Quiet" author Susan Cain to implement a leadership program at LinkedIn for introverts, and it launched this month.

Whether you're an introvert yourself or about to lead a team with introverts, Cain's book from 2012 will dispel socially ingrained myths of what a successful person must behave like

Find it here »



'The Alliance' by Reid Hoffman, Ben Casnocha, and Chris Yeh

Reid Hoffman, the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn, is rethinking the relationship between managers and employees.

In his 2014 book "The Alliance," he and his co-authors argue that we're long past the age of spending an entire career at a single company. But, they say, our workplaces haven't adapted to the change.

They explain that by establishing an alliance between the company and its employees through "tours of duty," tailored to what the employee wants to get from his or her time at a company, it can "invest in the long-term future without sacrificing adaptability," much the way a dominant professional sports team operates.

"'The Alliance' shaped career conversations in a way that was way more visible and healthy than I'd ever seen done," Wadors said.

Find it here »



'Drive' by Dan Pink

Pink is the bestselling author of some of the past decade's most popular and insightful career guides, and Wadors has found his work tremendously helpful in finding ways to connect with her employees on a more personal level.

In his 2011 book "Drive," he argues that the typical rewards-based approach to motivating people through something like a bigger paycheck is insufficient on its own, and that people instead are driven by an increase in autonomy, a path to mastery, and work with purpose.

Find it here »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 5 best new songs you can stream right now

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Frank OceanNow that new music comes out every Friday — though not always on every streaming service — it can be hard to know where to find the next great song.

To help you out, Business Insider compiles this rundown of the best new music you can stream right now.

This week, Frank Ocean returned from a four-year hiatus with a new "visual album" on Apple Music, and Earl Sweatshirt released a single for Adult Swim's annual music list.

Check out the best new songs:

MORE HERE: Here's the most popular music artist in every state, according to Pandora

Frank Ocean — 'Rushes To'

Among the 18 tracks on "Endless," Frank Ocean's striking new visual album, the meandering, acoustic-guitar song "Rushes To" stands out as Ocean's most powerful vocal performance.

The song starts at the 32:47 mark on the "Endless" video, below, which you can watch with an Apple Music subscription.

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Phantogram — 'Cruel World'

Electronic duo Phantogram's new single "Cruel World" begins with a simple piano arrangement and pensive vocals from singer Sarah Barthel. Then the track takes a wild, trap-inspired left turn with a dynamic vocal-sample chorus.

RAW Embed



James Vincent McMorrow — 'Get Low'

Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow started his career making traditional folk music, but over the years — much like his contemporary Justin Vernon of Bon Iver — he's edged his way into more captivating and experimental territory.

His compelling new single, "Get Low," mixes acoustic guitar with ethereal vocals and killer electric guitar solos with synthesizer flourishes.

RAW Embed



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

27 gourmet dishes that take eggs beyond breakfast

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Boston Vee Vee American Veggies Salad Bibb Salad2

Once a breakfast-only tradition, eggs have made their way into every meal of the day and we couldn’t be more egg-cited. Wake up to lots of egg styles — like scrambled, fried or sunny side — take a mid-day break for deviled eggs, try a refreshing tuna tartare with an egg plopped on top, stir one into a hearty bowl of pasta or whip them into a delicious sauce to pour all over the perfect entree.

There are so many possibilities, we’re eggs-hausted just thinking about them all! Check out all the tasty ways to eat an egg.

1. Ahi Poke – Arbella (Chicago)

Arbella features small plates and snacks from around the world, including an ahi poke dish with tuna marinated in soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, topped off with an egg yolk.



2. Breakfast Tacos– The Sinclair (Chicago)

At The Sinclair in Boston, breakfast tacos are prepared with fluffy eggs, peppers, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and a side of home fries for brunch goers needing their egg fix.



3. Carolina Chrimp – ACME (New York)

The Carolina shrimp appetizer at ACME is prepared with tasty egg yolk, pickled turnip and celeriac chips, evoking bold, inventive flavors in every crunchy bite.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 signs you're a stellar employee — even if it doesn't feel like it

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young woman listening thinking sitting


Most people don't want to get cocky. That's why it can be difficult to identify yourself as a standout worker.

Of course, you don't want to be arrogant, but it's also important to know your worth. Requesting feedback is a good idea, but, depending on your circumstances and your boss' managerial style, this can sometimes be difficult to do.

How, then, can you tell if you're just doing OK, or killing it at work?

Here are 11 subtle signs that you're actually an exemplary employee:

SEE ALSO: 10 reasons your best employees are quitting

You get along great with your colleagues

Not only are you a delight to be around in the office, you're an awesome team player. Plus, this probably means that you're a great fit for the culture of your organization.



You're honest

Good bosses love workers with integrity. You're forthright with your boss and colleagues. You speak frankly and candidly. Most importantly, you don't stoop to using nefarious means to get ahead.

In organizations with toxic cultures, honesty may be overlooked — it might even get you in trouble. But when you're in a company with a strong, ethical grounding, honesty tends to pay off in the long run.



You're constantly improving yourself

In Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash Broadway hit "Hamilton,"the titular Founding Father ascends to great heights by virtue of never being satisfied. (This drive also gets him into a bit of trouble, but let's just ignore that for now.)

At a certain point, most of us settle for good enough. Truly stellar employees are never quite content. They're constantly learning new things, trying new approaches, and striving to work smarter. They're a bit restless and always seeking to improve themselves.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet Zendaya, the 19-year-old Disney star who will play Mary Jane in next year's 'Spider-Man'

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zendaya

Zendaya is going from Disney star to a box-office wonder.

She was only 14-years-old when she landed her first on-screen role on Disney Channel. Since then, the dancer, singer, and actress has written a book, designed her own shoe line, and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As if that wasn't enough, the 19-year-old is an activist and feminist, fighting for equality and diversity.

Meet the next Marvel phenom below:

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born September 1, 1996 and grew up in Oakland, California.

Instagram Embed:
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She was introduced to theater and acting as a young child because her mother was the house manager at the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda.

Source: Diablo Magazine



She quickly got into dancing and was in a hip-hop troupe when she was only 8 years old.

Source: W Magazine 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Celebrity chef Robert Irvine says these are the top 7 factors that determine whether a restaurant succeeds or fails

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robert irvine

Chef Robert Irvine has spent the past five years attempting to save 140 failing restaurants across America for the Food Network show "Restaurant: Impossible," now in its 13th season.

Of the 137 restaurants whose episodes have aired, 82, or 60%, have closed since their makeovers, according to the blog Food Network Gossip.

That's actually not bad, since these restaurants were so poorly managed that Irvine and his team only took the job if there was essentially a 100% chance of imminent failure.

In fact, according to a frequently cited study by Ohio State University on failed restaurants, 60% do not make it past the first year, and 80% go under in five years.

Business Insider recently spoke with Irvine, who shared his top factors that result in a restaurant thriving or flopping.

SEE ALSO: Celebrity chef Robert Irvine explains the top 5 reasons most restaurants fail

Attention to detail

In March, Irvine, his wife, and some of his colleagues arrived unannounced to one of his biggest "Restaurant: Impossible" successes, Dodge City Steakhouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. "I walk into the refrigerator, straight in the kitchen — everything was exactly what I taught them to do," Irvine said. "Fresh food, stored correctly. I had the most amazing meal."

The one negative thing that caught his eye was an area of floor tile, which he wants replaced. The owners told him they were already on it.

Successful restaurant owners know that every small detail matters. To teach this point, Irvine likes to say that a Fortune 500 company would never have a receptionist at their headquarters who is rude or lazy, and so it's remarkable how often he finds restaurant hosts chewing gum and playing with their smartphone when he walks into an establishment.



Financial competency

Great food and service mean nothing if owners aren't properly managing money, and ensuring that their chef is ordering a sustainable amount of food.

Irvine said that it's unfortunately a common occurrence for him to ask owners of a "Restaurant: Impossible" location about their food and labor costs and how their revenue and profits stack up only to receive a dumbfounded look.

Another common mistake is that there's no system to ensure that numbers are kept up to date.

"One particular owner was so proud of himself for being able to report a 33% food cost until I dug a little deeper to see that his costs were based on old figures and that the cost of ingredients had risen significantly since he last did his calculations," Irvine said.



The owner's relationship with the staff

Nine times out of 10, restaurants are in better hands if the owners worked their way up through the restaurant industry hierarchy, Irvine said. It's typically easier for an industry insider to earn the respect of everyone from the line cooks to bartender.

Insiders also know how to better help the staff. "The more experience you have and the more jobs you've done in restaurants, the more you tend to understand the nuances of failure and where the systems can actually fail," Irvine said.

To succeed as an outsider, he added, it's necessary to set aside one's ego and learn how every function of the restaurant works.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These photos show what's happening below the surface in synchronized swimming

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japan synchronized swimming

Above the surface of the water, synchronized swimmers display smiling faces, graceful legs, and pointed toes.

Underwater, they're working harder than any athlete at the Olympic games. 

They launch teammates out of the water and through the air. They suspend themselves upside down and contort their bodies into circus-esque poses without ever touching the bottom of the pool. And, unlike hammer throwers or weightlifters who grimace their way through feats of athleticism, synchronized swimmers perform their grueling routines without showing fatigue.

In other words: Don't be fooled when synchronized swimmers make the sport look easy — it's not. 

During synchronized swimming competition in Rio, NBC set up a split-screen camera that showed viewers the action above and below the water at the same time. Here are a few shots from the competitors' routines: 

Members of team Italy extend their legs out of the pool...



...with a boost from the swimmers pushing upward.



Japan's swimmers made this handstand look effortless.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's how much you would have made if you'd invested in Google at its IPO (GOOG)

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IPO Google

Google went public exactly 12 years ago today, August 19.

In the immediate aftermath, employees who made big money were warned not to buy BMWs (or else they'd get their windshields smashed) or check the stock ticker at work (or else they'd have to buy the person who caught them a share).

People who bought shares on August 19, 2004, and kept it have made off well, as the stock price of Google and parent company Alphabet has skyrocketed.

If you bought one share of Google in 2004 at its initial public offering price of $85, then it would be two shares worth $1,575 today, taking into account Google's stock split.

That's a stunning 1,752.94% change, or about 18.5x.

So, let's assume that you bought more than one share:

  • If you bought about $1,000 of stock — about 11.76 shares — at the IPO price in 2004, then you'd have about $18,522 today.
  • If you'd invested $10,000, then you'd have $185,384.53, a gain of $175,384.
  • If you'd been high-rolling with a $100,000 investment, then you'd have a stunning $1,853,022.60.

Not too shabby.

Although the company has changed tremendously in the past 12 years — there are now separate divisions for self-driving cars, curing death, and improving cities — the core search experience looks pretty much the same.

Thanks to The Internet Archive, we can revisit those early days and see exactly what Google used to look like:

SEE ALSO: The incredible rise of Ruth Porat, CFO at one of the most valuable companies in the world

If you went to Google.com in 1997, here's what you'd see:



The first of the two links would take you here:



The link called "might-work-some-of-the-time-prototype that is much more up to date" would take you to this page:



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These heartbreaking photos show how children bear the brunt of Syria’s bloody civil war

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RTX24PYP

While Syria is embroiled in a violent civil war, millions of civilians have been displaced, injured, and killed in the crossfire. 

But perhaps the most staggering costs of the war have been borne by Syria's children. 

8.4 million Syrian children, or approximately 80% of all Syrian children, have been affected by the war.

Children, like 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh, have become the face of the nation's struggle. But Daqneesh is far from the only Syrian child affected.

 

 

SEE ALSO: State Department: $400 million cash payment to Iran was contingent on US prisoner release

The plight of Syrian children resurfaced on Thursday when photos emerged of Omran Daqneesh, a five-year-old Syrian boy who was bloodied and injured after being pulled out of rubble when his neighborhood was hit by an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria on August 17.



8.4 million children, or more than 80 percent of Syria's child population, have been affected by the war, either within Syrian borders or as refugees.

Source: UNICEF



As of 2016, of the 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian support, 6 million are children. Their access to vital services, like food, healthcare, counseling, and education has been decimated as a result of the war.

Source: UNOCHA



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 19 coolest buildings in the UK

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St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel

The UK is full of old and new buildings that qualify among the world's most impressive works of architecture.

For those looking for a guide to the very best the UK has to offer, we have compiled a ranking of the coolest buildings and structures in the country. These include museums, historic castles, train stations, concert halls, and libraries.

Here are the 19 works of architecture you should not miss:

19. The sleek, 554-foot-tall Beetham Tower in Manchester was completed by SimpsonHaugh and Partners in 2006. The skyscraper's mismatched lines add a sense of movement.



18. The new Switch Building at London's Tate Modern was designed in an eye-catching flame-like shape by Herzog and de Meuron.



17. Conwy Castle on the north coast of Wales is a gorgeous medieval structure that dates back to the early 13th century.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I have 13 kids and no debt — here's how I afford it

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madfientist

Rob Fatzinger is a father of 13 living in Maryland. This post originally appeared on Mad Fientist in 2014.

My name is Rob, and my wife and I have a rather large family. We are a single-income family, and we make it all work, and we are thriving in all ways. Below is a bit of how we do it from a financial perspective.

My wife and I have been married for 25 years. I am 49 and she is 46. We have 13 kids ages 2-24. The first 12 are our natural born children. The 13th is a 2-year-old that we have legal custody of. He started out as a foster baby at the age of 12 weeks. Eventually we hope to adopt him but that is another story.

My wife is from a large family and has always wanted one herself. I knew this when I proposed to her. As a matter of fact when I asked her to marry me, I told her “who else will give you 10 kids, a house with a white-picket fence and a dog?” Her response was “kill the dog and make it 11 kids and you got a deal” (no actual dogs were killed in the making of this family, but many rabbits died).

Our oldest is 24 and married. She finished grad school just after her 21st birthday and is enjoying her career. The next four kids are in college, two will graduate this spring. Two are in high school, two are in middle school, two are in elementary school and two are pre-school aged. All of the kids are homeschooled by my wife until college. For the high school kids we use tutors two days a week to supplement what they learn at home, this costs about $2500 per kid per year. All the kids finish their high school one or two years early. More on that and college below.

My wife and I have both always been frugal. Which turned out to be a darn good thing indeed. Other than a mortgage we’ve never had debt of any kind. No credit card balance carried, no car loans, no student loans, no nothing.

In addition to having kids (lots of kids) right away, we also never made much money, especially early in our marriage. We were married in 1989 and had child #1 in ’90. From 1990-2000 we owned a bookstore and worked it together. It was our main source of income, other than side-gigs here and there. Grass cutting, odd jobs, etc… During the 90’s our income topped out at $36k per year. Needless to say there wasn’t a lot of money put away for retirement savings. In the summer of 2000 we closed down the bookstore (thanks Amazon and others). I should have gotten on the internet bandwagon early on. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

After we closed down the bookstore I went into the computer software field at the urging of a friend. It has worked out well for us. Not a lot of money early on, but a steady rise from $40k a year to my current $104K. I also have a company that provides great benefits: health, dental and vision insurance, vacation, 401k among other benefits.

Adding in the income we get from side-jobs (more on that below) we probably make around $110,000 per year. Which is a nice amount but is tempered by the fact that we have 11 kids still at home (one is married and one lives at college) and live in the suburbs of D.C., which is not exactly a low-cost area of the country. We do get some nice breaks come tax time.

And starting around 2005 we finally had enough wiggle room in the budget so I could start adding to our retirement accounts. Before that point in time our retirement accounts were so thin that they made super models look fat.

SEE ALSO: I stayed in a tiny house, and it made me want to throw out everything I own

Current finances

Here is a financial snapshot that is current as of early 2014:

Yearly Salary: $104,400
Debt: ZERO



Monthly savings

401k: $867 ($346.80 is employer match)
My IRA: $300
Wife’s IRA: $300
HSA: $500 ($200 is from my employer)
Taxable Index Funds: $210
Regular Savings Acct: $300
Total Automatic Savings: $2,477

Most months there are some extra dollars, anywhere from $50-$500, that we are able to come up with and save. So our annual savings rate is around 35% give or take a few percentage points.



Budget

A few budget highlights/lowlights from 2013:

Food: $15,120 ($1,260 monthly) that works out to 99 cents per meal per person. Better deal than McDonalds.
Utilities: $465 per month (big old drafty house)
Medical: $225 per month. Paid out of pocket so HSA can grow. I learned that great trick from the Mad Fientist.
Gasoline: $150 per month. I work from home, which is an awesome money and time saver.
Kid’s activates/sports/trips/fun: $200 per month
Plus a bunch of other things :)
Our retirement/investment/savings currently total $180,000. Plus we own our house out right (more on that below). Plus we currently have $6,000 in an emergency fund.

Each summer I make about $3500 from a side-gig (grass mowing) and that goes into our IRAs to max them out. Plus any extra money we get through the year goes into one of the various savings accounts. My wife does some small babysitting and tutoring jobs, about $1500-$2000 per year. We also sell stuff on eBay when the opportunity arises, anywhere from $500-$2,000 per year. But that will probably slow down a lot or stop. I’ve sold everything around here that we don’t need. The only thing of value left is the kids but I’m sure eBay has rules against that.

We should end up with $35-$40k saved for the year. Towards the end of the year if we have any extra $$$ I’ll bump up my 401k contributions, but I don’t see that happening. I did just drop an extra $1000 into my IRA. I turn 50 later this year so I get that extra catch-up amount. I am trying to get to the point where I front-load more of my 401k and IRAs but it’s tough with our budget. A little at a time, and hopefully in a few years I’ll be able to front-load a lot more.



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