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How the 'Friends' cast nabbed their insane salaries of $1 million per episode

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friends

Today, only a few actors make $1 million per half-hour episode of television. And they all happen to be starring on CBS's "The Big Bang Theory."

The only other time that was accomplished was in 2002 when the cast of "Friends" successfully negotiated their historic $1 million-per-episode pay deals.

How did they pull that off? The simple answer is that all six cast members negotiated together. That meant that each one would be paid the same or they would all leave the hit show. 

But there's so much more to the story, like how did they come up with collective bargaining? And how did others involved in "Friends" feel about it? Plus, how much would their $1 million be worth today?

Here's everything you need to know about the "Friends" stars' historic $1 million-per-episode salary negotiation:

SEE ALSO: Here are the biggest salaries of TV's top stars

DON'T MISS: Here's how much money reality TV stars actually make on shows — it's not what you think

All the circumstances were just right.

When the cast won their $1 million/episode salaries (or $22 million per season), the show had just recovered from seasons of declining ratings and was enjoying its highest-rated season in five years. But the stars really wanted to do other things, which meant the show was close to ending. It would end up running just two more seasons, but no one at the time knew exactly. And if NBC felt it could get at least one more year of "Friends," it would take that. The network needed all the time it could get. None of the shows NBC produced in eight years showed the ability to replace "Friends."

That year, "Friends" was averaging 24.7 million viewers a week — about two million viewers more than any other show in television. It also rated highly with young viewers, the kind advertisers always want.

To make the timing even more critical, salary negotiations were still open as the show had just four scripts left in the season. The writers had to know if they needed to write a proper series ending.

It was also getting terribly close to network upfronts, which are annual presentations of the season's upcoming schedule to potential advertisers. If NBC didn't have "Friends" on its schedule, it would've been disastrous for advertising sales.

The odds were stacked against NBC and looking really good for the show's stars.



David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston took a loss so they could band with their costars.

According to accounts of the events, the "Friends" cast didn't just decide to band together for a million dollars in 2002. They had been negotiating their salaries together since the show's third season. But that required two of the stars to take initial pay cuts.

As the central couple of the show, David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston made more money than the others. After the hit first season, Schwimmer was being courted with movie offers and his agents felt it was time to renegotiate his "Friends" contract. But he had enough forethought to convince his costars to act as a mini-union and insist on being paid equally.

That may have cost Schwimmer and Aniston initially, but who knew how long they'd stay the most popular actors on the show. By negotiating as a group, they not only gained leverage, but some job security. The show could easily drop one actor, but how could they write around the loss of all of them?

According to various sources, here's how much the cast made each season per episode:

Season one: $22,500

Season two: $22,500 to $40,000

Season three (when they began collective bargaining): $75,000

Season four: $85,000

Season five: $100,000

Season six: $125,000

Seasons seven, eight: $750,000

Seasons nine, ten: $1,000,000



"A million dollars an episode is kinda ridiculous."—"Friends" cocreator

Not everyone believed that the "Friends" cast deserved their $1 million-per-episode haul.

Last year, "Friends" cocreator Marta Kauffman called the salary "inflated."

"A million dollars an episode is kinda ridiculous," Kaufmann said. "Let's be honest, that's a lot of money."

Star Matt LeBlanc was also asked that year if he believed that the cast was worth the hefty salary. He believed that "worth" had no real bearing on the topic.

"I’ve been asked this question before, but phrased as, do I think we were worth it? Were we worth $1 million? To me, that’s such a strange question," LeBlanc told The Huffington Post.

"It’s like, well, that’s irrelevant. Are you worth it? How do you put a price on how funny something is? We were in a position to get it. If you’re in a position in any job, no matter what the job is — if you’re driving a milk truck or installing TVs or an upholsterer for a couch — if you’re in a position to get a raise and you don’t get it, you’re stupid. You know what I mean? We were in a position and we were able to pull it off. 'Worth it' has nothing to do with it."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 15 biggest box-office flops of all time

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Green Lantern

Box office flops come in all shapes and sizes: comedies, dramas, sci-fis and more can all be afflicted by low worldwide gross sales.

The films that are generally affected do have one thing in common, though: large budgets. Big-budget films are a risk for studios, with millions of dollars thrown into a product that might not end up resonating with audiences.

Some fail due to stereotypical plots; others due to bad critic reviews; others due to stiff competition from films that appeal more to moviegoers.

Whatever the reason for failure, the fact of the matter is that a big box office bomb can result in a tens of millions of dollars hit against a studio which can set back their yearly earnings, and sometimes result in bankruptcy. Movies fail all the time, but some of them fail big.

Here are the 15 biggest box office flops of all time:

SEE ALSO: The 23 best horror movies you can watch on Netflix right now

15. "Jupiter Ascending"

Sci-fi films from the Wachowski siblings have a history of doing well, with The Matrixseries and V for Vendetta both achieving critical and commercial success. However, 2015’s Jupiter Ascending did not follow the same path.

The film, which starred Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, and Eddie Redmayne, followed an interplanetary warrior and a cleaning woman who finds out that she is galactic royalty. The film received general negative reviews, with the only part earning praise being the most expensive: the visual effects. The film crafted entire worlds, requiring expensive sets, costumes, make-up, and prosthetics.

Because of the film’s expensive requirements and huge star power, it racked up a budget of $176 million, meaning that it needed to make a lot in order to be a box office success. Unfortunately, with lukewarm reviews and high competition from The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and American Sniper, the film was not able to recoup its large budget. Jupiter Ascending made slightly over $47 million domestic with an additional $136.6 million in foreign countries for a total of almost $184 million, not nearly enough to make up the film’s budget and marketing. It is estimated that the film lost Warner Bros. over $80 million.



14. "Evan Almighty"

Evan Almighty, the Steve Carrell-starring follow up to Jim Carrey’s Bruce Almighty, was the most expensive comedy of all time at the time of its production (it would later be surpassed by other high-budget films like Men in Black III). The reasoning is the film’s plot: the story follows Carrell’s Evan Baxter as a surrogate for the biblical Noah trying to prevent a flood in his city, but, eventually, the very expensive CGI flood, complete with very expensive CGI animals, does happen.

The film wound up with a $175 million budget (over original projections of $140 million), hitting more than $200 million after marketing. The film’s money was ill-spent, as it received generally negative reviews from critics and even earned a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Prequel or Sequel (although it lost out on the honor to Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Daddy Day Camp). The film ended up earning $173 million worldwide and is estimated to have lost studios over $88 million.



13. "Green Lantern"

Green Lanternis one of the most notorious super movie flops around. The film, which starred Ryan Reynolds as the titular hero and also featured Blake Lively, Angela Bassett, Mark Strong and Peter Sarsgaard, was one of the first superhero projects that future Arrow-verse creator Greg Berlanti worked on, and, needless to say, there were still some kinks to be worked out. Star Reynolds even went on to make fun of the film in his future, much better received superhero film Deadpool.

Green Lantern was filmed on a $200 million budget, not including marketing costs, with The Hollywood Reporter estimating that, in order for the film to be a success for the studio, it would need to gross over $500 million. It didn’t come anywhere close, earning a worldwide total of $219.8 million. But hey, at least this film gave us Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s marriage.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

14 websites to bookmark if you want to get rich

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Smart Passive Income

Rich people appreciate the power of learning long after college is over.

"The world class knows that college is just the beginning of lifelong learning," writes self-made millionaire Steve Siebold in his book, "How Rich People Think.""That's why you'll see the great ones attending seminars, workshops and taking advantage of other valuable sources of education."

One such source of education is online tools. To get smarter about investing and managing your money, start by bookmarking these 14 sites:

SEE ALSO: 12 books to read this year if you want to get rich

The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool aims to build a strong investment community, which it does by providing a variety of resources: the website, books, a newspaper column, a radio station, and a newsletter.

This site has something for every type of investor, from basic lessons for beginners to investing commentary on mutual funds, stock sectors, and value for the more advanced. It offers free features such as a stock-rating service and fee-based services such as a newsletter, so you can choose how you want to learn.

Bookmark it here »



Finance at Khan Academy

This interactive website provides clear and concise videos on every financial topic you could imagine, including 401(k)s, Roth IRAstraditional IRAs, compound interest, stocks and bonds, and discussion of current economic topics.

This site is ideal for the visual learners. The videos are generally under 10 minutes each, so this is also an option for those who don't have the time or patience to read an entire book about how to deal with their money.

Bookmark it here »



Morningstar

Morningstar is a go-to resource to find information on specific mutual funds and ETFs. In addition to being able to review your portfolio and find top funds quickly, it provides solid descriptions and in-depth analysis.

You'll also have access to news, tutorials, and forums.

Bookmark it here »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A college student went backpacking through India with his 69-year-old grandma

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india backpacking 2

Jake Pitts of Globe-Trotting Jake has been to nearly 20 countries on six continents, but his trip to India made a globe-trotter out of his 69-year-old grandmother, Barbara.

The London native and university student had already planned the trip when his grandma told him that she'd always wanted to see the Taj Mahal.

He asked if she wanted to come, and the rest is history.

Pitts had already booked his trip to India when his grandmother, Barbara, told him that seeing the Taj Mahal was on her bucket list.

“I sat with my grandma one day, my grandpa had passed away six or seven months before, and we just started talking about bucket lists and what we wanted to do,” he said.



“She knew I was going to India, and I thought, 'Why not come with?'”

They booked her a ticket on his flight, got her a visa, and off they went.



After waiting for her bag at the luggage carousel for almost an hour, she realized it had been there the whole time — she’d just forgotten what it looked like.

“It was really funny,” he said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NFL WEEK 5: Our official predictions for who wins this weekend

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Odell Beckham Jr.

This week's football news was dominated by two things: Odell Beckham Jr., who says he is no longer having fun playing football, and the league's inability to regulate player celebrations after several players celebrated with pelvic-thrusts, some of which were flagged and others that were not. 

Oh right, and Tom Brady is back.

The whole No Fun League stuff feels a little stale to me, honestly. Is it news that refs are inconsistent, or that the league is extremely self-serious when it  comes to on-the-field behavior? I'm not sure exactly how to fix it, but clearly a more lenient policy on touchdown celebrations is the first step. Nobody is getting hurt, and it's not like any of these celebrations are Terrell Owens-esque. 

My feeling about Beckham, meanwhile, is pretty simple. He needs to figure out a way to not get so upset when he's targeted by his defenders. He's going to be targeted unfairly (just as most elite wide receivers are), and they're only going to continue to target him seeing how quickly he starts to loose his cool. Just run back to the huddle! Beckham is a generational talent and this stuff is only getting in the way. Plus, he's on my fantasy team and really underperforming. 

Anyway, I clawed my way back to .500 on the season this week, and still felt in retrospect like I missed some very obvious picks.

Why do I continue to take the Dolphins? Or the Lions? 

All lines courtesy of Vegas Insider.

Last week: 8-7

Season: 32-32-1

Arizona Cardinals (-3.5) at San Francisco 49ers (Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET)

No Carson Palmer, no problem. It's hard to imagine Drew Stanton throwing the ball a ton, which means a lot of action for David Johnson against a terrible 49ers defense, which looks especially vulnerable now that NaVorro Bowman is out for the year. 

Meanwhile, when are we going to see Colin Kaepernick? What's the worst that can happen: the Niners lose? 

The pick: Cardinals -3.5



Houston Texans (+6.5) at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Peter King has Sam Bradford as his quarter-season MVP. Sam Bradford! 

Now, Bradford's numbers have been good. He's completed 67% of his passes, and hasn't turned the ball over. But he's not really MVP quality, is he? I guess it gets to the old question of how you define "value", and it's only Week 5. I don't want to get into that yet.

Anyway, Houston's offense is struggling and the Vikings are red-hot. 

The pick: Vikings -6.5



Tennessee Titans (+3.5) at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

The Dolphins are a joke, and I'm still mad I took them last week. Titans win outright in a game that you shouldn't watch.

The pick: Titans +3.5



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

50 trips everyone should take in Asia

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Rice Field Ubud Bali Indonesia

Asia is a diverse continent that boasts beautiful temples, flavorful food, lush rice fields, towering skyscrapers, and more.

As the world's largest continent, tourist options can seem endless and overwhelming, which is why we put together the following list of 50 can't-miss attractions, foods, and experiences.

Keep scrolling to see what should be on your itinerary.

Pretend you're in "Avatar" while hiking through the quartzite sandstone columns in China's Zhangjiajie National Park (which inspired the film).



Peruse Bangkok's Damnoen Saduak — a floating market — by boat.



Lounge above the forest in the infinity pool at the Hanging Gardens of Bali Resort in Indonesia.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 successful entrepreneurs share their most effective nighttime rituals

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morning canoe lake

Everyone talks about morning rituals, but what about the stuff you should do the night before to set yourself up for success? Should you go out or stay in? Reflect on the day or turn off your brain?

These entrepreneurs share what they do tonight to help supercharge tomorrow's achievements.

SEE ALSO: 11 high achievers share their secrets for an afternoon boost without caffeine

1. Establish calm and separation

I've found that just a few minutes before bed of either tai chi or Qigong (Chinese breathing meditation) really calms my mind and helps me stay grounded. I'm a bit of a social media addict as well, so the breathing meditation creates a tangible barrier between screen time and restful sleep.

It also seems to expand my creative thinking so that I can tackle thorny business issues in unique ways the next morning.

— Irene Chang Britt, former president of Pepperidge Farm and board director of Dunkin’ Brands (Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins)



2. Don't forget the fun

Most entrepreneurs reward themselves too infrequently and experience a false sense of efficiency by working 12 to 16 hours a day. A Ph.D. neuroscientist who works for me said, "The brain needs frequent small rewards to keep going and not procrastinate."

For me, the small reward is socializing at night five or six days a week. It might be visiting the comedy club, catching a movie, or going out to dinner. Toward the end of the week, I’ll go to a bar or club or travel out of town with a small group of friends. I tell myself, "Tai, work hard now. Because in a few hours, you'll be having fun."

— Tai Lopez, investor and partner or advisor to many multi-million dollar businesses; connect with Tai on Facebook or Snapchat



3. Watch Jimmy Fallon

I go out to dinner almost every night, come home, kiss my kids goodnight, get into bed, and put on the first fifteen minutes of Jimmy Fallon. Then I fall asleep! I've been spending my nights like this for years and it works very well for me.

— Donny Deutsch, chairman emeritus of Deutsch Inc. and host of Dialing Donny on SiriusXM Stars (Ch. 109) every Wednesday at 12 p.m. EST



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Honda created a bizarre looking electric car using 3D printing

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Honda electric car

Honda created a single-seater electric car with a body that is almost entirely made up of 3D-printed panels. 

The automaker revealed the tiny car on Tuesday at CEATEC 2016, a Japanese consumer electronics show.

While the tiny car is just a prototype, the Japanese automaker told AutoCar that it is ideal for mass production.

Here's a closer look at the car. 

SEE ALSO: This strange $15,000 electric car could transform your commute

Honda worked with the Japanese tech and design company Kabuku to make the vehicle's customized body.



It took two months to design the body of the vehicle.



The customized vehicle was built for the Japanese cookie company Toshimaya, which will use the vehicle to deliver cookies in the city.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We tried 4 common Greek yogurt brands and figured out which one you should buy

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Grocery Store Greek Yogurts

Greek yogurt is great for so many things — breakfast, a snack, dessert, the list goes on.

But with all the yogurt brands available at grocery stores, it can be hard to choose just one.

We did the work for you and sampled four brands — Fage, Chobani, Dannon, and Stonyfield — to see which is the tastiest.

Keep scrolling to read our thoughts.

For consistency purposes, we bought the same flavor across all four brands: blueberry.



Dannon, Chobani, and Stonyfield all have their blueberry flavoring at the bottom.



Fage is the only brand that comes with a separate compartment.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A rare look inside a $60 million yacht that has a massive swimming pool and helipad

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okto yacht

The Okto yacht is one of the 46 superyachts that was on display at this year's Monaco Yacht Show, which concluded last week.

With dark wood features and white furniture, the $60 million superyacht has a modern and relaxed look to it.

Scroll down for a peak inside:

SEE ALSO: Here's how the super rich buy mega-yachts

The Okto superyacht has five decks and six cabins. It can fit a total of 11 guests and 17 crew members onboard.



It has beautiful, wall-length windows that provide sweeping views of the ocean.



And it comes with a massive pool...



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

It's becoming harder than ever to vote in 14 critical states

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voting

Fourteen states will have voting restrictions in place for the presidential election in November.

States are implementing new rules, such as forcing voters to show ID at the polls or restricting early voting, for the first time since 2013, when the Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which was meant to ensure all voters have the same voting rights, especially voters in traditionally disenfranchised groups.

Many of these rules are being implemented in right-leaning states that have increasing numbers of black and Hispanic voters in recent elections — groups that are most at risk of disenfranchisement over voting restrictions, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan public policy institute.

Despite Donald Trump's claims that the election will be "rigged," evidence of voter fraud is scarce. Most fraud in elections is due to due to clerical errors and typos rather than anything nefarious, like voter impersonation, according to the Brennan Center.

A 2012 News21 analysis found that among the 146 million registered voters between 2000 and 2012, there were only 10 cases of voter impersonation in that time.

voter restriction states

Many say the laws unfairly target minority and immigrant groups. For example, a federal judge called on the state of Wisconsin to investigate claims that officials at the Department of Motor Vehicles were systematically denying people the documents they need to vote in November in an effort to disenfranchise black voters.

"No eligible American should lose their right to vote because they don't have a photo ID," Myrna Perez, the deputy director of the Brennan Center's Democracy Program, told Business Insider. "And it's clear that the strictest of these laws are targeting certain groups."

A new report from the Williams Institute found that around 34,000 transgender voters may be effectively blocked from voting in states that require photo IDs because the IDs may not accurately reflect their gender.

In Virginia, a crucial swing-state, there is an ongoing battle to restore voting rights to around 200,000 felons.

"Voting is the most fundamental right in our democracy, and we shouldn't pass laws that prevent people from having their voice heard," Perez said.

Here are the 14 states with voting restriction laws in place for the 2016 presidential election »

SEE ALSO: OBAMA: 'Republicans are eroding one of the core institutions of American democracy'

Alabama

Alabama will require photo ID for all voters in November, such as a driver's license, US passport, or state ID. Alabama's law was passed through a Republican-controlled legislature in 2011.

Alabama also passed a law in 2011 requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship to vote, but the law is subject to ongoing litigation.



Arizona

Arizona implemented limits on ballot collection. It's now a felony to collect and turn in another voter's ballot — even with the person's permission.

Arizona passed the law in 2016, and Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed it.



Indiana

In 2013, Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket, approved a law that allows additional "party-nominated" officials to ask for voters' proof of identification.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 high-paying jobs for people who don't want to stare at a computer all day

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Mailman

If the idea of sitting at a desk and staring at a computer all day is something you find to be completely intolerable — or you're just not all that tech-savvy — we've got some good news: There are plenty of jobs out there that don't require your eyes to be glued to a screen 40 hours a week.

And the better news is that some of these pay really well.

Business Insider recently combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs to find positions where "using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information" is just a small part of the job.

O*NET ranks how important "interacting with computers" is to every profession, assigning each an importance score between 1 and 100.

We looked at the median annual pay for each job with a computer use importance score below 50 to find which ones typically pay more than $58,000 a year.

Here's what we found:

SEE ALSO: 21 jobs to avoid if you don't want to stare at a computer all day

Postal service mail carrier

They sort mail for delivery and deliver mail on an established route.

Computer importance level: 19

Median annual pay: $58,280



Boilermaker

They construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries, and align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. 

Computer importance level: 29

Median annual pay: $60,120



First-line supervisor of construction trades and extraction workers

They directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

Computer importance level: 44

Median annual pay: $62,070



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 healthy eating habits that work, according to science

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woman girl drinking juice

There's a fad diet for practically everyone.

But as fun as the diets may seem, it's often difficult to stick with them for more than a few weeks. As a result few people actually see any long-term results.

Rather than trying one of those, here are 15 science-backed habits that can help boost your health and may help with weight loss as well.

RELATED: How to have perfect hygiene — according to science

NEXT: Grit may be more important to success than talent — here's how to get it

Eat food you enjoy.

It may seem as if the easiest way to lose weight is to stop eating the foods you overindulge in. But this can be short-sighted, Lisa Sasson, a New York University nutrition professor, told Business Insider in 2015. "If you pick a diet with foods you don't like, you're doomed to fail," Sasson said. Food is a pleasurable experience; if you cut out all the foods you like, you probably won't stick to your plan.

And as studiescontinue to show, coming up with an eating regimen you can stick with is critical.



Portion sizes are key.

There's a psychological component to eating, especially when you have weight loss in mind. Being conscious of losing weight and sticking to the right portion sizes is half the battle, Sasson said. This phenomenon is why most people in studies lose weight, regardless of whether they're in the group assigned a special diet. Simply being studied can lead to people being more conscious of what they're eating.

But overall, keeping an eye on portion sizes is a great way to help avoid overeating— especially with portion sizes rising since the 1970s.



Skip the restaurant and pack your lunch.

Portion sizes in American restaurants have increased by as much as three times in the past 20 years, and it is changing what we think of as a normal meal.

"One way to keep calories in check is to keep food portions no larger than the size of your fist," Elizabeth G. Nabel, director of NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, writes.

If you're trying to control your portion sizes, it is best to pack your own lunch because restaurants will give you more calories than you need.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 11 hottest Halloween costumes this year, according to Pinterest

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Donald Trump Halloween Costume

October has begun, which means it's time for Halloween costume brainstorming.

If you're feeling stuck, below are some of the most popular Pinterest costumes for 2016.

From political candidates to Snapchat filters, here are the costumes you're sure to see this Halloween.

Simple food costumes are big this year. You could be a cheesy slice of pizza...



... a tasty taco...



... or a colorful bowl of cereal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The most incredible microscope images of 2016 reveal a beautiful, hidden universe

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The world we see with our eyes is just one view of reality, but microscopes can bring a smaller, practically invisible universe within reach.

Photographs taken through the lenses of a high-power 'scope can reveal lifeforms and objects no person has ever seen.

They also highlight beautiful, artistic, and often shocking details in common objects, like soap bubbles, dried coffee, flowers, and butterfly tongues:

microscope photos nikon small world 2016 Butterfly proboscis

The Nikon Small World contest celebrates the most amazing microscope photos from around the world, and 2016's competition was as amazing as any of the years before it: more than 2,000 entries from 70 countries. (I was a judge for the 40th year of the contest.)

Nikon will release the winners on Wednesday, October 19, via its Instagram account, @NikonInstruments.

Until then, soak in the finalists below — and cast a vote for your favorite.

SEE ALSO: The 20 most incredible microscope photos of 2015

DON'T MISS: 25 of the most iconic images of Earth ever taken from space

Red speckled jewel beetle



Eyes of a jumping spider



Slime mold



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

22 healthy snacks to eat at your desk

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healthy snacks

What you eat all day doesn't affect just your health and weight — it affects your productivity, too.

High-fat, high-sugar meals and snacks make us sleepy and have low energy, says Lisa De Fazio, a healthy-lifestyle expert and registered dietitian. But thanks to things like boredom, lack of time, and sleep deprivation, people tend to make bad eating decisions during the workday.

Luckily, there are plenty of quick, easy, and inexpensive healthy snack options.

SEE ALSO: An unexpected way to prepare for your next big job interview in just 15 minutes

Almonds

Almonds are a great source of protein and healthy fat that is satisfying. "They contain nine essential nutrients; have the highest rate of proteins when compared to other nuts; have the highest rate of fiber (3.5g per 23 pieces) when compared to other nuts; are rich in Vitamin E (23 pieces provide 35% of the daily value of Vitamin E); and contain monounsaturated fats that help increase HDL levels," explains Nicole Maftoum, a Lebanese clinical dietitian



Low-fat popcorn

This low-calorie snack will satisfy your craving for something salty and crunchy, and it's also a good source of fiber, De Fazio says. 

If you're trying to be healthy, stay away from the buttery variety.



Fresh fruit

Fruits are packed with vitamins and minerals and are full of great natural sweetness, Maftoum says. "They are also a great source of antioxidants needed for a stronger immune system and a better performance at work."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what a $39-a-night Airbnb in New York City looks like

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taxi

New York City, in all its glory, isn't cheap.

If you're visiting just for the night, expect to drop over $260 on a hotel room. You might find a better deal through Airbnb, where the average nightly rate is $149.

Alternatively, you can sleep in a converted taxi cab for $39 ($50 after the cleaning and service fees).

One Airbnb host has converted vans, campers, and iconic New York City taxis into 'rolling rooms' for all of the budget travelers out there.

What is it actually like to stay overnight in a yellow cab?

I ditched my overpriced Manhattan apartment for two nights and tried it out. Here's what it was like:

SEE ALSO: After sleeping in a converted NYC taxi, I have a new respect for the young professionals living in vans to save money

Knowing it would be a tiny space, I wanted to pack lightly, yet still cover all of the essentials to make it a comfortable stay. Among the things that made the cut were: work clothes, a few toiletries, two washcloths, an extra blanket, portable speakers, a laptop, a book, and melatonin to help me sleep.



Two last-minute additions — toilet paper and hand sanitizer — were game-changers. We (I brought my roommate along) also bought two bottles of water on the way, which we figured we would use to brush our teeth and wash our faces.



We made the easy commute from Manhattan to Long Island City, Queens, where we found our home for the next two nights parked on this dead-end street.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

An authentic Irish pub that's a favorite on Wall Street was just named the best bar in the world

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dead rabbit bar, brooke bartender

The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog just took the No. 1 spot on the World's 50 Best Bars list from Drinks International magazine.

The Irish-American tavern, located just minutes from Wall Street, is one of the best-kept secrets of business folk working in New York City's Financial District. It also draws a regular crowd of Irish tourists, thanks to the pub's 145 varieties of Irish whiskey.

You won't find a neon Guinness sign or shamrocks in the window. The Dead Rabbit, which Business Insider has named the best bar in America two years in a row, was founded by two friends who emigrated from Belfast, Northern Ireland, with dreams of opening a pub.

Take a look inside to see why The Dead Rabbit is the best place to grab a drink.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best bars in the world were just announced

Buried among a sea of skyscrapers in New York's Financial District, a four-floor brick building on Water Street is home to the best bar in the world: The Dead Rabbit.

See what else made the World's 50 Best Bars cut »



It's an Irish tavern like few others. In New York, "a sports bar with a Guinness sign in the window calls itself Irish," one bubbly bartender told Business Insider.

 



The Dead Rabbit, which opened its doors just after Hurricane Sandy struck, tells the story of how the Irish settled in New York in the 1800s. Its no-frills vibe radiates authenticity, from the sawdust on the floor to the stiff Irish whiskey punch.

 



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The 42 best design concepts of the year

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From a radical car prototype to a construction breakthrough to the coolest pen ever, there were a lot of cool designs in the past year.

The Red Dot Awards named 42 design concepts as the Best of the Best, selecting from nearly 5,000 submissions. Check out the winners below.

SEE ALSO: New data reveals 10 fashion trends sweeping America

DON'T MISS: A graphic designer charts her phone addiction

The 2-in-1 kitchen funnel can be a funnel or a container.

Red Dot juror: "This is a very elegant object. It’s the use of material which is unusual for this kind of product, being an air humidifier."

Design by Choi Jueun, Kim Bitnuri, Lee Soojin, Hong Hyekyung, South Korea.



"An Insight Into Sight" teaches about design for the visually impaired.

Design from Ngā Pae Māhutonga – The School of Design, Massey University, New Zealand. 



Auroma One brews a high-tech personal coffee with zero plastic waste.

Design from Auroma Brewing Company, Canada.



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I've lived in New York City for 22 years and my favorite thing to do costs $5.50

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Being born and raised in New York City, I've scoured the city for the past 22 years to find fun things to do without spending a fortune.

It might not seem like a possibility given that New York City is one of the most expensive places in which to live.

But if you look around, you'll find an abundance of free things to do.

The one place I find myself gravitating back to all the time is Brooklyn Bridge Park — and it costs only $5.50.

Just to be clear, that's the price of transportation via subway to and from the park.

Most of the activities and park use is free, and there are always events going on such as yoga sessions, basketball clinics, concerts, and more. You can check out the full list on Brooklyn Bridge Park's website.

Here's what a walk through my favorite park looks like.

SEE ALSO: I've lived in New York City for 22 years, and here are my favorite places to eat for less than $20

Art installations are scattered throughout the park. My favorite is the "Mirror Labyrinth" by Jeppe Hein, part of the "Please Touch The Art" exhibition funded by the Public Art Fund.

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You'll find the new luminous "Understanding" sculpture by Martin Creed at Pier 6.

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The floating dock at Pier 2 offers free kayaking during summer weekends. The only catch is you have to get there early enough to sign up.



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