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8 obscure places you probably didn't know are in the European Union

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Mayotte

The European Union is a vast political body that spans across 28 member states an area of around 1,669,808 square miles, and an estimated population of over 510 million citizens.

The main players include Germany, France, and Britain (until Brexit finally takes place), with more recent additions including Croatia, Romania, and other states in eastern Europe.

However, hidden away on the fringes of the EU are islands and overseas territories that the majority of people have probably never heard of, despite belonging to the EU.

Scroll down to discover the most obscure places on the EU map.

Guadeloupe — A French island group in the southern Caribbean Sea which is famous for resembling a butterfly. It has a tiny population of just over 405,000.



Martinique — South from Guadeloupe is the Caribbean island of Martinique, another overseas region of France. It has an even smaller population of around 386,000.



French Guiana — Located on the northeast coast of South America this is another obscure EU territory. The French territory is home to around 250,000 and miles of tropical rainforest.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The slow asphyxiation of Western democracy in 4 charts

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the day of the dead

Faith in democracy is dying.

A study by two academics for the Journal of Democracy this summer found that those born in the 1980s are less than half as likely to consider living under democracy as essential as those born before World War II.

Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk found that US and European citizens have become "more cynical about the value of democracy as a political system, less hopeful that anything they do might influence public policy, and more willing to express support for authoritarian alternatives."

"Over the last three decades, trust in political institutions such as parliaments or the courts has precipitously declined across the established democracies of North America and Western Europe. So has voter turnout," Foa and Mounk said.

They looked at data from the World Values Survey from 1995 to 2014 along four themes – citizens’ support for the democratic system; their support for civil rights; their engagement with the political process and their "openness to authoritarian alternatives such as military rule."

"What we find is deeply concerning," they wrote.

Here are the charts:

"Among older generations, the devotion to democracy is about as fervent and widespread as one might expect," Foa and Mounk said. But that support declines as the survey respondents get younger.



The youngest generation are becoming more anti-democratic. "On the whole, support for political radicalism in North America and Western Europe is higher among the young, and support for freedom of speech lower," Foa and Mounk said.



Interest in the political process is waning. "In the United States, one in 11 baby-boomers has joined a demonstration in the past 12 months, but only one in 15 millennials has done so," according to the report.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Apple can’t afford failures': Steve Milunovich on the future of Apple and the post-Jony Ive era

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Steven Milunovich

Back in October, on Apple's earnings call, CEO Tim Cook gave a terse, unhappy answer to this question from UBS analyst Steven Milunovich: "Does Apple today have a grand strategy for what you want to do?"

Cook rarely describes what Apple will do in the future. And Milunovich didn't expect him to spill the beans. But the analyst was hoping Cook might give some clues as to how Apple thinks it will develop strategically. Apple dominates the tech world now, but that world is shifting away from devices to "ambient" software, and away from iOS to Android. Even the iPhone, the single most popular computing device on the planet, is in decline.

Apple needs a plan. By the company's own design, it is not clear what that plan might be. 

Milunovich is interested in a theory about why some companies are more successful than others. The key to the theory is how companies identify the jobs consumers need products to do for them. Some companies are so focused on making things they don't truly understand why consumers actually buy their stuff. Those companies tend to fail. (Think about Microsoft's historic misunderstanding of the fact that consumers do not need a keyboard on a smartphone.) The companies that can identify the "jobs to be done" are the ones that succeed. The iPod solved the limitations of the Walkman before anyone else realised consumers were frustrated at how little music a Walkman could handle, for instance.

Business Insider asked Milunovich if he would expand on this "jobs theory." In our conversation, he talks about where he thinks Apple is going, Tim Cook's leadership, the threat of turning into Microsoft, and the danger of design chief Jony Ive leaving the company.

RTSFBNF

Jim Edwards, Business Insider: You wrote a note recently that really caught my attention. It was about this "Jobs Theory" idea. Could you briefly describe what that theory is, and how it relates to Apple?

Steve Milunovich, UBS: So in the "Jobs Theory," which is being propagated currently by Clay Christensen at the Harvard Business School, but there are others that speak to similar principles, the innovators have to understand the job customers are trying to get done. It's an outside view as opposed to a company's inside view. A job is defined as "progress a person is trying to make in a particular circumstance." And the example that's often given is "people want quarter-inch holes, not quarter-inch drills." So it teaches a company to think not so much in terms of product specs, but about what the customer is trying to get done, and think about it in a very broad way. This can help reframe what business you're in. So if you work for Starbucks for example, yes there are people who just want to get a coffee on their way to work and so maybe you do have the drive-through. On the other hand, some people are going to Starbucks to eat, and have casual conversations with friends. Some people are going there to do work outside of the office. A lot of different jobs essentially that are being done.

Jim: So Starbucks thinks it might be in the business of selling coffee, but as far as consumers are concerned, Starbucks might be more a meeting place?

Steve: That's exactly right. I think Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory is useful, but, we think it's useful in explaining 20% of what goes on with technology. Lots is unexplained. And it's also more for incumbents. Although it's about innovation it was really written as a manual for what incumbents should do to defend themselves. Jobs Theory, I think is more offensive, and about how companies can innovate and grow.

 Next: "We don’t know if Apple has figured out what the next 'jobs to be done' are."↓

Steve Jobs "was famous for not wanting focus groups, thinking that customers can’t tell you what they want. It’s the company’s job to figure that out."

Jim: How specifically does this theory apply to Apple, which is an incumbent? What’s the worry here?

Steve: Well, we put it in a somewhat broader framework, we think of jobs as part of a, what we call "scarcity theory" which is the work Alex Danco has done, help investors think about what comes next in technology. Alex says that really what you need is to be both under- and over-served. So, for example, cars: we are over-served with cars with people owning automobiles being used less than 10% of the time, and they're idle the rest of the time. On the other hand you could argue that we're underserved in our desire to get from one place to the next. Maybe I'm not at home, maybe my car's in the shop, maybe I'm at work, and in the city and I want to get from one place to the other but there's no taxis. This is obviously where Uber comes into play. Essentially, what you need is an alignment between the technology improving and moving to the next [job to be done].

So in terms of applying this to Apple, there's a number of factors, one is that in jobs theory the focus is on the customer experience in a broad sense, and that's Apple. Steve Jobs, of course, talked about the company being the intersection of liberal arts and technology.

Jim: This theory has an unfortunate name in this context!

Steve: It really does! Thinking about the customer experience in a very holistic way, he was famous for not wanting focus groups, thinking that customers can't tell you what they want. It's the company’s job to figure that out. I don't believe that Apple thinks in a "jobs to be done" way. Tell them that and I think you'll get a lot of blank looks. I don't think they necessarily adhere to the theory per se. I think it is what they do internally. They ask themselves, "what is it I don’t like about my phone?"

I remember when Steve Jobs brought out the original iPhone. He talked a lot about the drawbacks of the current phone, and we'd like it to do this, that, and the other. Apple solved those problems and it turned out to be an innovative job to be done.

I think Apple does indirectly think in this way. They come out with new products, and eventually come out with new jobs to be done. They often have to innovate the technology in order to finish the job.



"We don’t know if Apple has figured out what the next 'jobs to be done' are."

Jim: Reading your note, you gave me the impression that you were worrying that Apple right now has not identified a new "job to be done".

Steve: Yes, my concern is with what Alex Danco talks about with alignment on the supply and demand side. So my concern is actually a little less on the "job to be done" side. We don’t know if Apple has figured out what the next jobs to be done are. But my sense in talking to them is they've at least identified the places they want to innovate — home automation; healthcare; and they don’t talk about it but I guess automotive; AR and VR which they do talk about, particularly augmented reality.

So I think they've identified the places they can make a difference and disrupt. It's also dependent on the technology. I don't think the technology today has evolved to fully satisfy these demands. So, for example, you and I would probably like to have a much more capable internet assistant, where we can just talk into the phone or Amazon and say "buy me two tickets to this play tonight." We’re getting closer to that and starting to see that show up in message services, but we're not there yet. So AI is certainly going to be a part of this and over the next few years we're going to see big improvements here. But I don’t think we’re there yet.

Same as virtual reality, people in the industry still think it's years away from being generally usable. There's a lot of similar thoughts about driverless driving. It's making headway but it will still be many years before it is implemented. I think Apple and others in the industry are in a bit of a period where the technologies are not yet mature enough to align with the jobs to be done. So I'm not sure whether Apple has identified the jobs to be done but the technology might not allow them. Another example is the Apple Watch. 



Apple Watch: "Some of the applications turned out to be not early but just wrong in terms of expectations of use."

Jim: Now, when Apple introduced the watch, they strongly suggested that there was some problem that consumers had with carrying around a phone, taking it out of their pocket and unlocking it to use it, and to then have to get into an app to pull the information they want from it. That was identified as a cumbersome process with lots of steps, and somehow the watch would solve this. Talk about that.

Steve: Yeah sure, Apple Pay also has some similarities in terms of, I'm not sure the friction with it is sufficient, with Apple Pay in terms of "is it really that much easier to pull out the phone than pull out your credit card?" It’s certainly debatable. With the Apple Watch I think Horace Dediu [of Asymco] has pointed out that Apple Watch is unusual for Apple because they tend to wait for a market to be 10-15% penetrated before they enter. They didn't have the first MP3 player, they just had a much better solution to that. And yet they were the first-in with a product like the watch. So they must think of it as a really important platform.

And yet, when they introduce it, they introduced a number of jobs to be done, including some that you alluded to in terms of not needing to pull out the phone just to get notifications. They talked a lot about notifications, sending cards to friends and so forth. And it took a year or two to see there didn't seem to be a whole lot of demand for that job. Some of the applications turned out to be not early but just wrong in terms of expectations of use.

Now they're kind of focused on health and fitness, that seems to be the job they're most focused on. I still think the job is going to be a combination of health, as the technology advances and you're able to read more of your body signals — things like temperature and glucose level and so forth. But also I think, not just replicating what the phone does, the advantage of the watch is it is external at all times. So as we live in a world of an internet of things, it's just all around you, there may be an advantage to having something like a watch.

I don’t think we've settled on the jobs to be done for the watch, but for now Apple seems to have narrowed it, in terms of notifications with health and fitness they put on the Watch series 2.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A day in the life of Instagram superstar and clean eating queen Deliciously Ella

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Deliciously Ella Main

At the age of 25, Ella Mills has nearly a million Instagram followers and a blog that has seen over 100 million hits since its launch in 2012.

She operates two delis and a festive food pop-up in London, has her own brand of snacks in retailers like Waitrose and Starbucks, and a number one food and drink app. If that wasn't enough, she is about to launch her third cookbook. Her first was the fastest-selling debut cookbook ever in the UK.

So who is this unstoppable, brunette force of nature? You will likely know her as Deliciously Ella, the smiling face at the front of the clean, green, plant-based eating trend — and the woman behind t-shirts that read "Peace, Love & Kale."

But after spending some time with Ella and her husband and business partner Matthew Mills, Business Insider discovered there is much more to the health food advocate than leafy greens. We followed the Mills couple for a day to see what it's really like to be Deliciously Ella.

Meet 25-year-old Ella Mills, previously Ella Woodward.



She is daughter of former Tory MP Shaun Woodward. Her mother is Sainsbury's heiress Camilla Sainsbury.



You probably know her as Deliciously Ella, the woman behind the eponymous healthy eating blog she started in 2012 during her time as a student at St. Andrew's University in Scotland.

Over the past three years, the blog has generated more than 100 million hits.

"With eating well there's a perception that it's depressing," Ella told Business Insider. "People think they're just going to meditate and eat kale. Our main aim as a company is to take natural food and celebrate it and make it delicious, vibrant and beautiful — something you want to be a part of rather than that push towards fad diets."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 Christmas essentials that will cost you more because of Brexit

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Christmas Dinner

It's been hard to miss headlines warning that consumer goods are – or will become – more expensive as the value of the pound dropped following Britain's vote to leave the European Union. Even

Even crisps are more expensive because of it. 

The prices are rising due to the fluctuating exchange rates, which impact the cost of imported ingredients and materials, higher trade tariffs, and the rising costs of manufacturing.

So how will this affect you this Christmas, during one of the biggest shopping periods of the year? 

Mintec's report on the impact of Brexit on the UK food market in October stated that around 40% of all food consumed in the UK is imported, with over 70% of total food and drink imports coming from the EU.

Top food and drink imports to the UK include Christmas staples like wine, chicken, pastry, cheese, chocolate, beef, veal, pork, spirits, and sugar, according to the report.

"Prices have risen significantly across most commodity markets in GBP terms, mainly due to the effect of the weaker pound," Mintec stated.

In order to determine exactly which items will be more expensive this year, we looked at Mintec's Christmas Dinner Index for 2016 which breaks down the costs of a Christmas dinner and other essentials.

The report showed that the cost of an entire Christmas dinner with turkey, vegetables and trimmings has only gone up by 1% since last year, with turkey prices actually down by 2% as of October. However, as the demand sets in Mintec is convinced the prices will start to rise, and items like flour, sugar, almonds and pork are already more expensive than last year.

See which Christmas essentials you can expect to splash out for this year below:

Christmas Pudding

"Overall, major commodities for the Christmas pudding were up 21% year-on-year in October," Mintec stated. This is the highest level since 2013.

In this calculation, Mintec considered the cost of raisins, butter, flour, sugar, and almonds, which make up a traditional recipe. They found that raisins, which are mainly imported into the UK, have increased in price – by 3% – compared to last year due to the falling pound, while falling milk supplies and, therefore, rising milk prices in the EU have resulted in the highest price for butter in over five years. 

Wheat (flour) and sugar prices have also risen.



Artificial Christmas Trees

The increasingly popular artificial Christmas tree, with needles made of PVC and branches and frames made of steel, are also going to cost you more this year.

While the cost of PVC is unchanged since last year, steel prices are on the rise by 39% since January and 35% year-on-year.



Potatoes

Whether you go for mashed or roast, your potatoes will be pricier this December due to extreme weather conditions – and the status of the UK market – resulting in a shortage of potato supplies in the EU.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The unofficial Goldman Sachs gift guide for 2016

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Screen Shot 2016 11 29 at 1.40.12 PM

Once again, it’s time for children everywhere to learn one of life’s most valuable lessons: Santa loves rich kids more.

This year’s gift ideas (our 4th edition) are an unapologetic, eclectic mix of the practical and the fantastical – the things a man wants but feels guilty buying for himself, as well as the things he needs but probably doesn’t even know it.

Provided that your pockets are deep enough, this is the only gift guide you’ll need.

John LeFevre is the creator of satirical and wildly popular @GSElevator on Twitter, and the author of the bestselling book, "Straight to Hell: True Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, and Billion-Dollar Deals," currently in development with Paramount as a major motion picture.

For his house

This year, I have my eyes on a rare Bernard Buffet ($250,000), Ronald Reagan’s doodles ($2,000), signed self-portraits of The Beatles ($15,000), and Tupac Shakur’s passport ($TBD). Someone please buy that before Pharma Bro does.



For his travels

The globetrotting gadabout needs this classic Tusting Waxed Canvas Weekend bag ($775), a universal MacBook charging station ($45) that includes 4 USB ports, a Kisha smart umbrella ($100) that tells you when it’s going to rain, and this Urban Carry G2 concealed, quick draw holster ($105). Handgun license sold separately.



For his gym bag

For the first time, I’ve decided to recycle a gift idea from last year’s list, mostly because I’ve never had so much positive feedback on any recommendation before. An investment banker / HBS alum poached Lululemon’s head of men’s design and started Birddogs ($55), the most comfortable shorts I’ve ever experienced. This will be the brand of 2017 – on every court, in every gym, and at every brunch table – so you might as well be ahead of the curve. Throw in this La Mer Skincare Set ($140), some sweat-resistant, wireless JLab Epic2 Earbuds ($99), and a Survival & Cross jump rope ($10).



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The world’s 19 most open, stable, and efficient economies

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Traders react in the Euro Dollar pit at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to an announcement by the United States Federal Reserve on interest rates January 28, 2004. The U.S. Federal Reserve opted on Wednesday to hold interest rates at 1958 lows to keep the economic recovery rolling but changed its wording on the future of rates slightly to say it can 'be patient' before lifting borrowing costs.

The Legatum Institute, a London based research institute released its 10th annual global Prosperity Index in November, a huge survey that ranks the most prosperous countries in the world.

The organisation compares 104 variables to come up with its list, splitting those variables into nine subindexes. One of the big components of the ranking is the strength of a country's economy.

Economies are not ranked solely by their size and strength, with the Legatum Institute taking factors like openness, financial sector efficiency, and the economic opportunities afforded to people in the country into account.

The index looked at the 149 countries in the world that have the most available data. We have pulled in the 19 nations that scored highest in the Prosperity Index's economic sub-section.

Check them out below:

19. Japan — Japan may be the world's third largest economy in pure GDP terms, but it has faced many years of stagnant growth and inflation, helping to keep it relatively low on the Legatum Institute's list.



18. Iceland — Iceland's economy is one of the best in the world, according to the Legatum Institute. It has had its problems, however. During the financial crisis, the country's banking system came close to collapse, causing a major depression for around three years between 2008 and 2010.



17. France — The eurozone's second largest economy has suffered from sclerotic growth since the debt crisis began in 2009. Its problems are made worse by a hugely inefficient labour market that is highly resistant to reform. Despite this, France still remains one of the world's economic powerhouses.



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The 15 US cities where residents have the healthiest finances

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Seattle couple skyline

Money continues to be a leading cause of stress in America today, and much of it revolves around the struggle to get our financial houses in order.

But making an effort to tackle the basics — like building good credit, minimizing debt, saving for emergencies, and preparing for retirement— can make all the difference.

Personal-finance site WalletHub recently conducted its ranking of the best cities for financial fitness in America, zeroing in on residents from the 150 largest metro areas. Each metro was ranked in five categories that WalletHub deemed crucial to financial well-being: credit standing, responsible spending, savings, risk exposure, and earning power. (Read their full methodology here).

Three of the top five cities with the most financially fit residents are in California, including San Francisco in the No. 1 spot and the Bay Area-city of Fremont coming in at No. 2.

Below are the top 15 US cities as well as their ranking in each of the five categories of financial fitness.

All population figures are from the US Census Bureau's July 2015 population estimates.

SEE ALSO: Here's how much you need to earn to be in the top 1% of every US state

DON'T MISS: Here's the salary you have to earn to buy a home in 19 major US cities

15. Lincoln, Nebraska

Population: 277,348

Credit standing: 10

Responsible spending: 14

Savings: 121

Risk exposure: 66

Earning power: 24



14. Plano, Texas

Population: 283,558

Credit standing: 29

Responsible spending: 23

Savings: 71

Risk exposure: 42

Earning power: 5



13. Gilbert, Arizona

Population: 247,542

Credit standing: 75

Responsible spending: 43

Savings: 84

Risk exposure: 18

Earning power: 1



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

25 books by billionaires that will teach you how to run the world

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Bill Gates Summer Books

Whether you want to launch an empire or become the best in your field, who better to consult than those who have achieved the peak of professional and financial success?

That's why we've rounded up 25 books by self-made billionaires. From the business insights of Bill Gates to the leadership lessons of Richard Branson, the wisdom collected in these pages extends far beyond the classroom.

Learn how these masters of industry achieved the impossible, in their own words.

SEE ALSO: 16 business books that will change your life forever, according to my coworkers

'The Virgin Way' by Richard Branson

Although Branson confesses he's never read a book on leadership, his nearly 50-year entrepreneurial career has taught him a thing or two about building a business.

In "The Virgin Way," the billionaire founder of Virgin Group offers lessons on management and entrepreneurialism, including the importance of listening to others and hiring the right people. Branson is honest about his successes as well as his failures, such as underestimating Coke's influence when he tried to launch Virgin Cola in the 1990s.

Overall, the book is a compelling glimpse into the life of someone who's never shied away from a challenge.

Find it here »



'Onward' by Howard Schultz

After resigning as Starbucks CEO in 2000, Schultz returned to the post in 2008, just as the company was struggling through a financial crisis. "Onward" details how the billionaire brought the global coffee chain back to life.

Readers will learn how Schultz made tough decisions — like temporarily shutting down more than 7,000 US stores — in order to help Starbucks grow without neglecting its core values.

They'll learn, too, about Schultz as a person, as he weaves together his unique business strategy with anecdotes about growing up in Brooklyn, New York. It's an honest and passionate recounting that will inspire entrepreneurs and everyone else to be brave in the face of adversity.

Find it here »



'How to Win at the Sport of Business' by Mark Cuban

In "How to Win at the Sport of Business," Dallas Mavericks owner and "Shark Tank" investor Cuban fleshes out his best insights on entrepreneurialism from his personal blog.

He writes candidly about how he progressed from sleeping on his friends' couches in his 20s to owning his own company and becoming a multibillionaire. It's a story of commitment and perseverance — Cuban writes that even though he didn't know much about computers, he beat his competition because he spent so much time learning about the software his company sold. 

Find it here »



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The new 'Final Fantasy' game is one of the most beautiful games we've ever seen

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The decade-long wait is over: "Final Fantasy XV" is here. The massive, open-world RPG that was originally announced with a different title in 2006 finally came out this week.

Unsurprisingly, it's beautiful. I've only spent a couple of hours with the game, so I can't say if it lives up to the hype, but the visuals definitely meet expectations. Check out how great "Final Fantasy XV" looks:

SEE ALSO: The newest 'Pokemon' game is as good as catching 'em all gets

Here's the main character, Noctis, fighting against some manner of horned creature in the game's opening desert area. The environments and monsters are incredibly detailed.



Here's a giant elephant thing. It looks pretty cool. I want to be friends with it, and if the game asks me to kill it, I will refuse.



You can go cruising on the high seas, if you want.



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Here's what the cast of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' looks like in real life

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Jyn Erso Felicity Jones Star Wars Rogue One

On December 16, Disney is releasing a new "Star Wars" movie. "Rogue One" isn't a part of the regular galactic saga. Instead, it's a spin-off movie that takes place before the events of 1977's "Star Wars: A New Hope."

It follows an attempt by the Rebellion to steal the Galactic Empire's plans for the Death Star. It'll also be about the motley crew that's up for the task, assembled from different corners of the universe. With a new timeframe, we also get a bunch of new characters. 

Here's what the characters look like off set.

The movie's villain is Director Orson Krennic, an ambitious Imperial character who's bent on destroying Rebel forces and is in charge of advanced weapons research.



Ben Mendelsohn doesn't always wear a dramatic white cape.



Krennic enlists scientist Galen Erso to help on a secret project to build the first Death Star weapon. Erso is of interest to both the Rebellion and Empire for his "doomsday knowledge."

Source: Entertainment Weekly



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

31 perfect gifts for the 'Star Wars' fan in your life

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bb-8 sphero

"Star Wars" fever has been at an all-time high since "The Force Awakens." With December's release of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," a lot of fans will head to a galaxy far, far away for their holiday shopping.

There is plenty of new "Star Wars" merch out there this holiday season. Whether you're buying for a young Padawan or a Jedi Master, here's something for every "Star Wars" fan in your life.

A levitating Death Star Bluetooth speaker

Why have an iHome when you can enjoy your favorite tunes coming out of the Empire's secret weapon?

The Death Star speaker from Plox and Disney has a floating orb that rotates above a magnetic base that's sure to make some heads turn. It offers up to five hours of playback on Bluetooth through a 5w speaker.

Levitating Death Star Bluetooth speaker, $179

 



R2-D2 USB wall charger

Not only will R2-D2 help charge your electronic devices, but the wall charger gives you two USB ports to charge even more items at once.

He also lights up when he's plugged in.

R2-D2 USB wall charger, $11.99



Mimico's "Star Wars" USB drives

Carry all your files on a "Star Wars"-themed flash drive. Mimico has 13 different character designs from Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker to Admiral Ackbar and Darth Maul ranging from 8 gb to 64 gb of storage space.

"Star Wars" USB drives, $16.99-$69.99



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Meet the 51 models walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

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maria_borges

This year's long-awaited Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will finally air on December 5 on CBS at 10 p.m. EST.

In advance of the show, the brand has revealed the 51 top models who made the cut — and you can follow them all on Instagram.

Landing a modeling contract with Victoria's Secret is considered a top job within the industry, whether you're a brand favorite like Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio or a celebrity like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.

Of the 51 women, the first 14 listed here are the designated "Victoria's Secret Angels"— the ambassadors of the brand who travel the world promoting Victoria's Secret year-round. The other women are models who were chosen to walk in this year's Fashion Show, and 18 of them are newbies.

Keep scrolling to meet them all. 

Brazilian model Adriana Lima is one of the returning Angels. She’s been a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2000 and is one of the highest-paid models in the world.

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Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio wore the Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra in 2014. She’s also an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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Lily Aldridge works for numerous other big names like Michael Kors and was on the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover. She wore the Fantasy Bra last year.

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The 13 most powerful members of 'Skull and Bones'

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George Bush

In 1832, Yale students — including future President William Howard Taft's father— founded one of America's most famous secret societies: Skull and Bones.

Since then, the group has come to signify all that both mesmerizes and repulses the public about the elite.

Each year, only 15 juniors are "tapped," or chosen, for lifetime membership in the club. 

A windowless building on 64 High St., the "Tomb," serves as the club's headquarters. The roof is a landing pad for a private helicopter, according to Alexandra Robbins' book, "Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power." For that perk and others, Bonesmen must swear total allegiance to the club.

New members reportedly divulge intimate personal details, including their full sexual histories, before they're inducted. They also agree to give part of their estates to the club. But, in return, they receive the promise of lifelong financial stability — so they won't feel tempted to sell the club's secrets, Robbins writes.

From among those business titans, poets, politicians, and three US presidents, we picked the honor roll.

Christina Sterbenz contributed to an earlier version of this list.

William Howard Taft — Class of 1878

As the only person to serve as both president and Supreme Court chief justice, Taft earned his spot on our list. The 27th president went by "Old Bill" during his Yale days but later earned the nickname "Big Lub."

Taft also received the honorary title of "magog," meaning he had the most sexual experience while in the secret club, according to Alexandra Robbins. 

Young Taft probably found entrance into the club rather easily. His father, former Attorney General Alphonso Taft, cofounded Skull and Bones as a Yale student in 1832.

 



Walter Camp — Class of 1880

Known as the "father of American football," Camp, with other classmates, developed the game from the Brits' version of rugby. He played in the first rugby game at Yale against Harvard in 1876.

Camp created many of modern football's rules, such as assessment of points and limiting the field-team to 11 men per side. But most importantly, he brought organization and esteem to the game, serving on the rules committee until his death. 

Camp also established the National College Athletic Association, still operating today. During World War I, most of the armed forces conditioned using his tactics. 



Lyman Spitzer — Class of 1935

A noted astrophysicist, Spitzer dreamed up the idea behind the Hubble Space Telescope — the first method to observe space uninhibited by the Earth's atmosphere. He also lobbied NASA and Congress for the funds and oversaw production of the actual machine. 

After 44 years, NASA launched the Hubble into space. The Hubble remains there today, providing stunning images of the universe and making new discoveries.

NASA named the Spitzer Space Telescope in his honor.



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Check out all the different ways you can recharge a Tesla (TSLA)

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Tesla Road Trip 2016

This past summer, 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 to 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 — including some we didn't expect!

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.



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The 5 most-streamed artists on Spotify in the UK this year

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Kanye West

Spotify has announced the biggest artists in the UK this year, based on how many times their songs were streamed on the service in 2016.

Drake and Rihanna have dominated the international stage for the second year in a row. Rihanna retained her title as the most-streamed female artist in the UK and worldwide, while Drake was the most-streamed overall.

Coldplay is the only UK name in the list, which is made up of American and Canadian superstars like Justin Bieber and Kanye West.

Drake has dominated Spotify in 2016. His fourth studio album "Views," which was released in April, was the most popular album on the website, while his 2016 single "One Dance"— which made it to number one in the charts of 20 countries around the world – was Spotify's most-streamed single.

From Coldplay to Kanye, here are the biggest artists of 2016.

5. Coldplay are the only British artists in Spotify's top five, with more than 25 million monthly listeners. Strangely, Mexico City is where people listen to Coldplay tracks the most, where they have 647,705 listeners each month.



4. Kanye West has more than 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify this year. His latest album "The Life of Pablo" has proved extremely popular on the website. Its controversial single "Famous" earned over 165 million streams since the album's release in February 2016.



3. Rihanna is not only the UK's most listened to female singer, but also the world's. Her tracks were streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally in 2016.



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The 23 countries with the happiest and most loyal workers

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Colombia

Universum has released its annual Happiness Index, a measure of the happiness of workforces in countries around the world. 

The employee branding firm surveyed more than 200,000 young professionals in 57 markets, making it one of the most in-depth rankings of its kind. 

The research uses a scoring system that tracks three factors: Employee satisfaction, an employee's willingness to recommend a current employer, and an employee's likelihood to switch jobs in the near future. 

The top 10 is dominated by countries in Western Europe and the European Union, with Scandinavian countries performing particularly well.

The United States and the United Kingdom didn't make the top 23, ranking 36th and 32nd respectively, but countries including Canada, Singapore, and Brazil all appeared higher up the list. Scroll on for the top 23.

23. Canada — It wasn't just Universum that found Canadians to be happy in work. According to a similar study in 2012, 76% of Canadians say they're either 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with their jobs. Comprehensive human rights laws protect nationals from discrimination, while employment laws set the minimum wage, health and safety standards, and hours of work.

Source: Monster



22. Chile — The South American nation has one of the fastest growing economies on the continent. This has clearly provided a boost to the happiness of its workers.



21. Panama — You're unlikely to get rich working in Panama thanks to the country's low wages, but you're equally as unlikely to be overworked. You're entitled to 30 days of paid vacation and a lot of businesses offer two-hour lunch breaks. The line between professional and personal lives is also blurred and, according to expat website Internations, it's not uncommon to meet your colleagues' families.

Source: Internations



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Here are the 5 breakout artists on Spotify in 2016

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ZAYN

Spotify says 2016 was a year of discovering new music and artists.

On Thursday morning, the streaming service revealed its annual list of the year's biggest artists, albums, songs, and trends.

While the most streamed artists in the UK included familiar names like Drake and Justin Bieber, some newcomers also made in impact.

Spotify's weekly personalised playlist, Discover Weekly, was streamed over nine billion times worldwide in 2016, giving users a chance to hear music targeted to their tastes and discover new favourite artists.

These were Spotify's most-streamed new artists in 2016.

5. Rob $tone.

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Jaylen Robinson, aka Rob $tone, is a San Diego-born rapper who went viral when he released his track "Chill Bill" as a single this year.

He is now signed with RCA and has his biggest fan base in Los Angeles, according to Spotify.



4. MadeinTYO.

Born Malcom Jamaal David, MadeinTYO's named came from his Tokyo, Japan upbringing.

"Uber Everywhere," a song on his debut mixtape, went viral this year, and the Atlanta-based MC and producer was picked up by Warner. His largest fan base is in Los Angeles.



3. Anne-Marie.

It's no surprise that Essex-born singer and songwriter Anne-Marie Nicholson, known simply as Anne-Marie, has her biggest fan base in London, according to Spotify.

The artist's top song, "Alarm," has been streamed over 148 million times on the service.

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These subscription boxes are actually worth investing in

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

Beer Hawk CrateIs there anything better in this world then receiving a beautiful package in the mail? 

The answer is, of course, "no, there isn't." In fact, so many of us enjoy treating ourselves (or someone we love) to a monthly surprise, that subscription services are a booming industry. 

From boxes of useful products to those full of special treats, there's the perfect subscription box for everyone.

Even better, you can try them out for the month, and if your loot doesn't live up to your high standards you can simply cancel your subscription, no questions asked, and move on to the next. 

We rounded up some of our favourite subscription boxes, most of which we previously reviewed on Insider Picks, so that you'll only spend your money on the best ones. 

Beer Hawk

For someone who loves trying out news beers, Beer Hawk is the perfect subscription service. Every month, anyone who becomes a member of their Beer Club will be able to get 15 delicious, lovingly-crafted beers from around the world for just £39 a month, or £2.60 per bottle.

With over 500 different ales and lagers, this monthly subscription box is a bit of a round the world trip for your taste buds. One of the other advantages of becoming a beer member is that you'll never be out of beer when you have unexpected guests popping by your place for a drink. 

Read my full review here.

Find out more about Beer Hawk's Beer Club by following this link.



Paul Smith Subscription Box

The iconic British designer Paul Smith has now launched his very own subscription service. For £160 a year (roughly £13.30 a month), any guy can get his hands on some fun, yet business-ready socks. 

From paisley prints, to fun colour-block ones, Paul Smith's subscription service will let you open up a box of colorful and quirky socks each month of the year. Who could ever say no to a surprise which has a functional use? 

Sure, it's a bit of an investment up front, but this subscription box is actually the cheapest pick, and you'll also be getting a new pair of socks each month throughout the year. Perfect for the guy who keeps losing his socks in the wash. 

Find out more about Paul Smith's subscription service by following this link.

 

 



Cornerstone

For the guy who wants a practical subscription service, and who hates having to jog to the shops on busy mornings to get his shaving essentials, Cornerstone will save you both time and energy.

Cornerstone is a subscription service which aims to change the way men shave. Every single month, guys can receive shaving gels, creams, and German-designed blades. We tried them out for ourselves, and were impressed with the results.

The best part is that they even let customers monogram the handle of their razor with up to three initials, so that no other guys will steal your razor. 

Read my full review here.

Find out more about Cornerstone by following this link.

 



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This investment bank presentation breaks down the complicated digital ad industry in 2016

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Luma

After demystifying the multi-billion digital marketing industry in a presentation last year, the investment bank LUMA Partners has just released its annual State of Digital Marketing presentation.

This year it covers LUMA's views on the market, five industry trends — including the rise of artificial intelligence — and the future of the ecosystem with a specific focus on digital marketing.

The investment bank has allowed Business Insider to publish its annual presentation, again.

This year you can expect to learn a lot about the convergence of the ad tech (marketing) and martech (technology) industries through a lot of M&A activity. 

SEE ALSO: Luma's 2015 presentation which explains the complicated digital marketing industry for normal people

LUMA presents our annual State of Digital Marketing, which covers our views on the market, industry trends, and the future of the ecosystem with a specific focus on digital marketing. We hope you enjoy it.



Meet the Senior LUMA Team.





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