LONDON — If you spend time working or living in London, chances are you've noticed its architecture change over the years.

However, a city's transformation is never more apparent than when you see it from above.

Aerial photographer Jason Hawkes, who says he has been "flying around the world for many years, hanging out of the side of helicopters," captures stunning aerial views on cities like London.

Based just outside of the capital, Hawkes flies over London more than anywhere in the world, and over the years has captured its transformation, often logging his latest flights and images on Twitter.

"I started flying over London when I was just 21, having been commissioned by Random House for a book," he told Business Insider. "Nowadays I fly over town most weeks, shooting the ever-changing skyline. It's a real privilege being able to view such a great city from above, and a fantastic location to photograph.”

Hawkes searched through his library of images to show us a "then and now" view of the constantly evolving city that is London. Scroll down to see — from above — how the capital has changed from 1995 to 2017. You can also see more of Hawke's work here.

London's South Bank looked a little bare in February 2007, but in March 2014, the Shard made it a stunning sight.

The view beyond Tower Bridge is remarkably busier.

This view of Tower Bridge and the City of London in August 2006 was already packed with tall buildings, but in November 2015, others, like The Cheesegrater and The Walkie Talkie, popped up.

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Products with tea tree oils, charcoal and exfoliants top the list as some of the best beauty products to use for clear skin. 
• Filtering shower heads and microfiber towels also make a difference for those suffering from acne. 

Showers are awesome. After a stressful day, there's nothing more relaxing than spending 15 or so minutes drenched in hot water. But as simple as they may seem, taking a shower isn't a one-and-done deal — especially for people with skin issues like acne. Because I've totally been there before, I'm here to help you out by bringing you these weird but oh-so effective shower products that give you clearer skin and a more radiant complexion.

I'm one of those in-and-out shower folks who steps in, washes up, and gets out. However, while it's so tempting to wash and get on with your life, you're seriously depriving your skin of nourishment (not to mention a little pampering). Those 15 minutes are prime time for exfoliating, cleansing, and moisturizing — all of which is essential for acne-free skin. And, it all comes down to the right set of skin care products.

I know what you're thinking: Don't make my shower routine more difficult than it has to be. But I promise you, this list will still keep your shower down to those 15 minutes. It all comes down to finding those perfect pH-balancing, moisturizing products with key ingredients such as jojoba oil and activated charcoal. Once you have those shower products for preventing breakouts, you can scrub-a-dub-dub and get on with your life.

1. A pH-balancing shower filter that looks like a watering can.

Johnathan Product Beauty Hard Water Shower Filter System, $79, Amazon

If you suspect that it's your tap water that's making you break out, try a shower filter system that removes copper and other heavy metals. The result? Pure, pH-balanced water that's more skin-friendly.

2. An in-shower face mask that makes you feel wonderful.

Make P:rem Wonderful Me In-Shower Face Pack, $25, Amazon

What could be better than a face mask you can actually use in the shower? Make P:rem In-Shower Face Pack does just that. It works to moisturize and brighten your skin tone while you wash your hair, shave, and do whatever else you need to do.

3. A microfiber body towel that absorbs excess oils.

Aquis Microfiber Body Towel, $25, Amazon

This Aquis Microfiber Body Towel helps absorb water and any excess oils quicker than your bath ordinary towel. It's lightweight, making it great for travel and provides barely-there comfort if you're one who loves spending hours post-shower lounging around in your towel.

When the New York-based staff of The Boston Consulting Group decided to leave the midtown office that had been their home since 2002, they knew they wanted to create a more comfortable, welcoming space.

The global management consulting firm, which was launched in 1963, was third on Glassdoor's list of the best places to work in 2017. But since the old office's interior design and architecture didn't accurately reflect the personality of the company, they wanted to make sure their new office did. 

"The best decision I made was to encourage the designer to push as far as she could go in terms of a non-corporate look and feel," senior partner Ross Love told Business Insider during a recent visit to BCG's new office in the Hudson Yards development of Manhattan. Love was part of the internal team that was tasked with overseeing the design of the new space.

The layout was designed with the "collision coefficient" in mind — an idea that Love got while visiting with Zappos founder Tony Hsieh.

"[Hsieh is] a bit of a guru on design ... I went on a tour of Zappos out in Las Vegas, and he talked about how you could deliberately design an office to maximize the number of collisions [between people]," he said.

This, in theory, could create a more efficient work day, cutting down on the time spent on formal meetings, email replies, and phone calls. Ahead, take a tour of the new, thoughtfully-designed offices, where more than 500 New York-based BCG employees spend their days.

SEE ALSO: Bain & Company was just named the best workplace of 2017 — step inside its New York office

DON'T MISS: A look inside $23 billion LinkedIn's New York office, where employees enjoy perks like free gourmet meals and a speakeasy hidden in the Empire State Building

The BCG New York offices are located on the west side of Manhattan in Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate project in the US. While much of Hudson Yards is still under construction, its 17 million square feet of development are projected to be complete by the mid-2020s.

Source: Business Insider

Guests and clients will find a concierge desk and greeter when they arrive to the BCG office.

Instead of a traditional receptionist, BCG designed a concierge desk that can accommodate various guest requests, like how to get to the closest subway or where to grab lunch. Without the usual barrier of a receptionist desk, the openness immediately creates a welcoming atmosphere.

Amazon is battling Netflix to see who can make the best streaming TV shows, but unlike its rival, Amazon is using the 'pilot' system to determine which shows to make.

While Netflix orders full seasons of shows at a time, Amazon produces one pilot episode, and lets Amazon Prime members comment on which ones they like. Then Amazon decides which shows to order.

That doesn't mean Amazon always gets it right, however. Even beyond pilots Amazon doesn't pick up, the company seems to have a much quicker trigger finger than Netflix, and has killed a few shows after just one season. 

All told, Amazon has canceled five shows, excluding Woody Allen's "Crisis in Six Scenes," which Allen seems to have axed himself (though it did also get panned by critics).

Here are the shows Amazon has killed, along with their critic and audience ratings from Metacritic (arranged by top critic rating):

SEE ALSO: Netflix is really bad for DVD sales, according to new research

'Hand of God': Canceled after 2 seasons

Amazon description: "A psychological drama about a morally-corrupt judge who suffers a breakdown and believes God is compelling him onto a path of vigilante justice."

Critic rating: 44/100

Audience rating: 7.2/10

'Mad Dogs': Canceled after 1 season

Amazon description: "When a group of underachieving 40-something friends gather in Belize to celebrate the early retirement of an old friend, a series of wild events unfold, exposing dark secrets, deception and even murder. Starring Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line), Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), Billy Zane (Twin Peaks), Steve Zahn (Dallas Buyers Club) and Romany Malco (Weeds). Executive produced by Cris Cole and Shawn Ryan (The Shield)."

Critic rating: 64/100

Audience rating: 7.4/10

'Good Girls Revolt': Canceled after 1 season

Amazon description: "In 1969, while a cultural revolution swept through the free world, there was still one place that refused to change with the times: newsrooms. Good Girls Revolt follows a group of young female researchers at "News of the Week," who ask to be treated fairly. Their revolutionary request sparks convulsive changes and upends marriages, careers, sex lives, love lives, and friendships."

Critic rating: 65/100

Audience rating: 6.4/10

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books and Netflix show.

The book series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is filled with sly literary references, wordplay, and other small hints that make reading the book — despite the unfortunate subject matter — a pleasant experience.

The Netflix television show adaptation is no different.

Daniel Handler, who wrote the book series, also wrote the script for the show. He imbued it with the same mischievous, detail-filled spirit. The first season adapts the first four of the series's thirteen books about the Baudelaire orphans (Violet, Klaus, and Sunny) trying to escape the clutches of the evil Count Olaf. The episodes include numerous references to characters, locales, and secret organizations we won't see until much later in the series.

Throughout the series, we see a mysterious insignia that pops up often.

The same symbol is a tattoo on Count Olaf's left ankle, on a spyglass Klaus picks up from his charred home, and in many more locations.

The letters "VFD" are hidden inside it.

"'V.F.D.' stands for 'Volunteer Fire Department.' It's a secret organization that puts out fires, literal and metaphorical, throughout the world that the Baudelaire parents, and many other characters in the show, were a part of.

The organization also has standardized secret codes used throughout the series, many of which are also referred to with V.F.D.-initialed phrases, like "Valley of Four Drafts" and "Veiled Facial Disguises."

Lemony Snicket references the V.F.D. early in the premiere when the Baudelaire orphans learn of the fire that destroyed their home and killed their parents.

"All that my associates and I have been able to learn is that neither the official fire department, nor the Volunteer Fire Department, arrived in time to stop the blaze," Snicket said.

You can read more about the V.F.D. here.

America looks vastly different in Trump counties than it does in Clinton counties.

To see just how divided the country is, we analyzed and mapped a bunch of metrics in red areas and blue areas with help from the geographic research company Esri.

For example, see our findings on diversity below, where darker colors show more diversity. It turns out Red America, with extensive areas of low diversity in the north, is 37% less diverse than Blue America.

We also found — among many variables — that people in red counties are 44% less likely to have a bachelor's degree; 22% more likely to shop at Walmart; 18% less likely to watch the NBA; and 42% less likely to do yoga.

Check out the full findings below.

Red counties are 84% less populous.

(56,000 vs. 359,000 average)

Note: source for all maps is Esri data on demographics and spending. Maps in red show counties that voted for Trump in the 2016 US presidential election, and blue shows Clinton counties.

Red counties are 37% less diverse.

(32.7 vs. 51.9 average scores on an index that measures likelihood of randomly selecting two people of a different race).

Red counties are 34% more white.

(84.9% vs. 63.5% average)

Before Tokyo matured into the gleaming, dense city it is today, it was a small fishing village called Edo.

Now home to over 13 million people, the Japanese capital has changed dramatically since its beginnings in the 12th century.

These maps, woodcuts, and old-time photographs show the journey of Tokyo from small village to today.

SEE ALSO: Amazing images of New York City before it was a city

Tokyo was originally known as Edo, which means "estuary." In the late 12th century, Edo was fortified by the Edo clan, which built a castle and military capital (pictured below). Some of the estate's moats and walls still survive to this day.

Source: National Geographic and Open Buildings

By the 1630s, Edo had a population of 150,000.

Source: Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology

And over the next century, the small fishing village grew into the largest metropolis in the world, with a million residents by 1721.

Source: Urban Networks in Ch'ing China and Tokugawa Japan

Of all the special operations forces within the US military, none are as famous as the Navy SEALs. Responsible for such historic actions as the killing of Osama bin Laden, the SEALs are one of the US's go-to choices for extremely dangerous missions.

A PBS documentary, "Navy SEALs - Their Untold Story," digs into the history of the elite group's predecessors during World War II, its first official operations in the Vietnam War, and its deployment in 21st century conflicts.

Along the way, former commandos tell the stories of some of the SEALs' most incredible covert operations.

An earlier version of this post was written by Pierre Bienaimé.

SEE ALSO: Welcome to the boneyard, where US Air Force birds go to die

There are only around 2,000 active Navy SEALs — and they endure maybe the hardest military training anywhere in the world.

A retired SEAL explains that during the rigorous training known as "hell week,""you stay up for 120 hours ... and you get about 3 or 4 hours sleep."

Here trainees swim with their hands bound behind their backs, a feat only excellent swimmers can pull off.

The INSIDER Summary: 

•Netflix is there for us at the end of a long day, when you're having trouble falling asleep, and when you're in need of a good laugh.
• "Scrubs,""Friends,""How I Met Your Mother," and other comedies are now on Netflix for your viewing pleasure and to brighten your day. 

Who needs real friends when there are Friends available to stream at any time, friends who are likely much funnier than your actual friends (and also come with their very own laugh track)? What's better than blowing off work and binge watching The Office all day? Why would anyone opt to watch their favorite sitcom with commercials? How did people who love TV comedies survive before Netflix?!

Between the staple of bonafide classic and new Netflix originals to dive into, streaming services like Netflix are becoming the prime destination to itch your funny bone when it comes to comedy on TV. We’ve come up with a list of the best Netflix comedies, and we’ll update the top of the list every month with newcomers to make sure your binge game is on par. 

"Scrubs"

During Scrubs run from 2001 to 2010 (first on NBC and then on ABC), there was a popular semi-tounge-in-cheek refrain from real-life doctors that the wacky medical drama was the most accurate portrayal of the profession. This may seem at odds with the pastel off-the-wall world of Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian (Zach Braff) and his many daydreams but there must be a kernel of truth to it. Scrubs is a truly hilarious, at times unapologetically slapstick comedy that also deals with the life and death nature of hospitals surprisingly maturely. Led by a cast of Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and the incomparable John C. McGinley, it’s both a true throwback laugh-a-minute sitcom and a wonderfully adept bildungsroman for young doctors.

- Alec Bojalad

"American Dad"

If you’re looking for absurdist, aggressively weird, and hilarious television, look no further than the animated gem, American Dad. The Fox series started in the shadow of Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy, but managed to eclipse its predecessor. Now airing on TBS, it has become one of the most consistent and creative animated programs out there during its thirteen years (and counting) in the game. No other comedy will deliver thoughtful meditations on family one week and then doing a sprawling tribute to “My Morning Jacket” or a Christmas-themed apocalypse story the next.

The series has a lot going for it, but Roger alone is worth the price of admission. He is truly one of TV’s best wild cards. American Dad has a relentless sense of humor… so much so that it invades your soul until you’re as weird as the show is. 

- Daniel Kurland

"Master of None"

Master of None attacks the millennial culture with the perfect amount of cynicism and New York vibe. Aziz Ansari and co-creator Alan Yang constructed a quasi-Seinfeld for the 21st century. Aziz’s character, Dev, is doing his best at navigating his career, family, friends and relationships against the canvas of pop-up concerts and craft beer. It’s a beautifully crafted series that doesn’t shy away from shining light on the hard truths of existing in this day and age. 

- Daniella Bondar 

Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennial women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. (Thanks, New York mag, for the inspiration.)

Today, a woman hosting a dinner party while training for a half-marathon.

Industry: Performing arts/media

Age: 30

Location: NYC

Salary: $50,000

Paycheck Amount (Every Two Weeks): $1,219 after tax, insurance, FSA, 401(k) and transit check; my husband reimburses me $450 per month to cover his portion of insurance and our phone bill

# of Roommates: 1 (dude mentioned above)

Monthly Expenses

Rent: $2,533.08, split evenly. I pay $1,266.54

Internet: $88 (my husband covers utilities, which is comparable)

Phone Bill: $200, but my husband reimburses me for half

Rock Climbing Gym Membership: $85

Netflix: $7.99

Hulu Plus: $7.99

New York Times Weekender subscription: $6 (special discount rate)

Standing donation to Karam Foundation to support a Syrian refugee family: $50

Yearly Expenses

Taxes (Accountant Fee): $162.50 for my half. My husband and I coordinate our checks for federal taxes and our accountant. We’ll get a refund from New York State that makes up for these two fees, and then some. My accountant has told me in the past that it’s better to owe than be owed when it comes to taxes, because you still get a little more money this way — but whenever he starts to go into the intricacies of withholdings on paychecks, he starts to sound like one of the teachers in Charlie Brown. I paid $467.50 extra in taxes this year.

Day One

8 a.m. — I have the same breakfast every morning: Half a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, half a cup of pumpkin puree, one tablespoon of chia seeds.

9:15 a.m. — I'm out of coffee at home, so I stop at Le Pain Quotidien for one. I contemplate also getting a roll, because Le Pain Quotidien is basically Amsterdam’s red-light district for bread, but I essentially have exactly enough for my coffee in quarters and I hate to use my card for such a small amount. The barista is excited, as she needed quarters. $2.75

11 a.m. — Still want bread. I try to sate this craving with a Pink Lady apple and some almond butter from home. Desired effect is not achieved.

12:05 p.m. — I convince enough of my coworkers to rally around having bread with lunch, so our office manager approves the purchase of a $3 baguette from LPQ from our treats fund. I wish I had this same determination when it came to understanding my taxes.

12:30 p.m. — Lunch from home: An arugula salad with celery and broiled eye-round steak. I’m not a dressing fan, but the steak juice gives it the extra something it needs. Oh, and bread. Beautiful, free bread.

2:20 p.m. — Check my Wells Fargo and see that my Hulu and Netflix payments both went through today. It seems ridiculous to have both, but I love that Hulu has most all of the Criterion collection and I try to watch at least one new Criterion film each week. My automatic transfer of $83 from checking to savings also goes through.

4 p.m. — I bring most of my food from home, because lunch options in midtown are ridiculously expensive. I have a Pink Lady apple with almond butter, which I pack into a Ziploc bag and squeeze, pastry-bag style, onto the apple slices, because I’m classy. Also because I lost my little bento box thing that held small items like almond butter.

8:30 p.m. — Working late. I have a Tarocco blood orange on my way home.

8:45 p.m. — Improvising with what we have in the pantry, I make a frittata with eggs, plain Greek yogurt, some leftover Israeli couscous, onion, and Parm. It does the job and I eat it with my husband while watching The Americans.

9:50 p.m. — Check out on my latest Stitch Fix box; I keep a pair of culottes and a sailor-stripe shirt. $83.

Daily Total: $85.75

Day 2

7:05 a.m. — FreshDirect arrives. I buy for the week and do a lot of meal prep, but I got a little extra today, as I’m hosting a dinner party and making a seafood and radicchio risotto for eight people. $85.83

9:15 a.m. — Make the same Greek yogurt/pumpkin/chia breakfast with coffee at home. I get the La Colombe beans from FreshDirect and one bag usually lasts two weeks, as I’m the only one in the house who drinks coffee.

10:05 a.m. — My husband and I start to make our way down to the Brooklyn Ikea. He stops at the bodega near our apartment to get an iced tea and gets me a kombucha to make the card minimum.

11:50 a.m. — Go to Ikea for five of the $7.99 folding chairs to accommodate the headcount at tonight’s dinner, along with some drinking glasses, AA batteries, and paper napkins to use as guest hand towels in the bathroom. While we’re there, I break down and buy three succulents, plus pots. It’s a crowded Saturday morning and I’m un-showered and scoping out cacti alongside a crowd of Brooklyn hipsters, so basically it’s Coachella on a budget. $70.61

1:10 p.m. — Graze on the rest of last night’s frittata for lunch and have a spoonful of almond butter out of the jar.

4:15 p.m. — Run to Food Cellar near my apartment to get a baguette and some taper candles. $11.16

7 p.m. — I recently started hosting a table as part of The Dinner Party, which is a group of mainly twenty- and thirtysomethings who have experienced significant loss. TDP organizes tables of roughly eight to 10 people to have regular potluck dinners and connect over the shared bond and discuss life after loss. It’s an amazing group of people. In addition to the risotto I make, we have wine, beer, roasted broccolini, zucchini, salad, and a gluten-free chocolate cake with coconut cream. And bread.

Daily Total: $167.60

Day 3

10:30 a.m. — Standard breakfast and pack my coffee in a to-go mug to go out for the morning.

12:30 p.m. — Meet a friend at Peacefood Café on the Upper West Side for lunch. I get the Japanese pumpkin sandwich and a gingerade. $12.96

1:45 p.m. — Walk back to the N train from the Upper West Side. On my way, I stop in at Kiehl’s to restock on face wash. It’s expensive, but worth it. $31.57

1:55 p.m. — Also stop at CVS for dental floss and eyeliner. $12.50

2:20 p.m. — Swing back by Food Cellar on my way home to get some apples for the week and a few bags of Beanitos bean chips (my nutritionist got me hooked on them). My husband meets me there and I get his sandwich and a cool elderflower seltzer. We’ve been married for five years and have yet to combine our bank accounts, which is mostly on me. He’s even better with finances than I am, but I watched my mother support two deadbeat ex-husbands, so I still have some personal stuff to work through. In the meantime, we basically even out on the little things and consciously split the big things. It works out. $24.20

3 p.m. — Snack on an apple and almond butter while batch cooking steak for the week. It sounds very boring, but I’ve been working with a nutritionist since last September and it’s gotten me into a routine for breakfast and, during the workweek, lunch. I’ll switch things up from time to time, but it saves me from decision fatigue.

6:50 p.m. — Husband gets Two Boots pizza for dinner. I have a slice of the Meg and a slice of the classic cheese, plus one of the beers leftover from last night.

8:50 p.m. — I’m craving another kombucha and looking for a $5 in my wallet. My husband gives me his card and says he’ll cover the drink if I get him a rice pudding.

Daily Total: $81.23

We've now hit the home stretch.

With Oscar voting closed and nominations being announced on January 24, it's an excruciating waiting game for those in the running.

Some things have shifted since our last pass at predictions for nominees and winners. "Lion" and "Hidden Figures" have increased their word of mouth while titles like "Silence" and "Jackie" have fizzled in most major categories.

Meanwhile, "La La Land" has only increased its dominance in the Oscar race, after sweeping the Golden Globes.

Below are our final predictions before nominations are announced, and who we think will win Oscar gold:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Every character in "Rogue One" from best to worst

Best original score

The nominees will be:

Nicholas Britell, “Moonlight”
Michael Giacchino, “Zootopia”
Justin Hurwitz, “La La Land”
Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka, “Lion”
Mica Levi, “Jackie”

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: Nicholas Britell's score for "Moonlight" is a perfect accompaniment to the powerful visuals show in the movie.

Best original song

The nominees will be:

“Audition,” “La La Land”
“Runnin',” “Hidden Figures”
“City of Stars,” “La La Land”
“Flicker,” “Audrie & Daisy”
“How Far I’ll Go,” “Moana”

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: It's really hard to not give this to "City of Stars" for "La La Land." Often this Oscar is handed out to a movie that has a great song by a known recording artist, but if voters choose the song that actually fits to the film it's featured in, this is it.

Best editing

The nominees will be:

Julian Clarke, "Deadpool"
Tom Cross, “La La Land”
Joe Walker, “Arrival”
Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders, “Moonlight”
Jennifer Lame, “Manchester by the Sea”

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: No movie works without great editing, but one that just doesn't work without a big talent at the helm is "Arrival." If you've seen the movie, we don't have to tell you that the editing makes it fit together just right.

There is no shortage of popular culture lionizing snipers. From movies to books, legendary exploits are laced with evocative imagery.

Alone, unafraid, heroically holding back enemy hoards with only a bolt gun. This captivation is not without good cause, but Hollywood’s depictions often fall short of capturing what it truly means to be a sniper.

Those hard lessons learned from the Marine Corps’ Scout Sniper School have been ones that have profoundly changed who I am and stayed with me for life.

SEE ALSO: 12 gorgeous photos of the US Marine Corps in action during 2016

Brilliance in the basics

In the military, firepower is everything, but often there is a common misconception about what that means. Most think that increasing firepower means to increase the number of rounds per minute.

Snipers believe that increasing firepower means increasing the number of hits per minute. With this infectious mentality, accuracy becomes supreme. “One shot, one kill.” In this way, a single sniper could feasibly provide more ‘firepower’ than a squad of machine gunners.

It is no surprise that accuracy is the cornerstone for snipers, but it is attained by adhering to a simple maxim: “brilliance in the basics.” By mastering the seemingly simplistic fundamentals of marksmanship, snipers effectively change the battlefield.

Snipers offer a long-range precision that prevents enemies from being shielded by distance or imprecise area weapons.

It is profound that something so minor found in ‘the basics’ can change the way warfare is conducted. The same way this logic applies to the battlefield it applies to the classroom, office, or wherever you might find yourself. Mastering the basics changes the game making you more effective.

Dedication

Many service members are professionals — clean rooms, inspection-ready uniforms, excelling at their day jobs. Sniper school students don’t aspire to a mere occupation, to be a scout sniper is a way of life.

The job doesn’t end with the fallout of formation or weekend liberty; it is brought home and lived. In the evenings at the barracks, snipers can be found studying the physics of ballistics, adjusting their gear until it is perfectly balanced or hand-sewing patches in their ghillie suits.

Discussions of techniques in fieldcraft are shared over meals and debates about guns, optics and tactics rage into the nights. This dedication extends throughout the sniper community. The ‘community’ is an abstraction, with only about 300 active duty scout snipers, it is a small circle where everyone knows everyone else, separated only by a degree or two at most.

This community makes it easier to remain sharply focused and dedicated to the craft. Sniper school taught me that the level of dedication necessary to master any vocation requires actively living it.

Independence

Scout snipers’ missions require them to be in unforgiving combat environments, miles away from friendly support, in a team of only two to four people. The safety of the team entirely depends on remaining undetected.

Leaving any trace is known as a ‘target indicator,’ and considered to be a cardinal sin. Committing this grievous offense required a penance that included hours of retribution, a combination of pain and repeatedly reciting the definition of a target indicator verbatim.

While remaining undetected, snipers literally stalk the enemy like a wild predator tracking its prey. Half of sniper school is dedicated to stalking. Students must identify the target, stealthily creep into a position, setup and take two shots on seasoned instructor snipers who are actively searching for them.

Relying on no one but themselves, the stakes are high. Being spotted equates to failure and perfect scores are required to graduate. The course teaches what it’s like to be alone and unafraid in an intimate way, fostering a fierce independence in every scout sniper. Independence is invaluable outside of the military, allowing leaders to rise and entrepreneurs to innovate.

 The INSIDER Summary:

• Valentine's Day is traditionally a day when couples celebrate being in love.
• For new couples the day can be pretty high-pressure.
• There are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine's Day with a new beau without succumbing to the stresses of the holiday.

Dating can be a lot of pressure as it is, without throwing holidays into the mix. And with a certain heart-themed one in just a few weeks, the pressure’s on, especially if you ~just~ started seeing someone. But it doesn’t have to be. There are lots of Valentine’s Day date ideas for new couples that can reduce the built-in stress.

“Valentine's Day is just one day out of a remaining 364 in which to demonstrate your affection,” Susan Winter, relationship expert and bestselling author of Allowing Magnificence, tells Bustle. “Don't buy onto the consumer marketing ploy. Meaningful relationships are built on small, consistent acts of kindness over the entirety of a relationship. Grand gestures pale in comparison to the littler acts of ongoing appreciation and thoughtfulness.”

Could not have said that better myself. And Clarissa Silva, behavioral scientist and author of the relationship blog, You’re Just A Dumbass, agrees. “The beginning of a relationship is exciting and Valentine’s Day is often viewed as an extension of what two people feel for one another,” she says. “Often, it’s treated like a high-pressure competitive sport, where you must do this or gift this to express how much you mean to someone. Since it is the beginning of your relationship, make Valentine’s Day a day that is about developing your relationship, learning more about each other, and having fun.”

But what if you and the person you’re seeing aren’t on the same page? Maybe one of you expects something grandiose while the other appreciates the sentiment “it’s the thought that counts.”

“For a new couple coming up to Valentine’s Day, it can be a confusing time,” James Preece, aka The Dating Guru, tells Bustle. “You don't want to make an over-the-top gesture in case they don’t do the same and it scares them off. On the other hand, you know you have to do ~something~ to mark the day. Have a short conversation a few weeks before about what you both might like to do together. This can save embarrassment later on and gives you something to look forward to. Spending time together on Valentine’s Day is more important than anything, so make it count."

So here are 11 Valentine’s Day date ideas for new couples, because the holiday doesn’t have to be as stressful as you may think.

1. Do What Others Won’t Do

Think about all the places other couples will go on Valentine’s Day — fancy overpriced dinners and flower shops — and do the opposite. Instead, binge on your favorite thin crust pizza or go to an ice cream shop that has atypical flavors and try samples of them all. Of course, you can throw some romance in there, too, like a homemade card and/or a token gift of something significant to the person you’re dating.

Another plus side of doing what others probably won’t be doing? Not only will your date ideas be more unique, but they’ll also probably cost way less than the prix fixe menus all over town. “Low-pressure dates create a low-pressure Valentine’s Day,” Winter says. “Be creative. Think of an ‘experiential’ date that bypasses the traditional routine of flowers, chocolates, and a dinner.”

2. Go See A Psychic

3. Make Something Together

Maybe you have an IKEA dresser you’ve been meaning to put together or perhaps you two decide to try painting a lookalike Van Gogh at one of those paint-and-wine places – whatever you choose, doing something together takes a lot of the pressure off of  your date — and the fact that it’s a love-themed holiday.

“You create  intimacy by doing,” Rhonda Milrad, Founder and Chief Relationship Advisor of Relationup& a relationship therapist, tells Bustle. “People create connection by experiencing and engaging in a task together. The event itself creates an opportunity to interact in ways that don’t occur when you are sitting politely across the table from one another. In an activity, you are negotiating, compromising, collaborating, demanding, sharing, and often working toward a common goal.”

Barack Obama is a major bookworm.

In his book "Dreams from My Father," he reflected on his lifelong love of literature: "When I wasn't working, the weekends would usually find me alone in an empty apartment, making do with the company of books."

Recently, the outgoing US president sat down with New York Times chief book critic Michiko Kakutani to discuss literature.

In the interview, Obama referenced a wide range of works, from books he's read in recent years to those he recommended to his daughter Malia.

Here are some of the works Obama praised in the New York Times interview:

SEE ALSO: 9 fascinating books about the greatest friendships in politics

DON'T MISS: 13 fascinating books written by US presidents after they left the White House

'The Naked and the Dead' by Norman Mailer

Amazon synopsis:

"Written in gritty, journalistic detail, the story follows an army platoon of foot soldiers who are fighting for the possession of the Japanese-held island of Anopopei. Composed in 1948, 'The Naked and the Dead' is representative of the best in twentieth-century American writing."

BUY IT HERE »

'One Hundred Years of Solitude' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Amazon synopsis:

"The brilliant, bestselling, landmark novel that tells the story of the Buendia family, and chronicles the irreconcilable conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love — in rich, imaginative prose that has come to define an entire genre known as 'magical realism.'"

BUY IT HERE »

'The Golden Notebook' by Doris Lessing

Amazon synopsis:

"Anna is a writer, author of one very successful novel, who now keeps four notebooks. In one, with a black cover, she reviews the African experience of her earlier years. In a red one she records her political life, her disillusionment with communism. In a yellow one she writes a novel in which the heroine relives part of her own experience. And in a blue one she keeps a personal diary.

"Finally, in love with an American writer and threatened with insanity, Anna resolves to bring the threads of all four books together in a golden notebook. Doris Lessing's best-known and most influential novel, 'The Golden Notebook' retains its extraordinary power and relevance decades after its initial publication.

BUY IT HERE »

After the success of its first season and its first Reddit AMA session, "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" ended its season-one run with more answers to Reddit users' questions in Tuesday's episode.

Leah Remini and former Scientology spokesperson Mike Rinder were joined by a few guests, including the author of the groundbreaking book on Scientology, "Going Clear," Lawrence Wright. But before they got to answering questions, Remini wanted to address some unfinished business.

Last week's episode concluded with Remini and Rinder seeking legal counsel and a note that the story would be continued. Remini gave viewers an update.

"We are taking action, trying to take action," Remini said. "And we can't really talk about what we're trying to do, because we actually want to achieve something. So that's what we're doing. So know that there are things going on behind the scenes that we're not talking about, but just know that it's happening."

With that out of the way, here are the four most shocking revelations about Scientology from the show's second Reddit AMA episode:

SEE ALSO: A&E boss says Scientology is harassing her over Leah Remini's TV show

DON'T MISS: How Scientology leader David Miscavige rose to power, according to insiders

Remini claims Scientology pressured her into recruiting “King of Queens” costar Kevin James to the church.

“Kevin was very loyal to his religion,” Remini explained. “There’s no in and I was asked that many times.”

In order to bring him into the organization, Remini was asked by other Scientologists if he had any weak places in his life, including a "failed purpose" and "relationship problems."

Remini added, “He even said to me once, ‘Don’t try to get me in your Tom Cruise glare, man.’ There was no in and I didn’t feel right about doing it. I didn’t ever feel right about telling somebody that they were lost and they needed Scientology.”

Scientology allegedly believes homosexuality is a sexual perversion.

Publicly, the church says it has no position on homosexuality. According to Remini and Rinder, that’s not true internally.

Remini explained that the church has “a chart of human evaluation” from founder L. Ron Hubbard that helps Scientologists to discern who they should have in their life. A rank of 1.1 is the lowest on the scale and includes people who need a lot of help, but aren’t worth helping, Remini explained. That rank includes gay people.

“Internally and for Scientologists, the position is there is something very wrong with a deviant behavior that needs to be dealt with with Scientology,” Rinder said of the church’s internal stance on homosexuality.

Remini added, “Meaning as a person gets to the upper levels of Scientology, the ‘gayness’ will be audited out.”

L. Ron Hubbard based the efficacy of Scientology on his claim that he healed himself from war injuries — a claim that's allegedly fabricated.

Lawrence Wright, the author of the best-selling book on Scientology “Going Clear,” says his research found Scientology’s documentation of Hubbard’s injuries and military service to be faked.

Wright’s research into the Navy documents found that Hubbard had no serious injuries, which Wright sees as a major fault in the church’s foundation.

Additionally, Scientology’s claims of Hubbard’s many military service awards and records were found to be false. In response, the church allegedly told Wright that the records were “sheep-dipped” — that the military created a whole set of fake documents to cover up Hubbard’s covert military duties.

“That’s the person that the church has to protect,” Wright said. “With encasing [Hubbard] in this myth, they try to cover the efforts of people like me and others to uncover the truth.”

1. Kleinur

Mmm, fried food. Kleinur (singular kleina) are my favorite Icelandic treat. They're colloquially known as the Icelandic donut: slightly sweet deep fried bread twisted into a diamond-shaped knot. They taste lovely dipped in coffee or tea. If you're not planning a trip to Iceland any time soon, you can make them at home with this recipe.

2. Skyr

3. Hákarl

When Justin Timberlake first hit the scene in 2000, he was just another boy band member. Since then, he's become the man to watch after many hit songs and movies, not to mention his adorable marriage with actress Jessica Biel.

But let's never forget the old Justin Timberlake — the one who walked red carpets with popstar Britney Spears, had ramen noodle hair, and made some questionable fashion choices.

The world without JT would be a sadder place. Here's his style evolution, from start to finish:

Justin Timberlake's red shades and braids were on display when he headlined with *NSYNC for KIIS FM's annual Wango Tango concert in Los Angeles back in 2000.

For the boy band's 2000 world tour, bandannas were a performance favorite for JT.

Justin Timberlake, in an interesting combination of green and yellow satin, posed with *NSYNC members at the 2001 Grammys.

The INSIDER Summary:

• The Feast of St. Anthony, patron saint of animals, is celebrated by riding horses through flames in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain.
• Smoke was thought to purify animals and villages from disease, a tradition known as Luminarias.
• People also bring their pets to church, where a priest blesses them.
• The ritual has garnered criticism from animal rights activists.

About 62 miles northwest of Madrid, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain, the Feast of St. Anthony comes pretty close to a barbecue. 

In a tradition known as Luminarias, villagers ride horses through enormous walls of fire, harkening back to a time when smoke was thought to purify animals and villages from disease.

Despite criticism from animal rights activists (though locals say there haven't been any injuries), the festival remains a hot topic beyond the 600-person village.

St. Anthony is the patron saint of domestic animals.

Every year on January 17, the people of Spain commemorate him in two ways.

The first is by bringing pets to church to receive blessings from a priest.

We at Business Insider love a good bargain — especially when it comes to food. 

So when we heard about IHOP's All You Can Eat pancake promotion, we immediately began dreaming of syrupy stacks. 

Little did we know, our flapjack fantasy would fall into pancake perdition. 

Here's what it's like to spend five hours in a Manhattan IHOP — and why this delicious deal may not be as sweet as it seems. 

SEE ALSO: We went to Red Lobster for its 'Endless Shrimp' promo and stayed for 8 hours — here's what happened

We arrived at 10 a.m., ready to pile on the pancakes.

This 14th Street location is open 24 hours, which means that you could roll in at 3 a.m. and tackle the All You Can Eat challenge. The deal runs for the entire month of January, continuing into mid-February. 

After our triumphant Shrimpsgiving at Red Lobster, we were feeling confident about this day. How could a day full of pancakes possibly go wrong?

We settle in and prepare to order.

While you can order just pancakes, the promotion offers five different combo plates to start. Kate decides on the egg combo, which comes with two eggs of your choice and a side of hash browns... plus infinite pancakes. Hollis chooses the sausage and egg combo, consisting of four sausage links, two eggs, and hash browns — and of course, pancakes galore. 

Interestingly enough, ordering simply pancakes would cost $9.99, the same price as Hollis' sausage combo, and a dollar more than Kate's egg combo. 

While perhaps this should have raised suspicions, we brushed it off and concocted a brash motto for the day: you stack 'em up, we knock 'em down. 

While waiting for our order, we took in the scenery.

Above us was a rather eerie and foreboding image of a child dwarfed by an absurd totem of pancakes. It was interesting to say the least.

The soundtrack pumped us up with countless '80s power ballads and anthems, and we felt like we could take on the world — or at least ten pancakes. 

Our friendly and attentive waitress told us that the most impressive All You Can Eat showcase she had personally witnessed was ten flapjacks. However, the man who completed this astonishing feat "looked bad" by the end. 

"What do mean?" Kate asked with a hint of anxiety.

"Bad."

Like most film festivals, Sundance has its share of velvet ropes and invite-only parties.

Where to spot celebs when your name isn't on the list?

We've compiled a list of 8 Park City hotspots where you can mingle with the festival's big players— no sneaking in required.

SEE ALSO: The 18 movies you need to see this year coming out of the Sundance Film Festival

SEE ALSO: The 20 best ski resorts in America

The St. Regis Deer Valley

After a long day of movie previews and screenings, cozy up at the St. Regis Deer Valley, a luxe mountain resort with private butlers, fireplaces, an outdoor heated swimming pool, and a pampering spa. You can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa in the hotel’s intimate library, where more than 200 pieces of original art grace the walls, then rub shoulders with the festival’s A-listers at the St. Regis Bar. The best celeb-spotting goes down at the J&G Grill, a sophisticated space that offers elevated farm-to-table cuisine like black truffle pizzas and cheeseburgers with Beehive cheddar.

Handle

Local and regionally-inspired dishes are the specialty at Handle, a buzzy Main Street restaurant with a friendly, casual vibe. Plates are designed to share, which makes the place perfect for catching up with friends after festival-filled days. Start with the blue cheese-topped buffalo cauliflower (a veggie take on buffalo hot wings), then move on to the succulent fried chicken, which comes over a root vegetable puree and with a side of bacon braised greens. Finish the evening with the so-good-you'll-lick-the-plate-clean corn cake crème brûlée.

Sundance Resort

Camera shy? Escape the crowds at this rustic winter cabin, which is hidden at the foot of the 12,000-foot Mount Timpanogos, and happens to be owned by Sundance Film Festival founder, Robert Redford. Inside, the vibe is Wild West meets adult summer camp, with exposed beams, colorful wool blankets, woven Native American bowls and cowboy paraphernalia—plus, high-end touches like fireplaces and large picture windows with dead-on mountain views. Skip a red-carpet event to catch a free screening in the resort’s private theater, or forego films altogether with a horseback excursion or guided nature walk.

RELATED:7 Film Festivals You Can Actually Afford