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20 things I learned in my 20s to make me more successful in my 30s

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Britt and the Benjamins

I hit my 4th decade back in mid-December, and I’ll be honest, I thought I’d feel differently about turning 30 than I do.

Everyone says it’s a milestone birthday, a turning corner to official adulthood. Women start buying wrinkle cream and hitting the gym feverishly, men start doubting their success and their career path, and everyone just wonders how the heck they flew through their 20s so fast.

But I felt none of that. I wasn’t dreading the day I turned 30. I wasn’t worried about looking older or feeling like I had wasted time.

And you know why? Because I had used my 20s to build a life I love. I had done the work, and I can’t tell you how happy I am with where I am now. Was the journey always fun? No. Is everything perfect now? No. But I truly feel like I found a great balance between fun and responsibility in my 20s, and now, it’s laid a good enough foundation for me to do the same in my 30s. But on a bigger and better scale.

I’ve listed below the top 20 things I did in my 20s set me up for success in my 30s. If you’re interested in feeling that same sense of satisfaction and passion that I did, think about crossing some of these off your list before you say adios to 29. Or better yet, check off all 20.

SEE ALSO: I could afford to pay down my mortgage faster — here's why I won't

1. Learn to say no

While we’d all love to volunteer every Monday & Wednesday, host your niece’s birthday party, and take on that extra project at work (that you SERIOUSLY don’t have time for), it’s sometimes not physically feasible. You will be pulled in 7,000 directions the older you get, and if you haven’t mastered the art of saying “No” by the time you graduated school, you best be learning it now.



2. Create a budget

I say it a lot because it’s important. A budget will help you spend within your means and allow you to hit those big financial goals like buying a house or traveling to Bali for two weeks. Without it, you have nothing to track your progress or hold you accountable, which is always a recipe for failure. If you’re in need of a budget template, you can find one here.

[RELATED: Budgeting for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Find More Money]



3. Find your priorities

I had to learn early on that I couldn’t do it all. I wanted to have the immaculate house, the perfectly-toned body, the amazing career, and the culinary skills of Gordon Ramsey. But once I started pouring more time into my blog, I realized something had to give.

So my house is a little messier and I sometimes eat chicken nuggets for dinner, but I’m ok with that. Spending time with my friends and family and focusing on my career and this blog are more important to me than a clean floor. And you need to find what is most important to you, too.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See how Treece, Kansas, went from mining boom town to toxic wasteland in 96 years

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DinaKantor Treece 08

Treece, Kansas, doesn't exist anymore.

Founded in 1917 around a mining operation, the town served as a major supplier of lead, zinc, and iron ore for decades. But when the reserves dried up, the local economy collapsed. Then people started getting sick. The mining had made their own backyards turn toxic.

Residents left Treece in 2012 as part of a government-funded relocation program after the EPA named it one of the most environmentally devastated places in the country. Where churches, a city hall, and small businesses once stood, torn-up roads and murky, orange waters remain.

Before the exodus, photographer Dina Kantor traveled to Treece on numerous occasions to document a community that would soon cease to exist. She shared her journey with us.

SEE ALSO: Here is what the abandoned venues of the Rio Olympics look like just 6 months after the games

A hundred years ago, a mining company truck broke down on its way to Oklahoma. The crew dug a hole to pass the time — so the story goes — and discovered a reserve of lead and zinc.

Source: New York Times



Treece, Kansas, was born. The town led zinc and lead production in the US by the 1920s, and supplied metal for most of the ammunition in World Wars I and II.

Source: New York Times



Luck ran out by the 1960s. The reserves dried up, and the mining companies went bankrupt or left, taking their employees with them. The population fell to 138 by 2010.

Source: US Census



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

You probably shouldn't hug your dog, and 3 other common things we get wrong about dogs

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I have some bad news: Your dog doesn't like being hugged, even though you love to hug them.

dog own pet hug

That isn't definitive, nor is it every single dog (#NotEveryDog) — Louboutina, for instance, is seemingly all about hugs.

But chances are, your dog isn't. And that's just scratching the surface of the many misconceptions we often ascribe to our canine family members. What other commonly held beliefs about dogs are wrong? And what does it mean for our relationships with the dogs in our lives?

Dog

To learn more, I spoke with Alexandra Horowitz, a dog-cognition researcher and author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know" and "Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell."

Here's what I found out.

SEE ALSO: You probably shouldn't hug your dogs, regardless of how adorable they are

DON'T MISS: Dogs see the world differently from human beings — here's how it works

1. Dogs probably don't like being hugged.

"A lot of dog professionals would agree that hugging a dog is nonideal," Horowitz told me in an interview earlier this year. "I've never seen a dog who when you hug them, they stand up and wag their tail and they're so excited. They do something else: They deal with it."

It's hard to hear, I know. I certainly sympathize.

My dog, Goodwin, seen below, surveying Brooklyn, sleeps in the same bed as me. He goes on vacation with my wife and me. He gets Christmas presents. He's a member of the family.

Goodwin


And that means he gets hugged. If I'm being honest, he gets hugged every single day. And though it seems as if he's OK with it — happy to be hugged, even! — it's entirely possible he's not such a fan.

"The reason we say they don't like being hugged is because of what they look like when you're hugging them," Horowitz told me. "They pin their ears back, they lick their lips — sort of air-licking — or they yawn, which is another stress behavior. Or they move to get away. Or they show this kind of whale-eye posture — you can see the whites of their eyes. They show behavior that's like 'this is uncomfortable.'"



2. Dogs "see" the world primarily through scent, not sight.

The adorable snout on your pup isn't just for petting — dogs "see" the world with their nose first.

"We assume that nonhuman animals' perception would be kind of like ours but simpler," Horowitz said.

But that isn't the case. Instead, dogs see the world through smells.

"They might look at someone with their eyes — as you approach, they look at you," Horowitz said. "But then once they've noticed that there's something with their eyes, they use smell to tell that it's you. So they sort of reverse that very familiar use of ours."

That's crucial to understanding how dogs see the world.

You might smell something delicious and look around to locate the source of that delicious smell. "Ah, it's pasta sauce slowly coming together on a stove!"

For dogs, the opposite is true. Or, as Horowitz put it, "We smell something, and then when we see it, we're like, 'Oh yeah, that's it. That's what it was. It was cinnamon buns.' And dogs, when they see you, they're like, 'OK, that's something to explore. I'm gonna smell it. Oh yeah, that's Ben.'"



3. That guilty look isn't an expression of guilt — it's fear.

All the logic lines up: Your dog was left alone and did something they weren't supposed to do, that they knew better than to do, and when they're called on it their face says it all. Perhaps you're already saying "No! Bad dog! Bad dog!" or some variation thereof.

Horowitz's 2009 study, "Disambiguating the 'guilty look': salient prompts to a familiar dog behavior," focuses on how people interpret dog emotions through the scope of human emotion.

More simply: People tend to misattribute dog emotions to human emotions. The "guilty" look is a prime example of this.

"I look at a dog showing the guilty look, and it feels guilty to me. It does!" Horowitz said earlier this year. "We're kind of wired to see it this way, so it's nobody's fault.

"It seems unlikely that they have the same types of thinking about thinking that we do, because of their really different brains, but in most ways, dogs brains are more similar to ours than dissimilar."

That first bit is especially important — "thinking about thinking," known as executive function — because it means dogs aren't likely to reflect on their actions and decide they've done something wrong.

"When you adopted your dog, and suddenly you're living with a dog, within a week we have opinions about the dog's personality, what they're like and what they're thinking. It's a way to try to predict what's gonna happen next with an organism that we don't really know," Horowitz said. "So we use the language of human explanation, and we just put it on the dog."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 times it's worth spending a little more

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woman headphones

Spending a little more can be totally worth it sometimes, particularly if you're buying a high-quality product.

Think of it as an investment, even.

But how do you know which products are worth the money, and which ones are trying to sell you on hype?

We combed through Reddit and Quora to find out which expensive purchases users had no regrets making.

Mandi Woodruff and Antonia Farzan contributed to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Feeling guilty about spending money can be productive — here's why

DON'T MISS: The best time to buy almost anything in 2017

Shoes: "Rule of thumb: don't skimp on anything that separates you from the ground."

Source: Reddit user gothicaasshole



A Tempurpedic mattress: "My girlfriend at the time had chronic back pain. Spent $3,000 on a mattress. I can never go back."

Source: Reddit user Pabca



A good winter jacket: "For the record, Arc'teryx is the absolute best, but it is also the Ferrari of winter clothing."

Source: Quora user Kaicheng Liang



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world

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landing/Queenstown airport landing

The INSIDER Summary:

  • Privatefly conducted a poll to rank the most beautiful airport landings.
  • Saba in the Dutch Caribbean took the top spot.
  • Other honorable mentions include Donegal Airport in Ireland and Nice Cote d’Azur in France.


Looking out of an airplane window to behold a stunning new landscape is part of what makes traveling so invigorating. The first glimpse of a city, country, or continent from the sky can say a lot about that destination.

Privatefly, a private jet charter booking site, polled travel industry professionals to determine the most beautiful airport approaches in the world.

Here are the top 10 most scenic airport landings.

10. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Canada



9. Barra Airport, Scotland, UK



8. Orlando Melbourne Airport, USA



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 15 best US states for working mothers

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US flag America mothers children babies moms

Balancing motherhood and a career is quite a tightrope act.

But, according to a recent survey from personal finance site WalletHub, it's easier done in some states than others.

To find the best states for moms who work outside the home, WalletHub assigned each US state and Washington DC a score based on numerous factors, including women's median annual salary adjusted for the cost of living, daycare quality, the gender pay gap, childcare costs adjusted for the median women's salary, and the female unemployment rate. The rankings also assigned each state a parental leave policy score, based on this 2016 study from the National Partnership for Women and Families.

To read more about the study's methodology, check out the full report here.

Here are the top 15 states for working mothers:

SEE ALSO: 6 tips to work with your spouse without losing your cool, from a couple who launched a business 8 years ago out of a van at Coachella

DON'T MISS: Here's what makes IBM, McKinsey, and 12 other big companies some of the best places for moms to work

15. District of Columbia

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $37,292

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 26.70%

Average length of a woman's work week: 38.7 hours

Parental leave ranking: 2

The capital of the US has the second lowest gender pay gap in the rankings and the second best parental leave policies.



14. Indiana

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $40,642

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 17.36%

Average length of a woman's work week: 35.4 hours

Parental leave ranking: 34

Indiana has the fourth highest women's median salary out of all 50 states and Washington DC.



13. Wisconsin

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $37,940

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 23.85%

Average length of a woman's work week: 35.1 hours

Parental leave ranking: 16

Wisconsin's high quality day cares and schools launch the Badger State to the 13th spot on the list.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the worst stings in the world, according to a guy who's experienced them all

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justin schmidt the sting of the wild

Early in his career, Justin Schmidt realized he had a problem. There was no scale that measured the pain of insect stings.

Schmidt, a budding entomologist, had just returned to the University of Georgia from a trip around the country with his zoologist wife.

They'd been collecting different species of harvester ants —"nasty stinging insects whose venom chemistry was unknown," as he describes them in his fascinating book, "The Sting of the Wild."

To learn the details of the venom for his dissertation on the chemistry of harvester stings, they had to analyze large numbers of the creatures, which meant getting up close and personal with them.

Debbie, Schmidt's wife, describes her first harvester sting in the book as a "deep ripping and tearing pain, as if someone were reaching below the skin and ripping muscles and tendons; except the ripping continued with each crescendo of pain."

After collecting buckets of the creatures, the plan was to analyze them and compare the venoms from different specimens. To assess venom, Schmidt needed to evaluate both toxicity and pain. Toxicity was straightforward —  existing measures could be used. But the pain scale had to be created.

Thus was born the "Schmidt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects." It's a four-point system, with a four being most painful. The scale is anchored by the well-known sting of a honey bee (rating a two)  something people all over the world could be familiar with. To go up or down a full point, a sting has to be discernably more or less painful than the stings on another level. Half points can be used for pricks that fall somewhere between levels.

Over the years, Schmidt added new species to the list. He mostly didn't try to get stung. It just happened, more than 1,000 times, from at least 83 different species that have been evaluated on the index.

We've picked out insects that will illustrate the full scope of the scale, including a few that demonstrate the worst of the worst:

SEE ALSO: A man who has been stung more than 1,000 times reveals the one bug you really want to avoid

Red fire ant

Scientific name: Solenopsis invicta

Range: Native to South America

Description: "Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch."

Pain level: 1



Western cicada killer

Scientific name: Sphecius grandis

Range: North America

Description: "Pain at first sight. Like poison oak, the more your rub, the worse it gets."

Pain level: 1.5



Western honey bee

Scientific name: Apis mellifera

Range: Native to Africa and Europe

Description: "Burning, corrosive, but you can handle it. A flaming match head lands on your arm and is quenched first with lye and then sulfuric acid."

Pain level: 2 (In the special case that you get stung on the tongue, that level rises to a 3 — "It's crawled into your soda can and stings you on the tongue. It's immediate, noisome, visceral, debilitating. For 10 minutes life is not worth living.")



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Diddy, and Ciara were warned by the FTC about their sponsored Instagram posts

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Sean Combs P Diddy

Celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Naomi Campbell were among those who received warning letters from the FTC in April over sponsored Instagram posts, Women's Wear Daily reports.

The 90 letters — which were obtained by WWD's Alexandra Steigrad — were sent to 45 celebrities and the brands they were promoting. The warnings marked the first time the FTC had reached out directly to social media influencers.

The letters were intended to clarify the type of language used to state the post was sponsored (like #ad) and where in the caption it should say that. 

"Consumers viewing Instagram posts on mobile devices typically see only the first three lines of a longer post unless they click 'more,' which many may not do," the FTC said when the letters were initially sent in April

Here are some of the celebrities and brands that got into hot water. For the full list, head over to WWD

SEE ALSO: Instagram stars with 50K to 200K followers can make thousands per post

Sean "Diddy" Combs and water brand AQUAhydrate

Instagram Embed:
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Ciara and shoe brand Buscemi

Instagram Embed:
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Heidi Klum and Dunkin' Donuts

Instagram Embed:
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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

All the movies you didn't know Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin produced

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mad max fury road

Former Goldman Sachs banker turned film producer turned Treasury Secretary of the United States Steven Mnuchin wasn't in Hollywood for long, but he built a substantial resume filled with popular movies (and some not so popular ones) during his time as a producer.

In 2013, Mnuchin's production company, Dune Entertainment, partnered with Brett Ratner's company, RatPac Entertainment, to form RatPac-Dune Entertainment. Mnuchin was producing movies left and right until recently, when President Donald Trump appointed him Treasury Secretary and he was confirmed.

He even acted in one of the films he produced — as a banker. He also produced some films that are coming out very soon. 

Here are all the movies Treasury Secretary Mnuchin produced in his Hollywood career:

SEE ALSO: THEN AND NOW: How 'The Big Bang Theory' characters have changed over 10 years

"6 Below" (2017, postproduction) — executive producer



"The LEGO NINJAGO Movie" (2017, postproduction) — executive producer



"The Disaster Artist" (release date TBD, 2017) — executive producer



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

37 jobs that are quickly disappearing in the US

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mail carrier

Thanks in part to advances like email, Facebook, and Twitter, mail carriers may be all but obsolete in the not-so-distant future.

By 2024, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 28% decline in postal-service jobs, totaling around 136,000 fewer positions than 2014.

Mail carriers aren't the only ones whose jobs are disappearing. Technology and market shifts have affected a wide range of fields.

Based on the BLS's occupational outlook data, here are 37 jobs that could be on their way out of the US:

DON'T MISS: The 37 jobs that are most damaging to your health

SEE ALSO: The 25 highest-paying jobs in America

37. Computer operators

They monitor and control electronic computer and peripheral electronic data processing equipment to process business, scientific, engineering, and other data according to operating instructions.

Median annual pay: $42,270

Number of people who held this job in the US in 2014: 61,100 

Predicted number of people who will hold this job in 2024: 49,500

Projected decline: 19%



36. Respiratory therapy technicians

They provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.

Median annual pay: $49,780

Number of people who held this job in the US in 2014: 10,700

Predicted number of people who will hold this job in 2024: 8,700

Projected decline: 19.2%



35. Metal and plastic heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders

They set up, operate, or tend heating equipment like heat-treating furnaces, induction machines, and vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat-treat metal or plastic objects.

Median annual pay: $37,180

Number of people who held this job in the US in 2014: 21.3

Predicted number of people who will hold this job in 2024: 17.2

Projected decline: 19.6%



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

5 of the weirdest and most unexpected graduation speakers of all time

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graduation

The spring semester is winding down for college seniors across the US, and graduation ceremonies will take place throughout May and June.

Many colleges have lined up impressive commencement speakers, landing reputable industry leaders in business, politics, and entertainment, who will aim to impart wisdom on the class of 2017.

But some colleges make more unusual choices when they book graduation speakers. Keep reading to see some of the most unexpected choices to give commencement addresses.

SEE ALSO: A 2005 address championing the liberal arts might be the best graduation speech of all time

Kermit the Frog — Southampton College, 1996

America's favorite Muppet gave the graduation speech at Southampton College, and was even awarded a doctorate of amphibious letters for his speech — an honorary degree for his contribution to raising environmental awareness, The New York Times reported in 1996. Environmental and marine sciences is a big part of the college's curriculum.

Kermit started his speech like many esteemed graduation speakers do — reflecting on his childhood. He said:

"When I was a tadpole growing up back in the swamps, I never imagined that I would one day address such an outstanding group of scholars. And I am sure that when you were children growing up back in your own particular swamps or suburbs, you never imagined you would sit here on one of the most important days of your life listening to a short, green talking frog deliver your commencement address. All of us should feel very proud of ourselves ... and just a little bit silly."

While most of the student body were supportive of the choice of Kermit as their graduation speaker, not everyone felt that way.

"I've been here laboring for five years and now we have a sock talking at our commencement," Samantha Chie, a marine biology major, told The Times. "It's kind of upsetting."



Progressive's Flo (Stephanie Courtney) — Binghamton College, 2015

Stephanie Courtney is better-known by her fictional alter ego Flo, who sells insurance on commercials for Progressive. Flo was named one of the top female ad icons of all time by Ad Age.

While Flo may be known for her quirky humor, Courtney struck a serious note in her advice to Binghamton graduates. Speaking about how failure can be a positive experience she said:

"But those gaffes, those cringe-worthy moments, at best teach you how to be better, stronger, tougher, faster at whatever you want to do. And at the very least they make excellent dinner party stories."



Ali G — Harvard University, 2004

Dressed head to toe in his recognizable red track suit, Ali G — a character played by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen — addressed Harvard graduates for Class Day, the more informal graduation celebration that happens the day before students receive their diplomas. He started off:

"Me name be Ali G and I represent the UK. For those of you who didn't study geography the UK is a place over a 100 miles away from here, and the capital of it is? Anyone? Not you geography square! Yes, it is Liverpool. You are clever and quite fly if you don't mind me saying."

Harvard's student paper covered the speech noting that topics addressed ranged from "sex, drugs, race relations and higher education, interspersed with the occasional 'respect' and 'booyakasha.'



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

26 photos that show what popular tourist attractions really look like

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Giza Pizza Hut

All that glitters is not gold, and famous landmarks on your friends' Instagram or in glossy magazines don't usually look like that in real life.

So before you book a trip because you saw the destination in a beautiful magazine, or on a heavily curated Instagram feed, take a look at what 13 famous sites are actually like.

The Great Wall of China snakes along for miles, beautifully devoid of anyone but you.



In reality, there are humans everywhere.



The pyramids of Giza, shrouded in mystery, beckon with wide open desert.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are all your favorite TV shows that are coming back for another season

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nbc taken It's about that time when television networks decide which shows have to go and which get another round. The pilot shows are being reviewed, and announcements will trickle in over the next few weeks.

And while the people behind the shows are awaiting the networks' decisions, viewers are also feeling the tension. Will your favorite show head to the TV graveyard or get another year of life?

Exhale. That question has been answered for many of your favorite shows. Business Insider has compiled an exhaustive list of the shows that have already been renewed for another season and will air during the 2017-2018 TV seasons.

The following list includes all the scripted shows that the broadcast networks have ordered for another year and a selection of the most popular scripted offerings on the cable and streaming networks.

Here are your favorite shows getting another season:

SEE ALSO: 24 TV shows that were just canceled

DON'T MISS: 18 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

"13 Reasons Why" season two (Netflix)



"The 100" season five (The CW)



"A Series of Unfortunate Events" season two (Netflix)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The anti-drug agency Trump wants to gut was once in charge of a scandal-filled media campaign

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war on drugs ondcp ad dog girl

The Trump administration's plans to gut funding to the Office of National Drug Control Policy by 96% leaked on Friday.

The move, while criticized by both Republicans and Democrats as an unwise move amidst the ongoing opioid crisis, isn't the first time the ONDCP has found itself in hot water.

The ONDCP, which was created in 1988, launched a controversial anti-drug campaign with a $1.2 billion dollar media budget between 1998 and 2004.

It was filled with blunders, including a secret TV script-writing project, a criminal trial for overbilling the government that ended in prison time for the ad executives who worked on its campaign, and continual questions about whether the ads actually dissuaded youngsters from doing drugs.

Here are some of the problems that arose during the campaign.

 Laura Stampler contributed to a previous version of this article.

Government propaganda secretly inserted into TV shows like 'ER'

A six-month investigation by Salon in 2000 revealed that the ONDCP was paying networks millions of dollars to secretly embed anti-drug messaging into their regular programming.

The money came out of the Congress-approved $1 billion allocation for ad-buys. Networks embedded ONDCP-approved messages in their television scripts in lieu of ad slots owed to the government.

"ER" received $1.4 million worth of ad time in exchange for several episodes featuring anti-drug subplots, for instance.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Use filed a complaint against the practice, and the FCC eventually ruled that the networks would have to identify the ONDCP as a sponsor of the television programs.



The federal government went into the script-writing business

The ONDCP gave networks a total of $25 million to add anti-drug related subplots, but did it have control over what actually appeared in the programs' scripts as well?

While many networks denied giving over control of their scripts, a contractor at the now-defunct WB television network told Salon at the time that their storylines did change, using an episode of "Smart Guy" as an example. While teens drinking at a party were originally depicted as cool, their social status changed after the ONDCP saw the script.

“We showed that they were losers and put them [hidden away to indulge in shamed secrecy] in a utility room. That was not in the original script."



ESPN let government money influence its news coverage

ESPN participated in a similar scheme in its news programming at the time.

The sports channel agreed to air paid anti-drug commercials in addition to providing matching public service airtime of its own for anti-drug messaging.

Rather than run its own public service ads, ESPN instead offered its own news programming as a match

ESPN shows whose coverage of drug use in sports qualified for the federal government's matching money included SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, Monday Night Countdown, SportsWeekly, SportsCentury and Upclose. Topics included baseball player Darryl Strawberry's drug use.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Russia shows off its military hardware with big parade through Red Square

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Russia Victory Day parade

Russia put its military might on display Tuesday, showcasing its new missile defense systems designed for the Arctic, during an annual parade. 

Commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the parade was held in Moscow's Red Square. Smaller parades took place in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine three years ago, and in Russia's Hmeimim air base in Syria.

Russia recently unveiled its second military base in the Arctic, where it's competing with the US, Canada and Norway for minerals newly uncovered by receding glaciers. 

Columns of troops, tanks and intercontinental ballistic missile systems were also showcased during the parade. 

Moldovan President Igor Dodon was the only foreign leader to attend the parade. In prior years, foreign dignitaries such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping had attended.

At one point, Putin addressed the crowd. "The Russian soldier today, as in all times, showing courage and heroism, is ready for any feat, for any sacrifice for the sake of his motherland and people."

Check out some of the photos below.  

SEE ALSO: Intense photos show Venezuela being rocked by the 'mother of all protests'

Russia displayed its military might Tuesday during its annual Victory Day parade commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.



The parade took place in Moscow's Red Square, where all types of soldiers and weaponry showcased. Seen here is a Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile system, which has a range of about 6,524 miles and a payload of three MIRV warheads.



Russia also unveiled its new Tor-M and Pantsir SA air defense systems, which are painted black and white for the country's Arctic forces.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the coolest features on the $400,000 Ford GT supercar (F)

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Ford GT 24

Ford's GT supercar was revealed at the Detroit auto show in 2015 and a little over a year later, the racing version won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

That meant that the race car the road car had to be developed at the same time.

And unlike the GT's on-track competition in both the IMSA WeatherTech series in North America and the World Endurance Championship in Europe, the GT was really a race car first.

The Ferrari 488, Corvette C7R, and Porsche 911, among others, were longstanding road car designs that happened to be track worthy.

Now that the GT is starting to be delivered to owners — only 250 in the first year of production — we can see what race-car elements influenced, and in many ways, determined the design.

Of course, not everything was crafted for hardcore performance. The GT has plenty of features that have nothing to do with turning fast laps.

Check them out below:

SEE ALSO: Here's what $1 million worth of Ford GT supercars looks like

The GT is made almost entirely out of lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum. The exterior design is so breathtaking that the scissor doors seem a bit ho-hum.



The front end is defined by large, back-sweeping headlights and a pair of BIG hood scoops.



The now-famous flying buttresses perform an important aerodynamic function in addition to looking totally badass.



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Here are all of the Memorial Day deals you need to know

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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.

sale sign storeWhile Memorial Day honors members of the armed forces who have died serving our country, it also has several lighter, commercialized connotations. 

You may think of the holiday as the unofficial start of summer or the release date of a highly-anticipated summer blockbuster.

Memorial Day is also an opporunity to take advantage of some really great deals. 

You could go to your local mall to shop all of the sales, but you'll cover much more ground online.

To make your Memorial Day weekend shopping as efficient as possible, we put together a list of the best sales. Check back here for updates soon. 

SEE ALSO: These sheets are one of the best purchases I’ve ever made — here’s why

DON'T MISS: 12 grilling accessories you can buy for under $25

Amazon

Amazon has daily deals across many product categories, so make sure to make it one of your first virtual stops over Memorial Day weekend.

If you're not a Prime member already, now is a good time sign up— not only can you get same-day shipping for any last-minute grill accessories you need, you're also granted early access to certain lightning deals.

Shop here >>



BCBG

Womenswear brand BCBG is offering 30% off its site between May 24 and May 30.

Whether you're in the market for a pair of stylish sandals or a printed top, the sale is well worth a look.

Shop here >>



Birch Lane

From May 24 through May 30, you can enjoy 20% off select home decor pieces as well as free shipping when you enter the code "SUPER" at checkout.

Shop here >>



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Here's how US lawmakers are reacting to James Comey's firing

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James Comey

US lawmakers have been sounding off after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday.

The reactions range from agreement to dismay in light of the multiple controversies surrounding the Trump administration — chief among them, the inquiry into Russia's meddling in the 2016 US election. Comey had been leading that investigation on behalf of the FBI.

Bipartisan investigation of the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia are ongoing in the House and Senate. 

Here's a look at how Democrats and Republicans are reacting to the FBI director's firing.

 

SEE ALSO: James Comey fired as FBI Director

DON'T MISS: The deputy attorney general laid out why James Comey was fired

AND MORE: James Comey is only the second FBI director to ever be fired — here's why Trump was able to fire him

Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican, South Carolina

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says he is on board with President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Graham said, "given the recent controversies surrounding the director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well. I encourage the president to select the most qualified professional available who will serve our nation's interests."

Graham chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism. He led hearings on Monday in which former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified about Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who was fired in February over his contacts with Russian operatives prior to Trump's inauguration.

Graham has been an infrequent critic of Trump before and after the 2016 election, and has been vocal about getting to the bottom of the Russia investigation. As recently as Tuesday, Graham said he has questions about potential business ties Trump may have with the Kremlin.



Sen. Chuck Schumer, Democrat, New York

Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader. He said during a press conference on Tuesday: "I told the president, Mr. President, with all due respect, you're making a big mistake," referring to a phone call he had with President Donald Trump, informing Schumer of Comey's firing.

"The first question the administration has to answer is 'why now,'" Schumer said. "If the administration has objections to the way Director Comey handled the Clinton investigation, they had those objections the minute the president got into office, but they didn't fire him then. Why did it happen today?"

Schumer continued:

"We know the House is investigating Russian interference in our elections that benefited the Trump campaign. We know the Senate is investigating. We know the FBI has been looking into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. A very serious offense. Were these investigations getting too close to home for the president? It is troubling that Attorney General [Jeff] Sessions, who had recused himself from the Russia investigation, played a role in firing the man leading it."

Watch Schumer's entire press conference below:

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California

Feinstein, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said "The next FBI director must be strong and independent and will receive a fair hearing in the Judiciary Committee."



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8 unique jewelry gifts moms will love getting this Mother's Day

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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.

1. Catbird, $48

You can't put a price on love, but taking the time to find Mom a beautiful pairing of earrings or a necklace will show her just how much you care this Mother's Day. Have a look at eight stunning pieces of jewelry she'll cherish for years to come, below. Not only are they a far cry from the macaroni necklace you made her in kindergarten, you can even personalize some of them with her birthstone or her children's initials.

Mejuri

Mejuri Engraved Necklace, $240



Capucinne

Capucinne Signature Bracelet, from $169



Nora Kogan

Nora Kogan White Gold "Mama" Ring, $390



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28 TV shows that were just canceled

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sleepy hollow canceled fox

It's that time of year when the networks are each bringing down the ax on several of their series.

To make room for new shows, executives have been crunching the ratings numbers, reviewing pilots for new series, and making easy and difficult decisions about which shows have to go.

The easy cancellation decisions this year included Katherine Heigl's low-rated legal drama, "Doubt," by CBS. Then there was NBC and DC's critically panned and low-rated comedy experiment, "Powerless."

Among the tougher cuts this year was Fox's decision to cancel the low-rated but critically acclaimed "Pitch," the story of a young woman who breaks into Major League Baseball as a pitcher. In the same vein, Amazon canceled its show "Good Girls Revolt," about the women who paved the way for today's female journalists. HBO also couldn't hang on to "The Leftovers," which was beloved by critics and fans but couldn't pull in the necessary ratings.

And then you have the shows that had run their natural course, such as "Girls,""The Vampire Diaries,""Bloodline," and "Masters of Sex."

Here are all the broadcast shows that were canceled and a selection of canceled shows on the streaming and cable networks:

SEE ALSO: Here are all your favorite TV shows that are coming back for another season

DON'T MISS: 10 TV shows people think are about to be canceled

"Bates Motel" (A&E)



"Black Sails" (Starz)



"Bloodline" (Netflix)



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