Summer has arrived, and Chick-fil-A is embracing the barbecue season with a new sandwich.

The Smokehouse BBQ Bacon sandwich is the chain’s first foray into seasonal entree items and was developed in part by Ford Fry, an Atlanta-based and James Beard Award-nominated chef. 

Gilded with candied bacon and a specially formulated bun, this sandwich is decidedly more complex than the majority of Chick-fil-A’s menu.

After successful testing in several Southern markets, the sandwich is debuting on May 22 and will be available through August 19. 

But the question stands: is it worth ordering? We managed to get our hands on one, and we’ve put it to the test. 

SEE ALSO: Shake Shack will soon serve breakfast at its original NYC location — here's what it's like

Immediately, one can tell this is no ordinary Chick-fil-A sandwich. Specially prepared bacon, a new bun, and barbecue sauce adorn the iconic grilled chicken — a far cry even from the deluxe sandwiches or the grilled chicken clubs.

First off, the bun is a departure. It's a sweet Hawaiian-style bun, specially made for this sandwich. The sweetness concerns me at first, as this is where many barbecue sandwiches can go awry; sweet buns and sweet sauces can become a treacly mess.

Let's delve deeper. Oven-roasted bacon glazed with brown sugar and pepper lays beneath the bun, looking resplendent in its crispy, candied glory. It's not a big amount, but since it's so infused with flavors, I'm glad for it.

There's no way around it: Raising kids — even just one! — is expensive. 

The average American family pays over $11,000 just in the first year of a child's life, and nearly $250,000 by the time they're 18. And while most of the incurred expenses prove worthwhile, not every toy, class, or experience warrants its price tag. 

Business Insider asked parents with children of all ages to weigh in on the financial side of having kids. While they concluded that several expenses are well worth the money, myriad others proved unworthy of the cost, from trendy gadgets to designer clothing.

Not every parent went into their reasoning, but every family is different, and it makes sense that every expense would be valued differently, too.

Below, we've anonymously included 13 things they say aren't worth spending on: 

SEE ALSO: Real parents reveal 16 kid expenses that are worth the money

DON'T MISS: 13 unexpected costs of having a kid

Too much/too nice clothing

• "For older kids, I would say clothes. Kids can be picky about their clothes and will end up wearing the same 5 shirts over and over anyway. So just get clothes they like and will wear and replace as needed. And I always accept hand-me-downs."

• "Fancy clothes when they were young. They outgrew them too quickly."

Toys

• Trendy toys

• "Any electronic gadgets for kids less than 13." 

• Going overboard on Christmas

• Over-the-top birthday parties

Expensive vacations with young kids

• "It's not worth it to do 'big vacations' when they are younger; they just forget. It's been more worth it to do things like visit major cities or travel across Canada now that my son is old enough to appreciate it and learn from it."

Faraday Future has kept fairly quiet in the months following its January appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The electric-car startup's showing earned some mixed reviews at the time. The event was not without glitches, and the presentation was seen by some as rough around the edges.

Faraday, like most of the upstart automotive companies of late, has remained aggressive in its bid to stake a claim in the future of driving. That means autonomous, electric vehicles — drenched from bumper to bumper in immersive technology.

The mission is not easy. Building a car company is hard enough, but setting out to completely redefine the concept of driving, as Faraday Future says it wants to do, is a gargantuan task, fraught with nearly endless potential for failure. This week, the company released a video of its first car, the FF91, driving on public roads in what looks to be nearly production-level livery.

However, the car is not yet complete. Beta versions of the FF91 have been roaming the streets of Southern California, Faraday tells Business Insider of how far along the company is at this juncture.

Here's everything we know about the current version of Faraday Future's FF91, so far.

SEE ALSO: These are the 10 fastest police cars in America

Faraday Future's current FF91 beta models are equipped with near-production level powertrains — motors and battery systems. Braking, suspension, and handling dynamics are also part of the testing regiment.

The FF91 is expected to be loaded with first-generation technology. Its UI/UX — seen as some of the most immersive tech in the auto industry — is not being tested on the road yet, but Faraday representatives tell Business Insider those elements are being developed concurrently, in-house.

At the moment, Faraday has 21 beta FF91s on the road.

Megamergers aren't very common, but when they happen, the numbers involved are truly massive. For example, Exxon's $79 billion merger with Mobil doesn't even crack the top seven deals of all time in terms of value.

Here's a list of seven deals that were bigger.

7. AT&T reunites with BellSouth: $86 billion

When AT&T announced its acquisition of BellSouth in 2006, it emphasized billions of dollars in potential cost savings, but Cingular Wireless -- the wireless company shared by the two telecom providers -- was the real reason behind this combination.

In the mid-2000s, Cingular Wireless was the biggest wireless provider in the U.S., with 54 million customers. AT&T owned 60% of it, so it was already a big beneficiary of Cingular's success. However, AT&T recognized that telecom market was moving toward a convergence of television, computers, and wireless accessibility, and that made acquiring the remaining 40% of Cingular that BellSouth owned very important to it. 

Today, smartphones and tablets are commonly used to access entertainment wirelessly, and  AT&T's mobility segment represents 43% of the company's total revenue. In my book, that makes this a smart deal for AT&T.

6. Warner-Lambert warms up to Pfizer: $89 billion

Pfizer's acquisition of Warner-Lambert in 2000 created the planet's second-biggest drug company, but it wasn't just scale that was behind this deal. Pfizer's interest in Warner-Lambert was driven predominately by Warner-Lambert's top-selling cholesterol drug, Lipitor. Pfizer had commercial rights to Lipitor, but Pfizer was splitting profits on it with Warner-Lambert, and in 1999, Warner-Lambert sued Pfizer to end their licensing pact.

Pfizer's acquisition removed the risk of losing out on Lipitor, and since Lipitor's sales ended up growing from about $5 billion annually to more than $13 billion annually, gaining full control over it was smart -- especially since this acquisition was an all-stock deal.

5. SABMiller sells to AB InBev: $90 billion

Combining these two companies created a brewing behemoth boasting over $55 billion in annual sales that's responsible for nearly 3 of every 10 beers sold worldwide. But, since this deal only happened last year, it will be a while before we know if it's a success or a failure.

AB InBev and SABMiller were forced to sell some of their brands to secure regulatory approval for their tie-up, but the deal has made AB InBev a much bigger player in emerging markets, including China, and the company thinks those markets will be a big driver of future growth. Only time will tell if sales growth in the Middle Kingdom and beyond ends up justifying this deal's lofty cost.

It's hard to believe, but "The Bachelor" has been on the air for 15 years.

But when the show first launched in 2002, no one knew it was going to last this long. It was critiqued for throwing personal relationships into the public eye and allowing one man to date multiple women at once.

Despite that, the show has become one of ABC's best-performing reality series, and has produced multiple spinoffs like "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor in Paradise."

And though there's been plenty of seasons, the majority of contestants aren't with the winner they fell in love with over the course of a few months. 

SEASON 1: Management consultant Alex Michel picked Amanda Marsh, but didn't propose.

The two dated for a nearly a year before Marsh broke up with him after reportedly learning he was keeping in touch with runner-up Trista Rehn.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

Michel later became a spokesperson for Match.com as well as for Princess Cruises. Today he lives in Washington, DC, and works as a consultant.

Source: PRnewswire, PR Newswire, and LinkedIn

Marsh married her childhood friend Jay Caldwell and lives in Chanute, Kansas, with their daughter Chloe. She works as a registered nurse.

Source: People

In November 2016, Amazon opened "Day 1"— a 521-foot-tall skyscraper in the heart of downtown Seattle that will serve as its new base of operations.

The most well-known feature of the Day 1 tower is actually outside: A set of three gigantic, glass spheres that will be filled with greenery, including endangered species, when they are completed in 2018.

The idea is to give Amazon employees something of an oasis in the middle of the company's famously demanding corporate culture.

The last time Business Insider swung by the Day 1 location in August 2016, the tower was receiving its finishing touches and the spheres were only half-completed. 

I made a return visit in early May while in Seattle for the Microsoft Build conference. There's been a good deal of progress and the project looks impressive. Here's a look at the Day 1 tower and the mysterious glass biospheres that have sprouted up at its base: 

SEE ALSO: Learn any of these 16 programming languages and you'll always have a job

This is Day 1 — Amazon's new skyscraper headquarters, which opened in November 2016. It's 37 stories tall. The name refers to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos mantra that "it's always day 1;" a reminder to never rest on your laurels.

As you approach the Day 1 tower, you may notice a message on its side. From up close, it's kind of hard to make out...

...but if you step away, you can see that it says "Hello World," a reference to the classic example used to demonstrate new programming languages or concepts.

Millions of pounds donated by some of the richest people in Britain were not enough to stop voters opting to leave the European Union on June 23 last year.

The Sunday Times Rich List ranks the 1,000 wealthiest people in Britain and one of the sub-indexes lists the biggest donors to both the Remain and Leave campaign.

We found out that the groups that made up the Leave campaign were mainly funded by five of Britain's richest businessman. The campaign received a total of £24.4 million in donations and loans between February 1 and June 23 last year, according to the Sunday Times. £14.9 million of that sum came from five of the nation's richest businessmen.

While the Remain camo got a sizeable chunk in donations, the total received only after of what Leave did — £10.4 million. And in the end, Remain lost with 46.6% to Leave's slim majority of 51.9%.

Check out the 23 biggest donors to the Remain campaign.

23. Sir Alan Parker

Donation:£40,000.

Net worth:£128 million.

Parker is the chairman of one of the most powerful public relations groups in Britain — Brunswick advises more than a quarter of FTSE 100 companies.

T=16. Tony Langley

Donation:£50,000.

Net worth:£1.32 billion.

Langley oversees Langley Holdings, which is worth at least £1.2 billion. The company stemmed from turned around his family’s struggling business unit which makes mining equipment. He owns the racing yacht Gladiator, and a helicopter and a twin-turbo jet.

T=16. Tony Gallagher

Donation:£50,000.

Net worth:£850 million

Gallagher is a property mogul who has a £1 billion private rental business. His property portfolio include expensive properties in London and other major cities. He is also close friends with former Prime Minister David Cameron and even threw a party for Cameron’s 50th birthday at his Oxfordshire mansion last year.

HTC on Tuesday announced its latest high-end smartphone, the HTC U 11.

The newest flagship from the Taiwanese phone maker doesn’t come off like a groundbreaking upgrade from past HTC phones at first blush, but it does pack a host of little things worth noting.

I was able to spend a short time with the HTC U 11 prior to its launch on Tuesday. Here’s a rundown of my initial impressions:

SEE ALSO: The new BlackBerry phone brings the old-school keyboard back from the dead — here’s what it’s like

• It’s gorgeous. The HTC U 11 is still a rectangle, but its all-glass back has a sheen to it that immediately catches the eye. Each finish is nice and deep — especially that dark blue — and light dances right off it.

• The way that back curves into the metal sides furthers its “object of desire” vibe. Those metal sides are sturdy, the camera bump isn’t big, and the whole thing is fairly thin. The phone has a little bit of heft to it, but again, that helps the device feel expensive.

• That said, the Samsung Galaxy S8 has made it so that any phone without a super-wide display looks dated. The U 11’s side bezels are slim enough, but there's a good deal of "not-screen" space on the top and bottom. It’s still attractive, but mostly by yesterday’s standards.

• It’s also a fingerprint magnet. Seriously, the mere thought of touching this phone is likely to smudge it. It’s likely to be slippery, too.

• The phone is IP67 water-resistant. That’s table stakes today, but the HTC 10 didn't have it.

• If you’re wondering about the name: HTC recently switched its top-end phones to the “U” branding — seen with this year’s HTC U Ultra, for instance — but this phone is the successor to last year’s hero device, the HTC 10. So HTC mashed the two names together: U 11.

• There’s no headphone jack, which is still annoying. The U 11 isn't the thinnest phone around, so ditching the jack isn't saving that much space. And keeping it wouldn't preclude you from using Bluetooth or USB-C. The U Ultra didn’t have it either, though, so at least HTC is consistent. And there is a 3.5mm dongle in the box.

• HTC is also throwing a pair of noise-cancelling USB-C earbuds in the box. I wasn’t able to test them, but HTC says the earbuds are able to customize their sound to the shape of your ear. Whatever the case, if you’re going to push the jack away, emphasizing what its replacement does well — noise-cancelling over USB-C doesn’t require a separate battery — is a good way to go about it.

• It’ll have actual Alexa support baked in. Huawei technically added Amazon’s assistant to its Mate 9 phone earlier this year, but only through a separate app. HTC says the U 11 will work with Alexa the same way an Echo does — just say the wake word, and you can talk to it. This is kind of a big deal!

The demographic makeup of the US will change dramatically over the course of the next 10 years, and a new report from a group of  Credit Suisse analysts led by Seth Sigman shows that those changes could have a big impact on consumer spending and the well-being of certain industries. 

According to the report, the following demographic changes will have the biggest impact on consumer spending:

• "Lower growth in under 25-years-old cohort." Declining birth rates will translate into a decline in the growth of people under 25-years-old. The population of this group is set to increase by just 1.3% in the decade between 2016-2026. 
• "Growing young adult population." Millennials, the largest population group, are about to enter the "sweet spot for spending."
• "Shrinking middle-age population." The so-called "middle-age cohort," people age 45-64, is set to decline by 2.8%
• "Growing older population." The older population, people 65-years and above, is expected to grow by 37.1%.

"Our analysis is most positive for Home Improvement, Leisure-related categories (e.g., RV's, boats), and Staple categories (Healthcare, Household Supplies, Food at Home) based on expected growth in the young adult and 65+ age cohorts, while less positive for Apparel/Footwear, General Sporting Goods, Home Furnishings, Casual Dining, based on a shrinking middle-age group," the analysts wrote. 

Following are 14 stocks Credit Suisse thinks could be negatively impacted by demographic changes in the US. 

SEE ALSO: Inside the exclusive New York gym where Hugh Jackman, Victoria's Secret models and Wall Streeters work out

Hudson's Bay Company

Demographic driver: Shrinking middle age population, - Old population spends less

Source: Credit Suisse

JCPenney

Demographic driver: Shrinking middle age population, - Old population spends less

Source: Credit Suisse

Nordstrom

Demographic driver: Shrinking middle age population, - Old population spends less

Source: Credit Suisse

A trip around the world is on the bucket lists of many, but for the Fisher family, travelling could become their career.

According to Wales Online, the family of four from Porthcawl, Wales, are quitting their jobs and selling everything they own in order to fund an around the world trip, from which they do not have a return ticket.

Known as the Travel The World Family, they will document their journey on Instagram and via a YouTube channel which will be launched before they embark after the festive period at the end of this year.

Clare Fisher, 31, and her husband Ian, 28, are taking their two kids — five-year-old son Kallan and three-year-old daughter Maddison — out of school to embark on the adventure.

They are trying to save as much money as they can by selling their belongings, including cars, handbags, and even plan to sell their furniture and stay with family before their departure, according to Wales Online.

They have planned out the first eight months of the trip — which will see them visit Majorca, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji — but have yet to decide when — or whether — they will return. A second leg of their journey could take them to the United States and Canada.

"There’s no limit on how long we go for," Clare said. "We have planned the first eight months location wise and then we will come back to see family and friends and then, potentially, we will be going on the second part of our trip."

Scroll down to meet the Fisher family.

Meet the Fisher family from Porthcawl, Wales, who are quitting their jobs and selling everything they own in order to fund a round the world trip.

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Known as the Travel The World Family, they will document their journey on Instagram and via a YouTube channel which will be launched before they embark after the festive period at the end of this year.

Clare Fisher, a 31-year-old business coach, and her husband Ian, a 28-year-old working in media, are leaving their jobs behind to plan for the trip which they will embark on after Christmas.

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While Clare is hoping she might be able to continue working as she travels, their plan is to do as much volunteer work as possible.

They are taking their two kids — five-year-old son Kallan and three-year-old daughter Maddison — out of school to embark on the adventure.

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The kids will be schooled by their parents every day with the aim of following the curriculum as well as accessing a virtual school online, according to Wales Online. 

Hybrid cars are a great fit for drivers who want to do their part to limit carbon emissions without the fear of running out of juice on a long trip.

They combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine, switching from one power source to the other depending on the need. At a time where batteries are expensive, purchasing a long-range electric car can be costly. But hybrids offer a more cost-effective way of reducing emissions while increasing fuel economy.

Kelley Blue Book rounded up the 2017 hybrid cars that will give you the best bang for your buck. 

Scroll down for a closer look:

SEE ALSO: Hyundai created a stunning hydrogen concept that should make Honda and Toyota nervous

9. Toyota Camry hybrid

Starting price: $27,675

Specs: 40 mpg (42 city/38 highway); 4-cylinder, 2.5 liter hybrid engine gets 200 hp and 156 lb.-ft. of torque; forward-wheel drive

The breakdown: Toyota's non-hybrid Camry was America's best-selling car in 2016. It ranks second in power on this list and has respectable mileage.

8. Chevrolet Malibu hybrid

Starting price: $28,750

Specs: 46 mpg combined (49 city/43 highway); 4-cylinder, 1.8-liter hybrid engine gets 124 hp and 129 lb.-ft. of torque; forward-wheel drive

The breakdown: In addition to offering great mileage, the Chevy Malibu comes with a long list of tech perks like 4G LTE WiFi.

7. Toyota RAV4 hybrid

Starting price: $29,990

Specs: 32 mpg combined (34 city/30 highway); 4-cylinder, 2.5-liter hybrid engine gets 194 hp and 152 lb.-ft. of torque; all-wheel drive

The breakdown: The gas-powered RAV4 is the second best-selling compact SUV in America, and it's gaining steam. The hybrid version offers the most space out of all the cars on the list and is the only one that comes with all-wheel drive.

Much of America's charm is predicated on small-town life. It's community-oriented, nostalgic, and generally more affordable than living in a big city.

In its October-November print issue, AARP The Magazine highlights 10 great hometowns for anyone on a modest budget of $40,000 a year. (See the shorter online version here).

To create the list, the magazine teamed up with Sperling's Best Places, which focuses on quality-of-life research, to determine a livability index, factoring in metrics on housing affordability, access to work and recreation, transportation, healthcare, and safety. Each city on the list has a score above the average livability index score of 50.

Read on to check out 10 US cities where life is robust and affordable.

DON'T MISS: 15 of the most fun American cities that are actually affordable

SEE ALSO: The 25 cities with the best quality of life in the US

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Livability index: 65

Population: 115,300

Median housing price: $127,300

Sunny days per year: 188

Just one hour north of Milwaukee, you'll find this distinctly Midwestern town on the shores of Lake Michigan at the opening of the Sheboygan River, the area's main draw and a hotspot for surfing and sailing. Residents laud Sheboygan's free and affordable events and activities, including the annual Brat Days festival, a celebration of the city's most famous culinary export.

Eugene, Oregon

Livability index: 59

Population: 358,300

Median housing price: $222,000

Sunny days per year: 155

Nestled in the lush Willamette Valley, Eugene has "carefully cultivated its image as an outdoor-lover's paradise," according to AARP The Magazine. Its high concentration of nature mavens — including the area's college students and retirees — frequent farmers markets, vineyards, hiking and biking trails, museums, and galleries.

Cleveland, Ohio

Livability index: 56

Population: 2 million

Median housing price: $124,000

Sunny days per year: 166

Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland has experienced a cultural renaissance of late, led by growing populations of baby boomers and millennials alike. The city's robust art and music scene is complemented by lively nightlife and award-winning restaurants, not to mention a renewed excitement among NBA fans with the return of hometown hero LeBron James.

Austin, Texas is the place to be.

US News & World Report rated the Texas capital as the best place to live this year. It's also a great spot if you're looking for a job or seeking a high quality of life.

It's clear that life is pretty good in ATX.

This is largely thanks to a former First Lady.

Lady Bird Johnson championed beautifying America and preserving nature as First Lady.

In the 1970s, after her husband Lyndon B. Johnson left the White House, her passion for conservation also laid the groundwork for some of Austin's most beloved spots.

SEE ALSO: 13 American presidents who escaped attempts on their lives

DON'T MISS: How one of the worst US presidents in history alienated Congress to the point that he was impeached

Her connection to the city of Austin began early in life

Growing up, Claudia "Lady Bird" Taylor had always "found solace in the outdoors, in the beauty of nature," said Betty Boyd Caroli, author of "Lady Bird and Lyndon: The Hidden Story of a Marriage That Made a President."

This passion for flowers and the outdoors also sparked Taylor's love for the capital of Texas.

"The 17-year-old Lady Bird first saw Austin in the spring of 1930 when she flew down, from her home about 300 miles to the East, to look at the University of Texas and consider enrolling there," Caroli said. "She fell in love with the city immediately and called it a 'magical place' for her."

As the future First Lady's plane landed, she looked out the window and saw a sea of bluebonnets in bloom.

"She had never seen so many bluebonnets in one space before, and it was the sight of the field of flowers set against the brushy range that made her want to move to Austin," writes Jan Jarboe Russell in "Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson.""'It was as though the gates of the world flung open for me,' she said. 'I felt in in love with life itself.'"

Lady Bird made a life for herself in Austin

Lady Bird Taylor ended up receiving a BA with honors from the University of Texas in Austin in 1933, as well as a second BA in journalism the following year.

Austin was also where Taylor met an ambitious young Congressional aide named Lyndon Johnson. Johnson proposed to her on their first date, but Taylor did not accept immediately. The couple was married on November 17, 1934.

The Johnsons maintained a residence in the Texas city early on in their marriage, even after buying a ranch 70 miles west of Austin.

She worked to beautify D.C. and protect the environment throughout the US

One of Lyndon Johnson's first actions after rising to the Oval Office in the wake of John F. Kennedy's assassination was to establish a Task Force on the Preservation of Natural Beauty in 1964.

According to Caroli, Johnson's associates indicated that Lady Bird was a major influence on Johnson. The First Lady also made it her own personal quest to protect the environment and make America beautiful.

"As First Lady, she formed her own committee to undertake what was called 'beautification' but had a wide range of objectives," Caroli said. "In Washington, D.C., the committee took on two initiatives — to turn the capital into a 'garden city' with tree-lined streets and flowering parks but also to go beyond the tourist center and add plantings and improve playgrounds in low income neighborhoods."

Lady Bird Johnson's beautification efforts weren't restricted to the Beltway. Her impact on policy continued to resonate throughout Johnson's presidency

PBS's "Lady Bird Johnson: Portrait of a First Lady" quoted the president as telling his staff, "You know I love that woman and she wants that Highway Beautification Act... by God, we're going to get it for her."

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.

Instagram may be the most popular photo app in the world, but its filters can only change your pictures so much.

If you'd like to turn your latest scenic snapshot into something a little more artistic, I suggest trying Waterlogue. 

The app's interface is simple: Tap the camera icon on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, choose your photo, and let Waterlogue do the rest. In a few seconds you'll have a watercolor version of the original picture.

There are a few different watercolor styles to play around with, but I always stick with the default. You can also darken or brighten the finished photo manually if you want to get it just right.

Despite the simple creation process, the results are pretty amazing. I've included a handful of side-by-side comparisons so you'll know what to expect. Not every picture you take will translate well, but the ones that do will definitely stand out.

Oh, and there's a share button on the right-hand corner of Waterlogue's interface so you can easily send these artistic expressions where they belong: Instagram. 

You can download the Waterlogue app for $3.99 here.

SEE ALSO: 5 apps that make our lives a little easier

Click and drag the cursor in the middle of the screen to see the contrast between the watercolor photo and the original.

Landscape pictures look the most traditional.

Experiment with less colorful images.

You may not have all week to read a new book, but chances are you have five minutes to watch a TED talk.

Owing to their easy-to-digest format, even the shortest TED talks contain fascinating insights worthy of discussion.

Let these talks be the start of your next conversation.

SEE ALSO: 9 mind-expanding TED Talks to watch if you only have 10 minutes

Goldbloom is a machine learning expert. The research he presents in his 2016 talk reflects on how many jobs will get displaced by robotics and artificial intelligence software over the coming decades.

Machine learning will help computers get really smart at figuring out complex tasks to do them better and faster than a human — tasks such as essay writing and diagnoses of eye diseases.

Duration — 4:36

"How the news distorts our worldview" by Alisa Miller

Miller, CEO of Public Radio International, explains how news media fundamentally shapes the way people view the world. Her 2008 talk addresses the flaws of covering only the extremes — the really serious and the really fluffy.

Ultimately, her talk suggests a lack of global coverage prevents people from becoming global citizens.

Duration — 4:19

"Break the silence for suicide attempt survivors" by JD Schramm

Stanford lecturer JD Schramm urges people to reconsider the taboo surrounding suicide attempts, as people who fail the first time are far more likely to succeed the second time, research shows.

Silence only furthers the isolation, Schramm says in his 2011 talk. He encourages viewers to learn more about the resources available to survivors.

Duration — 4:14

The INSIDER Summary:

• These days, more couples are breaking wedding traditions to make their big day unique.
• If you don't want to wear a white dress, then don't.
• Feel free to hold your wedding and reception at a backyard or even a brewery.
• Substitute your wedding cake for a tier of cupcakes or donuts.

Thankfully, the wedding industry is a changin.’ Long gone are the days of cookie-cutter “I dos” with white ball gowns, bridesmaids who look like clones, and Jordan almond favors…

Since we aren’t so into wedding “rules,” we’re beyond happy that more and more couples are thinking outside of the box and planning more meaningful personalized celebrations. Here are thirteen of those big day “rules” that we’re extra thankful you can now break.

1. Wearing a white wedding dress.

We love that brides can now wear any color that they want on the big day. Bring on the blush, mint, and blue!

2. Not seeing your partner before the ceremony.

We love a good first look! While that moment when a bride or groom sees his or her future spouse coming down the aisle is super sweet, we also love that couples have the flexibility to see each other prior to the “I dos.”

3. Having a “bride’s side” and a “groom’s side.”

 Today’s couples are opting into open seating plans at their ceremonies, and we couldn’t be happier! We’re all friends here, right?

When you're trying to teach dozens of students the finer points of history and science, sometimes it's just easier to provide a simpler narrative.

But as James Loewen chronicles in his classic book "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong," teaching simplistic narratives of history doesn't do anyone any good.

The same issue exists in other subjects as well. No, Isaac Newton didn't "discover" gravity when an apple fell on his head. And yes, Pluto is still a planet — it's just a special kind of planet.

Like many myths, these stories often have a kernel of truth to them — it just isn't what you learned. Here are 14 things you may have learned in school that have since been proven wrong:

MYTH: Chameleons change colors to camouflage themselves.

In pop culture, chameleons are thought of as spiky lizards that change their skin to fit any color or pattern in their surroundings. This belief makes them metaphors for things like disguisable military technology and talented actors.

But while their color-changing abilities are prodigious, they mostly use it to maintain a certain body temperature and as a way to communicate with other chameleons, not to hide from predators. 

In any case, cuttlefish are much better at changing colors to fit their surroundings.

MYTH: Christopher Columbus discovered America.

The belief that Christopher Columbus discovered America is apparently widespread. In a 2005 survey from the University of Michigan, 85% of Americans believed that Columbus discovered the continent while only 2% of respondents were able to correctly answer that Columbus couldn't have possibly discovered America because Native Americans already lived here.

In any case, the first European to land in America is widely accepted by historians to be the Viking explorer Leif Erikson, who sailed from Greenland to Newfoundland in Canada in around 1,000 A.C. 

Columbus is historically significant because, in his 1492 voyage to the Americas, he brought diseases that killed a massive portion of the Native American population — some suggest as much as 90%— and paved the way for European imperialism in the Western Hemisphere.

MYTH: You can only taste certain things on certain parts of your tongue.

According to the tongue map myth, different parts of your tongue are for different sorts of tastes. The back of your tongue detects bitter tastes, the front takes in sweet tastes, and so on.

This is wrong. Taste receptors are all over your tongue, and they all pick up all kinds of tastes.

It's true that some taste buds are more receptive to certain kinds of tastes than others, but the difference is slight, according to the University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste, and the locations of those taste buds aren't in accordance with the "tongue map."

While we might be in a golden age for TV creatively, we're nowhere close to the appointment viewing of an older era.

Modern technology like DVRs has made it so people can watch several shows that air at the same time whenever they want. Before that, fans had to make hard choices about what to watch and make sure they got home in time for it.

And TV ratings don't come in the huge numbers of yesteryear. When they do, they tabulate viewing over several days. The 1990 series finale of alien comedy "Alf" brought 21.7 million viewers to their TV sets all at the same time. For comparison, last year's season finale for the most-watched show on TV, CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," had 14.73 million viewers.

Since we're in that time of year when dozens of shows are ending their runs, we compiled the finales that had the most Americans gathered around to watch ever.

Here are the 20 most-watched scripted TV series finales of all time:

SEE ALSO: All the TV shows that were just canceled

DON'T MISS: Here are all your favorite TV shows that are coming back for another season

20. "L.A. Law" (NBC) — 22.1 million viewers

After eight seasons, "L.A. Law" made its final closing argument on May 19, 1994. On the series finale, Becker (Corbin Bernsen) is feeling his best days are behind him at the ripe old age of 42. At the same time, the firm plans to celebrate senior partner Mckenzie's (Richard Dysart) 65th birthday, but he has a surprise for them: He's retiring. That throws the firm into chaos and forces the partners to look for new jobs.

Source: The Quad City Times

19. "MacGyver" (ABC) — 22.3 million viewers

The adventures of a young MacGyver are currently airing on CBS, but it's tough to live up to the success of the original crafty secret agent. The "MacGyver" series finale, which aired on May 21, 1992, in its seventh season, revealed that Sam — a cool, young biker, who helped out on a tough case — was actually MacGyver's son!

Source: World Heritage Encyclopedia

18. "St. Elsewhere" (NBC) — 22.5 million viewers

"St. Elsewhere" was a groundbreaking urban medical drama that aired on NBC from 1982 to 1988. Its alumni include Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., Howie Mandel, and Mark Harmon. Viewers tuned into its May 25, 1988, series finale to find out that the whole series took place in the very active imagination of a young autistic boy! 

Source: Star-News

Everything around us is becoming connected. As a result, we are seeing shifts in investments and returns. There is already a great demand for network expansion, cyber security and insurance. And generally, the prices of hardware will fall as IoT becomes less of a novelty.

All of this opens up a huge opportunity for everyone to make and save a lot of money. We will invest $6 trillion in IoT between 2015 and 2020, which will yield $12.6 trillion ROI over the next decade. Enterprise will make up the majority of the investment dollars, followed by government and consumer.

BI Intelligence has created a slide deck exploring the most disruptive trends in IoT. To get a more detailed view of the progression, landscape and projections of the Internet of Everything, access the complete slide deck by clicking here.

Some of the topics covered include:

• The market drivers for the IoT.
• Forecasts for the IoT market.
• A breakdown of how many industries are utilizing IoT devices.
• A look at how governments are using the IoT to revolutionize their cities and defense.
• An examination of the smart home and connected car market.
• And much more.

Below are 8 sample slides from the 60-page deck. Want the full deck? Access it here for FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Great mentors offer some of the most valuable words on the planet. A single breakthrough, idea, or phrase can be worth millions of dollars.

These six highly successful entrepreneurs and members of The Oracles share their mentor’s wisdom that propelled them to incredible success.

SEE ALSO: 11 millionaire entrepreneurs share the best investment they ever made

1. Be ready to sacrifice.

I never wanted a mentor. Even when I had one in my father, I pushed against it. I was so independent when it came to business. But I have two pieces of advice I’ve picked up over the years:

• Be practical. How much money do you have to stay alive and for how long? Do you have enough money to cover your rent, expenses (anticipated and unexpected), and overhead for a year? You should.

• Be prepared to sacrifice. The minute you decide to launch a new business, you decide to do nothing else. Build your business for the next year or two. Every minute of every eighteen-hour day should be dedicated to this endeavor. Your business success will come at the expense of family time, friend time, vacations, and any other hobbies or activities you once enjoyed. This business has to be your entire life, or it will die.

I think a lot of people who go into business underestimate how hard it really is to make your dreams come true. It takes constant hustle, hard work, and a lot of sacrifice. To be successful, you need to set yourself up practically to be able to do all of those things.

—Gary Vaynerchuk, founder and CEO of VaynerMedia(700+ employees with over $100 million in annual revenue) and the NYT-bestselling author of “#AskGaryVee”

2. The world is malleable.

I recently finished working on the BVI Art Reef project, which was featured in The New York Times and Richard Branson’s blog. I was part of the team that built an enormous Kraken sculpture on a derelict World War II Navy ship—one of five remaining boats that survived the Pearl Harbor attack. The ship will be sunk to create a wonder-of-the-world dive site and cutting-edge marine research environment.

Working on a project that merges art, science, business, and government to create meaningful impact became a tribute to my mentor, Al Smith; he taught me how to weld and form metal, and endowed me with three lessons that have been critical to my success:

• The world around us is malleable. If you can imagine it and break it down, you can create and mold it.

• Ultimate beauty combines form and function. Things should be finely crafted to elegantly accomplish something meaningful.

• Ego does not achieve anything alone. Often, we need to find our place within a team to accomplish great goals.

Working long, hot days in the Caribbean sun, we bent and welded the metal skeleton of the Kraken. We cut and formed the mesh skin that coral will soon grow upon. We prepared the ship for its final sinking. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was essential and worth it.

—Chris Plough, author, speaker, advisor, and founding partner of exponentialU; he equips epic entrepreneurs for the world that’s coming

3. Go all-in on company culture.

At a conference, I heard over and over again that culture trumps strategy. Soon after, I asked the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, about the biggest thing he wished he’d done sooner. “Created a strong culture first,” he responded. So, my company decided to go all-in on culture. We worked with Janet and Chris Attwood—who wrote “The Passion Test”—to create values and a company vision that we could all live out every day.

From there, we created markers to prove that we were living our values. We started hiring and firing based on values. Slowly, we attracted the right type of people while quickly filtering out those who weren’t a fit. Today, our turnover is under five percent, which is very low for a call center. Our Dreamtrust program—inspired by Jon Butcher’s "Lifebook program" and Matthew Kelly’s book, "Dream Manager"—trains our people to live their best lives possible. This devotion to culture has taken our annual revenue from under $10 million to over $20 million, and will take us — and our people—much, much further.

— Craig Handley, co-founder and CEO of ListenTrust