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Who was the smartest, dumbest, luckiest, and most emotional this week on 'Game of Thrones'

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Game of Thrones EastwatchWarning: Spoilers for "Game of Thrones" season seven, episode five, "Eastwatch." If you aren't caught up on the series, read at your own risk. 

Every week the game of thrones changes. This week there was a lot of talking, traveling, and reunions between beloved characters: some good, some unpleasant.

But in the end, there was more getting along than there was action and conflict, which is shocking considering the season is almost over. 

Every week, we're rounding up which character was the smartest, dumbest, luckiest, and more in our power rankings.

Here's the "Game of Thrones" power rankings based on season seven episode five, "Eastwatch":

SEE ALSO: The 7 biggest questions we have after this week's 'Game of Thrones'

The smartest: Gilly

Gilly makes a discovery that could change the game all of these people have been playing for the past seven seasons: a guy named Rhaegar annulled his marriage so he could marry someone else. This means that Jon Snow is probably not a bastard, and is instead the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.



The dumbest: Randyll and Dickon Tarly

Randyll and Dickon refuse to bend the knee to Daenerys Targaryen, despite witnessing the wrath of Drogon. Daenerys has Drogon burn him alive. Randyll was a pretty terrible guy and threatened his son Sam's life because he liked books, so he kind of deserved it. But they both had a choice, and they chose to burn.  



The luckiest: the Lannister soldiers who surrendered to Daenerys

They're lucky Daenerys offered them life at all. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 business leaders who have distanced themselves from Trump

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Donald Trump Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman and CEO of Merck & Co

It's no secret that this White House tends to hemorrhage staff.

But occupants of the West Wing aren't the only casualties of President Donald Trump's governing style.

While Trump has repeatedly billed himself as pro-business, his rhetoric and actions around immigration policy, the environment, and the deadly white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, have alienated several business leaders.

On Monday, Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier resigned from the president's manufacturing council in response to Trump's controversial initial response to the situation in Charlottesville.

Frazier was the only black member of the manufacturing council.

"As CEO of Merck, and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism," he said in a statement, according to Business Insider's Jeremy Berke.

The president immediately took to Twitter to blast the CEO. The New York Times' Andrew Ross Sorkin reported that Trump's response cowed to at least one anonymous member of his advisor councils, who said, "Just look at what he did to Ken. I'm not sticking my head up."

But Frazier is by no means the only top business exec to have backed away from the White House.

Here are six additional business leaders who have publicly distanced themselves from the president:

SEE ALSO: Here are the 17 executives who met with Trump for his first business advisory council

DON'T MISS: The Trump administration declared that a landmark federal law doesn't protect LGBT employees from workplace discrimination

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

The Facebook COO never sat on one of Trump's councils, but she did appear at the then-president-elect's December sit down with Silicon Valley powerhouses.

The following month, Sandberg blasted Trump's travel ban in a Facebook post.

Business Insider's Alex Heath reported that Sandberg wrote: "People seeking refuge have been turned away and sent back to the danger they just managed to flee. This is not how it should be in America."

She also has spoken out against the Trump administration's global gag rule policy, which bans US-funded groups around the world from discussing abortion as an option.



Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour

The Under Armour CEO caught massive flack for an initial pro-Trump statement back in February. Dennis Green reports for Business Insider that Plank hailed Trump as an "asset to the country."

The comment sparked controversy. Even Under Armour's own athletes reacted negatively, including NBA MVP Steph Curry, according to USA Today.

Plank later took a full-page ad out in the Baltimore Sun to clarify his statement and denounce Trump's travel ban.

On Monday, the sportswear CEO announced that he will follow Frazier's suit and step down from Trump's council. According to Business Insider's Bob Bryan, Plank released a statement declaring that "Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics."



Travis Kalanick, former CEO and founder of Uber

Joining Trump's council proved to be yet another controversy for the recently ousted Uber CEO.

The New York Times reports that many Uber employees were angry about Kalanick's decision to join the board in the first place. The controversy swelled after the administration announced its travel ban.

The Uber founder stepped down from the council in February.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

26 things we always pack when we travel

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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.

airplane

I'm always looking for ways to streamline how I pack for a trip. Despite thinking I'm already a pretty good packer, I still think I can be better. Maybe you feel the same way.

Some of the best tips I've adopted into my travel routine are recommendations from friends and coworkers. So to help inspire you, I asked my Business Insider colleagues to share the things they always bring when they travel, and I got some interesting responses.

Some are seemingly random (an audio splitter), some are convenient (a pair of noise-cancelling headphones), and some you probably didn't realize you needed (a bottle of melatonin).

Check out our favorite travel picks below.

SEE ALSO: 22 awesome and weird things we bought using Amazon Prime

DON'T MISS: The 11 gadgets and tech accessories I used the most while traveling abroad

An audio splitter

Audio splitters are key for watching movies on iPad with significant other or friend. — Antonio Villas-Boas 

Belkin Speaker and Headphone Splitter, $4.35



An extra-long charging cable

An extra-long charging cable comes in handy when you're too far from the nearest power outlet. — Jay Freshwater 

Anker PowerLine+ 10ft. Lightning Cable, $17.99



A portable battery

The sense of security a big portable battery gives you is invaluable. If I forget to charge my phone/tablet before leaving the hotel — and I always do — it's nice to know I'll still be safe to watch a movie on the flight, or have enough juice to call an Uber once I get off the bus. — Jeff Dunn

Anker PowerCore 20100 Ultra High Capacity Power Bank, $39.99



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Photos show how people in Guam are getting on with life as North Korea threatens to blow it up

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guam man floating in ring in the sea

Even though they’re being threatened with a missile strike, residents and tourists in Guam are going about daily life as normal.

North Korean president Kim Jong-un has threatened to drop4 Hwasong-12 intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket missiles on the small island US territory which is home to around 160,000 people.

The US and Japan have already come up with a plan of how to shoot down the missiles should North Korea attack, and Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo said he has "never felt more safe or so confident" with US President Donald Trump "at the helm."

Although the small US territory is officially on high alert, residents of Guam seem to be going about their daily life as if nothing is different. Tourists are still arriving to visit the beaches and sights, local children are playing on the streets, and weddings are being celebrated.

Here’s a look at some of the scenes from Guam over recent days.

These plastic water guns are the only arms you'll see out in the open here.



Nothing gets in between the people and their watersports -- not even missile threats.



Going for a morning walk along Agana Bay, just south of Tumon Bay.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 19 UK universities with the most attractive students, according to dating app Happn

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Students from Cambridge University make their way home after celebrating the end of the academic year at the May Balls.

Finding your perfect match can happen anywhere, anytime — and university is a great place to meet a potential partner.

However, according to dating app Happn, students at some universities are more sought after than others.

Happn's data team has identified the "hottest universities" across the UK by looking at the postcodes associated with UK university campuses where the most matches (called "crushes" on the app) were made.

While many London universities feature on the list, northern universities were also among the most popular.

Scroll down to see the most attractive universities in the UK, according to Happn.

19. University of Leeds.

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18. Queen’s University Belfast.

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17. University of Sheffield.

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 online classes that teach the skills you need for the modern workforce — all for just $10 today

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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.

Man Studying with Laptop on BenchWith each new year, the workforce and its needs look a little different from the year before.

This difference is still yet greater between decades, but especially so in the last two or three. Massive advancements in tech and science have redesigned the work landscape, and in doing so have altered what qualities and skills employers look for when hiring for today’s world.

Some of these trends are easier to spot: more of an emphasis on familiarity with social media, coding, big data manipulation, and technical skills as they apply to tech. But just because these seem like the most obvious areas to jump into does not mean that other sociological or interpersonal skills have become any less important. In fact, they’re even more important now.

A recent analysis examined 24 million job listings in order to determine what key skills, across nine industries, employers were actively looking to find. The result?

Employers want multifaceted employees who possess "hard" skills like technical digital skills as well as "soft" skills like the ability to work with a team and communicate effectively.

While developing hard skills is important for the job and the résumé, in an increasingly diverse and global workforce, it is the hybrid employee that will be the most attractive to employers.

One of the easiest and most concrete ways to show your ability in hard and soft skills is by offering a class that you’ve completed to develop and learn them. Thankfully, they don’t have to be expensive.

Right now, Udemy has slashed prices on its courses from $200 to $10. Simply use the code " AUG203USN" at checkout. 

Prices will go back up on August 17.

*NOTE: New users are eligible for the $10 price, returning customers will be charged $12* 

SEE ALSO: Scientists from MIT and NASA helped make this one of the most comfortable dress shirts you’ll ever wear

1. Learn how to really use Photoshop

You'll likely need to know how to use Photoshop in today's workforce, and if you don't know what you're doing it's an enormous waste of time. Even if knowledge of it isn't essential for your job, it's definitely a skill that sets you apart from peers. This course will help you create Photoshop Effects from scratch and make popular photographic effects in Adobe Photoshop by doing practical projects.

Photoshop Effects - Create Stunning Photo Effects, $10 (originally $200) [Use the code: AUG203USN]



2. An entire MBA in 1 course

Taught by a former Goldman Sachs employee, this #1 best-selling course on Udemy will teach students everything you need to know about business from startup to IPO. The content is all based upon his work experience at several firms such as Goldman Sachs and the hedge fund industry and venture capital sector. 

Think of this course as the "greatest hits" business summaries from an award winning business school professor's own MBA, undergraduate business degree, and work experience in equities, consulting, hedge funds, venture capital and starting a company on his own. 

An Entire MBA in 1 Course:Award Winning Business School Prof., $10 (originally $200) [Use the code: AUG203USN]



13. Perfect your résumé, LinkedIn, and networking and interviewing skills

Taught by an award-winning MBA professor, this #1 best-selling career development course teaches students how to master networking and each step in the long hiring process. Interview do's and don'ts and practice questions to optimizing LinkedIn and Resume formatting. 

The Complete Job, Interview, Resume/LinkedIn & Network Guide, $10 (originally $200) [Use the code: AUG203USN]

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 5 biggest winners and losers at the box office this summer — including 'Wonder Woman,' Rotten Tomatoes, and sequels (AMC)

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guardians of the galaxy

The summer movie season is supposed to be the time of year when movie studios and theaters cash in.

The big event movies are placed in the summer months to specifically draw in the kids who are out of school. In the past, that's led to a period when the movie industry makes a large chunk of its revenue for the year.

But both studios and exhibitors are suddenly seeing that the game has changed.

Summer movie ticket sales dropped 10% from the previous year in 2016 at the domestic box office. And they were down 12% this summer compared to 2016. The effects can be seen at the country's biggest multiplexes, which saw shares plummet.

It's hard to tell if the summer movie season will ever return to its former glory — especially when it seems the last few summers things on the small screen captured the zeitgeist more, whether it was Netflix's "Stranger Things" or HBO's "Game of Thrones."

But there will always be movies that break through and find an audience, and this summer was no different ("Wonder Woman,""Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2").

It's just becoming more evident that studios need to rethink what they release during the summer to compete with our addiction to streaming and mobile devices.

To look back on summer 2017 at the box office, we broke down the five big winners and losers:

SEE ALSO: "Straight Outta Compton" star O'Shea Jackson Jr. is a scene stealer in his new movie

WINNER: 'Wonder Woman'

Warner Bros.'s long-awaited theatrical version of the legendary DC Comics character brought legitimacy to the studio's DC Extended Universe, and won the domestic box office this summer by taking in over $400 million. It's earned close to $800 million worldwide.

Director Patty Jenkins found the perfect combination of action sequences and inspiring origin story to make the movie into a can't-miss event of the summer, which is what Hollywood has craved.



LOSER: The Multiplex

AMC, the nation's largest theater chain, announced in early August that its shares dropped 27%, the biggest one-day decline in the company's history. This was due to the company saying it would record a second-quarter loss. And none of the other chains are doing any better: Regal's net income fell around 30% in the second quarter, while Cinemark's dropped 5%.

For many, most of the movies that hit the big multiplexes felt tired and unoriginal. It also didn't help that many had poor Rotten Tomatoes scores. Speaking of which ...



WINNER: Rotten Tomatoes

The review aggregator site really flexed its muscles this summer. With studies now having data to back up the claim that most moviegoers look at the site before deciding on buying movie tickets, more and more studios and distributors are using the "Tomatometer" score in their marketing of a movie — when the score is good.

And this summer when a studio anticipated a bad score, it delayed critics from seeing the movie as much as possible. Sony did that with the releases of "The Emoji Movie" (which on the day of its opening had a 0% rating) and "The Dark Tower." Though both received rotten scores on the site, they had respectable opening weekends ("The Dark Tower" won its weekend). This was partly because there was little competition on those weekends, but also because critics chimed in much later than usual.

The power of the Tomatometer is real!



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 changes airlines are making that make flying worse

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TSA transportation security administration airports

  • Airlines have worked hard to improve air travel, but have also done things to make it miserable.
  • Much of it is driven by pressure to increase profitability.
  • Behavior such as overselling flights, cramped seating, and oversold flights top the list. 

Recently, I wrote an article about all of the good things airlines are doing to make commercial air travel a better experience. And to be honest, the airlines are doing more good things than many would expect, ranging from much-improved safety to snazzier in-flight entertainment. 

Now, I figure it's time to write about the things airlines in the US and abroad are doing that has contributed to passenger misery. 

In that regard, the imperfections of modern commercial air travel are many and varied. However, having covered the industry over the past few years, it is my belief that no airline actually wants to brutalize its passengers. However, they have mastered the dark art of understanding what its passengers are willing to forgo and how much they are willing to part with of additional amenities.

Like any profit driven enterprise, the root of many of its problems lie with its need to appease investors, show growth, and increase profits. For instance, American, Delta, and United are three of the four most profitable airlines in the world. The trio routinely delivers profits and margin exponentially greater than its rivals in Europe and Asia. And yet, quarter after quarter, their management teams are pushed to return more and more by Wall Street. The result is the implementation of strategies that are a detriment to passengers.

Here are a few of the things airlines are doing that are damaging to the passenger experience. 

SEE ALSO: Delta is getting a new $4 billion terminal at New York LaGuardia Airport— and it looks amazing

FOLLOW US: on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

À la carte pricing.

In recent years, airlines around the world have unbundled their economy class services. As a result, passengers now have to pay extra to check bags, select their seats, and be served a warm in-flight meal. While the airlines say the majority of its customers prefer this à la carte pricing structure, it remains highly controversial.

Unbundling allows passengers to pay for only the features they absolutely need. Additional amenities would then be available as optional extras. In theory, this should deliver cheaper prices to consumers while allowing airlines to cut down on operating costs. While ticket prices have come down marginally, the auxiliary revenue generated by the additional fees have become a cash cow for airlines. According to the CEO of one low-cost carrier, the future of air travel will likely see airlines depend more on auxiliary revenue than income from tickets sales. 

In addition, the advent of these unbundled fares has created an unpleasant maze of extra fees that can cause a once affordable airfare to balloon. At the same time, checked baggage fees have forced people to rely upon carry-on luggage. This has turned the boarding process into a nightmarish mad-dash for precious overhead bin space.



Basic economy.

For the past couple of years, American, Delta, and United have been trying to sell the public on the merits of basic economy fares. All three have made it clear that the fare class is targeting a very small, ultra-price conscious segment of the market.

In other words, basic economy allows the big three a means to price match ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier without sacrificing the price premium they can charge for their main cabin products. 

According to Airways senior business analyst Vinay Bhaskara, most airline customers shop based on the lowest advertised fare without regard for additional fees. 

As a result, the spartan nature of the basic economy experience will usually induce passengers to pony up the extra cash for the main cabin ticket. Voila, more revenue. 

 



Same plane, more seats.

Like most businesses, unit costs play a major part when it comes time to answer to investors. For airlines, it's a measure called CASM or Cost per Available Seat Mile. In other words, it is how much it costs the airline to fly one seat for one mile. Sometimes, airlines will up gauge to larger aircraft, allowing them to reduce CASM by spreading the cost of operation over a larger number of seats. 

However, larger planes are not always possible, so they simply cram more seats into their planes. This results in more seats per row and more rows per planes. For passengers, that means say goodbye to legroom and elbow room. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Casper just unveiled its first new mattress since its 2014 launch — here's what it's like

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The Casper Wave 2

In 2014, Casper introduced its first product: A memory-foam mattress that customers could buy online and have shipped directly to their homes.

The product spawned $100 million in sales its first year, attracted the attention of high-profile investors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Levine, and inspired copycat startups trying to tap into the direct-to-consumer mattress trend.

Now, three years later, Casper has built its first new mattress since its launch: the Casper Wave.

The new mattress is the work of months of research on the part of Casper’s product team, led by cofounder and chief product officer Jeff Chapin. The Wave features better ergonomics, newer technology — and a higher price.

Here's what it's like.

SEE ALSO: An online bed business backed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire doubled sales to $200 million last year — and could double them again this year

The Casper Wave was inspired by Casper's European customers. When the company launched in Germany last summer, "it was very clear to us very early on that Germans almost universally like a much firmer mattress than we sell here in the US," Chapin told Business Insider.



In the process of "firming everything up" for European buyers, the company learned a lot about ergonomics, specifically how the spine, shoulders, and hips should be positioned while you sleep.



Those changes led to a brand-new product, the Casper Wave. It's Casper's first new bed in three years.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 things that are better in the fall

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vermont fall

Sure, the summer has sun and beach vacays, the winter has snow and sports, but fall is an especially magical season that's often overlooked. 

With its stunning foliage, mild weather, and pumpkin-spiced treats, what's not to love?

Keep scrolling to see all the things that are better in the fall.

Travel is cheaper

Fall is one of the best times of the year to travel. Not only is it cheaper than traveling during the summer or holidays, but there are fewer crowds, beautiful foliage, and milder weather that's perfect for exploring.



Pumpkin flavored everything hits shelves

Fall is known for pumpkin-spiced drinks and treats, like the famous pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, which has a huge fanbase. But once fall hits, the shelves are filled with delicious pumpkin-flavored products, from pumpkin M&Ms to pumpkin ice cream, which we eagerly await all year.



The weather is milder

Not too hot, yet not too cold either, fall weather is perfect for exploring, snuggling under the covers, or bringing out the fall scented candles.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

48 years ago today, 400,000 people showed up to a New York farm for the greatest music festival of all time

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Woodstock 1969

This August marks the 48th anniversary of the famed Woodstock Music and Art Festival, which took place on Max Yasgur's 600-acre farm in Bethel, New York.

Every notable musician of the time, from Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin, played during the three-day festival. Even with 400,000 attendees, zero reports of violence were made to the police during or after the festival, and with two babies reportedly born on the premises, it certainly was a weekend of peace, love, and music.

Ahead, take a look at those who made it into the music festival's premises and became part of the renowned "Woodstock generation."

SEE ALSO: Tinder threw a Hamptons party on 'billionaire's row' that ended when police showed up — here's what it was like

When residents of Wallkill, New York, denied plans for Woodstock to occur near their town, farmer Max Yasgur came to the rescue, offering his land near Bethel at the price of $75,000.



Woodstock was created by the then-novice promoters John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield, and Michael Lang. Originally, the four had hoped the festival would be a way to raise funds to build a recording studio and rock-and-roll retreat near Woodstock, New York.



Tickets to the event cost $6.50 a day, and festival organizers told authorities they were expecting around 50,000 people, even when 186,000 tickets had already been sold.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Several CEOs are voicing the same complaint about one of Trump's biggest brags (HLT, MET, JPM, ACN, OMC, VTR)

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Trump

President Donald Trump likes to tout the fact that business and consumer confidence surged after his election. 

But the CEOs of several large companies have the same grievance: They aren't seeing consumers spending much more, and can't yet proceed with major investments.

That's according to transcripts of several second-quarter earnings calls parsed by Goldman Sachs.

"Most executives note that they haven’t seen an appreciable increase in customer activity despite improving sentiment," said David Kostin, Goldman's chief US equity strategist, in the firm's quarterly Beige Book of CEO commentary. 

For business owners, Trump was supposed to be the deregulatory president. The National Federation of Independent Businesses reported that the surge in its members' optimism was comparable to 1983, when the economy was emerging from a recession under President Ronald Reagan. 

But business leaders are also frustrated with the slow pace of progress in Washington. Trump's domestic agenda primarily for healthcare and tax reform has stalled amid divisions within the Republican party and the Russia investigation.

Here are some remarks from earnings calls (emphasis added): 

SEE ALSO: BARRON'S: Netflix could fall more than 50% by the end of the decade

JPMorgan

"I don’t buy the argument that we’ll [be] relegated to this forever. We’re not. If this administration can make breakthroughs in taxes and infrastructure, regulatory reform, we have become one of the most bureaucratic, confusing, litigious societies on the planet. It’s almost an embarrassment being an American citizen traveling around the world and listening to the stupid s--- we have to deal with in this country."



Hilton Worldwide Holdings

"Looking forward, expectations for macro indicators such as GDP growth and non-residential fixed investment growth suggest continued improvement. But so far, we have not seen that translate into increased demand."



MetLife

"Although interest rates are higher than they were a year ago, we have not experienced the rise in rates that many predicted after the U.S. presidential election. While I still believe that monetary policy is keeping rates artificially low, I also believe that elected officials need to do more on the fiscal policy front, especially through tax reform, to spur faster economic growth."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's where you can pre-order Nintendo's new $80 mini Super Nintendo

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Ever since Nintendo announced the SNES Classic Edition, fans have been frantically looking for a chance to reserve one. It's easy to understand why: The SNES Classic Edition is a miniaturized version of the original console that works with modern TVs, yet it costs just $80 and comes with 21 games packed in.

Super NES Classic Edition

Better yet: One of those games is the never-before-released "Star Fox 2"!

When the console launches in September, demand is expected to be very high. Thus, potential buyers have been anxiously anticipating the ability to pre-order the system. It looks like they'll have the chance in late August, when Nintendo says various retailers will open up preorders.

Here's where you can get the console when it's up for pre-order, any day now.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's new $80 mini Super Nintendo will be available for a limited time

You can pre-order the Super NES Classic Edition at any of the following retailers in the next few weeks — Nintendo hasn't said exactly when just yet.

Nintendo's still playing coy with exactly when you can pre-order the Super NES Classic Edition. The company issued the following statement earlier this month:

"We appreciate the incredible anticipation that exists for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition system, and can confirm that it will be made available for pre-order by various retailers late this month. A significant amount of additional systems will be shipped to stores for launch day, and throughout the balance of the calendar year."

Of note: The Super NES Classic Edition is a limited edition product, and is only planned for production through the end of 2017. If you're interested in getting one for the $80 asking price (rather than double or more through re-sellers), your best bet is pre-ordering one later this month. Rest assured that the Super NES Classic Edition is going to be a high-demand holiday gift, so you'll want to get in on pre-orders to guarantee one in time for the holidays.



1. Amazon

The official Super NES Classic Edition page on Amazon is right here.



2. Best Buy

The official Super NES Classic Edition page at Best Buy is right here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Step inside the lavish royal wedding of the Johor princess who married a Dutch commoner

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johor princess royal wedding

The INSIDER Summary:

  • Princess Tunku Tun Aminah, daughter of the Sultan of Johor, married Dennis Muhammad Abdullah, a Dutch property developer.
  • The traditional ceremony and reception were held at the royal palace.
  • The grounds were decorated for the occasion.


Princess Tunku Tun Aminah, the Sultan of Johor's only daughter, married Dutch property developer Dennis Muhammad Abdullah (born Dennis Verbaas) in a celebration at the royal palace that was broadcast across the Malaysian state.

The traditional "bersanding" ceremony was followed by a reception for 1,200 guests on the palace grounds, which were lined with twinkling lights.

In addition to uniting the happy couple as husband and wife, the wedding was also an important opportunity for Johor's royal family to display national customs and traditions in the hope of keeping them alive.

"Tuanku Sultan showed me a picture of his father (the late Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail) and mother (Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Abdullah) at their wedding," Tunku Tun Aminah told the Royal Press Office according to Elle Malaysia. "He said that Dennis and I should emulate what they wore as a way of perpetuating Johor's royal culture and traditions. Otherwise, he fears that our uniqueness as Johoreans will be lost forever."

Here's what a traditional Johorean wedding ceremony looks like — on a royal scale. 

Princess Tunku Tun Aminah, the only daughter of the Sultan of Johor, married Dennis Muhammad Abdullah, a Dutch property developer, on August 14.

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The royal wedding was held at the official residence of the Sultan of Johor, Istana Bukit Serene.

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The palace grounds were decorated with colorful lights for the occasion.

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Mesmerizing maps show where the most educated Americans live

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dot map nyc

You may not know your neighbors by name, but you can at least know them by education level.

Kyle Walker, an assistant professor of geography at Texas Christian University, has created an interactive dot map visualizing US neighborhoods by educational attainment.

Each dot represents between 25-500 people over the age of 25, and each is color-coded based on how far those people have gone in school. Blue dots are graduate degrees, green are bachelor's, yellow are some college, orange are high school, and red is everything short of high school.

The map helps to solidify what are, for most people, likely abstract concepts. They confirm that people with less education tend to live in the outer boroughs around Manhattan, for example, and that a single highway can separate rich and poor.

Here's how the maps shake out in various cities across the US.

SEE ALSO: Animated map shows the most and least educated US states

The San Francisco Bay Area is marked by high levels of education in Berkeley gradually shifting to less education further south in Oakland. Across the Bay, San Francisco is made up largely of graduate degrees — except for a pocket of red in Chinatown.



New York City residents cluster blue in Manhattan and affluent parts of Brooklyn but get less educated deeper into the outer boroughs. On the island, blue dots begin to fade into green and yellow near 100th St., as it turns into Harlem.



Walker's map reveals stark differences in Los Angeles, where Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are all green and blue, while downtown LA and east LA contain a heavy concentration of high school dropouts.



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Everyone on 'Game of Thrones' who has a Valyrian steel blade that can kill White Walkers

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Hardhome Jon Snow defeats White Walker

Warning: spoilers for season seven of "Game of Thrones," up to episode five, "Eastwatch." Read at your own risk.

The dead are coming for Westeros, and while there are many ways to kill living people, there's a limited number of ways to kill the dead.

Thankfully, Valyrian steel is one way to kill the White Walkers. Dragonglass is another.

This is proven when Jon Snow reduces a White Walker to bits in the battle at Hardhome in season five. 

Valyrian steel is a metal that was forged in the days of the Valyrian Freehold. Valyrian steel remains sharp forever. It's also recognizable by its intense sharpness and light weight. 

Since the Doom of Valyria, most Valyrian steel weapons are heirlooms in the great Houses of Westeros. Over the past seven seasons, several characters have stolen, stumbled upon, or been gifted Valyrian steel blades. Valyrian steel is also hard to forge since it's not like other metals, hence the rarity of the weapons made out of it. Only a few smiths in Westeros can do it out of existing weapons. But the method of forging completely new blades was lost after the Doom of Valyria, and allegedly involved dragons and magic.  

Here is everyone on "Game of Thrones" who has a Valyrian steel weapon and can kill the White Walkers:

SEE ALSO: Who was the smartest, dumbest, luckiest, and most emotional this week on 'Game of Thrones'

Jon Snow: Longclaw

Longclaw is the ancestral sword of House Mormont. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont originally leaves it to his son, Jorah, before he leaves for the Night's Watch. But Jorah leaves it behind in shame when he leaves Westeros. Then Jeor gives it to Jon Snow, basically as a thank you present for saving him from a wight. 



Brienne of Tarth: Oathkeeper

Jaime Lannister gives Brienne Oathkeeper when he sends her out to complete her mission of bringing the Stark girls home to Winterfell. Oathkeeper is made out of Ned Stark's sword, Ice. At the beginning of season four, Tywin has it melted down into two blades. 



Jaime Lannister: Widow's Wail

After Joffrey's death, Jaime takes Widow's Wail. This sword is also made out of Ned Stark's sword, Ice, which was very big. 



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Step inside the extravagant wedding of a Russian oligarch and a model whose 70-carat ring is worth $10.5 million

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russian oligarch wedding

The INSIDER Summary:

  • Russian oligarch Aleksey Shapovalov married model Ksenia Tsaritsina in a lavish wedding.
  • He gave her a 70-carat diamond ring worth around $10.5 million for their 5th anniversary.
  • The wedding featured an eight-tier cake and performances by musicians and acrobats.


Russian oligarch Aleksey Shapovalov and model Ksenia Tsaritsina don't cut corners. To celebrate their fifth anniversary, Shapovalov presented her with a 70-carat diamond ring worth $10.5 million.

Their recent wedding was just as extravagant, featuring two wedding dresses, an eight-tier wedding cake, and performances by musicians and acrobats.

Here's what it was like to be one of the lucky guests.

Russian oligarch Aleksey Shapovalov has been calling model Ksenia Tsaritsina his wife for years.

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 The couple has two kids together.

 



He recently gifted her with a 70 carat diamond ring worth an estimated $10.5 million to celebrate five years together.

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 The previous ring had 30 carats.



The opulence of their wedding followed suit.

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 Scroll through for the full effect.



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Here's how 10 celebrities cured their acne

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Cameron Diaz

The INSIDER Summary:

  • Victoria Beckham eats salmon every day to get skin-healing omega-3s.
  • Cameron Diaz cut back on fast food.
  • Rihanna stays hydrated and wears bright lipstick to draw attention away from blemishes.


Find out how these A-listers turned their complexions from blemished to red carpet–ready in no time!

They hire personal trainers to whip their bodies into shape, hairdressers to transform their locks, and makeup artists to conceal even the most aggravated pimples. But let’s face it: even the best makeup guru and priciest foundations can’t transform acneic skin into a super smooth, coveted complexion. And celebs aren’t alone when it comes to skin woes: According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne victimizes up to 50 million Americans each year, deeming it the most common skin condition in the United States!

That’s why we’ve scoured the web for all the ways your favorite famous folks zapped their zits away. Surprisingly, many of their remedies are lurking in your own fridge! Find out what these stars’ skin solutions are below, and then cross these 10 Foods That Double Your Risk Of Adult Acne off your grocery list.

 

Miranda Kerr

In a Net-A-Porter video, Miranda Kerr revealed that noni juice, a juice made of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich superfruit noni, is “great for your skin” and overall well-being. She’s been drinking the stuff twice a day with water since her grandma introduced her to it when she was just 12 years old (which explains her unblemished visage). Although noni is indigenous to the far away lands below the equator, you can score the bottled stuff from Healing Noni.



Victoria Beckham

Just one glance at Victoria Beckham will reveal two things about her: she’s got impeccable style and almost as perfect skin. So when we found out she struggled with acne back in the day, we were pretty shocked. “I used to have really problematic skin,” she shared with THE EDIT. “And [Dr. Lancer (Beckham’s dermatologist)] said to me, ‘You have to eat salmon every single day.’ I said, ‘Really, every day?’ And he said, ‘Yes; breakfast, lunch or dinner, you have to eat it every single day.'” She obliged, and it turns out that the age-proofing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) and skin-healing omega-3s in the pink fish helped smooth Posh Spice’s subpar skin. Try sneaking some lox onto whole grain avocado toast or grill a filet of wild salmon for dinner to reap its skin-clearing benefits.



Gwyneth Paltrow

Besides slathering on a plethora of her own brand’s eccentric products, there’s another, more unexpected, way the Goop founder maintains a flawless face. “I believe, for me, doing some cardiovascular exercise everyday is really good for my skin for detoxification and skin tone and color,” Gwyneth told E! News. Although cardio is usually associated with its weight loss benefits, dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, author, and associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine explained to WebMD, “anything that promotes healthy circulation also helps keep your skin healthy and vibrant" and keep acne away.



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Jessica Simpson's recent fashion choices are baffling

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Jessica Simpson is making some bizarre fashion choices. 

The singer and businesswoman runs her own fashion line, but she's recently stepped out in some intriguing outfits, including a lot of flared pants. 

See some of her craziest choices below: 

She paired this button-down crop top with a leather skirt and bedazzled sunglasses.



She paired this bizarre colorful fur coat with flare pants.



She tucked this loose, polka dotted blouse into a striped skirt with holes that also looks to be made of two different fabrics.



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5 email mistakes you probably haven't realized you're making

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coder laptop computer code work

By now, I’m going to assume that you’re well-versed in those email etiquette basics.

You know, things like always including a subject line and resisting the temptation to CC every single warm body in your office.

Yes, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here. But, does that mean I think your messages are flawless? Absolutely not.

There are a few email sins that aren’t as oft-repeated—but are still just as cringe-worthy. And, chances are, you might just be guilty of committing them (hey, I’m right there with you!)—whether you were aware of it or not.

If you find yourself blushing at the mention of one of these faux pas? Well, my friend, your emails still have some room for improvement.

SEE ALSO: Here's the exact email you can use to get a meeting with anyone, no matter how successful or intimidating

1. Playing ‘Hot Potato’

You pride yourself on being totally on top of your inbox—incoming messages never go long without a reply from you.

It’s great that you’re committed to being so responsive. But, it’s important that you also consider the quality of what you’re sending. Are your replies actually pushing the conversation forward? Or, are you firing off short (and perhaps even totally useless) messages in an effort to put the ball in the other person’s court and get yourself one step closer to that elusive inbox zero?

Oftentimes, people find that they’re falling into that latter category. Unfortunately, that frantic game of email hot potato is completely counterproductive.

How to improve

I know the pressure to get back to people can be high, and I’m not trying to tell you to let messages linger unanswered.

Instead, if you’re not at a point where you can provide a high-quality response, send a short note stating that you’re looking into it and will get back with a more detailed answer as soon as you have it.

That step eliminates the pressure of needing to respond instantly, while still giving you time to devote adequate consideration to that message.



2. Showcasing your sense of humor

Nobody wants to sound like a lifeless robot over email. And, trust me, I definitely appreciate those punny and off-the-wall notes that arrive in my inbox.

However, there’s no guarantee that other recipients will feel the same way. You need to remember that written messages lack the nonverbal and other context cues that typically help your humor to land.

So, it’s important to know your audience before peppering your email with what I’m sure is your stellar sense of humor. I’d be delighted with that great GIF of a dog in a party hat. Your board members? Maybe not so much.

How to improve

Again, understanding your recipient is crucial here. But, if you feel even an inkling of doubt about how your funny joke or remark will be received, delete it.

You’re better off safe than sorry, and you can still be friendly and personable in your email—without the standup routine!



3. Rambling on and on

I know that this can seem like a fine line to walk. You hear so much chatter about those dreaded meetings that could’ve happened over email that it’s easy to feel pressured to avoid sit-downs at all costs.

But, this attempt to skip all face-to-face contact often results in some long-winded emails. Before you know it, you’ve cranked out a 3,000-word masterpiece that dives into ever single detail of that upcoming sales presentation. Spoiler alert: Nobody is going to read it.

How to improve

Sometimes longer messages are unavoidable. In those cases, things like bullet points, short paragraphs, and subheads can help keep things organized and easy to digest.

But, considering that the ideal length is somewhere between 50 and 125 words, anything longer than that might warrant a meeting or a phone call.



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