It was normal for people to drive drunk and not bother to wear a seatbelt 50 years ago.

Eventually, everyone realized how bad of an idea this was and now driving drunk and not wearing a seatbelt are both illegal.

Today, many argue that texting while driving is just as bad, if not worse, than driving drunk.

Back in 2006, the University of Utah found that, "... people are as impaired when they drive and talk on a cell phone as they are when they drive intoxicated at the legal blood-alcohol limit" of 0.08 percent, which is the minimum level that defines illegal drunken driving in most U.S. states.

Companies like AT&T have created campaigns that encourage cell phone users to avoid texting while driving at all costs.

Using a cell phone while driving is now illegal in certain states across the country. "Thirty-eight states have laws restricting or outlawing the use of electronic devices while driving," U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood said last year. But people still use their cell phones while driving.

The next time you get in a car, remember these nine people who lost their lives because of texting while driving.

Eric Okerblom, a natural athlete, completed his first bike marathon when he was just 16 years old ... One summer day, Eric Okerblom set out on a bike ride ...

"On a road not far from his home near Santa Maria, California, Eric was killed when a teen driver traveling at 60 miles per hour struck his bike with her truck," the U.S. Department Transportation blog Fastlane explains. 

Eric was struck and killed by a distracted teenage driver who neither swerved nor braked.

It was later revealed by the driver's cell phone records that she was texting just before the crash.

Source: Fastlane

Taylor Sauer was sending messages every 90 seconds while going 80 mph on an Idaho highway last year ...

Sauer was an 18-year-old college student. Sauer was driving 80 mph from Utah to Idaho to visit her parents.

Her last status update, "I can't discuss this now. Driving and facebooking is not safe! Haha."

Moments after this update was posted, she crashed her car into a tanker truck that was going 15 mph up a hill and was killed instantly.

Source: Today

Calli Ann Murray (pictured) and her mom, Ling were heading home from a play date ...

On Dec. 1, 2010, two-year-old Calli Ann Murray and her mother were walking home from playing at a local park. The two reached an intersection and as they began to cross hand-in-hand, a young driver texting on her cell phone barreled down the street. 

"With her attention on her phone instead of the road, the driver struck Calli and Ling with her car,"the U.S. Department of Transportation's blog Fastlane explains.

Calli was gone. Ling was critically injured.

Source: Fastlane

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Most logo changes by big brands are subtle.

Some, however, are so drastic that the new marques look like they have been created for completely different companies.

Think Coca-Cola — since the 1880s, its logo design has barely evolved. The Coca-Cola logo is ubiquitous and consistent, and it pays off: Coca-Cola is widely regarded as the most recognized brand worldwide.

But logo recognition is clearly not everyone's top priority. It's a leap of faith to conduct a major logo design overhaul, but many big brands are still willing to take the risk, evolving to the point that their new logos look nothing like the originals. Apple, for instance, has evolved through a huge range of different looks.

We've compiled some of the most drastic logo redesigns in brand history. Double-takes guaranteed.

When it came to design, the latter half of the 20th century marked a time of slimming down and simplification. IBM's logo evolution reflects this trend — its current design dates back to 1972.

Pepsi represents the path that many brands have taken — phasing out lettering entirely until all that remains in a logo is the symbol itself. Pepsi's first logo is illustrative of the design emphasis of the late 1800s — the more intricate a design, the better. Things certainly have changed.

Adolf Hitler is often credited for designing an early version of the iconic VW Beetle. The pre-WWII logo for the car manufacturer bears Hitler's influence as well, a Nazi-style swastika clearly outlining the perimeter. VW dropped the swastika quickly for a cleaner design that eventually became today's button-like logo.

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If you want a real shot at running for office, following these 11 rules for campaign success could get you there.

The rules come from Jeff Smith's "Campaign Management Boot Camp" at The New School, where he is an assistant professor of Politics and Advocacy.

But he's not only an academic.

Smith served in the Missouri Senate from 2006-2009 as the nation’s only white state senator from a majority-black district. He later ran for the congressional seat vacated by Dick Gephardt in 2004, losing a close race to Rep. Russ Carnahan.

That campaign was the subject of a critically-acclaimed documentary "Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?"

Here, Smith tells us his 11 steps to running a successful campaign.

Let staffers take risks, and don't ever apologize.

Instead of staffers waiting for someone to tell them what to do, Smith says they should be allowed to be bold and creative. "Don't ask for permission. Don't even ask for forgiveness," he says.

One example he offered, is if a junior staffer starts calling every labor union leader in the state for support — when they would expect a call directly from the candidate.

Instead of the campaign manager scolding them, they should say, "Don't ever call that guy again, but I like the way you're being aggressive out there."

Don’t hire anyone with too much experience. Hire smart, creative people.

If you’re looking to do something that hasn’t been done before, extensive experience on the campaign trail can be a negative, according to Smith.

Instead, campaigns should opt for newcomers that can bring fresh thinking into a race.

"Karl Rove was the most experienced guy in American politics and he didn't even know when his guy lost. Having done something before can help you, but it can constrain you in the future."

The best motivation is the possibility of a dream job.

Those bold thinkers you've hired as staff, volunteers, or interns need room to grow, so Smith advises giving them an opportunity to lead — and float the possibility of a full-time position.

They can write a direct mail piece, a fundraising letter, or an ad script – "you’ll be surprised how often they do it better than the pros," he says.

And he offers some bold leadership advice:

"Don't ever ask a member of your staff to do something that you wouldn't do yourself," Smith says. "Yet most campaign managers do just that."

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As the current North Korean crisis unfolds, I am reminded of a feeling I got when I visited the DPRK during the “100th birthday” celebration of Kim Il Sung.

It is a feeling of being stuck in an ever-climatic plot, with no beginning or resolution. Yet in times when the ever-watchful state does look away, one can see glimpses of hope and change. The best way to explain what I mean is via two stories:

The first story is about theatre,
the other is about a song.

Upon entering North Korea, a giant stage is revealed for visitors. Whatever you do, you are constantly observed and followed by two guides. They control you, the people around you and importantly, they also control each other. They know when you wake up, they know when you go to sleep — and they make sure you know that they know.

Take a tour of life in North Korea >

When I was there, I focused my camera on the totalitarianism of the place. A socially "perfect" environment, clean and controlled, North Korean children both intelligent and artistic — that's what they want you to see. However, most striking of all is the emptiness of spaces, the darkness at night, and the artificiality of everyone and everything you encounter. All this adds to the overall feeling of being on a giant movie set, filled with background actors, while you, as the visitor, are the star of the show. Everything is guided and directed by an invisible Director — there is no room for improvisation.

And even though the scenes that unfold have no script, the people you are allowed to see all behave in accordance to a way of thinking — acting out a story with a perpetual climax yet no ending, a plot based on war that is long gone. Whereas we, outside of Korea, only see glimpses of the climax flare up every now and again, people in North Korea are forced to remain in a wartime climax, stuck in 1953.

With the "Juche" philosophy and the bashing of American-Japanese Imperialism, repeated to you on every occasion, you slowly start to not only understand, but to comprehend the immensity that is North Korea’s propaganda. How impossible rational thought is, when as a North Korean, you are being told the same thing over and over and over again. Your whole life.

The most absurd scene, one that is almost "Malcovichian," occurred during a walk through the mountains near the "International Friendship Exhibition" halls of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung (these halls in themselves were quite remarkable, filled with absurd gifts from world leaders and business men — gifts ranging from German Kuckuck’s clocks to stuffed alligators carrying plates with wine glasses).

As we were walking through the woods, we encountered what can be described as "spontaneous" celebrations and singing in the forest. Our guide excitedly explained to us, that this is proof that on the "Great Leaders’ birthday" people would celebrate not only in the cities, but also in the forests.

Certainly. They also compliantly started to dance every time I pointed the camera at them, stopping only when you stopped aiming. This then turned into a bit of a game — up, dance, down, no dance. For a short period of time I became Craig the puppeteer in "Being John Malcovich." The theatre obeyed me, it became “interactive." But then I stopped, and realized that what I was doing was actually incredibly unfair to these poor people, and that in fact, for a short period, I became the regime’s director of theatre.

But the most mind-boggling and unexpected thing happened as we were climbing up a beautiful mountain, within a beautiful forest, embedded within an unspoiled nature reserve. We were alone with our main guide Mr. Park (name changed). The other guide had to stay back to guard the bus and Mr. Park, it seemed, realized his new found "freedom" from state observation, if only for a few minutes.

At that moment he decided to open himself up a little to us, and to express himself almost freely. With an almost perfect American accent, although retaining a distinct Korean slant, he started to sing his very own favorite song:

Frank Sinatra’s “My Way."

I barely comprehended what was happening when it started, but as the seconds passed I noticed the irony growing as he sang the lyrics pertaining to freedom and individuality.

In that sense, North Korea not only told me about its absurd terror state, but also about the dreams of its people, even if I only saw glimmers of it.

And when I returned home, I also understood what freedom and self-expression meant. What it means to be able to decide what to do next and to be able to say the things you want. The moment I touched-down outside of the DPRK, I was, dare I say, rather euphoric.

A tram drives by the lit Monument to the Foundation of the Worker's Party. Other parts of the city are pitch black.

Kim Il Sung had a soft spot for the arts, and thus included a brush with hammer and sickle. Bushes are lit by fairy lights at night, which adds to the overall feel of artificiality.

Kim II Sung Square at night. The principal place where parades, political events, mass demonstrations and meetings take place.

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Many of the most successful people didn't have a straightforward or easy path to the top. They made big mistakes, missed big opportunities, and suffered harsh setbacks.

What distinguishes them is the way they responded. 

LinkedIn recently asked more than 60 of its influencers what their "best career mistake" was — something that seemed like a disaster at the time that ended up being incredibly beneficial. 

For example, Asana co-founder Justin Rosenstein failed to get an early version of Google Drive off the ground because he didn't push hard enough for the project. "Larry [Page] was so successful and smart," he said. "I just didn’t have the confidence back then to do what I wish I’d done in hindsight." But that mistake has made him a better leader today.

We've pulled out some of the most compelling and interesting stories that show no matter how bad things seem at the time, it's usually not the end of the world. 

T. Boone Pickens didn't do enough research on a lawn mowing deal he entered into with his grandmother, and had a terrible summer.

For his first job, Pickens decided to go into a lawn mowing deal with his grandmother, who owned six small rental houses at the time, but he failed to do any research on his business strategy:

"It would rain two days, then we would have sun for five days. I could see the grass growing – and growing. I hadn’t looked at the job very closely. I didn’t realize the lawns were as big as they were, or what a rainy summer would do to me.

"'This was a very bad summer, and you made a bad deal,' my grandmother told me. I couldn’t help but agree. Grandmother was right. Misjudging that bid was a small mistake, one that only cost me a few dollars. Yet the sting of that minor miscalculation created such a long-lasting impression that it has stayed seared in my mind throughout my entire career."

Rajat Taneja, CTO of Electronic Arts, failed to make an elevator pitch to an important executive.

When he was still at Microsoft, Taneja, found himself in an elevator with an important executive and couldn't say anything more than "hello":

"After that elevator ride, I promised myself to make more of an effort to connect with people with whom I don’t normally interact. In many cases these serendipitous conversations add a whole new dimension to ones thinking ... For those who find themselves in similar situation as I did, my advice is to always take the opportunity to connect with others but the key is to be genuine in doing so. Put some forethought into what you’d want to talk with someone about if you had the chance — this will make for better conversation.

"This experience taught me that in business, you have to make the most of the moments you have and to not let a level of intimidation get in the way of making a good, and lasting, impression."

Source: LinkedIn

Vivian Schiller, chief digital officer of NBC, never mapped out her 5-year career plan.

When Schiller started in the media industry, she was told that she should choose either the creative or business route, but she was interested in both, so she never chose:

"I loved the creative side — developing documentaries, editing scripts, constructing story narratives. However, I also loved the business end. I made distribution deals with foreign broadcasters, worked with ad sales on sponsorship packages and marketing extensions. I took some interesting detours: licensing and merchandising for Captain Planet and the Planeteers; marketing the Golden Globes for TBS. It was a rush. So I kept deferring the decision about what I wanted to be.

"Since I was not on a proven course, it was never clear how one job would lead to the next. But choosing my trajectory one crossroad at a time allowed me to enjoy both sides of the media business, and I collected eclectic skill sets that prepared me for unanticipated opportunities."

"I may have seemed to weave between jobs on different sides of the industry, but what I’ve walked away with is a 360-degree view of media. Having no set roadmap gave me a view in every direction. And I truly believe that success doesn't come with a set plan. It comes with patience, a little luck, and trusting yourself to choose the opportunities that are right — for you."

Source: LinkedIn 

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If you’re backpacking, or on a leisurely vacation, chances are you want to experience the destination in all its glory.

Often the first places that enthused travelers are itching to check out are historical monuments, museums, clubs, bars, and restaurants.

However, there is one destination that is truly underrated: parks.  

All across Europe and the U.S. breathtaking parks are open to the public. Visiting these parks allows one to experience serene, natural, beauty and provides an idyllic getaway to the craziness that sometimes consumes traveling and exploring.

Vondelpark, Amsterdam

If you’re looking for outdoorthings to do in Amsterdam, there’s nothing like grabbing a bottle of wine and some snacks for a visit to Vondelpark, the biggest park in the city where you can experience live music and theater performances on the weekend.

This park features lakes, wildlife, and rose gardens away from the canals and restaurants.

Park Güell, Barcelona

One park in particular that is both inspiring, as well as an adequate exercise is Park Güell in Gracia, Barcelona.

Get a unique, art-fix here while adventuring through the windey trails you will encounter various Gaudi designed statues, foundations, sculptures, pillars, and of course the famous gingerbread houses that bring you back to your childhood memories of playing Candy land.

The High Line, New York City

Considered an educational hotspot, with its nature and art tours, The High Line park in New York was once an old, abandoned railroad track.

Today however, it has been transformed with lush grasses, trees, flowers, and bushes, additionally, the original railroad tracks have been incorporated into the design.

The concrete slants and various artist booths alongside extravagant plants and trees is a unique experience you can’t pass up.

The High Line starts at Washington Street and Gansevoort Street, and 10th Avenue at W. 14th Street in New York City.

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Sometimes filmmakers seem a little obsessed with the end of the world.

This year alone we've got Oblivion, After Earth, Catching Fire, The Host, This Is the End, World War Z, Elysium, and The World's End champing at the bit to show us their visions for Earth's demise (or at least radical decline).

With Oblivion new in theaters this weekend, we decided to take a look back at what the end of the world might look like according to movies.

We've helpfully organized them in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

"Twelve Monkeys" (1995)

"A Boy And His Dog" (1975)

"The Book of Eli" (2010)

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What did LinkedIn look like the first time you visited the site in 2003? How'd The New York Times' homepage look back in 1996?

We found the earliest versions of some of the most visited websites today, like Facebook, Google, and The Huffington Post.

Here's what the sites looked like then, and what they look like now. Web design has come a long way.

LinkedIn - Then (May 2003)

LinkedIn - Now

Google - Then (1998)

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WHOA, this week you have the least money in your bank account that you’ve ever had. You can literally only afford three things at the 99¢ Store.

That trip you’d been thinking about is so far down the horizon, you can barely make it out.

To top that off, your passport expired three months ago, you have a whopping credit card bill, and you need to pay a parking ticket. You are eternally trapped here, but through the power of The Internet you can make a fake escape.

Google Street View is like a momentary free vacation (if you go full screen). You can even explore regions that’d be inaccessible even if you did have some money (but aren’t a member of the 1%.) Street View recently added hard-to-reach destinations you can use to simulate hiking Everest, exploring Arctic territory, and adventuring through the radiation-laced streets of Fukushima.

More from Matador Network:

• Armchair Travel: Embrace the Bizarre

• The 16 Most Inappropriate In-Flight Movies

• 6 Essential Books About India

Antarctica: See those tuxedo birds up close.

See Antarctica here >

Great Barrier Reef, Australia: The sea turtles are everywhere, and you can still breathe oxygen.

See the Great Barrier Reef here >

Fukushima, Japan: Discover the post-nuclear-meltdown abandoned towns in northern Japan while avoiding radiation.

See Fukushima here >

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Technology has the potential to radically change the way we live, and even how we relate to each other as human beings. 

Technologies like 3D printing are changing manufacturing and democratizing creativity. Mobile apps are changing our buying behavior, with mobile commerce making up 20% of all e-commerce activity.

Nano-filtration is even changing the way we drink water.

At the same time, technologies like Google Glass are bringing the Internet closer to us than it ever has been before. 

Self-driving cars are changing how we get around.

We're already seeing Google's self-driving cars every now and then on the road in California, where Google is testing its driverless car program. But they could be on the market by 2018.

Google estimates that self-driving vehicles could cut the 1.2 million lives lost every year due to car accidents in half. 

Whether society is ready for this or not still remains to be seen. But driverless cars will most definitely be an option. Other big players like Toyota and Audi are also working on their own self-driving cars. 

Google Glass will turn us all into cyborgs.

Google Glass, the search giant's Internet-connected glasses, is one of the most exciting products to come around in a while. That's because the implications are huge.

Glass will bring everyday activities closer to our senses, and enhance our interactions with our surroundings. We'll be more connected to the Internet than we ever have before and we'll be able to see useful information like text messages, news articles, tweets, and directions overlaid onto the real world.

With Glass, we can also record everything around us and store it to the cloud. That way we can make sure we don't forget a single moment of life. 

Wearable fitness trackers are making us all health nuts.

With apps and services like Nike FuelBand, Fitbit, and ZEO, we're increasingly generating more and more data in our day-to-day lives. Those devices help us track things like calories burned, steps taken, and even how well we're sleeping.

These devices are all part of the "quantified self" movement, which aims to empower people through their own data, telling us things about ourselves and our biology that aren't obvious. 

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A President Obama lookalike starred in one of McDonald's latest ads— and it wasn't for an American audience.

The Israeli commercial, in which Obama says "God bless Israel" after forcing a bunch of teens to cancel their Saturday night plans to reopen the fast food joint, is just one of many strange McDonald's ads that you won't see in the U.S.

While the chain's American marketing campaigns aren't known for being particularly adventurous, McDonald's foreign commercials regularly take risks — both good and bad.

Japan's "sexy" Ronald McDonald's ad will turn your stomach, but a brutally honest British ad recruiting staff — which refers to work at the burger chain as "slave labor"— will bring a tear to your eye.

We've collected the most buzz-worthy foreign McDonald's ads that you will never see in the United States.

Israel: President Obama ruins a bunch of teens' night

But he makes up for it with the "God bless Israel" line ...

Agency: Yehoshua/TBWA, Tel Aviv

But Israel's McDonald's ran the exact same ad with a George W. Bush impersonator five years ago.

Only Bush says "Lucky you were open" instead.

Japan: Ronald McDonald as a fetish object

If, by remote chance, you don't think this ad is totally wrong ...

Then you should check out the version below, in which she wears some sort of McDonald's-themed lingerie.

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The Social Progress Index is a new metric that measures progress through fulfillment of basic human needs rather than through traditional indicators of economic growth.

The index, designed by a team led by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, ranks countries on social and environmental measures that underlie wellbeing and opportunity.

“The Social Progress Index shows that countries with similar levels of GDP can have very different levels of social progress,” Michael Green, Executive Director of the Social Progress Imperative, said.

One example: The U.S. leads OECD nations in total spending per capita on health care, but ranks only 11th of the 16 OECD countries in the Social Progress Index on health and wellness.

10) You can excel in Spain (if you can find a job)

Social Progress Index: 10th

Spain ranked 5th in Air, Water, And Sanitation but 27th in Shelter and 41st in Ecosystem Sustainability.

The country shined in regards to Opportunity, where it ranked 6th overall, 4th in Access to Higher Education, and 3rd in Equity and Inclusion.

The big issue for Spain is that 57.2% of under-25s are out of work, which means that frustrated youths are leaving in droves. 

9) France is above-average all around

Social Progress Index: 9th

France ranked 7th in Air, Water, And Sanitation but 14th in Shelter and 36th in Ecosystem Sustainability.

The country has middling ranks for Opportunity, where it ranked 11th overall. It ranks 8th for Personal Freedom and Choice and 11th for Personal Rights, but 15th for Equity and Inclusion and 14th in Access to Higher Education.

France's social policy lurched forward this week the country legalized gay marriage after a harsh debate.

8) The Japanese feel safe and sheltered

Social Progress Index: 8th

Japan ranked 1st in Shelter and 4th in Personal Safety, but lagged in Air, Water, and Sanitation (10th), Nutrition (12th), and Health and Wellness (10th). It also ranked 40th in Ecosystem Sustainability.

The country performs well in Personal Rights, where it ranked 8th, but ranked 26th in Personal Freedom and Choice, 20th in Equity and Inclusion, and 15th in Access to Higher Education.

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We recently told you the story of why Vegas-based robotics startup Romotive is moving to California.

The gist of their reasoning was that while they knew they'd be paying more in taxes, but that they'd be in closer proximity to like-minded firms and entrepreneurs, as well as investors.

We were interested by their story in the first place, though, because California's business climate has received some bad press this year.

And the state most responsible for giving it? 

Texas.

It started with Gov. Rick Perry's move to run advertisements in the Golden State touting Texas' more favorable tax and regulatory environment. 

This was followed, among other things, by an op-ed from the Texas Public Policy Foundation "dispelling" myths about Texas' disadvantages versus California.

The TPPF's mission, in case you didn't know, is to "promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas."

So arguably they may not be the most partial arbiter of the question. 

So we have taken it on ourselves to be so.

We looked at five broad categories — taxes, health, education, housing, and sports and leisure — to determine which state is superior. 

We took the perspective of a business executive or family trying to determine which of the two states is for them.

It comes down to the wire.

But the winner makes a convincing case.

Ding! Round 1: who's got lower tax rates?

Texas doesn't even have an income tax.

Texas does have a form of corporate income taxes, but they're way low.

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WATCH: My video application to go to Mars

I just applied for a one-way trip to Mars. 

The spaceship is scheduled to leave Earth in the fall of 2022. It will land on the Red Planet about seven months later in 2023. 

There is no return flight. So presumably, I — or any of the four astronauts picked for the first mission — will die there.  

The gutsy expedition is operated by a Dutch company called Mars One. Business Insider's Adam Taylor spoke with the company's founder Bas Lansdorp last May when the plans first hit the Internet, quickly gaining international media attention.   

On Monday, Lansdorp announced the opening of Mars One's astronaut selection program at a New York City press conference. Within 24 hours of the announcement, the company received more than 10,000 emails from space enthusiasts.

I bought into the hype, too. 

Anyone over 18 can apply, and the application is relatively easy to fill out. 

Do I think I will go to Mars? No. But I want the chance to find out if I have what it takes. 

Before filling out your application, you must register with Mars One. Just enter your email address and come up with a password.

You will receive an email with a link. The link takes you to a page that prompts you to pay before going any further. The application fee is $38, which will go toward funding the mission.

Then it's time to fill out the application!

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[Editor's note: Copenhagenize is a consulting and communications company that specializes in all things cycling-related. The company gave Business Insider an exclusive first look at its new ranking of the world's most bike-friendly cities.]

There are lots of cities where it's good to be a cyclist, but some are truly two-wheel paradises.

The newly released Copenhagenize Index 2013, produced by the Copenhagenize Design Co., ranked 150 cities around the world on 13 parameters, including cycling facilities, culture, sharing program, gender split, politics, and traffic calming.

It also gave bonus points for categories like political leadership.

Here are the top 20 cities, each with a score out of 100 points.

The list starts at number 14, since there are a few ties.

14. Hamburg, Germany

Score: 54

2011 Rank: 13

Why It Works: The Index always offers up surprises. More often than not it is when cities show up on the list. To be honest, we were surprised that Hamburg made the cut and clung onto the last spot in the Top 20.

In a global perspective, Hamburg is a premier league player, no doubt about it. The city's modal share has been steady and is slowly rising. The citizens are returning to the bicycle, especially in the neighborhoods.

The city's planners haven't really realized that it's a new millennium and much of their infrastructure is sub-standard. But it's there. Ready to form the foundation for more, better protected cycle tracks.

Fixes: If Hamburg gets the right political leadership, the city will blossom as an urban cycling paradise. The need for infrastructure that adheres to best practice is becoming more and more apparent.

The 20th spot on the Copenhagenize Index is a fragile position to be in what with so many other cities making impressive efforts and eager to move up the list. Get with the global programme or get left behind. You're snuggled in between Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Figure it out.

Scoring: Cities were given between 0 and 4 points in 13 categories, with a potential 12 bonus points for particularly impressive efforts or results, for a maximum of 64 points. The final score was adjusted to be out of 100. Categories included advocacy, bicycle culture, cycling facilities, infrastructure, bike share program, gender split, modal share, modal share increase since 2006, perception of safety, politics, social acceptance, urban planning, and traffic calming. See the full index at Copenhagenize.

13. Paris, France (tie)

Score: 55

2011 Rank: 7

Why It Works: The second global mega-city on the list after Tokyo, Paris continues to impress. If every city had political vision like Paris, regarding liveable cities, the world would be a better place.

Paris has left London and New York in the dust over the past six years. In particular, New York is making efforts to catch up, but Paris' commitment to improving conditions for Citizen Cyclists remains strong.

The city's bike share system remains a success and an impressive number of stretches feature bicycle infrastructure.

With 30 km/h zones and the removal of archaic expressways along the river, bicycle traffic will benefit. The fantastic role of the bike share system in the nightlife shows that the citizens are embracing the bicycle for all purposes. Nobody would have thought that Paris could have done all it has done but the city continues to pinch us to tell us we're not dreaming.

Fixes: Planners have been searching for space for bicycle infrastructure and Paris has some unique solutions. They are, however, solutions that are not sustainable in the long run.

It's time to up the stakes and go after a more permanent solution with the creation of more protected cycle tracks. The success of the bike share system is impressive but better maintenance is required, as well as increasing the number of stations at both transport hubs and popular nightlife neighborhoods.

Scoring: Cities were given between 0 and 4 points in 13 categories, with a potential 12 bonus points for particularly impressive efforts or results, for a maximum of 64 points. The final score was adjusted to be out of 100. Categories included advocacy, bicycle culture, cycling facilities, infrastructure, bike share program, gender split, modal share, modal share increase since 2006, perception of safety, politics, social acceptance, urban planning, and traffic calming. See the full index at Copenhagenize.

13. Budapest, Hungary (tie)

Score: 55

2011 Rank: 10

Why It Works: Budapest continues to build upon the successes of the past few years, although we fear the pace may have slowed. The city's force remains visionary advocacy and the social acceptance of the bicycle.

One of the leaders among Emerging Bicycle Cities, Budapest is getting it's brain wrapped around infrastructure and development of a sensible network for bicycle users.

A city that can gather 50,000-80,000 for peaceful bicycle rides has some golden opportunities that can and must be exploited.

Fixes: Like every other city on the planet, it's all about the infrastructure. The city has brilliant advocacy, but it is now time to push for more protected cycle tracks. Paint ain't the same.

Budapest is a regional leader in bicycle culture but without political will and a modern desire for mobility change, their role will be overtaken by others. The upcoming bike share system, if implemented correctly, will be a game-changer for the city.

More infrastructure should be in place before the bike share system starts up.

Scoring: Cities were given between 0 and 4 points in 13 categories, with a potential 12 bonus points for particularly impressive efforts or results, for a maximum of 64 points. The final score was adjusted to be out of 100. Categories included advocacy, bicycle culture, cycling facilities, infrastructure, bike share program, gender split, modal share, modal share increase since 2006, perception of safety, politics, social acceptance, urban planning, and traffic calming. See the full index at Copenhagenize.

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Switching to a new smartphone operating system often comes with a learning curve and growing pains.

The iPhone and Android operating systems are both completely different, so naturally making the jump from one to the other will cause you to miss some functions and features.

A thread on Reddit asked users who recently converted from the iPhone to Android what they missed the most about their former Apple devices.

One recent switcher said, "an Android device feels like a computer, with mobile features added in. I just feel like I can get more work done on my Nexus. There's flow. A normal workflow on iOS involves copious use of the home button, copying, pasting, scrolling trying to find an app, rinse, repeat."

One user surprisingly missed the iPhone's battery life.

"I miss the battery life, hardware design, the case and accessory ecosystem, Safari, iMessage, FindmyiPhone, hardware silent switch, game selection, iCloud device backups, higher quality version of some 3rd party apps (like Facebook or Rdio), OS updates with no delay, iCloud photo stream sharing and the device build quality."

Source: Reddit

Others complained about missing particular apps.

"I missed the Tweetbot [iPhone Twitter app] and Alien Blue [iPhone Reddit app] apps for a while, but the benefits are now faded from my memory. Moving to Android made me feel like iOS was old fashioned. It took me some time to change over as I have used almost exclusively Apple products for over a decade but I am glad that I did."

Source: Reddit

A lack of compatible Android accessories also left something to be desired.

"I miss accessories being everywhere," one user said. "There are way more accessories out there for iPhone vs your android devices because the android market is much more fragmented."

Source: Reddit

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Fifteen months ago Tim Tebow was the biggest thing in sports.

He carried the Denver Broncos to the playoffs, and threw a miracle 80-yard touchdown pass to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in round one.

Today, he was cut by the New York Jets.

It's a sudden and shocking fall for one of the most polarizing players in years.

Tebow's story took so many turns so quickly, and it's incredible to go back and look at a timeline of how his unfortunate downfall played out.

Tebow's downfall began with a 45-10 blowout loss to the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2012 playoffs

Immediately after that, we got the first sign that Tebowmania wasn't a big love-fest in Denver. Back-up QB Brady Quinn said Tebow was lucky and prayed for the cameras

Source: GQ

In March 2012, the Broncos pulled an absolute shocker — signing Peyton Manning and setting off a frenzy of Tebow trade rumors

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In Michigan, $500,000 buys a 6,600-square-foot home on a three-acre lot.

But in Seattle, the same amount will get you a 1,750-square-foot home on about a quarter of an acre.

Our friends at Zillow helped us compile a list of homes on the market for $500,000 around the U.S.

EL DORADO HILLS, CA: $500,000 gets you a 3,105-square-foot, 4-bedroom home with granite slab counters, travertine floors, and a butler's pantry.

Click here to see the house on Zillow.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM: $500,000 buys you a 3,373-square-foot home with four bedrooms on a .68 acre lot, a slate front porch, and a granite fountain.

Click here to see the house on Zillow.

LAS VEGAS, NV: $500,000 gets you a 4,847-square-foot home with five bedrooms and a large pool.

Click here to see the house on Zillow.

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On Saturday, celebrities ranging from John Legend and Amy Poehler to Katy Perry and Sharon Stone attended the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton.

The annual event, this year hosted by Conan O'Brien, brought out a range of celebs — most hosted by various networks or magazines.

See who hosted who and who wore what.

Sofia Vergara and the rest of the "Modern Family" cast were guests of their show's network, ABC.

"Nashville" star Hayden Panettiere was also a guest of ABC.

As was her co-star, Connie Britton, who was wearing a gown by Temperley London.

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Google released its long-awaited Google Now service on the iPhone and iPad today. 

The app is a voice-controlled assistant that's similar to Siri on the iPhone, but it's way better. 

Google Now taps into Google's huge trove of online data to bring you the one answer you're looking for when you ask a question. It's like magic.

The app can also do a bunch of other cool tricks like:

• Tell you sports scores based on the teams you search for. 
• Give you stock quotes based on companies you search for. 
• Help you track a package based on alerts in Gmail.
• Bring you news and weather based on your location and interests.

After you download the latest update to the Google Search app, tap the icon to launch.

Since Google Now is new to the iPhone, Google takes you through a quick tutorial.

Google Now can tell you when to leave for your next appointment so you can make it on time. It takes traffic conditions into account.

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