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The 14 wildest conspiracy theories that celebrities believe

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marion cotillard bruce willis jenny mccarthy

Some celebrities are fascinated by conspiracy theories but don't necessarily buy into them, like Richard Linklater and Demi Lovato. Some float conspiracies and later retract their statements, like Scott Baio. And many are the subjects of conspiracy theories themselves, like Avril Lavigne, Beyoncé, and Nicolas Cage.

On the other hand, many celebrities actually believe in conspiracy theories. Some are run-of-the-mill, like believing that the US government is lying about 9/11 and the JFK assassination. Others could be spreading information that could actually be harmful or dangerous to those who believe them.

Here are 14 conspiracy theories that the following celebrities believe.

SEE ALSO: Ben Affleck joked about sexual harassment in Hollywood during a 'Justice League' interview

Bruce Willis can't believe that Lee Harvey Oswald killed John F. Kennedy.

Did Lee Harvey Oswald assassinate John F. Kennedy? The evidence points to yes.

But not according to Bruce Willis.

Willis has publicly said he believes that the person or persons who did it — though he doesn't name the individuals — remained in power for decades.

"They still haven't caught the guy that killed Kennedy,"Willis told Vanity Fair in 2007. "I'll get killed for saying this, but I'm pretty sure those guys are still in power, in some form."

Oliver Stone, who directed the 1991 conspiracy theory movie "JFK," sincerely believed that Oswald didn't act alone, despite the conclusions of the Warren Commission. He feels a great deal of the evidence hasn't been considered.

"History is a struggle of the memory," he wrote in USA Today. "But when the counter evidence is stifled, we are closer to a Soviet-era manufacturing of history in which the mainstream media deeply discredit our country and continue to demean our common sense." 



B.o.B thinks the Earth is flat.

People have known that Earth is round since at least Aristotle.

But the belief that it's flat still persists.

Some celebrities buy into the Flat Earth Theory, most prominently the rapper B.o.B. His tweets also indicate that he believes a lot of people are cloned.

People started ripping on the "Nothin' on You" singer for his belief in January 2016, when he tweeted about it. After famous astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson (naturally) picked apart B.o.B.'s beliefs on Twitter, B.o.B released a diss track, titled "Flatline," which asserts his belief in Flat Earth theory and is suggestive of other conspiracy theories, like mirror lizards, clones, and that the Holocaust never happened.

Tyson's nephew, a budding rapper, offered a rejoinder with his rap "Flat to Fact," a reference to Drake's devastating diss track "Back to Back."Tyson himself appeared on "The Nightly Show," too, with a kind of slam poem responding to B.o.B.

In April of that year, B.o.B responded with an entire 45-minute mixtape about his belief in Flat Earth Theory, titled "E.A.R.T.H. (Educational Avatar Reality Training Habitat)." The lyrics also questioned whether nuclear weapons exist, questioned evolution, and suggested that dinosaur bones were planted into the ground by an enormous organization.

In September of 2017, B.o.B kept it up by starting a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to buy satellites, launch them into space, and prove that the planet is really flat. By November, he'd raised about $6,000 of his $1 million goal.

NBA player Kyrie Irving also believes the Earth is flat.

"The Earth is flat. I'm telling you, it's right in front of our faces. They lie to us,"Irving said in a recent interview.

Tila Tequila also sounded off on her belief of Earth's flatness on Twitter, which she was later banned from after sharing pro-Nazi sentiments.



A lot of celebrities question the official narrative of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

A number of famous people have floated conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. A lot of actors have signed the "Actors and Artists for 9/11 Truth" petition, which asked then-president Barack Obama "to authorize a new, truly independent, investigation to determine what really happened on 9/11."

There are a number of alternative theories about the attacks, which generally say that the US government is lying about how it happened and who was behind them. Many of these theories were popularized by "Loose Change,"a hoax documentary that went viral after being uploaded to the now-defunct Google Videos site.

Here's what Mark Ruffalo had to say about the attacks in a 2007 interview:

"I saw the way they all came down. And I'm baffled. My first reaction was, 'buildings don't fall down like that.' I've done quite a bit of my own research ... The fact that the 9/11 investigation went from the moment the planes hit to the moment the buildings fell, and nothing before or after, I think, makes that investigation completely illegitimate. If you’re going to do a crime investigation, you have to find motive. We didn’t follow that. It was quickly pushed away, obviously. There was no evidence — it's the biggest crime scene. And [Henry] Kissinger in charge of it makes it slightly dubious. Who knows? None of us know what happened for real. But I’m totally and completely behind reopening that particular... Where is that money? Follow the money, guys!”

Another is Martin Sheen. Here's what he said about it, according to HuffPost:

"There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions, let me leave it that way, that are very, very disturbing. The key to that is Building 7 and how that came down under very, very suspicious circumstances."

Martin Sheen's son, Charlie Sheen, was reportedly set to star with Woody Harrelson in a movie called "September Morn," which questioned the official narrative behind 9/11. The movie never materialized. But here's what Charlie Sheen said in an interview with Alex Jones, the host and founder of Infowars, a conspiracy theory media site, according to a transcript from CNN:

"I saw the south tower hit live, that famous wide shot where it disappears behind the building and then we see the tremendous fireball. And there was just — there was a feeling that it just didn't look, how do I say this, it didn't look like any commercial jetliner I've flown on any time in my life. And then when the buildings came down, later on that day, I was with my brother and I said, 'Hey, call me insane, but did it sort of look like those buildings came down in a — in a controlled demolition?'

"Show us this incredible maneuvering. Just show it to us. Just show us, you know, how this particular plane pulled off these maneuvers. What was it, a 270 degree turn at 500 miles per hour, descending 7,000 feet in two and a half minutes, skimming across tree tops the last 500 meters off the ground?"

The "The Mary Tyler Moore Show,""Elf," and "Up" actor Ed Asner also supported the false "controlled demolition" theory. He narrated the 15-minute program titled "Architects and Engineers – Solving the Mystery of Building 7."Here's what he said in a podcast interview:

"My bottom line on all of this is that this country — which is the greatest, strongest country that ever existed in the world, in terms of power — supposedly had a defense that could not be penetrated all these years. But all of that was eradicated by nineteen Saudi Arabians, supposedly. Some of whom didn’t even know how to fly."

Here, you can see his comments synced up to the lips of his character from "Up."

Rosie O'Donnell, on "The View," said she wasn't sure about government involvement, and argued that the physics were impossible unless there were explosives involved.

"I do believe that it's the first time in history that fire has ever melted steel. I do believe that it defies physics that World Trade Center tower 7 — building 7, which collapsed in on itself—it is impossible for a building to fall the way it fell without explosives being involved. World Trade Center 7. World Trade [Center] 1 and 2 got hit by planes — 7, miraculously, the first time in history, steel was melted by fire. It is physically impossible."

Willie Nelson, also on Alex Jones's show, questioned the government narrative behind the 9/11 attacks.

"I saw those towers fall and I've seen an implosion in Las Vegas, there's too much similarities between the two. And I saw the building fall that didn't get hit by nothing ... So, how naive are we, you know, what do they think we'll go for?"

In the same interview where she questioned whether Americans really landed on the moon, Marion Cotillard told the French TV program "Paris Premiere" that there was something fishy about the collapse of the Twin Towers.

"We see other towers of the same kind being hit by planes. Are they burned? [There] was a tower, I believe it was in Spain, which burned for 24 hours. It never collapsed. None of these towers collapsed. And there [in New York ], in a few minutes, the whole thing collapsed.

"It was a money-sucker because they were finished, it seems to me, by 1973, and to re-cable all that, to bring up-to-date all the technology and everything, it was a lot more expensive, that work, than destroying them."

Cotillard later told Access Hollywood that the comments were "taken out of context."

"At no point did I intend to contest the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, one of the most tragic days in all of history," she said. "Nonetheless, I sincerely regret if my comments offended or hurt anyone."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

6 ways to save money on flights this holiday season

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airport security crowds

  • Holiday travel can get expensive.
  • If you're willing to be flexible with your travel plans, you can save a lot of money.
  • Flying out of a less popular airport and using lesser-known travel sites can help you get a good deal.

 

Whether you're visiting family around the US or escaping the cold for a relaxing winter getaway, holiday travel can get expensive, especially when it comes to air travel.

There are ways, however, to avoid extra fees and save a little money on flights during the holiday season. If you're willing to be flexible with dates, airlines, and airports, you can save some serious cash.

Keep reading for six ways to save money on flights this holiday season.

Book flights either really far in advance or at the last minute.

You're most likely to find a good deal on airfare if you buy around two months in advance when it comes to holiday travel, since prices tend to increase around the holiday season.

However, sites like CheapOair offer last minute deals that are worth checking out if you decide to make travel plans closer to the holidays. 



Track flights you're interested in so you know the best time to book.

If you're planning a trip in advance, use Google Flights' tracking tool to keep tabs on when flights are the cheapest. 

Google Flights also allows you to easily explore a range of dates so you can find the cheapest time to travel. 

 



Be flexible about flight times.

You can save money on a last minute flight by choosing to fly early in the morning or late at night. A red-eye flight might not be your first choice, but it will save you money and give you a little extra time at your destination.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and tennis superstar Serena Williams met and fell in love

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Alexis Ohanian (left) and Serena Williams

The last year has been huge for Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian. 

Since last December, the tennis superstar and the Reddit cofounder, respectively, found out they were expecting a child, got engaged, and are about to get married.

But things weren't always perfect. In fact, when they first met, Williams tried to get Ohanian to go away by telling him there was a rat nearby. 

In the July cover story of Vanity Fair, writer Buzz Bissinger got the inside look at their love story. That, along with Instagram sleuthing, helped us compile the story of Ohanian and Williams' whirlwind romance. 

Here's how this power couple from opposite worlds fell in love. 

SEE ALSO: Reddit's founder thought people in Silicon Valley were the hardest workers — until he met his fiancée, Serena Williams

The pair met in May 2015 at the Hotel Cavalieri Hilton in Rome, when Ohanian sat down at the table next to Williams' outside by the pool, according to Vanity Fair. Williams and her friends tried to get him to leave by telling him there was a rat at his table. When it didn't work, they invited him to join them.

Source: Vanity Fair



Williams had never heard of Reddit before, and Ohanian had never watched Williams play tennis, but he agreed to come to the match later that day. He knew so little about the sport that the first photo he shared publicly of Williams shows her committing a foot fault.

Instagram Embed:
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Source: Instagram, Vanity Fair



When they met, Ohanian had just gotten out of a five-year relationship with his college sweetheart, microbiologist Sabriya Stukes.

Source: The New York Times, Vanity Fair



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These 4 countries have nearly eliminated gun deaths — here's what the US can learn

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gun buyback australia

  • The US has seen a spate of mass shootings within the last couple months, reopening debates about gun control.
  • Some countries have figured out how to curb gun violence through targeted strategies.
  • Efforts from Japan, Australia, Norway, and the United Kingdom may all offer insight.


On Tuesday, November 14, a gunman went on a shooting spreeat the Rancho Tehama reserve in Northern California, killing five people and injuring three children.

A week before, a man in Sutherland Springs, Texas stormed a church with a semi-automatic rifle, killing 26 people and injuring 20.

A month before that, a gunman in the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, in Las Vegas, shot and killed 59 nearby concertgoers and injured 546.

As mass shootings like these seem to escalate in the US, so do questions about gun control. Americans who fear their town or city could host the next attack wonder what strategies, if any, the US could take to reduce rates of gun violence.

No country around the world is a perfect analog of the US, but several have taken steps that worked for them — here are their insights.

SEE ALSO: 32-year-old investor with ties to Elon Musk wants to upend America with a crazy utopian plan for the future

Australia paid citizens to sell their guns to the government.

Following a deadly 1980s and '90s, culminating in a 1996 gun-driven massacre that left 35 dead, Australian Prime Minister John Howard convened an assembly to devise gun-control strategies.

The group landed on a massive buyback program costing roughly $500 million that bought and destroyed more than 600,000 automatic and semiautomatic weapons and pump-action shotguns.

Almost overnight, gun death totals got cut in half. Firearm suicides have dropped from 2.2 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 0.8 in 2006. Firearm homicides have dropped from 0.37 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 0.15 in 2006.

A US buyback would mean destroying 40 million guns, but on a statewide level the undertaking might not be so massive.



Japan puts citizens through a rigorous set of tests.

Japan seldom has more than 10 shooting deaths a year in a population of 127 million people, due to its strict laws for obtaining firearms.

If Japanese people want to own a gun, they must attend an all-day class, pass a written test, and achieve at least 95% accuracy during a shooting-range test. Then they have to pass a mental-health evaluation, which takes place at a hospital, and pass a background check, in which the government digs into their criminal record and interviews friends and family.

Finally, they can only buy shotguns and air rifles — no handguns — and every three years they must retake the class and initial exam.

Unlike the second amendment in the US, Japanese law began from the point of outlawing guns, with amendments gradually loosening that ban. Still, the wisdom from Japan seems to be that tighter regulations keep guns confined only to those fit to use them.



Norway exemplifies the power of social cohesion and trust.

Despite having roughly a third of the guns as the US, Norway has about a tenth of the gun deaths. Sociologists who study the Nordic model have found social cohesion, between citizens and between citizens and their government, goes a long way toward ensuring a (mostly) peaceful society.

In Norway, for example, police officers fatally shoot people fewer times in nine years than US police do in a day. Gummi Oddsson, a cross-cultural sociologist from Northern Michigan University, has found that Nordic governments go to great lengths to build trust in local communities.

He told Business Insider that US states could look to strengthen their own sense of trust through measures like community policing. People may begin to feel more safe around the police, and the police will have a better grasp of the neighborhood's makeup.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Ulta's Black Friday deals just leaked — these are the best things to buy

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Ulta Beauty

The hype for Black Friday keeps growing by the day. Some retailers like Target and Amazon have already released their deals, and now Ulta Beauty's Black Friday ad has leaked online. 

The ad — which we first spotted over on Yes We Coupon— features four pages filled with deals, so we combed through the list to narrow it down to the best sales that will save you the most money.

Here are the best deals at Ulta for Black Friday 2017.

Urban Decay Nocturnal Shadow Eyeshadow Palette

Cost: $14.50 (reduced from $29)

This limited edition Ulta exclusive from Urban Decay will be 50% off. For $14.50 you'll get 12 eyeshadow shades and a double-ended brush to create both neutral and more vibrant looks.

Find out more about Urban Decay Nocturnal Shadow Eyeshadow Palette here >



Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits

Cost: $24 (reduced from $40)

Anastasia may be mostly known for its brow products, but these Glow Kits are also quite popular with a full five-star rating on Ulta's website. 

Find out more about Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits here >



Hot Tools Rainbow Gold Curling Iron

Cost: $27.49 (reduced from $54.99)

The entire Rainbow Gold collection by Hot Tools will be 50% off, and this curling iron seems to be a fan favorite with a 4.5 star rating from Ulta customers.

Find out more about Hot Tools Rainbow Gold Curling Iron here >



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 perks Googlers rave about — from free gourmet food to tons of time off

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Google office employees

Google is famous for throwing tons of perks at its employees.

• The tech giant's company benefits currently have a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Glassdoor.

• Current and former Googlers especially praise the free food and 401k plan.



Google pulls out all the stops when it comes to attracting top talent.

Current and former employees have taken to job site Glassdoor to discuss some of their favorite perks. Overall, reviewers gave the company's benefits a 4.6 out of 5 stars. Employees praised everything from the company's parental leave policy to the tons of free meals they get at work.

Here are some of the perks Googlers mentioned on Glassdoor:

SEE ALSO: 11 insane perks Amazon is offering its newest employees

DON'T MISS: 30 incredible perks companies like IKEA, Facebook, and Goldman Sachs offer their employees

First year engineers get 15 days of paid time off — that jumps to 20 days after three years and 25 days after five years. And anyone can take an unpaid three month leave of absence.

Source: Glassdoor


New mothers get paid leave up to 22 weeks, while fathers and adoptive parents get between seven and 12 weeks of paid leave. One senior software engineer wrote the benefit "...helps create an understanding that any team member might go on leave now and again, and that this is expected and normal and okay."

Source: Glassdoor



Google offers a 50% 401k match up to $8,250.

Source: Glassdoor



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

31 men who should have been named 'Sexiest Man Alive' instead of Blake Shelton

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Blake Shelton 2017 country music singer

People's choice of country star Blake Shelton for 2017's "Sexiest Man Alive" was controversial, to say the least. 

Internet users questioned the selection with hilarious memes and reactions and, to deal with the onslaught of attention, Shelton played along with self-deprecating jokes. 

But it isn't hard to think of a collection of other men that would have made a better choice this year. So here are 31 guys who should have been named "Sexiest Men Alive." 

"Luther" and "Thor: Ragnarok" star Idris Elba would have made the perfect choice.



"Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi is a fashionable funny man.



"Call Me By Your Name" actor Armie Hammer is beautiful in his sweaters.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 US cities where incomes are skyrocketing

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people walking oakland california

  • Household incomes are on the rise especially in these ten cities.
  • Miami had the fastest income growth at 16% while Cleveland's income dropped by 4%.
  • Tech giant San Francisco's income growth does not show signs of slowing anytime soon.

 

The unemployment rate in the U.S. hit 4.2% in September 2017, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the lowest it's been in a decade, since the start of the Great Recession. While a low unemployment rate is important, rising incomes matter more for American families. SmartAsset examined the most recent income data to find the U.S. cities with the fastest-growing incomes.

In order to find the cities with the fastest-growing incomes, SmartAsset analyzed median household income data from 2015 and 2016. Check out our data and methodology section below to see where we got our data and how we put it together.

 

SEE ALSO: The master's degrees that will earn you the most money

Key findings

Incomes are up — Generally speaking household incomes across the country are up. In only 11 of the largest hundred cities did the average household income drop. In seven of those 11 cities the percent decrease in incomes was less than 1%. There were only three cities where the economic situation looked distressing. In El Paso, Texas, Cleveland, Ohio and Baton Rouge, Louisiana incomes dropped by over 4%.

What happened in Washington D.C.? — For the first time in 10 years, incomes fell in the nation's capital. From 2005 to 2015 median household incomes in Washington, D.C. rose by $30,000, going from $47,221 to $75,628. However from 2015 to 2016, incomes dropped slightly from $75,628 to $75,506.

STEM jobs — Five of our top 10 cities with the fastest-growing incomes are tech hubs. Oakland, Raleigh, Charlotte, San Francisco and San Jose all have booming tech sectors and the rising income numbers show it. 



1. Miami, Florida

Miami households started 2015 with an average income just shy of $30,000. By 2016 this figure had risen over 16% – the most in our study – to $34,900. Admittedly $34,900 is still far below the U.S. average of $57,000, but a 16% raise over one year is a step toward fixing that.

When you also consider the fact that Florida has no income tax, you can bet Miami households have a smile on their face.



2. Oakland, California

Oakland benefits from being located near one of America's most productive areas, Silicon Valley. With the availability of high-paying tech jobs, it's not too surprising that incomes in Oakland have risen. Data from the Census shows that from 2015 to 2016, the median household income in Oakland went from $58,800 to $68,000. That's an increase of 15.7%.

Residents on Oakland may want to keep an eye on rent costs eating into their incomes though. The average rental in Oakland costs over $1,300, a number which rose 5% from the previous year.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Elon Musk has finally spoken out about his personal life — here's his complicated history of marriages, divorces, and dating

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Elon Musk Talulah Riley

• Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was interviewed for an intensely candid Rolling Stone profile.

• He discussed his views on relationships and loneliness.

• Musk has been married twice, and recently split from his girlfriend actress Amber Heard.



Elon Musk got candid about his personal life in a recent, in-depth Rolling Stone interview.

He spoke of his recent breakup with ex-girlfriend Amber Heard, expressing his heartbreak over their parting.

It's an usual move for Musk, who said in 2010 that he would "rather stick a fork in my hand than write about my personal life."

The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX went on to discuss how difficult it is for him to meet people, saying he is looking for a long-term relationship — and a soul mate. Musk even asked interviewer Neil Strauss if there was anyone Strauss thought he should date.

"If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy," he told Rolling Stone. "I will never be happy without having someone. Going to sleep alone kills me. It's not like I don't know what that feels like: Being in a big empty house, and the footsteps echoing through the hallway, no one there – and no one on the pillow next to you. F--. How do you make yourself happy in a situation like that?"

Here's a look at some of the tech titan's past relationships:

SEE ALSO: A look inside the marriage of world's richest couple, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos — who met at work, were engaged in 3 months, and own more land than almost anyone else in America

DON'T MISS: A look at the demanding schedule of Elon Musk, who works in 5-minute slots, skips breakfast, and largely avoids emails

Musk told Rolling Stone he's struggled with loneliness since childhood. "When I was a child, there's one thing I said," Musk said. "'I never want to be alone.'"

Source: Rolling Stone, Business Insider



Musk met his first wife, Justine Wilson, at Queen's University in Ontario. Writing in Marie Claire, Justine — who uses Musk's last name — recalled Musk invited her out for ice cream.

Source: Marie Claire



She decided to stay in to study, but he showed up with "two chocolate-chip ice cream cones dripping down his hands." Musk transferred to Wharton, but kept sending Justine roses. They went their separate ways, but reconnected as Musk started working on his first startup and Justine started working on her first novel after graduation.

Source: Marie Claire



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 popular Starbucks coffees, ranked by how much caffeine they have

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woman drinking tea coffee

  • Many people drink coffee to get a caffeine boost.
  • You can control how much or how little caffeine you consume based on your coffee order.
  • If you want a lot of caffeine, order a cold brew or drip coffee.
  • If you want the least amount of caffeine, order a single shot of espresso or a latte.

 

From lattes to macchiatos to cold brew, it can be hard to decipher the difference between coffee drinks.

If you're looking to get the most caffeine out of your everyday coffee order at Starbucks, for example, a regular drip coffee is your best bet. If you want only a small kick of caffeine, however, a single shot of espresso is the way to go.

We broke down how much caffeine is in each coffee order according to a grande size at Starbucks, ranked from the most to least caffeinated. 

Keep scrolling to see how much caffeine is in your favorite drink.

Solo shot of espresso, 75mg

Many people believe a shot of espresso is the most caffeinated coffee order, and they aren't wrong. Espresso has the most caffeine per volume; however, the volume of an espresso shot is really small. If you drink a single shot of espresso you are only drinking 75 mg of caffeine, which is a lot considering its size of 1.5 ounces. However, espresso is actually the least caffeinated coffee drink you can order.

If you love espresso but really want a big caffeine kick, consider ordering a quadruple shot, which has 300mg of caffeine, which is still less caffeine than a 16oz drip coffee.



Latte, 150mg

A grande Caffe Latte at Starbucks contains two espresso shots, steamed milk, and milk foam.



Cappuccino, 150mg

A grande cappuccino also contains two espresso shots, so it'll also give you about 150 milligrams of caffeine.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Tanks in the streets and long lines to withdraw money — here's what Zimbabwe looks like under military control

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Armed Soldier Tank Harare Zimbabwe Military

Zimbabwe is a country that is no stranger to hard times. 

Hyperinflation, famine, and crackdowns by the government on dissent have been regular parts of Zimbabwean life since Robert Mugabe took control of the country in 1980. 

With the sudden firing of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa for disloyalty — and his supposedly planning to oust Mugabe with witchcraft — last week, Mugabe seemed to be getting ready to hand over control of the country to his wife, Grace Mugabe. 

The Zimbabwean Army, however, seems to have made it clear that they did not support the firing, and over the last two days they have moved swiftly and taken over the country, saying that Mugabe and his wife "are safe and sound." 

Here are some images of what life currently looks like under military rule:

SEE ALSO: Zimbabwe's 93-year-old president lost his grip on power in the middle of the night — and nobody knows what will happen next

On November 14, tanks and Army soldiers were seen on the roads in the countryside on the way to Harare, Zimbabwe's capital. Soldiers stood beside military vehicles just outside the capital city



A military spokesperson addressed the country on Wednesday, November 15, over the state-run Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation channel. Major General S.B. Moyo denied the military action was a coup and said the safety of Mugabe and his family was "guaranteed."



By morning, tanks and armored personnel carriers blocked traffic and set up checkpoints all over Harare.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I ate like Queen Elizabeth II for a day — and learned how to appreciate the simple things in life

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Emily DiNuzzo

  • I tried to eat like Queen Elizabeth II for a day.
  • She eats quite healthily, but has specific indulgences.   
  • I realized that trying new foods is a learning process, and re-trying foods can be even more enlightening. 


Queen Elizabeth II is set in her ways when it comes to food. In addition to strict dinner table rules, the 91-year-old sticks with specific foods that she likes. Although she tends to eat healthier options, she also knows how to indulge without going overboard. 

This balance, and the idea of being a temporary royal, inspired me to try the queen's diet. I ate according to a recent report from Today that listed what the queen typically has for all of her meals. Although I didn't acquire a title by the end of this experiment, but I did acquire an appreciation for food and mealtime by the end of the experiment. 

Scroll through to see what it means to eat like Queen Elizabeth II. 

The first thing the queen has in the morning is tea and biscuits.

The queen has a cup of plain Earl Grey tea with a few biscuits before her real breakfast. I am a huge fan of having more than three meals a day, so I was excited about this pre-breakfast ritual. 

I usually start my day with a hot cup of tea too. But I would never think to drink Earl Grey, nor would I bust out my mom's old china on an average morning. This, however, is exactly what the queen does. 

I hadn't tried Earl Grey in a while, but I remember not being a fan of the bitter drink. I don't know if my taste buds developed or if the beautiful china blinded me, but I discovered I actually like Earl Grey. 

On a typical day, I would never think to eat a cookie or biscuit first thing in the morning. I usually stick with eggs, fruit, and protein shakes. But I was happy to divert from the norm for the sake of the queen and as part of my (fake) civic duty. 

BT reported that the Queen often feeds her pet corgis pieces of these cookies from the table. I didn't want to give my pet Maltese, Luna, cookies for breakfast. Instead, I gave her an extra treat in honor of the dog-loving queen. 



Then, she moves onto cereal.

This was when the real breakfast began. Although Queen Elizabeth II will occasionally have toast with jam or scrambled eggs, she usually goes with the super low-maintenance breakfast of Special K cereal.

If I were an actual queen, I don't think that a bowl of cereal would be my first choice for a daily breakfast. But hey, I don't want to tel her how to rule the breakfast table. 

Not knowing what flavor the queen eats, so I opted for chocolate almond because it was on sale and because the queen is a fan of dark chocolate. 

The combination of rick chocolate, crunchy almonds, and cold milk were unexpectedly refreshing and satisfying. Leave it to a royal to get me to appreciate a basic food. 

 



She enjoys an aperitif before lunch.

I'm not a cocktail connoisseur, so I had the bartender at The Barroom in New York make the queen's favorite aperitif — a gin and Dubonnet. 

The queen takes hers with lots of ice, which I conveniently forgot to ask for. She also drinks it before lunch. Luckily, I did this experiment on a weekend day, so I wasn't worried about day-drinking.

Not being much of a drinker, I quickly learned that I don't like gin. I also learned that bitter beverages aren't for me. The bartender was nice enough to add some simple syrup to the drink, which made it more palatable. Though I'm note sure the queen would approve of that addition. 



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Trump's handshakes with world leaders are legendary — here's a roundup of the most awkward ones

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President Donald Trump has spent the last 10 months meeting numerous world leaders, and he's (almost) never shied away from greeting them with a handshake — often in over-the-top, awkward ways.

Trump, who reportedly is a huge germaphobe, once called handshakes "barbaric," citing fears that handshakes could transmit the flu and a host of other diseases. But as president, shaking hands is unavoidable, and Trump has developed his own signature approach to it on the international stage.

Here are 12 of the most satisfyingly awkward handshakes Trump has exchanged with world leaders:

SEE ALSO: A body language expert breaks down 6 of Trump's handshakes

DON'T MISS: Trump and Macron had an awkward, white-knuckled handshake — and the internet went nuts

Trump just got back from the Philippines, where he attended the ASEAN summit with other regional leaders. Everyone on stage was instructed to do the "ASEAN-way" handshake, and apparently Trump, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had a bit of trouble with it at first.

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Trump's first handshake with a world leader after being elected was with none other than President Barack Obama. While the handshake itself was pretty normal, the lack of eye contact and the obvious tension between the two made for an awkward interaction.



Word spread quickly about Trump's bizarrely long and domineering handshaking style soon after he took office. Here, Trump ensnared Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a marathon 19-second handshake.

Abe's perplexed expression in the handshake's aftermath spread online and on TV talks shows like wildfire.

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How Australia's slow march toward same-sex marriage compares to the US

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This week, Australians overwhelmingly voted in favor of changing the law to allow same-sex marriage.

Despite Australia's role as host of one of the world's largest LGBTQI pride parades, Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras, it has lagged behind other Western countries on LGBTQI rights, including same-sex marriage.

While campaigning for LGBTQI rights has been an uphill battle in Australia and also the US, in 2015 same-sex marriage was legalized by the US Supreme Court in a landmark 5-4 decision.

And now, more than two years later, Australia's federal government has pledged to pass legislation before the end of 2017.

Here's how Australia's march toward legalizing same-sex marriage compares to the US:

SEE ALSO: Australia votes 'yes' on same-sex marriage

The US began moving toward legalizing same-sex marriage in the 1970s, when the first lawsuits seeking legal recognition of same-sex relationships first emerged.

These lawsuits pushed the idea of legally recognizing same-sex relationships into the public and started the discussions on same-sex marriage.

Source: The New York Times



A 1993 lawsuit in Hawaii evoked the US Constitution to argue against a same-sex marriage ban.

In 1993, a lawsuit in Hawaii claimed that banning same-sex marriage violated the state's constitution. The case, which made it to the US Supreme Court but was dismissed in 1999, set the tone for discussions on same-sex marriage in the new millennium.

Source: University of California, Berkeley



As the movement gained steam, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was enacted in 1996.

DOMA federally defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, however the bill did not prevent individual states from recognizing same-sex marriages.

Source: GovTrack



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6 American work habits people in other countries think are ridiculous

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The way Americans work has people in other countries scratching their heads.

Although people in the United States are known for working hard — and much longer than those in other countries — workplaces abroad have largely shunned the American style.

Here are the most unhealthy American work habits that global workplaces are resisting.

SEE ALSO: One of America's most notorious work habits has crept over to the UK

Americans work crazy long hours

Perhaps the most notorious habit of American workers is their tendency to work long hours. 

A Gallup report from 2014 estimated that the average full-time worker in the United States works 47 hours a week, one of the highest figures in the world, and significantly higher than the rates in Western Europe.

For example, in Europe, the Working Time Directive gives employees in the European Union the right to work no more than 48 hours a week. In practice, employees in some countries, like Germany and Sweden, work closer to 35 hours a week, according to Cary Cooper, an American-born professor at Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom.

Craig Storti, author of "Communicating Across Cultures," said Europeans consider the typical American workload an ineffective use of time.

"Europeans see that as being inefficient," Storti told Business Insider. "They say, 'You should have finished that in the allotted time.'"



They hardly ever go on vacation

Vacation time varies from country to country, but Americans seem to get the short end of the stick, with most companies offering around two weeks of paid leave a year.

And what little vacation time Americans do receive, they don't always take advantage of.

According to the careers website Glassdoor, the average US employee who receives paid vacation only actually takes 54% of the allotted time each year.

Compare to that to a country like Sweden, where workers get five weeks of paid vacation a year, and it's no surprise that they reject the American system.

"American companies aren't looking at the evidence of the important of holidays, in terms of productivity afterwards," Cooper told Business Insider, who said burnout was a much bigger problem in the US than in other places. "You can't continue to work without many breaks during the year."



And they barely take any family leave, either

The United States doesn't guarantee any paid leave to new parents, instead leaving it up to individual employers. 

The result is new parents take far less time off after having a child than other parents around the world. That's largely due to cultural stigma— women can be seen as prioritizing home life above all else, while men can be seen as being less serious about their careers.

But it's not that way everywhere. In Finland, for example, expecting mothers can start their leave seven weeks before having a child, and can continue for 16 weeks after the birth. Men in Finland are offered eight weeks of paid leave.



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The 30 most dominant college football programs

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When it comes to college football, there are powerhouses and then there's everyone else.

Business Insider has compiled a list of the schools that have run the most dominating football programs over the last 15 years.

To create the ranking we used a formula based on factors such as games and championships won in the last 15 years across all levels (with recent championships weighted more heavily), appearances in the biggest bowl games during that stretch, NFL players produced, and revenue generated by the football team.

Here are the 30 most dominant college football programs.

30. Houston

Football revenue, last 3 years: $36.9 million

BCS/New Years 6 bowl appearances: 1

Conference championships: 2

BCS title game/Playoff appearances: 0

National championships: 0

Players in the NFL: 13

One thing to know: Houston has proven in recent years to be one of the top and most consistent teams in FCS. They have been ranked in the top 10 at different points in three of the six seasons prior to this year and reached a New Year's Six bowl in 2015 under Tom Herman when they beat Florida State.

Data is is for the 2002-16 seasons across FBS, FCS, Division II, and Division III. Championships were weighted by division and years since title.



29. Louisville

Football revenue, last 3 years: $103.5 million

BCS/New Years 6 bowl appearances: 2

Conference championships: 4

BCS title game/Playoff appearances: 0

National championships: 0

Players in the NFL: 24

One thing to know: In 2007, head coach Bobby Petrino left Louisville just months after signing a 10-year contract extension, accepting the head coaching job for the Atlanta Falcons. Prior to the 2016 season, he signed a new 7-year deal that has him under contract at Louisville through the 2023 season. Louisville won at least nine games in six of Petrino's first seven seasons at the school.



28. Northern Illinois

Football revenue, last 3 years: $25.8 million

BCS/New Years 6 bowl appearances: 1

Conference championships: 3

BCS title game/Playoff appearances: 0

National championships: 0

Players in the NFL: 4

One thing to know: Northern Illinois won at least 11 games every season from 2010 through 2014. They also played in eight straight bowl games — including the 2012 Orange Bowl — a streak that only ended last season.



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We tried four brands of gravy — and had a clear favorite

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  • We sampled four brands of gravy.
  • The brands we tested included McCormick, Knorr, Pacific, and Trader Joe's.
  • We liked Knorr the best because it had an authentic turkey flavor and was rich and creamy.

 

No matter how juicy you manage to make your Thanksgiving turkey, it can always benefit from some gravy.

We put four brands of gravy to the test to see which one will taste the best with your holiday meal.

If you're wondering what other Thanksgiving staples to buy, check out some of our additional taste tests — we've sampled everything from pie crusts to stuffing.

The gravy brands we tried include:

  • Knorr
  • McCormick
  • Pacific
  • Trader Joe's

Keep scrolling to read what we thought of each.

To keep things consistent, we sampled each brand's turkey gravy. We bought all four at NYC grocery stores and spent anywhere from $1.49 to $2.50.

Pacific and Trader Joe's gravy were ready-made while Knorr and McCormick were powdered mixes.



We started with the mixes, which required us to add water, stir, and then heat either on the stove or in the microwave.



It didn't take much whisking to turn the powder and water into what looked like gravy already.



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24 CEOs and execs on the daily habits that made them successful

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Ever wonder what sets highly successful people apart?

I've polled countless executives and entrepreneurs about the things they're doing every day which help them succeed, and it's not rocket science. In fact, often they credit simple daily routines which have been proven over time to give them an edge.

Check out these quotes from 24 high-achieving individuals who share the habits which help them get ahead in business and life.

SEE ALSO: Steve Jobs called HP at 12 years old to ask for help — and his story shows what sets highly successful people apart

1. Give yourself unrealistic deadlines.

"To boost productivity, it's important to set deadlines that are on aggressive side. Not outrageously aggressive, but difficult to achieve. Setting milestones makes it possible to measure progress. It creates a process, forces transparency, and definitely fosters urgency."

—Todd Krizelman, CEO of MediaRadar, an advertising intelligence company



2. Do more outdoors.

"Use the outdoors to clear your head and get priorities in order. I usually sit outside, admire the golden hour, and write down what I want to accomplish for the day. Start with the four most important things, then list everything else (perhaps things you didn't get done the day before). Then think about what you can delegate or combine."

—Josh Sowin, CEO of Brainjolt, a viral content company that makes articles, quizzes and videos for the social-web with content which reaches half the U.S. population and 300 million people worldwide every month



3. Visualize while you exercise.

"Where does your mind go when you exercise? For me, exercise has become a daily habit that contributes a lot to my success but so does visualizing success before it happens. As someone who is always trying to improve my effectiveness and efficiency, I noticed that while I exercised I had mental time that I wasn't using effectively. Usually, while I'm exercising my mind would wander and worry about the day ahead or just daydream about random topics that didn't matter. I then realized I could use this time to combine my daily visualizing. Both created a synergy, the workout became more enjoyable and the visualizing became more vivid."

—Seth Au, CEO at Dorado Financial, an alternative investment company increasing clients wealth through real estate



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Hands on with the new smartphone from OnePlus, the OnePlus 5T

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OnePlus announced its new OnePlus 5T smartphone on Thursday, just five months after the company released the OnePlus 5.

It seems to be the new norm for OnePlus phone releases, as the company made a similar move in 2016 by releasing its OnePlus 3T smartphone just six months after it released the OnePlus 3 in 2016.

It's a move that could have angered OnePlus fans, but the OnePlus 3T was a minor upgrade from the OnePlus 3 with few design changes. As a result, OnePlus fans didn't have much to be disappointed about if they bought the OnePlus 3. 

It's a different story with the OnePlus 5 versus the OnePlus 5T. The new smartphone has an updated screen design that looks decidedly better and more modern than the OnePlus 5's classic design, and there are a couple of feature updates that some original OnePlus 5 owners may feel they're missing out on.

Why does OnePlus do this? The company told me it was ready to release a phone with new features and design elements, and it didn't feel the need to wait another six months for a typical smartphone annual release cycle.

Based on my short hands-on time with the OnePlus 5T, anyone looking to upgrade from an older smartphone should pay seriously close attention to OnePlus' new device as a potential candidate. I'll have the full review after I've used the OnePlus 5T for a few more days.

For now, check out the new phone from OnePlus:

SEE ALSO: 7 reasons why the Pixel 2 is better than the iPhone X

The OnePlus 5T looks nearly identical to the original OnePlus 5, except for the new narrow bezels and a larger display.

The OnePlus 5T dons a 6-inch AMOLED display with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio compared to the OnePlus 5's 5.5-inch display with the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. The 5T's larger screen fits in a package that's about the same size as the original 5, a feat made possible by the new narrow bezels around the OnePlus 5t's display.

OnePlus also updated the display to work better in bright sunlit environments.

Apart from an updated design, little has changed under the hood compared to the OnePlus 5. It still runs:

- The latest and fastest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, which you'll find in most current Android flagship smartphones.

- 6GB or 8GB of RAM for fast performance, depending on the model you chose.

- A 1080p display that's technically less sharp than the 1440p displays on other flagship Android smartphones, but the difference is hardly noticeable.



Indeed, the narrower bezels on the OnePlus 5T make for a strikingly beautiful, minimally designed device.

The OnePlus 5T is also about as thin and light as the original OnePlus 5, which makes it one of the most comfortable and light smartphones to hold and use.

 



The back of the OnePlus 5T is largely the same as the OnePlus 5, save for a couple differences.



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Elon Musk is lovesick and lonely after his breakup with Amber Heard — meet the actress who has the Tesla founder so hung up

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Amber Heard

Actress Amber Heard is a Hollywood actress who is also the most recent ex of Tesla founder Elon Musk.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Musk sounded like he was still pining after his ex, and concerned about the status of his love life.

I just broke up with my girlfriend," Musk said, according to Rolling Stone. "I was really in love, and it hurt bad...If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy."

Who is Amber Heard, the actress that has the billionaire CEO so hung up?

Heard is only 31, but she has had quite a career and continues to take on bigger acting roles. In 2017, she appeared as Mera, the queen of Atlantis, in "Justice League," and she'll probably have a more substantial role in 2018's "Aquaman." She's also an advocate for women, especially those who are victims of domestic violence.

SEE ALSO: 35 movies coming out this summer that you need to see

Heard was born in Austin, Texas, in 1986. When she was 17, she dropped out of high school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting and modeling career.

Source: The Telegraph



Her first movie role was in the 2004 sports drama "Friday Night Lights," which starred Billy Bob Thornton. (It later became a TV show.)



Before that, she had supporting and guest-starring roles on teen dramas including "Jack & Bobby" and "The O.C."



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