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Happy Holidays from the White House: See the presidents' Christmas cards, from Trump to JFK to Coolidge

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Trump’s Christmas portrait, 2017

While it may be less common these days to send a holiday greeting via snail mail, the White House has yet to let go of its 90-year tradition.

Starting with Calvin Coolidge in 1927, the long-standing practice allows each sitting US president to let their staff and supporters know they wish them a happy holiday. Each card is unique, and recipients change from year to year.

With the help of the White House Historical Association, we've pulled together 68 White House holiday cards from the past eight decades. Happy holidays!

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have surprisingly affordable style — and it's a brilliant political strategy

Donald Trump, 2017



Barack Obama, 2013



Barack Obama, 2012



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15 things successful people do over holiday breaks

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obama holiday

• The holiday season is upon us — meaning many Americans will be taking some time off from work.

• Business Insider looked into how everyone can make the most of a holiday break.

• Being intentional about your time and ensuring you're able to relax and unwind is key.



The holidays are almost here, which means you might be looking forward to some time off from work.

While this time of year might be a bit chaotic, a break from work can offer you the chance to recharge and refocus.

However, it's crucial that you don't squander the opportunity.

Business Insider spoke with Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job" about what smart and driven professionals do when they're on break.

Here are 15 things that successful people do during breaks:

SEE ALSO: 7 things unsuccessful people do over holiday breaks

DON'T MISS: 8 times in history when a war on Christmas actually happened

1. They have a plan

"Successful people plan ahead when a holiday break is approaching, because they recognize that it's a rare opportunity to enjoy well-earned leisure time," Taylor said. "Even if the plan is to kick back, they usually have in mind certain activities, such as visiting with family or friends."



2. They compartmentalize

Don't ruin your break by overworking yourself. If you need to get stuff done, there's a way to handle it without dragging down the rest of your time off. "If work needs to get done, assign a period during the day or the break to attend to it," Taylor said.



3. They set boundaries

"Successful professionals let others know when and how they can be reached, so they can truly recharge," Taylor said. "Setting a day and time during the week allows you to get a lot accomplished in an efficient way." So make sure to set up an "out of office" email.



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21 food myths that you should stop believing right now

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carrots being washed

Are eggs evil? Does vitamin C keep colds at bay? Ditch your old-school thinking and get savvy to the latest healthy eating facts.

1. Vitamin C can keep you from catching a cold.

Research has shown that vitamin C does not ward off colds, except among marathoners, skiers, and soldiers on sub-Arctic exercises.

These are the eight things doctors and nurses do to stop a cold in its tracks.



2. Eating celery burns more calories than you take in.

It's a food myth that celery has "negative" calories. But, with less than 10 calories per serving, it's great to munch on to lose weight.

These are our favorite healthy snacks for 100-calories or less.



3. Legumes must be eaten at the same time as grains to get a "complete" protein.

Eat a mix of amino acids throughout the day and you'll get all the complete nutrition you'll need. (Here are eight more complete protein foods that aren't meat.) But yes, beans and legumes are nutritional powerhouses, high in protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium, and other minerals, while low in fat.



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I spent years working 14 hour days — but I didn't get truly successful until I started asking myself 4 questions

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man happy work

• It took entrepreneur Jonathan Goodman many years to realize overworking wasn't working for him.

• In order to live a more balanced life, he had to cut back on his work hours and shift his entrepreneurial thinking.

• He developed several "cognitive filters" in order to establish better decision-making.



I'm an entrepreneur with a few profitable online businesses in the fitness industry. I also work on a strict nine-to-five schedule to ensure that I spend plenty of time with my family. Considering that many of us work 80-hour weeks to avoid the restraints of the regular 40-hour work weeks, I know this may sound blasphemous.

It took me a long time to realize that "hustling" every day didn't get me to where I wanted to be any faster. So, I stopped the hustle, prioritized the most important areas of work and spent my spare time on things that make me happy. The result? More success in business and a higher quality of life.

Let me go back a little. Years ago, I was a full-time personal trainer who had built a nice training business for himself. If a client ever canceled, I'd send a few texts and emails, and within moments the spot would be filled. I could charge $97 per hour, and still, clients were knocking down my door. Not only that, I was earning a commission from referring my overload of clients to other trainers and enjoying a small salary from managing the staff of trainers at Body & Soul Fitness, a boutique training studio in Toronto.

It was every personal trainer's dream, and I thought, at the time, that it was mine also.

I was young and felt invincible, as cash seemed to flow like a never-ending chocolate fountain. Secretly, I was physically exhausted and spiritually broken. Emotional bankruptcy for a fat bank account — what a trade-off.

Looking back now, it's not hard to see why. For years, I had hustled 14-hour days, nearly every day, to train and attract clients. There was no time for anything else. The friends I talked to were my fellow trainers and clients. Girlfriend? Ha, not a chance. The thought was that once I'd gotten my business together — once I made some unspecified amount of money— things would be better. If I work hard now, no matter how smart, things would automatically right themselves, and I'd be a happy dude and everything would be perfect.

I wanted a family and knew that I didn't want to be "that" dad who was never around. The friend who couldn't make it out to a long-time friend's charity run. The husband who couldn't come home in time to sit on the couch with a good book, legs entangled with his significant other in their own quaint but endearing embrace.

That wasn't the life I wanted to lead. I had decided that, and I would not return to that loveless, friendless, life-less life, no matter how much money it gave me. Without knowing it, I dove deep into entrepreneurship back in 2009, before entrepreneurship was cool, and formed what would one day become the one of the largest collaborative blogs in the world for personal trainers, theptdc.com — but let's not get ahead of ourselves. It was an inauspicious start.

As entrepreneurs with so many hats to wear and fires to put out, it's all too easy to get pulled in multiple directions and lose sight of what's truly important and what's not. It took me too long to figure that out, but despite the throes of my initial struggles, I am now able to strike the right balance that allows me to optimize my business and maximize time with my family. It starts and ends with the most important skill any entrepreneur can acquire: better decision-making.

To help me make better decisions how to spend my time, I developed a number of "cognitive filters." These filters are objective questions that I ask myself to help guide me whenever I am presented with a new demand on my time, energy and money. These filters help me say yes or, more importantly, become confident in saying no.

Hopefully, these filters will help you cut distractions from your life, too.

SEE ALSO: A Google exec who's only in the office from 9 to 5:30 shares the routine that keeps him from becoming a workaholic

Filter 1: 'Will this truly impact my business, personal life or society?'

I say no to almost all speaking gigs even if they are willing to pay me many thousands of dollars. The money won't impact my business, it'll hurt my personal life, and me speaking at another entrepreneur or fitness event won't do anything for the greater good.

On a similar note, I'm happy to take an afternoon to speak to a local college or Skype in to a university class.



Filter 2: 'Am I acting emotionally or irrationally right now?'

I won't ever say yes to anything in the moment. No matter what, I take a step back, count to 10 and ask myself honestly this question. Through this lens, I'm able to remove myself from the situation briefly, so that I can better view it as an outsider looking in and assess more logically.



Filter 3: 'Will this change anything that I do?'

We have too much data and too many stats, and they all paralyze us.

When contemplating acquiring more data, ask yourself whether the desired results will change anything you do. But, beware: over-testing simply leads to procrastination and begets inaction. If you're new to business, you don't need the distraction that data provide. You need to spend your time building a better product, improving your service and getting better at whatever it is that you do.



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Inside an 18th century Scottish farmhouse that was transformed into a modern day home powered by the sun

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farmhouse ruin studio

Scotland is known for its stone farmhouses, some of which date back hundreds of years.

One such structure was recently renovated into a modern, solar-powered home dubbed "Ruin Studio."

Designed by Nathanael Dorent Architecture, Lily Jencks Studio, and Nous Engineering, the 21st century home completed in late 2016 preserves its original, 18th century aesthetic.

Check it out below.

SEE ALSO: Republican climate activists visited a disappearing island to convince Americans the threat of sea-level rise is real — these photos show how grave the situation has become

The 1,940-square-foot home sits in Dumfries, Scotland near the mouth of the River Nith. The new black facade is made from synthetic rubber.



The stonework carries into the curved, fully insulated interior. The architects used the outline of the original stone walls to design the new structure.



The interior walls are made from recycled polystyrene blocks covered in glass-reinforced plastic.



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Here's how much exercise it takes to burn off your favorite holiday treats

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exercise holiday treats thumb1

Let's start with an important reminder: There's no need to feel guilty about eating holiday foods. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and this time of year, sweet treats seem to taste even sweeter. 

But if you want to lose or maintain your weight during the holidays, it can be helpful to know the rough amount of calories in your favorite indulgences and, in turn, how you could tweak your gym sessions to balance things out. (Calories aren't the only important nutritional factor in a food, but they do matter.)

We used USDA data and recipes to tally up the number of calories in some popular holiday foods, then used more USDA data to determine how much physical activity it would take to burn those calories. All physical activity estimates are based on a 150-pound person. If you weigh more or less, calculate your own rate of calorie burn right here

Here's how it all breaks down.

On its own, a cup of eggnog has 224 calories. Add a shot of rum and the total climbs to 321.

You need to spend about 40 minutes walking to burn all the calories in plain eggnog; one hour for spiked.

Want to try a more seasonal activity? It would take 23 minutes of snowshoeing to burn off the plain eggnog, and 33 minutes for spiked.

Source: USDA, USDA



Your basic sugar cookie — think one sliced off a log of refrigerated dough — has around 112 calories.

You could walk off that amount of calories in about 20 minutes. About 23 minutes of gentle yoga would work, too. 

Source: USDA



Fruit cakes vary, but we found a traditional recipe that has 320 calories per slice.

You can burn that many calories by walking for just about an hour. Or try 44 minutes of swimming. 

Source: King Arthur Flour



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7 dishes to enjoy this season if you're trying to stave off holiday weight gain — and one to avoid

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dishes to enjoy this season if you're trying to stave off holiday weight gain

  • The average American gains one pound during the holiday seasons, but struggles to lose that weight afterwards. 
  • To stave off the weight gain, dietitians recommend adding fiber- and protein-rich foods to your plate. 
  • Here are some of the best foods to eat that will fill you up and help you avoid weight gain. 

The holiday season is here, and with it comes open bar parties, endless cookie swaps, and an array of edible gifts. These things, along with the general stress of the season, can cause many Americans to gain weight during this time of year.

Before you start trading Christmas cookies for celery, you should know the amount of weight gain isn't as much as you may think. According to a 2016 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American gains 1.3 lbs between Halloween and New Year's Eve. 

So why the fuss over a measly pound? Well, according to the same study, this weight is rarely shed. And, over time, a pound a year. 

For that reason, people are frequently searching for ways to avoid holiday weight gain: one of which is to load your plate with larger portions of more filling foods and smaller portions of the indulgences. 

INSIDER spoke to several dietitians to determine which foods will fill you up for the long haul. Here are seven foods they highly recommend — and one they suggest you limit. 

1. Sweet potato casserole

"Sweet potatoes and baked winter squash are highly filling compared to the calorie density of stuffing or cheesy, buttery corn casserole," Georgie Fear, registered dietitian and author of "Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss," told INSIDER. That's because, according to the USDA, one sweet potato contains 4 grams of fiber— a filling nutrient that also controls blood sugar levels.

If you're trying to save your sugar intake for dessert, swap the classic casserole for mashed or roasted sweet potatoes.



2. Fish

"Protein-rich foods, such as fish, take longer to digest and promote satiety,"dietitian Malina Linkas Malkani, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Creator of the Wholitarian Lifestyle, told INSIDER. And although all fish is high in protein, there are some like salmon, sardines, and, cod that are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help you feel fuller for a longer period of time, according to Healthline. 



3. Roasted Brussels sprouts

Like sweet potatoes, these divisive vegetables are packed with fiber — three grams per one cup serving, according to the USDA.

If you're not a fan of Brussels sprouts, Fear said broccoli and cauliflower are just as filling and seasonal.



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Everything we learned about the health effects of marijuana in 2017

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marijuana legalization weed pot growing

In 2017, some Americans could buy legal marijuana almost as easily as they could order a pizza. Pot shops outnumber Starbucks stores in states like Colorado and Oregon, and medical marijuana delivery services drop the drug off at people's doors in California and Massachusetts.

With marijuana now more accessible — legally — than ever, more researchers are weighing in on its health effects. But that doesn't mean we fully understand the plant or its impacts.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a massive report in January that gives one of the most comprehensive looks — and certainly the most up-to-date — at exactly what we know about the science of cannabis. The committee behind the report, representing top universities around the country, considered more than 10,000 studies for its analysis and drew nearly 100 conclusions. Many of those findings are summarized below.

SEE ALSO: 7 health benefits of Silicon Valley's favorite diet — a high-fat fad that has techies eating bacon and butter

In the short term, marijuana can make your heart race.

Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana, your heart rate can increase by between 20 and 50 beats a minute. This can last anywhere from 20 minutes to three hours, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The report from the National Academies found insufficient evidence to support or refute the idea that cannabis might increase the overall risk of a heart attack. The same report, however, also found some limited evidence that smoking could be a trigger for a heart attack.



Marijuana's effects on the heart could be tied to effects on blood pressure, but the link needs more research.

In August, a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology appeared to suggest that marijuana smokers face a threefold higher risk of dying from high blood pressure than people who have never smoked. But the study came with an important caveat: it defined a "marijuana user" as anyone who'd ever tried the drug.

Research suggests this is a poor assumption — and one that could have interfered with the study's results. According to a recent survey, about 52% of Americans have tried cannabis at some point, yet only 14% used the drug at least once a month.

Other studies have come to the opposite conclusion. According to the Mayo Clinic, using cannabis could result in decreased — not increased — blood pressure.

So while there's probably a link between smoking marijuana and high blood pressure, there's not enough research yet to say that one leads to the other.



Marijuana use affects the lungs but doesn't seem to increase the risk of lung cancer.

People who smoke marijuana regularly are more likely to experience chronic bronchitis, according to the report from the National Academies. There's also evidence that stopping smoking relieves these symptoms.

Perhaps surprisingly, the report's authors found moderate evidence that cannabis was not connected to an increased risk of the lung cancers or head and neck cancers associated with smoking cigarettes.



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How to fix the most common cooking mistakes people make over the holidays

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burnt cookies

  • Salvage burnt cookies by scraping off the black parts with a grater and softening them with frosting or ice cream.
  • You can easily patch a pie crust with dough scraps, egg whites, and sugar.
  • Run lumpy gravy through a food processor.

 

The holidays are a time when you might be inspired to get in the kitchen and try making a festive dish from scratch, even if you normally order takeout every night. But even if you're a seasoned cook, there's a chance you'll run into some problems while preparing a roast or baking a pie.

Not to worry! Many common holiday cooking mistakes have easy solutions.

Here are 10 things that could go wrong as you're whipping up a holiday meal — and how to fix them if disaster strikes.

Problem: Your cake is stuck in the pan and won't budge.

Solution: If you have some time before your guests arrive, try gently lifting it out with a spatula, prying it out with a knife, letting it sit upside down for a few hours, or banging on the bottom of the pan and jiggling it out at a 45 degree angle.

If you're short on time, just frost and serve it in the pan like a sheet cake. It'll taste the same.



Problem: When you finally got the cake out of the pan, it broke in pieces.

Solution: Use frosting as glue to put it back together, then cover the entire cake in one smooth layer so that no one can tell anything is amiss. 



Problem: Your gravy is lumpy.

Solution: Give it a whirl in the food processor or with an immersion blender.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The newest Instax Mini camera is small, colorful, and a whole lot of fun

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Instax Mini 9

The best way to describe Fujifilm's Instax Mini 9 camera is with one word: Delightful. 

Tech features aside, the camera is just plain adorable. When I opened the box for the first time, I quite literally squealed with excitement (and I'm not a squealer). It's small, it's retro, and it comes in an array of fun colors — mine was a minty blue-green called ice blue. 

It's so eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing, I was actually stopped on the street by someone who found it just as exciting as I did. 

So what's it like to actually use the camera? Dead-simple and lots of fun. 

Here's what I mean. 

SEE ALSO: Google's smart jacket proves it's the only tech company that truly understands wearables

What sets the Instax Mini 9 apart from previous iterations of Fuijifilm's Instax line of cameras is three key features: A tiny mirror next to the lens for selfies, a lens attachment (not pictured) for macro close-ups, and high-key mode, which adds a bright, faded look to your photos.

Like most other Instax cameras, the Mini 9 uses credit-card-sized film that prints instantly. The camera can hold 10 sheets at a time. 

The Mini 9 is super straightforward to use. A button next to the lens turns it on, while pressing the lens back into the body turns it off. A twist of the dial around the lens changes the brightness, and the shutter button on the right-hand side takes a picture. Wait a few seconds, and that photo pops out of the top of the camera. It runs on two AA batteries. 

The camera costs $69 at third-party retailers like Urban Outfitters and comes in lime green, smoky white, cobalt blue, flamingo pink, and ice blue. Refills of the film cost $30 for two 10-packs.



Here's my very first photo, taken of my colleague Kif Leswing. One thing to know about the Mini 9 is that is will flash every time it takes a photo, regardless of the lighting conditions (if you're trying to be subtle, this is not the camera for you). But it's helpful in low light: the Business Insider newsroom can be pretty dim on cloudy days, but Kif is lit perfectly.



I've shot with film, pinhole cameras, DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, smartphone cameras — you name it. While I'm mainly taking photos with my phone these days, I got a kick out of using the Instax because I remembered how beautiful film photos are, even if they're tiny, instant ones.



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The 20 most outrageous themed restaurants in America

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the stinking rose

  • If there's a TV show or decade you're particularly passionate about, there's probably a restaurant dedicated to it.
  • From garlic to "Doctor Who," the themes range far and wide.

 

Themed restaurants can be hit or miss. Sometimes they're a little too niche, and sometimes they're a little too tacky. Drawing the line between too subtle and too over the top is tough.

From a hospital-themed restaurant to one that has its very own waterfall, here are 20 of the most insane themed restaurants across the US.

Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar in San Francisco, CA.

Located underneath The Fairmont Hotel, Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar is a San Francisco staple, as well as the oldest tiki bar in America. They spared no expense creating the perfect Polynesian experience — there's a "lagoon" (formerly the hotel pool) with a barge the band performs from, and every night there's a simulated thunderstorm.



Tommy Gun's Garage in Chicago, IL.

Tommy Gun's Garage is a speakeasy with a show — and audience members can be pulled into participating at any time! They really commit to the theme: employees are dressed in 1920s attire, and the music is strictly from the '20s too. 



Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, NV.

The Heart Attack Grill's theme is slightly morbid: it's hospital themed. Servers are dressed as nurses and patrons are instructed to change into hospital gowns when they enter. The restaurant's claim to fame is their "Octuple-Bypass Burger," which has, you guessed it, eight patties and is almost 20,000 calories.

They also call orders "prescriptions," serve wine by the IV bag, and serve shots in pill bottles.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

23 healthy food swaps that can prevent you from gaining weight this season

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Pumpkin Pecan Pie

  • December usually means lots of unhealthy food options, but you can easily swap some items out to prevent weight gain. 
  • Try to get rid of as many leftovers as possible.
  • Opt for a mocktail over a cocktail, you'll be thankful the next morning.

It’s December, that wonderful time of the year when cheer levels reach critical mass, we pretend we’re looking forward to snow while secretly hoping it doesn’t destroy the new leather Alexander Wang boots we got, and start contemplating how to dodge Aunt Maeve’s incessant questions about when we’re going to settle down and have babies with the fake boyfriend we found on Google Image Search (well, that backfired, didn’t it?).

Okay, so not everything about the holidays is so holly jolly, but we still love spending time with our families eating our favorite foods from childhood. Now if only we had the metabolism and energy levels we did when were kids … then we wouldn’t have to be concerned about what we eat this time of year. The good news is, despite all the outcry about the holiday weight gain, it turns out most people only gain about a pound or two this time of year. The bad news is all that high-sugar, high-fat, high-carb food can leave us feeling bloated and lethargic.

While this is hardly the time of year to restrict your diet to raw veggies and flavorless protein, that doesn’t mean you can’t make healthier choices during the holidays – even if it’s just to feel 100% totally and completely justified having a whopping slice of nosy Aunt Maeve’s sugar-shockingly scrumptious Southern pecan pie.

It’s all about making choices you know won’t leave you feeling crummy (especially if you have more than one holiday party to attend) and picking the things that you feel are worth indulging in. To feel your energetic best during the holiday season, limit sodium and highly processed foods, bad fat, too many sweets, added sugars, and fatty or processed meats.

From healthier swaps to better-for-you recipes, we’ve got all the tips you need to enjoy the holiday season in high style without the hangover (of the cocktail or food variety).

Instead of high-fat hors d'oeuvres...

Skip the full-fat deviled eggs and fatty (and sodium-laden) summer sausage, cheese and crackers and opt for better-for-you options. If you're bringing the hors d'oeuvres, you can make deviled eggs with Vegenaise (which many swear is better than mayo anyway) for less saturated fat and cholesterol (try it with these Sriracha mayo-topped eggs instead of the mayo she calls for).

Or BOLO for healthier options like crudités. Limit yourself to two or three bites or just skip the apps altogether and save room for the good stuff.



Instead of high-fat dips...

Even with hors d'oevres being served, it's tempting to make dips for pre-holiday meal snacking. They can be made a day or two before the event and keep the fam happy and snacking if you get a little behind on the main event. Instead of popular choices like spinach-artichoke dip, opt for a healthier option.

I like making Knorr's vegetable dip (the recipe is right on the box of their vegetable soup mix), substituting Veganaise for the mayo and nonfat plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Serve it up with veggie bites or baked pita chips.

 



Instead of mixed nuts...

Mixed nuts seem to show up everywhere around this time of year, but the cans you buy at the store have so much salt on them, you could use what's left over on your fingers as a salt scrub for your lips. But Nat King Cole had a better idea.

Of course, you don't have to roast your chestnuts over an open fire anymore — an oven will do just fine. But no one would blame you if you wanted the fireplace atmosphere, anyway.

 



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BatteryGate: How Apple secretly slowed down older iPhones, and why it’s such a big deal

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iPhone 6s

  • Apple admitted Wednesday that it has been throttling the battery power of older iPhone models.
  • The smartphone company claims the action is a measure to keep older devices functional.
  • Opinions on the matter have been polarizing, but Apple has also stated the practice will continue.

 

Social media has been abuzz for the last day amid news that Apple has been intentionally limiting the power capacity of its older iPhone models. But what does that mean, and why is that important?

Here are all the important details to know about the latest Apple stirrup.

SEE ALSO: Apple confirmed a longtime conspiracy theory — and gave regular customers a big reason to distrust it

DON'T MISS: Apple just admitted it's slowing down older iPhones — but says it has a good reason for doing it

Q: What is the current controversy surrounding Apple?

A: Apple on Wednesday admitted to throttling the battery power of its iPhones. The smartphone maker claims the action is a method of preventing older iPhones models from malfunctioning as their batteries age.

Trouble is, Apple only admitted to slowing down older iPhones after several reports had already come out accusing Apple of doing so. Over the past few months, people had seen their older iPhones become faster after the battery was replaced — and then earlier this week, data from a top iPhone benchmark developer seemed to confirm many people's suspicions. Only then did Apple publicly address the issue.



Q: What has Apple said on the matter?

A: Apple provided Business Insider with a statement explaining the technical reasons being it limiting the power capacity of older iPhones:

"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices. Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.

"Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6S and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future."

In other words, older iPhones tried drawing in more power than the battery was capable of, causing it to suddenly shut down. So Apple is now controlling how much power older iPhones can draw to prevent those devices from shutting down suddenly. Simply put, older batteries can't provide as much power as newer ones.



Q: What caused Apple to finally come forward with these details?

A:Data released from the benchmark team Geekbench indicated that older iPhones serviced with battery replacements see significant increases in power performance. 

Geekbench also ran the data for those older iPhones, namely iPhone 6, 6S, and 7: Compared to a typical Geekbench distribution for a full-strength phone, which should show one big peak, the team found that benchmark distributions for those three older iPhone models running a version of iOS newer than 10.2.1 had multiple peaks, suggesting a software limitation was keeping those devices to a slower processor speed. At that point, the data was clear, and Apple needed to respond.



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20 celebrity couples you probably forgot were engaged

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ben affleck jennifer lopez

In a world where a 72-day marriage isn't that big of a deal, getting engaged seems like a small thing.

In real life, however, getting engaged is a pretty big deal. So it's kind of crazy that there are so many celebrities out there who made this huge life decision that the world essentially forgot about.

From Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow to Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts, here are some of the most shocking celebrity engagements that you probably didn't even realize happened.

Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morissette

Before Ryan Reynolds was one half of one of the most beautiful celebrity couples of our time (he married Blake Lively in 2012), he proposed to "Ironic" singer Alanis Morissette. The couple dated for five years and were engaged for two, breaking things off in 2007.

There appears to be no bad blood though — Reynolds actually sang a little bit of "Ironic" on "The Today Show" last year.

 



Michael Keaton and Courteney Cox

This relationship ended back in 1995, so it's not surprising that you forgot it happened. It's never been confirmed that Keaton proposed, but it was highly speculated. The two dated for almost six years.

At the time, Michael Keaton was best known for his dark role as Batman, whereas Courteney Cox was synonymous with bubbly neat freak Monica Geller.



Jim Carrey and Renee Zellweger

Carrey and Zellweger met while co-starring in "Me, Myself and Irene," and were engaged from 1999 to 2000. While Zellweger is happily dating Eric Clapton's guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, Carrey has been having some struggles in his personal life. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: The 15 best movies of the year, according to critics

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thor ragnarok hulk thor

We've taken a look at the most disappointing movies of the year, now let's look back on the best.

INSIDER compiled together the top-reviewed movies by critics across Rotten Tomatoes for 2017. The list doesn't simply include the movies with the highest scores. It's sorted by an adjusted score which accounts for the number of reviews available per movie.

If you're looking for something good to watch before starting the new year with a clean slate, add these to your holiday watch list. 

15. "The Shape of Water"

What it's about: Guillermo del Toro's movie set in the 1960s is about a mute janitor who forms a bond with an amphibian who just so happens to be a classified experiment. The movie won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year.

Review consensus:"'The Shape of Water' finds Guillermo del Toro at his visually distinctive best — and matched by an emotionally absorbing story brought to life by a stellar Sally Hawkins performance."

You can read our sister site Business Insider's review here



14. "The Florida Project"

What it's about: You may see the area around the Disney parks differently after watching this indie movie about the hard-working, struggling-to-survive community that lives in a motel outside of the theme park's walls. The film follows the life of a mother and her six-year-old daughter trying to get by week to week. 

Review consensus "The Florida Project offers a colorfully empathetic look at an underrepresented part of the population that proves absorbing even as it raises sobering questions about modern America." It also found a fan in Drake.

You can read more about the movie here.



13. "I Am Not Your Negro"

What it's about: Director Raoul Peck imagines the book James Baldwin started but never finished before his death in 1987. It was about the lives and assassinations of his friends Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers. The movie makes parallels between the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements.

This technically came out December 2016 for one week for Oscar consideration, but it wasn't released nationwide until February 3, 2017.

Review consensus: "'I Am Not Your Negro' offers an incendiary snapshot of James Baldwin's crucial observations on American race relations -- and a sobering reminder of how far we've yet to go."

You can read more on the movie here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 workout habits you think are good for you, but aren't

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even olympians get tired after the steeplechase

There's no debate on the benefits of exercise

There are, however, different expert opinions, advice, and unspoken workout "rules." Some stem from outdated information, and others are so ingrained that they become a habit — even though they aren't effective. These mistakes could not only mess with the success of your workout but cause injury and stall your progress too.

Here are 12 workout habits you should ditch for better results, and what you can do instead. 

1. Going straight into your workout.

You want to fit in your whole workout, but skipping your workout to do so is a huge mistake. 

New York-based personal trainer Miriam Fried told INSIDER that about 90% of gym-goers she sees don't warm up. The other 10% are often doing random moves before going into their full-on workout. 

"Plan on warming up whatever you're working on that day, and going through the range of motion that you're going to be going through," she said, noting that a good warm-up could last anywhere from five to 10 minutes. 

"I get it: A lot of people are crunched on time, and they just want to get right into their workout," she said. "But it's 100% not worth the risk of the injury that can come with it, so it's worth giving yourself five minutes." 



2. Doing static stretching as a warm-up.

Doing static stretches does not count as a good warm-up.

Studies have shown that stretching before a workout impedes your performance and won't decrease your chance of injury, BU Today reports. 

But there's a huge difference between static and dynamic stretching. Static stretches involve holding a position, like touching your toes, for 30 to 60 seconds. Those should be saved for after your workout since doing them beforehand could cause problems.

Personal trainer and Row House instructor Gretchen Raddatz told INSIDER a better alternative is dynamic stretching, where you repeat a specific movement 10 to 15 times, during your warm-up routine.

"You should do more motion stretches like arm circles, leg lifts, and knees to chest, but nothing with lots of jumping," she said.

Raddatz specifically recommended walkouts, where you go from a standing position to a plank by walking your body out with your hands, to get your whole body warm and ready to work.



3. Focusing only on cardio.

Cardio is great for your heart health, but doing just cardio robs your body of the benefits of strength training. Lifting weights could change the shape of your body while keeping your bones and joints strong too.

"Cardio isn't going to change the shape and the look of your body," she said. "Strength training is going to burn calories, change the shape and look of your body, and you're going to continue to burn calories post-workout because it requires energy to actually build muscle."

To successfully implement both into your routine, Fried compared a workout to a dinner plate. 

"If you have a plate of food, strength training should be your meat and potatoes and cardio is your side dish," she said. "You want to eat the main portion first and get the strength training done, since that's your priority and the main part of your workout, and then cardio should really be looked at as something you sprinkle in as needed." 

Although a cardio-only routine could help you lose weight by burning calories, strength training takes the cake regarding a time-effective workout. 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 things you didn't know about McDonald's

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mcdonald's

  • McDonald's is the perfect spot for fast and affordable food. 
  • Whether you eat it often or only on special occasion, there are probably a lot of facts about the fast-food chain you don't know. 
  • From health facts to secret menu items, here are 20 things you probably didn't know about McDonald's.

Back in the early 2000’s, McDonald’s was synonymous with supersizing, grotesque methods of “food” preparation, fattening additives, and unnatural ingredients. Since then, McDonald’s has actually made some impressive health-centric changes – many of which, you might have never heard before. We’ve done the research and discovered these surprising things you never knew about the famous fast food company. Read up, then don’t miss out on our essential guide: Every menu item at McDonald’s—ranked!

 

McDonald's used to own Chipotle

That’s right. One of the most notoriously unhealthy fast food chains once owned a 90% stake in one of the most health- and socially-conscious brands before selling it back in 2006, citing the Mexican restaurant as a “distraction.” The Big Mac chain invested in Chipotle back in 1998 when it only had 14 locations and helped it grow to 460 locations by the time it jumped ship.

Supposedly, McDonald’s wanted Chipotle to add drive-thrus to its restaurants, but in the end, Chipotle’s COO Gretchen Selfridge, told Bloomberg, “Bless their hearts, McDonald’s had a lot of great suggestions, and we were always polite about it. They really wanted us to do drive-thrus. They really wanted us to do breakfast. But we just really didn’t do any of that.”



Their food looks frighteningly good for its age

April 10, 2010 was day one of New York photographer Sally Davies’ “Happy Meal Project,” which documented what happens to fast food if left unrefrigerated under a glass case. Five months into the experiment, the Mickey D’s meal still looked edible while KFC fries bought and stored on the same day were white and furry with mold. As of January 2016, the hamburger and fries didn’t noticeably disintegrate.

Marion Nestle, chair of NYU’s food studies program, told Salon that McDonald’s would have to use “a lot of sodium propionate to prevent bacterial or mold growth.” Dr. Keith Warriner, a Canadian food scientist, explained that another reason might be due to the lack of moisture in the patty and bun during the steaming and toasting preparation. Without moisture or high humidity – ideal conditions for microbe growth – the burger dries out rather than rots. Even with a scientific explanation, it sounds so icky just thinking about it that we want a 7-day tea cleanse, stat!

 



McDonald's customers love to spend time doing nothing

Using YouGov, a tool that pulls data on the typical customers of different companies, a survey examined what the average profile of a customer at McDonald’s looks like. The survey found that Mickey D’s customers tend to be females between the ages of 25 and 39 and have a discretionary income of at least $155 a month, as reported by Business Insider.

When it comes to what they do with their free time, McDonald’s customers’ favorite pastimes include sleeping, watching movies at home, playing video games, and “sitting around doing as little as possible.” They work in the wholesale and retail industries, law, and consumer goods. When it comes to describing themselves, McDonald’s customers say they’re motherly, loving, and bighearted. Oh, and most of them likely own a pet fish.



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We tried 4 boxed mac and cheese brands — and the winner was clear

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mac and cheese boxes

  • We tried four different types of mac and cheese from the grocery store to see who does it best.
  • The brands we tested were Kraft, Annie's, Whole Foods, and Horizon.
  • Our favorite was Annie's Shells & Real Aged Cheddar because it had the most authentically cheesy taste. 

 

Mac and cheese is one of the most classic comfort foods out there. Plus, you can easily make it from a box. Not all boxed mac and cheese's are made equal, however, so we decided to try out four different brands to see who does it best, judging each on sauce texture, cheese flavor authenticity, and overall taste. 

We did this as part of an ongoing taste test series: we've previously tried milk chocolate bars, guacamole, and microwave popcorn.

The four brands we tried were:

  • Kraft
  • Annie's
  • Whole Foods
  • Horizon

Keep scrolling to read our thoughts.

The recipes for each box were relatively similar, with small variations on amounts of milk and butter.

We followed the simple directions on the box for each brand.



After preparing the four varieties, we were ready to dig in.



First up was Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

Price: $1.99



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NFL WEEK 16: Our official predictions for who wins this weekend

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Eagles

After 15 weeks of NFL action the end of the season is finally in clear sight. Every team in the league has two games remaining, and within those potential wins and losses are a slew of playoff scenarios that we can finally understand without working through advanced calculus.

With different motivations in play for every NFL team, it's also a great week for gamblers to make a little extra profit to cushion their bankrolls heading into the playoffs.

Last week our picks against the spread went a disappointing 6-8-2. We'll do our best to get things back on track and finish the season strong.

Also, we've made it deep enough into the season that there's no longer any "Thursday Night Football" to suffer through, so take the extra time to look over your betting sheets one more time this weekend so you're ready to take on the sharps on Saturday. And if you're itching for a bet to make, you can find all of our college bowl picks against the spread up through Christmas here.

Take a look below for our best bets of Week 16.

LAST WEEK: 6-8-2
OVERALL: 113-102-9

Indianapolis Colts (+13.5) at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

The pick: Colts +13.5

The logic: The Ravens have shown a tendency to throttle opponents this season, but this is still too many points. The Colts have played the AFC North tough this year, and getting close to two touchdowns is always a welcome gift when betting on the NFL.



Minnesota Vikings (-9) at Green Bay Packers (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET)

The pick: Packers +9

The logic: Aaron Rodgers might be done for the season but the Packers aren't a team to roll over against a division rival. Plus the Vikings are the team that took Rodgers down with an injury in the first place, and Green Bay might be looking to exact some revenge with a win in front of the home crowd.



Cleveland Browns (+6.5) at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

The pick: Bears -6.5

The logic: The Browns have lost by six or more their last seven games. While this is their last real chance for a win on the season with a matchup against the Steelers ahead of them next week, I'm not going to fool myself into betting on the Browns again. I've lost enough money on them this year.



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The 100 best places in the US to celebrate New Year's Eve, ranked

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times square new years

If you want to start the new year in a new city, you have no shortage of choices. Cities around the US host New Year's Eve celebrations full of confetti, fireworks, and Champagne. But how do you pick which one to visit?

WalletHub compared the 100 biggest cities in the US to determine the best places to ring in the new year. They based their ranking on 25 factors, including the price of New Year's Eve party tickets, weather, walkability, duration of fireworks displays, and Google search interest for "New Year's Eve celebration," and condensed them into three categories: entertainment and food, costs, and safety and security. They also gave each city an overall score out of 100 based on their individual rankings.

New York City came in at number one overall with high rankings in food and entertainment and safety and security, though it's also one of the most expensive cities to celebrate in. Laredo, Texas, was ranked the safest city, and El Paso the cheapest.

Here's the full list of the best US cities to be in on New Year's Eve.

100. North Las Vegas, Nevada

Total score (out of 100): 34.96

Entertainment and food: 94th

Costs: 96th

Safety and accessibility: 80th

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99. Fremont, California

Total score: 38.37

Entertainment and food: 99th

Costs: 92nd

Safety and accessibility: 25th



98. Newark, New Jersey

Total score: 39.98

Entertainment and food: 85th

Costs: 98th

Safety and accessibility: 50th



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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