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What 37 A-list celebrities looked like when they first started acting

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halle berry

From Pepsi and Bubble Yum commercials to failed sitcoms and small guest roles, A-list celebrities were once struggling trying to make it in the business, just like everyone else in Hollywood.

Samuel L. Jackson didn't jump right into award-winning movies. He was trained and started on stage. Kerry Washington was popping up in educational videos before dominating in "Scandal," and Nicole Kidman starred in a number of small Australian films before making it in Hollywood. 

We took a look back at 37 A-list celebrities before they were the recognizable names we know today.

Nicole Kidman's career started with a series of small Australian films.

She made her acting debut in two different movies in 1983: "Bush Christmas" and "BMX Bandits." The actress won an Oscar in 2003 for "The Hours" and has recently scored numerous awards for her role on "Big Little Lies."



Tom Hanks made his film debut in the low-budget horror film "He Knows You're Alone."

But before he landed his first movie, Hanks's acting career started on the stage. He also co-starred in the cross-dressing comedy, "Bosom Brothers," for two seasons. Hanks's first leading role was in "Splash" a few years later, and he is now a two-time Oscar winner. 



Before Jennifer Lawrence became an Academy Award-winning actress and franchise star, she started out modeling and acting in small commercials.

She earned her Screen Actors Guild card when she was 14 thanks to a promotional video for MTV's "My Super Sweet 16." She dropped out of school to pursue her dreams. That same year, she also appeared in a Burger King commercial as a potential girlfriend to the Whopper Jr.



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14 things you should never do in bed if you want a healthy sex life

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fifty shades of grey

  • Bad bedroom habits can lead to both an unhealthy sex life and relationship.
  • Whether you're climbing into bed with a new partner or your spouse, there are some habits that should always be avoided.
  • From assuming you know all the right moves to bringing work stress to the room with you, here are 14 things you should never do in bed. 

Whether you’re frolicking with a new partner or the love of your life, banishing these habits from the bedroom will keep you happier, both in and out of the sheets.

Don’t assume you’ve got all the right moves

It’s impossible to know your partner’s desires right off the bat. “Everyone has personal preferences," says sexologist Gloria Brame, PhD. Communication is critical to all aspects of the relationship, and by working to understand what your partner prefers, you’ll be building a more fulfilling physical and emotional relationship. (Check out these unexpected health benefits of regular sex.)



Don’t make it a negative space

Many couples air their grievances before bed, says Brame, possibly because it’s the first opportunity they have to talk in private. But when you bring your anger and resentments to into the bedroom, you turn a space for pleasure into a battleground. And if it escalates, it could lead to one partner withholding sex as punishment. If you’re upset with your partner, work it out in another room or put it off until tomorrow. “Going to sleep angry once won’t end your relationship,” Brame says. “What can change your sex life and the glue within a relationship is when you associate the bedroom with negative experiences.” Protect your health and your relationship by learning the best ways to deal with anger.



Don’t be shy about sharing your fantasies

“So many women and men are focused on the sex or foreplay they’re not getting instead of talking about what they want,” says psychotherapist and sexuality counselor Ian Kerner, PhD, author of She Comes First. But it won’t be taken as criticism if you express your desires in a way that’s constructive. As in, “Here’s something that would drive me wild…” As a bonus, the language you use can be as arousing as the act itself, Kerner says. And if you’re itching to go a little 50 Shades of Gray, say so. “The woman or man who really loves you is going to listen,” says Brame. That said, neither partner should press for anything that’s outside his or her comfort zone. Trying something new should be exciting, not unsafe or uncomfortable. (Steal the habits of couples with steamy sex lives.)



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The 25 best NFL free agents and where they've landed so far

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allen robinson

NFL free agency is upon us!

While this year's free agency class is a bit top-heavy, it contains several solid, difference-making players, many of whom could be on the move.

Not every player will start a bidding war like Kirk Cousins, but this year's class contains some solid defensive players, at least one star offensive lineman, and some versatile running backs.

Take a look at the top 25 free agents below and where some of them have landed so far.

* Notes a player who has been given the franchise tag. 

Kirk Cousins, QB — SIGNED

Previous team: Washington Redskins

Reported deal: Cousins is reportedly planning on signing a three-year, $84 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings.



Le'Veon Bell, RB*

Previous team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Potential landing spots: Pittsburgh Steelers

One thing to know: The Steelers gave Bell the franchise tag for the second straight season, and he doesn't seem to happy about it. He may threaten to hold out of camp and/or the season until a long-term deal gets done.



Ezekiel Ansah, DE*

Previous team: Detroit Lions

Potential landing spots: Detroit Lions

One thing to know: The Lions applied the franchise tag to Ansah. He had 12.5 sacks in 2017 and could be a nice weapon for new head coach, Matt Patricia.



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17 daring celebrity outfits that have become iconic

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daring celeb oufits

Showing skin on the red carpet is nothing new, but some looks go far beyond the headlines and became part of pop culture history.

From Marilyn Monroe's sparkly dress for her sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" in 1962 to Miley Cyrus' infamous nude latex bikini at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards five decades later, these stars shocked everyone with their bold fashion choices.

No matter how trendy the naked dress becomes, we'll never forget these 17 risky style moments from fashion icons of past and present.

Jennifer Lopez at the 2000 Grammys

Who could ever forget the moment when Jennifer Lopez stepped onto the Grammys red carpet with then-boyfriend Sean "Diddy" Combs in this low-cut, tropical print green gown? Designed by Donatella Versace, few remember that the dress was worn by the designer herself at the 1999 Met Gala and a month before Lopez by Spice Girl Geri Halliwell because it was the "Waiting for Tonight" singer that made fashion history.

With the help of some strategically placed double-sided tape and nude swimsuit shorts, she avoided a wardrobe malfunction and also ushered in the creation of the Google Image Search, thanks to people all over the world trying to get a better look at that dress from their own computers. Talk about making fashion history.



Britney Spears at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards

In her 20-year career, Britney Spears has had many iconic moments at the MTV VMAs — including, of course, her kiss with Madonna in 2003, her "I'm a Slave 4 U" performance in 2001 with a giant python draped over her shoulders, and her much-maligned 2007 "Gimme More" performance — but we have to give props to her seriously sparkly ensemble in 2001.

She started things off in a black suit, covering the Rolling Stones classic "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" before stripping it all off to reveal a sheer bedazzled bikini top, pants, and thong underwear to perform "Oops!… I Did It Again."

Few actually noticed that Spears did suffer a wardrobe malfunction, slipping out of her right bra cup, but she handled it like a total pro, distracting the audience with a hairflip and a smile … and the audience was none the wiser.



Miley Cyrus at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards

In what some viewed as a deliberate attempt to shed her "Hannah Montana" image, Cyrus joined Robin Thicke for a duet, and cementing herself a place in pop culture history in the process. Her nude latex bikini, paired with her foam finger, space bun, stuck-out tongue, and all that twerking proved to be totally wild even for MTV’s standards.



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Most vitamins are useless, but here are the ones you should take

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It seems like simple, obvious advice: Eat your vegetables, get some exercise, and — of course — take your vitamins.

Or not.

Decades of research has failed to find any substantial evidence that vitamins and supplements do any significant good. In fact, recent studies skew in the opposite direction, finding that certain vitamins may be bad for you.

Several supplements have been linked with an increase in certain cancers, for example, while others have been associated with a rise in the risk of kidney stones. Still others have been linked with an overall higher risk of death from any cause.

So here are the vitamins and supplements you should take — and the ones you should avoid:

SEE ALSO: These are the supplements that are the most likely to send you to the emergency room

DON'T MISS: The $37 billion supplement industry is barely regulated — and it's allowing dangerous products to slip through the cracks

Multivitamins: Skip them — you get everything you need with a balanced diet.

For decades, it was assumed that multivitamins were critical to overall health. Vitamin C to "boost your immune system;" vitamin A to protect your vision; vitamin B to keep you energized.

Not only do you already get these ingredients from the food you eat, but studies suggest that consuming them in excess can actually cause harm. A large 2011 study of close to 39,000 older women over 25 years found that women who took them in the long term actually had a higher overall risk of death than those who did not.



Vitamin D: Take it — It helps keep your bones strong and it's hard to get from food.

Vitamin D isn't present in most of the foods we eat, but it's a critical ingredient that keeps our bones strong by helping us absorb calcium. Getting sunlight helps our bodies produce it as well, but it can be tough to get enough in the winter. Several recent study reviews have found that people who took vitamin D supplements daily lived longer, on average, than those who didn't.



Antioxidants: Skip them — an excess of these has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, and you can eat berries instead.

Vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants found in plentiful form in many fruits — especially berries — and veggies, and they've been touted for their alleged ability to protect against cancer.

But studies suggest that when taken in excess, antioxidants can actually be harmful. A large, long-term study of male smokers found that those who regularly took Vitamin A were more likely to get lung cancer than those who didn't. And a 2007 review of trials of several different types of antioxidant supplements put it this way: "Treatment with beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E may increase mortality."



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Everything we know about Quentin Tarantino's new movie, which stars Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio and involves the Manson Family murders

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Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are teaming up with Quentin Tarantino for the director's upcoming ninth film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Tarantino announced last month.

Pitt and DiCaprio were in talks to star in the film for weeks, but the contract negotiations for it were reportedly so "strenuous" that DiCaprio was ready to walk away from the project in January, sources told The Hollywood Reporter

Margot Robbie is currently in negotiations to play the role of actress Sharon Tate in the film, Deadline reported Tuesday.

Pitt previously worked with Tarantino on 2009's "Inglorious Basterds," and DiCaprio appeared in 2013's "Django Unchained."

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is set for release on August 9, 2019.

Here's everything we know about Tarantino's upcoming ninth film:

SEE ALSO: Quentin Tarantino's next film will be released by Sony following the Harvey Weinstein scandal

The film takes place in "Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood."

Tarantino described "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" in a statement on Wednesday, calling it, "a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don't recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor ... Sharon Tate."

In July 2017, early reports of the film described its script as focused on the murder of actress Sharon Tate by Charles Manson's followers. 

While Tarantino's most recent statement mentions Sharon Tate as a player in the movie, Tarantino previously said that the film would not center on Charles Manson, but on the year 1969.



It has been five years in the making.

Tarantino said on Wednesday that he had been working on the script for the film for half a decade.

"I’ve been working on this script for five years, as well as living in Los Angeles County most of my life, including in 1969, when I was seven years old," he said. "I’m very excited to tell this story of an L.A. and a Hollywood that don't exist anymore. And I couldn't be happier about the dynamic teaming of DiCaprio & Pitt as Rick & Cliff.”

 



It's a "Pulp Fiction-esque" movie

Deadline reported in January that the Leonardo DiCaprio would play an "aging actor" in a "'Pulp Fiction'-esque movie."

"Pulp Fiction," Tarantino's 1994 classic, told a collection of interconnected stories.



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17 Ulta employees tell us the only products you should buy

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ulta interior

The cosmetics store Ulta Beauty is arguably right up there with Sephora as a makeup lover's paradise.

Look one way and you see tons of high-end cosmetics calling your name. Look the other way and you're met with aisles of drugstore favorites. Walk towards the back and you'll find hair-care products and brands you never knew existed. And don't even get us started on the coupons.

It can be difficult to know exactly where to look when you're surrounded by all these options. We previously asked Sephora and Lush employees to pick out their favorites, so we decided to talk to people who work at Ulta to find out their picks for the best products in the entire store.

Here are their recommendations.

SEE ALSO: 33 Sephora employees reveal the one product you should buy

Too Faced — Hangover Replenishing Face Primer

Cost: $32

Ulta employee Lydia thinks this coconut water-infused primer is a "must have" first step for any beauty routine. "I honestly notice a difference in my makeup application and longevity," she told INSIDER. She also thinks it's perfect for any skin type because she finds it adds just the right amount of hydration without feeling too oily.

Find out more about Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer here >



Benefit Cosmetics — The POREfessional Face Primer

Cost: $31

This oil-free primer is Allison's pick for her favorite product because of its lightweight and smooth consistency. She's not the only one who seems to love this product — it holds the title of the top-selling prestige face primer in the US.

Find out more about Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer here >



Real Techniques — Miracle Complexion Sponge

Cost: $5.99

This affordable beauty tool has developed quite a loyal following, and Ulta employee Valerie is one of its biggest fans. "I use it everyday and will never not use one again," she told us.

Find out more about Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge here >



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7 surprising things I wish I knew before going dairy-free

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Maggie Angst

  • You need to be open to switching up some of your priorities.
  • A dairy-free diet has great health benefits, especially if you deal with digestion issues.
  • After a while, you won't even miss dairy.


Growing up in my household, dairy was one of our main food groups. To this day, there's always a refrigerator drawer full of fancy cheeses at my parents' house.  

But just like celebrities Victoria Beckham, Megan Fox and Beyoncé, one day I decided it was time to give dairy a break.

About three years ago, I became a vegetarian. Watching one too many documentaries about slaughterhouses and how the industry affected our environment made the decision easy for me.

Shortly after making that change, I met a vegan friend while studying abroad. Although the idea of veganism and giving up dairy always seemed a little too "extreme" for me, she convinced me to give it a try.

I've suffered from severe stomach aches for years and I always considered cutting out dairy, but I never quite had the ambition to follow through with it. Having a friend in it with me made the transformation bearable though, and I soon saw my stomach pains almost disappear entirely.

Still, I don't think I fully knew what I was getting myself into at first. Here are some things I wish someone told me before I tried to completely eliminate dairy from my diet.

Not all dairy-free products are created equally.

When experimenting with products made from dairy alternatives, be cautious. Although you might love one dairy-free yogurt brand the next may taste like straight up chalk. I learned that lesson quickly.

So, when I do decide to go outside the box and experiment with a new dairy-free product, I'll buy the smallest quantity possible. This way I can give it a try without wasting too much money or food.



Brunch will no longer be your favorite weekend meal.

In case you haven't learned by now, dairy is a pretty essential ingredient for any menu item at brunch. Once you eliminate eggs, butter, milk, yogurt and cheese, there's not many items to choose from. But don't fret. You still have plenty of options if you want to meet friends for lunch and dinner instead.



It'll take more work to make sure you're getting all the vitamins you need.

Since dairy products are some of the best sources of calcium, it is important to ensure you're still getting those essential nutrients. In order to make sure you're maintaining adequate levels, track your diet for a few days.

If you are not reaching the recommended intake (about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day), add alternative foods that are high in those nutrients or try taking a supplement if you need to.



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The best pieces of smart jewelry you can buy

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

smart jewelry 4x3

The Insider Pick:

  • Smart jewelry brings fashion and tech together in the perfect marriage of beauty and brains. We've tested all the smart jewelry out there, and the Bellabeat Leaf Urban is the best piece of smart jewelry for most women.

Wearables don't have to be ugly or super masculine to be high tech and helpful. A number of small startups and a handful of big companies are finally making wearables for women. One of the most exciting new categories is smart jewelry. 

Smart jewelry is turning the fitness tracker into a work of art. Some of these gorgeous pieces of jewelry use high-end materials like stainless steel, leather, and wood.

We've tested a lot of smart jewelry, and these are our favorite pieces. Every item in this buying guide offers special smart features, including fitness tracking, notifications, silent alarms, and even mindfulness reminders. Whether you want a smart necklace, bracelet, or watch, we've got you covered.

Updated on 03/13/2018 by Malarie Gokey: Replaced the Fossil Q Tailor with the new and slim Fossil Q Neely. Also added a note about Ringly, a smart jewelry brand we previously recommended. It is now out of business.

Bellabeat's Leaf Urban may be our top pick, but for the reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch, the Misfit Ray fitness tracker, the Fossil Q Neely hybrid watch, and the Bellabeat Leaf Nature.

SEE ALSO: This under-the-radar Canadian brand makes buying fine jewelry easier and more affordable than ever

The best piece of smart jewelry overall

Why you'll love it: You can wear Bellabeat's Leaf Urban as a bracelet, necklace, or brooch to track your activity, stress level, mindfulness, and sleep.

Bellabeat's original Leaf Nature was the first piece of smart jewelry I ever tried, and I've been a huge fan of the company ever since. I've worn some version of the Leaf almost every day for the past two years, and the new Leaf Urban is my favorite piece of smart jewelry — period. 

The Urban has a more modern and durable design that's water resistant and eco-friendly. The leaf-shaped body is made out of recycled wood composite that mimics the look of stone. It's encased in a metal clip that you can get in rose gold or silver. The metal part looks like the abstract veins of a leaf, and it opens up slightly to act as a brooch or a clip.

At either end of the Leaf Urban, the metal curves out into a loop so you can use it as a pendant on a necklace chain or wear it with a bracelet. Bellabeat includes a necklace and leather bracelet in the box along with your Leaf Urban and a tiny screwdriver for when you need to change the battery inside. The tracker is so popular that you can also find a number of handmade bracelets for it on Amazon.

The little wearable tracks your active minutes, calories burned, distance traveled, sleep duration, and sleep quality automatically. Just tap twice on the Leaf Urban to sync it with your companion app and see all the data.

You can also follow guided meditation sequences in the app and set silent alarms to wake up more peacefully in the morning. The app even has period and fertility tracking for those who are interested. 

Using an algorithm, Bellabeat can predict your resistance to stress on any given day. For example: Say you didn't sleep well, you haven't exercised, and you've fallen behind on your meditation exercises — you may be more susceptible to stress on that day. 

The Leaf aims to improve your well-being so you can live a more mindful, healthy life, and it does exactly that — with style.

Pros: Versatile design, eco-friendly materials, great mindfulness features, fitness tracking, and you never have to charge it

Cons: No notifications and replacing the battery after six months requires removing small screws

Buy the rose gold Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $138

Buy the silver Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $139

Buy handmade bracelets for the Leaf Urban on Amazon $13 and up

Buy 10 batteries for your Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $4.95

Read our full review of the Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Insider Picks



The best smart analog watch with a cute face

Why you'll love it: The Kate Spade Holland has a super cute watch face and all the smart features you could want, from notifications to step counting.

There are many cute-looking wristwatches with smart features these days, and one of the most adorable ones is the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch. It connects to an app on your phone via Bluetooth so you can check your step count and customize the watch's features. 

You can get notifications from just about any app on your phone so the watch will buzz when you get a call, text, or any other notification you choose. It even works with apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Calendar. You can also set the three watch buttons to perform different actions like taking a selfie or controlling music on your phone.

Beyond the smart features, the Kate Spade Holland is a super cute watch. It has a relatively slim profile, a slender T-style watch strap, and adorable face. The watch face is covered in mother of pearl, and it has cute golden stars and sparkles. The watch hands are pink and tipped with stars as well. Perhaps the cutest feature is the little inscription that reads, "hooray!" at the top of the watch where you can check on your fitness status.

The watch comes in a few different color combinations, including rose gold with a navy strap, gold with a brown strap, and gold or silver with a metal strap. It is a bit expensive at $225 and up, but it's well worth the price.

Pros: Lovely design, slim strap, decent-sized watch casing, adorable watch face, fitness tracking, notifications, customizable buttons

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch (brown and gold) from Nordstrom for $225

Buy the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch (navy and rose gold) from Nordstrom for $225

Buy the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch (gold metal band) from Nordstrom for $250 (currently out of stock)

Buy the Kate Spade Holland hybrid watch (silver metal band) from Nordstrom for $250 



The best fitness jewelry

Why you'll love it: The Misfit Ray is a sleek fitness tracker that's as smart as a Fitbit, but looks a lot more like a piece of jewelry.

Not too long ago, Fossil Group bought the wearable startup Misfit. Misfit's claim to fame was the attractive Shine fitness tracker, which required no charging and was easy to accessorize. Its second fitness tracker, the Ray, is very fashion forward, and Misfit is making tons of accessories for it.

My favorite thing about the Misfit Ray is how simple and subtle it is. With the right band, you could be fooled into thinking it's just a nice, minimalist bracelet.

The Misfit Ray is a slim metal cylinder with a LED light for notifications. It comes with your choice of a silicon or leather band, but you can also buy a lariat necklace for it or a number of different bands to spice things up every now and then. If you don't find what you're looking for on Amazon, Misfit just added a new collection of Ray accessories to its own site.

Since it's first and foremost a fitness tracker, the Ray can track specific activities, steps taken, calories burned, and distance traveled. It's waterproof up to 50 meters, so you can even swim with it. You can see how well you slept and set silent alarms to wake yourself up gently.

If you want to get notifications and alerts for calls and texts, you can set that up, too. Misfit lets you program the LED light in the companion app to show different colors for each notification. The Ray can also trigger a few actions, including take a selfie, control music, turn on a Misfit Bolt light bulb, play Spotify, or control your Nest or Logitech Harmony smart home gadgets.

You never have to charge the Misfit Ray, but you do have to replace the batteries every four months. Luckily, they're cheap and easy to find on Amazon.

Pros: Solid workout and fitness features, sleep tracking, smart notifications, and you never have to charge it

Cons: If you want the jewelry look, you have to buy accessories

Buy the Misfit Ray with leather band on Amazon for $119.99 (price varies by style)

Buy a 3-pack of Misfit Ray bands on Amazon for $22.98

Buy 10 coin cell batteries for the Misfit Ray on Amazon for $14.30



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This couple flew around the world in first class using airline points — and paid less than $2,000 for $55,000 of airfare

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Singapore Suites First Class Morning Coffee and Champagne

  • Cheap-flight experts Alex and Erin Miller of UpgradedPoints.com flew around the world in first-class and luxury airlines.
  • Their eight-leg trip was valued at $55,000, but they managed to pay just $1,087 each.
  • Their secret is leveraging thousands of credit card points into frequent flyer miles.


Alex and Erin Miller are travel hackers extraordinaire.

In 2016, the couple launched UpgradedPoints.com to share their tricks for converting credit card points into cheap flights.

The Millers recently cashed in hundreds of thousands of points to book a month-long trip around the world aboard luxury airlines. Their eight flights, valued at more than $55,000, cost the couple just $1,087 each.

Read on to find out how they did it — and what it was like to ride with Singapore Airlines, one of the world's best international airlines.

SEE ALSO: A travel hacker scored a $12,000 suite on Singapore Airlines for $100 — here's what it was like

DON'T MISS: 13 places to visit in May for every type of traveler

Alex and Erin's trip took them from New York to Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. For their long-haul flight from New York to Singapore, they booked a Singapore Airlines first-class suite.



Alex began planning the trip more than a year in advance. He said the best strategy is to start by choosing your destination, then researching which airlines fly there, and then seeing whether your credit card allows you to convert points into miles with those airlines.



Singapore Airlines, for example, is a transfer partner of Chase, Amex, SPG, and Citi. To book their eight-leg trip, the Millers used 182,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points, about 280,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, and 160,000 SPG Points.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I'm a Londoner who spent 2 weeks working in Madrid — here's everything that surprised me about daily life in Spain

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me at retiro park

Though I was born in Canada and grew up in the Great White North, I was raised by Brits, and having now lived in London for nearly five years, I consider the UK my home.

I've travelled quite a bit and am always up for exploring a new place or way of life, so after Business Insider España launched in December, I jumped at the opportunity to spend two weeks in Madrid getting to know the Spanish team.

While it may only be a two-hour plane ride, the experience was pretty eye-opening.

I'd been to Madrid before, just once a few years ago, but my knowledge was essentially limited to cerveza, tapas, siestas, and sunshine. What I didn't realise was that the laid-back attitude translates into the working world, too.

From late, long, carb-heavy lunches to a sleek alternative to Uber, scroll down to see everything that surprised me about everyday life in Spain.

SEE ALSO: What it's like to travel on Wow Air, the budget airline that's offering $69 flights from the US to Europe

The Spaniards take their lunch incredibly late — 2 p.m. at the earliest, but often later. As someone who eats constantly, this was a shock to the system on my first day, when I didn't bring lunch to work.



Most of them eat at the exact same time so they can chat and catch up (for at least an hour), meaning the office was often left empty. Nobody eats lunch al-desko.



There is bread involved in every single meal. At lunch, loaves of broad are often passed around for people to enjoy with their food. Anyone with a gluten-free diet would struggle.



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5 questions we have after the season 2 finale of 'This Is Us'

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kate toby this is us wedding

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the season two finale of "This Is Us."

Now that the mystery of Jack Pearson's death is long behind us, what else can "This Is Us" do to pull at fan's heartstrings heading into season three?

Plenty. 

Instead of flashbacks, Tuesday's "This Is Us" finale teased a series of small, perplexing flash-forwards. Several appeared to be about a year in the future and another with Randall may be as far as a decade down the line. 

From a somber looking Toby to a traveling Kevin, we have a lot of questions and we're sure you do too. While we're waiting for the show to return in fall 2018, let's break down every question we have from the flash-forward scenes teased on the season two finale.

What is going on with Toby?

Toby is looking quite unlike his chipper self.

Kate walks in on Toby curled up in bed and tells him that the doctor wants to see him to discuss adjusting his medication. Our best guess is that he may have slipped into a depression.

On the season two finale, his parents hinted Toby had problems fighting depression after his first marriage fell apart and we're thinking he may have had a setback.

"You stopped going to work and I found you in your apartment in the middle of a work day with the curtains drawn and hiding under the covers like a little kid," Toby's mother tells him. "You were severely depressed for a very long time."

The way she describes him is exactly how we see Toby in the flash-forward.



Who are Tess and Randall going to see?

We previously saw a future version of Randall visiting his daughter Tess as a social worker. But there's more going on here. The two of them discuss a difficult meeting they have to make with a woman they refer to as her. 

It’s time to go see her Tess," 

I’m not ready.

"Me neither," replies Randall. 

Who are they talking about? The women in their life can refer to Tess' sister, Annie, her foster sister, Deja, or her mother Beth. The scene could also be talking about Randall's sister Kate or his mother, Rebecca.

However, a lot of fans think that something may happen to Beth in the future. After future Tess and Randall speak the scene cuts to Beth. 

And the way Randall says "It's time to go see her" makes it sound like someone is either in a hospital bed gravely ill or injured or has died. 



Who is the woman Kevin is with?

As Randall says that we don't know where we'll be in a year from now, we see Kevin on a plane to Vietnam with a woman who may or may not be his girlfriend. She's resting her head on him and he gives her a gentle kiss on the head.

But who is she?

All we know is that Kevin meets her at the end of Kate's wedding. The mystery lady gives Kevin some kudos on a speech well done.



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The 13 movies that made $1 billion at the box office the fastest, including Marvel's 'Black Panther'

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This week, "Black Panther" became one of the 33 movies in history that have made $1 billion at the global box office.

It also accomplished this feat in under a month, which only 12 other films have ever done. 

"Black Panther" joins several other Marvel films on this list, which we have ranked by the days it took each film to gross $1 billion worldwide.

We used each film's gross on the day it passed $1 billion to break any ties. 

Here are the 13 movies that made $1 billion at the global box office in less than a month:

SEE ALSO: Only 33 movies have ever hit $1 billion at the box office — here they are

13. "Beauty and the Beast"— 29 days

Release date: March 17, 2017

Date it crossed $1 billion:April 12, 2017

Box office total: $1,263,521,126



12. "Captain America: Civil War"— 24 days

Release date: April 27, 2016

Date it crossed $1 billion: May 20, 2016

Box office total: $1,153,304,495
 



11. "Black Panther"— 24 days

Release date: February 16, 2018

Date it crossed $1 billion:March 11, 2018

Box office total (so far): $1,079,891,584
 



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A robot can build this $10,000 house within 12 hours — take a look inside

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Building a house by hand can be both time-consuming and costly, so some homebuilders are now automating part of the construction process.

The homebuilding startup ICON uses a 3D-printing robot that can make parts for houses. The machine can print the walls, roof, and floor of a 650-square-foot model in as little as 12 hours. The windows, doors, plumbing, and electrical systems are then added by a human worker.

As The Verge notes, ICON debuted a prototype of the house at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Partnering with the international nonprofit New Story, the company plan to build dozens more for low-income communities in El Salvador by the end of 2019.

Check out the home below.

SEE ALSO: A robot can print this $64,000 house in as few as 8 hours — take a look inside

The single-story house features a wrap-around patio.



Inside, it has a living room ...



... a small office space ...



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You're more likely to be successful if you were born on these days, based on your Chinese zodiac sign

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  • Your Chinese zodiac sign can reveal a lot about you, including which days of the year are luckiest for you.
  • If you were born on the 4th or the 26th in the Year of the Rooster like Beyonce, you'll see a lot of success in your business. 
  • People born on the 4th or the 13th in the Year of the Rat like Lili Reinhart will have the most luck on those days. 

Rat: 4th, 13th

In Chinese astrology, the year you were born dictates your sign — not the month. You can figure out your Chinese zodiac sign here, along with what 2018 has in store for you. For each sign, certain days of the month are particularly significant — they could be the best day for, say, meeting someone special or investing. For the rat, the 4th and 13th days of every month are the most auspicious.



Ox: 13th, 27th

People born under the sign of the ox are extremely hard-working and looking to solve the next problem, according to Chinese astrology expert and tai chi master Sharon Smith. On the 13th and 27th, their strong nature will earn them good things and high esteem.



Tiger: 16th, 27th

Tigers are confident, competitive, and brave. Their qualities come together to create and greater chances for success and wealth on these days of the month. Check out these lucky New Year's traditions from around the world.



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We drove a $95,000 Porsche Cayman to see if the sports car lives up to the hype — here's the verdict

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Porsche 718 Cayman S

  • Porsche 718 Cayman and the 718 Boxster make up the company's mid-engine lineup.
  • In 2017, Porsche debuted the third generation Cayman sports car with a pair of new turbocharged, flat-four-cylinder engines.
  • The new engines proved to be controversial as they delivered great performance, but lackluster sound.
  • Our Porsche 718 Cayman S was powered by a 350 horsepower, 2.5-liter, turbocharged flat-four.

The Porsche 718 Cayman is arguably one of the most overlooked cars on the market today. And it's not because it isn't a good car. It's actually a great car. A world-class sports car of the highest order if I may be so bold. But it also lacks the superlatives that have been heaped on its corporate siblings.

Here's what I mean by that.

The 911 is Porsche's heart and soul. While the 718 Boxster is the car that saved Porsche from financial ruin in the late 1990s. The money it made from the Boxster paid for the Cayenne which revolutionized the luxury SUV market while the Macan is the best selling Porsche in the world. And then there's the Panamera, the critically acclaimed luxury sedan has been the darling of the automotive industry over the past year. It's also Business Insider's reigning car of the year.

That brings us back the to Cayman. For many, it was simply seen as the Boxster with a fixed roof. (Technically, that's true and Porsche's recent decision to move the both the Boxster and the Cayman under the 718 moniker only serves to reinforce that notion.)

But the reality is that the Cayman is a mid-engined, built-from-the-ground-up, pure-bred, Porsche sports car with a personality of its own.

For years, the rumor has been that Porsche restricted the Cayman's performance, preventing it from realizing its true potential in order to protect the iconic 911. Well, they aren't anymore. With the introduction of the Cayman GT4 in 2016 and the new turbo 718s, Porsche seems to have loosened the reins on its pint-sized sports cars.

Business Insider had a chance to experience the new 718 Cayman S first hand in December on the roads in and around Atlanta, Georgia.

Our 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman S test car started at $66,300. The Cayman S carries over for the 2018 model year with no mechanical changes. However, the base price has been raised slightly to $67,700 to account for inflation and Porsche's new standard maintenance plan. Options and fees tacked $28,625 on to our 2017 test car and pushed the as-tested price to $94,925. An identically optioned 2018 Cayman S would cost $96,890.

Here's a closer look at the Porsche 718 Cayman S:

SEE ALSO: We drove the most powerful Bentley ever built to see if it's worth $325,000 — here's the verdict

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These days, nearly 2/3 of Porsche's annual sales come from its Macan and...



... Cayenne SUVs.



While the Panamera sedan has been both a sales and critical success.



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Trump's trade war is heating up — here are 11 stocks UBS says to avoid

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  • Companies that get a high percentage of their revenue from China are at heightened risk as the prospect of a global trade war mounts.
  • UBS has identified 11 companies with large exposure to China that it says traders would be wise to avoid.

Fears of a global trade war have been ratcheted up in recent days amid warnings from China that it won't take President Donald Trump's newly proposed tariffs lying down.

Earlier in March, the nation said it will respond in kind if Trump's measures harm it economically. But that doesn't seem to be impeding the president's mission, with reports coming in Wednesday that he's seeking to impose upon China tariffs of up to $60 billion. Trump will reportedly target the technology and telecom sectors.

In the event that China does retaliate in response to Trump's proposed tariffs, UBS says the companies that derive the highest percentage of their sales from there will be among the groups hit hardest. Further, a large number of the most exposed companies are in the tech sector — suggesting that mounting trade war tensions could weigh on one of the US market's most important industries.

Here are 11 companies identified by UBS as being particularly vulnerable to a global trade war, specifically one that involves China. The stocks are listed in increasing order of percentage revenue exposure to China.

11. Xilinx

Ticker: XLNX

Industry: Technology

% of sales from China: 24.6%



10. Expeditors International of Washington

Ticker: EXPD

Industry: Industrials

% of sales from China: 26.5%



9. Amphenol

Ticker: APH

Industry: Technology

% of sales from China: 28.6%



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We drove a $63,000 Ford Raptor pickup truck for a week and were blown away — here are the features that impressed us the most (F)

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Ford Raptor

  • The Ford Raptor is the ultra-intense, high-performance version of Ford's F-150 full-size pickup.
  • It's ready for off-road action and has many cool features.
  • We checked out most of them.


The Ford Raptor is the pickup truck taken to a wild extreme.

It's the pickup member of the Ford Performance lineup, a family 0f vehicles that includes the 526-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT350 and the $400,000 Ford GT supercar.

And it's a truck designed to bust through deserts, forests, and rock-strewn landscapes. As we found out when we reviewed it last year, it can also handle road trip duty.

We drove the $62,500 test vehicle for about a week and discovered that it is a simply awesome truck, in every way. Here's a look at its best features:

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Bold, aggressive, borderline intimidating styling.

You can kind of see the F-150 that lives beneath the Raptor's swagger. But just barely.

The Raptor ain't cheap. Our tester tipped the cost scales at a nicely optioned $62,500.



Cool Raptor badging.

If you look closely, you can see that the Raptor has claws for "R's."



Who needs a dainty blue Ford oval on the grille when you spell out F-O-R-D in huge matte black letters?

There's a 450-horsepower, 3.5-liter turbocharged V6, with a whopping 510 pound-feet of torque, behind those menacing consonants and a vowel.



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The 30 most important deaths in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked by how sad they were

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has shied away from killing off major characters.

Even in "Captain America: Civil War," when James Rhodes/War Machine is shot down, he is paralyzed rather than killed.

But that doesn't mean there haven't been notable deaths. Business Insider looked back at the MCU and found 30 major deaths, which we then ranked from least sad to most. It should come as no surprise that most of the villain deaths are ranked toward the bottom.

We excluded characters that died, but were eventually resurrected — Agent Phil Coulson died in "The Avengers," but came back in Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." television show on ABC, and Bucky Barnes died in "Captain America: The First Avenger," but has since returned as the Winter Soldier.

We'll see if any of our favorite characters meet an end when "Avengers: Infinity War" comes to theaters next month.

SEE ALSO: The 7 biggest questions we had after watching Marvel's 'Black Panther,' and hope are answered in the sequel

30. Malekith ("Iron Man 2")

Cause of death: Crushed by his own ship. 

In a recent interview with The Guardian, actor Christopher Eccleston opened up about filming "Thor: The Dark World," and said it was like a "gun in your mouth." Perhaps it's a good thing his character dies.



29. Ultron ("Avengers: Age of Ultron")

Cause of death: Vision destroys his last remaining body after a fight with the Avengers.

Hard to feel anything for a genocidal robot.



28. The Red Skull ("Captain America: The First Avenger")

Cause of death: Incinerated by the Tesseract.

Sorry, Red Skull, but we're not going to feel sorry for a Nazi. The Skull is incinerated when he handles the Tesseract, one of the Infinity Stones that Thanos is after in the upcoming "Avengers: Infinity War."



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Fitbit just introduced a $100 fitness tracker for kids — here's how it works (FIT)

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Fitbit just launched a new $100 fitness tracker with the goal of getting kids to be more active. 

Called the Fitbit Ace, the new band is designed specifically for children. It comes in two colors — purple and blue — and costs $100. 

Fitbit says it designed the band to help fight childhood obesity. It can automatically track kids' activity, remind them to get up and move, and set activity goals for them to meet. 

Fitbit Ace is available for presale starting March 13. Here's how it works: 

SEE ALSO: These sleek $250 earbuds can translate languages in real time — and it's like something out of 'Star Trek'

Fitbit Ace looks a lot like Fitbit's Alta fitness tracking band, but smaller. It comes in two colors: Purple...



...and blue.



Fitbit Ace is intended for kids ages 8 and up. Fitbit says it created the band to help get kids to be more active, and to fight childhood obesity.



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