• There have been six (and counting) spin-offs of the show "Law & Order."
• "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is the most successful spin-off.
• There was a successful two-hour made-for-TV-movie which inspired more spin-offs.

"Law & Order" premiered in 1990 and ran for 20 seasons, spawning six spin-offs (and counting) as it became one of the most successful franchises in television history.

The original series used a split-approach to each episode, dividing its time between "two separate but equally important groups: The police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders." The long-running show was famous for using "ripped-from-the-headlines" events as inspiration for its episodes. Stories were often rooted in real-life cases but always had their own twist.

The success of a "Law & Order"-branded two-hour made-for-TV movie in 1998 led series creator Dick Wolf to believe a spin-off series would work. Wolf told TV Guide there was a lot of pressure to come up with an idea that was different enough from the original series and he banked on people's "insatiable interest" in sex when he created "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." With another winner on his hands expanding the franchise just made sense.

"Then the third one was sort of obvious. Gee, we have two that work; why don't we have a third?" Wolf said.  

As the franchise continues to grow with the forthcoming series "Law & Order: Hate Crimes," we ranked all the spin-offs so far:

6. "Law & Order: LA" only lasted one season.

Crime happens in every city, but a spin-off set in Los Angeles wasn't a success. "Law & Order: LA" premiered in 2010 and was canceled after a single-season run.

Like the original series, the spinoff drew inspiration from local crimes (The Bling Ring burglaries and the Manson Family murders), but it failed to connect with viewers. Low ratings prompted a mid-season overhaul that included major casting changes and confusing timelines since many of the episodes aired out of order.

5. "Law & Order: Trial By Jury" focused on legal strategy from lawyers on both sides.

The short-lived series debuted on NBC in 2005 and ran for 13 episodes before it was canceled. The spinoff was mostly a courtroom drama, which heavily favored behind-the-scenes legal machinations of the ADAs and defense attorneys over the twists and turns of police investigations that the original series was known for.

4. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" focused on the NYPD's Major Crimes Squad.

The franchise' second-most successful spin-off ran for 10 seasons after it premiered in 2001. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" differentiated itself from its predecessors by offering viewers the perspective of both the criminals and the detectives trying to solve the case. Whereas the original series spent at least half of every episode investigating who did it, "Criminal Intent" was more interested in explaining why.

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.

• Whether you’re young or old, there’s something magical about the sight of an overflowing Christmas stocking awaiting you on Christmas morning.
• Of all the stockings we've found, we like the Needlepoint Christmas Stockings from Lands’ End the best.
• These beautifully made, heirloom-worthy holiday stockings are personalized for free and they come in a wide range of designs to please every member of your family.

In the words of Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem, “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Moore didn’t specify which Christmas stockings were so carefully hung, and there are a lot of choices out there.

The most traditional Christmas stockings are red, green, and white; have a traditional Christmas theme, such as Santa, trees, or reindeer; and are made of polyester or knitted fabric. But what if you are looking for something a bit beyond the usual?

Maybe you want to match your home’s decorating style, you're looking for a gift for a family member or friend, or you simply want to have some fun with your holiday décor.

Luckily, there are Christmas stockings for just about any theme or style, and we’ve rounded up 13 that we think are the best.

Here are the best Christmas stockings you can buy:

• Best Christmas stocking overall: Lands’ End Needlepoint Christmas Stocking
• Best vintage-style Christmas stocking: Quilted Christmas Stockings
• Best Christmas stocking with bling: Gilded Christmas Stocking
• Best Christmas stocking for dogs: Plaid Dog Bone Paw Stocking
• Best Hanukkah stocking: Velvet Happy Hanukkah Stocking
• Best Christmas stockings for NFL fans: NFL-Team Christmas Stocking
• Best elegant Christmas stocking: Jeweled Holiday Christmas Stocking
• Best knit Christmas stocking: Knitted Christmas Stocking
• Best toddler Christmas stocking: North Pole Reindeer Stocking
• Best set of Christmas stockings: Imperial Home Classic Christmas Stockings
• Best contemporary Christmas stocking: Boho Gray Shag Holiday Stocking
• Best trendy Christmas stocking: Peace Llama Knit Holiday Stocking
• Best unique Christmas stocking: Cactus Felted Wool Holiday Stocking

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best Christmas stocking overall

Why you’ll love it: The perfect marriage of tradition, quality, and whimsy, Lands’ End’s Needlepoint Christmas Stockings will make you just as happy the 10th Christmas you hang them as the first.

Lands’ End has been making Needlepoint Christmas Stockings for more than two decades, and I’ve purchased several of them during those years. In fact, three of them — one for me, one for hubby, and one for our son — are hanging over the fireplace right now.

These are pretty much the perfect Christmas stockings. They’re traditional but not stodgy, fun but not cutesy, excellent quality but not too expensive. And not only can you personalize them with a name, word, or initials, you get a choice of several fonts and colors.

There are 11 designs to choose from, including Santa, an angel, polar bears, ballerinas, and bunnies. That means you are sure to find a favorite for every member of your family.

The fronts of the stockings are hand-needlepointed with 100% wool thread. The backs are cotton velvet, and there’s a poly/cotton lining that make it easy for Santa to slip goodies inside.

The stockings are a generous 20.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide and have a velvet loop for hanging.

Pros: Great quality, several nice designs to choose from, free personalization with many color choices

Cons: No trendy designs, which might be a plus depending on your taste

Buy a Needlepoint Christmas Stocking at Lands’ End for $29.95

The best vintage-style Christmas stocking

Why you’ll love it: If your style is vintage or boho, and you prefer handmade over mass-produced, you’ll love these Quilted Christmas Stockings from the world’s biggest craft fair: Etsy.

Quilting has been a popular art form for centuries, and there’s good reason for that. When a skilled artist transforms scraps of fabric into a finished piece, it’s hard to match the friendly and warm vibe. Maybe that’s why quilting isn’t only for the bed any longer. It’s just as wonderful when hung over your fireplace in the form of these Quilted Christmas Stockings.

Hand-stitched from vintage quilts, the stockings are quilted on both front and back, so you can hang them with the toe facing in either direction. Inside, there’s a 100% cotton muslin lining with a sturdy hanging loop at the top.

There are quite a few colors and designs to choose from, but remember that this is Etsy — You'll find beautiful and unique handmade products, but each artisan is a separate “storefront” and might run out of your favorite stocking before you hit the “Buy” button.

The Quilted Christmas Stockings are 18 inches long and eight inches wide.

Pros: Handmade from vintage quilts, old-fashioned charm, several colors to choose from

Cons: Stockings tend to run out quickly

Buy a Quilted Christmas Stocking on Etsy for $43.99

The best Christmas stocking with bling

Why you’ll love it: If you believe glamour is a year-round endeavor, you’ll love the bling-encrusted Gilded Christmas Stocking.

If your favorite Christmas song is “Santa Baby,” you’ll appreciate the silver-sequined bling that is the Gilded Christmas Stocking. Add this touch of shimmer and shine to your holiday mantel, and watch the whole room get just a little bit more glamorous.

The stocking has silver sequins only on the front, with a solid white fabric back. A ring of faux fleece around the top adds more flair and it looks like Santa’s boots when he heads out for a much-needed night at the club.

The stocking is 18 inches long and 10 inches wide, with a white hanging loop.

Pros: Glitzy stocking adds some glamour to your holiday décor, great price

Cons: Not everyone will like so much shine

Buy a Gilded Christmas Stocking at Wayfair for $15.99

• Jennifer Garner is one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood, known for iconic roles.

• Garner consistently makes best-dressed lists, and her characters are no different.
• Fans of Garner will recognize looks from the hit movie, "13 Going On 30," as well as her breakout role on "Alias."

Jennifer Garner has been a fixture on best-dressed lists since she first came on the scene back in 2001. Whether you fawn over the pale blue Versace gown she wore to her very first Academy Awards back in 2003 or the sweeping cobalt blue number from this year's ceremony, Garner's style gives "timeless" a new meaning.

Playing roles such as secret agent Sydney Bristow on "Alias" or mixed-up magazine editor Jenna Rink in "13 Going On 30," Garner's roles have helped to define style in the past decade and earned Garner her place as one of Hollywood's most beloved figures.

From a few of her many disguises as Sydney Bristow to the iconic striped dress from "13 Going On 30," here are Jennifer Garner's best looks from roles to date.

Jenna Rink's monochromatic pink ensemble in "13 Going on 30" helped her nail her big presentation.

This combination of a printed skirt, a rhinestone cami, and a tasteful cardigan is the definition of early 2000s glamour. Though "13 Going On 30"had so many iconic style moments, this one, in particular, feels so right. It comes at a point in the movie where Jenna Rink is forced to step out of her comfort zone, and I can't think of a better outfit to do so in.

Garner looked elegant as Vanessa Loring in "Juno."

Garner's role as Vanessa Loring in 2007 cult-classic "Juno" was unforgettable, and so was this look. This outfit was served as a polar opposite to Juno's typical ensemble of a hoodie and sweatpants. I mean, come on ... do you see those pearls? They practically scream upper-middle-class elegance.

This sparkly secret agent ensemble in "Alias" would thrive in the age of Instagram.

In "Alias," Garner starred as secret agent Sydney Bristow whose constant reinvention gave the show's costuming department a serious challenge. Personally, this socialite-inspired look is one of their best, and chainmail tops are making a total comeback right now.

When Nintendo announced "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" earlier this year, producer Masahiro Sakurai confirmed that every character from the prior four games in the franchise would be returning for the series' first entry on the Nintendo Switch. The game will be released on Friday, December 7th.

As a result, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" has one of the largest rosters of any fighting game ever made, bringing back more than 60 returning characters, and adding 12 fresh new faces. That's 72 playable characters from across video game history, right out of the box, plus one more coming as a download in early 2019. 

If that's not enough Nintendo recently confirmed that at least five more fighters will be added to "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" through February 2020.

Those who have played prior "Smash" games may recognize that certain characters have similar movesets — like Pit and his evil counterpart, Dark Pit. Nintendo has started calling the copy characters "echo fighters," but for the sake of this list, they'll be counted as individuals. Similarly, the Pokémon trainer controls three different playable Pokémon, and there are three Mii fighters with different fighting styles, so we'll count them all individually as well.

Here's every single one of the "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" characters, plus the game in which they debuted:

SEE ALSO: The major improvements to online play in 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' might be worth the price of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription

1. Mario - "Donkey Kong" (1981)

2. Donkey Kong - "Donkey Kong" (1981)

3. Link - "The Legend of Zelda" (1986)

• The world's northernmost town is Longyearbyen, which is located in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard and has 2,100 citizens.
• It is around three hours by plane from Oslo and 650 miles from the North Pole, making it one of the most remote human settlements on Earth.
• It's dark for four months a year and light for another four months. There are also more polar bears than there are people.
• Despite its remoteness, Longyearbyen has all the amenities of a modern town, including a school, a church, restaurants, and a cinema.
• It is also the home of the famous doomsday seed vault, which stores every known crop on the planet.

Look at the World Atlas list of the world's northernmost settlements and you'll see that many at the very top of the list are located in Svalbard — a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

The first settlement on the list with a population worthy of being described as a town, though, is Longyearbyen, which hosts around 2,100 people who have access to a school, a church, restaurants, and a cinema.

Life in Longyearbyen, despite its amenities, is unlike anywhere else on Earth.

For starters, it's dark four months a year and perpetually light for another four months. Secondly, it's suggested residents carry a rifle when travelling outside the town borders — in case they run into a polar bear.

Like many of the settlements in this part of the world, Longyearbyen was established as a mining town, though mining operations have since been phased out of the area.

Now, the town is a place of scientific research and adventure tourism — it is the home of the famous doomsday seed vault, which stores every known crop on the planet.

Scroll down to see what everyday life is like in this extreme neighbourhood.

Warning: This article contains images that some may find disturbing.

Welcome to Longyearbyen — the northernmost town in the world.

Longyearbyen is located in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, which is three hours away from Oslo by plane and about 650 miles from the North Pole.

Source: Financial Times.

While there are a couple of tiny settlements further in the north, Longyearbyen is the first of any significant size. The town has a population of around 2,100 residents.

Source: Visit Svalbard.

• Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are slated to tie the knot in a multi-day wedding celebration in Jodhpur, India.
• The couple confirmed their engagement in August, with reports swirling that they'd get married before the end of the year.
• Their wedding ceremonies will reportedly be happening this Saturday and Sunday. 
• Here's everything we know about their wedding so far — an elaborate three-day affair which Chopra says guests will need "a vacation" from.

Ever since news broke in May that Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas began dating, their whirlwind romance has dominated headlines. After announcing their engagement on August 8, the couple has been open about their journey to the altar — from Chopra's stunning Tiffany & Co. engagement ring to her European bachelorette celebration earlier this month, fans have been eagerly awaiting details about their big day.

And the wedding weekend is expected to be a grand one — Chopra told Vogue that guests "will need vacations after this wedding."

From horseback riding to castles, here's what we know about Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's wedding so far.

Wedding festivities reportedly began with a welcome dinner in Mumbai on November 26.

According to the Hindustan Times, the couple began the celebrations with a welcome dinner for family and friends on Monday. Then, on Wednesday, they had a family puja— a traditional Hindu prayer ritual — at the Mumbai home of Dr. Madhu Chopra, Priyanka's mother.

Photographers snapped pictures of Chopra and Jonas, as well as Nick's brother Joe Jonas and his fiancée, "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner, entering Dr. Chopra's home in traditional Indian attire.

The ceremonies will take place at a royal palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.

According to Vogue, the three-day wedding will feature two ceremonies honoring the couple's cultural and religious backgrounds. They will have a traditional Indian wedding as well as a Christian service, which will be officiated by Jonas's father, Paul Kevin Jonas, Sr.

The reported location of the wedding is the Umaid Bhawan Palace, a lavish royal palace that sits atop 26 acres of land and has a five-star hotel with 347 rooms and a museum. 

Read More: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are getting married in a lavish royal palace that's home to a 5-star hotel and has 347 rooms

In addition to a Christian ceremony, per accordance with Hindu customs, the couple will reportedly have three traditional Hindu ceremonies.

The Christian ceremony will take place on Saturday, with the Hindu ceremony on the following day, according to New Delhi TV.

The Hindu celebrations include the Sangeet, Mehendi ceremony, and Haldi ceremony.

The Sangeet is a celebration featuring music and dancing and the joining of two families together, according to DNA India. Chopra and Jonas reportedly held the Sangeet in conjunction with the Mehendi, a traditional ceremony that involves applying henna to the bride in preparation for the wedding ceremony itself.

According to the Hindu Times, the Haldi ceremony will reportedly take place Friday. During this event, a paste made of turmeric, rose water (or water), and sandalwood powder is applied to the bride and groom's bodies to help rid the couple of evil forces ahead of their union, as well as encourage prosperity as they begin their lives together. It will reportedly be followed by a cocktail party.

• There is no shortage of drama on "Vanderpump Rules." 
• Most of the cast has been involved in some sort of cheating scandal — and usually with each other. 
• We rounded up some of the most notable examples.

It’s about that time – Season 7 of Vanderpump Rules returns to Bravo on December 3.

In honor of the new season, we decided to look at VPR's long and sordid history of cheating scandals. Spoiler alert: there are a lot. 

Read on for all the drama and accusations of infidelity, whether they ended up being true or not. 

Jax Taylor cheated on Brittany Cartwright with former SUR employee Faith Stowers.

Let’s get the big one out of the way. On the Season 6 premiere, it was revealed that Jax Taylor cheated on Brittany Cartwright. At first denying it, Jax eventually admitted he'd had sex with former SUR employee Faith Stowers — and that the incident had actually all been taped.

Jax was also recorded apparently saying he wasn’t attracted to Brittany — though audiences never got to hear the infamous recording. Whatever drama happened between these two didn't last, though. Fast forward to Season 7 – Jax and Brittany are now engaged to be married.

Jax Taylor also supposedly cheated on Stassi Schroeder.

It was so long ago, you may have forgotten, but at the beginning of Season 1Jax and Stassi were actually dating. Early on, Stassi discovered that Jax had supposedly cheated on her — with a woman in Las Vegas — and dumped him. Throughout the season, Jax attempted to win her back, but she'd already started dating Frank, another SUR bartender.  

Jax finally admitted to having cheated on Stassi at the end of the season, and yes, there were lots of tears. 

Kristen Doute found texts between Tom Sandoval and a woman from Las Vegas.

Kristen Doute and  Tom Sandovalhad been together longer than any of the show's other couples. But by Season 2, they were clearly on the rocks. Things escalated when Kristen found texts between Tom and a woman he met while in Las Vegas.  

The woman in Vegas turned out to be a bottle service waitress that he'd hooked up with, and he eventually confessed the truth to Kristen. This initiated the gradual crash and burn of Kristen and Tom’s relationship, with more cheating to come.

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.

• For a high performance lipstick that’s long-lasting and looks amazing on your lips, Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick is our all-round winner.

One of the major grievances I have with lipstick is that you apply it only to find your lips are bare the next time you look in the mirror. The solution is to amp up your beauty arsenal with a long-lasting lipstick that will stay put all day or night long.

Once upon a time, not only did long-wear lipsticks deliver patchy results, they made your lips look parched as if you’ve just been stuck in the Sahara Desert. Recently, the long-lasting lipstick market has exploded with brands continuously launching new-and-improved versions to perfect your pout. The latest long-wear lipsticks are highly pigmented, which means you get more concentrated color and they last a lot longer. They also do a much better job of not drying out your lips.

Even the best long-lasting lipsticks can still be a little drying, so it’s best to apply a lip balm or primer first. A trick to make your lips last longer, through cups of coffee and maybe even kisses, is to blot your lips with tissue paper straight after applying. If you want shine, use a clear gloss over the top.

There are still many lipsticks out there that don’t live up to their promises, so finding a formula that doesn’t smudge, doesn’t wreck your lips, and actually lasts all day isn’t easy. To save you time, we researched hundreds of buyer and expert reviews and put the best long-lasting lipsticks to the test to see which ones came out on top.

In this guide, you’ll find everything from cult favorites to drugstore steals. For luscious lips that last all day, read on in the slides below to discover our top picks. Muah!

Here are the best long-lasting lipsticks you can buy:

• Best long-lasting lipstick overall: Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick
• Best long-lasting lipstick to splurge on: Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani
• Best long-lasting lipstick on a budget: Maybelline Super Stay Matte Liquid Lipstick
• Best all-natural long-lasting lipstick: Ilia Color Block High Impact Lipstick
• Best long-lasting lipstick with a satin finish: Mac Liptensity Lipstick

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best long-lasting lipstick overall

Why you’ll love it: For a flawless, high color finish that lasts and lasts, Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick is a clear winner.

This liquid lipstick is designed to feel comfortable, not dry out your lips, and last all day. In fact, according to the packaging, it should last eight hours. Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick is formulated with jojoba, apricot, and sunflower oils to condition your lips and stop them drying out.

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick comes in 40 show-stopping shades, including bolds, nudes, and metallic mattes for those who prefer a bit of shimmer.

In testing, I liked the rich color I got after just one coat. It felt lightweight and didn’t feel sticky. Plus, it didn’t flake or make my lips look cracked, although they did feel and look a little dryer than normal. This is easily remedied with a lip balm or primer.

There was minimal transfer onto my coffee cup and the color lasted a good few hours, although not the eight hours it says on the packaging. It came off easily with an oil-based makeup remover.

It’s not only me who loves this lipstick, it is Best Review’s“Best of the best liquid lipstick” and features in Rank and Style’s“Top 10 long-lasting lipsticks.”

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick also gets an average 4.3 out of 5 from nearly 1,000 Ulta shoppers, with happy reviewers commenting on how well it stayed put without drying out their lips. 

Pros: Incredible range of colors, metallic versions for those who prefer some shimmer, formulated without parabens, phthalates, fragrance, or talc, cruelty-free, contains a primer oil to condition lips, lasts most of the day

Cons: Some might find their lips are dryer after use

Buy Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick at Ulta for $24

The best long-lasting lipstick to splurge on

Why you’ll love it: If you prefer a traditional lipstick, but want long-lasting color that doesn’t dry out your lips, Giorgio Armani's Rouge D’Armani is a winner.

Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani is a long-wear lipstick that is designed to deliver intense, vibrant color, with a weightless matte finish. The highly pigmented formula contains 50% more pigments than a traditional matte lipstick, while ester oils and hydrogenated jojoba oil moisturize your lips. It is designed to last up to eight hours.

This highly covetable lip collection is available in 15 eye-catching shades including gorgeous bold colors perfect for fall or winter. My favorite is “Fatale,” a blush pink that is ideal for everyday wear. If you want to add some shine you can dab Giorgio Armani Ecstasy Lacquer on top.

Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani comes in a gorgeous sleek black and red tube with the iconic Armani magnetic closure. In testing, I loved the way it glided on easily and delivered a rich and creamy, matte finish in just one coat. Although applying it with a brush is recommended for best results, I didn’t find I needed to. It didn’t feel sticky and in fact, I could barely feel anything on my lips.

The color lasted really well through a few cups of coffee and lunch, and even when the pigmentation began to wear off, it left a sheer color tint underneath. One thing to note is that although it didn’t dry out my lips, it didn’t moisturize them, either, so it’s still worth using a lip balm underneath.

It’s not just me who loves Rouge D’Armani, it is one of Instyle’s“10 new lipsticks to get your hands on for fall 2018” and is highly rated on Self. It also gets an incredible 4.8 out of 5 on Sephora with more than 5,500 “Loves.”

Pros: Lasts a long time, doesn’t dry out lips, full coverage color

Cons: Expensive

Buy Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Matte Lipstick at Sephora for $38

The best long-lasting lipstick on a budget

Why you’ll love it: For a lipstick that delivers bold lips with an ultra matte finish and serious staying power without breaking the bank, Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick is our top pick.

Often, cheap lipsticks look cheap, too. But, you get a lot of bang for your buck with Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick, and it even outperforms some of the designer brands.

The richly-pigmented, liquid formula has an arrow-shaped applicator for precise application and a matte finish designed to stay put for up to 16 hours. There is a dizzying array of fashion forward shades, in fact there are 30. These range from high-impact neutrals to deep reds and it even comes in dark blue.

In testing, I found Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick has a sweet part-baked cookie, part-chemical scent, but I didn’t mind it. The liquid was thick and easy to apply using the wand. It felt creamy at first but dried quickly into a highly pigmented, very matte finish. I was impressed by how long it stayed on my lips, outlasting nearly all the other lipsticks I tested.

I would recommend using a primer or lip balm because like many matte lipsticks, it did dry out my lips a little after a while. The choice of vivid colors make it the perfect handbag accessory for a night out.

It’s not only me who loves Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick, it is Best Review’s budget pick and is recommended by Byrdie. It gets rave reviews on Walmart, with one happy shopper commenting, “The staying power of this lipstick is the best I've ever found.”

Pros: Very affordable, lasts about six hours, easy to remove, wide range of colors, waterproof

Cons: Dries out lips a little, some might find the scent off-putting

Buy Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick at Walmart for $7.94

The past two years have been huge for the royal family.

With engagements and weddings, two pregnancies and a birth, the family has grown and found news reasons to celebrate even as the usual packed schedule of events and foreign trips continues.

For people constantly in the public eye, the royals are unsurprisingly great at shaking the right hands, smiling at the right moments, and generally keeping it all together to make sure they get things done.

But every now and again, even watching from a distance, we get a bit more than that. Away from the setpiece events, these are photos of the royals laughing, gawping, eye-rolling, and generally acting like normal folk.

Here are the best from 2017 and of 2018 so far.

In January 2017 Prince William made a solo venture to Centre Point, a homelessness charity in London. Here he plays a game with a young woman being helped by the charity (he has to guess the name on the note — which says "David Beckham").

It's not all relaxed though — here's all three royals making a run for it at a sports event in east London in February.

Prince William had more fun and games trying to put up a tent blindfolded in Abergevenny, Wales, while launching a children's award scheme.

• Everyone is looking for products that make life easier and more efficient, and in that search we often fall prey to product claims that prove inflated or outright false.
• But for every "As Seen On TV" wonder tool that fails to perform, there are plenty of products that actually do work so well they'll impress even the skeptics.
• We've looked across the spectrum, from the outdoors to the kitchen to the bathroom, and put together a list of 10 products that seem too good to be true, but aren't. 

We've all been burned by products that failed to live up to their promise. There was that kitchen gadget that promised to save time and stop messes, the fitness gear that was supposed to help you shed pounds, or the travel tech that was guaranteed to make the TSA line an absolute joy.

But for every Slap Chop that made a mess of our produce instead of perfectly slicing and dicing its way to quick meal prep, or Shake Weight that did little for our arms and less for our egos, there are plenty of products out there that seem too good to be true yet actually work surprisingly well.

If you're looking for a few ways to make your life more convenient, more hygienic, and more enjoyable, too, then take a look at these 10 products that seem like they wouldn't work, but actually do. 

SEE ALSO: I've used Apple computers my entire life. Here's why I'm never buying one again.

Air fryers

How could a countertop cooking device create foods that taste deep fried in a matter of minutes and without any frying involved? Science, basically.

Air fryers are actually just compact convection ovens that rapidly circulate super-heated air around foods, mimicking "the movement and flow of heat currents in a pot of boiling oil," and resulting in a crisp exterior not unlike the effect achieved with oil frying, but without as much nutritional degradation and without the added calories and fats of deep frying.

I've made some of the best chicken in my life using an air fryer, and in about 10 minutes of "frying" at that.

Oven gloves

The first time you wear a pair of oven gloves will be the last time you wear a pair of oven mitts. Thanks to a blend of heat-resistant fibers and silicone, oven gloves allow you to reach into hot ovens and grab out roasting pans with complete dexterity and without risk of a burn.

You can even use them to reposition flaming logs in fires or to move a heated grill plate. They are a must have for the kitchen, fireplace, barbecue, and anywhere else things get extra hot.

Charcoal air purifiers

If you want to deodorize a bathroom, a car, the interior of a fridge, a closet, or any other small space, you have three basic options: clean it thoroughly; mask the smell(s) with some other scent; or use a charcoal air purifier to absorb them.

Bamboo charcoal air fresheners can absorb foul odors, trapping them in the porous structure of the charcoal, and then releasing the build-up with a few hours of direct exposure to the sun, no chemicals or other odors involved.

Former President George H.W. Bush died on Friday, November 30, at 11:10 p.m. ET, at age 94.

In April, Bush was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital for a blood infection. His hospitalization came nearly a week after his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, died at age 92.

To honor him, here are 14 of his most presidential quotes:

SEE ALSO: Former President George H.W. Bush dies at age 94

DON'T MISS: Inside the 'storybook' marriage of Barbara and George HW Bush — who were married longer than any first couple, and still said 'I love you' every night

On the future:

On campaigning:

On freedom:

Former President George H.W. Bush died Friday, November 30 at age 94. His wife, the former First Lady Barbara Bush, died in April at age 92.

They are survived by their five children, 17 grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and two siblings.

Bush was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital in April after "contracting an infection that spread to his blood," according to a statement from Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath. His health had been declining in recent years.

Barbara Bush had been battling Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and congestive heart failure, and was hospitalized several times over the last year.

Bush, who resided in the White House for four years while her husband, served as Commander in Chief, had been married to the 41st president of the United States for 73 years.

Described as a true love story, here is an inside look at the longest marriage in US presidential history:

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DON'T MISS: Inside the marriage of Barack and Michelle Obama, who met at work and kissed outside an ice cream store on their first date

Barbara Pierce and George Bush met at a dance over Christmas vacation in 1942. She was 16 and he was 17, and Barbara claimed that George was the first boy she ever kissed.

Source: Associated Press

After dating for a year and a half, the two became engaged and planned to get married before George went off to serve in World War II as a Navy pilot. He famously named three of his Navy planes after her, and the two shared love letters while he was away.

On January 6, 1945, the couple married at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York while George was on leave from war. He was 20 and she was 19.

• Former President George H.W. Bush died on Friday, November 30, at age 94.
• George W. Bush, Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, and others reacted to the 41st president's death, and offered remembrances of his duty and public service.

Former president George H.W. Bush died on Friday, November 30, at age 94.

Former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and the former first lady Michelle Obama are among the Washington heavyweights who reacted to the 41st president's death and offered remembrances of his duty and public service.

As news of Bush's death spread across the world, international leaders in and outside of politics including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev, the Dalai Lama, and Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook also spoke fondly of Bush's time as a leader. 

SEE ALSO: Former President George H.W. Bush dies at age 94

Former President George W. Bush

"Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died," the statement from H.W. Bush's son and fellow former president read. "George H.W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41's life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens."

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama

"America has lost a patriot and humble servant in George Herbert Walker Bush," the statement from the Obamas said. "While our hearts are heavy today, they are also filled with gratitude. Not merely for the years he spent as our forty-first President, but for the more than 70 years he spent in devoted service to the country he loved – from a decorated Naval aviator who nearly gave his life in World War II, to Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces, with plenty of posts along the way. Ambassador to the United Nations. Director of Central Intelligence. U.S. Envoy to China. Vice President of the United States."

"After seventy-three years of marriage, George and Barbara Bush are together again now, two points of light that never dimmed, two points of light that ignited countless others with their example – the example of a man who, even after commanding the world’s mightiest military, once said 'I got more of a kick out of being one of the founders of the YMCA in Midland, Texas back in 1952 than almost anything I’ve done,'" the statement continued.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump

"Melania and I join with a grieving Nation to mourn the loss of former President George H.W. Bush, who passed away last night," President Trump and the first lady said in a statement.

"Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family and country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service — to be hin his words, 'a thousand points of light' illuminating greatness, hope, and opportunity of American to the world," the statement continued.

• The Fossil Sport is a $255 fitness-focused smartwatch. 
• The watch has the latest and greatest smartwatch chip, and the new Wear OS from Google, meaning it's one of the most powerful smartwatches you can buy right now. 
• I've been using the watch on and off for the last few weeks, and found a lot to like about it, mostly how comfortable it is to wear. There's only one problem: it's already sold out. 

For anyone in the market for a new smartwatch, Fossil recently released a worthy new option: the Fossil Sport. 

The new watch, which costs $255, is among the first smartwatches to contain the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 chip from Qualcomm. The means the watch should deliver better battery life as well as some other improvements.

Plus, it runs the latest version of Wear OS, Google's most recent update to its smartwatch operating system. 

There's only one problem: The Fossil Sport watch only arrived in stores on November 12, but Fossil's website says the watch is already sold out. 

Still, with a popular new smartwatch like this — and the holidays fast approaching — it's possible Fossil will re-stock the watch so more customers can get their hands on it. 

I've been wearing the Fossil Sport on and off over the last few weeks, and found a lot to like about it, especially it's comfortable feel on my wrist — an important consideration for a wearable device. Here's what it's like to use: 

SEE ALSO: Here's how the new $400 Apple Watch Series 4 compares to last year's model, the Apple Watch Series 3

Overall, I had mixed feelings about the design.

After using the Fossil Sport on and off for a few weeks, I'm of two minds about the design. 

On one hand, the watch is incredibly lightweight, which means it's perfect for working out. I barely noticed it while running, and the silicone strap meant I didn't have to be too precious with it or worry about it getting sweaty. I tried the rose gold version, and the face looked great — the gold is a pretty tone, and the watch feels subtle enough to be worn every day.

Plus, I can't say enough about how incredibly comfortable it is to wear for long stretches of time.

But... the overall look of the Fossil Sport was a little odd to me. While the face does look nice, it's attached to a big hunk of white plastic that cheapens the overall look of the watch. That would be fine, except that this watch costs $255. For that much money, you want your watch to look a bit more high-end. 

But there was one small design element that I loved.

At this point, I'm mostly used to smartwatches having one physical button, but the Fossil Sport has three. 

The middle button does exactly what you'd expect: it pulls up the app drawer, and you can use it to browse through apps or scroll up and down on the screen. 

The other two buttons are remappable, which means you set them up however you like in the watch's settings. I set my buttons up to be shortcuts: the top button is a flashlight, and the bottom button is a "Start workout" button, so I can quickly start a run without fiddling through the watch to much. 

I did notice that the Fossil Sport had a tendency to get a little warm.

Over time, I noticed that the Fossil Sport tended to get a bit warm. Not warm in a concerning, my-watch-is-going-to-blow-up sort of way, but certainly in a noticeable way. 

I don't think it's cause to be worried, and the warmth went away after a few minutes. But it was an unusual little tic. 

• Photographer Pascal Mannaerts has been travelling the world for 10 years.
• He noticed that the morning was the perfect moment to "feel the vibe" of a new place.
• His "8 a.m. around the world" photo series captures the "daily gestures, rituals, and landscapes" of cities and towns across Asia, Africa, Latin America, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Belgian photographer Pascal Mannaerts has been travelling the world for more than 10 years in an attempt to "portray humanity in its strongest forms" across Asia, Africa, Latin America, North Africa, and the Middle East.

He told INSIDER: "When I started to travel around the world and take pictures, I quickly noticed that I loved to wake up very early to discover a new place. It’s about the amazing morning light, about the feeling to start another day in an unknown place, with an open and totally fresh mind."

He added that the early morning is the "perfect moment to feel the vibe of any new place I discovered"— so he started getting up early on every trip, a habit which ultimately inspired his "8 a.m. around the world" photo series.

Read more: These photos show how your face changes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"Over the years, I have collected a whole series of photos of daily gestures, rituals, landscapes, taken around the world around 8 a.m.," he said. "It was amazing to see how lifestyles, moods, daily activities can be different from one place to another... I also feel a strong sense of spontaneity and an even greater closeness to people, early in the day, before the daily activities takes everyone into his or her own universe."

Mannaerts, who posts some of his work to his Instagram account @pascalmannaerts, shared some images from the series with INSIDER. Scroll down to see what 8 a.m. looks like in cities and towns around the world.

Varanasi, India, 2008 — "At that time, every day, Hindus bathe or do their ritual ablutions," Mannaerts said. "Hundreds of pilgrims from all over India come to the city and arrive everyday at that time on the banks of the 'promised' river that they have often travelled so long for. It’s a human tide and ocean of beauty and color everywhere. I just love it. A perfect time and occasion to take a deep breath, make your eyes wide open and realize once again how blessed you are to travel and discover the world."

"I will always keep the sunrise and early morning on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi, in India, among my best and unforgettable travel memories," he added. "I was in Varanasi in 2000 for the very first time. I've gone back there more than 10 times since then, and I feel the same magic every time I am there.

"Imagine yourself at dawn, lost in a maze of alleys, almost a chiaroscuro from a medieval city. Mysterious silhouettes walk all in the same direction. Sounds of bells ring out in the distance, the sacred Ganges is somewhere below. A powerful feeling permeates your mind as you realize that you are in the holiest of all Hindu cities: Varanasi."

Kyaiktiyo, Myanmar, 2014: A young man enjoys his first coffee in a restaurant.

Mopti, Mali, 2007: A morning breakdown causes a stir in the streets.

• The Hanging Gardens of Bali is a luxurious resort in the middle of the jungle in Bali.
• It has 44 villas, a twin-tiered pool, and was just named as having "the most stunning views" in the 2018 Boutique Hotel Awards.
• But the views will cost you: A stay at the hotel ranges from $645 to $6,200 per night.

Set in the middle of the jungle, with views of a valley, and surrounded by a rainforest: How could a resort like that offer anything but spectacular views?

The Hanging Gardens of Bali were recently awarded the title of "the most stunning views" by the Boutique Hotel Awards.

The resort was completed in 2005 and is built into a mountainside with a 45-degree slope. It consists of 44 villas.

The Boutique Hotel Awards are in their eighth year. According to their website, nominations are made by industry experts, luxury hotel journalists, and self-nominations. This year, winners were selected from more than 300 nominations across 80 countries. It's also the first year the awards have included a "most stunning views" category.

Also up for consideration in the same category were five other hotels in Sri Lanka, Belize, Mexico, Kenya, and Spain, respectively.

The resort joins a host of other popular destinations across the island of Bali, including a pool that's become so popular the resort recently chose to ban the use of electronics as part of an "In The Moment" movement, and the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, where tourists pay $3 to risk wild monkeys stealing their phones and jewelry.

Take a look inside the Hanging Gardens of Bali below.

SEE ALSO: The top 14 boutique hotels in the world, from a romantic retreat in South Africa to a private villa in Thailand

READ MORE: A luxury Bali resort that's popular with influencers has banned phones at its famous swimming pool

The Hanging Gardens of Bali is located near the village of Payangan in the heart of Bali.

Source: Hanging Gardens of Bali

The luxurious resort has had multiple claims to fame since it first opened in 2005, most of them focused on its iconic twin-tiered swimming pool.

Source: Hanging Gardens of Bali

The resort consists of 44 private villas.

Source: Hanging Gardens of Bali

• For your next vacation, treat yourself luxuriously.
• We teamed up with HomeAway to find home rentals with some of the best luxury amenities around the world.
• From a villa in Spain with a helicopter landing pad to a home in Jamaica with a chef and butler, these luxury vacation rentals range from about $1,300 to $14,400 a night.

Vacation is always "treat yourself" time.

We teamed up with HomeAway to find home rentals with some of the best luxury amenities around the world, from France to Mexico. They don't come cheap — prices per night start at four figures and go up to five figures, but if you have the means (or bring your friends and family along to split the cost), these spots are worth it.

There are two villas in Spain, one with a helicopter landing pad and one with a wellness and mindfulness private trainer; a beachfront villa in Jamaica with a full staff including a chef, nanny, and butler; an estate in Croatia with a wine cellar; beach bungalows in The Bahamas with a private beach club; and a villa in Thailand with a private spa and massage therapists.

Take a peek at them all below, ranked by cost per night.

SEE ALSO: 9 of the coolest tiny homes around the world to rent on your next vacation

DON'T MISS: What a $1 million vacation looks like in Mykonos, Greece, where you'll fly in on a private jet, sleep in an ocean-view villa, and cruise the seas in a yacht

Ibiza, Spain — $1,367 per night

A modern villa in the Balearics with a full range of therapists at your service and a large saltwater pool.

See the listing »

Nantes, France — $1,519 per night

• Google has removed several games from its Play Store for containing malware. 
• The games, which were all driving simulators, required users to download an extra app that could then gain full network access to a user's device. 
• If you've downloaded one of the apps, your best bet is to factory reset your device after backing up your photos, text messages, and anything else you want to keep.

Several games in the Google Play Store have been removed by Google for containing malware — software that can potentially harm your device, access sensitive information, or show ads continuously while you're using a device. 

Security researcher Lukas Stefanko from digital security company ESET discovered that the games contained malware and posted their titles on Twitter. A total of 13 games were removed, all from the same developer — Luiz O Pinto.

All the games are driving simulators with different themes, like luxury car racing or firefighter truck driving. But none of the games would work, according to Stefanko. After installing, the game supposedly asked the user to download an extra item called "Game Center." When a user would try opening the game, it would close itself almost immediately, and the game's icon would become hidden. 

This extra item — Game Center — would then gain full network access to a user's device and display ads when the device was unlocked, according to Stefankos. It could also potentially record network traffic going in and out of devices.

Two of the apps were trending on Google's Play Store, which makes them easier to find than non-trending apps, and therefore more likely to be installed. Stefanko estimates that the games were installed over 560,000 times from Google's Play Store.

It's a mystery as to how two of the games were trending in the Google Play Store when they didn't work. But it's not the first time that apps have been removed from Google's Play Store for containing malware, and it could erode the trust Android users have in the Play Store, especially for smaller app developers who are relatively unknown. 

Here's Google's comment on the latest malware-infected apps it recommended on its own app store: “Providing a safe and secure experience for our users is our top priority. We appreciate the researcher’s report and their efforts to help make Google Play more secure. The apps violated our policies and have been removed from the Play Store.”

It's not a satisfactory response, in my opinion. If a safe and secure experience is a top priority, surely a malware-infected app wouldn't be trending on the Google Play Store.

If you've downloaded one of the apps below, your best bet is to factory reset your device after backing up your photos, text messages, and anything else you want to keep. If that's too drastic, you could try uninstalling the offending app and downloading an anti-malware app, like Malwarebytes, to get rid of the malware. 

Some legitimate games — or at least we think they're legitimate — have similar titles and images. You should look out for any app published by "Luiz O Pinto." 

Check out the 13 games that were removed from the Google Play Store for containing malware:

SEE ALSO: The best smartphone camera in the world has a crippling bug, Pixel 3 users are reporting

Truck Cargo Simulator

Extreme Car Driving Racing

City Traffic Moto Racing

I recently stumbled on an old Apple ad from 1993 that advertised Macs as a more affordable computer option.

That's clearly not the case anymore, as Apple computers tend to be more expensive than its competition these days. 

Curious to find out how else Apple as a company and its products differed from the Apple of today, I found an archive of old Apple ads and documentation on a site called macmothership.com. 

Check out some old Apple ads and brochures that show how similar and different the company was back in the day:

SEE ALSO: The iPhone 5 is now considered 'vintage' by Apple

One of Apple's first ads from the 1970s.

Today's Mac ads have come a long way.

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Apple tried to appeal to the business crowd back in the mid 1980s.

• GM is likely to close a factory in Ohio next.
• Tesla has already taken over one shuttered GM plant in California.
• Tesla CEO Elon Musk could revisit that playbook, saving millions if not billions and cutting a deal with President Trump.

Last week, General Motors ripped a Band-Aid off one of its biggest problems: it has too many factories in the US and Canada building unpopular passenger cars when consumers want SUVs — so the automaking giant announced that it would idle four plants in the Ohio and Michigan and one north of the border.

The fate of these factories is up in the air. GM has, in its corporate parlance, "deallocated" them. It can't say whether it will close them for good because it has to negotiate moves that big with the United Auto Workers as part of a new contract, set to be voted on next year.

The situation has drawn the ire of President Trump, who told residents of Ohio that the Lordstown factory — set to be idled next March as production of the Chevy Cruze sedan winds down — that manufacturing jobs would remain in the state. Ohio, of course, was a critical swing state in the 2016 election and will be again in 2020. So Trump took some shots at GM, and GM made a peace offering by the end of last week.

But the writing is on the wall, and it doesn't read well for Lordstown, which has been a challenge for GM, given that the plant has been running just a single shift. Roughly 1,600 workers could be laid off, and although GM has said that they could be offered the option to relocate to other factories — and the UAW has said it will fight a closing — they might want some other options.

Enter Tesla and CEO Elon Musk. Sure, the carmaker has endured an insane 2018. But it does appear to have gotten its troubled Model 3 sedan on track and could easily close out the year having delivered 200,000-300,000 vehicles, more than double its 2017 total.

Tesla has a single factory, located in Fremont, CA. It's off the grid of the automaking heartland in the US Midwest, and far from "Detroit South," the southern states where numerous foreign "transplant" carmakers have been doing business for decades.

That factory is pretty well maxed out, at this juncture. Tesla has another plant in Nevada, where it makes battery packs. But it's even farther off the auto-supply-chain grid. The company has plans to build another factory, in China, but that will takes years. 

Meanwhile, some idle manufacturing capacity could be opening up in Ohio. Musk might want to take a look at it. here's why:

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Musk has already rescued a former GM plant in California.

Tesla Fremont factory was once a joint-venture between GM and Toyota. GM wanted to learn so-called "lean" manufacturing systems, and Toyota wanted a better understanding of the US market. 

Known as NUMMI, the factory — which had a long history with GM — wound up being the only remaining car plant in California and was shut down during the financial crisis. Tesla picked it up after GM's bankruptcy for the staggeringly low price of $42 million (modern auto factories cost billions to build from scratch).

So why not repeat history? Musk could find that in 2019 another GM plant is available, in the Buckeye State. Would he get it for less than a billion dollars? Quite possibly. Quite possible A LOT less.

Musk urgently needs another factory.

NUMMI could assemble 450,000 vehicles annually. Tesla hasn't threatened that pace, but if everything continues to go according to plan, it will by the end of 2019 or 2020. Effectively, Tesla has already outgrown its plant. The company has even set up an assembly line under a tent in the parking lot.

The timing is ideal for Tesla to add capacity, especially if it expects to successfully launch a new SUV, the Model Y, in the coming year, as well as build a semi truck, a new Roadster sports cars, and perhaps even a pickup truck.

GM's Lordstown factory has a trained and experienced workforce, as well as decades of production history

The biggest problem with Tesla Fremont plant is that the East Bay isn't exactly a hotbed of auto-manufacturing. Tesla is very, very far from the main supply chains of the Midwest and the South. 

Lordstown, meanwhile, has been around since 1966. It has what industry experts call excellent "backfill"— if you want to employ people who know how to build cars and are acquainted with the lifestyle, you'll find them in this part of northern Ohio. Multiple generations have punched in at the plant.

What about the unionization aspect? Fremont was a UAW plant before Tesla took over, but it isn't now, although there's been an on-off organizing effort underway for years. Musk and Tesla seem sort of ambivalently anti-union, and if the UAW can't defend the workforce at Lordstown, a backlash could ensue.

Then again, Lordstown is solidly UAW, and much closer to the union's strongholds than Fremont. And anyway, would Tesla suffer if it wound up with a skilled union workforce in Ohio? Probably not.