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The Top 50 Video Games Of All Time — RANKED

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Video gamers

It's hard to pick favorites when it comes to video games. As with movies and books, one's preference for video games is deeply personal. 

But that didn't stop us from rounding up the top 50 video games of all time.

We did have some parameters, however, when choosing the games: This list includes console video games, spanning from the 1980s to today, and includes only games from more-modern consoles (sorry, Atari and ColecoVision fans!). In most instances, we chose an entire franchise or series of games, rather than just one, as our favorite. 

We also took into consideration Metacritic scores, user reviews, as well as our own personal experience to choose the games on this list. 

The good news is that many of these games were either re-released or are still around in some form, whether on eBay, Amazon, or through virtual consoles like that of the Wii U. 

50. "Disney Infinity"

Release date: Aug. 18, 2013

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360

Buy it here.

"Infinity" isn't just an action-adventure game. It incorporates actual figurines from Disney and Pixar movies that interact with what's on the screen. There's a linear storyline, as well as an "open sandbox" environment, where all the different figures can play at the same time. And with the release of "Disney Infinity 2.0," Marvel comic superheroes have been added to the mix.

"Disney Infinity" is also responsible for resurrecting Disney's dying video game unit, Disney Interactive. 



49. "Star Fox 64"

Release date: 1997

Platform: Nintendo 64

This scrolling shooter was one of the top-selling games of 1997, and it's easy to see why. Players took on the role of Fox McCloud over 15 levels, with multiplayer support. It was the first game to support the Nintendo 64's Rumble Pak accessory. 

For those missing the action, a Nintendo 3DS version was released in 2011, called "Star Fox 64 3D."You can buy it here. 



48. "Silent Hill" (franchise)

Original release date: Jan. 31, 1999

Platform: PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, XboxXbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Vita

Buy it here.

Unlike so many horror games that try to make you jump out of your seat, Konami's survival horror series has long relied on psychological terrors to keep gamers coming back. Each game of the franchise is set in the foggy, fictitious American town of "Silent Hill," where players are often forced to face monsters that are actually real-world manifestations of the unconscious mind. The next game in the series, called "Silent Hills," will be out next year, but you can check out the game's playable teaser on the PlayStation 4 now.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 Tactics For Reading People's Body Language

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kobe finger point

What you say communicates only about half of what people hear.

According to UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian, 55% of the message you convey comes from your body language.

That's why studying body language has such a long history.

None other than Charles Darwin wrote the first academic investigation into body language, his "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals," published back in 1872. 

Over the past century science has made lots of advances into understanding the many social meanings of body language. Here are 17 of the most useful findings, pulled from Psychology Today, research journals, and a few awesome books. 

Max Nisen contributed research to an earlier version of this article.

The shoulder shrug is a universal signal of not knowing what's going on.

According to Barbara Pease and Allan Pease, authors of "The Definitive Book of Body Language," everybody does the shoulder shrug. 

The shrug is a "good example of a universal gesture that is used to show that a person doesn't know or doesn't understand what you are saying," they write.

"It's a multiple gesture that has three main parts," they continue. "Exposed palms to show nothing is being concealed in the hands, hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack, and raised brow, which is a universal, submissive greeting." 



Open palms are an ancient display of honesty.

Ever notice how when someone swears to tell the truth in a court of law, they put one hand on a religious text and raise their other hand into the air, palm facing whoever they're speaking to? 

That's because, the Peases write in "The Definitive Book of Body Language,"an open palm has been associated with "truth, honesty, allegiance, and submission" throughout Western history. 

"Just as a dog will expose its throat to show submission or surrender to the victor," they write, "humans use their palms to show that they are unarmed and therefore not a threat." 



A pointed finger with a closed hand is an attempt at displaying dominance.

If someone is closing their palm and pointing with their index finger, then they're trying to display dominance, though it doesn't always work out. 

"The Palm-Closed-Finger-Pointed is a fist where the pointed finger is used like a symbolic club with which the speaker figuratively beats his listeners into submission,"the Peases write. "Subconsciously, it evokes negative feelings in others because it precedes a right overarm blow, a primal move most primates use in a physical attack." 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Inside The Glamorous Lives Of Anna Wintour's 3 Vogue Assistants

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vogue assist

The role of Anna Wintour's assistant was made famous after allegedly being the subject of the 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada."

While the job of assisting Vogue magazine's editor-in-chief can be tense at times, it also has its perks  like attending the star-studded Met Ball or meeting President Obama.

The Daily Front Row recently revealed the identities of Wintour's three current assistants, and they're just as fabulous as you imagined.

Rey-Hanna Vakili, Lily Stav Gildor, and Lili Goksenin are the lucky three also known as #TeamAW. 

Scroll down to their glamorous lives (may take a moment to load):

Behind Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour...



Are three young and fabulous assistants.

#tbt that time i became instafamous #worldsmosttalkedaboutoffice #jk @voguemagazine

A photo posted by Lily Gildor (@lilystav) on Apr 4, 2014 at 7:06am PDT



Meet Rey-Hanna Vakili, a 23-year-old Australian socialite.

Good morning lovely Paris! 🇫🇷

A photo posted by Rey-Hanna Vakili (@reyvakili) on Nov 11, 2013 at 2:20pm PST



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 24 Items Everyone Should Have In Their Kitchen

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If the only appliances in your kitchen are an old toaster and a hand-me-down set of dishes, it's time to improve your kitchen game.

To help you out, Business Insider has come up with a list of 24 essential items that every proper kitchen needs.

Whether you're shopping for your first apartment, or you just looking to replace some older tools, you'll find what you need on this list.

Food processor:

Food processorFood processors are a basic necessity in every kitchen. They can chop up vegetables, grind nuts, and purée potatoes. If you need to shred something, just stick it into this contraption.

Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic$180.00 $99.94 | Amazon

Hamilton Beach Food Processor $36.49$33.01 | Amazon

Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus$90.00$47.91 | Amazon

Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus$90.00 $47.91 | Amazon


Blender:

Blenders require little introduction — every man's got to make a margarita from time to time. They're also useful for making milkshakes and smoothies.

For the absolute top of the line in blenders, look no further than Vitamix:

Vitamix 5200 Series Blender $549.99$448.98| Amazon (Prime Eligible)

If you're not in the mood to spend that much, some more affordable options are:

Ninja Professional Blender$149.99$118.00 | Amazon

Hamilton Beach Personal Blender with Travel Lid $21.99 $14.85 | Amazon

Ninja Master Prep$49.99$33.99 | Amazon


 Spice grinder:

Spice grinderThe name is pretty self-explanatory: a spice grinder grinds spices. If you grind them yourself, your food will be significantly more flavorful.

Norpro 775 Spice Grinder$7.97 | Amazon

Secura Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder$49.99 $16.99 | Amazon

KRUPS F203 Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder with Stainless Steel Blades $19.95 | Amazon


 

Salt shaker and pepper grinder:


Salt and pepperThese look significantly nicer than the salt and pepper containers you buy at the store. Class it up.

Olde Thompson 6-inch Caffee Espresso Peppermill and Salt Shaker $24.99$14.97 | Amazon

Old Thompson Tahoe Chrome Peppermill and Salt Shaker $23.99 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips Salt and Pepper Grinder Set$49.99$49.95 | Amazon


 

Colander:

ColanderYou'll need a colander for draining your pasta and rice or for washing salad.

OXO Good Grips 5-Quart Stainless Steel Colander$29.99$29.95 | Amazon

ExcelSteel 242 5-Quart Stainless Steel Colander$12.17 | Amazon

Chef Craft, 5-Quart Deep Colander$6.99$6.57 | Amazon

Culina 5QT Perforated Stainless Steel Colander with handles$15.95 | Amazon


 

6-inch sieve:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 10.57.56 AMSieves are similar to colanders, but they're primarily used to sift flour. They help break down the flour into the smallest particles, which makes the flour optimal for baking purposes.

Winco MS3A-8D Strainer with Double Fine Mesh $8.26 $7.37 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Double Rod Strainer $22.99 $22.95 | Amazon

Cuisinart CTG-00-3MS Mesh Strainers (Set of 3) $22.00$12.66 | Amazon

ZICOME Stainless Steel Food Strainers (Set of 3) $20.58$12.84 | Amazon


 

16-quart stock pot:

stock potFor anything from corn on the cob to soups and stews, you're going to need a big pot. When you get really good at the whole cooking thing, you can make your own stock for soup.

New Professional Commercial Grade Stock Pot $170.00 $115.68 | Amazon

T-fal Speciality Stock Pot Cookware $79.99 $34.99 | Amazon

Prime Pacific Stainless Steel Stock Pot $62.89 | Amazon


 

Cast-iron skillet:

Iron skilletCast-iron skillets can cook almost anything, including egg dishes, lasagnas, desserts, and roasted vegetables. You can put them on a stove top or in the oven for baking. And if you live in a city, a cast iron can act as a grill substitute, so you won't have to do without quality steaks.

Bayou Classic 7434, 14" Cast Iron Skillet $55.00$25.04 | Amazon

King Kooker Cast Iron Skillet, 20-Inch$102.29$84.13 | Amazon

Lodge L10SK3 Pre-Seasoned Skillet, 12-Inch $34.99$29.99 | Amazon

Lodge LCS3 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Chef's Skillet, 10-Inch$26.95$22.75 | Amazon


 

Splatter screen:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 11.05.28 AMNo one wants hot oil splattering in their face. So get a splatter screen to cover whatever it is that you're cooking.

Progressive International Stainless Steel Splatter Screen $18.58 | Amazon

Norpor 13-Inch Splatter Screen$22.16$10.40 | Amazon

Calphalon 13" Splatter Guard$19.99$19.95 | Amazon

Home Basics 3-Piece Splatter Screen Set$10.49 | Amazon


 

A great knife:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 11.08.51 AMWe don't joke around when it comes to knives. It's worth it to invest in a quality blade, because it will last forever, as long as you take good care of it and sharpen it regularly.

MAC Pro 8 1/2 inch $159.95 | Amazon

MAC Knife Professional French Chef's Knife, 9 1/2 Inch $184.95 | Amazon

MAC Knife Chef Series Hollow Edge Chef's Knife, 8-inch $95.00$94.94 | Amazon

MAC Knife Professional Paring/Utility Knife, 5-inch$75.00$64.95 | Amazon


 

Offset serrated knife:

Offset serrated knifeYou're probably wondering why you need an offset knife. Easy. The "offset" handle keeps you hand away from surfaces while you cut. 

Serrated means that the blade looks like a mini saw, which is useful to cut through foods that are hard on the exterior and soft on the interior. Think a loaf of bread or cabbage.

Wusthof Gourmet Offset Handle $75.00$59.95 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips 8 Inch Bread Knife$11.99$9.99 | Amazon

Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradtion 10-Inch Serrated Bread/Slicing Knife $18.79$15.96 | Amazon 

J.A. Henckels International Classic 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife$70.00$41.99 | Amazon


 

Tongs:

TongsEventually you'll need to move your food without touching it, and for that you need tongs.

Set of 3 Staineless Steel Service Tongs$5.78 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips 9-inch Locking Tongs $11.99 | Amazon 

Precision Kitchenware - Stainless Steel 12" Kitchen Tong$19.99$7.95 | Amazon

StarPack Premium Silicone Tongs 2 Pack (9-inch and 12-inch) $29.95$18.95 | Amazon


 

Fish flipper:

Fish flipperFish is more delicate and may break apart if you use tongs. Instead opt for a fish flipper, which can help you get all the sides of your fish prepared.

WincoFST-6 Blade Fish Spatula$5.49 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips Fish Turner$12.99$12.95 | Amazon

Matfer Bourgeat Exoglass Pelton Spatula $14.44 | Amazon

MIU France Large Stainless Steel Slotted Turner$11.99$9.99| Amazon


 

Rubber spatula:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 11.16.57 AMTo get every last bit of a sauce or batter out of a container, use a spatula.

Wilton 570-1121 Easy Flex 3-Piece Spatula Set, Blue$7.46 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Spatula $11.99$11.95 | Amazon

StarPack Premium Silicone Spatulas (Set of 4) $29.95$18.95 | Amazon

Hampton Direct Kitchen Silicone Spatulas (Set of 6) $24.99$6.99 | Amazon


 

Potato peeler:

Potato peelerSpare yourself the agony of peeling potatoes by hand and just go for a fancy restaurant peeler. Your scab-less, callus-free hands will thank you.

Precision Kitchenware PK001$23.95$8.95 | Amazon

UltraChef Ultra Sharp Stainless Steel Peeler $19.95$9.95 | Amazon

OXO Good Grips Pro Y-Peeler$12.99$12.95 | Amazon


 

Tasting spoon:

Wooden spoonAgain, the name is self-explanatory. But you do want a specific tasting spoon so that you can experiment with salt, pepper, or spice levels right on the spoon — without ruining your dish completely.

OXO Good Grips Wooden Corner Spoon$5.99 | Amazon

CIA Stirring and Tasting Spoon$5.66 | Amazon

Elizabeth Karmel 10 5/8th-inch Bamboo Tasting Spoon$7.08 | Amazon


 

Microplane grater:

microplane graterA real man grates his own cheese.

A microplane grater can also be used to grate lemons (for lemon zest), onions, and ginger.

Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater$14.99$12.65 | Amazon

Microplane 38000 Professional Coarse Grater$16.95$15.55 | Amazon

Microplane 40001 Stainless Steel Zester$9.95 | Amazon


 

Basting brush:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 11.23.42 AMTo get the most out of your marinade, apply it to meats or vegetables with a basting brush.

GrillPro 2-Piece Silicone Basting Brushes$11.99$9.99 | Amazon

Set of 3 Silicone Basting Brushes$6.24 | Amazon

Silicone Basting Pastry and BBQ Brushes (Set of 4) $24.99$16.99 | Amazon

Chef Craft 2-Piece Plastic Basting Brushes (Set of 2) $6.99 | Amazon


 

Metal skewers:

Screen Shot 2014 11 13 at 11.25.46 AMOne word: kebabs. You'll need metal skewers to grill meats and vegetables. Definitely worth the investment.

Steven Raichlen Grilling Kabob Skewers (set of 6)$16.33 | Amazon

Steven Raichlen Kabob Rack with 6 Skewers$29.99$21.99 | Amazon

OutdoorChef Long Stainless Steel Kebab Skewers (2 Dozen) $15.93 | Amazon

GrillPro 40538 Stainless Skewers (Set of 6) $15.99$15.15 | Amazon


 

End-grain cutting board:

End grain cutting boardGood knives are expensive, so you're not going to want your cutting board to ruin them immediately. Pick up an end grain cutting board, which is specifically designed to not dull your knife as quickly as a plastic cutting board would. Plus, because of the pattern on the boards, knife marks won't be as visible.

Ironwood Gourment Acacia Wood Large End Grain Prep Stations $62.46 | Amazon

Catskill Craftsmen 19-inch End Grain Chopping Block$92.98$47.00 | Amazon

John Boos Reversible End Grain Maple Chopping Block$179.95 | Amazon


 

A french press or percolator:

French pressThere is a special place in hell reserved whoever decided it was OK to drink ground dirt (commonly referred to as "instant coffee").

Instead, pick up a French press so that you can make a delicious cup for yourself every morning.

If a French press is a bit too pretentious for your taste, get a percolator, at least.

Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press$29.00$26.25 | Amazon

SterlingPro 8-Cup Coffee and Espresso Maker$68.00$29.95 | Amazon

Presto Stainless-Steel Coffee Percolator$49.99$37.01 | Amazon

Faberware 12-Cup Coffee Percolator$79.99$59.99 | Amazon


 

A decent apron:

Apron guyYou'll need a solid apron to keep your clothes from looking like a Kandinsky painting. Skip the basic butcher-looking apron, and definitely don't get one with a tasteless design (you know the ones we're talking about). Instead, opt for a classic navy, white or gray one. 

Commercial Grade Kitchen Apron (2-pack Navy blue)$24.95$14.94 | Amazon

Chef Works White Basic Bib Apron$7.24 | Amazon

Low Designs Apron, London Grey$22.00 | Amazon


 

Kitchen towels and oven mitts:

Kitchen towelsTowels for cleaning, mitts for keeping your hands from burning. Not hard.

Keeble Outets Cotton Towels (1 dozen) $20.00$18.99 | Amazon

Medline 1 Dozen Herringbone Cotton Dish Towels$11.90 | Amazon

Flame Retardant Quilted Oven Mitts Commercial Grade (2-Pack) $19.99$10.85 | Amazon

Kitchen Elements Ultra-Flex Red Cooking Mitts$25.00$19.27 | Amazon

 

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.

Join the conversation about this story »

Kim Kardashian And Kanye West Are Already Flipping Their New $20 Million LA Mansion

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Kimye house Photoshop

That was fast.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are selling the 8,000-square-foot French country-style home they purchased for a reported $19.75 million in August, Curbed LA reports.

The mansion just reappeared on real estate listing site Zillow with a $19.99 million price tag.

The home, which was formerly owned by Lisa Marie Presley, includes eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, two swimming pools, two spas, and even a vineyard on its three acre property.   

"I am so ready to be out of my mom's house, you have no idea," Kim told People magazine in August. "We wanted to be away and have more privacy ... but it will be nice to still be close." 

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West bought an $11 million mansion last year in Bel-Air — but decided to sell it because they wanted more space. Apparently their $20 million Hidden Hills estate wasn't spacious enough.

 

 



The 8,000-square-foot estate is located on 3 acres of land right down the street from Kim's mom's house, where the couple had previously been staying with baby North.



The home — which boasts a very grand entrance —was previously owned by Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Ex-NBA Player Who Made $11 Million Left His Foreclosed House Covered In Bullets And Feces

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robert swift foreclosed house bullets guns

Former Seattle Sonics player and 2004 first-round draft pick Robert Swift was charged with unlawful possession of a short-barreled shotgun in Washington on Thursday.

According to police, Swift was living at the home of a 54-year-old heroin dealer after his $1.3 million house was foreclosed on in 2013.

KOMO News in Seattle took a tour of the house shortly after Swift moved out. He left it in squalid condition, with beer and food everywhere, dog feces covering the porch, and holes in the walls.

Guns and bullets were found around the house, and there was a makeshift shooting range in the basement dotted with shell casings.

Swift made $11 million in his five-year NBA career. He's perhaps the saddest example of a player who jumped to the NBA straight out of high school in the early 2000s, only to crash out of the league completely.

The living room was trashed.



Walls were painted on and kicked in.



The porch, covered in dog poop.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Step Inside The $17 Million Brooklyn Home That Was Built By A Mobster And Is Owned By A Russian Heiress

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brooklyn house of the day $17 million

The most expensive home in Brooklyn at $30 million has suffered a steep discount to $17 million, according to Curbed New York.

Though it has significantly dropped in price from last year, the Mill Basin mansion keeps its title as Brooklyn’s most expensive property. The chop seems to stem from the fact that the original listing included a guest house on the property while the current listing does not.

The gated four-story compound includes five bedrooms, 9 and a half bathrooms, and over 14,700 square feet of space. 

Outside, the mansion has a 1,000-square-foot pool, a 40-person pavilion for parties, and 30,000 square feet of outdoor gardens.

There’s also a downstairs wine cellar, 257-feet of waterside frontage, a four-car garage, and a two-boat marina. It's a pretty nice spread that looks like it could belong in Miami instead of deep Brooklyn.

The mansion was originally built and owned by John Rosatti, a multi-millionaire with mob connections to the Colombo crime family. Known as an “earner,” he generated millions for their illegal activities with his car dealerships, according to the Village Voice.

He then sold the property to Russian heiress Galina Anisimova (mother of the "Russian Paris Hilton") for $3 million in the late ‘90s after he got caught up in some legal drama for building his home on wetlands.

Anisimova remains the current owner, according to public records found by The Real Deal.

James Cornell and Leslie Marshall of Corcoran Real Estate Group are currently sharing the listing.

Welcome to 2458 National Drive, Brooklyn's most expensive property.



The home is perched right on the Mill Basin waterfront.



For those who don't know where that is, it's in deep Brooklyn — far, far away from Manhattan.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Sad State Of American Inequality In 12 Charts

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occupy wall street times square

Income and wealth inequality continue to be a major political issue in the US and around the world. The World Economic Forum just surveyed its list of Global Agenda Council Members on the biggest issues facing the world, and rising inequality came in at number one.

On a number of measures, inequality in the US has been rising for the last few decades.

We put together a dozen charts and maps that show some of the core issues of inequality.

Income inequality in the US has gone up over the last 40 years:

The Gini index is a standard measure of inequality, ranging from 0 to 1. The index measures how far away the income distribution in a population is from a completely egalitarian distribution. An index of 0 corresponds to a completely equal distribution, in which everyone has the same income, and and index of 1 is a completely unequal distribution, in which one person gets all the income and everyone else gets nothing. The Gini index has steadily risen in the US since the late 1960s.



Inequality varies geographically across the country:

Gini indexes in metropolitan areas and areas around middle-sized towns range from a fairly egalitarian 0.36 in Juneau, AK to a highly unequal 0.55 in Ruston, LA. We recently made a list of the most unequal large metro areas based on US Census data.



America's high Gini index is rare among developed countries:

Among OECD countries, only Chile, Mexico, and Turkey have more inequality by this measure.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What Some Of Google's Most Elite, Entrepreneurial Employees Are Doing Now (GOOG)

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Jess Lee headshot

Since Marissa Mayer started Google's associate product manager program — APM for short — more than a decade ago, it has swelled into one of the company's most elite entry-level positions. 

Mayer started the two-year rotational training program to home-grow managers who would be "Googley." The program has since become rather legendary, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt told Steven Levy that he expects an APM alumni to run the company someday.

When you pick people who are leaders and show the sort of entrepreneurial zeal that makes them a great fit at Google, you also pick people who are confident enough to leave Google to build their own companies. 

And a lot have. 

"We get two to four good years, and if 20 percent stay with the company, that's a good rate," Mayer told Newsweek in 2007. "Even if they leave it's still good for us. I'm sure that someone in this group is going to start a company that I will buy some day."

Brian Rakowski was Google's very first APM.

Rakowski is now Google's VP of product management focusing on Android. Suitably, Rakowski also now runs the APM program.

What's changed since Mayer left the program? Not much, according to Rakowski. 

"One of the best things about the APM program is that so many incredible people have gone through the program over the last 11 years and want stay involved,"he writes on Quora. "In the spirit of tapping into the alumni network, we've also started a APM speaker series where APM alumni who have gone on to do interesting things (at Google or outside) give a talk to the current APMs."



Jeff Bartelma left Google to join Dropbox.

Bartelma studied engineering at MIT before joining the APM program, where he worked on product search. He eventually left Google to be the director of product at Dropbox in 2010. 



Si Shen cofounded PapayaMobile in 2008.

Shen spent four years at Google working on Android development and marketing and then Maps before founding Beijing-based mobile gaming company PapayaMobile in 2008. PapayaMobile created over 13 games, and then shifted to start making its mobile game engine available to other social game developers. According to its website, the company has over 1,000 titles connecting to its network. 

Interestingly, Shen also appeared on a popular Chinese dating reality show in 2012, which helped her company become more widely recognized, according to Women of China



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

30 Crazy Things You Didn't Know About Russia

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Putin submarine

Back in 1939, Winston Churchill famously remarked that Russia was "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."

For most people, his words ring true to this day.

Although Russia is the largest country in the world and has the eighth-largest GDP, little is widely known about the nation and its culture.

Join the conversation about this story »

The 50 Most Violent Cities In The World

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Salvador, BrazilMurder is more common in Latin America than any other part of the world.

That's the most striking takeaway from a ranking of the most violent cities compiled earlier this year by Mexico's Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice. The ranking doesn't count deaths in war zones or cities with unavailable data.

Thirty-four of the 50 worst cities were located in the region, including repeat murder capital of the world — San Pedro Sula, Honduras — which saw 187 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2013 and is getting steadily worse. A full one-third of global homicides occur in Latin America even though the region has just 8% of the world's population, according to United Nations data.

Drug trafficking, gang wars, political instability, corruption, and poverty combine to cause the region's elevated violence.

U.S. cities also made the list, led by Detroit at number 24 and New Orleans at number 26.

50. Valencia, Venezuela had 30.04 homicides per 100,000 residents.



49. Port-au-Prince, Haiti had 30.05 homicides per 100,000 residents.



48. Durban, South Africa had 32.42 homicides per 100,000 residents.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A Company Has Designed The Ultimate Urban Bike

The 20 Most Dominant College Sports Programs

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UConn and Barack Obama

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

Business Insider has compiled a list of the schools that run the most dominating sports programs from top to bottom

To create the ranking we used data compiled by Niche for its college rankings as well as athletic department revenues compiled by USA Today.

A number of factors go into the rankings with the most weight given to athletics revenue, Niche's NCAA championship score (with more weight given to bigger sports), average home football attendance, average home men's basketball attendance, as well as Niche's student survey responses.

#20 University of Arizona

2013 athletic department revenue: $68.5 million

Average Home Football Attendance: 47,619

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 14,157

NCAA Championship Score1: 15

Student Surveys on Athletics: 3.9 out of 5

"Football is really big at the University of Arizona and our student section gets pretty huge for games to the point that they have to turn people away at the doors because of overcrowding. Basketball is an even bigger deal because how great the team is. Everyone here at this school and even in Tucson support the basketball team and is known as one of the favorite seasons of the year."

Visit Niche for more on the University of Arizona

1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.


#19 Syracuse University

2013 athletic department revenue: unavailable (private institution)

Average Home Football Attendance: 38,277

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 22,439

NCAA Championship Score1: 9

Student Surveys on Athletics: 4.0 out of 5

"The Carrier Dome is probably the best collegiate arena in the country. Syracuse loves its sports, and you can really tell on campus. We pride ourselves on sports (especially basketball) and it is really a bonding experience for everyone. There is a huge variety of intramural sports (even Quidditch!) and people love to get involved."

Visit Niche for more on Syracuse University

1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.


#18 Florida State University

2013 athletic department revenue: $91.4 million

Average Home Football Attendance: 75,421

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 7,537

NCAA Championship Score1: 9

Student Surveys on Athletics: 4.1 out of 5

"Students love going to football games, a lot of fan support. A LOT of school spirit , many kids have FSU stickers on cars, bikes, etc. The athletic facilities are great , very big and a big part of the school."

Visit Niche for more on Florida State University

1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.


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The 25 Best Private High Schools In America

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phillips exeter academy

Prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire is the best private high school in America, according to a new ranking from school data site Niche.

Exeter, which has around 1,000 students, scored particularly high marks for its teachers and academics.

Niche combined community reviews and hard data to compile its private school ranking. The site ranks over 100,000 schools based on 27 million reviews from more than 300,000 students and parents, who rated schools in areas like academics, teachers, student culture and diversity, and resources and facilities, among others.

25. Head-Royce School—Oakland, Calif.

Academics: A

Student Culture & Diversity: A+

Former students say"At the Head-Royce School in Oakland, CA, many of the students are welcoming and kind. You will rarely see a student not involved in anything on campus. A majority of the student body is involved in either sports, clubs, or the arts, or even all three. Head-Royce encourages their students to be individuals while being a part of a whole.

Peer pressure was not an issue when I went to school here and in my experience, we practiced acceptance of any individuals and their differences. As a private school, we had a small student body and we mostly knew everyone. So when the "ally" campaign to support the coming out of LGBTQ individuals, we were all very supportive of each other and there was a no tolerance rule for rude and insensitive comments."



24. Chadwick School—Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Academics: A+

Student Culture & Diversity: A

Former students say: "I've had lots of opportunities and have had great experiences at this school. I would definitely do it all over again. This school has shaped me into the person I am today."

"They're [teachers] understanding and very approachable. They help make the Chadwick experience worth it."



23. Menlo School—Atherton, Calif.

Academics: A+

Student Culture & Diversity: A

Former students say: "Academics are top-priority. The pressure to succeed is prevalent, and `being in the top quintile of students is a formidable accomplishment."

"I really enjoyed Menlo. It gave me the opportunity to meet lot of new people and do different things. I liked most of my teachers and classmates. I made lifelong friends. I would definitely recommend this school if you want to be exposed to new and different things in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. People like to participate in sports, drama, dancing shows, go to dance, travel, etc."



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This Couple Sold Everything To Take A Dream Trip Around The World

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Berlin Chris and Danika Park

In October 2013, the Garlottas were out to drinks in San Francisco when Chris turned to Danika and said: "Let's take a sabbatical."

Three cocktails later, Danika remembers, the couple had decided to quit their jobs to travel abroad for six months. "Chris can pretty much get me to say anything when he bribes me with good food and cocktails!" she said laughing.

From there, it was a whirlwind. The plan was originally to spend one year getting things in order, then spend about six months traveling, but as the pair started listing places they wanted to visit, they realized they'd need more time to travel — say, a year. Then, Chris found a cheap $300 airfare to Rome that offered only one departure day in March, so they moved up their schedule by six months.

While Chris had traveled extensively before settling down in San Francisco, Danika's travel was mostly limited to a yearly trip to Mexico. Chris, who worked for tech companies doing graphic design and website development, and Danika, who was the head of marketing for a group of boutique hotels, felt their desire to experience new cultures and see new things was sorely limited by their work schedule.

"It's always difficult to get away from work," Chris explains. "We liked to do frequent trips, so we would do two one-week trips a year. But then we started to realize that at two weeks a year, we would never see all the places we wanted to go."

The Garlottas are now nearly a year into their trip, with no immediate plans to return to the States.

Here, they've shared some of the photos from their Instagram and website, as well as answers to our burning questions: How do they make it work? Which credit cards and bank accounts work best for long-term travelers? What advice do they have for others? And, most importantly, how do they afford it?

They sold everything and rented their home.

Before leaving San Francisco, the Garlottas sold all of their furniture and most of their possessions.

"We didn't sell our stuff so much to raise money for the trip as to not have the expense of keeping it any longer," Chris says. "When we realized we were going to be gone for a while, and weren't sure where we'd end up, why pay every month to keep stuff in storage and then realize later that we don't want it anymore?"

The money from selling their possessions went in the bank to finance furnishing a home at the end of their adventure, if needed.



They've continued earning as they travel.

The Garlottas didn't make any extra effort to save for their trip, because they've both continued freelancing abroad: Chris for tech companies, and Danika for social media and online marketing clients.

Chris says that the logistics aren't that different from working stateside, where he mostly dealt with clients through emails and calls. "Most of the time I never met or saw clients. The fact that I'm sitting here in Berlin dealing with a client is exactly the same as being down the street. A lot of the people I work with have been clients for years, and they're aware that we're traveling. They don't see a difference, but we feel it."



They changed their work schedule to fit their travel schedule.

The Garlottas have banished the 9-5 workday.

"We found that we work more efficiently because we don't want to sit around and stare at the internet," Danika says. "We get it done, and then we can spend the day going out and exploring."



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25 High-Paying Jobs For People Who Hate Math

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Math Class ProfessorDid you dread math class as a kid? If so, that feeling probably didn't go away, and you're likely not too keen on the idea of doing math as a career.

Luckily, there are plenty of high-paying jobs for those who can't stand the thought of crunching numbers and sifting through data all day.

We combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of occupations, to find positions with a median annual salary of over $65,000 that don't require heavy math skills.

O*NET ranks how important "using mathematics to solve problems" is in any job, assigning each a "math importance level" between 1 and 100. Math-centric positions, such as mathematicians and statisticians, rank between 90 and 100 on the spectrum, while jobs such as massage therapists and actors are under 10. 

Here are the highest-paying positions with a math importance level of 31 or less.

25. Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary

Median salary: $65,540

Math importance level: 28

These professors teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology at the university or graduate level. The title includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.



24. Transportation Vehicle, Equipment, And Systems Inspector

Median salary: $65,950

Math importance level: 25

Inspectors are in charge of inspecting and monitoring transportation equipment, vehicles, and/or systems to ensure that they comply with regulations and safety standards.



23. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Median salary: $66,410

Math importance level: 31

Sonographers produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians.



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These Screenshots Show Why 'Video Game High School' Is So Popular

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vghs video game high school

If you think video games are big now, just think how big they would be if we reached the point of truly immersive virtual reality.

In this future, playing a video game would feel like you were actually questing through mystical lands, racing sports cars, or fighting with guns, all without the possibility of physical harm. Everyone would play video games, and elite gamers would play in school or professional leagues, and star players would be celebrities.

This vision is the premise of "Video Game High School," a Kickstarter-backed show that is being promoted as part of a huge YouTube ad campaignThe first episode currently has around 12 million views on YouTube and a rabid fan base. Now in its third season, the show can also be seen at the home of RocketJump Studios as well as Netflix and other paid streaming sites.

"VGHS" is smart, funny, ambitious, and well-made, so it's no wonder that it's blowing up. For a preview, check out the highlights in our Episode One Spoilers.

Sometime in the future, there's a kid named Brian Doheny who doesn't have a lot of friends. In this picture, bullies are about to steal his digital possessions.



Brian lives with his single mother who is addicted to video games, living her whole life in some alternate reality.



The kid gets his kicks playing first-person shooters, and right now he's hurrying to join a game that started without him.



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