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THE FUTURE OF MOBILE: 2014 [SLIDE DECK]

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The future of mobile is being redefined. The smartphone and tablet markets are nearing saturation. The days of heady hardware growth are long gone.

TimeSpentCategories

Mobile growth is moving into media, advertising, software, and services. Meanwhile, new devices are expanding the meaning of "mobile."

BI Intelligence has created a slideshow that highlights the new markets growing up around the multiscreen consumer.  

1. Mobile Commerce

2. Mobile Advertising

3. Mobile Apps

4. Emerging Devices And Platforms

5. Mobile Payments And Banking

6. Mobile Health 

Only BI Intelligence subscribers can download the individual charts and datasets in Excel, along with the PowerPoint and PDF versions of this deck. Please sign up for a membership here. BI Intelligence is a research and analysis service focused on mobile computing, digital media, payments, e-commerce, and the Internet of Things. 







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These 7 Cities Are The New 'Urban Wonders' Of The World

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Petronas Twin Towers

A global campaign to name various new Seven Wonders of the World has announced the results of its Cities competition. 

The New7Wonders project was created by Bernard Weber in order to highlight some of the greatest natural and man-made wonders of the world not covered in the original list. The Cities project is the third of Weber's installments — in 2007, more than 100 million people voted in his New Seven Wonders of the World competition

Weber’s latest campaign to find the best cities on Earth aimed to showcase the "cities that best represent the achievements and aspirations of our global urban civilization,"according to the New7Wonders website

The global competition began with more than 1200 nominees from 220 countries. That list was reduced to 77, since there was a limit of one city per country. Then the 77 remaining cities were narrowed down by a panel of experts headed by Federico Mayor, former director-general of UNESCO, to 28 suggestions. 

Following the announcement of the 28 finalists, the winning seven cities were chosen by voters from around the world. 

The seven winning cities beat out finalists such as Istanbul, London, St. Petersburg, Seoul, Reykjavik, and Chicago. None of the world’s seven winning cities are in Europe or the US. 

Below are the seven cities that have been named the new urban wonders of the world (in alphabetical order): 

1. Beirut, Lebanon

The capital city of Lebanon has been rebuilt several times due to unrest. Beirut's architecture is a stunning mix of modern, Ottoman, and colonial French. 

The Middle Eastern hub is often referred to as "The Paris of the Mediterranean."

Beirut

2. Doha, Qatar

Qatar’s capital, Doha, first gained prominence when it began tapping into its expansive natural-gas reserves. Doha’s wealth of natural gas and oil have helped make Qatar one of the richest nations in the world — and Doha one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Doha, Qatar

3. Durban, South Africa

The beach city of Durban in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal is the busiest port in Africa, but it's best known for its incredible beaches and surfing. 

Durban, South Africa

4. Havana, Cuba

Havana is a centuries-old city covered in vibrant colors. The historic center of Havana has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason.

Havana, Cuba

5. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The cultural hub of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is known for its towering skyscrapers. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the world. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

6. La Paz, Bolivia

Perched atop the Andes Mountains, La Paz is 11,975 feet above sea level. It is the highest capital city in the world. 

La Paz, Bolivia

7. Vigan, Philippines

Vigan is one of the few Hispanic towns lefts intact in the Philippines. Known for its cobblestone-covered streets and unique architecture, the city is a World Heritage Site. 

Vigan, Philippines

 

NOW WATCH: Here's The Formula For A Long And Happy Life From A 100-Year-Old Math Teacher

 

SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Cities In The World For Students

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Life On Facebook!

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The 10 Best Corporate Logo Changes Of 2014

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Many popular brands completely revamped their logos this year.

We went through graphic-design collective UnderConsiderations' Brand New blog to see which brands decided to reinvent themselves, and chose our favorite redesigns. All opinions are our own.

10. Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut decided to get hip this year, all the way down to making employee uniforms fitted T-shirts and flannels. Its new circular logo evokes a splash of tomato sauce in pizza dough and works well with the overall rebrand.



9. PayPal

The old PayPal logo was stale and outdated. The new one manages to be instantly recognizable but is brighter and looks especially good as a smartphone-app icon.



8. Reebok

If you grew up wearing Reebok Pumps, you may be furious to see the classic Reebok logo go — but don't worry, it lives on in the retro Reebok Classics brand. For its main brand, Reebok has stopped trying to play catchup to Nike in professional sports and is instead focusing on ordinary people who are dedicated to fitness, especially CrossFit fans. The new logo isn't the most original design, but it's clean and looks good on the new workout gear.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

19 Clever Gifts For New Parents

23 Tips For Success From Richard Branson

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richard bransonRichard Branson is the only entrepreneur to have built eight separate billion-dollar companies in eight different industries — and he did it all without a degree in business.

"Had I pursued my education long enough to learn all the conventional dos and don'ts of starting a business I often wonder how different my life and career might have been," he writes in his book, "Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School."

We've compiled some of the best tips from "Like a Virgin," and his new book, "The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership," here.

Don't do it if you don't enjoy it.

Running a business takes blood, sweat, and tears (and caffeine). But at the end of the day, you should be building something you will be proud of.

Branson says, "When I started Virgin from a basement in West London, there was no great plan or strategy. I didn't set out to build a business empire ... For me, building a business is all about doing something to be proud of, bringing talented people together and creating something that's going to make a real difference to other people's lives."

Source: "Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School"



Be visible.

Branson received some timeless advice when building Virgin Airlines from Sir Freddie Laker, a British airline tycoon: "Make sure you appear on the front page and not the back pages," said Laker. "You are going to have to get out there and sell yourself. Make a fool of yourself, whatever it takes. Otherwise you won't survive."

Branson always makes a point of traveling often and meeting as many people as he can. This, he says, is how he came by some of the best suggestions and ideas for his business.

Source: "Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School"



Choose your brand's name wisely.

The unique name and brand that Virgin employs is one of the things that has made the company a success. Branson makes sure that the name "Virgin" represents added value, improved service, and a fresh, sexy approach.

Branson says he's asked all the time about the origin of the Virgin name. "One night, I was chatting with a group of 16-year-old girls over a few drinks about a name for the record store," he says. "A bunch of ideas were bounced around, then, as we were all new to business, someone suggested Virgin. It smacked of new and fresh and at the time the word was still slightly risqué, so, thinking it would be an attention-grabber, we went with it."

Source: "Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School"



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23 Excellent Craft Distilleries You've Never Heard Of

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American craft distilleries are getting attention both here as well as across the pond.

Back in August, The New York Times published an article about how boutique American spirits — from vodka to whiskey — are spreading around the globe.

Small craft distilleries are producing some of the most complex and well-executed spirits on the market that are all mashed, distilled, and bottled by hand on-site.

We spoke with Pamela Wiznitzer, a bartender and mixologist at New York bar, The Dead Rabbit, about the American craft distilleries that every liquor lover should know and try.

Keep reading to see her picks (listed here in alphabetical order).

Did we miss one of your favorites? Add it in the comments!

Bainbridge Organic Distillery

Located: Bainbridge Island, Wash.

This father-and-son team (the descendants of a bootlegger, no less) makes whiskey, gin, and vodka from scratch with certified organic products. 

Bainbridge Organic Distillers organic vodka has won numerous awards, and is full-flavored with a hint of sweetness.

 



Boyd & Blair

Located: Glenshaw, Pa.

Boyd and Blair small-batch vodka is distilled using locally grown potatoes. Every batch is literally made by hand, from mashing the potatoes to sealing and signing the bottles.

Since it started in 2005, the company has received numerous accolades for its vodka. They only use the best part of the alcohol (often called the “heart”), which makes it smooth and smell great.



Charleston Distilling Company

Located: Charleston, S.C.

Charleston Distilling Company. uses South Carolina-grown corn, rye, wheat, and millet  in all of their products, and mash and distill everything on-site.

The team at Charleston makes vodka, gin, and bourbon-barrel gin in small batches.



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16 Billionaires Who Were Once Dirt Poor

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larry ellisonSome of the world's wealthiest people started out dirt poor.

Here are 16 rags-to-riches stories that remind us through determination, grit, and a bit of luck anyone can overcome their circumstances and achieve extraordinary success. 

This is an update of a story originally written by Vivian Giang.

Kenny Troutt, the founder of Excel Communications, paid his way through college by selling life insurance.

Net worth: $1.5 billion 

Troutt grew up with a bartender dad and paid for his own tuition at Southern Illinois University by selling life insurance. He made most of his money from phone company Excel Communications, which he founded in 1988 and took public in 1996. Two years later, Troutt merged his company with Teleglobe in a $3.5 billion deal.

He's now retired and invests heavily in racehorses.



Starbucks' Howard Schultz grew up in a housing complex for the poor.

Net worth: $2.3 billion 

In an interview with British tabloid Mirror, Schultz says: "Growing up I always felt like I was living on the other side of the tracks. I knew the people on the other side had more resources, more money, happier families. And for some reason, I don't know why or how, I wanted to climb over that fence and achieve something beyond what people were saying was possible. I may have a suit and tie on now but I know where I'm from and I know what it's like."

Schultz ended up winning a football scholarship to the University of Northern Michigan and went to work for Xerox after graduation. Shortly after, he took over a coffee shop called Starbucks, which at the time had only 60 shops. Schultz became the company's CEO in 1987 and grew the coffee chain to more than 16,000 outlets worldwide.



Investor Ken Langone's parents worked as a plumber and cafeteria worker.

Net worth: $2.6 billion 

To help pay for Langone's school at Bucknell University, he worked odd jobs and his parents mortgaged their home.

In 1968, Langone worked with Ross Perot to take Electronic Data Systems public. (It was later acquired by HP.) Just two years later, he partnered with Bernard Marcus to start Home Depot, which also went public in 1981.



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These Will Be The 12 Biggest Movies Of 2015

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avengers age of ultron captain america thor2015 is going to be one of the biggest years at the box office in a long time.

Not only are we getting a new "Star Wars" movie, but we'll finally see the next "Avengers" grouping, which has been nearly three years in the making. 

Those two movies alone have the potential of being billion-dollar films.

In comparison, 2014 only had one movie gross $1 billion— "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

Through plenty of sequels and reboots, we're counting down the movies that will be the biggest at theaters next year. It's going to feel like the early '90s with Arnold Schwarzenegger back as the Terminator and dinosaurs roaming around in "Jurassic World."

Mark these dates down in your calendar.

12. 'Fifty Shades of Grey' (Universal/Focus Features)

Release date:
Feb. 13, 2015

Why it will be huge: This will be the movie every guy will be dragged to see.

The best-selling book series dubbed "mommy porn" is making its big screen debut Valentine's Day weekend. There couldn't be a better release date for the erotica film about a naive college girl (Dakota Johnson) who becomes involved in a BDSM relationship with a billionaire named Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).

While the film's trailer was the most-viewed all year, there are two reasons "Fifty Shades" is lower on our list. 1. Big blockbusters rarely come out in this month. "Passion of the Christ" currently holds the record for largest Feb. gross ($611.9 million). 2. Erotica movies are usually a niche group. 1992's "Basic Instinct" is the highest-grossing film in the genre making $352.9 million worldwide.



11. 'Ted 2' (Universal)

Release date:
June 26, 2015

Why it will be huge: "Ted," featuring Seth MacFarlane's foul-mouthed teddy bear and Mark Wahlberg, became the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy ever in 2012. It surpassed the record previously held by the first "Hangover.""Ted" made $549 million worldwide.



10. 'Inside Out' (Pixar/Disney)

Release date: 
June 19, 2015

Why it will be huge: Pixar's reputation speaks for itself. The studio hasn't made a bad film yet (except perhaps the poorly-reviewed "Cars 2"). Regardless, none of them have been bombs and the majority of Pixar's animated movies make at least $500 million worldwide at theaters. 

Buzz about its next animated picture, "Inside Out," is already growing. While the movie's concept about the inner workings of the brain and our emotions may sound a bit confusing, an early sneak peek of the film was very well received at the Animation Film Festival in France back in June.



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20 Super-Successful People Share Their New Year's Resolution

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ResolutionsThe New Year is just around the corner, which means it's resolution season. 

To help you make the most of the change in calendar, we asked industry leaders and world-changing entrepreneurs, including Arianna Huffington and Mark Cuban, what they're resolved to do in 2015. 

'Shark Tank' investor Daymond John wants to hit the slopes more often.

"New Year's Day is when I like to reset my 10 goals. Let me think of a fun one..." he says. "I'd like to start to snowboard more. I'd like to try to start to do the half pipe."



Drybar founder Alli Webb hopes to spend more time with her children.

"The very first thing that popped into my head was to spend more time with my boys," says Webb. "My older son Grant is almost 10, my youngest, Kit, is 7 — the last few years have been so crazy busy for me, and I don't want to miss this magical time in my kids' lives when they still actually want to hang out with their mom!"



Cofounder and CEO of The Global Poverty Project Hugh Evans is committed to ending extreme poverty.

He says 2015 "is a pivotal year for the movement to end extreme poverty by 2030."

"My resolution is to use Global Citizen's unique mix of disruptive events, grassroots organizing, and digital campaigning to hold our world leaders accountable to create a world where clean water and toilets are taken for granted, where no one goes to bed hungry, children have access to immunizations, and no child is denied an education. I am committed to realizing this world without extreme poverty."



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A Fascinating Glimpse Of Ordinary Life In North Korea

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While American photographer Sam Gellman spends his days working for transportation technology start-up Uber in Hong Kong, he has long been a travel photography nut.

He's made a habit of traveling to uncommon places that don't usually go on other travelers' radars.

When in 2011, he got a chance to travel to North Korea through Beijing-based Koryo Tours, he jumped.

While in the isolated nation, he was ushered around by his North Korean guides, who, in between spouting anti-American rhetoric, made sure that he saw just how well the country was doing.

What he found was that, despite the strong antagonism between the United States and North Korea, the people were not that much different.

"For me, I was most intrigued by the fact that the people are in many ways similar to us," Gellman told The World radio program

Gellman shared some of the pictures from the trip with us. You can see more of his work at his website or on his Flickr.

Guides were present at every part of Gellman's tour and were initially nervous when he began photographing.



This is one of the two subway stations in Pyongyang that Gellman was allowed to photograph.



A father takes a picture of his kids on an arcade game. Gellman says that, while people do have cellphones, they can only call inside North Korea.



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The Inside Story Of The New Airbus A350 Jet

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airbus8PARIS (Reuters) - Ten years ago, the boss of Qatar Airways, who takes his first new A350 jet this week, warned Airbus it was flying off course.

Boeing was knocking on his door with a "super-efficient" jet boasting 30 percent fuel savings thanks to a carbon-composite design.

In Toulouse, some Airbus engineers, riding high after overtaking Boeing and suspecting a short-lived marketing stunt, laughed off the future 787 with a “tail like a dolphin”. 

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Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker urged Airbus to take the 787 seriously and said its draft response, a quick fix to its A330 with new General Electric engines, was inadequate.

As Qatar Airways planned for rapid regional and long-haul growth, Al Baker recalls, "there was a requirement for an aircraft that has capacity that is optimal on two fronts: customer comfort and technologically forward-thinking".

That clamor for both cabin comfort and better economics eventually forced Airbus into a fundamental shift in strategy.

But after Al Baker's warning, it took another two years of sales setbacks and doubts at the highest management level before Airbus agreed to build the A350XWB to be delivered on Monday.

That story is revealed here after interviews with customers, suppliers and industry sources. Airbus declined comment.

airbus3

The fluctuating, decade-long journey from half-hearted tinkering to an all-new family of jets highlights a chess game still being played out as Airbus and Boeing battle each other in the wide-body market, valued at $1.9 trillion over 20 years.

Next month, the A350 will start competing with the 787 in the skies, having garnered 778 orders against 1,055 for the 787.

airbus6

To build the carbon-plastic jets, planemakers have tested themselves to the limit. But they have also carefully avoided a head-on collision, searching for pockets of empty space in the twinjet market by unveiling variants that rarely have precisely the same capacity as their competitor's.

Some analysts say that may help support their profit margins, though as the A350's story demonstrates, competition for sales is intense.

"I think they are now pretty well matched," said Steven Udvar-Hazy, who as CEO of lessor ILFC at the time was the world's biggest buyer of commercial jets and would prove to be an important influence on the A350s development.

airbus2

DEFENSIVE RESPONSE

A decade ago, air travel was changing. Planes with two engines were able to fly further, and proving more efficient than big jets with four engines.

Boeing's twin-engine 777 was beating Airbus's four-engine A340 in the market for big planes, and Airbus's huge four-engine A380, the biggest airliner ever, had yet to enter service.

Airbus was strong in the market for small wide-body jets, doing well with its twin-engine A330. But fast-growing airlines like Qatar and Emirates were demanding more comfortable cabins with space to install new lie-flat beds.

airbus5That might have suggested a new fuselage, a decision planemakers rarely take more than once every couple of decades.

But Airbus was behind in new materials technology, focused on finishing the A380, and hoarding resources to improve its most profitable cash cow, the A320 small jet, in case Boeing refreshed its 737 model, people familiar with the matter said.

When Boeing launched the medium-sized 787 to compete with the A330, Airbus responded defensively. It's answer, the A350, was basically an A330 with carbon wings and new engines, rather than a new plane.

"People were cringing at the time, saying it was inelegant or ‘how can you put a patch on a broken leg'," said Henri Courpron, chairman of Plane View Partners and former head of Airbus North America.

Soon, Airbus customers in Boeing's backyard, like Northwest Airlines and Air Canada, were writing checks for 787s. Airbus found itself straining to compete with both flagship Boeings.

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In December 2005, pressure reached boiling point with two big Boeing wins. Qantas chose the 787; Cathay Pacific picked the 777.

An internal post-mortem on Qantas laid out the problem: the original A350 was "reactionary" and Airbus had lost credibility. Airbus Chief Executive Gustav Humbert called in his 43-year-old strategy chief Olivier Andries and gave him a delicate task.

"I asked him to take the best guys and set up a long-range policy team," Humbert, who is now retired, told Reuters.

Humbert urged him to consider whether Airbus could capture 50 percent of the big-jet market, up from 35-40 percent, by straddling the largest 787 and smallest 777: around 300 seats.

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"I was encouraged to think outside the box ....about the whole long-range strategy," said Andries, now chief executive of engine firm Turbomeca. He declined to discuss details.

Monitored by a team of retired "Wise Men," the group of 10 drew up confidential scenarios from makeovers to bold new jets.

In March 2006, Udvar-Hazy, who now runs Air Lease, piled on pressure by urging Airbus to drop its cautious A350.

"We looked at the economics and concluded it was not a contender in a meaningful way. So I felt it would get a silver medal and didn’t deserve to get built," Udvar-Hazy told Reuters.

In Toulouse, it was proving hard to make the business cases stick, but one proposal labeled "1d" looked promising.

It dived deep into a planemaker's armory of wings, cockpit, cabin, engines and the all-important wider fuselage.

It would cost about 11 billion euros to build rather than the 4 billion budgeted for the original A350, while setting Airbus up for 20 years with projected sales of 2,000 planes instead of 800. But it was still a step behind Boeing's 787: the tube would be in metal rather than carbon.

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ABBEY RETREAT

Meanwhile, an internal crisis cast a new shadow over the proposals.

Delays to the A380 hit share prices in June 2006 and forced Humbert to resign. The Farnborough Airshow was looming and a divided board was not ready to commit to a new project.

“No decision was taken to discontinue the original A350," Andries said. "Most senior executives at the time were against the Extra-Wide Body. Even in the summer of 2006 the decision was not secure."

Airbus nonetheless took the risk of presenting the concept at the July 2006 show. Even as it called the plane a "step ahead of the 787" it made little reference to the metal shell.

Humbert's replacement, aerospace outsider Christian Streiff, took top Airbus managers to a converted French abbey to reflect.

Over dinner, according to a person familiar with the event, he asked them to raise their hands if they thought Airbus should build the very plane they had publicized weeks earlier. Only a handful did, including sales chief John Leahy and Andries.

airbus7Nevertheless, the engineers pressed on. Soon, they came up with a cost-effective way to make an all-carbon body assembled from panels, which they felt would be cheaper to build than the single giant piece in the Boeing 787.

In December, 2006, the reversal was complete: the board approved the new, all-carbon A350XWB.

Meanwhile, the battle of the air goes on. Whether Airbus can meet Humbert's challenge of 50 percent wide-body market share depends partly on the success of Boeing's latest move - a larger and upgraded 777, Udvar-Hazy said.

The answer may lie in a drawer in Toulouse. Industry sources say Humbert's planners drew up, but discarded, a variant for a larger version of its new jet called A350-1100. That could provide a clue to Airbus's options next decade.

(Editing by Peter Graff)

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12 Former Porn Stars Who Now Lead Boring, Normal Lives

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asia carrera, former porn starEver wonder what porn stars do when they retire from "the business"?

They become real estate agents, authors, activists, private investigators, and your next door neighbor in the 'burbs.

The 2010 documentary "After Porn Ends" caught up with 12 former adult film performers to see where life had taken them. We've tracked down a majority of the film's stars for more recent updates.

Asia Carrera was the first half-Asian female to become an A-list porn star, appearing in 389 videos.



The Mensa International member walked away from a full academic scholarship to college to pursue a career in porn. She enjoyed learning all the crew members' jobs in between scenes.



Today, Asia lives with her two children in Mormon country, Utah, where porn is illegal. She recently made headlines for wearing a colander in her driver's license photo, as a religious statement.

Source: The Spectrum



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here Are The 25 New Shows Coming To TV In 2015

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better call saul goodmanIt's winter, which means that it's time for midseason premieres.

Starting next year, we'll see the launch of a whole new crop of series, ranging from multiple crime shows to an experimental mini-series.

You'll see a bunch of familiar faces, including those of Felicity Huffman, Ryan Phillipe, Rainn Wilson, and Amanda Peet.

We'll even have the arrival of the heavily anticipated "Better Call Saul," a prequel to AMC's hit "Breaking Bad."

"Galavant" (ABC)

Stars: Joshua Sasse ("Frankenstein's Army"), Timothy Omundson ("Psych")

Premiere date: Sunday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. 

What it's about: ABC will test out a musical fairy-tale comedy following a knight's journey as he tries to rescue his true love from an evil king. The score is by "Beauty & The Beast" composer Alan Menken, and the lyrics are by Glenn Slater ("Tangled").

Watch the trailer here.



"Agent Carter" (ABC)

Stars: Hayley Atwell ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") James D'Arcy ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"), Chad Michael Murray ("One Tree Hill")

Premiere date: Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 9 p.m.

What it's about: Peggy Carter (Atwell) must lead a double life as an admin and as a secret agent. If the character sounds familiar, it's because Carter is from Marvel's "Captain America" series. The show is also connected to its lead-in, "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Watch the trailer here.



"Empire" (FOX)

Stars: Taraji P. Henson ("Hustle and Flow"), Terrence Howard ("Hustle and Flow"), Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious: Based on The Novel Push by Sapphire")

Premiere date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 9 p.m.

What it's about: This musical family drama follows what happens when a hip-hop record company's charismatic CEO (Howard) learns he has ALS. It will also be set to a hip-hop soundtrack.

Watch the trailer here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 Worst Corporate Logo Changes Of 2014

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monster billboard

Many popular brands reinvented themselves this year — but not necessarily for the better.

We went through graphic-design collective UnderConsiderations' Brand New blog to see which brands decided to change their logos and chose our least favorite. All opinions are our own.

10. Bacardí

The world-famous rum brand Bacardí decided to embrace its roots this year with a new logo that harks back to a design from the 1930s and an ad campaign dramatizing Cuban history. While we find the new direction interesting, the bat icon could use some polish to pop — and we're not crazy about the font, especially the slanted tilde used as an accent mark.



9. Cole Haan

Cole Haan is best known for its men's footwear but is cementing its image as a fashion brand with a variety of clothing, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. Part of this strategy involves the transition to a new logo and monogram, which we find sharp on their own, but we think Cole Haan has dialed back some of its artsy charm to fit in more with the likes of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.



8. Olive Garden

Olive Garden had a rough year. It announced a major redesign meant to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd in March, but a critical presentation in September from activist hedge fund Starboard got much more media attention. The new logo looks flat, and the faux handwritten font is unappealing. It does not seem likely to attract the new customer base the company is after.



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Watch The National Guard Respond To An Unfolding Chemical Emergency At A Stadium In An Incredibly Intense Drill

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The National Guard is the US military's reserve force, offering manpower, equipment, and expertise for missions abroad but also providing America’s first line of defense at home.

When there's a natural disaster or a threat to public safety that law enforcement alone can't handle, the Guard kicks into action. It is constantly preparing itself for new and emerging threats, be they nuclear, chemical, biological, or a natural disaster.

We recently watched the New Jersey National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry participate in a drill to practice how they would respond to a possible nuclear or chemical emergency without warning and with no immediate explanation of what was happening. The snap exercise aimed to duplicate the conditions of an actual unfolding threat and showed how the Guard keeps itself prepared for even a worst-case scenario.

The National Guard team arrives early in the morning on a frigid November day. The drill is as much a test of endurance as a test of skills, with the team working out in the cold for eight hours or more.



Arm & Hammer Park, home of the minor league Trenton Thunder baseball team, was the site of the drill. The military chooses locations for tests like these by picking “high-value targets” that would be likely to be hit by an attack, like sporting venues and theaters.



The New Jersey team, and every other National Guard team, is tested every 18 months in high-pressure, high-stakes role plays like this one.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Everything You Need To Know About Beer, In One Chart

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There are dozens upon dozens of different styles of beer out there, from pale ales to stouts to bocks — and those are just a few.

Being that there are so many styles, and so many exceptions to the rules, it's incredibly difficult (not to mention time-consuming) to get to know them all, but knowing your favorites will make drinking them a lot more enjoyable.

We've created a taxonomy of most major beer styles to help you put your favorite cold ones into context. Start in the center and see where each style of beer falls.

BI_graphics_Beer Taxonomy

SEE ALSO: 12 Craft Alternatives To Beers You Always Order

DON'T BE ANTISOCIAL: Follow @BI_Life on Twitter!

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