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A new 'Game of Thrones' promo shows off even more season 6 footage

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Tower of Joy Game of Thrones Trailer

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season six, including speculation.

HBO is back at it again with yet another trailer for season six of "Game of Thrones." The 30-second promo is brief, but contains new footage we haven't seen in previous clips (trust us, we've analyzed every screenshot for you).

We've pulled out the ten new images spotted in the trailer, and given some context for what's to come. Scroll down for the full breakdown.

The trailer opens with Tyrion saying: "Whoever you are, wherever you go, someone wants to murder you." Note the Meereenese behind him, fleeing from something.



We'd bet the Sons of the Harpy have struck again. Who is their target this time?



Then the trailer cuts to these two Targaryen soldiers, drawing their swords for a fight. This is a new shot of the long-awaited "Tower of Joy" sequence.

For more on the Tower of Joy, read our explainer.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Inside the luxury London flats rich overseas students are spending £600 million to rent

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Cadogan gardens Reception Room.JPG

London is extremely short of housing, but if you're uber-wealthy then you'll have no problem finding an amazing place to rent out.

This week, a report in the Financial Times, said that the increased scrutiny from the Panama Papers leak is encouraging many potential buyers of London properties worth over £10 million ($14 million) to rent instead.

The claim isn't completely out of this world — data from estate agents EJ Harris at the end of last year showed that super-rich students were already hoovering up luxury rental property across London annually.

It also showed in that some of the world's richest people collectively spend up to £100 million ($156 million) on renting prime properties in London — sometimes pay up to £10,000 ($15,622) per week on a serviced apartment in Knightsbridge, Mayfair, and Marylebone in London.

But these aren't overseas students snapping up affordable housing — they're renting out places that most families would spend their lifetime trying to afford.

According to EJ Harris, over 107,000 international students studying in London contribute £600 million ($924 million) in rental income to the capital’s rental market every year, with the wealthiest Chinese, Russian, and Malaysian students spending around £72,000 ($110,850) per annum on properties in the most sought-after addresses in London.

So what makes these properties so expensive to rent? Check it out some of the flats here.

The wealthiest Chinese, Russian, and Malaysian students typically spend up to £1,500 ($2,310) per week to live in the most sought-after addresses in London – Mayfair, Knightsbridge, and South Kensington.



The properties, like this one in Cadogan Gardens near Sloane Square, are always immaculate and have light, airy rooms — even if it's a flat.



Even the bathrooms rival those of five-star hotels.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the 9 areas of the UK where letting fees are highest

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Tiny flat

The areas with the highest letting fees in the UK have been uncovered by the National Private Tenants Organisation, also known as "Generation Rent."

The tenant pressure group studied letting fees — the cost of services for facilitators between landlords and tenants — around the cities of London, Manchester and York to find both the average and highest costs.

Betsy Dillner, Generation Rent's director, called for letting fees to be banned, to stop landlords holding tenants hostage:

"Competition for homes is fierce, so tenants aren’t in a position to avoid paying letting fees, and agents often charge what they like."

"If tenant fees were banned, agents could start competing properly for business, and tenants wouldn’t have to dip into their savings to be able to move home."

Generation Rent's report added that a petition to ban letting fees has attracted nearly 250,000 signatures in under a month.

Here are the highest letting fees across the UK.

9. Manchester

Average Letting Fee: £307 ($436)

Highest Letting Fee: £694 ($985)

Many young professionals disillusioned with London prices often set their sights on Manchester, but the cost of letting fees may give them pause for thought. Homes here are still much cheaper to buy than in the capital, though.  



8. Camden, London

Average Letting Fee: £345 ($490)

Highest Letting Fee: £600 ($851)

This borough in north west London may have lost some of its lustre in the wake of Shoreditch's rise, but it's still a rental hotspot — with pricey letting fees to boot. 



7. Ealing, London

Average Letting Fee: £364 ($516)

Highest Letting Fee: £612 ($868)

Leafy Ealing has become a major residential suburb in west London thanks to good tube links, but it comes at a price if you're renting.  



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

3 money skills any kid can master by age 10

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rich kid

Now that your child has hit those grade school years, he's picking up so many new things every day: pushing himself on a swing, zipping up his own sweatshirt, and understanding the basics of reading and math.

With his skills growing as fast as the rest of him, it's a good time to teach him more about money as well. Right now his brain is absorbing everything, and the lessons he learns about using money wisely will help him his entire life.

We asked experts to tell us about three financial fundamentals that children between ages 6 and 10 could — and should — master. Profit from their insights by introducing the tasks below.

SEE ALSO: 7 money basics to teach your kids in elementary school if you want them to grow up to be rich

1. Knowing the difference between wants and needs

It seems like such a simple concept, yet it's one many adults struggle with, says Danny Kofke, author of "A Bright Financial Future: Teaching Kids About Money Pre-K Through College for Life-Long Success!" Knowing how to discern the gotta-haves from would-be-nices will go a long way toward helping your child avoid debt.

"Talk to your kids about the basics that you absolutely must have, such as food, shelter and clothing. Then explain the trade-offs people have to make for things above and beyond the basics," Kofke recommends.

"For example, one of my kids once asked me why we didn't have a bigger house and whether we could move to one. I explained that yes, we could maybe get a larger house. But then Mom wouldn't be able to stay home because she'd need to get a job. I was a teacher at the time, and I added that I would probably need to leave my teaching job and find one that pays more."

Once you explain all the things you'd have to give up in order to acquire more, your children may start to feel that some formerly tantalizing wants aren't so appealing after all.



2. Getting comfortable with cash

Learning the different values of currency is important — for example, that a quarter equals two dimes and a nickel, and bills are more valuable than coins, says Melanie Hasty-Grant, a financial adviser, family therapist and co-founder of Waterstone Private Wealth Management who runs a financial summer camp for children. But when it comes to figuring out what money is worth, there's no substitute for actually using it.

By the time your child is in the early years of grade school, she's old enough to go up to a counter and hand over money for something she wants, says Kofke. Before leaving home, you can help her count out the cash required. This helps her conceptualize the impact of spending and consider whether she really wants to part with all that change and dollars.

And when you're out shopping with your child, try to use cash to pay for things rather than credit, Kofke recommends. "We always did that with our kids, just so they would better see what things cost, and so that they could witness the process more easily. Your kids will see that you have earned the money, and now you are exchanging it for a certain item or items because you have decided you want tor need them, and that they are worth it."

RELATED: 5 Fun Money Apps to Boost Your Kids' Financial Smarts



3. Spotting and resisting an upsell

Companies and stores are always coming up with sneaky ways to get us to part with a little extra money — or sometimes a lot of it. The sooner your child is wise to these come-ons, the faster he'll become a responsible consumer.

Hasty-Grant recommends introducing the idea of the upsell with a simple exercise. At the market, compare no-frills products with tricked-out ones — say, a store-brand cereal in a plain box versus a major brand cereal in a colorful box. Bring up how much more expensive the latter is, and how what's inside the boxes isn't really so different, but the costlier one has fancier packaging and features a well-known brand.

You can do this at the toy store as well, Hasty-Grant adds: "Just because a bubble-blowing set has a picture of a Star Wars character on it, will it be any more fun to play with or work better? Explain that you are paying more because of the decoration on the label."

Have a conversation about the commercials that run on your child's favorite TV channels too. "While watching a show together, point out that this is part of how we kind of get lured into buying certain things — we see them over and over on television, so we think they must be good," Hasty-Grant says.

RELATED: Money Skills: 3 Key Things Kids Under 5 Should Be Able to DO



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This abandoned amusement park from the 1900s looks straight out of a horror film

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America's Oldest Fun House

Bushkill Park is down, but it may not be out.

The eastern Pennsylvania theme park operated from 1902 until a series of floods hit the area, damaging the park beyond reasonable repair.

It's been closed since 2007, but owner Neal Fehnel still hopes to open it back up some day. The park's website currently reads, "The owners of Bushkill Park are working hard to repair the damage that has been done by the floods and other means."

Photographer Seph Lawless got a peek inside the park, which has laid dormant since its closing nearly a decade ago.

Here's what he saw.

 

SEE ALSO: Inside the 'most toxic city in America' where the earth is poisoned by lead and zinc

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Welcome to Bushkill Park, a relatively small amusement park located near Easton, Pennsylvania.



In its heyday, it was popular with young visitors looking for vintage attractions.



By the second half of the century, the park started struggling, and after the 1980s, the park was already way past its prime.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 things you can learn about money in 10 minutes that will change your life

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Australia happy

On Inc., Ilya Pozin wrote about 10 things anyone can learn in 10 minutes to make them more productive for the rest of their life.

More productive is one thing — but how about richer?

Only 10 minutes won't teach you everything there is to learn about managing your money and building wealth, but setting aside some time to learn one of these 10 things can only improve your financial know-how.

SEE ALSO: 9 signs you'll never be rich

How to calculate your net worth

Your net worth is the financial value of everything you own — it's something we should all know, yet tend to overlook.

As Business Insider's Sarah Schmalbruch writes,

A negative net worth — when you've spent more than you've earned — can be the wake up call you need to make some serious financial adjustments. A positive net worth, on the other hand — when you've earned more than you've spent — can be a confirmation that you're doing well, and can help you plot out how much longer you need to reach your next financial goals.

How exactly do you determine your net worth?

Certified financial planner Sophia Bera provides a simple equation in her book, "What You Should Have Learned About Money, But Never Did":

Your net worth = what you have — what you owe

Here's the exact method she uses:

I have a spreadsheet that I pull up, I log into my accounts online, and I enter the balance of each of my retirement accounts, savings, investments, and so on. Then I enter any debts and subtract this number from my assets to determine my net worth.

If you own a home you can pull the approximate value of your house on Zillow.com, and then subtract your mortgage balance to determine how much home equity you have.

How often should you revisit your net worth? Twice a year, Bera suggests.



How to figure out where all of your money is going

Most of us know how much cash is flowing into our bank accounts each month — but just how much is flowing out? Do you know how much you spend eating out, on monthly subscriptions, or on coffee? Chances are it's more than you think.

If you redirect smaller, everyday expenses towards a retirement account, it can accumulate and grow into thousands of dollars over time, thanks to the power of compound interest.

Where can you cut back? First, you'll need to figure out where all of your money is going. There are plenty of apps out there that will automatically track and categorize your expenses for you, such as Mint, You Need a BudgetPersonal Capital, and LearnVest.

If apps aren't for you, try keeping a spreadsheet on your computer or writing down your daily purchases in a notebook.



How to change your mindset about money

Contrary to popular belief, finishing rich isn't necessarily dependent on the size of your paycheck— and it has more to do with psychology and mindset than you may think.

This should strike you as good news, since anyone can change their thoughts, beliefs, and habits to reflect those of the rich.

Start by thinking of money as something to invest, rather than something to save or spend. As self-made millionaire Grant Cardone writes on Entrepreneur:

The only reason to save money is to invest it. Put your saved money into secured, sacred (untouchable) accounts. Never use these accounts for anything, not even an emergency. This will force you to continue to follow step one (increase income). To this day, at least twice a year, I am broke because I always invest my surpluses into ventures I cannot access.

Next, start making choices like the rich and developing "rich habits." As self-made millionaire T. Harv Eker says"The fastest and easiest way to create wealth is to learn exactly how rich people, who are masters of money, play the game."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This $28,000 e-bike can do over 40 MPH and is built to military-grade standards

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trefecta bike

Trifecta, a blooming player in the growing field of electric bicycles, has recently started production and delivery of its super-impressive e-bikes.

The bikes are quick, capable, durable, and high-tech. But they're also very expensive.

Trifecta e-bikes start about $27,900 before taxes, and can be optioned up to cost almost double that. 

Are they worth it?

Take a look for yourself. 

Trifecta currently has four different models available for pre-order. All are handmade and use an "injection molded aerospace grade aluminum frame."

Though all of the bikes that are currently available are marketed toward consumers, Haiko Visser, Trifect's Chairman of the Board explained to Tech Insider that Trifecta's bikes were originally developed with military and law enforcement use in mind. 

Trifecta wanted to make sure that its bikes would be able to carry 300lbs soldiers, travel over rough terrain, and make sure it could be thrown around when being transported from operation to operation. 

Trifecta believes that military and police are the most demanding of customers, so it figured if it can build a product that satisfies their harsh needs, the bikes will satisfy everyone.

Visser also told Tech Insider that Trifecta is working on a cheaper, entry-level bike which will be a "considerable" amount cheaper than its current models. 



Each Trifecta bike has the ability to travel 62 miles on one charge, except for the off-road version which can do 34 miles.



Though the off-road bike has the most limited range, it's also the fastest with a top speed of 43 MPH.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

6 things that make changing a tire much, much easier

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flat tire

Flat tires are no fun. And with advancements in tire technology, they happen less frequently than they once did. In fact, some tires don't even need to be changed if they blowout — they can "run flat" for a short period of time.

Still, flats and blowouts do occur, and most motorists dread the next step: changing the tire. A lot of people will actually sit in their car, with the flat unattended to, call a roadside-assistance service, and wait for a pro to do the dirty work.

Which is fine, but there are several things you can do to make changing a tire much easier and less intimidating. Obviously, you need to be acquainted with the process of jacking up the car, loosening the lug nuts, and removing the tire and wheel. But if you know how to do all that and are still reluctant to make the change, here are some tips.

1. Know your jack.

On most cars, the jack has to be assembled before it can be used to raise the car enough to remove the flat tire and replace it with the "donut" or temporary spare — a small tire that is designed to get you to a service station for a proper tire repair or replacement.

You don't want to wait until you have a flat to figure out the jack. It only takes about five minutes to put one together, so spend some prep time one it one afternoon. You'll be glad you did if you have a blowout on a dark, rainy night.



2. Make sure the temporary spare is in good shape.

The "donut" needs to be checked out every so often. You don't want it to be flat, too — kind of defeats the purpose of having a backup. 

The best way to do this is to make it a routine when you check your tire pressure. On modern cars, you'll know you have tire-pressure issues because the car will alert you, via a warning light. So when you investigate that problem, take a few extra minutes to check out your temporary spare.

You don't even have to do it yourself — you can have it done at almost any gas station and even some car washes.

The same applies if you have a full-size spare tire.



3. Prevent the flat in the first place.

Speaking of checking your tire pressure, if you do it once a month or so, you'll always know if your tires are in decent shape, not under- or over-inflated.

It's also a good practice to monitor wear and tear on your tires. Have a look at the condition of the tread. If it looks bad or uneven, you might need to replace a tire or tires. But you also might need to rotate or realign your tires, to even our the wear.

And be aware of how old your tires are. No tire lasts forever, and once that at the end of its life it's far more likely to fail.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 ways to slowly destroy your career

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upset defeatedThere are big mistakes that can instantly ruin your reputation at work or even get you fired. But more commonly, it's the gradual accumulation of smaller offenses that keeps employees from getting ahead in their careers.

Bad habits, such as giving curt responses to emails or keeping to yourself all day, could be hurting your reputation — whether you realize it or not.

Here are 15 bad behaviors that will slowly erode your credibility and cost you in the end:

SEE ALSO: 35 things you can do to keep your best employees from quitting

1. You don't adapt to the company culture

Every workplace operates under its own set of social customs. Not making an effort to assimilate into this culture can make you seem disapproving or judgmental. This holier-than-thou attitude is alienating to coworkers and makes it seem like you don't care about forming positive relationships in the office.



2. You make excuses

Not taking responsibility for your mistakes and failures will catch up with you. Waiting until the day a project is due to explain why you're behind, for example, tells your boss that you can't manage your time well.



3. You do the bare minimum

Even if you always meet deadlines and consistently turn in quality work, doing only the bare minimum makes you seem complacent. On the other hand, looking for opportunities instead of waiting for them to fall into your lap shows your boss that you're driven and care about your future at the company.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 TED Talks that will help you strengthen your relationships

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couple eye hug

Relationships are never easy. By definition they entail connections between people, and people, as we all know, are eternally complicated creatures.

Relationships also come in all sizes and colors — there are romantic relationships, work relationships, and friendships, just to name a few. 

Regardless of what kind of relationship you want to strengthen, each is fundamentally similar to the next in a number of ways.

In all healthy relationships, we are able to listen well, empathize, connect, resolve conflict, and respect others.

The following TED Talks are a great refresher course in doing all that. 

Andrew Solomon's 'Love, no matter what'

Through interviewing parents of exceptional children for several years, the author of "Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity" says he has come to understand that everyone is different in some fundamental way, and this core human condition of being different is, ironically, what unites us all.

Solomon explains that all people who love each other struggle to accept each other and grapple with the question, "What's the line between unconditional love and unconditional acceptance?"

Using a number of poignant anecdotes, he helps unpack this question.

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Yann Dall'Aglio's 'Love — you're doing it wrong'

Dall'Aglio, a French philosopher and author of "A Rolex at 50: Do you have the right to miss your life?" and "I love you: Is love a has been?," says love is the desire of being desired. But in a world that often favors the self over others, how can people find the tenderness and connection they crave?

It may be easier than you think: "For a couple who is no longer sustained, supportedby the constraints of tradition, I believe that self-mockeryis one of the best means for the relationship to endure," he says.

In this surprisingly convincing talk, Dall'Aglio explains how acknowledging our uselessness could be the key to sustaining healthy relationships.

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Jenna McCarthy's 'What you don't know about marriage'

Fiction and non-fiction author McCarthy writes about relationships, marriage, and parenting in books including "If It Was Easy, They'd Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon," and in her TED Talk, shares some surprising research on how marriages really work.

One study might even entice husbands to do more housework.

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what it was like trying to photograph the cast during the biggest episode in 'Game of Thrones' season 5

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Night King white walker hardhome Game of Thrones HBOWarning: Spoiler ahead for "Game of Thrones" season five.

"Game of Thrones" is known for its epic fight scenes and stunning visual effects, both of which came together to create the unforgettable massacre of Hardhome in season five. Tech Insider recently spoke with Helen Sloan, the lead set photographer for the series, and learned more about what it was like to film the show's biggest sequence to date.

Scroll down to learn more about Sloan's experience.

Hardhome is the place where Jon Snow and Tormund go in season five, episode eight, in order to convince the wildlings to come south of the wall.



In real life, the set was in Northern Ireland. Helen Sloan was on hand to document the filming for the episode, and recalls it was one of the toughest sequences she's ever shot.



Here's one of her behind-the-scenes shots of a wight extra fitted with a greenscreen prosthetic.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: These are the best 13-inch laptops you can buy

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lg gram

If you're looking for a 13-inch laptop with the right balance of performance, portability, and looks, your search is over.

The laptops in this list run on Intel's powerful Core-i processors. You can find cheaper laptops, but they run on less powerful Core-M processors that are designed for mobile devices like tablets.

For Windows 10 laptops, we suggest you buy them from the Microsoft Store, so you can avoid annoying trial software and the manufacturer's own software that bloats the computer's storage and hampers its performance.

Check out the best laptops you can buy today.

10. The MacBook Air is ultra-slim, but it's on the pricey side relative to its specs.

The MacBook Air is very slim, which we like. However, it's relatively pricey for its specs, and its design could do with an overhaul, too.

Specs:

- 1440 x 900 screen

- 5th gen Intel Core i5 1.6GHz processor

- 8GB of RAM

- 128 GB of fast flash storage

Defining features:

- Slim design

- MagSafe magnetic power connector

Cons:

- Low resolution screen

- Design is slightly outdated

- Relatively expensive

- Runs on last year's processor generation

- Base mondel can be underpowered for some

Starting price:$1,000



9. The Surface Book is the purest Microsoft experience, but it's expensive.

The Microsoft Surface Book is a formidable machine that turns into a tablet with its removable keyboard. Its tall screen is also great for scrolling through web pages and work documents. Yet, it's high price tag put the Surface Book towards the bottom of the list.

Specs:

- 3000 x 2000 resolution screen

- 6th gen Intel Core i5 6300U 2.4GHz

- 8GB of RAM

- 128 GB os fast SSD storage

Defining features:

- Pure Microsoft experience

- Removable from keyboard

- Touchscreen

- Includes stylus

- Tall 3:2 aspect ratio screen is great for web browsing and work

Cons:

- Very expensive for the specs

Starting price: $1,500



8. The Dell XPS 13 is a solid laptop that looks great, but it might be underpowered for some.

The Dell XPS 13 is a beautiful laptop and works well despite its relatively pedestrian specs. Just be wary that because of it's entry-level specs, you might be looking for a new laptop sooner than you'd like.

Specs:

- Full-HD 1080p screen

- 6th gen Intel Core i3-6100U 2.3GHz processor

- 4GB of RAM

- 128 GB of fast SSD storage

Defining features:

- Narrow borders around a nice-looking screen

Cons:

- Core i3 and 4GB RAM are relatively light specs, especially for the $800 base price

Starting price:$800

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 items you should always buy from Costco

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Costco Food 1

Costco is a gold mine for bargains. But some deals are better than others.

There are great bargains at Costco — even Morgan Stanley analysts say the retailer offers some of the best deals in the industry. However, to cash in on the deals, you need to know a few secrets.

Here are items that Costco members shouldn’t even think about purchasing outside of the discount chain.

And, if you’re considering becoming a member, these are the discount items that make shopping at Costco worth the cost of membership.

SEE ALSO: 16 shopping secrets to save time and money at Costco

Bacon

Consumer Reports claims Costco's house brand, Kirkland bacon, actually tastes betterthan any name-brand bacon testers reviewed. It’s also much more inexpensive, costing between $10 and $16 for a 4-pound pack — about $1.50 less a pound than the leading name-brand bacon options.



Maple syrup

The Krazy Coupon Lady — experts on Costco deals— reports Costco’s pure maple syrup costs half of what you would pay at Amazon. House brand Kirkland’s maple syrup costs just $0.32 an ounce, compared to $0.67 at Trader Joe’s or nearly $0.56 for Walmart’s non-organic option.



Condiments

A number of experts, including My Frugal Adventures and Consumer Reports, say Costco is the best place to stock up on such things as extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil.

"In blind taste tests, we found the Kirkland Signature Real Mayonnaise to be just as good as Hellmann’s, for about 60 percent of the cost," writes Consumer Reports.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 highest-grossing animated movies — No. 1 is not what you think

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thumb shrek DreamWorks

Feature-length animated films have evolved not only in technology and execution, but in popularity.

For the last two decades, we've seen an explosion of animated blockbusters that take top slots at the year's box office, from "Toy Story 3" to "Frozen." One big example of that is an all-time great that's celebrating its birthday.

DreamWorks' "Shrek," which turns 15 this week, proved that animated movies didn't have to play by the Disney rules of catering to just kids to be a box-office hit.

Mike Myers voiced the grumpy ogre, Shrek, who has to rescue a princess (Cameron Diaz) to get his swamp back. Costarring Eddie Murphy as his annoying sidekick donkey — named Donkey — the movie became a worldwide hit and led to a cash cow of a franchise, as you're about to see.

With "Shrek" celebrating its 15th anniversary, here we look back on the 10 highest-grossing animated movies in the US since 1980 and how the franchise headlined by a green ogre has done in that time span.

Note: Box-office figures in the titles are adjusted for inflation, while original box-office numbers are below. Figures provided by Box Office Mojo.

SEE ALSO: 41 movies you have to see this summer

No. 10. "Shrek the Third" (2007) $408 million — adjusted gross

Unadjusted: $322.7 million

Grumpy Shrek is heir to the kingdom, but he's not happy about it. He sets a plan in hopes that his nephew Artie (Justin Timberlake) will be the new king.



No. 9. "Shrek" (2001) $411.4 million

Unadjusted: $267.6 million

In the movie that kicked it all off, Mike Myers provides a Scottish accent and a lot of sarcasm to bring to life one of the most memorable animated characters. The cherry on top is Eddie Murphy, who's perfect in the role of voicing Shrek's sidekick, Donkey.



No. 8. "Toy Story 2" (1999) $416.1 million

Unadjusted: $246 million

After Woody (Tom Hanks) is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the gang have to come up with a way to save him before he's shipped off to Japan.



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You'd have lost nearly 20% of your money if you bought these 21 hot tech IPOs of 2014 and 2015

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stock market traders

After the manic IPO market in 2014 and the drop-off in 2015, the tech market has been all but dead in 2016. Not a single tech CEO took their company public in the first quarter of 2016.

But that's expected to change later this week, when Dell will spin off its security unit, SecureWorks. Even with that, though, pickings have been slim.

So we thought that it was a good time to look back and see if the frenzy of the past couple of years has been worth it to investors.

We examined the opening stock prices of the 10 hottest tech IPOs of 2014 along with some of the most hyped crop of 2015, and then looked at what they trade for today: mid-day on April 19. Note: this is the opening retail price, not the offer price sold to institutional investors before opening day.

While a handful of companies are trading above their IPO opening-share price, most are not. Overall, this portfolio is down nearly 19%.

SEE ALSO: The rise of Peter Thiel, the iconic Silicon Valley VC who wants to cheat death

OnDeck Capital: -70% since IPO

IPO Date: December 2014
Funding from IPO: $200 million
Offering Price: $20
Opening Share Price: $26.63
Current Price: $8

OnDeck helps small businesses find loans through alternative sources, like bank warehouse lines and by selling loans to the second market.



Coupons.com (aka Quotient Technology): -67% since IPO

IPO Date: March 2014
Funding from IPO: $168 million
Offering Price: $16
Opening Share Price: $32.43
Current Price: $10.78

A way to obtain coupons online and with mobile devices, Coupons.com was founded in 1998 and took no investment until 2011. It changed its name in October.



Lending Club: -66% since IPO

IPO Date: December 2014
Funding from IPO: $870 million
Offering Price: $15
Opening Share Price: $23.43
Current Price: $8.04

Lending Club, the peer-to-peer lending marketplace, hauled in three-quarters of a billion dollars in its successful IPO. But that kind of enthusiasm for the stock didn't continue.



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The 15 best places to live in the US if you want to save money

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austin texas

Some cities offer higher-paying jobs, but if the cost of living is also higher, a big paycheck still might not go that far.

The best combination for your budget would be a city with plenty of high-wage employment opportunities and a low cost of living so you can have enough money after expenses to save for the future.

GOBankingRates' study breaks down essential cost-of-living factors to show you the best places to live if you want to save money — and which cities make it almost impossible to save.

The study looked at factors that affect people’s finances the most: median income, median home listing price, median rent, unemployment rate, average gas price and average cost of a basket of 15 common grocery items.

Most of the best places to save money on this list are in the South and Midwest. Cheaper housing costs in these places play a big role in why they rise to the top of the list, said Kristen Bonner, the GOBankingRates research lead for this study. "Gas prices are also relatively cheaper in the South and Midwest compared to the states on the West and East coasts," she said.

If you want to improve your finances, scroll down to check out the cost of living in the top 15 cities that are the best for saving money. You might find that you need to reevaluate your living situation along with your budget.

SEE ALSO: What the median rent in New York City buys you in 25 big US cities

15. Garland, Texas

Population: 235,501
Median income: $51,997
Unemployment rate: 3.7%
Median home listing price: $160,000
Median monthly rent: $1,350
Average gas price: $1.678
Average cost of groceries: $36.77
Sales tax: 8.25%

This suburb of Dallas is more affordable than its much larger neighbor, which is in the No. 49 spot in this ranking. Although the median income in Garland is slightly below the national median income of $53,482, housing costs are relatively low. Plus, Texas is one of seven states that doesn’t have an income tax, so residents can keep more of their paycheck and stash it in a savings account.



14. Colorado Springs, Colo.

Population: 445,830
Median income: $54,228
Unemployment rate: 4%
Median home listing price: $269,900
Median monthly rent: $1,325
Average gas price: $1.704
Average cost of groceries: $29.41
Sales tax: 7.63%

Colorado Springs ranks as one of the best places for lovers of the outdoors, but it’s also a great place for savers. Just 60 miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs offers a more affordable alternative to Colorado’s capital, which is 69th on GOBankingRates' list of the best places for saving money. The median home list price and median rent in Denver are more than 35 percent higher than in Colorado Springs. That means residents of Colorado Springs have more room in their budgets to save.



13. Oklahoma City, Okla. 

Population: 620,602
Median income: $47,004
Unemployment rate: 3.3%
Median home listing price: $195,000
Median monthly rent: $1,195
Average gas price: $1.687
Average cost of groceries: $33.99
Sales tax: 8.38%

Even though Oklahoma City is the largest city in Oklahoma — and the capital — it doesn’t have a big-city price tag. Relatively low housing, gas and grocery costs leave residents more room in their budgets to save.



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Princes William and Harry lived out every fan's dream and visited the 'Star Wars' set

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Prince William and his brother Prince Harry went on a trip that would make any "Star Wars" fan jealous.

The two recently visited Pinewood Studios, the production set of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and the next film in the new trilogy. Their trip included meetings with English actors John Boyega (Finn) and Daisy Ridley (Rey), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), BB-8, and even Chewbacca himself.

Kensington Palace shared a few photos on their official Instagram page and even more on their Twitter account. Keep reading to see more of their trip to a galaxy far, far away.

The "Star Wars" crew assembled at Pinewood Studios with Prince Harry and Prince William.



Princes William and Harry look on at a model of C-3PO.



Prince William is as mesmerized by BB-8 as everyone else.



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9 phrases that make you sound less experienced than you are

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april parks and rec

When I started my first job, I was the youngest person in my organization. No, really.

Although I could legally drink (barely), every single one of my 300-or-so co-workers was older and more experienced than I was.

I felt like the low woman on the totem pole — and worse, I probably acted like it. (Exhibit A: My email signature was hot pink and in Lucida Calligraphy font.)

But looking back, I shouldn’t have let it affect me so much. Here’s what I know now: It doesn’t matter how much experience (or gray hair) you have compared to everyone else. You were hired to do a job and to work together with the people around you. So, the more you can position yourself as an equal, the more you’ll be treated like one.

While you shouldn’t go to the other end of the spectrum and act like you’re more important than the rest of your team, you should never feel afraid to present yourself confidently as a peer. (Oh, and this is true whether you’re in your first job or joining the ranks of upper management.)

How do you do that? Here are a few commonly used words and phrases you want to avoid, since they instantly make you sound more inexperienced — plus what to say instead to ensure you come across as the capable, competent professional you are.

SEE ALSO: A Northwestern professor explains how to develop in your career without your manager's help

DON'T MISS: The 27 jobs that are most damaging to your health

1. 'I don’t know'

You certainly don’t need to have all the answers all the time. None of us do. But answering your co-workers’ questions with "I don’t know" (and a blank stare) can make you look like you’re not up to the job.

Muse writer Sara McCord offers some great alternatives in this article, such as offering up what you do know ("Well, I can tell you that the report went to the printer on Friday") or responding, "That's exactly the question I'm looking to answer." Or, if you know you can get the information from someone else, try "Let's loop Devante in to confirm."

 



2. 'I have to ask my boss'

It doesn’t matter what level you’re at in your career — there are certain things you’re going to have to run by your boss. (Even CEOs have to ask the board for approval on important matters.) But that doesn’t mean you have to end every conversation letting others know that you’re not the one who can make the final decision.

Instead, try "This all sounds great — let me just run our conversation by a couple people on the team before moving ahead." You'll sound like a thoughtful collaborator, rather than the lowly subordinate.



3. 'Is that OK?'

When you do have to run something by your boss? Skip this line, which sounds like you have no idea if your recommendation is a good one or not, and use something like "Let me know by Friday whether I should proceed."

 



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BMW has a new, incredibly luxurious special edition of its flagship sedan

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bmw m760l

In case the normal BMW M760i wasn't special enough, BMW now has an even more special special edition that will be coming to America. It's calling the car the "BMW Individual M760i xDrive Model V12 Excellence THE NEXT 100 YEARS."

Yes, the name is actually that long. 

Between all the other markets BMW is selling these "THE NEXT 100 YEARS" cars in, there will be just 100 vehicles built in total. America will be getting only five of those 100 cars.

Not only will this new special edition be super rare, but it's also still fast and mindblowingly luxurious.

Check it out.

 

In other countries, two plug-in hybrid models are also available with the "THE NEXT 100 YEARS" moniker.



The "THE NEXT 100 YEARS" M760i xDrive is powered by a twin-turbocharged V12 engine which puts out 610 horsepower. It can do zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.6 seconds.



Except for a couple extra special edition badges and some other minor tweaks, the interior is pretty much the same as the not "THE NEXT 100 YEARS" model.

The model comes with four-zone air conditioning and BMW's executive lounge package, which makes the rear seats even more comfortable than they already are.

It also includes BMW's Ambient Air package, which helps the car smell fresh; ventilated seats; and a ton of other features like the ones you can find on pre-existing 7 Series'. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Lexus IS is evolving — but it's still trying to find an identity

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2016 Lexus IS200t   7s

Now in its third generation, the Lexus IS is still kind of an outsider among its peers.

The first generation of this entry level luxury sedan was an important step forward for Lexus. Toyota's luxury division finally had something sporty to offer buyers who tend to shop for the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, and BMW 3 Series.

The Bavarian Big Three have held a tight grip on the segment for the better part of two decades.

The proof is on the scoreboard. BMW sold nearly 95,000 new 3 Series cars in 2015 and Mercedes tallied more than 86,000 C-Class models. American challenger, Cadillac punched in with over 63,000 of its ATS cars sold.

Lexus booked about 46,300 of the Lexus IS in 2015. Only Audi did worse with just 29,013 A4s sold — mostly because the newly redesigned 2017 model was about to land stateside.

With the 2016 Lexus IS 200t, the company gives us a smartly engineered sedan with updated drivetrain options that make it a more serious competitor among its rivals, but the IS hasn't quite found its own identity yet. It's not quite sporty, and it's not all that luxurious, either.

Lexus is expected to debut a refreshed IS at the Beijing Auto Show later this month, but we took the current 2016 IS 200t for a spin to see how it measures up.

SEE ALSO: Lexus has a new BMW 3-Series fighter on the way

The current generation's sheet metal was first introduced in 2013. The L-finesse design language definitely got people talking, for better or worse.

Lots of sharp angles and character lines give the car an angry scowl. It's even more pronounced with the F Sport upgrade that's featured on this model, which adds the more aggressive front bumper and spindle-shaped front grille. 



The LED daytime running lamps that underline the headlights resemble darts aiming for that slight kink in the spindle grille

These design elements have migrated throughout the Lexus lineup, including the GS sedan, and the NX and RX crossovers.



It's clear that Lexus designers had a lot to say here

The IS 200t's rear-quarter is significantly toned down compared to everything up front, but the bold lines continue from the bottom corner of the taillights, plunging dramatically down to the lower side sills.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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