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Here are all the movies DreamWorks Animation has coming out in the next 3 years

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how to train your dragon 2

On Thursday, Comcast announced that it's acquiring DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, bringing the home of beloved titles like "Shrek" and "Kung-Fu Panda" to NBCUniversal.

Though Comcast was attracted to the animation studio built by CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg because of its track record that includes over $13 billion in grosses worldwide over its lifespan, the company is also betting on DreamWorks' future.

Here are the six titles (and a few classics in development) DreamWorks Animation has scheduled for release through 2018, including a sequel to "The Croods" and a third film in the "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise.

SEE ALSO: The 10 highest-grossing animated movies of the modern era

"Trolls" (November 4)

Based on the popular Troll dolls, the animated comedy stars Anna Kendrick, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Timberlake, and Russell Brand as just a few of its voices, and follows the trolls as their fun-loving ways are interrupted by a giant.



"Boss Baby" (March 10, 2017)

Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin are among the voices in this adaptation of the children's picture book, about a suit-wearing baby who teams with his seven-year-old brother to stop the evil plan of the CEO of Puppy Co.

 



"Captain Underpants" (June 2, 2017)

Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Jordan Peele, and Thomas Middleditch star in this adaptation of the popular children's novel series about two kids who hypnotize their principal and turn him into a comic-book creation, Captain Underpants. 



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6 awesome 'Frozen' Easter eggs you probably missed in 'Zootopia'

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judy nick zootopia

"Zootopia" has been one of the biggest surprise box-office smashes of the year, setting records for Disney in the US and abroad.

It has also been called the "most Easter egg-packed movie ever made by Disney." It seems even the studio's animators can't get enough of "Frozen."

At least half a dozen references throw a wink to the Winter Wonderland universe that Anna and Elsa call home.

In case you missed them, here are all the "Frozen" Easter eggs in "Zootopia."

Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

 

Tundra Town, an area of Zootopia where the colder weather creatures live, looks an awful lot like the kingdom in Disney's "Frozen."



Upon closer inspection, you'll find two little elephants dressed in Elsa and Anna costumes. How cute!

Source: Disney



Anna also makes a cameo of sorts. The actress who voiced her, Kristen Bell, lends her talent again as Priscilla the sloth.

Source: Disney



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Here's what it's really like to work for the FBI

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1983 Arrest photo

Gary Noesner wanted to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation since he was just 12 years old.

That dream came true in 1972, a few days after he turned 22.

For the next three decades, Noesner was heavily involved in numerous hostage, barricade, and suicide incidents; more than 120 overseas kidnapping cases involving American citizens; and prison riots, right-wing militia standoffs, religious zealot sieges, terrorist embassy takeovers, and airplane hijackings.

He retired from the FBI in 2003 as the chief of the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit and has since been hired as a senior vice president at Control Risks, an international risk consultancy, and authored "Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator."

We recently spoke to Noesner, 65, who told us what it was really like to work for the FBI. He says it's important to note that every employee's experience is completely different, but he was open to sharing his own with Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: What it's REALLY like to work at Whole Foods

The hiring process

Noesner, who majored in sociology, minored in history, and graduated with a teaching certificate from a small school in Florida, always dreamed of working for the FBI – so he decided to go for it after college.

The first step involved completing a formal application. Next, the FBI did a background investigation, and then he had to pass a physical fitness test. "There was also a knowledge test, and then an interview," Noesner explains.

"It's probably true of all government agencies — and the FBI is no different — but I do remember the hiring process being painfully slow because an investigation had to be conducted. They go around and interview your family and friends and your neighbors to try to get a pretty clear picture of the person you are and make sure you don't have any alcohol or drug abuse problems, criminal behavior problems, or mental health problems.

"Sometimes the FBI actually loses very viable candidates because they decide to move on because they're tired of waiting to hear if they're going to get this job."

Noesner landed a job with the FBI in 1972. He first worked as a support employee, then a special agent, and finally as a hostage negotiator.



The best part of the job

"The best part about working for the FBI was being involved in the hostage negotiation program," he says.

"I like the idea of using communication skills to diffuse dangerous situations. In 1980 I finally had seniority as an agent to secure a slot in the training school. It fit my personality, and I did well in that capacity. After doing it part-time for 10 years while I was also working terrorism investigations of overseas hijackings, I was asked in 1990 to become a full-time hostage negotiator.

"We conducted operations — so if there were a hijacking or right-wing standoff, we would physically go and be in charge of all the negotiations. We also did research on the effects of sleep deprivation, behavior, and mental illness."

Noesner says the job also offered him to opportunity to travel around the world teaching negotiations to other law enforcement agencies.

"I would have to say that experience of being a negotiator and traveling not only throughout the US but to 50 or 60 countries teaching negotiations, obviously that was the most memorable and rewarding part of my career, and I had an opportunity to be in an influential position as this field emerged."



The worst part of the job

"Worst part of the job was that I was gone a lot — I traveled 25% to 30% of the time — so my family kind of went on without me," he explains. "I was a good father, I think. I tried to coach my kids' sports team and all that, but the reality was, I missed a lot of stuff."

And he would sometimes have to work on weekends, he says. "Bank robbers have this interesting thing where they tend to rob banks on a Friday afternoon. When I was an agent, I'd be looking ahead to a nice weekend and then all of sudden at 4 o'clock somebody robs a bank and that's it — I can't go home for dinner with my family or that concert with my wife. That happened all the time. My wife didn't mind when I said, 'I'm leaving Monday and I'm going to be in Germany for two weeks.' No problem. But when I'd call and say, 'I'm sorry I can't pick up the kids tonight,' she wasn't happy."

Noesner points out that the FBI has this "wonderful saying" that family comes first, "but it's just not true. It's totally bogus."

He says none of his three kids ever had a desire to work for the FBI, "probably because they saw the toll it takes on family life.

"I think they're all very proud of me, but none of them chose that path — and I fully support their decisions to go in other directions."



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19 incredible under-the-radar beaches where you can escape the crowds

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colombier beach

While beach getaways can be extremely relaxing, they can also be frustrating when you're dealing with hordes of tourists. 

To help you get your beach fix without having to fight the crowds, we've put together a list of 19 under-the-radar beaches where you can expect few people and a tranquil ambiance. 

Most of these beaches are hidden or difficult to access, which is why they don't draw in large numbers, despite their incredible settings. 

From Hawaii and the Caribbean to Europe and Asia, here are 19 incredible beaches where you can beat the crowds. 

 

 

SEE ALSO: 20 travel hacks that will save you money on your next trip

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Named after Sugarloaf Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Pain de Sucre is often considered one of the best hidden gems in Terre-de-Haut, an island in Guadeloupe. Though the beach takes a 15-minute rocky walk to arrive to, it offers prime snorkeling. Explore its clear waters to see everything from trumpetfish to stunning colorful coral.



Praia do Beliche sits nestled between massive cliffs near the town of Sagres, in Portugal. The golden-sand beach attracts surfers who come here for its challenging swells, as well as sunbathers looking for a tranquil place to kick back and enjoy crystal-clear waters. The area also has some caves that provide shelter from the sun when you’d like to cool off.



The tiny village of Cabo Polonio sits on the eastern coast of Uruguay. Filled with multi-colored houses, the village also includes a beach that visitors are transported to either by 4-wheel-drive trucks or by horse. The long beach is popular with windsurfers, with a sheltered crescent area of the beach allowing opportunities for swimming.

 

 



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18 stunning pieces of 'Game of Thrones' fan art

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Game of Thrones fan art Ertacaltinoz DeviantArt

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones."

George R.R. Martin's epic written saga "A Song of Ice and Fire" was adapted into HBO's hit television series "Game of Thrones." Though many hail the series' producers for successfully bringing the books to life, others have their own artistic interpretations of what the characters and locations may have looked like. 

We scoured online artist havens like DeviantArt and Instagram for the best sampling of "Game of Thrones" fan art. Scroll down to see the variations of inspired works.

Perhaps the best-known fan artist is Robert Ball. He was commissioned by HBO to draw a graphic representing one death from each episode. Here's his take on Ygritte:

Instagram Embed:
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Others take a less abstract approach. Aaron Griffin is a UK based digital artist who specializes in realism. This mind-blowing recreation of Sansa Stark looks exactly like a photograph.

Source: DeviantArt



Aljona Koshkar is a colored-pencil artist who uploads her creations to Instagram. This drawing of Melisandre is impressive.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/7fE_nBuJOf/embed/
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13 of the happiest companies in America

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Money's not the only thing that matters when looking for a job. If you're going to spend eight or more hours per day at work, it should be doing something fulfilling and enjoyable. 

As part of Business Insider's recently released ranking of the 50 best companies to work for in America, compiled in partnership with PayScale, we found dream-job companies where a premium is placed on employee satisfaction. 

PayScale measured the percentage of employees at a given company who report high job satisfaction based on the number of respondents who who answered "extremely satisfied" or "fairly satisfied" to the question, "How satisfied are you in your job?" on their employee survey. We ranked the top-13, giving the tie-breaker to the companies that performed better on the overall list of best employers. 

Facebook, known for its plentiful perks and inclusive company culture, has the highest number of happy employees, with 97% reporting high job satisfaction. Software company Salesforce.com came in second, with 90% of employees, and utilities company Southern Co. rounded out third place with 88% of employees. 

Read on to check out the best companies to work for if you want to be happy at work.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best companies to work for in America

DON'T MISS: The 50 most powerful companies in America

13. 3M

Headquarters:Maplewood, Minnesota

Experienced median pay: $85,100

High job satisfaction: 80% of employees

Nearly 90,000 employees are dedicated to this industrial conglomerate's five diverse business groups: consumer, electronics and energy, healthcare, industrial, and safety and graphics. The company also offers a bevy of benefits, including on-site fitness centers, stress-management coaching, and an on-site pharmacy and medical center.



12. American Express

Headquarters: New York, New York

Experienced median pay:$98,800

High job satisfaction: 80% of employees

Credit-card and financial-services titan American Express provides employees benefits like paid family leave and health insurance, as well as an on-site gym and café at the New York City headquarters. It's also among the most flexible businesses on our list, with half of employees reporting the ability to work from home, according to PayScale.



11. DuPont

Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware

Experienced median pay: $95,900

High job satisfaction: 81% of employees

DuPont makes it a point to ensure that employees are able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. To accomplish this, the chemicals giant offers a family-leave program, which lets employees take time off for maternity and paternity leave, adoptions, and foster children and to care for ill family members. DuPont also offers dependent-care spending accounts that help employees save on childcare and adoption expenses.

DuPont also strives to create an environment where employees feel valued, and a solid 66% of employees report high job meaning.



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The top games Apple thinks everyone should have on their iPhone (AAPL)

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iPhone 6S

There's a flood of new games coming into the App Store at any given moment, but unless you’re a kid, you probably don’t have time to check all of them out and decide which ones are worth your time.

Luckily Apple has released a shortlist of the 10 games the company thinks you should have on any new iPhone.

These games range from puzzles to combat games to just addictive tapping fun. And most of them are free (though many include in-app purchases).

Here are the 10 games Apple thinks everyone should have:

SEE ALSO: The top apps Apple thinks everyone should have on their iPhone

Crossy Road

If you’re a fan of the classic game Frogger, you’re going to love smash hit Crossy Road. The game is both fun and addictive, and skillfully combines the gameplay of Frogger with a beautiful cubic art style that makes the game come to life in a charming way.

Price: Free (iOS)



Thumb Drift Furious

Thumb Drift Furious is a game that lets you race cars (with plenty of drifting). The addictive gameplay is easy to jump into and pick up. As one commenter puts it: "you really only need a working thumb and a need for speed."

Price: Free (iOS, Android)



Lara Croft GO

Lara Croft GO is a Tomb Raider version of Monument Valley (the delightful mobile puzzle game that was once featured on "House of Cards"). One commenter says: "It makes me think just enough that it's a challenge, but not totally frustrating."

Price: Free (iOS, Android)



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One man invented a smart touchscreen mirror that you have to see

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We all use mirrors every day, especially to get ready in the morning. But one man saw an opportunity to make mirrors smarter, so he made one himself. 

Ryan Nelwan, an engineer at app design studio Swipe Labs in San Francisco, California, invented a working touchscreen mirror that runs on software he built.

Nelwan posted a demonstration of his touchscreen mirror’s capabilities to YouTube on Tuesday. It's truly incredible, and I want one in my home, like, yesterday.

You've got to see it for yourself.

The first thing you’ll see is the “Home Screen," which displays widgets in the corners of the screen. The mirror is always on, but you can also keep it in rest mode where it displays no information.



The top left of the mirror shows information about the weather and how much time it would take to get to work from your current position.



The top right of the mirror shows the current date and time.



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The 10 states in the US with the most generous tippers

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Everyone has an opinion on what makes a good tip, but there's no universal rule. Whether or not they're leaving 20% on the table (or more or less), most people probably think they tip well, but the truth is tipping habits vary widely for all sorts of reasons. People who live in certain parts of the country, it seems, are more generous than others with tips.

Those people generally live in the eastern half of the country, according to data from Lavu, an iPad point-of-sale system. Lavu reviewed 2015 tipping data from more than 1,000 restaurants that use its software to determine the states with the best and worst tippers. Of course, this is a limited sample — it only includes transactions made on Lavu, which is just one of many point-of-sale systems out there — but it's an interesting look at how tipping habits vary geographically.

Even when confronted by the same payment system in similar businesses (bars, restaurants and coffee shops), people left very different tip amounts. There are still a lot of variables, like how the payment system is set up to prompt the customer to tip, the sort of service being provided and the tippers themselves. With all that in mind, here's a list of states with some seemingly exceptional tippers. (You can find a list of the worst tippers on Credit.com.)

 

SEE ALSO: The most expensive home to rent in every state

10. Missouri

Average tip amount: 20.62%



9. Virginia

Average tip amount: 20.83%



8. Kansas

Average tip amount: 20.88%



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Everyone from Mick Jagger to Bono has partied at this photographer's villa in the South of France — see the photos

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PoolParty_cover

Jean Pigozzi's pool parties might be as famous as the guests who have attended them over the years.

Businessman, art collector, philanthropist, and all-around entertainer, Pigozzi has been throwing get-togethers for the rich, beautiful, and famous at his home in the south of France since the 1950s.

Guests like Sharon Stone, Woody Allen, Tony Bennett, and Jane Fonda have all graced his Villa Dorane with their presence, their attendance forever immortalized by Pigozzi's camera.

His newest book, "Pool Party", chronicles what went down in the villa's backyard pool, which looks out onto the ocean.

Ahead, six snaps that prove Pigozzi's parties are not to be missed.     

SEE ALSO: 13 photos from one of Coachella's most notorious after-parties

The book contains more than 100 iconic and unpublished photos from Pigozzi's personal archives.



Bono wrote the book's foreword. "Of all the wild and wonderful guests jumping in and out of his looking-glass pool, the biggest thrill for me is to hear the laughter drown out the sea," he wrote.



"My favorite guest, Mick Jagger, [who] I've spent a lot of time with, and we have very funny conversations, and we've traveled all around the world together," Pigozzi said in an interview with NOWNESS.

Source: NOWNESS



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24 books that will change your life forever, according to my coworkers

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reading

Books can be incredibly powerful. They have the ability to suck us in, take us on adventures, and influence the way we think.

They can teach us, move us, give us new perspectives, and help shape us. And the most powerful ones change our lives forever.

I asked my Business Insider colleagues to share the one book that has significantly influenced them. Here's what they said:

SEE ALSO: 24 books that will make you a more well-rounded person

'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy

"This book gave me a real sense of my own mortality. I'm usually grateful for this, but not always! It also made me appreciate fatherhood more."Nicholas Carlson, editor-in-chief of INSIDER

Amazon synopsis: A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food — and each other.

"'The Road' is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation."

BUY IT HERE »



'The Tao of Pooh' by Benjamin Hoff

"I read this book in college, and it completely changed my perspective on the world. It's a fun primer on the Eastern philosophy of Taoism, and eye-opening for people (like me) who sometimes try too hard and would be better off just relaxing and going with the flow. I still remind myself that nothing's really good or bad; it's just another interesting thing on another day that we should all be grateful for."—Jenna Goudreau, deputy editor

"This book introduced me to the idea that simplicity isn't the enemy of satisfaction; it's the essence of it. The inclusion of such familiar and beloved characters also helped the ideas stick in my mind."—Christina Sterbenz, weekend editor

Amazon synopsis: The how of Pooh? The Tao of who? The Tao of Pooh!?! In which it is revealed that one of the world's great Taoist masters isn't Chinese — or a venerable philosopher — but is in fact none other than that effortlessly calm, still, reflective bear. A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh! While Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is.

"And that's a clue to the secret wisdom of the Taoists."

BUY IT HERE »



'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy

"It was the rare work of fiction that actually changed how I saw the world. It made me want to be a more moral and better person."—Paul Schrodt, entertainment editor

Amazon synopsis: "Considered by some to be the greatest novel ever written, 'Anna Karenina' is Tolstoy's classic tale of love and adultery set against the backdrop of high society in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

"A rich and complex masterpiece, the novel charts the disastrous course of a love affair between Anna, a beautiful married woman, and Count Vronsky, a wealthy army officer. Tolstoy seamlessly weaves together the lives of dozens of characters, and in doing so captures a breathtaking tapestry of late-nineteenth-century Russian society. As Matthew Arnold wrote in his celebrated essay on Tolstoy, 'We are not to take 'Anna Karenina' as a work of art; we are to take it as a piece of life.'"

BUY IT HERE »



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Here's why President Obama should crown this beast as America's national mammal

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Yellowstone Bison shutterstock

Step aside, bald eagle.

The US House of Representatives and the Senate just passed a bill that would honor the country's largest land mammal, the American bison, as our national mammal (joining the bird of prey as an official national symbol). The bipartisan legislation now awaits consideration by President Obama.

The National Bison Legacy Act is long overdue.

More than 100 years ago, the bison — one of the most majestic, if smelly, creatures on Earth — rebounded from near-extinction. Today, they happily roam all across the country.

Here are some facts about what should become America's most prized animal.

The bison is more American than apple pie.



Often mistaken for the buffalo, the bison features one defining characteristic: its hump.



The muscular hump acts as the bison's snowplow, allowing the beast to swing its head from side to side, pave a path through drifts of snow, and reach grasses hidden below.

Source: National Park Service



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I had an adventure through Istanbul, a city where historical meets hip

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10 la carmina istanbulIstanbul is the perfect city for strolling around with a camera. At every turn, you'll find Instagram-worthy details like Islamic tiles, psychedelic murals, and more than a few adorable cats. I'm fascinated by the golden era of Constantinople.

I joined a Walks of Turkey tour of Sultanahmet, and felt like I had travelled back in time. My guide showed me ancient wonders including the underground Cisterns and Grand Bazaar. We climbed to little-known viewpoints, and shot dramatic images of the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.

Istanbul is also home to a colorful, urban culture. I wandered the backstreets of Beyoglu, and found street art in Karakoy. My friends and I particularly loved the artsy neighborhood of Cukurcuma, and drinking molecular cocktails while taking in a 360 degree view of the Bosphorus.

Watch a video about La Carmina's travels in Istanbul. 

Produced by Joey Wong and hosted by La Carmina.

Disclaimer: La Carmina was a guest of the World Tourism Forumand Walks of Turkey.

SEE ALSO: The 5 favorite hotels of wealthy people around the world

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

The Byzantine Empire may have fallen in 1453, but its architectural legacy still stands strong in Istanbul.



I walked around the Karaköy and Beyoğlu districts, where you'll see ancient history co-existing with young culture. Istanbul is one of those fascinating destinations where ancient history and youth cultures co-exist. In a single street, you can walk past the 14th-century Galata Tower, and come across a spread of graffiti.



Çucurcuma was once best known for its antique shops. Today, it's packed with hip design stores and indie cafes.



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24 heartwarming photos of America's commander-in-chief with the military

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obama

As America's commander-in-chief, President Obama is the supreme commander of the US's armed forces. 

In this role, Obama has the final say on all matters of the country's military. But, additionally, as the head of the military, Obama must also cater to the morale of the US military and ensure that the nation's nearly 1.3 million active soldiers and veterans feel cared for.

Below are some of our favorite photos of Obama interacting with US military service members and veterans.

SEE ALSO: 44 iconic images of Barack Obama's tenure as president

A soldier hugs the President as he greeted U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan.



Obama claps as he passes by 'The President's Own' US Marine Band on the White House grounds.



Obama greets US troops as he holds a Veterans Day event at the US Army Garrison at Yongsan military base in Seoul November 11, 2010.



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18 of the most bizarre fast-food items ever created

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Pizza Hut   Hot Dog Bites Pizza   Official Image   U.S.

The fast-food industry has a history of releasing bizarre items.

Many were found overseas.

Some of them came to the United States. For example, Pizza Hut's hot-dog pizza was spotted in Japan nearly ten years ago, according to Eater. It later made its way here, for better or for worse.

See some of these strange items.

Pizza Hut's "Double Sensation" Pizza

Pizza Hut released this wacky item in Singapore. The two-crust pizza was essentially a pizza-in-a-pizza, with one crust stuffed with three cheeses and topped with turkey, ham, veggies, and salsa, and another stuffed with chicken sausage, cheese, and topped with zucchini, chicken, and sauce. There was a cherry in the middle, too.

 

 



Pizza Hut's Crown Crust Meatball and Cream Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza

In 2010, Eater reported Pizza Hut Middle East released a pizza complete with a crust featuring balls of cream cheese alternating with meatballs. The website noted that a now-removed commercial claimed the cream cheese was intended for spreading all over the pizza.



Pizza Hut Crown Crust Pizza with Cheeseburgers

In 2012, Pizza Hut Middle East released another Crown Crust Pizza, this time featuring mini cheeseburgers in the crust. According to a commercial for the wacky product, it was topped with beef, fresh vegetables, and a special sauce specific to Pizza Hut. The commercial makes it look like the product was targeted towards people who craved cheeseburgers when they dined at Pizza Hut, as it featured a man ordering a cheeseburger. His friends laugh, but his waiter introduces him to this outrageous product.



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7 tiny daily habits that can lead to huge results

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running jogging

The way I think about personal development and designing the life I want to live is very similar to the way I think about investing.

Imagine that every choice you make in life is associated to a "bucket." Brushing your teeth goes in the "personal hygiene bucket."

Working on your novel goes in the "writing" or "creativity" bucket. Going to the gym goes in the "health" bucket. And so you have these five or six or 10 primary buckets that make up how you live your life: Work, Creativity, Health, Sleep, Social Life, Family, etc. 

Whenever you spend time doing something, anything, that is time you are investing in that "bucket." This is a very simple way to visualize the concept of practice time and the "10,000 hours it takes to master something." The more time you put into a bucket, the more you are investing. The more you invest, the more you "have." And in theory, the more you have of that skill, the better you are.

Where a lot of people go wrong, whether it be with their own goals or even the menial tasks that tend to occupy a workplace, is they feel like the penny doesn't matter. We think that the tiniest of tasks or habits don't matter.

But just like investing, over time those pennies add up.

Every little choice does matter, because every choice is time (money) in a "bucket."

If you want to make big changes in your life, or accomplish big goals, or do big things, then you have to realize the importance of the tiny details along the way. After all, a journey is comprised of a 1,000 little steps.

SEE ALSO: 10 apps you should use every day to be more productive

1. Wake up when you say you're going to wake up.

Setting the alarm is only half the battle. The real purpose of setting an alarm and then getting out of bed when it goes off is to keep that first promise of the day. When you set that alarm the night before, you are making a promise that you will get up at that time. If you then wake up and ignore it, you are starting your day on the wrong foot. You've broken the first promise to yourself.

This isn't about getting up on time. This is about practicing the habit of doing what you say you're going to do. And what better way to practice than first thing every morning?



2. Write down 10 ideas per day.

This is a habit I stole from James Altucher on Quora. Since implementing it into my life, I now have the tough challenge of choosing from too many ideas. 

Coming up with great ideas requires muscle--the act of creating actionable ideas stretches and flexes that muscle in a way that keeps it healthy and fresh. Carry a journal with you, or make use of the notepad on your phone and, throughout the day, jot down ideas that come to mind. There is something about writing your ideas down that makes the brain feel like the idea was acknowledged. 

Do this for a couple days and you'll see. You'll be swimming in great ideas.



3. Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I can't stress this enough. There is always time to eat, and if there isn't time to eat then something is out of balance and you've got bigger problems coming. The reason why making time to eat is so important is because personal health comes above everything else. If you don't, then at some point you're going to have to play damage control and that's going to be even more of a challenge. It's a lot easier to be preventative with your health rather than to be reactionary. 

During breakfast, use that time to read. During lunch, use that time to catch up with someone, maybe make it a business lunch. During dinner, see your loved ones, your friends and family. It isn't that big of a time investment, but it goes a long way to keeping you healthy and free of stress. 

 



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RANKED: These are the granola bars with the least sugar

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granola snack cereal bars

Apples and bananas aside, many of the most convenient grab-and-go foods make for very unhealthy snacks.

This is especially true with snack and cereal bars.

I eat about one granola bar a day because they're so easy to carry around when I'm feeling peckish.

As a highly processed food, however, snack bars have a lot of ingredients, one of which is almost always sugar.

Dietary guidelines say we should eat fewer than 50 grams of sugar per day. You don't want to waste up to a third of that on one bar.

We ranked some popular brands from those with the most sugar per serving to those with the least. (We didn't account for other nutritional variation, like protein and fiber content.) See how your favorite snack, cereal, or granola bar stacks up:

SEE ALSO: There’s one simple way to pick the healthiest sandwich spread

MORE: These are the yogurts with the least sugar

Honey Nut Cheerios: 16 g



Quaker Big Chewy: 12 g sugar, 1 g sugar alcohol

Sugar alcohols are usually processed from naturally occurring sugars in fruits and berries. They taste sweet, but have fewer calories than sugar and usually pass through undigested.



Quaker Breakfast Flats: 12 g



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The incredibly successful life of Drake — music's most polarizing icon who made $40 million in a year

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Drake

There are few figures in music more polarizing than Drake.

The "Hotline Bling" and "Work" rapper hasn't wasted any time lapping his industry counterparts, reaching the top of the mainstream music world. 

Just seven years into his illustrious career, Drake has hit the kind of milestones most artists can only dream of.

And he keeps winning.

In fact, 2016 might be his biggest year to date.

From nabbing more than 100 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 to winning the biggest rap beef in recent memory, "The Boy" has made his reign in hip-hop clear.

Now he could seal 2016 as "The year of the Drake" with his just-released fourth studio album, "Views." And he might get his first very own No. 1 hit outside of his features on Rihanna's tracks, after "Hotline Bling"just missed the mark.

Accolades aside, Drake's success has come from hard work. He may not have started all the way at the bottom, but he sure worked his way up.

Keep scrolling to see how a biracial Jewish kid from Toronto became the biggest name in music.

SEE ALSO: The surprise album that Drake released was never supposed to happen

SEE ALSO: Here's the $600,000 car Drake rapped about on his new album

THEN: Drake may have released the first single from his upcoming album — and it features Beyonce

AND: Drake just did something only 4 artists have done in history

Born in 1986 and given the name Aubrey Drake Graham, Drake was brought up in Toronto, Canada.

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He was raised Jewish by his mother in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood.

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Drake's dad moved to Memphis when Drake was very young. They had a distant relationship for a while but have since gotten close.

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Facebook vs. Google — how 2 of the best employers in America stack up

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BI_Graphics Google is best place to work_4x3

If you're faced with the decision of whether you should accept a job at Facebook or Google, congratulations — you are one of the privileged few.

Both employers rank in the top five on this year's list of the 50 best companies to work for in America, based on exclusive data from PayScale. And both are extremely competitive in their quest to hire the best and the brightest.

Once you've passed the intense interview process at each respective company, a number of awesome perks, great compensation, and most likely extreme contentment in your new job await you — but which job do you choose?

To make your decision a little easier, here's a head-to-head comparison of how Facebook and Google stack up as employers:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best companies to work for in America

DON'T MISS: New dad Mark Zuckerberg posted about his return to work this week — here's how Facebook responded

Googlers make more money

Google — recently renamed Alphabet in a corporate restructuring — topped Business Insider's annual list and dethroned Facebook (ranked No. 5), which held the top spot in 2015, thanks in part to its competitive compensation.

According to PayScale, the median salary of experienced workers is $140,000, the second highest on the list. At Facebook, the median salary of experienced workers is $135,000.

It's worth noting that two people in the same role at Google can be paid drastically different amounts, and this is intentional.

"It's hard work to have pay ranges where someone can make two or even 10 times more than someone else," writeGoogle HR boss Laszlo Bock in his book, "Work Rules!" "But it's much harder to watch your highest-potential and best people walk out the door. It makes you wonder which companies are really paying unfairly: the ones where the best people make far more than average, or the ones where everyone is paid the same."

 



Facebookers are happier

Employees from both tech companies are pretty happy to be there, but Facebook has the edge over Google with a satisfaction rating of 97% compared to Google's rating of 86%, according to employees who completed PayScale's survey.

"Every morning when I go in, I feel like the luckiest guy on earth for ever landing a job here,"writes a Facebook data scientist in Menlo Park, California, on Glassdoor

There are a lot of contributing factors to Facebook's high level of happiness, but one important reason stands out: Facebook trusts its people.

Don Faul, a former Facebook executive, recently told The Wall Street Journal that, compared to Google, which he says is more structured and places more importance on "manager" titles, Facebook employees are often placed in roles that cater to their strengths and are encouraged to question and criticize their managers.

And this kind of freedom is perhaps one of the best drivers for employee engagement.

"You get zero credit for your title," he said. "It's all about the quality of the work, the power of your conviction, and the ability to influence people."



Googlers are less stressed

If you're in the market for a stress-free job, you'd be better off avoiding the tech industry altogether. But while it's unlikely for many techies to consider their jobs relaxing, more Google employees report low job-stress levels than Facebook.

While 12% of employees report their job isn't stressful at Google, 7% of Facebook employees say the same thing.

Perhaps one contributor to lower stress levels at Google is the various perks like on-site massages, free fitness classes and gym memberships, and a generous vacation plan that help employees unwind.

Another possible contributor: "The work environment is laid back, and less competitive than others. It really allows room for creativity,"writes a Google product manager.

While the work at Google is inevitably demanding, and the company encourages its employees to set ambitious goals for themselves, Bock says Google managers don't expect people to meet these goals, and instead they make a point to help people learn from their failures

What's more, the company has a unique way of preventing backstabbing.

"The way we solve the 'backstabbing' problem, for example, is that if you write a nasty email about someone, you shouldn't be surprised if they are added to the email thread," Bock writes. "I remember the first time I complained about somebody in an email and my manager promptly copied that person, which forced us to quickly resolve the issue. It was a stark lesson in the importance of having direct conversations with colleagues!"



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I spent $150 a month renting clothes and now I'm never going back to fast fashion

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rent the runway unlimited

Over the past month, I've been testing out a new retail service that sends clothes from designers like Tory Burch and Free People to my doorstep and it's completely changed the way I look at my closet.

Six-year-old fashion startup Rent the Runway is behind Unlimited, which charges customers $139 per month to get three dresses, sweaters, handbags, and/or coats at a time. Before tax, that's around $1,700 a year.

The idea is to create a "closet in the cloud," according to Brooke Hartmann, the senior vice president of Subscription at Rent the Runway.

"Imagine your closet has a trapdoor in the back and it opens to the Rent the Runway warehouse,"she tells Tech Insider.

Unlimited is still taking shape. The company has gone through multiple testing phases, first with a $75 accessories subscription and then with a $99 beta program, and there are still kinks to be worked out. Hartmann says there may be a tiered service coming soon, not unlike the newest iteration of Classpass.

But after trying Unlimited, I have to say I'm a believer in the service. Keep reading to see why.

SEE ALSO: I tried the popular 'capsule wardrobe' and whittled my closet down to just 30 items — here's why I'm never looking back

Rent the Runway is known for its model of renting out thousand-dollar designer gowns to customers for under $100 for four- or eight-day rentals.

 

 



But Unlimited is totally different: Customers essentially have a rotating closet of clothing and accessories for $139 a month (not including tax).

The company realized customers were trying to get more use out of their orders by throwing blazers or sweaters over cocktail dresses at work, so why not give them everyday clothing options instead?



The subscription service lets you select three things and keep them for however long you wish*. Once you're done with any or all three items, you repack the garment bag and ship them back to Rent the Runway for free.

 *While using the subscription service.



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