When Tim Brown was playing professional soccer in New Zealand, he used to get tons of free shoes, especially from his sponsor, Nike. There would be shoes of all sorts, from athletic powerhouses to more casual fare.

And he began to notice a trend, he tells Business Insider. While there was startling innovation going on with the high-performance or fashionable footwear, the shoes marketed for everyday wear were uninspired.

They would just stick a Nike swoosh onto a subpar shoe made in Vietnam, he says. It was all celebrity marketing.

Brown had gone to school for design on a soccer scholarship, so the wheels started turning in his head. He began to experiment with making his own shoe designs, and eventually hit on the idea of using wool, an aspect that would set him apart.

Brown's tinkering eventually led him to found Allbirds, a startup backed by US venture capitalists with the goal of creating the most comfortable sneakers in the world.

I got to try out Allbirds' first shoes, the $95 “Wool Runners,” and they certainly live up to the hype. They are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn besides slippers and are stylish to boot. They do have their flaws, which we’ll get to later.

The start

But first, let’s talk about the origins of Allbirds. New Zealand has some of the most famous wool on the planet, but the industry is in decline, Brown says. There are 30 million sheep in New Zealand, but people just don’t grow up wanting to be a sheep farmer.

That’s part of the reason why Brown was able to get a research grant to create a wool-nylon blend strong enough to be used in shoes.

The idea was that the sneaker industry was overlooking certain natural materials because they were harder to deal with. Wool has imperfections, like naturally pilling, but it’s a mainstay. "Think of a cashmere sweater,” Brown says. There’s a reason why it’s at the peak of everyday comfort.

Brown thought there was a market for this, and plunged into it after retiring from soccer after the 2010 World Cup, but he wasn’t fully convinced until Allbirds’ 2014 Kickstarter campaign smashed his expectations, selling out with over $100,000 in pre-orders. That success meant Brown had to get serious about the supply chain, and he enlisted San Francisco renewable-materials entrepreneur Joey Zwillinger to help launch Allbirds as a viable startup.

The pair raised $2.7 million from venture capitalists like Lerer Hippeau Ventures, with participation from Warby Parker cofounder David Gilboa, whose glasses startup Brown sees as philosophically similar to Allbirds.

Allbirds' put out its first wide release in March: the “Wool Runner,” a simple sneaker made out of a superfine merino wool upper and a sole of rubber and foam polymer.

Here's what they are like to wear:

SEE ALSO: Apple CEO Tim Cook reveals his three keys for personal success

Allbirds uses wool from New Zealand and a mill outside Milan, Italy. The result is an incredibly comfortable fit, which stretches out a bit after a few days. (You want the shoes to be tight when you first try them on.)

There isn't much structure to the shoes, which makes your feet feel free, but also means you shouldn't do heavy sports in them. Jogging is fine, though the risk is that they will break down over time if you use them for a lot of athletic activity.

The wool breathes well, and is totally fine for summer wear. You can also wear them comfortably without socks, and they didn't get stinky with mild use. (They certainly could eventually, however, and I wouldn't recommend going sockless all the time.)

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, and his contributions to human knowledge are unparalleled.

The physicist conducted groundbreaking research on how our universe functions, including the Theory of Relativity, and predicted the existence of gravitational waves a century before we ever observed them.

But there's a reason the name "Einstein" is synonymous with "genius." He wasn't just brilliant, he was deep: a scientist-philosopher who knew just how to describe the human condition.

This genius, combined with the Earth-shaking human highs and lows Einstein witnessed during his lifetime, made for a perspective on life that's yet to be matched.

We've compiled a list of Einstein's 15 best quotes that teach us about the mind, learning, and that crazy thing called life.

On time

On happiness

On the true value of questions

In case the new BMW M2 doesn't suit your insanely high standards of retro-ness, BMW has a new throwback concept car that will surely do the job.

The BMW 2002 Hommage is the German automaker's new tribute car. It was built in celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the BMW 02 model series. 

Let's take a look.

The 2002 Hommage was designed to bring some of the most memorable parts of the original 2002 back to life in a modern fashion.

Though it's probably a bit bigger and also a little faster than the original 2002 Turbo.

BMW gave the 2002 Hommage a low-hanging "shark nose" front-end and designed the front bumper and other body panels to help "maximize downforce in every driving situation," it said in a press release.

The yellow headlight reflectors that surround the headlights are a throwback to the yellow headlight lenses used on classic race cars. There's a carbon fiber line that's looped around the whole car which acts a throwback to the 2002's exterior chrome trim piece. 

What makes someone uncomfortable depends on the person, but what's universally true is the value of recognizing boundaries and continually pushing them.

As Quora user Joos Meyer explains in response to the question, "What uncomfortable things such as cold showers can improve your life?" pushing your comfort zone is the key to self-improvement.

"I think the best methodology is to every day or week set a task or find a situation that makes you slightly uncomfortable. Do that thing. This will incorporate the experience into your model of 'normality' and hence expand your 'comfort zone,'" he writes.

Here are some uncomfortable things that other Quora users say have helped them grow:

SEE ALSO: 15 daily habits that are easy to practice and can significantly improve your life

DON'T MISS: A marriage expert says doing these 3 things will help you have successful relationships at home and at work

1. Question everything

"The most uncomfortable thing one can do is to question everything that is taken for granted and seek answers,"writes Malli Gurram. "Try to see the other side of the norm."

2. Be honest

Being the most honest you've ever been with someone in your life will be one of the most uncomfortable things you can do, Ryan Brown says, but it could also be the most valuable.

To do this, he suggests writing a list of all the people to whom you have something — good or bad — to say, writing down the honest feelings you need to convey to them in a letter, handing the person the letter, and writing down what happened and how the experience affected you and the other person.

"If you're being really honest, each letter you write should make you quite emotional as you are writing it," Brown writes. "That is how you know you have tapped into your actual emotions and feelings — that it actually means something to you."

"Don't forget what you have learned from the experience," he suggests. "Let it be with you forever."

3. Meditate

Oftentimes, slowing down and finding inner calm can be especially difficult for those of us who are constantly on the go and thinking of the next things we need to do.

But as Nathan Hershey points out, the benefits can include enhancing your cognitive capacity, emotional intelligence, and overall self-discipline.

Certified financial planner Sophia Bera answers:

I'm leaving my job of the last five years and have a couple thousand dollars in a 401(k).

My new job has a 401(k) as well. What should I do with the money I've already saved at my old job?

Congrats on your new job! You have a few different options of what you can do with your old 401(k):

• You can cash it out. (IMPORTANT: DON’T DO THIS!)
• You can leave it in your old 401(k) plan.
• You can do a rollover into your new 401(k) plan.
• You can roll it over into an IRA
• You can roll it over into a Roth IRA.

Here's what you should know about each option:

SEE ALSO: ASK A FINANCIAL PLANNER: 'How can I minimize my investing risk?'

Don’t cash it out

Some people choose to cash out their old retirement accounts without realizing how that choice will affect them in the long run. When you cash out your 401(k) you’ll pay a 10% penalty plus taxes on the money you take out.

This means that if you had $10,000 in your 401(k), you’d have to pay a $1,000 penalty plus taxes on the amount withdrawn. If you’re in the 25% federal tax bracket and pay 5% in state taxes, you’ll pay an additional $3,000 in taxes. The check you receive is down to only $6,000.

However, the real financial impact is the future value of that  $10,000. Let’s say you plan on retiring in 35 years. That $6,000 check you received could have been been valued at more $100,000 by the time you retire. Check out this calculator from Wells Fargo to see the impact that cashing out your 401(k) could have based on your tax bracket.

You probably shouldn't do nothing, either

Many people choose No. 2: doing nothing. But this isn’t necessarily the best option because of a few reasons:

Some 401(k)s have high fees associated with the investments in the account. Check your statement to see what fees you’re paying. In addition, look at the expense ratios of the funds you’re invested in. (You can do that on Morningstar). If they are above .5% then you can probably save money by moving the account elsewhere.

There are a limited amount of fund choices available. Your employer chooses a set fund menu of investment options available to you, and if you don’t like them, you’re stuck with them.

You could roll your old 401(k) into a new one

Keep it simple with No. 3: If you have a new 401(k) with many low-cost investment options (i.e. index funds), you may decide to roll over your old plan into your new 401(k). Since you only have a few thousand dollars to move, this is a simple solution that helps you streamline your accounts and could be a good fit for you.

It doesn't take a lifetime to build a super-valuable company. As this list shows, it's possible to go from zero to $16 billion in valuation in under five years.

Business Insider analyzed Pitchbook data to find the startups based in the US who reached the $1 billion mark in that timeframe — in other words, the youngest crop of the "unicorn" companies.

Here are the 17 privately held startups that have created businesses worth more than a billion dollars in the past five years.

SEE ALSO: The 30 startups whose value ballooned the most during the 'steroid era' of funding

Gusto: $1.07 billion

Founded in November 2011, Gusto is a cloud-based payroll system, formerly known as ZenPayroll.

Uptake Technologies: $1.10 billion

Former Groupon founder Brad Keywell started the secretive Chicago-based data-analytics startup in 2014.

Udacity: $1.10 billion

Udacity launched in February 2012 to provide free classes online. It has since teamed up with Georgia Tech to offer a master's program through the online education portal.

For the past week, I've been testing out a VW Beetle "Dune," a special edition of the iconic reboot of the legendary "people's car."

The car is loads of fun, has an amazing audio system, and is pretty cheap, at less than $25,000.

But it also has a nifty feature that no driver is ever going to see — although he or she might hear it, and it solves a problem that every driver with a backup camera has faced when the weather gets rough.

Check it out.

It's an adorable little gold VW Beetle "Dune."

You start it up and put it in reverse and ...

... the backing camera activates and you can see behind you on the infotainment screen.

If the current summer blockbuster movies blanketing your local cineplex each week aren't your thing, don't worry, there's a handful of documentaries coming out soon that will save you.

From an inside look at a cult to the highly public breakdown of a political career, these nonfiction works tell compelling stories that are likely to be more fulfilling than your latest climactic world-resucing showdown.

Here are eight titles we think you should definitely check out in the coming months — and how to watch them.

SEE ALSO: Here are the new TV shows that just got picked up by networks

"Weiner"— in theaters May 20 (available on demand May 26)

The collapse of Anthony Weiner's political career is a strange story that late-night show hosts pray to the comedy gods for. This Sundance-winning doc gives us a fly-on-the-wall look at Weiner's attempt to rebound from his embarrassing social-media gaffe to become mayor of New York City. What follows is a bizarre insight into politics and one man's questionable methods to save face.

"Holy Hell"— in theaters May 27

The Buddhafield started in the late 1980s in West Hollywood as a spiritual group led by a charismatic leader with a handful of followers who thought he was providing them with an enlightened life. Two decades later, many in the group figured out they were in a cult. Former member Will Allen now reveals what went on in his eye-opening documentary made up of footage he shot over the 21 years he was there. 

"Unlocking the Cage"— in theaters May 27 (New York), nationwide in June

Legendary filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus ("The War Room") document the pioneering work of animal protection attorney Steven Wise, who seeks personhood rights for animals, specifically four chimpanzees in New York. We see Wise's journey bringing the first lawsuit ever attempting to transform an animal from a "thing" with no rights into a "person" with legal protection. If the courts see corporations as people, why not chimps? That complex question makes "Unlocking the Cage" gripping stuff.

If clichés like "Follow your passion,""Give 110%," and "Be true to yourself" just aren't cutting it for you, then we've got some fresh takes on how to get a head start on your career.

From "Don't work too hard" to "Relax," here's some of the best — and often unconventional — advice for you from some really successful people:

SEE ALSO: The 20 best places for new grads to launch their careers

DON'T MISS: 11 free online courses you should take to be more successful in your career

Richard Branson: Never look back in regret — move on to the next thing

Richard Branson's mother taught him that.

"The amount of time people waste dwelling on failures, rather than putting that energy into another project, always amazes me," the Virgin Group founder and chairman told The Good Entrepreneur. "I have fun running ALL the Virgin businesses — so a setback is never a bad experience, just a learning curve."

Sheryl Sandberg: There is no straight path to where you are going

"As Pattie Sellers of Fortune Magazine says, careers are not ladders but jungle gyms,"the Facebook COO wrote on Quora. "You don't have to have it all figured out."

Sheryl Sandberg recommends having a long-term, abstract dream to work toward in addition to a more concrete 18-month plan. The long-term plan allows you to dream big while the short-term plan forces you to push yourself and think about how you want to get better over the next year and a half.

"Ask yourself how you can improve and what you're afraid to do," she said, adding "that's usually the thing you should try."

Warren Buffett: Exercise humility and restraint

In a 2010 interview with Yahoo, Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett said that the best advice he ever received was from Berkshire Hathaway board of directors member Thomas Murphy. He told Buffett:

You never forget your first Tesla.

In 2010, right after the company had survived a near-death experience, I was offered the chance to sample what was then the carmaker's only vehicle: the original Roadster.

It's hard to overestimate the importance of this car, which sold for over $100,000, turned in blistering acceleration, and could top 200 miles on a single charge.

The Roadster changed our minds forever about what an electric car could be and launched Tesla on a road to its current $30 billion market cap and a portfolio of, by 2017, three vehicles: the Model S sedan, the Model X SUV, and the Model 3 car for the masses.

Last year, I reminisced about my first time with a Tesla to one of the company's staffers. This led to a question: Do we even have a Roadster around to check out anymore?

They found one, and I was reunited with my old friend in Los Angeles, on the eve of the Model 3 unveiling in late March.

Something poetic and romantic about that, I think. Read on to see what it was like.

We were so much younger then ... That's me in early 2010, after a spin in the Roadster Sport version 2.0.

I made a video about the fun.

Since then, I've driven every other Tesla, starting with the base Model S sedan.

My food-loving mom recently flew in from North Carolina to spend Mother's Day weekend in New York City with me.

We did a lot of exploring — and even more eating.

As a Mother's Day treat, my incredibly generous grandpa, who happens to be a restaurant connoisseur and former food critic, treated us to an experience of of a lifetime: brunch at Chef Daniel Boulud's renowned restaurant, Daniel.

The experience was thrilling, educational, humbling, and at times, confusing (which of the three forks do I use?); the food was beautiful, complex, mouth-watering, and at times, perplexing (do I eat that small appetizer in one bite?); and, yes, the portions were small ... but we were somehow incredibly full afterwards.

Here's a closer look at the two and a half hour marathon meal:

SEE ALSO: I research restaurants at every price point before my mom visits NYC — here are 15 we've gone to so far

SEE ALSO: The 50 best restaurants in America

Daniel is tucked away on the Upper East Side, on 60th street between Park and Madison.

The revolving doors led us to a reception area, where we were greeted by the hostess. She checked our coats (and my mom's suitcase), and despite arriving 15 minutes early, we were escorted to our table immediately.

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When we made our reservation, we had the option of sitting in the main dining room (pictured) or the lounge. We went with the smaller lounge area — it seemed like the less intimidating, more casual option at the time — but if we were to do it all over, we'd like to be in the heart of the action.

The broadcast networks just wrapped one of the most chaotic weeks for television viewers, but also one of the most telling.

In addition to announcing which shows have met their end, the networks presented their new series for the 2016-2017 seasons this week in an annual event known as upfronts. At upfronts, the networks put on a glitzy show for advertisers and spin a web of statistics in order to entice companies to spend their commercial dollars.

At upfronts, you can see trends begin to form and a glimpse into what challenges the industry is facing.

Here are six things we learned about the TV networks from upfronts:

SEE ALSO: 47 new TV shows coming in the next year that just got announced

DON'T MISS: 19 TV shows that were just canceled

Reboots, remakes, and spin-offs are still going strong.

If y0u thought last year's crop of shows was packed with reboots, remakes, and spin-offs, wait until you see this year's list. TV series based on movies, like "Lethal Weapon, " "Frequency," and "The Exorcist," are a big part of the upcoming class.

At the core of this strategy is fear. Networks are afraid to try new things. And when a title or concept was successful in another form — such as a movie, book, or comic book — businesses feel more comfortable with the decision, because they believe they arrive with built-in audiences.

It's a solid theory, but not foolproof. Looking back on this year alone, the fallen copycat shows include Fox's "Minority Report" and CBS's "Limitless" and "Rush Hour."

The bottom line is more important than ever.

This year, we saw networks cutting the cord on shows that, in the past, have had some immunity to cancellation because they were created as part of longtime or important partnerships.

We saw it over and over again at ABC. The network canceled "The Muppets," which comes from ABC's owner, Disney, and "Agent Carter," from sister company Marvel, which still has "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." at the network. It also got rid of cult show "Nashville," which comes from the network's own production studio.

Then over at CBS, we saw the network unload "Supergirl,"the expensive but solid-rated DC Comics show, on sister network CW. Arguably, "Supergirl" should have gone to the more youthful network to begin with, especially since it already had three other DC series.

What does this tell us about the state of the TV industry? First, networks have an eye on the bottom line now more than ever. And second, there must be a lot of talented show creators out there if networks are willing to get rid of some established players.

The surprising history show trend is here.

There are no fewer than six new shows that deal with time travel or are set in the past. They range from comedic takes like Fox's "Making History" to action-adventure like NBC's "Timeless" and drama like CW's remake of the movie "Frequency."

It's unclear why the networks are turning to history for show ideas, except maybe for the success of shows like FX's "The People v. O.J. Simpson" and Hulu's JFK drama "11.22.63." Or even the huge success of HBO's "Game of Thrones," which has a very medieval atmosphere.

It's good to be Stephen Curry.

On Tuesday, Curry was named MVP of the 2015-16 NBA season, becoming the first player in history to win the award unanimously.

But the back-to-back most valuable player hasn't just claimed the title of best basketball player in the world; he's become a force off the court too.

He's the face of Under Armour and has racked up lots of other endorsements, and he now counts Cam Newton as a friend. Curry has it made.

Here's a look at his marvelous life:

Nobody in the NBA is enjoying the same level of success as Curry. He's won back-to-back MVPs and the 2014-15 championship, led the league in scoring this year, and helped lead the Warriors to an NBA record 73 wins in the regular season.

Curry is, surprisingly, underpaid. He signed a four-year, $44 million contract extension in 2012 and now makes $12 million a year. He could potentially triple that when he becomes a free agent in 2017.

Curry's deal with Under Armour is also a bit of a steal for the company. It lured him from Nike with a deal reportedly worth about $4.5 million a year. In 2015, it extended his deal to 2024, and he now has an ownership stake in the business.

Source: Money Nation

Warning: spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of "Game of Thrones,""The Door."

"Game of Thrones" took us through an emotional and action-packed hour on Sunday that saw the fall of a much-loved character, and the setup of several showdowns to come.

For fans, the phrase "hold the door" will become permanently connected to the character Hodor (Kristian Nairn). After protecting and serving Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) since his escape from Winterfell, he gave his life to save Bran from the White Walker army. This battle may have gone to the White Walkers, but at least Bran will have another day.

Meanwhile, battles for power are being set up in the North, the Iron Islands, and in Slaver's Bay.

With those developments and the episode's sad ending, some details may have gone unnoticed.

Here are five important things you probably missed on this week's "Game of Thrones":

SEE ALSO: The 5 most talked-about moments from last week's 'Game of Thrones'

DON'T MISS: 5 important things you probably missed on last week's 'Game of Thrones'

Who's Melisandre 2.0?

It was hard not to notice that Melisandre (Carice van Houten) has some new competition: the red priestess Kinvara (Ania Bukstein). Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) summoned her to Mereen to keep the people in check. So little is known about her at this point, but she was wearing a necklace that looked very similar to Melisandre's. That means she probably has the ability to disguise her appearance and age, too. There doesn't seem to be someone like her in George R.R. Martin's books, which makes her a totally new character to the "Thrones" world. She also has a thing for Daenarys (Emilia Clarke), but we'll get into the ramifications of that in a bit.

A downsized Kingsmoot.

We finally saw the Kingsmoot go down. This is the Iron Islands process of picking a new king. Yet it was a pretty tame event compared to how it went down in the books. Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) only had to beat his niece, Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan), for the crown. In the novels, though, there was Yara, Euron's younger brother Victarion, and several other challengers.

Sansa's lie.

Some fans probably wondered why Sansa (Sophie Turner) would lie to Jon Snow (Kit Harington) about how she heard of her uncle's army, rather than telling him that she found out from Baelish Aidan Gillen aka Little Finger. The show's executive producer explained that it might show a crack forming in their relationship.

"If she really trusted Jon, and she really was coming at this as a clean, pure Stark, she would tell the truth to her brother and the person to whom she has real allegiance at this point," showrunner D.B. Weiss said in the post-episode video. "But for whatever reason, she holds back on that. And I think that shows that Little Finger still has a hold on Sansa."

How that "hold" plays out, we'll have to see.

We've jumped into the summer-blockbuster movie season, and that means a whole lot of sequels to be seen.

In an era when it seems that every idea in Hollywood has been made into a franchise or rebooted, several famous titles missed the boat.

In some cases, the filmmaker moved on to other projects — including franchises — while for others rumors of a sequel have been swirling for decades.

Here we rank the 18 movies that we think deserve a sequel:

SEE ALSO: Here are the best-dressed celebrities on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

18. "Unbreakable" (2000)

Following the huge success of "The Sixth Sense," director M. Night Shyamalan combined comic books with the supernatural with this story in which Bruce Willis plays a man who, after an accident, slowly realizes that he has superhuman powers.

Though the movie had a poor box-office performance, over the years there have been rumors of a sequel, but they seem to be just that. But it would be great to see Samuel L. Jackson's character from the movie, Elijah Price — aka Mr. Glass — fleshed out in a sequel as a villain.

Likelihood of a sequel: Probably not going to happen. Now with the superhero craze, studios are looking for ways to bring existing comic-book characters to the screen, not ones from an underperforming movie.

17. "Good Will Hunting" (1997)

All right, give this one a second to sink in. A sequel to the movie that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck stars — and Oscar winners — could work.

Have Damon's Will Hunting character return to South Boston and be the one who is the mentor of a troubled teen, while reconnecting with his buddy Chuckie (Affleck). Or we can always go with the idea Kevin Smith teased in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

Likelihood of a sequel: Never. Damon and Affleck are on bigger projects and heading franchises, like Jason Bourne and Batman, to worry about what Will and Chuckie are up to.

16. "True Lies" (1994)

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a suave secret agent searching for a terrorist while also dealing with the idea that his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) might be cheating on him had all the makings of a franchise.

But as the years went on, director James Cameron found less interest, and then the idea finally deflated after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Likelihood of a sequel: You can never say never when it comes to Schwarzenegger and Cameron. But with Cameron focused on his "Avatar" franchise, it's unlikely.

When you go in for a job interview, it's imperative that you make a stellar first (and lasting) impression.

But you can't rely solely on your impressive answers to get the job. You need to behave professionally, too.

As it turns out, there are tons of small mistakes you can make that could end up costing you the job.

To help you figure out what you should and shouldn't do during the job interview, we looked at responses to the question, "Employers of Reddit, what is a prejudice you hold against the people you interview?" which was recently posted on Reddit by okmann98.

Here's what respondents came up with:

SEE ALSO: The 29 smartest questions to ask at the end of every job interview

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

1. Guilt tripping the employer into giving you a job

"Telling me about how badly you need this job because of all the problems you have will get your application thrown in the trash," says Reddit user pinkiepieisbestpony, because candidates who have a lot of "baggage" usually turn out to be problem employees. 

Fellow commenter WhizmoAlke agrees and says they had someone actually cry during an interview. While it made them feel awkward, they say they were no more inclined to give them the job.

SoundBearier put it more bluntly: "This is a business, not the Red Cross." 

2. Graduating late with no work experience on your résumé

Reddit user creaoiumm — a lawyer — says they are tired of seeing applications from law-school students who are over 26 years old and have no job experience (not even babysitting!).

Instead, he says their résumés tend to be filled with different hobbies or trips they took during the summer. "As someone who started working at age 16, I'll admit I think less of someone in their late 20s who has never held any kind of job, however small."

3. Having your parents inquire about jobs on your behalf

ScarinasVault — a middleman between candidates and HR — says they've seen a marked increase in the number of parents asking for jobs on behalf of their kids or even asking for help with their child's résumé. 

While these actions may come from a good place, the commenter says, "if you can't bother to show up to ask then we can't be bothered to take you seriously." 

Many retirees are tempted to spend more money on leisure activities in retirement. Health care costs also tend to increase as people age.

But there are many costs that decline in retirement — and a few you can eliminate entirely.

Here are some expenses you will no longer have in retirement.

SEE ALSO: 15 things you can stop wasting your money on

Mortgage

Paying off your mortgage eliminates one of your biggest monthly bills. While you will still have to pay for insurance and property taxes and continue to maintain your home, these costs are likely to be a fraction of what you were paying for your mortgage.

There's also a big emotional payoff when you own your home mortgage-free.

Commuting costs

Gas for your car or train fare is a big expense for employees with long daily commutes to work.

In retirement, all your driving is for personal errands or pleasure, and some retirees are able to completely avoid traffic by skipping outings during peak travel times.

A second car

Dual-income married couples often need two cars to get to their respective jobs.

If you're willing to coordinate your respective schedules, you might be able to get by with one car in retirement. This will also reduce your insurance and car maintenance costs.

Sunday's "Game of Thrones" was everything we love about the show: compelling twists, big emotional moments, and landmark, film-quality production values.

HBO released a visual effects breakdown of the big cave battle beyond the wall as part of its "Anatomy of a Scene" series. The seven-minute video reveals how the climactic battle, and its haunting final moment with Hodor, came to life. 

Bloodraven's cave got a serious upgrade to acommodate the enormous battle, with the effects team filming in several locations with the stunt teams and actors to bring it all together. It was incredible work and paid off in the stand-out episode. 

Keep reading to see how the "Game of Thrones" VFX team brought it all together.

The size of Bloodraven's cave was expanded. When we saw it in season four, it was only a single room. It had to be much larger to accommodate all the action.

The effects team built new sets, which would eventually become different parts of the cave.

Though shot separately, the sets were put together to all appear as part of Bloodraven's cave.

Banana Republic is struggling.

Sales plunged 11% in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, marking yet another dismal quarter for the brand.

"More than any other brand in the Gap stable, I think Banana has lost its way," Neil Saunders, CEO of consulting firm Conlumino, wrote in an email to Business Insider.

The company is forced to resort to incessant discounting to clear itself of clothes left behind — a cycle that's proved difficult to escape.

A visit to the store proves why consumers do not have a reason to pay full price anymore:

SEE ALSO: Nordstrom is undercutting its status as a high-end retailer

The first thing you see when you walk in? Promotions. You can say "hello" to summer by getting 40% off your purchase.

You can even get an extra 40% off all sale items. Make no mistake: Sales are fun for the consumer, but they can spell trouble for a retailer.

Even the clearance items are on display shortly after you enter the store.

This year's National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest is currently in its final week of submissions, and the photos that have already been turned in for consideration are pretty jaw-dropping. 

Between three categories (nature, cities, and people), both amateur and professional photographers have been throwing their best work into the ring. The grand prize is a seven-day Polar Bear Safari for two at Churchill Wild: Seal River Heritage Lodge in Manitoba, Canada. 

Ahead, see 15 of our favorite photos in the running for this year's contest, all of which will be judged based on their creativity, photographic quality, and composition.  

SEE ALSO: Fascinating stories of people who don't meet the Silicon Valley stereotype

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