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The top 5 brands millennials love

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millennials

Millennials are the new consumer generation, and major brands are working harder than ever to impress them. With a population of 75 million, they have billions of dollars to spend, making their choices extremely influential. 

In a study of 500 millennials, Moosylvania.com said that millennials look for high-quality products, recommendations from friends, a good fit for their personality, social responsibility, similar interests, and a meaningful message when choosing a brand.

With these guidelines in mind, here are 5 brands that millennials can't live without. 

Amazon

No one knows better than millennials when it comes to online shopping, and for that, Amazon tops the charts. In a report published by Synecore, Amazon emerged as the "most liked" tech brand among millennials aged 16-34— beating out Google, Facebook, and YouTube. Among the convenience and top quality that Amazon boasts, the ability to quickly compare prices from a wide variety of providers is a big draw for millennial shoppers. 



Apple

Millennials were practically born with cell phones in their hands, and many of them have been iPhones. According to Moosylvania.com, Apple tops the list of millennials' favorite brands. With sleek product design, reputation for quality, and huge user base, Apple showcases many of the characteristics that millennials love. 



TOMS

TOMS is an excellent example of a brand that markets to millennials through social responsibility. The brand's One for One Campaign arranges for TOMS shoes or eyewear to be sent to less fortunate populations immediately after a customer makes a purchase. In this way, the brand engages with millennials in innovative ways, "encouraging them to share their stories and marketing a cause that is different from anything else on the market," says Jeff Fromm. Oh, and their shoes are also insanely comfortable. 



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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Michael Jordan's historic 1996 Chicago Bulls team

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michael jordan chicago bulls

This season, the Golden State Warriors won 73 games and broke what is arguably the most storied record in NBA history: the 72 wins by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.

Whether or not the Warriors win the championship, they will forever be compared to the Michael Jordan-led '96 Bulls, the team widely regarded as one of the best teams in sports history.

The roster featured three future Hall of Fame players (Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman), a future Hall of Fame coach (Phil Jackson), and numerous All-Stars.

While many of the players are still involved in the basketball world, others have gone on to different things. One player has become a volleyball coach, another is a media personality, and one even makes frequent trips to North Korea.

Ari Gilberg contributed to this post.

Michael Jordan won regular season and NBA Finals MVP.



He now owns the Charlotte Hornets and is a billionaire.

Source: Business Insider



Luc Longley was the starting center.



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10 things all coffee lovers should have in their kitchens

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woman-drinking-coffee

Caffeine addicts shouldn't hesitate to start their own coffee brewing operations at home — there's a glut of equipment out there to help you store, grind, roast and brew the perfect cup of joe. While it's great that new, high-tech coffee gear is easier to access, some of the best solutions are actually pretty old and low tech.

If you're used to keeping your grounds in tin cans, brewing out of a Mr. Coffee maker, or just want to up your coffee game, here are a few suggestions.

To make a good pour-over: A Chemex glass coffee maker

There's no other pour-over method that makes you feel like a scientist the way the Chemex does. A set of filters will run you $10-15 depending on what shape you want, and the cleanup is simple: just toss the paper filter with the grounds.



To make espresso: A moka pot

If you're a fan of espresso but want something more portable and affordable than a full machine, grab a moka pot. The pot is heat resistant enough to put over a gas stove, and it's a timeless design — Italians have been using it since the 1930s.

The pot makes a good, dense cup of espresso without expensive machinery. For instructions about how to use it, I recommend consulting the experts at Blue Bottle.



To brew a cup: A French press

French presses brew a deep cup of coffee with a bit of sediment at the bottom of every mug. They're traditionally made of glass, but this SterlingPro press is double-walled and made of stainless steel, so it'll keep liquids insulated for longer.

It can also double as a loose leaf tea brewer or even an iced coffee maker if you need one in a pinch.



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Warren Buffett won't buy these 3 types of stocks

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warren Buffett

Many people are surprised the first time they look at the stock portfolio of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Specifically, because of Berkshire's amazing returns over the past 50 years, some incorrectly assume that Buffett hit a few "home runs" -- tech stocks in the 80s, perhaps. However, Berkshire's stock-picking success has mainly been due to good (not amazing) returns that were sustained over long periods of time.

With that in mind, there are several types of stocks Buffett and company tend to stay away from. Here are three examples, and the reasoning behind each.

Tech stocks and biotechs

While there are a couple of exceptions in Berkshire's current portfolio -- IBMand Apple -- Buffett generally doesn't invest in tech stocks. And the main reason is simple enough: Buffett doesn't understand most tech companies' business well enough to make an informed investment decision. The same can be said for many biotech companies: It's simply too difficult for most people without expertise in the field to properly evaluate these stocks as long-term investments.

Around the time of the dot-com bubble, investors were wondering why Buffett wasn't hopping on the bandwagon, so he offered two more specific reasons for avoiding tech. First, he pointed out that tech companies tend to have limited "moats." A wide moat refers to a durable competitive advantage that preserves market share and facilitates profitability for years to come -- for example, Wal-Mart's wide moat is its size and distribution network, which allow it to sell items cheaper than its competition.

Second, Buffett correctly said it is extremely difficult to pick winners in the tech sector early on, and even more difficult to build a position at a reasonable valuation. As we saw in the aftermath of the tech crash, many of the valuations in the sector in 1999 and 2000 were simply ridiculous, even for the companies that stood the test of time.

IBM and Apple are exceptions because they have many other Buffett-stock qualities that make them solid, predictable investments. Even though Buffett didn't directly make the Apple investment, he has praised both companies' management throughout the years. Both companies also have tremendous financial flexibility, and a long-established record of profitability. And, both have a "wide moat." If you're interested, here are discussions about why Berkshire has IBM and Apple in its portfolio.



Companies with big capital needs, but low profit potential

As Buffett said in his 2007 letter to shareholders, "The worst sort of business is one that grows rapidly, requires significant capital to engender the growth, and then earns little or no money."

Many tech companies fall into this category, as do many of the young companies I'll discuss in the next section. However, Buffett offered one specific example in that letter: airlines. Buffett pointed out that a durable competitive advantage (wide moat) has been elusive in the airline industry since the beginning, and that the demand for capital is never-ending.

He discussed the example of when Berkshire bought U.S. Air preferred stock in 1989, only to see the company face tremendous financial difficulty and stop paying the dividend. Berkshire was luckily able to get out of the investment at a profit in 1998, but over the next decade, the company went bankrupt twice. Common shareholders weren't so lucky. To this day, airlines have been notably absent from Berkshire's stock and subsidiary portfolios. (Note: Berkshire does own NetJets, but that isn't an airline in the traditional sense.)

As a counterexample, consider See's Candies, a Berkshire subsidiary. When Berkshire bought See's in 1972, the company's pre-tax profits were about $5 million, and $8 million in capital was needed to run the business. By 2007, See's profits had grown to $82 million for the year, with a capital requirement of just $40 million. In fairness, Buffett points out that See's is an exception to the rule -- companies with this level of growth typically need about $400 million in capital investment to achieve similar results.

My point is not to comment on the current investment merit of airline stocks. Rather, the point is that when you make an investment, there should be reasonable capital demands, significant profit potential, and an identifiable durable competitive advantage. As an investor, you can compare companies' returns on invested capital (ROIC) in order to assess whether or not capital requirements are justified by the profitability.



Young companies

In the tech discussion, I mentioned how Buffett found these companies difficult to analyze early on. Well, the same logic can be applied to virtually any new, untested company. This is why you'll never see Buffett invest in companies likeTesla or Netflix. These businesses may end up doing great, but for now, they simply haven't had a chance to develop and mature long enough to produce the kind of consistent profits Buffett likes to see. If you look at Berkshire's portfolio, it's tough to find any companies that haven't been around for several decades.

On a related note, I can't emphasize enough the value Buffett places on a company's management. Buffett believes good management can literally add billions to the intrinsic value of a company, and that poor management can make a business undesirable from an investment standpoint. With newer companies, there is simply no way to know if the managers are shareholder-friendly and fiscally responsible.



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The tongue-in-cheek way the women of Google are responding to a shareholder's sexist comment (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Ruth Porat

The women of Google have come up with a clever, tongue-in-cheek way to raise awareness about gender equality after an investor made a sexist remark at the company's annual shareholders meeting last week.

When one investor wanted to ask chief financial officer Ruth Porat a question, he addressed it to "the lady CFO." He then directed his second question for Alphabet SVP of corporate development, David Drummond, to "Mr. Drummond."

Although Porat answered his question without acknowledging his casual sexism, frustration exploded both online and in the room, with another shareholder, Sonen Capital's Danielle Ginach, calling him out a few questions later:

"I am sorry to put another shareholder on the spot," she said. "But Ms. Porat is the CFO, not the lady CFO."

Now, other Googlers are standing up in solidarity by designating this Thursday and Friday as "Lady Day."

The idea sprouted in an email group for alums of a Google leadership development program for women. One employee suggested that they should all change their titles to "Lady ___" in acknowledgment and light-hearted protest of the incident. As in, "Lady Systems Engineer," or "Lady People Analytics Manager."

As of now, more than 800 Googlers — women and men — have changed their job titles in the company-wide directory or in their email signatures.

LadyDay1

Lady CFO

Meg Mason, a "Lady Partner Operations Manager" for Shopping, tells Business Insider that she sees Lady Day as a fun and "Googley" way to allow employees to "stand together and to show that someone's gender is entirely irrelevant to how they do their job."

To help spread the idea, participants created a special logo and internal landing page:

lady day animation

The lack of diversity in the tech industry — across both gender and ethnicity — is a very real issue. At Google, 70% of employees are men and 60% are white, and many other major tech companies have similar stats or worse. Gender equality in the workplace is a country-wide problem too — in 2015, women made 79-cents for every dollar earned by men.

Googlers participating in Lady Day want it to be an opportunity to encourage critical thinking about equality in the workplace.

"It's really inspiring to have women leaders like Ruth to look up to," Anya Estrov, another Googler who changed her title, says. "I hope that by seeing this, women will continue to push themselves."

Besides Porat, Google has a handful of other women in its top executive positions — including seven of the 20 people in Google's inner leadership circle. 

Meet the other "Ladies" leading the company alongside Porat: 

SEE ALSO: Google made a subtle change to its most important business

Susan Wojcicki is CEO of YouTube.



Diane Greene is an Alphabet board member and leading Google's fast-growing cloud business.



Jen Fitzpatrick, VP of Geo, makes sure you always know where you're going through Google's Maps and Local products.



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This couple couldn't afford to live in San Francisco, so they're building tiny homes made from shipping containers

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boxouse san francisco couple tiny house 8797

In 2014, Heather Stewart and Luke Iseman could no longer justify spending $2,200 a month on rent in San Francisco. Fed up with the housing market, they bought a shipping container online for $2,300, had it delivered to a vacant parking lot in the East Bay they leased, and converted it into a tiny house.

Their new home contained all the creature comforts of home in a 160-square-foot space, and cost next to nothing in utilities and maintenance. 

Today, Stewart and Iseman have moved out of their original tiny home and act as the pseudo-landlords of Boxouse, a maker space where amateur builders and hobbyists can construct the tiny homes of their dreams. The couple also converts shipping containers into living spaces for outside buyers on the side.

They're currently working on two new containers that will form their next home, living in the under-construction tiny homes in the warehouse while they do it. Let's take a look inside.

Heather Stewart grew up running horse farms in almost every corner of the US. As an adult, she realized she still didn't know how to build anything.



"I was interested in alternative housing," Stewart says. "I don't want to be in debt for the next 60 years, and I also don't want to be in one place for the next 60 years."

 



When she saw the shipping-container-turned-home her now-partner Luke Iseman built five years ago, she knew she wanted one of her own.



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How Lionel Messi, one of the world's highest-paid sports stars, spends his millions

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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is the second highest-paid athlete in the world — after fellow footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Forbes

For one of the richest sportsmen ever, Messi is surprisingly private — preferring to let his football skills do the talking. 

But no-one earns that much money without using some of it. 

Keep scrolling to see what Barcelona and Argentina's greatest player spends his hard-earned cash on:

Messi made $81.4 million (£56.1 million) last year, the most of any sportsman apart from Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured on the right).

Source: Forbes



His new contract with Barcelona will be worth £583,000 ($826,500) A WEEK from next season.

Source: The Sun



He makes just as much off the field, earning $28 million ($20 million) in endorsements.

Source: Forbes



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9 insane fair foods you should know about

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Baked Potato Bacon Bomb

Summer has officially kicked off now that fair season is upon us. The San Diego Fair has just opened its doors and quite a few dishes have caught our eyes. Taking place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, some of the new offerings at the fair has us drooling.

Like with most fair foods, a huge chunk of these delicious dishes are deep fried. Last year, we were blessed with deep-fried Starbucks coffee, chicken waffle cones, beer gelato and a ton of other greasy goodies. So much for that summer body.

While these items can only be found at the SD Fair, at the moment, some will be carrying over to the Orange County fair in mid-July.

We'll be updating as fair season gluttony goes on. 

Philly Mac & Cheesesteak

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Pull-pork Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese

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Deep-fried Lemonade

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Amazon just released new TV show pilots — here's what you need to watch

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amazon pilots the last tycoon the interestings

Once again, Amazon wants to know what you think of its new pilots.

The company this week kicked off its newest pilot season with two one-hour drama pilots and six children's show pilots.

Instead of a bunch of suits debating what to greenlight, viewers can watch the pilot episodes and review them in order to help Amazon choose which ones it will order to series.

One interesting note: Stories dealing with shifting time were a major trend in this year's new fall-broadcast shows, and the same goes for Amazon's drama pilot offerings.

We watched Amazon's two new drama pilots. Here's our take:

SEE ALSO: These are the TV shows millennials love, according to a brand expert

DON'T MISS: RANKED: The 10 new TV shows that people are most excited about

"The Interestings"

Adapted from Meg Wolitzer’s critically acclaimed New York Times best-selling novel, "The Interestings" stars "Six Feet Under" actress Lauren Ambrose and follows her group of artistic friends in three different decades.

There's so much potential in "The Interestings." The casting is great. The sets are beautiful and really capture their respective decades. And there's always some innate curiosity in how the relationships of young friends can change, sour, get stronger, and even end over years. But "The Interestings" pilot was too in a rush to let that play out.

There are so many time shifts in the one hour that we never really get to sit in any part of the story. Worst of all, we don't really get to know the friends well in the early years. And as kids, they're pretty elitist and mean to others, so if we don't quite like or know them, then we need to know why they stuck together over the years.

We also need to feel more connected to Ambrose's Jules as the show's central character. It's possible. She was the awkward outsider who broke into the summer camp's most popular and talented crew. But instead of really getting attached to her, we jump to the future to meet a jaded version of her.

The younger years constitute probably the show's weakest storyline, but something really bad happened that caused a rift in the crew, and one of them was on the run from the police. That's where the story gets good, in the later years, as he returns home and we wonder what the hell could've happened.

Should it get a full season? Maybe. We believe the story problems could be sorted out if it gets more episodes and it's given some room to breathe.

Grade: B-



"The Last Tycoon"

"The Last Tycoon," based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name, is set in 1930s Hollywood, as a movie studio deals with the unexpected death of one of its biggest stars, struggles to keep the business going amid the Great Depression, and is forced to confront the growing international influence of Hitler's Germany. Its cast includes "White Collar" star Matt Bomer, "Frasier" actor Kelsey Grammer, and "The Blind Side" actress Lily Collins.

This is one of the better pilots we've seen in quite a while. It's a snapshot of old Hollywood in a pivotal time for the movie industry. It is deeply absorbing. On one side, we have the studio lot with its pristine sets, glamorous clothes, and beautiful people. On the other side of the wall, we have a deteriorating camp of Okies, people who have traveled to green California to escape the Oklahoma Dust Bowl only to live in squalor as the Great Depression has swallowed all the jobs.

Bomer's Monroe Stahr, a golden-boy movie producer, is at constant odds with his father figure and boss, studio chief Pat Brady (Grammer). All he wants to do is make the best American film of all time, but Pat fears the mounting bills. Hitler's film czar demands a say in every production and how the Germans are portrayed or he'll shut their films out of his country — a financial hit Pat is trying to avoid.

Still in mourning over his wife, Monroe is tempted by the beautiful women who are throwing themselves at him. Yet despite his desire to create beautiful things, it's beauty that draws him into trouble.

Needless to say, Bomer is just one of the feasts for the eyes in this beautifully made pilot.

Should it get a full season? Yes. Give us more.

Grade: A



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My top 6 takeaways from playing the new 'Legend of Zelda'

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There's a massive, gorgeous new "Legend of Zelda" game in the works. This is "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild":

Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild E3 2016 Nintendo Wii U

You've probably heard about it by now, right? It's heading to the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo's next console. In fact, the game is expected to launch alongside the new Nintendo game console, which arrives in March 2017.

I spent over half an hour with the new "Zelda" this week at E3 2016 in Los Angeles, the most important video game event of the year. These are my biggest takeaways:

First, and most obviously, the game has a beautiful painterly style. That was intentional, as you might expect.

Say what you will about realism. Clearly there are examples of games where approximating reality is ideal. "The Legend of Zelda"— a third-person fantasy exploration series starring an elfin boy with a sword — is not such an instance.

In the case of "Breath of the Wild," the game is stunning for its artistic choices rather than its outright graphical fidelity. There are jagged edges and blurry textures. Lighting and atmosphere could be more detailed. But these "flaws" are actually features in "Breath of Fire," in the same way that Paul Cézanne embraced spots of blank canvas.

Admittedly, the game is going to look sharper on Nintendo's next console (the version I played was running on a Wii U development kit). But even with sharper visuals, the game's art style is intentionally flamboyant. There's a sense of vibrancy in its popping, contrasting colors.



Seriously, look at this:



This is a real evolution — finally! — for one of the longest-running series in video games.

First, there's the simple stuff like being able to jump. Then, there's the more interesting stuff, like adding a survival aspect to the usual "Zelda" formula. You'll hunt animals for meat, cook that meat, and eat it to replenish Link's health. You'll climb mountains, trees, and all manner of structures. You'll set brush on fire to scare away enemies. You'll collects herbs, combine those herbs, and consume the concoctions you create to various ends (higher strength, perhaps, or more stamina while climbing). 

Combat is also seeing a huge change. Link's usually shining sword didn't show up in the game I played. Instead, I was encouraged to use one weapon on an enemy, disarm said enemy, and then use their own weapon against them. This is a crucial new system, specifically because weapons don't last forever. Too many attacks with any one weapon will wear it down, and it'll break eventually.

Hunting and combat alone are two major new changes to long-standing traditions in the "Zelda" series, and they're at the heart of the evolutionary change taking place with "Breath of the Wild."



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7 tech gadgets your kids should play with instead of an iPhone

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

kid child iphone ipad tabletThere are a lot of gizmos and gadgets aimed at kids out there, and separating the good from the bad can be difficult. 

While assembling this list, I tried to pick tech that kids will enjoy both actively and passively. Tablets, smartphones, and video game systems are fine in moderation, but in addition to those gadgets, in this vein, I branched out a bit.

Some products on this list have explicit educational benefits, while others simply blend the real and digital worlds together. The idea was to have gadgets that would engage kids, and give them something techy to reach for instead of your iPhone.

 

 

 

SEE ALSO: 9 must-have tech gadgets under $100

SEE ALSO: I’ve been a dedicated iPad owner for years, but I'm really impressed by Amazon’s latest tablet

MiP Robot

What kid doesn't think robots are cool? The MiP robot is "smart" robot that stands 8 inches tall, balances on two wheels, and can be controlled using gestures or a smartphone. By physically rotating its wheel, you're able to toggle between MiP's eight different modes. Each mode makes use of MiP's built-in sensors to perform different tasks.

Putting MiP in "Roam Mode," for example, sets the little robot off in any one direction, until he senses an obstacle, at which point he'll change course. "Stacking Mode" requires attaching a tray to MiP's stomach and watching his dual-wheel balancing system adjust itself so he doesn't fall down. Reviews for MiPs seem generally positive, with the only consistent complaint being he runs on AAA batteries.

MiP Robot, $50.99, available at Amazon



Anki Cars

Anki cars have the great distinction of being so cool they appeared at an Apple event to demonstrate AI. Now they're available to the public and getting great reviews.

Here's how they work: Anki cars are placed onto a track, then connected to an iOS and Android Phone through an app. The app displays all sorts of information about the car, including its weapons, the ability to change lanes, and use turbo boosts. The cars move independently because of AI built into the track and cars themselves, so you don't have to worry about constantly holding an ignition button. These are effectively Hot Wheels on steroids and reviews on Amazon have been positive, which is impressive given how technical this entire setup is.

This starter set comes with two cars, a four-car charging dock, and a track that can be configured into eight different "epic battlefields."

Anki Overdrive Starter Kit, $149.99, available at Amazon



Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet

If you'd like your kid to have a tablet, but want it to come from a reputable brand and have the peace of mind that it's insured if it breaks, consider the Fire Kids Edition.

It's not an iPad, but it's also not trying to be. I recently tried my first Fire tablet and really enjoyed myself. This isn't as powerful, and has kid-focused software, but I'm confident this tablet will provide your kid with a good experience. In addition to having parental controls, which help you fine tune how your child can use the tablet, your purchase comes with a two-year warranty and one year of Amazon's "FreeTime" service. FreeTime gives you access to a wide array of Amazon-approved kid-friendly content including books, movies, and TV shows. If they get bored of FreeTime content, they do have access to apps through the App Store, which includes some games and content apps like Netflix.

Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet, $79.99, available at Amazon



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7 of the most gruesome medical devices in history

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surgical tools

The road to modern medicine has been a long one, and doctors have come up with a variety of tools along the way. But some of the early iterations were, shall we say, a little crude. Here are seven of the more cringe-inducing instruments from medicine’s past.

Artificial leeches

When in the 1800s live leeches were unavailable, or perhaps too gross, this metal cylinder with blades performed the same function. Its rotating blades cut into the skin, while the tube suctioned the blood out. A similar tool, called a scarificator, used up to 10 spring-loaded blades. They quickly sliced into the skin, then the device was heated to create the vacuum.



Hernia Tool

Recognizing that the human body could often patch things up better than they could, doctors in the 1850s had a tool specifically for hernias. Once doctors repaired the tear in the muscle or tissue, they would insert the hernia tool into the area. This thing would be in place for about a week while scar tissue formed on it to help seal your repaired hernia.



Amputation saw

Medicine also has a long history of doctors lopping off problems they didn’t yet know how to fix, such as infections. From the pre-antibiotic bacteria of old to the antibiotic-resistant bacteria of today, infection has always been a major reason for amputations. But doctors often took pride in the instruments used for this grisly purpose. Saws like this one and this one had decorative swirls, grooves and other designs that were, ironically, probably also a place for germs to breed.



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How Pixar creative genius John Lasseter became the next Walt Disney and built a $10 billion empire

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John Lasseter

John Lasseter might not be a household name on the level of Walt Disney, but he's certainly just as important in the animation world.

The man with an affinity for movie-themed Hawaiian shirts has been the chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios since Disney purchased Pixar in 2006.

No studio can match the creativity, heart, and cleverness found in all Pixar films, and it seems those principles can be traced back to Lasseter (No. 36 on the BI 100: The Creators).

"You want the movies to touch people," Lasseter said in an interview for Pixar's 30th anniversary this year. "Make 'em funny, make 'em beautiful, make 'em scary, but in the end you want that heart of the movie to be so strong."

Lasseter's and Pixar's success are linked. He cofounded the animation studio that has now made nearly $10 billion worldwide. He championed computer animation at a time when the technology was still quite infantile. He created and directed "Toy Story," which started it all (more than 250 computer-animated films have been made since). He kept asking questions that resulted in better animation all around and better Pixar films.

Take a look at how John Lasseter came to be the creative mind he is and how he helped to create the Pixar empire.

Read more stories about the 100 business visionaries who are creating value for the world.

SEE ALSO: Pixar's most and least successful movies at the box office, ranked

John Lasseter was born in Hollywood, California, on January 12, 1957. At the age of five, he won his very first award — $15 from the Model Grocery Market in Whittier, California, for a crayon drawing of the Headless Horseman.

Source: Walt Disney Studios



After seeing Disney's "The Sword in the Stone" in 1963, Lasseter knew he wanted to be an animator and work for Walt Disney.

Source: Reuters



He was the second student to be accepted into the newly formed Character Animation Program at the California Institute of the Arts in 1975. Tim Burton was the third student.

Source: Vanity Fair



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We ranked the Game of Thrones characters by leadership skills — No. 1 may surprise you

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Game of Thrones

"Valar morghulis" is the ominous, traditional Valyrian saying that means "all men must die." The customary reply is "valar dohaeris," or "all men must serve."

But what about the men and women who lead on "Game of Thrones"? There are quite a lot of leaders vying for power on the show — a few seasons ago, many of these characters were fighting in a conflict called the "War of the Five Kings."

Some are powerful and successful players. Others are in way over their heads. We've taken the opportunity to rank them based on leadership ability. 

A few notes: This list only counts characters who are still alive on the show (not the books). Also, it only takes into consideration individuals who could be counted as "leaders" (e.g. more solitary characters who aren't currently in leadership roles aren't on here, like Arya Stark, Sandor Clegane, or Samwell Tarly). Lastly, it heavily favors current events — AKA things that happened this season. This list examines leadership ability, not overall power or importance. 

Now, here are the leaders on "Game of Thrones," ranked from worst to best.

SEE ALSO: Here's how 'Game of Thrones' turns a man into a White Walker with incredible makeup effects

36. Tommen Baratheon

Yikes, Tommen. This guy should've just stuck with playing with his adorable kitten Ser Pounce. Because the whole "ruling a kingdom" schtick definitely isn't working out. 

So far, Tommen's allowed his wife and mother to be jailed by religious nuts, got bamboozled into drinking the Faith of the Seven Kool-Aid, and, to top it all off, has essentially handed over control of King's Landing to the High Sparrow and his robe-wearing goons. 

Indecisiveness, weakness, and cowardice — these are not hallmarks of a strong leader. 



35. Loras Tyrell

Poor Loras. It's not really his fault that he's so low on the list. The formerly carefree Knight of the Flowers has simply broke down from the abuse and isolation he suffered in prison.

He reveals this in a tearful conversation with his sister, letting her know that he's essentially given up on life. Loras isn't fit to be the heir to Highgarden in this state. Looks like it's up to Margaery to save House Tyrell.



34. Robin Arryn

Unsurprisingly, given his spoiled upbringing, Sweetrobin is a mess. He's so excited by the fact that his "Uncle Petyr" brought him a falcon that he can't see that he's being manipulated into sending troops to fight the Boltons. The heir to the Eyrie is too young, clueless, and creepily fixated with throwing people through the Moon Door to make a decent leader.  



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I hiked one of the most beautiful trails in Italy — here's what I wish I had known going in

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Cinque Terre

There's no debating it. The Cinque Terre in Italy is breathtaking.

What you won't see when you're looking at the picturesque photos on social media is the out-of-breath photographer behind the lens.

Trust me, there's no way after hours of hiking that anyone would look anywhere near as glamorous as the views ahead.

The experience, however, was absolutely worth the hike. In total, I hiked almost 4.5 miles of uphill terrain and my phone tracked 119 flights climbed. Needless to say, I got my steps in for the day.

This was a few weeks ago. It was my first time exploring the cliff towns along Italy's west coast. After learning the proper pronunciation (think cheenkwah-terrah) and discovering it's English translation ("cinque"-five, "terre"-lands), I was ready to take to the trail.

I'll admit — my previous hiking experience was limited. And while I can't compare hiking the Cinque Terre with hiking Everest, I did learn a few tips that should benefit visitors of all experience levels.

SEE ALSO: 25 of the most confusing food terms, defined

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

1. Make sure the trails are open

When I was there, two of the five legs were closed for preservation efforts. The 14th-century fishing towns are being overrun with tourists, as it's becoming a popular cruise destination. Check in with the websiteto see which trails will be open for your trip



2. Purchase a hiking pass

Whether you take the red or blue trail, you'll need a pass to hike from town to town. For 16 euros, you can pick up an all-day hiking pass at any of the town visitor centers. People are stationed throughout the trails to check the pass, so be sure to keep it with you. Don't forget to validate it at one of the nearby machines.



3. Know where you are going

With two of the trail legs closed, I was determined to see the three open towns. The question was— what order should I see them? I figured it was best to consult an expert, so I turned toRick Steves to see where I should begin.

He recommends starting at the southern-most town and working your way north. I worked my way up the coast, starting at Corniglia, then to Vernazza, and, finally, to Monterosso. 



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The 25 best skylines in the world, ranked!

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chongqing skyline

Every city in the world has a unique skyline. But is it possible to say which is the best?

The international building database Emporis attempts to quantify skylines by looking at the number and height of buildings in the world's major cities. The result is an ever-changing ranking of the world's most impressive cityscapes.

To rank skylines, Emporis looks at completed skyscrapers (40 floors or more) and high-rises (12 to 39 floors), and assigns each building a point value based on its floor count. Taller buildings receive significantly higher values (see Emporis' complete methodology here). TV towers, masts, bridges, and other structures are excluded.

Chongqing, China jumped an impressive 14 spots, to #3 this year.

No. 25: Beijing has 999 tall buildings in 16,807 square kilometers.

Methodology: Each building over 11 floors was assigned a point value based on number of floors. Measurements exclude TV towers, masts, bridges, or other structures.

Source: Emporis



No. 24: Harbin, China has 456 tall buildings in 7,086 square kilometers.

Methodology: Each building over 11 floors was assigned a point value based on number of floors. Measurements exclude TV towers, masts, bridges, or other structures.

Source: Emporis



No. 23: Jakarta, Indonesia, has 484 tall buildings in 661 square kilometers.

Methodology: Each building over 11 floors was assigned a point value based on number of floors. Measurements exclude TV towers, masts, bridges, or other structures.

Source: Emporis



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6 ways American fathers are doing better than their dads before them

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It might be time to give your dad some credit.

Because, according to a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, chances are he's doing a pretty good job.

While experiences and cultural standards about fatherhood vary, it's still one of the hardest jobs a man can have in his lifetime. 

The traditional American family is changing in surprising ways, and the role of the modern father is evolving as well. Today, dads are more involved, more engaged, and less concerned about the "Brady Bunch"-style vision of the American dad.

In honor of Father's Day, here are 6 ways that fathers have been stepping it up in America in big ways.

They spend more time with their kids, but still say it's not enough

According to the report, 46% of fathers say they spend more time with their kids than their parents did with them. That means that just one generation of fatherhood has drastically changed the amount of engagement between father and child.

And 48% of fathers in the study still thought they didn't spend enough time with their kids in general, suggesting they are more concerned with fostering a healthy relationship through bonding time and shared interests, apparently even enjoying shopping together.



They are more concerned about work-life balance

Many working fathers feel the struggle of balancing work and parenting, with 52% of fathers saying it's a challenge to juggle the responsibilities of work and family and 29% saying they always feel rushed to fit it all in. In 1977, only 35% of fathers reported having problems balancing work and family.  

It's still relatively new for companies to offer decent parental leave for fathers after becoming parents, but some companies are leading the way in providing new dads with some quality time with their newborns. 

 



They aren't always the sole breadwinner anymore

About two-thirds of households today are dual-earner families. In 1970, there were about 25% less than that. Having two income earners has allowed parents to more comfortably split their time raising their children and working, allowing dads to spend more time with their kids than 50 years ago.  

The percentage of working mothers has steadily risen in the past 10 years, challenging the idea that women should stay home and men should be the primary breadwinner. The American Psychological Association found that two-income families can be happier and healthier due to a more balanced lifestyle.



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These 15 electric cars will be here by 2020

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tesla

These days, if you are in the market for a fully electric, long-range vehicle, your options are pretty limited. 

In fact, Tesla vehicles are currently the only cars that have an official range of more than 200 miles per charge. 

But it won't be long before there's an influx of long-range electric cars hitting the market. 

Most major automakers, including GM and Volkswagen, have vowed to roll out more than one fully electric car by 2020. 

Here's a look at some of the vehicles coming to market in the next few years.  

SEE ALSO: This couple couldn't afford to live in San Francisco, so they're building tiny homes made from shipping containers

Tesla unveiled its Model 3 this year and aims to begin production by the end of 2017.

Tesla revealed its first mass market, long-range vehicle on March 31, but the car won't go into production until 2017. 

The car has a starting range of more than 200 miles per charge and can go form zero to 60 miles per hour in just six seconds. 

The car will cost $35,000 before incentives and will be about 20% smaller than the company's Model S. However, it can still seat five people pretty comfortably. 



Tesla's also has plans to introduce a next-generation Roadster in 2019.

Tesla will reveal a new Roadster in 2019, according to a statement by CEO Elon Musk in July of last year. 

Almost no details have been revealed about the new car, except for the fact that it will be built for speed. Musk said in the statement that the new car will be capable of going from zero to 60 in less than 2.8 seconds, which is faster than its cars can go in "Ludicrous Mode."



The Bolt EV is going into production this year.

General Motors revealed the production model of its first affordable, long-range car called the Chevrolet Bolt EV. The car will become available before the end of 2016, have a range of about 200 miles per charge, and will cost around $30,000 after tax incentives. 



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I fed myself on $2 a day for a month — here are my 9 best tips for making it work

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It turns out that eating on $2 a day is more than possible.

I know because I tried it in January. I was inspired by a young Elon Musk, who challenged himself to a minimal food budget as a teenager to see if he had what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

I don't recommend this tedious lifestyle if you can help it (and neither does Musk), but if you decide to take the "Elon Musk challenge"— or if you're looking to lower your monthly grocery bill — here are my nine best tips.

SEE ALSO: I took the 'Elon Musk Challenge' and spent only $2 a day on food for a month — and it was easier than I expected

1. Where you shop matters.

Luxury or organic grocery stores are out of the question — that's obvious. I also learned to stay away from certain, major supermarket chains. During week one, I popped into Gristedes and Food Emporium to do a bit of price comparison. While I didn't look at many products, there seemed to be enough of a price discrepancy between them and my go-to spot: the famously affordable Trader Joe's. Pasta, for example, cost about $1.60 at Gristedes (compared to $.99 at Trader Joe's) — and with a $2-a-day budget, every cent matters.

If you have an accessible Aldi, that chain tends to be even cheaper than Trader Joe's. Also, if I were to do it all over, I would've looked for steals at local markets, which I've heard have unbeatable prices.

2. Use cash.

When you have to stick to a tight budget, ditching your plastic cards for cash can make a world of difference. For one, you get a better idea of exactly how much money you're spending and how much you have remaining in your budget. Plus, there's something about physically handing over bills — watching your money disappear right before your eyes — that causes you to value it more.

At the start of January, I set aside exactly $62 in cash. After every trip to the grocery store, I would count my bills and ensure I was at (or below) my budget. The strategy worked — at the end of the month, I even had $1.07 to spare.



3. Stick to the basics.

Don't expect to whip up complex (or savory) meals. Pasta will quite literally mean plain pasta and oatmeal will quite literally mean plain oats. If you want enough calories to subsist on, flavor enhancers probably won't fit in the budget, so you might as well accept that everything is going to be considerably bland. 

That being said, I did splurge on a $2.99 package of butter. A serving of butter (1 tablespoon) ended up costing just $0.10 and the package lasted the entire month. Plus, it provided a few more calories to my day-to-day diet.

If you're going to make room in the budget for a flavor enhancer, and you'll probably want to, choose something versatile — like butter or salt — that can be used on multiple foods.

4. Don't divide your dollars by days.

I took a big picture approach to the challenge, thinking about how much money I had to spend for the entire month, rather than on a day-by-day basis. It's important to buy for value, which often means buying in bulk, so sometimes I would spend $8 at the grocery store for supplies that would last several days — other days, I spent nothing.

Of course, if you take the big picture approach, you have to be diligent about tracking exactly how much you're spending to ensure you don't run out of money down the road.



5. Accept that you'll be eating the same thing over and over again.

I purchased only nine items during the month-long challenge, which I ate repeatedly. I probably could have switched things up a bit more than I chose to, but the point is, there isn't a huge selection of dirt cheap food products that I wanted to eat.

While I predicted the monotony of eating the same things day after day would wear on me, it never did. One of the reasons I didn't get tired of my staples was because I allowed myself the occasional "luxury item": a sweet potato or egg. Not only did this strategy offer relief from pasta and oats, but it also put luxury into perspective — I've never appreciated something as simple as a baked sweet potato to the degree that I did last month.

6. Buy food you won't get tired of.

If you're going to be eating the same things day in and day out, you have to like what you're eating. I learned this the hard way during the food-stamp challenge. Everyone told me to buy beans — they're cheap and nutritious — but I hate beans, so much that I refused to touch one of the cans I bought, despite dealing with hunger pains and fatigue for most of the week.

I'm don't recommend you buy sirloin steak for the month — you still have to be smart about what you buy — but don't fall into the trap of buying just for the cheap price tag.



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Here's when all your favorite TV shows are returning

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andy samberg brooklyn nine nine fox

Sure, summer just started and you've barely completed programming your DVR for the season. But guess what? The networks are already announcing when your favorite shows are returning and when their new series will premiere this fall.

But don't get up from your beach chair. Business Insider has your back. We've compiled all the official dates that have been released so far from The CW, Fox, and NBC.

See when your favorite shows are returning below:

Note: We'll update as the networks make their announcements.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 10 new TV shows that people are most excited about

DON'T MISS: 47 new TV shows coming in the next year that just got announced

September 2016

Wednesday, September 14

10 p.m. "Blindspot"

Monday, September 19

8 p.m. "Gotham" (Fox)

8 p.m. "The Voice" (NBC)

9 p.m. "Lucifer" (Fox)

10 p.m. "The Good Place" early preview (NBC)

Tuesday, September 20

8 p.m. "Brookyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)

8:30 p.m. "New Girl" (Fox)

9 p.m. "Scream Queens" (Fox)

10 p.m. "This Is Us" series premiere (NBC)

Wednesday, September 21

8 p.m. "Lethal Weapon" series premiere (Fox)

8 p.m. "Blindspot" timeslot premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "Empire" (Fox)

9 p.m. "Law & Order" (NBC)

10 p.m. "Chicago P.D." (NBC)

Thursday, September 22

8 p.m. "Rosewood" (Fox)

8 p.m. "Superstore" (NBC)

8:30 p.m. "The Good Place" timeslot premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "Pitch" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Chicago Med" (NBC)

10 p.m. "The Blacklist" (NBC)

Friday, September 23

8 p.m. "Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)

8 p.m. "Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" series premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "The Exorcist" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Dateline" (NBC)

Sunday, September 25

7:30 p.m. "Bob's Burgers" (Fox)

8 p.m. "The Simpsons" (Fox)

8:30 p.m. "Son of Zorn" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Family Guy" (Fox)

9:30 p.m. "The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)



Tuesday, September 20

8 p.m. "Brookyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)

8:30 p.m. "New Girl" (Fox)

9 p.m. "Scream Queens" (Fox)

10 p.m. "This Is Us" series premiere (NBC)

Wednesday, September 21

8 p.m. "Lethal Weapon" series premiere (Fox)

8 p.m. "Blindspot" timeslot premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "Empire" (Fox)

9 p.m. "Law & Order" (NBC)

10 p.m. "Chicago P.D." (NBC)

Thursday, September 22

8 p.m. "Rosewood" (Fox)

8 p.m. "Superstore" (NBC)

8:30 p.m. "The Good Place" timeslot premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "Pitch" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Chicago Med" (NBC)

10 p.m. "The Blacklist" (NBC)

Friday, September 23

8 p.m. "Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)

8 p.m. "Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" series premiere (NBC)

9 p.m. "The Exorcist" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Dateline" (NBC)

Sunday, September 25

7:30 p.m. "Bob's Burgers" (Fox)

8 p.m. "The Simpsons" (Fox)

8:30 p.m. "Son of Zorn" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Family Guy" (Fox)

9:30 p.m. "The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)



Sunday, September 25

7:30 p.m. "Bob's Burgers" (Fox)

8 p.m. "The Simpsons" (Fox)

8:30 p.m. "Son of Zorn" series premiere (Fox)

9 p.m. "Family Guy" (Fox)

9:30 p.m. "The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)



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