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7 small changes in mindset that will increase the quality of your life

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woman smiling happy smile

You want to live a productive, happy, and successful life, but mental roadblocks keep getting in your way.

You know what it takes to become successful, but it's easier said than done.

You are willing to do the work it takes to succeed, but your mind leaves you paralyzed and unable to act.

Here's the good news  — it doesn't necessarily take a giant effort to change your results. Sometimes making some subtle changes in the way you think can skyrocket your chances of success.

These small shifts in mindset have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of your life.

SEE ALSO: The 28 best books for someone just starting out in their career

Turn envy into curiosity

"If you think a man draws the type of hands that you want to draw, steal 'em. Take those hands."— Jack Kirby

We all suffer from jealousy at one point or another. But envy can be useful when you harness its power the right way. Shifting your envious energy into curiosity causes you to take action instead of feeling sorry for yourself.

For example, I remember when I saw an acquaintance of mine published a blog post on a high traffic website. I was jealous for a bit, but then I decided to figure out how she did it. I published my work on the same platform days later. I've continued to use curiosity to accomplish what I've seen others do.

The accomplishments others make aren't as hard to achieve as you think.

You just have to steal their techniques.

When someone walks the path you want to travel, they've left a trail. Don't be envious of them. Thank them for making your path easier and walk down it.



Make learning an obligation Instead of an option

"Increasing rationality and improving as much as you can no matter your age or experience is a moral duty. "— Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

If I could attribute one thing to transforming my life from being broke to publishing two books and doing what I'm passionate about every day, it's learning.

I was stuck in a rut because I wasn't smart enough to get out of it. I wasn't smart enough to get out of it because I wasn't trying to learn.

One day I decided to change.

I read hundreds of books and listened to more talks and interviews than I can count. The learning process helped me change the way I viewed the world, gave me confidence to pursue my dreams, and helped me develop skills to execute on my ideas.

If you become a learning machine, you can keep up with anyone in your field. In fact, you can surpass them.

Treat acquiring new information like your occupation. You have more access to information than ever before. The playing field is level and you're only bound by the energy you put into your own education.

Don't work your way to the top. Learn your way to the top.



Change 'I am' to 'I'm working on it'

"Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It's about seeing things in a new way. When people…change to a growth mindset, they change from a judge-and-be-judged framework to a learn-and-help-learn framework."  — Carol Dweck

The labels you place on yourself shape your actions. Be careful what words you use after the phrase "I am." The minute you label yourself as lazy, stupid, weak, or anything else negative, you act in accordance with that label. Instead of placing labels on yourself, try making statements indicating you're in the process of improving.

• Instead of "I'm lazy"— "I'm working on becoming a more productive person."

• Instead of "I'm broke"— "I'm learning how to manage my finances and how to develop the skills to earn more."

• Instead of "I'm dumb"— "I'm in the process of learning as much as I can and my knowledge base will grow."

This subtle shift in the way you describe yourself will result in dramatic changes in behavior.

Thinking this way makes you growth minded.

I used to be fix-minded, meaning I didn't think a change was possible because my problems weren't just situational problems, they were character problems.

As I discuss in my latest book, experiences and outside influences help shape your identity.

The things you believe as fixed traits may be nothing more than stories planted in your head when you were too young to defend yourself against them.

You can start over and change your identity by first realizing your identity isn't what matters most. What you choose to focus and work on matters most.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Signature items from 17 fast food chains, ranked by calories

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Chipotle Burritos

When you're digging into your favorite fast food items, calories are probably the last thing on your mind.

However, you should beware of how of those are hiding in some of your favorite snacks. That's why we rounded up signature menu items from 17 popular fast food chains and ranked them by calorie content, from least to most caloric.

It's important to note that not all the items are the same serving size, and that calorie count isn't always indicative of how healthy or unhealthy a food is. 

Keep scrolling to see how much you're consuming when you're getting your fast food fix.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen mild chicken tenders (3 pieces), 340 calories

Click here to see Popeyes' full menu >



Arby's classic roast beef, 360 calories

Click here to see Arby's full menu >



Kentucky Fried Chicken original recipe chicken drumsticks (3 pieces), 360 calories

Click here to see KFC's full menu >



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the trends everyone is going to be wearing this summer

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summer trendThe INSIDER Summary:

  • It's officially summer and new styles are taking over the trend world.
  • Try picking up a little red dress or circular straw bags for the perfect summer look.

The sun’s shining and the mercury has (finally) started rising — it’s officially time to pack up your cold weather threads and usher your closet into the carefree days of summer.

Chic beach bags, ballerina-inspired swimwear, and embroidered accessories are already on your radar, but if you’re in need of a few high-impact pieces to round out the rest of your warm weather wardrobe, look no further than the 19 wow-worthy picks below.

From square-toed sandals to slip dresses and rainbow bright stripes, these Instababe-approved items are guaranteed to get you a spot on this summer’s best-dressed list. 

1. Rainbow stripes

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It girls are taking a technicolor approach to their warm weather style with ultra-bright stripes in knit tees and twirl-worthy frocks at the center of their on- and off-duty ensembles.



2. One-shoulder everything

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If your Insta feed is any indication, it won’t be long until one-shoulder tops, mini dresses, and rompers will be dominating your #OOTD circuit. Recreate model Rocky Barne’s low-key look with high-waisted cutoffs, minimalist gold statement earrings, and an of-the-moment bamboo bag.



3. Souped-up sunnies

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Sunglasses don’t just protect your peepers — they drastically change the feel of your look. While a pair of dramatic cat eye glasses would play up Kendall Chase’s Hawaiian blouse’s retro-cool vibe, this quirky circular set makes the getup feel incredibly cutting edge.



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The best dog shampoo you can buy

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

IP_Buying_Guide Badge 4x3 Template

The Insider Pick:

  • Dogs tend to get messy and sometimes they run afoul of skunks or pick up other nasty smells. That's where dog shampoo comes to save the day. The Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo is the best of the best with its all-natural formula that cleans and deodorizes without irritating your dog’s sensitive skin.

Dogs have a knack for getting into trouble and some dogs seem to always be followed by a cloud of dust and dirt. Unfortunately, dogs are not like cats in grooming themselves – you have to do it for them. While many dog owners use human shampoo on their dogs, frequent use of these products could be harmful and might compromise the quality of your dog’s coat. The better option is to purchase a shampoo designed specifically for dogs. These products are formulated to be gentle on your dog’s sensitive skin and they are generally free from harsh chemicals and fragrances.

Keeping your dog’s skin and coat clean is important, but you can have too much of a good thing. Shampooing your dog’s coat too often could strip it of the natural oils that keep his skin healthy and moisturized. So, not only is it important to avoid bathing your dog too often but when you do wash him, you need to use a quality product. 

There is a limitless array of options out there, but some dog shampoos are simply better than others. We’ve read the reviews and done the research to bring you our top picks for dog shampoo in different categories. Keep reading to see what we’ve chosen.

To give your dog the best of everything, you can also check out our guides for the best flea treatments for dogs, the best dog beds, the best dog toys, the best dog food, the best dog collars, and the best leashes for walking your pup.

Although the Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo, the Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo, the 4-Legger Certified Organic Dog Shampoo, the SynergyLabs Veterinary Formula Triple Strength Dirty Dog Concentrated Shampoo, and the Vet’s Best Hypo-Allergenic Dog Shampoo.

The best dog shampoo overall

Why you'll love it: The Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo is safe and gentle, plus it will leave your dog’s skin and coat soft and moisturized. 

When shopping for dog shampoo, you want to look for a product that will clean and deodorize your dog’s skin and coat without irritating his sensitive skin. Our top overall choice for dog shampoo is Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo. This formula is safe, gentle, and effective, which is all you can really ask for in a dog shampoo. 

This Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo features natural ingredients like oatmeal and aloe to soothe skin irritation, relieve itching, and moisturize your dog’s skin. It is a soap-free, pH-balanced formula that effectively cleans and deodorizes to leave your dog’s coat softer than ever with a pleasant vanilla almond scent. Not only is this product all-natural, but it is 100% biodegradable and cruelty-free. It won’t wash away flea and tick control products, either.

Named among Labrador Training HQ’s top three picks for natural, organic dog shampoos, this formula doesn’t contain any parabens, phosphates, synthetic dyes, or perfumes. The shampoo also makes it onto Heavy’s top 15 list for the best dog shampoos and it is the number-one pick for Top Dog Tips. Top Dog Tips notes that, of the products tested, this formula was the most effective in relieving itching and it was the best smelling product as well.

With more than 2,000 user reviews on Amazon, Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo has a consistent 4.5-star rating. Users love how well the formula works to soothe itching without any harsh ingredients as well as the fresh vanilla almond scent.

Pros: Made with all-natural ingredients, 100% biodegradable and cruelty-free, soap-free formula, safe and gentle, relieves itching and soothes dry skin, promotes healing and moisturizes skin, pH-balanced to clean and deodorize, won’t wash away flea and tick products

Cons: May not lather well enough for dogs with thick double coats, may not be recommended for dogs with allergies and extra-sensitive skin, some users find the scent overpowering, may not be powerful enough for very strong odors

Buy the Earthbath All Natural Vanilla & Almond Pet Shampoo on Amazon for $9.15



The best dog shampoo for puppies

Why you'll love it: To gently cleanse your puppy’s sensitive skin and coat, we recommend Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo

Even at a fraction of their adult size, puppies can make some big messes. It pays to be prepared by keeping a powerful dog shampoo on hand. The thing you need to keep in mind is that your puppy’s skin is extra sensitive, so you need to choose a formula that is strong enough for deep cleaning but gentle enough not to irritate or damage your puppy’s skin. Our top pick for a puppy-safe shampoo that cleans and deodorizes without the use of harsh chemicals or fragrances is Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo.

Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo is a sulfate-free, paraben-free shampoo made with gentle cleansers safe for your puppy’s sensitive skin and coat. It is a tearless formula that won’t irritate your puppy’s eyes if you use it as a face wash, and it leaves behind a gentle orchid scent. This puppy-safe shampoo contains natural odor-neutralizing ingredients for long-lasting freshness.

An in-depth review from My Dog Likes speaks to the benefits not only of this tearless puppy formula, but of the fact that Isle of Dogs offers a complete line of professional-quality shampoos and conditioners. The review also mentions that Isle of Dogs offers complete transparency about its ingredients, which gives you peace of mind as a dog owner. This product also receives favorable reviews as a top pick in puppy-safe shampoos from My Sweet Puppy and Pawsome Talk.  

Though Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo only has about 120 reviews on Amazon, it has a consistent 4.5-star rating. Users love the quality of the ingredients and the gentle orchid scent, though some dog owners find it to be too strong. Overall, however, the product is considered safe and effective for puppies.

Pros: Free from sulfates and parabens, gentle enough for puppies and as a face wash, gentle orchid scent, contains natural odor-neutralizing ingredients, lathers well for deep cleaning, doesn’t contain any synthetic ingredients or harsh fragrances

Cons: Some users find the orchid scent overpowering, may not be powerful enough for strong odors

Buy the Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo on Amazon for $7.56



The best dog shampoo for fleas and ticks

Why you'll love it: The Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo is made with natural pyrethrins and an insect growth regulator to kill fleas on contact and provide 28 days of protection.

A flea infestation is every dog owner’s worst nightmare. Not only can fleas cause your dog’s skin to become irritated and inflamed, but these tiny pests can make their way into your pet’s bedding, your furniture, and even your carpet. A high-quality flea shampoo is the first step in eradicating fleas and our top pick is Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo. This highly effective formula kills fleas in all life stages and it is also effective against ticks and chewing lice. Simply put, it is a powerful weapon against insect pests.

Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo contains natural pyrethrins to kill adult fleas, ticks, and lice as well as Precor, an insect growth regulator to prevent eggs and larvae from developing into biting adults. In addition to powerful active ingredients, this formula also contains natural ingredients like coconut extract, oatmeal, and aloe to help soothe and moisturize your dog’s dry, irritated, and itchy skin. The gentle formula works into an easy lather to cleanse your dog’s coat, leaving it softer, shinier, and cleaner than ever. It also provides a full 28 days of protection.

My Sweet Puppy names Adam's its top pick for flea shampoos, praising it for its efficacy in killing insect pests while also cleansing your dog’s coat and moisturizing his skin. A review from WiseBread speaks to the benefits of a concentrated, lathering formula and Ready Set Dogs notes that natural pyrethrins (the active ingredients in this formula) are generally safer and more effective than permethrins, the synthetic version.

With more than 500 ratings on Amazon, Adam’s Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo has a solid 4-star rating. Customers note that the product has a fairly strong odor and some dog owners report needing multiple applications for maximum efficacy but, for the most part, this shampoo is safe, inexpensive, and highly effective.

Pros: Made with natural pyrethrins instead of synthetic permethrins, contains Precor insect growth regulator, kills fleas and ticks in all life stages, protects for a full 28 days, contains natural ingredients to soothe and moisturize skin, gently cleanses and softens coat, safe for puppies over 12 weeks

Cons: May not be recommended for puppies under 12 weeks, some users find the odor to be too strong, needs to be worked into a thick lather for maximum efficacy  

Buy the Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo on Amazon for $10.60 (originally $20.99)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are all the movies leaving Netflix in July that you need to watch right now

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Working Girl

Netflix has released the titles that will be leaving its streaming service in July, so take a break from your tans and watch some great movies before they're gone.

There's some very worthy stuff you should consider: Mel Brooks’ classic “Blazing Saddles,” the late Adam West as the Dark Knight in a movie version of his popular “Batman” TV series from the '60s, and Melanie Griffith putting the moves on Harrison Ford (and facing off against Sigourney Weaver) in the '80s classic “Working Girl.”

Here's everything that's leaving Netflix in July (we've highlighted the titles we think you should watch in bold):

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the Han Solo movie directors being fired — and what happens next to the "Star Wars" spinoff

Leaving July 1

“Blazing Saddles”
“American Pie Presents: Band Camp”
“Flicka 2”
“9/11: Stories in Fragments”
“Secrets: The Sphinx”
“Batman”
“Working Girl”
“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”
“An Unmarried Woman”
“Hello, Dolly!”
“MacGyver” (Seasons 1 - 7)
“Ghost Whisperer” (Seasons 1 - 5)
“Futurama” (Season 6)
“Day of the Kamikaze”
“Mystery Files: Hitler”
“Mystery Files: Leonardo da Vinci”
“Nazi Temple of Doom”
“The Hunt for Bin Laden”
“The Incredible Bionic Man”
“History in HD: The Last Bomb”
“Secrets: A Viking Map?”
“Secrets: Richard III Revealed”
“Shuttle Discovery's Last Mission”
“Titanic's Final Mystery”
“Samurai Headhunters”
“America's Secret D-Day Disaster”
“Black Wings”
“Blondie's New York”
“Bombs, Bullets and Fraud”
“Death Beach”
“Hip Hop: The Furious Force of Rhymes”
“American Pie Presents: Beta House”
“Hugo”
“American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile”
“Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging”
“While You Were Sleeping”
“Kate & Leopold”
“El Dorado”



Leaving 7/3/17

“The Last Samurai”
“Two Weeks Notice”



Leaving 7/6/17

“Los Heroes del Norte” (Seasons 1 - 2)



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This map shows where people with HIV live in the US — and points to some troubling trends

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Screen Shot 2017 06 21 at 10.06.52 AM

It's been 36 years since HIV/AIDS first made an appearance in the US.

The disease quickly spiraled into an epidemic, but medical advances have since made HIV controllable with medication — especially if diagnosed early. 

An estimated 1.1 million Americans currently live with HIV in the US, however, and thousands still die from AIDS every year.

AIDSVu, a project run by Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in partnership with biotech company Gilead Sciences, has been mapping HIV by county since 2010.

On Wednesday, it released its newest data — the maps show the prevalence of HIV as of 2014, as well as new diagnoses from 2008 to 2015. Here's what the researchers found.

 

SEE ALSO: This startup wants to regenerate the heart and brain to keep people healthier for longer

DON'T MISS: The Trump administration is gearing up to take an official stance on prescription drug prices — here’s what to expect

AIDSVu gets its data from state and city health departments that collect information on a local level. This map looks at the number of new HIV diagnoses, with darker purple denoting more diagnoses in a given county.



By mapping HIV rates on a local level, public health officials can get insight into which groups might need more attention (based on geography or demographics). Here's the breakdown of Seattle by zip code — the first time AIDSVu has collected this detailed of information about the city.



Dr. Patrick Sullivan, the project's lead researcher, told Business Insider that southern states are disproportionately affected by HIV. In this map, the darkest red shows areas with more than 381 diagnoses per 100,000 people.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Watch the original Mazda Miata race the new MX-5

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Miata Race

Mazda rolled out a new MX-5, known more colloquially as the "Miata," in 2015.

A quarter-century after its introduction, the frisky little drop-top has been steadily improved. It's gotten bigger and faster. But how much faster?

Mazda decided to find out, pitting a first-generation MX-5 against the latest model and filming the excitement.

A pair of endurance racers were recruited: Jade Paveley to pilot the 1990 Miata; and Owen Mildenhall to helm the new MX-5.

The earliest Miata managed only 116 horsepower. With a larger engine, the new MX-5 cranks out 155. At a race track in Spain, Mazda's thinking was that such a power differential translates into 4 seconds, so that's how much of a head start Paveley got.

Would she be able to hold her lead?

Jade Paveley gets the older, slower Miata — but a 4-second head start. Will she be able to drive the little roadster well enough to maintain her lead?



Owen Mildenhall got behind the wheel of the much-improved MX-5. But will better handling, better suspension, and more horsepower be enough? Driving skill can still win races, and Paveley has a head start!



Green flag means go!



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What the maximum amount of caffeine you should be drinking in a day looks like

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BI Graphics_Maximum amount of caffeine_4x3

And you thought Red Bull was bad.

It turns out that while a can of the energy drink has 80 milligrams of caffeine, a small cup of Starbucks drip coffee has more than three times that amount.

Since many beverages don't show their caffeine content, it can be tough to make sure you're not overdoing it — and the Mayo Clinic advises adults to limit their caffeine intake to 400 mg per day. More than that and you run the risk of unpleasant side effects ranging from migraine headaches to irritability, upset stomach, and even muscle tremors.

With that in mind, here's what the maximum amount of caffeine you should be drinking in a day looks like in the context of your favorite beverages, from McDonald's coffee to soda, tea, and energy shots:

SEE ALSO: 11 things people think are terrible for your diet that actually aren't

DON'T MISS: 13 diet 'truths' you should ignore

Starbucks coffee

The Mayo Clinic maintains that most healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine each day. Starbucks ultra-strong coffee would put you over that limit with just two cups. In contrast, most other coffee only contains about 90-120 mg of caffeine per cup. A single small cup of Starbucks' Blonde Roast coffee, on the other hand, has 270 mg of caffeine.



5-Hour Energy

Energy shots might look tiny, but they can pack a surprisingly powerful caffeine punch. One 5-Hour-Energy contains 200 mg of caffeine — nearly the same amount as a cup of Starbucks.



McDonald's coffee

Unlike Starbucks coffee, McDonald's drip offers roughly the same amount of caffeine as a "standard" cup of joe, according to the folks over at CaffeineInformer.com. The chain does not currently report the amount of caffeine in its coffee, but Caffeine Informer says each 12-ounce cup has 109 mg of caffeine.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are all the deals that Google's AI DeepMind lab has made with Britain's government health agency (GOOG)

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Moorfields Eye Hospital

DeepMind, an artificial intelligence lab owned by Google parent firm Alphabet, announced in February 2016 that it had set up a new healthcare division called DeepMind Health.

Led by DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman, DeepMind Health has doubled the size of its team to over 40 staff and gone on to sign a number of deals with NHS trusts operating some of the biggest hospitals in the UK.

One such deal is that between DeepMind and the Royal Free London NHS Trust. Unlike the others, the deal with the Royal Free has been heavily criticized by privacy campaigners and academics due to the amount of sensitive data that data DeepMind, which sits under one of the world's largest companies, was given access to. After some of the early criticism, DeepMind set up an independent review board to scrutinize its healthcare work. 

Here is a brief overview of the partnerships that DeepMind has formed with NHS trusts. 

Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust

Date: September 2015

Length of deal: Five years

Summary: DeepMind signed an initial deal with the Royal Free in 2015 to get its Streams kidney monitoring app into the hands of clinicians. In November 2016, it signed a new five-year deal to expand the app's abilities so that it can be used to help doctors monitor and detect patients at risk of other conditions, including sepsis and organ failure.

Hospitals operated by the Trust: Royal Free Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, Barnet Hospital.

Read more:DeepMind has signed a major new deal with the NHS despite concerns about patient privacy



Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Date: December 2016

Length of deal: Five years

Summary: DeepMind is deploying its Streams app to medics working in hospitals operated by the Trust. The app, which doesn't yet involve any of the AI technology that DeepMind is known for, allows clinicians to see electronic patient records on their smartphones and get alerts when their patient's conditions start to deteriorate.

Hospitals operated by the Trust: St Mary's, Hammersmith, and Charing Cross.

Read more:DeepMind signed a deal with another NHS trust to get its Streams app in the hands of even more medics



University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Date: August 2016

Length of deal: Unknown

Summary: DeepMind and University College London Hospital are trying establish whether machine learning techniques could reduce the amount of time it takes to plan radiotherapy treatment for head and neck cancers.

Hospitals operated by the Trust: University College London Hospital, University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street, the UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre, the Eastman Dental Hospital, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, and the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital.

Read more: Google DeepMind is going to try and help the NHS treat head and neck cancer



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Halsey's work ethic is so tough she has twice fired her friends

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Halsey and Jim Edwards

  • Singer Halsey talked to Business Insider about her work ethic, being a CEO, and what happens when your friends are also your employees.
  • Halsey has fired two of her friends because they were not working as hard as she thought they should. "It's definitely painful," she says.
  • She told us why she regards herself as a product.
  • The singer also discussed what she likes least about being famous.
  • And why she will always prefer New Jersey over Brooklyn.

CANNES, France — Halsey's new album "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" is a huge hit, currently sitting at No.1 on the Billboard US album charts. But rather than celebrating, Halsey is working.

She does this a lot.

Halsey once performed on stage the same day she had a miscarriage. Instead of cancelling the show or going to the hospital, she put on a pair of adult diapers, took some Percocet, and performed anyway. "It's the angriest performance that I've ever done in my life," she told Rolling Stone.

Even if she has a half-hour of downtime in the back of a taxi between appointments, she will use it to tweet at the 4.45 million fans who follow her on Twitter, she told Business Insider at the Cannes Lions advertising festival this week. Halsey told us she regards this as an act of customer service: communication with fans goes on at all times, around the clock, because the fans are the most important thing, and keeping them close to the Halsey project (her real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, from Clark, New Jersey) is the core of the job.

Halsey was in France to do a panel with Ryan Seacrest in conjunction with iHeartRadio, and to meet female CEOs. The "CEO" thing is a new concept for Halsey, but she has a half dozen or more full-time staff tending to her career, and up to 200 people work for her when she is on tour. She is a business, she is their boss, and she is a micromanager. This isn't just work, after all — it's her life.

That can lead to some awkward tensions. Because she is so busy — literally working round the clock — she finds it difficult to have normal friends. She once told Debbie Harry that all her friends were also her employees: "All the people in my crew are my best friends. The one thing I struggle with is looking around and realizing every person I am friends with is on my payroll. Do I have any friends who aren’t gonna want to talk to me about Halsey?"

And yes, she has occasionally had to fire some of those friends when they didn't perform. Scroll down for our full interview with Halsey, which shows you just how fierce her work ethic is, and what it's like when your besties are also your staff.

On firing your friends: "It's definitely painful. The lines can definitely get crossed in the sense where you're, like, not performing to the best of your ability, and you should not only as an employee, but also as my friend, you should want me to succeed, you should want us to succeed, you should be working harder."

Jim Edwards: You have a lot of your friends on your payroll. Tell me about that dynamic. Isn't that weird?

Halsey: It can be. But for me, it's important because I live a really unorthodox lifestyle. If I want to hang out with people, they unfortunately need to be working as often as I am. So that's how we get to cross bounds — also because I trust them. My project is so personal. One of the things I talk about a lot is encouraging my associates to kind of be as involved with the fans as I am. So you'll be on the ground, dealing with fans, communicating — all of our customer service still comes from me and my management team. Obviously, we have a larger group of customer service people dealing with product malfunctions, and stuff like that, but when it comes down to the fan experience, we're still on Twitter messaging people.

JE: Have you ever had to fire someone who was a friend?

H: Yeah, of course.

JE: How was that? What's that like?

H: It's definitely painful. The lines can get definitely crossed in the sense where you're, like, not performing to the best of your ability, and you should not only as an employee, but also as my friend, you should want me to succeed, you should want us to succeed, you should be working harder.

JE: Can I ask what they got fired for?

H: Most of the time it's just people getting comfortable. Kind of like, you know, acclimated to the lifestyle. And it's mostly people I brought on later. Anyone who has been with me from the beginning has worked from the trenches with me and they've worked really hard. People that I have brought in where I am now, they haven't worked the way that we have, they haven't lost the sleep, and you know, the blood, sweat, and tears.

JE: You've done this more than once, then.

H: Oh yeah, I mean, I've only ever had to fire two friends. Two people actually. I've still got the same team I've had since the beginning.



"That's very new to me this weekend, confronting the fact that I'm a CEO. It wasn't until [now] I began to view myself as — instead of facilitating a product — as when I became the product."

JE: How many people are on the team?

H: I have two managers. I have a tour manager, he takes care of making sure the shows are good and everything. I have a personal assistant and a business assistant, a business manager. And from a touring perspective it's odd — I have around 150, 200 employees, doing carpentry or automation or lighting design, you know what I mean?

JE: Do you regard yourself as their CEO?

H: No. No. I think that I don't ever really regard myself as a CEO. That's very new to me this weekend, confronting the fact that I'm a CEO. It wasn't until [now] I began to view myself as — instead of facilitating a product — as when I became the product.

JE: You just described yourself as a product on stage here at Cannes, why do you do that? Because — devil's advocate — that's arguably quite depressing?

H: Um, yep, it can be, but also when you transcend the basis of artistry when there are people buying into your interviews and your lifestyle and what you stand for as a role model...they're buying into you, your personality, your life experience, your representation of that. So that's kind of how I see it. Also, I am very close to my work. My work is like a manifestation of me. So it can feel really depressing when you look at a CD jewel case and you're like well, that's me! Or when you see a critic review and they're like "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" and it's like they're saying thumbs up or thumbs down to me.



"It's easy to ignore when people are attacking your reputation. You know, 'you're a slut, you're embarrassing, you're this, you're that.' That's easy to disregard. But when they are attacking your character I think that's where it can become difficult where lines get crossed and you become offended."

JE: You take that personally. On Twitter, random people criticising you, you take that personally right?

H: Sometimes. It's easy to ignore when people are attacking your reputation. You know, "you're a slut, you're embarrassing, you're this, you're that." That's easy to disregard. But when they are attacking your character I think that's where it can become difficult, where lines get crossed and you become offended.

JE: Do you ignore it now or do you still get upset about it?

H: I don't ignore it but I also don't get upset about it either. I am still taking into account people's perspective and people's opinions — it keeps me honest, it keeps me constantly self-evaluating, which is what I need to be, because otherwise I am going to become completely phoned in and detached and that's not the kind of artist I want to be.

JE: What is the worst bit about being very famous?

H: Oooh — as an artist you very much want to have control over your dialogue and your image and when you become exposed in a way where other people are manipulating your brand or the public perception of you that's where it can be frustrating. It's when you want to tell everyone to shut the f*** up and say "hear it from me, not from them." That's all.

JE: Is that people like me, journalists, when we write a story...

H: Oh yeah, I hate all of you. I'm just kidding!

JE: It's a genuine issue!

H: Yeah, I try to speak candidly and I am also prepared to defend myself at any moment. My intention is always good. I never mean ill when I am doing an interview.



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People in this Swedish town gather in a 'Solar Egg' sauna instead of having town halls

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On the western border of Kiruna, Sweden, the state-owned mining company, LKAB, has been extracting iron ore from the Kirunavaara mountains for over a decade. But the long-term mining has caused fissures that are creeping closer to the city center of Kiruna.

Now, LKAB — which also founded the Arctic town in 1900 — is funding Kiruna's relocation nearly two miles east, so that it can continue mining in the mountains.

Moving an entire town is no easy task and requires lengthy discussions with officials, the mining company, and residents. Local architects from Bigert & Bergström have designed one place where those talks can take place: a golden, egg-shaped sauna. 

Completed in late April, the sauna is a place for locals and officials to unwind and discuss questions and concerns about Kiruna's relocation, the firm told Business Insider.

Check it out below.

 

SEE ALSO: This mesmerizing bridge that transforms into a tunnel is an 'engineering wonder'

Located in Kiruna, Sweden, the Solar Egg is a sauna that's free for anyone to use.

Visitors can book time in the sauna here.



Its exterior is made of reflective sheets of plexiglass that were painted gold.



The interior walls are made of pine ....



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Elon Musk spent $1 billion developing SpaceX's reusable rockets — here's how fast he might recoup it all

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Rockets are as awe-inspiring as they are wasteful.

These marvels of engineering typically become trash soon after launch, either by sinking into an ocean or crashing into a desert. It's a big reason why sending anything to space requires unfathomable sums of money.

But SpaceX, founded and run by tech mogul Elon Musk, is working hard to end this wasteful tradition. Parts of its Falcon 9 rockets — and bigger, soon-to-launch Falcon Heavy system — can lift off, land, and be reused, ostensibly within 24 hours.

"This is going to be a huge revolution for spaceflight. It's been 15 years to get to this point," Musk said on March 30, minutes after a previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket booster helped launch a satellite into orbit for the first time. SpaceX hopes to fly its next used rocket on June 25, as part of a "weekend doubleheader" of two separate launches within 48 hours.

Musk's goal is to drastically lower the cost of access to space with reusable, orbital-class rockets, thereby making it as cheap as possible to launch people to Mars. So far, developing this capability has cost SpaceX about $1 billion.

This begs a major question: How quickly could the company pay of its super-size investment?

To estimate an answer, Business Insider has explored a few scenarios, which are detailed below.

Andy Kiersz contributed analysis to this post.

SEE ALSO: The used rockets of tech billionaires just might save humanity from doom — here's how

DON'T MISS: Elon Musk has published an outline of his ambitious plan to colonize Mars with 1 million people

SpaceX's go-to rocket system is the Falcon 9. Each vehicle stands 229 feet tall and can loft a school-bus–size payload into orbit. It costs a customer about $62 million to launch.

Sources: SpaceX (1, 2)



Like other orbital-class rockets, the Falcon 9 has two main rocket stages and a payload fairing. The first-stage booster is the biggest section.



But unlike other orbital-class rockets, Falcon 9's boosters can touch down on land or barges at sea, after which they can be reused.



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The most famous band of all time from every state

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Prince in concert

Great music can be found all across these United States. And every state has a famous band that hails from it.

To determine the most famous band from every state, Business Insider looked at reputation, record sales, and awards, considering each band within its own era, so just because a band is popular now doesn't mean it's nudged out the biggest band from another decade.

We stuck to bands only — no solo artists here — but used the term "band" loosely, including any musical act consisting of more than one person. We focused mostly on the state where each band originally formed, but also considered where their music was popularized, as well as artists' hometowns.

Check out which band is making your state proud.

Christi Danner contributed to a previous version of this article. 

SEE ALSO: The 50 best movies of all time, according to critics on Metacritic

DON'T MISS: The 30 best movie endings of all time, ranked

ALABAMA: Alabama

One of the most successful bands of all time, Alabama has sold over 73 million records and has seven multiplatinum albums and two Grammys. The band sold more records during the '80s than any other bandNot only is their success impressive by any measure, but they also did a lot to make country music popular in the mainstream.



ALASKA: Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man released their debut album, "Waiter: You Vultures!" in 2006 and booked their first headlining tour the next year. The rock band released three more albums — including breakout record "The Satanic Satanist"— before signing with Atlantic Records in 2009. Danger Mouse, known for working with artists like Beck and The Black Keys, produced Portugal. The Man's 2013 album, "Evil Friends."



ARIZONA: Alice Cooper

The first of the many shock-rock bands of the '70s, Alice Cooper kept fans entranced with their gender-bending outfits and dark onstage theatrics — concert-goers could expect performances to include stunts like Cooper's faux-beheading via guillotine. But it's the music that kept fans coming back for more, and their riff-heavy brand of hard rock produced a string of hits including "School's Out" and "Be My Lover." Alice Cooper was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.



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The 10 best books of 2017 so far, according to Amazon

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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.

woman read reader reading book novel

One of life’s greatest pleasures is opening up a good book for the first time and not setting it down until you’ve excavated everything inside of it.

Once you leave school and all mandatory English classes with well-informed syllabi, though, the sheer amount of books out there is overwhelming. Sometimes instead of picking the wrong one to devote our time to, we pick none.

If working through a list of the great literary classics doesn’t appeal to you and you’d prefer to read something that better engages with now, "best books of the year" lists are going to be the best resource out there, second (maybe) only to word-of-mouth recommendations from close friends.

Below are the 10 books Amazon's book editors think are the best to come out so far this calendar year; many of them have been featured in op-eds and other critical areas of pop culture. 

The great thing about such a wide category as "best books of the year" is that you’ll get the best without narrowing your search to a genre. Here you have novels and memoirs of vastly different topics and authors, yet they all (at least based on their growing popularity) will pay you back for any cautious investment of your time.

If you have a flight coming up or a long commute to work, one of these 10 might be a great new companion.

All captions are provided by Amazon editors. 

SEE ALSO: These are the 20 best-selling books of 2016 so far

1. "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: A novel" by Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy's new novel, "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness," is an intricate and graceful story of lives touched by magic, broken by tragedy, and mended with love.  It's an exceptional work of storytelling well worth the 20-year wait since "The God of Small Things."

Buy it here >>



2. "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" by David Grann

Smart, taut, and gripping, Grann’s true-if-largely-unknown tale of big oil and serial murder on the Osage Indian Reservation in the 1920s is sobering for how it is at once unsurprising and unbelievable, full of the arrogance, and inhumanity that our society still has yet to overcome.

Buy it here >>



3. "Beartown: A Novel" by Fredrik Backman

The author of "A Man Called" sidesteps the predictable as he forges a new path of soul-searching and truth-telling in his gripping new novel about a small, hockey-mad town whose hopes and loyalties are torn apart by a crime no one wants to believe happened.

Buy it here >>



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Here are the top 10 states ranked by richest resident

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Mark Zuckerberg Facebook CEO Harvard speech

Forbes has released its third annual list of the richest person in each state and the cumulative wealth amounts to over $745 billion.

The top ten includes the list's youngest member — 33-year-old CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg — along with the owners of Wal-Mart and others.

It's worth noting that some of the country's wealthiest individuals — like Amazon's Jeff Bezos — are not the wealthiest residents of their own state, and therefore are not included on this list.

We've listed the top ten states by their richest resident along with details such as net worth and industry.

Check out Forbes' full list here.

10. Wyoming

Richest Individual: John Mars

Net Worth: $27.6 billion

Industry: Candy

Source: Forbes



9. Virginia

Richest Individual: Jacqueline Mars

Net Worth: $27.6 billion

Industry: Candy

Source: Forbes



8. Nevada

Richest Individual: Sheldon Adelson

Net Worth: $35.6 billion

Industry: Casinos

Source: Forbes



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I bought a bed from the Target-backed 'Warby Parker of mattresses' and I'll never buy one in stores again

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casper mattress

Casper, the mattress startup behind the pricey, foldable beds that ship in a box the size of a mini-fridge, just raised $170 million in a round led by Target.

Founded in 2013, the "Warby Parker of mattresses" sells memory-foam mattresses online, delivers them to customers' doors, and offers a 100-night trial with free return pick-up. The company, which started selling at Target earlier this week, is valued at approximately $750 million and is planning an IPO, The New York Times reported.

In 2015, I bought a Casper mattress after moving cross-country. Two years later, I'm convinced I will never buy a mattress in stores again (even if it is available at Target). Here's what the buying experience was like.

SEE ALSO: 12 modest but insanely expensive homes for sale in Silicon Valley

The biggest pain about buying a new mattress is ... well, just about everything.

You spend an hour in the mattress store, awkwardly flopping on and off beds trying to find the one that meets the Goldilocks standard of "just right." Then you lug the winning mattress across the parking lot, onto the roof of your car or rental, up stairs, and into your home.

When I moved from New York City to San Francisco in spring 2015, I decided to do things differently when shopping for a new bed.



My shopping experience began online, and I finished in less than 10 minutes.

Casper sells just one type of mattress, named "The Casper Mattress," because the company prefers to put its energy into building the ideal bed "instead of confusing you with dozens (or hundreds) of choices" that all start to feel the same after a while, according to the website.

It combines four types of foam for support, cooling, and bounce. A hand-sewn, zip-off cover seals the layers. The company refines the mattress based on customer feedback.

I ordered a full-sized mattress for $750 (today it costs $800), comforted by the knowledge that I could return my Casper mattress for any reason within 100 days. Plus, it was free to ship.



It arrived less than one week later. My roommates wheeled the box on a cart into my room.



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The best summer vacation spot in every state

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Ketchikan Alaska

You don't need to go far to have an epic summer vacation.

Sure, Europe is nice, but travelers often forget how many wonderful places are located right here in the United States.

From local gems to world-famous spots, we've found the best summer vacation destination in every state.

ALABAMA: Gulf Shores

Look out for sea turtles along the Gulf Shore's beaches and enjoy the hiking trails, zip lines, and golf courses that line the coast.



ALASKA: Ketchikan

Ketchikan is known for its ornate Native American totem poles and gushing waterfalls surrounded by mountains.



ARIZONA: Fossil Creek

Fossil Creek is only a two-hour drive from Phoenix. Visitors can swim, snorkel, and kayak in the cool, refreshing waters.



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These 8 'Game of Thrones' characters were recast — and you probably didn't even notice

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Game of Thrones actress Myrcella recast

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones."

"Game of Thrones" fans should know by now not to get too attached to their favorite characters (seeing as the HBO show kills off so many), but they might want to keep an eye on the rotating cast of actors, too. 

Several cast members have been replaced over the span of six seasons. Though some of the characters are minor enough that fans probably missed the change, bigger roles were slyly replaced with similar-looking actors.

From princes to mercenary soldiers, let's take a look at which "Game of Thrones" characters have reappeared with new faces. 

Princess Myrcella, sister to Joffrey and Tommen, was originally played by Aimee Richardson on seasons one and two.



Actress Nell Tiger Free took over on season five when Myrcella was a little more grown up and ready to get married.



Tommen was also recast. Here's Callum Wharry as the youngest of Cersei's children on season one:



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11 insane laptop designs you never knew existed

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"I need a laptop for writing emails and social media."

If that sounds like you, the laptops in this list aren't designed with you in mind. Nay, the laptops in this list are designed for eccentric and/or rich people who have very specific needs, like intense gaming or carrying around an abridged version of the internet.

Take a look at the weirdest laptops we've ever seen:

SEE ALSO: Samsung unveiled the widest computer monitor you can buy — here's how it looks in person

Let's begin with one of the more reserved specimens in this list. The MSI GT83 Titan SLR features a mechanical keyboard and weighs 13 pounds, which is unusual for most laptops.

The MSI GT83VR SLI with two GTX 1080 graphics cards, 64GB of RAM, one terabyte (1,000 gigabytes!) of regular hard drive storage, and one terabyte of fast SSD storage will cost you $5,400 on Amazon.



Keys on mechanical keyboards give a satisfying clicky noise and fingertip feedback that gamers love. Normal laptops don't have mechanical keyboards because they are too bulky, but the GT83VR SLI doesn't care.



And in case you missed it, one of the variants of MSI's GT83VR SLI comes with TWO powerful graphics cards.

The model I'm referring to has two Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics cards, which should power through anything you throw at it.



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18 products every family needs when they take their kids to the beach

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family beach vacation germany

It's official: summer 2017 is here. June 21 kicks off the first day of the season, and as temperatures rise, you probably can't wait to bring your family to the beach.

To make sure your trip goes off without a hitch, INSIDER rounded up 18 beach products that'll make your life much easier.

These items will make sure your kids stay safe, keep sand off your towels, and help you relax while you soak up the sun these next few months.

Quut's beach shovel makes it easy for your kids to dig into the sand with their hands and feet.

Even better, this shovel can also be used for snow in the winter.

Quut Scoppi Beach Shovel, $29.99



These nesting sand pails will save you space, and your kids will love their built-in molds of a starfish, turtle, crab, and octopus.

These pails stack neatly into one another and are easily portable.

Melissa & Doug Nesting Sand Pails, $9.99



This pop-up tent keeps your young children in the shade — and it also doubles as a portable kiddie pool.

Designed for children under 3 years old, this tent lets your baby play safely in water without ever wading into the ocean.

MonoBeach Baby Tent, $36.99



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