• Stock-trading app Freetrade, the UK's answer to Robinhood, just raised a $15 million Series A as it looks to expand its operations. 
• The fundraising was led by publicly listed VC firm Draper Esprit who put $7.5 million into the company. 
• The company raised all of its previous funds in crowdfunding rounds earlier this year and has raised $26.2 million to-date. 
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The battle for Europe's stock traders has stepped up a notch after Robinhood's UK challenger, Freetrade, secured $15 million in a fundraise.

The firm's total stands at $26.2 million to date.

The Series A round sees investors Draper Esprit topping up the £3.8 million ($4.9 million) Freetrade raised through crowdfunding earlier this year with an additional $7.5 million.

Draper's investment comes at the same terms, namely a £52 million valuation, as other crowdfund investors, per Altfi. 

The company confirmed to Business Insider that it would use the new funds to extend its engineering talent pool and also open a new office in Amsterdam, at an undetermined future date. 

"We took the view that this isn't a 'winner takes all' market, the opportunity to get millennials to save and invest more is huge," a Draper Esprit spokesperson told Business Insider. "Most importantly, we felt their mission was totally aligned with our own—as a listed VC we are also on a mission to open up investment into tech to the general public."

Fee-free stockbroking has exploded in the US, with Robinhood gaining support among US millennials. Freetrade is looking to do the same in Europe despite the imminent arrival of its colossal American competitor which is valued at $7.6 billion, according to Crunchbase. 

The company's latest innovation is to offer UK users access to "fractional" or parts of individual shares in European companies, something which is available for US companies, which Freetrade claims is a first.

Other competitors are lurking, however, with challenger bank Revolut also offering a stock-trading feature. The relationship between the two companies is already heated after Freetrade's cofounder and former CTO, André Mohamed, left the firm to become head of wealth and trading products at Revolut at the start of 2019 in murky circumstances. 

Freetrade operates on a "freemium" model. Customers are able to open an account free of charge and make trades but can pay more for quicker transaction speeds.

The startup's core demographic is between ages 25 and 35. The next stage in the company's evolution is to bring in older investors who have their main savings with UK incumbents such as Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell. 

Check out Freetrade's redacted pitch deck below:

SEE ALSO: Eschewing pitch decks and personal connections in favour of data — here's how European investor EQT Ventures uses AI to stay on top

• Insider asked the royal family's photographer to choose his 3 favorite photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from 2019.
• Samir Hussein has captured the couple's best moments all year — from their first post-birth appearance at Trooping the Colour to their royal tour with baby Archie. 
• The duke and duchess just announced their plan to take an extended break in the US over Christmas, so it might be a while before we see them together again.
• Until then, scroll through the photos below — all taken by Hussein — along with why he thinks they're the best snapshots taken of the couple this year.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

1. This photo of Markle dancing with locals in Cape Town is an 'unusual' display of 'a royal cutting loose,' according to Hussein.

The photo was taken on the first day of Harry and Markle's tour of Africa with baby Archie in September of this year. 

"This is a very unusual royal photo because it shows a royal cutting loose and dancing with locals, fully enjoying the moment," Hussein told Insider.

"This photo was taken on tour with Meghan and Harry in South Africa as they visited a township in Cape Town.

"A group of female dancers approached Meghan and she was only too happy to join in, producing this great moment of joy and spontaneity."

Harry eventually tried to join in as well, and an awkward video of the moment surfaced online shortly after.

2. This moment between Markle and Prince Harry in Morocco 'showed the solidarity' between them.

"Harry and Meghan often seem a lot more relaxed when on tour, enjoying the local hospitality," Hussein said. "This was very true in Morocco at the beginning of the year.

"Here I captured them in the Atlas mountains watching local school children take part in a game of football.

"Instinctively Meghan, pregnant at the time, leaned into Harry and put her head on his shoulder as he looked at her and gave a big smile. This was just a few months before Archie was born and showed the solidarity between the two of them."

3. They waved to the cameras at Trooping the Colour for their first joint appearance after the birth of baby Archie.

"I photographed Meghan and Harry at Trooping the Colour, not long after the birth of baby Archie," said Hussein. 

"The public were out in force, excited to see the couple as they travelled by carriage down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace. They both looked very proud, Harry in uniform and Meghan looking striking.

"What made the photo was both of them turning in my direction and Meghan giving a wave."

Read more:

Meghan Markle was filmed dancing with Cape Town locals, and Prince Harry awkwardly tried to join in

19 adorable photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from their royal tour of Morocco

Kate Middleton gave a subtle nod to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with her Trooping the Colour outfit

• The Cold War ended about 30 years ago — but many of the differences between eastern and western Europe remain.
• I witnessed many of them firsthand during a recent eight-day journey by train across Europe, from Istanbul to London.
• Some of the differences were obvious, like eastern European train stations usually seeming less busy, and things generally being less expensive.
• However, there were also a striking number of similarities, like friendly, helpful people everywhere I went.
• With many eastern European countries now part of the EU, it seems likely things will only become more similar.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Iron Curtain came down a long time ago — a good three decades, for those who are counting (November 9 was the 30-year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall). 

Yet while roughly half of the world's population had not even been born when it happened, many of the stark differences between western and eastern Europe that emerged during the Cold War remain — even though many former Soviet bloc nations have been members of the European Union for several years now. 

This observation surprised me on a recent trip in which I traveled across Europe — from Istanbul to London — by train.

Here are some of the biggest differences I noticed.

It may be easy to travel across Europe today, but 30 years ago it wasn't so simple, because of the Cold War.

While the Berlin Wall is the most infamous example, there were barriers all across Europe that prevented people from going from east to west, and vice-versa. This was described by former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, who said in a 1946 speech: "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent."

In the coming decades, the term "iron curtain" would become synonymous with Europe's separation.

Today, however, things have changed. The Berlin Wall is even a tourist attraction.

No longer the symbol of separation and sorrow that it once was, the Berlin Wall is today a major tourist attraction (and has now been down longer than it stood). It's something many people might have thought almost inconceivable three decades ago — just like how many people might have never thought former communist nations and republics of the Soviet Union would become members of the European Union, like many (such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) now are, and transform into popular tourist destinations.

Yet as soon as I began my journey from Istanbul to London, I could already tell there were still major differences.

I'd lived in Sweden and Germany for several years before and spent a fair bit of time traveling throughout western European nations, so I knew what homes and buildings there often looked like. The buildings I saw in Bulgaria — particularly in the villages I saw from the Balkan Express train I was traveling on to the capital of Sofia a few days exploring Istanbul— were not anything like Germany or Scandinavia at all. Many of them seemed to be in poor condition, with rotting roofs or crumbling walls, if they looked inhabited at all. Still others had large amounts of trash lying around them — again, something I didn't often see in Germany, or especially in Sweden.

Part of this simply comes down to economics: while the average person in Sweden and Germany makes $53,442 and $44,470 per year respectively, according to the World Bank, the average Bulgarian takes home only about $8,032 per year — about six times less.

Perhaps it was a bias of the train route I was taking, but an obvious difference was the physical environment. While there were lots of forests and fields in eastern Europe ...

Enormous plowed fields dotted with livestock, rolling hills, and small bushes and trees as far the eye could see were what I noticed in eastern Europe, especially in Bulgaria. But, having just come from the Arabian Desert, it was a welcome change.

... Western Europe was far more mountainous — probably because we passed through the Alps.

There's really nothing else like the Alps — at least not in Europe. The deep green valleys, glacial lakes, rivers as blue as the toothpaste I use every day, and the cute Swiss chalet houses dotting it all was almost overwhelming in its beauty. I was truly mystified why some passengers on the trains were looking at their phones and laptops instead of out the windows, like I did for hours on end.

A lot of buildings in the eastern European countries I went through on the trains seemed abandoned.

I knew eastern Europe had undergone several turbulent decades. But I thought, with once-communist countries like Bulgaria now part of the EU, new development would be all around. I was surprised this did not seem to be the case in many places, particularly outside large cities. In fact, the number of seemingly abandoned buildings around train stations was eye-opening.

I didn't have much of a head for business, but I thought with so many abandoned buildings, communities could sell them for a steep discount if purchasers promised to fix them up, as many towns and villages in Italy have been doing. This could maybe lead to increased tourism: as Insider's Tom Murray discovered when he visited one such community in Sicily in June, he was treated like royalty.

The same was not the case in western Europe, even in small cities and towns.

While numbers weren't huge in places like Liechtenstein (Europe's second least-visited country, ahead of only San Marino), there were still people around — or at least every building seemed to be occupied by people or, in the case of Liechtenstein, various livestock and barnyard animals.

The trains themselves were another obvious difference. Eastern European trains were often old and covered and graffiti ...

The trains in Eastern Europe were like moving works of art — every one was covered in intricate, incredibly detailed graffiti that undoubtedly took the artists who designed them a long time to create. I thought the brightness, and character, of the trains was refreshing, almost giving them their own personality.

... While western European trains were more simple and modern.

The further west I went, the less graffiti there was. In fact, the Eurostar trains that went between Paris and London — one of which I took for the final leg of the trip — were completely spotless.

The differences were also noticeable at the train stations. Many of the eastern European stations were empty and lacking free WiFi.

Despite trains being cheaper than planes usually, and incomes in eastern Europe typically lower than the west, I was surprised by how empty many of the stations seemed. Not only were there few people, there were few shops, free WiFi was rare, and even public transportation options to and from many of the stations (like buses and local trams) seemed limited.

Western Europe stations seemed busier on average, and almost always had free internet.

Whether it was Paris' Gare de Lyon or Gare du Nord, London's St Pancras, Zürich's Hauptbahnhof, or even stations in places such as Buchs and Sargans, Switzerland or Schwarzach-St Veit in Austria, busy stations and free WiFi seemed to be the rule, not the exception. 

When I needed to quickly move some money around in Zürich to make a deposit for my new London flat, I was reminded of just how important free WiFi can be.

Despite all of this, there were several things I liked more about eastern Europe than west. For starters, you got more bang for your buck at hotels.

The five-star Sofia Hotel Balkan in Sofia, Bulgaria was fancy. Then again, it was literally next door to the presidential palace. And yet, for staying in the marble-plastered palace (floors, walls, bathrooms, bits of ceiling — everything seemed to be marble), it cost just $86 per night, with an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast — that even had things like shrimp, salmon and Champagne — included.

Aside from lodging, transport (including the trains — the leg from Sofia to Belgrade, Serbia cost just $23 for a trip that took all day), and food being less expensive, it was the richness of people I really enjoyed — or, to be more precise, their friendliness. Sure, people in western Europe were friendly, but in eastern Europe I thought they took it to another level — despite the stone-faced stereotype. Not only did everyone seem to say "hello" when walking past, but more than a few people wanted to have genuine conversations to get to know me — and why I was traveling all the way across Europe dressed as someone might have 100 years ago.

There weren't many uniformed soldiers or police to be seen in eastern Europe, either.

Eastern Europe is not immune from terrorism: after all, many of the countries (such as in the Balkans) suffered through wars as recently as the 1990s, and in 2012 a bus carrying Israeli tourists was blown up in Bulgaria. And yet, I hardly saw police anywhere — or if there were police, they were disguised as ordinary travelers.

This changed drastically by the time I got to France, and then England.

The further west I went, the more uniformed police I saw — and the more equipment they seemed to be carrying. While Austrian and Swiss police wore simple uniforms and didn't seem to have any other gear (apart from smartphones and a device to print out fines to give people who didn't have a train ticket), police in Paris and London appeared weighed down by all manner of heavy equipment, from large walkie-talkies and bulky bulletproof vests, to big helmets. But they, too, were not openly displaying guns or other weapons — at least not the ones I saw.

Obviously, I noticed culinary differences, too. In eastern Europe, the selection of bread was superb ...

I knew not their names, but the breads in eastern Europe looked incredible — and tasted incredible, too. There were sweet breads, salty breads, some that were kind of spicy. They certainly made hotel buffet breakfasts interesting, as well as semi-adventurous snacks I smuggled out of the hotels to eat later on the trains to save money when feeling peckish.

... While in the Alps it seemed to be all about the cheese and sausages.

I used to live in Germany for several years, so I was already well-versed in the intricacies — and indeed, quite serious business — of what makes something a sausage. I knew less about cheese, however, and so was delighted to have my culinary horizons broadened by discovering there's far more to the dairy product (and non-dairy product, thanks to vegan cheese) than cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Swiss (and whatever the cheese is they put on nachos).

When it comes to fashion, many eastern Europeans dressed similarly ...

People weren't dressed all in drab, grey, and black colors like I thought they might be because they used to be communist (people still very much do dress like that in places like North Korea), but there was still a sameness in pattern and style, particularly among older generations that lived under communist rule.

This was most notable in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, where everyone over 40 appeared to be wearing the same puffy parka, just in different colors.

... While western Europeans seemed far more into individuality.

Places like Paris have long been among the world's great capitals of fashion, so I wasn't surprised that I didn't see two people dressed exactly the same. Having gone to schools where there were no uniforms, never worked at a job that made me wear a suit or tie, and personally believing in the importance of individuality, I found it a relief to be back in places where many people appeared to be of a similar mindset.

While the differences were certainly there, so too were the similarities — like friendly people being willing to help wherever I went ...

There's a saying that we have much more in common with each other than we have differences. That was seared into my mind on my journey. There were still friendly, helpful people everywhere I went. The concept of holding doors open for someone who looks like they're struggling with heavy suitcases (like I was for the whole eight days, since I was carrying all my earthly possessions, which in total weighed more than 70 pounds) — or even helping them lift their suitcases on or off trains — appears to be universal. And everyone still seemed smile and laugh, regardless of the language they were speaking. 

... And trains that were often empty.

I truly couldn't understand why the trains were so empty for so many portions of my trip. With deals as great as just €20.60 ($23) for a second-class ticket from Sofia to the Serbian capital of Belgrade — a distance of about 250 miles (400 kilometers) — I couldn't fathom why people wouldn't want to take the train, especially if they lived far from an airport serviced by low-cost airlines. And given the sensational scenery I saw, I also couldn't understand why there weren't more tourists like me traveling across the continent.

Since the Iron Curtain fell 30 years ago, it's likely east and west will become even more similar in the next 30 years.

Already places that were once considered off-limits are barely recognizable, thanks to tourism (Croatia, which is famed for its beautiful beaches now, suffered through a brutal war as recently as the 1990s), increasing trade, and integration with the rest of European society.

Given that, if things continue going the way they are, the two halves of a once-divided continent will become even more intertwined. Perhaps, in another 30 years, I'll take another train across Europe to find out — assuming, of course, people will still be able to take trains then.

Read more:

I spent 8 days taking trains across Europe for under $500. Not only was it cheaper than some flights, it was the adventure of a lifetime

I visited Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, and the lack of selfie-snappers gave me hope for the future of travel

I stayed in the hotel room where 'Murder on the Orient Express' was written and searched for the secret notebook apparently hidden there

I visited Istanbul's gigantic new airport, and I could hardly tell I was in Turkey

I took a ferry up the coast of Greenland for under $400, and despite being brutally cold, it was a fantastic way to see some of the most dramatic scenery on earth

• October is usually one of the biggest months of the year for new video game releases, and this year a new release from a beloved studio took the spotlight.
• A newly launched game, Obsidian Entertainment's "The Outer Worlds" was the second best-selling game of the month.
• "The Outer Worlds" is Obsidian's first game since being acquired by Microsoft in November 2018. As an independent studio, Obsidian was beloved for games like "Fallout: New Vegas" and "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords."
• The Nintendo Switch continues to dominate the hardware market as consumers wait for the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

October is usually one of the biggest months of the year for new video game releases as eager publishers look to get their best games out on the shelves for the holiday season. But with multiple studios prepping for the launch of the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Project Scarlett next year, a bunch of blockbuster titles are waiting until 2020 to launch.

That's left room for some lesser known games to take the spotlight, like Obsidian Entertainment's "The Outer Worlds.""The Outer Worlds" was the second-best selling game of October, according to data from the NPD Group. It was surpassed only by"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare," the latest entry into the perennial best-selling franchise.

"The Outer Worlds" is Obsidian's first game since being acquired by Microsoft in November 2018. As an independent studio, Obsidian was beloved for games like "Fallout: New Vegas" and "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.""The Outer Worlds" is a single-player shooting game with role playing mechanics that let players alter the story.

"The Outer Worlds" was included in Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass when it was released on October 25th, but that didn't stop people from buying the game outright. Despite being made by a Microsoft subsidiary, "The Outer Worlds" is also available on PlayStation 4, and is coming to Nintendo Switch next year.

In comparison to last year, video game sales in October were down 34 percent, according to the NPD Group. However, October 2018 featured some of the biggest hits of the decade, including"Red Dead Redemption 2,
"Marvel's Spider-Man," and yet another "Call of Duty."

Nintendo's big exclusive release of October, "Luigi's Mansion 3," earned the third spot on the sales chart with a solid debut, while the company's new exercise game "Ring Fit Adventure" was the 10th best-selling game of the month.

"Madden 20,""NBA 2K20," and "FIFA 20" all made it onto the charts as the fall sports season hits a stride.

Though it's made it into the top 10 in two consecutive months, Ubisoft's "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint" appears to be a bit of a sale disappointment. The military survival game has been criticized for being too similar to "Tom Clancy's The Division 2," another Ubisoft game released earlier this year.

The Nintendo Switch continues to dominate the hardware market as consumers wait for the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The new Nintendo Switch Lite helped push the console over the 40 million mark in lifetime sales in October.

These were the top 10 best-selling games of October: 

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about 'Pokémon Sword and Shield,' the newly released Pokémon games for Nintendo Switch

10. "Ring Fit Adventure" (Nintendo)

"Borderlands 3" (Take 2 Interactive)

8. "FIFA 20"/Electronic Arts

7. "WWE 2K20" (Take 2 Interactive)

6. "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint" (Ubisoft

5. "NBA 2K20" (Take 2 Interactive)

4. "Madden NFL 20" (Electronic Arts)

3. "Luigi's Mansion 3" (Nintendo)

2. "The Outer Worlds" (Take 2 Interactive)

1. "Call of Duty Modern Warfare" (Activision Blizzard)

• When most people think "underwater city" the first places that come to mind are probably the fictional city of Atlantis and the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria.
• Though there are few aquatic ruins that could match the likes of Alexandria, there are many other places across the globe where you can find stunning underwater cities, towns, and villages.
• Most of them were flooded as a consequence of the construction of reservoirs and waterways.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The first "underwater city" that comes to most people's minds is probably the fictional island Plato alluded to in his works Timaeus and Critias, Atlantis — but real-life underwater cities like Alexandria, for example, exist too.

Much of the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria was severely damaged by earthquakes and a lot of its harbor area ended up beneath the sea.

Though there are few aquatic ruins that could match the likes of Alexandria, there are many other places across the globe where you can find underwater cities, towns, and villages.

The majority of them were flooded as a result of the construction of reservoirs or waterways.

Here are 7 stunning destinations to visit if you want to check out seven underwater villages and cities.

Shicheng, China

Beneath the waters of Lake Qiandao in China, there are ruins of cities and towns that used to be part of two regions called Chun'an and Sui'an.

The towns were submerged in 1957, when the government at that time decided to build a hydroelectric power station in the area, according to National Geographic.

Today the place has stopped producing energy and is more of a tourist destination.

Also known as Lake of the Thousand Islands, what now resemble endless clusters of islets are actually the peaks of mountains that submerged along with the rest of the territory.

"If we lowered the water level by about 30 meters, you wouldn't just be able to see the submerged city; Shicheng would be the equivalent of a new Machu Picchu," a local official from Hangzhou told National Geographic.

The average annual water temperature is between roughly 50 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and has kept the submerged regions in a remarkable condition, as documented by several divers from an underwater archaeology team from National Geographic China.

Below the water, you can see the gateway to the city with figures of mythological creatures carved into buildings and impressive arches from the Qing dynasty.

Kalyazin, Russia

You don't need diving knowledge to explore the ruins of Kalyazin in Russia — the belfry of its cathedral rises high above the water.

Significant development took place in the city in the past but after the revolution of 1917, it began to cease to be an important commercial center and to lose power.

As a result, in 1940 much of the city was submerged due to the construction of the Úglich reservoir and its population was moved to higher grounds.

Sant Romà de Sau, Spain

In the Osona region of Catalonia, there's a village called San Romà de Sau which is entirely submerged by water.

The village originally had houses, a bridge, and a Romanesque church.

The bell tower of the San Romà de Sau church emerges from the water when the reservoir isn't at full capacity.

During droughts, you can actually visit all the ruins there as they're completely exposed when there's no water present.

Mediano, Spain

In Huesca, Spain, there's a village that was flooded due to the construction of a reservoir. Today you can still see some of the buildings just above the surface of the water.

Mediano was completely submerged in 1969 as a result of the reservoir built in the area.

Although the news wasn't published at that time, the inhabitants of the village had to leave their homes when the flood started, as the reservoir was opened without warning.

All the buildings disappeared beneath the water except for the bell tower of the village's 17th-century church — it's still visible from above the waters of the Mediano reservoir.

Port Royal, Jamaica

As one of Jamaica's oldest regions, the country considers the port to be part of its heritage — but it's partially submerged beneath the sea.

During the 17th century, Port Royal served as the seat of the British government in Jamaica.

At one point, Port Royal was a favourite spot among pirates and outlaws and it became known as the "wickedest city on earth" and the "Sodom of the New World".

This is because the city of Port Royal was submerged by a tsunami in 1692.

Though the city hasn't been maintained very well and isn't in the best state it could be, the waters surrounding Port Royal "are an archaeological gold mine, full of pieces of history that tell stories of the early days of the English occupation," according to Visit Jamaica's website.

The Lost Villages of Ontario, Canada

The "Lost Villages" encompass a total of 10 Canadian towns.

All of these towns were former municipalities of Cornwall and Osnabruck in Ontario.

Both of these regions were submerged following the construction of a waterway in 1958.

To this day, there are still sidewalks and buildings that are visible from some areas above the surface of the water.

A museum dedicated to submerged villages was built to keep alive the memory alive.

One of the exhibits in the museum features some buildings that were removed from the villages before they were submerged, which have been restored in a similar way to the way they would have stood before the floods.

Pavlopetri, Greece

Pavlopetri is thought to be the oldest underwater city in history.

Located on the southern coast of Lakonia in Greece, the flooding of the city is said to have taken place around 5,000 years ago.

It's been an archaeological site of great value since it was discovered in 1967.

"It is a unique discovery in the sense that we have found on the seabed an almost complete city, with streets, buildings, gardens, tombs and what looks like a religious complex," said Jon Henderson of the University of Nottingham after some discoveries in 2009, according to the BBC.

It's included as a site you can visit along the "water ruins" routes available in the Peloponnese area.

• Motorola is reviving its popular Razr flip phone from the early 2000s as a new foldable smartphone. Preorders start on December 26 and it will cost $1,500.
• Although I loved my original Razr back in 2005, I'm hesitant to buy the new one. 
• While the Razr's vintage-inspired design, compact build, and foldable screen are impressive, the phone seems like it falls short in other areas compared to modern smartphones — particularly when it comes to the camera.
• That wouldn't matter as much if the Razr wasn't so expensive. But at $1,500, it's pricier than Apple's iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung's Galaxy S10.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Motorola is bringing back its iconic Razr flip phone from the early 2000s, a phone that probably invokes just as much nostalgia for millennial-aged smartphone users as their first iPhone or Blackberry handset. 

I had a Razr when I was a teenager sometime around the year 2005, and it was the first cellphone I was ever actually excited to use. Like most people my age at the time, I really just wanted a cellphone so that I could feel more independent and contact my friends whenever I wanted.

But until the Razr, I didn't really care what type of phone I was using, so long as it could text and make phone calls. The Razr, however, felt like the first phone that was a status symbol. With its angular edges, flat shape, and shiny, sleek keypad, the Razr looked unlike anything else at the time. 

The 2019 version, thankfully, maintains this general aesthetic, but with modern functionality. It has an expansive, crisp touchscreen that impressively folds in half, a camera with a high-resolution sensor, and a fingerprint scanner for unlocking the phone, among other familiar features. And compared to other foldable phones that have debuted this year, the Motorola Razr seems well-positioned to succeed.

For starters, it's less expensive than rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Fold. But it also revives a form factor that's proven to have resonated with cellphone users in the past — the flip phone — rather than asking consumers to get used to something entirely new. And most importantly, since it folds in half, it's more convenient to store in a pocket or purse. 

But those benefits alone may not be enough to make the Razr a hit. While its foldable and nostalgic design certainly makes the Razr stand out, it's unclear how well-spent that $1,500 will feel once the novelty of snapping your phone shut to end a call wears off.

That's because although the Razr is made to look and feel like a 2019-era smartphone, it's lacking in certain areas compared to rival devices from Apple, Samsung, and others.  

Here's why I wouldn't buy one. 

SEE ALSO: The 5 coolest features of Motorola's new $1,500 Razr phone

Its camera falls behind competitors.

The Razr's front-facing camera only has a 5-megapixel sensor, which is a far lower resolution than that of other high-end smartphones like the iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S10. All three of Apple's new iPhones, for example, have a 12-megapixel selfie camera, while all the phones in Samsung's Galaxy S10 family have a 10-megapixel front camera. 

But more importantly, the primary camera on the back of the Razr, the one you'll probably use to take the majority of your photos, only has one 16-megapixel lens. That may not sound like a shortcoming, but Motorola is putting a single lens camera on an expensive smartphone at a time when triple-lens cameras are quickly becoming the norm.

Both the iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10, for instance, have wide-angle, telephoto, and ultra-wide-angle cameras that allow for more flexibility when shooting with your smartphone. I've found the ultra-wide-angle lens on the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S10 to be especially useful, considering it makes it possible to squeeze much more of the scene into a frame than smartphones of years past. It's a useful feature I'd sorely miss if I ever try switching to the Razr. 

It doesn't support 5G connectivity.

That might not be very important right now, considering 5G networks are far from being available on a widespread basis. But if you're investing $1,500 in a new phone, you'll probably want to hold onto it for at least three years. By not supporting 5G, the Razr could quickly feel out of date. 

Despite these shortcomings, it's still more expensive than today's high-end smartphones.

The iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10 both look like a bargain compared to the $1,500 Razr: the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $1,000, while the larger Pro Max starts at $1,100, and the Galaxy S10 starts at $900. The highest configuration of the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which offers a 6.5-inch display and 512 GB of storage, is still $50 cheaper than the Razr at $1,450. It has four times the amount of storage space compared to the Razr and a larger screen, in addition to a triple-lens camera and higher-resolution selfie camera. 

For the price, it doesn't look like it will add much that's new to the smartphone experience.

The Razr's main selling point is that it can fold in half, making it much easier to stow away in a pocket or purse. That level of convenience is important considering today's smartphones are larger than ever.

But beyond making your smartphone more portable — and bringing back the ability to snap your phone shut to hang up on someone — it doesn't look like there will be much that makes using the Razr different than any other smartphone.

The Galaxy Fold, despite the durability issues it faced earlier this year, at least made it possible to do more with your phone. I loved using the Fold to expand the size of my phone's screen, making everyday tasks like playing a game, watching Netflix, or even just reading email feel more enjoyable. It made me hopeful for a future in which buying one device that serves as both a phone and a tablet felt like a viable option for most people

Buying a first-generation product can be risky.

It's exciting to see smartphones that experiment with new designs and form factors, and doing so is necessary to keep pushing the industry forward. But it's also worth considering that purchasing a first-generation product is always a risky move. Since it's Motorola's first foldable phone, and one of the first foldable phones period, there's no telling how well it's going to hold up over time.

No one would have guessed that the screen on Samsung's Galaxy Fold was prone to issues, but then several reviewers reported that the display malfunctioned after only a couple of days of use. The Razr's screen has a protective scratch-resistant coating, and the device has a zero-gap hinge that should protect the display from debris. These measures will hopefully ensure that the Razr isn't prone to damage as the first version of the Fold was, but it's impossible to know for sure without using it.

But of course, none of this has anything to do with what really makes the Razr appealing in the first place.

You could argue that I'm missing the point by picking apart the Razr's technical specifications and zeroing in on the features it doesn't have. The Razr isn't meant to be like the iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S10.

You're paying a premium to get a one-of-a-kind phone with a foldable screen that has the look and feel of the cellphone you probably had back in 2005. Even if you didn't have the Razr, you probably had a flip phone of some kind, and the new Razr is designed to emulate that experience with a modern twist. 

But it comes at a high price, just like the original. And in an era in which we rely on our phones for a lot more than we did back in the early 2000s, you'll have to decide whether it's worth the trade-offs. 

• Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has covered a lot of ground in the past decade.
• He became the richest man in the world, and a style icon for tech founders.
• Bezos also went through a public divorce, ending a 25 year marriage and starting a new relationship. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has had a pretty big decade.

He saw Amazon turn 25, became the richest man in the world, and even became a meme; he introduced the world to Alexa and bought Whole Foods. But he also weathered an attempt at blackmail and a high-profile divorce.  

As the decade draws to a close, let's take a look back at what Jeff Bezos has been up to in the 2010s.

SEE ALSO: A decommissioned nuclear missile complex in Arizona that was abandoned for decades is now on sale for $400,000

In 2010, Amazon launched Amazon Studios as something of a crowd-sourced, anti-Hollywood-studio.

Amazon Studios will acquire movies or series, or produce original ones. In the last few years, it's made shows like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and movies like "Manchester by the Sea."

Source: Seattle Business Magazine,Amazon

That year, Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, attended "billionaires' summer camp" at Sun Valley together. At this point, he was worth $12.6 billion.

Source: Forbes

At some point in the early aughts, Bezos started shaving his head, but he hadn't yet committed to the bald look — which is now key to his iconic style — at this November 2012 appearance on the Today Show.

In this photo from 2013, Bezos' head seems to be recently shaved. We don't really see him with hair again after this point.

In 2013, Bezos bought The Washington Post for $250 million, which amounted to less than 1% of his net worth.

Source: Forbes

2014 was Amazon's first, and so far last, attempt at releasing a smartphone. The Fire Phone flopped, but by this point, Bezos was worth $30.5 billion.

Source: CNN

Amazon also bought streaming service Twitch that same year, which has launched popular streamers like Ninja.

Source: CNN

The company released the first generation Echo in 2014, one of the first mainstream smart speakers, and made "Alexa" a household phenomenon.

Source: TechCrunch

Amazon opened its first physical store in Seattle, and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015.

Bezos spent $65 million on a private jet that seats eight in 2015.

Source: Yucatan Times

In 2016, Bezos used his personal jet to bring a detained Washington Post report home from Germany.

Source: Business Insider

In July 2017, Bezos became world's richest person, surpassing Bill Gates. They switched back and forth briefly before Bezos retook the top spot, which he has mostly held onto ever since.

Source: Business Insider

The same year, Bezos' space company Blue Origin unveiled a rocket designed to take tourists to space, called New Shepard.

Source: Forbes

2017 was also the year that Bezos' transformation from tech nerd to buff, stylish dad became a meme.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/885975972213862400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Former and current Jeff Bezos is literally the 'you vs. the guy she told you not to worry about' meme. pic.twitter.com/NNA2LlFxy8

Source: Business Insider

In August 2017, Amazon bought Whole Foods for $13.7 billion.

Source: CNN

That same year, he also joined Instagram.

Source: Instagram

By 2018, The New York Times called Bezos a style icon, describing him as a "muscled-up, black-polo-shirt-and-shades digi-stud."

Source: The New York Times

Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos also made one of their last public appearances together at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2018.

Source: Forbes

In January 2019, the couple announced they were divorcing after 25 years of marriage.

Source: Business Insider

A day later, the National Enquirer published details about Bezos and his new girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.

Source: Forbes

Shortly after, Bezos published a Medium post titled "No thank you, Mr. Pecker" that accused AMI, the publisher of the National Enquirer, of trying to extort him over naked photos.

Bezos said the publication was threatening to release naked photos it had obtained of him unless he stopped investigating the source of other leaks to the tabloid. 

Bezos wrote, "Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I've decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten."

Source: Medium

In July, as part of his divorce agreement, Bezos transferred one-fourth of his Amazon shares to his ex-wife, making her the third-richest woman in the world.

Source: Forbes

These days, Bezos' most recent net worth hovers around $110 billion. He's reportedly thinking about his next big purchase, and he's said to be eyeing the Seattle Seahawks. Bezos also reportedly encouraged former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to jump into the presidential race. Meanwhile, Bezos' girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, is in the process of finalizing her divorce.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider,Page Six,Business Insider

• The ruins of the Napa Soda Springs Resort are for sale for the first time in 40 years.
• The resort first opened in 1856 on the site of natural springs that drew visitors from around the country, and closed in the early 20th century. It has never been restored.
• Now, the remaining buildings on the 857-acre property are on the market for around $50 million.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Bay Area tech billionaire looking for a project with some history would be smart to look at the Napa Soda Springs Resort, which just went on the market for the first time in 40 years. 

Home to 27 mineral water springs, the property was once the site of a legendary resort. Historically, natural springs were seen as potential cure-alls, and resort towns popped up on spring sites around the country. By the 1930s, there were over 2,000 spring resorts in the US.  

At the same time, the owners of the resort also had a factory where they bottled and sold Napa Soda, and they won the exclusive rights to use the Napa name in court. In 1897, San Francisco saloons reportedly ran out of Napa Soda, necessitating overnight shifts at the factory to restock. The drink was a 19th century Bay Area food trend, an early precursor to kombucha and Soylent trends of today.

Here's some history about the resort, and photos of what remains on the site after over a century.

SEE ALSO: A decommissioned nuclear missile complex in Arizona that was abandoned for decades is now on sale for $400,000

In 1856, a lawyer from San Francisco opened the resort. Over the next decade, he added amenities like tennis, billiards, horseback riding, and citrus groves for visitors. The rest of the century saw a pool, music hall, and pagoda added as well.

As spring resorts went out of vogue, the hotel shut down after World War I. Two later fires destroyed much of what was left of the property.

The resort was a place for wealthy 19th-century vacationers to soak in healing springs and breath mountain air.

The resort has never been renovated, and the remaining shells of the stone buildings are all that's left of what was once a popular vacation destination. They could be restored by a wealthy buyer willing to pick up the $50 million tab.

The 75-foot-tall Rotunda, introduced with a formal ball in 1877, was once a highlight of the property. Only the shell has survived multiple fires.

Because it has never been renovated, the remaining structures have an eerie quality.

The sale will be one of the largest Bay Area land deals, with 857 acres, several springs, and an 80-foot waterfall.

Despite the large size and remote feel, the property is only about 15 minutes from downtown Napa, and close to several wineries.

The property is listed with Gerry Rohm of JLL Capital Markets.

• Wendy's is rolling out a new breakfast menu in January.
• Wendy's has never had luck with its breakfast menus, and that's somewhat due to McDonald's efforts to counter Wendy's efforts.
• McDonald's breakfast is a fan favorite, but with the chain relying heavily on breakfast to win more visitors, it has a lot to lose if Wendy's snags a significant market share of the breakfast business.
• I compared every single distinct item on both menus in order to see how the two chains' breakfast offerings stack up. I found that this time around, Wendy's breakfast menu has some clear-cut advantages over McDonald's.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Like the forces of good and evil, fire and ice, and people who put the toilet paper roll backward and people who put it on the right way, McDonald's and Wendy's are forever at odds with each other.

McDonald's has long been the emperor of breakfast, but Wendy's is looking to conquer some of the Golden Arches' buttery territory. The pig-tailed would-be usurper is rolling out a breakfast menu nationwide in January 2020.

The last time Wendy's tried to sell breakfast, McDonald's did it's best to make sure it was never a real threat. But things have changed: Wendy's new breakfast menu is simpler and cheaper to make, and it'll come in full force when it rides over the hill in January.

As these two fast-food titans sharpen their swords for January's reckoning, we decided to pit their breakfast babies against each other in a cheesy, eggy, bacon-y battle.

So here you are: McDonald's and Wendy's entire breakfast menus, compared. I left out items I felt were redundant, like plain biscuits or sandwiches with just egg. I also left out items that weren't exclusive to breakfast, such as McDonald's yogurt parfait. 

SEE ALSO: I ate the same meal at Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and LongHorn Steakhouse. Here's how they compared.

McDonald's has McMuffins, McGriddles, biscuits, and bagel sandwiches. It also sells hotcakes, a homestyle breakfast, a breakfast burrito, and McCafe beverages.

Wendy's breakfast menu includes biscuits, croissants, and breakfast roll sandwiches. There's also a breakfast burrito, cold brew, and two kinds of Frostyccinos.

MCDONALD'S — ICED COFFEE, $2.69 — McDonald's iced coffee comes with milk and sugar. It's pleasant and drinkable, but the coffee flavor is underwhelming.

MCDONALD'S — ICED MOCHA, $2.99 — The iced mocha is another story. It's rich, chocolatey, and actually quite beautiful for a three-dollar drink.

MCDONALD'S — STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE, $3.69 — Unfortunately, the strawberry banana smoothie is just as sweet but no more fruity. All the flavor in this "smoothie" tasted very artificial.

WENDY'S — SMALL CHOCOLATE FROSTYCCINO, $2.49 — Somewhere between McDonald's iced coffee and its mocha, this drink was milky, chocolatey, with a trace of coffee.

WENDY'S — SMALL COLD BREW, $2.29 — After the Frostyccino, the cold brew was sour, burnt, and watery.

MCDONALD'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE BISCUIT, $4.19 — The bacon is flaccid, brown, and skimpy. The egg is fluffy but flavorless.

The highlights of this sandwich are the crumbly biscuit and tangy cheese.

WENDY'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE BISCUIT, $2.89 — Never mind that this sandwich is much cheaper than its McDonald's counterpart. The bacon is still lackluster, but at least it's crispy and visible.

The biscuit is a little undercooked, but this sandwich more than makes up for it with a fresh egg and savory cheese.

MCDONALD'S — SAUSAGE BISCUIT WITH EGG, $3.99 — I learned that McDonald's biscuits are inconsistent because this one was a stunner. Crispy, buttery, crumbly, yum.

The salty, flavorful sausage contrasted well with the plainer egg. Why didn't this sandwich have cheese, though?

WENDY'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE BISCUIT, $2.89 — This was a solid sandwich, with cheese melted over egg, a tasty, spiced sausage, and a buttery, crumbly biscuit.

But there was also a hint of lemon that was off-putting. It may have been kitchen cross-contamination, but I'm not sure where it was coming from.

MCDONALD'S — MCCHICKEN BISCUIT, $3.19 — If you've ever wondered, "what would a McChicken patty taste like in a biscuit," this sandwich was made for you. It's literally a McChicken patty in a biscuit.

I found it dry, boring, and low-effort. But if a McChicken patty in a biscuit sounds good to you, it'll probably taste good, too.

WENDY'S — HONEY BUTTER CHICKEN BISCUIT, $2.59 — For less than the cost of a McChicken biscuit, you can get a real slab of fried chicken sandwiched between two buttered biscuit halves.

Yes, the chicken is crunchy, juicy, and real. But the real highlight here is the decadent maple butter, which brings biscuit and chicken together better than couple's therapy could.

MCDONALD'S — SAUSAGE EGG MCMUFFIN, $3.99 — Oh, McMuffin, how can I sing the praises of thine many virtues? Chewy, soft, crispy, toasted, with a dusting of lovely corn grit.

Here, the delectable sausage finds its home between a melted slice of American cheese and a round, fresh egg with a golden yolk.

WENDY'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE SANDWICH, $3.49 — As far as I can tell, Wendy's classic sandwiches are sort of like McMuffins. The bun is soft, chewy, and finely dusted with corn grit. If only it was toasted.

This sandwich is tasty and balanced. The fried egg and melted cheese were a star duo, while the spicy sausage brought out the best in both.

MCDONALD'S — EGG MCMUFFIN, $3.99 — The Egg McMuffin is the sandwich that changed fast-food breakfast forever: an eggs Benedict to-go, the flavors of the Egg McMuffin have been beloved for nearly half a century.

But even with practice, sometimes we make mistakes. In this one, the ham was tough and the bread burnt, even though the egg was perfect.

WENDY'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE SANDWICH, $3.49 — This is the closest thing Wendy's has to an Egg McMuffin. It has bacon instead of ham, but it has a fresh egg, melted cheese, and a soft, chewy bun.

The bacon has more of a chance to stand out here as the only crispy element of a chewy sandwich. But I can't say I prefer this to a McMuffin.

MCDONALD'S — SAUSAGE BURRITO, $1.99 — For some reason, McDonald's has a breakfast burrito on its menu. It has sausage, egg, and cheese. I ordered it with hot sauce, but that came on the side.

As a result, I had some egg, cheese, and a bite of sausage wrapped up in a tortilla. Not terrible, but not terribly exciting either.

WENDY'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE BURRITO, $1.39 — Wendy also has a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast burrito, for some reason. And somehow, it's even worse than McDonald's.

Where's the meat? Only God and Wendy know what happened to the sausage in this burrito. And the flavor. And moisture. Just avoid. Avoid!

MCDONALD'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE MCGRIDDLE, $4.19 — McGriddles are sweet, syrupy, and soft to the point of being mushy. They'd be great snack cakes. As sandwich buns, they're hit or miss.

The jello-like egg is kind of disconcerting between two sweet buns. The bacon didn't do much. This sandwich was mostly just confusing.

WENDY'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE CROISSANT, $3.59 — Wendy's croissant bun is perfectly acceptable. It's flaky and soft, with a hint of sweetness.

You can definitely taste the bacon in this one, and it's a fairly well-balanced sandwich overall.

MCDONALD'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE MCGRIDDLE, $4.29 — Everything in this sandwich is very, very soft and requires little to no chewing effort.

It's also surprisingly delicious. The salty sausage holds its weight against the sweet McGriddles. The egg is mostly filler.

WENDY'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE CROISSANT, $3.59 — This croissant had a slightly less appealing bun. And much like the sausage McGriddle, the sausage egg and cheese croissant was made of mushy things.

Those who find it difficult to chew food will find comfort in the existence of two such sandwiches at major chains.

MCDONALD'S — CHICKEN MCGRIDDLE, $3.39 — Ok, remember how the McChicken biscuit was just a McChicken patty in a biscuit? Well, this is the McGriddle equivalent.

It's like a discount chicken and waffles, but with much more muted flavors and without any of that dish's iconic crunchy, sticky texture.

WENDY'S — MAPLE BACON CHICKEN CROISSANT, $3.99 — I'm not exaggerating when I say: everything about this sandwich is perfect. The chicken and bacon are crispy, the croissant soft, buttery, and flaky, and the maple butter unifies it all.

This is Wendy's star player. McDonald's doesn't have anything that comes close, and neither does any other chain out there.

MCDONALD'S — BIG BREAKFAST WITH HOTCAKES, $5.69 — This morning feast has everything you could want from a McDonald's breakfast except bacon.

McDonald's distinguishes itself with hotcakes that are actually pretty decent for pancakes that come in a plastic container.

They're soft, chewy, and absorb a generous amount of syrup.

The rest of the breakfast was essentially a deconstructed sausage biscuit with egg.

The most potent weapon in McDonald's breakfast arsenal, in my opinion, is the hash brown.

Crispy outside, soft inside, it's the perfect potato companion to any morning meal.

WENDY'S — SEASONED HOMESTYLE POTATOES, $1.29 — Enter Wendy's homestyle potatoes.

Golden, crispy, bursting with seasoning and flavor, I have to admit these are even better than my beloved hash browns.

MCDONALD'S — BACON EGG AND CHEESE BAGEL, $4.49 — Three syllables for this sandwich: disgusting.

Every sandwich looks the same inside. The dusty-dry and lifeless bagel makes each bite unbearable.

MCDONALD'S — SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE BAGEL, $4.39 — McDonald's sausage always packs a bigger flavor punch than its bacon, but oh god...

This "bagel" is unforgivable.

WENDY'S — BREAKFAST BACONATOR, $3.99 — This is basically a Wendy's Baconator with two square sausage patties in place of plain beef ones. It's hearty, heavy, and deeply satisfying.

The only thing I don't love about it is the burger bun, which feels like a boring choice of breakfast bun.

Savory sausage, crispy bacon, fresh fried egg, and melty cheese: this sandwich is otherwise perfect.

McDonald's breakfast has several things going for it. First, its McCafé drinks line offers a wide selection of cheap, pretty decent beverages.

Its biscuits are slightly better than Wendy's biscuits. And McDonald's has some individual flavors down, as well as a solid non-sandwich option.

Its hard-hitter remains the McMuffin, which is still one of the most perfect egg-based breakfast sandwiches in the fast-food canon.

However, McDonald's more adventurous items— the McGriddle, the bagel sandwiches — are poorly balanced. And the new McChicken items feel terribly lazy — a McChicken patty slapped on existing breakfast buns.

But overall, Wendy's breakfast is cheaper than McDonald's and offers largely the same, sometimes better items.

Wendy's secret weapon come January are its crispy chicken concoctions. The chicken is good, and the accoutrements are better. The flavors are intentional.

Wendy's may have failed at breakfast before, but this time, it stands a non-zero chance against the breakfast behemoth that is McDonald's. Winner, winner, chicken ... breakfast?

• Michael Thompson is a career and communication coach who helps business executives and entrepreneurs to create more opportunities by building the right relationships.
• Growing up, he was shy and had a severe speech impediment. But after college he took a sales job. While his nerves showed the first few months, he became one of the leading salespeople a year later.
• He found that it's all about doing the little things right. Showing up with a notebook and not a phone shows that you're listening, and asking for someone's name again at the end of the conversation ensures you'll remember it.
• Small talk and conversation starters can be great ways to open the door to bigger conversations. And sometimes silence is the best route — just show that you're there for the other person.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As a kid, I was told time and time again that the fastest way to make a dent in the world was by leaving each person better than you found them.

This sounded great to me on paper. There were just two problems: First, I had a severe speech impediment. Second, the idea of meeting new people terrified me. This meant you had someone who not only was afraid to meet new people but also wasn't very good at it.

After I graduated from college, I realized that if I was ever going to make something of my life this would have to change. As a result, I did something that seemed foolish: I took a sales job.

For the first few months I was nervous, and it showed. There were times when I stuttered so badly when introducing myself to a potential client that I hung up on them mid-sentence. But by sticking with it, over time my confidence grew. A year later, I was one of the leading salespeople in the office. Soon after, I was managing a team and training all new hires on how to develop relationships with new clients.

During this time I learned a valuable lesson: You don't have to be super charismatic to build meaningful connections with people — you just have to make a commitment to do the little things right.

The good news is that for all my fellow introverts out there the six little things below involve very little talking.

SEE ALSO: The shy person’s guide to winning friends and influencing people in 4 easy steps

1. Bring your notebook to conversations, not your phone

The greatest compliment you can give to another person is to truly listen to them and demonstrate that you like the way they think. The words, "I love that, give me a second to write it down" can never damage someone's impression of you.

The next time you meet with someone, keep your phone out of sight and instead take notes about what you are learning and the things that are important to them. Dale Carnegie got it right — "If you want to be interesting, be interested."

2. Become a master at remembering people's names

We all know remembering names is important, yet most people admit to being terrible at it. Here's a little trick: Simply ask people to repeat their names at the end of the conversation. For example, "I really enjoyed talking with you. I'm bad with names but I don't want to forget yours. Would you mind telling me your name again?"

Human beings can be difficult. But very few of them will give you a hard time after saying a variation of the words above. You can even turn it into a bet by telling them drinks are on you the next time you run into each other and you've forgotten their name.

Quick aside: I like it when people I barely know ask me about my kids. However, I love it when they say to me, "How are Liam and Luc doing?" Be the person who works hard to remember the names of the partners, kids, and even pets of the people you meet, and you'll never have to worry about being likable again.

3. Focus on leaving a memorable last impression

Most people worry so much about how they are going to start a conversation that they forget how memorable a strong ending can be. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to end the conversation by offering to connect the person you are speaking with to someone in your network who you think they may get along with.

You don't have to overdo it. A simple, "After getting to know you, I know that you and my friend Jordan would really hit it off" will do. By doing this, not only will the person you are speaking with like you more, but so will the person you are connecting them with. After all, most people like it when you speak highly of them to other people.

4. Show interest in small talk

As an introvert, I used to wear my "I hate small talk" badge with honor. I wanted deep and meaningful conversations. But here's the thing: Most people won't open up to you about the big things in their lives if you don't express interest in their little day-to-day happenings.

Ask people about their kids. Ask them how their job is going. Keep up to date with your local sports teams. Hell, even stop to talk to the woman at your corner deli about the weather. These conversations may be boring, but they matter. And when done consistently, they open the door for real talk to eventually take place.

5. Master a few conversation starters

Really Mike? Conversation starters? Yeah, I know, as a fellow introvert I'm not a huge fan of them either. But the good news is that you only have to get comfortable with a few of them in order to recycle them around with the new people you meet.

As a writer and career coach, my personal favorite is simply asking the people around me for advice: "I'm writing an article about career advice. What's your best tip?" or "I'm curious, do you think following your passion is good advice or terrible?"These questions will get people talking about their experiences, careers, and interests, and it's hard not to like someone who does that.

6. Recognize when it's best to keep your mouth shut

Maya Angelou left us with a million and one nuggets of wisdom during her lifetime. When it comes to building relationships, none more important than, "People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel."

Sometimes the best way to accomplish this is by simply keeping your mouth shut and focusing solely on being there for people around you. Lean in when you sense something means a great deal to the person you are speaking with. Give a subtle touch when warranted to let them know you are physically there for them. Being likable isn't only about what we say, it's also about showing people that we care about what they are saying.

The beauty of the tips above is that in addition to having to say very little, you can begin to put each of them into practice today.

Make it a point to better remember people's names. Keep your phone out of sight. Show some energy when you are engaged in small talk. Master a few icebreakers in order to learn more about the people around you.

Author and entrepreneur Julian Smith got it dead right: "There will always be someone smarter than you. There will always be someone stronger than you. That means that your only job is to be the best at connecting with others."

And when it doubt — tell people you like them. It's hard not to like someone who does that.

• Danny DeVito is an actor best known for movies like "Matilda" (1996) and his recurring role on FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." 
• DeVito has earned critical acclaim for numerous performances, like his role in the crime drama "L.A. Confidential" (1997). 
• Other films DeVito has starred in, such as "Look Who's Talking Now" (1993) and "Head Office" (1986), didn't get as much love from critics. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Although he's mostly known for his comedic work on FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,"Danny DeVito has proven himself as a film actor with an impressive range.

With an extensive career that spans nearly 50 years, DeVito's work has been met with varying degrees of critical reception.

Here are 10 of the best and 10 of the worst films in DeVito's filmography, according to critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change.

Danny DeVito's best film is "L.A. Confidential" (1997).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%

Summary: Set in Los Angeles during the early 1950s, the dramatic thriller "L.A. Confidential" explores the dark side of the police force in the Hollywood hills.

As Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) heads the corrupt LAPD, Bud White (Russell Crowe) struggles to hide his violent side, and Sid Hudgeons (DeVito) gets rich off of Hollywood scandals. 

Critics hailed "L.A. Confidential" as a thrilling film noir with a compelling central cast. 

As critic Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel wrote: "Spicy and boiling-hot, this sensational early-'50s crime drama is a morality play disguised as pulp fiction — a sprawling saga of corruption and redemption set against a flashy West Coast backdrop."

DeVito played Martini in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

Summary: In the stirring drama "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) pleads insanity to avoid jail time and is shipped off to a mental hospital.

Shocked by the oppressive nature of the asylum, McMurphy grows close to his fellow inmates, including Chief Bromden (Will Sampson), Billy (Brad Dourif) and Martini (DeVito). 

Largely regarded by critics as a classic film in the world of cinema, reviews point to the movie's effortless direction and the talents of the cast assembled on screen. 

"With 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' Forman takes his rightful place as one of our most creative young directors," wrote Arthur Knight for The Hollywood Reporter. "His casting is inspired, his sense of milieu is assured, and he could probably wring Academy Award performances from a stone."

He was Sam Stone in "Ruthless People" (1986).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

Summary: The comedy "Ruthless People" centers around Barbara (Bette Midler), a rich woman who is kidnapped and held for ransom by two amateur criminals (Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater).

Barbara's bitter husband Sam (DeVito) refuses to pay up, causing Barbara to bond with her captors. 

Despite the broad comedic nature of "Ruthless People," critics found the film endearing and well-crafted. 

"Occasionally crude and tasteless, 'Ruthless People' is a comedy with a vitriolic twist," wrote critic Candice Russell of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It's a comedy about people who love to hate, with actors who make it worth seeing."

The actor performed in, directed, and narrated "Matilda" (1996).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Summary: Raised amongst a volatile family that discourages her from learning and growing, Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) realizes at a young age that she has supernatural abilities. Despite her parents' (Rhea Perlman and DeVito) attempts to squash her curiosity, Matilda uses her intelligence to help others. 

Critics had heaps of praise for the family film "Matilda," which was directed and narrated by DeVito. 

Film critic Roger Ebert wrote: "'Matilda' doesn't condescend to children, it doesn't sentimentalize, and as a result it feels heartfelt and sincere. It's funny, too."

In "Get Shorty" (1995) DeVito played Martin Weir.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Summary: In the comedy "Get Shorty," mobster Chili Palmer (John Travolta) travels to Los Angeles to collect a debt and he finds that the Hollywood industry doesn't differ too much from the world he knows in the mafia.

Along the way, Palmer's life becomes entangled with that of famous actor Martin Weir (DeVito) and gambler Leo Devoe (David Paymer). 

Reviews heralded the comedy "Get Shorty" as massively entertaining and inventive. 

"How cool can a mere movie be? A perfect cast and great script, based on a hilariously witty best seller, are key elements," wrote David Hunter for The Hollywood Reporter. "When you add a talented director and let the magic of Hollywood take over, the result is 'Get Shorty.'"

He was Ralph in the adventure film "Romancing the Stone" (1984).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Summary: The adventure comedy "Romancing the Stone" tells the story of famed novelist Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) as she ventures into a dangerous jungle in the hopes of rescuing her sister from art dealers (Zack Norman and DeVito).

Teaming up with exotic animal smuggler Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas), Joan tries to save her sister and seek out a hidden treasure before it's too late. 

"Romancing the Stone" was praised by critics for its fun, thrilling plot and the chemistry of its leads. 

"In this cracking jungle-set treasure hunt, director Robert Zemeckis spices up a deliberately old-fashioned matinée adventure with tongue-in-cheek gags, unpredictably clever touches and top-of-the-range action," wrote Alan Jones in his review for Radio Times.

In "War of the Roses" (1989) DeVito played lawyer Gavin D'Amato.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Summary: In the comedy "War of the Roses," divorce lawyer Gavin D'Amato (DeVito) sits down with a prospective client and relays the tale of his last big case involving Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara Rose (Kathleen Turner). As D'Amato tells the story, he reveals how the turbulent divorce proceedings between the Roses escalated out of control. 

Critics lauded the distinctive narrative style of "War of the Roses," which was also directed by DeVito. 

"Greatly amusing, but its lasting achievement is DeVito's atmospheric authority, shaping a genuine filmmaking triumph in style and mood that deserves a standing ovation," wrote film critic Orndorf. 

The actor voiced Phil in the Disney classic "Hercules" (1997).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Summary: In Disney's animated film"Hercules," the young titular hero (Tate Donovan) is a god raised alongside humans.

As he sets out in search of a path and seeks to prove himself as a hero, Hercules is taken under the wing of gutsy satyr Philotes (DeVito). 

Critics praised "Hercules" for infusing mythology and humor in a likable family film. 

"Kids will love Hercules," wrote film critic Carol Buckland for CNN. "It's fast-paced, it's funny, and it has a very positive message. Adults will enjoy it as well, thanks to its animated artistry and sly wit."

In "Terms of Endearment" (1983) DeVito was Vernon Dalhart.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Summary: A drama with comedic notes, "Terms of Endearment" traces the lives of two women — Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma Greenaway (Debra Winger) — across three decades.

As they grapple with love and loss, Aurora finds herself pursued by various suitors, including Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson) and Vernon Dalhart (DeVito). 

"Terms of Endearment" was reviewed as a fully realized drama that hit home with well-earned dramatic turns. 

Variety reporter James Harwood wrote: "Brooks' dialog is wonderful throughout and all the characters carry off their assignments beautifully, even down to Danny De Vito and Norman Bennett as MacLaine's other suffering suitors."

He played Deck Shifflet in the legal drama "The Rainmaker" (1997).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Summary: "The Rainmaker" is a drama centered around a plucky law-school graduate Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) who takes on a legal battle with an insurance company on behalf of a young woman (Claire Danes) whose son is battling cancer.

With the help of Deck Shifflet (DeVito) the two set up a practice and attempt to form a strong defense. 

Critics praised "The Rainmaker" as an intelligent and nuanced legal drama with genuine heart. 

As Jack Matthews wrote for the Los Angeles Times: "Coppola has infused 'The Rainmaker' with enough humor, character, honest emotion and storytelling style to make it one of the year's most entertaining movies."

On the other end of the spectrum, he was Wayne in the comedy "The Oh in Ohio" (2006).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%

Summary: In the comedy "The Oh in Ohio," married couple Priscilla (Parker Posey) and Jack (Paul Rudd) experience sexual frustration in their marriage and seek satisfaction from other people. While Jack takes interest in one of his students (Mischa Barton), Priscilla finds comfort in Wayne the pool guy (DeVito). 

"The Oh in Ohio" was met with poor reception, with critics calling the comedy lifeless. 

"The script, which was co-written by director Billy Kent, has the forced 'raciness' of a mid-'70s dinner-theater sex comedy," wrote critic Eleanor Ringel Cater for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

DeVito had a small role in "The World's Greatest Lover" (1977).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Summary: Set in the 1920s, "The World's Greatest Lover" is a comedy about a movie producer (Dom DeLuise) who is looking to cast an actor to portray Rudolph Valentino. Eager to prove himself, amateur actor Rudy Valentine (Gene Wilder) auditions for the part.

DeVito appeared in a small role as the assistant director on the fictional movie set. 

Critics wrote that "The World's Greatest Lover" came across as too silly and lacked consistency. 

"Despite Gene Wilder's undeniable personality, his work as an actor results inferior when he's directing himself," wrote Jesús Fernández Santos for El Pais. "His parodies lose rhythm and the structure of the script at times results confusing."

He played Al in the romantic comedy "When in Rome" (2010).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Summary: In the romantic comedy "When in Rome," Beth (Kristen Bell) swipes coins from a wishing fountain in Italy and finds herself being pursued by the very men who threw those coins in.

A few of her hopeful suitors include Gale (Dax Shepard), Antonio (Will Arnett), and Al (DeVito). 

Critics felt that "When in Rome" failed to introduce anything new to the well-trodden romantic-comedy genre. 

"'When in Rome' never delves deep into anything, but whisks us through the conventions of romantic comedies so quickly there's barely time to groan," wrote Sarah Sluis for Film Journal International. 

In "Hotel Noir" (2012) he appeared as Eugene Portland.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Summary: Set in 1950s Hollywood, "Hotel Noir" is a dramatic thriller about a detective who checks into a hotel to wait for his adversaries to catch up with him.

As various people come and go — like Hanna Click (Carla Gugino) and Eugene Portland (DeVito) — the story surrounding his fate begins to unravel.

"Hotel Noir" was met with raised eyebrows from critics, who were unsure how a film with such an impressive cast could yield a weak narrative. 

Time Out critic David Fear wrote: "You never lose the nagging sense that you're simply watching a high-school drama club's production of '40s fatalism chic."

DeVito was Grover Cleaver in "Screwed" (2000).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Summary: The broad comedy "Screwed" features Willard Fillmore (Norm MacDonald) as a chauffeur who tries to get back at his boss Mrs. Crock (Elaine Stritch) by stealing her treasured dog.

When things get out of hand, the police suspect that Willard himself has been kidnapped. In an attempt to throw off the police, Willard asks for mortician Grover Cleaver (DeVito) to help him find a dead body that can pass as him. 

Critics felt that the low production value of "Screwed" made it feel like a second-rate television movie more than a feature film.

Despite giving a negative review, critic Stephen Holden was at least won over by DeVito's performance in the film. "Danny DeVito is the only cast member who succeeds in making something out of the movie's nothing of a screenplay,"Holden wrote for the New York Times. 

In "Renaissance Man" (1994) the actor played Bill Rago.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

Summary: In the comedy "Renaissance Man," DeVito stars as Bill Rago, a new teacher who tries to connect with the soldiers in his literacy class who have been deemed unteachable.

Tasked with only six weeks to teach them English and literature, Rago does his best to inspire his unconventional students. 

"Renaissance Man" was received as a pandering comedy with manipulative messaging by a majority of critics. 

However, The Washington Post critic Hal Hinson found a sliver of redemption in the film by praising DeVito's involvement.

"As strange as it sounds, DeVito's performance is about the only aspect of the film that isn't wholly fraudulent, if only because his typical feisty abrasiveness protects him from sinking to the level of Marshall's mawkishness," wrote Hinson. 

He played Max Fairbanks in "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" (2001).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

Summary: Based on a novel, the crime comedy "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" tells the story of Kevin Caffery (Martin Lawrence), a thief who attempts to break into the mansion of Max Fairbanks (DeVito). After Max calls the police on Kevin and personally affronts him, Kevin vows to stop at nothing to get back at the billionaire. 

Critics largely panned "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" as incoherent, humorless, and forgettable. 

"The film isn't just lightweight, it's weightless," wrote Movie Metropolis critic John Puccio. "You don't forget it two minutes later; you forget it before it's over."

DeVito was Buddy Hall in "Deck the Halls" (2006).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 6%

Summary: In the comedy "Deck the Halls," the holiday season falls upon a suburban neighborhood, inciting an unexpected decoration battle between neighbors Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick) and Buddy Hall (DeVito).

As the escalating antics get out of hand, jealousy and rage get the better of the two men and threaten to spoil their Christmas cheer. 

Any pleasure critics derived from the film was wrought from unintentional humor, with many critics calling "Deck the Halls" messy and overstuffed holiday fare. 

"'My stupidity astounds me!' chortles Danny DeVito in 'Deck the Halls,' a line that pretty much sums up this tale of warring neighbours with very different ideas about celebrating Christmas,"joked Neil Smith in his review for the BBC. 

He played Stedman in the comedy "Head Office" (1986).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Summary: The satirical black comedy "Head Office" focuses on Jack Issel (Judge Reinhold), a recent graduate from business school who stakes his claim within a large industrial company. As he climbs the corporate ladder he shakes hands and butts heads with Jane (Jane Seymour), Helms (Eddie Albert), and Stedman (DeVito). 

The comedy "Head Office" was raked through the coals by film critics who called it empty and lazily written. 

"The structure here is a bit like '50s social comedies but there's no satirical force, just chutzpah and energy," wrote Michael Wilmington for the Los Angeles Times. "The movie confuses iconoclasm with wit, and bile with guts; it's mostly thin and mean-spirited."

"Look Who's Talking Now" (1993) earned also a 0%.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Summary: The third installment in the "Look Who's Talking" series, this comedy centers around two dogs with the ability to talk: Rocks (DeVito) and Daphne (Diane Keaton).

The two canines have to take action when the lives of their owners (John Travolta and Kirstie Alley) are put in danger. 

Critics felt "Look Who's Talking Now" was an unnecessary sequel with low-brow humor from a franchise that already wrung out its potential in earlier films. 

"Most of the way this is pretty cheesy stuff, too stupid for adults and too vulgar for children," wrote Chris Hicks for the Deseret News. "And it's even worse when it goes for cheap sentiment."

Read More:

• A petition is circulating for Danny DeVito to play Wolverine — and people are enthusiastically signing it
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• A teen took a cardboard cut out of Danny DeVito to prom, so DeVito made a cardboard cut out of her

• Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider with a list of the nine most in-demand original TV shows on streaming services.
• This week includes Netflix's "Atypical" and Apple TV Plus' "Dickinson."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple TV Plus launched earlier this month and one of its shows has surged past the others in audience demand. "Dickinson" broke through this week's list, as did Netflix's "Atypical," which recently debuted its third season.

SEE ALSO: 'Dickinson' on Apple TV Plus has surged ahead of its other launch shows in popularity

9. "Good Omens" (Amazon Prime Video)

Average demand expressions: 24,757,057

Description: "Aziraphale and Crowley, of Heaven and Hell respectively, have grown rather fond of the Earth. So it's terrible news that it's about to end. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing. The Four Horsemen are ready to ride. Everything is going according to the Divine Plan … except that someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist. Can our heroes find him and stop Armageddon before it's too late?"

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 83%

What critics said:"What makes the diverting and mostly pleasurable "Good Omens" especially timely is something that hasn't much changed: Armageddon seems as real a possibility now as it did three decades ago."— New York Times

Season 1 premiered on Prime Video May 31.

8. "Dickinson" (Apple TV Plus)

Average demand expressions: 25,198,121

Description:"Dickinson is a half-hour comedy series starring Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld. Created by Alena Smith, Dickinson audaciously explores the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (season 1): 71%

What critics said:"Dickinson shows promise in a number of areas — among them striking visual language, an irresistible playfulness in the music supervision, and a sense of fun, if not humor, that pervades even scenes about mortality or misogyny."— RogerEbert.com (season 1)

Season 1 premiered on Apple TV Plus on November 1.

7. "Lucifer" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 26,326,856

Description: "Bored with being the Lord of Hell, the devil relocates to Los Angeles, where he opens a nightclub and forms a connection with a homicide detective."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 4): 100%

What critics said:"The more I think about it, the more I stand by my belief that the majority of season four is among the very best episodes the Luciferhas to offer."— AV Club (season 4)

Season 4 premiered on Netflix May 8.

6. "BoJack Horseman" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 27,543,029

Description: "Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s, 20 years later. He's a curmudgeon with a heart of ... not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?"

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 6): 100%

What critics said:"BoJack may be the most important — and beloved — animated series since The Simpsons."— Time Magazine (season 6)

Season 6 premiered on Netflix October 25.

5. "The Boys" (Amazon Prime Video)

Average demand expressions: 27,722,672

Description: "'The Boys' is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It's the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about 'The Seven,' and their formidable Vought backing."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 83%

What critics said:"The Boys is an expert deconstruction of superhero stories, with an appropriately wintery view of institutional power, be it corporate, governmental, religious, or caped."— Slate (Season 1)

Season 1 premiered July 26 on Amazon Prime Video.

4. "Atypical" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 29,820,433

Description:"When a teen on the autism spectrum decides to get a girlfriend, his bid for more independence puts his whole family on a path of self-discovery."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 88%

What critics said:"Atypical is proving yet again why it remains the best half-hour on Netflix's slate."— Forbes (Season 3)

Season 1 premiered November 1 on Netflix.

3. "Castle Rock" (Hulu)

Average demand expressions: 32,712,407

Description: "Misery has arrived. Lizzy Caplan plays a young Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's MISERY. In season two of this psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse, Castle Rock combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King's best-loved works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. The fictional Maine town of Castle Rock has figured prominently in King's literary career: Cujo, The Dark Half, IT and Needful Things, as well as novella The Body and numerous short stories such as Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, are either set there or contain references to Castle Rock."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 89%

What critics said:"Castle Rock remains an atmospheric, grippingly acted series that captures the feeling of King's fiction while exploring corners of his world that even he might not have imagined existing."— The Verge (season 2)

Season 4 premiered on Hulu October 23.

2. "Titans" (DC Universe)

Average demand expressions: 55,575,880

Description: "'Titans' follows young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find belonging in a gritty take on the classic Teen Titans franchise. Dick Grayson and Rachel Roth, a special young girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and lovable Beast Boy. Together they become a surrogate family and team of heroes."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 81%

What critics said:"Those are a lot of arcs to complete in only three episodes but, judging by how episode 11 was paced, it doesn't look like the showrunners are in any hurry to conclude these plotlines."— Bam Smack Pow (Season 2)

Season 2 premiered on DC Universe September 6.

1. "Stranger Things" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 110,827,747

Description: "When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 90%

What critics said:"This belated third season is in many ways the most movie-like thing Stranger Things has done. Its scope is much wider, from the greater reliance on elaborate digital effects to the sheer number of extras in Eighties fashions in so many scenes."— Rolling Stone (Season 3)

Season 3 premiered July 4 on Netflix.

• Lots of celebrity couples split in 2019. 
• Some romances fizzled out after a few months while others ended after years of being together.
• Pairs like Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth split months after getting married, which caught fans by surprise. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos' split after 25 years of marriage was surprising.

In early January, the pair released a statement revealing that "after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends."

The split was shocking considering the pair's love story and decades together. They met at the investment management firm D.E. Shaw & Co, dated for three months, got engaged, and wed in 1993.  

"My office was next door to his, and all day long I listened to that fabulous laugh," MacKenzie recalled during a 2013 interview with Vogue. "How could you not fall in love with that laugh?"

In the same interview, Jeff described MacKenzie as "resourceful, smart, brainy, and hot."

A year after getting married, the pair quit their jobs and moved to Seattle to create Amazon, which would lead them to become billionaires. 

They finalized their divorce in July and the settlement left MacKenzie with a partial stake in Amazon worth an estimated $38 billion, making her the third richest woman in the world.

Fans were caught off guard by Brie Larson and fiancé Alex Greenwald's reported split.

In January, People reported that they ended their engagement. 

"They have taken a step back from their engagement for the time being but they remain close," a source told the publication. 

The couple didn't share too many details about their relationship, but they were reportedly together for a few years prior to their 2016 engagement. 

That year when the "Captain Marvel" star won an award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for "Room" at the SAG Awards, she gave Greenwald a shoutout in her acceptance speech and he mouthed the words "I love you, too" from his seat in the audience. 

During an interview with "Entertainment Tonight," Larson also called him "the other half of the equation."

"It goes beyond anything. He's just my person, he's my best friend," she said. 

Greenwald also accompanied Larson to other award shows and red carpet premieres and showed support for the actress by wearing a "Captain Marvel" hat and sharing the snap on Instagram. 

Adele rose to fame for her chart-topping songs about heartbreak, but her split with husband Simon Konecki was unexpected.

Adele's representatives shared a statement with the Associated Press, saying: "They are committed to raising their son together lovingly. As always they ask for privacy."

The "Hello" singer was photographed with Konecki in 2011 and the couple's son, Angelo, was born in 2012. The pair remained relatively low-key about their relationship. 

In 2015, Adele gushed over her "supportive" partner in an interview with Rolling Stone. The following year, she told Vanity Fair that Konecki is "not threatened by any stage of my life that I'm going for, and that's an amazing thing. It's the most serious relationship I've ever been in."

"He's confident. He's perfect," she added. 

At the 2017 Grammys, Adele confirmed that she and Konecki got married, referring to him as her "husband" on stage. 

Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk's relationship ended a few months after "A Star Is Born" was released.

In early June, People reported that the "Star Is Born" actor and the model ended their relationship. 

The pair, who reportedly started dating in 2015, have a daughter together named Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper (born in 2017). Cooper and Shayk stepped out together at events like the Met Gala and the Oscars, but they were tight-lipped about their romance during interviews. 

However, Cooper did acknowledge Shayk when he won a BAFTA for "ASIB" in February 2019. 

"Most of all I have to thank Irina, for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year," Cooper, who starred alongside Lady Gaga in the movie, said. 

"Riverdale" costars Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse's reported split stunned fans, but they got back together not long after.

In July, Us Weekly reported that the actors, who star as Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones on the CW show (also known as Bughead), ended their relationship. An unnamed source also told "E! News" that they broke up "earlier this summer."

The news came as a surprise to fans, especially since the two actors had become more open about their relationship. They were also filming season four of "Riverdale" when the reports spread.

Reinhart and Sprouse went on to slam unnamed "sources" cited by multiple publications. They've since commented on each others' Instagram posts, trolled breakup reports, and shared PDA-filled photos, confirming that they're still a couple. Reinhart also celebrated the former Disney Channel's star birthday by posting a "sappy" poem on social media.

Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus had been on-again, off-again for years, but their split months after getting married was shocking.

Fans were surprised that the pair, who met on the set of 2010's "The Last Song," ended their relationship after tying the knot during a low-key ceremony in Tennessee in December 2018. At the time, Hemsworth had called it "a really special day" and said that Cyrus officially took his last name.

"Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what's best while they both focus on themselves and careers," a representative for Cyrus told People in August. "They still remain dedicated parents to all of their animals they share while lovingly taking this time apart. Please respect their process and privacy."

Hemsworth also opened up about the split on Instagram, saying that wished her "nothing but health and happiness going forward" and wouldn't be commenting further on the breakup.

Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes were notoriously quiet about their romance, so people probably didn't predict their reported breakup in 2019.

Speculation about the two stars began in 2013, a year after Holmes and Tom Cruise got divorced. That year, they were seen dancing at a party in the Hamptons. For years, representatives for the actors denied reports about them dating. 

Foxx and Holmes reportedly celebrated birthdays together and were photographed holding hands at the beach in 2017. They were last seen together inside the 2019 Met Gala in May. Three months later,  Page Six reported that the low-key pair ended their relationship.

According to Us Weekly, Holmes ended the romance. 

For more than 10 years, "Mad Men's" Christina Hendricks and Geoffrey Arend coupled up for red carpets, so their split was heartbreaking for fans.

The pair got married in New York in October 2009 and were always all-smiles in public, from the Emmys to the Oscars.

In October, Hendricks shared a statement on social media revealing that they ended their relationship after 12 years together. 

"We joined our two amazing families, had countless laughs, made wonderful friends and were blessed with incredible opportunities," Hendricks said in a statement that she shared on Instagram in October. "Today we take our next step together, but on separate paths. We will always be grateful for the love we've shared and will always work together to raise our two beautiful dogs."

Niecy Nash and Jay Tucker revealed their breakup after eight years of marriage and a "gorgeous ride" in a heartfelt statement.

"We believe in the beauty of truth. Always have. Our truth is that in this season of our lives, we are better friends than partners in marriage,"the statement which Nash shared on social media, read. 

They continued: "Our union was such a gorgeous ride. And as we go our separate ways now, we feel fortunate for the love we share — present tense."

Nash went on to tell "Entertainment Tonight" that she and Tucker, who wed in May 2011 in Malibu, California, don't harbor any bad blood. 

"The love has just taken on a different form, but [he's] always gonna be my friend. Always," the actress said. 

Solange and Alan Ferguson's breakup after 11 years together came as a surprise to fans.

In an Instagram post, Knowles called Ferguson "a phenomenal man who changed every existence of my life."

She also revealed that they called it quits earlier in 2019 and wanted to "protect the sacredness of my personal truth and to live in it fully."

Knowles and Ferguson tied the knot in November 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. They went on to codirect Knowles' music videos for "Don't Touch My Hair" and "Cranes in the Sky."

• Uber, now a decade old, went public back in May on the New York Stock exchange, but has disappointed investors in the five months since. 
• Co-founders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp began cashing out hundreds of millions of dollars worth of stock this month as the company's lockup period expired. 
• The cash outs provide a perfect opportunity to revisit "UberCab"'s original pitch to investors more than 10 years ago. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Uber founder Garrett Camp cashed out roughly $13 million of his massive stake in the company this week, according to regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The sale of 8,462,352 shares was worth $13,538,023, the filing shows, and will still leave the entrepreneur with a roughly 4.75% stake in the company. Camp also sits on the board, and remains the largest individual shareholder after Japan's SoftBank and the venture capital firm Benchmark, according to Bloomberg data. 

Last week, Camp's co-founder and Ubers famously ousted former chief executive Travis Kalanick began selling some of his stake as well, on a much grander scale. Kalanick, who's working to build a "virtual restaurant," or delivery-only kitchen business, sold $711 million worth of shares. 

The sales by both Camp and Kalanick came after the expiration of Uber's "lockup period," a set amount of time that's common in initial public offerings in which insiders are not allowed to sell their existing shares in the company. When Uber's period expired last week, heavy selling sent the stock down some 9% to record lows.

And as Uber fights to turn its first profit in the face of that falling stock price, the company looks very little like it did ten years ago when Camp self-financed some of the company's first rounds. "UberCab" wasn't always a network of more than 2 million drivers providing rides at the tap of a button in 165 countries around the world.

Instead, in those days of August 2008, the dream of a "next generation car service" was merely a slideshow presentation on founder Garrett Camp's computer.

Business Insider has covered the original pitch deck before, when Camp first published it on Medium in 2017, but we felt it deserved a fresh look in light of a the company's underwhelming May IPO, the launch of its freight business, an aggressive push into food delivery, flying cars, autonomous vehicles, and more. 

Here's how the founders envisioned Uber 10 years ago:

SEE ALSO: Leaked Uber employee survey shows what it's really like to work at the company ahead of its massive IPO

The very first slide is a time capsule from 2008. Yes, that's a BlackBerry.

10 years ago, hailing a cab was a very different affair.

While Camp highlighted "dead-time" with cabs, a 2018 report by Schaller Consulting found that for-hire vehicles drive an average of 2.1 miles without passengers between fares.

Also, most New York cabs are now Toyota Camrys, which the city estimates to have an environmental rating of 25 miles per gallon.

Uber has decimated the value of taxi medallions.

After the expansion of Uber in New York, the value of taxi medallions — limited amounts of which are sold at auction by the city — has plummeted by nearly 75%. And, of course, street-hailing is vital for those without smartphones or a credit/debit card.

Camp said Uber would be the "NetJets of car services."

This, in a nutshell, was — and still is — Uber's value proposition. NetJets, a company that allows you to buy fractional ownership in a private jet — has been owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway since 1998.

Uber originally wanted to screen its customers.

Today, anyone with a credit or debit card and a smartphone can instantly be connected with a driver. GPS and photos make finding your driver much easier — something that hasn't changed today.

It's not just luxury Mercedes sedans these days, either.

According to the original pitch, Uber cars would be luxury Mercedes sedans. Today the most popular cars are Toyota Priuses, Honda Civics, and Toyota Camrys.

Uber would be "Profitable by design."

Uber has yet to turn a profit. In its most recent self-reported quarterly financials, the company said its growth had slowed while losses were continuing to increase.

A car could be summoned using GPS or texting.

GPS is obviously still a main tenet of the app. SMS summoning, on the other hand, seems to have gone by the wayside.

Saving destinations with specific labels would have been much more important for text-hailing.

Still, saving addresses into the app for easy selection is a big time-saver.

All of Uber's projected use cases still hold up today.

Uber would be cheaper than a limo but safer than a cab.

Not all of Uber's projected eco-friendly benefits have played out.

The same 2018 consulting report found that an average of only 63% of for-hire miles driven are with passengers.

The fleet looks very different today than originally planned.

Today, a majority of the Uber fleet consists of Toyota Priuses and Camrys, Honda Accords, and Ford Fusions, as well as the luxury models it mentioned in 2008.

Uber now operates in more than 60 countries around the world.

Camp had a plan for surge pricing.

Though traditional surge pricing is now largely gone, Uber had long foreseen its ability to use trip data to forecast demand and incentivize drivers in areas of increased trip requests.

Knowing where riders and drivers are — and what areas will be popular in the future— is still one of Uber's most valuable products.

It all comes down to data.

Uber could be worth up to $120 billion on public markets — a far cry from the $4.2 billion market estimate it had 10 years ago.

Airport trips still make up a large chunk of Uber rides

In many cases, Uber rides have become so popular at airports that some cities have altered their pick-up and drop-off lanes to better facilitate ride-hailing. There are still cab lines, though.

Today, Uber operates in 400 cities worldwide. But its original ambitions were much smaller.

And the company easily hit its best-case scenario.

In the third quarter of 2018, Uber brought in $2.95 billion in revenue.

The market breakdown of smartphones in 2008 is another great example of just how ephemeral tech can be.

Today, Samsung makes up the largest smartphone-market segment, with Nokia's market share just a fraction of what it was then.

Most of the company's "Future Optimizations" have played out as well.

Referrals are still a big part of Uber's business, but not all of these caught on.

Uber had its eyes on medical or governmental transportation, but its exploration ended up going in other directions.

Healthcare is still around, though. Uber Health was announced in March 2018 as a way to provide "reliable, comfortable transportation for patients." It could be a big area for both Uber and its competitor Lyft, which recently announced the hire of a vice president for healthcare.

The rest is history.

Uber launched an Android version of its app two years later in 2010, when it began to rebrand from UberCab to Uber.

• Jeffree Star, James Charles, and NikkieTutorials are some of the biggest names in beauty.
• However, the three YouTubers are among many internet stars who don't actually use their real names online.
• NikkieTutorials, for example, is actually named Nikkie de Jager.
• Patrick Starrr also uses a fake last name — his real one is Simondac.

Just about everyone on internet uses a screen name of some sort — and beauty influencers are no exception.

From Jeffree Star to James Charles, many of the biggest names in beauty go by different names online. NikkieTutorials and Patrick Starrr, for example, both use pseudonyms and screen names to better suit their online personas. So do Zoella and Tati Westbrook.

Here's are 14 influencers who have done the same.

NikkieTutorials — Nikkie de Jager

Though NikkieTutorials is one of the most popular YouTubers in the beauty space — she has more than 12.3 million subscribers— few people reference her by her full name: Nikkie de Jager.

While speaking to Teen Vogue in 2011, de Jager said she once had a YouTube channel called "something like GlamourGirlx3," but knew she wanted a name that sounded "more professional."

"I had to change the name," de Jager told Teen Vogue. "Since I knew beauty videos were called tutorials, I thought, 'Why not just take my name and put 'tutorials' after it?' That's how 'NikkieTutorials' was born."

James Charles — James Charles Dickinson

After starting his YouTube channel in 2016, James Charles grew a fan base of more than 16 million subscribers relatively quickly. Still, many of his fans only know his shortened moniker.

According to a 2014 tweet from the YouTuber, Charles stopped using his last name, Dickinson, to avoid jokes being made regarding his sexuality.

Manny MUA — Manny Gutierrez

Though the YouTuber hasn't kept his last name, Gutierrez, a secret, he doesn't often use it on social media. Instead, his YouTube channel, Twitter account, and Instagram page all feature the name Manny MUA, short for Manny Makeup Artist.

He discussed the pseudonym in one of his first videos back in 2014, saying: "The meaning behind my YouTube name? Well, my name's Manny, and I'm a makeup artist. Manny MUA."

Jeffree Star — Jeffrey Lynn Steininger

Jeffree Star is undoubtedly one of the most successful beauty influencers in the world. Not only does he have more than 16 million YouTube subscribers, but he also launched arguably the biggest makeup collection of the year in November.

However, he hasn't always gone by his current name. While speaking with the Staten Island Advance in 2009, Star said he legally changed his last name from Steininger after moving to Los Angeles.

"Everything I do is kind of sarcastic, so I did it as a joke when I moved from Orange County to LA," Star said. "It seemed that everyone wanted to be a star, and everyone was kind of fake and trying to use everyone."

"To be, like, witty and funny, I said, 'Euh, I want to be a star!'" he continued. "I made it up, started calling myself that, and it stuck."

Kathleen Lights — Kathleen Fuentes

Kathleen Lights has been sharing beauty-related videos to YouTube since 2013, and has since amassed more than 4.1 million followers. Still, she rarely shares her last name, Fuentes, online. Instead, she often refers to herself using her first name or YouTube-channel title.

But it's not just Kathleen and her fans who use a nickname to describe her. In 2016, the YouTuber tweeted that "no one" in her family uses her first name when speaking to her.

"Everyone calls me mama," Kathleen tweeted. "Since birth. I don't think I've ever heard my brother say my name."

Zoella — Zoe Elizabeth Sugg

When she first started her YouTube channel— which now has 4.8 million subscribers — Zoella shared lifestyle vlogs, fashion hauls, and beauty tips with her viewers under the name MoreZoella. 

Though she's still known around the world as Zoella, the YouTuber has since rebranded to use her real name, Zoe Sugg. She's also stopped sharing beauty routines online.

Kat Von D — Katherine von Drachenberg

Kat Von D isn't a beauty influencer in the traditional sense — she achieved fame through her tattoo artistry and television career prior to posting content online. Still, her namesake beauty brand, as well as the YouTube channel she created in 2009, pushed her to new heights.

But while many know her by her catchy seven-letter name, she was actually born Katherine von Drachenberg.

Bretman Rock — Bretman Rock Sacayanan Laforga

Bretman Rock rose to internet fame thanks to his quirky beauty videos, which he started posting in 2015. But while some of his 6.7 million subscribers might assume he's using a pseudonym, Rock actually uses a shortened version of his moniker.

In 2014, the YouTuber shared his full name, Bretman Rock Sacayanan Laforga, in an Instagram post. He also told a local news outlet that his father was inspired by pro wrestlers to create his first name.

"He particularly liked Bret Hart and The Rock, so that's how he got Bretman Rock," the YouTuber previously said in an interview, which has been re-posted by The List.

Tati Westbrook — Tatiana Aleksandra Krievins

Tati Westbrook has had a whirlwind career on YouTube. She's shared hundreds of beauty videos, faced a public feud with James Charles, and has even launched her own makeup line. But she hasn't always been forthcoming with her real name.

In a 2012 video titled "Get To Know Me," Westbrook discussed keeping her last name a secret, saying: "My name is Tatiana. My middle name is Aleksandra. And my last name I'm keeping a big ole secret until I change it, which will be soon because I'm marrying the love of my life."

Her husband James later explained that they thought it would be easier on fans if she didn't change her name at the start of her career.

"When Tati was gonna be in Allure magazine, they insisted on publishing her last name, and we're like, 'Well we're getting ready to get married, why not just take my last name and start using it? So that's what she did."

Westbrook's maiden name, Krievins, has since popped up all over the internet.

Patrick Starrr — Patrick Simondac

Patrick Starrr is one of the most popular men in the beauty community. He began posting YouTube videos in 2013, and has since garnered more than 4.4 million subscribers. He's also created numerous makeup lines with MAC Cosmetics, his former employer.

While it's unclear as to how he got the last name Starrr, multiple publications have reported that he was born as Patrick Simondac.

Norvina — Claudia Soare

Norvina is famously known in the beauty world as the daughter of Anastasia Soare, the founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills. She also works as the brand's president, and has appeared in some of its YouTube videos. 

But despite having a namesake eye-shadow palette, the social-media star isn't actually named Norvina. According to Revelist, she was actually born in Romania as Claudia Soare.

Her mother reportedly wanted to name her Norvina after her grandfather, but was banned from doing so by Romanian officials. As a result, Anastasia chose to use the name Claudia on her birth certificate, but continued to call her Norvina throughout her life.

Shane Dawson — Shane Lee Yaw

Throughout most of his career, Shane Dawson had no ties to the makeup industry. As of October, however, he's practically become a full-fledged influencer. Not only did he create a makeup collection with Jeffree Star, but he also documented the process on YouTube. 

But while millions around the world know him by the name on his YouTube channel, Star was actually born as Shane Lee Yaw. While speaking to AOL in 2016, he revealed that an old talent agent encouraged him to change his name.

"My real name is Shane Yaw," Dawson said. "That was just because my agent at the time said no one would want to see me because my name was awful, so I changed it, but it helped me create this other person."

"When I get a bunch of hate comments, or people telling me, 'Kill yourself!' or 'You're ugly!' or 'You're fat!' or this and that, I don't really process it because that's for Shane Dawson, that's not me."

However, it's unclear as to where he got the name Dawson from. Some fans argue he got the name from "Dawson's Creek," while others say it was inspired by "Titanic."

Blair Fowler — Laura Elizabeth Fowler

Blair Fowler is often considered to be one of the original beauty vloggers. She began posting YouTube videos in 2008 under the screen name JuicyStar07, but quickly became known as Blair. She currently has 1.7 million subscribers. 

Back in 2012 during a Q&A video, Fowler addressed the fact that she doesn't use her legal name online, saying: "Is my real name Blair? Absolutely. My name that everybody calls me, my mom, my dad, like my entire family, Sawyer, everyone that I know calls me Blair."

"It's also my DBA, which means that I cash checks in Blair, my bank account is Blair, like all that type of stuff, I am Blair," she continued. "But was I born with the first name Blair? No. So it's legally not my name, it's not what's on my driver's license or my passport."

In 2017, however, she confirmed that her father was the one who advised her to go by Blair instead of Laura online.

Elle Fowler — Lisa Sylvia Fowler

Though she mostly makes lifestyle videos now, Elle Fowler previously shared tons of beauty videos on her YouTube channel. 

But like her younger sister, Fowler also uses a pseudonym online. In 2010, she tweeted:  "birth name is Lisa, but I would prefer you call me Elle with the rest of the world ;)"

• Read more:
• 16 of the most shocking beauty YouTube transformations of all time
• 10 YouTubers who showed off their style at the 2019 People's Choice Awards
• Here's everything featured in Jaclyn Hill's holiday makeup collection
• Disney and Colourpop are releasing a 'Frozen 2' makeup line for those who want to channel Anna and Elsa

• Labor leaders say traditional unions might not be around much longer, and collective bargaining will look a lot different in the future.
• Due to weakening union power and membership, non-union worker organizations have began to spring up around the country.
• Farmers and domestic workers don't have the right to unionize under the National Labor Relations Act, so they've created non-union organizations to advocate for better pay.
• Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.

Traditional unions might be on their way out, but workers are only getting started.

David Rolf, a labor leader who helped pass the $15 minimum wage in Seattle, recently said the old union model "isn't coming back" at the Fulcrum Future of Work conference in Detroit, Michigan. Union membership has declined from 30% of the working population in the 1950s to just over 10% in 2010. 

While Rolf said we shouldn't be too "rosy" in thinking we've found the new labor movement, there are some worker organizations on the fringes that have begun to organize outside the union model. 

Many of these workers aren't represented under the National Labor Relations Act, a 1935 law that set the rules for union bargaining in the US. Domestic workers, for instance, aren't covered — yet many nannies and homecare workers have successfully organized and lobbied for better pay and protections. 

From tomato farmers to Uber drivers, here are 8 examples of worker coalitions leading the new labor movement:

SEE ALSO: A labor leader who helped win the $15 minimum wage in Seattle says unions aren't coming back. Here's what the future of labor could look like.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, originally founded by tomato farmers in Florida, has gotten fast-food giants like McDonald's and Taco Bell to improve wages and working conditions.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is a farmworker organization with roots in Florida's tomato fields. 

The NLRA explicitly excludes agricultural laborers from forming unions, as they are not technically employees. Despite the exclusion, Florida farmhands begun organizing in 1993 and went on month-long hunger strikes to demand higher wages, according to the CIW website.

In the early 2000s, CIW staged farmworker boycotts and hunger strikes to pressure Taco Bell into improving wages and working conditions for the farmers that grew tomatos and other produce for the chain. The organization has since lobbied other businesses, like McDonalds and Chipotle, to guarantee protections for farmers that make produce for the chains as part of the Fair Food Program.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance has gotten nationwide attention for their advocacy for nannies and other home-workers.

Like farmers, domestic workers are explicitly written out of union protections under the NLRA. Domestic workers, many of whom are immigrant women of color, are paid just over $11 an hour on average and have few legal protections against workplace abuse, as MONEY Magazine's Jennifer Calfas reported.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance has worked to get these employees better pay and protections since 2007. NDWA has lobbied local and state governments into passing the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, a set of standards that guarantee overtime and sick pay and protect against harassment.

After passing the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in states like New York and Illinois, Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Pramila Jayapal introduced the bill into Congress this July.

The Independent Drivers Guild, a coalition of gig workers from Uber and Lyft, successfully negotiated a $15 minimum wage for drivers in New York City.

Uber and Lyft drivers might be leading one of the country's most visible labor movements.

Like agricultural and domestic workers, gig workers can't legally unionize under the NLRA. Workers like Uber and Lyft drivers are not technically employees but "independent contractors," or people performing work for a company at-will without getting benefits like healthcare or overtime.

The Independent Drivers Guild is a union-affiliated worker organization that represents 65,000 for-hire drivers, including Uber and Lyft workers, in New York City. The organization successfully lobbied the city government to pass a $15 minimum wage for gig drivers, making New York the first municipality to guarantee fair pay.

Restaurant Opportunities Centers United advocates for food service workers by working with employers directly.

Restaurant workers and those in food-preparation make up the largest bloc of low-wage earners in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other issues like mental health and harassment are also commonplace in the food service industry. 

The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United represents low-wage restaurant workers around the country. The group works with restaurants to help them establish fair wages and better workplace protections for staff. They also inform consumers of which restaurants treat workers fairly through its Diners Guide program. 

The ROC settled a lawsuit with Mario Batali after the organization alleged he violated overtime pay rules at his Manhattan restaurant. The group also filed a class action lawsuit against Capital Grille's owner for alleged racial discrimination.

OUR Walmart is a non-union organization that staged wildcat walkouts in stores around the country to protest unfair labor practices.

While some Walmart workers can get union coverage with the United Food and Commercial Workers, OUR Walmart is unaffiliated with UFCW. Instead of getting money from dues, the group is funded by grants and worker donations.

In 2015, OUR Walmart staged a number of illegal "wildcat" protests, or those without union approval, in cities like New York and Chicago on Black Friday to advocate for better pay. Walmart eventually raised base pay from $7.25 to $11 an hour in 2018.

The group now affiliates with United for Respect, an umbrella non-union organization that represents all retail workers.

Teachers in West Virginia went on an illegal wildcat strike, and proved that successful bargaining can occur without union support.

In 2018, teachers in West Virginia made headlines for defying their union and going on a "wildcat," or not union-supported, strike. The NLRA deems wildcat strikes illegal, and employers can fire workers who engage in them. 

Teachers went on strike over pay, as West Virginia ranks as one of the worst-paying states for educators. The strike inspired teachers in states like Oklahoma and Arizona to start a nationwide movement to raise wages.

Not only was the illegal nature of the West Virginia teachers strike shocking, but these teachers also successfully organized in a "right to work" state, one that doesn't require workers to pay union dues, thereby weakening organized labor's financial power.

The Trump administration supports "right-to-work" laws and has made an effort to kill unions, but the West Virginia teacher strike showed successful bargaining can still occur without unions.

Somos Un Pueblo Unido has helped non-union immigrant workers in Santa Fe collectively organize and win legal protections.

Somos Un Pueblo Unido is a worker-founded, New Mexico-based organization that advocates on behalf of non-union employees in the area.

Since 2012, Somos Un Pueblo Unido's advocacy has successfully bargained for laws that protect against wage theft and workplace harassment for low-wage workers in Santa Fe.

In 2015, longtime New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse detailed how Santa Fe immigrant workers in car shops, hotels, and restaurants were leading the way in successful non-union organizing.

Cooperation Jackson supports the creation of worker-owned businesses to help uplift the entire Mississippi community.

Workers Lab, a fund that invests in experimental worker organizations, has invested in many new-wave labor groups like the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

They've recently invested in Cooperation Jackson, a co-op comprised of workers in Jackson, Mississippi. Cooperation Jackson is similar to Somos Un Pueblo Unido in that the two are made up of low-wage earners from different industries but within one community.

The co-op helps build worker-owned businesses to create jobs and ensure wealth is spread among the entire community.

Cooperation Jackson primarily hosts job training and skills sharing sessions, and helps workers start and finance their own co-ops.

• Royal Caribbean has its own private island in the Bahamas, called Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• While the cruise line has been going there since the 1980s, it recently invested $250 million into renovations.
• The island is now home to the Caribbean's largest wave pool, the Caribbean's largest freshwater pool, and North America's tallest waterslide.
• There's also a 1,600-foot-long zip line and a helium balloon that rises 450 feet into the sky, as well as a swim-up bar, various eateries, and private cabanas and daybeds.
• While I can see the appeal, it was a little too artificial for my liking, and most activities cost extra.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The concept behind Perfect Day at CocoCay — yes, that is the island's official name — is simple: "thrill and chill." 

CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamian island, delivers, offering daybeds, cabanas, and a swim-up bar, as well as 13 waterslides, a 1,600-foot zip line, and a giant helium balloon.

Kara Wallace, vice president of North America marketing for Royal Caribbean, told Insider that CocoCay was "about creating the ultimate vacation." 

Private islands are becoming a trend in cruising, with cruise lines such as Disney, Norwegian, Holland America, and Princess all offering exclusive destinations to their guests. Wallace says it is a way for cruise lines to differentiate themselves but emphasizes that the island is not designed to replace ports like San Juan or Sint Maarten. "It allows us to provide the same service as on board, but on an island," she said, adding that it's also about providing "a destination no one else can get." 

So what is a private island that is practically custom-designed for a cruise ship guest like? I recently spent a day there — keep scrolling to see what it was like.

Perfect Day at CocoCay — formerly known as Little Stirrup Cay — is Royal Caribbean's very own private island.

Pretty much in the middle of the Bahamas archipelago, CocoCay is less than a mile wide and about 200 yards long, covering around 125 acres. It's about 55 miles from Nassau, the Bahamian capital.

Royal Caribbean has been going there since the 1980s, but recently gave the island a $250 million dollar renovation.

This was apparently years in the making. and based on intensive research and development.

Royal Caribbean showed guests a variety of mood boards and asked them what their perfect day looked like, as well as what they wanted from a private island experience. This led to everything from the creation of more shade to more transportation opportunities.

And there's more to come. In December 2019, Coco Beach Club will open, featuring the Bahamas' first overwater cabanas (each with its own slide into the ocean).

The mostly local Bahamian employees live on the island, which is only operational when guests are there.

Only Royal Caribbean employees and cruise ship guests have access to CocoCay.

The renovation included building a pier, meaning guests can get straight off the ship and onto the island, without having to take a pesky shuttle boat.

Only two ships can dock at the island at once, in an effort to limit crowds.

Despite the island being only a few hundred feet away at the end of the pier, there are buses that make stops all over it.

The "trams" leave every 15 minutes and make stops at Thrill Waterpark, Chill Island, Oasis Lagoon, South Beach, and Coco Beach Club.

As you step onto the island, you're greeted by Bahamian dancers dressed for carnival.

They made an outfit change sometime during the day, and wore different costumes as we left the island.

There's a live band as well, instantly getting you into vacation mode.

They played a lot of Jimmy Buffet covers.

The first thing you'll see is Daredevil's Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America at 135 feet high.

Other superlatives on the island include the Caribbean's largest wave pool and the Caribbean's largest freshwater pool.

The slide is inside Thrill Waterpark, along with 12 others like Dueling Demons and Screeching Serpent.

The waterpark costs extra, between $44 and $99 per person for a full day.

Daredevil's Peak left me mostly unfazed, but Dueling Demons had me screaming all the way down.

On Dueling Demons, you stand on a platform inside a glass shoot of sorts, and after a very dramatic countdown, you plunge into darkness as the ground beneath you simply drops away.

The 125-acre island features different areas, and which one you visit depends on your interests.

The maps were much-needed.

According to Wallace, the entire concept of CocoCay is built on the idea of "thrill and chill."

The basic idea is that people either want an adrenaline rush or they want to relax, and CocoCay ensures that they have both options at all times.

Brick paths are color-coded to lead you to different areas on the island.

A green path leads to the more relaxing spots on the island, a blue path to Thrill Waterpark, and a red one gives you a tour of the island of sorts. 

There are lockers ...

The buildings on the island are all brightly colored and tropical looking.

... bathrooms ...

The bathroom was vaguely surf shack-themed.

... towel stations ...

It was nice not to have to schlep around a towel.

... and sinks everywhere.

Like on the ships, sinks are ubiquitous in an effort to avoid giant, contained germ cesspools.

There are even gift shops.

Most items are emblazoned with "CocoCay."

The island is pretty huge, with various bridges and water features throughout.

The island spans 125 acres.

There's also a helium balloon that rises 450 feet into the sky.

The "Up, Up and Away" balloon is tethered to the ground, however, so you're not going anywhere. It also costs between $24 and $99, depending on guests' age and the season.

A 1,600-foot zip line makes three stops across the island.

The zip line also costs extra. Prices run anywhere from $79 to $139 per person.

Unlike most regular zip lines, you sort of just comfortably sat in this one.

This was fun and gave you a sweet birds-eye view of much of the island, but in my opinion, it was not worth the pretty steep price point.

Of course, as on the ship, you're never far from something to eat.

Skipper's Grill has complimentary salads, sandwiches, and burgers, made to order.

The funnel cake was excellent.

Other desserts included brownies and chocolate chip cookies.

There are currently four complimentary dining venues (with one more opening in December), and one a la carte restaurant.

Chill Grill is the largest eatery around, and features a buffet that ranges from American BBQ to a self-serve taco bar.

The beef tacos were delicious, and I also highly recommend the Cuban sandwich and the portobello sandwich.

As for booze, there are plenty of bars dotting the island, but the swim-up bar in Oasis Lagoon was by far the most popular one.

The 23-seat bar sits inside the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean.

Although around 6,000 people exited the ship for the island, it didn't feel very crowded.

Royal Caribbean estimates that one million visitors will have visited Coco Cay in 2019, and expects that number to double in 2020.

We barely had to wait in line for the slides inside the waterpark.

However, signs indicated where the wait might be 15, 30, and even 45 minutes long.

Even the wave pool was relatively empty.

It's the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.

The swim-up bar was the busiest spot on the island.

That said, our cruise was in early November, and thus had fewer kids than a cruise over summer or winter break.

Free umbrellas and chairs beckoned me to the beach.

There are a total of three beach areas.

There are daybeds and cabanas too, though they'll cost you a pretty penny.

Daybeds can cost between $299 to $569, while the overwater cabanas that will debut in December will go for up to $1,599 in peak season. That price includes admission for up to eight people to the cabana and an exclusive beach club area.

Chill Island was the place for me. People were snorkeling in the ocean, though even without any rental equipment I saw some pretty stunning fish in the crystal-clear waters.

Kayaks, snorkels, and jet skis can also be rented. I chose to save my money and instead swam pretty far out to a floating dock that I had all to myself.

While the waterslides were fun, and the beach undoubtedly gorgeous, the whole island was a little too artificial for me.

I'm not much of a waterpark kind of girl, and while the beach was beautiful, the whole island was just a tad too inauthentic and over-the-top for me. Plus, almost everything on it — from snorkeling gear to the waterpark to daybeds and cabanas — cost extra.

That said, Royal Caribbean's cruisers love it. The private island has quickly become the number one port for them, according to evaluations and rankings Royal Caribbean collects from guests.

Royal Caribbean currently has another private island, Labadee in Haiti, and is building Perfect Day at Lelepa in Vanuatu.

• Read more:
• I stayed in a 182-square-foot room on the world's largest cruise ship, where no space was left unused. Here's what it's like inside.
• The world's largest cruise ship has a bar with robot bartenders. Here's how my margarita compared to one made by a human.
• The world's largest cruise ship has everything from an ice rink to a zip line, but it's the Starbucks that surprised me most
• A cruise ship worker reveals what it's really like to work on a cruise ship

• John Bel Edwards narrowly won re-election Saturday night by about 40,000 votes and became the first Democrat to do so as governor of Louisiana since 1975.
• Edwards defeated Eddie Rispone, an outsider candidate backed by President Donald Trump – the second Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate to lose in a red state in a month, after Kentucky's governor race.
• As a conservative Democrat, Edwards has been controversial among his more progressive base. He is pro-life and pro-guns, and signed one of the most restrictive anti-abortion bills in 2019.
• The Louisiana gubernatorial race pitted a "common sense" moderate candidate against a Trump-adjacent wild card, and while the results were narrow, Edwards ultimately came out on top with a blended approach.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A tightly contested race for governor of Louisiana ended in John Bel Edwards' re-election late Saturday night, by about 40,000 votes. Edwards, a conservative Democrat, was challenged by an outsider backed by President Donald Trump.

Not only is Edwards a unique politician who strays from the Democratic party platform, but the Louisiana gubernatorial race, preceded by Kentucky's earlier in November, suggests that Trump's endorsement isn't enough – even for Republican candidates in red states. 

SEE ALSO: While you weren't looking the trade war with China went completely off the rails

DON'T MISS: The report that Boris Johnson is refusing to publish says it cannot rule out Russian interference in the Brexit referendum

NEXT UP: Trump made an unscheduled trip to a hospital for what the White House says was part of his annual physical

Edwards is a unique Democratic candidate who first ran for governor in 2015 on a platform of "common sense and compassion."

Louisiana is a red state that Trump won by 20 percentage points in 2016, but its statewide government is mixed. Edwards is the first Democratic governor to win re-election since 1975, and he is currently the only statewide elected Democrat.

Part of Edwards' appeal stems from his more conservative leanings. On issues like abortion and gun ownership, he strays to the right of his Democratic peers. For example, in 2019, Edwards signed one of the most restrictive anti-abortion bills in the country. 

Edwards has compared himself to Trump on gun control, saying that he doesn't support background checks on all gun purchases, but just commercial ones, according to Louisiana's The Advocate. 

He's had to prove to his more progressive base that he still fights for them, too.

After signing the restrictive "fetal heartbeat" bill that would ban abortion once the fetus' heartbeat could be detected, Edwards faced backlash from his more progressive base. 

The controversial bill signage prompted him to release a statement pointing out that he has championed other progressive causes, like signing an executive order to protect LGBT people from harassment or job dismissals. 

Edwards also expanded Medicaid and worked to reduce the prison population in Louisiana, more traditional Democratic policies. But his balancing act, which included him promising to work with Trump and the Trump administration, has won him conservative support, too.

Edwards' base even includes some Republicans.

Louisiana has been plagued for years by budget deficits, and Edwards was more than willing to cross party lines to negotiate cuts. He appointed a Republican who was a former rival of his as commissioner of his administration. 

Edwards also believes in having a Republican voice in his major policy decisions, and his administration includes several senior officials who are Republicans, along with appointees left over from his Republican predecessors.  

"I think there are some in my party who believe that the current dysfunction in the Republican Party and the low approval ratings of our president means that we're going to automatically be successful going forward. I reject that idea," Edwards told Governing in January 2018. 

"It means that we have the opportunity to be successful. But we have to go out and seize the middle of the political spectrum. You don't get it by simply not being a Republican."

The Republican gubernatorial candidate was endorsed by Trump and had a lot of Trump-like qualities.

Edwards, in addition to his mixed stance on issues, had a traditional political background. He attended the United States Military Academy and served in the US Army for eight years before becoming an attorney. 

Louisiana politics can be unpredictable. Edwards won his first gubernatorial election in large part because his opponent, then-US Senator David Vitter, was accused of hiring a prostitute in the early 2000s. That's the environment that Trump was trying to make headway in.

His opposition, Eddie Rispone, does not have a traditional background in politics. Rather, he founded a construction company that has annual revenues of $350 million. Rispone also chaired the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council under former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who Edwards was critical of. 

Edwards also had a legislative career before becoming governor in 2015.

Edwards first ran for office in 2017, winning a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He was the only freshman lawmaker to chair a committee – the Veterans Affairs Committee. Edwards was also selected as chairman of the Democratic house caucus.  

In 2011, he was re-elected. Both times, Edwards won by a large majority. But his first governor's race in 2015 was much closer, with 56.1 percent of the vote. 

Early struggles as a Democratic governor in a state with a legislative Republican majority included Edwards trying and failing to persuade the Louisiana House to choose a Democratic Speaker. Since the 1920s, Louisiana governors had traditionally handpicked Speakers.

Edwards' most recent win may be part of a larger trend that looks bad for Trump.

On Nov. 5, Kentucky's gubernatorial race ended with the red state's Democratic attorney general, Andy Beshear, beating the incumbent Governor Matt Bevin, who was endorsed by Trump in addition to Rispone. 

The two high-profile gubernatorial losses for Trump candidates in red states that voted for Trump in the 2016 election could indicate that his pull is waning in light of his first term.

In addition to those two gubernatorial races, Democrats flipped suburban Delaware County in Pennsylvania, which had been red since the Civil War. It's unclear just how much these races have to say about the 2020 election, but the Democratic wins in red states don't look good for Trump.

• Clashes between Hong Kong police and protesters escalated on Monday, as police stormed the Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus. 
• Police faced off against protesters near the campus over the weekend and fired tear gas and water cannons filled with blue dye which stains clothes and irritates the skin.
• Protesters then barricaded themselves in the university and responded by firing molotov cocktails and other makeshift weapons at police. 
• By Monday morning, protesters appeared to leave the university en masse amid threats from police to use live rounds and other forceful dispersal methods.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Clashes between Hong Kong police and protesters escalated on Monday, as police stormed a university campus that had been occupied by protesters over the weekend. 

Hong Kong Polytechnic University, located in Hung Hom, became a battleground for pro-democracy protesters against riot police as demonstrations enter into their sixth month and have seen a major uptick in violence in recent weeks. 

Police faced off against protesters near the campus over the weekend and fired tear gas and water cannons filled with blue dye which stains clothes and irritates the skin. Protesters then barricaded themselves in the university and responded by firing molotov cocktails and other makeshift weapons. 

According to The Washington Post, protesters have accumulated a range of weapons to combat police, including javelins and bows and arrows that were likely taken from the university's athletic department. 

In a statement, university authorities said they were "gravely concerned that the spiraling radical illicit activities will cause not only a tremendous safety threat on campus, but also class suspension over an indefinite period of time."

Police on Sunday evening threatened to arrest protesters for rioting, an offense which carries up to 10 years in prison. By Monday morning, police stormed the campus and threatened to use live rounds if protesters did not "stop assaulting the police using cars, gas bombs and bows and arrows."

By Monday morning, video appeared to show protesters leaving the campus en masse. 

Last week, black-clad protesters occupied the Chinese University of Hong Kong near Tai Po for days and clashed with police, hurling bricks and building massive bonfires to prevent authorities from entering the campus. On Tuesday, police said they were working towards reaching a "peaceful solution" but the situation on the ground "[continued] to intensify."

"Such violence has reached a deadly level, posing a serious threat to Police officers and everyone at scene. The rioters threw hard objects and petrol bombs onto Tolo Highway, endangering road users' safety. The rioters also hampered emergency services including ambulance services," Hong Kong Police Force said in a statement. 

Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. 

Last week saw a major increase in violent responses from both protesters and police. On Monday, police officers fired live rounds at protesters at point-blank range, injuring one man. On Tuesday, police appeared to pepper-spray a woman directly in the face during a tense standoff near Hong Kong Polytechnic University. 

A 57-year-old man on Monday was set on fire during a disagreement with protesters in Ma On Shan. On Wednesday, police say a 70-year-old pedestrian sustained head injuries and later died after being hit in the head with a brick in Sheung Shui. On Sunday morning, police say an officer was injured in the leg after a protester fired off a bow and arrow near The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Here are 13 striking photos which show how Monday's violence unfolded. 

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University became the scene of chaos on Sunday.

Clashes first took place on the roads and highways near the university before protesters occupied the campus.

Protesters confronted police using a number of makeshift weapons including slingshots, molotov cocktails, and bows and arrows.

Police surrounded the university.

And fired tear gas to disperse crowds.

Police also sprayed protesters with water cannons colored with blue dye.

Protesters responded by attacking police using bows and arrows.

Protesters also hurled molotov cocktails.

And hid behind makeshift barricades.

And burned fires across the campus.

Protesters appealed for foreign intervention during the all-night standoff.

Fiery explosions could be seen inside the campus as riot officers entered before dawn on Monday morning.

The smoke from the fire billowed out into the morning sky.

• Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for "The Walking Dead," season 10, episode seven episode, "Open Your Eyes."
• Sunday's episode helped shed some light on why Siddiq (Avi Nash) has been having so many flashbacks to when he was kidnapped by the Whisperers.
• It turns out his friend and fellow doctor, Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas), was among the Whisperers who held him captive.
• Nash walks Insider through some of the clues scattered across season 10 hinting at Dante's true identity.

Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead" shocked with a major twist from the comics. 

Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas) is revealed to be a Whisperer who infiltrated the Alexandria community. Unfortunately, by the time Siddiq (Avi Nash) puts the pieces together, it's too late. Dante kills him before he can let anyone know his true identity. It's a complete departure from the comics where Dante is a hero and love interest for Maggie. 

The reveal didn't come out of nowhere. If you've been paying close attention, the series has been sprinkling small clues to Dante's Whisperer reveal since the premiere.

"I hope also that if they go back and watch, they see that little pieces of popcorn were dropped on the way here,"Nash told Insider. 

Keep reading to see the hints you may have missed along the way.

Siddiq kept focusing on Dante's mouth.

On the season premiere, Siddiq starts zoning out as the camera hones in on Dante's mouth. A rush of images flood Siddiq from when he was held captive by the Whisperers.

Dante playfully calls him out on it by diverting his attention.

"The way you're staring at my mouth is making me warm and tingly inside," Dante tells Siddiq. "Kiss me already, s---."

We eventually learn that Dante was the Whisperer who held Siddiq's eyes open and forced him to watch his friends get slaughtered last season. Dante's mouth was inches from Siddiq's face as he whispered in his ear to keep his eyes open.

"You've definitely hit on one, focusing on the mouth because that's the only piece of the Whisperer that he could see through the mask," Avi Nash told Insider.

Alpha knew how many times the group crossed the border.

On the season's third episode, Michonne lies to Alpha when she says the group has crossed onto her land once to stop a massive fire. 

Alpha calls her out on the lie, saying she knows Michonne and others have gone past the Whisperer border three times. 

"During the fire, you walked my land. And during the winter storm you walked my land. During your search along the river, you and the man with the metal arm walked my land," says Alpha, recounting each time without fail. "That's three times. We are always watching."

It's a perplexing moment on the show because Alpha and the Whisperers simply weren't around during the winter to know that Michonne and the other survivors crossed onto their land. Showrunner Angela Kang confirmed to Insider last season that the Whisperers went somewhere South. 

That should have been a big hint that a Whisperer may have been planted within the communities. It's suggested that Dante was secretly wandering off to meet up with Alpha and the other Whisperers.

Siddiq remembers Dante's clucking while trying to focus on surgery.

On episode three, as Dante and Siddiq go to perform surgery on Carol, Siddiq zones out again. This time, clucking noises can be heard. 

It's later revealed on Sunday's episode that Dante was making those noises into Siddiq's ear while he was holding him in place on season nine. 

"I think during Carol's surgery he also made that clucking sound, that pop pop sound, which is kind of a tick," said Nash. "I think that's actually what starts Siddiq's tremors and flashback in that moment when he's not able to actually perform the surgery."

The show doubled down on the mouth imagery again on episode six.

On the season's sixth episode, Siddiq starts fixating on his daughter's mouth. As he rocks her to sleep, he starts having a night terror where he hears a combination of Dante's distorted voice and clucking.

He hears a voice say, "Open your eyes," the title of the show's seventh episode. It's eventually revealed that Dante said the phrase to him while forcing him to watch Enid get killed. 

Dante knew about the poisoned water.

On episode five, we see Gamma spill the entrails of a walker into a stream. Soon afterward, we learn Rosita's under the weather from a vague bug. By the following week's episode, much of Alexandria is plagued by a mysterious illness that Dante is in charge of treating.

It's implied that Dante knows the water was poisoned and that he helped tamper with the water system somehow to make the community sick. 

Carol's prisoner kept his eyes on Dante as if he recognized him.

When Dante and Siddiq first visit Carol's prisoner on Sunday's episode, the Whisperer keeps his attention on Dante. 

Dante is the first to speak to him saying, "Don't try anything," as if to let him know he's in charge of the situation. 

The Whisperer tells Dante: "Never."

Dante likely poisoned the Whisperer with Hemlock because he was afraid of him giving away his identity in addition to keeping information about the Whisperer horde safe. The most surprising bit of all this is that Lydia somehow never recognized or was in contact with Dante.