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'13 Reasons Why' may increase teen suicide risk, according to a new study

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13 reasons why

  • At-risk teenagers say watching "13 Reasons Why" puts them at a greater suicide risk, according to a new study.
  • It's an important part of a body of evidence linking the show to suicide risk for young people.
  • More than half of teenagers in the study's sample who went to a psychiatric emergency department "with suicide-related concerns" and who watched the show said it increased their risk.

A significant number of at-risk teenagers say the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" puts them at greater risk for suicide, according to a study published in the journal Psychiatric Services.

The show, marketed to teenagers, revolves around the suicide of a 17-year-old girl and its impact on her friends and community. The story goes into graphic detail about the reasons behind her suicide, and also addresses sexual assault and substance abuse.

There's a body of evidence supporting that interest in suicide rose among teenagers following the show's release. Netflix itself commissioned a study on the issue and ultimately added a content warning before each episode.

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NOW WATCH: Trump once won a lawsuit against the NFL — but the result was an embarrassment


Amazon's ambitious Fire TV Cube is on sale for $60 for Black Friday — here's what it's like to use (AMZN)

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Amazon Fire TV Cube

As much as technology simplifies our lives, it can simultaneously introduce plenty of unique complications.

Our smart TVs are separate from our smart speakers, which are separate from our smartphones. We have multiple TV streaming accounts and multiple music streaming accounts, and no easy way to access them all at once. 

This is where Amazon's new Fire TV Cube comes in. 

The device — which regularly costs $120, but is on sale for $60 for Black Friday — seems aimed at becoming something of a hub, a place where your home technology and your entertainment technology live together in harmony. 

In theory, this is a solid premise. When I first heard about all the Fire TV Cube would be able to do, and got a demo of the device, I was blown away. This product, I thought, would solve any and all of my smart home woes.

But in practice, the Fire TV is more complicated than that. While it simplified my life in a lot of ways, it also created new, unforeseen issues. Even after nearly two weeks of using it, I'm still not sure how to feel about it. 

Here's everything I love and hate about using the Amazon Fire TV Cube:

SEE ALSO: What it's like to use Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's new $250 wireless workout headphones

Love: The general look and feel of the Fire TV Cube.

Now, I know the Fire TV Cube doesn't look like anything special at first glance — it's just a shiny black cube with the same buttons as a regular Echo device and a light strip on the front. 

But that actually became a huge selling point as time went on. 

The Fire TV Cube is designed to blend in with the rest of your home entertainment system, and it does. I placed it on my TV stand next to my TV and could pretty much forget it was there. 

In this case, boring actually is better. 



Hate: The Fire TV Cube doesn't come with an HDMI cord.

One of the most important things you need to know about the Fire TV Cube is that it doesn't come with an HDMI cord. 

No HDMI cord means you can't actually plug the Fire TV Cube into your TV right out of the box. If you're lucky enough to have one lying around the house, you'll be good to go — otherwise, it'll set you back another $7 or so

While frustrating, this isn't unusual — Apple TVs don't come with HDMI cords in the box, either. 



Love: The remote is easier to use than the Apple TV remote.

The Fire TV Cube remote control has its flaws (we'll get to that in a minute) but it has one major advantage over one of its main competitors, Apple TV. 

I use an Apple TV in my daily life, and I have no main complaints about it except for the terrible remote. Its touchpad is wonky — sometimes it's too sensitive, while other times I can't get it to work no matter how much I swipe, tap, and press. 

Thankfully, Amazon included the same remote it's used with past Fire TVs. It's sort of a no-muss, no-fuss TV remote that's easy to use and won't unexpectedly fast forward through an entire episode (which has happened to me several times with the Apple TV remote). 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Echo Spot is one of Amazon's most innovative Alexa devices — and it's on sale for $90 for Black Friday (AMZN)

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Echo Spot

Amazon's Echo Spot is in an unusual position in the Echo family. 

It has a screen, but not one big enough for serious video-watching. It's small, but not as small as the Echo Dot. It can play music, but it doesn't sound as good as the Echo or Echo Show. 

So, what is it for?

After I tested the Spot for several weeks, I'm still not really sure. At launch, the Echo Spot's primary purpose seemed to be acting as a smart alarm clock for your bedside table or nightstand. It can certainly do that, but it also seems a bit overqualified for the position. 

The Echo Spot has Alexa. It can make video calls, play music videos, make visual lists and reminders, and play music. And — of course — it can display the time. 

It does all the things a regular Echo can do, but it does them with a 2.5-inch touchscreen. 

Here's what it's like to use the Echo Spot. 

SEE ALSO: A complete guide to the Amazon Echo family, the smart speakers that will change your home forever

Here's the Spot on my bedside table. On the surface, it just seems like a fancy digital clock.



It looks incredibly nice, though! In fact, I think it's one of the best-looking Amazon Echo devices you can buy. The shape is ergonomic, the materials feel high-quality, and it's about the size of a softball: not too big, not too small.



There's a camera above the screen, and you can use it to make video calls — just say, "Alexa, video call Jane," and it will call Jane. Even the software design on the Spot is modern and clean, as evidenced by the calling interface.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A restaurant in NYC serves the Reaper Taco, made with the world’s hottest pepper

What ice cream looks like around the world

A Googler vividly described the 'disastrous' leadership meeting that sparked a giant protest over sexual misconduct

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google walkout

  • The Google Walkout organizers told Recode's Kara Swisher about the "disastrous" internal meeting which sparked the mass protest over sexual harassment.
  • The so-called TGIF meetings are hosted by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, where any employee can ask any question.
  • YouTube exec Claire Stapleton said management's "dismissive" approach to questions about a New York Times exposé on sexual misconduct at Google was a turning point.
  • "It was a very awkward, hollow, somewhat disastrous TGIF," she said.

An organizer behind the mass Google staff walkout over sexual misconduct has vividly described the disastrous all-hands meeting which prompted the protest.

Googlers Claire Stapleton, Meredith Whittaker, Erica Anderson, Celie O'Neil-Hart, Stephanie Parker, and Amr Gaber told Kara Swisher's Recode Decode podcast about the events leading up to the Google Walkout, in which 20,000 employees left their desk in protest at sexual harassment. 

The protest related to a New York Times exposé, which revealed that Android inventor Andy Rubin was among a number of senior executives to be accused of sexual misconduct. Rubin, who reportedly left Google with a $90 million exit package, denies any wrongdoing.

Read more: As employees walked out, Google CEO Sundar Pichai apologized again for how it handled sexual misconduct allegations: "We didn't always get it right"

But according to the Google Walkout organizer Stapleton, it wasn't necessarily the story itself that sparked the protest, so much as management's response to it.

Google held its so-called TGIF meeting — in which founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin field questions from staff — the day after the New York Times report was published.

According to YouTube marketing executive Stapleton, the atmosphere at recent TGIF meetings had become increasingly tense, and the New York Times report was "a major reckoning moment for the culture building upon all this anxiety."

Sergey Brin and Larry Page Google

"The real turning point for me was the way that the execs handled it that day at the TGIF that followed," she said.

"Googlers, as always, showed up. I mean, they had really smart thoughts. They brought their outrage, but it was also constructive ideas and questions.

"I think that it was a very awkward, hollow, somewhat disastrous TGIF which, you know, has been much-reported, but we needed to see accountability and commitment, and neither happened."

"There was a kind of dismissiveness to it"

Stapleton added that to begin with, the presentation didn't even address the New York Times story, but rather carried on as previously planned by discussing Google Photos.

She said: "The optics were really tough because like I said, the community was gripped by this. And I think it was the sort of moment where we needed to hear that the system needs to change.

"We needed to see a genuine commitment to that, and I think it was ... There was a kind of dismissiveness to it. There was a sort of, 'we care. We’re going to follow up on this.' It did not at all match the urgency and intensity of what happened."

The next day, Stapleton set up a Google group for women at the company, which snowballed and by Monday it had 1,000 members, men and women. "We said, 'F it. Let’s do it Thursday,'" she said.

In the end, 20,000 Googlers left their desks in protest, with five demands to change Google's management of sexual misconduct and discrimination claims. While Google acquiesced to some of the demands, the organizers said they feel there is still work to do — and that senior management needs to re-engage.

When asked who she'd like to see take the reins, Stapleton said: "Larry and Sergey, where are they?"

Business Insider has contacted Google for comment.

SEE ALSO: The Google walkout protesters are demanding that the company take action on 'systemic racism'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Amazon wants to open 3,000 cashier-less grocery stores — and they'll have a major advantage over their competitors

How Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line for nervous Thanksgiving cooks became such a huge phenomenon that it's gotten shout-outs on late-night shows and 'The West Wing'

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butterball turkey

  • Butterball Turkey is one of the best-known brands of turkey. 
  • Butterball's popularity has been in large part because of its Turkey Talk-Line, a hotline where customers can call and ask their turkey-related questions. 
  • To hear the full story about the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, subscribe for free to Business Insider's podcast, "Household Name."

Butterball is one of the best-known turkey brands in the United States. 

In part, its popularity is due to its being one of the only recognizable name brands for turkey. 

But it has also gained attention thanks to its perennially popular Turkey Talk-Line — part-customer service, part-counseling center for any and all turkey questions. 

The hotline is open for business from early November through Christmas Eve, with as many as 50 operators standing by to help answer basic turkey questions, provide emotional support, and help solve turkey-related problems. 

The Turkey Talk-Line launched in 1981 and has grown from 11,000 calls in its first year to 100,000 last season. Users can now also text the hotline or talk to a recorded version of a call-center employee using Amazon's Alexa. 

To work for the Turkey Talk-Line, you first have to go through a training program called Butterball University. Recruits have to roast their own turkey seven different ways, study the juices in the pan, and learn all the ins-and-outs of cooking a turkey before they're ready to take calls. 

Some of the calls the talkers take are, well, interesting.

Sue Smith, a co-director at the hotline who has been working there for almost 20 years, explained to Business Insider's Dan Bobkoff that she got one call where a husband and wife were in a disagreement because he was in charge of turning the oven on, but the oven kept mysteriously shutting off. The wife called the hotline upset, and as they were talking it out, the couple realized it was their dog who had been sneaking in to shut the oven off. 

"So that was a very memorable call. I liked that one," Smith said to Bobkoff during the latest episode of Business Insider's podcast "Household Name."

The hotline has become more popular as traditions like Friendsgiving have taken off and more young people are buying and cooking turkeys. More men have been calling in the past few years, too. 

But one of the biggest reasons it has become so popular is its frequent mentions in pop culture. Butterball runs traditional advertising campaigns, but the Turkey Talk-Line has become a staple for late-night comics and other TV shows. Butterball's Talk-Line has been featured on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien,""The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and even on an episode of "The West Wing." 

To learn more about the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, subscribe to Business Insider's podcast, "Household Name." 

SEE ALSO: The most iconic toy store in the world just reopened after suddenly shutting down 3 years ago — take a look inside

HOW TO: Subscribe to a podcast

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NOW WATCH: How Alibaba turned a fake holiday into a $25 billion shopping extravaganza that's bigger than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined

The president of a company that designs private plane interiors says ultra-wealthy clients no longer want their private jets to look like private jets

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private jet

  • Ultra-wealthy private jet owners no longer want the interiors of their aircraft to look like a private jet.
  • Instead, they want the inside to resemble their home or office.
  • Many of the same materials and colors used in residential interior design, such as composite wood and cooler color tones, are starting to show up in private aviation.
  • Private jet owners also want to be able to sleep soundly on their planes, so they're getting custom mattresses and custom bedding to fit their aircraft.

If you can afford to buy a private jet, you can likely afford to have it designed exactly how you want it. And these days, ultra-wealthy jet owners want the interiors of their planes to look less like a plane and more like their home or office.

Eric Roth, president of International Jet Interiors, which designs private jet interiors, told Business Insider that his clients want their everyday lifestyle being incorporated into the aircraft, rather than treating the two as something completely separate, as they used to.

"It used to be when you had a private jet, it had to look like a jet, feel like a jet, smell like a jet," Roth said. "So I had a certain lifestyle in Manhattan but when I went to my jet, it felt like my jet. Now, we're seeing those lines being blurred a little bit."

More of his customers are coming to him saying that they like how their home or office feels, and they want to extend that feeling and lifestyle into their aircraft. 

Read more:This $83 million private jet has a stunning Art Deco interior that looks straight out of 'The Great Gatsby'— take a look inside

"It doesn't stop at the office, it doesn't stop at the home. We're able to extend that general feeling," Roth said.

Some of the same materials and colors currently being used in residential interior design are popping up in the aviation space, he said. Instead of exotic wood veneers, for example, they're transitioning to composite wood veneers, which give a more contemporary look.

"[There's] less grain pattern, much more uniformity in the grain and color, so it becomes more of a backdrop as opposed to the focal point," Roth said.

Jet owners are starting to want cleaner lines and cooler color tones. They want simplicity: fewer details, but "the details that we incorporate must make a statement," Roth said.

They also want to be able to get a good a night's sleep like they do at home. While some jets have separate bedrooms, others have chairs that can be converted into a sleeping arrangement. But Roth says his high-powered clients don't want to feel like they're sleeping on a couch.

"We're creating custom mattresses and custom bedding for them, all to fit their aircraft," Roth said. "So when they do take advantage of these long-range flights — I've got plenty of clients that go to Shanghai or Hong Kong or the Middle East — they want to be well rested."

Some private jet owners have taken luxury to new heights in their aircraft by installing elements such as multimedia theaters, skylights, and heated marble floors.

SEE ALSO: Outrageous photos show what flying on private jets is really like, from private bedrooms with plush bedding to exquisitely crafted meals served with Champagne

DON'T MISS: Take a look inside 8 of the most luxurious private jets in the world

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The author of 'Boy Erased' reveals what gay conversion therapy is really like — and how he survived it


Forget buying the cheapest house on the best street — a real-estate exec says there's a smarter move to make

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denver neighborhood houses autumn

  • An old real-estate adage is one you should forget: "buy the worst house in the best neighborhood."
  • Scott Durkin, the president of the real-estate brokerage Douglas Elliman, said in an interview with Mansion Global this month that it's better to buy outside of the best neighborhood because "it will eventually spread out."
  • There are several ways to spot an up-and-coming neighborhood, like keeping an eye out for new businesses and restaurants where people congregate and for an increase in renovations.

One well-known real-estate adage is one you should forget: "buy the worst house in the best neighborhood."

Instead, it's all about having an eye for the nearby up-and-coming area or next hot spot, according to Scott Durkin, the president of the real-estate brokerage Douglas Elliman.

"They used to say buy the cheapest apartment in the most expensive building, but it's better to buy slightly outside if you have to and can't afford to be in the area," Durkin said in an interview with Mansion Global, published this month, about the best area for investing in luxury properties. "It will eventually spread out."

He added: "You always want to listen to your contemporaries, and the people you spend time with. People love to talk about real estate, and you can get a sense of where things are going."

Read more:10 hard truths no one tells you about buying a house

He said to "keep an eye out to where people congregate, where the best restaurants are, things like that."

But that's not the only way to spot an up-and-coming neighborhood.

An influx of stores and businesses — like a coworking space, an organic grocery store, or small boutiques — can be a sign of an emerging or gentrifying area, as can an increase in construction trucks in the street signaling renovations, according to the real-estate site Trulia.

Proximity to the subway or bus lines, as well as neighborhoods characterized by a certain architectural style, also signal a potential for revitalization. You can also do a little more research and ask your agent which areas are seeing a decline in the number of days houses or apartments are spending on the market — it could be a sign that a location is picking up.

When it comes to buying a property in a nearby neighborhood, avoid overpaying for a place that won't have high resale value — a standard homebuyer pitfall, Robert Gladstone, the CEO of Madison Equities, previously told Business Insider.

He advised against paying 30% to 40% more than all your new neighbors do for a similar property and instead buying a place with longevity that will increase in value over time.

SEE ALSO: The New York real-estate market has gotten so bad that people are paying millions to live in the basement

DON'T MISS: See inside the 15 most expensive penthouses for sale in America

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 4 lottery winners who lost it all

'Creed II' escapes a sequel slump with thrilling fight scenes and a gripping performance by Michael B. Jordan

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  • "Creed II" is a worthy companion to the 2015 original movie thanks to its focus on fathers and sons.
  • Newcomer Steven Caple Jr. takes over as director and does an impressive job continuing the franchise that Ryan Coogler started with the first movie.

When director Ryan Coogler gave us “Creed” in 2015, it was a perfect continuation to the “Rocky” franchise and most of us couldn’t wait for him to continue the story of Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan) — as he rises up the boxing ranks with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) by his side to try and be as great as his father, Apollo Creed.

But Coogler threw a major curveball when he decided to make “Black Panther,” leaving a question mark for a “Creed” sequel.

Fast forward three years and here we are with “Creed II” (opening in theaters November 21), and a new director at the helm, Steven Caple Jr. (“The Land”). And I’m happy to say that Caple pulled it off.

Essentially hand-picked by Coogler to take on the sequel, Caple orchestrates a worthy sequel that still has those needed references to the “Rocky” franchise the fans crave, but makes a point to build up Adonis’ own story.

From a screenplay by Stallone and Joel Taylor, “Creed II” picks up six fights after Creed lost to “Pretty” Ricky Conlan in the first movie. Having won them all, he’s now up against the champion Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler (Andrew Ward) for the title. Creed takes the belt (and the keys back to his car that Wheeler took from the brief fight they had in the first movie) and closes the night by proposing to his girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson). All seems to be going right for Creed.

Creed II MGM

But in the Ukraine, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) has dreams of a hero’s return to Russia by shaping his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), into an even more powerful boxer than he was. In exile since losing to Balboa in “Rocky IV,” the Dragos wake up every morning with a singular goal: beat Creed like Ivan did his father. This leads father and son to Philadelphia to challenge Creed and Balboa to a title fight. With footage from “Rocky IV” used in ESPN highlights, Creed can't look away from footage of his father dying in the ring at the hands of Drago over 30 years ago. Of course, the two sons are going to fight.

The movie then turns to the deep-rooted drama that happens in all the “Rocky” movies: why fight? With the guilt of not calling off the Apollo Creed-Ivan Drago fight still hanging over him, Balboa doesn’t want any part of it. But of course, Adonis wants to avenge his father. This leads to an impasse between the two that causes some soul searching for both men.

Read more: Emma Stone told us "The Favourite" was her first movie in 4 years she wasn't constantly "fixing'

“Creed II” gives us the intense training montages and incredible fights that are a trademark in the “Rocky” franchise, but what really stands out are the things that happen outside of the ropes. What starts out as a revenge tale slowly evolves into a story of fathers and sons and the building of new legacies. At its core is the work of Jordan, who again as Creed delivers a performance that shows why he’s a movie star. His charisma matched with his talent is a total package that any franchise dreams of. Then there’s the chemistry between Jordan and Thompson that adds another powerful layer. Stallone, who earned an Oscar nomination for playing Balboa in “Creed,” once more delivers in the role that has defined his career — especially in the movie’s powerful ending.

What Coogler did with “Creed” was special: taking a beloved franchise like “Rocky” and reshaping it for a new generation. But Caple took on an even riskier assignment by doing the sequel. Thankfully he succeeded, and he did it by focusing on the characters and not the legend of the intellectual property.

SEE ALSO: The "Jack Reacher" franchise is being shopped as a TV series, and the author says Tom Cruise is too short to continue as the star

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NOW WATCH: Everything you need to know about 'Red Dead Redemption 2' — 2018's most anticipated video game

I tried cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner using Google Home Hub and found there are two major flaws with it

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  • Google Home Hub is one of Google's latest smart home devices designed to simplify everything from your morning routine to entertaining, all with a 7-inch touchscreen display and Google Assistant built-in.
  • We tested out the device to see if it could help us tackle the major task of cooking a Thanksgiving dinner.
  • It promises to show YouTube videos to help answer questions — but this feature didn't seem to work properly when we asked "How do I know if my turkey is done?"
  • It was also difficult to go back and forth between multiple recipes.
  • Watch the video above to see how Business Insider's Alexandra Appolonia used the device this Thanksgiving and how she rated her experience. 

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Young adults are having less sex than previous generations, and people are blaming everything from bad sex to straight people

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sex

  • In its December issue, The Atlantic published a story titled "Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex?"detailing what author Kate Julian referred to as a "sex recession."
  • The article and responses to the article suggest a variety of factors contribute to the sex recession, like technology, hookup culture, and straight people.
  • The sex recession phenomenon focuses primarily on heterosexual people, largely leaving the LGBTQ+ community out of the conversation.

In its December issue, The Atlantic published a story titled "Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex?" detailing what writer Kate Julian referred to as a sex recession.

She asserted that a cultural shift in pre-marital sex, better birth control access, and online dating should, in theory, make it easier for people to have more sex than generations prior. Despite these advantages, the number of people having sex is at an all-time low, Julian wrote. In fact, a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between the years of 2007 and 2017, the percentage of high school students who reported ever having sex dropped from 47.8% to 39.5%.

Julian's piece, plus responses from other media outlets and social media networks like Twitter, explained many of the potential reasons why sex is seemingly less popular than it used to be, like hookup culture, a rise in women's autonomy, and our obsession with digital technology, among other factors.

Hookup culture is on the rise, but it doesn't necessarily equate to having more sex

The stereotype of horny teenagers and 20-somethings often leads people to overestimate how prevalent sex is, Julian noted in her piece. She spoke with Lisa Wade, a sociology professor at Occidental College and author of "American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus" and found that hookup culture isn't the sex-all-the-time picture we conjure up in our heads.

Read more:9 hard truths about relationships no one wants to believe

Rather, Wade's research found that one-third of students chose not to participate in hookup culture at all. A bit more than one-third would occasionally dabble in hookups, while less than a quarter considered themselves active and consistent participants in hookup culture. The rest of the students in Wade's research identified as being in long-term relationships.

bed sex naked girl sexy

Although singledom can play a major role in having less sex, according to Julian's research, being in a committed relationship or living with your partner doesn't exempt you from the sex recession.

Screens are taking up time when sex could occur 

Online entertainment, like Netflix, Instagram, and other social media sites, also plays a part in the sex recession. As Julian noted, people — especially romantic couples who cohabitate — browse Instagram or watch Netflix's latest hit instead of spending time together in the bedroom.

Women have more independence to pick and choose their sexual encounters

The sex recession isn't necessarily bad, though. In response to Julian's piece, Jessica Valenti attributed the sex recession to the increasing power of women and their rights bodily autonomy. It makes sense: why have bad sex when you don't have to? Whether it's an experience where the man doesn't know how to pleasure his partner or one that makes a woman feel uncomfortable or unsafe, there are plenty of reasons to say no to sex, Valenti said.

"In my interviews with young women, I heard too many iterations to count of 'He did something I didn't like that I later learned is a staple in porn,' choking being one widely cited example," Julian wrote in her story for The Atlantic. 

Read more:Relationship experts say these are the 8 red flags to look out for when you start dating someone — and some are surprisingly common

It's easier to say no to sex, too, as heterosexual women have increasingly independent roles in society, Valenti wrote. According to the United States Census Bureau, fewer straight women are getting married than ever before, making life without a man and his wants and needs a greater reality, one that is increasingly common for straight women to navigate.

The so-called recession focuses, for the most part, on straight people

Heterosexual women certainly play a role in how often and the ways in which society navigates sex, but when discussing the sex recession, one group is largely ignored: the LGBTQ+ community. Julian briefly touches on gay people, saying they "tend to use online dating services at much higher rates than do straight people." 

She also mentions the work of Michael Rosenfeld, a Stanford University researcher who found single gays and lesbians have "more active dating lives" than heterosexuals due in part to their more successful use of dating apps.

"This disparity raises the possibility that the sex recession may be a mostly heterosexual phenomenon," Julian wrote, comparing her findings with Rosenfeld's findings.

On Twitter, others noticed the lack of insight into sex and the LGBTQ community, questioning whether this phenomenon could be more of a straight thing.

Currently, sex and relationship research tends to focus on heterosexual relationships, making it difficult to discern which populations the sex recession actually reaches. A 2015 study from the Journal of marriage and the family discussed the lack of data on same-sex relationships. The data that does exist on same-sex couples, wrote the study's authors, is gleaned through outdated methods and is "comparable to those gained through research on different-sex couples 30 or more years ago."

When it comes to learning more about how and why we have sex (or don't have sex), Julian's findings are a start, but more research needs to be done.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: The science of why human breasts are so big

16 Amazon Black Friday deals you can get early — including the all-new Echo Show and Kindle Paperwhite

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

echo show black friday deals

  • As part of Amazon's Early Black Friday offerings, many of its devices, including Echo and Fire TV products, are already on sale. 
  • Find all the deals, along with information about how the different device specs compare, below. 
  • We'll be updating this page through Black Friday and Cyber Monday as we learn more about new Amazon device promotions.
  • To potentially save more on Black Friday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

If you've ever wanted to own an Amazon device, be it a Kindle e-reader, Echo speaker, orFire TV Stick, then you should know that the best times of the year to buy one — if you want to enjoy the lowest prices, anyway — are Prime Day, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Historically, Amazon has offered discounts of $15 to $50 off its popular gadgets on both holidays, and each year the deals just get better.

Now that it's moving on to new and improved versions of its devices, you'll be able to save on certified refurbished units of the older models and double (or even triple) up on new devices to save more. 

Below, we've rounded up all the Amazon device deals in one place for you to shop. We've also provided easy comparisons among options within the same family so you don't waste time going back and forth between pages trying to distinguish their differences. 

Kindle Paperwhite

If you want to read up on Amazon's complete portfolio of devices, check out this ultimate guide. Otherwise, start shopping below. These Black Friday Amazon device deals are already live. 

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Many Echo devices are on sale today, from the simple  Echo Dot to the features-packed Echo Show. Each one uses Alexa to accomplish any number of tasks, from answering questions to reordering supplies on Amazon. Depending on your budget and preferences, you'll probably prefer one model over another. Here's a quick comparison:

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Fire tablets are optimized for the best portable entertainment experience, whether you like to watch movies or play games. There are three main types, and the number refers to the display size. All are available in bright colors and have high-quality video recording features, so their main differences come down to resolution, storage size, battery life, and audio capabilities. The following tablets are on sale:

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Armed with a Fire TV device and your favorite streaming subscriptions, including Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, you'll feel like traditional cable is truly a thing of the past. It's a great tool for would be cord cutters. Fire TV devices also use Alexa for convenient hands-free control, so you don't have to juggle or manage yet another remote control. These Fire TV devices are on sale today:

amazon kindles banner

If you love reading, you won't regret getting a Kindle, which makes it that much easier to enjoy the pastime. The e-readers are light and comfortable to hold, give you the ability to download millions of books with the click of a button, and let you make highlights and notes. They're also easy to read in bright light, unlike your phone. 

amazon security cameras banner

These security cameras keep your home safe when you're not there by giving you live notifications and video clips of the scene.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

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There are nearly four times as many jihadist militants today than on 9/11, and the 'war on terror' has been a 'terrifyingly expensive failure'

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isis fighters

  • There are nearly four times as many jihadist militants across the world today as there were on September 11, 2001, according to a new report. 
  • Foreign policy analysts say it's yet another sign the war on terror has been a colossal failure. 
  • There are approximately 230,000 Salafi jihadist fighters across almost 70 countries, according to the report.

There are nearly four times as many jihadist militants across the world today as there were on September 11, 2001, according to a new report, and foreign policy analysts say it's yet another sign the war on terror has been a colossal failure. 

"Despite the Islamic State’s loss of territory in Iraq and Syria, an increasingly diffuse Salafi-jihadist movement is far from defeated," the new report from the Washington, DC-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

There are approximately 230,000 Salafi jihadist fighters across almost 70 countries, according to the report, which drew from a number of databases going all the way back to 1980. There has been a slight decline in the estimated number of total fighters since 2016, but the report said the current estimate is still among the highest in the past 40 years. 

Read more: The most elite US-trained forces in Afghanistan routed by the Taliban, another sign the war is a lost cause

"The slight decline may be due to the absence of new battlefields and successful US and allied counterterrorism campaigns against Salafi-jihadist groups in countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq," the report aid. "However, the estimate of fighters—with a high of 230,000 fighters—remains concerning."

Beyond the Islamic State group, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates, the report found 44 other groups operating in various parts of the world. Based on the findings, the highest number of Sunni Islamic militants are in Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. 

In short, nearly two decades after the 9/11 terror attacks, jihadist extremist groups continue to have a strong presence globally as the US conducts counterterrorism operations in 76 countries. 

'The American war on terror has been a terrifyingly expensive failure'

Trevor Thrall, a senior fellow specializing in defense and foreign policy at the DC-based Cato Institute, told INSIDER the CSIS report "confirms what critics have been saying for years: The American war on terror has been a terrifyingly expensive failure."

"Defending Americans against terrorist attacks is an important goal that we need to take seriously, but one that does not require endless military intervention abroad," Thrall added. "And though politicians and many analysts continue to make hyperbolic claims about terrorism, the historical evidence since 9/11 shows that the terrorist threat to the United States is quite modest and does not justify the trillions of dollars spent to date."

U.S. Marines of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment take a position on a rooftop while fighting the Taliban in the village of Dahaneh Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

Thrall said the sheer number of jihadists operating across the globe today makes it clear that the US, despite its incredible military might, is not equipped to "to address the root causes of terrorism in the Muslim world."

"American-led regime change, nation building, and efforts to partner with weak and/or oppressive governments abroad have not only failed to reduce the problem they have also made things worse in many cases," Thrall said.

Neta Crawford, professor of political science at Boston University and foreign policy expert, echoed these sentiments. 

"Worse than arguably making more enemies, our policies have hurt the US economy for the last 17 years and will continue to sap the US economy in terms of opportunity costs and future spending obligations even after the wars end," Crawford told INSIDER.

A recent report from the Costs of War Project, which Crawford directs, showed the US is on track to spend $6 trillion on the war on terror by October 2019. The project also found the war has contributed to approximately half a million deaths. 

"The war on terror may have elements that were successful, namely no major attack on the US homeland since 9/11; however, we don’t know for sure whether and how the entire gamut of US policies worked," Crawford said, calling for more analysis by the US government about the "effects and effectiveness of its policies" in this regard. 

Crawford also noted that "we can't kill all actual or potential terrorists without harming civilians," adding, "for every civilian the US and its allies unintentionally kill, it has not made friends" in war zones. 

'Killing one extremist can actually produce more extremists by activating family or acquaintances'

Brandon Valeriano, the Donald Bren chair of armed politics at the Marine Corps University, told INSIDER the CSIS report "demonstrates something Gen. Stanley McChrystal mentioned a long time ago," which is that "combating an insurgent movement requires a different way of figuring out impact."

"Killing one extremist can actually produce more extremists by activating family or acquaintances," Valeriano added.

Read more: 'We are losing': Trump and his top advisors aren't publicly admitting how bad things are in Afghanistan

Valeriano said that if there's a "vision of victory in the modern combat zone," which has become increasingly convoluted, then "it has to include more than simply enemy combatant deaths but also attention to aide and welfare, making the situation better and less hopeless so the desire for violence is minimized."

Osama bin Laden's vision realized

Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent and terrorism expert, seems to believe the war on terror is a never-ending, hopeless cause for the US. 

Soufan told INSIDER most of America's victories in the "global war on terror" have been "ephemeral and fleeting," which is linked to the fact many of the related conflicts the US is engaged in have a "fiercely local component to them." This means there is "little that a Western country and its military can actually do to impact events on the ground for a sustained period of time," Soufan said. 

osama bin laden

Based on the current status of jihadist extremism and the various conflicts occurring across the Muslim world, Soufan added that the US has clearly failed to kill Osama bin Laden's ideology even though it succeeded in assassinating him.  

"Regional conflicts – like those we are seeing in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and other places – are central to the Salafi-Jihadi terrorism that is borne out of Osama bin Laden’s ideology," Soufan said.

"Before his death, bin Laden called for 'the Management of Savagery'— a strategy of exploiting government collapse to create chaos, then turning that chaos to one's own advantage in order to seize power," Soufan added. "That is very much what we are seeing today across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond."

SEE ALSO: America's 'war on terror' has cost the US nearly $6 trillion and killed roughly half a million people, and there's no end in sight

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NOW WATCH: The true story behind Boston gangster Whitey Bulger

NASA's InSight robot is about to land on Mars. Here's how it might survive '7 minutes of terror' and make incredible discoveries about the red planet — and Earth, too.

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nasa mars insight robotic probe landing mission animation lockheed martin 00004

  • NASA will try to land its InSight probe on the surface of the red planet around 3 p.m. ET on Monday.
  • The robotic lander must survive "seven minutes of terror" before touching down and beginning a series of unprecedented scientific firsts.
  • InSight won't move around Mars, but it could be the first mission to measure the "vital signs" of the planet and decode its internal structure.
  • NASA will also listen for "marsquakes" caused by meteorite impacts and tectonic movements, which could reveal the interior structure of the 4.6-billion-year-old world.

On Cyber Monday, while online shoppers hunt for deals, NASA will be trying to stick its first landing of a robot on the surface of Mars in six years.

The roughly $830-million mission is called InSight, which is short for "Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport."

NASA rocketed the InSight probe toward the red planet on May 5. The lander, which weighs about 789 lbs, is expected to complete a risky descent sequence around 3 p.m. ET on Monday, November 26. Part of that process is known as the "seven minutes of terror."

If all goes well, the golf-cart-size lander will be the first robot to touch down on Martian soil since NASA's nuclear-powered Curiosity rover, which landed there in August 2012.

Read more: 13 incredible facts you probably didn't know about the red planet

Scientists hope that InSight's two-year mission will probe Mars in ways they've only dreamed of until now.

"All of our past missions have really been surface missions,"Robert Braun, NASA's former chief technologist, told Business Insider. "InSight's a very different mission in the sense that it is peering into the past by studying, really, the interior of Mars. In doing so, we're going to learn about Mars, but also about the early history of the Earth."

First, however, InSight will have to get safely to the surface.

How InSight might survive '7 minutes of terror'

nasa mars insight robotic probe landing mission seven minutes terror illustration PIA22100_orig

Getting to Mars is relatively easy.

That's because modern rockets are safer and more reliable to launch than ever before. In fact, the vehicle that sent InSight toward Mars — an Atlas V rocket built by United Launch Alliance — has had only one partial failure since its debut in 2002.

Landing on the red planet, however, is one of the most challenging tasks an aerospace engineer can accomplish. About a third of robots sent there never make it.

"Although we've done it before, landing on Mars is hard, and this mission is no different," Rob Manning, the chief engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a video. "It takes thousands of steps to go from the top of the atmosphere to the surface, and each one of them has to work perfectly."

The Martian atmosphere is about 1% as thick as Earth's. But that's still plenty of air to completely destroy a spacecraft like InSight, which will be moving at about 12,500 mph when it arrives at the red planet.

NASA tries to take advantage of the Martian atmosphere by putting its robots in an entry capsule with a heat shield. This helps reduce the spacecraft's speed while also protecting it from 1,400-degree-Celsius temperatures — hot enough to melt steel — caused by plowing through the thin Martian air.

nasa mars insight robotic probe landing mission animation lockheed martin 00001

However, striking the atmosphere at anything other than the perfect angle — about 12 degrees, Manning said — can end a mission. Any shallower than this, and an entry capsule will "skip" off the atmosphere and out into deep space. Any deeper, and a robot gets vaporized.

This phase — when an entry capsule detaches from its mothership and descends — is sometimes called the seven minutes of terror. This is because NASA can't "hear" from its spacecraft for roughly seven minutes, and won't know if a landing has succeeded or failed until a radio signal arrives (or doesn't).

This time around, though, NASA is trying something new: It sent two briefcase-size satellites called MarsCubeOne with Insight. Both cubesats are trailing the lander en route to Mars, and they'll help relay landing data home.

"They'll be broadcasting that back to Earth so we know what's exactly happening at each step of the entry, descent, and landing process,"Tom Hoffman, the InSight mission's payload manager, said during a press briefing in October.

mars cubesat one satellite insight nasa jpl caltech

Once InSight plows through enough of the Martian atmosphere to not burn up, its entry capsule will deploy a big supersonic parachute, then discard the heat shield seconds later.

InSight's dangerous journey isn't over at this point. The robot still has to deploy three landing legs and use radar to calculate how close it is to the ground — NASA can't control the robot remotely in real time because it takes light (and radio signals) about 15 minutes to travel to and from Mars.

About a mile above the surface of Mars, InSight will drop out of its protective capsule, fire its retro-rocket engines, and try to touch down without crashing or tipping over.

How InSight will probe the ancient secrets of Mars — and Earth

mars rocky planet hot molten core interior cutaway illustration nasa PIA16078_orig

InSight will try to land in a region known as Elysium Planitia, which is a relatively flat place close to the Martian equator. If the robot safely lands and unfurls its two circular solar panels, NASA will begin its mission in earnest.

Like InSight's nearly identical predecessor mission, the Phoenix Mars Lander, the probe won't move locations. But unlike Phoenix, which dug for water in Martian soil for a few months in 2008, InSight hopes to last for two Earth years.

During that time, it will perform the first "checkup" of the 4.6-billion-year-old planet.

"InSight's goal is to study the interior of Mars and take the planet's vital signs, its pulse, and temperature," NASA said on its mission website. "To look deep into Mars, the lander must be at a place where it can stay still and quiet for its entire mission. That's why scientists chose Elysium Planitia as InSight's home."

elysia planitia insight mars lander site map nasa

Once InSight is powered up and in communication with Earth, one of its first tasks will be to unfurl a robotic arm.

InSight will use that robotic appendage to place a dome down on the Martian surface. The dome will contain six extremely sensitive vibration-detection devices called seismometers.

Seismometers on the Earth and the moon (Apollo astronauts deployed some on the lunar surface) have recorded earthquakes and moonquakes, which helped scientists figure out the internal structure of those rocky worlds. On Mars, NASA researchers hope to accomplish a similar feat.

Whenever a meteorite strikes Mars, or there's a landslide, or a big blob of magma suddenly shifts, or there's tectonic movement, InSight's seismometer should detect such vibrations. The devices can even record seismic activity from all the way across the planet.

Over time, data about marsquakes could reveal hitherto unknown information about the internal structure of the planet.

One of the most challenging tasks InSight will attempt, though, is drilling a heat probe deep into the ground. The probe will slowly drill down and stop every so often to heat up. Then a sensor will detect how long it takes that warmth to dissipate.

NASA InSight Mars lander

The probe is expected to dig 16 feet down — far deeper than any previous Mars mission has ever reached with scoops, shovels, or drills.

"When we get down that deep, we'll get away from all of the temperature variations of the surface," Suzanne Smrekar, the mission's deputy principle investigator, said during a press briefing. "That tells us about the heat coming out of the planet — that energy that's available for driving geologic activity."

Back on the surface, InSight will also use a sensitive radio science experiment to see how subtly Mars shifts during its two-Earth-year-long orbit around the sun. Such data should tell researchers what is going on in the deepest parts of the planet's core.

nasa mars insight robotic probe mission press briefing bruce banerdt NHQ201810310005_orig

The ultimate goal is to figure out how Mars formed and what happened to the planet since then. Scientists know that Mars once generated an atmosphere-protecting magnetic dynamo, as Earth still does today. But the Martian core's dynamo eventually shut down and the planet's protective shield faded, which allowed the sun to blow away Mars' atmosphere and oceans of water.

In probing that history, scientists think we're bound to learn about our own planet's origins.

"Earth ... is a big planet that holds a lot of heat, a lot of energy, and it's been very geologically active over its entire history. So most of the record of the early processes that formed the Earth have been erased," Hoffman said. "We'd like to have a planet that's just a little bit calmer and that can retain that that evidence."

Mars, which is similar to Earth but has remained almost frozen in time, is thus the perfect place to go looking.

SEE ALSO: NASA will dig for signs of alien life on Mars in Jezero Crater — the landing site for its 2020 rover

DON'T MISS: These pictures show the exact hill NASA's longest-lived Mars robot may die upon

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NOW WATCH: What humans will look like on Mars


Everything you need to know about the benefits — and drawbacks — of adding fish to your diet

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fish

  • Some fish varieties contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients.
  • Fish can also contain toxins like mercury, which isn't always as harmful as you'd think. 
  • Some types of fish typically contain fewer toxins than others. 
  • Eating fish isn't for everyone and there are other alternatives to eating fish that could still provide nutrients. 

Fish is typically considered part of a balanced, healthy diet according to the government'sdietary guidelines. And although consuming fish isn't for everyone, there are a lot of benefits and stigma that come with it. 

Eating fish can come with some major benefits 

Salmon_nigiri sushiAccording to Livestrong, many varieties of fish are rich in vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium.

Plus, some varieties are high in omega-3 fatty acids that, according to theWashington State Department of Health, can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of arthritis, and decrease the risk of depression, Alzheimer's, dementia, diabetes, and ADHD.

A2006 report from two Harvard School of Public Health professors also found that an appropriate intake of fish every week can lower a person's chances of dying from heart disease.

But, consuming fish can come with a few risks that can be reduced

codFish can contain some contaminants — including mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and other toxins.

But, these toxins are more common than you think and many common foods contain more toxins than fish. A Harvard report found that the toxic PCBs are actually more present in other foods than in fish. Upwards of 90% of PCBs and dioxins can be found in non-seafood sources like meat, dairy, eggs, and vegetables.

There's also insufficient evidence on the effects of long-term mercury consumption from eating fish, so Harvard reported that the FDA doesn't recommend that adults limit their fish intake based on fear of toxins alone.

Some fish tend to contain more toxins than others 

fish cod

The FDA reported that fish with longer life spans accumulate more toxins over time, so those concerned about mercury consumption should aim to eat fish with shorter life expectancies. The FDA even has a chart that indicates which seafood choices are the lowest and highest in mercury. 

For example, the FDA lists canned tuna, cod, salmon, and shrimp among some of the best low-mercury choices.  And they suggest avoiding fish with high mercury levels, like king mackerel, marlin, and bigeye tuna. 

Ultimately, the suggested serving size for you can depend on age and a variety of health factors, so it's best to consult your doctor when deciding how much fish to consume during the week. 

There are other ways to get vitamins and nutrients if you don't eat fish

shrimp risottoNot everyone enjoys fish or chooses to eat it. There are plenty of alternatives to eating fish that can help you to incorporate nutrients and vitamins into your diet.

Ultimately, the amount of fish you consume is up to you. In cases where you may be unsure of what to be consuming and how much to consume it's best to consult your doctor to ensure you're consuming the right nutrients for your body. 

For more great stories, head to INSIDER's homepage.

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NOW WATCH: This mind-melting thought experiment of Einstein's reveals how to manipulate time

15 great deals you'll find during L.L.Bean's Black Friday sale

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

L.L.Bean

  • Now through November 27, you can save 20% on clothing and outerwear at L.L.Bean by using the promo code "THANKS20" at checkout.
  • The sale includes fleeces, flannels, jeans, jackets, and much more.

Made for the outdoors, L.L.Bean is one of the best brands for tackling the elements in style. This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, its having a huge sale to pass along some savings.

Now through November 27, you can save 20% on clothing and outwear by using the promo code "THANKS20" at checkout. You'll also receive a $10 gift card to use on a future purchase of $50 or more by December 24.

Whether you're looking for warm flannel shirts and sweaters, comfortable fleece jackets, or a heavy winter parka, you'll be able to get a great deal at L.L.Bean.

Since there are so many great sales going on all across the web, the last thing you want to do is spend too much time shopping in one place. So, to make it easier for you, we rounded up some of the best deals at L.L.Bean for men, women, and kids. Check them out below.

Shop the L.L.Bean Black Friday sale now.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

To potentially save more on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Men's Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt

Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt, available in nine colors, $39.96 (Originally $49.95) [You save $9.99]



Men's Classic Ragg Wool Sweater

Classic Ragg Wool Sweater, available in four colors, $79.20 (Originally $99) [You save $19.80]



Men's Hi-Pile Fleece Pullover

Hi-Pile Fleece Pullover, available in four colors, $63.20 (Originally $79) [You save $15.80]



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Romaine is off the table again because of E. coli poisoning, and the lettuce trouble reveals why outbreaks are so common

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romaine lettuce field

  • Romaine lettuce is banned from the table once again as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigates a multi-state outbreak of E. coli that has sickened at least 50 people across the US and Canada.
  • This is the third time in less than 12 months that romaine lettuce has been deemed unsafe to eat.
  • The problem shows how difficult it can be to control a supply of fresh, uncooked produce that touches dirt and changes hands countless times before it reaches consumers.
  • Still, fresh produce is not the most deadly source of pathogens that we eat. That prize goes to meat.  

Once again, salad-eaters are being told to avoid romaine. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that it is investigating an E. coli outbreak that spans at least 11 US states and two Canadian provinces. 

"Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home should not eat it and should throw it away," the CDC said, just two days before Thanksgiving. The ban comes as peak harvest season picks up at some of the nation's busiest romaine farms in states like Arizona.

"At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified," the CDC added.

Lettuce-related outbreaks are starting to feel like a wintertime tradition. Seven months ago, another E. coli outbreak in romaine killed five people and sickened near 200 more. A year ago, one person was killed in another leafy green outbreak that made 25 people ill. Here's why this keeps happening.

There's only one way that romaine gets contaminated with E. coli

romaine farmers

E coli is a broad species of gut bacteria (you have some of it in your intestines right now), but the strains that public-health investigators have discovered in sick people's feces recently are not the kind that keep us healthy. Instead, the E. coli in question — called O157:H7 — can make people develop bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and kidney failure. In severe cases, the gut poisoning can kill. It's most dangerous for elderly adults and children.

An E. coli outbreak in lettuce can only mean one thing: the leaves have poop on them. The feces could come from livestock in a farm close to where lettuce grows, or they could come from washing the lettuce in water that's not clean. The contamination could also come from one of the countless people who touch the lettuce before it reaches consumers' mouths.

Read More: What is E. coli? 

It's pretty easy for bits of contaminated soil to get lodged into the folds of lettuce leaves. Although washing your produce at home can help reduce the chances of infection, it won't eliminate your risk of getting sick. That's probably why fresh produce accounts for nearly half of all foodborne illnesses in the US. 

E coli O157:H7

An easy way to reduce your risk of getting sick, though, is to cut down on the number of hands that touch your leaves before you eat them.

Tim Richter, a romaine farmer in Puyallup, Washington, told the Associated Press that he encourages his customers to buy their own romaine heads and then wash and chop them at home, rather than buying pre-chopped bags of lettuce. That way, the leaves touches fewer hands, knives, and countertops as they go from soil to table. 

romaine lettuce growing

There's probably nothing inherently bacteria-prone about romaine lettuce as compared to other fresh leafy greens. Outbreaks probably just affect more people and are easier to notice when tied to a leaf that's commonly consumed. Lettuce is one of the most common veggies on American plates, and romaine's share of the market has been growing steadily since it was introduced in the late '80s. Romaine and leaf lettuce account for well over 60% of per capita lettuce consumption across the US, according to the USDA.

Uncooked leaves are not the deadliest thing on the menu this Thanksgiving

People infected with the O157:H7 strain of E. coli can develop "severe abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea, which may become bloody within 24 hours," according to the Merck Manual.  

"People usually have severe abdominal pain and diarrhea many times a day. They also often feel an urge to defecate but may not be able to," the manual says. In severe cases, the illness can lead to kidney failure. 

There's typically no fever involved, and there isn't much otherwise healthy people can do about the infection besides staying hydrated. It can take anywhere from one to eight days for the illness to pass. 

salad packaging yuma arizona

Fresh produce is the most common source of food contamination, but food poisoning from meat and poultry is more deadly.

Taken together, meat and poultry account for 29% of the foodborne illnesses that kill people, while produce (fruit and vegetables combined) accounts for 23% of deaths. 

In fact, veggies are not even the worst source of E. coli infections — beef's track record is equally bad. Vegetable row crops (mostly leafy greens) and beef each account for roughly 40% of E. coli cases across the country, according to a 2013 CDC report.

Chicken and other poultry can also get people really sick — the birds are commonly a source of listeria and salmonella infections. This Thanksgiving, a salmonella investigation is underway for raw turkey that has sickened more than 160 people and killed at least one.

romaine salad e coli

The good thing about meat is that correct preparation involves an easy "kill step"— cooking it to a high temperature ensures you won't sick. But there isn't a step like that for fresh greens. That's why the CDC urges travelers not to eat fresh salad or unpeeled fruits in developing countries, where nightsoil (i.e. human manure) might be used as fertilizer and water used to rinse fruits and veggies may not be clean enough to drink.

Fortunately, these contamination concerns are less of an issue in the US. Americans consume, on average, nearly 25 pounds of lettuce per person each year. So a couple dozen cases of food poisoning this fall (while miserable for those infected) are still a drop in the proverbial salad bowl.

SEE ALSO: An E. coli outbreak from romaine lettuce has sickened 50 people — here's how to avoid getting sick

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: RANKED: The 10 healthiest leafy greens you should be putting in your salad

Macy's will kick off its Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day (M)

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Macy's

  • Macy's will start its Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving.
  • The department store will be open between the hours of 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Thursday, November 22, a spokesperson for Macy's told Business Insider. 
  • This is the third year in a row that Macy's has opened during the holiday. The 5 p.m. opening time in 2016 marked the retailer's earliest Black Friday kickoff in history.

Macy's is opening its stores during Thanksgiving.

The department store will be open between the hours of 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Thursday, November 22. 

This is the third year in a row that Macy's has opened during the holiday. The 5 p.m. opening time in 2016 marked the retailer's earliest Black Friday kickoff in history.

A spokesperson for Macy's told Business Insider that employees that work on Thanksgiving will be paid overtime. 

Retailers have come under fire in recent years for kicking off their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving. As a result, several have started to buck the trend and stay closed. 

At least 60 retailers including Costco, Home Depot, and TJ Maxx confirmed they would remain closed on Thanksgiving. 

While some retailers are still hoping to capitalize on Black Friday sales early by opening during Thanksgiving, some have likely pulled back because the famous shopping day doesn't carry the same weight it once did. This is partly because consumers are increasingly shopping for deals online, which means they don't need to waste time lining up in stores for one big day of shopping. They are also used to having deals year-round, which takes pressure off of the day.

On Black Friday last year, Macy's suffered a major technical glitch that prevented customers from paying with a credit card or using gift cards in its stores.  

"Came to the Macy's on State for some Black Friday shopping and all of the registers are down," one angry customer wrote on Macy's Facebook page at the time. "No credit or debit, only cash! Wasted time picking things out only to leave empty-handed with all my merchandise at the register."

More on Black Friday 2018:

SEE ALSO: Black Friday is dead — and constant discounts could be to blame

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NOW WATCH: How Alibaba turned a fake holiday into a $25 billion shopping extravaganza that's bigger than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined

A 19-year-old sang through her surgery to preserve her musical talents and her doctor called it 'the performance of a lifetime'

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kira iaconetti

  • After 19-year-old Kira Iaconetti was diagnosed with musicogenic epilepsy, a form of epilepsy where listening and singing music can trigger seizures, she needed brain surgery.
  • After consulting with doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital, Iaconetti underwent an awake surgery where she remained conscious and sang throughout the procedure.
  • Awake surgeries can be used to protect brain functions like musicality or speech during the removal of a tumor, Dr. Jason Hauptman, Iaconetti's surgeon, told INSIDER.

When 19-year-old Kira Iaconetti went tone deaf and began slurring song lyrics, she knew something was wrong. A talented singer since the age of six, Iaconetti began having episodes four years ago where she, "couldn't process the words in time with the music" and "couldn't sing," she told Teen Vogue.

It turns out, Iaconetti had musicogenic epilepsy — a form of epilepsy where listening and singing music can trigger seizures, according to the Epilepsy Society — and she needed surgery to remove a brain tumor and stop the seizures.

In an effort to help Iaconetti without harming the parts of her brain where her musicality stems from, Dr. Jason Hauptman and his team performed an awake surgery at Seattle Children's Hospital.

"In the short time I got to know Kira, I learned her passion was in singing and acting and I thought the worst thing I can do is take that away from her,"Hauptman told INSIDER.

The risks of awake brain surgery aren't much different than the risks of regular brain surgery

According to Teen Vogue, Iaconetti was initially put to sleep, then woken up when it was time to remove her tumor. Once awake, Iaconetti was asked to sing and perform other musical tasks so Hauptman could determine what parts of her brain to touch and which were off-limits. 

Read more:A woman thought she had a hangover but it turned out to be a brain tumor

"One advantage of doing surgery while a patient is awake is that it's very reassuring that function is being preserved," Hauptman told INSIDER. He also noted this type of surgery can be useful for people with epilepsy who need to preserve their speech or other brain functions, not just music-related ones.

An awake surgery sounds scary, but Hauptman said the procedure has similar risks as a regular brain surgery. "In a small percentage of patients, [awake brain surgery] could cause transient seizures, but we can fix it immediately if necessary," he told INSIDER.

According to the Mayo Clinic, other risk factors include changes to your vision, impaired coordination and balance, impaired speech, and memory loss. 

Iaconetti's procedure was a team effort and the "performance of a lifetime"

Brain surgery is a complex procedure that requires teamwork, and Hauptman said his team rose to the challenge. From the anesthesiologists who were in charge of keeping Iaconetti awake and comfortable to the neurosurgeons performing the procedure and all of the hospital staff in between, Hauptman said it was a fulfilling experience to watch his team flawlessly complete the surgery.

kira iaconetti scar

As for Iaconetti, "it was a performance of lifetime," Hauptman told INSIDER of her work in the operating room. "She was performing for her health and did it incredibly well. I couldn't think of a better patient to do this surgery on."

Hauptman hopes this procedure and Iaconetti's story give others going through similar experiences hope in the midst of scary, uncertain times in their lives.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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