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10 things you probably didn't know about coffee

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drinking tea coffee

  • Coffee is said to have been discovered by a goat herder.
  • It's the second most popular drink in the entire world.
  • Your average cup actually has more caffeine in it than a shot of espresso.

Coffee is one of the world's favorite drinks and is enjoyed on a daily basis by millions of people. Water is the only beverage that's more popular and Thomas Jefferson called coffee, "the favorite drink of the civilized world."

INSIDER found out some fun facts about the world's second favorite drink.

Coffee was supposedly discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia.

While it's unclear exactly where coffee comes from, legend has it that the stimulating effects of coffee berries were accidentally discovered by a goat herder who noticed that his goats were particularly energetic after grazing berries from a specific tree. He passed on his findings to an abbot who made a drink with the berries, which kept him alert through long evening prayers.

The knowledge of this special berry was then spread to other monks and beyond.



There are three distinct coffee waves.

So far there have been three distinct coffee waves, or trends, that have defined the evolution of how people consume the drink.

In the first wave, coffee was a cheap, accessible commodity where everything pretty much tasted the same.

Popular coffee shops led the second wave with sweet flavorings and other customizations that added value, though the base roast was generally a blend that's consistent in flavor.

The third wave of coffee has become a specialty product with an origin, a story, and distinct flavors that tell that story. Roasting has also become an art that unlocks the nuanced flavors of carefully sourced, precisely cultivated beans.

 



The average cup of coffee has more caffeine than a shot of espresso.

When it comes to caffeine content ounce by ounce, espresso wins with about 40 milligrams per ounce versus 10 milligrams per ounce in a brewed cup of coffee. However, the serving size tips the scale. A two-ounce double shot of espresso contains 80 milligrams of caffeine whilst a 12-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 120 milligrams.



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Everything we know about Isha Ambani, the Indian heiress who got Beyoncé to perform at her wedding

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  • Isha Ambani married Anand Piramal this week in a week full of lavish festivities.
  • Beyoncé performed at her pre-wedding festivities.
  • Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas attended her wedding
  • Isha Ambani's father, Mukesh Ambani, is the chairman of Reliance Industries and the richest man in India, according to Forbes.

For most of us, the notion of hiring Beyonce to perform at a wedding is little more than a fever dream — but for Indian heiress Isha Ambani and her new husband Anand Piramal, it was simply a matter of course. The high-profile couple tied the knot Wednesday in a lavish ceremony in one of the most expensive mansions in the world, which also happens to double as the Ambani family home.

The wedding has been making headlines both for its extravagance and for its many celebrity guests, from Hillary Clinton to Priyanka Chopra to Ariana Huffington. Here's everything we know about the 27-year-old heiress.

She is the daughter of India's richest man

#PriyankaNickEngagement 💍💐❤ Party Picture's 📸

A post shared by Isha Ambani (@ambani.isha) on Aug 18, 2018 at 9:19pm PDT on

According to Forbes, Mukesh Ambani, Isha's father, is the richest man in India. Moreover, as the chairman of the hugely influential Reliance Industries, he is ranked as the 19th richest man in the world with a net worth surpassing $40 billion.

She graduated from Yale and Stanford

" I am awesome, amazing, beautiful and confident I don’t need someone to make me realize it."😍👩‍🎓👌

A post shared by Isha Ambani (@ambani.isha) on Nov 12, 2018 at 9:51am PST on

Ambani is Ivy League-educated. The heiress attended earned an undergraduate degree from Yale in Psychology and South Asian Studies. She even reportedly gave her father the idea to launch Jio, India's largest 4G network, while she was there. She then worked as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company before going on to earn her MBA from Stanford.

She's one of Asia's "Women to Watch"

Forbes named her one of Asia's "Women to Watch" in 2015, and for good reason: Ambani is on the board of directors for India's largest retailer. She's also co-director for India's largest 4G network, Reliance Jio.

She knows tons of celebrities

😍

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) on Dec 12, 2018 at 4:10am PST on

There's a reason Hillary Clinton and John Kerry were spotted dancing at the extravagant nuptials. According to Reuters, the Clintons have known the Ambani family for nearly two decades.

Ambani is also close with Priyanka Chopra: she even stood beside the actress as she married Nick Jonas last week.

Read more: Priyanka Chopra wore a sparkly, embroidered lehenga to the lavish wedding of Isha Ambani, the daughter of India's richest man

Her family home is one of the world's most expensive properties

Happy Family 😍❤💐

A post shared by Isha Ambani (@ambani.isha) on Oct 30, 2018 at 9:29am PDT on

The Mumbai home Antilia was inspired by a mythical Atlantic island. It has a staff of 600, six floors of parking, and can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake. It also has 27 stories (each floor with a height of a two-story building) and three helipads and is estimated to be one of the world's most expensive properties, second to Buckingham Palace.

Read more:12 Crazy New Facts About Mukesh Ambani's Billion-Dollar Home

Beyonce performed at her pre-wedding festivities

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on

Finally, the most important thing of all: Beyonce performed a private concert at the couple's pre-wedding festivities Sunday in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The pop icon reportedly sang"Crazy in Love,""Naughty Girl," and "Perfect" at Oberoi Udaivilas hotel — with multiple outfit changes. 

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: The true story behind the name 'Black Friday' is much darker than you may have thought

These are the 5 leaders in the self-driving-car race (GOOG, GOOGL, GM, F)

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GM self-driving bolt

Tech companies and auto companies are all racing to be the first to roll out self-driving cars onto the road.

The stakes are high for everyone involved. The self-driving revolution and the prevalence of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft threatens to reduce individual car ownership, which would eat into a sizable piece of automakers' core business.

Meanwhile, tech companies are jockeying for a piece of the self-driving-car market, which Apple CEO Tim Cook dubbed"the mother of all AI projects." These companies are all looking to deploy self-driving cars as part of a commercial ride-hailing service that would operate similarly to how Uber and Lyft do now.

In a new free report, Business Insider Intelligence — Business Insider's premium research service — takes an in-depth look at the most expansive self-driving-car tests taking place in the US, and offers insights on the leaders in the self-driving-car race.

To get your copy of this free report, click here.

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Hillary and Bill Clinton have been in the public eye since the '70s — here's a complete timeline of their relationship

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Hillary Bill Clinton

  • Hillary and Bill Clinton met in 1971 and have been married since 1975. 
  • In 1976, Bill was elected to his first government official position in Arkansas with Hillary by his side. 
  • In 1992, Bill was elected 42nd President of the United States and Hillary became First Lady.
  • Bill admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky in 1998.
  • Hillary ran for president in 2016 but lost to Donald Trump
  • Hillary released her third memoir, "What Happened," in September of 2017 in which she called Bill her "greatest champion."

Hillary and Bill Clinton are arguably one of the most well-known couples in the public eye. The two have been together for nearly 50 years, and have been involved in the political sphere for about as long, both on a state and national scale.

From major campaign wins to the growth of their family — here is a complete timeline of their relationship.

1971: They met at Yale University Library.

The future President and First Lady of the United States met in 1971 while studying together at Yale Law School, with their official meet happening at the library.

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Bill shared the story of how he met Hillary at the Yale University Library after noticing her in class, saying, "She exuded this sense of strength and self-possession that I found magnetic."



1972: A year later, they worked together on George McGovern's presidential campaign.

Early in their relationship, the former White House residents embarked on a political endeavor together as they traveled to Texas in 1972 to aid George McGovern with his ultimately-doomed presidential campaign.

According to the Texas Tribune, Bill served as McGovern's "Texas political point man" while Hillary was "responsible for registering black and Hispanic South Texas voters for the Democratic National Committee."

 



1973: Bill proposed to Hillary for the first time in Ennerdale, England.

It took a couple tries before Hillary and Bill officially became engaged.

According to ABC, Bill proposed to Hillary for the first time in 1973 in Ennerdale, England, but she initially turned him down because she "needed time." Shortly after finding a home in Arkansas, Hillary accepted Bill's proposal.



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Disappointing photos show what flying first class is really like

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First Class Comparison

  • Despite its reputation, flyingfirst class isn't always what it's cracked up to be.
  • Advertisements for first-class accommodations — and even our own imaginations — can look vastly different from the true experience. 
  • Take a look at what the full experience of flying first-class — from check-in to the exclusive lounges to the seats and meals on the flights themselves — can really look like.  

Flying first-class can sometimes feel like an unattainable luxury.

And if you've ever had to pass by those lucky few first-class passengers on your way to coach, you probably recognize those feelings of curiosity and pangs of jealousy you get seeing them already seated in their wide, plush seats with extra legroom and a 15-inch TV.

But first class isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

Yes, first-class seats are larger than those on the rest of the airplane, but only by a few inches. And, at the end of the day, airplane food is still airplane food, and flying is still flying.

What's more, while the first-class experience on international flights, with all of its amenities, will always hold an allure to travelers, flying domestic first class is an entirely different experience.

Here's a look at what it's really like to fly first class.

SEE ALSO: These are the 15 coolest things at airports around the world

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You might think check-in is all smiles for people who purchase first-class tickets.



But in reality, travel is always hectic, and there's bound to be some confusion at some point.



Before arriving at your gate, your security screening may be seamless and easy.



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The 7 best lessons successful people taught us about money in 2018

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bethenny frankel

  • Building wealth is a little easier when you have advice from people who've done it themselves.
  • We rounded up some of the best money lessons successful people, like CEOs and entrepreneurs, shared in 2018.
  • Among the most important: Invest in low-cost index funds, save your income, invest in yourself, and know that money doesn't equal happiness or success.

One of the best ways to build wealth is to learn from those who have been there, done that.

When it comes to money, they know what works and what doesn't, as well as what the value of a dollar really means — and they're not shy when it comes to sharing their financial wisdom.

Why wouldn't you take a piece of their advice?

To help you get your finances in order (since that's your New Year's resolution for 2019, right?), we've rounded up some of the best money lessons from 2018 that successful people have shared.

From tips on investing and paying off debt to growing your savings and the real importance of money, these lessons are bound to help set you on a path for financial success — or at least shift your perspective.

Here's what successful entrepreneurs, authors, and CEOs had to say about money this year.

SEE ALSO: 21 quotes from self-made billionaires that will change your outlook on money

DON'T MISS: A self-made millionaire who interviewed 100 other millionaires found there's a surprising habit many have in common

Suze Orman: Invest in low-cost index funds.

Orman, a New York Times bestselling personal finance author, called investing in low-cost index funds "the winning ticket" on an episode of financial planner Farnoosh Torabi's "So Money" podcast.

"Here's what I found works so great: women love when things are on sale. They do. They wait, they'll buy it cheaper. They love that. You explain dollar cost averaging to them, and why buying these stocks on sale is exactly what they want to do."

She suggested investing with a small amount of money each month that you'd be comfortable losing, such as $100. You can even do it through contributions to your 401(k), she said.

"As soon as they get that, it's okay, and they'll be better off when the market goes down for the long run, because they're buying more shares. We've taken the fear out of it."

 



Brad Katsuyama: The amount of money you make doesn't equal success.

Katsuyama, CEO and cofounder of Investors Exchange (IEX), told Business Insider's Rich Feloni on our podcast "This is Success" that he's learned to differentiate personal and professional success — and neither is tied to money.

"I could not tell you if you asked me, if you had a gun to my head right now and said, 'What's the value of your stake in IEX?' I would miss it. I would be wrong. I don't know. So that tells me it's not about money.

"I think people equate success to work. I actually don't, and I learned the lesson early that identifying yourself too much with one thing in a way sets you up to be dramatically disappointed at some point."



Rus Yusupov: Don't chase money.

Yusupov, cofounder of the wildly popular quiz app HQ Trivia, working toward solving a problem is better than working toward a dollar figure.

He told Business Insider's Shana Lebowitz: "Profound motivations will take you a lot further than chasing money or a big exit. Bring something to life, solve a real problem or just build a big vision of the future."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The first trailer for Lindsay Lohan's new MTV reality show is here

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lindsay lohan beach house show

  • Lindsay Lohan's new reality show, "Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club," will premiere on MTV on Tuesday, January 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
  • The docuseries focuses on the 32-year-old's mission to "build an empire" in Mykonos, Greece with her lavish Lohan Beach House, where she manages a team of servers, hosts, and bartenders.
  • "I've gone through so much in my past," the self-proclaimed "boss b----" says in a teaser trailer. "People always had given me trouble for going to clubs, so why don't I just open my own?"
  • The 32-year-old already established a nightclub in Athens and a beach house in Rhodes.
  • The trailer also shows a snippet of Lohan doing her viral dance in Greece.  
  • Watch the trailer below.

 

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.   

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People in the NBA think LeBron James is emulating Stephen Curry to preserve his body and keep himself interested

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lebron james

  • LeBron James is taking and making more and deeper three-pointers than ever before.
  • According to a report, one NBA scout thinks James may be taking more three-pointers because they're easier shots than going to the basket and will help him preserve his body.
  • Lakers head coach Luke Walton suggested that James may be finding new ways to challenge himself and keep himself engaged.

Stop us if you've heard this before: A year older, another year into his career, LeBron James isn't slowing down.

The soon-to-be-34-year-old Los Angeles Laker is averaging 28 points (his most in nine years), 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game for the 17-10 Lakers.

But James has made one subtle change to his game — he's launching from deep like he's doing a Stephen Curry impression.

Read more: LeBron James has added a Stephen Curry-esque skill to his repertoire that could make him an even bigger nightmare for defenses

James is averaging 5.9 three-point attempts and making two of them per game, both career highs. His 37% shooting from downtown is 3 percentage points better than his career average. But it's not just James' shooting that has increased; it's how he's doing it.

According to the NBA's stats site, James has already taken 118 shots from 25 to 29 feet, which is basically any non-corner three. He's taken eight shots from 30 feet and beyond, making three of them. He took 12 such shots all of last year.

James is also letting them fly quicker, too. According to NBA.com, James is taking three pull-up three-pointers per game, tied for ninth in the league.


According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, some people around the league have theories on James' new shooting habits. One is that deep threes are simply easier shots for James to take. They're generally less contested and require less work.

A scout told McMenamin: "I think he is preserving his body. Doesn't want to have everything going to the rim and take a pounding this early in the season. I think those shots will be fewer in the playoffs. Right now, they are easy shots for him to take. Doesn't really have to work for them."

lebron james 2Perhaps a more interesting theory is that James is just finding new ways to occupy himself. The NBA regular season is long, and frankly, even while adjusting to a new team, James plays for the playoffs. These new and difficult shots might just be James' way of keeping himself busy, according to Lakers coach Luke Walton.

"I played with Kobe [Bryant] and I remember challenging him one time that he can't shoot off the glass," Walton told McMenamin. "And for two straight weeks in practice, he shot every single shot off the glass and made a very high percentage of them. I guess that's something [similar] that could be possible [for James]."

Of course, James himself is smart enough to add a new skill to his repertoire. In an era when teams are shooting more threes from farther than ever before, it surely has occurred to James that he has to keep up with the times.

"I understand that you got to, at times, keep the defense off balance; and being able to take a jump shot here, a couple 3s there, keeps them off balance," James said, via McMenamin.

He added: "I try to get better and better and do things the following year that I wasn't so good at the previous year. Or bring things to my game that I didn't have the previous year. So, I guess increasing my range is one of them. And being confident and sticking my landing and keeping my follow-through up."

James hasn't lost much of a step, even as he's gotten older, and is still an offensive force. If James' three-pointer becomes a truly reliable skill, he'll only continue to age better and better, extending what is already an unfathomably long prime for an NBA star.

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6 things you didn't know about Vanessa Hudgens

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vanessa hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens rose to fame starring as Gabrielle Montez in the 2006 Disney Channel movie "High School Musical."Since then, she's gone on to release two studio albums, appear on Broadway, guest-star on shows like "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," and star in films like "Spring Breakers" and " Dog Days."

Recently, the actress played the lead role in the Netflix holiday movie "The Princess Switch." She'll also hit the big screen alongside Jennifer Lopez and Milo Ventimiglia in the romantic comedy "Second Act."

In honor of her 30th birthday, here are six things you probably didn't know about Hudgens. 

Her celebrity crush as a teenager was Zac Efron, who would later become her real-life boyfriend at the time.

Hudgens revealed her crush in an interview with Huffington Post. The actress also previously named Matt Damon as another favorite.

"I was 14 years old and I met him,"Hudgens said during an appearance on "The Tyra Banks Show" in 2007. “I completely freaked out. I did to him what my fans do to me. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I love you so much, can I have your autograph?'"



She's a pescatarian.

She's not the only celebrity who chooses to eat fish and seafood over other meat. Olivia Wilde, Cam Newton, and A$AP Rocky are also pescatarian. 



Hudgens is no stranger to live musicals.

She'll be starring as Maureen Johnson in FOX's live production of "Rent," but she previously played Mimi in the Hollywood Bowl's version. Hudgens also played the titular role in the Broadway show "Gigi," which ran for a few months in 2015.  Additionally, the actress showed off her musical skills as Rizzo in FOX's "Grease: Live," alongside Julianne Hough and Aaron Tveit.  



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Trump is failing to achieve one of the biggest goals of his trade war, and he only has himself to blame

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donald trump chuck schumer

  • President Donald Trump wanted to use tariffs to help bring down the trade deficit with China.
  • The US-China trade deficit hit a record high in the month of October.
  • According to economists from Goldman Sachs, Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods are actually making the trade deficit worse.

One of the President Donald Trump's biggest goals for the trade war was to reduce the US's trade deficit with China. But according to Goldman Sachs, the president is only making it worse.

The most recent trade report from the US Census Bureau showed that the US's trade deficit with China once again hit a record for the month of October — after also hitting a record the previous month. This string of record-high deficits seems to run counter to Trump's stated mission for tariffs on roughly $250 billion worth of Chinese goods.

But according to Goldman Sachs economists Blake Taylor and Alec Phillips, the ever-increasing US-China trade deficit is actually because of the tariffs.

"The trade deficit with China stands at an all-time high," the pair wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. "Exports declined sharply on a seasonally adjusted basis, extending their decline since retaliatory tariffs started to take effect in July, and imports continued to rise further. Unsurprisingly, we find that recently imposed tariffs have played a role in these changes."

The economists said there are two big reasons the tariffs are making the ever-growing trade deficit even worse.

A rush of imports

The first issue is that the US appetite for goods with China has gone unabated since the start of the trade war — in part due to the strong American economy, but also because US companies are pulling ahead purchases of Chinese goods that could be subject to tariffs before the duties hit.

Taylor and Phillips pointed out that imports jumped of items that were set to be hit with a third round of tariffs shortly before those tariffs were imposed.

"Imports of goods subject to Round 3 tariffs rose moderately in July, August, and September as further tariffs appeared increasingly likely," the economists said. "The value of imports then declined in October after tariffs took effect."

Read more:Trump's trade war with China is the biggest threat to the US economy in 2019, and it's making economists the most worried they've been in years»

Exports tanking

At the same time, exports to China have fallen off a cliff.

"US exports to China continued their sharp decline, a trend in place since the tariffs took effect over the summer," Taylor and Phillips said. "Declining exports alongside modestly increasing imports pushed the trade deficit with China to an all-time high in October."

Screen Shot 2018 12 13 at 4.16.58 PM

The economists said the drop in exports was mostly the result of large drop for a handful of key items — primarily soybeans. US farmers sent just under $14 billion worth of soybeans to China in 2017. Since the tariffs went into place, Chinese purchases of soybeans have all but dried up.

"US soybean exports are highly seasonal, with about 60% of annual exports to China occurring in Q4 and about 25% in October," Phillips and Taylor wrote. "Excluding soybeans, exports to China are only modestly lower on a seasonally adjusted monthly basis."

Screen Shot 2018 12 13 at 4.29.18 PM

This means Wednesday's soybean purchases by Chinese companies, which totaled somewhere between 1.5 million and 2 million metric tonnes (about the average weekly pace this time of year), could help to alleviate some of the gap.

But despite promising signs coming out of Trump's meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping at the G20 summit, the threat of further escalation looms. On March 1, the 10% tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods hit as part of the third round is set to be increased to 25%, a slight delay from the original January 1 deadline.

"While we think it is a close call, we believe it is slightly more likely that negotiations will fall short of what is necessary for a further delay," Taylor and Phillips said. "In light of this uncertainty, importers might once again front-load imports in January and February ahead of the potential step up."

SEE ALSO: Trump's trade team spent days building a strategy to deal with the Huawei CFO arrest. Then Trump blew it up in a single interview.

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The co-founder of $725 million cloud startup Mesosphere is stepping aside as CEO to make way for a Symantec veteran

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  • Mesosphere, most recently valued at $725 million in a funding round this year, is getting a new CEO.
  • Founder Florian Leibert is stepping aside to make way for Mike Fey, most recently COO of Symantec.
  • Leibert had previously announced his intention to find his own replacement.
  • Fey sees a lot of opportunity in bringing Mesosphere's software to larger customers, to help them manage their server and cloud infrastructure. 
  • Fey says he was first intrigued by Mesosphere's all-star roster of investors, which include Khosla Ventures, Microsoft, Andreessen Horowitz, T. Rowe Price, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Earlier this year, cloud startup Mesosphere raised $125 million, bringing its total funding to just shy of $250 million. That deal valued Mesosphere at $725 million, according to Bloomberg, up from $600 million in 2016. 

Now, Mesosphere co-founder Florian Leibert is following through on his previously-announced intention to step aside as CEO, to take a new role focused on strategy and working with customers. Replacing him will be Mike Fey, most recently president and COO of Symantec, in a move that the company says will help it achieve the next stage of growth by going after larger customers. 

"I realized this was one of the few things that could impact the future in a meaningful way," Fey told Business Insider in an interview on Thursday. 

Mesosphere once famously turned down an acquisition offer from Microsoft, after which some pundits started to theorize that the company was doomed. But Fey says that Mesosphere is growing fast, and it's his intention to keep on building momentum as an independent company. 

"I didn't come here to sell it short," Fey says. "I came here to build something special." 

mesosphere ceo florian leibert

What first attracted him to Mesosphere, Fey says, is its all-star roster of investors, including T. Rowe Price, Andreessen Horowitz, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Khosla Ventures, and even Koch Industries, who have sunk just shy of $250 million into the company in total. 

"That led me to take it very seriously," Fey says.

With his interest piqued, Fey first met with Leibert in October, and ultimately decided that it was the logical next move for him. Leibert, for his part, was excited to hand off the reins after 5 years as chief exec, and spend more time working with customers and thinking about what's next for the company. 

What's next for Mesosphere

Last year, the company said it was on a $50 million annualized run rate, a measure of how much revenue it expects to book over the next 12-month period. While Mesosphere declines to share new numbers today, Leibert has said that its revenue triples every year. 

Read more: This startup famously turned down an acquisition offer from Microsoft — now it's a $50 million business

Mesosphere's flagship product is DC/OS, or the Data Center Operating System. The general principle behind DC/OS is that it should be as easy for IT pros to manage the software on their servers as it is to download an iPhone app. It's especially popular for running Kubernetes, a Google-born technology for managing cloud infrastructure.

Fey sees big value in bringing this to ever-larger customers, who need an easy way to first bring their software to the cloud, and then to snap on additional technologies like Kubernetes, artificial intelligence, or smart device management. 

Tactically, Fey wants to take the positive experiences of Mesosphere's smaller customers, and "repeat it at the highest levels." He highlights new customer GE Transportation, which is using DC/OS to manage applications across its own data centers, as well as mega-clouds like those offered by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

Leibert says that the time is right, too: With Microsoft buying GitHub for $7.5 billion, IBM snapping up Red Hat for $34 billion, and VMware acquiring red-hot Kubernetes startup Heptio, there's going to be a lot of interest in open source software. That's good for Mesosphere, Leibert says, because there's no easier way for customers to get started using open source software than to install and manage it via DC/OS.

"You need to be able to put all of these technologies together," says Leibert. 

SEE ALSO: Facebook veterans are changing the world of blockchain and crypto startups: Here are 15 ex-Facebook employees who went crypto

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NOW WATCH: The legendary economist who predicted the housing crisis says the US will win the trade war

More than half of transportation and logistics professionals still use a pen and paper to manage their supply chain — here's how blockchain could change that

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This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Blockchain is seemingly being explored by innovation teams in every corner of every industry. This includes the logistics industry, which, despite continuing on an impressive upward trajectory — the market is expected to reach $15.5 trillion by 2023, up from $8.1 trillion in 2015 — is filled with inefficiencies that the distributed ledger technology (DLT) is potentially well suited to fix.

BiTA

As a result, the DLT has become one of the most attractive investment opportunities for companies in the logistics space; in fact, the market for blockchain technology in supply chain management is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 49% from $41 million in 2017 to $667 million in 2024, according to Zion Market Research.

This is leading some of the largest firms in the logistics industry to explore blockchain and its potential use cases. For example, in 2017, a group of technology, transportation, and supply chain executives formed the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) to create a forum for the development of blockchain standards and education for the freight industry. BiTA now has over 450 members, including global heavyweights UPS, FedEx, SAP, Google, Cisco, and Daimler.

 However, there are still major hurdles to overcome before the technology can become commonplace. Many companies, especially small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), are still unaware of what blockchain is, how it works, or what the benefits of the technology are. 

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence explores how blockchain can provide value to the global logistics industry. We break down some of the inefficiencies in the logistics industry that are leading firms to explore blockchain and explain how the technology can be used to solve these issues. Additionally, we examine some specific use cases along the supply chain and identify some of the hurdles to adoption. And finally, we take a look at what needs to occur in the logistics industry for blockchain to be deployed widely. 

The companies mentioned in this report are: BiTA, FedEx, IBM, Maersk, Modum, SAP, Volt Technology, and Walmart.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • The logistics industry suffers from a number of inefficiencies caused by outdated processes that blockchain could solve. Some of the issues plaguing the space include a lack of transparency caused by siloed, disparate systems, high costs as a result of slow, manual processes, and difficulties related to the amount of time it takes to create and close a contract.
  • Firms that deploy blockchain-based solutions are likely to achieve a more streamlined experience through a reduced need for intermediaries, better planning capabilities as a result of improved visibility, and lower costs through the digitization of documentation.
  • Major companies are allocating resources toward developing a viable blockchain-based platform. Although few solutions have actually been fully developed, companies including IBM and Maersk, as well as retail heavyweight Walmart and FedEx, are making considerable strides in bringing their blockchain solutions to market.
  • However, use of the technology is still in its infancy within the logistics industry. Firms are still confused about the potential benefits of the technology — only 11% of respondents to an MHI Annual Industry survey believe they have a working knowledge of blockchain.
  • Having industry-specific case studies will show firms that are exploring the technology how they can go from testing to full deployment. These high-profile companies, which are some of the biggest and most influential in the world, will also be able to help shape a global standard for the use of blockchain and aid in the development of new legislation.

In full, the report:

  • Sizes the potential market for blockchain in the management of the supply chain.
  • Explains how blockchain technology can be used to improve the inefficiencies that have long plagued the logistics industry. 
  • Details how specific companies are testing blockchain technology to enhance parts of the supply chain, including freight shipments and last-mile delivery. 
  • Discusses the potential barriers that will challenge the adoption of blockchain in logistics and how these hurdles can be overcome.
  • Pinpoints what will likely need to happen next for the mass adoption of blockchain to occur.

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Here are the top 10 fastest-growing work apps of 2018 (FB)

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Zapier cofounders

With 2018 rapidly winding down, Zapier has released its annual report of the year's fastest growing workplace apps.

Zapier which rhymes with "happier"— connects apps through simple integrations that help users automate their work and be more productive. That means it gets good insight on the fastest-growing apps, just by watching which pieces of software its users are looking for. 

Placing highly on the list is Facebook, oddly enough, as well as a tool for managing chatbots — something that some in Silicon Valley had written off as a fad, but is still finding an audience.

This year's list points to some general trends in productivity tools. First of all, many of the trendiest tools allow users to customize the way they work. Many of the apps on the report allow users to customize their team's communication tools, their websites, and how they manage projects.

"They really let you customize what you're doing," Zapier CEO Wade Foster told Business Insider. "I think that's interesting as you see early adopters get more comfortable with technology … We're going to see even more of that in 2019."

Also spotted in the report are software suites that put lots of tools in one place. Finally, users are also relying on productivity tools that automate work routines, so that they get more done and can focus on tasks that only humans can do.

Here are the top 10 fastest-growing apps of 2018, according to Zapier:

10. Zoho Forms

This tool, part of the Zoho cloud suite, lets users make web forms for users and customers to fill out — for instance, an order form for a catering gig, or feedback for a conference session. 



9. Mailshake

Mailshake is used for email marketing. It allows users to customize these emails using tools like templates, bulk email, auto follow ups, and tracking for clicks and replies.



8. WPForms

This is a plugin for the WordPress content management system that lets users make their own web forms. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 5 startups disrupting healthcare using AI, digital therapeutics, health insurance, and genomics

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bii top 5 startups to watch in digital health

The healthcare industry is facing disruption due to accelerating technological innovation and growing demand for improved delivery of healthcare and lower costs. Tech startups are leading the way by seizing opportunities in the areas of the industry that are most vulnerable to disruption, including genomics, pharmaceuticals, administration, clinical operations, and insurance.

Venture funds and businesses are taking notice of these startups' potential. In the US, digital health funding reached $1.6 billion in Q1 2018, according to Rock Health — the largest first quarter on record, surpassing the $1.4 billion in venture funding seen in Q1 2016. These high-potential startups provide a glimpse into the future of the healthcare space and demonstrate how we’ll get there.

In this report, a compilation of various notes, Business Insider Intelligence will look at the top startups disrupting US healthcare in four key areas: artificial intelligence (AI), digital therapeutics, health insurance, and genomics. Startups in this report were selected based on the funding they've received over the past year, notable investors, the products they offer, and leadership in their functional area.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • Tech startups are entering the market by applying the “Silicon Valley” approach. They're targeting shortcomings and legacy systems that are no longer efficient.
  • AI is being applied across five areas of healthcare to improve clinical operation workflows, cut costs, and foster preventative medicine. These areas include administration, big data analysis, clinical decision support, remote patient monitoring, and care provision.
  • Health tech startups, insurers, and drug makers are rapidly exploring new ways to apply digital therapeutics to the broader healthcare market that replace or complement the existing treatment of a disease.
  • Health insurance startups are taking advantage of the consumerization of healthcare to threaten the status quo of legacy players. 
  • Genomics is becoming an increasingly common tool within the healthcare system as health organizations better understand how to extract the value from patients’ genetic data. 

 In full, the report:

  • Details the areas of the US health industry that show the greatest potential for disruption.
  • Forecasts the industry adoption of bleeding edge technology and how it will transform how healthcare organizations operate.
  • Unveils the top five startups in AI, digital therapeutics, health insurance, and genomics, and how they're positioned to solve big issues that key players in healthcare face. 
  • Explores what's next for the leading startups, providing a glimpse into the future of the healthcare space and demonstrating how we’ll get there.

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The 'father of the internet' says that Google employee backlash to its defense work was just 'a lot of misunderstanding' (GOOGL)

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Vint Cerf, a Google vice president and its chief internet evangelist, as seen at San Jose's Fairmont hotel on Monday, December 10, 2018, during the

  • Vint Cerf, one of the fathers of the internet, this week defended Google's work on Project Maven — its controversial pilot program with the Pentagon. 
  • Employee objections to the work, which involved developing artificial-intelligence technologies for use by the Defense Department, were based on a misunderstanding of the nature of the work, said Cerf, who is Google's chief internet evangelist.
  • But the company could have been more transparent about what it was doing, he acknowledged.

If you ask Vint Cerf, the protests at Google about its contract to help develop artificial-intelligence technologies for the military can be chalked up to a misunderstanding.

Employees that objected to the company's work for the Defense Department didn't really understand the nature of the work or its benefits, Cerf, a vice president at the search giant and its chief internet evangelist, told Business Insider this week at the "Our People-Centered Digital Future" conference in San Jose.

Although some Google employees expressed concern that the technology could be used by the military to kill people, that's not what the project was about, he said. 

"People were leaping to conclusions about the purpose of those contracts and the objectives of the contracts that I don't think were justifiable," said Cerf, chairman of the People Centered Internet coalition, which helped organize the conference. PCI is an international group dedicated to ensuring "that the Internet continues to improve people's lives and livelihoods and that the Internet is a positive force for good." 

A quiet contract led to mass protests

sundar pichai google ceo congress hearingGoogle quietly signed a contract to provide its AI technology to the military as part of the latter's Project Maven effort in September 2017. Under the contract, the company was due to help the Defense Deparment use machine-learning algorithms to analyze drone footage.

When employees learned of the effort in February, many of them were outraged. Many expressed concern that even if the technology wasn't initially developed for lethal purposes, it could eventually be used for that. More than 4,000 signed a letter demanding that the company cancel the contract and promise to never build "warfare technology." About a dozen also resigned from the company in protest over it. 

The company announced in June that it wouldn't renew the contract when it expires next year, and company CEO Sundar Pichai announced a set of principles that would guide its AI development and applications. Among other things, he said the company wouldn't "design or deploy" AI that would be used for weapons or for illegitimate surveillance.

Read this:Google just released a set of ethical principles about how it will use AI technology

Cerf said the contract was about "situational awareness"

To Cerf, though, the brouhaha was overblown. Employee concerns about the use of Google's AI technology by the military were generally unfounded, he said.

As he understands it, the purpose of the contract was to develop technology to automatically detect things that might be harmful, such as people putting in place improvised explosive devices. It wasn't designed to automatically detect and target individuals, he said.

"That particular project, as far as I know, was not to do that. It was a situational awareness application," said Cerf, who's widely considered to be one of the fathers of the internet, because he helped develop its underlying data transfer protocols. "How can I recognize what's going on around me in order to protect against [it] ... Can I automatically discover things going on in my environment that might be harmful?"

But according to Gizmodo, which broke the initial report on Google's Project Maven contract, the company had hoped the effort would lead to much more work for it with the military and with US intelligence agencies. As part of the project, it was already developing a system for the military that could be used to surveil entire cities, Gizmodo reported. 

The military does more than fight wars

More broadly, Cerf said, employees misunderstood the breadth of the military's mission and technology efforts. The Defense Department does more than just fight wars, he noted. Among other things, the military has helped develop technologies that have proven to be invaluable in the private sector, he said, noting his own work in the 1970s and 1980s developing internet technology on behalf of the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency.

"There is a lot of misunderstanding about the positive benefits of working with [and] in the public sector, the military being a part of that," he said. 

Google declined to publicize its work on Project Maven and, when it came to light, downplayed its involvement, according to published reports. The company initially told Gizmodo that its work on the project only consisted of providing the military access to the same kind of open source machine-learning tools it provides to other corporate and institutional customers of its cloud services. But the company had actually assigned more than 10 employees to the project and was actively working to customize its AI technology for the military, according to Gizmodo.

Cerf acknowledged Google may have some responsibility for the misapprehension of its employees.

"There probably was not enough transparency" regarding its Project Maven work, he said.

SEE ALSO: The best way to avoid killer robots and other dystopian uses for AI is to focus on all the good it can do for us, says tech guru Phil Libin

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RANKED: The 54 best Netflix originals this year

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elite netflix

  • INSIDER ranked Netflix originals based on critics ratings from Rotten Tomatoes. 
  • The ratings range from 12% to 100%. 
  • INSIDER included both series and season debuts for the list. 
  • "One Day at a Time,""Love," and the YA series, "Elite," ranked high on the list.

Netflix has been releasing more and more originals each year, and 2018 was no exception.

From the premiere of shows, including "Elite" and the "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," to the return of old favorites, like "BoJack Horseman" and "Jessica Jones," the streaming platform offered up shows for everyone.

Using critics ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, INSIDER ranked all the TV shows that debuted or dropped new seasons in 2018 shows on Netflix. When the critic ratings were the same, INSIDER used audience ratings to break the ties.

Here are the top Netflix shows of the year. 

54. "Insatiable" (season one)

Critics rating: 12%

Critics consensus: "Broad stereotypes, clumsy social commentary, and a failed attempt at 'wokeness' make 'Insatiable' hard to swallow."



53. "13 Reasons Why" (season two)

Critics rating: 27%

Critics consensus: "By deviating from its source material, '13 Reasons Why' can better explore its tenderly crafted characters; unfortunately, in the process, it loses track of what made the show so gripping in the first place."



52. "Arrested Development" (season four, remix)

Critics rating: 27%

Critics consensus: "They've made a huge mistake."



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In 2018 alone, new EU regulations incurred an onslaught of rules and reporting — here's how regtech can address these new requirements

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Growth Regtech Firms

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Regtech solutions seemed to offer the solution to financial institutions' (FIs) compliance woes when they first came to prominence around 24 months ago, gaining support from regulators and investors alike. 

However, many of the companies offering these solutions haven't scaled as might have been expected from the initial hype, and have failed to follow the trajectory of firms in other segments of fintech.

This unexpected inertia in the regtech industry is likely to resolve over the next 12-18 months as other factors come into play that shift FIs' approach to regtech solutions, and as the companies offering them evolve. External factors driving this change include regulatory support of regtech solutions, and consultancies offering more help to FIs wanting to sift through solutions. Startups offering regtech solutions will also play a part by partnering with each other, forming industry organizations, and taking advantage of new opportunities.

This report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, provides a brief overview of the current global financial regulatory compliance landscape, and the regtech industry's position within it. It then details the major drivers that will shift the dial on FIs' adoption of regtech over the next 12-18 months, as well as those that will propel startups offering regtech solutions to new heights. Finally, it outlines what impact these drivers will have, and gives insight into what the global regtech industry will look like by 2020.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • Regulatory compliance is still a significant issue faced by global FIs. In 2018 alone, EU regulations MiFID II and PSD2 have come into effect, bringing with them huge handbooks and gigantic reporting requirements. 
  • Regtech startups boast solutions that can ease FIs' compliance burden — but they are struggling to scale. 
  • Some changes expected to drive greater adoption of these solutions in the next 12 to 18 months are: the ongoing evolution of startups' business models, increasing numbers of partnerships, regulators' promotion of regtech, changing attitudes to the segment among FIs, and consultancies helping to facilitate adoption.
  • FIs will actively be using solutions from regtech startups by 2020, and startups will be collaborating in an organized fashion with each other and with FIs. Global regulators will have adopted regtech themselves, while continuing to act as advocates for the industry.

In full, the report:

  • Reviews the major changes expected to hit the regtech segment in the next 12 to 18 months.
  • Examines the drivers behind these changes, and how the proliferation of regtech will improve compliance for FIs.
  • Provides our view on what the future of the regtech industry looks like through 2020.

     

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50 of the best skincare gifts you can get at Sephora — from cult-favorite newcomers to beauty industry icons

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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.

Mask Frenzy_MAIN_01

Skincare, like the convenience of home tech or casual talk about the weather, is an interest that unites a remarkable amount of us. We all want bright, clear complexions — and holiday cocktails, cookies, and late nights out with friends in dry winter air typically work against us.

Luckily, there's no shortage of products — and excuses to stay in watching the Yule Log in a face mask — to help with that, whether you gift them to yourself or opt to bless friends or family with a present that is simultaneously entirely practical and totally luxurious. 

Below are 50 of the best skincare gifts you can buy on Sephora, from masks to serums to body wash. They're cult-favorites, industry gold standards, and notable newcomers. There are single products and sets that save you money. No matter what you get, rest assured they'll be excited to get home and use it. 

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

Fresh Rose Face Mask

Fresh Rose Face Mask, $62

This beloved face mask from Fresh comes with real rose petals suspended in a silky gel. Once washed off, the skin looks noticeably brighter, plumper, and better hydrated.



Tatcha Rice Polish Powder

Tatcha Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder, $65

The Polished Rice Enzyme Powder is a water-activated Japanese exfoliator that gently removes dead skin to create a smoother canvas for makeup application. You can also opt for versions that address specific skin concerns like dryness or oiliness.



Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Trans-Foam Clay Trio

Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Trans-Foam Clay Trio, $35

This trio of innovative, multi-action Trans-Foam Clay cleansers go on like a clay mask but transform into a gentle foaming cleanser.



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Johnson & Johnson tumbles after report says it knew for decades that its baby powder contained asbestos (JNJ)

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A container of Johnson's baby powder made by Johnson & Johnson.

  • Johnson & Johnson sank 8% on Friday after Reuters reported the company knew for decades that its baby powder contained asbestos.
  • Reuters reviewed documents from at least 1971 to the early 2000s that it said showed powders sometimes tested positively for small traces of asbestos.
  • Watch Johnson & Johnson trade live.

Johnson & Johnson shares sank 8% Friday after Reuters reported that the pharmaceutical giant knew for decades that its baby powder contained asbestos.

Reuters reviewed documents, deposition, and trial testimony from at least 1971 to the early 2000s that it said showed powders and raw talc sometimes tested positively for small traces of asbestos.

Furthermore, "company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors, and lawyers fretted over the problem and how to address it while failing to disclose it to regulators or the public," the Reuters reporter Lisa Girion wrote.

Johnson & Johnson issued a statement on Friday  in response to the report, calling the article false and saying that its baby powder is "safe and asbestos-free."

This is not the first time the company, which also manufactures medical devices, has come under fire for issues related to its baby powder.

In July, a St. Louis jury awarded $4.69 billion to 22 women who said its talcum baby powder gave them ovarian cancer. At the time it was the sixth-largest product-defect award in US history.

Johnson & Johnson was down a little over 2% this year.

Johnson & Johnson shares.

Now read:

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People have been sharing a too-good-to-be-true Lululemon ambassador Instagram post and it's actually a scam

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Lululemon

  • People on Instagram have been sharing an ambassador recruitment post from what they believed to be a Lululemon account this week.
  • The page from @lulurecruitment said chosen ambassadors would receive free clothing from the brand. 
  • But Lululemon has said that the page is a scam and the company is not affiliated with it. 

Lululemon warned its customers this week that an ambassador recruiting post on Instagram was a scam.

People on social media circulated a story from an Instagram account called @lulurecruitment this week, which said it would choose 150 people to become ambassadors for its brand.

"We're looking for 150 ambassadors for our upcoming clothing season," the Instagram story said. "You will receive free shipments of Lululemon clothing and accessories monthly."

The post said to enter for a chance to be an ambassador, people had to have a minimum of 150 followers, follow @lulurecruitment, and repost its instagram story and tag the page before December 31.

Chosen ambassadors, the post said, would receive free Lululemon clothing and monthly gift cards and discounts.

Read more:12 of the biggest money scandals and scams of 2018

When people asked Lululemon about the post on Twitter, however, the company said they were not doing any ambassador recruiting through the Instagram posts.

"Thanks for double-checking with us about the recruitment accounts and posts you're seeing — these are not legitimate or associated with us, and we currently have our brand team on this," the company said in one Twitter post.

When responding to another person on Twitter, Lululemon said that any real Lululemon Instagram account has a verified blue check on its page.

The company also suggested that people check its website to learn how to actually become a brand ambassador.

The page @lulurecruitment, which posted the fake recruiting story, has been removed from Instagram.

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