• Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has written a column for the Wall Street Journal defending his company.
• The op-ed piece's location is arguably the most interesting thing about it.
• It indicates Facebook wants to reassure the newspaper's influential audience — including investors and politicians — that the company still serves an important purpose.
• Otherwise, there's little new in the column: It debunks some misconceptions around how Facebook's business works, and lays out how it helps small businesses.

Mark Zuckerberg has taken the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal to defend Facebook's business practices.

In a column published Thursday, the 34-year-old billionaire technology executive laid out what he says are the "facts about Facebook," explaining "the principles of how we operate" and the alleged "clear benefits" of Facebook's ad-supported, data-hungry business model for users and businesses.

The op-ed piece comes after months of intense scrutiny over how Facebook uses (and misuses) users' data, amid other scandals, and shows how Facebook is attempting to bolster support from investors and the general public.

Zuckerberg's choice of the Wall Street Journal marks a departure from his standard practice of speaking to users directly through his personal Facebook page (as he's done to address issues from planned content moderation reforms to leaked emails about data policies), and reflects the pressure on the company as it comes under intense regulatory scrutiny.

The WSJ is a premium, business-focused newspaper with an influential audience that includes institutional investors and politicians. It's hardly the most effective medium for getting out a message to the general public — it's behind an expensive paywall, while Zuckerberg owns a social network with almost 2.3 billion monthly active users — and as such, the column indicates Facebook's communications team is trying to get a positive, undiluted case for Facebook in front of important eyeballs.

Asked for comment, Facebook spokesperson Elisabeth Diana said there was "no real rationale – WSJ is read in several countries." Zuckerberg reposted the WSJ colum on his personal Facebook page. 

"I believe everyone should have a voice and be able to connect. If we’re committed to serving everyone, then we need a service that is affordable to everyone. The best way to do that is to offer services for free, which ads enable us to do," Zuckerberg wrote.

Zuckerberg says he wants to correct some misunderstandings

The column dismisses what Zuckerberg says are number of misunderstandings about how Facebook operates. "We don’t sell people’s data, even though it’s often reported that we do," he wrote. Facebook also doesn't deliberately share clickbait ("it's not what people want") or deliberately leave harmful content up to drive up engagement ("advertisers don't want their brands anywhere near it"), the chief exec wrote.

It's also a little coy about the scale of user data that Facebook collects — acknowledging only that the company collects "some information for ads."

"Finally, there’s the important question of whether the advertising model encourages companies like ours to use and store more information than we otherwise would," Zuckerberg wrote.

"There’s no question that we collect some information for ads—but that information is generally important for security and operating our services as well. For example, companies often put code in their apps and websites so when a person checks out an item, they later send a reminder to complete the purchase. But this type of signal can also be important for detecting fraud or fake accounts."

There's little new in the CEO's column — Facebook has cautiously embraced the idea some regulation (provided it's in its interests) for months, and Zuckerberg's declarations that Facebook doesn't sell user data are a regular refrain for anyone who followed his congressional testimonies in 2018.

But coming after months of bruising headlines about the Cambridge Analytica scandal and broader data privacy concerns, and a languishing stock price, it suggests Facebook is eager to reassure America's decision makers that the fundamental utility of Facebook remains strong.

"It’s important to get this right, because there are clear benefits to this business model," Zuckerberg writes in a section extolling the virtues of his social network. "Billions of people get a free service to stay connected to those they care about and to express themselves. And small businesses—which create most of the jobs and economic growth around the world—get access to tools that help them thrive. There are more than 90 million small businesses on Facebook, and they make up a large part of our business. Most couldn’t afford to buy TV ads or billboards, but now they have access to tools that only big companies could use before. In a global survey, half the businesses on Facebook say they’ve hired more people since they joined. They’re using our services to create millions of jobs."

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SEE ALSO: As many as 11,543 Microsoft employees got swept up in a reply-all e-mail apocalypse

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NOW WATCH: Apple forever changed the biggest tech event of the year by not showing up

• Insider, Inc. CEO Henry Blodget hosted a panel at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos titled "Learning Today for Tomorrow's Jobs."
• The panel comprised executives, labor leaders, and a renowned academic, who debated the extent of involvement for the public and private sectors in assisting workers through what WEF calls the "Fourth Industrial Revolution."
• The panel found that the transformation of industries should inspire action, but not hopelessness.
• All panel members agreed that now is the time to develop job education programs for existing employees and to further embrace alternatives to four-year university education.
• This article is part of Business Insider's ongoing series on Better Capitalism.

The developed world is undergoing a period of rapid transformation yet again, and this means that workers, governments, and corporations are going to have to adapt so that they're not left behind.

World Economic Forum (WEF) founder Klaus Schwab thinks the scale and speed at which changes like artificial intelligence-powered automation are taking place warrants the label of the "Fourth Industrial Revolution."

While it's easy for an elite class to be hopeful around changes that will likely make their businesses more efficient and productive, it's upsetting for the average worker to constantly hear that robots will be replacing millions of jobs.

Some of this fear is based on how much is unknown: There are plenty of estimates tossed around, but the bottom line is no one knows for certain which jobs will be obsolete in 10 years, and which new ones will emerge.

After surveying 33,000 people around the world for its latest annual trust survey, the global communications firm Edelman found that 59% of employees worry about not having the training and skills necessary for a well-paying job and 55% worry automation and other tech will make their job obsolete.

In the hopes of finding some solutions to alleviate these fears, Henry Blodget, the cofounder and CEO of Business Insider's parent company Insider, Inc., had a discussion with top labor leaders, executives, and a renowned academic at WEF's annual conference in Davos, Switzerland.

Blodget's panel, "Learning Today for Tomorrow's Jobs" included:

• Adam Grant, bestselling author and professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
• Christy Hoffman, general secretary of the Switzerland-based global union federation UNI Global Union
• Julie Gebauer, head of human capital and benefits at the United Kingdom-based insurance brokerage and consulting firm Willis Towers Watson
• Bill Thomas, global chairman of the Netherlands-based professional services company KPMG
• Guy Ryder, director-general of the United Nations agency the International Labour Organization (ILO)

They debated the means of implementation and the extent of responsibilities of the public and private sectors, as well as the workers themselves, but all panel members agreed that to thrive in this global shift, job training must be a lifetime commitment, and that the responsibility should not be solely placed on the worker.

It's a time for action, the panel agreed, not giving up."We've seen shifts like this before; we've gotten through them," Blodget said.

We've collected highlights from the discussion, to find out how to get through this current shift.

SEE ALSO: IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said companies have to change the way they hire, or the skills gap will become a crisis

Wharton professor Adam Grant said we should be 'worried but not panicked,' and our response should be taking internal training more seriously.

Grant said history is repeating itself, in terms of how jobs will be replaced and new ones created. For him, a hypothetical world where everyone gets a college degree before entering the workforce would not lead to a solution. While he recognizes the value of a thorough education as a foundation for particular careers — and he is not saying we replace it for everyone — the current shift requires a new focus on skills.

He said a discussion with eyeglasses company Warby Parker showed him how to do it well. When the chief technology officer had a difficult time attracting a software engineer due to a crowded job market with big tech companies, his assistant said she could figure out a solution to a coding challenge he was facing. He then decided they would train his assistant to fill that engineer role. Grant said the CTO has done another internal retraining since then, due to the success of the first one.

"If I were running a company, the first thing I would do is I'd make a list of all the skills that I can't fill from the outside," Grant said. "I'd create a set of job descriptions, and then some training programs internally. And I'd let my own employees sign up to teach them as well as to take them, so that I don't have to move linearly through one ladder but I can actually rotate."

UNI Global Union general secretary Christy Hoffman said we need tripartite solutions involving unions, business, and governments.

Hoffman's organization represents 20 million workers in the service industry, and she said that while some corporations have recognized the need for internal retraining, there are simply some employees who are not on paths that will get them necessary training and will therefore be left behind.

"There will be people who are displaced," she said, and so solutions determined through the cooperation of unions with policymakers and employers "make sure that as people navigate the change, there is support for appropriate reskilling."

She acknowledged the weak state of unions in the US, but asserted that collective bargaining needs to play a strong role in negotiating the terms of what employees need to be trained in, and how they will be trained.

ILO director-general Guy Ryder said there needs to be 'an entitlement to lifelong learning.'

In a new report, the ILO calls for "recognition of a universal entitlement to lifelong learning and the establishment of an effective lifelong learning system"— that is, nations should recognize that the way the workforce is evolving in the developed world, learning cannot end after high school or college.

It's time, Ryder said, to focus on what works rather than getting lost in statistical estimates about lost jobs, or behaving as if there will be no work left in the near future.

For him, that means, among other things, nations and corporations seriously considering new apprenticeship programs, which can be modeled on successful ones like those in Switzerland and Germany, which on average yield returns on investment.

In Switzerland, for example, a teenager can enroll in three- or four-year apprenticeships while simultaneously completing their schooling, and end up with a nationally recognized, portable certification and a job from their sponsor. For this to work in another country, the framework has to be established by the government, and companies must agree to regulations and standards.

It works," he said. "And it works very, very well."

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.

Not that long ago, many home-appliance and consumer-electronics makers were gearing up for what they thought would soon be a rapidly growing market for smart home devices.

The instant popularity of the Nest thermostat, introduced in 2011, seemed to confirm their hopes. But those expectations were dashed in the coming years as the market for connected home devices later stagnated. 

Even with these challenges, many of the biggest consumer technology companies are now moving into the smart home market. For example, Apple, which recently released its self-installed smart home ecosystem, called the Apple Home, traditionally doesn't move into a market until it's very mature and only when it can release a perfected product. Further, Google this fall launched the Google Home and its companion ecosystem, hoping to jump into the voice-activated smart home speaker market, which Amazon currently dominates with its Echo product line. 

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the demographics of the average smart home device owner and discuss why current smart home device owners are appealing to tech companies. The report also examines the plans of various tech giants in the smart home market and discuss their monetization strategies, and makes suggestions for how these companies can position themselves to make their products and devices more appealing to the mass market.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Tech companies primarily enter the market to enhance a core revenue stream or service, while device makers desire to collect data to improve their products and prevent costly recalls.
• We forecast there will be $4.8 trillion in aggregate IoT investment between 2016 and 2021.
• These companies are also seeking to create an early-mover advantage for themselves, where they gain an advantage by this head start on adoption.
• Major barriers to mass market adoption that still must overcome include technological fragmentation and persistently high device prices.

In full, the report:

• Details the market strategy of prominent tech companies and device makers, and analyzes why which ones are best poised to succeed once adoption ticks up.
• Offers insight into current ownership through an exclusive survey from Business Insider Intelligence and analyzes what demographics will drive adoption moving forward.
• Explains in detail which companies are poised to succeed in the market in the coming years as adoption increases and mass market consumers begin to purchase smart home devices.

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NOW WATCH: We compared Apple's $159 AirPods to Xiaomi's $30 AirDots and the winner was clear

• In the early days of the company, Palantir struggled with selling to investors and nearly went out of business several times, Palantir CEO Alex Karp said.
• Palantir had to pull the plug on its early products — a challenge because it was already limited on funding.
• Fast forward to today, and Palantir is looking at IPOing at a $41 billion valuation as soon as this year. 

Palantir is reportedly planning to go public at a valuation of $41 billion as early as this year. But just 15 years ago, when the company had just launched, it almost went out of business several times.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp says that at the time, he didn't understand the world of Silicon Valley venture capitalists. He thought the best strategy was brutal honesty — including an objective assessment of what was wrong, and what could go wrong, with what Palantir was trying to do. He wishes now that he had a more confident sales pitch, he says.

"You're not supposed to go exactly explain what you're doing, what’s wrong with it," Karp said in a podcast interview this week with Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Business Insider parent company Axel Springer."You're supposed to be a complete a--hole and that's how you get funding. We just thought this is going to be the biggest thing, it's going to change the world for the better."

When Karp pitched to Silicon Valley investors, they took a pass. Without the funding, Palantir was constantly running out of money, Karp said. So instead of spending their resources on creating a product, Palantir switched gears and tried to pivot into the data security business. 

Still, investors didn't buy into that, either, Karp says — they thought Palantir was taking a detour because employees didn't think the product would actually work. He couldn't even go to investors outside of Silicon Valley, he says, because those investors would just wonder why he couldn't raise money closer to home. 

"We could not for the life of us get any VC in Palo Alto to invest and there was also a huge problem because if you go to other investors but no one in Palo Alto will invest, how can this be at all real?" Karp said.

So then, Palantir invested its time and limited amounts of cash into a commercial product called Metropolis. The result? Failure again, Karp said. The team pulled the plug on Metropolis, and it wasn't until years later when Palantir was able to create a product that made a profit.

Since then, Palantir has worked with the government agencies around the world and even played a part in investigating terrorist attacks. Now that Karp has found success in Palantir, he reflects that having money means he doesn't need to make difficult choices.

Read more: The CEO of the secretive big-data startup Palantir, which is looking to IPO this year, says he finds out about a stopped terrorist attack once a week

"The main element of freedom is when I was a poor student in Germany I had to decide what I was going to eat during the day and now I don't have to think about that — having enough money so you don't have to decide, can you go out for pizza or Chinese food," Karp said.

What's more, it gives him more flexibility to be creative, he says. Back in Palantir's early days, the team had to be innovative to keep up with investors' expectations, but Karp calls this a "forced creativity."

"If you just look at the Palantir story, sure it looks like a success story from the beginning but in fact no one believed that data was viable," Karp said. "People didn't believe we should work for the government...no one believed the product would work."

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NOW WATCH: Saturn is officially losing its rings — and they're disappearing much faster than scientists had anticipated

• A bipartisan group of lawmakers threw cold water on President Donald Trump's suggestion of a "prorated down payment" for his proposed barrier on the US-Mexico border.
• "I don't know if he knows what he's talking about," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said to reporters on Thursday. "Do you?"
• Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also appeared doubtful, saying "I don't know what that means."

The US government is lumbering into its sixth week in shutdown mode as President Donald Trump and congressional lawmakers look to cobble together an agreement that sends furloughed federal employees back to work and addresses Trump's desire for US taxpayer money to fund a US-Mexico border wall.

There appeared to be some movement on the issue Thursday after Trump pitched a new idea: a "prorated down payment" for the wall.

Some Republican and Democratic leaders were uninterested.

"I don't know if he knows what he's talking about, do you?," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said to reporters on Thursday.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was equally puzzled by Trump's down payment request: "I don't know what that means," she said.

The suggestion of a down payment comes as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dug further into negotiations on Thursday. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders indicated that in exchange for a "large down payment on the wall," Trump was willing to support a congressional plan to fund federal agencies for three weeks.

The potential down payment is supported by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's outspoken supporters, who suggested it was the only viable plan to break the stalemate.

"The way forward is clear to me: a three-week continuing resolution that includes a down payment on wall/barrier funding and priorities of Democrats for disaster relief, showing good faith from both sides," Graham said in a statement. "I strongly urge my Democratic colleagues to work with the White House on a three-week CR that includes a down payment on wall/barrier funding consistent with [Department of Homeland Security] priorities."

But Democrats balked at the suggestion, including Pelosi, who told reporters it was "not a reasonable agreement."

Democrats were also quick to point out that a Trump-supported funding bill, which included money for his barrier, received fewer votes than a separate Democrat-sponsored bill that included no funding for a wall at all.

Both bills fell short of the required 60 Senate votes to pass on Thursday. The Senate mostly voted along party lines, with the Trump-backed bill at 50-47, and the Democrats' bill at 52-44. Six Republican lawmakers broke ranks with their party, including Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Susan Collins of Maine, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah.

"Six strong Republicans stood up for the American people and I was very proud of that," Pelosi said. "We got a bigger vote than the President's vote."

The government shutdown has affected around 800,000 federal employees and contractors, and is the longest shutdown in US history. The US Coast Guard, which operates under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security, was reportedly not able to pay around 42,000 active-duty service members last week.

As Congress searches for a path forward, the White House was reportedly preparing a draft of a national-emergency declaration that would seek to divert $7 billion from other government agencies to fund a wall. That move, if Trump follows through with it, is expected to face challenges in court.

SEE ALSO: 'We are so ashamed of you': Former Coast Guard chief compares Congress to children in scorching rebuke

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

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.

Between housing costs, utilities, taxes, insurance, loans, and more, US adults paid an estimated $3.9 trillion in bills last year.

That market is growing slowly, but it’s changing fast — more than ever before, customers are moving away from paying bills via check or cash and toward paying online, either through their banks, the billers themselves, or using a third-party app.

Thanks to rising customer familiarity with digital payments, an increase in purchasing power among younger consumers more interested in digital bill pay, and a rise in digital payment options, nearly three-quarters of bills will be paid digitally by 2022, representing a big opportunity for players across the space.

In theory, banks should be in a great position to capitalize on this shift. Nearly all banks offer bill payment functionality, and it’s a popular feature. Issuers also boast an existing engaged digital user base, and make these payments secure. But that isn’t what’s happening — even as digital bill pay becomes more commonplace, banks are losing ground to billers and third-party players. And that’s not poised to change unless banks do, since issuer bill pay is least popular among the youngest customers, who will be the most important in the coming year.

For banks, then, that makes innovation important. Taking steps to grow bill pay’s share can be a tough sell for digital strategists and executives leading money movement at banks, and done wrong, it can be costly, since it often requires robust technological investments. But, if banks do it right, bill pay marks a strong opportunity to add and engage customers, and in turn, grow overall lifetime value while shrinking attrition.

Business Insider Intelligence has put together a detailed report that explains the US bill pay market, identifies the major inflection points for change and what’s driving it, and provides concrete strategies and recommendations for banks looking to improve their digital bill pay offerings.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• The bill pay market in the US, worth $3.9 trillion, is growing slowly. But digital bill payment volume is rising at a rapid clip — half of all bills are now digital, and that share will likely expand to over 75% by 2022. 
• Customers find it easiest to pay their bills at their billers directly, either through one-off or recurring payments. Bank-based offerings are commonplace, but barebones, which means they fail to appeal to key demographics.
• Issuers should work to reclaim bill payment share, since bill pay is an effective engagement tool that can increase customer stickiness, grow lifetime status, and boost primary bank status.  
• Banks need to make their offerings as secure and convenient as biller direct, market bill pay across channels, and build bill pay into digital money management functionality.

In full, the report:

• Sizes the US bill pay market, and estimates where it’s poised to go next.
• Evaluates the impact that digital will have on bill pay in the US and who is poised to capitalize on that shift.
• Identifies three key areas in which issuers can improve their bill pay offerings to gain share and explains why issuers are losing ground in these categories.
• Issues recommendations and defines concrete steps that banks can take as a means of gaining share back and reaping the benefits of digital bill pay engagement.

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Tech-driven disruption in the insurance industry continues at pace, and we're now entering a new phase — the adaptation of underlying business models. 

That's leading to ongoing changes in the distribution segment of the industry, but more excitingly, we are starting to see movement in the fundamentals of insurance — policy creation, underwriting, and claims management. 

This report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, will briefly review major changes in the insurtech segment over the past year. It will then examine how startups and legacy players across the insurance value chain are using technology to develop new business models that cut costs or boost revenue, and, in some cases, both. Additionally, we will provide our take on the future of insurance as insurtech continues to proliferate. 

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Funding is flowing into startups and helping them scale, while legacy players have moved beyond initial experiments and are starting to implement new technology throughout their businesses. 
• Distribution, the area of the insurance value chain that was first to be disrupted, continues to evolve. 
• The fundamentals of insurance — policy creation, underwriting, and claims management — are starting to experience true disruption, while innovation in reinsurance has also continued at pace.
• Insurtechs are using new business models that are enabled by a variety of technologies. In particular, they're using automation, data analytics, connected devices, and machine learning to build holistic policies for consumers that can be switched on and off on-demand.
• Legacy insurers, as opposed to brokers, now have the most to lose — but those that move swiftly still have time to ensure they stay in the game.

 In full, the report:

• Reviews major changes in the insurtech segment over the past year.
• Examines how startups and legacy players across distribution, insurance, and reinsurance are using technology to develop new business models.
• Provides our view on what the future of the insurance industry looks like, which Business Insider Intelligence calls Insurtech 2.0.

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• The Koch political network declined to back President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, and according to The Washington Post, plans to stay away from Trump again in 2020.
• The conservative-leaning collective, started by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, is comprised of advocacy groups and roughly 500 moneyed donors, according to TIME.
• While the Koch network doesn't always align with Trump, especially on trade and immigration, it did back his 2017 tax plan and the criminal-justice reform bill that passed in 2018.
• However, the Koch-backed group, Americans for Prosperity will be spending during the 2020 election, supporting senators, House members, and policies as it sees fit.

The Koch political network declined to back President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, and according to The Washington Post, the influential political apparatus plans to stay away from Trump again in 2020.

Started by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, and now led by Charles (David stepped away due to health concerns), the network is comprised of advocacy groups and hundreds of moneyed donors, according to TIME. And it has a history of funding conservative-leaning causes and candidates. The network is also known for being a comprehensive political machine — with its own voter data, field operation, and ability to mobilize voters.

According to The Post, the network told donors that it would not be supporting Trump, to the chagrin of some donors.

The decision to avoid supporting Trump in the 2020 presidential race could be due to several factors. In terms of policy, the Koch network doesn't always align with Trump, especially his stance on trade and immigration. The collective did back the Trump administration's 2017 tax plan and the criminal-justice reform bill that passed in 2018.

The network is also allegedly trying to take a less partisan approach.

Some of the network's core policy goals include addressing "income inequality, education initiatives, an overhaul of the criminal-justice system and a permanent solution for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, known as 'dreamers,'" The Post reports.

However, just because the network isn't backing Trump's reelection campaign, it doesn't mean it will be ignoring 2020 altogether. A spokesman for Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-funded group, told The Post it will "support policy champions in Senate, House and state races, build broad-based policy coalitions, and to launch a major new initiative to fight poverty in America."

SEE ALSO: Democrats want to avoid a repeat of Republicans' 2016 debate chaos and will split up their 2020 debates by 'random selection'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

• A new study found a link between Alzheimer's disease and Porphyromonas gingivalis, a type of bacteria that's associated with gum disease, CBS News reported. 
• Some scientists have said more research is needed to understand this new finding. 
• But two dentists told INSIDER there are other reasons that gum disease can be bad for your health. 
• Half of Americans over age 30 have some type of gum disease that, when left unchecked, can cause tooth loss.
• Gum disease has also been linked with other conditions like heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. 

New research suggests that a type of bacteria involved in gum disease could play a role in the development of Alzheimer's.

The study, sponsored by privately held pharmaceutical company Cortexyme, Inc, was published in the journal Science Advances, CBS News reported Thursday. 

The researchers looked at brains of deceased people with Alzheimer's disease and found evidence of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), a type of bacteria that's associated with gum disease. They also found evidence of gingipains, toxic enzymes produced by the bacteria, in brain samples of people with Alzheimer's, Science Magazine reported. 

They also conducted an experiment on mice, infecting their gums with Pg. Later, they detected the bacteria and higher than normal levels of amyloid beta (a protein associated with Alzheimer's) in the mouse brains. In further mouse experiments, the researchers tested a drug designed to bind to gingipains. The drug helped reduce the amount of Pg bacteria and block the production of amyloid beta in the animals' brains. 

"The findings of this study offer evidence that Porphyromonas gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis [Alzheimer's disease], providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment," the authors wrote. 

Experts who weren't involved with the new study have interpreted the findings with caution, calling for more research. Still, two dentists told INSIDER that there are plenty of other ways that gum disease can negatively affect health. 

Other experts have weighed in on the new findings

Some earlier studies do support the idea of a link between oral health and Alzheimer's. CBS News cited two specific studies in its report. One from 2017 found that people who had gum disease for 10 years had a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. A small study from 2016 in people with mild to moderate dementia found an association between gum disease and higher rates of cognitive decline. 

But, in response to the new study, some scientists have said there's still not enough evidence to say that microbes like Pg definitively cause Alzheimer's. 

"The idea that bacteria and viruses may play a part in brain disease like Alzheimer's is not necessarily new," Dr. Rebecca Edelmayer, director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer's Association, told CBS News. "But what this paper suggests is really an association and not causation ... More research is needed to really identify a causative role for microbes."

"I'm fully on board with the idea that this microbe could be a contributing factor. I'm much less convinced that [it] causes Alzheimer’s disease," neurobiologist Dr. Robert Moir, or Massachusetts General Hospital, told Science Magazine. 

And Dr. James Pickett, head of research at the UK Alzheimer's Society, told CNN that, even though the new study suggests Pg infection could damage brain cells, "there isn't yet clear evidence that it can cause this damage in people or result in Alzheimer's."

Edelmayer also told CBS News that it's too early to say whether good oral care could help prevent Alzheimer's disease. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scientists still don't fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease. Right now, the best-known risk factor for the illness is age. 

There are other reasons to keep your gums disease-free

New research aside, dentists have long known that gum disease can wreak havoc on the mouth. It's also very common: Almost half of all US adults over age 30 have some type of gum disease, according to the CDC.

"Honestly, with teeth, everyone thinks the number one problem is cavities, but it's actually gum disease," dentist Dr. Nammy Patel, owner of Green Dentistry in San Francisco, told INSIDER.

Gum disease is an infection affecting the tissue that holds your teeth in the right place. Typically, it's caused by poor oral hygiene, which allows plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, to build up on the teeth. In advanced stages of gum disease, plaque spreads below the gum line, prompting an inflammatory response in which the tissues and bone that support teeth are broken down, according to the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). The gums can start to pull away from the teeth, creating open pockets that then become infected. Eventually, it can lead to tooth loss. 

Though early gum disease often has no symptoms, the AAP notes that signs can include red, swollen, tender, or bleeding gums; gums receding or pulling away from the teeth; persistent bad breath; pus between gums and teeth, and mouth sores.

Read more: A dentist explains how to prevent cavities

In some research, gum disease has even been associated with systemic health issues.

"There have been studies going back years and years linking gum disease to a wide variety of problems, like heart disease, premature low birth weight babies, and rheumatoid arthritis," dentist Dr. Harold Katz, founder of the California Breath Clinics, told INSIDER. 

There are other potentially concerning links, too. A study published last October found an association between gum disease and higher blood pressure; another from last January reported a link between gum disease and elevated cancer risk. 

You can prevent gum disease with good at-home care

To prevent gum disease, you should make sure you're brushing your teeth a minimum of twice per day, Patel said. 

Flossing once a day is also part of the "regular homework" for keeping gums healthy, Katz said, but if you don't like flossing and struggle to do it regularly, Patel suggested trying a water flosser instead. 

"It squirts water in between the teeth," she said. "That's pretty fantastic to use as well."

The CDC also recommends getting a dental checkup at least once yearly, or more often if you have certain gum disease risk factors (like smoking, a family history, diabetes, taking medications that cause dry mouth, pregnancy, and more).

At a checkup, dentists can use a combination of visual examination, x-rays, and an instrument called a probe to check for signs of gum disease, Patel explained. 

Above all, both dentists stressed the importance of paying attention to oral health. 

"The biggest thing I can say is, make sure to take care of your mouth," Patel said. "The new trend really needs to be how important mouth health is for the entire body."

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NOW WATCH: A vaguely disturbing animation shows what happens when a dentist takes out your wisdom teeth

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The gig economy is becoming a core element of the labor market, pushed to the fore by platforms like Uber and Airbnb. Gig economy workers are freelancers, such as journalists who don’t work for one publication directly, freelance developers, drivers on platforms like Uber and Grab, and consumers who rent out their apartments via Airbnb or other home-sharing sites.

Gig economy workers are not employed by these platforms, and therefore typically don't receive conventional employee perks, such as insurance or retirement options. This has created a lucrative opportunity to provide tailored insurance policies for the gig economy. 

A number of insurtech startups — including UK-based Dinghy, which focuses on liability insurance, and US-based Slice, which provides on-demand insurance for a range of areas — have moved to capitalize on this new segment of the labor market. These companies have been busy finding new ways to personalize insurance products by incorporating emerging technologies, including AI and chatbots, to target the gig economy.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines how insurtechs have begun addressing the gig economy, the kinds of policies they are offering, and how incumbents can tap the market themselves. We have opted to focus on three areas of insurance particularly relevant to the gig economy: vehicle insurance, home insurance, and equipment and liability insurance.

While every consumer needs health insurance, there are already a number of insurtechs and incumbent insurers that offer policies for individuals. However, when it comes to insuring work equipment or other utilities for freelancers, it's much more difficult to find suitable coverage. As such, this is the gap in the market where we see the most opportunity to deploy new products.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Dinghy, Grab, Progressive, Slice, Uber, Urban Jungle, and Zego.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• By 2027, the majority of the US workforce will work as freelancers, per Upwork and Freelancer Union, though not all of these workers will take part in the gig economy full time.
• By personalizing policies for gig economy workers, insurtechs have been able to tap this opportunity early. 
• A number of other insurtechs, including Slice and UK-based Zego, offer temporary vehicle insurance, which users can switch on and off, depending on when they are working.
• Slice has also developed a new insurance model that combines traditional home insurance with business coverage for temporary use.
• Other freelancers like photojournalists need insurance for their camera, for example, a coverage area that Dinghy has tackled.
• Incumbent insurers have a huge opportunity to leverage their reach and well-known brands to pull in the gig economy and secure a share of this growing segment — and partnering with startups might be the best approach.

 In full, the report:

• Details what the gig economy landscape looks like in different markets.
• Explains how different insurtechs are tackling the gig economy with new personalized policies.
• Highlights possible pain points for incumbents when trying to enter this market.
• Discusses how incumbents can get a piece of the pie by partnering with startups.

SEE ALSO: These were the biggest developments in the global fintech ecosystem over the last 12 months

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• Roger Stone, a former campaign adviser for Donald Trump, was indicted and arrested on Friday.
• The indictment said that in a reference to the movie "Godfather II" Stone told an associate identified as "Person 2" that they "should do a 'Frank Pentangeli'" before the House Intelligence Committee "in order to avoid contradicting Stone's testimony."
• "Person 2" is believed to be Randy Credico, a radio personality.
• Stone also allegedly threatened to kidnap Credico's dog, Bianca.
• The dog, a Coton de Tulear, is very cute.

Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Donald Trump and informal campaign official, was arrested on Friday — but not before allegedly threatening to kidnap a witness's therapy dog.

A 24-page indictment compiled by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian election interference, centered around Russia's hack into the Democratic National Committee emails and Stone's connection to WikiLeaks.

The indictment also included conversations between Stone and an associate, identified as "Person 2." In the conversations, Stone suggested the unidentified person — now believed to be radio host Randy Credico— "should do a 'Frank Pentangeli'" and threatened to kidnap their dog.

To "do a 'Frank Pentangeli'" is an apparent reference to "The Godfather: Part II." In the movie, Pentangeli is called to testify about a mafia boss before the Senate, but he is intimidated out of doing so.

"Frank Pentangeli is a character in the film 'The Godfather: Part II,' which both Stone and Person 2 had discussed, who testifies before a congressional committee and in that testimony claims not to know critical information that he does, in fact, know," the filing said.

Read more: Here are all the known messages between Trump ally Roger Stone and his intermediaries with WikiLeaks, according to Mueller's indictment

In April 2018, communication between the two escalated. "You are a rat. A stoolie. You backstab your friends — run your mouth. My lawyers are dying," Stone wrote to them, according to the indictment. "Rip you to shreds." 

According to the indictment, Stone continued, saying he would "take that dog away from you," which the indictment notes was "referring to Person 2's dog."

"I am so ready," Stone said. "Let's get it on. Prepare to die [expletive]."

Credico has a dog named Bianca, a Coton de Tulear.

For reference, this is Bianca. 

Stone was arrested on one count of obstruction, five counts of making false statements, and one count of witness tampering, according to a Justice Department filing. He was later released on $250,00 bail.

SEE ALSO: Video shows the moment Roger Stone was arrested in pre-dawn FBI raid after Mueller indictment

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NOW WATCH: Michael D'Antonio reveals Donald Trump's 'strange' morning ritual that boosts his ego

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• Comfort is our most important consideration when choosing what to wear for a long flight or bus ride. 
• We've developed unique "travel uniforms" of comfortable clothes, underwear, and shoes that we always wear when we travel. 
• These 7 outfits feature soft, stretchy, and breathable fabrics to get us through our trips. Having a pre-planned, reliable outfit in mind also means we have one less thing to worry about as we prepare for our travels. 

Whenever I see someone well-dressed at the airport, I'm impressed. More power to them (though dressing your best may not actually snag a free upgrade), but I'm just here to get through my flight and to my final destination in the most comfortable way possible. 

I traveled more than ever last year, and I found myself developing a "travel uniform," a very specific combination of clothes and shoes that have proven to be comfortable through long plane and bus rides. Now, every time I prepare for a trip, I automatically default to this outfit so I don't have to stress over my flight survival strategy. 

Many members of the Insider Picks adopt similar uniforms when traveling. If you ever run into us at the airport or bus station, this is what we're most likely to be wearing.

Unsurprisingly, T-shirts, leggings, and sweats make the cut. Stretchy, roomy jeans are also the subject of a few love letters, and we can't underscore the importance of comfortable underwear enough. 

These 7 travel uniforms may look different, but they're all incredibly comfortable. 

Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter

1. Aviator Nation Bolt Sweatpants, $128: These are really comfortable and make it feel like you’re traveling in your pajamas, but somehow look much more put together. They might seem unnecessarily pricey for a pair of sweatpants, but they have serious longevity — the graphic stays bright and the fabric gets softer with each wash rather than fading or pilling like many other brands.

Buy it here: Bandier | Nordstrom

2. Madewell Whisper Cotton V-Neck Tee, $19.50: Comfort is the most important thing to me when picking out my travel outfit. This tee is lightweight, a little slouchy, and really comfortable. It’s my favorite T-shirt all around, so I usually bring one with me on trips, too.

Buy it here: Madewell | Nordstrom | Shopbop

3. Adidas Superstar Shoes, $80: When traveling, I like to wear shoes on the plane that I’ll also wear during my trip. These Adidas sneakers usually make the cut. They’re comfy enough for long walks exploring new cities, look nice with pretty much any outfit, and are easy to slip on and off in the security line, making them a no-brainer for me. 

Buy it here: Adidas | Nordstrom | Macy's

Brandt Ranj, Insider Picks associate editor

1. Mott & Bow Wooster Jeans, $118: Mott & Bow’s Wooster Jeans are hands-down the most comfortable pair I’ve ever worn, and a travel must-have. Their custom stretch technology gives the jeans enough give that I can sit for hours at a time without feeling constricted.

Buy it here: Mott & Bow

2. Cole Haan GrandPrø Stitchlite Running Sneakers, $140: I know, a running sneaker for air travel? Trust me. The same custom cushioning that makes them a great running shoe works wonders when you’re walking around airports.

Buy it here: Cole Haan | Amazon

3. MeUndies Underwear, $24: MeUndies are my go-to underwear all the time, but they’re especially useful when I travel. The material feels soft on my skin, the elastic band never feels too tight, and they breathe enough that I don’t get sweaty running between terminals.

Buy it here: MeUndies

4. Nice Laundry Socks, 3 for $45: Nice Laundry’s socks are loose enough to expand if my feet swell mid-flight, and come in fun patterns so I can show off some style while I travel.

Buy it here: Nice Laundry

Ellen Hoffman, Insider Picks senior editor

1. Patagonia Organic Cotton Quilt Snap-T Pullover, $149: Patagonia can do no wrong in my book. Its classic Snap-T Pullover is ultra-soft (even after many washings) and surprisingly warm given that it’s not that thick. I never worry it will wrinkle or stretch out from too much wear either.

Buy it here: Patagonia 

2. Everlane Box-Cut Pocket Tee, $16: Everlane’s T-shirts are some of our team’s favorites and they won’t set you back a lot of money, so you can stock up on these staples without hesitation. They’re a perfect base layer under my Patagonia pullover. I also really love the look and feel of Richer Poorer’s tees, but they’re double the price.

Buy it here: Everlane 

3. Madewell Classic Straight Leg Jeans, $125: I like to feel somewhat put together at the airport, which is why you’ll never catch me hustling to my terminal in sweatpants. It works for some people, and that’s great, but not me. Madewell’s straight-leg jeans are still casual and amply comfy for wear on long flights since they’re not super form-fitting.

Buy it here: Madewell  

4. Cuyana Mini Tassel Bag, $150: A crossbody bag is one of my travel must-haves. Cuyana’s Mini Tassel Bag is the perfect size to store all of my essentials I need easy access to (phone, keys, wallet, passport, sunglasses, lip balm), and since it’s worn across my body in a way that it couldn’t be easily grabbed or fall off my shoulder, I never worry about losing it. Everlane’s Form Bag is another recent favorite that is a bit roomier.

Buy it here: Cuyana

5. Marc Fisher Ltd Yale Chelsea Boot, $179.95: I really don’t understand why people wear high heels to the airport, but I see it more often than you’d think. I’m all about functional flats — at the airport, and for life in general. For warm weather, Soludos espadrilles offer my arches unbeatable comfort, and they look cute, too. For cold weather, I’ve never gone wrong with classic Chelsea boots; Marc Fisher LTD and Thursday Boot Co. make my most walkable pairs.

Buy it here: Nordstrom | Marc Fisher | Amazon

• Super Bowl Sunday is the greatest gambling day of the year, with tons of wagers available to bettors, ranging from standard to absurd.
• Las Vegas bookmakers offer wagers on everything from the total score, to player props, to bets that pit college basketball players against Tom Brady.
• Below we navigate 31 of the most entertaining, exciting, and hopefully profitable, prop bets available in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LIII.
• Check out all of our coverage of Super Bowl LIII here.

After months of enthralling football action and a postseason filled with incredible games, we've finally made it to the Super Bowl.

The Los Angeles Rams will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. One team is looking to further cement its legacy as the greatest dynasty in football history, and the other hoping to reach the pinnacle of football behind a wunderkind coach and one of the most impressive rebuilds in recent memory.

But it's not just a compelling contest as a football fan — it's also the greatest gambling day of the year.

The Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook has released over 400 prop bets for the Super Bowl, ranging from the expected to the absurd. Below we'll go through the 31 best wagers for the Super Bowl to send you home a winner.

What will the result of the coin toss be?

The pick: Tails ($102 to win $100)

The logic: Never fails.

Which team will record the first penalty of the game?

The pick: Los Angeles Rams record the first penalty of the game ($150 to win $100)

The logic: Three things in play here. First, this is the first Super Bowl for most players on the Rams roster, so it'd be understandable for them to be a bit jumpy compared to the Patriots.

Second, the Rams are likely to get the ball first, as the Patriots seem to win every coin toss they participate in, and almost always choose to defer. Offensive penalties, either a holding or a false start, feel more likely than a pass interference early on in the game.

Finally, after the Rams got away with the no-call of the century in the NFC Championship, expect the officials to remind them early that they weren't going to get away with the crime twice.

Will either team score in the first 6:30 minutes of the game?

The pick: Yes, either team scores in the first 6:30 ($150 to win $100)

The logic: Both of these teams can move down the field extremely fast, and both of these coaches are among the top game-planners in the league. With two weeks to prepare, whichever team winds up with the ball first should have their first 10 minutes of offense memorized down to the inch.

• At 41 years old, Tom Brady is as dominant as ever, something he credits to his strict, regimented lifestyle.
• Brady has divulged his training and diet secrets in the form of his book, "The TB12 Method" and more.
• One of Brady's core philosophies is pliability, in which he avoids traditional weight-lifting to keep his muscles soft and loose.
• Brady is also a strict eater, avoiding sugars, some fats, alcohol (most of the time), and even certain types of vegetables.
• Brady's strict lifestyle isn't for everyone, and some scientists disagree with his philosophies, but it's clearly working for him.

Tom Brady seems to have found the Fountain of Youth.

At 41 years old, in his 19th season, Brady is preparing to play in another Super Bowl, the ninth of his career and fourth in five years.

Brady credits his longevity to his regimented lifestyle.

In recent years, Brady has shed light on his diet, exercise and recovery habits, and overall lifestyle in the form of a book, "The TB12 Method," a cook book, apparel, and documentary. He has created the regimen and business with his friend, business partner, and trainer, Alex Guerrero, who Brady cites as an influential figure in his life.

But how exactly does Brady employ the TB12 method to get results in his day-to-day life? 

Learn more about one of the strictest lifestyles in sports below.

Sam Belden contributed to this report.

At 41, Tom Brady is the oldest starting quarterback in the NFL, and still one of the best.

In a 19-season career, he has won five Super Bowl rings and has been named to 14 Pro Bowls, including the past 10 years.

But staying at the top of your game for nearly 20 years isn't easy — in fact, Brady is a bit of a fanatic when it comes to his physical fitness.

• Travel-planning site müvTravel has released a list of the Top 30 Millennial Travel Destinations for 2019.
• The list was compiled by analyzing which destinations were listed most frequently on the bucket lists of müvTravel users.
• According to the site, millennial travelers are seeking "memorable and original moments," as well as "activities that focus on sustainable and personalized local experiences." 
• The list spans 30 cities across the globe, from Portugal to the Philippines and tons of destinations in between.

It's no secret that millennials like to travel. Recent studies have even shown that young people would rather go on weekend getaways than buy brunch, and would give up things like alcohol, sex, and phones to see the world.

And this year, travel-planning site müvTravel has figured out exactly where they want to go. The Top 30 Millennial Travel Destinations for 2019 list was created by analyzing the most popular bucket-list destinations of müvTravel users. 

According to the site, young people are most interested in destinations that offer "memorable and original moments," as well as "activities that focus on sustainable and personalized local experiences." From Portugal to the Philippines, these are the top 30 most popular destinations among millennial travelers.

30. Tons of people want to visit Zanzibar, Tanzania.

According to müvTravel, Zanzibar is known for the unique spices that grow on the island. Nutmeg, black pepper, and cloves are some of the most popular, and can be purchased at small markets throughout the city. 

29. Palawan, Philippines, can also expect to see an increase in tourism throughout 2019.

Palawan was named the 29th most popular travel destination of 2019. Visitors of the island can enjoy pristine beaches, crystal-clear water, and stunning mountain views.

28. Millennials interested in physical activities will want to go to Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada.

According to National Geographic, most travelers visit the 28th most popular destination to go skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and sledding.

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.

The voice app ecosystem is booming. In the US, the number of Alexa skills alone surpassed 25,000 in January 2018, up from just 7,000 the previous January, in categories ranging from music streaming services, to games, to connected home tools.

As voice platforms continue to gain footing in homes via smart speakers — connected devices powered primarily by artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled voice assistants — the opportunity for voice apps is becoming more profound. However, as observed with the rise of mobile apps in the late 2000s, any new digital ecosystem will face significant growing pains, and voice apps are no exception. Thanks to the visual-free format of voice apps, discoverability, monetization, and retention are proving particularly problematic in this nascent space. This is creating a problem in the voice assistant market that could hinder greater uptake if not addressed.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, explores the two major viable voice app stores. It identifies the three big issues voice apps are facing — discoverability, monetization, and retention — and presents possible short-term solutions ahead of industry-wide fixes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• The market for smart speakers and voice platforms is expanding rapidly. The installed base of smart speakers and the volume of voice apps that can be accessed on them each saw significant gains in 2017. But the new format and the emerging voice ecosystems that are making their way into smart speaker-equipped homes is so far failing to align with consumer needs. 
• Voice app development is a virtuous cycle with several broken components. The addressable consumer market is expanding, which is prompting more brands and developers to developer voice apps, but the ability to monetize and iterate those voice apps is limited, which could inhibit voice app growth. 
• Monetization is only one broken component of the voice app ecosystem. Discoverability and user retention are equally problematic for voice app development. 
• While the two major voice app ecosystems — Amazon's and Google's — have some Band-Aid solutions and workarounds, their options for improving monetization, discoverability, and retention for voice apps are currently limited.
• There are some strategies that developers and brands can employ in the near term ahead of more robust tools and solutions.

In full, the report:

• Sizes the current voice app ecosystem. 
• Outlines the most pressing problems in voice app development and evolution in the space by examining the three most damning shortcoming: monetization, discoverability, and retention. 
• Discusses the solutions being offered up by today's biggest voice platforms. 
• Presents workaround solutions and alternative approaches that could catalyze development and evolution ahead of wider industry-wide fixes from the platforms.

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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.

• Simplehuman products are designed to make everyday tasks as easy as possible; they employ a no-frills, all-function design that just happens to look great.
• The brand backs their hardware with a five-year warranty and has excellent customer service (I know — I had questions!)
• Installing Simplehuman pull-out racks takes all of 10 minutes and will save you untold hours searching about in pantry shelves over the years to come.

When my wife and I were designing our kitchen a couple years back, we opted for matching cabinets flanking either side of the fridge. In one of these cabinets, we chose shelving with built-in pull-out drawers; on the other side, we stuck with just the shelves. The logic was that we would use each side of the pantry area differently. The other part of the logic was that basic shelves cost several hundred dollars less than slide-out hardware. And thus it was that for about two years, one side of our pantry remained well-organized, easy to access, and was generally pleasant to use, while the other became a morass of half-empty chip bags, loose batteries, forgotten snack bars, expired condiments, and so forth.

But what could we do, rip out the whole cabinet and have a new custom piece built? Move to a new state and start the entire home organization process over from the ground up? Buy fewer groceries?

Our solution to kitchen cabinet clutter ended up being a whole lot simpler than new cabinetry or relocating across state lines; we simply completed a DIY kitchen pantry upgrade using a pair of Simplehuman pull-out cabinet organizer drawers that took me all of 10 minutes to install.

(Ok, actually the installation took about 20 minutes, but I kid you not, the first half of that time involved simply removing all the junk collected over the previous months.)

The company Simplehuman doesn't make a lot of products — they offer a selection of trash cans, mirrors, soap dispensers, organization products, and that's about it — but what they do make are all top-of-the line in terms of quality and function. And as it happens, simple as most Simplehuman products are in their aesthetic, they also look great. Actually, let me restate that: Because of their simple design aesthetic, Simplehuman products look great.

I should know, because their 10-liter semi-round stainless steel trash can sits beside my desk where I sit every day, their 58 stainless steel touch-free voice activated trash can is in the corner of our kitchen, their dish rack is often on the counter, and a pair of the aforementioned cabinet organizers are permanently affixed to the pantry shelves. The immediate result of installing Simplehuman pull-out cabinet organizing drawers was a pantry with less clutter and easier access. The longer-term result has been less wasted food and a lot less stress and frustration.

And by the way, that 10-minute assembly I mentioned earlier? Yeah, I'm not kidding about that. With a drill, one drill bit, one Phillips bit, a ruler (which I used just to be extra sure I installed these things exactly flush with my shelves; you could easily eyeball it), and the provided screws, the install was so easy that I can all but guarantee anyone who was able to use these pull-out drawers could also install them. (For the record, I popped our shelves out and so I had easy access to them while screwing in the organizers; if yours are affixed in place the process will be more involved, but only because you will probably need to use a screwdriver or else buy a compact right angle drill to work in the confined space.)

These shelves can support 20 pounds each, which means we can load them with all sorts of eats which are then easily accessed when the organizer is drawn out from the cabinet. There are also adjustable divider inserts that allow you to customize the layout of the organizer shelf, something even our custom built-ins over on the other side don't offer.

As for the Simplehuman dish rack ($80), when we're not using the dishwasher (whether it's filled or for extra large or extra fragile items), it's another game-changer, and for good reason: It works well.

Made entirely from stainless steel and a durable plastic with a hydrophobic coating, this rack sheds water like a duck's back, meaning that you don't have to worry about your drying rack for clean dishes itself being damp and/or dirty. It has slots for wine goblet stems, posts for drinking glasses, a utensil caddy, and plenty of rows of storage for dishes, bowls, pots, and pans.

If you don't have a dishwasher, you need this dish rack. If you have a dishwasher that, you don't need this rack, but you won't regret getting it, either. Your large stew pot and your delicate family china will thank you. And yeah, it's expensive as far as dish racks go. But it's also probably the last one you'll ever need to buy.

Simplehuman also makes a touch-free, voice-activated trash can for $200.

With a wave of the hand near the top of the unit, this trash can automatically opens its lid. Hands full of raw meat trimmings, a dripping coffee filter, or the dreaded baby diaper? Then just say: "Open can!" and like magic, the lid rises. Actually, it's more like science, but you get the point.

Do you need a touch- and/or voice-activated trash can? No. But you didn't need that sweet dish rack or those amazingly convenient shelf organizers, did you? But do you want to get rid of them once they have been integrated into your life? No, I don't. I mean no you don't... that's what I meant.

Buy a 14-Inch Simplehuman Pull-Out Cabinet Organizer on Amazon for $50

Buy a 20-Inch Simplehuman Pull-Out Cabinet Organizer on Amazon for $60

Buy a Simplehuman Kitchen Steel Frame Dish Rack on Amazon for $80

Buy a 58L Simplehuman Touch-Free Voice Activated Trash Can on Amazon for $200

SEE ALSO: Why this $6 spatula should be in every kitchen

Join the conversation about this story »

• Four 12-year-old girls were allegedly strip searched at East Middle School in Binghamton, New York on January 15.
• It came after the girls were accused of being in possession of drugs, and "appearing hyper and giddy during their lunch hour."
• The school has denied giving the girls strip searches, and said officials "acted in accordance with" school policy.

Four 12-year-old girls were allegedly strip searched at their upstate New York middle school after officials suspected they were in possession of drugs because they were acting hyper and giddy.

The girls were questioned then allegedly strip searched by a nurse and an assistant principal at East Middle School in Binghamton on January 15, according to the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin.

At a school board meeting on Tuesday, community members said four black female students were accused of possession of drugs and were searched for "appearing hyper and giddy during their lunch hour." 

"The children were instructed to remove their clothing, and felt shamed, humiliated and traumatized by the experience,"said a statement from the Progressive Leaders of Tomorrow, a local advocacy group.

The Progressive Leaders group claim the girls were searched without parental consent, and that the parents only learned about the incident when the girls got home from school.

School officials denied that the strip searches happened in a statement released to Buzzfeed News.

Read more:A superintendent was arrested after using her insurance to help a sick student get medication: 'I wanted to do all I could to help him get well'

The school said that officials "acted in accordance with" policy and that the girls weren't strip searched.

"When conducting medical evaluation, it may require the removal of bulky outside clothing to expose an arm so that vitals like blood pressure and pulse can be assessed," the district said in the statement. "This is not the same as a strip search."

INSIDER has contacted the Binghamton City School District superintendent for comment.

A district handbook says students may be searched"only when the school district official has reasonable suspicion to believe the student has engaged in or is engaging in proscribed activity."

The handbook says that strip searches are "intrusive in nature and almost never justified."

The four girls’ parents released a statement on Friday saying their daughters "no longer feel safe at East Middle."

"Listening to our children recount and relive this trauma has been an experience we would not wish on any parent," the statement said. "And we hope no other child has to experience what they have endured."

The parents also thanked those who were "willing to listen to and believe our girls."

• Read more:
• A mother is accusing her son's school of 'racist' rules after it asked the six-year-old to cut off his dreadlocks
• Covington high schooler Nick Sandmann says he wishes he 'could have just walked away' from his viral encounter with Native American activist Nathan Phillips
• A black student is suing her former high school after being told her skin was 'too dark' to perform on the dance team, lawsuit says
• A 32-year-old woman is accused of posing as a homeless teen to enroll in high school again

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We compared Apple's $159 AirPods to Xiaomi's $30 AirDots and the winner was clear

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Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.

For example, almost half of US households now have a Prime membership, diminishing Amazon's growth potential in the country. Meanwhile, in China, the world's largest e-commerce market, nearly half of the population is actively making online purchases, leaving little room for growth. 

However, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are worth keeping an eye on. E-commerce penetration rates in these areas hover between 2-6%, presenting a huge opportunity for future growth as online sales gain traction. Moreover, these regions are expected to grow at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 31%, 32%, and 16%, respectively, through 2021.

This report compiles several e-commerce snapshots, which together highlight the most notable emerging markets in various regions. Each provides an overview of the e-commerce industry in a particular country, discusses influential retailers, and provides insights into the opportunities and challenges for that specific domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.
• India is the clear overall leader in e-commerce potential, but countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are also worth keeping an eye on. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia shows the most promise for retailers, as the government is loosening restrictions on foreign investments, and its massive population is gaining spending power and more access to internet. Meanwhile, Mexico is a retailer's best bet for expansion in Latin America, due to its stable economy and rising middle class, but Brazil may be gearing up to steal the top spot.
• However, doing business in these regions can be difficult. In most of these emerging markets, infrastructure is underdeveloped and the population is largely unbanked, making digital payments a challenge.
• If retailers can build a brand presence in these markets while online shopping is still in its nascent stages, they may become market leaders as e-commerce takes off in the regions. Moreover, these markets could provide new sources of growth for companies that would otherwise stagnate in more mature e-commerce markets.

 In full, the report:

• Explores the e-commerce industry in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
• Highlights the leading country in each region, as well as key e-commerce players there. 
• Outlines the challenges and opportunities each region faces.
• Gives insight into how these emerging markets may shape the future of e-commerce.

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• People and businesses in every state pay taxes to the federal government to help fund vital services.
• Not every state contributes equally, however. Some pay more than they get back while many states receive more than they put in.
• In 2017, New Jersey paid $24.75 billion more to the federal government than it got back compared to New Mexico, which received $20.096 billion more than its citizens paid.

Citizens and companies in every US state pay taxes to the government, but the resources and services that come from this collective funding aren’t distributed equally. Depending on a state’s level of need, population, and other factors, some states receive far more federal funding than others.

The New York State Comptroller conducted a study on exactly this for fiscal year 2017. It found that New Jersey sees more of its taxes leave the state than any other, $24.75 billion that year, and on the flip side, New Mexico received $20.096 billion more from the federal government than its citizens and corporations paid. Based on the state’s population, that amounts to a net gain of nearly $10,000 per person.  

See how much your state gains or loses in taxes. A positive number indicates more money going back to the state than is paid out, while a negative number means the state is contributing more than it gets back.  

SEE ALSO: What Americans pay in state income taxes, ranked from highest to lowest

No. 51: Washington, DC

(This one’s a bit of an outlier since it’s not a state.)

Balance of payments total: $39.866 billion

Per capita: $57,447

No. 50: New Jersey

Balance of payments total: -$24.75 billion

Per capita: -$2,748

No. 49: Massachusetts

Balance of payments total: -$10.511 billion

Per capita: -$1,532