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The time is right for tech giants like Apple and Google to strike against cable TV — this data shows why

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The stars are aligning for tech giants like Apple, Google, or Amazon to take aim at the cable TV industry.

Last month, Google became the first tech behemoth to directly take on cable by releasing its own TV package, called YouTube TV. The $35 package is what's called a "skinny bundle," coming in at around 40 channels, with special attention paid to sports.

With YouTube TV, Google beat competitors like Apple and Amazon to the punch. Both have previously been rumored to be trying to put together their own TV packages — Apple for years, though it always seems to fall through.

There's a good reason tech companies are poking around this market now. According to Salesforce's new 2017 Connected Subscriber report, a whopping 68% of millennials (18-34) would ditch cable for a TV service provided by a tech company.

That's an opening in the marketplace, and it's only getting bigger as time goes on, the research suggests. In contrast to millennials, only 43% of Boomers (55+) said they were likely to use a tech company like Apple, Google, or Facebook for their cable service instead of their current provider.

Here is the full chart from Salesforce (which conducted the survey via Harris Poll):

Screen Shot 2017 05 10 at 1.58.09 PM

Screen Shot 2017 05 10 at 1.58.37 PM

Tech giants aren't the only companies betting that a new type of pay-TV package will emerge. Companies from Hulu to AT&T have released live streaming TV bundles, delivered over the internet, that can be watched on your smart TV, laptop, phone, and so on. It's good to note that in these packages, you still need to pay for data, so companies who provide it could have a structural advantage.

So far, many TV network heavyweights have loved the idea — especially those that are losing a ton of subscribers.

"The substantial growth we're already seeing makes us bullish on the future of these nascent offerings," Disney CEO Bob Iger, whose ESPN has seen millions of subscriber losses over the last few years, said on Disney's earnings call Tuesday. "Right now, they are a small part of the pay TV universe, but we believe they'll be a much bigger part of the business going forward."

But it's still unclear whether these bundles will be a hit, and whether the traditional cable business model, with a combination of advertising and subscription revenue, will prevail in the new digital age.

In fact, both Netflix and Facebook seem to be betting that TV-quality shows can be sustained by a single revenue source. For Netflix, that's subscriptions, and for Facebook, it's advertising. YouTube also recently announced a slate of shows with celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin Hart, and Katy Perry — funded entirely by advertising.

Regardless of the model that emerges, however, Salesforce's data suggests that the time is ripe for tech companies to strike at traditional distributors of cable and satellite TV.

Young people, at least, are ready.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Lady Gaga just launched her own emoji pack

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lady gaga emojiLady Gaga has done pop music, jazz standards, TV acting, and now she's getting into the emoji game.

The star on Thursday is releasing GagaMoji, an emoji pack powered by Snaps and customized with the help of Gaga herself. Available to download for iOS here for $1.99, it includes animated iMessage stickers and GIFs.

Fans will notice nods to familiar Gaga imagrey, like the pink hat from her new "Joanne" period, along with useful phrases like "DOPE" with Gaga's head plastered in the middle.

"Lady Gaga truly made these for her fans and was very involved in the actual creation of these," Snaps Founder Vivian Rosenthal told Business Insider. "We've loved working on these for the last six months with Lady Gaga and her team. There's truly a GAGAmoji for every moment of life. These emojis are about being yourself and having fun."

Snaps Director of BD & Marketing Jonathan Shriftman added: "iMessage is a powerful platform for launching celebrity content. There are over 1 billion people using the popular messaging app every day. By launching this sticker pack, now Lady Gaga's true fans can share this personalized content directly in conversations with friends and family."

SEE ALSO: 30 TV shows that were just canceled

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'King Arthur' is going to be the first major box-office bomb of the summer

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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Though "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" showed us the box-office power of a franchise last week, earning over $425 million worldwide its opening weekend, be prepared for the opposite this weekend. 

Warner Bros.' $175 million medieval actioner "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," based on the legend and starring Charlie Hunnam ("The Lost City of Z," "Sons of Anarchy"), is projected to make only $25 million domestically on 3,600 screens, according to Variety.

The colossal bust will be the first casualty this summer-movie season and continues the drop director Guy Ritchie has suffered following the success of the "Sherlock Holmes" franchise.

Ritchie's slick style with popping photography and colorful characters brought him attention with his early work like "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," but his 2015 spy movie "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." only made $100 million worldwide, and now "King Arthur" is being bashed by critics (it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 22% as of this writing).

But "King Arthur" will not be the only casualty this weekend. The Amy Schumer/Goldie Hawn comedy "Snatched" is also getting the cold shoulder from critics (we thought it was shockingly awful) and is projected to earn $15 million to $17 million. But the 20th Century Fox comedy was made for a fraction of the "King Arthur" budget.

SEE ALSO: 35 movies coming out this summer that you need to see

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NOW WATCH: Netflix and Marvel just dropped the first 'The Defenders' trailer — and it looks amazing

Trump impersonator Anthony Atamanuik opens up about his 'harsh' feud with Alec Baldwin

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Anthony Atamanuik Alec Baldwin Donald Trump Feud

Anthony Atamanuik — the host of Comedy Central's new hit late-night series "The President Show" — says he was surprised at Alec Baldwin's behavior during their recent feud over impersonating Trump.

Atamanuik publicly feuded with the "Saturday Night Live" Trump impersonator after Baldwin made some disparaging comments about Atamanuik on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Both were lobbying to play the president at this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner.

"He was being a bit of a wiseass. And so I was a wiseass back on Twitter, considering we knew each other in some fashion," Atamanuik said during Wednesday's episode of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." "And he blocked me and kind of got harsh. It was intense."

The comedian says he previously met Baldwin when he was an extra on "30 Rock."

Despite Baldwin's "harsh" reaction, Atamanuik added, "I hope Alec knows that I respect him and love him and I don't have any animosity at all."

That said, Atamanuik wanted to make sure Cohen understood that his impression isn't a copy of Baldwin's.

"That's impossible, because I was doing it before he did it," the "President Show" host said. "I'm not going to screw around."

Watch the video below:

SEE ALSO: Why Comedy Central's new 'The President Show' is the Trump parody you need to watch

DON'T MISS: Alec Baldwin on Trump after win: 'He still looks incredibly constipated. He looks terrible.'

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NOW WATCH: 'Just a loose hunch': Watch Alec Baldwin impersonate Trump and Bill O'Reilly on 'SNL'

How Kathryn Hahn became a modern Hollywood comedy hero

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Kathryn Hahn 2

The evolution of Kathryn Hahn from the frumpy friend in romantic comedies like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “The Holiday” to the scene-stealing revelation in “Step Brothers” and “Bad Moms” has been a lot of fun to watch. But Hahn is about to take another big step as the lead in the latest Amazon series from the creator of “Transparent.”

The upcoming “I Love Dick,” based on the Chris Kraus book of the same name, is showrunner Jill Soloway’s latest envelope-pushing series to come to the streaming giant (it premieres May 12, but you can watch the pilot now for free). It follows Chris (Hahn) as she moves with her husband Sylvere (Griffin Dunne) from Manhattan to the mellow Marfa, Texas. There they meet the charismatic professor Dick (Kevin Bacon), who puts a fire in Chris and Sylvere’s relationship that was thought to be extinguished long ago.

As in “Transparent,” which also stars Hahn as Rabbi Raquel Fein, Soloway fills “I Love Dick” with risqué subject matter and unconventional storytelling that you’d never see on network TV (or most cable channels).

Hahn talked to Business Insider at the recent Sundance Film Festival, where the show was given a world premiere sneak peek, about how working with Soloway changed her career, why she wants another “Step Brothers” movie, and what to expect from the “Bad Moms” sequel, “Bad Mom’s Christmas.”

Jason Guerrasio: Were you familiar with the Chris Kraus novel before going into this?

Kathryn Hahn: No, I was not. Like so many of us, I had been horribly unaware of the brilliance of Chris Kraus and that book. Jill, I guess it was two summers ago, had mentioned a couple of books to me, one of which was this. I was immediately intrigued because of the title. I dug into that first and I was just blown away. I couldn't believe how bold and bombastic and fearless and sexy and vulnerable it was and I knew if anyone was going to be able to unwrap that and cut into it as a series it would be Soloway. I was so excited, I didn't even see a script before I said yes. It happened very fast and very organically. All the sudden we found ourselves in Marfa, Texas, like what?

I Love Dick AmazonGuerrasio: So you didn't worry that much about preparation it sounds like — you were in from the get-go.

Hahn: For sure. There's no other circus I would rather join than Soloway's. I had been in it for a while and I knew it was going to be the same people and the same process as “Transparent.” And I also knew it was going to be such a departure from Raquel, which I was excited by. 

Guerrasio: Has it been a revelation for you with what Jill and Amazon have been able to do? The material they have given to actors?

Hahn: Yeah, sometimes we would all look at each other and basically giggle because we couldn't believe we got to make this. And it wasn't like there was a team of executives behind the monitors and questioning it. They just let us do this crazy deep dive into this world.

Guerrasio: You've had such an incredible evolution in your career, going from being in romantic comedies playing the awkward friend or third wheel —

Hahn: HOW DARE YOU! No, I'm joking — [Laughs]

Guerrasio: But was there a moment where something clicked for you, or was it just grinding it out until you started getting better roles?

Hahn: I certainly feel that having kids did something, for sure. I was so grateful to be invited to the party for a while. I just could never imagine as a kid from Cleveland who loves theater more than anything and ensemble work to doing this. I was a theater nerd. So back then it was really always looking for that kind of feeling I had onstage. So there was a weird separation between the work I did onstage and the work I would be asked to do on camera. And so I think it was finding Jill and connecting with her for [Soloway’s 2013 debut feature] “Afternoon Delight” that I was able to find that feeling of creative risk that I had onstage. Those three weeks of making “Afternoon Delight” cracked that open for a lot of us. 

Kathryn Hahn Step Brothers Columbia PicturesGuerrasio: Is there a character you've already played that you would love to go back to explore? And before you answer, let me just say, please say Alice from "Step Brothers" —

Hahn: I was just about to say that! [Laughs] It’s funny, I did "Step Brothers" the same summer I did "Revolutionary Road," which are completely different. And Adam McKay, with that cast, though that was pre-Jill, that was another movie where I had like an "oh" moment. That working on a movie could feel creatively fun. I just didn't know on camera that we were allowed to just do those things. [Laughs] I always was just on my mark and say the line as written and make sure the script supervisor was happy and all that nonsense and that all was getting in the way of making something special on camera. 

Guerrasio: Adam McKay has always said that he would love to explore the characters from "Step Brothers" years from now and see what they are doing. Is that just one of those things that sounds cool or has it ever gotten back to you that he's serious about it?

Hahn: There was a rumor for a second of maybe revisiting it and then I think "Anchorman 2" happened. But I would love to do it. And I also just love those people and just want to hang out with Adam Scott — I'm sure his Derek character is in prison by now or something. Or Alice would be, who knows.

Bad Moms Kathryn Hahn STX EntertainmentGuerrasio: Another character we have to bring up is Carla from "Bad Moms." What can you say about the sequel?

Hahn: We are looking to shoot in the spring and I know it's out there that it's a Christmas theme.

Guerrasio: Yes. 

Hahn: And when we all heard that, we were just like, “Of course!” Because there just doesn't seem like another time of the year that's more right for that. There's so much craziness. As a kid it's just the magic of Christmas but behind the scenes of course mom is trying to get breakfast together as you're ripping through the presents and then the family comes over. It's never magical for the mom. So we're excited about doing this.

Guerrasio: Have you gotten a script yet?

Hahn: No. But just ideas we've been told, we are very excited, and what I can say is they are right on board with the spirit of the first movie.

 

SEE ALSO: M. Night Shyamalan might have just teased a "Split" sequel

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NASA has been quietly working on a Mars rover concept that looks like a Batmobile

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nasa mars rover concept prototype parker brothers concepts

  • For months, NASA has worked with a concept car company and a TV network to design and build a Mars rover.
  • The unnamed vehicle was built for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and debuted in early May.
  • Though it's a demonstration vehicle for educational use, it was designed to be as realistic as possible.

Since late 2016, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, an unnamed cable television network, and a company that builds concept vehicles have been quietly collaborating to build a full-size Mars rover.

Video and images of the completed vehicle started appearing on social media sites on May 9, following an official unveiling of the unnamed rover in Florida that day.

One clip shared on Instagram shows the rover, which resembles the Batmobile from the movie "Batman Begins," slowly idling around a road in front of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:


So "what is this beast," as one Reddit user asked?

Marc Parker, a designer and builder of the new rover, told Business Insider that it's a six-wheeled, all-electric vehicle that was created for NASA "with every intention" of overcoming obstacles on the sandy, rocky red planet.

However, the unnamed rover will never roll across Mars. According to Parker, NASA plans to take it on a cross-country tour of the US for the space agency's upcoming "Summer of Mars" — an educational event designed to inspire the public about space exploration and interplanetary travel.

Marc and his brother, Shanon, began building the rover around November 2016, after NASA approached their company, Parker Brothers Concepts, with the idea. Marc says that he and Shanon launched their business about five years ago to build "outlandish" vehicles for television and movie productions. ("We're the guys they call when everyone else says 'it can't be done,'" Marc says.)

But Marc says NASA didn't fund the rover, whose cost he wouldn't provide, nor is the US space agency the only party involved in the project.

"We're also filming for a reality television series that's going to be coming out about this build," Marc told Business Insider. While he's under a non-disclosure agreement with the TV network, Marc says it's "one of the bigger cable networks." (An Instagram photo shared on Shanon's account shows members of the "Mythbusters" TV shows, which airs on the Discovery Channel.)

Inside the Mars rover prototype


Parker Brother Concepts made the concept rover from scratch from about November 2016 through early April 2017.

The two owners and a few of their employees, plus a number of suppliers they deal with, worked tirelessly on the project.

"Me and the guys, we averaged about 80 to 100 hours a week, each. We worked 10-, 12-, 14-hour days, seven days a week since late last year," Marc says. "If I thought about how many hours we put into this thing, I'd probably cry. It's way too many."

Marc said he needed to check with NASA and others before sharing images of the vehicle, since a formal announcement is forthcoming. However, he and Shanon have posted several teasers on their Instagram accounts.

The above video posted to Instagram by SeaDek, a marine product supplier that worked on the rover with Parker Brother Concepts, shows the glowing interior of the vehicle in the dark. Another video provides a daylight view:


Other images posted by those involved reveal other features.

For instance, below is a photo of the six 50-inch-tall, 30-inch-wide wheels, which Marc said are designed to let the fine sands of Mars slip through:

A post shared by marcparker (@marcparker) on


A Facebook post by the company shows the same wheels under construction:

nasa mars rover vehicle parker brothers concepts facebook

Another photo shows the window of the rover with carbon-fiber accents and a NASA logo:

A post shared by marcparker (@marcparker) on


And this image gives a front view of the vehicle inside the fabrication shop of Parker Brothers Concepts:

 

A faux research rover build for Mars 

Marc said NASA gave the company a few parameters for the vehicle, and introduced them to engineers and scientists at Kennedy Space Center who are actively working on the space agency's legal mandate to reach Mars by 2033.

According to Marc, NASA had two schools of thought on the concept Mars rover they wanted: either a small scout vehicle "for four astronauts to investigate, explore, and get test samples" or a "full research laboratory".

The company started with an electric motor, solar panels, and a 700-volt battery and built the vehicle around that, Marc says, "since there's no gas stations up there" — and decided to tackle both concepts at once.

"What we actually came up with was a dual-purpose vehicle. It actually separates in the middle. The rear section is a full lab, the front area is a cockpit for going out and doing scouting," he says. "The lab section can actually disconnect ... and be left on its own to do autonomous research. That way the scout vehicle can go out to do its thing without the fuel consumption and extra weight, then come back later."

mars mount sharp curiosity nasa jpl PIA19912 origWhile the cab is lined with earthly "creature comforts" such as GPS, air conditioning, and radio, Marc says the body is made entirely out of aluminum and carbon-fiber to keep the weight down. He says it hasn't been officially weighed, but estimated the rover — which is 28 feet long, 13 feet wide, and 11 feet tall — will come in at about 5,000 pounds.

"A Honda Civic weighs about 3,500 to 4,000 pounds, and a 5,000 pounds is about the weight of a pickup truck," he said, emphasizing that the concept vehicle is very light given its size and capabilities.

Marc says that while the rover could drive as fast as 60-70 mph, it's designed to roll along at 10-15 mph or less, since it'd be used to methodically roll over dunes, rocks, craters, hills, and more. He added that each wheel has an independent suspension to overcome such obstacles with ease.

Of all the projects that Marc says he and his brother have worked on, he said "this one has blown us away the most." He hopes it inspires NASA and the public alike to dream big about the future of space exploration.

"Movies are cool, TV is cool, but it's something else to be part of a thing that could inspire kids to go Mars and live in outer space," he says.

SEE ALSO: How the used rockets of billionaires just might save humanity from doom

DON'T MISS: The first Mars astronauts may be trapped inside of a tube for 3 years with no chance of escape

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The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to grow revenues & attract investors

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eSports Advertising and Sponsorships

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

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Forget the NES Classic Edition — this tiny $40 game console plays every old Nintendo game

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The adorably tiny, $60 NES Classic Edition is officially a collector's item at this point: Nintendo halted production as of April, and has no plans to make more in the future. 

NES Classic Edition

Other than going to places like eBay, where you'll pay a premium for the system, there's another strong option for buying something similar to the NES Classic Edition without actually getting it: It's called the RetroN 1 HD.

Try to ignore the dumb name for a second while you take a gander at this attractive little box:

RetroN 1 HD

Not bad, right? Here's the kicker: It costs just $39.99, and it can play every single NES game. Here's the deal.

SEE ALSO: 7 reasons Nintendo is discontinuing its ridiculously popular $60 game console, the NES Classic

Unlike the NES Classic Edition, the RetroN HD 1 is built to play every NES game ever made. You slap an NES cartridge into the opening on top, and you're off to the races.

The console works with Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges from North America (NTSC), as well as those from Europe (PAL). It's unclear if the console will play Japanese cartridges from the Famicom game console, but it seemingly cannot; we've asked Hyperkin and haven't heard back yet.

That said, compared with the 30 games included on the NES Classic Edition, the RetroN 1 HD is a major step up. Granted, you'll need the cartridges, but you should have no problem finding your favorite NES cartridges for ridiculously low prices ($2-$3 apiece for most). 

BONUS PRO TIP: If you have NES cartridges that don't boot up, try cleaning the exposed part of the cartridge (the bottom part) with alcohol on a cotton swab. If the cartridge doesn't boot up after doing that, it's almost certainly broken. Do not blow on your cartridges — that does nothing (other than make them dirtier).



What do you get in the box for $40? Here's everything we know:

Hyperkin says you get three main things in the box:

-One premium classic-style controller

-One 3 ft. HD cable

-One 6 ft. micro-USB charge cable

That means that there are no games included — part of the reason that the system costs $20 less than the NES Classic Edition — so you'll need to snag some of those as well. But you probably already have a bunch of old NES cartridges sitting around collecting dust, right? Right.



Other than just playing your old NES games, the RetroN 1 HD — living up to the "HD" in its name" — actually upscales them to high-definition.

You might be wondering what "upscaling" means when we're talking about 8-bit games from 30 years ago. In the case of the RetroN 1 HD, it means you can play those games on your HD television in the correct aspect ratio (16:9) instead of having massive black bars on either side of the screen.

Because these games are so old, they are presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio — which is to say, "they weren't presented in a widescreen format." As a result, NES games can look unfortunately scrawny on a modern television. The RetroN 1 HD fixes that issue.

BONUS: There is a switch on the bottom of the RetroN 1 HD that enables you to switch between the classic aspect ratio (4:3) and the modern one (16:9), if you're into that kinda thing.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A Bollywood superstar delivered the next viral TED talk — here's what he said

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Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan is a certifiable Bollywood superstar, with over 80 films and hundreds of millions of fans to his name. In April, he gave a talk at the 2017 TED conference that touched on everything from his reputation as the "King of Romance" to the ways that the world has changed since the introduction of the internet. 

It was a sprawling talk. And while he wasn't as tightly focused as some other speakers, Khan turned out to be the funniest person on stage at TED 2017 thus far. The talk will undoubtedly be a huge hit when it goes online, helped along by the gigantic audience Khan has no matter what he does. Some of his choice (and very quotable) quotes:

  • "Humanity is a lot like me. It's an aging movie star, grappling with all the newness, wondering whether she got it right."
  • On the internet: "We had expected an expansion of ideas and dreams; we had not bargained for the enclosure of judgment."
  • "I looked at my face and realized I am starting to look more and more like my wax statue at Madame Tussauds."

On May 11th, the talk went live online. Check it out here:

 It wasn't just the audience inside the Vancouver Convention Center that enjoyed Khan's talk. His 24 million Twitter fans started a trending hashtag on the site (#SRKLiveAtTEDTalks). Khan's local Canadian fans also showed up outside the convention center during his talk. When I left the building about 20 minutes later, dozens of them were still there.

TED crowd

There was an ulterior motive for getting Khan on the TED stage. Later in 2017, he'll host a TV version of TED talks in India, called Nayi Soch (New Thinking). Khan's celebrity status — he's the 8th highest-paid actor in the world could give the TED brand its largest audience ever.

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NOW WATCH: Treadmills were originally used as torture devices for prisoners

Apple will reportedly reveal Amazon Video for Apple TV next month (AAPL, AMZN)

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The biggest hole in the Apple TV app lineup may be plugged as soon as June 5.

Apple is planning to announce that Amazon Prime Video will be available for Apple TV at its annual developer's conference, WWDC, according to a report from Buzzfeed

The app will become available for users later this summer, although that date hasn't been locked down, according to the report.

Amazon's Prime Video has long been missing from Apple's TV products, although there is a version available for the iPhone and iPad. Rivals such as Netflix and Hulu have been streaming videos on the Apple TV since its most recent launch. 

Last summer, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos talked about "acceptable business terms" in response to a question to why the Apple TV wasn't on sale on Amazon.com. 

"When we sell those devices, we want our player — our Prime Video player — to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms," he said. "You can always get the player on the device. The question is, can you get it on there with acceptable business terms?"

A previous report from Recode suggested that any truce between the two companies would include a pact "at a high level," perhaps between the two tech giants' CEOs. 

It sounds as if Amazon has decided that Apple's terms are acceptable. It probably also helps that Apple recently hired the former general manager of Amazon Fire TV to head up product marketing for Apple TV

SEE ALSO: Apple just poached an Amazon executive to save its struggling Apple TV business

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Jillian Michaels scored a 'landmark' $6 million win over YouTube that may change the internet

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Former "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels is celebrating a $5.8 million win in her legal battle with Lionsgate that could have implications for the future of free videos on YouTube.

Originally filing in 2015, Michaels sued Lionsgate for posting her workouts for free on its YouTube channel, Befit. She argued that because the workouts were offered for free, her fans would be less likely to pay for her content in the future.

On Wednesday, an arbitrator agreed and awarded Michaels about $5.8 million from Lionsgate for lost past and potential future profits. And Lionsgate was ordered to cover attorneys' fees and arbitration costs.

"This is an important decision for not just me, but for all experts, artists, and content creators finding their work devalued and revenue lost in this digital age," Michaels told Business Insider in an exclusive statement on Thursday.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity to provide healthy lifestyle content to the masses through digital media and want it to be accessible and affordable for fans," the fitness guru added. "It is a win for the consumer and the experts and how I hope the digital media landscape can continue to evolve." 

She created the streaming network FitFusion, which allows members to view all of her fitness content, as well as that of many other fitness experts.

Michaels' attorney, Richard Busch, called Michaels' win a "landmark" ruling, since it could affect how companies promote, share, and license content in the future in addition to protecting the talent.

"This decision represents a firm pronouncement that placing work on YouTube for free devalues it, and damages artists, like Jillian, who created it," Busch told The Tennessean newspaper.

Lionsgate didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

SEE ALSO: Ellen DeGeneres won't allow Trump on her show: 'He's against everything that I stand for'

DON'T MISS: Why TV and film writers just came close to almost completely shutting down Hollywood

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NOW WATCH: Here are the home screens of the top stars in tech

Steve Harvey said he doesn't apologize for his brutal staff rules, which include 'do not attempt to walk with me' and 'do not wait in any hallway to speak to me'

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Steve Harvey's daytime talk show is a lighthearted variety show of family-friendly jokes and relationship advice, but the comedian was running his team under a list of draconian demands.

On Wednesday, veteran Chicago media reporter Robert Feder published a leaked email from Harvey to his talk show team that included rules like, "Do not open my dressing room door. IF YOU OPEN MY DOOR, EXPECT TO BE REMOVED." and, "I want all the ambushing to stop now."

Harvey confirmed the authenticity of the email with Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier on Thursday, and told him, "I don't apologize about the letter, but it's kind of crazy what people who took this thing and ran, man. He added that "in hindsight, I probably should've handled it a little bit differently," given that its brutal tone made it go viral.

"The Steve Harvey Show" team wrapped its final day of production in Chicago on Thursday, after five seasons in the city. The show is relaunching as a more celebrity-centric series called "Steve" and will be shot in Los Angeles. Feder reported that "most if not all" of the 80 people who worked for Harvey in Chicago would be out of a job when the first iteration of his show ended.

Sources told Radar Online last week that Harvey did not give staffers an opportunity to follow him to the new show, and did not give them much notice of the change. 

Harvey told ET's Frazier that he had lost control of his staff ahead of Season 5, and that's why he sent the email Feder published. "I've always had a policy where, you know, you can come and talk to me — so many people are great around here, but some of them just started taking advantage of it," he said.

The full leaked email is below, and you can read Feder's analysis and more details at his blog:

"Good morning, everyone. Welcome back.

I'd like you all to review and adhere to the following notes and rules for Season 5 of my talk show.

There will be no meetings in my dressing room. No stopping by or popping in. NO ONE.

Do not come to my dressing room unless invited.

Do not open my dressing room door. IF YOU OPEN MY DOOR, EXPECT TO BE REMOVED.

My security team will stop everyone from standing at my door who have the intent to see or speak to me.

I want all the ambushing to stop now. That includes TV staff.

You must schedule an appointment.

I have been taken advantage of by my lenient policy in the past. This ends now. NO MORE.

Do not approach me while I’m in the makeup chair unless I ask to speak with you directly. Either knock or use the doorbell.

I am seeking more free time for me throughout the day.

Do not wait in any hallway to speak to me. I hate being ambushed. Please make an appointment.

I promise you I will not entertain you in the hallway, and do not attempt to walk with me.

If you're reading this, yes, I mean you.

Everyone, do not take offense to the new way of doing business. It is for the good of my personal life and enjoyment.

Thank you all,

Steve Harvey"

SEE ALSO: 33 TV shows that were just canceled

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Melissa McCarthy takes Sean Spicer 'SNL' impression to the streets of New York, cruising through Midtown on her motorized podium

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Melissa McCarthy took her famous White House press secretary impression to the streets of New York on Friday morning, cruising through Midtown Manhattan on a motorized podium.

Hopefully it's a preview of what's to come on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, where McCarthy has repeatedly played President Donald Trump's main spokesman, Sean Spicer. She is hosting this weekend's episode.

Twitter users posted various videos of McCarthy motoring past CNN's offices on 58th Street, unperturbed by traffic:

Spicer garnered some criticism this week after The Washington Post reported he huddled with his staff "in the bushes" on Wednesday to avoid talking to reporters after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. (The paper later issued a correction that he was "among" the bushes near television sets on the White House grounds, not in them.)

McCarthy also mocked that incident in a GIF she posted to her Instagram account on Thursday, which she captioned, "Straight out da bushes."

Straight out da bushes @nbcsnl #snllivecoasttocoast #snl

A post shared by Melissa McCarthy (@melissamccarthy) on May 11, 2017 at 10:20am PDT on

After McCarthy's first appearance as an easily excitable Spicer in February, the press secretary said he thought "it was cute," though the White House was reportedly "rattled" that he was played by a woman.

Here's a promo for the upcoming episode, which features McCarthy gradually transforming into Spicer:

 

SEE ALSO: Melissa McCarthy returns to 'SNL' as Sean Spicer in an Easter Bunny costume

DON'T MISS: Sean Spicer relives his time as the White House Easter Bunny at the annual Egg Roll

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NOW WATCH: Here are the most controversial things Sean Spicer has said as press secretary

Stephen Colbert gleefully fires back at Trump calling him a 'filthy,' 'no-talent guy': 'I won!'

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stephen colbert donald trump time interview late show cbs

Stephen Colbert didn't seem troubled while addressing President Donald Trump's insults directed toward him in a recent interview.

"The president of the United States has personally come after me and my show," Colbert said on Thursday night's episode of CBS' "The Late Show." "And there's only one thing to say: Yay!"

In an interview with Time magazine, Trump said Colbert's "show was dying" before the host began to focus on criticizing the president. Trump also referred to Colbert's recent inflammatory insults directed at Trump that led some to call for Colbert's firing and an FCC investigation, saying Colbert was a "no-talent guy" and "what he says is filthy."

"Mr. Trump, there is a lot you don't understand, but I never thought one of those things would be show business," Colbert continued in a sharp, punchy response to Trump's comments. "Don't you know I have been trying for a year to get you to say my name? And you were very restrained, admirably restrained. But now, you did it. I won!"

Colbert conceded that he did "occasionally use adult language," but he said "I do it in public, instead of in the privacy of an 'Access Hollywood' bus," a reference to the video that leaked before the 2016 election showing Trump lewdly boasting about his sexual advances toward women.

Colbert also shot back at Trump's statements that Colbert's ratings went up when he went harder on the president: "It's almost as if the majority of Americans didn't want you to be president."

And correcting Trump's claim that his appearance on "The Late Show" was its highest-rated episode, the host said former presidential candidate Jeb Bush's appearance got higher ratings than Trump's.

"That's right. You got beat by 'low-energy Jeb,'" Colbert said. (Bush appeared on Colbert's debut episode of "The Late Show.")

But after all that, Colbert did offer Trump a solution to their conflict.

"Since all of my success is clearly based on talking about you, if you really want to take me down, there's an obvious way," Colbert said. "Resign."

Watch the video below:

SEE ALSO: Trump impersonator Anthony Atamanuik opens up about his 'harsh' feud with Alec Baldwin

DON'T MISS: Stephen Colbert says he knows the real reason Trump fired James Comey

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NOW WATCH: Here are the major events leading up to Comey's abrupt firing


Kevin Bacon gets real about nudity and being a male sex object: 'It's not the worst thing'

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Kevin Bacon doesn't mind being the object of desire on his provocatively titled new television series, "I Love Dick."

"Look, to be objectified at my age is not the worst thing," Bacon, 58, told Business Insider earlier this week.

He plays the titular Dick on Amazon's show, which premieres on Friday. Adapted from Chris Kraus’ 1997 cult feminist novel of the same name, the series from "Transparent" creator Jill Soloway follows frustrated filmmaker Chris (Kathryn Hahn), who travels with her writer husband Sylvère (Griffin Dunne) to a writing residency in Marfa, Texas. Amid a sexual dry spell with her husband, Chris becomes infatuated with Dick, an acclaimed sculptor and the residency's benefactor.

"I thought that it was a really interesting idea," Bacon said of Chris' obsession with Dick. "I like the idea that this show is so female-driven, with no men in the writers' room. And Jill Soloway talked about the idea of the female gaze as like a piece of art."

Bacon spoke with Business Insider about the new series, why he's in love with TV, the state of the film industry, and why he's gotten a reputation for shedding his clothes on camera.

Jethro Nededog: How do you feel about being sexually objectified for "I Love Dick"?

Kevin Bacon: I thought that was a very interesting idea. I also felt like to be able to do the show for hopefully multiple seasons and over a long period of time, we needed to have something more than just objectification. And so we talked about ways that you can see inside this man, what his experiences were, what was troubling to him, and what he was struggling with. Over the course of the show, especially toward the last few episodes, we definitely get there.

Nededog: Dick initially dismisses Chris, her talents, and her obsession with him. Is that a front for what he really feels for her?

i love dick kevin bacon kathryn hahn amazonBacon: Yeah, I think that his dismissal of her — at least my backstory — is that he's immediately kind of taken with her. She's a very powerful presence. And when you look at the very first scene that we meet, before he finds out she has a husband, it's very clear that he's attracted to her. But he has made a decision as a character, in my mind, that he's no longer going to break up marriages. It's something that I think this guy has done before. So when he finds out that her husband is a fellow there at the institute, he pushes away. But I think underlying the whole thing, the whole series, is his kind of undeniable attraction to her.

Nededog: The original inspiration for the Dick of the novel, British writer Dick Hebdige, has famously expressed that he's not at all pleased about being its subject. Can you understand where he's coming from?

Bacon: Yes, I can. At one point — in episode six or something — the Griffin Dunne character says, "Oh, come on. You love this. You gotta love it." And Dick says, "I'll tell you the truth: It's humiliating." And I think that part of what's interesting about that is that it's a little bit of the insight into what the female experience must be. It's kind of like when somebody says to a woman, "Well, come on. If I tell you you look hot, how can you not like that?" And I think that there's a statement there, when this guy says "I don't like the way this feels."

Nededog: You have some nudity in this role and, notably, you haven't been shy about getting naked in your movies in the past. Now that you're at this stage in your career, how have your feelings toward being nude for a role changed?

Bacon: I think it's become something that really goes job to job. Does it work to see something? My problem with nudity though — I did a movie called "Wild Things," it was full-frontal nudity. And I didn’t have a problem with it, because it's a scene getting out of the shower and it was just that kind of movie. What I did have a problem with was the fact that when I went to promote the movie — and even to this day — that's all I talk about. So it kind of ended up being, I don’t know, just kind of boring to me as a topic of conversation. In the case of "I Love Dick," the last scene in the pilot, I go out and I get in the water. It's a beautiful place, a scene of kind of a baptism for the character. He's in a way starting life over again with new ideas and change and I think it's a really nice shot and it looks good and it makes a lot of sense for that thing. I did a little thing, I think it was for Mashable, where it was a public service announcement saying that we needed more male nudity. And the amount of people that saw it seriously blows my mind. They said, "You said it in that thing," and it's so clearly a joke. I mean, I'm so clearly being a smartass. It's strange.

Nededog: The setting of the show, Marfa, Texas, is a pretty tight-knit artist colony. Set in that kind of place, can the story still be universal?

i love dick kevin bacon amazonBacon: The story is about love, art, desire, sex, marriage. Marfa is kind of like a character on the show. And I think what Marfa gives us is a chance to see, from my standpoint, a world where a man has gone there and created a kingdom where he can be king. And now he's a reluctant kind of ruler of that kingdom. He's starting to have doubts about his power and about whether or not he's comfortable in this situation. I think that it also is a place where art is extremely important to the show. And also the show is made in an artistic, arthouse kind of way. The way it's shot, the use of film technique, the use of female filmmakers dispersed throughout the show. And I think that a cowboy persona works really well for us. I think originally the show was set in upstate New York. And when I think about that, I'm really glad they found this incredible place to make things jump.

Nededog: The show premiered at Sundance, and the reviews weren't all positive. How do you feel about that?

Bacon: I don't read reviews. I haven't read reviews in 25 years.

Nededog: That's amazing. How do you avoid them?

Bacon: Well, it's difficult to avoid them. I mean our conversation is an example of how difficult it is. People tend to, whether you want it or not, they sort of give you the headlines. But I don't want to see specifically, because I grew up in a tough town. And there was a street, I'd walk down that street every day. If I walked down that street and I risk that somebody was going to kick my ass, then I'm gonna stop walking down that street, you know? So that's the way I feel about reviews. I read other people's reviews. Sometimes I'm interested to see what people think about a project, but I just can't put myself through that.

Nededog: People know you as a movie star, but you starred on Fox's "The Following" and now you're doing "I Love Dick." What's the appeal of TV for you?

Bacon: I think that TV is where the writers went. When the writers went to television, the actors kind of followed. I turned around a few years ago when I decided to do "The Following." I looked at the material that I was talking to my friends about and consuming, and it was all on TV. And I said, "I want a piece of that. I wanna be a part of that." Also my wife [Kyra Sedgwick] was having a lot of success and enjoyment on "The Closer," which is the show that she did for a few years, a lot of years on cable. Eight years, I guess. And I saw how satisfying that was for her, so that's where I decided to go. 

Nededog: You're like the poster child for prolific careers. I mean, "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" has been a thing for over 20 years. Is there a role you still wish you could play?

Bacon: I don't know if there's one specific role. It's kind of like, when I read something, I say, "Okay, this is where I go next." There's no time where I'm going, "I've never done a fireman," or whatever the person would be. Not specifically, no. 

Nededog: Last week on "Saturday Night Live," host Chris Pine made fun of how interchangeable he is with a bunch of other actors named Chris, like Chris Pratt, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth. Over your long career, have you seen that kind of shift in the movie industry?

Bacon: I never thought about it. That's really interesting. I don't know. What I think is it's partly that the industry has changed. Movies, I mean there's been a lot written and said that studios make way fewer movies and they spend more money on them individually. There's a lot of good work and good writing going to television. Somebody said to me once that years ago, kids stayed home and watched TV and grown-ups went to the movies. And now that's kind of turned on its ear. Kids go to the movies and grown-ups stay home and watch interesting series or challenging or more violent or more sexually explicit ones. Just envelope-pushing content is often not in the theater. It's at home on your TV.

Nededog: You're well-known for taking complicated parts and indie-film roles. Would you want to do a movie franchise that may contract you for three or four films?

Bacon: Yeah, sure, of course I would. The only one I've ever done that's sort of like that was "X-Men: First Class." The part didn't repeat, but I'd do it for sure. It's not that I don't like those kinds of movies when they're good. "Guardians of the Galaxy" is fantastic. "Logan" is also a great movie. When they're great, like anything else, you can have a comic book that works really, really well as a franchise. So, sure, I would, yeah.

kevin bacon footlooseNededog: "Footloose" is obviously a hallmark of your career. Are you always game to do the "Footloose" dance?

Bacon: No, no, no.

Nededog: But you're still proud of it?

Bacon: Yeah, absolutely. It changed my life in a lot of ways. I was really grateful to have it. 

Nededog: There's something about the "Footloose" themes that remain relevant over the years.

Bacon: There always seems to be somebody on Twitter saying, "Hey, they just banned dancing — you gotta come to our town."

Watch a trailer for "I Love Dick" below:

 This interview was edited for clarity and length.

SEE ALSO: How Kathryn Hahn became a modern Hollywood comedy hero

DON'T MISS: Amazon just released new TV show pilots — here's what you need to watch

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What happens to your brain and body when you're attracted to someone — according to 'Big Bang Theory' star and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik

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Everyone gets a little flustered when they meet someone they are interested in, but do you know what's really going on in your body during that encounter?  Mayim Bialik, neuroscientist, star of "The Big Bang Theory," and author of the new book "Girling Up," explains the chemical process that causes you to feel all tingly inside. 

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Following is a transcript of the video:

"Now before this goes any further, you should know that all forms of physical contact up to and including coitus are off the table."

My name is Mayim Bialik, and I play Amy Farrah Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory."

Some people know me from "Blossom." And I wrote a book called "Girling Up" that just came out.

"Girling Up" is basically an encyclopedia of all things about growing up female. Everything from chromosomes to sex and dating, how we learn, how we feed our bodies, how we cope with difficult things, and how we make an impact on the world. And I use my neuroscience background, so that it all has kind of a scientific flare to it.

One of the chapters in the book talks about, in particular, romantic intimacy, and what happens in our brains and in our bodies when we're attracted to someone.

"I'm sorry, but this is a litigious society. I'm gonna need verbal consent."

And part of what happens is that there are chemicals that your brain releases, that go through your body, and those chemicals can make you feel really, really good.

One of those is serotonin. That's a really feel-good hormone, neurohormone. And another is oxytocin. And oxytocin is also important for labor and for orgasm. It's also involved in breastfeeding.

It's a hormone that makes you feel really bonded and connected to people.

And when you really like someone, and you feel some sort of sense of infatuation, there's usually a dopamine circuit that is being activated. And dopamine is kind of a hormone and a chemical that works in a reward method. So when you're addicted to drugs, or gambling, or the love of another human being, you activate dopamine, and it is a very powerful hormone.

When you see someone that you like, your body also sends out epinephrine and adrenaline. You get things like sweaty palms, sweaty armpits, and also blushing. As your body starts shunting blood to release some of the heat that's being generated.

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Johnny Depp is embroiled in a massive lawsuit over his 'extravagant and extreme' lifestyle — here's a look at his insane real estate portfolio

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Johnny Depp's extravagant lifestyle has apparently come back to bite him, according to recent reports.

After filing a $25 million lawsuit accusing his former business managers of fraud and mismanagement, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star is now facing a countersuit from his managers, who claim that the actor led an "extravagant and extreme" lifestyle.

His business managers, Joel and Robert Mandel of The Management Group, said that Depp made $650 million in the more than a decade they worked with him. But Depp reportedly splurged this money on his lavish lifestyle, which included buying 14 properties and a 156-foot yacht and spending $3.6 million a year to pay his 40-person staff, The Hollywood Reporter wrote Wednesday.

Take a look at some of the insane real estate that he has loved, lost, and held on to over his career:

SEE ALSO: Trump is reportedly selling his Caribbean estate for $28 million — take a look inside

Johnny Depp's business managers alleged that he had spent over $75 million to "acquire, improve and furnish 14 residences," the lawsuit says.

Source: Hollywood Reporter



His managers persuaded him to sell some of these properties to keep up with monthly bills that totaled $2 million. One of those monthly costs was upkeep for his 150-foot luxury yacht, "Amphitrite," which he reportedly spent $18 million on.

Source: The Telegraph



His managers claimed that Depp would not be able to afford the $350,000 monthly upkeep he had laid out for this yacht. Joel Mandel, his accountant, convinced Depp to sell the yacht, and it was reportedly bought by JK Rowling in 2016.

Source: Business InsiderAOL, and Hollywood Reporter



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The characters of HBO's 'Silicon Valley' are inspired by real people in the tech world — here they are

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HBO's "Silicon Valley" gives a whirlwind tour of the triumphs, debauchery, and epic fails of the real tech world. It's a show so spot-on, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel once called it "basically a documentary."

In an interview with INSIDER last month, "Silicon Valley" showrunner Alec Berg said the writers find inspiration for the series' storylines in real events and people. 

As season four ramps up, we set out to create the definitive, person-to-person mapping of "Silicon Valley" characters to tech-world personalities. Our guide was largely inspired by a blog post from superfan and tech consultant Rex Sorgatz, which you can read here.

Study up before the next episode of "Silicon Valley" on Sunday night.

SEE ALSO: A real-life, robot-made pizza startup reveals what it's like making a cameo on 'Silicon Valley'

Richard Hendricks is the classic Silicon Valley wunderkind who codes his way to the top.

The hoodie-wearing, college-dropout protagonist of "Silicon Valley," Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) calls to mind the classic Valley Boy stereotype, according to Sorgatz.

His devil-may-care tousled locks and frazzled personality remind us of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, while his story arc mimics the fall and triumph of Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey. The little blue bird ousted Dorsey in 2008, but he reclaimed the CEO title in 2015.

Richard also bears a striking resemblance to the CEO of Quora, Adam D'Angelo, as some contributors on the site have pointed out.



Gavin Belson combines "mercenary business style" tech CEOs Larry Page, Larry Ellison, and Marc Benioff.

Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) fits all the requirements of a Silicon Valley titan — down to the five-finger running shoes inspired by Sergey Brin's shoe wear aesthetic.

Belson, who was CEO of a Google-like company called Hooli until his ouster this season, wants to make the world a better place, better than anyone else can. He does so by trampling his competition and lawyering up when someone gets in his way, just like Oracle's Larry Ellison.

"The CEO of Hooli is clearly patterned after (Salesforce CEO) Marc Benioff," BuzzFeed founder Jonah Peretti writes. They both run enterprise companies while also "bettering the world through charity, destroying the competition, and seeking spiritual council from gurus."



The late Peter Gregory embodied Peter Thiel to his core. (The actor who played him, Christopher Evan Welch, died of a heart attack midway through filming season one.)

Eccentric billionaire and angel investor Peter Gregory (Christopher Evan Welch) reminded us of a fellow member of the "three-comma club," Peter Thiel, cofounder of PayPal.

Gregory encouraged young genius geeks to drop out of college and start companies, which sounds a lot like the mission of the Thiel Fellowship. "Silicon Valley" showrunner Alex Berg said Gregory was never intended to be a caricature of Thiel, however.

"The honest answer is we didn't even really know who Peter Thiel was when we did season one, and then people kept saying that the Peter Thiel character, and we started looking at Peter Thiel videos and were like, 'Oh, I can see why people are saying that,'" Berg told INSIDER.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

China is now fighting against the US's advanced missile system with a rap battle

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Chinese anti THAAD rap video

China's vocal opposition to the deployment of the US's advanced anti-missile system THAAD has previously been limited to official statements and public demonstrations.

Now that rebuke has a new, more melodious form: a rap video.

A video featuring Chinese rap group CD Rev, based in the south-central province of Sichuan, appeared earlier this month, as reported by The New York Times on Friday, racking up nearly 50,000 views as of Friday morning.

The deployment of THAAD, which began at a site in southeastern South Korea in March, has sparked months of protests in China.

State-run media outlets have called for protests of South Korean businesses and imports, and demonstrators have targeted the conglomerate Lotte in particular. (South Koreans have also targeted Lotte for protests.)

China's ire has also affected tourism to South Korea, and Chinese broadcasters have cancelled appearances by South Korea bands.

The lyrics in CD Rev's video, in both English and Chinese, criticize the deployment of THAAD in tones likely to be taken as patronizing by some in South Korea.

China anti THAAD rap video

"How many times do I have to warn you my lovely little neighbor boy? You don’t really want that little toy, you know," one member of the group raps near the start of the video, continuing:

"Your big brother is annoyed. Tryna avoid the sight of me and install a camera in my room. You always got so many faces. Or maybe I could avoid some of those small cases. But not this time kid you going to far. The things you doing now is gonna rip you apart."

The video — featuring backgrounds like Bird's Nest stadium built for the 2008 summer Olympics as well as footage of THAAD's deployment — also appears to level criticism at some people in China for the fervor of their anti-THAAD protests.

"I don’t want to see South Korea with this attitude and I also don’t want to be reminded of the war between the two sides because now this area is in peace," a member of the group raps in Chinese.

"Why not choose us rather than Uncle Sam? This situation seems to be out of control. Also, I hope that every time such international affairs like THAAD arise, we can be aware that we should keep calm and not be rude or angry with our fellow countrymen. This is China and we just want peace and love instead of bullets and bombst [sic] but if anyone is trying to cross the line, we will show them something."

thaad protest :(

The Chinese public is not the only group inflamed by THAAD's deployment.

South Koreans have protested the anti-missile system's arrival in their country for months.

They are concerned about the system's sophisticated radar, the potential for it to be a target during a war, and about the health and environmental effects of its deployment.

"No THAAD, No War," protesters chanted in Seongju, a town that THAAD equipment passed through on its way to its deployment site. "Hey, US! Are you friends or occupying troops?"

You can see the full video below.

SEE ALSO: China is going after South Korea's wallet in their dispute over the THAAD missile system

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NOW WATCH: The US's most advanced missile system is operational in South Korea — and it has China and Russia alarmed

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