• In the early days of Pinterest, cofounder and CEO Ben Silbermann would recruit employees at weekly barbecues.
• One of his biggest challenges was finding the right people to work for Pinterest.
• When recruiting, Silbermann was extremely transparent about the challenges of working at a startup and looked for people who were eager to take on those challenges.  

In the early days of Pinterest, an image-browsing site with 250 million active users, employees worked out of a two-bedroom apartment and attended Friday night neighborhood barbecues hosted by cofounder and CEO Ben Silbermann. 

"We ended up actually recruiting a lot of people from those barbecues," Silbermann said on an episode of Business Insider's podcast "This Is Success."

"They'd come three, or four, or five weeks in a row. They'd say, 'It looks like all of you are having a really good time. We love the product. Let us know when you have any openings,'" he said.

Several early employees were hired from attending Silbermann's barbecues. But as Pinterest grew in scale, Silbermann stopped recruiting people through weekly outings.

"I remember when we were recruiting early on. There were these people that were at great jobs, and I would almost feel guilty pulling them out of this great job," Silbermann said. "We didn't have a cool office. It was bring your own computer. They were going to take these massive salary cuts. I would almost feel guilty about saying you should leave this amazing job at a Google or a Facebook and come work for us."

Read more: Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann explains how he's built a multibillion-dollar company that reaches 250 million people

In time, Silbermann realized early Pinterest recruits were "really great people" and felt motivated by the challenges a startup brings.

"If you just embrace that, if you don't try to cover up all of the company's warts and challenges and say, 'Here are the big challenges we have. It's going to be risky, but it's going to be a big adventure.' The best people will self-select into that," he said. 

Once Silbermann understood that, he felt he could recruit honestly and with extreme transparency. He was looking for that "special breed of person" that wants adventure in a career and the chance to make an impact. 

"I think the biggest challenge I've overcome is being able to recruit people to come and work with me that have very, very different skillsets," he said. 

Silbermann compared finding the right people for Pinterest to a superpower. It took him a while to figure out how to do it well, but said it is one of the most rewarding parts of building a company and team.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe to "This Is Success" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

SEE ALSO: The CEO of multibillion-dollar Pinterest knew he was onto something when he started getting personal emails from panicked users

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Ben Silbermann came up with the idea of Pinterest

• John Heggestuen leads research for Business Insider Intelligence and manages a team of more than 20 analysts and editors in New York and London. 
• "A key to getting ahead is understanding that managers often have an overabundance of employees with problems, but the people that they most like to work with are those that solve them," he writes.
• In his career, he's found that the way he communicates problems to his managers makes a big difference in how they view his competence.
• He advises his own team to be smart about communicating their own problems.

When you face a problem at work, how you communicate it to your manager can have a big impact on whether or not you move to the next level in your career.

It's made a big difference in my own career and it's one of the top things I look for when I'm considering promoting people on my team. 

I lead research for Business Insider Intelligence and manage over 20 analysts and editors. At some point, everyone on my team has had an issue come up where they asked me to step in and help out. These issues are usually relatively tough to solve — otherwise they wouldn't need to be escalated. And that means new work and a new time commitment. 

A key to getting ahead is understanding that managers often have an overabundance of employees with problems, but the people that they most like to work with are those that solve them. Bringing a solution to the table rather than a problem is an indicator that you are competent and can big trusted to take on more responsibility. 

It's really easy to spot competence. It's all in how you communicate the problems you're facing:

Level 1: 'I have a problem. What should I do?'

This is a very junior way to communicate a problem. You are creating more work for your manager because you are asking them to solve the problem for you.

It's okay for entry level employees or employees who are training for a new role, but if you don't get beyond this type of communication, your career is going to stagnate and you might even be let go. 

Level 2: 'I have a problem. Here are potential solutions.'

Just showing that you've thought about how to solve a problem is an indicator of next level potential. You're still giving your manager work, but if you provide good options for solving the problem, then it's a lot less work. 

Related:Here's exactly how to write an email so your super busy boss gets back to you

Level 3a: 'I have a problem. Here are potential solutions. This is what I recommend. Here's why.'

If you can do this habitually and your recommendations are sound, your manager will absolutely love you. No matter what level you are in your career, there are situations where this is the best way to communicate a problem — some problems are going to be outside of your purview to solve and you need a nod from your manager, or the CEO, or the board before you can act (level 3b wouldn't be appropriate in these cases). 

Level 3b: 'A problem came up. These were my options. I chose to do this, and here's why. It's handled.'

"It's handled" is music to a busy manager's ears. This is how to communicate issues that have come up that you have authority to make a decision on. It keeps your manager in the loop, so if they're asked about the issue they aren't caught off guard, and it doesn't create additional work. 

Related:21 psychological tricks that will help you ace a job interview

Level 4: 'It sounds like you are having this problem. Here are some options to solve it. Here is how I can help.' 

If you are anticipating your manager's needs and providing solutions, then you'll likely become his or her most relied-upon employee. This is someone who is operating at the next level. The caveat is that in order to do this effectively, your own responsibilities already need to be handled — otherwise it's going to backfire. 

Learning to communicate in a way that will get you to the next level is the easy part. The hard part is developing the skills to solve problems, coming up with good solutions, communicating competence habitually, and following through on what you say you are going to do. 

John Heggestuen is the Vice President of Research for Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium market research service covering digital transformation. He manages a team of over 20 analysts and editors in New York and London. 

SEE ALSO: 5 unexpected ways a promotion can make your life harder — and how to deal with them

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why most people refuse to sell their lottery tickets for twice what they paid

• If you're considering inviting a new partner home for the holidays, talk to your partner and your family about it.
• Give your partner the rundown on your family's celebrations and cast of characters and choose which events you want to attend.
• Make sure your family knows about any dietary restrictions your partner has.
• Don't talk politics and find opportunities to spend time alone.

Bringing a new romantic partner home with you for the holidays is an exciting relationship milestone. However, it can also be daunting for you, your significant other, and your family.

INSIDER spoke to relationship expert and bestselling author Susan Winter about the dos and don'ts of bringing someone special home for the holidays. Here are eight ways to make that initial visit as comfortable and enjoyable as possible for everyone involved.

See what your partner thinks first.

Is there a "right" time in your relationship to invite your partner home for the holidays? Winter said that the amount of time you've been together isn't as important as how you feel about them.

"If you feel strongly about this partner, even if you just met, why not extend the offer?" she said. "It's a very good way to find out where you stand. I don't think it's too early if you like each other."

Feel out your family.

If you're bringing a significant other home, you'll need to run it by your family and make sure they're on board.

"You need to have a preparatory conversation with your family," said Winter. "Tell them that you're seeing someone special and you'd like to integrate them into the holiday plans."

Give your partner the rundown on family members and activities.

Every family has its quirks and kooky relatives that join in on holiday celebrations. Give your partner an idea of who will be there and the protocol for their behavior, and highlight relatives that you think they'd get along with.

"Give them a 'what's up' as to each person and tell them the conversations to avoid and the conversations they might want to enter," said Winter.

• Winnebago could seize on the self-driving car revolution by making autonomous pods, Morningstar theorizes. 
• The cars could be used for office work, yoga, salons, or anything else under the sun. Even sex, a new study said this week. 
• "These ideas may sound silly now, but AVs free up time, and we think people in an AV world will not be content to just sit idle," the analyst said. 

Phone calls, yoga, a haircut… the list of things to do while commuting in a self-driving car is virtually endless.

Because of this new realm of possibilities, there could be an unlikely winner from the autonomous revolution: RV-maker Winnebago.

"We would not be surprised if far off in the future, the company greatly expanded its sales in urban markets with autonomous motor homes for city commuting," David Whiston, an analyst at Morningstar, said in a recent note to clients.

"We think that in a Level 4 or Level 5 AV world, commuters will not be content to sit idle or merely listen to headphones, and a motor home could be used as a rolling service provider, such as a bank or salon, so people can make the most efficient use of their commuting time," he continued.

Read more: These are the 7 best RVs on the market for under $150,000

Of course, humans probably won't stop there. Researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Surrey theorized this week that self-driving cars would inevitably used for sex, due to its intimate relationship with urban tourism. It's not clear how Winnebago might feel about its name attached to a roving brothel.

"These ideas may sound silly now, but AVs free up time, and we think people in an AV world will not be content to just sit idle," Whiston writes. With Waymo reportedly set to launch commercial rides in a self-driving taxi as soon as next month, the days of sitting behind a steering wheel listening to the radio could be gone sooner than expected.

It could be a wild idea —  but Morningstar, a relatively conservative research firm, doesn't want to miss out on the impending revolution. And with Winnebago's stock price down more than 50% this year alone, they probably won't want to miss out either. 

"As for Winnebago's executives," writes Whiston," if they do think we are crazy, they have been polite enough not to tell us."

SEE ALSO: These are the 7 best RVs on the market for under $150,000

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

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.

• With 5% cash back on all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is a must-have for existing Prime members who shop frequently on the site.
• With no annual fees, 0% APR for the 15 months, and an instant $70 gift card for applicants who are approved, the Amazon Prime Rewards card pays for itself instantly, with no additional costs.
• Shopping outside of Amazon earns 2% back on gas and groceries, and 1% on everything else, making this an excellent all-around card.

With no annual fee, and an impressive 5% back on all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases (with a Prime membership), the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is the highest tiered card of the four offered by e-commerce giant.

While a $119 annual Amazon Prime membership fee might deter some people (though we think the cost is justified for these 14 reasons), the card has virtually no downsides for existing Prime members. With points redeemed seamlessly for cash on the Amazon site, the earning system is one of the most straightforward of any rewards card, and adds instant savings for big users of the site.

Benefits of the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

When it comes to rewards credit cards, the two important factors to keep in mind are how do you earn points and how do you burn points? And when it comes to the Amazon Prime Rewards, the answer for both is by shopping on Amazon Prime.

If you're not a Prime member, the first question is whether or not you want to pay for the service. Amazon's Prime currently costs $119 a year, or $12.99 a month, and has become tremendously popular, with Amazon disclosing it had reached 100 million subscribers worldwide last year. The free two-day shipping service has grown as Amazon has added streaming services via Prime video and exclusive offers to its members on Prime Day. New subscribers can sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime here.

While the benefits justify the cost for many, we wouldn't argue joining Prime just to earn the 5% on this card (unless you spend over $6,000 a year on Amazon). If you don't plan on enrolling in Prime but still want to earn cash for using the site, we'd recommend checking out the standard Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, which earns 3% back on Amazon purchases.

However, for those who are existing Prime users, the Amazon Prime Rewards is definitely worth it.

There is no additional cost for the card, and you instantly and seamlessly earn 5% on every purchase made through Amazon and Whole Foods. Your card is automatically linked to your account, and Amazon makes it incredibly easy for you to use your points toward existing purchases. Available points are displayed at every checkout, where you have the option to put them toward your current purchase with the click of a button. No necessary portals, no redemption process.

If you're like me, there's no single company you'd rather have this deal with, as Amazon is basically a proxy for the entire online merchant ecosystem.

Virtually everything is available there, and it appears to only be growing in inventory. For frequent shoppers of the platform, this is basically like earning 5% cash back on everything you buy — clothes, holiday and wedding gifts, or large electronics and furniture purchases. If you are living with roommates, you can order household essentials that are split between everyone, and reap 5% while being the roommate who conveniently takes care of everything.  

The card also recently added its 5% cash back to Whole Foods purchases after the company was acquired. This not only makes it one of the highest earning grocery cards we've seen (to those with loyalty to the brand), but its 2% back at other grocers, restaurants, and gas stations puts its on par with many all-around spending cards.  

Other Visa Signature benefits

The Amazon Prime Rewards is a Visa Signature Card, which grants it a number of travel, auto, and purchase protections you expect from other Visa Signature cards. These include:

• Travel accident insurance: When you pay for transportation with your Amazon Prime Rewards card, you are eligible to receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $500,000.
• Emergency assistance and roadside dispatch: Roadside services cover everything from tows and jump starts, to tire changes, to gas delivery. The Visa Benefit Administrator Roadside is available for legal and medical need during emergency assistance. However you are responsible for any paid services incurred.
• Lost or delayed luggage insurance:If you or an immediate family member's luggage is damaged or lost by the carrier, you're covered up to $3,000 per passenger. You can also be reimbursed for baggage delays of six hours for up to $100 a day, for three days.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Covers theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the US and abroad. Coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
• Purchase protection and extended warranty: New purchases are covered for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Eligible warranties of three years or less are also extended an additional year.

The bottom line

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is recommended for anyone who has an Amazon Prime membership. If you're already paying for the service, it's hard to justify not getting an additional 5% in cash back, unless you have a hard credit card limit.

There is no annual fee for the card, and the $70 gift card received upon approval provides an immediate cash incentive. Amazon has extended their 5% eligibility to Whole Foods, and it's not improbable to think the card's benefits will extend to other subsidiaries should Amazon continue their acquisition spree. The 2% back on groceries, restaurants, and gas add versatility to what is already highly efficient company-specific card.

Read more about Amazon Prime membership benefits:

• Amazon Prime costs $119 a year — here are 14 reasons that more than justify its price
• 29 useful Amazon Prime benefits to know that go beyond free 2-day shipping
• This little-known Amazon hack helps keep your gift purchases a secret while sharing Prime benefits with family
• 19 Amazon shopping hacks that will help you get the most out of the site — even if you don't have a Prime membership
• Free holiday shipping is the new normal this season as stores like Amazon and Target drop their order minimums
• The 18 best Amazon-original TV shows to stream on Prime Video

SEE ALSO: 6 reasons the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s high annual fee is easy to justify — and why the card is ultimately a better value than Chase's cheaper Sapphire Preferred

DON'T MISS: The 8 best no-fee credit cards to open in 2018

Join the conversation about this story »

• President Donald Trump berated UK Prime Minister Theresa May over the phone on Friday, according to a report.
• The aggressive call came while Trump was traveling to Paris for a tense weekend meeting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the World War I armistice.
• Trump also clashed openly with French President Emmanuel Macron during the trip.
• The battles with May and Macron are the latest example of Trump's abrasive style when meeting international leaders.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May reportedly was on the receiving end of a tantrum from President Donald Trump, the latest instance of fraught relations between the president and some of America's closest allies.

According to a report from The Washington Post, May called Trump on Friday to congratulate him on the GOP picking up a few Senate seats in the midterm elections. But May was subsequently treated to a verbal lashing, the report said.

Trump reportedly blasted May over Iran, the state of Brexit negotiations, and the US-European Union trade relationship.

Trump's anger caught May and her aides off guard, The Washington Post said, despite the fact the prime minister has been on the receiving end of such behavior previously.

While the episode comes as something of a shock, especially considering Trump's fairly cordial trip to the UK in July, the row is also part of a growing trend of Trump lashing out at allied leaders.

The Macron fight

In addition to berating May over the phone, Trump also spent an entire weekend in Paris feuding with other world leaders — particularly the weekend's host, French President Emmanuel Macron.

A bromance that had already been strained by trade tensions appeared to completely fall apart after Macron suggested to French radio that Europe needs to build up its defense forces to protect against possible threats, including the US.

While the French president insisted the reference to the US was only to imply that Europe needed to rely less on the US, Trump launched into a days-long tirade against Macron and France.

The fight became more intense after Macron publicly denounced"nationalism" during a speech Sunday. Trump has repeatedly used the term to describe himself in recent weeks. According to The Washington Post, Trump took the comments as a personal attack.

The frosty meeting culminated in Trump's Twitter attacks on Tuesday that went after Macron's approval rating, France's trade treatment of US wines, and even France's World War II record.

Not the first time

Trump's back and forth with European leaders isn't the only time in recent memory that the president has clashed with the US's closest allies during an international trip.

In June, Trump fought with a variety of theoretically friendly world leaders at the G7 summit in Canada. During those meetings, Trump held awkward meetings with a slew of foreign leaders, including:

• An encounter with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during which Trump tossed a Starburst candy onto the table and said, "Here, Angela. Don't say I never give you anything."
• A meeting during which Trump complained about immigration and told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that if the US were to "send him 25 million Mexicans," the prime minister would be "be out of office very soon."
• A battle with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which Trump made him the target of an extended Twitter tirade before, during, and after the meeting.

While the fights add a layer of personal intrigue, they could also have some real world policy consequences.

The personal animus between Trudeau and Trump appeared to cause a delay in final negotiations over the updated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in August, while Macron and Merkel have ramped up calls for a pan-European defense force in the wake of Trump's NATO skepticism.

While these spats are unlikely to undermine lengthy relationships, Trump's brash nature could cause consequential shifts in how the world treats the US.

The next chance for international fireworks comes at the end of November, when Trump is scheduled to travel to Argentina for the G20 summit. Most importantly Trump is set to hold his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping since the start of the US-China trade war.

SEE ALSO: 'MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN!': The Trump-Macron bromance appears dead as Trump launches into tirade against the French leader

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Lindsey Graham once warned there would be 'holy hell to pay' if Trump fired Jeff Sessions

• Bitcoin was trading down 13% Wednesday afternoon, at its lowest level in over a year.
• The selling comes as traders ready for a hard fork in the rival bitcoin cash.
• Watch bitcoin trade live.

Bitcoin was getting demolished Wednesday afternoon, down more than 13% and at its lowest level in over a year.

The world's largest cryptocurrency touched a low of $5,322 a coin, its weakest since October 2017, as widespread selling wreaked havoc on the crypto space ahead of the coming fork in the rival bitcoin cash.

Ethereum, XRP's ripple, litecoin, and bitcoin cash were lower by about 16%.

On Thursday, bitcoin cash, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is set to experience a hard fork amid a fight that is playing out between its two biggest proponents, Craig Wright and Roger Ver.

"Both Roger and Craig are advocating a different version of Bitcoin Cash," according to Mati Greenspan, the senior market analyst at eToro.

"The end result will most likely be a split in the network resulting in two different versions of Bitcoin Cash when both upgrades go into effect this Thursday."

It has been a tough year for digital-currency investors, who saw prices explode in 2017 as cryptomania swept over the world. Bitcoin, for example, began 2017 worth less than $1,000 a coin before soaring more than 2,000% to a high of $19,511 a coin.

This year has been a different story, however, with the cryptocurrency's value having plunged by 60%.

Join the conversation about this story »

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

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider and The Points Guy Affiliate Network receive a commission from card issuers if you apply through these links and are approved.

• The fastest way to boost your stash of credit card points or frequent flyer miles is to earn new member bonuses. 
• Two of these offers — both on Capital One cards — are brand new and only available for a limited time. Capital One also just announced a major improvement to the cards.
• You can use points from these cards for virtually free travel, upgrades, cash back, gift cards, or more. 
• Read on for the best bonuses and card products available this month.

DON'T MISS: Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card offers superior airport lounge access, according to a frequent flyer

READ MORE: The best cash-back credit cards of 2018

SEE ALSO: Eleven Madison Park is launching a pop-up restaurant in Aspen exclusively for AmEx cardholders — here's how to book a table

Join the conversation about this story »

• President Donald Trump appeared to incorrectly suggest that buying cereal requires shoppers to present identification — and therefore should do so when voting.
• Buying cereal does not require ID.
• Trump made the comments as part of his latest vendetta against voter fraud and "illegal voting," though he provided no evidence that either occurred during the 2018 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to wrongly suggest that buying cereal requires shoppers to present identification cards, in his latest push for more stringent voter ID laws.

Trump suggested to The Daily Caller in an interview that if something as simple as a cereal purchase requires ID (it doesn't), so should voting.

"If you buy a box of cereal — you have a voter ID," Trump said. "They try to shame everybody by calling them racist, or calling them something, anything they can think of, when you say you want voter ID. But voter ID is a very important thing."

The cereal reference was not the first botched grocery analogy Trump has used to push for voter ID laws. He incorrectly said at a Tampa, Florida, rally in August that grocery shopping requires picture ID.

In fact, grocery purchases — and most retail transactions — don't require any identification, unless the products are tobacco, alcohol, fireworks, or firearms and the customer appears younger than certain age thresholds.

It's possible Trump was referring to the mostly outdated practice of cashiers requesting ID for customers who pay with checks or credit cards, but such requests have become relatively rare in recent years and are done at retailers' discretion, not by law.

Read more: Trump appears not to understand grocery shopping in latest push for voter ID laws

Trump made the comments as part of his latest vendetta against voter fraud and "illegal voting," though he provided no evidence that either occurred during the 2018 midterm elections, and made wild, baseless claims about voters casting multiple ballots after changing their clothes.

"The Republicans don't win and that's because of potentially illegal votes," Trump told The Daily Caller. "When people get in line that have absolutely no right to vote and they go around in circles. Sometimes they go to their car, put on a different hat, put on a different shirt, come in and vote again. Nobody takes anything. It's really a disgrace what's going on."

It's unclear why Trump made those remarks, as there is not only no evidence of illegal voters changing outfits to vote multiple times, but no credible allegations have been lodged of such behavior occurring in the midterm elections.

Voter impersonation has not occurred at any meaningful level on a national scale, studies have shown — one 2014 study found that of one billion ballots cast since 2000, just 31 incidents involved voter impersonation.

Alex Lockie contributed reporting.

SEE ALSO: Fox News announces it's supporting CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration for revoking Jim Acosta's press pass

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

Join the conversation about this story »

Chances are you watched "Sesame Street" as a child. And if you are now a parent of a young child, chances are you're still watching "Sesame Street" today. Since its premiere on November 10, 1969, the puppets and people of "Sesame Street" have been entertaining young children and teaching them valuable lessons about everything from friendship to the alphabet, making it the longest running children's television show.

There have been a few changes, including the show's move from PBS to HBO in 2015, but over the years, "Sesame Street" has managed to stay relevant to each new generation of viewers. But even if you think you've seen practically every episode, there are some things about the beloved kids' show that may come as a surprise.

Believe it or not, there are some things you didn't know about "Sesame Street."

The first Mr. Snuffleupagus was rather scary looking.

When Mr. Snuffleupagus made his first appearance in 1971, he only existed in Big Bird's imagination. As large as he was, he would always disappear before Big Bird's neighbors could see him. In season 17, producers decided to make Big Bird's bestie visible to everyone. But when he made his television debut, Snuffy looked less like someone you'd want to have a sleepover with and more like something you might see in your nightmares.

The original version had creepy yellow eyes and a thinner body.

Four First Ladies have appeared on the show.

Since the show's premiere, four First Ladies have made appearances on Sesame Street. Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama have all stopped by to hang out with the "Sesame Street" gang to teach young viewers about issues including healthy eating and the importance of literacy. Hillary Clinton even shared a smooch with Oscar.

Oscar used to be orange.

Oscar the Grouch, the crankiest neighbor on "Sesame Street" is known for his grumpy demeanor as well as his green fur. But you may not have known that his fur was once a completely different color. In the show's first season, the beloved grouch had orange fur. When he reappeared as green in season two, Oscar told everyone that the color change was the result of a vacay in a damp swamp.

• President Donald Trump continued to spread unsubstantiated conspiracies about voter fraud in American elections as midterm election ballots continue to be counted — and recounted — in key races in Florida and Georgia. 
• Trump has aggressively accused elections officials of forging and "finding" votes in Florida in order to hand the key Senate and gubernatorial contests to Democrats. 
• There is no evidence of any form of wrongdoing in Florida's elections. Florida's secretary of state — appointed by Scott — and the Department of Law Enforcement have insisted that there are no credible allegations of election fraud to investigate.

President Donald Trump continued to spread unsubstantiated conspiracies about voter fraud committed by Democrats in US elections as midterm election ballots continue to be counted — and recounted — in key races in Florida and Georgia. 

"The Republicans don't win and that's because of potentially illegal votes," Trump told the Daily Caller, a conservative online news outlet, during a Wednesday interview. "When people get in line that have absolutely no right to vote and they go around in circles. Sometimes they go to their car, put on a different hat, put on a different shirt, come in and vote again."

There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the US and though Trump has repeatedly alleged otherwise, there is no evidence of fraud in Florida's ongoing midterm recounts. Florida's secretary of state — appointed by Republican Gov. Rick Scott — and the Department of Law Enforcement have insisted that there are no credible allegations of election fraud to investigate.

On Monday, a Florida judge denied Scott's request that law enforcement seize and monitor ballots and voting equipment during the recounts, citing a lack of evidence of any fraud or irregularities in the ballot counting. 

"If someone in this county has evidence of fraud or irregularities, they should report it to a law enforcement office," Judge Jack Tuter said.

Tuter also requested that both Democrats and Republicans "ramp down the rhetoric" surrounding the contentious gubernatorial and Senate races in Florida. 

Since Election Day last Tuesday, Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated allegations about the vote counts in Florida, claiming that officials are forging and "finding" votes or committing other forms of fraud.

"An honest vote count is no longer possible-ballots massively infected," he tweeted Monday, asserting that Scott and Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ron DeSantis had decisively won their contests.

Following the president's lead, Scott has accused elections officials in his state of electoral corruption and of overseeing widespread voter fraud.

"Their goal is to keep mysteriously finding more votes until the election turns out the way they want," Scott said Thursday.

SEE ALSO: A judge just slapped down Republicans' claims of fraud in Florida amid an increasingly chaotic recount

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Fox News' Harris Faulkner is the only black woman in cable news with a daily show: 'It's a tremendous amount of responsibility'

Join the conversation about this story »

• Late in the second half of their first game of the season, the Nichols Bisons held a decisive lead over fellow Division III program Fitchburg State.
• Nichols point guard Nate Tenaglia pulled up for a corner three to extend the Bisons' lead to 13, but Falcons junior guard Kewan Platt seemingly deliberately elbowed him in the face before he even finished his stroke.
• After a video of the altercation went viral, Platt was suspended indefinitely and barred from campus, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf.

With less than three minutes left in the Nichols Bisons' first game of the season, point guard Nate Tenaglia pulled up for a corner three to extend his team's lead over fellow Division III program Fitchburg State.

He knocked down the shot with ease, but before he even finished his follow through, his defender clocked him in the face.

After enduring Tenaglia's tough defense throughout the contest, Falcons junior guard Kewan Platt was apparently fed up with his team's losing effort. He saw the referee turn towards the basket and charged at Tenaglia, throwing his right elbow into his opponent's face.

Tenaglia immediately fell to the ground and grabbed his nose in apparent pain.

A second referee caught the act and issued Platt his second technical foul of the game which resulted in his ejection. After the video went viral the following day, Platt was suspended indefinitely and barred from campus, according to ESPN's Myron Medcalf.

"I was proud of how our guys handled the situation," Nicholls head coach Scott Faucher told Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg. "They came together and focused on the next play. Nate actually made the two free throws and stayed in the game. He's an extremely tough kid. He took the shot, rallied his teammates together and went right to the free throw line."

Fitchburg State athletic director Matthew Burke also released a statement on behalf of the school:

"The Fitchburg State community is appalled by the conduct displayed during Tuesday night's home basketball game," Burke said. "The player involved has been indefinitely suspended from the team and barred from campus, effective immediately. His behavior is antithetical to our community values and good sportsmanship. Fitchburg State does not tolerate behavior that violates those standards. The case is being reviewed at the student conduct level for consideration of further sanctions."

Join the conversation about this story »

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

• There's a secret shrine to Danny DeVito hidden behind a paper towel dispenser in a bathroom a SUNY Purchase.
• It's reportedly been there for at least a year and just went viral now.
• SUNY Purchase shut it down after it went viral, citing "safety issues."

Deep in the walls of New York's Purchase College, there is a shrine where you can lay an offering for Danny DeVito.

The shrine is hidden behind the paper towel dispenser in one of the school's bathrooms. Remove the dispenser from the wall, and there's a doorway to a small room someone turned into a tribute to the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actor.

Pictures of the shrine went viral when a SUNY Purchase student posted photos of it on Twitter. Before a cutout of him, students had left an assortment of tokens and offerings

Read more:A teen took a cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito to prom — and he's thrilled she did it.

The bathroom appears to be in the school's visual arts building, according to Mashable. Several SUNY Purchase students on Twitter said it's been there for at least a year, but no one's sure who created it or why.

Earlier in November, one student posted a video of themself entering the shrine with a group of friends

It went mostly unnoticed until now.

One student invited him to visit it way back in October

Some students apparently held a drag photo shoot there

And SUNY Purchase said DeVito is welcome to come check it out

The school, however, has closed off the shrine, citing "safety reasons."

"While the spirit of the shrine lives on, sadly, it was closed for safety reasons,"it said on Twitter. "We hope it can be installed elsewhere."

Will the Danny DeVito shrine live on? We can only hope.

A representative for Danny DeVito didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

• Pixel 3 users have reported that their messages started disappearing after updating to the latest November 5 update for Pixel devices. 
• Google has acknowledged the issue, and says it will roll out a fix "soon."
• It isn't clear yet whether lost messages will be replaced with the upcoming software fix.

Pixel 3 users have recently reported via several threads on Reddit that their text messages are disappearing from their smartphones.

People reported that entire histories of their text messages had disappeared. One user reported "I had 2 years of messages that had transferred over from my OG Pixel to my new Pixel 3 and no problems at all. Now they are just gone, despite restarting, uninstall/install updates, take out sim, and chat with Google help." 

The culprit could have something to do with the latest November 5 Android update, according to Android Police. 

Google confirmed the issue to Business Insider.

"We recently discovered a bug affecting SMS/MMS on a small number of Pixel 3s and are rolling out a fix soon," a Google spokesperson said.

Indeed, the issue doesn't seem to be as widespread as some other issues that others have reported, like photos disappearing after taking them.

Business Insider asked the Google representative if the fix will replace the lost/disappeared messages, but has yet to hear back. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Everything wrong with Android

• US equity markets fell for a fifth straight day.
• The major averages pared their losses after Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement that her Cabinet backed her Brexit plan.
• Apple shares slid into a bear market, down more than 20% from their October peak.

The US equity markets fell for a fifth straight day Wednesday, paring their losses after Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet backed a draft of her Brexit plan. 

All three of the major averages were down as much as 1.4%, before ending lower by about 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 350 points at its worst levels, and settled down 206 points.    

In a statement, May said that her Cabinet held a "long, detailed, and impassioned debate" but eventually agreed to move ahead with the deal. The draft agreement will now pass to the EU council later this month, where it will be inspected by the EU's other 27 countries and voted on.

Tech stocks remained in focus as Apple fell 2.9% after Guggenheim analyst Mark Cihra warned that higher average selling prices for iPhones wouldn't be able to offset weaker demand. Wednesday's drop sent shares into a bear market, down more than 20% from their October peak. 

Meanwhile, bank stocks were under pressure, with the KBW Bank Index falling 1.5%, after Rep. Maxine Waters, who is set to take charge of the House Financial Services Committee, said that "the days of this committee weakening regulations and putting our economy once again at risk of another financial crisis will come to an end." 

Elsewhere, Snap shed 3.4% after the company revealed it was subpoenaed by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission on concerns related to disclosures in the filing of its initial public offering. 

On the commodities front, crude oil ended its record 12-day losing streak as a rally early in the US session lifted prices by as much as 3%. West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the US benchmark gained about 0.8% to $56.16 a barrel. 

Looking at the economy, consumer prices in the US climbed at a 2.5% year-over-year clip, their fastest pace in nine months, as gains in the costs of gasoline and rents made the biggest contribution. 

Modest buying across the US Treasury market pushed yields lower by as much as five basis points, with the benchmark 10-year yield easing to 3.11%.   

And bitcoin was down more than 13% at its worst levels of the day as traders positioned themselves for the upcoming hard fork in its rival, bitcoin cash. The cryptocurrency briefly slipped below $5,400 — touching its lowest level since October 2017.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

Pizza Barn in Yonkers, NY is famous for its massive two-foot long pizza slices. You can choose from 18 different toppings including penne vodka and mac 'n' cheese.

Join the conversation about this story »

Ham Hung restaurant makes authentic Korean food in Los Angeles. The restaurant specializes in Ham hung style noodles, which are made of potatoes. This cold noodle dish is made through a series of machines that you have to see for yourself.

Join the conversation about this story »

About 135,000 children are adopted in the United States each year and the number is even higher internationally. In celebration of national adoption day, we've rounded up some of the most heartwarming photos of newly adopted kids and their families. 

Placeda Era sits with her newly adopted daughter Ke'miyah Era during a ceremony in an adoption court on National Adoption Day marked at the Miami Children's Museum on November 20, 2015.

Judges from Miami-Dade County Juvenile Court officiated the finalizing of more than 50 adoptions in courtrooms set up inside the museum on the day when a national effort is given to raise awareness of the more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent families.

Nathalie Ogando sits with her adopted cousin, Lean Martinez, 5, after she was adopted.

She was also adopted during the same ceremony. 

Grace Gonzalez sits with her adopted daughter Bella Gonzalez, 2.

She was also adopted during the same ceremony.