• At least five people are dead, eight are missing, and more than 30 are injured after one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes erupted on Monday afternoon. 
• Over the last month, New Zealand's geological monitoring agency had raised the volcanic-alert level on White Island, where the eruption occurred.
• But according to experts, a blast like this one can't be easily predicted, since it was steam-driven, not magma-driven. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

New Zealand's most active volcano erupted on Monday afternoon, sending plumes of ash, volcanic rock, and scalding steam more than 12,000 feet into the air over Whakaari, or White Island.

That debris then rained down onto unsuspecting tourists on the island, with fatal consequences. Five people were killed, eight are missing, and more than 30 have been hospitalized with burns and injuries. The victims include New Zealanders and tourists from the US, China, Australia, Britain ,and Malaysia, who were visiting the island from a cruise ship, the Associated Press reported.

Reconnaissance rescue flights over the island found "no signs of life at any point," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, according to the AP.

Barbara Barham, mother and mother-in-law of two of the blast victims, told the Washington Post that she was livid.

"There's been warnings about it … My son-in-law never would have booked the excursion if he knew there was any chance of them being injured," Barham said.

She's not the only person wondering why tourists were allowed anywhere near the island if such an eruption was a possibility.

But according to Shane Cronin, an Earth scientist at the University of Auckland, White Island is one of several volcanoes in New Zealand with a known potential to produce sudden explosive eruptions at any time. And unfortunately, they're very hard to predict.

"We don't normally see these eruptions coming, no matter how much we would like to,"he wrote in The Conversation.

There were some warning signs

According to New Zealand's geological monitoring agency, GeoNet, the eruption was "an impulsive, short-lived event."

Ken Gledhill, a technical advisor at GeoNet, told the AP that "in the scheme of things, for volcanic eruptions, it is not large. But if you were close to that, it is not good."

According GeoNet, the volcanic-activity level on the island had been steadily increasing since October. Three weeks ago, scientists raised the island's "Volcanic-Alert Level" from 1 to 2, citing continuous volcanic unrest and increases in activity in the crater.

"Hazards on the island are now greater than during the past few weeks,"the report said.

Less than a week before the eruption, GeoNet reported that "substantial gas, steam, and mud bursts" were observed at one of the volcanic vents in the crater. But even then, the alert level remained at level 2 (out of a possible 5), only indicating "moderate to heightened volcanic unrest."

Tours at the private island reserve continued as usual. On the day of the eruption, 47 people were on White Island, authorities reported. 

'Stepping foot onto a live volcano'

Tour operators make the final decision about whether to take visitors to the privately owned White Island, where access is controlled through permits, according to the New Zealand Herald. Nearly 10,000 visitors a year travel to Whakaari.

The island's major tour company, White Island Tours, promises"amazing colors and the sense of awe you get by stepping foot onto a live volcano." According to the company's website, boats travel to the island "every day that the weather will let us, except for Christmas Day."

But White Island Tours does warn that "passengers should be aware that there is always a risk of eruptive activity regardless of the alert level."

That alert level often fluctuates without any eruption on White Island , according to Brad Scott, a volcanologist with research group GNS Science. He told the AP that there had not been any major problems with tourists visiting the island in the past, though there had been some close calls.

Cronin warned that following Monday's eruption, more volcanic activity could be observed.

"The eruptions are short-lived, but once one happens, there is a high chance for further, generally smaller ones as the system re-equilibrates," he wrote.

SEE ALSO: Scientists have figured out how to better predict where and when volcanoes will erupt — and their models accurately pinpointed disasters of the past

SEE ALSO: Webcam live feed showed tourists inside New Zealand volcano right before it erupted and killed at least 5

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NOW WATCH: The biggest volcano eruptions in recorded history

• This is a preview of the Fintech and Financial Inclusion research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• 14-Day Risk Free Trial: Get full access to this and all Fintech industry research reports.

Historically, the US banking industry has discussed financial inclusion solely in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Offering services to the underserved — unbanked consumers who lack access to banking products, and underbanked consumers who make only limited use of mainstream financial services — has long been economically unviable. But two forces have flipped the conversation from CSR to a genuine business opportunity.

First, digital tools from mobile banking to AI are driving down costs and allowing financial institutions (FIs) to offer previously untenable products, such as fee-free accounts or credit scoring based on unconventional data.

Second, the US' financial landscape is more competitive than ever, as fintechs, incumbents, and even tech companies like Amazon vie for larger shares of the overall space. That's creating a compelling reason for banks to seek out fresh growth opportunities, and the financially underserved represent just that. And with close to 33 million US households either unbanked or underbanked, the opportunity for fast-moving banks is huge.

In Fintech and Financial Inclusion, Business Insider Intelligence explores the business opportunity for incumbent banks looking to tap the growing opportunity presented by the financially underserved, highlights through case studies how innovative players are utilizing technology to capture share in this market, and outlines recommendations for how banks can enter the space as well.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Amazon, BBVA, Chime, Citi Bank, Experian, FICO, LendingClub, Petal, and Synchrony.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Despite the US being one of the most developed financial ecosystems in the world, a quarter of households in the country make little or no use of mainstream banking products.
• Several barriers have stymied underserved consumers' adoption of mainstream banking products, both from the consumer and FI perspective.
• Innovation in digital banking channels has helped reduce some of these barriers to adoption, making financial products viable for consumers and FIs alike.
• Banks planning to target consumers that are financially underserved need to consider a number of factors, including product fit, financial literacy, and how they measure metrics for assessing of a financial inclusion effort.

In full, the report:

• Details the key reasons why millions of US households are either unbanked or underbanked.
• Forecasts the market opportunity of serving this group.
• Explores how seven players have leveraged technology to tap into this lucrative market — Citi Bank, Chime, BBVA, LendingClub, Petal, Amazon, and Synchrony Financial.
• Provides actionable recommendations for how banks can successfully pursue a financial inclusion project.

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

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3. Current subscribers can read the report here.

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• A former Oracle product manager has sued the tech giant, claiming it sold phantom or broken products as part of a cloud service geared to universities.
• Tayo Daramola said the company retaliated against him "reporting what was in fact a pattern of criminal acts," the suit said.
• He said he resisted participating in what he described as "misrepresentation and likely fraud," and subsequently filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the suit said.
• "We don't agree with the allegations and intend to vigorously defend the matter," an Oracle spokesperson said.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

A former Oracle product manager has accused the tech giant of selling phantom or broken products, and then forcing him out when he complained to federal authorities.

Tayo Daramola said he had uncovered problems with an Oracle cloud-based project geared to universities, including products that did not work or didn't even exist, according to a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco. He said Oracle retaliated against him for "reporting what was in fact a pattern of criminal acts," the suit said.

"Oracle demoted Daramola, stripped him of meaningful responsibility … because Daramola recognized fraudulent behavior, refused to engage in it and reported it internally as such," the suit said.

Oracle rejected Daramola's claims. "We don't agree with the allegations and intend to vigorously defend the matter," spokesperson Deborah Hellinger said in a statement emailed to Business Insider.

Daramola, who lives in Montreal, worked for Oracle-owned NetSuite from November 2016 to October 2017 as a project manager for "University Book Store," a cloud service used by several educational institutions, including the University of Washington and University of Texas in Austin.

According to the suit, which was first reported by The Register, Daramola found out that Oracle sold products "it could not deliver and that were not functional."

"Daramola came to understand that the products sold to US customers in many cases did not exist, were not functional, and/or had not been developed at the time of the sale to the customer," the suit said.  But he also realized that part of his job was to "ratify and promote Oracle's repeated misrepresentations to the customer," the suit said.

"This project management strategy was intended to gain Oracle 'runway' (time) to develop and obtain functionality for the non-existent software products Oracle had already sold to the customer while representing their existence and deliverability as of the time of sale," the suit said.

But Daramola resisted being part of what he called "misrepresentation and likely fraud," the suit said. His managers retaliated against him and he was eventually forced to leave after he filed a whistleblower complaint with the SEC, the suit said.

The complaint is seeking general and punitive damages.

You can read the Daramola Complaint vs. Oracle here.

Got a tip about Oracle or another tech company? Contact this reporter via email at bpimentel@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter

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NOW WATCH: A 45-year-long study discovered trends in successful hyper-intelligent children

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson parodied the 2003 rom-com "Love Actually" in an ad asking people to vote Conservative in support of Brexit.
• "Enough, enough. Let's get this done," Johnson said at the end of the ad, before the message "Vote conservative actually" appeared.
• Since his election in late July of this year, the British prime minister has tried to navigate Britain's exit from the European Union. However, after facing substantial parliamentary defeats, Johnson is facing an election that will decide his fate and possibly that of Brexit.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson parodied the 2003 rom-com "Love Actually" in an ad asking people to vote Conservative in support of Brexit.

In Johnson's remake of the iconic Christmas carol singers scene, the British prime minister imitates the character Mark (Andrew Lincoln), holding up cards telling a woman in the scene — mimicking the film's Juliet (Keira Knightly) — that her vote has never been more important.

"The other guy could win…" the card reads. "So you have a choice to make between a working majority or another gridlocked hung parliament arguing about Brexit."

In the campaign ad, the British prime minister then held up cards claiming that if the impending December vote doesn't result in a working Conservative majority, then Parliament will continue to argue about Brexit until he looks like an old dog.

"Enough, enough. Let's get this done," Johnson said at the end of the ad, before the message "Vote conservative actually" appeared.

Since his election in late July of this year, the British prime minister has tried to navigate Britain's exit from the European Union. However, after facing substantial parliamentary defeats, Johnson has yet to fulfill Brexit.

In a series of setbacks for Johnson, Parliament voted to block a no-deal Brexit (or hard exit without a deal with the European Union). However, Johnson could not call new elections to try and get a majority in Parliament due to the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, Vox reported. And while Parliament narrowly voted in favor of Johnson's deal with the EU, they did not approve of his rapid time table, forcing an extension until January 31, 2020.

In turn, the prime minister requested a general election with the goal of taking back the working majority that he lost in early September. The December 12, election will determine whether or not Johnson will get the Conservative majority in Parliament to carry out Brexit, if the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn will win and form a government, or if there will be no clear majority.

• Read more:
• What the hell just happened with Brexit and where will we end up next?
• Companies are fleeing the UK no matter what happens with Brexit. Here's all the damage that's already been done
• Half of Brexit voters feel 'betrayed' by Boris Johnson's failure to get Brexit done on October 31

SEE ALSO: Boris Johnson's own official government figures shows his Brexit deal will make British people much poorer

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NOW WATCH: Extremists turned a frog meme into a hate symbol, but Hong Kong protesters revived it as an emblem of hope

• Lara Trump said she admires Democratic House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi just hours after House Democrats unveiled impeachment articles against her father in law President Donald Trump.
• "Well, I think you do have to admire Nancy Pelosi. She's been in the game for a long time," Lara told Politico's Anita Kumar at the outlet's Women Rule event on Tuesday. 
• At a Monday morning press conference, Pelosi and five other top House Democrats announced they will draft articles of impeachment against Trump for abusing his office and obstructing Congress. 
• When asked if she was surprised by Lara expressing admiration for her also at Women Rule conference, Pelosi said, "Nothing surprises me. Surprise is not a word in my vocabulary. It's over there with 'hate.'"
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Lara Trump said she admires Democratic House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi just hours after House Democrats unveiled impeachment articles against her father in law President Donald Trump.

Lara, who is married to Trump's son Eric Trump and has prominently supported Trump on the campaign trail, said she respected Pelosi at Politico's Women Rule event on Tuesday, which the House Speaker also attended. 

"Well, I think you do have to admire Nancy Pelosi. She's been in the game for a long time," Lara told Politico's Anita Kumar at the event. 

Lara added she believes Pelosi has "tenacity" and "is willing to put down and throw down whenever she needs to," saying, "whether or not I agree with it, that's a different story. But you certainly can admire somebody for spending their life, you know, here in Washington, D.C., and trying to serve the country."

Throughout his presidency and especially as the House has ramped up the impeachment proceedings against him, Trump has railed against the Speaker, derisively nicknaming her "Nervous Nancy" and accusing her of being a "do-nothing Democrat."

When asked if she was surprised by Lara expressing admiration for her, Pelosi said, "Nothing surprises me. Surprise is not a word in my vocabulary. It's over there with 'hate.'"

Last week, Pelosi publicly blasted a reporter who asked if she hated Trump, saying, "As a Catholic, I resent your using the word 'hate' in a sentence that addresses me. I don't hate anyone. I was raised in a way that is a heart full of love and always pray for the president. And I still pray for the president. I pray for the president all the time."

At a Monday morning press conference, Pelosi and five other top House Democrats announced they will draft articles of impeachment against Trump for abusing his office and obstructing Congress. 

Lara and Eric Trump currently reside in Briarcliff Manor, New York, a wealthy suburb of New York City and the home of the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester. Eric currently serves as an executive vice-president of the Trump Organization along with his older brother, Donald Trump Jr. 

In a 2018 interview with Westchester Magazine, Lara said that sometimes she and her family "pine for the old days" before her father-in-law became president, but she has embraced the newest family business of politics.

Last year, Lara left her job as an associate television producer at "Inside Edition" to join Trump's 2020 re-election campaign full time helping with Trump's outreach to women. 

Read more:

Lara Trump says Angela Merkel's decision to welcome refugees led to 'the downfall of Germany'

SEE ALSO: Here's how the Trump family spends their billions, from a $15 million beachfront estate in St. Martin to a $32 million fleet of private helicopters and airplanes

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Extremists turned a frog meme into a hate symbol, but Hong Kong protesters revived it as an emblem of hope

• The YouTube creator Paul Kousky, who has 10 million subscribers, broke down for Business Insider how much he made from a video with 150 million views. 
• Kousky said the video, which was about a Nerf gun war, didn't go viral overnight, and instead attracted viewers about six months later from around the world. 
• YouTube's Partner Program lets creators earn money by monetizing their channels with video ads, which generate a certain amount of money, depending on factors like a video's watch time, length, and viewer demographic.
• Kousky earned $97,000 in AdSense revenue from the video, according to a screenshot viewed by Business Insider.
• Sign up for Business Insider's influencer newsletter, Influencer Dashboard, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
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Growing up in Maine with a family of nine and a father who was in the Navy, Paul Kousky, 24, thought he would pursue a career in the military — not YouTube.

In middle school, Kousky made videos on iMovie for class and was always playing with Nerf guns in his basement with his siblings, he said. Then about 10 years ago, he posted his first video on YouTube. 

"We made these videos around the house, in the woods," Kousky told Business Insider. "I couldn't have done this without my siblings growing up. They were more than happy to be in the videos and participate."

Kousky runs the YouTube channel PDK Films, which now has 10 million subscribers. He said he originally never planned to focus on YouTube as a career. But despite uploading videos only every four months when he was home while he was in college, his channel continued to grow.

"I was probably pulling in $100,000 a year," he said. "I decided to drop out of college and do this full time in 2015."

Kousky said he earns a majority of his YouTube revenue from Google's AdSense program, which places ads on creators' YouTube videos. 

In February 2018, Kousky uploaded a YouTube video to his channel titled "Nerf War: Tank Battle," which went viral six months later, worldwide. Today, the video has 150 million views.

Kousky earned $97,000 in AdSense from the video, the most he's made from a single video, according to a screenshot viewed by Business Insider.

"Some people think that's low; some people think it's high," he said. "For me, that's just what I'm used to on my channel. Some people get a couple million views and pull in $100,000 in AdSense off that."

How much money a video on YouTube earns depends on a number of factors, from the place in the video where viewers normally drop off to the type of advertisers the video gets.

Audience demographic is key for earning the most money on YouTube

"The video is pretty simple," Kousky said. "I start off playing the tank game, and then all of a sudden, there's these cut scenes with tanks driving out, and they start attacking me. My Nerf guns don't work against these tanks, so I throw pineapples and random things at them, so there's some humor."

The video is just over 10 minutes long, a trick he learned in 2016 after YouTube made some changes to the algorithm, and he noticed the revenue on his channel began to decline for shorter videos. 

By looking at his YouTube creator studio, Kousky is able to see metrics provided by YouTube, like how long viewers watched the video on average and where they clicked off. He said the audience retention on the video fluctuated over time and retention would generally decrease over time as the video gets more views.

On average, the view duration for this video was around four to five minutes. That put the video at about a 45% average watch time, which is considered high for YouTube. This is an important metric because a high view duration lets YouTube's automated algorithm know that a video is performing well, and that can help a video get picked up and recommended to viewers.

The subject also helped the video spread. 

"What I've seen with my videos is the ones that go viral are global hits," he said. "Because everyone knows what a Nerf gun is."

When Kousky first uploaded the video, he said it had about 50% US viewers, which is his target demographic. After it went viral, the US audience dropped and is now only about 5%.

Since his video went viral worldwide, it pulled in views from countries with a lower CPM rate (or cost per 1,000 views). If a majority of his viewers had been from the US, then he would have earned more money, he said. Viewer demographic is a key factor for YouTube in determining the CPM rate for videos.

Like a movie title or book cover, a YouTube thumbnail image is important for luring in viewers

The video was never picked up by YouTube's automated algorithm for the trending page, he said. 

But still, 90% of his channel's traffic comes from the "suggested videos" section on YouTube, which appears on the side as a user is watching a video. 

Kousky can see which types of videos the suggested traffic is coming from, and sometimes it will be from top channels, like Dude Perfect, he said. 

Just like a movie title or book cover, a YouTube thumbnail image is the first point of contact a viewer will have with a video. YouTube's creator studio shows the percentage of viewers who saw the thumbnail and clicked on the video. This video had a high average click-through rate, he said, and he believed that was because of the emotion is his face and the unique "Nerf tank toy" (which he said had been discontinued). 

"Part of the reason why people click on a video is because they see it has so many views," he added. "People are drawn to click on things that are popular, like the bandwagon effect." 

Kousky works from home and said he didn't have an agent or manager. He does his taxes and finances himself, which he said has helped him learn a lot about business, and besides AdSense, he also earns revenue by working with brands on sponsorships.

For more on how to become a successful influencer, according to YouTube and Instagram stars, check out these Business Insider Prime posts:

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NOW WATCH: Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns explains why country music is universal

• A banana that was duct-taped to the wall sold for $120,000 at Art Basel Miami Beach, an art show that started Thursday and ended Sunday.
• The artwork, "Comedian," came from Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and got even more attention after it was eaten by a performance artist, David Datuna.
• Fast-food chains Popeyes and Burger King parodied the duct-taped banana with art of their own, including a fried chicken sandwich and french fry taped to the wall.
• "Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen quickly jumped on the hype related to one of Art Basel's most notable installations of the year, just hours after some debate-triggering art went viral," a Popeyes spokesperson told Insider in a statement via email.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

After a duct-taped banana took the world by storm at Art Basel Miami Beach, fast-food chains Popeyes and Burger King parodied the viral artwork, plastering chicken sandwiches and french fries to the wall.

The original art installation, titled "Comedian," consisted solely of a spotted yellow banana taped to the wall with a strip of duct tape. The installation was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and was on display at Art Basel Miami Beach, an art show that was open to the public from Thursday until Sunday.

The first edition of the artwork sold for $120,000, and a second version of the piece sold for $150,000.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen joined in on the viral conversation, designing its own installation that was on display at Art Basel. Popeyes' artwork, "The Sandwich," featured one of its infamous fried chicken sandwiches taped to a sheet of canvas.

"Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen quickly jumped on the hype related to one of Art Basel's most notable installations of the year, just hours after some debate-triggering art went viral," a Popeyes spokesperson told Insider in a statement via email, adding that the artwork was made in partnership with San Paul Gallery of Urban Art.

Popeyes' statement continued: "When an art lover finally decides to buy it, profits from the sale will go directly to The Popeyes Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps communities with food and support in times of need."

Popeyes shared a photo of the installation in a tweet on Friday, writing that "The Sandwich" consisted of a toasted brioche bun, pickles, fried chicken, and mayo and was a "duct tape on canvas" piece. 

"The Sandwich" was valued at $120,003.99, a play on the fast-food item's actual price of $3.99, which was added onto $120,000, the amount at which "Comedian" sold.

Burger King also offered its own take on the viral art installation

The fast-food chain partnered with advertising agency Buzzman to create an advertisement for a campaign called "Careful what you swallow,"according to AdAge.

The ad, which was shared in a tweet from Burger King France on Sunday, shows the original banana duct-taped to the wall with its six-figure price tag, and the next image shows a Burger King french fry taped to the wall.

Burger King France's tweet translates to the campaign's name: "Careful what you swallow."

The original banana installation got even more attention after it was grabbed off the wall and eaten by a performance artist at Art Basel Miami

"Comedian" gained so much attention that officials from Cattelan's gallery, Perrotin, announced on Sunday that the banana would be removed from the space, stating that the popularity of the piece posed a safety hazard to crowds, according to The New York Times. However, before "Comedian" was removed from the gallery, a performance artist, David Datuna, reportedly took the banana from the wall and ate it.

Datuna shared a video on Instagram of the moment he devoured the banana, calling the art performance "Hungry Artist."

Representatives for Art Basel, Burger King, and Buzzman did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

• Read more:
• An artist sold a banana duct-taped to the wall for $120,000. On Sunday, someone tore the fruit off the wall and ate it.
• Popeyes' famous chicken sandwich is now back 'for good' — so we compared it to 5 other fast-food fried-chicken sandwiches
• I tried cheeseburgers from 4 fast-food chains and there was a clear winner
• From a 7-patty Whopper to burgers with black buns, here are 13 of the wildest international Burger King menu items

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

• Bedding startup Brooklinen has launched "Spaces by Brooklinen"— a marketplace of home goods by other popular startups.
• You can shop by categories like furniture, lighting, wall art, and decor, or by design aesthetics like earthy minimalist, modern glam, or relaxed industrialist.
• Spaces by Brooklinen cleverly curates home items that complement its own bedding and bath products. You'll find frames from Floyd, houseplants from The Sill, and mid-century modern armchairs from Inside Weather.

Brooklinen, the cult-favorite bedding startup, has just launched "Spaces by Brooklinen"— a marketplace of home goods from other well-known and emerging startups.

The curated items in the "Spaces" shop come from both independent artists and big names in e-commerce, positioning brands shoppers may already know about alongside smaller ones yet undiscovered. It simplifies the experience of shopping online to a single visit, checkout, payment, and confirmation email, and the selection is curated to fit Brooklinen's breezy aesthetic.

You can search by item — furniture, lighting, wall art, decor, etc. — or shop directly from a room full of products that match your design aesthetic: earthy minimalist, modern glam, and relaxed industrialist.

"Spaces" is another stage of Brooklinen's evolution into a one-stop lifestyle brand. While the company has expanded from bedding to bath to loungewear since its launch in 2014, "Spaces" nearly doubled the site's shoppable categories overnight. The startup appears to be applying old-school business logic to a relatively new-school e-commerce environment: Find what you're unfairly good at (like bedding) and become the unbeatable expert in that category.  But, rather than try to conquer new and unfamiliar categories afresh, Brooklinen is recruiting other category experts with name recognition to sell their own expert wares under one umbrella — from Floyd's nomad-friendly bed frame to The Sill's hassle-free houseplants. 

Shop Spaces by category:

• Furniture
• Lighting
• Wall art
• Decor

See our picks for the coolest items available at Spaces by Brooklinen: 

Newgate Hotel Clock

Newgate Hotel Clock, $39

Newgate is a modern British fashion and lifestyle brand built by a husband-and-wife team. The Hotel Clock is a decorative Roman numeral alarm clock with old Hollywood glam and a silent-sweep that eliminates ticking.

Floyd Platform Bed with Headboard

The Floyd Platform Bed with Headboard, Full/Queen, $795 (originally $895)

If you've heard of Brooklinen, you've probably heard of Floyd— the minimalist-chic startup that makes furniture specifically designed for moving. Its pieces, like the now-iconic Floyd Bed, emphasize simplicity, elegance, and functionality. The bed has a headboard that's easy to attach and a frame that's essentially three wooden slats and some steel framework — no tools required. 

The Sill Philodendron Green

The Sill Philodendron Green in Small Grant Planter, $32

The Sill makes it easy to skip the guesswork of buying houseplants. The Philodendron is one of the plants stocked at Brooklinen, and it comes in three colors of pots. It'll arrive potted in soil mix, with porous lava rocks lining the bottom for proper drainage rather than a hole.

Inside Weather Issa Armchair

Inside Weather Issa Armchair, $523

Inside Weather is another mod minimalist furniture startup that's been gaining traction online. This chair is made from velvet upholstery in California, and it can be assembled in less than 10 minutes. 

Recreation Center Grid Mug

Recreation Center Grid Mug, $40

The Grid Mug is hand-made in Brooklyn, so no two items are exactly the same. The c-shaped handle is dipped in a bright yellow rubber for a grippy hold. 

Color Cord Company Geometric Cage Bundle

Color Cord Company Geometric Cage Bundle, $75 

Inspired by the ceramic sockets used in the 1900s, the Geometric Cage and porcelain pendant light add an industrial-chic touch to your space. It also includes a hook so you can display or hang it in a few different ways.

Shop the rest of Spaces by Brooklinen

Shop Spaces by Brooklinen

• Shop earthy minimalist
• Shop modern glam
• Shop relaxed industrial

• In this list, you'll find 30+ gifts to give grandparents to thank them for the years of love and attending your off-tune band concerts.
• For more gift ideas, check out all of our holiday gift guides for 2019. Don't wait too long to order presents, though, since shipping deadlines for delivery by Christmas Eve are coming up.

Shopping for grandparents can be daunting. They've likely gotten the basics down pat, and if you ask for ideas you'll likely get a genuine "nothing" in response. 

But these are the people who sat through your band recitals even though they were unbearably boring. They weathered your tantrums and sticky fingers on their furniture, and they probably slipped you candy even when someone else said no. So, what can you do for them?

Below are 34 gifts that you can feel good about gifting. They're thoughtful, useful, sweet, and bound to be extremely appreciated by grandmas and grandpas.

Most of these items are available with expedited shipping, and some should arrive within a few days' time, so don't stress too hard about any last-minute shopping — just remember that the sooner you order, the better your chances of a timely arrival.

The top 5 best gifts for your grandparents:

1. Beautifully scented candles that come in hand-blown glass containers
2. A smart herb garden for their kitchen counter
3. An AncestryDNA test kit
4. A personalized photo book from Artifact Uprising
5. A Kindle Paperwhite ereader

Fresh coffee beans from all over the world delivered to their door

Atlas Coffee Subscription or Gift Set, available at Atlas Coffee Club, from $55

Atlas Coffee sends them fresh beans from across the globe to their door. They'll learn about its flavor profile, tasting notes, suggested brewing methods, a little history lesson in its origins — and each comes in a bag with festive packaging. If they've been coffee buffs for a while — or just love having a morning cup — they'll appreciate both the thought and opportunity to learn something new. 

A Jo Malone diffuser that smells amazing and looks good in a home

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Scent Diffuser, available at Nordstrom, $98

A diffuser is like the modern take on potpourri, and Jo Malone makes some incredibly good scents. They'll recognize the brand, like the smell, and the clean, minimalist glass container means they won't only bring this out when they know you're coming over.

A popular vacuum-insulated stainless steel water bottle

Hydro Flask 32-Ounce Wide Mouth Bottle, available at Amazon, $39.95

This vacuum-insulated stainless steel water bottle works really well. It keeps hot drinks hot for up to six hours, and cold drinks cold up to 24 hours. We also love this $30 mug version.

The best socks they'll ever wear

The Ultimate Bison Sock, available at United by Blue, $38

United by Blue makes some of the most comfortable and warmest socks we've ever worn. They're made of merino wool, bison down, and nylon and have reinforced heel and toe areas. We're also big fans of Bombas socks. 

A DNA test that lets them delve into family history

Ancestry DNA Genetic Test, available at Ancestry, $99

Your grandparents are the origins and default architects of much of your life, and AncestryDNA gives them — and you — the chance to explore and appreciate that history. They'll be able to see their heritage and genetic breakdown (aka 50% Irish, 30% Italian, and so on) and can build family trees complete with historical documents and censuses already on the site. If they're interested in history, they'll love this.

A tiny smart garden that they can grow herbs in easily and year-round

Click and Grow Smart Garden, available at Amazon, $99.95

If your grandparents love gardening or cooking, this kitchen garden is great for fresh herbs and year-round gardening. Not all climates and spaces are hospitable to herbs, but Click and Grow maintains one that is. It's low-maintenance so there's not a ton of involvement with tech or even much watering, and they're not likely to already have one.

Warm, fluffy slippers they'll love wearing

UGG Dakota Water Resistant Slipper, available at Nordstrom, $99.95

Make sure their feet are kept cozy year-round in these plush UGG slippers with rubber soles for indoor or outdoor use. 

Practical tea towels that look like classic oil painting still lifes

Old Masters Cotton Tea Towel, available at Food52, $30

These tea towels more practically display the dramatic still life scenes that are typically found on oil wall-hangings: fruit, oysters, cheese, etc. They're interesting, beautiful to look at, and great to use around the kitchen. 

A photo book or photo calendar you curated for them of their favorite people and places

Everyday Photo Book, available at Artifact Uprising, from $59

Grandparents are often the willing or default gatekeepers to the most involved, best-kept baby books. School pictures, spelling tests, and holidays spent with them are all preserved with the genuine, all-encompassing interest reserved only for grandparents. Rarely, however, do we get to do the same for them. Set aside some time and curate a photo book for them from Artifact Uprising with pictures of their favorite places, people, and memories.

Or, if you think they'll use it more, a calendar of you, them, your parents, and their grandkids — primed for a happy exhibition the next time their friends come over.

A new cookbook from a beloved Italian restaurant in Brooklyn

The Frankie Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual, available at Amazon, $19.19

Frankies Spuntino is a tin-ceilinged, brick-walled restaurant in Brooklyn that draws crowds from every walk of life for food that is deeply satisfying. Here, the entire Frankies menu — and it's reimagined Italian American comfort food — is adapted for the home cook. If either of your grandparents loves cooking, they'll probably love this thoughtful — and new — gesture. Pair it with a monogrammed apron.

If you want to gift something that honors your own family recipes, check out this recipe book you or they can write in from Uncommon Goods. 

A salt block that'll make grilled foods taste even better

Himalayan Salt Block with Handle Cut-Outs, available at Crate and Barrel, from $14.95

A luxe holiday candle that comes in a hand-blown glass container they can reuse

LAFCO Feu de Bois Ski House Candle, available at Bloomingdales, $65

LAFCO candles are over $60 for a reason; they smell incredible, they're made simply from soy with a cotton wick, and the container is hand-blown glass that can be washed and used as a centerpiece for everything from candy to plants. This size has a 90-hour burn time.

Long-distance twin lamps that light up when one of you touches it

Long Distance Touch Lamp, available at Uncommon Goods, from $85

These sentimental long-distance lamps are perfect for grandkids that live far away from their grandparents. Keep one in your home and one in theirs, and whenever you touch it, their lamp will light up too. It's a simple and instantaneous way to say "I love you!" from across the country.

A media streaming device — and access to your Netflix

Roku Express HD Streaming Media Player, available at Best Buy and Amazon, from $24

Turn their TV into a smart TV with the Roku. Set it up for them, show them the ropes, and log them into your Netflix and Hulu if they don't already have their own. Call them later to chat about recommendations or great new shows you're watching, so you can enjoy them together. My own nana is two out of two on TV recommendations so far.

A touching book to read with young grandkids

How to Babysit a Grandma, available at Amazon, $6.45

How to Babysit a Grandpa, available at Amazon, $5.99

This New York Times best-selling kids' picture book is written in a how-to style, with the narrator giving important tips for "babysitting" a grandpa or grandma. It's the perfect gift for new grandparents and little grandkids excited to spend time together. 

A monthly sampling of some of the tastiest products from around the country

Best of Mouth Subscription, available on Mouth, from $47.95/month

Nice tea and a cute infuser

Fred Slow Brew, available at Amazon, $7.20

Buy a cute tea infuser that your grandparents will think of you every time they use, and some delicious loose leaf tea blends to fill it.

A journal that prompts them to record their own personal history for a new family keepsake

My Life Story — So Far, available at Uncommon Goods, $30

Prompt them to sit down and write about their own life, and make a lasting family keepsake in the process. This journal provides prompts, so it's not as daunting as starting from the beginning. It also shows that you're interested in learning about what they have to say and their own experiences. 

A Nespresso that makes them everything from a latte to a cappuccino just the way they like it — and from the comfort of home

Nespresso Lattissima One, available at Amazon, $222

This is a pricey gift, but one that makes pretty amazing coffee without much more involvement than dropping a pod into the machine. They can make everything from delicious cappuccinos to lattes right at home, which is probably why it was listed as one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2018.

A calendar full of cherished personal photos

Brass Easel and Calendar, available at Artifact Uprising, from $49

Photos of loved ones are an instant source of joy, and structuring our daily life around them with a calendar is a great way to fill each day with more gratitude and happiness. Artifact Uprising has one that comes on a wood clipboard ($30) and a wall calendar ($39)that you can customize. The calendar is updated on a rolling 12-month basis, so you don't have to wait until January to create one.

A bouquet of farm-fresh flowers

A Bouqs' spring flower arrangement, from $36

An e-reader with a no-glare screen

Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $99.99

If your grandparents love to read, the first device you should gift is probably the go-anywhere, read-anything Paperwhite. Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof and has a no-glare screen even in direct sunlight — great for long days spent on the porch or at the beach. If you can spend a bit more, the Kindle Oasis ($199.99) is our top pick overall.

The collectible edition of a favorite book

Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales (Collectible Editions), available at Barnes & Noble, $25

Grab one of your grandparents' favorite books in one of Barnes & Noble's Collectible Editions Classics to gift them a pillar for their home library. These volumes feature authoritative texts by some of the world's most renown authors and come in beautifully designed bonded-leather binding with gilt edging and a ribbon bookmark. 

A cheeky Anne Taintor wall calendar

Anne Taintor 2020 Wall Calendar, available at Amazon, $14.39

If your grandparents love cheeky humor, Anne Taintor's iconic funny wall calendars are a great place to start. Taintor often pokes fun at domestic stereotypes and uses mid-century advertisements as the main images. Another foolproof option is the 2019 "Dog Shaming Calendar" for $12.

A gift subscription to a cool new wine service they're not likely to already use

Vinebox 6-Month Gift Subscription, available at Vinebox, from $158

Vinebox gifts let the recipient try nine of the best wines of the moment every quarter. Their delivery will include nine vials portioned to be full glasses, with each selected based on their personal tastes and preferences. They'll also get a credit for either $15 or $30 to use on full bottles. 

A soothing bubble bath from a well-loved brand

L'Occitane Relaxing & Foaming Lavender Bubble Bath, available at Amazon, $39

This cult-favorite lavender-scented bubble bath from L'Occitane is a great way to relax, and it takes a while to get through. 

A movie night with you, planned out by you

Fandango Gift Card, available at Fandango, $50

It seems too simple, but take them to a movie — spare no expense on movie popcorn, an unnecessarily huge soft drink, and a candy that is usually gone by the close of previews. Grab a gift card and put it in a nice Etsy card, and set a date for the next blockbuster. They'll probably love just spending time with you, and knowing you went to the trouble to orchestrate this.

A new gadget that lets them preserve wine for years by never technically uncorking it

Coravin Model Two Wine Preservation System, available at Best Buy, $210

Coravin allows you to pour a glass of wine without ever uncorking the bottle, so you don't have to worry about oxidation ruining the wine. If they're opening it just for a glass, their wine will stay preserved over weeks, months, and years if they like. It also gives them greater freedom; There's no need to conserve by sharing a bottle, so they can pick their own favorite every time. 

An Echo Dot that's easy to use and extremely helpful

3rd Generation Echo Dot, available at Amazon, $24.99

If your grandparents aren't extremely techy, the Echo Dot is an especially good starter gift. It maximizes convenience, requires little interaction after setup, and takes up minimal space. They can easily ask Alexa for recipes, the weather, the news, and to control things like the lights. You could also grab a few accompanying smart bulbs if they either hate getting up to turn them off, or if their knees tend to bother them. Stick around to set it up, and show them a few of the coolest features.

Frame one of your favorite memories with them.

Framed Photo, from $39

Framebridge Gift Card, from $25

Framebridge makes custom framing for not-custom-framing prices. You can print or paint something on your own and have it framed for your grandparents, and you can take advantage of the team of designers for help deciding what frame to get. If you want to give them total control, you can gift a gift card and help them with the process if needed.

A comfortable weighted blanket for better rest

Quilty Premium Adult Weighted Blanket with Removable Cover, available at Amazon, $109.70

Give your grandparents better rest for the holidays with a cult-favorite weighted blanket with a removable cover. By mimicking DPTS (deep pressure touch stimulation), weighted blankets help us calm down, fall asleep faster, stay asleep better and for longer, and feel more rested when we wake up. 

A custom painting of their furry best friend

Custom Painterly Pet Portraits, available at Uncommon Goods, from $180

Make sure this is their decor style before committing to it, but a portrait of their pet is probably one of the sweetest and most thoughtful gestures. It's unique, handmade, and pays homage to the little fur-mop that loves lounging in an adjacent sun patch on the couch every day.

A good-looking, cleverly designed container for artisan cheeses

Cheese Vault, available at Food52, from $34

You can't go wrong with a cute, handy place for storing artisan cheese that looks far nicer than plastic wrap. Grab some tasty options to start them off with, too. 

A funny ode to the festive family moments we all know and love

Senior Moments: Love and Marriage, available at Amazon, $9.95

If your grandparents love a good joke, this funny seasonal book illustrates festive family moments from the holidays. Just flip through the first few sample pages to make sure it matches their humor before ordering en masse. 

• A Facebook contractor accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from an ad agency, according to a report from BuzzFeed News.
• Ads Inc. reportedly paid the Facebook worker to restore accounts that had been banned for violating Facebook's policies.
• Facebook said the person in question is no longer working with the company, but a former Ads Inc. employee told BuzzFeed that there was more than one person employed by Facebook willing to reactivate Ads Inc. accounts in exchange for cash.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Facebook contractor was paid thousands of dollars to help a marketing agency restore its banned Facebook accounts, according to a new report from Craig Silverman at BuzzFeed News.

San Diego-based Ads Inc. reportedly paid as much as $8,000 to convince the contractor to reactivate the company's ad accounts after they were shut down for violating Facebook's policies earlier this year.

In October an investigative report from BuzzFeed detailed how Ads Inc. paid to place deceptive ads on thousands of personal Facebook accounts. Ads Inc. reportedly paid Facebook users $15 to $30 per month for access to their account, then sold those accounts to other marketers for $800 each.

By paying Facebook users to post ads on their personal page, Ads Inc. and other companies are able to circumvent Facebook's policies for paid advertisements. Facebook prohibits account rentals and deceptive advertisements, and Facebook has been actively banning accounts sharing posts for Ads Inc.

However, Ads Inc. CEO Asher Burke and other employees offered multiple Facebook contractors payment in exchange for reversing the bans, according to BuzzFeed News.

"This behavior is absolutely prohibited under our policies and the individual is no longer working with Facebook. We're continuing to investigate the allegations and will take any further necessary action," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider.

Ads Inc. posts contain links directing Facebook users to sign up for dubious free trials that lead to costly monthly subscriptions when left active for a week or more. BuzzFeed said Ad Inc.'s posts are made to resemble news from popular media companies, but often contain falsified information.

Be sure to head over to BuzzFeed News to read the full report.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch Google reveal the new Nest Mini, which is an updated Home Mini

• The YouTube star Collins Key, who got his start on "America's Got Talent" in 2013 performing magic, now has a successful YouTube channel with his brother Devan, which has over 19 million subscribers.
• Key was recently nominated for a Streamy Award in the category "Creator of the Year." The Streamy Awards recognize creators in online video and the ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on December 13.
• Since 2017, the Keys have gained nearly 150 million views per month on their channel. 
• In an interview with Business Insider, Collins Key said that to grow a YouTube channel and gain millions of views per video, you need to have a clear strategy. 
• It's important to keep track of the data YouTube provides to its creators and be creative by using your specific craft to "be dependable without being predictable," Key said. 
• Sign up for Business Insider's influencer newsletter, Influencer Dashboard, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

This article was originally published on September 5 and has been updated to reflect Key's Streamy Award nomination.

Being successful on YouTube as a creator can be a challenge, but one thing is certain: You need a strategy.

The YouTube star Collins Key, who got his start on "America's Got Talent" in 2013 performing magic at 16 years old, now has a YouTube channel with over 19.9 million subscribers. Key and his brother Devan grew their channel from 2 million to 19 million subscribers in a little over two years.

Key was recently nominated for a Streamy Award in the category "Creator of the Year." The Streamy Awards recognize creators in online video and the ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on December 13.

In an interview with Business Insider, Collins Key shared his tips for growing a YouTube channel and gaining millions of views per video.

'Data doesn't lie'

Key was the first magician to reach the finals of "America's Got Talent." While on "AGT," Key said he "went all out on social media," building up a following and connecting with fans from the show. He would post hour-long live streams and weekly YouTube videos, and he kept up with his Instagram and Facebook pages daily. After the season, he toured with Demi Lovato on her Neon Lights tour, performing magic. 

After the tour, Key said he was approached by several traditional media agents who called him a "star" and said he could "forget social media and YouTube" because he was going to be huge. But that soon died down, and Key said he experienced six months of silence. In 2015, he officially decided to focus on his YouTube channel, which at the time had 90,000 subscribers. 

When there's no TV executive to call the shots, Key said, you need to look to the data yourself because "data doesn't lie." With his family, Key took a data-driven approach to YouTube, and he said that was ultimately what grew the channel to what it is today.   

How to measure data on YouTube and create a video that'll fit YouTube's algorithm

By the end of 2017, the Collins Key YouTube channel had grown from 2 million subscribers (20 million video views a month) to 10 million subscribers (150 million views a month), according to Key. The channel is now at 19 million subscribers and has continued to gain roughly 150 million video views every month since.

But each month, the brothers upload only one or two videos, compared with the weekly, or sometimes daily, video-upload schedule typical to many YouTube creators. 

Key said as he focused on YouTube as his main outlet, he began to measure the overall success and performance of each video, using the data provided by YouTube. Key looks closely at his videos' overall watch times — the length a viewer watches a video for — and its click-through rate, or the percentage of times a video's thumbnail image is clicked.

These factors are taken into account by YouTube's automated algorithm, which helps a video's overall reach by picking it up and suggesting it to users. They also help determine whether a video will make money through Google's AdSense program and how much it'll earn. 

On YouTube, creators earn revenue through ads placed in videos by Google. How much a creator earns from Google's AdSense program on a YouTube video depends on a number of factors, from the place in the video where viewers normally drop off to the type of advertisers the video gets. Some top creators have ad-placement strategies for earning the most money possible, and generally how much money is earned varies based on a video's watch time, length, and viewer demographic. 

"To really be successful on YouTube, you need to understand how the platform works, the data of it, how to algorithm works, how AI promotes the content," Key said. "All of the technical aspects of the things that make content blow up on YouTube."

YouTube has promoted many of the Key's videos online, and his videos are often displayed on YouTube's trending page. But, Key said, measuring data on its own isn't enough to be successful; it is also important to figure out new ways to grab a viewer's attention. 

Apply your craft to YouTube and use the data provided to see what worked 

Key took his magic and performance skills from "AGT" and applied them to his YouTube channel. He also brought on his brother Devan, who incorporated his knowledge of art into making the thumbnail images. 

"YouTube is a craft, just like magic, art, acting," Key said. "We looked at YouTube in the exact same way. There was a very strategic, intentional way of going about it." 

"One thing that we learned very early on, that we talk a lot about with our company, is that YouTube is about being dependable without being predictable," he added. 

A creator can do this by setting up what a fan can expect every time they come to their channel. For Key's channel, the goal is to leave fans with "an enthusiasm for life," and it's about continually being creative and keeping it fun, he said.

But a creator shouldn't keep doing the same thing over and over again.

"If it becomes predictable, meaning that every video becomes the same, or our reaction to everything becomes the same, or the way we execute it becomes the same, then why would they watch the video?" Key said.

Key said he tried to figure out what worked and what didn't on his channel as fast as he could. If something didn't work for them, they'd cut it and move on. If something did work, they'd look to see how they could develop that more. 

"It's a really fun and exciting culture," Key said about being on YouTube. "Everyone feels it. They feel that they are on the cutting edge of something new. This is something that is unexplored that we are basically making up the rules as we go." 

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Grafomap is a website that lets you design custom map posters and T-shirts of any place in the world.
• We made posters and a T-shirt of our favorite vacation spots, and the finished products are undeniably cool. The design process was super straightforward ... and a lot of fun.
• Custom map posters start at just $49 without a frame, while framed ones ($104) and posters printed on canvas ($99) and metal ($119) cost more. The T-shirt prints cost just $35.
• Right now, Grafomaps is offering discount codes for its maps so you can save 20% on any order (20OFF) or get three maps for the price of two (DEAL).
• If you're shopping for holiday gifts, you can check out all our holiday gift guides on Insider Picks.
• Attention holiday shoppers: If you want to receive your Grafomap in a specific time frame or by a specific date, the company suggests you choose priority shipping at checkout.

I lived in my current apartment for six months before I found wall art my partner and I both liked enough to hang in it.

We're picky about what we should hang on our walls. Neither of us wants to decorate our space with Van Gogh reproductions and movie posters. Like a lot of people, we want to decorate it with wall art and photos that mean something to us.

A few years ago, I stumbled across an answer to our problem in the form of a website called Grafomap that lets you design map posters of any place in the world.

You can make one of your hometown, your college town, your favorite travel destination, or the place where you got engaged or married — you're only limited by your imagination.

Once you enter your desired location, Grafomap takes you to its poster editor where you can further customize your location down the exact address or coordinates. After that, you can continue personalizing your map by adjusting, panning, and zooming the map exactly to your liking, adding or removing text, and selecting the finish (paper, framed, or canvas), orientation, and size. Additionally, Grafomap has 11 unique color themes to choose from (including Noir, Bourbon, Minimal, and Modern) that transform your map from just an ordinary map into a work of art you'll love displaying in your home or wearing in T-shirt form.

My custom map poster of Sint Maarten took all of five minutes to create, and the finished product is undeniably cool. It's also very affordable. An 18x24-inch print sets you back $49. If you want to get something that's ready to hang right out of the box it's shipped in, you can get an 18x24-inch framed print for $104, a print on canvas for $99, a print on metal for $119, or one with a hanger for $69. The T-shirts are the most affordable at $35 each. (Full disclosure: I got to try the service for free.)

Right now, Grafomaps is offering discount codes for its maps so you can save 20% on any order (20OFF), get three maps for the price of two (DEAL), or get two paper maps for the price of one (TWOFORONE).

Grafomaps also has a partnership with One Tree Planted to plant one tree for every map sold.

Learn more about how Grafomap's custom poster editor works below. And try it out for yourself here.

Start by selecting a location for your map poster. I chose Sint Maarten since my partner and I have been vacationing there together for years.

Once you enter your desired location, Grafomap takes you to its poster editor where you can continue personalizing your map by adjusting, panning, and zooming the map to your liking, adding or removing text, and selecting the size, frame, and orientation.

I most enjoyed toggling between color themes. My favorites were Wheatpaste, Modern, and Carbon.

I ultimately went with Modern since I liked its colors and font best.

Here's a picture of the final product:

Here's a look at my colleague Malarie Gokey's map of Stockholm. She chose Wheatpaste as her color theme.

You can also choose to print your map on metal, a canvas, or a T-shirt.

Malarie also tried Grafomaps' T-shirt and Canvas options. The canvas map turned out beautifully and made an excellent birthday gift for her mom. The T-shirt print was well done and looked great, though the cotton wasn't the softest. We'll keep you posted on how it fares after a few runs through the wash.

As the holidays come creeping up, keep Grafomap in mind for a fun and memorable gift for family and friends.

Create your own custom map power at Grafomap here.

Looking for more gift ideas? We've got you covered.

• Our master list of every gift guide you'll ever need
• Creative gift ideas under $25
• Thoughtful gift ideas under $50
• Clever gift ideas under $100
• Cool stocking stuffers on Amazon
• Alexa-enabled smart home and car gifts
• Thoughtful gifts for her, all under $50
• Cool gifts for him on Amazon

• The eighth-generation Chevy Corvette debuted with a much-anticipated mid-engine design.
• But the new Corvette Stingray also arrived with a stunning price tag, just under $60,000.
• Most of the world's mid-engine supercars cost much, much more. 
• Here's a rundown of the Vette's competition, from Ferrari to Lamborghini to McLaren to Porsche.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

"Mid-engine" and "affordable" aren't generally two concepts that show up in the same automotive sentence. Mid-engined vehicles are, for the most part, exotic supercars from brands with Italian, and sometimes German, names. Should you crave one, you'd best be prepared to dent even a considerable bank account.

That all changed in dramatic fashion earlier this year when Chevy unveiled its long-awaited mid-engine redesign of the Corvette, a car that has been front-engine since its debut in 1953. (Chevy considered a few mid-engine Vette efforts over the year, but none made it out of the prototype stage.)

The eighth-generation Vette got a lot of attention for moving its V8 motor rearward, positioning it between the driver and the back wheels. But just as many headlines were prompted by the staggering price: the base Stingray trim could be had for just under $60,000.

That's a near-miraculous bargain for a car with a 6.2-liter, naturally aspirated V8 engine, making 490 horsepower with an option on a few more ponies with some minor performance upgrades. 

In fact, more than a few folks noted after the Vette's debut that its specs were evocative of the Ferrari 458, the last no-turbo Prancing Stallion mid-engine supercar, which drove off into the sunset a few years back when Ferrari introduced the 488 and a twin-turboed V8 amidships. The 458, of course, would have set you back $230,000.

In fact, nearly all mid-engine supercars come with eye-watering price tags. 

Here's a rundown (and for the record, some of these cars can no longer be bought new):

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The eight-generation Corvette launched with the Stingray name earlier in 2019.

We'd already seen the new Vette — camouflaged — in the streets of NYC. General Motors CEO Mary Barra even took a ride.

As long-rumored, the C8 Vette was a mid-engine design.

All previous cars, including the 755-horsepower ZR1, had their motors up front.

It wasn't as if the design was flawed. A pair of seventh-generation Vettes gave Corvette Racing a 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona. The C7 car also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

And the Vette had done duty as an Indy 500 pace car on more than one occasion.

Business Insider named the old Stingray as its Car of the Year in 2014.

The front-engine Vette's lineage goes WAAAYYY back, to the first-gen car from 1953.

The Vette has been on continuous production ever since, with the 1967-83 third-gen model being perhaps the most famous iteration.

Corvette has already rolled out the convertible version of the C8.

When the new Corvette arrived, more than a few observers immediately noted that its naturally aspirated V8, bolted to the middle of the car, was reminiscent of the Ferrari 458 — price: $230,000 — sold from 2009-2015.

In fact, the C8 Vette recalled the entire Ferrari mid-engine lineage, going all the way back to the Dino of late 1960s and early 1970s and including the 308 GTB and F430.

The Ferrari 488 appeared in 2015, replacing the 458 and bringing twin turbochargers to the party. Price? More than $250,000. OK, a lot more horsepower than the new Vette (660). But also ... 200 grand steeper on the sticker?

The 488 Spider that I drove pushed the price up to almost $400,000.

If you really want to shoot the mid-engine moon, there's the $1-million-plus Ferrari La Ferrari hypercar.

Lamborghini offers the Huracán, price north of $200,000 and shown here in dashing Performante trim.

Lambo makes a spyder version of the Huracán.

And you can always step up to the Huracán's big brother, the Aventador, here seen in SVJ trim ($610,000).

The Ford GT was a jaw-dropping update to the GT40 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. The price ended up being a cool half a million for a limited-run supercar.

The racing version won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, repeating history.

In this company, the Business Insider 2016 Car of the Year-winning Acura NSX is a relative steal at just under $200,000 for the updated version.

Meanwhile, we have McLarens, such as the 720S — our test car was almost $300,000.

The 570S Spyder we sampled was $250,000.

The 675LT is track-focused and would have set you back about $350,000.

And the P1 would compel you to come up with more than a million bucks.

Back on planet Earth, the Audi R8 stickers at about $180,000.

Here's the V10 Plus.

And for sure, for sure, Audi offers the R8 as a spyder.

Back in outer space, say hello to the $2-million-plus Pagani Huayra.

And the Zonda's pricing is equally rich.

The Noble M600 is a barebones, boutique supercar that comes in at about $250,000.

The Koenigsegg Regera is $2 million.

Perhaps the closest to the Vette price-wise is the discontinued Alfa Romeo 4C, stickering at less than $70,000 (but more than $60,000).

In truth, the big-name sports cars that match the Vette's price are the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, together designated 718 and starting under $60,000.

But the Porsche 918 is closer to a million.

The space-age BMW i8 is roughly $150,000.

There's a Roadster version of the i8.

Back in the stratosphere, the Bugatti Veyron is untouchable for less than $2.5 million.

The Bugatti Chiron takes that to $3 million.

If you don't want doors, the Ariel Atom is a mid-engine racer that can be had for less than $60,000.

• UBS is bringing back its wealth planning analyst role next year, according to an internal memo sent to financial advisers on Tuesday and reviewed by Business Insider. 
• It's also offering a new incentive program for a support role known as the "branch technology liaison." 
• The shifts comes as the broader industry struggles with attracting fresh talent. Other major wealth managers have made similar strides in drawing young advisers and training them up.
• Visit BI Prime for more wealth management stories.

UBS is bringing back its wealth planning analyst role next year, according to an internal memo sent to financial advisers on Tuesday and reviewed by Business Insider.

Jason Chandler, the head of UBS's US wealth management business, said in the memo that it was re-establishing its wealth planning analyst position and also offering a new incentive program for an adviser support role known as the "branch technology liaison." 

The position will not be a full-fledged adviser, and its addition shows how the firm is looking to beef up its youngest ranks in wealth. 

Chandler said that the move was in response to hearing feedback from advisers, and that the unit's hope was to dedicate more resources to support planning and technology needs of high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

The shifts comes as the broader industry struggles with attracting fresh talent to fill roles and build a pipeline as an adviser retirement cliff looms. 

Business Insider reported last month that Morgan Stanley has in the last year turned to a group of junior, "technology-savvy" wealth management staffers, who are not yet full-fledged advisers, to assist financial advisers in getting up to speed on new tech capabilities.

The New York firm's thinking is similar to that of UBS: those functions can make advisers' lives easier and also form a pipeline for talent. 

Merrill Lynch is grappling with the same industry trends. Financial-advisers-in-training at Bank of America's wealth-management arm who exit the trainee program without becoming full-fledged advisers are more commonly transitioning to different roles within the firm instead of leaving altogether, Business Insider reported in October.  

Changes in the US

Other changes are afoot for UBS next year in its US wealth management business. It's creating new "private wealth services" hubs in New York, Florida, Chicago, Dallas, and on the West Coast dedicated to the more affluent set of its US clients.

It's also cutting the number of US wealth management divisions in half, from six to three (east, central, and west). 

UBS this year is on track this year to triple the number of US-based financial adviser recruits that it hired in 2018, according to an internal memo reviewed by Business Insider last month.

Still, its headcount around the world has dipped over the last year.  Globally, total advisers fell to 10,118 from 10,556 (of which 1,068 cater to ultra-high-net-worth clients). US advisers oversee some $1.3 trillion in client assets.

And in the US, adviser headcount at UBS shrank by 4% to 6,627  at the end of the third quarter, down from from 6,910 advisers the same period a year earlier.

The wealth industry — traditional wirehouses, independent registered investment advisers, and retail banks — is aging. The average US financial adviser is 52 years old, according to research provider Cerulli Associates, and those under 35 comprise just 9% of the total workforce.

Over the next decade, some 37% of advisers overseeing about 39% of industry assets are expected to retire. The majority of those retirements are expected to come from wirehouses and independent broker-dealers.

"While some progress is being made, the industry is struggling to recruit and retain advisor talent that is adequately prepared to inherit the businesses," Michael Rose, the associate director of wealth management at Cerulli, said in a November report.

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• On Tuesday, House Democrats, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, announced two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
• Trump on Twitter accused the Democrats of conducting a "witch hunt."
• One of the Trump team's Twitter accounts — called Trump War Room — posted a video that superimposes the president's face onto the Marvel supervillain Thanos from the "Avengers" movie franchise.
• Thanos' goal in life is to wipe out half of all life in the universe. In the Twitter video, the Trump-Thanos character snaps his fingers to make Pelosi, Rep. Adam Schiff, and Rep. Jerry Nadler disappear.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In the "Avengers" franchise, superheroes struggle to prevent a supervillain from wiping out half of all life in the universe.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump's team released a video depicting the president as that bad guy: Thanos.

In the video, shared on the Trump War Room Twitter account, which is managed by the Team Trump 2020 campaign, Trump's face is superimposed onto Thanos' body. The hybrid character snaps his fingers to make House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff disappear from existence.

The video came after House Democrats unveiled two articles of impeachment against Trump, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

After the announcement, Trump on Twitter accused the Democrats of lying. Then came the video.

"House Democrats can push their sham impeachment all they want. President Trump's re-election is inevitable," the video's accompanying tweet said.

Thanos snaps people out of existence

Thanos, a genocidal warlord with a bulbous head and chin, uses a weapon called the infinity gauntlet in the movies "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame."

When Thanos snaps his gauntlet-clad fingers, half of everything in existence dies.

"I am inevitable," Thanos tells Iron Man at the climax of "Avengers: Endgame" before the heroes stop Thanos for good.

Twitter users called out the comparison of Trump to Thanos

Many Twitter users were quick to point out Thanos' evil nature, questioning the choice to compare the president and his reelection campaign to the villain.

Some people brought up how Thanos commits genocide, even murdering his own adopted daughter in his quest for power.

Others noted that Thanos dies at the end of the battle — he doesn't turn out to be the victor.

Plus, Thanos doesn't succeed in making anyone disappear for good, either.

One Twitter user wrote, "Somebody forgot to tell the Trump War Room how 'Avengers: Endgame' ended for Thanos."

SEE ALSO: Trump goes on a Twitter tantrum after Democrats announce 2 articles of impeachment against him

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NOW WATCH: Here's a full reading of the phone call memo between Trump and Ukraine

• Wells Fargo on Tuesday became the latest firm to eliminate online trading commissions for stocks and exchange-traded funds on its self-directed platform. Bank of America did the same on Monday. 
• Interactive Brokers, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, and Fidelity all moved to eliminate fees for US-listed trades in late September and early October, in turn wiping out huge chunks of some of the companies' market caps.
• Those moves speculated about consolidation across the industry; Schwab said in late November that it would purchase TD Ameritrade for $26 billion.
• Business Insider regularly takes our readers inside the major online brokerages. You can read our latest by subscribing to BI Prime.

The business of investing and trading online is undergoing an industry-wide shift, with all of the major brokerages sending their commissions to zero as competition mounts.

Wells Fargo on Tuesday became the latest firm to eliminate online trading commissions for stocks and exchange-traded funds on its self-directed platform. Bank of America did the same on Monday in its Merrill Edge platform after initially going to zero for some of its clients in October.

Interactive Brokers, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, and Fidelity all moved to eliminate fees for US-listed trades in late September and early October, in turn wiping out huge chunks of some of the companies' market caps. 

Those moves speculated about consolidation across the industry; Schwab said in late November that it would purchase TD Ameritrade for $26 billion.

Meanwhile, at least one startup is actually looking to pay for trades.

Several drivers are morphing these firms and influencing the choice to dump fees. Legacy brokers and big banks alike are rushing to compete with digital entrants for younger users.

Business Insider is reporting and analyzing these developments at a crucial moment for the industry. We broke down the drama unfolding in the online trading, wealth management, and discount brokerage arena.

Broker wars escalate 

November 26 —Charles Schwab's $26 billion deal for TD Ameritrade is an aggressive play for size that was set in motion before brokers started slashing commissions

November 25 — It's official: Charles Schwab strikes $26 billion deal to buy TD Ameritrade

October 21 — Bank of America is jumping into the brokerage price wars by axing commissions for most online trading clients

October 10 — Fidelity cuts online trading fees to zero, becoming the latest brokerage to make the move

October 3 — The SEC's markets guru just praised brokers for slashing commissions — but warned they still need to do what's best for investors

October 3 — Charles Schwab, E-Trade, and TD Ameritrade have seen a combined $18 billion in market value erased as the brokerage-fee war has ramped up

October 2 — E-Trade and 3 other big brokers have axed online trading commissions completely in the past week. Here's how Fidelity responded when we asked about the fees.

October 2 — Charles Schwab on Charles Schwab: The founder explains why the firm just axed commissions as broker wars reach a fever pitch

October 2 — TD Ameritrade becomes the latest broker to eliminate fees — and its free stock trades will be available before Charles Schwab's

October 1 — Charles Schwab says it will cut online stock and ETF fees to zero — and all the major brokers are getting clobbered

September 30 — The former CEO of a high-speed-trading firm is taking aim at Robinhood with a fintech startup that wants to pay you to trade

September 26 — Interactive Brokers announces commission-free trades on online US stock, ETF trades

September 24 — JPMorgan is taking aim at apps like Robinhood by quietly rolling out options trading to select You Invest customers

More brokerage and robo news

September 18 — Charles Schwab is losing a prominent markets analyst as the discount broker gears up to cut 600 jobs

September 18 — 2 senior executives are now out at Charles Schwab as the discount broker prepares to cut 600 jobs

September 13 —Wealthfront's CFO says the roboadviser is already acting like a public company. That comes as it grabs assets in a crowded, competitive market.

September 13 — Jack Dorsey's Square is reportedly testing a free stock-trading service that would rival Robinhood

August 16 — Rivals E-Trade and TD Ameritrade had CEO shakeups within weeks of each other. The departures come as competition ratchets up among e-brokers.

July 23 — Charles Schwab's retail head and marketing chief are out — and the firm's still figuring out what's next

July 22 —Robinhood, the no-fee stock trading app, just announced a giant-size $323 million round of funding, making it worth over $7 billion

July 17 —Charles Schwab is experimenting with Netflix-style pricing. It's the clearest example yet of finance trying to imitate Silicon Valley.

July 2 — The inside story of how Robinhood, a $6 billion investing app for millennials, blew a huge launch so badly that Congress got involved

April 26 — $1.2 trillion brokerage TD Ameritrade is developing a Netflix-like recommendation engine in a bid to win investor attention

March 27 — A fintech entering the crowded wealth management space just nabbed nearly $9 million in funding from the VCs that backed Venmo, Monzo and Acorns

March 18 — For the CEO of the firm backing robos like Betterment and Stash, the future of managing money could be more like ordering dinner from a restaurant

February 8 — SoFi held talks to acquire a fintech company backing some of the hottest robo advisors as it eyes expansion beyond its lending roots

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• During the 2019 edition of the Art Basel Miami Beach art fair, a new sculpture by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan sold for $120,000, instantly sparking a media sensation.
• The reason? The sculpture, titled "Comedian," is nothing more than a banana — no different than the kind you might pack for lunch — duct-taped to a wall.
• Amidst the media frenzy, "Comedian," was widely seen to be one big joke satirizing the foolish eccentricities of the art world and its ultra-rich collectors.
• In reality, the joke's on us. Understood and analyzed within the larger context of contemporary art, "Comedian," fails as it only perpetuates the very object it aims to critique.
• Read more stories like this on Insider.

What does $120,000 look like? 

Sometimes, it turns out to be nothing more than a banana, duct-taped to a wall. At least, that's what happened this past week at Art Basel Miami Beach. The world's most notorious and media-friendly art fair, it brings together blue-chip art from many of the world's largest galleries with the glitz and glamour of the celebrities and influencers who attend. It is always a spectacle — in 2015, for example, crowds stood by and watched a woman get stabbed, thinking it was only an act of performance art— and this year's edition was no exception. 

A number of artworks were bought for astronomical sums, but none captured the popular imagination as much as Maurizio Cattelan's new work, "Comedian," a sculpture comprised of a banana held flush against the wall by a piece of duct tape. Displayed in the booth of Galerie Perrotin, the artwork captured the world's imagination when, despite its modest materials, several of its editions sold for $120,000. It instantly became a media sensation. From appearing on the cover of the New York Post, to inspiring countless imitators and memes on Instagram, "Comedian" continuously rose in fame until its life was cut short: on Saturday, December 7, someone stormed the booth, dismantled the work, and ate the banana.

This act of performance art — the interloper proclaimed that he ate the banana as part of a performance titled "Hungry Artist"— did not actually "destroy" the artwork, however, since the piece is actually a series of instructions for display and a certificate of authenticity providing provenance and ownership. Though the gallery seemed dismayed, they promptly rehung the work with a back-up banana. Such antics only further stoked frenzy, and on Sunday, the last day of the fair, Galerie Perrotin removed the work from its booth citing security concerns. Even though the banana may have been gone, the spirit of the spectacle continued, and after its removal, another performance artist vandalized the booth, writing "Epstein Didn't Kill Himself" on the now-empty wall. 

So what does it all mean? Well, not as much as Cattelan would like you to think. To those unfamiliar with contemporary art, it might at first be shocking, but in the context of Cattelan's own career, as well as the history of art generally, it's par for the course. 

Maurizio Cattelan is no outsider. He's an established artist, well-entrenched in the world of Contemporary Art. His CV reads like an MFA candidate's bucket list, with past exhibitions at major museums and galleries across the world. Perhaps best known for his 2016 work "America," a fully functional, solid gold toilet created as a response to the election of Donald Trump, he built his career on playful, visually-engaging works that seem to poke fun at the art world and society at large. Seen in this way, "Comedian," is a comfortable addition to his body of work. 

Within an art historical context, "Comedian" intends to further a lineage of works that challenge what art is, as well as its value. From Marcel Duchamp's readymades — especially the (in)famous 1917 work "Fountain"— to the appropriative work of artists like Sherrie Levine or Elaine Sturtevant, many artists have taken up this mantle. What defenders of Cattelan hope sets him apart, however, is his mastery with images and spectacle. In the case of "Comedian," though it seems ramshackle, it is a carefully thought out assemblage.

Bananas are, without a doubt, the funniest fruit. No one has ever seen someone actually slip on a banana peel, but the idea always evokes laughter. Beyond humor, Cattelan symbolizes the worthlessness of the work with ruthless economy by suspending it with duct tape. A crass material, duct tape is always meant to be more of a desperate, makeshift fix — something to keep a broken system running for just a bit longer — than a true repair.

The problem with "Comedian", however, is that it only acts to reinforce the tenets of the art world that it attempts to critique. There's nothing at stake in the statement it makes. Instead of opening a rupture in the facade of contemporary art, "Comedian" is a half-hearted, tiny gesture towards the critical. It's just a taste of the truth, only enough to provide comfort to the viewer that they know "what's really going on"— that the market-driven world of contemporary art is driven not by merit or quality, but instead by financial speculation — while stopping them from actually taking action. It sticks to the script, presenting the current system as fundamentally unchangeable. 

In contrast, the 2019 Whitney Biennial offers an example of how critique can lead to action as part of a larger organizing effort. Following the publication of an excoriating statement by Hannah Black, Ciarán Finlayson, and Tobi Haslett that laid bare the complicity of the biennial's artists in defending Warren Kanders — a board member of the Whitney Museum of American Art and the owner of a company called Safariland that manufactured tear gas and other weapons used against protestors around the world — enough artists threatened to withdraw their work from the show that Kanders ultimately had to step down from the board.   

Within the art world, feckless acts like Cattelan's allow everyone to carry on as normal, sustaining the status quo. There may be some who act in bad faith, their reasoning goes, but fundamentally, if there's space for a critical message like this — where the rich financiers are the punchline — then the system seems to be working. For the general public, the truth is that the whole art world is rotten. Here, "Comedian" is funny because it reassures the nonexpert viewer that they were right all along. If modern and contemporary art can appear confrontational, it's not because one doesn't understand the language, but instead because it's crooked and without any real meaning. As the artist Brad Troemel sarcastically states, this type of narrative provides "cold comfort for the unwashed masses."

I'll be honest: there's not much worth saving in the contemporary art world. What makes Cattelan and "Comedian" contemptible, however, is that their gestures towards critique only serve to continue it. It's a failure in form — any criticism that only perpetuates is object can hardly be said to be a success — as well as in content. "Comedian" attempts to mock the uber-rich collectors who buy it, but in actuality, they'll probably make a profit off of it as the work rises in value due to media buzz and museum interest in owning the works — both of which are factors contributing to price.  Cattelan as well has made a profit — likely around $60,000 given the standard 50/50 split between artist and gallery — and raised his profile. Other artists may make criminally large sums from their sales, but at least they don't pretend to be savvy satirists while doing so. 

Though he may be described as a "prankster,""clown," or "court jester," Cattelan is no fool — he knows exactly what he's doing. To many, the banana seems like great troll, mocking the rich and pretentious who, like the proverbial emperor, are too wrapped up in their egos to notice that they're completely naked. Look more closely, however, and there's little to laugh at. The emperor may be naked but it's only we who are humiliated. Next season, nude will be the next big thing. 

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• Sony showcased some of the PlayStation 4's upcoming titles during a 20-minute State of Play presentation on December 10.
• The presentation included the world premiere of "Resident Evil 3," along with gameplay trailers for some of 2020's most anticipated games.
• While Sony didn't share any new details on "The Last of Us: Part II" or the PlayStation 5, there's still plenty to look forward to in early 2020.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sony's  next generation PlayStation 5 console won't be here until the 2020 holiday season, but there's still a whole year's worth of PlayStation 4 games to keep gamers occupied in the meantime.

During Sony's final State of Play presentation of 2019, the company shared new details on new games coming in early 2020, including the first look at Capcom's "Resident Evil 3" remake, and gameplay footage from "Predator: Hunting Grounds," an upcoming game based on the science fiction movie franchise.

Perhaps the most anticipated PlayStation 4 exclusive, "The Last of Us: Part II," was not featured in the presentation. The game was recently delayed from its planned February release and is now set to launch in May. Sony also declined to offer updates on the PlayStation 5.

The 20-minute State of Play presentation was chock full of information, but we've boiled it down to the most important updates below:

SEE ALSO: Viking Sony's smash-hit baseball game is headed to Xbox and Nintendo Switch after more than 2 decades as a PlayStation exclusive

'Untitled Goose Game,' an indie hit that delighted fans on the Nintendo Switch earlier this year, is coming to PlayStation 4 on December 17.

"Spellbreak" is a third person battle royale game that lets players fight with magic spells. It's coming to both PlayStation 4 and PC in early 2020.

"Dreams" gives players the tools to design their own video games, but it's been in a testing phase for months. Sony is giving it an official launch on February 14, 2020.

"Superliminal" is a first-person puzzle game coming to the PlayStation 4 in April. The game will toy with the player's perspective and create mind-bending visuals.

"Paper Beast" is a surreal virtual reality game designed for the PSVR, allowing players to explore a fantastical planet and interact with alien creatures.

'Kingdom Hearts 3" was one of the most anticipated games of 2019, and it's getting a major update in early 2020. The Re:Mind DLC update will add more story content to the game and new bosses.

Predator Hunting Grounds" is a multiplayer game pitting four regular players against one controlling a hi-tech alien hunter.

Sony showed an action-packed trailer for "Babylon's Fall," an upcoming adventure game from the creators of "Bayonetta."

Sony revealed "Resident Evil 3," a remake of the classic 1999 horror game. "Resident Evil 3" will also include a multiplayer mode called "Project Resistance."

Sony ended the presentation with a short trailer for 'Ghost of Tsushima" an upcoming samurai action game. The game doesn't have a release date yet, and Sony has yet to show off any gameplay. A follow-up trailer is expected to appear at The Game Awards on December 12.

You can watch Sony's full State of Play presentation below:

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• At least one police officer and three civilians were killed in a shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey, Tuesday afternoon.
• Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop told reporters at the scene around 3:45 p.m. that multiple bodies were found in a store that the gunmen had taken over.
• The gunmen were found dead at the scene after a massive police response.
• Another official said there was nothing to indicate that the shooting was terror-related. The investigation is ongoing.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A police officer and three civilians are dead after a shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon prompted a massive police response.

After taking over a store in an hours-long standoff, two gunmen were also found dead, CBS New York reported.

Jersey City Police Chief Mike Kelly identified the slain police officer as Detective Joseph Seals, The Associated Press reported. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop described the detective as "one of the best officers for getting the most guns off the streets. He was a good cop."

Two officers were also wounded in the exchange of gunfire, authorities told Fox 6 Now. They were later released from the hospital.

About a dozen schools in the area were placed on lockdown during the shooting, but that lockdown was lifted at 4:15 p.m.

It's unclear what sparked the shooting, which one law enforcement source described to NBC New York as an "ambush." A city official said there was nothing to indicate that the incident was terror-related. But the investigation is still ongoing.

The White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement saying "our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department."

New Jersey police said a number of local, state, and federal agencies are assisting with their response and investigation.

From a cemetery to a grocery store

The shooting started at Bayview Cemetery, where a police officer was shot in the shoulder, according to WABC. Up to two suspects then fled the scene and holed up in a Jewish grocery about a mile away, located at 223 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

NJ.com listened to police transmissions from the scene, where officers reported that two gunmen were shooting at anyone who got near the store, as well as the Catholic elementary school across the street.

Gunfire could be heard from around 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., at which point CNN and WABC reported that one or both of the shooters had been "neutralized" and that a robot was being sent into the building.

6 dead, including 2 shooters

Mayor Fulop said multiple deceased persons were found inside the store. CBS New York later clarified that two of the victims were the gunmen and three others were victims.

Earlier, NBC New York reported that one gunman may have fled the business.

The cop shot in the cemetery was hit in the shoulder and is expected to survive, according to WABC. Two others were injured due to shrapnel, Fulop said.

Rapid response from SWAT teams

Earlier in the afternoon, video showed SWAT teams arming up and putting on gas masks before moving in closer to the store.

According to NJ.com, the two gunmen reportedly arrived in the area in a moving van, each carrying long guns into the bodega. They were dressed in black, according to News 12 New Jersey.

The NYPD bomb squad was called in to check the rental vehicle for explosives, but nothing was found, CBS New York reported.

An Uber driver who happened upon the scene told CBS New York that it was the most gunfire he had heard in his life.

"I've never heard that many shots in my life. It was like I was in a war zone," the driver said.

The New Jersey police union tweeted shortly after 1 p.m.: "We need a lot of prayers right now for Jersey City police officers. Keep all those involved in your thoughts."

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

• Read more:
• A Saudi man at the Pensacola Navy base reportedly recorded the deadly shooting from outside the building where it took place
• The 2 US Navy sailors being hailed as heroes in the Pensacola shooting were fresh out of military training
• The US Navy sailor who gunned down 2 people at a Hawaii base was reportedly unhappy and in anger management
• At least 21 people are dead after a gun battle near the Texas border between Mexican security forces and suspected cartel gunmen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

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

 In full, the report:

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

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

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