The "Madsummer" is not the world's speediest yacht, but buying a yacht is about enjoying oneself, not hurrying from A to B.

The six finely decorated, well-lit staterooms provide space for 12 guests on board, who can choose to dine inside, or one one of two decks,

The yacht was built by Feadship, in Holland, in 2008, which Chris Callahan at Moran Yachts notes is at the top of the field.

Judging by the quality of the craftsmanship on board, we think he's right.

At port in Miami, the Madsummer is listed for sale by Moran Yachts, for €24.95 million ($32.8 million).

The 146'4" yacht sails under the Cayman Islands flag.

It's powered by two engines that each produce 1,056 horsepower.

That's not a whole lot of power: The yacht's max speed is 15 knots (17.3 mph).

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Going to the movie theater is an activity that Americans have enjoyed for over a hundred years.

But sometimes it is easier to stay home than to wait in line at a crowded theater.

Those who prefer to stay in — and could afford it — have built some spectacular home cinemas.

Our friends at Estately.com have helped us find some of the best home theaters in homes that are currently for sale around the U.S.

Oscar statues about at this house in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., on the market for $22.5 million.

Click here to see the listing.

This $10.88 million Orange County, Calif. home has a theater with plush seats.

Click here to see the listing.

More Oscar paraphernalia in the theater of this $5.9 million home in Houston, Texas.

Click here to see the listing.

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You know the tipping rule for restaurants (15 to 20 percent, duh!) and for hotel maid service ($1 to $2 per night).

But the opportunity and obligation to offer gratuity abounds, and you may be surprised to learn that you’re tipping all wrong. In fact, many people don’t even understand the full equation when it comes to gratuity, says Jodi R. R. Smith, an etiquette consultant and author of The Etiquette Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Manners, $19.28 at Books-A-Million. (Get Books-A-Million coupons.)

“Most people tip because they want to reward a job well done—and that is certainly part of the process,” Smith says. “But tips are also to ensure that the service provider is adequately compensated for their time and efforts. And most people don’t also realize that tips are an insurance policy on good service going forward.”

For example, generously tip the pizza delivery guy on Thursdays (a popular family pizza night) and you’re buying insurance that you’ll likely get speedy service the following Thursday.

We asked Smith to give the skinny on various scenarios in which tipping rules may elude the average customer.

Restaurant where you order at the counter or get food to go

General rules: “There is no reason to tip unless they go above and beyond—like in respecting an order for someone with allergies,” Smith says.

“Even if there is a line on the receipt for a tip, just write a slash through it and sign.” This applies to restaurants where there is a dine-in option like Macaroni Grill. 

How much: For extra-special orders, give 5 to 10 percent of the bill.

Insider tip: “In any situation, if a tip is not appropriate, the best thing you can do is refer other clients and customers to the business,” Smith says. “Also, it can be important to write a letter of thanks that they can display in their store.”

Airport curbside baggage handler

General rules: Tip outside, not inside. Union and employment practices differ on the inside versus the outside of the airport. Inside, employees usually get health insurance, paid sick days and other benefits, while outside, there is less job security.

How much: $1 to $2 per bag, depending on size

Insider tip: “Even though the gate agents and the skycaps seem to be doing identical jobs, their situations are totally different, and the guys outside are working for tips,” Smith says.

Salon stylists

General rules: You know that you should tip your hairstylist 15 to 20 percent of the bill. However, the old rules dictated that salon owners needn’t receive gratuity, though an end-of-year gift was called for.

Today, customers are rarely loyal to their salons, hair cutters or colorists, and new etiquette calls for tipping the service provider on each and every visit.

How much: 15 to 20 percent of the bill

Insider tip: “If you really are loyal and go to your stylist for years on end, then it is fine to give a lavish gift or generous tip at the end of the year,” Smith says.

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Morgan Stanley bills this weekend's Italian elections as a "crucial risk event."

The euro crisis front has been relatively quiet since ECB President Mario Draghi gave his famous "whatever it takes to save the euro" speech in July, and many analysts have been waiting for this weekend for months.

Mario Monti, an unelected technocrat, has been relatively successful in pushing through economic reforms since assuming office in late 2011, but those reforms have driven the country deeper into recession, and record high unemployment shows how Italians are suffering.

As a result, former comedian Beppe Grillo and his newly-formed political party, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, have seen a surge in interest.

As the elections draw nearer, the position of establishment political parties heading into the polls appears to be weakening.

The fear is that reforms could be hampered, causing Italian bond yields to rise again, causing the European chaos to reignite. Furthermore, the election shows what happens when the goals of the elites goes up against the economic situation of the voters.

With government debt topping 127 percent of GDP, Italy is the most indebted country in the euro zone after Greece

Its economy is in a prolonged recession – one that has recently intensified

Last week, Italy released fourth-quarter 2012 GDP figures. The economy contracted 2.7 percent from the previous year in the Q4.

The data marked an acceleration in the pace of economic contraction from Q3, when GDP fell 2.4 percent year on year.

Economists were expecting the numbers to get slightly better, not worse – they had predicted a 2.2 percent decline year on year in Q4.

The unemployment rate, at 11.2 percent, is at a record high

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Travel can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can pay for.

However, it can also be one of the most expensive.

Fortunately, there are ways to cut costs so you can afford your dream vacation.

Read on for some of the best tips to save on the upfront costs of your next trip.

Flash Deal Sites

If you already have several destinations in mind, then check out travel flash sale sites, which can save you hundreds of dollars! Here are a couple to browse through.

Check Out Underrated Places

Try up-and-coming cities for some of the best deals. Big cities like New York, Rome, San Francisco, and London are always popular, but other places that may not make the rock-star list often offer you more bang for your buck.

Cruise Deals

If you’re planning on stopping by a lot of locations, then take a look at some cruise deals. It may be cheaper to travel by boat with an all-inclusive deal. That way, you may be saving on additional airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and meals.

Use Your Memberships

Check with your organizations to see what kind of travel discounts they offer. Some to consider include AAA, the AARP, or warehouse clubs like Costco. Get discounts on your flight, hotel, and even your planned activities like visits to amusement parks.

Cancel Within 24 Hours

If you change your mind on traveling, then cancel your plane ticket within 24 in order to get your money back without penalties.

Price Predictor

Use tools like Bing’s Price Predictor feature to see if the ticket price is predicted to drop or rise. The tool even gives a “confidence” percentage in its evaluation for a better gauge of accuracy. A third-party audit has found that the Price Predictor works 75 percent of the time.

Book Unpopular Times

SEE ALSO: 10 holiday gifts every business traveler will love >

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Join the conversation about this story »

An "Easter egg" is a hidden message or in-joke that software developers will sneak into whatever project they're working on.

There are plenty in OS X and Windows. We even found a few in Firefox.

We've gathered them here for you so you can see the secrets hidden in the software you already have.

Apple's TextEdit icon

Apple fans will recognize the text on the TextEdit icon, beginning with, "Here's to the crazy ones." They're the words used in a famous Apple commercial.

Emacs psychoanalysis

Start up Terminal on your Mac. Type "emacs" and hit enter. Quickly press esc + x. Then type "psychoanalyze-pinhead" to see your Mac have a conversation with itself. To stop the scrolling conversation, press ctl + g.

The "suck" effect for minimizing a window

You can choose between the "scale" or "genie" effect when you minimize a window on your Mac. But there's a secret third choice called "suck."

Start up Terminal and type "defaults write com.apple.dock mineffect -string suck" and restart your computer. The new effect is activated.

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Before celebrating the 2013 Oscar winners, it's time to remember that even award winning actors can produce some really, really bad work.

That's especially true when you look at their commercials.

From a young Russell Crowe preaching the benefits of studying theology at Avondale College, a Seventh-day Adventist school in Australia, to Nicolas Cage dancing around with robots in a Japanese ad for Sankyo Pachinko, we have gathered the 10 worst ads starring Academy Award winners.

Whether its an ad from early on in their career or something they were paid boatloads to shoot in Japan, here's the worst from the best.

Sean Connery, Best Actor for "The Untouchables" (1987)

Sean Connery is sitting next to a bunny in a convertible and is singing about yogurt. The summary says it all.

Kim Basinger, Best Supporting Actress for "LA Confidential" (1998)

Before she was a film noir vixen, Kim Basinger starred in an ad for Body on Tap Shampoo in 1978. The awful commercial does have an Oscar-worthy line, though: "Brewed with 1/3 real beer, but don't drink it." OK, Kim.

Nicolas Cage, Best Actor for "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995)

Nicolas Cage is known for his zany Japanese commercials for Sankyo Pachinko. Some involve dancing robots. 

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It's no secret consumers have less cash to burn these days than ever before, but there are plenty of ways to save that don't require diving headfirst into a sales bin.

For some products, there's just no point paying full-price when you can find the same quality in a second-hand or used product.

Textbooks

Textbooks can cost upwards of $200 for some science courses and for a pre-medical student with a full class schedule that could mean dropping up to a grand on reading material — per semester.

For that, we compiled the ultimate guide to scoring deals on textbooks.

Not only can you snap up used books at a fraction of the retail value but you can rent them as well.

Children's clothing

We wouldn't recommend going the used route on important items like car seats or strollers, but when it comes to clothing likely to get wrecked with smashed carrots anyway, there's no shame in browsing thrift shops or asking friends and family for hand-me-downs. 

Check out Swapbabygoods.com if you don't have a lot of friends with kids the same age as yours and you're likely to save big. 

Cars

Everyone loves that "new car" smell, but hear us out on this one.

The minute you drive a fresh car off the lot, its value drops by about 20 percent anyway. And after just five years, fuggedaboutit.

"A used car that's five years old can typically be about a third of the price of a new car, and the insurance is a lot less than it would be for a new car," according to Investing Answers. 

Buying used cars is an economical choice, but you'll want to be weary of hitting the used car lot before doing your research. Sites like Kelley Blue Book are great places to get an idea of how much a used car should be worth. 

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Americans weren't always addicted to buying things.

Long before U.S. consumers racked up $11.3 trillion in aggregate debt, people used to save money for things they actually needed.

But in the age of plenty that followed World War I, corporations countered the threat of overproduction with a manipulative psychological strategy.

"We must shift America from a needs, to a desires culture," wrote Paul Mazur of Lehman Brothers. "People must be trained to desire, to want new things even before the old had been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality in America. Man's desires must overshadow his needs."

This conspiracy, enabled by new sophistication in advertising and supported by the government, was shockingly effective.

For more on the origins of consumer culture, we turn to the BBC's excellent documentary, "Century Of Self."

American corporations were rich and powerful at the end of WW1, but they were worried about the danger of overproduction. What if there people acquired enough goods and simply stopped buying?

Everything from shoes to cars was promoted in functional terms, meant to appeal to a rational consumer.

Banker Paul Mazur of Lehman Brothers saw the way forward: "We must shift America from a needs, to a desires culture. People must be trained to desire, to want new things even before the old had been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality in America. Man's desires must overshadow his needs."

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The world is changing, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in a good series of charts.

Luckily, we've seen no shortage of excellent charts this week that amply illustrate the changes underway.

The best charts this week touch on everything from a mysterious 8:20 AM trading pattern to just how bad Wall Street is at forecasting.

Now, let's go to the charts.

U.S. housing supply is at its lowest level in 8 years

READ MORE: The US Is Running Out Of Homes To Sell >

In the fourth quarter, hedge funds reduced their gold holdings to the lowest levels in at least four years

READ MORE: Hedge Funds Have Lost Their Love For Gold >

Wal-Mart says delayed tax refunds this year were the real culprit behind its February sales "total disaster"

READ MORE: Wal-Mart Reveals The Real Reason February Sales Are So Terrible >

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Don't look now, but Major League Baseball games are already being played in Florida and Arizona as Spring Training gets underway this weekend.

Now that the off-season is over, most teams are done signing free agents or making major trades.

On the next few pages we will take a closer look and see which player will have the highest salary on each team this season (data via BaseballProspectus.com). The differences between the highest and lowest might surprise you.

#30   Houston Astros, Bud Norris — $3.0 million

Position: Starting Pitcher

Contract: 1 year, $3.0 million

#29   Oakland A's, Chris Young — $8.5 million

Position: Outfielder

Contract: 5 years, $28 million (2009-13)

#28   San Diego Padres, Carlos Quentin — $9.5 million

Position: Outfielder

Contract: 3 years, $27 million (2013-15)

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There are Academy Awards for the best actors in movies, but where's the recognition for best brand spokescharacters?

E-Poll Market Research says that while Americans can't stand Progressive's headband wearing Flo and the Aflac duck, there are 11 spokescharacters they just can't get enough of. 

Every month, E-Poll surveys 1,500 Americans between 13 and 49. The participants rank character appeal on a six point scale, from "dislike a lot" to "like a  lot." E-Poll then calculates character awareness, appeal, and who Americans want to see more of.

While Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World" is a no-brainer, some others (remember Twinkie the Kid?) were more surprising.

23 percent of Americans want to see more of the M&M's characters.

Awareness: 29 percent

Appeal: 60 percent

26 percent of Americans want more of the T-Mobile Girl, who went from girl in pink to bad girl in biker gear.

Awareness: 16 percent

Appeal: 47 percent

28 percent of Americans want more of Twinkie the Kid.

Awareness: 14 percent

Appeal: 46 percent

Don't remember him?  Here's an ad from 1985:

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Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955. He would have been 58 today.

Although he is gone, he will never be forgotten, if his loyal fans have anything to say about it.

And they do.

Here's a great collection of artwork depicting Jobs.

Many of these fans are artists with a sense of humor.

SEE ALSO: Steve Jobs Once Gave This Guy A Porsche And His Career Has Been Golden Ever Since

Steve Jobs is such a doll.

Let me give you my card.

The sum of his parts.

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This year's Academy Awards nominees weren't always red carpet stars.

Before they were chasing Oscar gold, Naomi Watts starred in '80s commercials, Bradley Cooper appeared on a hit HBO series, and Christoph Waltz strongly resembled Ryan Gosling while starring in German television shows and films.

From "Law and Order" to "Fruit of the Looms" commercials, see where this year's top stars in Hollywood started out.

Before Bradley Cooper was playing a mental outpatient in "Silver Linings Playbook" ...

... his first role was on a season 2 episode of "Sex in the City" at 24.

Before Jessica Chastain was hunting down Osama bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty" ...

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Financial planners will give you a quick list of the things you must absolutely do to pay for your child's college (529s, Stafford loans, Coverdell savings accounts, savings Bonds, home equity loans) but sometimes their advice is hard to follow in the time frame you have—and often they involve piling on more debt.

Students already are choking on $1 trillion in loan repayments for college. Parents spend and borrow huge amounts beyond that.

But what can you do in the near-term to make the funds you have go further?

With help from students and college financial aid officers, we've compiled 14 tips to cut college costs and avoid borrowing more:

Live off campus.

This might rank lowest on parent's cost-saving lists. But it's more than an off-campus party pad and potentially the biggest moneysaver on the list.

The College Board says the amount colleges charge for room and board has jumped 65 percent over the past decade—about twice as fast as inflation. Boomer parents who opted for dorm life when they went to school a generation ago often paid below-market rates.

Not true anymore. "You can share a place and really cut down on rental costs, and you also pay less for things like food if you share with roommates," says David Ellman, a Brown University student now taking time off to work on a social media startup.

When shopping for a school, get past the sticker price (like buying a car).

"It really is like buying a car," says Chanel Greene, manager of the office of financial aid for Peirce College in Philadelphia. "People look at the sticker price and get shocked and say I am not going there. But like cars there are lots of option."

There are rebates and scholarships nearly every school offers or knows about. Saving on college costs requires that you "look beyond fees and tuition. It's really never as simple as comparing apples to apples," Green says. Cost-effective education plans are even more complicated than car deals. Consider all of the options.

[See How One Woman Wiped Out $80,000 in Credit Card Debt.]

Take that year abroad.

The dream of jetting off to Paris for a café-society semester at the Sorbonne or zipping down Florence's narrow streets to get to class at the Academy of Arts was a luxury purchase then. Not any more.

With American colleges the most expensive in the world, students can save by taking that year abroad, even with transportation costs included. Becoming more popular are Latin American destinations like Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Argentina, and further-flung places like South Korea, India, and South Africa, as students seek out less expensive and more exotic study-abroad locations alongside with old favorites like Britain, France, Italy, and Spain, according to the Institute for International Education.

In a global economy, the experience often pays dividends in the job world. But smart shopping is essential since fees vary widely. It's also a good thing to consider in your initial college search: Some U.S. schools assess fees while students study abroad.

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Want to help the ailing Greek economy? Buy an island!

Private Islands Online has the listings for some of the most gorgeous pieces of paradise floating in the Mediterranean.

It goes without saying that owning and maintaining an island is much more complicated than owning and maintaining a house.

But once you get by the logistics, you will be rewarded with unparalleled views and an unbelievable amount of privacy.

The following nine island go for between $1.5 million to $186 million.

Thanks to Private Islands Online for letting us feature some of their photos.

St. Athanasios is a cozy 2.5 acres of mostly palm and olive trees. It's located in the Iteas bay in the Gulf of Corinth.

Source: PrivateIslandsOnline.com

St. Athanasios can be yours for just $1.9 million dollars.

Source: PrivateIslandsOnline.com

Modi is a 51-acre gem. It's part of the Echinades chain, west of the Gulf of Corinth.

Source: PrivateIslandsOnline.com

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When we visited the USS Barry, the ship and its crew were feverishly preparing for a huge inspection, and an upcoming overseas deployment.

Short-staffed and overworked, the crew pulled the 20-year-old ship together beautifully  — but the work it entailed was mindblowing.

When the Barry sailed for its European deployment earlier this month it was amid rumors it might not go at all, and if not for her crew, that may have been the case.

As well as they did, unfortunately the crew's workload has just increased dramatically. This is a tough time to be a U.S. Navy sailor.

The following slides show why.

When I rode out to the USS Barry, everyone was getting ready for a big inspection.

The annual five-year inspection is called INSURV — Inspection/ Survey — and as the Navy's fleet ages the inspections become more vital and more time-consuming.

Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers were expected to serve 20 years. The Barry is 20 now — and keeping her shipshape is no small effort.

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As the stars are rolling in for the 85th Academy Awards, we're excited to see who's wearing what.

Jacki Weaver's wearing $2 million in jewelry and Reese Witherspoon is dazzling in Louis Vuitton.

We'll be updating as more celebrities join the red carpet.

Take a look at what the stars are wearing tonight.

Reese Witherspoon in Louis Vuitton

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture

Zoe Saldana in Alexis Mabille Couture

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When Google designs the interior of its offices, it doesn't just make a bulk acquisition of bean bags, a slide, and some ping pong tables, drop them in the space and call it a day.

First it talks to its employees about what they want in an office. It tries to design the office to accommodate their needs and make it welcoming. This just happens to usually involve a bulk acquisition of bean bags, a slide, and some ping pong tables.

When Google opened new offices in Moscow in 2010, it hired design firm Camenzind Evolution.

Camenzind Evolution said Russian Googlers "wanted the design to emphasize warmth and family, to reflect the needs of individuals over corporate standards, and they clearly wanted the office to have a strong Russian identity — defined by its rich literature, poetry and natural beauty."

The offices in Moscow aren't are whimsical or crazy as other Google offices, but they're still quite unique.

Here's the reception, you can see the games in the background

Walk in, play a game of ping pong

Bean bags, and white boards in this conference space

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Before celebrities entered the Dolby Theater for Sunday's 85th annual Academy Awards, they first dazzled outside on the red carpet.

Jennifer Lawrence won both Best Actress and best dressed, while hairdos from Salma Hayek and Melissa McCarthy left us scratching our heads.

See who brought the glitz and glamour, and who should have stayed off the red carpet.

BEST: Jennifer Lawrence took home the gold for Best Actress and Best Dressed in this ivory Dior Haute Couture dress.

WORST: Ben Affleck won big for "Argo," but wife Jennifer Garner didn't win us over with this custom made Gucci ruffle dress.

BEST: "Django" star Kerry Washington opted for a coral satin Miu Miu gown.

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