Facebook's Menlo Park, California campus is anything but ordinary.

From the nine-acre rooftop garden where employees sip free avocado berry smoothies to the vast, open-office floor plan designed by Frank Gehry, Facebook spares no expense at creating a special environment for its workers.

Part of that experience includes an impressive collection of art installations and paintings — some of which are created by Facebook employees themselves.

"I've always believed our offices should feel like a work in progress, just like our products and the community we're trying to build," CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook Monday. "When you step onto our campus, you should feel like you can shape the world around you."

Check out some of the art inside Facebook's Menlo Park "Building 20" campus below:

SEE ALSO: Step inside Instagram's gorgeous new office

Facebook opened its 430,000-square-foot new campus in Menlo Park early last year.

The company invited artists into the space ahead of time to create contemporary pieces.

This piece, which was made by an artist named Maya Hayu from Brooklyn, is visible from the building's main lobby.

They say don't judge a book by its cover.

But your LinkedIn profile photo can say a lot about who you are, according to Koka Sexton, a former LinkedIn employee who's now running his own company called Social Selling Labs.

Sexton recently published a blog post listing the 8 biggest mistakes people make on their LinkedIn profile photos, and says avoiding these mistakes could dramatically increase the chances of landing your dream job.

"Your LinkedIn profile picture is a decisive element for shaping your online presence and creating new career prospects," Sexton writes. "Potential clients do shape a first impression about their prospective employees by their profile pictures."

These are the 8 biggest LinkedIn profile photo mistakes you should stop making, according to Sexton:

SEE ALSO: These 21 foolproof sales tips will help you close deals faster and make tons of money

The oldie: "Do you have a favorite old picture that you can’t get over and continue using it as a profile picture? It’s high time to realize that it should go in your computer’s archive folder! Bear in mind that your picture should be recent, where you would look like your actual self."

The weekender: "We all love going out and having fun, but let’s keep hangover pictures to our friendly circles. LinkedIn is not the right place for it. It’s probably good to tone things down a little and eliminate the party hype."

The shadow: "Your profile picture should help potential clients know who they are going to deal with. Gloomy, dark or photoshopped pictures where your face is hardly visible should be completely avoided."

A number of actors have expressed regret for their roles in movies, even ones considered classic, over the years.

Though their reasons vary, many simply resent being remembered for performances that they'd rather forget.

Daniel Craig recently said he'd rather "slash" his wrists than return as James Bond for another film, and he joins Sean Connery in the list of 007 actors who've reacted with vitriol toward the famous series. Yet Craig later clarified by saying, "If I were to stop doing it, I would miss it terribly."

From Harrison Ford in "Star Wars" to Robert Pattinson in "Twilight," we're taking a look at the actors who have voiced their distaste for characters they took on.

Check out 14 actors who have expressed regret over their movie roles:

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

Carrie Fisher — "Star Wars"

Fisher told "The Today Show" in 2008 that if she had known how famous she would become for playing Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" films, she "would have never done it." 

When Time asked why she returned for 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," Fisher bluntly replied that she took it on because "it's difficult to get work after [turning] 30" for women in Hollywood.

Sean Connery — James Bond movies

Connery, who played the 007 agent in seven "Bond" films starting with the first, 1962's "Dr. No," initially felt that he was underpaid for his role in the series. But by his sixth appearance (in "Diamonds are Forever"), he was so sick of the role that he started giving his Bond salaries to charity, according to an interview with The Guardian.

"I have always hated that damned James Bond," Connery said. "I'd like to kill him."

Kate Winslet — "Titanic"

Winslet has said she regrets the style and quality of her performance in James Cameron's blockbuster, Oscar-winning 1997 film.

"Every single scene, I'm like, 'Really, really? You did it like that? Oh my God,'" Winslet once told CNN of "Titanic.""My American accent, I can't listen to it. It's awful."

Marijuana sales could hit $20 billion by 2020, with help from the ever-growing vaporizer market.

Vaping is an alternative to smoking that involves inhaling vapor from an electronic device. Some research suggests vaping is less harmful than lighting up because it doesn't require igniting a material and inhaling carcinogens and toxins along with it.

But as the industry heats up, so does the competition. These days, there's a range of devices to fit every consumer's needs — whether they prioritize ease of use, portability, or style.

With so many options out there, Business Insider set out to find the very best vaporizers.

We put together a panel of industry experts and asked them for recommendations in six categories: best for the beginner, the user-on-the-go, the user who blazes at home, the marijuana concentrates fan, the buyer on a budget, and the techie. We used their responses as well as anecdotal evidence and our own personal experiences to come up with the list below.

SEE ALSO: The 'Apple of vaping' made an e-cigarette for marijuana — here's what it's like

For the beginner: Alchemy Vaporizer Pen by Dark Heart

Price:~$40 per replacement cartridge

Taking a hit from a vape pen is often as intuitive as placing your lips on it and inhaling.

"I recommend beginners start off with vape pens since they are inexpensive and super easy to use," says David Hua, cofounder and CEO of medical marijuana company Meadow.

Hua is a fan of the Alchemy Vaporizer Pen, which uses cartridges filled with potent marijuana oil. The company behind the device names each botanical-infused pod after the effect it cultivates: "Relax" contains a soothing blend of lavender, chamomile, and an indica strain to calm the senses, while "Awaken" uses citrus, mint, and a sativa strain to invigorate the user.

"These experience-based oils are especially helpful for those who are new to cannabis and don't yet know the effects of particular strains," Hua says.

Dark Heart's cartridges also work with most generic pens, which retail for about $10.

Find it here.

For the on-the-go user: The Mighty by Storz & Bickel

Price:$399

The Mighty by Storz and Bickel might look like an old-school walkie-talkie more than a vaporizer, but the portable device has merits where it counts.

Max Simon, CEO and founder of Green Flower Media, says the Mighty offers the "highest quality in terms of functionality and precision."

Joe Dolce, author of "Brave New Weed," agrees: "The Mighty is not the most beautiful, inexpensive, or easily concealed vaporizer on the market, but it delivers the most generous and flavorful vape hit with low draw resistance of any I've tried."

Experienced users will enjoy the precision temperature control, which allows them to ramp up the effects of specific terpenes (oils) and cannabinoids (chemical compounds), Dolce explains. Plus, rich vapor flavor and a long-lasting battery make the Mighty a top performer.

Find it here.

For the user who blazes at home: Volcano Classic by Storz & Bickel

Price:$479

The Volcano Classic takes the cake in the tabletop vaporizer category. Really, what else could?

The device debuted in the mid-2000s and quickly amassed fans for delivering heavy hits with consistency and durability.

Manufactured by hand in Germany, the Volcano Classic works by heating up loose-leaf material packed into a chamber, which causes an attached balloon to fill with vapor. The user closes a valve that seals the balloon, removes the bag, and inhales from it to get high.

"The bags this vaporizer fills are a hit at any social event," writes Brandon Siddall, head budtender at top marijuana dispensary Caliva, and Adam Smith, purchasing manager, in an email. "But on a nice, low setting with just a little material, they are also perfect for a solo relaxation session after work."

Find it here.

The new Google Pixel isn't just another Android phone. It's the best Android phone you can buy.

That's because the Pixel has a lot of advantages you won't find in any other phone.

Here are the most important unique features in the Pixel.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel review

It has Google Assistant.

Google Assistant, the new digital helper from Google, is simply incredible. We don't have time to list everything it can do, but just know that it puts Siri and the other competitors to shame.

For now, the Pixel phone is the only Android phone with Google Assistant.

You get Android updates as soon as they're ready.

Android phones seldom get timely updates. That's because manufacturers like Samsung need to take time and modify each new version of Android with their own extra software. It's not unusual to wait a year or longer for new version of Android on most Android phones.

The Pixel is different. It's the only Android phone that's guaranteed to get new updates from Google as soon as they're available. That's huge.

There's built-in customer service.

The Pixel comes with an app that lets you chat with a customer support agent 24/7. It even lets you share your screen with them so they can guide you along and help troubleshoot your problems.

Credit Suisse has updated its list of "Large Cap Fading Stars."

In a note sent out to clients on Monday, the bank listed 26 stocks that saw a big drop in large cap fund ownership during the second quarter, and says these names could be a good place to look for contrarian trade ideas.  

The thought process being that since big money fund managers all decided to get out of these stocks at the same time, there is likely some value. 

Monsanto

Ticker: MON

Industry: Materials

Stock Price: $102.54

Target Price: N/A

# Large Cap Funds: 75 

Change Since Q1: -12

Source: Credit Suisse 

Disney

Ticker: DIS

Industry: Media 

Stock Price: $91.12

Target Price: $128.00

# Large Cap Funds: 183

Change Since Q1: -12

Source: Credit Suisse 

Valero Energy

Ticker: VLO

Industry: Energy 

Stock Price: $53.85

Target Price: $62.00

Large Cap Funds: 96

Change Since Q1: -13

Source: Credit Suisse 

The INSIDER Summary:

• Compelling dance movies, like "Dirty Dancing," are hard to get right.
• These are the best dance movies of all time, from "Happy Feet" to "Step Up."

Dance movies are hard to get right. They need eye-popping (and frequent) dance breaks, but they also need a cast who can act, not just pirouette or break.

The worst dance movies require fast forwarding through all the parts that aren't dance. But the best ones aren't just watchable — they're classics.  

Here's our official ranking of the 17 most famous dance movies ever made.

INSIDER Note: This isn't a list of all dance movies — just the most popular. We also excluded movie-musicals. Even though they have lots of dancing, that's an entirely separate genre that deserves its own ranking.

17. Step Up 3D (2010)

In the third installment of the "Step Up" series, the franchise expands its universe to New York City, introducing a cast of mostly new characters.

Sadly, it also features some of the most forgettable dance battles (and a really annoying choice to add swishing sound effects to every dance step). Plus, the leads have next to no chemistry — and their silly slushie-drinking scene is a CGI catastrophe.

16. Stomp the Yard (2007)

"Stomp the Yard" starts strong with a breathtaking krump-heavy battle, but it's mostly downhill after that. The storyline (featuring a teen who joins a highly competitive step team at his university) moves too slowly with too few dance breaks.

15. Step Up All In (2014)

The fifth installment of the "Step Up" franchise revives old characters who compete in a TV dance competition. But the choreography in the final dance scene is buried beneath layers of unnecessary spectacle (what's with the sand and fire?!) and the pop star villain is cartoonish even by dance movie standards.

The one saving grace? A small role for Parris Goebel, the New Zealand-born hip hop phenom who went on to choreograph the video for Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.” You'll spend most of this movie waiting for Goebel to start dancing again.

Money is serious business.

That's never more apparent than when you see taxes come out of your paycheck, or calculate the price tag on the European vacation you want so badly, or watch your credit card payment get deducted from your checking account.

In fact, it's often when money doesn't feel real that we find ourselves in financial trouble. That's where you encounter people who rack up thousands in debt before realizing or lottery winners who spend what seems like an endless supply of cash. When you don't recognize the truth, you can get in trouble ... fast.

Below, find nine hard truths every adult should learn to accept about money.

SEE ALSO: 15 lifelong money lessons you're never taught in school

You don't get what you don't ask for

Personal finance journalist and author Farnoosh Torabi puts it succinctly: "You don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate."

The first step to negotiating is simply asking. See a job you want? Ask for it. A discount you should get? Ask for it. A project you're dying to work on? Ask.

Lee E. Miller, co-author of "A Woman's Guide to Successful Negotiating" with his daughter Jessica, finds that women in particular have trouble asking for what they want. 

One tactic Miller has seen among women is to accept a position without negotiating, with the intention of proving their worth and then approaching their employer for a raise.

But, he explains, there's a flaw in that approach. "If you start too low, your raise is on that too-low base. Aren't you better off getting an additional $10,000 up front and then getting the same 10% raise down the road? You should always be negotiating the best possible deal that you can."

He acknowledges that sometimes an employee isn't in the best position to get more than the initial offer right off the bat. That's fine, he says, but go in with a strategy. "It's very typical if you're changing fields or you need new skills, to get the experience and then ask for the raise. If you can't get it after all that, be willing to change jobs, because someone will be willing to pay you."

Your wealth is in your hands

Many of the richest, most powerful people in the world are self-made. Take Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who grew up in a poor Chicago neighborhood before going on to start a company that's earned him an estimated $49 billion net worth. Or John Paul DeJoria, who spent time living out of his car before founding John Paul Mitchell systems and amassing an estimated $3.1 billion net worth.

Those examples are probably outliers, but the truth is that in most cases, whether you aspire to great wealth or simply the ability to pay your monthly bills without stress, the financial fairy isn't going to swoop down and grant you net worth. It's up to you.

There are plenty of ways to learn about money — but you have to seek them out. Start with some of our favorite websites to bookmark, books to read, and online courses to take.

Credit cards aren't money

It's a fine line: Credit cards are a tool to spend money, not a source of funds.

You could argue that a line of credit is, technically, a source of funds in the form of a temporary loan from the credit card company, but that's a slippery slope. When you're using credit cards as money, instead of as a vehicle to spend the money you actually have, it's alarmingly easy to spend beyond your means.

(And in case it's unclear, spending beyond your means is the most basic financial misstep a person can make. It can lead to dings on your credit score, more expensive loans in the future, and the hideously stressful state of knowing you're responsible for hugely expensive debt.)

The Miami Heat Big Three may have changed the NBA, but almost as quickly as they came together, they fell apart, too.

With Chris Bosh's future in the NBA in doubt, Dwyane Wade ditching the Heat for the Bulls in the offseason, and LeBron James working on his title defense with the Cavaliers, the Heat Big Three has, officially, completely disbanded.

But amazingly, the Heat have undergone a fairly radical rebuild in the years since their last championship in the 2012-13 season. Even some of the most important role players on those teams now find themselves on different teams or out of the league altogether.

After four championship appearances, with two titles in 2011-12 and 2012-13, that era has fizzled out.

See where the major players are today.

LeBron James shook the league to its core when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Heat in 2010.

Now, of course, James is back in Cleveland, coming off the Cavs' first NBA championship after they beat the Warriors in the Finals.

Dwyane Wade was the founding member of the Heat Big Three, having already won a championship in his first seven years with the team.

For more than 2,000 years, wise men and women have relied on an ancient philosophy known as Stoicism to guide them through their days.

It's been a tool for the ordinary and the elite alike — from slaves to emperors — as they sought wisdom, strength, and the "good life." 

Today, Stoicism is popular with football coaches the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll, investors like Tim Ferriss, and military generals like General James "Mad Dog" Mattis.

Authors Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman's "The Daily Stoic" is an all-new translation of Stoics like Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus, arranged in a helpful daily format of ancient wisdom. Below, they've arranged some of the best stoic passages and exercises with the idea of creating the perfect week — seven days of stoic thinking to help you live better, more resiliently, and more peacefully.

SEE ALSO: 9 timeless lessons from the great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius

Monday: Rise and shine

"On those mornings you struggle with getting up, keep this thought in mind — I am awakening to the work of a human being. Why then am I annoyed that I am going to do what I'm made for, the very things for which I was put into this world? Or was I made for this, to snuggle under the covers and keep warm? It's so pleasurable. Were you then made for pleasure? In short, to be coddled or to exert yourself?"

— Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations," 5.1

Nobody likes Mondays. So it's comforting to think that even 2,000 years ago, the emperor of Rome (who was reportedly an insomniac) was giving himself a pep talk in order to summon the willpower to throw off the blankets and get out of bed.

From the time we're first sent off to school until the day we retire, we're faced with that same struggle. It always seems nicer to shut our eyes and hit the snooze button a few times.

But we can't — because we have a job to do. Not only do we have the calling we're dedicated to, but we have the larger cause that the Stoics speak about: the greater good. We cannot be of service to ourselves, to other people, or to the world unless we get up and get working — the earlier the better. So c'mon. Get in the shower, have your coffee, and get going.

Tuesday: Prepare yourself for negativity

"When you first rise in the morning tell yourself: I will encounter busybodies, ingrates, egomaniacs, liars, the jealous, and cranks. They are all stricken with these afflictions because they don't know the difference between good and evil. Because I have understood the beauty of good and the ugliness of evil, I know that these wrong-doers are still akin to me ... and that none can do me harm, or implicate me in ugliness — nor can I be angry at my relatives or hate them. For we are made for cooperation."

— Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations," 2.1

You can be certain as clockwork that at some point today you're going to interact with someone who seems like a jerk (as we all do). The question is: Are you going to be ready for it?

This exercise calls to mind a joke from the 18th-century writer and witticist Nicolas Chamfort, who remarked that if you "swallow a toad every morning," you'll be fortified against any other disgusting thing that might happen that day.

But there is a second part to this, just as there is a second half of Marcus' quote: "No one can implicate me in ugliness — nor can I be angry at my relative or hate him." The point of this preparation is not to write off everyone in advance. It's that, maybe, because you've prepared for it, you'll be able to act with patience, forgiveness, and understanding.

Wednesday: Clarify your intentions

"Let all your efforts be directed to something, let it keep that end in view. It's not activity that disturbs people, but false conceptions of things that drive them mad."

— Seneca, "On Tranquility of Mind," 12.5

Law 29 of "The 48 Laws of Power" is: Plan all the way to the end. Robert Greene writes, "By planning to the end, you will not be overwhelmed by circumstances, and you will know when to stop. Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead."

The second habit in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" is: Begin with an end in mind.

Having an end in mind is no guarantee that you'll reach it — no Stoic would pretend otherwise — but not having an end in mind is a guarantee that you won't. To the Stoics, oiêsis (false conceptions) are responsible not just for disturbances in the soul, but for chaotic and dysfunctional lives and operations.

When your efforts are not directed at a cause or a purpose, how will you know what to do day in and day out? How will you know what to say no to and what to say yes to? How will you know when you've had enough, when you've reached your goal, or when you've gotten off track if you've never defined what those things are?

You cannot. And so you are driven into failure — or worse, into madness — by the oblivion of directionlessness.

The world is a pretty big place, so we can't blame you for being indecisive.

Lonely Planet, a go-to resource for travelers for over 40 years, just released its new book, "Best in Travel 2017."

In it, the guidebook gurus outline the world’s hottest trends, destinations, and experiences for next year, all based on their team of writers and experts.

Here are their picks for the top 10 cities to travel to next year.

10. Portland, Oregon

This gem of a town is what all towns should be: friendly and sustainable, with an emphasis on living well.

9. Moscow, Russia

Moscow's new airport and extensive metro line expansions means that getting there and getting around has never been easier. Plus, as it's celebrating its Revolution centennial and becoming host to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it's bound to pull out all the stops.

8. Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal is the place to be right now, as it's both cheaper and more underrated than the rest of Europe — despite being equally impressive in terms of sights, culture and cuisine than some of Europe's more well-known destinations, like Barcelona or Rome. Lisbon is one of the best bargains around right now.

Some people spend their day at a desk dreaming of traveling abroad, but not Christy Woodrow.

The 36-year-old started her blog Ordinary Traveler back in 2011 after a six-week vacation to Southeast Asia with her boyfriend. Fast forward to 2016, and Woodrow made six figures last year off of her travel blog.

"The bigger travel blogs are people who quit their jobs and became nomads — you don’t have to do that," Woodrow tells INSIDER.

At first, she blogged part-time and kept an office job as a financial advisor for businesses. But about three years later, Woodrow was able to quit her job and focus on Ordinary Traveler full-time.

Though she lives with her boyfriend in San Diego, she travels the world, visiting everywhere from Australia to Nepal.

Keep reading to see what it’s like to make a living traveling the world.

Christy Woodrow — relaxing here in Cabo, Mexico — is the full-time blogger behind Ordinary Traveler.

She tells INSIDER she made over six figures last year from blogging about traveling to places like the Cook Islands, pictured here.

She makes money through photo sales, sponsored posts, and paid projects with tourism boards, as well as her freelance writing. Here she is camping in California ...

According to the Pew Research Center, the middle class is shrinking— and as a result, the upper class in growing.

In fact, the share of adults in the upper-income tier between the years 2000 and 2014 increased in 172 of the 229 US metro areas analyzed in its recent report.

We took a closer look at how much upper-income households — defined as those with an income that is more than double the US median household income — are earning in major US cities. Using data from Pew, we've highlighted the share of the population that qualifies as upper-income in each metro, along with the median household income of that upper class.

Additionally, we included the annual household income required to be in the top 1% in each metro, using an interactive tool created by the The New York Times.

SEE ALSO: Here's the salary you need to be in the top 5% of earners in 21 major US cities

Portland, Oregon

Residents who are upper-income: 21%

Median household income of those residents: $171,340

Household income required to be in the top 1%: $343,000

Cincinnati, Ohio

Residents who are upper-income: 25%

Median household income of those residents: $171,380

Household income required to be in the top 1%: $358,079

St. Louis, Missouri

Residents who are upper-income: 25%

Median household income of those residents: $170,130

Household income required to be in the top 1%: $358,750

The INSIDER Summary:

• Fans are wondering who will play Li Shang in Disney's live-action movie. 
• The reboot will have a primarily Chinese cast.  

It was recently announced that one of our favorite Disney badasses, Fa Mulan, will get her own live-action film nearly eighteen years after the original Disney animated movie was released. The film is currently in pre-production.

There has unfortunately been quite a bit of drama these past few weeks centered around a rumor that the Mulan live-action film slated for 2018 will be yet another cinematic victim of whitewashing, and our heroine will have a white European love interest. Thankfully, it seems as though that rumor has been debunked and the much anticipated live-action reboot will have a primarily Chinese cast.

With no news on the casting yet and tons of speculation on who will play Mulan, fans are also wondering who will play the tough yet vulnerable (and handsome!) military captain Li Shang.

We put together a list of talented and underrated Chinese and Taiwanese actors who could tackle the Li Shang role and do him justice.

Check out these 15 Actors Who Could Play Li Shang in the Mulan live-action movie.

15. Godfrey Gao

Taiwanese-born Canadian actor and model Godfrey Gao found fame in various Taiwanese TV dramas includingMagicians of Love and Momo Love. He branched out into films with his debut in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones as Magnus Bane in 2013 and also did a Mandarin voice-over for Toy Story 3‘s Taiwan release. As a model, Gao is the first Asian male model to be featured in a campaign fashion label Louis Vuitton.

Not only does Godfrey Gao have the strong chin and strong body to play Li Shang, he also has the acting ability to play Li Shang really well. Many other fans agree, too. Even though Gao may not have a huge resume of films under his belt quite yet, taking on the role of Li Shang in Mulan could very well launch him into mainstream fame and he can finally get some global recognition for acting. Who wouldn’t want more Gao in their life?

14. Yoshi Sudarso

Yoshua “Yoshi” Sudarso is a Chinese-Indonesian American actor, model, and stuntman known for his work in The Maze Runner and Power Rangers Dino Charge. He has also been in several television series including Pretty Dudes and NCIS: Los Angeles. Sudarso’s brother, Peter Adrian Sudarso, is a famous model and actor known for his YouTube videos about fashion and cosplay, some of which Yoshi has been featured in. Sudarso developed a love of martial arts from watching the Power Rangers as a kid (he’s lived the dream now!) as well as Jackie Chan movies.

Like Godfrey Gao, Sudarso does not have a ton of well-known commercial work under his belt, and taking on the role of Li Shang could guarantee that we’ll see more of him. His stuntman background could be a huge advantage for an action-packed role in Mulan too. Sudarso caught wind of his fans comparing him to Li Shang andexpressed interest in the role as well.

13. Chen Xiao

Chen Xiao is a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama and first made his acting debut in Tsui Hark’s Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame in 2010. He’s been in a lot of smaller supporting roles in Chinese television series since then, including The Bounty Hunter and The Qin Emperor II. He found critical acclaim after taking on the role of Lin Pingzhi in the television series Swordsman.

Chen Xiao has mainly been a Chinese TV star and has been in only a few Chinese films. Perhaps the role of Li Shang in Mulan could be an interesting change for the Chinese actor. His handsome face and acting talent would make him the perfect Li Shang. Chen Xiao’s role in the Chinese period drama The Legend of Lu Zhen also shows how well he wears traditional historical Chinese garb. He’d make a great Li Shang, indeed.

Last month, Amazon announced its plans to pilot a program in which a few dozen employees will work just 30 hours each week. In return, they'll receive 75% of their normal salary and retain full benefits.

The idea behind the pilot is to see whether working 30 hours could actually make employees more productive than a 40-plus-hour-week. Research backs up this premise, since evidence suggests most people can only concentrate on a task for four or five hours at a time before we start to feel fatigued. After we've hit our peak, our performance will begin to flatline or suffer. 

Citizens of some countries, like France and Hungary, have been working fewer hours for a long time. A new working paper, spotted by Quartz, looks at the average annual work hours per person in 18 European countries and the US (factoring in vacation time). Researchers compiled data from the European Labor Force Survey, the US Current Population Survey, and the German Microcensus to produce the ranking. 

Check out the list below, which shows how many hours the average employee from each country works per year.

SEE ALSO: Why every weekend should be a 3-day weekend

19. The US — 1,353 hours per year.

18. Switzerland — 1,310 hours per year.

17. Czech Republic — 1,219 hours per year.

From a radical car prototype to a construction breakthrough to the coolest pen ever, there were a lot of cool designs in the past year.

The Red Dot Awards named 42 design concepts as the Best of the Best, selecting from nearly 5,000 submissions. Check out the winners below.

SEE ALSO: New data reveals 10 fashion trends sweeping America

DON'T MISS: A graphic designer charts her phone addiction

The 2-in-1 kitchen funnel can be a funnel or a container.

Red Dot juror: "This is a very elegant object. It’s the use of material which is unusual for this kind of product, being an air humidifier."

Design by Choi Jueun, Kim Bitnuri, Lee Soojin, Hong Hyekyung, South Korea.

"An Insight Into Sight" teaches about design for the visually impaired.

Design from Ngā Pae Māhutonga – The School of Design, Massey University, New Zealand. 

Auroma One brews a high-tech personal coffee with zero plastic waste.

Design from Auroma Brewing Company, Canada.

The Lincoln Continental is just one of those cars. It really isn't even a car — it's an ideal, a dream, an evocation.

Ford introduced the Continental in the late 1930s, and over the decades it was conjoined with American history, most tragically in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas while riding in a 1961 Continental limousine.

Ford discontinued the Continental as its flagship Lincoln luxury sedan in 2002, but the nameplate never really went away. You could say that it haunted Ford.

And then, in 2015, a new Continental concept car took the New York auto show by storm. Ford had considered killing off Lincoln after the financial crisis but decided against it and put billions into a revival of the brand. By 2016, we saw the production version of the big new sedan, as it hit the car-show circuit.

More recently, as autumn settled in the Northeast, we finally found ourselves behind the wheel of a 2017 Lincoln Continental Reserve with all-wheel drive, stickered at $56,000, but then benefitting from $10,000 worth of options, taking the final price up to $76,000.

Does the new Continental live up to expectations — not to mention the lofty reputation of its name? Read on to find out:

The Continental concept was the toast of the 2015 New York Auto Show.

The production sedan went on display a year later.

And by fall 2016, we finally got a chance to test Lincoln's flagship sedan.

We've known for a while now that President Barack Obama has eclectic taste in music, and that's especially true of the workout songs he's revealed in a new playlist.

Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama each released their own workout playlists as part of the president's stint guest-editing Wired, and both are available on Spotify.

President Obama's workout music runs the gamut from Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" (pretty heavy stuff for the treadmill) and Bob Marley to more modern tunes including Jay Z and a rising indie-rock star, Courtney Barnett. 

See all of Obama's workout songs below:

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

The Black Eyed Peas - "Let's Get It Started (Spike Mix)"

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Nina Simon - "Sinnerman"

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Sting - "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"

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Condé Nast Traveler just released its 2016 Readers' Choice Awards.

The travel publication polled over 300,000 readers to find the best islands in the world, outside of the US. 

It may be time to start planning your trip to the Philippines as the top two islands in the world — Boracay and Palawan — are in the Southeast Asian island country.

20. St. Lucia

19. St. John, USVI

18. British Virgin Islands

Everyone loves complaining about air travel, but according to 300,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers there are a few beacons of civilization in the friendly skies.

The magazine just released its annual Readers' Choice Awards for 2016. Over 300,000 readers voted for 7,394 hotels, 606 cities, 500 cruise ships, and 236 islands, among other things, and these are their picks for the top 10 airlines in the world.

10. Qantas

9. Porter Airlines

8. Korean Air