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The 13 most dangerous countries in the world

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El Salvador police gangs

Major risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft has compiled a list of countries with the highest risk of violent crime — essentially, a roundup of some of the world's most dangerous countries.

The consultancy's Criminality Index focuses on countries where there is a widespread prevalence of drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, robbery and other activities that involve or lead to violence.

Each country is given a numerical risk figure, ranging from 10 (low risk) t0 0 (high risk). Verisk Maplecroft also splits the countries it assesses into several risk profiles, ranging from low to extreme. However, the consultancy does not give away its exact methodology.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most dangerous nations are in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, where economies are generally less developed and political systems are more volatile. This environment helps to create a climate where violence is prevalent. Latin America is a particular risk area thanks to its role in the global drug trade.

Verisk Maplecroft classes 13 countries of having an extreme risk of violent crime. Check them out below:

13. Nigeria: 2.37 — Africa's largest economy has made big strides in recent years, but with the prevalence of terrorist groups Boko Haram, and insurgents like the Niger Delta Avengers, the threat of violence in Nigeria remains extreme.



12. Colombia: 2.31 — Colombia is one of the gateways to drug trafficking routes into the US, with the nation producing a substantial portion of the world's cocaine. The prevalence of drug gangs makes the nation extremely dangerous.



11. Libya: 2.30 — Since the destruction of Muammar Gaddafi's dictatorial regime in 2011, a power vacuum has emerged in Libya and the nation has become a hotbed of ISIS activity.



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The 23 most Instagrammed countries of all time

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Bali, Indonesia

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you can quantify it with Instagram's data.

Travel agency Jet 2 recently analysed Instagram data on countries all over the world to find out which nations people liked to photograph the most.

Looking at total posts leading up to November 2016 with specific hashtags for countries (i.e. #India), the ranking of the most Instagrammed places in the world is surprising.

While larger, countries like the USA did feature in the top 10, smaller places, like the tiny, oil-rich nation of Kuwait in the Middle East, also ranked highly.

Three countries in the top 23 are all closely linked. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are all largely made up of islands adjacent to each other in the Indian Ocean — with some countries sharing borders on the same island — and have collectively amassed more than 65 million Instagram posts.

From India to Italy, here are the most photogenic countries in the world, according to Instagram.

23. India has been snapped on Instagram over 13 million times. The most popular city is the capital, Mumbai, where almost one-third of posts are tagged.

Instagram Embed:
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22. Beautiful scenes in Singapore have been recorded on the social networking app 14,895,500 times, but its major cities are less popular. Its most tagged city is Novena, with just over 98,000 posts.

Instagram Embed:
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21. Malaysia didn't quite make it into the top 20, but has seen just over 15 million Instagram posts.

Instagram Embed:
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How the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has evolved over the last 21 years

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Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2015

The INSIDER Summary:

• The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has been happening for 21 years.
• The show has evolved to feature huge wings, major sets, and top models.
• See pictures from its 21-year history.



In 1995, a lingerie company called Victoria's Secret had its first fashion show at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Models wore slinky slips down the runway, accessorized with cardigans and handbags.

Two decades later, 6.6 million people tuned in to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on CBS. This year, it will premiere on December 5 at 10 p.m. EST and the outfits of 2016 are a far cry from what they were 21 years ago. Brightly colored costumes and huge wings now grace the runway, making the beige satin bras of yesteryear look oddly quaint.

Keep scrolling to see how the show and its models have evolved since 1995.

The first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in 1995 at the Plaza Hotel in New York. The models wore slinky slips and shiny bras.

RAW Embed

You can watch more of the 1995 runway show here.



By 1996, the fashion show had better lighting, but was still focused on lingerie. Baby dolls were extremely popular.



The show had started to become a bigger deal by 1998. In addition to costumes, wings made their first appearance on the runway this year.



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These are the free Xbox games for December

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Every month, Xbox Live Gold subscribers get four free games across the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. That's four games across two consoles for $60 per year. 

It's generally a good mix of bigger retail games and smaller indie games, and December's offering is no different. Here is what you can expect for the month of December on Xbox Live:

"Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition" for Xbox One, Dec. 1-31

"Sleeping Dogs" is a criminally underrated "Grand Theft Auto" style open-world action game. You play as Wei Shen, who has to live a double life as an undercover cop investigating organized crime in the seedy underbelly of Hong Kong.

A fun story with memorable characters will propel you through the game, which also has excellent melee combat and plenty of mayhem to cause in the game's virtual Hong Kong.



"Outlast" for Xbox One, Dec. 16-Jan.15

"Outlast" is a first-person horror romp through an ethically dubious mental asylum. You'll hide and run away from enemies in dark, murky corridors in one of the scariest games of the past few years.



"Outland" for Xbox One and Xbox 360, Dec. 1-15

"Outland" was vastly underrated when it came out in 2011. It's a side-scrolling adventure game where you navigate a large open world, unlocking new abilities that let you access new areas.

Its main gimmick was a color-switching system where players pressed a button to switch from blue to red. You can absorb projectiles of the same color, while you're hurt by projectiles of the other color. This leads to plenty of perilous platforming sequences and boss fights, where you need to switch at a moment's notice. 



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These are the 15 British craft beers you should try before you die

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Camden HellsAlthough global beer supremacy is hard to quantify, Britain is very much a superpower in that particular domain.

We are, after all, known around the world for our great pubs, and what would these fine establishments be without the liquid gold that is beer? 

Not only that, but we arguably export some of the finest lagers and ales worldwide. The United States, for instance, have received (and undoubtably poured) more than 220 million pints of our beer in 2015 alone. 

We already rounded up the best british gins and whiskies distilled in the UK, but given that beer is the nation's drink of choice for heavy weekends, we picked out some of the best craft beers brewed on our shores. 

Share your favourite British craft beer with us or tell us which of these you've tried already in the comment section below

Mad Hatter Mad Scientist

The Mad Scientist is one for those who enjoy a bit of sweetness in their lives. This Rye Ale has a similar taste to orange marmalade, allied with hints of caramel. 

Mad Hatter Mad Scientist, £3.19.



Tiny Rebel Cwtch

Cwtch is Tiny Rebel's take on Red Welsh Ale but brewed with American hops. The result? Bold flavours of citrus and mango dominate in this amber coloured ale. If that's not enough to convince, Tiny Rebel won a gold medal for their Cwtch at the International Beer Challenge Awards.

Tiny Rebel Cwtch, £2.49.



BrewDog Punk IPA

If you've heard of BrewDog, you've definitely heard of the Punk IPA. Although the Punk IPA is now nine years old, being the first beer the company ever produced, it's still BrewDog's flagship product and the best-selling IPA in Scandinavia.

And for good reason – the 5.6% IPA produced in Scotland is light, but packs a brave new world of flavours including caramel and a bunch of fruits, and boasts a bitter finish. 

BrewDog Punk IPA, £1.60.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Heartbroken fans paid tribute to Chapecoense football players with this beautiful candlelight vigil

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colombia plane crash tribute

Fans across South America have been mourning the death of 19 players from Brazilian football club Chapecoense.

The players were among 71 killed when a "total electrical failure" caused a chartered flight to crash into the Andes mountain range, leaving only six survivors.

The pilot of the doomed flight can be heard repeatedly requesting permission to land in leaked audio footage.

"Miss, LAMIA 933 is in total failure, total electrical failure, without fuel," he tells the operator just minutes before the crash.

The disaster sent shockwaves through the continent as people begin to pay tribute to those who were onboard.

Chapecoense staff who didn't board the flight filled their home stadium alongside thousands of fans in Brazil on the same night they were due to play their biggest game to date.

Meanwhile, in Colombia, 45,000 fans of rival team Atletico Nacional filled the Atanasio Girardot stadium and held a candlelit vigil as a sign of solidarity. See how fans have been remembering their sporting heroes below.

This was the scene at the Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, Brazil — the team's home ground. Many fans were inconsolable as both heartbreak and anger began to take over. "I feel Indignation," said 16-year-old Nataly Ferranti from the team's female youth squad, according to The Guardian. She called the crash a "mistake" that "ended lives."

Source: The Guardian



The stadium's 22,600-person capacity was filled as white balloons were released as a sign of remembrance. The team had been due to play the biggest match in their history as part of a fairytale season.



"The pain is terrible. Just as we had made it, I will not say to the top, but to have national prominence, a tragedy like this happens," club Vice-President Ivan Tozzo told Brazilian TV.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 7 charities in the world — and how much you should give to each

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AMF

If your altruistic side compels you to donate to charity but you don't know where to turn, GiveWell can help.

In the wake of Giving Tuesday (November 29), the nonprofit charity evaluator has released its 2016 ranking of the top charities in the world.

GiveWell bases the list on a few criteria: how effective the given solution is for the problem it addresses, how well the charity implements that solution, and whether the organization needs the money in the first place.

Low-income areas deal with the greatest threats to residents' health and well-being, so many of the charities GiveWell ranks the highest do work in those regions, namely Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

This year, GiveWell selected seven charities that rose above the rest. If you have a sum of $5,000 to donate, here's how much GiveWell says you should give to each of the top charities (with a small portion leftover for other charities GiveWell considers noteworthy).

 

SEE ALSO: Forget Black Friday — here are 12 charities to donate to on Giving Tuesday

1. Against Malaria Foundation — $1,510

Almost every charity on GiveWell's list targets either malaria or worm-related infections. Treatments for both can offer huge increases in quality of life at little cost. 

Malaria is the most threatening disease to kids in low-income countries. Approximately 600,000 people die every year as a result of malaria infection, and the only vaccine that's been approved won't reach patients until 2017.

AMF works to prevent the disease's spread by deploying insecticide-treated bed nets — mesh tarps that drape over kids' beds and kill mosquitoes as they attempt to enter.

GiveWell finds through its research that, based on malaria's prevalence and the low cost of distributing bed nets, AMF is far and away the charity most deserving of people's dollars.

Donating just $1.50 to AMF can protect one person from malaria for one year. If you're feeling especially generous, however, GiveWell recommends a donation of $3,340. It might seem like a lot, but you'd be saving an entire life.



2. Schistosomiasis Control Initiative — $1,350

Like malaria, parasitic diseases such as worms affect a disproportionate amount of people in poorer areas. Roughly 240 million people live with parasitic worm infections, and 90% of those cases occur in just 20 countries.

Thankfully, GiveWell finds that approximately $1.23 can rid a child of these worms.

"This cost is based on several difficult-to-estimate inputs including (a) how to account for donated drugs and (b) the portion of costs paid for by the governments with which SCI works," GiveWell states

SCI works primarily in regions where the deadliest worms are prevalent, typically in sub-Saharan Africa. The organization is a smart one to support because its ceiling for donations is so high, and few countries are wealthy enough to create de-worming infrastructure on their own. 



3. Deworm the World Initiative — $450

The Deworm the World Initiative assists government-run programs in schools to strengthen deworming efforts. Most often that relies on distributing pills that kill intestinal parasites that enter kids' bodies through unsanitary soil or water.

DtWI's main goal is advocating and supporting the programs that deliver kids those pills. GiveWell estimates children can be dewormed for about $0.30 per child with DtWI's help, or $0.09 per child if the cost excludes "the value of teachers' and principals' time spent on the program."

"Even for small amounts of money you're still giving pills to children," Sean Conley, a research analyst at GiveWell, tells Business Insider. "Which seem to be making a very big difference in their lives later on."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 skills you can learn in a week that will impress just about anyone

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A competitor solves a Rubik's cube using one hand during the Rubik's Cube European Championship in Prague, Czech Republic, July 17, 2016. REUTERS/David W Cerny

In his 2013 TEDx Talk, "The first 20 hours," author and business expert Josh Kaufman busts the myth that learning new skills takes a lot of time.

Proficiency, Kaufman says, is really only 20 hours away.

Divided into two- or three-hour chunks, that's about a week's worth of practice. As responders to recent Quora threads have attested, that's plenty of time to learn a host of impressive skills.

Here are just a sample of the many you could pick from.

SEE ALSO: 11 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever

Learn to play a song on a musical instrument

Music theory is highly complex, but a week should be enough time to learn a single song on the ukulele or harmonica.

(At the end of his TEDx Talk, Kaufman shows off his ability to play a few chords in a medley of pop songs on his own ukulele, which he spent just 20 hours practicing on.)

On Quora, Karan Babar suggests picking a somewhat rare instrument if you want to impress people most.



Learn to drive stick shift

Automatic transmissions are no doubt easier, but the ability to shift gears while driving still turns some heads. It's also a useful skill to have if you ever need to drive someone else's car.

The actual mechanics of using the clutch and gear shift are straightforward, but you'll probably spend most of your week learning how to time your shifts correctly. Nobody likes to lurch.



Learn to solve a Rubik's cube

Speed-cubers — the people who solve Rubik's cubes as fast as possible, sometimes in less than 10 seconds — will tell you there's nothing all that special about the puzzle.

You just need to know a set of algorithms — or turn patterns — that orient pieces of the cube one at a time. Memorizing the order of those turns can be done surprisingly quickly. 

A beginner could easily solve a Rubik's cube in less than two minutes over the course of a week.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The new A4 sedan is the best car Audi ever made

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Audi A4 21

In the 1980s, the Audi Quattro revolutionized rally racing. In the 1990s, the TT became an instant style icon. In the 2000s, the striking R8 supercar became Iron Man's ride of choice. More recently, the German brand has turned out one industry-leading model after another in the form of stalwarts such as the Q5, the Q7, and RS7, all of which are brilliant vehicles.

This fall, Audi dropped off a brand-new 2017 A4 2.0T quattro S tronic sedan clad in Manhattan Gray Metallic paint for Business Insider to check out. It was our first encounter with the company's new fifth-generation A4 sedan. To call the car impressive would be an understatement.

One thing became crystal clear to Business Insider's transportation team after just a few days with the new A4: The 2017 A4 is the best car Audi has ever made. Yes, it's that good!

No, the new A4 isn't as evocative as the R8. Nor does it have the mind-bending performance of the RS7. The compact luxury sedan certainly doesn't have the vaunted racing pedigree of the Quattro. (The A4 has been known to hold its own as a touring car racer in Europe and the UK.) But what the A4 does have going for it is the ability to do everything Audi and its consumers need it to do with spectacular effectiveness and efficiency.

As my colleague Matt DeBord put it, "The A4 ticks all of the boxes you can tick, but it doesn't create any new ones."

The brand new A4 sedan starts at a competitive $34,900, while our option-laden test car came with an as-tested price tag of $54,275.

Here's a closer look at the 2017 Audi A4.

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise credited.

SEE ALSO: Jeremy Clarkson reveals why he loves and hates Ferrari and Tesla

For two decades, the A4 has been Audi's answer to ...



... BMW's all-conquering 3-Series and ...



... the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NFL WEEK 13: Our official picks for who wins this weekend

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Cowboys Rookies

I'm still full from Thanksgiving and legitimately can't believe the Giants are 8-3, so this week we're going straight to the picks!

LAST WEEK: 8-7

SEASON: 86-84-5

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at Minnesota Vikings (Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET)

Going to keep taking the Cowboys until they lose a game.

The pick: Cowboys -3



Denver Broncos (-4.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

I'm absolutely going to jinx myself here, but there's just no way the Broncos lose this. 

The pick: Broncos -4.5



Kansas City Chiefs (+4) at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Two good teams with completely opposite identities. The Chiefs have a scary defense and a somewhat underwhelming offense. The Falcons have one of the best offenses and worst defenses. I like the Chiefs to keep this one close, if only because they're a little more even on both sides of the ball.

The pick: Chiefs +4



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Working a 9-5 job, buying a home, and saving in a 401(k) will no longer make you rich

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susie mooreIn her new book, "What If It Does Work Out?," Susie Moore interviewed James Altucher about why you should work for yourself.

Susie: What facts do you tell people who still believe in the old world order (safe corporate job, 401(k), single paycheck)?

James: I don't like to tell people they are wrong. Nobody listens when you tell them that.

We want to believe (I want to believe) that I am right all the time.

So I don't tell people when I think they are wrong. I just point out the times I realized I was wrong.

SEE ALSO: After more than a year of earning up to $4,000 a month on the side, here’s what I can tell you about starting a side hustle

1. 401(k)s

I thought it was good to save away every month in a 401(k). Little did I realize the amount of fees and wrong decisions 401(k) managers constantly make. Nor did I realize that even when the company matches, I would have been far better off investing in myself, or simply having my own cash in the bank rather than waiting until I am near 60.



2. Owning a home

I get it. Many people want "roots." Many people think rent is throwing money out. But you never really own your home. Try missing a mortgage payment, or a property tax payment, and see how quickly the land from underneath you is taken away. And I learned the hard way that the amount of equity I build is no match for maintenance, renovation, and the thousand other little nicks and expenses that owning a house entails.

Sure, some of the time (and there are a million anecdotes), homeownership works. But as an investment, it has all the worst qualities. You would never invest in a company/stock, for instance, where:

• You use 400% leverage.

• It can go down as much as 50% while you hold it.

• It is totally illiquid. (You can't sell it during the times you most NEED to sell it.)

• It requires constant payments to hold onto the investment.

I could go on.



3. Jobs are "safe."

Many people go to college thinking that even if they can't do their highest passions in life, they at least can have a "Plan B" that includes a safe job.

Unfortunately, incomes have been going straight down while inflation is going up.

The average salary for people ages 18-35 has gone from $36,000 in 1992 to $33,000 now, and it's only getting lower.

Meanwhile, the people I know who are doing the best financially have multiple streams of income, do not have a single job, and often the work they do is 100 percent related to their experience and not their education.

"But what about the arts?" I get it. You can learn the arts and humanities in school. And you can have many social experiences in school.

But the reality is, with $1.3 trillion in student loan debt (and rising), there are many other, cheaper, safer ways to learn these things.

Ways that would be just as enriching, valuable for your future (even more valuable since you will not have debt), and positive socially.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 unethical — and sometimes illegal — life hacks people use to get ahead in life

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cheating test

If you could game the system, would you do it?

Users on the question-and-answer website Quora recently shared their "best" unethical life hacks that could score you everything from free Chipotle to major savings at grocery stores.

But be warned: These hacks are uniformly unethical. Some veer into fraud. They should be regarded as informational and for entertainment purposes rather than as actual suggestions. You shouldn't do them. If you do them, you need to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Keep reading to see the 17 unethical life hacks.

SEE ALSO: The unorthodox productivity hacks of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg

"Buy an appliance that's identical to the one you broke, swap them out, and then return the broken appliance for a refund."

- Jay B.



Take advantage of “grace periods” in ticket-entry car garages.

“Most of these garages will have a grace period so that if you pull in but you didn’t really ‘park,’ you can leave and pay nothing. […]

"Next time you park in one of these garages, grab a ticket like normal and go park. When you’re ready to leave, pull your car close to the entrance, and go push the button to get a fresh entrance ticket, time stamped to that moment (when you’re ready to leave). Then, just go to the exit and put your brand new ticket in the machine or hand it to the person. If you’re within the grace period, you will be charged nothing and you can leave. […]

"Even if you’re a few minutes over, you’re paying for minutes rather than hours or days."  

- Anonymous



Weigh all of your fruit as apples at the self-checkout station.

“Go to a self-checkout and weigh [everything] as apples. If you're worried about getting caught if someone checks, ring up organic [apples] as regular [apples], fuji apples as red delicious, etc. Voila, your grocery bill went down.” - Leigh C.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 most popular winter escapes — and the best time to go

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Orlando

The INSIDER Summary:

• TripAdvisor rounded up the most popular destinations US travelers are searching for this  winter.
• You can s
core the most savings by traveling to Las Vegas, which is 25% cheaper than usual this time of year.
• Warm spots in Florida and Hawaii are cheaper in mid-January.



If the holidays have your wallet feeling lighter than usual, worry not — you can still plan a winter getaway.

TripAdvisor has put together some of the most popular winter escapes that you can actually afford thanks to off-peak travel times. 

Here are the 10 best places to escape the winter blues, according to their Winter Vacation Value Report, as well as the cheapest time to visit.

Orlando, Florida

Least expensive winter week to visit: January 16 – 22

Savings: 14% less expensive than if booking during most expensive week of March 13 – March 19

Average cost for one week during the winter: $1,870



Las Vegas, Nevada

Least expensive winter week to visit:January 23 – January 29

Savings: 25% less expensive than if booking during most expensive week of January 2 – January 8

Average cost for one week during the winter: $2,040



Cancun, Mexico

Least expensive winter week to visit:January 16 – January 22

Savings: 12% less expensive than if booking during most expensive week of March 6 – March 12

Average cost for one week during the winter: $2,220



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 items not to buy from Costco

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tide laundry detergent

Warehouse clubs like Sam's Club, Costco, and BJ's Wholesale Club offer great deals on some items — but not all. That's often because shoppers can find lower prices elsewhere but also because some items aren't wise to buy in bulk. From foods to paper goods, here are 10 things to avoid.

SEE ALSO: 13 reasons shoppers get addicted to Costco

Condiment packs

Costco sells a condiment "picnic pack" with two 32-ounce ketchups, one 28-ounce mustard, and one 26-fluid-ounce pickle relish. For anyone who doesn't use relish as often as mustard — or just doesn't care for one of the three — up to a quarter of the purchase price goes to waste. Condiments may sit in the fridge for months but don't stay fresh as long as you might expect once opened.

Ketchup lasts six months, while mayo lasts just two, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Unless you're a business owner in the food-service industry or you're inviting everyone you know to a summer barbecue, sticking to supermarket sizes may be smarter. Related:10 surprising things you can buy from Costco, Sam's, or BJ's



Diapers

There are many places to buy cheap diapers: Amazon, Diapers.com, Target, Walmart, and more. Warehouse club diapers are similarly cheap, but their larger packages may not be the best option, especially when buying very small diapers for newborns.

The smallest quantity available at Costco in size 1 (which fits babies up to 14 pounds) is 192 diapers. A child might grow out of the size before the package is empty.

Smaller quantities available at Target and Amazon — both of which have subscription services with convenient delivery and discounted prices — could be a better buy for a fast-growing child.



Trendy clothes and shoes

Costco and Sam's Club sometimes carry name-brand clothes and shoes, such as Hunter boots at Costco and Carter's brand kids' clothes at Costco and Sam's Club. But sometimes these deals really are too good to be true.

Company representatives say Costco is not a "fashion retailer." If a designer brand turns up at a warehouse club, it is likely to be a fading trend or a style unpopular with retailers. Unless it's a very basic item, it might soon look passé, so don't let a designer label override personal taste.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These 16 subscription boxes are the gifts that keep on giving this holiday season

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

BI Holiday Gift Guide_subscription gift_BI Reviews Badge_Table 4x3 1Thanks to the rising popularity of online subscription services, you can get almost anything delivered straight to your door.

These services cover everything from clothes to vinyl records to razors — if you think you might need it delivered once a month, chances are that there’s a company ready to accommodate you.

Subscription boxes are great for personal use. They also make fantastic gifts around the holidays.

The phrase "a gift that keeps on giving" is thrown around a lot, but few things better fulfill that promise than subscription boxes. Instead of one moment of surprise after unwrapping something under the tree, you can send someone you love a present that continues to delight when it arrives month after month.

Below, we’ve collected some of our favorite subscription services that'll also make great gifts this season. Take a look and see if any bring someone to mind who you have yet to cross off your shopping list. That person might still be thanking you come June 2017.

SEE ALSO: 20 tech gifts under $100 for everyone in your life

READ MORE: 12 perfect gifts for the music lover in your life

DON'T MISS: 21 do's and don'ts of holiday shopping

Wine Awesomeness

Wine! Everyone loves a good glass of wine, especially when enveloped in the strange combination of stress and joy that is the holiday season. But as you probably know, wine is also great year round, and Wine Awesomeness is just the company to help you give the gift of drinking all through 2017.

For $45 a month, Wine Awesomeness will send three curated bottles of wine the doorstep of you or your friend, giving you the chance to try new bottles from new parts of the world while never leaving the comfort of your own home. You also have the option to gift just one box to a friend, if you think three bottles a month might be a bit too much to throw at them.

The perfect gift for:Anyone who enjoys trying out new wines and wants to diversify their palete

What it costs:
$45/box

Best way to give:
You can gift someone a subscription or just a single box.


Learn more here



Vinebox

If three bottles a month is a bit too much for the friend you have in mind (trust me, it is a good amount of wine), Vinebox is a similar service that delivers wine to your door monthly, but by the glass rather than the bottle. It’s a great way to expand your palete to a bunch of new wines, without committing to finishing a bottle when you only feel like a sip.

The perfect gift for:Anyone who wants to diversify their wine palete without committing to whole bottles

What it costs: $27/month

Best way to gift:
You can gift a subscription of three, six, or 12 boxes.

Learn more here



Book of the Month

Exactly what it sounds like, Book of the Month is a great subscription for your bookish friends and family members who are always looking for something new to read. After becoming a member, they'll get to select between five books chosen by acclaimed literary judges on the site each month and get that hardcover delivered to their door. After that, they can choose to participate in ongoing conversations held on the site, or simply read in peace and wait for next month's selections. 

The perfect gift for: Anyone who never leaves home without a book

What it costs: $15/month

Best way to give:
You can gift a subscription of three, six, or 12 months worth of membership.

Learn more here



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The 2016 ranking of the 10 best universities in the world

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Unidentified Harvard University students celebrate by blowing bubbles during Harvard University Commencement exercises June 9, 2005 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Actor John Lithgow, a Harvard alumnus, was awarded an honorary degree. (Photo by William B. Plowman/Getty Images)

Harvard University again tops the list of the world's best universities, according to a new list from the Center for World University Rankings.

For the top 1,000 universities in the world, 224 are in the US, 90 are in China, 74 are in Japan, and 65 are in the United Kingdom.

CWUR uses eight indicators to determine its rankings, including quality of education, alumni employment, and influence. The organization also credits itself as the only ranking that doesn't rely on survey or university data.

See the top 10 universities in the world below:

SEE ALSO: English teachers have been assigning Elie Wiesel's memoir of the Holocaust for 30 years — here's why

No. 10 — Yale University



No. 9 — Princeton University



No. 8 — University of Chicago



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I took a 10-hour night bus through Peru and it was one of the most luxurious travel experiences I've ever had

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reclined seat peru bus

The INSIDER Summary:

• While you wouldn't expect much from a bus in South America, Peru's Cruz del Sur buses are surprisingly luxurious.
• For only $30, I had a giant seat that reclined almost fully, and a personal TV and entertainment system.
• Buses even feature "land hostesses" and meals.


 

Buses don't usually conjure up images of luxury. Neither does the idea of public transportation in Peru.

Naturally, when my boyfriend suggested we save money on transportation and accommodation by taking a night bus from Lima to Trujillo, I was skeptical.

Having done his due diligence, he assured me that these buses were safe — but that wasn't necessarily my primary concern.

However, I was pleasantly surprised at how clean they were — and shocked at how luxurious. Turns out, a night bus in Peru is pretty damn close to flying business class.

We took a Cruz del Sur bus from Lima, Peru, to Trujillo, Peru. We booked our tickets online, about a week in advance.

You can book your trip here »



Buses are double deckers. If we're comparing the bus to a plane, the top level is "economy class," while the lower level is "business class."



Even coach seemed pretty luxe.



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19 unforgettable quotes from legendary Marine Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis

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President-elect Donald Trump has selected retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense, according to sources who spoke to The Washington Post. And while an official announcement is not expected until early next week, one thing is certain: Mattis is eminently quotable.

The 66-year-old retired four-star general met with Trump on November 19 to discuss a possible job offer as defense secretary, and a large portion of DC is rallying behind him.

Mattis is something of a legendary figure in the US military. Viewed as a warrior among Marines and respected by members of other services, he has been at the forefront of numerous engagements.

If you look back on his storied 44-year career leading Marines in battle, and the many colorful quotes he has given over the years, it's pretty easy to see why.

We've gathered some of Mattis' best sayings, taken from this San Diego Union-Tribune profile (archived with the Wayback Machine) unless otherwise specified.

Geoffrey Ingersoll contributed reporting on a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Legendary Marine Gen. James Mattis may be tapped to be Trump's defense secretary

"You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be bad."

Mattis has often talked to Marine leaders about staying sharp.

The "dream world" he mentioned is a reference to a complacent attitude, and it's one that can cost lives if troops aren't vigilant.



"If in order to kill the enemy you have to kill an innocent, don't take the shot. Don't create more enemies than you take out by some immoral act."

As a coauthor of the military's counterinsurgency manual (with retired Army Gen. David Petraeus), Mattis has often spoken about following the rules of engagement and being disciplined against a ruthless enemy.



"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f--- with me, I'll kill you all."

After the initial Iraq invasion, "Chaos" (his radio call sign) sent home his tanks and artillery and used the "carrot and the stick" with Iraqi tribal leaders.



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50 things everyone should eat at Disney World

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The INSIDER Summary:

• There are tons of different foods to try at Disney World, ranging from snacks to meals to sweet desserts.
• Here are the 50 you can't miss.


Walt Disney World is known as the happiest place on earth for a reason. It's a place where adults and kids can enjoy time together. As a foodie, Disney World is the ultimate vacation spot. No matter what type of cuisine you're in the mood for, you're bound to find it here. Since most people only stay for a few days, its hard to fit everything into one visit. But don't stress. As a foodie who spent six months at Disney, I've brought you the top 50 must-try foods, in no particular order.

1. Kitchen Sink

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 You can find this colossal dessert at Beaches and Cream in Disney's Beach Club Resort.



2. Mickey Premium Bar

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 Mickey Premium Bars are the classic Disney snack. You can find them throughout the parks at numerous food stands and quick service restaurants.



3. Dole Whip

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 Get your Dole Whip fix at Aloha Isle in the Magic Kingdom or at Pineapple Lanai located in Disney's Polynesian Resort.



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Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is stepping down — here's his incredible rags-to-riches story

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Starbucks announced Thursday that its CEO Howard Schultz is stepping down next year. Schultz will be appointed executive chairman and and Kevin Johnson, the company's current president and COO, will assume the CEO position April 3.

Schultz got into the coffee business 30 years ago with one goal in mind: to enhance the personal relationship between people and their coffee.

He's now responsible for Starbucks, one of the world's most beloved brands and the largest coffee chain on the planet, with a market capitalization of $84 billion as of December. Last year, Starbucks' profits reached $2.8 billion on revenues of $19 billion, both record highs.

But Schultz hasn't been singularly focused on the traditional bottom line. He's a dynamic model of a progressive CEO who's as animated by social issues and employee welfare as he is profit margins. In fact, in a letter to employees in October, Schultz announced wage raises ranging from 5% to 15% for all US employees. The wage hike reinforces Schultz's longstanding commitment to investing in his employees' success, and it positions Starbucks as a key player in the biggest economic story in America today.

How did Schultz, who came from a "working poor" family in the Brooklyn projects, overcome adversity and grow a quaint Seattle coffeehouse into the world's largest coffee chain and a model for conscious capitalism?

Scroll through to learn the story behind Starbucks and the man responsible for much of its success.

 

SEE ALSO: I had a $12 coffee at the fanciest Starbucks in America, and it was only OK

Schultz was born on July 19, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. In an interview with Bloomberg, he said that growing up in the projects — "loosely described as the other side of the tracks"— exposed him to the world's wealth disparity.

Source:Bloomberg



He experienced poverty at an early age. When Schultz was seven years old, his father broke his ankle while working as a truck driver picking up and delivering diapers. At the time, his father had no health insurance or worker's compensation, and the family was left with no income.

Source: "Pour Your Heart Into It"



In high school, Schultz played football and earned an athletic scholarship to Northern Michigan University. But by the time he started college, he decided he wasn't going to play football after all.

To pay for school, the communications major took out student loans and took up various jobs, including working as a bartender and even occasionally selling his blood.

Source:"Pour Your Heart Into It"



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