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The new game from the folks behind 'Grand Theft Auto' is ridiculously gorgeous

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In 2010, a new video game classic was born.

"Red Dead Redemption" is widely regarded as one of the finest games made in the past 10 years. It takes the open-world environment of "Grand Theft Auto" and twists it into something unique: a third-person, open-world action game set in the Old West — it's even made by the same folks behind "GTA"! We're talking America as it transitioned from a lawless frontier to modern civilization. This is not stuff that video games tackle.

And that's part of why people are so incredibly excited for "Red Dead Redemption 2," which is expected to launch later this year. Just look at this:

Red Dead Redemption 2

Right? Let's dive in.

SEE ALSO: The best racing game ever made is getting a truly insane addition

If these graphics look too good to be true, think again: These incredible visuals were reportedly captured on a PlayStation 4.



Like the first "Red Dead Redemption," the sequel takes place in the American Old West.



More specifically, the game is set in "America's unforgiving heartland."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Nintendo just unveiled a new portable console — here's what it is and why you should want one

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nintendo 3ds

Nintendo's blockbuster Switch is a new kind of video-game console that can be plugged into a TV for big-screen gaming, or pocketed for portable action.

But the Switch isn't Nintendo's only portable console.

The Nintendo 3DS has been on the market since 2011, meaning it has a deeper bench of top-tier games. Plus, as a portable-only gadget, it gets way better battery life than the Switch. 

And late Thursday night, Nintendo made the surprise announcement of the New Nintendo 2DS XL, a new $149 console in the 3DS console lineup, on sale in July. It's like the regular Nintendo 3DS consoles, minus the 3D aspect.

Picking between the Nintendo 3DS and 2DS can seem a little tricky. Luckily, we're here to help.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's Wii U was a flop, but here's why you should consider buying one on Black Friday

The original Nintendo 3DS first launched in 2011. The bottom screen is for touch, complete with a little stylus.



The 3DS is Nintendo's follow-up to the massively successful Nintendo DS, pictured here. The Nintendo DS was the best-selling game console of all time with 154 million units sold.



The 3DS doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. It adds a joystick for better control in games, sports overall better graphics, and can display games in 3D, without the need for any kind of glasses. Hence the name.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This futuristic $300 white noise machine helped me get the best sleep ever

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White-noise machines are not a modern concept. But a white-noise machine that creates a sound blanket customized to your room's acoustics? That's new. 

And that's what the Nightingale does: It's a smart sleep system that masks all sorts of sounds, like car horns outside or snoring in the next room.

The Nightingale works by plugging into the outlets in a room and emitting noise based on the acoustic makeup of the space. If your bedroom is mainly glass and concrete, for example, Nightingale will emit sounds that won't echo off those reflective surfaces. 

I've now been sleeping with the Nightingale turned on for more the last week. Here's what it's like. 

SEE ALSO: This adorable device might be the world’s smallest 4G smartphone — check it out

It's easy to install — and there's no need to give up an outlet.

Nightingale consists of two rectangular boxes that plug into the wall outlets in your bedroom. The nice thing about the devices is that they have pass-through plugs, so you don't have to sacrifice outlet space in your room. 

Since the devices only need an outlet to work, Nightingale says you can travel with them, put them in hospital rooms, or move them around in your house. They also don't need to be unobstructed or out the open, so it's OK if you want to hide the devices behind furniture. 



The Nightingale also serves as a nightlight, if you need it.

Both devices have lights that glow either green, red, yellow, blue, or white to light your way to bed. I opted not to use the lights because they're very bright, but they can be helpful if your room gets very dark at night. 



Finding your "custom sound blanket" is pretty simple.

To use Nightingale, you'll need to download the iOS app (it's coming to Android soon). Once you plug in the two devices, you'll have to give Nightingale some information about the room it's in. Is it a hospital? A nursery? A master bedroom? 

From there, you'll need to tell the app a bit about the materials in the room. If your room is carpeted, your bedding is plush, and you have thick curtains, the sound will be a lot different than if your room has high ceilings and concrete floors. 

My bedroom is pretty standard: it has hardwood floors and big windows, but it's not particularly big and all my bedroom furniture is wood. I also don't have tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or a roommate that snores, so Nightingale chose the basic "General Bedroom Blanket" setting for my room. But there are 15 total sound blanket preferences within the app based on the type of room and your sleeping conditions. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 surprising ways exercise affects your brain

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Exercise is clearly good for our bodies — it can lead to a lower resting heart rate, decreased risk of disease, improved endurance, and much more.

But physical activity offers huge mental and psychological benefits as well. In fact, working out is pretty much the closest thing we have to a wonder drug. 

Here are a few of the research-backed benefits that exercise has for your mind.

RELATED: We tried the science-backed 7-minute fitness routine that's going viral, and it actually works

SEE ALSO: 11 common myths about the brain that need to be smashed

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Everything you need to know about what to order at Chick-fil-A

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Fried chicken is taking over fast-food.

And as the ruler of the roost, Chick-fil-A is leading the charge. A recent Piper Jaffray survey found that the fried chicken chain has replaced Starbucks as the No. 1 spot on the list of teens' favorite restaurant. 

While Chick-fil-A continues to expand from its southern stronghold into the Northeast and beyond, many diners unfamiliar with the storied chain will suddenly find themselves pausing at the counter or in the drive-thru line, wondering what to order. 

Well have no fear, intrepid American Eaters. The Chick-fil-A Dining Guide is here.

We've rounded up the best of the menu here, so if you find yourselves bewildered by the jarring friendliness of a Chick-fil-A cashier, you can still order with confidence.

SEE ALSO: The team behind the best restaurant in the world is opening a new fast-casual concept in New York City

The illustrious, sophisticated, Chick-fil-A Dining Guide:

So, you're at Chick-fil-A. Good work! The chain launched an aggressive expansion plan in recent years, barreling into the New York City market and striking up the East Coast as well as into the Midwest.

The menu is essentially all chicken, so here's to hoping you realized that and are in fact in the mood for chicken. 

There are several categories to cover: sandwiches, finger foods, breakfast, sides, and the "healthy" option.



Sandwich: the Chicken Sandwich.

You can't beat a classic. The original chicken sandwich is an easy choice — in its sheer simplicity lies its strength. This sandwich came second in our fried chicken sandwich smackdown, shut out of the top spot only by an intriguing addition from KFC. 

The chicken breast is tender and juicy, and while it isn't outrageously crispy, the quality of it more than makes up for that. Only a handful of lively pickle slices garnish it, and that's all it needs — a slight acidic jolt to cut through the savory chicken and pillowy bun. 



Finger food: the Chicken Nuggets.

This is another fairly obvious and entirely solid choice. The nuggets are definitely superior to the chicken strips, not in quality but in psychological experience. Chicken nuggets harken back to childhood (although yes, you should still eat them as an adult, clearly), and are more much more fun than the responsible and sensible strips. And more is always better than less, right?

Plus, they took the top spot in our fast-food chicken nugget roundup. The tender white meat chicken is very clearly real chicken, and easily the most identifiable as such compared to competitors. And the bevy of dipping sauces that accompanies these nuggets can cover just about any flavor craving. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

There are a handful of remaining Blockbusters in the US — here's a look inside

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North Pole Blockbuster

Blockbuster isn't extinct quite yet.

At least 10 Blockbusters are open across the US — a minuscule percentage of the 9,000 stores that existed in the early 1990s, The Washington Post reported. The biggest cluster of Blockbuster locations that remain open is in Alaska.

"We just keep plodding along," Alan Payne, a licensee who owns eight of the last surviving Blockbusters, told The Post. One of Payne's locations is in Texas, and seven are in Alaska, where the chain continues to draw customers thanks to the frigid, long winter and expensive, slow Wi-Fi.

Many Americans haven't seen a Blockbuster — much less gone inside — since the company filed for bankruptcy in 2010. For Blockbuster lovers desperately missing the store, and for video-rental virgins raised on Netflix, here's what it's like to visit one of the handful of remaining Blockbusters in the country.

If you drive through Alaska, Blockbuster's iconic blue and yellow signs may grab your eye.

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You can't miss the distinctive sign.

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How 6 US presidents have described the first 100 days in office

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President Donald Trump has been in office for exactly 100 days, as of Saturday.

Trump may have called the benchmark a "ridiculous standard," but we took a look at what some other Presidents had to say about the day and what others have said about them.

Donald Trump

A week before the 100-day anniversary, Trump scoffed at the media and tweeted that the benchmark was a "ridiculous standard" by which to judge a President's performance.

But in recent interviews, he has also said that he never realized how "big a job" being president was.



Richard Nixon

Trump was not the only President to dismiss the 100-day mark. When reporters asked President Richard Nixon about his achievements, he said that he did not "count either the days or the hours."



John F. Kennedy

During his own inaugural address, John F. Kennedy mentioned the 100-day benchmark in an often-quoted segment about the economic reforms of the 1960s.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

31 annoying words and phrases on your résumé that make hiring managers cringe

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While many large companies use automated résumé-screener software to cut down the initial pool of job applicants, loading your résumé with meaningless buzzwords and phrases is not the smartest way to get noticed.

"Nearly everyone is guilty of using buzzwords from time to time, but professionals are evaluated increasingly on their ability to communicate," says Paul McDonald, senior executive director for professional-placement firm Robert Half.

Some of the major problems with using buzzwords, according to Mary Lorenz, a corporate-communications manager at CareerBuilder, are that they have become so overused that they've lost all meaning, and they don't differentiate the job seeker from other candidates because they're so generic.

Other, less jargony words and terms should be avoided when they serve little purpose to the hiring manager. All these words do is waste space and the reader's time and, as a result, you lose out on the few precious seconds a recruiter spends scanning your résumé.

Instead, Lorenz says job seekers should speak in terms of accomplishments and show rather than tell.

"Avoiding overused terms can help job seekers convey their message and stand out from the crowd," McDonald says.

Here are some words and phrases you should avoid:

SEE ALSO: 34 things you should remove from your résumé immediately

DON'T MISS: 16 interview mistakes people think will cost them the job — but won't

1. 'Leadership'

According to LinkedIn, "leadership" was the top buzzword on its user's profiles. And if the word doesn't help you stand out on your LinkedIn profile, you can bet it won't make your résumé more eye-catching, either.

Rather than saying you have excellent leadership skills, you'd do better to highlight specific examples of when you demonstrated these skills and what kind of results you saw.



2. 'Exceptional communicator'

Tina Nicolai, who has read more than 40,000 résumés since founding her company Résumé Writers' Ink, tells Business Insider that skills like being an "exceptional communicator" are "baseline expectations in today's market." Stating that you are really great at communication isn't, in fact, saying very much.



3. 'Best of breed'

When CareerBuilder surveyed more than 2,200 hiring managers, it found "best of breed" to be the most irritating term to be seen on a résumé.

The phrase offers little meaning and doesn't help differentiate candidates. "Employers want to know what makes the job seekers unique, and how they will add value to the specific organization for which they're applying," Lorenz says.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 15 organizations business majors want to work for after graduation

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Google employee headphones

Where do business students want to work these days?

To find out, Universum, a global research and advisory firm, surveyed 81,102 students from 359 universities in the US about their views on employers.

Out of those respondents, 26,809 were studying business.

Universum ranked a number of well-known companies (and a few governmental agencies), based on the percentage of business students who reported that they'd want to work for the organization.

Here are the top 15 organizations that business students have their eyes on:

SEE ALSO: The 5 best fields for recent grads to find a job right now

15. Microsoft

Microsoft is an American tech company based in Redmond, California.

Percentage of business students who want to work there: 6.16%



14. Patagonia

Patagonia is an outdoor clothing brand that was founded in 1973.

Percentage of business students who want to work there: 6.17%



13. PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)

One of the "Big Four" accounting firms, PwC is based in London.

Percentage of business students who want to work there: 6.61%



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Carmelo Anthony's time with the Knicks has been one of the wildest shows in the NBA

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carmelo anthony

Carmelo Anthony's career appears to be at a crossroads.

The New York Knicks have missed the playoffs four straight years and are overdue for a rebuild.

However, in order to begin rebuilding, the Knicks would be wise to trade Anthony, whose large contract and ball-dominant style would be an awkward fit with a young, rebuilding team.

Anthony has been resistant to trades, despite the Knicks shopping him and team president Phil Jackson recently saying Anthony "would be better off somewhere else." Anthony holds a no-trade clause that allows him to veto any trade in which he's involved.

Now, with Anthony in a public duel with Jackson, and TMZ reporting Anthony has split with his wife LaLa Anthony, his future seems less clear than ever. Anthony could choose to dig in with the Knicks in hopes of turning the team around, or he could accept a trade, likely to a contender, and chase a championship ring over the final stages of his career.

If Anthony's time with the Knicks is indeed over, it's been one of the wildest rides in the NBA over the last six years. Here's a look back at the up-and-down journey.

Carmelo Anthony joined the Knicks in February 2011 by essentially forcing the Denver Nuggets to trade him.

Anthony was an impending free agent and wanted to join the Knicks, who had just signed star power forward Amar'e Stoudemire months earlier. Anthony had money at stake by being traded as opposed to becoming a free agent and was threatening to accept a trade elsewhere if the Knicks did not make an offer. The Knicks, Nuggets, Wolves eventually agreed to a massive trade, thus ending the "Melo-drama."



Anthony and Stoudemire did not click right away, and the Knicks went 14-14 after the trade, getting the sixth seed in the East.

The Knicks matched up with the Celtics in the first round and were promptly swept in four games, though not due to a lack of effort from Anthony. With Stoudemire injured for Game 2, Anthony delivered a playoff classic, scoring 42 points with 17 rebounds and six assists, albeit in a losing effort.



In the summer of 2011, the NBA had a lockout that lasted into November.

The NBA and players finally resolved it, leading the season to start on December 25. When the lockout ended, the Knicks signed Tyson Chandler, leading some to appoint the Knicks as the new "Big Three."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Thousands took to the streets to protest Trump on his 100th day — here are the photos

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A demonstrator wears a Donald Trump mask during a

The Trump administration is off to a rocky start, and protesters in Washington and New York City have decided to call it out. 

Demonstrators took the streets in Manhattan and in front of the White House on Saturday to protest President Trump's policies, particularly those on climate change.

Since taking office, Trump has taken a number of steps to roll back much of former president Obama's legacy on climate change through executive orders and congressional review. Among other things, Trump authorized the construction of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, he repealed much of Obama's Clean Power Plan, rolled back regulations on the fossil fuel industry, and appointed climate change skeptic Scott Pruitt to head up the Environmental Protection Agency. 

As climate scientists and much of the scientific community have raised alarms about the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, environmental activists and anti-Trump protesters have gathered steam against the latest administration's climate policies. Last week, people took part in the March For Science on Earth Day. Today, they took to the streets once again to denounce Trump and his environmental policies on his 100th day in office.

Check out photos of the marches below: 

SEE ALSO: Thousands of people turn out around the world for the March for Science — here are the photos

Trump's first 100 days have been marred with controversies. The latest point of contention is the administration's tax plan, which critics say primarily benefits the wealthy and corporations. A protester dressed as Trump grasps his head as another holds a sign which says, "100 Days of Pampering Billionaires," with a photo of Treasury secretary Mnuchin.



A giant puppet depicting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt is carried among demonstrators during a People's Climate March, to protest Trump's stance on the environment, in Washington.



Demonstrators march down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House. One protester holds a sign that says "Water is Life."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 11 most charitable rich people in Britain

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steve morgan1

It is now more apparent than ever that the richest people in Britain are creating their own fortunes rather than inheriting it. 

According to a preview of The Sunday Times Rich List, which lists the 1,000 wealthiest individuals and families in the UK, there are also a number of wealthy individuals that give a substantial amount of their fortunes to charity.

Within the rankings, The Sunday Times also has sub-index called "The Giving List" which looks at the amount an individual is worth and what proportion they give to charity in a year.

Ahead of the full Sunday Times Rich List, which will be released in May, Business Insider took a quick look at the 11 most charitable rich people in Britain. All figures were account for the year leading up to April 30, 2017:

11. Sir Mike Uren

Net worth: £140 million.

Donations:£13.6 million.

Giving Index:9.74%.

Main beneficiaries: Education, medical, environment.

The 93-year-old was the founder and chairman of manufacturer Civil & Marine from 1955 to 2006. He spends a lot of his fortune donating to the Imperial College London university, where he attended. For example in 2014, he donated £40 million to a new biomedical engineering centre.



10. Sir Elton John

Net worth: £290 million.

Donations:£34.3 million.

Giving Index:11.82%.

Main beneficiaries: HIV/Aids, medical, arts.

The music artist is one of the country's most active campaigners and has raised huge sums for his UK and US-based Aids Foundations.



9. Jonathan Ruffer

Net worth: £406 million.

Donations:£49.8 million.

Giving Index:12.27%.

Main beneficiaries: Community, arts, social, heritage.

The former investment banker and barrister has become one of Britain's most charitable art philanthropists. He is also a famous art collector and even gives £75,000 grants to art curators every year as part of his The Art Fund.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the best app launches and updates you may have missed in April

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Snapchat World Lenses

It was a big month for photo apps. 

Snapchat added 3D lenses to its rear-facing camera, Memoji launched to help turn your selfies into emojis, and FaceApp, which can age a photo of you or swap your gender, launched on Android. 

Plus, Google made changes to two of its most-used services. 

Here are some of the coolest new app launches and updates you may have missed this month. 

SEE ALSO: Here’s how to play Blackbox, the infuriating iPhone puzzle game that’s rising to the top of the App Store

Memoji turns your selfies into emojis.

A new app from selfie editor Facetune takes photos of your face and gives them emoji expressions — laughing, crying, blowing kisses, getting sick, etc. They can be still images or turned into GIFs and videos, often with surprising (and frightening) results. 

Called Memoji, this iPhone app can be used on your own face by snapping a quick selfie or can take imported images of someone else and contort them into emojis. 

Read more about how to use Memoji here.



Uber made it easier to find your passenger rating.

Uber will now show your passenger rating in the app, meaning you don't need to email Uber support or wait to find out how Uber drivers rated you.

Find out the new way to see your rating here



Google Photos added a feature that stabilizes shaky video.

Unless you always have a tripod with you, it's hard to count on videos you take being 100% shake-free. But for Google Photos users, there's some good news: the app is adding a video stabilization feature. 

According to Android Police, the feature is rolling out with version 2.13 and will start with Android devices. It doesn't appear to have arrived for iOS quite yet, but iPhone users should have it soon. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

4 ways to give your iPhone and MacBook Pro a beautiful retro look, ranging from $20 to $1,900

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original apple mac

There are countless case and wrap designs to make your Apple iPhone or MacBook Pro truly yours and original.

In my eyes, however, there's only one way to make your iPhone or MacBook product look better than it already does: Giving them the retro Apple look. 

It could be just me, but I find Apple's original Macintosh SE design absolutely gorgeous. Perhaps it's Apple's own take on the 80s-electronics-beige that was the de facto color theme back in the day. In unison with the rainbow-colored Apple logo, it was beautiful then as it is now.

Until Apple releases its own line of retro-looking products, there are still several ways to get the retro Apple look on your Apple gear, particularly if you own an iPhone or MacBook Pro:

SEE ALSO: For $10-20, these wraps can give you the iPhone design of your dreams

1. A protective iPhone case with a retro design.

$37 will give your iPhone that retro-beautiful 80s-electronics-beige color and iconic simulated fan vents from the original Apple Macintosh SE computer.



2. Wrap your iPhone in a retro design.

For $20, you can wrap your phone with a similar retro design that looks sleeker than a case, but is less protective.



3. Wrap your MacBook Pro in a retro design.

The $30 Retro MacBook Skin from Slickwraps is the only thing that could improve the original look of your MacBook Pro.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Take a look at the garden shed David Cameron bought for £25,000

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Britain's former prime minister David Cameron just spent £25,000 on a garden shed with wheels.

In a blog written by the maker of the shedRed Sky Shepherds Huts, Cameron chose the father and son team Paul and Adam Bennett to build a bespoke hut for the Cameron family. It now sits at the end of their garden on their Cotswold property.

When Cameron was asked by Red Sky Shepherds Huts why he wanted to buy the product, he said: "Well, there’s been a bit of a fight already - my children want to use it as a Wendy house. I want to use it as a book writing room and my son wants it as an alternative bedroom.  So, quite a lot of competition."

The hut is estimated to be around £25,000 after you take into account the bespoke aspect of the shed and luxury fittings, which include Bakelite-style dimmer switches.

Take a look:

 

 

 

Cameron said he was inspired to buy a shepherd hut after seeing a similar one owned by his mother-in-law.



He said "I basically Googled shepherd huts, found Paul’s company and I liked the look of the website. They were also local, which was very good – and then Paul came along and told me how he set up the business."



Paul Bennett (right) set up his company Red Sky Shepherds Huts after cashing in his pension in at the age 55. This was due to a rule change under Cameron's government that allowed people to take out their pensions 10 years earlier than expected. "The new rules allowing people my age to release the money tied up in their pensions was like a gift from heaven for me," said Bennett.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Grand Theft Auto' has never looked this good

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Even though blockbuster game "Grand Theft Auto V" is nearly four years old, some players are making it look better than ever.

Just look at this madness:

Grand Theft Auto V (mod)

How's this possible? Simple! Take the PC version of the game and apply a single, ridiculously impressive modification. Check it:

SEE ALSO: Here's your first look at the newest 'Call of Duty' game, set during World War II

Once the modification is applied, the entire game looks dramatically prettier. Everything from the jet below...



To this sun-drenched vista:



To this overhead shot of Los Santos at night. The city is alive with activity!



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We visited J. Crew's flagship store and saw why the brand is in trouble

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J Crew

It's been a rocky month for J. Crew.

First, its renowned creative director Jenna Lyons stepped down after 26 years. Then CEO Micky Drexler announced 250 job cuts at the company's corporate headquarters. 

The brand is struggling. Same-store sales have been down for the past three years; dropping by 8% in 2016, following a 10% decrease the year before. 

And despite Drexler's cost-cutting measures, the brand still has to deal with the fact that it's losing customers to cheaper fast-fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M.

We went to check out exactly what is going on in its stores:

 

We visited J. Crew's flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue on a Wednesday afternoon. The store is blocks away from its major competitors, Zara and H&M.



While J. Crew has seen three straight years of declines in same-store sales, these stores have seen growing sales, luring customers in with cheap prices and constant turnover of fashionable clothing and accessories.



From the outside, it's instantly apparent that J. Crew is trying to fight back and become more competitive on price. A sign in the window reads "No - Brainers. Great Style at Great Prices."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This map shows where people with hepatitis C live in the US — and it points to some distressing trends

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HepVu HepC AntibodyPrevalenceCase

While treatments are available to cure people of hepatitis C, there are roughly 3.9 million people with past or current infections.

HepVu, a new project run by Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the pharmaceutical company Gilead, maps out which states have the highest prevalence of the disease.

It's the same group that runs AIDSVu, a similar project that has been mapping out HIV by county since 2010 to get a better sense of the epidemic.

Hepatitis C is an infection that can lead to serious liver problems if left untreated.

The new site maps out how many people were living with hepatitis C in 2010 as well as how many deaths related to hepatitis C occurred in 2014. Here's what the researchers found.

SEE ALSO: This interactive map shows where people with HIV live in the US — and it points to some distressing trends

DON'T MISS: I've taken AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and National Geographic genetics tests — here's how to choose which one to try

Here's what the map looks like, hovered over Tennessee. HepVu's data comes from the CDC, Dr. Patrick Sullivan, the project's lead researcher, told Business Insider.



This is the first time there have been state-by-state estimates on hepatitis C, and it's based off data from an academic paper published Wednesday. Here, HepVu mapped out the estimated number of people who had hepatitis C either in the past or present in 2010. Darker orange states have higher numbers of people living with hepatitis C.

Source: Clinical Infectious Disease



The data also looked at the number of cases per 100,000 people. Sullivan said he'd noticed the Southern region (Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, etc.) was being disproportionately affected by hepatitis C compared with the Midwest and the Northeast.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

5 books that will completely change the way you think about technology

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Here's some food for thought: 20 years ago, the thought of being able to send each other pictures across this thing called the internet seemed almost incomprehensible.

In fact, there is a family video somewhere of my dad and his two brothers sitting down in front of their brand new laptop, and one of them saying, "Pretty soon, we're just going to hit a button, and the picture is going to go sheeeewwmmm, and then it'll appear on your laptop."

Then they all laugh, assuming it would be decades before we had that sort of feature.

Ten years ago, if someone said they had 100,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel, they weren't looked at with envy or given praise. They were seen as weird. "Who in their right mind would upload videos of themselves to the internet?" Today, we have names for these kinds of people. They're called influencers.

It has only been recently that the masses have begun to talk at length about the true impact of technology, specifically on our habits as human beings. Sure, the conversation has been there all along, but we are finally getting to a point where some of the glamour of our devices has worn off. We've become used to them in our lives, and now we're beginning to realize that for every improvement, there is a new distraction.

Technology, we are beginning to learn, has its costs.

These books are tackling the subject: 

SEE ALSO: 7 books that will give you the tech knowledge you need to start a business

1. 'Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked' by Adam Alter

This is easily the best book I've read so far this year — I breezed through it in a matter of days. The introduction alone makes it impossible to put down: one of the first scenes depicts Steve Jobs unveiling the iPad to a drooling audience, only to state in an interview not long after that he heavily restricts his own children's use of the device.

The author, Alter, goes on to point out that the very people dreaming up our most used technological devices are simultaneously aware of their impact.

The theme here is even the greatest innovators "don't get high on their own supply." The book picks apart our infatuation with technology—and more important, how our relationship with our screens is deliberately crafted to keep us coming back again and again (more than we think).



2. 'The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World' by Brad Stone

This book is less about our (at times) unhealthy relationship with technology, and more about the impact technology has had on our economy, our communities, and most of all, our trust in one another.

Stone explains that jaw-droppingly successful companies like Uber and Airbnb utilized technology in a way that opened doors for "the sharing economy," but really what it did was welcome everyday people to trust each other. How many times were you told growing up not to get in a car with a stranger, or go to someone's house you didn't know? Those two societal clichés were flipped completely upside-down by these two startups, and they did so by building off the levels of trust established by people on the internet.



3. 'Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind' by Jocelyn K. Glei

A personal favorite, this book pulls from some of the world's most well-known creative minds, all of whom seem to share the same fundamental belief: in order to be truly creative, you need silence.

In our busy world of dings, deeps, buzzes, emails and Slack notifications, Glei and company point out that the greatest skill a creative person can have in today's society is focus. The ability to remove yourself from the constant tug to return back to your newsfeed and continue scrolling, in itself, is a make-or-break motion that differentiates the dreamers from the doers.

If you feel like your creativity is being squandered by hours spent refreshing your Instagram feed, this is the book for you.



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I found the best place to order flowers online for Mother's Day

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BI Graphics_Mother's Day gift guide flowers 2 2x1Mother's Day is about showing mom some extra love. Sending her a bouquet's worth of her favorite flowers is a tried-and-true way to do just that.

If you don't have a local florist to consult in person, and you're ready to explore online options beyond 1-800-Flowers, have a look at BloomThat.

With BloomThat, buying flowers online doesn't suck for once.

The company understands it's easy to get overwhelmed when there are too many options, especially if you're the indecisive type. So instead of offering 100 options, it puts together a curated selection of bright, in-season blooms and fun surprises— like freshly made cookies and scented candles — designed to make you look good and the recipient feel great.

I've used BloomThat on a handful of occassions. Most recently, I sent my mom a bouquet very similar to the company's eye-popping Presley bouquet as a Valentine's Day surprise, and it was a huge hit. The pictures the company advertised online actually matched the ones my mom took of her bouquet and texted to me with a bunch of heart emojis.

I can't vouch for every single bouquet the company has ever shipped, but all of my experiences with BloomThat have been fantastic ones so far, and, crucially, they've all been delivered on time. Overall, I think the company offers a much fresher and more varied selection than the rest of the online competition, and it's prices aren't outrageous, ranging from $32 for a simple bouquet of honeysuckle-scented stems to $105 for a pitcher of jewel-toned flowers bundled with buttery caramel candies.

You can have a look at my favorite Mother's Day arrangements available leading up to Sunday, May 14, below. These bouquets are easy, affordable ways to brighten Mom's day.

BloomThat is offering Insider Picks readers an exclusive 15% off with the code "BUSINSIDER15" for orders delivered by Sunday, May 14.

The company is also offering new customers 20% off plus a free vase and caramels for Mother's Day blooms with the code "BESTMOM20."Click here to redeem the deal.

Editor's note: I recommend you place your Mother's Day flower order as soon as possible since popular bouquets have a tendency of selling out around big holidays like this one, and there's also no guarantee your preferred delivery date will be available the longer you wait.

Check out all of BloomThat's Mother's Day arrangements here.

Having trouble figuring out what to get your mom for Mother's Day? Browse all of Insider Picks' 2017 Mother's Day gift guides here.

DON'T MISS: 23 gifts your mom actually wants this Mother's Day

SEE ALSO: This online startup is one of the best places to buy fine jewelry for Mother's Day

You won't go wrong sending Mom a colorful assortment of tulips for May 14. 

Buy "The Lolly" bouquet for $55 plus shipping

Use the code "BUSINSIDER15" to get 15% off your order



A simple arrangement of pink roses is, and always will be, a sweet gesture for Mother's Day.

Buy "The Puns 'N Roses" bouquet for $64 plus shipping

Use the code "BUSINSIDER15" to get 15% off your order



"The Gigi" bouquet is made up of calla lilies, white snapdragons, and purple pom pom mums — a nice departure from roses, if that's what you typically send your mom.

Buy "The Gigi" bouquet for $42 plus shipping

Use the code "BUSINSIDER15" to get 15% off your order



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