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The 11 worst tourist traps in Florida — and where to go instead

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South Beach Miami Crowds

People from all over the world flock to the US' southernmost state for its warmth, its widely known attractions, and its stunning beaches. However, some places have started taking advantage of the annual influx of visitors. 

And while some tourist traps can be worth a visit just for the sake of saying "been there, done that," these 11 places have alternatives that are much, much better.

Instead of wasting your time and money at the following 11 spots, hit up their better, underrated counterparts.

Instead of dropping megabucks on a trip to Disney's Blizzard Beach, go to one of Florida's many cold springs and float down a natural lazy river.

There are several springs and rivers within a couple hours of Orlando, and the drive is worth it. Like Blizzard Beach, the water is refreshingly cold, but rather than dropping $62 per adult and $56 per child, you'll spend under $10 per person. 

Natural lazy rivers are flanked by rope swings, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own float, as well as floating coolers filled with food and drinks. 



Instead of visiting Discovery Cove, go swimming with manatees.

Tickets for 30 minutes of dolphin interaction at the SeaWorld-owned theme park costs $229-$379 depending on the day, whether you're an adult or a child.

Instead of literally burning money, consider spending your day with manatees in Crystal River. Swimming with Florida's gentle giants costs just under $100 per person for private tours that last hours. 

While you won't be able to touch the manatees because they're endangered, you will get to see them in their natural habitat for a more guilt-free experience.



Instead of visiting an alligator farm, head to the Everglades.

There are hundreds of alligator farms, attractions, and theme parks all over the state. Most of these are overpriced, filled with cheesy gimmicks, and many treat the animals poorly.

You're better off heading to the Everglades where you can find tons of alligators in the wild, as well as many other native species in their natural habitat. There are plenty of opportunities for tours, air boat rides, and wildlife exploration.



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Shoe envy, a Toby Keith concert, and sword dancing — 7 bizarre moments from Trump's first foreign trip

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President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia over the weekend, and the oil-rich kingdom pulled out all the stops.

Saudi Arabia was the first stop on Trump's weeklong trip abroad, the first of his presidency. He traveled to Israel on Monday, with stops in Vatican City, Belgium, and Italy scheduled over the next week.

While many of the events were a serious affair — from a major speech Trump gave about combatting terrorism to a $110 billion defense deal— the jam-packed weekend also featured many lighthearted moments.

Here are seven entertaining tidbits from Trump's first trip abroad:

SEE ALSO: 'We are not here to lecture': Trump calls on Middle Eastern leaders to 'drive out' the 'crisis of Islamic extremism'

DON'T MISS: Watching cable news in a bathrobe and holding meetings in the dark — 9 bizarre descriptions of the early Trump White House

When Trump dined in Saudi Arabia, his favorite meal of steak and ketchup was reportedly offered alongside traditional rice and lamb dishes.

Source: AP



Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross danced while holding swords during a welcome ceremony on Saturday evening.

Source: Business Insider



American country music star Toby Keith hosted a concert in Riyadh on Saturday night, and Trump "did a slow roll" in a golf cart past a livestream of the event with his wife Melania and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Women weren't allowed at the concert.

Source: AP



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We tried all 17 Halo Top flavors — here's our ranking

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The INSIDER Summary:

  • Halo Top makes healthy ice cream that's low in sugar and calories, but high in protein.
  • Their pints have anywhere from 240 to 360 calories.
  • We tried all 17 of their flavors to see which was best.
  • Cookies and cream, pistachio, and sea salt caramel were in the bottom three spots.
  • Chocolate took the number one spot.


Healthy and ice cream are not usually two words that go together. 

Ice cream brand Halo Top defies that assumption. Branded as "healthy ice cream that actually tastes like ice cream," Halo Top is low in sugar and calories — their pints have anywhere from 240 to 360 calories — and high in protein.

We tried all of Halo Top's 17 flavors to see which ones tasted the best.

Keep scrolling to see our complete ranking.

17. Cookies and Cream

At first bite, this flavor was delicious. But the strange aftertaste that we couldn't quite identify quickly ruined the original flavor and left us disappointed.



16. Pistachio

One taste tester loved this flavor, but the rest all agreed that it was odd. We wouldn't ever buy it for ourselves.



15. Sea Salt Caramel

This flavor was simply too sweet. One bite was enough.



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What your zodiac sign says about the kind of boss you are

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

There are mean bosses and friendly bosses, bosses that want to be your friend and those that keep their distance. Some bosses are hands off, others micro-manage.

Find out what makes yours tick by knowing his or her star sign, as those can reveal a lot about person, like whom they're compatible with and what their worst character traits are.

To help us understand how each sign acts in a leadership role, we talked to one half of The AstroTwins, Ophira Edut. Here's what she says each sign is like as a boss — and what you need to do at work to impress them. 

Aries are the alphas of the workplace.

"They always know better, and they'll give you a lot of work and tell you what you did wrong," Ophira explained. "They can be very mentoring, but make no mistake, they are the alpha. You have to respect that about them. They are collaborative only to a point, but you have to know and affirm that they are in charge." 



The Taurus boss is very managerial.

"The Taurus boss is going to be very managerial. They're going to be concerned with processes and things being done a certain way. They will have very high standards. They are very hard working and will reward you for being the same," she said. 

 

 



Gemini bosses are all over the place.

"Gemini bosses will drive their employees crazy a lot. They’ll change their minds [...] and they’ll always be doing one or 10 things too many. If you have a Gemini boss, you’re going to have stay on your toes and be good at multitasking, good at switching gears. They are kind of superhuman and they will hardly ever admit they are wrong."



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PICTURES: How the suspected terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester unfolded

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Police in Manchester, England, said at least 22 people were confirmed dead following reports of an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert. Police said dozens more people were reported injured.

Police said the situation was being treated as "a terror incident until police know otherwise."

People were warned to avoid the arena area, while Manchester's Victoria transit station was shut down during the police investigation. Many Manchester taxis offered free rides to people stranded in the area.

Here is how the chaotic and deadly night unfolded in Manchester:

SEE ALSO: 22 dead in explosion at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester

At 10:54 p.m. local time, Greater Manchester Police announced via Twitter that officers were responding to "reports of an incident at Manchester Arena," where singer Ariana Grande was finishing her concert.

 



Manchester has a population of 2.55 million people and the arena is near the centre.



The arena, which is near the centre of Manchester, is just over 200 miles away from London.



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If you haven't been to a Maker Faire yet, you're missing out

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Make Magazine hosted the 12th annual Bay Area Maker Faire this past weekend, drawing in more than one hundred thousand visitors.

The event is a celebration of "makers" of all sorts and kinds. Visitors could see 3-D printers in action, watch competitive drone races, learn how to solder, see fire-belching hand-made iron sculptures, find out how to keep bees or pickle vegetables, and sew their own clothes from scrap cloth. 

Begun as a relatively small affair, Maker Faire has become a huge and global phenomenon. Some 125,000 people attended this year's Bay Area event, which was held over three days, according to Sherry Huss, Maker Faire's co-founder. Last year, there were 191 maker faires in 38 countries that attracted some 1.4 million people, Huss said. 

Even after all this time, Maker Faire "still tends to be one of those amazing things that we've created, she said.

SEE ALSO: The world's largest gathering of inventors shows that anyone can make magic

Maker Faire Bay Area has been expanding in size and attendance since 2006, when it launched.

This is Fiesta Hall at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds, where the festival is held every May. 



Once they got to the San Mateo County Fairgrounds, visitors had their choice of exhibits to see.



Some parts of Maker Faire are like a smaller, more family friendly, Burning Man, complete with sculptures that have been set aflame.

This is "Pulse," a so-called fire sculpture by the Flaming Lotus Girls, a group of artists based in San Francisco. 



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GOLDMAN SACHS: These are the 14 VIP stocks that matter most to hedge funds

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It's a good time to be a hedge fund.

The stocks most widely held by large speculative financial institutions are beating the S&P 500 by almost 4 percentage points this year, on pace to exceed last year's outperformance, which also saw the group return more than the benchmark.

The equity strategy team at Goldman Sachs maintains a list of the stocks that matter most to hedge funds. Analyzing 821 funds that hold a total of $1.9 trillion in gross equity positions, they identify the stocks that appear the most frequently among top 10 holdings.

Those companies are then put into an index called the Goldman Hedge Fund VIP basket, which is rebalanced on a periodic basis, depending on the latest hedge fund 13-F filings.

Here's a list of the 14 stocks in the index that show up most frequently in the top 10 of hedge fund portfolios, as of March 31:

 

14. Citigroup

Ticker: C

Subsector: Diversified banks

Total return year-to-date: 2%

No. of funds with stock as top 10 holding: 30

Source: Goldman Sachs

Get real-time Citigroup charts here>>



13. Reynolds American

Ticker: RAI

Subsector: Tobacco

Total return year-to-date: 18%

No. of funds with stock as top 10 holding: 31

Source: Goldman Sachs

Get real-time RAI charts here>>



12. Alibaba Group

Ticker: BABA

Subsector: Internet software & services

Total return year-to-date: 38%

No. of funds with stock as top 10 holding: 33

Source: Goldman Sachs

Get real-time BABA charts here>>



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10 email subject lines you should never type again

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Like me, you no doubt receive a veritable landslide of emails in your personal and business accounts.

Most of us are bombarded by hundreds of email messages every day, adding up to hundreds of thousands of messages that we — and the people we're trying to reach — have to filter through every year. The sheer volume is enough to make even the most organized person want to declare email bankruptcy.

You know what sets apart the winner emails from the losers that people automatically trash? Subject lines: 40 to 50 character sales pitches that convince people to click, open, and read.

Considering the super-brief amount of text, there's an incredible amount of things can go wrong before even getting to the body of the email. Every day, I receive emails with subject lines that are vague, aggressive, too-familiar, or just downright annoying.

If you're having a trouble getting responses from the people you most want to reach — sales prospects, networking connections, former colleagues — take a good look at your subject lines, and make sure none of these are types of messages are slipping through.

SEE ALSO: 11 rules for writing the perfect email subject line for job hunting

DON'T MISS: 21 unprofessional email habits that make everyone hate you

1. Quick question

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "Quick question" is a red flag for a productivity vampire coming your way. Take out the quick, or — better yet — try "Question about X."



2. Tuesday

Does it get more vague than making the subject line the day of the week? There are 52 Tuesdays each year (and 52 occurrences of every other day of the week, while we're at it), so this nondescript subject line becomes a nightmare to search by next Wednesday.



3. Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fwd: Re: Fwd: Fwd

Just change the subject line or start a new thread at this point!



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Coach collaborated with Disney again and it's adorable

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disney coach collectionThe INSIDER Summary:

  • Disney is teaming up with Coach Outlet to launch a brand new line.
  • The two iconic brands collaborated for the first time last June.
  • From handbags to moto jackets, start making your wishlist and book it to the nearest Coach outlet. 

Last June, we were practically falling all over ourselves to get our hot little hands on the best collab of the year: Disney x Coach. Full of smooth, luxe leathers and Minnie Mouse ears, the collection was an instant best-seller for the brand, with even Chrissy Teigen as a fan.

With such a successful run under their belts, the two mega-companies have decided to team up again, only this time, the House of Mouse has partnered up with Coach Outlet — the brand’s more affordable line — for a brand new line that’s all about Mickey.

Every bit as cute as the original at roughly half the price, you can sign up to become a member to shop the styles online through Sunday only (though styles are going fast); otherwise, save the ones you like to a shopping list and book it to your nearest Coach outlet store, where they’ll be available until they sell out (which we’re guessing will be at lightning speeds). In the meantime, check out our top picks below!

1. Patricia Saddle Bag With Mickey Mouse Ears ($179)

Keep it simply (Disney) chic with a classic saddle bag design featuring a little added mouse ear flair that looks just like the original version for less than $200, and also comes in black, yellow, white, or brown.



2. Coin Case With Mickey Ears ($49)

Despite its name, this little guy looks big enough to hold a few of your essentials (credit card, ID, etc.) and rings in under $50. Unreal!



3. Mickey Moto Jacket

Mickey takes a walk on the wild side with a zippered leather moto jacket that features a studded silhouette of his iconic frame emblazoned on the back. Whoever said Disney was for kids never got a load of this jacket.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 35 worst celebrity Photoshop fails of all time

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Even before Photoshop existed in 1988, magazines carefully crafted the apearances of celebrities on their covers. Digital editing takes that to another degree, and also helps celebrities make those changes themselves.

It's always been a problem. One of the major criticisms that celebrity photoshopping gets is that it promotes unrealistic body standards — especially for women. When it comes to social media, celebrities themselves are also sometimes complicit in posting Photoshopped selfies

Here are 35 celebrity Photoshop disasters that didn't work as well as planned.

Lena Dunham was clearly missing an arm in this 2014 Vogue cover shoot.

Other photos from the shoot were also heavily Photoshopped, but Dunham was okay with it. She told Slate that she saw the Photoshoot as a fantasy, not something that was supposed to emulate real life.

"Vogue isn't the place that we go to look at realistic women,"she said. "Vogue is the place that we go to look at beautiful clothes and fancy places and escapism and so I feel like if the story reflects me and I happen to be wearing a beautiful Prada dress and surrounded by beautiful men and dogs, what's the problem?"



In October of 2015, singer-actress Zendaya found her body looking different in Modeliste magazine.

She took to Instagram to reveal she was "shocked when I found my 19 year old hips and torso quite manipulated."



Fans called out this Kylie Jenner selfie for Photoshop.



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Take a tour of the luxurious Italian villa where the Obamas are reportedly vacationing

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The Obamas have been vacationing in plenty of amazing destinations since the 44th president left office in January. From Richard Branson's private Necker Island to Marlon Brando's former hideaway in Tahiti, it's been mostly tropical.

After a stop in Milan, Italy, for a sold-out speech on climate change, the former president has reportedly made his way to the Tuscan countryside. According to the Daily Mail, the Obamas have arrived at Borgo Finocchieto, a luxurious and historic hilltop villa in Buonconvento, for a six-day vacation. The former president has already been spotted enjoying a round of golf at the Castiglion del Bosco course. 

Ahead, take a look around Borgo Finocchieto. 

SEE ALSO: A photographer spent 25 years documenting rich people — here's what she learned

Borgo Finocchieto is a private village made up of five houses that can house up to 44 guests.



It sits on a property of six acres.



The village's long history goes back to 1318, but by the 1980s, it was abandoned.

Instagram Embed:
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The 13 US cities with the absolute worst traffic

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Congestion is getting worse every year in the United States.

In fact, the average US commuter spends 42 hours stuck in traffic a year, according to a report by the Texas Transportation Institute. Congestion is also a big reason why auto and tech companies are pouring money into everything from car-sharing to autonomous driving. 

TomTom, a navigation and mapping company, ranked US cities that have the most traffic congestion in its 2017 Traffic Index.

After collecting data over a nine-year time span, TomTom measured the extra travel time experienced by drivers over an entire year. TomTom assessed 189 cities overall and gave each a congestion score out of 100. Each percentage represents how much extra travel time it took on average to make any trip, anywhere in the city. 

Here are the most congested cities in the US:

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's tunnel project won't cut down on LA traffic — at least not at first

13. Baton Rouge received a score of 26%, meaning it took commuters 26% more time to travel anywhere in the city. This was a 3% increase from 2016.



12. Atlanta edged ahead of Baton Rouge with a score of 27%, also a 3% increase from the year prior.



11. San Diego had the same exact traffic score as Atlanta at 27%, also a 3% increase from 2016.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 15 US cities where it's easiest to save money

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It's no secret: Most Americans are bad at saving money. But our own shortcomings are not entirely to blame. Geography actually plays a significant role in our ability to sock away cash — specifically, the relationship between cost of living and income in any given city.

That's according to GoBankingRates' latest study, which gathered data for the 60 largest US cities to determine where it's easiest to save money, or the places where the average person has money left over after covering expenses.

For its ranking, GoBankingRates considered seven factors indicative of financial well-being:

  • Median household income: in 2015 dollars according to U.S. Census QuickFacts.
  • Unemployment rate: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' February 2017 data on unemployment rates for metro areas.
  • Median home list price: according to Zillow data from March 2017.
  • Median rent price: according to Zillow data from March 2017.
  • Average gas price: average reported gas prices from GasBuddy as of April 21, 2017.
  • Average monthly cost of groceries: grocery costs based on recommended minimum amount of food per person from Numbeo data on April 21, 2017.
  • Sales tax: according to TaxFoundation.org 2016 data.

All seven metrics were weighted equally by GOBankingRates and given a score between 0 and 1, then added together for a total score indicating final rank. The list includes multiple cities in both Arizona and Texas, as well as a few in the Midwest, and one increasingly desirable city out West.

Below, check out the full list of the 15 best cities to save money.

SEE ALSO: The 21 most expensive cities around the world to rent a 2-bedroom apartment

DON'T MISS: Everything you need to know about buying a home, in 7 steps

15. Raleigh, North Carolina

Population: 451,066

Median income: $55,398

Median home listing price: $299,900

Median monthly rent: $1,367

 



14. Portland, Oregon

Population: 632,309

Median income: $55,003

Median home listing price: $422,450

Median monthly rent: $1,895

 



13. Tulsa, Oklahoma

Population: 403,505

Median income: $42,284

Median home listing price: $162,500

Median monthly rent: $975



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best cat beds you can buy

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

Insider Picks_Cat bed 4x3

The Insider Pick:

  • Cats love to sleep in the weirdest places, but sometimes they just want a nice bed to curl up in. There are all kinds of cat beds out there, but the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge is our top pick with its unique dual-purpose design as a scratcher and a nice big cat bed your kitty can stretch out on.

Cats tend to sleep anywhere and everywhere they like, and they often repose in strange places like cardboard boxes or the top of bookshelves. Although your cat may be happy sleeping anywhere, doesn’t he deserve a comfortable bed to call his own? A cat bed is good for more than just giving your cat a place to sleep, however. It can also give him a sense of comfort and security. Making sure that your cat has a bed of his own may also help to keep all of that fur off your own bed!

There are many different kinds of cat beds, and cats, fickle creatures that they are, will all like different beds for special, mysterious cat reasons. 

When it comes to picking the perfect cat bed, you have many options to consider. From traditional pillow-style beds to nest-style beds, heated cat beds, luxury beds and more, the possibilities are nearly limitless. Because there are so many choices out there, it could take you quite a while to go through them all. Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you.

We have taken the time to do the research and read the reviews to come up with the five best cat beds. Below, you will find our top picks for the best cat bed overall as well as the best budget cat bed, the best covered cat bed, the best heated cat bed, and the best window perch cat bed. All you have to do is pick the right one for your cat.

Although the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed, the Armarkat Cave Cat Bed, the K&H Thermo-Kitty Bed, the Original Kitty Cot World’s Best Cat Perch, the Twin Critters KittiKubbi Handcrafted Cat Cave, and the K&H Outdoor Kitty House.

SEE ALSO: New pet owners can get everything they need in one place with this ingenious Amazon service

The best cat bed overall

Why you'll love it: The PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge is a unique cat bed that doubles as a scratcher, providing your cat with a comfortable place to sleep and a nice scratching post.

The PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge isn’t your average cat bed — It is so much more than that. With a unique curved design constructed from extra-thick cardboard, this bed doubles as a scratching post and a lounge-style bed. This cat bed will satisfy your cat’s needs for scratching, helping him to relieve stress and get some extra exercise. Then, when he is done, he can curl up on top for a cat nap.

Naturally attractive to cats, the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge is an innovative cat bed that encourages your cat to stretch out and relax. With a reversible design, you get twice the use out of this cat bed and it comes with premium USA organic catnip to make it even more attractive. Simply take the product out of the box and set it on the floor or by the window — It won’t be long before your cat comes scratching and he’ll be hooked right away.

The PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, which is why we made it our top choice. Not only does this cat bed have more than 5,000 positive customer reviews on Amazon, but it was named one of the top 10 cat beds by Pet Gear Lab. This cat bed also received rave reviews from Floppy Cats and Kitty Loaf. Simply put, everyone who has tried this bed seems to love it, and we think you and your cat will, too.

Though the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge may be a little more expensive than other pet beds, you have to keep in mind that you’re getting an all-in-one product. Not only is this a comfy bed for your cat to lounge on, but it doubles as a scratching post and it will give your cat some extra exercise.

Pros: Doubles as a lounge and scratching post, reversible for 2x the use, durable construction, unique design for comfort and easy scratching, comes with organic catnip

Cons: More expensive than some models, not padded, wears out over time

Buy the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge on Amazon for $49.95



The best budget cat bed

Why you'll love it: Featuring heat-reflective technology, the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed keeps your cat warm and cozy without the use of electricity. 

Though you can certainly find high-end and luxury cat beds, sometimes all you really need is a simple cat bed that gets the job done without any costly frills. The Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed fits this description to a tee, featuring a thickly padded base with plush bolsters and a soft, cozy material all over. This pet bed measures 19 inches in diameter and its circular shape makes it the perfect place for kittens and cats to curl up for an afternoon nap.

The Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed is thickly padded and covered in a faux lamb’s wool material, but what really sets it apart is the fact that it utilizes heat-reflecting technology to keep your cat warm and cozy. This bed is lined with an interior layer of a special material that generates warmth without electricity, simply by reflecting your cat’s own body heat. The bed also features a non-skid base so it stays where you put it, plus it is lightweight for easy transport and machine-washable for easy cleaning.

The Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed is one of Amazon’s top sellers and it has more than 1,000 customer reviews, most of which are very positive. Some users find that the materials inside the bed make a crinkling noise, or that the filling can become unevenly distributed, but just as many had no problems with the bed whatsoever. Reviews from Topper’s World and eHome Remedies speak to the versatility of the bed for cats of all ages and sizes as well as the benefits of the self-warming design.

If you are looking for a simple cat bed that provides your cat with a comfortable place to sleep without any pricey bells or whistles, we heartily recommend the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed. Best of all, it is priced under $20.

Pros: Thickly padded base for comfort, padded bolsters for warmth, heat-reflecting technology, soft lamb’s wool cover material, non-skid bottom, easy to clean and maintain

Cons: May be too padded for some cats, some materials may cause noise, may be smaller than the advertised size, may rock or tip if the filling becomes unevenly distributed

Buy the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed on Amazon for $15.47



The best covered cat bed

Why you'll love it: Give your cat a place to rest in privacy and security with the cave-style, covered Armarkat Cave Cat Bed

Cats love to sleep in places where they feel secure, and no other cat bed offers the same degree of comfort and security as the Armarkat Cave Cat Bed. This cat bed features a cave-like design with a spacious interior and a padded, non-skid base. From the moment your cat steps inside, he will be enveloped in warmth and he’ll love the privacy offered by the high sidewalls and the covered top.

Not only is the Armarkat Cave Cat Bed made from ultra-soft, pet-friendly materials, but it holds its shape better than some cave-style pet beds on the market. The cover is stain-resistant, but if it gets dirty, you can simply throw it in the washer and then hang to dry. Plus, if the cushion or cover ever wears out, you can easily order replacement parts from the manufacturer.

Reviewers from Heavy.com name this bed one of the best covered cat beds, and it's one of the site's top 10 choices for cat beds overall. With its spacious interior and cave-like design, this cat bed also makes the top 10 list for My Pet Needs That, and it was named one of the best cat beds overall by Best Consumer Reviews. You’ll also be glad to know that this cat bed has more than 1,400 reviews on Amazon, most of which are very positive.

For a covered cat bed that offers the ideal combination of comfort and affordability, we wholeheartedly recommend the Armarkat Cave Cat Bed. If this model isn’t a good fit for your cat, try one of Armarkat’s other cave-style cat beds.

Pros: Made from soft pet-friendly materials, skid-proof base, completely machine-washable and stain-resistant, filled with thick poly fill for comfort, cave-like design for security and warmth

Cons: May tip over if cat lies against the side, may wear out with frequent washing

Buy the Armarkat Cave Pet Bed on Amazon for $19.11



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28 books Bill Gates thinks everyone should read

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bill gates portrait

While Bill Gates has a schedule that's planned down to the minute, the entrepreneur-turned-billionaire-humanitarian still gobbles up about a book a week.

Aside from a handful of novels, they're mostly nonfiction books covering his and his foundation's broad range of interests. A lot of them are about transforming systems: how nations can intelligently develop, how to lead an organization, and how social change can fruitfully happen.

Here are the titles he's given glowing reviews and that changed his perspective over the past several years.

SEE ALSO: 25 book recommendations from Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and other top CEOs

'The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined' by Steven Pinker

In "Better Angels," Harvard cognitive scientist Steven Pinker branches out into the history of the most contentious of subjects: violence.

Gates says it's one of the most important books he's ever read.

"Pinker presents a tremendous amount of evidence that humans have gradually become much less violent and much more humane," he says, in a trend that started thousands of years ago and continued until this day.

This isn't just ivory-tower theory. Gates says the book has affected his humanitarian work.

"As I'm someone who's fairly optimistic in general," he says, "the book struck a chord with me and got me to thinking about some of our foundation's strategies."

Buy it here >>



'The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History' by Elizabeth Kolbert

It can be easy to forget that our present day is a part of world history. Gates says that New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert's new book "The Sixth Extinction" helps correct that.

"Humans are putting down massive amounts of pavement, moving species around the planet, over-fishing and acidifying the oceans, changing the chemical composition of rivers, and more," Gates writes, echoing a concern that he voices in many of his reviews.

"Natural scientists posit that there have been five extinction events in the Earth's history (think of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs)," he continues, "and Kolbert makes a compelling case that human activity is leading to the sixth."

To get a hint of Kolbert's reporting, check out the series of stories that preceded the book's publication.

Buy it here >>



'The Man Who Fed the World' by Leon Hesser

Even though Gates can get a meeting with almost anyone, he can't land a sit-down with Norman Borlaug, the late biologist and humanitarian who led the "Green Revolution"— a series of innovations that kept a huge chunk of humanity from starving.

"Although a lot of people have never heard of Borlaug, he probably saved more lives than anyone else in history,"Gates says. "It's estimated that his new seed varieties saved a billion people from starvation," many of whom were in India and Pakistan.

Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts — and is one of only seven people to receive that honor.

For Gates, Borlaug is a model in getting important work done in the world.

"Borlaug was one-of-a-kind," he says, "equally skilled in the laboratory, mentoring young scientists, and cajoling reluctant bureaucrats and government officials."

Hesser's "The Man Who Fed the World" lets you peer into the personality that saved a billion lives.

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It seems to be incredibly easy to fool the Samsung Galaxy S8's iris scanner

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iris scanner samsung galaxy s8

A German hacker group called the Chaos Computer Club released a video that makes it seem quite easy to fool the Samsung Galaxy S8's iris scanner.

The CCC says it was able to use everyday items like a camera, a regular printer, and contact lenses to unlock a Galaxy S8 using its iris scanner, which is an alternative to the fingerprint sensor.

Back in April, the company behind the Galaxy S8's iris-scanning technology said it was safer than the FBI's fingerprinting technology. While that may be true, it's still not secure enough to deter a determined thief or hacker.

Here is Samsung's official comment on CCC's trick and the potential for spoofing the Galaxy S8's iris scanner: "We are aware of the issue, but we would like to assure our customers that the iris scanning technology in the Galaxy S8 has been developed through rigorous testing to provide a high level of accuracy and prevent attempts to compromise its security, such as images of a person's iris. If there is a potential vulnerability or the advent of a new method that challenges our efforts to ensure security at any time, we will respond as quickly as possible to resolve the issue."

See how the CCC did it:

SEE ALSO: The company behind the Galaxy S8's iris recognition says it's superior to the FBI's fingerprint tech

According to the CCC, you simply need to take a picture of a Galaxy S8 owner's face with a camera's "night mode" activated.

The video suggests you don't need to be too close to take a picture for the hack.

For the hack to work, the CCC says, you need to take the picture using a camera's "night mode" so it uses the camera's infrared flash.  



Next, the CCC printed a zoomed-in image of the subject's eye on a Samsung printer.

I should note that the image being printed doesn't appear to be from the same photo taken at the beginning of the video, or the previous screenshot above. With that in mind, it's not clear whether a photo taken from a medium distance is actually sufficient for the trick.



Then, a member of the CCC placed a contact lens on the printed image of the subject's eye.

It's not clear from the video exactly why the CCC added the contact lens, but it's presumably used to mimic the rounded curvature of an eye.



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A Silicon Valley startup founder drove 3,000 miles across America in an RV — here's what he learned

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Driving across the US to meet with everyday Americans is becoming a popular pastime — or marketing stunt— for tech executives living in the Silicon Valley bubble.

Joshua Reeves, the cofounder and CEO of the human-resources software startup Gusto, joined the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and top investor Sam Altman when he visited 11 cities in 10 states, meeting Gusto customers and learning about their businesses, goals, and values.

We talked to Reeves about what he learned from his whirlwind tour.

SEE ALSO: San Franciscans are obsessed with 'cacao ceremonies,' where they claim to get high on chocolate

Joshua Reeves is about as Silicon Valley as they come. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he got a master's degree from Stanford while juggling a product-manager gig.



He sold his first startup and launched Gusto, which makes software that puts payroll, benefits, and other HR needs in the cloud. It serves more than 40,000 small businesses.

Gusto's mission is to create tools that simplify work and empower users. According to company data, over 40% of small businesses get fined annually for making an error on payroll tax forms.



Reeves got the idea for a road trip when he ran an experiment inspired by the reality-TV show "Undercover Boss." Over a few months, he shadowed members of each of the 37 teams at Gusto and learned their job. He wanted to know his customers as well as his employees.

Reeves hypothesized that connecting with his customers might help him escape the Silicon Valley bubble. When you're embedded in the tech scene, he said, it's easy to get caught up in the numbers game. Founders worry about company valuations and employee head count.

This is problematic because being in the bubble doesn't help him understand his customers any better. He won't know how their software affects their lives or the ways it could be better.

"If a tech company wants to scale, be mainstream, serve customers around the country and around the world, it is imperative for founders to go meet and see those customers," Reeves said. "A tech business is no different from any business. We exist to serve our customers."



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Japanese women are entering the male-dominated world of hunting — at the government's request

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In Japan, it was once considered taboo for a woman to speak with a man before he went on a hunt. But a rising number of female hunters are taking up arms, at their government's behest. 

Over the last decade, Japanese farmers have lost up to $170 million annually because of a booming deer and boar population, among other animals that nosh on vegetable crops. The Ministry of Agriculture enlists hunters to help control the pest problem and protect the farms. 

At the same time, there are fewer male hunters in Japan due to age and rural depopulation. Hunting groups and local governments are now recruiting women to get the job done.

Thomas Peter, a German photographer based in Tokyo, spent time with budding female hunters for Reuters in late 2016. Here's a look at what it was like.

SEE ALSO: A photographer documents heat-packing women and the guns they love

Just over 1% of registered hunters in Japan are women.



But that could soon change. Reuters reports that local Japanese governments are recruiting women through social media to enter the male-dominated world of hunting.



They need whatever help they can get. Since the late 1990s, the deer population in Japan has shot up over 650%, from less than 400,000 to more than three million.

The boar population is also growing out of control, doubling from about 500,000 to one million over the same period, according to the Ministry of Environment and Reuters.

The animals feast on vegetable crops, costing farmers up to $170 million annually.



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Here are all of the Memorial Day sales you need to know

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

sale sign storeWhile Memorial Day honors members of the armed forces who have died serving our country, it also has several lighter, commercialized connotations. 

You may think of the holiday as the unofficial start of summer or the release date of a highly-anticipated summer blockbuster.

Memorial Day is also an opportunity to take advantage of some really great deals. 

You could go to your local mall to shop all of the sales, but you'll cover much more ground online.

To make your Memorial Day weekend shopping as efficient as possible, we put together a list of the best sales. Check back here for updates soon. 

SEE ALSO: These sheets are one of the best purchases I’ve ever made — here’s why

DON'T MISS: 12 grilling accessories you can buy for under $25

3x1

Looking for some new jeans? Between May 26 and May 29, you can take 25% off sale items — all you need to do is enter "MDW25" at checkout.

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AJ Madison

Appliance store AJ Madison is offering up to 40% off tons of refrigerators, dishwashers, and more. Plus, depending on the product, you can also score free shipping.

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Amazon

Amazon has daily deals across many product categories, so make sure to make it one of your first virtual stops over Memorial Day weekend.

If you're not a Prime member already, now is a good time sign up— not only can you get same-day shipping for any last-minute grill accessories you need, you're also granted early access to certain lightning deals.

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How Brad Stevens transformed from a college basketball assistant making $18,000 a year to one of the best coaches in the NBA

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Over the course of four years, Brad Stevens has helped transform the Boston Celtics from a lottery team to a title contender.

The turnaround has been stunning — the Celtics lack any traditional stars, and when they hired Stevens from Butler, they were supposed to be tanking.

Instead, Stevens has built a system of selfless, motion basketball that has turned a 5-foot-9 point guard in Isaiah Thomas into a dynamic scorer and turned a team of role players into one solid unit.

The NBA world has taken notice, as a former assistant-turned-head coach in college is beating NBA coaches at a level nobody expected.

Here's how Stevens has risen from an assistant making $18,000 a year collecting film to one of the best coaches in the pros.

Stevens was a high-school basketball star in Indiana, but received only one Division I offer after high school. He chose instead to play DIII basketball at DePauw University.

Source: ESPN



Stevens was hardly a star in college. He averaged just five points per game his senior year and struggled to accept a role off the bench, playing behind underclassmen.

Source: ESPN



When Stevens graduated, he had accepted a high-paying job at pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.

Source: New York Times



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