• Thanksgiving can be stressful for both guests and hosts.
• If you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, be sure to introduce all your guests to each other and make dishes that everyone can enjoy, especially for those with dietary restrictions.
• A a guest, you should always make sure you're on time and that you send a note to thank the host.

Between catching up with friends and family and enjoying delicious food, Thanksgiving has got it all when it comes to holidays.

But even though it's a fun start to the holiday season, Thanksgiving can get stressful for both guests and hosts. Between narrowing down a guest list and planning out a Thanksgiving menu, it's hard to please everyone as a host. If you're a guest, it can be a struggle to find ways to be helpful leading up to the event. However, there are simple things you can do on both sides to help the holiday go as smoothly as possible. 

Keep reading for 12 things you should always do on Thanksgiving. 

GUESTS: RSVP as far in advance as possible.

Hosts want to finalize their holiday plans just as early as guests do, so it's important to respond sooner rather than later if you've been invited to a Thanksgiving dinner.

Make sure to be upfront about when you'll arrive, if you're bringing another guest, and if you should bring along a side dish.  

GUESTS: Bring something.

Whether it be a bottle of wine, a dish for Thanksgiving dinner, or a personal gift, never come to a holiday celebration empty-handed. 

GUESTS: Put your phone away.

Thanksgiving is all about spending time with friends and family and appreciating all the positive things in your life. It's worth it to take a break from technology and enjoy the company of others, at least during dinner. 

• PayPal recently expanded its Manhattan office.

• The online payments system shares the space with Venmo, which it acquired in 2013.

• Business Insider stopped by the office to check out the space and perks.

PayPal is in a good place, right now.

Markets Insider reported its latest earnings report sent its stock price up by 6.04%. Meanwhile, its total number of active users has surpassed 210 million people around the globe.

At the same time, the San Jose-based company is doubling the size of its New York office, adding two new floors to its West Village location.

Business Insider recently visited PayPal's Manhattan office — which it shares with Venmo. PayPal acquired Venmo when it bought parent company Braintree for $800 million in 2014, according to Fortune.

Here's what we saw:

SEE ALSO: This $3.2 billion tech company you've never heard of has insane perks including massage therapists, a pool, and woodside yoga

We arrived at the company's West Village digs on a balmy afternoon last week. PayPal spokesperson Amanda Coffee showed around as the office prepared to celebrate its expansion.

First, we headed up to the office's private rooftop, which has a prime view of the Hudson River. Employees can gather here to work or mingle during happy hours or office events.

The building initially started out as Venmo's headquarters. When eBay and PayPal split in 2015, the latter relocated from Chelsea and moved in with its recent acquisition.

• The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 and separated East and West Berlin.
• The wall divided families and took away basic human rights.
• On November 9, 1989, people gathered at the wall to begin tearing it down after it was announced by the East German Communist Party that citizens of the German Democratic Republic could cross the border whenever they pleased.

This week marks the 28th anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall.  

Built in 1961, the wall divided East and West Berlin. Constructed by the eastern, Soviet-ruled portion of the city, the wall was meant to keep Western "fascists" from invading the East — but it also served as a barricade to those Easterners attempting to migrate to the West, capitalist territory.

The barbed-wire-topped wall divided families and took away basic human rights, keeping the population of East Berlin trapped inside Soviet territory. At 12 feet tall and 4 feet wide, the wall and its surrounding security systems were known as "The Death Strip," as nearly 100 people were killed in their attempt to cross its miles of trenches and trip-wire machine guns.

On November 9, 1989, it was announced by the East German Communist Party that citizens of the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, could cross the border whenever they pleased. That night, mayhem ensued at the border. Many who lived in the East crossed freely to the West for the first time in nearly 30 years, and citizens even began chipping away at the wall.

Ahead, see photos from that infamous night and the nights that followed.

SEE ALSO: Stark photos show what street food is like in North Korea

East German soldiers act as a barricade, blocking West Berliners waiting to welcome East Berlin citizens at the Allied guardhouse "Checkpoint Charlie" November 9, 1989.

When the clock struck midnight, all the checkpoints along the wall were forced to open.

Berliners carried hammers and chisels to begin chipping away at the wall.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for season two, episode five of "Riverdale," titled "When a Stranger Calls."

Wednesday's episode of "Riverdale" was emotional on multiple fronts.

Fans were crushed when Betty and Jughead, referred to as Bughead, broke up; Jughead joined the Southside Serpents; and Nick St. Clair made his "Riverdale" debut during which he drugged and attempted to rape Cheryl Blossom. 

As always, the show did manage to squeeze in some pop culture and comic references, and INSIDER worked with Archie Comics to shed light on some of them.

Here are six details you might have missed:

Nick St. Clair is a bad boy from the Archie Comics, but has a different background.

Nick St. Clair was a character introduced to Archie Comics in 2007. The show version of the character has him as a wealthy kid with a passion for music production, but, in the comics, the rebellious biker teen moves to Riverdale to live with his aunt and uncle. He meets Veronica and the two form a brief relationship. 

Hot Dog makes his second appearance and gets to spend time with Jughead.

After a brief introduction on season one, Hot Dog is brought back to "Riverdale" when the Southside Serpents take "the beast" to Jughead. He has to take care of the dog as part of his initiation into the Serpents. 

The dog first debuted on "The Archie Show" in the 1960s and then later made his debut in the comics. Initially, he was Archie's dog and then later became Jughead's. Hot Dog even had his own series.

The Pussycats channeled "Rent" during their performance.

In case you didn't recognize the song Veronica and Josie were singing in the episode, "Out Tonight" is from the hit Broadway musical "Rent."

When an apartment or penthouse isn't big enough for wealthy New Yorkers, they get creative.

In recent years, several have combined multiple townhouses or building floors to create supersized homes — or Frankenmansions, as New York magazine's S. Jhoanna Robledo calls them.

To construct these Frankenmansions, some prospective buyers purchase multiple buildings at once, while others approach their neighbors to offer multimillion-dollar buyouts. (In either scenario, they need the city's approval before combining properties.)

Check out these 12 Manhattan Frankenmansions owned by big names — including Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker — outlined below in red.

SEE ALSO: 7 billion-dollar mega-projects that will transform New York City by 2035

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Frankenmansion is nearly complete.

Bloomberg has bought five of the six apartment units in the building next to his 7,500-square-foot townhouse over the last three decades. After connecting four units in 2009, he grew his home to 12,500 square feet, according to the New York Post. The buildings are steps from Central Park.

A 25-bedroom pair of townhouses sold for $18 million.

The Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, an NYC-based convent of nuns, acquired the townhome on the right in 1948. Four years later, the group bought the one next door and connected the space via a doorway on each floor.

Throughout the years, the order has rented some of the complex's 25 bedrooms to other congregations or young women in need. The 15,600-square-foot space went on the market for $19.75 million in June 2016, according to the New York Times. And according to Streeteasy, it sold to an unknown buyer two months later for $18.8 million.

Sarah Jessica Parker lives in a pair of twin townhouses worth $34.5 million.

The star of "Sex and the City" snatched the two brick townhouses above from the nonprofit United Methodist Women, then fused them. The organization listed the pair of buildings (which were not connected) for $44 million in 2016, but Parker paid $34.5 million, according to The Real Deal.

The 13,900-square-foot mansion includes nine bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a 2,100-square-foot private garden, and five floors.

The retail apocalypse has descended on America.

More than 6,400 stores are expected to close across the country this year.

Department stores like Macy's, Sears, and JCPenney, and retailers including BCBG, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Bebe have decided to close dozens of stores.

Walking through a mall in 2017 is like walking through a graveyard.

Here's photographic evidence that a retail apocalypse is hitting the US hard.

SEE ALSO: More than 6,400 stores are shutting down — here's the full list

Perhaps most emblematic of the retail apocalypse are photos of dead malls.

As customers increasingly shop online, malls are suffering the consequences.

Visits to malls declined by 50% from 2010 to 2013, according to the real-estate research firm Cushman & Wakefield.

2011's "L.A. Noire" was a gritty detective game set in 1940s Los Angeles that focused more on solving crimes than on shooting bad guys — a major departure for Rockstar Games, the folks behind the "Grand Theft Auto" and "Red Dead Redemption" franchises.

And in 2017, "L.A. Noire" is getting reborn on modern hardware: the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

The game is on the verge of launching, on November 14, but I got a chance to check out the game early during a meeting at Rockstar's New York City headquarters this week. Here's what it's like!

SEE ALSO: The folks behind 'Grand Theft Auto' are rereleasing a classic detective game this holiday season

Rather than hijacking cars and shooting at anyone in your way, "L.A. Noire" is about working police cases.

There are moments when you'll pull your gun, and even some shootouts. You're just as likely to pull your gun to get a perp to surrender, though. "L.A. Noire" is not a game about shooting, or car chases, or running down suspects.

That stuff is in the game, but it's not the focus.

You're just as likely to meticulously look through a crime scene as you are to chase down a suspect.

More than just updating the game's graphics, the new version of "L.A. Noire" for Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 adds a variety of new ways to interact with the game. On the Switch, for instance, you can use motion controls and the Switch's touchscreen to explore environments.

In practice, the touchscreen stuff seemed really useful. The motion stuff, however, felt like something I would never use. 

The game's getting graphical updates, of course, that make it look better than ever.

• We tried five brands of guacamole commonly found at the grocery store.
• The brands we tried were: Sabra, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Calavo, and Yucatan.
• Whole Foods was the clear winner thanks to its fresh taste, chunky texture, and bold seasoning.

 Any snack lover would argue that a tortilla chip isn't complete without guacamole.

In the interest of finding the gauc most worthy of your chips, four of my co-workers and I sampled five different brands commonly found at the grocery store. The guacamole brands we tried included:

• Sabra
• Whole Foods
• Trader Joe's
• Calavo
• Yucatan

We've done plenty of other taste tests like this one as part of an ongoing INSIDER series. In the past, we've sampled everything from microwave popcorn to cheap wine to mashed potatoes.

Keep scrolling to find out which guac was our favorite.

We bought all five guacamole brands at grocery stores in New York City, spending anywhere from $3.99 to $6.43.

We paired the guac with multi grain tortilla chips and decided to try it blind in an effort to remain unbiased by brand loyalty.

We dug right in and immediately had thoughts about a few of the brands.

• CEOs tend to have certain things in common when it comes to their résumés.

• Job site Zippia recently looked through 7 million résumés to get a sense of the top skills CEOs tend to emphasize.

• Many CEOs major in some business-related field, among other findings.

Want to give your résumé a boost?

Try crafting it to be more like that of a top CEO.

Job site Zippia recently trawled its database of over 7 million résumés in order to specifically scrutinize those belonging to CEOs. They then analyzed each CEO's educational and work experiences to check for widespread trends.

Of course, you can only give your résumé a CEO-esque makeover if you actually have management experience or earned a degree from a top college. Still, it's good to know what kinds of items you might want to emphasize on your résumé if you're ever in the running for a more senior-level role.

Here's a look at some of the most common items on CEOs' résumés:

SEE ALSO: 6 websites that will help you build your résumé if you don’t know where to start

Earn some sort of degree

Almost a third of CEOs have bachelor's degrees — a total of 30.13%. CEOs with master's degrees came in a close second (28.94%). Then, 16.91% of CEOs selected "other" when it came to their degree, while only 5.98% and 3.56% of chief executive officers reported they had doctorates or associate's degrees, respectively.

Attend a top school — but don't worry about whether it's private or public

In terms of schooling, CEOs were pretty evenly distributed across the board. The takeaway? There's no one definitive college that will necessarily boost your chances of becoming a CEO.

Harvard came out on top, with 0.88% of CEOs saying they graduated from the Ivy League school. New York University took the second spot (0.64%), followed closely by the University of Southern California (0.59%).

Two schools tied for fourth, with 0.57% of CEOs hailing from Michigan State University and George Washington University.

Major in something pertaining to business

Business-related majors dominated when it came to CEOs.

The clear winner was business administration — management and operations, which 17.92% of CEOs studied.

The similarly-focused business, management, marketing, and related support services degree trailed behind (3.58%).

Finance and financial management services, marketing, and business/commerce rounded out the rest of the top five (3.46%, 2.97%, and 2.75%, respectively).

Ask a baby boomer about their salary, and you'll probably get a dirty look. But ask someone in their 20s or 30s, and the response might be different.

According to a survey conducted by The Cashlorette, a personal finance site run by Bankrate, people 18 to 36 years old are far more comfortable discussing their salaries with coworkers, friends, and family than workers in older generations.

The survey found 30% of millennials feel comfortable discussing pay with their coworkers; meanwhile, just 8% of those aged 53 to 71 felt the same. Millennials also discussed pay more with their family and friends.

The reason for this involves a number of factors, including personal values and the economy. Here are a handful to consider.

SEE ALSO: The Texas church shooter was 26 — and it shows a disturbing trend about millennial men and mass murder

Millennials value equality and fairness.

A wealth of evidence has found that millennials broadly put emphasis on the value of fairness, in both life and work. Everything from diversity in the workplace to gender equality reflects the millennial view of what constitutes fairness.

According to a 2016 Deloitte survey, 36% of millennials working in a place with high job satisfaction said there's an emphasis on fairness, compared to 17% of people in low-satisfaction jobs.

Millennials value transparency overall.

The same Deloitte survey found open communication is one of the guiding forces of job satisfaction where millennials work.

"Open and free-flowing communication" was present at work for 47% of millennials who were happy with their jobs. It was present at just 31% for people who were dissatisfied.

Market research firm ORC International has found in its own studies that the average millennial wants to know how they're doing 71 times a year.

Millennials prefer to collaborate, not compete.

If people are focused on one-upping their colleagues, they may be more likely to keep their own salary a secret. But millennials largely prefer to work together with their peers, not compete with them.

In the book "Share or Die: Youth in Recession," authors Malcolm Harris and Neal Gorenflo explain how the mindset applies not just to jobs, but living situations and ride-sharing.

A year after the election, the Trump administration has yet to persuade Congress (or Mexico) to pay for an estimated$21.6 billion wall along the United States-Mexico border. Though the wall was Trump’s central campaign promise, his nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen,told a US Senate committee on Wednesday there is no need to build it.

Last month, the Customs and Border Protection unveiled eight prototypes for the barrier, after House Republicans asked for $10 billion to fund its construction, a proposal that is unlikely to clear the Senate.

Congress did, however, agree to a budget bill in late April that will fund $146 million in upgrades to the existing steel border fencing, which was first installed in the mid-1990s. 

For some, the border is not just a divider between the US and Mexico. It's home. 

Reuters visited people in Tijuana, Mexico, who live in a variety of home types, from a small treehouse to a mansion with views of California and the Pacific Ocean, on the border.

Their stories are below.

SEE ALSO: 26 photos that show the US-Mexico border's evolution over 100 years

Steel fencing spans about 654 miles of the 1,933-mile US-Mexico border. Other areas have a "virtual fence," featuring scanners, guards, and drones.

Carlos Torres, an architect, has lived in a mansion on the Tijuana side for three decades. The fence begins at the end of his garden. He tells Reuters he named his mansion the "First House in Northwest Mexico."

Torres' garden is littered with border paraphernalia, including a signpost with arrows that point toward cities in California and Mexico.

• Under Armour cofounder Kip Fulks is selling one of his homes for $13.5 million.
• Located in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, the property contains over 7,150 acres and has amenities for hunting, fishing, and skiing.
• The property can house up to 38 guests. 

Under Armour has struggled to keep up with its athletic apparel competitors, failing to gain traction with athletes and consumers. But one of the company's co-founders, Kip Fulks, may stand to gain over $13 million if his home sells close to what he's asking for it.

Located in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, the property known as North Fork Lodge is on the market for $13.5 million, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Sprawling over 7,150 acres and able to hold dozens of guests, North Fork Lodge allows residents an escape from the bustle of city life. Take a look at the property below.

SEE ALSO: A VC and former tech CEO is selling his enormous $30 million Utah ranch — take a look inside

Fulks and his wife, Beth, bought the property for around $7.8 million in 2007. Fulks has long been fond of it, claiming "it was love at first sight," when the property came to his attention.

Source: Wall Street Journal

The property sits next to a lake and also contains a brook trout and bass pond for fishing.

Source: Hall and Hall

There are also plenty of trails and hunting grounds.

There's no getting around it: weddings can be really stressful, especially for a bride. And although no one would blame them for getting a little upset, some exceed the acceptable amount of anger and turn into total bridezillas. 

We've rounded up our favorite horror stories from Reddit that will make you laugh, cringe, and decide that, maybe it's better to just elope. 

"The bride threw an actual, honest-to-god tantrum."

"His wife apparently laughed in her face."

"Not my experience, but a former coworker of mine.

He and his wife went to a wedding in Hawaii and took a full two weeks of vacation to do so (they arrived two days before the wedding which was on a Saturday). They figured that if they were going to Hawaii for this wedding, they'd make it worth their while and take a full vacation as well. Apparently they were the only couple that elected to do that (or at least admit to it and discuss their plans). And the bride lost her s--- about it.

'THIS IS MY WEDDING! WHY IS IT JUST A FOOTNOTE FOR YOUR VACATION NOW?!'

His wife apparently laughed in her face and told her to call if she decided to grow up about it. To her credit, the bride did call later to apologize profusely for her outburst. Nerves I guess." - Redditor syriquez

"The bride discovered this only after their beer and wine ran out one hour into the reception."

"We showed up to an outdoor wedding in early March and it was freezing. There was food ... but it was cold. There were no chairs. There were tables with chairs under a pavilion but they were reserved for family and wedding party only.

The games that were supposed to entertain guests broke during the very first game played ... corn hole corn EVERYWHERE. The groomsmen were cold and tired of standing, so they invited a large percentage of guests to their 'getting ready suite' which had couches and a pool table.

The bride discovered this only after their beer and wine ran out one hour into the reception. Cue [a] screaming match in the middle of everyone. The groomsmen liquored the groom up and he danced the last song before passing out behind the DJ, while the bride took tear-stained selfies with her bridesmaids." - Redditor schlahdeedah

• Pasta Flyer is a new fast-food restaurant that's aiming to be the McDonald's of pasta.
• Meals range from $7 to $10, and sides and snacks are also available.
• While not bad by any means, the food doesn't live up to expectations.

The McDonald's of macaroni, the Burger King of bucatini, the Chipotle of casarecce — call it what you will, Pasta Flyer has landed. 

Mark Ladner's pasta-focused fast-food restaurant is a far cry from famed New York City restaurant Del Posto, where he was formerly executive chef. 

The concept is a familiar tune: successful chef wants to bring the fast-food format to something other than burgers and fries. The ultimate aim is to create a chain that lures fast-food customers with higher-quality ingredients but the same speed. But fast-food pasta? That's a tall order. 

We visited Pasta Flyer to see if it has what it takes to break into the competitive fast-food market.

SEE ALSO: This trendy pizza chain just raised millions to expand across America — here's what it's like to eat there

DON'T MISS: We visited the 'McDonald's of Russia' that's trying to take over America — here's the verdict

The restaurant is located on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, and it's only open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. right now. It's a soft open until lunch hours are established.

The interior seems to be centered around the concept of a made-up Fellini film exploring a lurking fear of extraterrestrials in 1960s Rome (frankly, I'd watch that). There's some tasteful Italian-focused decor, slightly tweaked with the eponymous UFO flyer.

Then, of course, there's the giant satellite dish hovering above the entire dining area.

• US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be meeting for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 11.
• The meeting will be held at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam.
• The resort has luxurious suites and villas, which can cost more than $3,000 a night.

President Donald Trump is partway through his first official visit to Asia.

As part of the trip, he'll be making a stop at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which will be hosted at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, on a private peninsula in Danang, Vietnam. 

The summit will welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Trump and other Pacific Rim foreign and trade ministers.

These foreign leaders will have a beautiful backdrop for their meetings. The five-star InterContinental is situated on a hillside, with private villas that provide gorgeous views. Prices range from around $400 to over $3,000 a night.

Let's take a look around. 

SEE ALSO: All the countries Trump will visit in Asia — and what he'll encounter when he gets there

DON'T MISS: Trump is making it more difficult for Americans to travel to Cuba — these gorgeous photos show what they'll be missing

The resort and spa is built into the hillside of Monkey Mountain. Monkeys are a common theme that plays throughout the hotel's decor.

Source: Travel + Leisure

Nestled in the Son Tra Peninsula Nature Reserve, it's surrounded by green rain forest.

It was designed by luxury resort architect Bill Bensley, who has helped create more than 200 luxury hospitality properties around the world.

Source: CNN

• Panera is acquiring sandwich rival Au Bon Pain. 
• JAB Holdings already owns Panera, Caribou Coffee, Krispy Kreme, and Keurig.
• The European firm apparently wants to be the "largest coffee company in the world." 

The company that owns Krispy Kreme, Caribou Coffee, and Panera Bread just signed an agreement to buy Au Bon Pain. 

On Wednesday, Panera Bread announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Au Bon Pain Holding Co. Inc. For JAB Holdings, Panera's parent company, that means yet another restaurant chain in its extensive portfolio. 

"This is part of a much bigger story," Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz said of the deal at the New York Time's DealBook conference Thursday. "JAB wants to become the largest coffee company in the world." 

JAB, theinvestment arm of the secretive Reimann family, has been busily scooping up companies in the consumer and food sectors in the past few years. It spent roughly $7.5 billion to acquire Panera in July. The firm also paid about $1.35 billion to buy Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in 2016. 

Here's the story of the firm that wants to become the "largest coffee company in the world."

JAB acquired Peet's Coffee and Tea in 2012.

JAB Holdings acquired Peet's back in 2012 for about $1 billion.

It then did a deal for Caribou Coffee.

JAB also runs Caribou Coffee Co., which it acquired in 2013 for $340 million. Caribou Coffee is based in Minnesota.

Next up was D.E Master Blenders 1753

JAB struck a deal in 2013 to buy D.E. Master Blenders 1753, which had been spun out of Sara Lee Corp. a year earlier, for $9.8 billion.

Business Insider will name its 2017 Car of the Year on November 14, based on 15 finalists. For this post, we look at a car that didn't make the cut, but deserves some recognition.

The Kia Niro Hybrid didn't make Business Insider's Car of the Year list.

But I love this car and think it deserves some recognition. The Niro is Kia's very first shot at a hybrid hatchback-crossover — and Kia did a fantastic job. It checks the boxes for a lot of buyers who want something different and unique without breaking the bank.

Here are the five reasons why I love the Kia Niro hybrid: 

SEE ALSO: We just got our best look yet at what it's like to drive a Tesla Model 3

1. The Kia Niro is a handsome car; it's not flashy, but certainly isn't boring.

I tested the Niro EX in a practical gunmetal gray. At 171.5-inches long, the vehicle is a true compact SUV. I loved its size because it gave the car a very European feel; I didn't feel cramped while I was driving it but enjoyed being in a smaller car than the giant monstrosities you see on the road today.

There aren't any features that make this car stand out from an aesthetic perspective, but I like that — it's not obnoxious or ugly. The grille and elongated headlights help jazz it up so the Kia isn't totally dull, but overall this is a car for minimalists.

2. It's a hybrid, but not a plug-in hybrid, so you get to save on gas without spending time at an electric charging station.

I don't want to disparage electric vehicles. As battery tech improves, the cars will boast longer ranges. Automakers like Tesla have invested heavily in fast-charging technology so you're not spending hours at a station to re juice the battery. 

But, it's still valid to be nervous about electric vehicles until we see battery ranges nearing 400 miles. Most people want to know they can take a four-hour trip without spending 30 minutes at a charging station in the middle of nowhere. All of this stuff is bound to improve, but we're simply not at a great point right now with our national charging infrastructure or battery tech.

The nice thing about the Kia Niro hybrid is it's not a plug-in. You don't have to deal with the uncertainty of finding a charging station, but it still has better fuel economy and helps reduce emissions. Saving gas money is never a bad thing.

3. It's a fun drive and easy to handle.

The Niro hybrid comes with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission, a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder engine, and an electric motor capable of producing 43 hp. Combined, it makes 139 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque.

It comes equipped with a parallel hybrid system, meaning the gas-powered engine and electric motor run at the same time.

Many hybrids, such as the Prius, use a continuous variable transmission (CVT) that serve up good fuel economy but can result in a buzzy disconnect when accelerating; they effectively have one gear, or an infinite number of gears, depending on how you look at it. The transmission seeks to match itself perfectly to how hard the motor is working.

The Niro bucks this trend by using a dual-clutch transmission that shifts smoothly under the conditions I threw at it (heavy acceleration, climbing up a particularly steep hill). The SUV always caught up to the situation at hand, and I never felt like the transition was wonky or ill-suited to handle my driving needs.

All of this is to say that the Niro is a very smooth and easy drive. If you've had a poor experience driving a hybrid, it's worth giving the Niro hybrid a shot.

• SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is a notorious workaholic, and his employees often work long hours.
• Musk encourages employees with free food and an in-house massage therapist.
• Musk has also rented out an entire movie theater for employees to see "The Martian."

Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, is a notorious workaholic.

During high periods of stress, he's been known to sleep on the floor of his factory so he can work nearly around the clock, and he hates having his time wasted with unnecessary meetings.

But many people still want to work for him at SpaceX.

Part of that might be related to the perks Musk offers his employees. Josh Boehm, who worked at SpaceX, recently shared on Quora how Musk encouraged employees to put up with long hours.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk doesn't have a desk at the office and has slept on the floor of his factories

The office perks start out relatively simple — Musk provides free dinners, coffee, and froyo.

Despite requiring a lot from employees, Musk takes the time to send encouraging emails and deliver speeches to employees.

The next perk, an in-house massage therapist, is a little more lavish and probably helps with the stress of working long hours.

Editorial note: Business Insider will name its 2017 Car of the Year on November 14, based on 15 finalists. In this post, we focus on the best features of the Audi Q5, one of the finalists.

When it comes to compact SUVs, the Audi Q5 is among the most luxurious out there.

But what sets the Q5 apart from other bespoke options is Audi's attention to detail. Everything about Audi's interior design is purposeful; it's smart, intuitive, and sophisticated without feeling over-the-top.

The Q5 stood out so much that it's currently a finalist for Business Insider's Car of the Year. As we inch closer to revealing our big winner, I wanted to share the reasons why I thought the Audi Q5 was an immediate contender.

Here are my favorite features:

SEE ALSO: Here's our closest look yet at how Tesla's Model 3 touchscreen works

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I took a spin in the 2018 Audi Q5 with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that gets 252 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. It came with all-wheel drive and 7-speed transmission.

I'm not going to get in-depth about the driving experience itself — we'll have a separate post on that later if you're interested. I will say it was a buttery smooth drive and the Q5 is quick to boot. It was rather easy to get to 80 mph without noticing.

This SUV starts at a pricey $41,500, but extra packages bumped the final price to $52,700. Believe it or not, Audi's driver-assistance package was not one of the options, so it will cost even more if you're looking for the true, high-tech experience.

All of that being said, I'll be focusing on what I liked about this car from the perspective of someone who had a few hours behind the wheel. 

1. Onto my favorite features, the first being the virtual cockpit. The Q5 has a 12.3-inch, full-color display that will show your full navigation map by using Google satellite imagery.

The thing that is great about the virtual cockpit is you can easily flick between settings using the "View" button on the steering wheel. I didn't really feel like I needed the map up the entire time I was driving but the graphics were amazing. I like the setting I have pictured here because it shows the speedometer and my upcoming directions all at once.

Audi does support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the company's internal navigation system was actually quite good. It didn't feel inconvenient to rely on Audi's nav system in order to have the true virtual cockpit experience.

Here's a video of Audi's Virtual Cockpit if you want to give it a closer look.

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•  Disney California Adventure announced a host of new attractions and themed lands coming to Pixar Pier (formerly Paradise Pier) in summer 2018.
• The "Incredicoaster" based on "The Incredibles" movie franchise is the biggest announcement.
• Pixar Pier will also have three new lands dedicated to "Toy Story,""Inside Out," and a general Pixar-themed boardwalk area with games and prizes.
• The iconic Mickey's Fun Wheel will be redesigned to feature Pixar characters.

 
Hold on to your Mickey ears because there are big changes coming to Disney California Adventure. Last week, Disney announced the big plans for Pixar Pier — the new park that will replace Disney's Paradise Pier — opening the summer of 2018.

The newly themed park will feature brand-new attractions, as well as re-themed versions of classic California Adventure attractions like the iconic Mickey's Fun Wheel. California Screamin' will be revamped to become "The Incredicoaster," and there will be four new "lands" filled with attractions based on Pixar movies: Toy Story, The Incredibles, Inside Out, and a general Pixar-themed boardwalk.

Sadly, this will also mean the closing of Ariel’s Grotto restaurant and the Cove Bar, which will serve its last colorful secret menu drinks on January 8, 2018. 

"The Incredibles"-themed Incredicoaster is replacing the current attraction, California Screamin'.

The Incredicoaster will be a re-themed version of California Adventure's original California Screamin' ride, and will — according to Disney — feature "a mid-century-modern-style loading area, new character moments, and a new look for the ride vehicles." It will be the focal point of "The Incredibles"-themed land opening at Pixar Pier.

California Screamin' will close on January 8th to make way for The Incredicoaster coming the summer of 2018.

Our Prediction:

In addition to the Incredicoaster epicenter of this themed land, we think it would be fun to have a superhero academy, where young fans can train with The Incredibles and their friends (much like the Jedi Training Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios).

This could also be an opportunity to integrate technology with guest experience, and have interactive games where kids can run around the park, stopping bad guys with the help of the Incredibles family.

The new Toy Story Land will be centered around the already-existing Toy Story Midway Mania! ride.

The second of four "lands" coming to Disney's Pixar Pier is Toy Story Land, which will be built around the pre-existing Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction and will center around the "Toy Story" movie franchise.

The land is also coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida, where it will feature a Slinky dog rollercoaster and will also open the summer of 2018. 

Our Prediction

The land already exists in Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris' Walt Disney Studios Park (where it is called Toy Story Playland). In both renditions, guests are "shrunk down" to the size of a toy and encounter larger-than-life versions of their favorite toys and characters from the Pixar movie franchise. 

We think the California Adventure version of this land will look very similar to the international versions, but it might include more appearances from newer characters as seen in Toy Story 3 (like Lotso the pink teddy bear-turned-villain and Trixie the Triceratops toy).

The third land coming to Disney's California Adventure will be themed after Pixar's "Inside Out"

The third Pixar land joining the fun at California Adventure is a bit of a mystery. We know it will be themed after one of Pixar's newest films, "Inside Out," but Disney has not given any more details thus far, except that it will open —along with the rest of the park — next summer.

Our Prediction

We know the least about this Pixar land, but — if you've seen the movie "Inside Out"— you know that the protagonist Riley's brain is already divided into themed areas called "Islands of Personality:" like "Family Island" and "Goofball Island." Disney could have the park mimic the islands found in Riley's brain.

We can also see a simulator ride fitting into this themed land, like the now-closed Cranium Command at Disney World, where guests would climb on-board inside Riley's brain and get a bird's eye view of a day in the life of a pre-teen girl from the perspective of her lovable, anthropomorphic emotions.