• Mercury Retrograde is happening for the last time this year, and it could bring mayhem or magic just in time for the holidays. 
• Mercury Retrograde lasts for 3 weeks at a time, and starts on December 3rd. 

Communication planet Mercury, known as the thinking planet of intellect, can affect the way you think, communicate and relate.  It’s known as the celestial messenger of the gods and is, as a rule, retrograde three times a year for around three weeks each time causing all sorts of magic and mayhem.

Mercury retrograde is not all bad news though, there are certain ways you can use this transit to your advantage. Mercury is the planet of communication and commerce. It has a strong influence on all forms of travel, communication, creativity, education and business, as well as technical correspondence and equipment.

The mayhem

During a retrograde period all sorts of confusion and uncertainty can rein. It is wise to double-check the fine print of any file you submit, especially if it has your name attached to it. And don’t be in too much of a hurry to push things through. If possible, delay signing official documents until after Mercury comes out of retrograde on Dec. 22nd. When it comes to anything important, it's best to have a second pair of eyes to look over. Regularly back up your electronic files. Be mindful of checking your travel arrangements, or for that matter, any other arrangements. But, be careful of the way you reach out and communicate with others. Pay extra attention to ensure you are all on the same page. Mistakes and errors can be made with electronic communications.

With Mercury in the Sagittarius, the sign of brutal honesty, even verbal communications can be taken the wrong way. Being forewarned of a pending Mercury retrograde transit can help you prepare for interruptions that cross your path and work them to your best advantage.

The magic

This is a positive time to get organized, plan, research and finalize anything that is important. Get that pile of work completed that continually falls to the bottom on your to-do-list. Right now, as this is December, it’s a great time to review and reset your goals, close off 2017 and get ready for 2018. Mercury is in the visionary sign of Sagittarius, and the energy encourages you to get in touch with what you love. You can rearrange your goals to head in the direction of your soul purpose.

People and situations can reappear in your life during Mercury retrograde, too. You have a chance to either reconnect or gain closure on issues. It is a perfect time to consolidate business, rather than start a new association or project. You can reassess and fine-tune your personal and professional business dealings during this time.

The dates of the storm

Mercury is stationary when it enters its retrograde transit on the third of December 2017, and will be stationary direct coming out of retrograde on December 22nd.  The week before and after, and more so the two to three days either side of the Mercury stationary and direct stages of the transit, can be the most disruptive. This is known as the ‘Storm’ period, and can cause a great deal of confusion and unsettled feelings. It can certainly be a lesson in patience and tolerance. It’s a good time to chill, relax, breath and try to get out of your own way so you can see what happens next. It’s a positive time to watch, listen and learn.

The transit, the degrees, and the shadow

Mercury commences its retrograde transit at 29 degrees Sagittarius on the third of December. It then goes through to 22nd December and back to 13 degrees Sagittarius. Even though this is the retrograde transit, technically, the period Mercury is retrograde at Sagittarius 13 degrees and through to when Mercury gets back to 29 degrees, which is the degree it starts, is the real retrograde period. This part of the transit is called the ‘Shadow’. The Shadow stage of the transit is between November 15^th to December third. And again between December 22^nd through to January 10^th. However, for simplicity of living and getting on with life, my personal suggestion is to follow the main retrograde dates. These dates are between December 3rd-22^nd, and take into account the disruptive storm period the few days either side of these dates.

What to look out for when Mercury Retrograde affects your Sun-Sign

Here’s a guide of how to best use the Mercury retrograde energy and how you can combat it.

Aries

The magic: You can get inspired through studies or philosophical involvements during this time. Don’t let delays or mixed signals related to either these matters or to travel throw you off. Stay focused, and think through your plan of action. Look out for opportunities to learn something new. There are valuable life lessons to be learned over this period. Put time aside for reflection to get in touch with what it is you really want to do. This can be a time of transformation. When inspiration strikes make sure you are ready to record your thoughts.

The mayhem: Be careful of only paying attention to the large picture and overlooking the details. Rash decisions in a Mercury retrograde time can lead to errors that can be irreversible. It is best to keep your strong opinions to yourself over this time. Do more listening than talking. Whether it's planes, trains, automobiles or subways, anything to do with travel can be altered – take a chill pill and have a good book on hand.

Taurus

The magic: If financial dealings or official matters feel bogged down or confused, use the time to review, make corrections and plan for the future. There are many ways to organize your money, and this is a perfect time to get financial advice from a professional and review how you spend, save and invest your cash. Consider who you deal with, is it working for you, or do you need to make changes? On a personal note, this is a great time to build closeness and intimacy with someone. Keep your schedule flexible. A change in plans could actually work out better than you think. Be open to what comes next.

The mayhem: Don’t even think of keeping a secret from your nearest and dearest or close friends. Even if it’s something he or she doesn’t need to know, if you leave out a few pertinent details it could be seen as hiding something and that’s when doubt can creep in. Beware of people trying to hijack your life and take over your day-planner. If you are not in control, you can become grumpy and overly serious.

Gemini

The magic: Your seventh solar house, the area of love and relationships, is in the spotlight. For love, you can rearrange your daily schedule and your regular routine, so you can spend more time with someone you love. Look at your priorities and make some positive changes in your life. Clean out anything you have on your love-list that you no longer need. Don’t hold on to past and outdated, needs desires and thoughts. A change of attitude can change your life. Self-awareness, inner work for your personal life, is highlighted to improve your relationships.

The mayhem: You could be in for a roller coaster love ride, and if you don’t take time to edit your words, the communication between you and another can be misconstrued and get totally out of hand during this transit. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing. The less you say the better, and it gives the other person a chance to share their thoughts.  Be careful not to get distracted and go off on tangents. Be present with the person you are with.

It's no secret that pro athletes can make millions on the playing field or in the arena, but some sports stars keep hustling long after their playing days are over.

With a combination of money from their sports careers, the fame that comes with being an elite athlete, and the hard work and smarts that go into any successful business venture, athletes sometimes go on to make fortunes in industries outside of sports.

Here are a few former sports stars who have defied the trope of the bankrupt retired athlete.

SEE ALSO: The stock market may be rising, but a report from the Federal Reserve shows the grim state of American wealth

1. Tim Horton

You may only know Tim Horton's for its coffee and donuts, but Canadians are well aware their national fast-food chain is named for hockey star Tim Horton. Horton played in the National Hockey League for 24 years, the vast majority of which he spent with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His life came to a tragic end in 1974 when he was killed in a car accident. He was 44 at the time but still playing with the Buffalo Sabres.

Horton co-founded the coffee chain bearing his name in 1964, putting some of his own inventions on the menu, and the chain became a multimillion-dollar franchise in 1968. After Horton's untimely death, his business partner Ron Joyce bought out his shares from his family for $1 million. At the time the chain had 40 stores; today it has grown to more than 4,000 locations around the world, and it's one of three global chains, along with Burger King and Popeye's, that make up Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) a fast-food conglomerate that has a market cap of $30 billion today.

2. Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson may be best-known for his on-court wizardry and no-look passes while he led the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, but the basketball legend has had an enviable second act in business. As the head of Magic Johnson Enterprises, Johnson oversees a company worth more than $1 billion. He started with a movie theater chain and then became a Starbucks franchisee with 125 stores before selling that business. Today, MJE has controlling stakes in Equitrust, a financial services company; ASPiRE, an African-American TV network; and SodexoMAGIC, a food services provider.

Johnson is also a co-owner of the LA Dodgers, LA Sparks, and LA Galaxy.

4. Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson may have the most impressive record of success of any famous athlete. Johnson played football at the University of Miami, where his team won the 1991 national championship, and he briefly played for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. After his football career ended, Johnson rose to fame in World Wrestling Entertainment under the name "The Rock," and he parlayed that into a Hollywood career with early roles in the Fast and the Furious franchise.

Today, Johnson is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and he owns Seven Bucks Productions with his business partner Dany Garcia.

• We ranked eight holiday pies.
• The pies we ranked include pumpkin, pecan, apple, sweet potato, chocolate, cherry, blueberry, and key lime.
• Apple came in first place because it's rich in texture and flavor and always a crowd pleaser.

The best holiday meals are the ones that end with a slice of pie.

Apple, pumpkin, pecan — the options are endless.

But which pie is best? We decided to round up all varieties of holiday pie and rank them. This ranking is far from scientific — this topic is fairly subjective after all — but it's been put together using the opinions of several coworkers.

Keep scrolling to read our thoughts.

8. Key lime pie

Although not a typical holiday pie, key lime pie is found on many restaurant menus, and is a regional Thanksgiving favorite, so you may come across one after all.

The pie is a bit of an acquired taste. When done right, its filling should be custard-like and taste more tart than sweet. A subtle graham cracker crust typically adds some texture.

While delicious, not everyone likes this pie, and bringing it to a holiday gathering is a gamble. This pie is also a little too summery for the holidays.

7. Blueberry pie

North American blueberry season only runs from April to the end of September, but you can find the berries in grocery stores all year round, thanks to imports from South America.

Judging on taste alone, blueberry pie ranks pretty high. It's bursting with a fruity flavor that's usually a combination between tart and sweet, and the crust is ideal for soaking up the berries' juices. You can't go wrong with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, either.

However, blueberry pie isn't a quintessential holiday pie, which is why it landed in the bottom half of this ranking.

6. Sweet potato pie

We love sweet potatoes — for dinner. Baking a vegetable into a pie just seems unnecessary. More starchy than sweet, this pie almost requires some kind of cream to make it feel like a true dessert.

That said, sweet potato pie makes an appearance on many a holiday table, so it must have some fans out there somewhere.

• Some US cities are known for being a haven for hipsters, like Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon.
• There are also some more under-the-radar hipster cities, like Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Boise, Idaho.
• MoveHub ranked the coolest cities in the country based on factors like the number of tattoo parlors, vegan stores, microbreweries, and thrift shops per 100,000 residents, as well as rent demand.

Some cities like Portland, Oregon, are known for being hipster havens, but increasingly, more under-the-radar places are becoming hotspots for millennials. 

Smaller cities like Boise, Idaho and Spokane, Washington, are not only filled with vegan stores, microbreweries, and thrift stores, but they're also more affordable to live in than many bigger cities.

MoveHub created a US Hipster Index that ranked cities based on a variety of factors that make them appealing to young people. The index takes into account the density of tattoo parlors, vegan stores, microbreweries, and thrift stores, as well as any increases in rent.

Keep reading for the 20 hippest cities in the US.

20. Seattle, Washington

Seattle has always had a reputation for being a hip (and rainy) city in the Pacific Northwest. From coffee shops to thrift stores, Seattle has plenty of amenities for young people. In fact, the city has over 40 breweries, including 7.1 microbreweries per 100,000 people. 

19. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Downtown Albuquerque is full of breweries, cafes, and art galleries, making it the perfect spot for young people to explore and enjoy the local culture. 

18. Reno, Nevada

Historically, Reno, Nevada, has been known to be a city full of seedy bars and casinos. Reno's Midtown District has been revitalized in recent years, and now offers a variety of hip breweries, gastropubs, and cocktail bars. 

This neighborhood is also home to tattoo parlors and vintage shops, making it the perfect place for millennials. 

The release of the latest full trailer for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" in October made it look like Rey may be partnering up with Kylo Ren. The "Star Wars" villain extends his hand, seemingly to Rey, to show the young woman her place in the galaxy.

Many quickly dismissed the footage as a red herring to throw off audiences. But since then, other evidence has popped up on posters and theater displays making fans wonder whether or not Rey could be heading to the dark side.

We'll know soon enough when the movie comes to theaters. Until then, INSIDER went through the evidence that has fans thinking Rey may switch allegiances in "The Last Jedi."

1. An international poster has Rey front and center shrouded in red.

Mark Hamill tweeted it out to fuel the fan fire suggesting Rey could be turning to the dark side. It's also interesting that Luke is wielding a blue lightsaber while Rey doesn't hold any weapon.

2. Fans started questioning Rey's wardrobe on the IMAX poster.

Fans started questioning Rey's allegiance to the Resistance when they saw her shrouded in red on the IMAX poster for the movie. 

Why is she wearing the color associated with the dark side instead of the light?

3. We're more concerned about the unlit lightsaber that's in Rey's hand in the IMAX poster.

If Rey lit up that lightsaber, would it turn red or blue? 

If it was a blue lightsaber, wouldn't she have had it lit up in the poster? Instead, she's staring intently at it as if she's hesitating to do so.

• When "Jersey Shore" was in its prime, it was the most-watched show on MTV.
• MTV recently announced that the cast is going to reunite for "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."
• The cast was known for their iconic tans, outfits, and hairstyles. And some of them haven't changed much.

"Jersey Shore" was a phenomenon. People loved it, people hated it, people loved to hate it.

These nine guidos and guidettes were among the most recognizable people on the planet. And people have been so passionate about a reunion that MTV finally listened.

From the days of GTL, grenades, and smush rooms, to parenthood and marriage, the cast of Jersey Shore has grown up along with us. Let's see how their lives have changed since the show premiered back in 2009.

Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki, became one of the breakout stars of the show.

When "Jersey Shore" first began, the housemates did not particularly like Snooki all that much. Of course, everything changed with the Punch Heard 'Round The World, when an (ex)-gym teacher punched her in the face. The outrage was national, and turned this guy rightfully into a villain.

After this incident, the housemates and America both decided to love Snooki for who she is: a ridiculous, hilarious human being. Everything she said was instantly quotable; "Where's the beach,""It was like trying to fit a watermelon into a pinhole," and "Meatball problems."

She goes by Nicole now.

Now, Nicole is a wife and mother of two. She's still close with her castmates, especially Jenni. In fact, the two of them had their own show "Snooki & Jwoww" which lasted for four seasons.

She also has her own podcast ("It's Happening with Snooki and Joey"), clothing line (The Snooki Shop), Etsy store (Nicole's Craft Room), and has written three books. She's turned herself into a brand. Not bad for someone whose original claim to fame was getting punched in the face.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino also shot to fame after the show premiered.

Mike's antics got him into a lot of, for lack of a better word, situations. During his time on the show, he got in fights with every single other member of the cast. He actually put himself in a neck brace by ramming his own head into a wall before Ronnie could do it to him. 

However, his personality and tendency to expose his abs all the time made him one of the most recognizable faces from the show. By season 6, The Situation was taking home $150,000 per episode.

• The Senate voted to pass the massive Republican tax bill early Saturday morning.
• The bill proposes huge changes to business and individual taxes.
• It passed 51 to 49, with one Republican voting against it.

Senate Republicans early Saturday morning passed their massive proposed overhaul to the tax code after GOP leaders scrambled Friday to make last-minute changes to their bill, a complete version of which emerged only late in the evening.

The bill passed the chamber, 51 to 49, with Republican Bob Corker voting against it.

Throughout the process, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attempted to appease deficit hawks, moderates, and members concerned about small business, all while keeping the TCJA within Senate rules.

The last-minute changes continued into Friday evening. The vote came just three weeks after the bill, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), was introduced.

As the night rolled on, we followed the debate live. Below is a recap of what you missed.

1:51 a.m.: The bill passes, 51 to 49.

The vote was 51 to 49.

All Republicans but Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee voted for it.

All Democrats voted against.

10:07: Time for amendment votes.

McConnell proceeded to votes on amendments. We'll updated as votes are taken:

• Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) introduced a motion to send the bill back to Finance Committee. The vote failed 38 to 61.
• Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) introduced an amendment to reinstate the alternative minimum tax, increase the top individual tax rate, makes the individual tax changes permanent. The amendment failed 34-66.
• Ted Cruz introduced an amendment to allow funds from 529 college savings accounts to be used towards tuition for K-12 school. The amendment was adopted after Vice President Pence broke a 50-50 tie.
• Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) introduced a motion to send the bill back to the Finance Committee with instructions to add the state and local deduction back to the bill. The motion failed 48-52.
• Marco Rubio (R-Florida) introduced an amendment that that would make the child tax credit more generous, paid for by cutting the corporate rate to 20.94% instead of the 20% proposed in the TCJA. This also failed 29-71.
• Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced an amendment that would have increased the size of the child tax credit permanently. It failed 48-52.
• Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) introduced an amendment that was a point of order to try and force a 67-vote threshold for future bills that cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The amendment failed 46-54.

12:08: Pence breaks a tie on an amendment from Ted Cruz to expand 529 school savings accounts.

The amendment, which was agreed to after Vice President Pence broke a 50-50 tie, would allow people to use 529 savings accounts for K-12 tuition and not just college.

Democrats said the change is a backdoor way to drive people toward private school instead of public schools.

This is also the first time Pence has been needed for a vote.

While Selena Gomez claimed top spot when it came to Instagram followers in 2017 and Cristiano Ronaldo and Beyonce snatched the prizes for most-liked photos, it wasn't an A-lister who had the most watched Instagram stories of the year.

Instead, it was 21-year-old Elenora "Lele" Pons, the model, actress, comedian, and YouTube star you've probably never heard of.

Pons has a brand deal with US makeup brand CoverGirl, walked for Dolce and Gabbana earlier this year in Milan, and even judged on the Miss Universe 2017 panel earlier this month.

She also has over 20 million Instagram followers and a net worth of $3 million (£2.2 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Scroll on for the fabulous life of Lele Pons — the Venezuela-born social media influencer that racked up the most views on Instagram stories in 2017.

SEE ALSO: This hilarious Vine star nails what it's like to be a teenage girl

This is 21-year-old Elenora “Lele” Pons, who was born in Venezuela in 1996.

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The model, actress, comedian is known for her self-deprecating skits on Vine and YouTube.

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Pons and her family moved to Miami, Florida when she was five years old. By the time she graduated high school in 2015, she’d already begun making her name on video-loop platform Vine.

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It's officially December, and whether you like to have your shopping done by early or you spread your purchases out to make the most of the season, it's about time you got some Christmas gift inspiration.

And, if you get your shopping list right, the season doesn't have to mean going into debt or blowing your entire paycheque.

Our advice: Go for quality over quantity, and look for meaningful, personal gifts that are perfectly suited for each person on your list, whether you're shopping for a mum, a brother, a colleague, a son, or your in-laws.

In order to suit every budget — and save you some time — we've put together a comprehensive guide of the best gifts your money can buy under £50.

They are carefully arranged in ascending price order, so you can start at the cheapest and work your way up. Scroll on to see our top picks for under £50.

Star Wars Light-up Toothbrush — £3

A budget-friendly way to satisfy the Star Wars fan on your list, complete with light-up effects and Kylo Ren's voice from the film.

Buy it here.

"Beauty and the Beast" Chip Mug — £5

For the person on your list who loved 2017's modern take on "Beauty and the Beast."

Buy it here.

Bulldog Skincare Moisturiser Cracker — £6

Give the gift of healthy skin for the men in your life with this hydrating moisturiser  — perfect as a stocking filler.

Buy it here.

• With Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton is preparing to welcome a sister-in-law into the royal family. 
• The differences between the two are encapsulated in their fashion senses. 
• While Middleton tends towards timeless British looks, Markle has trendier tastes. 

Kate Middleton is about to welcome a new sister-in-law into the royal family. 

On Monday, news broke that Prince Harry was engaged to marry American actress Meghan Markle. 

"William and I are absolutely thrilled," Kate Middleton, who is married to Harry's brother and heir to the throne Prince William, told reporters Tuesday."It’s such exciting news. It’s a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment."

Middleton is probably the person who could best understand what exactly Markle is going through as she prepares to marry into the royal family. 

However, so far in life, the two have taken very different approaches to how they present themselves — and that's shone through in their fashion. Here's how Markle and Middleton measure up. 

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle has more in common with Princess Diana than you might think — here's how Prince Harry's fiancée is following in his mother's footsteps

Middleton met and began dating Prince William while the pair attended University of St Andrews.

The couple graduated in 2005. In early photos, the pair looks like typical college students, with comfort trumping sophistication. 

From the start, Middleton's fashion has been decidedly British.

Her taste for fascinators — as seen here at a wedding with William in 2006 — is one that is far outside the comfort zone for most American fashionistas. 

Meghan Markle, meanwhile, seems to have caught Prince Harry's eye from afar.

Markle is best known for her role in the legal drama "Suits," but she has also acted in a long list of shows like "CSI: NY" and "Castle," as well as films including "Get Him To The Greek."

While the pair was reportedly introduced by a mutual friend, this fame may have helped pave the way to romance. 

"He had a crush on Rachel Zane two years before he met Meghan and the reason I know is because I was having drinks with one of his friends,"according to royals expert Katie Nicholl. "She told me she’d been on a night out with Prince Harry. He was single at the time, so she said, 'Harry, who’s your ideal girl?' And he said 'Meghan Markle from Suits.'"

Where there's life, there's death, and Silicon Valley is no different. 

For every thriving billion-dollar unicorn, there are endless numbers of start-ups that have passed onto the other side — laying off their engineers with their matching, branded t-shirts; closing down their game rooms filled with ping-pong tables; and leaving heartfelt goodbye notes for customers on their soon-to-be defunct websites.

As 2017 comes to a close, it's time to take a tally of some of the best-funded startups to shut their doors this year. Altogether, these companies raised $1.695 billion in venture capital funding. But it's now basically all gone, and investors can no longer hope to break even via an initial public offering or by having the companies acquired.

From February's shuttering of Beepi, a used-car exchange once valued at $560 million, to November's closure of the smart earbud maker Doppler Labs, which was formerly worth $235 million, these are 10 of the most highly funded startups to die in 2017. 

SEE ALSO: A design software used by Twitter, Facebook and Capital One just raised $100 million in its latest funding round

Beepi: 2013 — February 2017

Capital raised: $150 million 
Peak valuation: $560 million 

Beepi, whose website that brought together car buyers and used-car sellers, shuttered in February. Both Fair.com and used-car dealer DGDG considered buying the startup, but ultimately decided against it. In the end, Beepi ran out of money. 

Quixey: 2009 — February 2017

Capital raised: $133 million 
Peak valuation: $600 million 

Quixey, whose mobile search engine was able to crawl apps, laid off most of its staff at the end of February. It seems the company never found its footing or a steady revenue source, despite replacing its founding CEO, Tomer Kagan, in March 2016. 

Yik Yak: 2013 — April 2017

Capital raised: $73 million 
Peak valuation: $400 million

Yik Yak, whose anonymous social media app was at the center of several college harassment scandals, announced its closure on April 28 after struggling to keep users on its platform. Just days before Yik Yak closed shop, payment company Square acquired its engineering team for a cool $3 million.

With fame comes a big, fat paycheck.

The 20 biggest earners in entertainment and sports — from Beyoncé and Howard Stern to LeBron James and Ellen DeGeneres — raked in more than $1.7 billion between June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017.

That's according to the most recent Forbes' Celebrity 100 list, which ranked the world's top-earning front-of-camera entertainers by pre-tax income during that 12-month period. Their estimates are based on figures from Nielsen, NPD Bookscan, Pollstar, Box Office Mojo, Songkick, D'Marie and IMDB, and interviews with industry insiders and some of the celebrities themselves.

Below, find out what the biggest names in film, television, music, and sports did last year to become the highest-paid celebrities in the world.

SEE ALSO: From Beyoncé and Jay Z to Tom and Gisele — meet 7 of the world's richest power couples

DON'T MISS: Meet the 11 richest millennials in America, who have a combined fortune of $127 billion

20. Mark Wahlberg

Annual earnings: $68 million

Profession: Actor

Age: 46

Mark Wahlberg had his highest-earning year to date thanks to massive paychecks for starring roles in blockbusters "Daddy's Home 2" and "Transformers: The Last Knight." He also appears in the A&E reality show "Wahlburgers" with his brothers about running and expanding their family restaurant business. He's currently the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

18 (TIE). Jerry Seinfeld

Annual earnings: $69 million

Profession: Comedian

Age: 63

Jerry Seinfeld, the world's highest-paid comedian, struck gold with Netflix this year. The streaming giant paid him millions for a new stand-up special, two more seasons of his hit show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," and development credits. He's also still raking in cash from Hulu, which owns the rights to his 1990s self-titled sitcom.

18 (TIE). Adele

Annual earnings: $69 million

Profession: Musician

Age: 29

It was another banner year for Adele. The British singer embarked on a year-long world tour in 2016, which grossed a whopping $167.7 million at the halfway mark. In early 2017, Adele nabbed five Grammys, bringing her total to 15. Behind Beyoncé — whom she dedicated her Album of the Year Award to — Adele was the second highest-paid woman in music last year.

The iPhone X is my favorite iPhone yet. It's got the best screen I've ever seen on a smartphone, it feels comfortable to hold, and its redesigned interface feels intuitive and fun to use.

That said, there are a few features in the iPhone X I wish were different, or better.

SEE ALSO: 8 reasons you should buy an iPhone 8 instead of an iPhone X

1. I wish the TrueDepth camera system could do more.

Right now, the only real tricks made possible by Apple's TrueDepth camera system are Face ID, Animoji, and a few unique selfie modes in the Camera app.

I will admit Face ID is fantastic, and I love it way more than Touch ID as the primary way to get into my phone and pay for stuff. 

But Animoji, while cute at first, is extremely limited, and gets old pretty fast — you can only film 10 seconds of an Animoji at a time, on a plain white background; Apple won't let you add backgrounds or effects or anything fun like that. And the new camera modes designed to take advantage of the iPhone X's improved selfie camera are unimpressive and underwhelming. Apple is starting to wade into Samsung territory with the sheer number of camera modes you'll never use; I'd rather have fewer filters, but have those filters be really polished. In particular, I'm very disappointed with the new Portrait Mode filters, which do not look very good and clearly need some work.

The TrueDepth camera system is one-of-a-kind, but I'd love to see Apple do more with it. Apple made a big deal about augmented reality at its iPhone X event, so it's disappointing Apple hasn't built any clever AR standalone apps that take advantage of the iPhone X's camera yet.

2. In general, the iPhone X's camera hardware is let down by its software.

The iPhone X's camera is very good at taking photos and videos, but it's not better than Google's Pixel 2 cameras, which regularly produce better-looking photos on the front and back compared to the iPhone X.

What's notable here is that Google was able to best Apple's smartphone camera with just a single rear lens (the iPhone X has a second telephoto lens for optical zooming; the Pixel 2 does not) and a less sophisticated front-facing camera system, compared to Apple's TrueDepth solution. And so, the iPhone X has incredible camera hardware, but it's let down by mediocre software, which generally makes photos look too warm and inaccurate compared to photos shot with the Pixel 2.

Check out this camera comparison of the Pixel 2 and the iPhone 8 Plus, which has a near-identical camera system to the iPhone X, and you'll see what I mean.

3. The notch.

Most iPhone X owners will tell you the "notch"— which houses Apple's TrueDepth camera system — pretty much disappears when you use the phone. "You really don't notice it much," they'll say.

That's just not true. I don't always mind it, but I notice the notch all the time, especially when I play a game that takes up the whole screen, like "Monument Valley 2," or when I turn my phone sideways to watch a video. All videos must crop themselves to fill the iPhone X screen in the first place, but the notch cuts further into whatever you're watching as well. It's not a huge deal, but it's a small nuisance that I hope is fixed in future iPhones. (Luckily you can choose to zoom the video out to remove the cropping, but you lose the fullscreen effect.)

On its website, Apple says "Our vision has always been to create an iPhone that is entirely screen." I, too, look forward to the day when the iPhone is "entirely screen."

• Most of the British monarchy's wealth is derived from inherited lands and investments.

• British taxpayers also support the royal family through a "sovereign grant" issued by the treasury.

• The royal family has come under fire for money management in the past — along with certain investments that appeared in the Paradise Papers.

You might say the royal family is old money. Centuries-old money, to be exact.

According to Forbes, Queen Elizabeth II has an estimated private wealth of $530 million. Forbes also reports the British monarchy "contributes nearly £1.8 billion to the UK economy" annually, including £550 million in tourism.

British taxpayers support the family through a "sovereign grant" issued by the treasury. Next year's grant will come out to $104.8 million. That's about 65 pence per year per taxpayer, according to The Boston Globe. 

Here's everything you need to know about how the British royal family acquired its millions:

SEE ALSO: Queen Elizabeth only carries money one day a week — here's why

DON'T MISS: Watch our visit to the Queen's McDonald's, where we had a very British breakfast

The Crown — not Queen Elizabeth, herself — holds many luxurious residences and priceless objects in trust

The Queen herself doesn't personally own national treasures like the Crown Jewels or the Tower of London. 

Such national treasures are part of the royal collection, which the monarch holds in trust for the nation. The collection is made up of thousands of paintings, tapestries, pieces of furniture, photographs, and other objects, spread out between numerous royal residences. Certain palaces, like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, are also held in trust.

She does personally own certain items in the collection, including an immense royal stamp collection her father King George V passed down to her. She also privately owns the $65 million country house, Sandringham House, and the $140 million Scottish estate Balmoral Castle, according to Fortune.

The treasury doles out a lump sum — known as the sovereign grant — to the queen.

The sovereign grant is meant to cover the expenses Queen Elizabeth II racks up in her official duties as monarch, including travel, entertaining, and property maintenance, according to The Mirror.

The sovereign grant comes out to 15% of the annual profit of the Crown Estates. The amount granted to the monarch cannot decrease from the previous year, even if the Crown Estate fares poorly. The National Audit Office has free reign to audit the grant.

The arrangement hasn't always been without snarls. The grant came under review in 2015, essentially because the queen was making too much money, Business Insider reported.

What's more, the Guardian reported the grant jumped from 15% to 25% of Crown Estate profits, in order to pay for Buckingham Palace renovations.

Queen Elizabeth II also has her own personal income — and paid income tax for the first time after a fire devastated her favorite castle in 1992

Forbes reports Queen Elizabeth has an estimated private wealth of $530 million.

And, according to the law of the land, she doesn't have to pay any taxes on her wealth.

"The sovereign is not legally liable for income, capital-gains or inheritance tax,"according to the Economist.

That expectation changed after one of her favorite residences, Windsor Castle, was devastated in a 1992, according to the Daily Mail.

The fire sparked controversy over who would foot the bill for the damages. Ultimately, Queen Elizabeth began paying taxes on her income. According to the BBC, she was the first monarch to pay taxes since the 1930s.

Business Insider reported that the queen also makes "voluntary payments to the UK tax authority HM Revenue and Customs" in lieu of capital gains tax and inheritance tax.

The sovereign grant itself is tax-exempt.

As movie ticket prices continue to climb and streaming platforms strike bigger and better deals with distributors, laptops are quickly becoming the modern movie theater.

From nature documentaries to slasher flicks, there's a little bit of everything at your digital disposal.

And we are a music blog, so what follows is an attempt to highlight some of the best documentary offerings available from your very own couch, with nothing more than a borrowed password.

Here are 10 movies on Netflix that every music lover should watch.

SEE ALSO: Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar lead with the most 2018 Grammy nominations — here's the complete list of nominees

"Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives"

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Year released: 2015
Director: Bobbito Garcia

In the early '90s, few radio stations embraced hip-hop like "The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show." Their time on-air started as a college radio hobby for two hip-hop obsessives, but this was New York City's so-called golden age, and the show quickly became a mecca for young artists looking to cut their teeth live on air.

Some of those artists became legends. This documentary's interviews tell the story: Jay Z, Nas, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes—the list goes on, each artist indelibly changed by their time on-air with Stretch and Bobbito. From interviewing a 16-year-old Christopher Wallace to introducing Nas to the world before Illmatic, rap's history book owes these two a paragraph or two. This doc is the proof, a long-deserved victory lap for two of music's unsung heroes.

"What Happened, Miss Simone?"

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Year: 2015
Director: Liz Garbus

Undoubtedly one of the greatest entertainers of all time, Nina Simone lived a life of absolute honesty, fearlessness, and melodic brilliance. Liz Garbus’s biographical documentary shares the story the singer, pianist, and activist from the beginning of her compelling career to its unfortunate end.  

The doc explores the mental illness, racism, sexism, domestic violence, and other obstacles Nina endured throughout her life. She’s received countless accolades and consequential fame, but more than legendary status, she sought equality. Simone became the activist voice of her time, defining her sound as “civil rights music.” She cracked monocles and raised awareness with songs like ‘Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black."

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and Liz Garbus took home an Emmy this year for "Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special." Simone's story might not have a fairy tale ending, but it's one worth knowing. 

"Chasing Trane"

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Year: 2017
Director: John Scheinfeld

We talk about hip-hop a lot on this site, but there are certain kinds of greatness that transcend genre. John Coltrane provokes praise from anyone who cares about music. John Scheinfield's 2017 biopic does much to educate modern audiences on the life and times of Coltrane, featuring interviews with a wide swath of subjects that include former president Bill Clinton, Common, Coltrane's immediate family, and a host of friends and biographers.

Speaking on his early relationship with music, biographer Ashley Kahn says, “It’s almost like he hangs onto the music like a life preserver.” In both somber and exalting tones, Chasing Trane dives deep on the talent, drive, and mind of one of the greatest musicians of the last century.

• Hooters is the most famous "breastaurant" in America. 
• As two Hooters dilettantes, we went in expecting to be disappointed. 
• Instead, we found a pleasant atmosphere, good wings — and even some tasty oysters.

As two 20-somethings who had made it this long without ever visiting Hooters, we were both at peace with perhaps never dining at said establishment.

But as chain restaurant reporters and connoisseurs, we knew the omission of the nation's most famous "breastaurant" would not stand. 

Since its founding in 1983, Hooters has become something of a pop culture icon synonymous with buxom waitresses and... wings. There's a "bro-culture" vibe attached to the brand; in our minds, it seemed to have the stench of toxic masculinity, even from afar.

However, what we found upon venturing inside the chain was vastly different from our preconceived notion. Here's why everyone should give Hooters a chance. 

SEE ALSO: Chipotle is facing a reckoning — and I saw why it may never again be the chain it once was

The only Hooters in Manhattan is located mere minutes from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden — a prime locale for a wings-oriented sports bar.

The chain is vaguely beachy, fitting with its slogan, "Life's a beach." Hooters started in Clearwater, Florida, as something of a joke; the founders weren't very confident about their odds of survival.

But today, there are over 430 locations in 28 countries worldwide. And this location was reasonably busy, especially for a midday Friday in an area traveled by commuters.

In a year of great smartphones, ZTE's new Axon M would seem to stand out, but not in a good way.

Rival devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, the OnePlus 5T, and Apple's iPhone X are beautiful and sleek, have powerful processors, are made with premium materials, and include advanced features and cameras. By contrast, the Axon M is chunky, heavy, and kind of slow. 

But looks — and even speed — aren't everything. The Axon M is actually a compelling device, in part because a unique feature: it's built around two fully functional screens that are joined together on a hinge.

The phone is a thing of wonder. 

Check out the ZTE Axon M:

SEE ALSO: REVIEW: The new Razer Phone looks out of place in 2017, but it has one great feature that no other phone has

The Axon M doesn't look like a phone from 2017.

ZTE's device is thick, heavy, and has huge borders around both its displays. Compared to svelte and sleek phones such as the OnePlus 5T, Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, and the Essential Phone, it looks like a brick.

The Axon M's blocky design is similar to that of the Razer Phone, but even that phone is sleeker than ZTE's new gadget.

But it's got a unique feature — a second screen on a hinge!

The hinge feels sturdy.

When you close the second screen it makes a satisfying click.

• John Nelson, the Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor on "Blade Runner 2049," walks through how he made a CGI version of the franchise's memorable Rachael character for the movie.
• The process took a year of trial and error, which was all done under secret shooting sessions and a code name.
• Sean Young, who played the character in the original movie, was also brought on to supervise.

With a total of 1,200 visual effects shots in “Blade Runner 2049” — that comes out to 1:45 of the movie’s total running time of 2:43 — Oscar-winning VFX supervisor John Nelson and his team logged in major hours to go a step beyond the 1982 original movie’s legendary sci-fi look.

But there was a particular scene in the movie that Nelson and director Denis Villeneuve paid special attention to.

Toward the end of the movie when Deckard (Harrison Ford) meets Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), he is offered something very near and dear to him in exchange for information on where Wallace can find the only known child replicant. From the shadows appears Rachael, played by actress Sean Young, the beautiful replicant who is also Deckard’s love interest in the original movie. For the “2049” scene, Rachael looks like she hasn’t aged a day from when we saw her in the original movie, and that’s because Nelson and his team pulled off a flawless CGI version of Young to bring back the character for the sequel.

This is just the latest example of recent major blockbuster movies using computer graphics to de-age an actor. We’ve seen it with Kurt Russell in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” Robert Downey Jr. in “Captain America: Civil War,” and Michael Douglas in “Ant-Man.” That's not even counting “Rogue One,” in which a younger version of deceased actress Carrie Fisher appears in her Princess Leia role and Peter Cushing, who had been dead for 22 years at the time of the movie’s release, shows up in CGI form reprising his Governor Tarkin role from “Star Wars: A New Hope.”

Nelson and Villeneuve were aware of most of these past VFX landmarks, but felt they could go a step beyond those. Nelson was tasked to make the best CGI human ever put on screen yet.

“I looked at all the digital human work and for the most part I could see where it all falls down,” Nelson told Business Insider. “We tried to build on the shoulders of everything that had been done before us.”

What Nelson found was that it’s not enough to use motion capture to create the face you want to portray. There are small details to include that can’t be ignored to pull off the task. But it took him a year of trial and error to realize that.

Here’s how CGI Rachael was achieved:

Creating the digital skull

Rachael was given the code name “Rita” during filming, and the scene was done often with a very small crew to ensure that what was being done would not get out to the public.

Nelson and his team started by creating a digital skull of the Rachael character. They scanned Young’s head and then were able to find a life cast of her that was done a few years after the original “Blade Runner." By combining both they created a CGI skull of her. Nelson and his team than began de-aging the CGI head using footage from the original “Blade Runner” as a guide.

Shooting the scene with a body double and Sean Young’s guidance

While all of that was going on, back on set Villeneuve shot the “Rita” scene with Ford and Leto. Actress Loren Peta was brought on as the Rachael body double. With Nelson and Young also on hand, the scene was done with dots all over Peta’s face, which would be needed when the footage went through the motion-capture phase. Peta’s face would be erased, and CGI Sean Young would be inserted.

“Sean would be sitting with Denis and they’d be talking about Loren’s performance as Rachael,” Nelson said. “She would advise him on the movements and the looks of Rachael. ‘I would have done it this way or that way,’ she would tell Denis.”

Back to the drawing board

At this point Nelson took the footage shot and inserted what they had done with CGI Rachael, and showed what they had to Villeneuve and the producers. But no one was that impressed.

“They were like, ‘Well, it really looks like a woman that looks a lot like Sean Young, but it doesn’t look like Sean Young,’” Nelson recalled. “So I went back to the drawing board.”

Nelson went even deeper, and that’s where he found pay dirt.

“What I found is it's her imperfections that make her beautiful,” he said. “Her eyes are not symmetrical, her eyes actually stick out of her head a little more than most people. We studied how makeup was done when 'Blade Runner' was made. In fact, we went to every woman on the crew and asked about how makeup was done in the 1980s. We learned about the right shade of lip stick. Just subtle things from the first movie that we could put into our Rachael.”

Nelson went back to Denis and the producers with four scenes from the original “Blade Runner” and inserted CGI Rachael into a single shot in each scene. But he didn’t tell them what he did.

“The producers and Denis were like, ‘John, this is great but why are we looking at the first movie?’ and I told them what I did and they couldn’t tell, they actually got upset,” Nelson said. “They were like, ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ And I was like, ‘Isn’t that the point? It’s supposed to be like the real thing.’”

There's nothing more magical than holiday time in New York City — that is, until you have to push yourself through hordes of tourists and mouth-breathers.

The Grinchy, TLDR-version of this article is that virtually everything you plan to do in NYC over the holidays that usually draws a crowd is overrated. Sorry.

But take heart! There are some exceptions to this rule — and plenty of alternatives to choose from that won't result in you and yours getting overheated, trampled, mobbed, and then some.

To find them, Business Insider consulted staffers who live and work in and around New York City.

Here some of the most overrated things to do in NYC over the holidays, along with some caveats and alternatives.

SEE ALSO: 31 of the most bizarre holiday gifts employees have ever received from a coworker

DON'T MISS: 15 things you should never do at the office holiday party

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

"The event packs all the blocks around the tree with selfie-stick-wielding tourists, creating a crowd that can induce claustrophobia, especially for those who (like me) don't care about oversized Christmas trees that much," Science and Innovation Editor Dana Varinsky said. 

"And the thing is: The tree will be up for the entire season, all lit and everything, exactly as it looks on that first night, but with less crowds and better photo ops."

Intagramming the perfect picture of the Rockefeller Tree

"It's always super crowded in Midtown during the holidays, and there's no such thing as the perfect shot — unless you want it to include a bunch of random tourists in the background," said Insider Picks Editor Ellen Hoffman, who's been in New York for more than eight years.

An anonymous Business Insider employee who has lived in New York for five years suggested going to see the Washington Square Park tree instead.

Going anywhere in Midtown

In fact, Hoffman said going anywhere in Midtown ever, but especially during holidays, is a nightmare.

"The massive crowds will swallow you whole if you're not used to walking around NYC," she said. 

National Geographic revolutionized photography and the photo essay. 

The magazine's photographers, who are sometimes armed with up to nine different cameras and 500 rolls of film for a single assignment, have captured the world with tack-sharp images.

More than 200 photos from the past 125 years are featured in the new book "National Geographic: Around the World in 125 Years - Europe." 

"The ideal Geographic picture should command attention," writes Photo Editor Franklin Fisher, who worked for the magazine in the 1920s.

Below, see our favorites.

Captions are from "National Geographic: Around the World in 125 Years - Europe."

SEE ALSO: 15 stunning photos that show why Portugal should be on your travel bucket list

West Germany, 1973

Shafts of sunlight stream through the windows of Munich's Augustiner Beer Hall, illuminating thousands of stein-hoisting patrons celebrating the annual Oktoberfest.

Writing in the March 1974 Geographic about Bavaria's 1,200 breweries, author Gary Jennings quipped: "One could have a Bavarian beer with his meals three times a day — and some do — for more than a year without drinking the same brand twice."

Soviet Union, 1965

A Russian fantasia in masonry, Moscow's multicolored, many-domed St. Basil's Cathedral stands mirrored in a Red Square rain puddle. Dating back to 1552, the dazzling edifice, with no fewer than eight side churches clustered around its central sanctuary, has survived not only fire and war but also the horses that Napoleon had stabled in its nave and the Bolsheviks who had hoped to raze it. It remains a state museum today.

Sweden, 2015

The setting sun silhouettes Mount Nammatj in the Rapa Valley of Sarek National park in northern Sweden. Nothing exemplifies wild Scandinavia like this sprawling reserve, home to more than a hundred glaciers, six of the nation's 13 highest peaks, and myriad lakes and streams.