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Here's how much exercise it takes to burn off your favorite holiday treats

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exercise holiday treats thumb1

Let's start with an important reminder: There's no need to feel guilty about eating holiday foods. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and this time of year, sweet treats seem to taste even sweeter. 

But if you want to lose or maintain your weight during the holidays, it can be helpful to know the rough amount of calories in your favorite indulgences and, in turn, how you could tweak your gym sessions to balance things out. (Calories aren't the only important nutritional factor in a food, but they do matter.)

We used USDA data and recipes to tally up the number of calories in some popular holiday foods, then used more USDA data to determine how much physical activity it would take to burn those calories. All physical activity estimates are based on a 150-pound person. If you weigh more or less, calculate your own rate of calorie burn right here

Here's how it all breaks down.

On its own, a cup of eggnog has 224 calories. Add a shot of rum and the total climbs to 321.

You need to spend about 40 minutes walking to burn all the calories in plain eggnog; one hour for spiked.

Want to try a more seasonal activity? It would take 23 minutes of snowshoeing to burn off the plain eggnog, and 33 minutes for spiked.

Source: USDA, USDA



Your basic sugar cookie — think one sliced off a log of refrigerated dough — has around 112 calories.

You could walk off that amount of calories in about 20 minutes. About 23 minutes of gentle yoga would work, too. 

Source: USDA



Fruit cakes vary, but we found a traditional recipe that has 320 calories per slice.

You can burn that many calories by walking for just about an hour. Or try 44 minutes of swimming. 

Source: King Arthur Flour



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 scientific signs that you've found 'the one'

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leslie knope, ben wyatt, parks and recreation, proposal episode

Figuring out if you’re in love with your partner can be hard enough. Deciding if they are the one you are going to love forever can be even more tricky.

Although the future is unpredictable, there are luckily a few clues that can show if your relationship is headed for "forever" territory.

INSIDER asked relationship expert April Masini, founder of the relationship advice forum, "Ask April," to name some signs that you’ve likely found "the one."

Your friends and family approve

Masini told INSIDER that the opinions of friends and family who have met your partner can be very important in determining if they are the right one for you.

"When your friends and family all like this person, you've got a good indicator that you may have found ‘the one,'" Masini said. "Conversely, when all your friends and family members are giving this person the thumbs down, chances are it's for a good reason."



You each like each others’ family and friends

It's also important that they like your people too, so a key sign that you've found "the one" is when you and your partner get along well with each others' family and friends.

"It's really important to have social compatibility. No matter how much you love your partner, if you don't get along with their kids, friends, or parents and vice versa — there are going to be relationship problems down the line," Masini told INSIDER.



You’re both where you want to be in your careers

According to Masini, it's harder to tell who's "the one" if they are in a transitional phase in their career because you don't know what they'll be like when they're employed, in a different career field, or at an out-of-town job.

"Chemistry is great, but you have a lot better chance of knowing if someone is the one if you're happy together while you both have your career lives on track and in order," Masini said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 times in history when a war on Christmas actually happened

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Santa Claus gun

• Starting with Bill O'Reilly in the early 2000s, many figures on the American political right have argued that there is an ongoing war on Christmas.

• Observers have questioned the reality of such a conflict, given the holiday's prominent place in US culture.

• But throughout history, governments and societies — including certain Christian sects — have tried to do away with the festivities.



Every December, Americans take part in a time-honored tradition: letting slip the dogs of the war on Christmas.

Some folks assert that there's a concerted effort in American society to secularize or erase Christmas, while others call this belief ludicrous. Writing in Politico, Daniel Danvir estimates the most recent iteration of the clash began in 2004, with ousted Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly firing the opening salvo. Since then, "...the War Over Christmas has become tarted up, 24-houred and Twitterized — even as it has grown drearily routine, an annual pageant in which culture warriors line the trenches," Danvir wrote.

The results? "Xmas" has gotten a bad rep in some circles. US President Donald Trump has shouted about bringing back "Merry Christmas" at rallies, while First Daughter Ivanka Trump stoked controversy by wishing people "Happy Holidays" on Twitter. The Yuletide tension between the First Family notwithstanding, this fearsome fight mostly occurs between pundits — Business Insider's Mark Abadi reports most people don't give two sugar plums about your choice of season's greetings.

But that doesn't mean there haven't been so-called wars on Christmas in the past — sometimes waged by Christians themselves.

Here's a look at historic instances during which Christmas was banned or twisted beyond recognition:

SEE ALSO: What the biggest 'War on Christmas' controversy gets wrong about history

DON'T MISS: Fake news is nothing new — here’s how it killed my ancestor over 300 years ago

A group of radical Christians outlawed Christmas — and sparked riots — in 17th century England

People weren't happy when England's Puritan Parliament banned outright Christmas in 1647.

The Puritans had just seized the country from King Charles I. The sect's central quest was to purge the Church of England of all Catholic influences. They viewed Christmas as a mess of a holiday, full of vice and lacking in scriptural basis.

To signal their disdain, the blog History Extra reports Puritans in London would open up shop, show up to Parliament, and shut down their churches on Christmas Day. They even blasted Yuletide delicacies like mince pies as "idolatry in crust," according to Gerry Bowler's "Christmas in the Crosshairs."

But a lot of their fellow subjects didn't agree. In fact, according to "The Oxford Handbook of Early Modern English Literature and Religion," riots broke out in London, Ipswich, and Norwich and other cities. The pro-Christmas residents of Canterbury even took control of their city in defiance of the Puritan leadership.

Christmas only returned to England in an official capacity when Charles II restored the monarchy in 1660.



Many early American colonists hated Christmas, too

The puritanical anti-Christmas vibe wasn't contained to England. It seeped over to the American colonies, too — especially New England. The pilgrims of Thanksgiving fame shunned the holiday in 1620 and did not observe it. Nor did the Puritans who arrived in later years. In fact, much to the dismay of the non-Puritans living in New England, observance of the holiday was banned in Boston until 1659.

Even the early days of the United States, the holiday wasn't a terribly big deal. In urban areas, Christmas was oftentimes marred by violence — often against African Americans and Catholic immigrants — and vice.

The Christmas spirit as we know it today only began to take hold in the mid-1800s. In 1870, President U.S. Grant declared Christmas Day a national holiday, TIME reported.



French revolutionaries rebranded Christmas cakes and renamed the holiday 'Dog Day'

The decadent aristocrats weren't the only ones in the French revolution's crosshairs. The increasingly anti-clerical movement also ultimately went after two unusual enemies of the revolution — Christmas and cake.

According to "Christmas in the Crosshairs," Christmas was renamed "dog day" to mock the holiday, as the government shut down Catholic churches, drowned priests, and established a national, atheistic substitute: the Cult of Reason.

The revolution even went after bakers who dubbed holiday cakes "galette des rois"— or king cakes — after the three magi. Those were rebranded "liberty cakes" or "equality cakes," while mothers who bore sons were permitted to celebrate "the Festival of Birth" around Christmastime.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet the Ukrainian children who no longer fear bombs and bullets after more than 3 years of war

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Ukraine war donbas marinka

The "children don't care about their safety anymore," Mila, the school principal in the village of Marinka, told Business Insider through a translator.

"They got so adjusted to the situation ... They hear the sounds of shelling and shooting, and they just don't care that they could get hurt."

The war in eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than 10,000 people and wounded more than 24,000, will turn four years old next April.

After a series of failed ceasefires, the conflict has mostly devolved into stagnant trench warfare, where Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists often exchange light artillery and sniper fire from a distance.

Shelling and small arms fire have become regular background noise along the 250 mile long front lines, especially in hotspots like Avdiivka or Marinka. Misfires still kill and wound civilians.

In March, we spoke with multiple children and adults living in Marinka about how this prolonged conflict has effected the children.

Here's what they said:

SEE ALSO: Here's what it's like inside the bunkers Ukrainian troops are living in every day

The population of Marinka has dropped from about 10,000 to 5,000 since the war began — and it's filled with shelled buildings like the one below.



This is the school in Marinka, which is guarded by armed Ukrainian soldiers.



The school didn't have heat in March and was really cold, and the windows were lined with sandbags.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Seats are going to be limited at Apple's annual shareholders meeting (AAPL)

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Apple Park, Steve Jobs Theater

  • Apple announced the date for its annual shareholders meeting.
  • It's taking place on February 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple's new campus. 
  • Passes to the meeting will be given to shareholders on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Even if you're an Apple shareholder, you might not be able to attend the company's annual shareholder meeting, often called the "AGM," or annual general meeting. 

Apple announced on Monday that it's holding its annual shareholder meeting on February 12 in the company's fancy "Steve Jobs Theater" on its new $5 billion campus. 

The "Steve Jobs Theater" is beautiful, but it has limited seating. It's equipped with beautiful leather seats, a state-of-the-art projector, and a revolving hidden demo area, but has a capacity of only 1,000.

There are significantly more than 1,000 Apple shareholders. "We anticipate there may be more shareholders who would like to attend than we have seats to accommodate," Apple said on its website. "Therefore, if you’re a shareholder as of December 15, 2017 and you’d like to attend the meeting, you will need to register in advance."

According to Apple, registration for the AGM will take place on a first-come, first-served basis. So Apple shareholders will have to log on at a given time with their unique shareholder "control number," press refresh on a website, and hope they got a pass to the AGM — kind of like how Apple fans try to get a new iPhone when preorders open. 

Apple shareholders get to vote on several issues relating to the company at the AGM, but the results of the votes are usually unsurprising and in-line with Apple management recommendations. Two years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook first acknowledged Apple's car program at its shareholders meeting. 

Here's Apple's full statement: 

"Apple will host the 2018 Annual Meeting of shareholders at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino on February 13, 2018. The record date for the meeting is December 15, 2017, and additional details about the meeting will be available soon when we file our proxy statement. We anticipate there may be more shareholders who would like to attend than we have seats to accommodate. Therefore, if you’re a shareholder as of December 15, 2017 and you’d like to attend the meeting, you will need to register in advance."

"Once our proxy statement is filed, the bank, broker, or other organization that holds your Apple shares will be issuing proxy materials to you that will include a unique control number. You’ll need that number to register for the meeting at proxyvote.com beginning at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 22, 2018, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure you receive your proxy materials in a timely way, please make sure that your contact information is current at the organization that holds your shares."

Here's what shareholders will when they visit Steve Jobs Theater: 

SEE ALSO: We now know who makes the $14,000 chairs on Apple's new campus

This is where Apple's holding its shareholders meeting.



Here's what it looks like inside the theater.



And this is the building from a distance. Stunning.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I'm on track to retire early, just like my father and my cousins did — and we all have the same thing in common

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guy beach ocean retire sunny day

  • Author Bob Lai has multiple family members that retired early. 
  • From speaking with them, he learned five major lessons about FIRE ('Financial Independence Retire Early').
  • Retiring early looks different to many people — and it's really about having more power over your life. 
  • The biggest lesson he learned is how important it is know what you really want out of life in order to save for it.

 

At FinCon17, I was invited to a FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) beer tasting party by Carl from 1500days. At one point of the night, and many beers in, I joined Carl and a few bloggers on discussing what his life has been like since retiring from his job.

"FIRE is not a foreign concept for me at all, it runs in my family!" I blurted out at some point in the conversation. J. Money later heard of this, and asked if I'd share how impactful this has been, both in my life and my personal finances.

Below is a little about each of these family members of mine, followed by the lessons learned growing up around them. I hope you find it useful.

Cousin number one: we work because we love to

One of my cousins, let's call her cousin number one, and her husband met at medical school and opened a medical clinic together in Taiwan after residency. Although they make good income, they are also careful with their expenses and investments.

Cousin number one and her husband invested in the stock market, but the key to their financial success really came from purchasing several apartment buildings in nearby universities. Because university students always need a place to stay, these apartment buildings are constantly in high demand.

Based on their rental property investments alone, I had a suspicion that they were financially independent. This was later confirmed when we talked about their rental income.  Cousin number one and her husband have been financially independent since the late 2000's when they were in their mid-40's.

Despite being financially independent, they both continued to work at their clinic because they enjoyed what they did and got their schedules down to only three times a week. They also employed people at the clinics and felt responsible for their employees.

Since reaching FI, they have been reinvesting their passive income to purchase even more rental properties and stocks. Their passive income has not surprisingly increased over the years. They have also been able to give back to the community using their passive income.

They are enjoying FI life while still working because they love what they do.

Stanford University community service

Cousin number two: life planning versus retiring early

When I talked to cousin number two about his early retirement, he emphasized that he does not see it as retiring early but rather life planning.

While studying Management Information Systems at college, he realized that if he was still sitting in front of a computer coding programs when he turned 50, life would be extremely boring. Therefore, during the third year of university, he started learning about finance and economics. He spent time learning how to read company's financial statements, the different financial indicators, and how to evaluate the price model of bond and financial derivatives. Once he was familiar with these topics, he started investing in the stock market.

Cousin number two also pointed out that high income does not automatically lead to financial independence or early retirement. He stated that to achieve where he is today, he had a secret weapon — cash flow.

While he was single and later once married, he and his wife were spending less than 50% of their take home income for over 15 years. Because he had a plan and his wife was supportive of the idea, saving over 50% income was not difficult at all for them. Rather, it felt like a seamless process.

My cousin called it quits when he was 42 years old. He went from working over 12 hours each day at a Taiwanese high tech company to becoming a stay-at-home dad.

Roughly 80% of their passive income is generated through their stock portfolio and 20% comes from real estate. His wife still works today. But just like cousin number one and her husband, cousin number two's wife works because she enjoys what she does.

Since retiring, cousin number two has also been able to focus more on exercising. On weekdays, he would take his kids to school in the morning, then head out biking for around 25 miles or play badminton before picking them back up again. On weekends, the family would often go on trips or go out camping.  He has been able to enjoy his life more and pursue his interests. Early retirement life is good.

When I met up with him in Taiwan in October, he told me that he has been reading my blog. He was intrigued about my FIRE plan, and over dinner we chatted about FIRE, investing, and life. It was great that we could openly discuss such financial related topics!

Dinner with parents in laws

My father: forced FIRE

I still remember the day my dad told my mom and my younger brother that he had handed in his resignation letter. We were all in the hospital after my mother had just completed a minor surgery, and from what I could recall there was a lot of tension between him and the president & CEO of the company. My dad hadn't been enjoying his job for years, and as someone who worked directly below the president & CEO, he had to make a lot of tough decisions against his will

My dad's resignation roughly coincided with our immigration to Canada.  He resigned about a month before we all left Taiwan to start a new life.

When we immigrated to Canada, my dad tried to look for a job but there was nothing related to his field of work. After evaluating our household finances, my dad decided to just stop working.

He was 43.

Although my dad stopped working, his life was still quite busy. My dad, alongside with my mom, became the biggest supporters for me and my brother. Without their support and help, I wouldn't have been able to learn English and get out of my ESL classes in under a year.

Growing up, my dad would drop off my brother and I at school every morning, then pick us up afterwards. He attended all of our extra-curricular activities, ranging from basketball games, volleyball games, field trips, band concerts, etc.

When my brother and I needed help, he was always there.

FIRE was not prominent back in the late 90's and the 2000's. In fact, we didn't even know the terms early retirement or financial independence. We simply viewed that my dad was forced to stop working, and my parents had to figure out how to support our family financially in other ways.

My parents started looking into passive income streams, and eventually found success in three key areas: stocks, GICs (The Canadian equivalent of Certificates of Deposit), and rental property.

It also helped that frugality and stealth wealth were engraved in my family's DNA. Growing up, we didn't have any fancy toys or fancy clothes. We were thrifty and mostly wore second hand clothes.  We focused on simplicity, value, quality, and experience. There was no need to show off by driving fancy cars, wearing expensive designer clothes, or having the latest and greatest electronic gadgets. Our family only ever had one car, which my parents would drive for 7 plus years before exchanging it in for a newer one.

Thanks to my parents, both my brother and I were immersed in the family financial decisions. We learned about saving money and the different types of investments.

Another benefit of non-working parents? We went on extended road trips all the time!

When I was in high school, every summer we would go on road trips that usually lasted over a month. One year, we flew to Toronto and drove around Eastern Canada and Eastern United States. Another year we drove from Vancouver to Alaska and back. Another time we drove from Vancouver to New Orleans and back. Then once to Prince Edward Island to drive around the Maritimes and Maine. Later would drive to Banff and Alberta multiple times.

Throughout these road trips I obtained immeasurable knowledge and experiences that classes or books would never give me.

5 lessons learned growing up in a multi-generation FIRE family

Growing up in a multi-generation FIRE family has greatly influenced the way I see financial independence and early retirement. I have been fortunate to learn many things through my two cousins and my dad. Here are some of the main ones.

SEE ALSO: There are only 3 things you need to focus on if you want to retire early

DON'T MISS: 6 rules for loaning money to a family member

1. FIRE has many different looks

FIRE does not have to look a certain way. Cousin number one reached FI but continued working, cousin number two retired early but his wife still works, and then we have my dad who was forced into early retirement. There is no common trend in all three cases. If you believe FIRE must look a certain way, then you don’t know the true concept of FIRE.

Financial Independence Retire Early simply means creating freedom and flexibility in your life. It means you can make your own choices on how to spend your money and time.

FIRE gives you more power to take charge of your life, and what you do with it is entirely up to you. You are not living off an approved checklist – you are the one who creates the list! Better yet, you can decide to not create any list at all.

FIRE also gives an entire different perspective when it comes to work. When you are financially independent, you are no longer working for that paycheck every two weeks simply because you need the money. You are working because you enjoy what you do, not because you have to. This shift in mentality is extremely powerful.



2. It's important to openly discuss finances

Rather than treating money as a taboo subject, discussing money topics openly is vitally important in my multi-generation FIRE family. My parents and my brother and I talk about our salaries, stock investments, and real estate investment opportunities regularly. My parents involved my brother and I in household financial decisions since we were young. Similarly, I can talk to my two cousins about money and other financial topics anytime I want and continue learning valuable lessons from them.

The more openly we discuss money, the more we can learn from each other. Money is simply a tool in life. It is not a dirty word. Having open discussions helps to decrease possible tensions and arguments you may have with family members.



3. Know what you want in life!

The biggest lesson I have learned from my cousins and my dad is to think about what I truly want in the future. What is keeping me motivated on reaching my dreams? What tools are available to me to reach my goals? And most importantly, do I have any backup plans in case my first plan doesn't work out?

So what do I personally want when it comes to FIRE?

My wife and I's goal is to have enough passive income to exceed our annual expenses. Most of our passive income streams come in the form of dividend income. This year, we are on track to receive close to $15,000 in dividend income for doing absolutely nothing while our money works hard for us.

We plan on relying on dividend income rather than the 4% safe withdrawal rule to achieve FIRE, simply because we want to pass on our dividend portfolio to our kids in the future. However, this doesn't mean we wouldn't sell any stocks.

Because my wife is from Denmark and I am from Taiwan and we live in Vancouver, Canada, we plan to move to Denmark and Taiwan sometime in the future. We plan to live in each country for two years minimum to allow our kids to learn about the two different cultures and languages. We plan to explore the nearby countries while living abroad.

We also have a dream of traveling the world for a year with our kids. My wife and I believe this is a great way for all of us to learn and gain valuable knowledge.

Beyond that, we don't have concrete plans. We want our FIRE plans to be flexible so we can alter our plans when necessary. This is why we aren't perfectly set in our passive income plans and don't even have a specific FIRE date for that matter. Whether we decide to continue working once we are financially independent is entirely undecided at this point.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Rangers ace Cole Hamels donated his $9 million home to a camp for people with special needs — take a look at the stunning property

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Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and now he'll also be known as one of the most generous.

According to a news release, Hamels and his wife have donated their Missouri home to Camp Barnabas, a non-profit that operates summer camps and other programs for people with special needs and chronic illnesses.

The home is listed at nearly $9.5 million on Realtor.com. It is the largest gift in the history of Camp Barnabas, per the news release.

Hamels is best known for his tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies, earning World Series MVP honors en route to just the second title in franchise history back in 2008. He is a four-time All-Star.

Below, find out more about Hamels' stunning property, including some of the luxuries the kids of Camp Barnabas will get to enjoy.

The house has 31,143 square feet.

Source: Trulia



And the entire property is appropriately huge: over 104 acres.

Source: Trulia



Inside, there are 10 bedrooms and 13 full bathrooms.

Source: Trulia



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The best pillowcases you can buy

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

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The Insider Pick:

  • Is there anything more wonderful than laying your head down on a clean, fresh pillowcase at night? Probably not, which is why you need the best pillowcase money can buy. The L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases are our top pick because they are soft, crisp, and comfortable to sleep on every night.

Does anything beat crawling into your bed after a long day and snuggling up with a down comforter and several perfectly-plumped pillows? Not in my opinion. But what takes the experience to a whole new level is the makeup and quality of your pillowcases. These covers come in many different materials, including silk, flannel, cotton, polyester, and more.

It’s standard for two pillowcases to be included with a set of sheets. But many folks, myself included, often also purchase pillowcases separately. Depending on your needs, you may want a pillowcase made from silk, cotton, flannel, or a mix of materials. We've listed the pros and cons of each fabric below:

  • Cotton: Cotton’s main selling point is that it is very soft, but other positives include that it is cool to sleep on, as well as absorbent. As for downsides, a cotton pillowcase will shrink when washed and wrinkle easily. Many consider Egyptian cotton to be the best — and the softest  — in the world, but it is expensive. Flannel is just loosely woven cotton, but it's warmer and softer.
  • Polyester: This man-made fiber is popular for all bed linens, but it's not very absorbent, so it's often mixed with cotton.
  • Nylon: A common pillowcase material, nylon is an easy-care fabric that is sometimes made to look like satin. The downside? Nylon is not absorbent and can make your face sweat.
  • Linen: A natural flax product, linen is a high-quality fabric that is quite expensive. Linen has a very unique feel to it and it cannot be mistaken for another material. Like satin, it is recognized for its quality.
  • Satin: Smooth and sensuous, satin, a high-sheen fabric, has long been held as the most luxurious pillowcase material. Many believe that sleeping on satin pillowcases can help prevent facial wrinkles and keep your hair from frizzing.
  • Silk: A natural protein fiber, silk offers many of the same beauty benefits of satin. Silk pillowcases are very delicate and most often need to be hand-washed. Quality silk fabric is sold by the weight, and the unit of measurement is called a momme. Good silk sheets and pillowcases have a momme weight of 19-25 mm.

A word about thread count: Cotton sheets and pillowcases are distinguished by their thread count, which is the total number of threads per square inch in a fabric. In general, the higher the thread count, the higher the quality. Or so we were taught to believe. However, sheet experts dispute the importance of thread count.

“There’s a maximum number of threads that can fit into a square inch of fabric,” Scott Tannen, CEO of Boll & Branch, a luxury linen provider, explained to Business Insider. “Depending on the type of cotton used, that number is generally not more than 400. So there is an awful lot of interesting math involved in the sheets you see in a department store that can be up to a 1200 thread count.”

In our picks, we've included a few 100% cotton options, a silk pillowcase, and a cozy flannel one. All our choices are highly rated by buyers and expert reviewers.

Read on in the slides below to learn why the L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases are our top pick and why you should also consider the Celestial Silk 100% Silk Pillowcase, the Pinzon Signature 190-Gram Cotton Heavyweight Velvet Flannel Pillowcase, the eLuxury Supply 1000 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Pillowcase, and the Magnolia Organics Dream Collection Pillowcase.

SEE ALSO: The best sheets you can buy for your bed

The best pillowcases overall

Why you'll love them: L.L. Bean’s wonderfully smooth 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases are durable, comfortable, and soft.

L.L. Bean makes our favorite sheets, so it stands to reason that the matching pillowcases would also be our top pillowcase pick. If you already bought the sheets, but want a few extra pillowcases around, these are the best.

Woven from 100% Pima cotton for the smoothest, softest feel, L.L. Bean's Percale Pillowcases are perfect all year round. As with all percale bedding, these pillowcases have just a bit of a “crisp” finish, which feels nice and cool against your skin.

You can toss them in the washer and dryer without any fear of shrinkage and wrinkling. They are available in seven colors and a few prints. L.L. Bean offers a lifetime guarantee on its sheets and pillowcases, too, so if you don't like them or you run into a problem, you can return them.

Buyers on L.L. Bean's website largely leave favorable reviews, though some said they were scratchy or overpriced. You may have to wash them a few times to achieve maximum softness. 

"I am very happy with these LL Bean standard-sized percale pima cotton pillowcases," one buyer writes, "They do not shrink. The percale material is very smooth. I intend to buy the sheets now that I know that the pillow cases are excellent."

Experts agree that these pillowcases are top-notch. The Wirecutter praises the sheet set that corresponds to these pillowcases, and ConsumerSearch likes them, too.

Pros: Smooth, crisp feel, durability, two in a pack, lifetime guarantee

Cons: No bright colors, few prints, expensive

Buy the solid color 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases, Set of Two from L.L. Bean for $38

Buy the print 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases, Set of Two from L.L. Bean for $29.99 (on sale)

 



The best real silk pillowcase

Why you'll love it: Made of extra thick, high-quality Mulberry silk, the hypoallergenic Celestial Silk 100% silk pillowcase will keep your hair and skin in top condition.

Celestial Silk's pillowcase is not only made of 100% Mulberry silk — one of the highest quality silks you can purchase — but with a 25 momme weight, it is thicker than most pillowcases. That means it is more durable, as well as more comfortable. It is crafted with a charmeuse weave, so the front of the fabric is smooth and lustrous, while the back is dull.

The pillowcases are available in 15 different colors and have side zipper enclosures, so your pillow won't slip out of the case while you're sleeping.

Celestial Silk creates only luxurious Mulberry silk bedding products, all of which are machine washable on the gentle cycle. However, you'll probably want to hand wash these pillowcases to be on the safe side. In addition, the company offers a 15-day full money-back guarantee on all products. Celestial Silk also donates 10% of all proceeds to charities and entrepreneurship programs.

Around the web, professional reviewers, including those at New York Magazine, Bustle, and the Sleep Studies rate the Celestial Silk 100% Silk Pillowcase highly.

There are more than 525 buyer reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Fans cite the cases’ silky softness and high quality, as well as the way that the pillowcases keep hair from frizzing.

“Love this case. It came quickly, was beautifully packaged and the color gorgeous. I have several silk pillowcases and this is by far the most beautiful. Great price,” wrote one verified reviewer on March 2, 2016.

“I have 2 of these, and they are wonderful for protecting my wavy/curly hair from frizzing at night,” wrote a verified buyer on November 2, 2017. 

Pros: Made of very soft Mulberry silk, durable, beauty benefits for both hair and skin, easy –to-use zipper enclosure

Cons: Some users claim that the zipper breaks easily and that the pillowcase wrinkles easily

Buy a Celestial Silk 100% Silk Pillowcase for Hair on Amazon for $34.95 and up



The best flannel pillowcase

Why you'll love them: Oh so soft and warm, the Pinzon 190-Gram Cotton Flannel Pillowcases are thick, luxurious, and do well in the washing machine.

In 2009, Amazon launched Pinzon, a private label that sells towels, sheet sets, furniture, and kitchen gadgets, among other products. These 190-gram cotton velvet flannel pillowcases have been a best-seller since then.

Made in Portugal, the cases have a double-napped finish on both sides. Napping is a process that is used to obtain a deep, hairy surface. Double napping means that both surfaces have been napped in opposite directions, which produces greater warmth and greater firmness than the single napping process.

Flannel is a brushed-cotton fabric that is measured not by thread count, but by the number of ounces it takes to make up a square yard. These sheets weigh in at 190 grams, which makes them both durable and soft.

The pillowcases, which are sold in a set of two, come in the standard size of 20 x 31 inches, or King-sized, which are are 20 x 41 inches. The sets are available in more than ten colors and patterns, including aubergine, chamois, and floral amethyst.

Across the web, professional reviewers give high marks to the Pinzon flannel sheets and pillowcases. The Spruce named the Pinzon sheets the best flannel sheets to buy in 2017. Thoroughly Reviewed and the Wirecutter also ranked the Pinzon flannel sheets and pillowcases highly.

There are more than 980 customer reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Verified purchasers rave about the durability, warmth, softness, and great value of these pillowcases.

“Just put these on the bed and crawled into heaven. The fabric is thick and soft, the aubergine color is deep and rich. They are well made,” wrote HollyBLe on October 7, 2016.

“Purchased these flannel pillowcases for the cold winter months in New Jersey ... the pillow cases are soft, comfortable and look very nice on our bed. They are well constructed and will last a long time,” wrote Al, a verified buyer, on January 29, 2017.

Pros: Soft, durable, warm, double-napped finish, affordable, do well in the washing machine

Cons: Some users complain that the pillowcases pill badly and attract hair and lint

Buy a set of two Pinzon Signature 190-Gram Cotton Heavyweight Flannel Pillowcases on Amazon for $14.99 or $15.99



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what Trump's tax plan means for blue collar workers making between $22,000 and $73,000 a year

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Donald Trump coal miner

• The GOP has reached an agreement on their enormous tax overhaul.

• Career site Zippia broke down how the final tax bill could affect take-home pay in 2018 for people in various occupations.

• Business Insider looked into how the bill would affect blue collar workers' wallets.



US President Donald Trump has marketed himself as a champion of working people. And Congressional Republicans are touting their new finalized tax bill as a wage-boosting, job-creating boon to the middle class, as well as a means of simplifying the tax system.

But the tax reform efforts have earned harsh criticisms from the public and experts. The conservative Tax Foundation found Republicans also overpromised on how much the bill would boost the economy, according to Business Insider.

Business Insider's Lauren Lyons Cole reported that while take-home pay is set to rise under the tax reform plan, most Americans won't see a ton of extra cash in their pockets. But how much you save also depends on how much you currently earn.

Career site Zippia's David Luther provided us with data breaking down how different occupations fare under the finalized tax plan. Business Insider decided to look into how the new plan will affect blue collar workers — people in jobs that center around non-agricultural physical labor — in particular. 

The estimated federal tax savings below are for a single, childless taxpayer who owns a house valued at three times their salary. Zippia's calculations factored in whether a given taxpayer would benefit most from taking the standard deduction or itemizing deductions.

Following is a look at how blue collar workers in a number of occupations, from food preparation workers to power plant operators, could see their taxes change next year if the tax plan becomes law.

SEE ALSO: Here's what Trump's tax plan means for doctors making between $184,000 and $270,000 a year

Food preparation workers

Average salary: $22,920

Current tax: $1,412

Tax under the Republican plan: $1,120

Percent tax cut: 20.7%



Restaurant cooks

Average salary: $25,430

Current tax: $1,788

Tax under the Republican plan: $1,421

Percent tax cut: 20.5%



Janitors and cleaners — except maids and housekeeping cleaners

Average salary: $27,030

Current tax: $2,028

Tax under the Republican plan: $1,613

Percent tax cut: 20.5%



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The best nail guns you can buy

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

nail gun 4x3

The Insider Pick:

  • As a DIY-er, having the right power tool in your hand can make you feel like a professional contractor. When you want that pro-level feeling in a nail gun, you’re going to love the Bostitch F21PL nail gun for framing. This is a versatile nail gun that can help you complete both heavy- and light-duty work around the house.

Even if you consider yourself to be a handy-person around the house, you may draw the line at using certain types of power tools, such as, say, nail guns. After all, you may feel like these power tools seem too dangerous for the average person.

Perhaps your distrust of nail guns stems from terrifying scenes involving nail guns from TV shows like "American Horror Story" or even amusing yet painful scenes from shows like "The Simpsons"— If you’ve ever wondered what could go wrong with a nail gun, you just need to see a baby like Maggie get her hands on one.

TV shows aside, the truth is you can use a nail gun safely with just a few precautions and some common sense. And once you’ve put the power of a nail gun behind a tough home improvement project, you’ll wonder why you ever worked without one.

Types of nail guns

One thing you’ll notice with nail guns is that there are far more specialty products in this category than there are in most power tool categories. According to the Casual Craftsman, brad, finish, and framing nail guns are the most common options for general use, but other types of nail guns will be able to perform specific types of jobs for you.

Picking the right nail gun is important in ensuring you have the right tool for the job, according to Lowes. We break dwon the main types below:

  • Brad: The brad nailer uses very small nails with tiny heads. It’s used for hanging woodwork around door frames, for example.
  • Finishing: A finishing nailer is another type of general nail gun that you can use for many jobs around the house. It uses smaller nails than a framing nailer. The finishing nail gun is made more for precise work, such as assembling furniture.
  • Flooring: A flooring nail gun lays out hardwood floorboards. This type of nailer is designed to work in conjunction with the other tools you use to install the individual boards, according to Dengarden, which makes the flooring nailer convenient to use.
  • Framing: This type of nail gun is best for general work around the home. You can use it for framing a room or for building a deck, for example. It uses standard sized nails with round heads.
  • Roofing: A roofing nail gun is a heavy-duty gun that can install roof nails quickly and efficiently. It’s not really made for any other type of job.

The best thing about a nail gun is the power with which this tool can drive nails. A good nail gun gives you amazing accuracy, drives nails into many hardwood surfaces, and discharges 10 nails in the time you could drive one nail by hand with a hammer. 

As a couple of safety precautions, always wear high-impact safety goggles when working with a nail gun. And if you have small children in the area, look for a tool that has a trigger lock, which prevents children from inadvertently discharging nails. Homer Simpson wishes he would’ve had this feature.

Read on in the slides below to learn why the Bostitch F21PL is our top pick and why you should also consider the Porter-Cable PCC790LA, the DeWalt D51257K, the Hitachi NR90AES1, and the Bostitch RN46 nail guns.

The best nail gun overall

Why you'll love it: The Bostitch F21PL is a nail gun that’ll have you feeling like a pro because so many contractors and construction workers make use of this same brand and model. 

When you are looking for a reliable power tool that will serve DIY-ers as if they were pros, visit some commercial construction projects and see what they’re using. When it comes to nail guns, the Bostitch F21PL will be a common sight.

The F21PL is a popular nail gun among contractors and professional construction people, but it carries a fair price point that makes it a good choice for at-home use, too. Pro Tool Reviews says this is a great nail gun for serious DIYers who want to use a professional-level tool without paying too much.

The Bostitch nail gun has a host of useful features, including the ability to change nail depth with the push of a button. In its review, Framing Nailerz particularly liked this feature because it makes it easy to adjust nail gun settings on the fly.

This pneumatic device reaches 1,050 inch/pounds of driving power, so you know the nails will fire without any struggle. However, you will have to purchase an air compressor separately. The nail gun can make use of nails between 1.5 and 3.5 inches in length. Framing Nailer Hub loves how powerful this nail gun is and its consistency.

Jams are a common problem among nail guns designed for at-home users, but one Amazon reviewer said jams are rare with the Bostitch F21PL. A few Amazon buyers say they’ve experienced some problems with this nail gun’s longevity, though, so keep that in mind.

Pros: Trusted by professionals, delivers many features that will make jobs easier to complete, works with a range of nail lengths, rarely suffers nail jams, reasonable price

Cons: Will need to buy an air compressor separately, may provide more power than some DIY-ers actually need

Buy the Bostitch F21PL Nail Gun on Amazon for $207.70



The best brad nailer

Why you'll love it: The Porter-Cable PCC790LA brad nailer provides plenty of power to perform all kinds of woodworking projects, but it’s also a reliable model that rarely jams.

Even though brad nails are small and thin, you don’t want to skimp on the nail gun that you’ll use to drive these nails. A small brad nailer will not drive the nails properly, leaving your woodworking project a mess. The best mixture of nailing power, value, and convenience comes from the Porter-Cable PCC790LA brad nailer.

This brad nail gun includes a 20-volt battery, which yields good longevity for completing projects, while also giving you portability. The Porter-Cable PCC790LA works with 18-gauge brad nails.

Pro Tool Reviews appreciates the performance level of this brad nailer, saying jams were rare and the unit maintained a consistent nail depth, even when the battery was running low.

The Woodworkers Journal review likes the PCC790LA as an at-home brad nailer, in large part because of its lightweight design. The Heralds Route agrees, saying the battery-powered Porter-Cable PCC790LA is convenient and efficient, which DIY-ers will appreciate.

One Amazon customer calls the PCC790LA an extremely versatile tool, as it works with many different types of woodworking projects.

However, a few Amazon reviewers say the longevity of this Porter-Cable brad nailer is questionable.

Pros: Minimal nail jams, more power than most brad nailers, battery power, maintains nail depth when power is waning, lightweight and portable power tool

Cons: Longevity of this brad nail gun is questionable, costs a bit more than less-powerful brad nailers

Buy the Porter-Cable PCC790LA Nail Gun on Amazon for $182.99 (originally $229.99)



The best finish nail gun

Why you'll love it: The DeWalt D51257K finish nail gun handles any size of project perfectly.

Power tools that can do it all work well for DIY-ers, who need versatility to handle whatever jobs pop up around the house. If you’re looking for a finish nail gun that's up for any task, you’ll love the DeWalt D51257K nail gun. This pneumatic nail gun has many great features for an affordable price.

The versatile D51257K will accept 16-gauge nails between 1 and 2.5 inches in length. It has a good amount of power, making it quite versatile. Nailer Reviews says the DeWalt D51257K nail gun works well for both small and large projects.

Buyers agree that this nail gun is perfect for use at home, and many like how easy it is to use. An Amazon reviewer says it’s easy to trust the quality of all DeWalt tools, and the D51257K is no exception. Reviewers and buyers alike say it doesn't have any major flaws, making it a great deal for the price.

The Healthy Handyman review appreciates all of the features available with the D51257K model, including easy depth adjustment, an adjustable exhaust for the pneumatic nailer, and a tool-free jam clearing.

However, one Amazon buyer was disappointed with the means for loading nails into the clip, which is more difficult than it should be.

Pros: Good price point for such a versatile nail gun, trusted brand name in all types of power tools, runs from an air compressor for an excellent level of power, can handle both large and small projects equally well

Cons: Nails can be difficult to load into the rail, will have to buy air compressor separately

Buy the DeWalt D51257K Nail Gun on Amazon for $168.99



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5 secrets you can keep from your partner without destroying your relationship

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couple relax outside

  • Generally speaking, you and your partner should know each other well before things get serious.
  • But there are certain areas of your life where it's okay to keep some secrets.
  • Those areas include daily spending habits and any lingering feelings for your ex.


You and your partner should know a lot about each other before you decide to spend your life together. What do you consider cheating? How do you feel about divorce? Do you want kids? These conversations are key.

But there are certain areas of your life where a little mystery is OK. We spoke to Andrea Syrtash, relationship expert and author of "He's Just Not Your Type (And That's a Good Thing)", about five things you don't always need to share with your partner before things get serious.

"Overall, a lot of information does need to be discussed," Syrtash said, related to each person's needs, wants, and expectations. And yet "you don't need to divulge every last detail."

Read on for those details you can leave out, without jeopardizing your relationship.

SEE ALSO: 7 unavoidable questions to ask your partner before it's too late

How many sexual partners you've had

When it comes to sex, Syrtash said, you should know that you're both free of sexually transmitted infections. And if you're in a monogamous relationship, you should know that you're both committed to each other.

You don't need to know each other's "headcount," Syrtash said.

Interestingly, the 2015 Singles in America survey, highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, found that just over half of respondents didn't want to know how many people their partner had slept with. And a 2015 study, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, found that about 60% of participants hadn't revealed their "number" to a current sexual partner.



What you don't like about them

You never want to play a game of "What do you hate about me?" Syrtash said. Sharing a life with someone is a big step, she added, and you're not carbon copies of each other. So your partner will necessarily display some quirks that irritate you.

If there's something that's really bothering you — say, you want your partner to lose weight for health reasons — it's possible to frame it positively. Syrtash suggested something like, "Let's sign up for a marathon and train together."

 



Your daily spending habits

Syrtash emphasized that it's important for your partner to know about your debt, including how much you have and how you're paying it off.

Indeed, lying about money— from how much you earn to how much debt you're saddled with — can destroy your relationship.

That said, Syrtash added that you "don't need to be checking in on every last purchase" the other person makes. Syrtash said the spender/saver dynamic is common in romantic relationships, meaning that monitoring every penny your partner spends (or vice versa) can lead to unnecessary conflict and anxiety.

What's more important, is to discuss your money philosophies, or how you each approach money and what you learned about it from your families.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

23 ingenious tricks to help you make it through winter

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snow

Winter is coming.

While you may feel like it's already here, the first official day of winter, the winter solstice, isn't until Thursday, December 21.

Here are some helpful hacks for staying warm, and keeping your house, shoes, and even your bike in top top shape.

If your car is stuck in the snow, use kitty litter for traction.

Kitty litter is a great alternative to salt. While it doesn't help melt the ice, it will help your car get some traction on icy roads and driveways to prevent sliding.



Turn old sweaters into mittens.

Even if crafting isn't your strong suit, turning sweaters into mittens is surprisingly simple, as well as cheap. All you need is a mitten template, scissors, and a thread and needle.

You can also make socks.



Invest in an electric blanket and a hot water bottle to save money on electricity.

If astronomical electricity bills got you down, invest in an electric blanket, which will keep you warm without breaking the bank. Here are INSIDER's picks for the best ones.

Hot water bottles are another option for keeping you toasty at night. They have a few other uses too.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 things you should do when someone gets engaged

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Logging onto Facebook is like navigating a minefield of humble brag-style statuses. There seems to always be new baby photos from people you barely speak to, new home photos, and of course, engagement announcements. For a long time, it may have seemed as though Instagram and Twitter were safe (these people are your real friends and not just hometown randoms, after all) but one quick scroll and BOOM. One of your friends, your actual, good friends, is engaged.

Whether you got the personal "we’re getting married!" text or saw it on Insta like the rest of their followers, it’s a celebratory time for your besties, but it can also a little bit intimidating for you, especially if you’re single. This isn’t someone you went to high school with, so a quick comment or an easy "like" won’t do the trick. If there’s one way to start feeling just a little bit older and more clueless, it’s encountering the first big engagement.

So what can you do?  No, you don’t reach for the nearest pint of ice cream and start talking like Carrie Bradshaw. Well, not yet. Here’s what to do before the big "I do."

First, congrats.

Obviously. The first step in this whole adulting thing is wishing your friends the best. The newly-engaged couple is probably feeling super giddy at this point, so they’ll be happy to encounter as much heartfelt praise and excitement as possible.

No need to bring up running into either one’s ex recently or post a #TBT pic on the same night that you watched them fight at a bar. Stick to mentioning happy memories in honor of even happier times to come.



Offer to help.

It never hurts to help. Your group of friends probably has a bunch of different skills, so if you all pitch in, it just may make things a little easier for your favorite duo.

Whether you’ve got a side hustle in web design and can whip up their wedding website or you love to craft and can help them step up their Pinterest hack game, you’ll not only be doing the right thing, but you’ll also get to be a part of a special day, whether or not you’re actually in the wedding party.



Start saving ASAP.

Here’s the tough part: weddings are expensive. Even worse is that they’re actually reaching an all-time high when it comes to average costs.

Luckily, you’re not the one footing the whole bill, but you will probably encounter some financial obligations of your own. You might need to pay for a hotel, a new outfit, and maybe even a flight to whichever destination is the site of their nuptials. We live in an age of technology, so not only are our phones good for brainstorming the perfect wedding hashtag, they also come in clutch when it comes to finding necessary money-saving apps.



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10 places everyone wanted to visit this year — and the cheapest times to go

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  • While we know everyone has a dream destination on their bucket list, this list contains cities that were actually visited in 2017.
  • Bangkok was ranked first for the second consecutive year. 
  • The best months to visit New York City are March, April, and October.

Every year, MasterCard puts together a Global Destination Cities Index in which more than 130 cities are ranked to determine the most visited cities around the world. We've broken down the top ten destinations and teamed up with Booking.com to provide you the top reasons to visit each city, the average price of hotels, the cheapest times to visit, and more.

10. Hong Kong

The most Googled question about Hong Kong is whether or not it is in China. While officially it is, because it was leased to Britain in a 99-year deal that ended in 1997, it has its own money, passport and immigration channels, as well as its own legal system. In many ways, Hong Kong is its own entity.

It's called the "world's most vertical city," because the 50,000-acre city has more buildings taller than 500 feet than any other city in the world.

Interested in going to the 10th most popular city in the world? Here are some important things to know:

· Best time to visit: May, October, July

· Lowest prices: May, June, July, September

· Average hotel price: $92

· Top reasons to visit: Clothes shopping, food, sightseeing

Top Tip: Be sure not to opt for the bus from the airport to downtown, however, since it takes about an hour and a half to go just 15 miles! A personal car is worth the extra bucks!



9. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is known for its modern skyline with the major attraction being the 1480-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The city is also recognized for its incredible street food that combines an array of cuisines, including Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Portuguese, which is served practically around the clock.

Interested in going to the 9th most popular city in the world? Here are some important things to know:

· Best time to visit: September, October, July

· Lowest prices: October, November

· Average hotel price: $43

· Top reasons to visit: Shopping, culturally diverse food

(Speaking of Malaysia, check out this upside down house in Rumah Terbalik—Tamparuli.)



8. New York City

One of the main melting pots of the United States, New York is a beloved state with a beloved city known as the Big Apple. People flock from all over the world to feel the special energy that lives here. The bagels, the pizza, the fast-talking, no-fuss approach of its residents, the die-hard sports fans, the elegance of the Upper East Side, the realness of Brooklyn, the infamous monuments like the Statue of Liberty, and the bright lights of Times Square make it a must for tourists.

The art alone is enough to go — including the incredible street artists.

Interested in going to the 8th most popular city in the world? Here are some important things to know:

· Best time to visit: March, April, October

· Lowest prices: January, February

· Average hotel price: $300

· Top reasons to visit: Sightseeing, theater, fine art museums, shopping



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Bill Gates tweeted 7 inspiring moments of 'amazing hope and progress' from 2017

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Bill Gates

Bill Gates is ever the optimist.

Despite ongoing political and social unrest, both in the US and around the world, the former Microsoft CEO recently took some time on Twitter to highlight moments of "amazing hope and progress" in 2017.

He later called on others to submit their own inspirational stories, but here are the ones he felt deserved a second look.

SEE ALSO: 12 books on science Bill Gates thinks everyone should read

A man became the first person in his family to graduate from college.



A Bollywood film tackled one of the country's most pervasive issues.



Two countries eradicated measles.



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The best part about traveling to Cuba is that you don’t have to plan anything — here's why

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  • Traveling to Cuba is different from vacationing in most other countries.
  • Many of the best and most reasonably priced lodging and activities are only available on the island because of the lack of internet.
  • If you don't book ahead of time and instead book things on the island, you will likely save money and make sure more of your tourism dollars go to actual Cubans.

 

Travel to any country on vacation and you almost always have to plan ahead. As you get closer, hotels get booked, events sell out, and prices go up. There's a huge advantage to planning everything.

Not in Cuba.

On a recent trip to the island, I discovered that while you can certainly plan ahead, there are distinct advantages to arriving on the island with nothing but your return plane ticket, plenty of cash, and a vague idea what you want to see and do.

Here's why.

SEE ALSO: I traveled to Cuba after Fidel Castro's death — and it was far different from what I expected

Not booking ahead of time will save you money and direct more of your tourism dollars to actual Cubans, rather than the Communist Party or American corporations.

Because of the scarcity of the internet and the island's general isolation, most lodgings, car services, and tourist activities aren't listed online. The ones that are listed likely have a very basic booking system, are run by the most privileged Cubans, and have inflated prices.

You are paying extra for the convenience of internet booking.

While some lodgings are listed on services like Airbnb, you are then paying an American company 15% of money that should go to Cubans, with little benefit to you. The official hotels, meanwhile, are generally government-run, overpriced, and not nearly as nice as pictures would suggest.



Once you get to Cuba, however, you realize the system actually works efficiently if you don’t book ahead. That’s because of the "casa particulare" system.

The casa particulare system allows certain Cubans to rent out rooms in their houses or apartments to tourists for 20 to 40 CUC per night in a sort of proto-Airbnb. (In fact, Airbnb has latched onto this system to rapidly expand in the country.) 

The system has been around officially since 1997, when the government allowed casa hosts to register with the government as legal businesses, though reports say Cubans rented out rooms under the table for years before.

The casa system is like a home-stay, where tourists can stay with actual Cubans (although most are on the wealthier or more privileged side, and pay heavy taxes to the government).



"Casa particulares" are everywhere, marked by this blue insignia on the front of houses.

If you are looking for a place to stay, just walk around the neighborhood you want to stay in, find one of those signs and knock on the door. They'll usually have a room open.

If they don't, they'll be happy to find you a room with a friend of theirs (for a small commission), or you can just walk a little further until you find another one.

If the room they have available seems overpriced or not to your liking, either ask for them to arrange a different room or head back out to search on your own.



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2017 was an incredible year for the Nintendo Switch — and the future looks even brighter

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Nintendo's latest video game console is off to a killer start.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is still hard to find, and it's regularly beating the competition in sales. Its main launch game, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," is heralded as one of the best games ever made. And Nintendo had a huge new Mario game, "Super Mario Odyssey," to follow up in October.

Between this year's Switch games and 2018's lineup, it looks as if Nintendo is finally delivering on its long-held promise to release a steady cadence of games from its biggest franchises. Heck, Nintendo is even making a full-on new "Pokémon" game for the Switch. That's a first for "Pokémon," a series forever tied to Nintendo's handheld consoles.

Pokemon red blue

With 2017 coming to a close, we're looking back at Nintendo's incredible year — and looking forward at what to expect in 2018.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo just added a bunch of crucial features to the Switch — here's the rundown

DON'T MISS: Elon Musk loves video games — here are his favorites

2017: Nintendo released a sequel to "Splatoon," a Pokémon spin-off, and a new series for Mario.

Considering that the console only launched in March, the Switch already has a mess of fantastic games. Nintendo started with the showstopper in "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," which launched alongside the Switch in March. 

"Zelda" was quickly followed by an updated re-release of "Mario Kart 8"— arguably the best "Mario Kart" game ever made — and an entirely new Nintendo-made entry in "Arms.""Minecraft" launched soon after, and Nintendo even allowed the Switch version of "Minecraft" to play nice with the Xbox One, PC, mobile, and VR versions of the game. If you're playing the game on one of those platforms, you're also playing with people on the Switch!



"Splatoon 2" is a sequel to the delightful shooter that debuted on Nintendo's failed Wii U console. It launched on July 21, and it's excellent.

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Following the launch of "Splatoon 2" in summer, a spin-off of the Pokémon series arrived on Switch in September: "Pokken Tournament DX." It's a 3D fighting game featuring — what else? — Pokémon, and it's a re-release of a game previously available on the Wii U. Think of it as a precursor to the "core" Pokémon game coming to the Switch.

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I'm engaged and have divorced parents – here's how I split the holidays

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In a perfect world, we would all be Peter McCallister from “Home Alone.” We would all have grand, picturesque homes where we could celebrate the holidays with family members across the tree. Everyone, well, most everyone, would commune in perfect harmony, no one would berate each other with their politics, and the turkey would be — without a single dry sliver — decadently moist every time.

But in our version, of course, no one would leave Kevin home alone.

Unfortunately, we’re not all Kevin’s dad. Not only can most of us not afford to take our entire families to Paris, not all of us have the privilege of sharing one single holiday celebration with everyone we love, together. In fact, most of us don’t.

Regardless of your situation, whether it’s the result of divorce or marriage or something in between, racing from place to place during the holidays isn’t easy, and it’s not always fun. Take it from someone who falls on both ends of the spectrum — my parents have been divorced most of my life and, you guessed it, I’m engaged.

I thought about asking him if we could take a surprise vacation to escape the imminent ring gapes by presumptuous distant relatives, but then I remembered traveling this time of year is just as treacherous, which means both of our families will all be expecting us. Thankfully, this isn’t my first rodeo, and until human cloning is safely secured, I’ve accumulated some pretty solid best practices for holiday house hopping.

First of all, realize that you can’t — and you won’t — please everyone.

Had I realized this sooner, I may have added a few years to my life. I’ve always spent entirely too much time worrying about pleasing or disappointing others. If you go into this month of chaos knowing you can do your best, and only that, you’ll save yourself some stress, guaranteed.

It might mean that Aunt Jane doesn’t get a Facebook selfie with you this year, but you have to constantly remind yourself that you can’t be in two or more places at once. It’s not possible. I promise.



Do your best to plan ahead.

Although you shouldn’t try to please everyone, you have to be prepared for this time of year. If you all live within driving distance, try asking your respective parties to announce a meeting time as far in advance as possible, so if necessary, you can negotiate without disrupting the event. I’ve found that it works for me to align gatherings with mealtimes, rotating groups at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

There are only three meals in a day, though, so don’t get too attached to a certain date. The calendar doesn’t have to read a certain number for you to be permitted to celebrate with loved ones. Get the most out of the holiday season and spread out your time with others among a week or a few days if you can.

If your folks are more scattered geographically, that’s where you have to get creative. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to establish alternating years for visiting different places. It feels calculated, but in the end, it’s fair. The same can go for significant others and their families if you end up double booked.



But also, remain flexible.

As precise and punctual as your plan may be, pies will be burnt, GPS navigation will fail, and someone will inevitably forget something.

Remember to breathe, and to be as flexible as your parameters will allow. Sometimes, your flexibility may have to extend beyond them, because life happens. In the end, it’s just a holiday dinner, not a royal coronation.



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Inside WeWork's WeLive, where millennials squeeze into tiny apartments to take advantage of perks like Sunday dinner, daily happy hours, and morning yoga

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WeLiveWeWorkWallStreet (44 of 47)

  • WeWork, the $20 billion coworking startup, recently expanded into co-living with its dorm-like WeLive apartments that offer communal facilities and daily activities.
  • Reviews have been mixed, so we tested WeLive Wall Street for ourselves.
  • Our experience was mostly pleasant, but we felt the rent was high. Many WeLive tenants said the price was a good value when you factor in amenities, activities, and the community.


The sharing economy keeps getting cozier.

WeWork, the coworking powerhouse that grew into a $20 billion startup by leasing chic, millennial-friendly office space to startups and Fortune 500 companies alike, is betting you'll be willing to share more than just your workspace with strangers.

Last year, WeWork expanded into co-living with WeLive. The dorm-like apartments are supplemented by communal facilities — like a grand kitchen, media room, and terrace complete with a hot tub — as well as activities like daily happy hours, comedy nights, and yoga classes.

Some have raved about the building's amenities and sense of community. Others described it to Bloomberg as a poorly run "dorm for adults."

Leaked investor presentations had indicated the company planned to open 14 WeLives by the end of 2016, with the buildings projected to generate 21% of the company's revenue by 2018.

But as of the end of 2017, the only open locations are in Wall Street in New York and Crystal City in Washington, DC.

We recently spent a couple of nights at WeLive Wall Street to see what it's like to live in the building.

WeLive Wall Street is near the East River. If it looks like a big office building, that's because it once was.

After flooding from Hurricane Sandy damaged the building, WeWork took over, converting the first six floors into office space and the other 21 into apartments.



At the front desk, Nathan de Paz checked us in. De Paz said he moved to WeLive Wall Street from Houston in May.

He said that he had been worried about moving to New York by himself but that the WeLive community had made the transition easier.



If you've ever been to a Wall Street office building, this will be familiar. Still, it feels odd to be swiping in to use an elevator in an apartment building.



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Inside the Palo Alto 'Facebook House' where Mark Zuckerberg lived, that's now a Mecca for aspiring-entrepreneurs

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la jennifer facebook house

  • In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and the early Facebook team moved into a five-bed house in Palo Alto, California.
  • It was run like a "frat house," and would later be made famous by the 2010 film "The Social Network."
  • Today it's a haven for budding entrepreneurs and business students, and Business Insider got a look inside.


Before Facebook was a $500 billion behemoth with 2 billion users and the power to reshape society, it was just another scrappy startup.

Founded in the halls of Harvard, the Facebook founders moved west to Palo Alto, Calif. in the summer of 2004 — a relocation that was made famous by the 2010 film "The Social Network."

In those early days, the Facebook team lived and worked in a nondescript five-bed home in Palo Alto, building their fast-growing social network in a setting that one former executive likened to a "frat house." Today, the company's offices are still nearby, in Menlo Park — while the "Facebook House" has become a mecca for budding entrepreneurs and business students with dreams of following in Zuckerberg's footsteps.

Business Insider took a tour of the property to see the historical location in Silicon Valley history up close — and to meet the people living there today.

SEE ALSO: Inside the world of Silicon Valley's 'coasters' — the millionaire engineers who get paid gobs of money and barely work

The "Facebook House" where the social network's team lived in the summer of 2004 is located in a sleepy, tree-lined neighborhood in Palo Alto, California — about 30 miles south of San Francisco.



819 La Jennifer Way is a five-bedroom bungalow, and outwardly shows no signs of its key role in Silicon Valley history.



It's a "pass down" house for people studying at the Stanford Graduate School of Business — each year, a group of students rent it for a year, before passing it down to the next. Current residents include Derek Tsoi and Shalva Daushvili.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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