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Nintendo just announced 13 new games coming in 2018 for its wildly popular Switch console, including a new 'Smash Bros.'

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As 2018 rages onward, Nintendo is pulling back the curtain more and more on its plans for the future of the wildly popular Switch console. 

This year is looking like another biggie for the Japanese gaming giant.

Super Smash Bros. (Switch)

More than just new entries in B-tier franchises like "Kirby" and "Mario Tennis," a huge new "Super Smash Bros." game is apparently in the works and scheduled to arrive at some point in 2018.

That's before we start talking about the mess of other heavy-hitters that were just revealed in a Nintendo video presentation on Wednesday afternoon — here's the full rundown:

SEE ALSO: A huge Nintendo franchise is coming to the Nintendo Switch this year: 'Super Smash Bros.'

1. "South Park: The Fractured But Whole"

If you're a "South Park" superfan, you probably already own "The Fractured But Whole" on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PC. It's pretty good, right?

If you're anything like me — a casual "South Park" fan at best who just wants to play a good game — "The Fractured But Whole" is a surprise gem. It might not be one you have to rush out and grab this minute, but it's one to keep in mind as you seek out great new games for your Switch.

Even if you hate role-playing games, you can turn the combat difficulty way down and just enjoy a rare, hilarious gaming experience. Check out our full review of the game right here.

Release date: April 24



2. "Little Nightmares: Complete Edition"

"Little Nightmares" is a gorgeous 3D puzzle game that looks as creepy as it is pretty. 

Players control one of two playable characters, each with their own distinct storylines and puzzles to solve in the horrific world of the "Maw." The game's narrative, built around a fictional world filled with abstract, disturbing creatures, is seemingly interwoven with the puzzle solving.

If you haven't already played the game on other platforms, it arrives with more content than ever on the Switch this May. For instance, check out this super weird Pac-Man mask you can wear in-game if you have a Pac-Man amiibo:

Little Nightmares: Complete Edition

Release date: May 18



3. "Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition"

"Hyrule Warriors"— a third-person action game set in the world of "The Legend of Zelda," but more focused on action than narrative — is another example of Nintendo resurfacing games from its Wii U library on the Switch.

In "Hyrule Warriors," you can play as a whopping 29 different characters from the "Zelda" universe, including Link and Zelda. Instead of traversing dungeons and meeting interesting characters, you're hacking and slashing and shooting and magicking your way through hundreds of enemies at once on battlefields. If you've ever played a "Dynasty Warriors" game, you'll be right at home.

"Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition" comes with all the paid downloadable content from the original release, plus a couple of new characters from Nintendo's most recent Zelda game for the Switch, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."

Release date: May 18



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A shadowy and controversial secret club meets in the California woods every year — and at least 5 US presidents were members

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Bohemian Grove Presidents copy

• Bohemian Grove is the Sonoma County, California campground where the Bohemian Club meets annually.

• The Bohemian Club, a San Francisco-based private club that has counted a number of US presidents among its members, is a controversial group.

• The club's reported rituals and secretive status have spawned sinister internet rumors.

• But experts and insiders conclude Bohemian Grove goings-on are no more or less troubling than a group of extremely wealthy men letting loose in the forest.


 

Bohemian Grove is a place where strange things happen.

In June and July, some of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the country flock to the redwood grove in Sonoma County, California. They're all members of the Bohemian Club, a private, all-male club that's counted US presidents, military officials, artists, and business leaders as members.

The Bohemian Grove grounds are dotted with camps bearing strange names — "Mandalay,""Lost Angels,""Isle of Aves," and "Silverado Squatters." Guests are welcome, but women and minors must vacate the premises at night. A hollow concrete owl towers over the Grove's artificial lake, where prominent individuals often visit to give lakeside talks on pressing public policy matters.

And, during the first weekend of the summer encampment, robed figures sacrifice an effigy as part of a ritual meant to banish all worries from the gathered members.

Over the years, a number of those gathered club members have happened to be US presidents.

Here's a look at the club's background — and at the presidents who Business Insider could confirm were in fact Bohemian Club members:

SEE ALSO: 20 US presidents who belonged to shadowy secret societies

DON'T MISS: 14 US presidents who were members of one of the most mysterious and powerful secret societies in history

DON'T FORGET: 13 American presidents who escaped attempts on their lives

The Bohemian Club is almost 150 years old

The traditions go back to the earliest days of the private gentleman's club, which sprang up in 1872 in San Francisco. The Bohemian Club began renting the campground for an annual retreat, before purchasing it outright in 1899.

"You come upon it suddenly," poet and club member Will Irwin wrote of the Grove in 1908. "One step and its glory is over you."

Originally a cluster of newspaper writers who'd adopted a "bohemian lifestyle," the club expanded overtime to include artists, businessmen, military leaders, and politicians.

While the club has diversified in terms of its members' professions, women have been barred from joining since its inception. A 1978 lawsuit did result in the Bohemian Club being required to hire female employees, however.

So how do you land a coveted spot in the approximately 2,500-member club? Vanity Fair reported that you either need to snag invitations from several members, or languish for decades on the club's waiting list. You've also got to be prepared to drop $25,000 on your initiation fee.

G. William Domhoff, a University of California, Santa Cruz professor emeritus of psychology and sociology, has studied the Bohemian Club extensively. In a post on the site Who Rules America? he described the Grove as "... a place where the powerful relax, enjoy each other's company, and get to know some of the artists, entertainers, and professors who are included to give the occasion a thin veneer of cultural and intellectual pretension."

The motto of the Bohemian Club is "weaving spiders, come not here." It's a line from William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," reflecting the idea is that members are not supposed to worry about work or business deals while at the club.



The activities at the Bohemian Grove have become increasingly controversial — especially in the advent of the internet

Because of its secrecy, strange ceremonies, and elite body of members, the Bohemian Club has long been the subject of sinister online rumors. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones even attempted to film a cremation ceremony there in 2000.

The Bohemian Grove has also attracted a number of protestors who aren't concerned with the allegedly occult aspects of the proceedings.

"The thing we should be concerned about is the lakeside talks,"activist Mary Moore told Vice in 2011. " They are public policy talks, where these powerful people discuss and choose policy, but they do so in secrecy, with no public scrutiny."

A number of journalists have managed to infiltrate the campground — with mixed success. Alex Shoumatoff investigated reports the Club was illegally logging for Vanity Fair, and was caught and detained for trespassing. Philip Weiss snuck into the Bohemian Grove in 1987 and spent a few days mingling with the rich and powerful as they attended speeches, boozed it up from breakfast to nightfall, and urinated on trees. He wrote about the strange experience for Spy magazine.

On Gawker, Sophie Weiner also described her own stint working as a dining server at the Grove in 2016. She described the retreat as a place where the elite could "engage in behavior that doesn’t usually fly for people of their stature in the regular world."

While many politicians have attended Bohemian Grove functions, the number of presidents who were actually club members is seemingly greatly overstated. Calvin Coolidge and Gerald Ford, for example, are often erroneously cited as members.

Domhoff concluded that the Bohemian Club reveals that there is a "socially cohesive upper class" in the US, but the Grove activities are "harmless."

"The Grove encampment is a bunch of guys kidding around, drinking with their buddies, and trying to relive their youth, and often acting very silly,"he wrote.



As president, Theodore Roosevelt accepted an honorary club membership

Theodore Roosevelt was granted honorary club membership when he became president.

In a brief 1903 letter to Bohemian Club member Edgar D. Peixott, he expressed gratitude for the "honor conferred upon me." He also offered his regrets that he could not make it to a club function.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

An elite networking group that counts professional athletes and fashion executives as members is turning an island off Finland into the next Soho House

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  • SuperShe is a women-only international networking club founded by Kristina Roth in 2017.
  • Roth recently bought an island off the coast of Finland as a headquarters for SuperShe and a place for the group to host retreats.
  • SuperShe Island will open to members in June, and later be available for non-SuperShe members and groups to rent out starting at $3,500 a week.

 

SuperShe, a women-only international group headed by Kristina Roth, will soon open a headquarters and a space for their wellness retreats on a private island off the coast of Finland.

Starting in June, the 8.4 acre island will be able to house 10 guests, hand-picked by Roth. The four cabins on the island come equipped with spa amenities and Finnish saunas, according to SuperShe. During a stay at SuperShe island, groups will focus on fitness and nutrition.

"The SuperShe network as well as the island experience are slanted toward women who are interested in wellness, mindfulness, health, fitness, nature, beauty, relaxation, and connecting with other women," Roth told Business Insider. 

Roth, who is the former CEO and founder of Matisia Consultants, decided to buy the land after attending retreats at the Ashram California, which focuses on the mind, body, and the spirit.

Roth noticed during those trips that the men were distracting. She told the New York Post: "When there was a cute guy, women would put on lipstick. The idea [at SuperShe island] is, hey, focus on yourself — don't try to get your hormones up." 

Although membership fees have been waived this first year of SuperShe, staying at the new island will not be cheap. Cosmopolitan reports a stay starts at $3,500 a week.   

Keep scrolling to learn more about SuperShe island:

SEE ALSO: The exclusive no-men-allowed club that raised $32 million from investors like WeWork just opened a brand new location — take a look inside

Roth purchased the island last September and has been renovating the cabins on it since then. Comparing the group to the exclusive international club, SoHo House, in a press release, SuperShe island will at first only be available to SuperShe's already approved members.



The island is 8.4 acres, and located off the coast of Finland in the Baltic Sea. The "exclusive membership" process is vetted by founder Roth, and all new applicants must come at the recommendation of a current member.



Members of SuperShe will get priority when it comes to reserving space on the island. However, reservations will be open to outsiders later in 2018. The retreats at SuperShe Island will be similar to the retreats the group hosts now.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 places to visit in May for every type of traveler

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best places to visit may BI Graphics

  • The best places to visit in May are probably already on savvy travelers' lists.
  • Business Insider looked at airfare trends, climate data, and peak travel times to find the best places to visit in May 2018.
  • The destinations include food havens, sites of ancient ruins, and island paradises.

May is when many savvy travelers aim to cross another destination off their bucket list. Conditions are perfect — many of the world's greatest destinations start to heat up, and summer tourists have yet to descend, leaving prices relatively low and giving you plenty of space to enjoy your trip.

There are endless unique travel experiences to seek out in May, from the spiritual paradise of Bali, Indonesia and the jaw-dropping views of Machu Picchu in Peru to the world-famous barbecue competition in Memphis, Tennessee.

Business Insider looked at airfare trends, climate data, and peak travel times to figure out which vacation spots should be on your radar.

Read on to find the 13 best places to visit in May:

SEE ALSO: The 13 best places to visit in April for every type of traveler

DON'T MISS: The 13 best places to visit in March for every type of traveler

Asheville, North Carolina

May is the perfect time to visit the funky mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville offers a crisp breath of fresh air from the rest of the South, whose heat and humidity will be ratcheting up by May.

Asheville is a magnet for lovers of music, beer, and the great outdoors. Time your trip right and you'll catch the LEAF Festival for local and world music (May 10-13) or the Montford Music and Arts Festival (May 19).



Memphis, Tennessee

If food is your top priority, it's hard to pick a better destination in the US than Memphis. Barbecue is king here, and you could spend days sampling the best ribs in the city. Memphis is also a mecca for Elvis fans, and Graceland is a must-see for first-time visitors.

What makes May an especially great month to visit is the annual Memphis in May International Festival, running from May 4 to May 26. Each year features music, art, and cultural performances celebrating a different country — this year's honoree is the Czech Republic.  And of course, it wouldn't be a Memphis festival without food, so check out the world-famous barbecue contest that takes place each year.



Yellowstone National Park

There's arguably nowhere in the United States that boasts more natural beauty than Yellowstone National Park.  If you're a nature lover, prepare to spend several days marveling at erupting geysers, observing animals like moose, elk, and grizzly bears, and exploring the surrounding mountains and canyons.

Beat the crowds by visiting Yellowstone in May — the weather will be mild, and you won't have to fight through families on their summer vacations.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Millennials love these 5 brands

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Tim Cook

Branding agency MBLM has put together its 2018 Brand Intimacy Report, the largest study of brands based on emotions. According to the report, "Brand Intimacy is defined as a new paradigm that leverages and strengthens the emotional bonds between a person and a brand." 

The study reveals that a strong emotional bond can be a crucial factor in forming better relationships with customers. The report also suggests that these preferred brands can command a premium among this influential and quickly growing demographic. This can translate to better financial results for these companies.

Here's a list of the five brands that have the strongest connection with millennials, and some of the reasons why.

5. Amazon.com

The dawn of e-commerce began just as the earliest millennials were entering their teen years, so online shopping has likely become second nature to this digitally savvy demographic. Many grew up seeing the recognizable "smiley-faced" boxes being delivered to their homes, so it's only natural that many would follow suit and become customers. There are a number of other reasons Amazon.com has become a favorite of millennials.

Amazon is well-known for its fanatical customer service, which is highly valued by these shoppers. Social media is second nature, and millennials are fond of sharing their views on products and seeking out the opinions of others using Amazon's product review feature. Other surveys have found that Amazon is the one app that millennials "can't go without."



4. Target

Millennials were undoubtedly affected by the Great Recession, which kept many of them living at home longer than planned. These events have instilled a level of price sensitivity among these younger shoppers, which gives discount stores an edge.

Over the last several years, Target has made a concerted effort to "target" millennial customers. These efforts included offering more organic, gluten-free, and natural products among its grocery offerings, as well as opening smaller, more focused stores, and collaborating with designers on younger-skewing brands. Those efforts appear to be paying off as the combination of style and affordability offered by the retailer resonates with younger shoppers.



3. YouTube

The video-sharing and viewing platform owned by Google parent Alphabet Inc., made a big move in this year's survey, up from No. 10 last year. This is corroborated by other studies that have found that YouTube is the most popular social app among the group. Additionally, millennials have a strong connection to their phones, making YouTube a natural thanks to its short-form videos.

"We were surprised and pleased to see YouTube as an addition to the top three most intimate brands for millennials this year," stated Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. "We believe its rise is due to our culture's continued need for escape and the brand's immediate, diverse content, personalities, and growing offerings in movies and live TV. YouTube is clearly an established ritual in the lives of many millennials today."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Michael Jordan's legendary North Carolina NCAA championship team

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dean smith

The University of North Carolina Tar Heels cut down the nets at last year's NCAA tournament, adding yet another title to the program's prestigious history. 

Of all of North Carolina's title winning teams, however, none may be more iconic than the 1982 National Championship team. Led by legendary coach Dean Smith, and with a roster boasting some of the greatest players ever — indeed, perhaps the greatest player ever — the '82 Heels won a thrilling, down-to-the-wire contest against the Georgetown Hoyas to claim the title. 

Below, we take a look at some of the key contributors to that team, as well as where they went after that iconic game. 

James Worthy was the top player on the 1982 team, winning the National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards that year.



Worthy went on to have a Hall of Fame NBA career as a part of the Showtime Lakers. He currently works as a Lakers TV analyst. Fun fact, he also once had a cameo on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."



Michael Jordan was a freshman on the 1982 Tar Heels team, and he played a pivotal role averaging 13.5 points per game. He also hit the game-winning shot against Georgetown in the title game.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Trump spends almost every weekend at one of his properties, from Mar-a-Lago to Bedminster — here's how other presidents compare

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mar a lago

Washington can be a tough town, where scandals abound and never-ending political drama rules the day.

Perhaps the hustle and bustle of life in the US capital takes a greater toll on nobody more than the president.

"Over the years, presidents struggle so hard to get to the White House and then they're almost desperate to get away from the place once they're there," journalist Kenneth Walsh said during an interview in 2009.

Vacations and weekend getaways help US presidents cope with the pressures of leading the country. John F. Kennedy frequented Hyannis Port in Massachusetts. Ronald Reagan had a ranch in California. And President Donald Trump has a golf course in New Jersey and his famous Mar-a-Lago private resort in Florida.

Here's how some US presidents vacationed as compared to Trump:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 15 most polarizing US presidents, according to political scientists

DON'T MISS: Inside the marriage of Donald and Melania Trump, who broke up once before, reportedly sleep in different bedrooms, and are weathering rumors of his affairs

Abraham Lincoln’s preferred hideaway was a mansion-sized “cottage” that was only four miles from the White House. It served as a useful retreat during the summer to escape the oppressive heat of downtown Washington.

Source: The Washington Post



Teddy Roosevelt's "Summer White House" in Sagamore Hill, New York, served as an ideal location for the president to enjoy the outdoors, away from Washington.

Source: National Parks



Roosevelt was a prominent conservationist who laid the groundwork for the establishment of many of America's national monuments, forests, and parks.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

GOLDMAN SACHS: Here are the 5 ways companies can win their escalating battle with higher rates

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  • Goldman Sachs has some ideas for how companies can offset higher rates by pursuing internal growth.
  • The firm sees 4% as a crucial threshold for the US 10-year Treasury yield.

If US companies are going to withstand the pressure of Federal Reserve monetary tightening, they're going to have to grow.

So says Goldman Sachs, which sees 4% as a crucial threshold for the US 10-year Treasury yield. If rates exceed 4%, the firm estimates, companies will have to generate 200 basis points of medium-term growth to neutralize the negative effect on valuations.

"A boost to medium-term growth expectations or a decline in the equity risk premium (ERP) could offset the negative valuation impact of rising bond yields," a group of Goldman strategists led by David Kostin, the firm's chief US equity strategist, wrote in a client note.

Screen Shot 2018 03 08 at 1.33.18 PM

It's important to note that Goldman is making recommendations in the event of a sudden, unexpected rate increase. The firm's 2018 forecast for the 10-year is just 3.25%, and it's been argued in recent weeks that at least some areas of the market will do just fine on a relative basis regardless of how high rates go.

With that in mind, here are the five ways Goldman says companies can preempt rate-hike madness and stand tall in the face of rate hikes:

1. Growth-enhancing investments

This includes the growth of capital expenditures, or capex, as well as research and development.

Goldman notes companies that "invest for growth" have historically outperformed during periods of rising interest rates. In addition, growth investment as a percentage of cash flow from operations has declined close to its lowest level in 30 years, suggesting there's room for a rebound.



2. M&A

Goldman is referring to the type of merger-and-acquisition activity that "improves existing revenue streams or offers access to new markets."

And the firm says conditions are ripe for M&A right now, with the ratio of cash-to-assets for S&P 500 companies sitting at a record high. Goldman also notes tax reform will bring a flood of cash into the US from overseas — money that companies should put to work.



3. Expansion to new geographic markets

Goldman is particularly keen on emerging markets, which account for just 14% of S&P 500 sales, thereby representing a massive area of opportunity.

The firm highlights its proprietary current activity indicator, which it notes is roughly 2 percentage points higher than the US version. 

"EM is early in the cycle, and therefore presents an opportunity for incremental growth," Kostin said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's the salary of every state representative in the United States

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Danica Roem

  • US senators and representatives are paid vastly different salaries across state lines.
  • Career site Zippia estimated how much state politicians earn — a complicated feat because each state calculates salary differently.
  • State politicians in California make the most money, while legislators in New Hampshire only make $100 a year.

Politics doesn't always pay — at least, not on the surface.

The US does not have a uniform method for determining how much legislators earn annually. Career site Zippia analyzed the salaries of state representatives from all 50 states to see who makes the most, and who makes the least. 

Politicians in California — where Democrats control both houses of the state legislature — make the most money, earning an average of $97,197 a year. In New Hampshire, state representatives are paid just $100 on average. Both houses of the New Hampshire General Court are controlled by Republicans.

Calculating and comparing how much politicians are paid isn't straightforward. Some states shell out standard annual salaries, while others determine pay based on how many days a politician works. Even the definition of "a day" varies throughout the US when it comes to calculating pay for politicians: In some places it's simply a calendar day, while other states only count when legislators are actually in session — which also differs from state to state. 

"Oh, and state senators get paid differently from state representatives — sometimes," Zippia's Chris Kolmar wrote. In those cases, Zippia showcased the smaller salary.

Here's how much politicians earn around the USA:

SEE ALSO: Here's the salary of every governor in the United States

50. New Hampshire

Both houses of the New Hampshire General Court are controlled by Republicans.

Average state representative pay: $100

Living wage in New Hampshire: $55,103



49. New Mexico

Both houses of the New Mexico Legislature are controlled by Democrats.

Average state representative pay: $7,425

Living wage in New Mexico: $48,050



48. Wyoming

Both houses of the Wyoming Legislature are controlled by a supermajority of Republicans.

Average state representative pay: $7,770

Living wage in Wyoming: $47,951



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 ways one type of exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug we have

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Want an all-natural way to lift your mood, improve your memory, and protect your brain against the decline that comes with aging?

Get moving.

Exercises that get your heart pumping and sweat flowing — known as aerobic exercise, or "cardio" — have significant and beneficial effects on the brain and body, according to a wealth of recent research, including a new study published Thursday.

"Aerobic exercise is key for your head, just as it is for your heart," according to an article in a Harvard Medical School blog.

Here are some of the ways cardio is such a boon for our bodies.

DON'T MISS: One of the most popular ways of telling if you're a healthy weight is bogus — here's what you should do instead

SEE ALSO: A Harvard doctor says these are the best exercises for your body

The most recent study on the benefits of exercise found that workouts may protect your immune system from some age-related decline.

For a small study published this week in the journal Aging Cell, researchers looked at 125 amateur male and female cyclists aged 55 to 79. They compared those individuals with 75 people of a similar age who rarely or never exercised. 

The cyclists more muscle mass and strength, and less body fat and cholesterol than the sedentary adults. The athletic adults also appeared to have healthier and younger-looking immune systems, at least when it came to a key organ called the thymus.

The thymus is responsible for generating key immune cells called T cells. In healthy people, it begins to shrink starting around age 20, and T cell production also starts to drop off around that time.

The study found that the thymus glands of the older cyclists looked like they belonged to younger people — their bodies were producing just as many T cells as would be expected from the thymus of a young person.

"We now have strong evidence that encouraging people to commit to regular exercise throughout their lives is a viable solution to the problem that we are living longer but not healthier," Janet Lord, the director of the Institute of Inflammation and Aging at the UK's University of Birmingham, said in a statement.



Cardio also tones your muscles.

It was initially believed that when it comes to building muscle, cardio paled in comparison to exercises like resistance training, which are designed to help you gain strength. But a recent review of 14 studies published in the journal Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews found that on average, men who did 45 minutes of moderate to intense cardio 4 days a week saw a 5%-6% increase in leg muscle size.

“Aerobic exercise, if done properly, can lead to as much muscle growth as you’d expect with resistance exercise,” Ball State University exercise scientist Matthew Harber, who authored the study, told Men's Fitness



It raises your heart rate, improving heart and lung health.

Aerobic workouts, especially swimming, train your body to use oxygen more efficiently, a practice that gradually reduces your resting heart rate and your breathing rate — two important indicators of cardiovascular health.

A 2008 study compared blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other heart health metrics across close to 46,000 walkers, runners, swimmers, and sedentary people. The researchers found that the regular swimmers and runners had the best metrics, followed closely by the walkers. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These stores have the best return policies in retail

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Costco

  • L.L.Bean has long been known for its lifetime return policy, which it ended in February.
  • The store now offers a still-generous one-year window for returns. 
  • It's not the only US retailer with an extremely generous return policy.

In February, L.L.Beanended its legendary lifetime return policy to clamp down on customers who were taking advantage and using it to replace heavily worn products.

"Increasingly, a small, but growing number of customers have been interpreting our guarantee well beyond its original intent. Some view it as a lifetime product replacement program, expecting refunds for heavily worn products used over many years," the company's executive chairman, Shawn O. Gorman, wrote in an email announcing the policy changes to customers. 

But it isn't all doom and gloom for L.L.Bean customers, as the store still offers a very reasonable one-year window for returns. 

And it's not alone — a whole host of US retailers offer customers incredible return policies.

Take a look at some of the best, below:

SEE ALSO: Wildly popular mattress-in-a-box startup Casper just opened its first store in NYC — here's why it thinks it can defy Mattress Firm's curse

Costco

Costco has one of the most generous return policies of any store. Any product can be returned to Costco warehouses for any reason. The only restrictions are on electronics, which must be returned within 90 days.



Ikea

Ikea gives customers a 365-day return window for a full refund unless the product in question is a mattress, which can only be exchanged once. 

Given that a year is a long time to hold onto a receipt, the store can also help you out by searching for an order using your credit- or debit-card number.

 



L.L.Bean

L.L.Bean previously offered an almost unbelievably generous return policy – customers could bring back any items bought at L.L.Bean if they felt it didn't live up to their expectations. The guarantee covered the item's full lifetime.

In February, the store reduced the return window to one year, which is still considerably better than a lot of stores. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

HBO created a 'Westworld' experience at SXSW that's like Disney World with gunslingers, women, and booze — take an exclusive look inside

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"Westworld" has come to Austin, Texas, for the SXSW film festival.

HBO created an entire theme park set in the American frontier, where "Westworld" fans can experience what it's like to be a guest of the sci-fi show's park. Actors playing the town's residents live out elaborate storylines, and visitors interact with them like they're AI hosts from the show.

It's like Disney World's Frontierland with gunslingers, prostitutes, and booze — lots of it.

A recreation of the sci-fi town of Sweetwater for the "'Westworld' Live Without Limits" experience at SXSW is the most sophisticated stunt that HBO has ever attempted. The network spent the last four months refurbishing a real-life ghost town in Austin into the sci-fi Western park.

I had a chance to visit the "Westworld" experience for Business Insider. It blew my mind.

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for "Westworld" season two.

SEE ALSO: Everything you might have missed in the new 'Westworld' season 2 trailer

DON'T MISS: Our full SXSW coverage here

The location of the experience is a secret. Fans who successfully booked one of the super exclusive appointments to visit Westworld gathered at a bar in Austin to catch a shuttle.



Before we boarded, guests climbed the stairs to a rooftop bar that served as an office for Delos, the mysterious corporation behind theme-park destinations like Westworld.



A Delos "employee" dressed in all white asked my name, gave me a once-over, and said, "You're a black hat." Apparently she saw more rebellious rogue than do-gooder in me.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 things millennials do that their parents wouldn't recognize

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millennials

  • The millennial generation generally includes people born between 1981 and 1996.
  • Through their sheer size, they've affected industries such as fast food, fast fashion, and higher education.
  • They parent differently from their parents — and run their lives differently too.

Everyone loves to hate millennials.

The Pew Research Center recently defined this generation as people born between 1981 and 1996. And boy, are they shaking things up.

They're killing industries left and right, from napkins to diamond rings. They're marrying later and starting nontraditional families. Those rascals!

Below, we rounded up some of millennials' most significant departures from tradition — "tradition" being the way their parents did things. Read on to find out how this much-maligned generation is changing life as we know it.

SEE ALSO: 23 things most millennials have never heard of

Instead of preparing meals, millennials are more likely to order takeout.

The food industry is responding to major shifts in the way young people eat.

Business Insider's Akin Oyedele reported that millennials spent the least amount of time on meal preparation compared with older generations. Instead, they're more likely to eat at restaurants, pick up prepared meals, or order delivery.



Instead of drinking beer, millennials prefer wine and spirits.

Millennials are drinking less alcohol than older generations in general. But when they do drink, they prefer wine and spirits to beer.

Citing Nielsen data, Business Insider's Kate Taylor reported that beer penetration in the US market fell by 1% from 2016 to 2017 while wine and spirits stayed the same. UBS and Goldman Sachs have also found that millennials are less interested than previous generations in beer.



Instead of attending lectures, millennials want to learn online.

It's screens versus lectures.

Business Insider reported on a survey in which 69% of people 18 to 34 years old said they thought they learned more from technology than from people, compared with 50% of people older than 45 who said the same.

And there's evidence that Generation Z — those born after millennials — could be even more disinclined to pursue higher education, especially to avoid falling into debt.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We drove the most powerful Bentley ever built to see if it's worth $325,000 — here's the verdict

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Bentley Continental SuperSports

  • Bentley's long-serving Continental GT is heading for retirement after 15 wildly successful years in service.
  • The Continental GT is going out in style with the 700 horsepower, 209 mph Supersports. 
  • Bentley's all-new second-generation Continental GT will arrive for the 2019 model year.
  • We loved the Supersports' power, performance, comfort, and style.

All good things must come to an end. After 15 years of unprecedented success, it was time for the Bentley Continental GT to say goodbye.

Launched in 2003, the Continental GT proved to be an immediate success. In fact, the 12-cylinder grand tourer was so much of a success that it increased Bentley's global sales five-fold by 2005. That year, it was also revealed that demand for the Continental GT was so massive that there was a one-year waiting list for the car.

In 2010, Bentley updated the Continental GT with fresh styling and a added a new V8 engine option. Over the years, Bentley has worked hard to tweak and improve the Continental.

After a decade and a half, Bentley and parent company VW Group decided it was time to bid farewell to the best selling model.

Last August, Bentley unveiled the new second-generation Continental GT. It'll arrive later this year as a 2019 model.

But before sailing off into the sunset, Bentley decided to do its trusty workhorse a solid with the introduction of the Continental Supersports. It's the fastest and powerful Bentley ever built. It's the Bentley Continental in its ultimate form. 

Recently, Business Insider had the chance to spend a few days with the stylish English brute on the roads in and around San Francisco. 

The 2017 Bentley Continental Supersports starts at $293,300, but $35,065 in options and fees pushed the as-tested price up to $328,365.

Unfortunately, the Continental Supersports Coupe is no longer on sale. However, the slightly pricier, Supersports Convertible is still available as a 2018 model. 

Here's a closer look at the Bentley Continental Supersports. 

SEE ALSO: These are the 24 coolest cars at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show

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Bentley introduced the Continental GT in 2003. Even though it was an immediate sales success. Critics felt the car didn't drive as well as it should. It was too soft and soulless.



Over the years, Bentley steadily improved the Continental GT. This included a major refresh in 2010.



In addition to the Coupe, the Continental was also available as a convertible and as a sedan called the Flying Spur, one of the coolest names in the car business.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 things science says predict divorce

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it's complicated

No one can say with 100% certainty that a couple is heading for disaster.

But social scientists have gotten pretty good at predicting who's most likely to wind up there. These couples share certain commonalities — in the way they fight and the way they describe their relationship, but also in their education level and employment status.

Below, we've rounded up seven factors that predict divorce.

SEE ALSO: 13 facts about divorce every couple should know before getting married

Getting married in your teens or after age 32

The best time to get married is when you feel ready, and when you've found someone you think you can spend a lifetime with. Don't force anything — or put it off — because a study told you to do so.

That said, research does suggest that couples who marry in their teens and couples who marry in their mid-30s or later are at greater risk for divorce than couples in their late 20s and early 30s. The risk is especially high for teenage couples.

That's according to research led by Nicholas Wolfinger, a professor at the University of Utah. After age 32, Wolfinger found, your odds of divorce increase by about 5% every year.

As Wolfinger wrote in a blog post for the conservative-leaning Institute for Family Studies, "For almost everyone, the late twenties seems to be the best time to tie the knot."

Other research, published in 2015 in the journal Economic Inquiry, found that the odds of divorce among heterosexual couples increase with the age gap between spouses.

As Megan Garber reported at The Atlantic:

"A one-year discrepancy in a couple's ages, the study found, makes them 3% more likely to divorce (when compared to their same-aged counterparts); a 5-year difference, however, makes them 18% more likely to split up. And a 10-year difference makes them 39% more likely."



Having a husband who doesn't work full-time

A 2016 Harvard study, published in the American Sociological Review, suggests that it's not a couple's finances that affect their chances of divorce, but rather the division of labor.

When the researcher, Alexandra Killewald, looked at heterosexual marriages that began after 1975, she learned that couples in which the husband didn't have a full-time job had a 3.3% chance of divorcing the following year, compared to 2.5% among couples in which the husband did have a full-time job.

Wives' employment status, however, didn't much affect the couple's chances of divorce.

The researcher concludes that the male breadwinner stereotype is still very much alive, and can affect marital stability.



Not finishing high school

It doesn't seem fair that couples who spend more time in school are less likely to get divorced. But that's what the research suggests.

A post on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website highlights a result from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979), which looked at the marriage and divorce patterns of a group of young baby boomers. The post reads:

"The chance of a marriage ending in divorce was lower for people with more education, with over half of marriages of those who did not complete high school having ended in divorce compared with approximately 30 percent of marriages of college graduates."

It may have to do with the fact that lower educational attainment predicts lower income — which in turn predicts a more stressful life. As psychologist Eli Finkel previously told Business Insider:

"What I think is going on is it's really difficult to have a productive, happy marriage when your life circumstances are so stressful and when your day-to-day life involves, say three or four bus routes in order to get to your job."

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

6 tips for filling out your March Madness bracket

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UNC Duke

March Madness is back!

For the next three weeks, college basketball fans all across the country will be filling out their brackets and hoping they don't go bust. It's one of the most enthralling traditions in sport.

While there's no wrong way to fill out your bracket, there are some trends that seem to happen year after year and surprise us all the same.

I've gone through the past 25 years of bracket data with a fine-toothed comb to answer these questions and more in order to help bring you a few tips while filling out your bracket.

Take a look at our bracket tips below.

No. 12 vs. No. 5 upsets are a always discussed, but don't go too crazy with them.

The No. 12 vs. No 5 upset is always discussed at length in the build up to the first weekend of March Madness, and rightfully so — in 12 of the past 25 years, at least two No. 12 teams had an upset in the first round. Additionally, the No. 12 vs. No. 5 upset is a fairly safe one to make, as in most cases, the eventual winner will be set to lose to the top seed in the region in the Sweet 16.

In the past 100 No. 12 vs. No. 5 matchups, the lower seed has prevailed 38 times. Projecting that number out into this year, you're probably safe to pick one or two upsets in this matchup if you think you found the right team.

One helpful hint — sometimes the 12-seed won't even be the underdog. Check Las Vegas odds on these matchups and you might find the lower seed favored, usually a pretty good signal of upset potential.



There's almost always a No. 2/3/4 seed upset in the first round.

While the 12-5 upsets usually get the most press, in 22 of the past 25 years a team seeded 2-4 has also fallen in the first round to their lower seeded counterpart. In 13 of the past 25 years, it's happened at least twice.

The most difficult aspect of picking these upsets is finding the right team — with 12 teams seeded 13-15, you really have to hit the bullseye in order to nail the Cinderella team. That said, if you call the next Florida Gulf Coast trip to the Final Four, you get bragging rights in your league for life — a fair trade-off of risk and reward in my humble opinion.

You'll find the right team with a combination of feel and luck — look for the champion of a smaller conference that has uniforms you like and are going against a team you hate in the first round. It's fun to root for!

If you want to play these safe, that's understandable, and might the be more logical move in terms of coming out on top of your league. But don't be shocked to see your favorite No. 3 team toppled in the first round.



Don't be too shy about putting a double-digit team through to the Sweet 16.

Another tip toward filling out your bracket that might make you pull back a bit at first — don't be afraid to put a double-digit seed through to the Sweet 16. Just twice in the past 25 years have all the teams that advanced to the second weekend of the tournament been seeded ninth or higher.

In fact, in that time, the tournament has averaged a little over two teams seeded No. 10 or lower making it past the first two rounds. Last year, No. 10 Xavier took their impressive run all the way to the Elite Eight, giving basketball fans a preview of what was to come in 2018.

If there's a spicy team seeded 10th or 11th that you have been watching this year, have faith in them, especially if they have players and coaches with tournament experience, or are sporting a young crop of players that are growing into their own.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 highest-paid coaches in college basketball

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Mike Krzyzewski

College basketball coaches can make a lot of money.

As revenue deals increase and schools compete to stay atop their conferences, both long-tenured coaches and impressive journeymen can come to make a ton of money with just a few years of repeated success.

That said, in order to get to the top of the coaching world in terms of compensation, you have to have been in the game for a long, long time.

A recent report from USA Today ranked the top-paid coaches in college basketball, including what's known about their bonuses and the cost of a potential buyout.

You can check out the highest-paid coaches for the 2017-18 season below. All conference title notes reference coaches' tenures with their current team.

25. Mike Anderson — $2.6 million

School: Arkansas

Conference: SEC

Potential Bonus: $1 million

Conference titles (reg. season/tournament): 0/0

National championships: 0

One thing to know: While Anderson might not be the winningest head coach in college basketball history, he's one of the most consistent, as he's one of just four coaches in the game who have led a team for 15 years and never suffered a losing season.



24. Jay Wright — 2.6 million

School: Villanova

Conference: Big East

Potential Bonus: Not available

Conference titles (reg. season/tournament): 5/2

National championships: 1

One thing to know: Wright finally brought a championship to Villanova with a thrilling win at the buzzer of the 2016 national title game, but aside from that, the Wildcats still have a tendency to disappoint in the postseason. The team has been eliminated before the Sweet Sixteen in seven of their past 10 appearances in the tournament.



23. Steve Alford — $2.6 million

School: UCLA

Conference: Pac-12

Potential Bonus: $310,500

Conference titles (reg. season/tournament): 0/1

National championships: 0

One thing to know: While he hasn't won a national championship as a coach yet, Alford did win the title while playing for Bob Knight at Indiana in 1987. He made seven of 10 three pointers attempted in the championship game, scoring 23 points for the Hoosiers.



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I stayed at New York’s most iconic luxury hotel that charges up to $50,000 a night and was once owned by Donald Trump

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ThePlazaHotel NewYork (60 of 60)

  • The Plaza in New York is one of the most famous and luxurious hotels in the world.
  • We stayed at The Plaza Hotel recently to see if it still lives up to the hype.
  • While the regal charm and luxury of the hotel is undeniable, it could use some tweaks for the modern age, including free wireless internet and better in-room entertainment.


It is no exaggeration to say that The Plaza in Midtown Manhattan is New York's most iconic hotel. When it was opened in 1907, newspapers reportedly declared it "the greatest hotel in the world."

Since, it has played host to New York's ultra wealthy, from the scions of the Vanderbilt and Kennedy families to American artists and socialites F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Ambassadors, princesses, and actors and actresses have all called The Plaza home at one point or another.

It first became etched in the American cultural imagination in Fitzgerald's seminal novel "The Great Gatsby" and since has been featured in countless films, television shows, and literature. More recently, it was featured in "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" and "American Hustle."

President Donald Trump once owned the hotel for a time, purchasing it in 1988 for $390 million —around $807 million in 2017 dollars.

In an open letter to New York Magazine, he famously declared, "I haven't purchased a building, I have purchased a masterpiece – the Mona Lisa. For the first time in my life, I have knowingly made a deal that was not economic – for I can never justify the price I paid, no matter how successful the Plaza becomes."

The hotel has passed through many owners throughout its 100+ year history. We stayed at the hotel recently to see if it still retains the regal charm for which it has always we been known.

SEE ALSO: New York City's famed Plaza Hotel is once again looking for a buyer — here's why it's so legendary

The Plaza Hotel is located in midtown Manhattan at the southeast end of Central Park, near Grand Army Plaza. The location is unbeatable for that classic ritzy uptown feel.



The Plaza Hotel was built by financier Bernhard Beinecke, hotelier Fred Sterry, and Harry S. Black and opened in 1907. It actually replaced a 15-year-old hotel of the same name on the site, which was open from 1890 to around 1905.

Historic Hotels of America



The entrance is wrought in golds, blacks, and whites. This is not the original entrance of the building — that is on Fifth Avenue. In 2008, the hotel reopened after a $400 million renovation that split the building into a 282-room hotel and 152 condominiums.



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9 details you may have missed on Sunday's 'The Walking Dead'

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the walking dead daryl

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of AMC's "The Walking Dead,""Dead or Alive or."

Sunday's "The Walking Dead" was crammed with enough cast members that you may need to go back and watch it again. 

After two weeks of centering heavily around Carl's death, we got more Daryl, Morgan, and Maggie. Sunday's episode also delivered one big moment from the comics that fans have been waiting to see with Savior leader Negan.

Keep reading to see all of the callbacks and references to the comics you may have missed. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Walking Dead' recreates a big moment from the comics — but it doesn't seem necessary anymore

The title of the episode is "Dead or Alive or."

If you knew that going into the episode, you were probably left wondering what the third choice was in that scenario. 

We found out at the very end of Sunday's episode. 



Negan's final line of dialogue on Sunday's episode referenced the title and cleared up any confusion.

"The Hilltop is going to learn to toe the line one way or another. Dead or Alive. Or some kind of sh-- in between," Negan told his Saviors. 



Negan comes up with a grand scheme to deal with Rick's group at the Hilltop.

Let's talk about that plan of Negan's. He gathers the Saviors to show them their next plan of attack in the war against Rick.

"Y'all know how it works. You get a bite, some kind of wound from one of these things, something from them gets in you, and you die," Negan tells his group. "You join the club, which sucks. What if we could use that to our advantage?"

Negan then bashes up one of the undead and starts getting walker guts on his weapon.

"You see how Lucille is getting to know our beautiful, cold friend here? That's it. Look at that. No more smashing and bashing with this. With this, it could just be a touch or a big, wet kiss," Negan says. "Either way, this gets you full membership and that's what we want. We want people to join the club. The Hilltop is going to learn to toe the line one way or another. Dead or Alive. Or some kind of sh-- in between."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 details you may have missed on Sunday's 'The Walking Dead'

0
0

the walking dead daryl

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of AMC's "The Walking Dead,""Dead or Alive or."

Sunday's "The Walking Dead" was crammed with enough cast members that you may need to go back and watch it again. 

After two weeks of centering heavily around Carl's death, we got more Daryl, Morgan, and Maggie. Sunday's episode also delivered one big moment from the comics that fans have been waiting to see with Savior leader Negan.

Keep reading to see all of the callbacks and references to the comics you may have missed. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Walking Dead' recreates a big moment from the comics — but it doesn't seem necessary anymore

The title of the episode is "Dead or Alive or."

If you knew that going into the episode, you were probably left wondering what the third choice was in that scenario. 

We found out at the very end of Sunday's episode. 



Negan's final line of dialogue on Sunday's episode referenced the title and cleared up any confusion.

"The Hilltop is going to learn to toe the line one way or another. Dead or Alive. Or some kind of sh-- in between," Negan told his Saviors. 



Negan comes up with a grand scheme to deal with Rick's group at the Hilltop.

Let's talk about that plan of Negan's. He gathers the Saviors to show them their next plan of attack in the war against Rick.

"Y'all know how it works. You get a bite, some kind of wound from one of these things, something from them gets in you, and you die," Negan tells his group. "You join the club, which sucks. What if we could use that to our advantage?"

Negan then bashes up one of the undead and starts getting walker guts on his weapon.

"You see how Lucille is getting to know our beautiful, cold friend here? That's it. Look at that. No more smashing and bashing with this. With this, it could just be a touch or a big, wet kiss," Negan says. "Either way, this gets you full membership and that's what we want. We want people to join the club. The Hilltop is going to learn to toe the line one way or another. Dead or Alive. Or some kind of sh-- in between."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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