• Morning people have a reputation of being more productive, so I tried waking up hour earlier for two weeks. 
• Though I like my sleep, the extra time helped me work toward a number of goals, such as exercising in the morning and increasing productivity.
• My experiment wasn't life-changing, but it did teach me a thing or two — including that morning workouts aren't so bad.

I'm not a morning person. I love to sleep in and luckily, my lifestyle lets me indulge. I have to be at work at 9:30 a.m., which is later than most. My commute is also a 10-minute walk. In turn, I wake up at a comfortable 8 a.m., and that's if I don't snooze my phone alarm a couple of times.

The ability to sleep in had always felt like a blessing. But my boyfriend — an early bird — found it outrageous. When I'd complain that I didn't have time for something, he'd ask, "Why don't you just wake up an hour earlier?"

“If only it were that easy," I'd think to myself — until I realized that maybe it could be. Before I graduated college, I was most productive at night. But now, doing things into the wee hours isn’t feasible.

Finally, I decided to find out and committed to waking up an hour earlier for two weeks. This is what happened.

SEE ALSO: I woke up an hour earlier for a year and I'm convinced it ruined my productivity — and my health

1. I wasn't more tired than usual

... At least not for long. I definitely felt sleepier than usual at night on the first couple of days. After that, though, I didn't really notice a change — probably because I hit the hay at a reasonable hour.

I live with my boyfriend, and we like to go to sleep together. His schedule calls for an earlier bedtime than I'd adhere to otherwise, so I wind up getting up to nine hours of sleep each night. Waking up an hour earlier still kept that number in the range of 7-9 hours per night for adults recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

2. It still wasn't easy

My body always takes a while to adjust in the morning. It happens when I wake up at my usual time, around 8 a.m., and it happened when I woke up at 7 a.m. I wouldn't call adapting to the new schedule easy, even though I knew deep down it wasn't making me more tired.

I'm a creature of habit I guess, and it was hard to convince myself that losing that hour of sleep wouldn't somehow make my life worse. I still snoozed my alarm sometimes — but no more than I normally would so as not to break my commitment.

3. I was more productive

I often complain about not having time to exercise. Before my experiment, I was getting in two to three workouts a week, most of which I did on the weekends. I'd make excuses after work — I don't leave until 6 p.m., I have to cook dinner, etc. — and I'd never been into morning fitness.

I forced myself to do a home workout on the first morning, though, and it felt rewarding. I decided to do it again the next day. By day three, it was hard not to work out. I'd survived the other a.m. sweat sessions and realized they weren't so miserable.

I wound up working out four times the first week — all on weekday mornings. I did four again the second week: three during the week and one over the weekend.

If you've wondered which of the "Avengers: Infinity War" cast members are secretly artists, the answer is not that many.

Ahead of the movie's release, Jimmy Kimmel asked 19 stars to draw their characters during commercial breaks to sometimes amazing, but mostly hilarious results. But, it's all for a good cause.

If you like the art or have want signed artwork by one of your favorite "Avengers" stars, you can bid on any of the artwork on Charitybuzz here through May 10. All of the proceeds go towards the Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps chronically and terminally ill children.

Keep reading to see which "Infinity War" actors have a secret talent.

Winston Duke admitted he may have drawn another character instead of his "Black Panther" character, M'baku.

"I think I actually drew Cumberbatch," Duke said of Benedict Cumberbatch's Marvel character, Doctor Strange.

You can bid on Duke's drawing here.

Elizabeth Olsen wanted to make some clarifications on her rendition of Scarlet Witch.

"I was trying to draw a necklace and it looked like hair so I had to specify," Olsen explained.

Kimmel said her drawing resembled Tweety in an old cartoon, "Hyde and Go Tweet," where the sweet little bird becomes a monster.

You can bid on Olsen's drawing here.

Don Cheadle said he does self portraits, but when he revealed his drawing for War Machine, it was clear he was bluffing.

Instead of drawing his character, who wears a suit of armor, he wrote out the name War Machine and signed it as War Machine.

"In no way are you represented on that piece of paper," said Kimmel.

You can bid on Cheadle's design here.

Women from the tech offices of Silicon Valley to the streets of New York City have embraced a new status symbol: shoes available at a price of $145 and up that happen to be as cute as they are eco-conscious.

Rothy's, a shoe startup based in San Francisco, turns plastic water bottles into trendy ballet flats. Since its launch in 2016, the company has gained a ravenous following, including venture capitalists and the editors of Vogue. While the shoes aren't the most environmentally-friendly in existence (check out these future Adidas kicks that will be 100% biodegradable), Rothy's has diverted more than 10 million plastic bottles from landfills since its founding.

The company opened its first retail store in San Francisco this week. With its wood floors, bright lights, and shoes artfully mounted on the walls, it feels more like an Apple Store than a DSW.

We stepped into the Rothy's headquarters to learn how the new status shoe came to be.

SEE ALSO: A high-fashion apparel startup wants to create a better uniform for working women — and millennials are obsessed

In 2012, Stephen Hawthornwaite and Roth Martin left their jobs in finance and design to reinvent the flat — a stylish, but not so comfortable staple of many women's wardrobes.

They saw how women were dressing down — sporting athletic apparel outside the gym — and decided to take advantage of the shift. They set out to make a women's shoe for all occasions.

Rothy's flats are stylish and comfortable — and happen to be good for the planet.

During four years of research, the pair learned there's a great deal of waste in traditional shoe manufacturing. Most shoes are made by cutting out patterns and stitching the pieces.

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.

The Insider Pick:

• A great portable speaker should sound good, offer decent battery life, and have features like water-resistance for added durability on the go. We think the Riva Turbo X is the best portable speaker you can buy because it checks all the boxes.

Great home speakers can make listening to music and other audio a much better experience, but what if you want a similar experience on the go? These days, there are quite a few great portable speakers available for music on the go, so whether you’re going to a picnic, hosting a BBQ, or simply going to the beach, you should be able to still enjoy your tunes.

Of course, there are a few things to consider if you’re in the market for a wireless speaker. For starters, you’ll want to think about the speaker size in terms of both sound and portability. There are lots of differently sized speakers that are portable, but the larger speakers offer better bass response. You'll have to consider just how big is too big to take with you.

You’ll also want to think about where you’re going to be using the speaker because if you’re using it near water, you’ll want water resistance. Many of the best portable speakers these days offer water resistance, so you shouldn’t have to look much to find one.

Lastly, you’ll want to think about how big of a battery you want, and you’ll want to think about whether you want a smart speaker with a digital assistant built in, or if you are fine with a slightly less intelligent speaker.

Although the Riva Turbo X is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the UE Roll 2, the JBL Link 10, the Creative Muvo 2c, and the UE Boom 2.

SEE ALSO: The best Bluetooth speakers you can buy

The best portable speaker overall

Why you'll love it: The Riva Turbo X is well-designed and easy to use, but the best thing about it is that it sounds great and has a long-lasting battery.

Sometimes, the best products come from the most unexpected places. That’s kind of the case here because Riva isn’t really a well-known company. In spite of that, the Riva Turbo X has been getting excellent reviews ever since it was launched a few years ago, and for good reason.

For starters, the speaker is very well-designed. It looks sleek and stylish, plus it offers plenty of controls on the top, including volume controls and a mute button. Perhaps even more interesting are the other controls. There’s a big “T” button which puts the speaker in “Turbo” mode and increases the maximum volume, and there’s an “S” button, which puts the speaker into a surround sound mode that subtly widens the audio. 

So how does it sound? Really quite good. The bass on the speaker is smooth and deep, thanks largely to the passive radiators, which help deliver the solid bass. Don’t take that to mean that the speaker is a bass monster – if you’re looking for next-level bass you may want to look elsewhere. The midrange is also well-tuned, particularly in the upper-mids, where things like the vocals and guitars sit. Last but not least are high frequencies, which are relatively sibilant and clear here.

Since it's a bigger speaker, the battery should last up to 26 hours, which is far longer than you normally get from a portable speaker. Obviously, it's a little larger, but it's still portable enough to bring in your bag. It measures 9.1 x 4.1 x 3.5 inches and weighs 3 pounds, so if you want something smaller or lighter, check out our next few picks.

The downsides to the speaker? Well, there aren’t a ton, but the biggest one is that it’s probably not small enough to take on the road very often.  

Pros: Good sound, loud volume, long-lasting battery, still fairly portable for a larger speaker

Cons: A bit bigger and heavier than others

Buy the Riva Turbo X on Amazon for $179

The best ultra-portable speaker

Why you'll love it: The UE Roll 2 sounds pretty good and is super easy to use, but the best thing about it is that it’s ultra-portable with a diameter of only 5.3-inches.

UE is known for its Bluetooth speakers that come in fun colors with unique styles. The company offers a slew of awesome speakers, including the great-looking and super portable UE Roll 2. The speaker is super small and portable, plus it has pretty great sound quality.

First up is the design. The semi-flat circular speaker is around 5.3-inches in diameter, so it’ll easily fit in a bag or backpack without taking up too much space. It comes in a few fun colors to suit different styles. The speaker is super easy to use, too, thanks to its minimalistic design and two large buttons for volume control.

Thankfully, the speaker also sounds pretty good. Because it’s small, the bass on the speaker isn’t going to be as powerful as it is on larger devices, but the mid-range and high-end is quite well-tuned, and the bass is still present enough for most. The speaker can get pretty loud, too, especially for its size. The UE Roll 2 is water-resistant, so it’ll work great at the beach or near the pool.

The UE Roll 2 has gotten good reviews from experts, too – Tom’s Guide and Trusted Reviews both gave the speaker an excellent 8/10. Our guides editor Malarie Gokey uses this speaker at home and loves it for its style, sound, and portability.

Pros: Ultra-portable, inexpensive, easy to use, water-resistant

Cons: Could use more bass

Buy the UE Roll 2 on Amazon for $65.99 and up

The best smart portable speaker

Why you'll love it: The JBL Link 10 sounds pretty good and features a simple design, but what makes this speaker shine is how smart it is, thanks to the Google Assistant.

Looking for a slightly more intelligent speaker that's still portable? The JBL Link 10 is the speaker for you. Not only is it super easy to use and relatively portable, but it also has the Google Assistant built right into it. Thanks to the voice control, you can communicate with the speaker directly for things like home control, music control, and more — just like you would with Google Assistant on any other device.

The speaker is pretty sleek and easy to use. It has a black color scheme, and on the top, you’ll find a few playback control buttons, including volume buttons and a play/pause button. You’ll also get a Google Assistant button, so you can activate Google manually if you so choose.

Thankfully, the speaker isn’t just smart — It also sounds pretty good. Now, this still isn’t a huge speaker, so the bass is a little weak compared to some other speakers, but it’s still good enough for most. The mid-range and highs, however, are pretty well-tuned, and the speaker has a warm tone.

There are some downsides to the speakers. For example, the battery life on the speaker comes in at only five hours. Safe to say, this is a speaker that’s best suited to being portable within the home or for day trips, rather than on long road trips.

Pros: Well-designed, decent sound, Google Assistant

Cons: Lackluster battery life

Buy the JBL Link 10 on Best Buy for $99.99 (originally $149.99)

With the upcoming release of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," the beloved sci-fi franchise is having a moment. "Star Wars" branded merch is everywhere, from R2-D2 Lip Smackers lip balm to Millennium Falcon sneakers. If past is prologue, some of these items will be worth lots of money someday.

Here’s a look back at some of the most prized collectibles from the original trilogy:

Blue "Snaggletooth" Action Figure: $150-$500

This action figure from the original "Star Wars" film, "A New Hope," is actually named Zutton, but is commonly referred to as Snaggletooth. In the film, the character wore a red suit, but an early production run of the figure clad him in blue. The resulting "Blue Snaggletooth," while not exactly priceless, is still popular among collectors for its novelty value.

"Yak Face" (Saelt-Marae) Action Figure with collectors coin: $2,000

If the name "Yak Face" doesn’t ring a bell, congratulations, you might not be a "Star Wars" superfan. This obscure character — also known as "Joe Camel" for its uncanny resemblance to a certain cigarette mascot — was cut from toy-maker Kenner’s line, after production of the toys had already begun, according to Gizmodo. The leftover toys were sent to Europe and Canada, making them especially prized by American collectors who had been deprived of the experience of playing with Yak Face as children.

Though you can get some figures for fairly cheap online, this figure with a collector's coin is worth thousands still in the package.

AT-AT Driver with Collector’s Coin: $5,500-$7,500

Often when manufacturers tell you something is "collectible," it’s a case of wishful thinking. But it has proved true in the case of the "Power of the Force" coins that were available with select action figures or as mail-order prizes. The coins themselves range in value from $3-$5 up to $250-$400, but an action figure, with accompanying coin, still in its packaging, can fetch more than that — like this AT-AT Driver figure did at a recent auction.   

• Wawa is a popular East Coast convenience store chain.
• It was recently voted America's favorite sandwich shop.
• Business Insider visited a Wawa in Williamsburg, Virginia, to get a sense of what it's like to work there.
• Area manager Amanda Holman said the chain looks for employees with "goose blood."

Wawa isn't just another gas station. For many people up and down the East Coast, it's an experience.

With locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, Wawa is a convenience store chain with a wide reach. It's also the greatest store of its kind in America, according to Business Insider's Kate Taylor and Hollis Johnson.

The rest of the country apparently agrees — or, at least, the approximately 11,500 people who participated in Market Force Information's annual consumer survey. Wawa triumphed in the survey and was declared America's best sandwich shop.

I attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, which is conveniently located right next to a brightly-lit, 24/7 Wawa. I spent a lot of time there in college, making great decisions like buying large quantities of mac and cheese at 2 a.m.

Last year, I traveled back down to Williamsburg and took a tour of that same Wawa, to get a sense of what it's like to work there.

Here's what I saw:

SEE ALSO: I tried one of the most infamous gas station sandwiches in America — here's the verdict

I arrived at the store on a sunny morning in October. Inside, I met with Wawa area manager Amanda Holman. She oversees 13 Wawas in the area.

Holman said she started her career with Wawa 14 years ago working in a store as a part-time customer service associate. She didn't expect to stick around this long in the beginning, but she said the company's values and benefits couldn't be beat.

Wawa's benefits include a 401k plan and an employee discount. Employees rate the company 3.9 out of 5 stars on Glassdoor.

Source: Glassdoor

• Every US president has their own unique relationship with the press.
• The Associated Press has been documenting the lives of presidents since the early 1930s.
• Here, a look back at how 14 sitting US presidents have handled dealing with the press.

The US president's relationship with the press has long been a complicated one, and it has varied from administration to administration. To name just a few examples, President Lyndon B. Johnson attempted to thwart certain stories from going to press, while President Gerald Ford was friendly with journalists and even invited some to White House state dinners. 

The Associated Press has been documenting the lives of presidents since the early 1930s, capturing candid moments of each commander-in-chief since President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  

From press briefings to interviews aboard Air Force One, here are 14 AP photos of presidents interacting with the press.

SEE ALSO: Here's the favorite drink of every US president

President Franklin D. Roosevelt would invite members of the press into the Oval Office for briefings twice a week.

Source: The New York Times

Press briefings don't come to a halt while the president is on vacation. Here, Harry S. Truman had the press visit his Winter White House in Key West, Florida.

It was President Dwight D. Eisenhower's press secretary, James Haggerty, that established some still-standing traditions between the president and the press, like regularly scheduled news conferences.

Source: The New York Times

Russia exported approximately $15 billion worth of weapons to 53 countries around the world in 2017, AFP reported in February, citing Alexander Mikheev, the CEO of Rosoboronexport.

About $6.14 billion of that $15 billion was of major weaponry, including military aircraft, ships, armored vehicles, guided munitions, and more, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 

SIPRI is an independent research group that collects detailed data on major weapons transfers, including the countries they're exported to and imported from. Nearly $4 billion of the $6.14 billion exported was of military aircraft, SIPRI reported. 

While SIPRI's data doesn't include unguided munitions, small arms, and other equipment, it's "pretty representative" of which countries are buying the most weaponry as a whole from Russia, Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, told Business Insider. 

Here are the 10 countries that bought the most major weaponry from Russia in 2017:

SEE ALSO: The top 10 countries selling weapons around the world

10. Bangladesh

Amount purchased: $93 million

Some major purchases: In 2015, Bangladesh purchased six Mi-8MT/Mi-17 transport helicopters, which were delivered in 2017, SIPRI reported. In 2017, Bangladesh purchased five more, which have yet to be delivered. 

In 2014, Bangladesh purchased 340 Russian BTR-80 APCs, all of which were delivered in 2016-2017. 

Source: SIPRI

9. Azerbaijan

Amount purchased: $128 million

Some major purchases: In 2011, Azerbaijan purchased 36 TOS-1 self-propelled multiple rocket launchers, all of which were delivered in 213-2017. 

In 2016, Azerbaijan purchased 70 Russian BTR-82A infantry fighting vehicles, 40 of which were delivered in 2017. 

Source: SIPRI

8. Belarus

Amount purchased: $145 million

Some major purchases: In 2015, Belarus purchased 12 Mi-8MT/Mi-17 transport helicopters, which were delivered in 2016-2017, SIPRI reported. In 2017, Belarus purchased 12 Su-30MK fighter jets, which are expected to be delivered in 2019-2020.

In 2017, Belarus also purchased 100 Russian Tor missile systems in 2017, and was delivered four T-72B3 tanks.

Belarus is part of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, and Russia even used the recent Zapad 2017 military exercises to test how well the Belarusian army would come under its direct control if war breaks out with the West.

Source: SIPRI

The Las Vegas Golden Knights are one of the most compelling stories in sports right now.

In their first year, the expansion franchise has shown that it can compete with the best teams in hockey, rounding together a roster of players from every team across the league and quickly becoming a force in the NHL.

After winning the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights already have the best debut season for an expansion franchise in any major sport, but with a Stanley Cup berth on the visible horizon, Las Vegas is far from ready to settle.

Take a look below at how the team came together and turned a ragtag roster into one of the most dynamic teams in the NHL.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights' roster was initially put together through the expansion draft in June of 2017. All 30 NHL teams were allowed to protect one goalie, three defensemen and seven forwards, or one goalie and eight skaters. From there, the Golden Knights would build their team.

The protections prevented the Golden Knights from immediately nabbing most of the NHL's brightest stars, but the way that the draft was set up did allow for general manager George McPhee and majority owner Bill Foley to make some interesting and remarkably smart selections.

Probably the biggest get of the draft at the time for the Golden Knights was veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury had won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins during his storied career in Pittsburgh, but was available in the expansion draft after the team chose to protect his successor Matt Murray instead.

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.

• Amazon Prime will increase from $99 per year to $119.
• The new price will take effect May 11 for new subscribers, and current Prime members will see the change when they're up for renewal, starting June 16.
• Even with the 20% increase, Prime is still ultimately a great deal if you plan to use its features, whether sparingly or frequently.

Asking the question "how much would you pay for Amazon Prime" is kind of like asking how much would you pay to keep using Google. It's so fundamentally entrenched in our daily lives (with over 90 million US subscribers, estimated in 2017 at about 64% of the nation's households) that it has reached an almost ubiquitous status.  We are used to near-instant gratification, and for many of us, it's hard to put a price on that convenience.

But that price is, unfortunately, rising. Amazon Prime memberships will now cost $119 per year rather than $99 -- an increase of 20%. The new price will take effect May 11 for new subscribers, and current Prime members will see the change when they're up for renewal, starting June 16. 

The increase comes after a four-year price plateau due to a variety of reasons. There are more Amazon Prime members than ever and those members are buying in higher volumes, naturally driving up shipping costs. President Donald Trump has also threatened higher U.S. Postal Service rates for the company overall. And, lastly, Amazon is more aggressively pouring money into its digital content offered to Prime members. JP Morgan estimates Amazon will spend 5 billion on this aspect alone in 2018, up from 4.5 billion the year prior.

At least the last reason promises increased value to members. For the $119 annual fee, Prime members gets a slew of benefits (which definitely range in usefulness): free two-day shipping, free same-day shipping, and free two-hour delivery on eligible items (of which there are many), exclusive rewards and discounts, Prime Video, Prime Music, online photo storage, music and books, and about 20 other perks.

But, all in all, is Amazon Prime still worth it, even at its new $119 cost?

In short, yes. As RBC Capital Markets' Mark Mahaney wrote, “There are three great deals in America today – the Happy Meal ($3.29), Netflix ($10.99), and Prime (even @ new price of $119 – up 5 Grande Lattes…a year).”  

Granted, you may not use every feature included in your annual membership. If you're a student and/or have access to a university email and save 50% on the yearly fee with Prime Student or you share your Amazon Prime and most benefits with family members via Amazon Household, your dollar stretches even further. Prime is also discounted ($5.99 per month) for qualifying customers with an EBT or Medicaid card. But even if none of that applies to you, it's still generally a great investment. 

Ultimately, most of us will pay the increased fee without much grumbling. But, if you want a breakdown of the ways you're saving and potentially reassess the cost, check out our breakdown below. If you're unsure and haven't made the leap yet, check out a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime before deciding it's worth committing to. 

Here's a breakdown of why Amazon Prime is still a great value, even at $119 per year:

Shipping costs.

The annual price of $119 includes free two-day shipping on over 100 million items. Without Prime, you'll get free regular shipping if your order is over $25, but no two-day perk. This could promote over-shopping (adding more to cart so as to meet the threshold).

Two-day shipping (give or take a couple bucks) typically costs about $10. If, as a Prime member, you place 11 orders of under $25 over the year on Amazon (say, you need paper towels but not much else), the membership pays for itself. 

And while expedited shipping is an abnormal cost for most of us, it's a pricey one. However, Prime's free same-day shipping on over a million items in 8,000 cities when you spend over $35 can save you money, time, and convenience. Order before noon and get your items that day by 9 p.m. Just check your zip code to see if same-day and one-day options are available near you.  

On average, Amazon Prime members spend $1,300 US dollars on the platform every year. Non-Prime users spend a little more than half that ($700), but they may be picking up the tab elsewhere, like in the cost of gas to shop in-store, the higher price of items from big-box retailers, and shipping from other stores.

Video streaming services.

One of the suspected reasons for the increase in annual fee is how much money Amazon is pouring into its digital content, which is one of the best perks of the Prime membership. 

Prime Video lets you stream from a large library of movies and TV shows for free, including Prime Originals content, and rent the latest releases for low prices. Prime members can also subscribe to over 100 channels (and only pay for the channels they want, which is great for saving money without losing convenience), including HBO, Showtime, and CBS All Access. 

Plus, it's probably only going to get better as Amazon continues to force itself into the space. The company recently struck an exclusive two-year renewal for the NFL's “Thursday Night Football” games to live-stream on Prime Video, for which Amazon is paying $65 million per year, Reuters reported.

Unlimited photo storage and sharing, as well as 5 GB for videos and files.

Prime Photos lets you save and share unlimited photos across desktop, mobile, and tablet, as well as share unlimited photo storage with up to five people. If you're paying a few bucks every month to increase your iCloud storage just to make room for the photos on your phone, you can cut out that cost and use your membership to a fuller extent.

You'll also get five GB for videos and files. And Prime Photos comes pre-installed on Amazon devices, so you can also view your photos from your Fire TV and Echo Show. 

Interviewing for a job is not something most people enjoy — especially if you've had a terrible interview or two.

But some interview experiences take bad to a whole other level.

More than 200 people on Reddit answered the question, "What was your worst interview experience?"— and the stories include tales of crying and throwing a bucket of ice water on the interviewer. 

Because these stories come from Reddit, INSIDER was unable to independently verify the claims, but they sure are fun — and horrifying — to read.

Here are 13 tales of terrible job interviews that'll make you cringe, gasp, and drop your jaw in shock. 

1. They had to sit on an exercise ball — in a full suit.

"Interviewed for receptionist at a tattoo shop. Showed up in a full suit while the interviewer was in jorts and a tank top. We sat on big inflatable exercise balls in a small room and he asked me super random questions I wasn't prepared for ('What's your spirit animal?' 'Tell me the dirtiest joke you know?', 'What's the weirdest thing you’ve bought on Amazon?') In a different setting it would've been a cool interview, but I was overdressed, unprepared, and my brain froze so it didn't work out." - CKusagi

2. They were forced to lie about being a toaster thief.

"Back when I was about 19 years old, I applied for a part-time position at a mall outlet near my house. I got through the first round of interviews just fine, despite having absolutely zero retail experience... Once that was finished, I met with the manager himself, who proceeded to ask me some very run-of-the-mill questions.

'Let's suppose," he said, 'you knew one of your coworkers was stealing from the register. What would you do?'

I thought about it for a second. 'Well, what's the company policy?' I asked. 'Would I be expected to confront them? Document the behavior? Would it be best to just report it to you?'

'Just tell me what you would do,' the man replied, looking a bit impatient.

'I'd report it to you.'

The manager nodded and made a note on his clipboard. 'What's the most that you've ever stolen? Give me a dollar amount.'

'Uh,' I stuttered, caught off-guard. 'Is that really a question you can ask?'

'I'm just looking for a dollar amount,' the man replied.

I racked my brain, trying to think of any petty thefts that I might have committed over the course of my life...

'Zero,' I finally said. 'I don't think I've ever actually stolen anything.'

A look of disapproval darkened the manager's face. 'I see. Are you sure?'

'Yes.'

'Really.' The disapproval fell even deeper into a suspicious glower. "Go ahead and answer that question again. Just give me a dollar amount."

The situation, as I'm sure you'll agree, had gone from bizarre to patently ridiculous. I wasn't even sure that I wanted the job at that point... but I didn't have any other prospects lined up, so I decided to keep playing the game. Maybe, I thought to myself, it was a test to see if I'd change my answer.

'Zero,' I said again.

The man put down his clipboard and looked me in the eye. 'Do you actually want this job?' he asked, mirroring my own thoughts. I nodded in reply. 'Then you'll need to be honest with me. Just give me a dollar amount.'

'16 dollars,' I replied, sarcasm creeping into my tone, 'and 42 cents.'

All at once, the disapproval evaporated from the manager's face and was replaced by a satisfied smile. 'Well, that's not so bad!' he said cheerfully. 'What was it?'

'A toaster.'

I'd just said the first thing that came to my mind, not even bothering to imagine what $16.42 would actually purchase. The answer only seemed to further endear me to my once-irate interviewer, and against all odds, I made it through the entire conversation. I may have even been offered the job, but when I received a telephone call asking if I was still interested in working there, I told them that I'd already accepted another position.

For the record, that was also a lie." - RamsesThePigeon

3. The interviewer asked about boobs.

"In a med school interview...

'Tell me about your ideal woman.'

I start with personality, intelligence, and so on.

'No, I mean physically. How big are her boobs?'

After that interview, I withdrew my application there." - Flaxmoore

• "Avengers: Infinity War" features many of our favorite heroes pitted against the Children of Thanos and the Mad Titan himself.
• While heroes like Thor and Iron Man hold their own, characters like Loki and Mantis struggle to play on their own strengths. 
• This list of characters from weakest to strongest is based on a variety of factors, including combat training, strategic ability, raw power, any impressive feats the character accomplished, and their ability to utilize all their advantages in a fight.

Warning: This post is filled with major spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War." Read at your own risk.

After what seems like an eternity, "Avengers: Infinity War" is finally up on the big screen. The fan reaction so far has been largely positive and the movie just broke the record for the all-time highest-grossing opening weekend in film history. This impressive feat started with it becoming one of the few movies to make $200 million in its opening weekend and making the most money on a Thursday night release of any Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

Having seen the movie and our favorite heroes pitted against the Children of Thanos and the Mad Titan himself, we can now compose a definitive list of whom the best fighters are among all the so-called Infinity Warriors. To that end, we have chosen thirty characters from "Avengers: Infinity War" to rate.

It should be noted that there will be SPOILERS AHEAD for those who have not seen "Avengers: Infinity War."

It should also be noted that this list is based on a variety of factors, including combat training, strategic ability, raw power, any impressive feats the character accomplished, and their ability to utilize all their advantages in a fight.

We also limited this to characters who we see in at least one extended fight scene, which sadly disqualified M’Baku’s small role since we don’t really see him in action.

With that in mind, here is Every Infinity War Fighter Ranked, Weakest To Strongest.

Loki

Loki was adopted into the royal family of Asgard after the Allfather Odin defeated Loki’s biological father, Laufey – King of The Frost Giants. A diminutive child by giant standards, Loki grew to study sorcery among the Asgardians and showed a natural talent for illusions. He also grew to resent the warrior class of Asgard, particularly his adoptive brother, Thor, who was more popular and better liked than the prank-playing Loki. This secured his place as the God of Mischief among the Asgardians, who had little appreciation for the strategy or trickery that Loki employed in battle.

There was little evidence of Loki’s skill in subterfuge in Avengers: Infinity War. He was eliminated early on, while pretending to pledge his fealty to Thanos, suddenly pulling a dagger and attempting to stab The Mad Titan in the heart.

For some reason, the consummate trickster forgot that the key to stabbing someone in the back is to wait until their back is turned.

There’s a reason why Loki is known as God of Treachery and not the God of Frontal Assaults and his performance here proved it. Still, to give credit where credit is due, Loki did finally show where his loyalties lay and proved himself worthy of the name Odinson with an attempt at stopping Thanos that was brave, if not particularly well-planned.

Shuri

Princess of Wakanda and younger sister of T’Challa, Shuri is more scientist than warrior. Possessing a mind that surpasses those of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, Shuri leads the Wakanadan Design Group and designed much of the technology that her brother utilizes as the Black Panther. This includes his sound-canceling boots and a nanotech Panther Habit which allows him to don his costume instantly no matter what else he is wearing.

She also was able to reprogram James “Bucky” Barnes’ mind and remove the HYDRA brainwashing that turned him into the Winter Soldier without damaging the rest of his memory. She was also tasked with trying to remove the Mind Stone from The Vision without destroying him.

In the comics, Shuri eventually takes on the mantle of Black Panther for herself and proves to be as capable a fighter as her brother. Unfortunately, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War have not given Shuri much of an opportunity to perform in this arena, though she’s undoubtedly skilled in the ways of science.

Still, Shuri did manage to survive a brief close-quarters combat with Corvus Glaive when he broke into her lab while trying to take The Vision’s Mind Stone. That’s no small feat, given Corvus Glaive’s super-strength, enhanced-speed, and fighting prowess.

Heimdall

As the gatekeeper of Asgard and guardian of The Bifrost Bridge, there is little that escapes the notice of Heimdall. Possessing powers of foresight that allow him to see and hear nearly everything that occurs within the Nine Realms, Loki once asked Heimdall why Odin did not fear him.

“Because he is my King. And I am sworn to obey him,” replied Heimdall.

That fierce loyalty inspired Heimdall to continue acting as a guardian of Asgard, even after he was seemingly exiled by his liege lord in the events leading up to Thor:Ragnarok. Heimdall’s powers proved essential in saving the people of Asgard from Hela and hiding them beyond her reach.

Despite this, Heimdall’s powers did not allow him to save his people from Thanos. As Avengers: Infinity War opened, we saw Heimdall among the Asgardians who were apparently destroyed by Thanos and four of his followers.

He possessed strength enough to summon the Bifrost one last time to send The Hulk back to Earth and steer him to crash through the Sanctum Sanctorum – an act that cost him his life and made him the first major casualty among the Infinity Warriors. 

A noble ending, to be sure, but we can’t help but wonder how he failed to see Thanos coming!

• Victoria's Secret has found itself caught up in the #MeToo moment and has been criticized for its oversexualized ads. New data from brand-insights firm YouGov showed that women's perception of the brand has declined since 2013. 
• Discontent has been brewing for the past few years, and some Victoria's Secret customers have complained on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• Here's how much its commercials have changed over the years.

Victoria's Secret is alienating some customers with its racy ads.

In April, new data from brand-insights firm YouGov showed that women's perception of Victoria's Secret has seen a slight decline since 2013. Its so-called "Buzz score," which tracks how customers feel about brands based on what they see and hear, has declined as Victoria's Secret has lost favor with women between the ages of 18 and 49.

According to YouGov, the brand has found itself caught up in the #MeToo moment. Its annual fashion show featuring its famous "Angels" aired only a month after allegations of sexual harassment came out against Harvey Weinstein. Its television ratings sunk 30%, according to YouGov researcher Paul Hiebert.

Discontent towards its ads has been growing. In 2016, one of its Facebook photos got heat from customers who said it was so overtly sexual that it was borderline pornographic.

Earlier this year, Business Insider reported that the brand's oversexualized ads were also at risk of putting off shoppers at its teen brand, PINK. In complaints on Facebook, mothers of these young shoppers compared the ads in stores to "pornography."

Though some of its commercials have become more tame over time, the reality is that the brand has largely not adapted to the times, and its scantily clad, airbrushed models are still the main feature of its campaigns. 

We took a look back at the brand's commercials to see how much they've changed over the years:

SEE ALSO: These before-and-after photos show how much Victoria's Secret has changed

The brand was created by Ray Raymond in 1977. Raymond named the brand after the Victorian era in England, wanting to evoke the refinement of this period in his lingerie. The term "secrets" refers to what was hidden beneath.

Source: Slate

The brand was bought by its current parent company, L Brands, for $1 million in 1982 with its current CEO, Les Wexner, at the helm.

The overtly provocative nature of Raymond's Victoria's Secret was slightly altered when Wexner took the helm of the brand — but make no mistake, lingerie still abounded.

The brand held its first runway show in 1995. 

Source: L Brands

The idea of the Victoria's Secret "Angel" came into play in 1997 after a commercial featuring Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Daniela Peštová, Stephanie Seymour, and Tyra Banks ran to promote its "Angels" underwear collection. From then on, the term Angel become synonymous with the brand.

Surce: The Cut

• The Honda Odyssey is the superior minivan.
• But in fairness, the Toyota Sienna is an aging design due for an update.
• For many consumers, the choice between these minivans is the only one they'll make — the Chrysler Pacifica isn't in the picture.

It's one of the longest-running competitions in the automotive world. Not Ferrari versus Lamborghini or Ford versus Chevy.

Nope: It's the Honda Odyssey minivan versus its Japanese counterpart, the Toyota Sienna.

For the record, both vehicles, popular with Americans, are made in the USA.

We've reviewed both minivans, and we put them up against the other family hauler in the market, the superb Chrysler Pacifica, the only minivan in the US market that's available as a hybrid.

Now we're going to stand back and watch as the Odyssey and the Sienna duke it out.

SEE ALSO: FOLLOW US on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

Let's start with the Sienna and a caveat: This 2017 model is the third generation, which has been around since 2010. It's looking aged next to the Odyssey.

DESIGN: No one will call the Sienna exciting. It's a somewhat shapely rectangle with sliding door, a sloping front, and four wheels at the corners.

It is, in the final analysis, a visually bland machine that doesn't try to hide its mission in life: to haul people and stuff.

It's not easy to remove a person from history, but brutal leaders throughout history have erased some of their formerly close advisors.

After news of the execution of Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle and close advisor, broke in December 2013, North Korean state media has erased the man from history entirely, deleting him from online archives and photographs.

This extreme measure makes it "the largest deletion ever carried out by the official KCNA news agency and the Rodong Sinmun newspaper,"according to the Guardian.

But it wasn't the first time a political leader has attempted to wipe a person clean out of history — here are five other people who were erased from existence:

SEE ALSO: These are the 25 most powerful militaries in the world — and there's a clear winner

Nikolai Yezhov, Joseph Stalin's head of secret police

Yezhov earned the nickname "The Vanishing Commissar" among art historians for his disappearance from photographs after his execution in 1940.

Yezhov, a loyal Stalinist, was head of the secret police during Stalin's Great Purge, overseeing mass arrests and executions of those deemed disloyal to the Soviet regime before ironically being arrested, tortured, tried, and executed himself for disloyalty.

Stalin was known for eliminating all traces of those who fell out of his good side, or whom he no longer had use for, Yezhov included.

Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister

Goebbels was immensely valued by Hitler for his enthusiasm, brilliant ideas, and vehement anti-semitism. Hitler made Goebbels his chief of propaganda, and sent him all over Germany to establish a Nazi presence and boost morale during the war. Goebbels was one of just a few people in Hitler's inner-circle, even trusted with helping burn Hitler's body after he committed suicide.

Like Stalin, Hitler was known for "erasing" people who fell out of his favor, though it remains unknown what Goebbels did that led to his being deleted from this famous 1937 photo taken at the home of German film maker Leni Riefenstahl.

Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary

An influential voice in the early days of the Soviet Union, Trotsky was initially a leader in the Bolshevik revolution, but references to Trotsky were eliminated after he switched his allegiance to the Mensheviks, splitting from comrade and fellow revolutionary Vladimir Lenin.

Lenin later denounced Trotsky as a "scoundrel" in 1917 (though Trotsky eventually rejoined the Bolsheviks), and after Lenin's death Trotsky was eliminated from photos by Stalin. Trotsky was eventually exiled from the Soviet Union completely.

Fifteen years ago, beloved Disney Channel star Hilary Duff brought her iconic TV character into the movie universe with "The Lizzie McGuire Movie." This was the first feature film Disney released in theaters that was based on one of its original TV series. 

Now the cast of "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" is scattered around the country, with some working on new hit TV shows and others retired from Hollywood life altogether.

Keep reading to see where the main stars of "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" are today. 

"The Lizzie McGuire" movie follows our title character as she graduates from eighth grade and embarks on a life-changing trip to Rome.

After Lizzie fumbles during her graduation and brings down the whole stage, she's eager to escape the country. 

Duff also played Isabella, a famous Italian singer who happens to be Lizzie's doppelganger.

The two wind up sharing a stage and the spotlight at the end of the movie after Isabella's former singing partner Paulo is outed as a fraud. 

Since the movie's premiere, Duff has released five studio albums and is now starring on TVLand's "Younger."

TVLand's series "Younger" tells the story of single mother trying to revitalize her working life by posing as a millennial. Duff stars as one of the co-workers featured in this TV series. Duff has one son with her ex-husband, NHL player Mike Comrie.

• An E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce in 25 states has sickened more than 120 and killed one person. 
• After more than two decades as a foodborne-illness attorney, food-poisoning expert Bill Marler says there are some items that he will never order from the menu. 
• The food-poisoning expert eats raw fish at sushi restaurants — but says there is a reason why you should consider skipping salad when going out to eat.

A deep knowledge of thousands of food poisoning cases across the US means that there are some things that Bill Marler just won't order when he goes out to eat. 

With more than two decades working as a food poisoning advocate and attorney, there are simply some things that Marler has cut out of his diet. Marler has won more than $600 million for clients in foodborne-illness cases — and seen how restaurants are being forced to change to prevent more sicknesses. 

"Chain restaurants, post-Jack-in-the-Box, they went through a sort of rethinking about how they do stuff," Marler said. 

Today, many of the biggest risk for food poisoning at chain restaurants come from an individual worker who "picked his nose then made your burrito," Marler said. The action of a rogue restaurant worker can make a handful of people sick — but usually won't spark a huge outbreak. 

However, there are some foods that Marler avoids when he goes out to eat. That includes salad — a choice that has renewed relevance with an E. coli outbreak that spans 25 states. The outbreak, which has sickened more than 120 people and killed one, has been linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona region. 

Here are the foods that Marler said scare him the most on the menu: 

SEE ALSO: America is being bombarded by food poisoning scares — here are 8 foods an expert says he refuses to eat

Salads

Your healthy choice is actually one of the riskier options on the menu at chain restaurants. 

"I'd eat sushi before I ate a salad," Marler said. "I wouldn't eat it at a 7-11, but I've eaten sushi at a good sushi restaurant." 

While cooking veggies and meat can kill germs, salads bring together a lot of raw foods that have had countless opportunities for contamination. Restaurants that buy pre-chopped lettuce from suppliers put themselves at even greater risk.

"Not every lettuce leaf in the field is contaminated E. coli, but some of them are," Marler said of the risks of pre-washed, bagged lettuce. "And when you mix and match it at a processing facility and chop it up, you get what you get." 

Soft-serve ice cream

Cleanliness of ice and ice cream machines can cause huge problems when workers aren't following safety guidelines. There's a grossness factor of finding mold in soft-serve ice cream machines — but there are also real risks. 

"There have been a number of cases linked to listeria, where listeria will get into the inner workings of these ice cream machines and kill people," Marler said. 

Rare meat

Marler agrees with known-germaphobe President Trump on at least one thing: well-cooked meat is the way to go.

"Skip the medium hamburger and get it well done, and just add a little ketchup like the president," he said. 

According to the expert, meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees throughout to kill bacteria that could cause E. coli or salmonella.

• Your health could be taking a major hit from your daily routine.
• Doing the wrong kind of stretching before your workout can impair your exercise performance and increase your risk of injury.
• Using a hand dryer might actually be blowing fecal germs all over your hands.

Holding your nose when you sneeze

Putting your purse on the table

Keeping your wallet in your back pocket

• Life skills aren't as obvious as they may seem.
• To clarify things, we put together a list of some important competencies to have under your belt by the time you turn 30.
• Those include public speaking, giving a good handshake, and cooking basic meals.

There's no handbook for adult life.

Somehow you're just supposed to know that you should have more money coming in than going out and you shouldn't wear a fuzzy orange sweater to a job interview.

We've put together our own handbook of sorts for anyone transitioning from their 20s to their 30s, which lists many of the skills you'll need to survive as an adult in the modern world.

It's based on the Quora thread, "What are some of the most useful skills to know?" as well as scientific research and expert opinion.

We can't promise we've outlined every skill, but if you've mastered these, you're off to a good start:

SEE ALSO: 10 life skills every young professional should have

1. Accepting feedback gracefully

"For most of us it is hard to hear how we made a mistake or could have done something better," writes Quora user Pedram Keyani. "An amazing skill (which you can learn through practice) is to set aside your emotional response in the moment and focus on the information presented to you. Some of it will be valid and some of it invalid but let your brain decide that, not your ego."

Depending on what kind of feedback you're receiving, there are different strategies for responding with a cool head. For example, if your boss points out what she thinks is an error and you're not sure she's correct, you can say, "I hadn’t thought of that, and I’m going to look into it right away."

2. Apologizing sincerely

To err is human — but to craft a believable apology isn't a universal skill.

The apology "needs to be sincere, not qualified, not quantified, and also needs [to] outline how X will not happen again," Keyani says.

According to one CEO, there's a six-step strategy for successfully saying you're sorry:

1. Act quickly.

2. Apologize in person. 

3. Explain what happened. 

4. Show how you are going to avoid the problem in the future. 

5. Apologize.

6. Make restitution.

Keyani gives an example of what you might say if you were tardy for an appointment:

"I'm sorry I was late for the meeting. It must have been frustrating because you spent a lot of time preparing and got up early. I did a poor job accounting for traffic and didn't give myself enough buffer. That is my bad and I'm going to give myself an extra 10 minutes instead of five moving forward."

3. Managing your time wisely

There will probably never be a time in your life when you aren't juggling multiple personal and professional priorities. Time-management skills are a must, unless you want to feel constantly frazzled.

Perhaps the most important time-management lesson is that you should stick with one task at a time. Research suggests that multitasking is generally counterproductive, because the brain expends energy as it readjusts its focus from one activity to another.

You'd be wise, too, to limit the hours you spend working. Decades ago, Henry Ford discovered that productivity started to decline after employees logged more than 40 hours per week. Other research suggests that, after three weeks, 60-hour workweeks become less productive.

Global military spending reached $1.739 trillion in 2017, up 1.1% from 2016, according to a report released on Wednesday from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

"Continuing high world military expenditure is a cause for serious concern," Ambassador Jan Eliasson, chair of the SIPRI governing board, said in the report. "It undermines the search for peaceful solutions to conflicts around the world."

China's military spending increased again in 2017, up 5.6% from 2016, SIPRI reported, as did India's, up 5.5% from 2016.

Russia's military spending decreased for the first time since 1998, down 20% from 2016, SIPRI reported. 

"The increases in world military expenditure in recent years have been largely due to the substantial growth in spending by countries in Asia and Oceania and the Middle East, such as China, India and Saudi Arabia," Nan Tian, a SIPRI researcher, said in the report. "At the global level, the weight of military spending is clearly shifting away from the Euro–Atlantic region."

Although the US' budget remained unchanged, it "spent more on its military than the next seven highest-spending countries combined," SIPRI reported. 

Here are the 15 countries that spent the most on their militaries in 2017:

SEE ALSO: The top 10 countries that bought Russia's most powerful weapons in 2017

SEE ALSO: Weapons sales are on the rise — here are the top 10 countries exporting arms around the world

15. Turkey

Budget: $18.2 billion

14. Canada

Budget: $20.6 billion

13. Australia

Budget: $27.5 billion