On Wednesday the NFL approved a new national-anthem policy in response to ongoing player protests that took over the 2017 season.

The new rules dictate that players and personnel should stand for the anthem and that those who wish not to may choose instead to remain in the locker room during the pregame ceremony. Should a player kneel or "not show appropriate respect" for the anthem by whatever definition the league sets, their team will be fined.

President Trump took a victory lap after the news came out, but would later add that he believed new rules did not go far enough and said of players that chose to remain in their locker room "maybe you shouldn't be in the country."

Across the league, players were asked for their reaction to the new policy, Trump's words, and the ongoing conversation surrounding the protests.

You can read some of their responses below.

SEE ALSO: In appeasing Trump, the NFL created an entirely new set of problems with its national-anthem policy

Malcolm Jenkins

"What NFL owners did today was thwart the players' constitutional rights to express themselves and use our platform to draw attention to social injustices like racial inequality in our country. Everyone loses when voices get stifled."

"While I disagree with this decision, I will not let it silence me or stop me from fighting. The national conversation around race in America that NFL players forced over the past 2 years will persist as we continue to use our voices, our time and our money to create a more fair and just criminal justice system, end police brutality and foster better educational and economic opportunities for communities of color and those struggling in this country."

"For me, this has never been about taking a knee, raising a fist or anyone's patriotism but doing what we can to effect real change for real people. #thefightcontinues"

Source: Twitter

Brandon Marshall

"Disgusting. I say 'disgusting' because of our First Amendment rights. We have freedom of speech, right? Freedom to protest? Because somebody decides to protest something, now have to be kicked out of the country? That's not how things should work, in my opinion. ... Just because somebody disagrees with something, or if I didn't stand for the anthem, or if I don't like what's going on, that's basically him saying I should be kicked out the country."

"We're supposed to have a conversation about things, talk about things, work things through. Everybody is not gonna agree on things, everybody is not gonna have the same opinion on things. So just because somebody disagrees or has an issue with something that's going on in this country, it doesn't mean that they should pack up and leave. That's absurd, in my opinion.''

Source: ESPN

Josh Norman

"[President Donald Trump speaking out and more players protesting] happened ... but I don't know if that's still going to take place or what's going to happen. Who knows? I don't."

Source: ESPN

• Want to know how to Uber and Lyft the right way? Who better to ask than the drivers themselves.
• Business Insider asked several Uber and Lyft drivers to how passengers could have the best rides.
• From quicker pickups to not getting charged a cleaning fee, we included the 11 most helpful tips drivers had to share.

Hitching a ride from a complete stranger doesn't have to be scary or terrible.

In fact, if you know some of the unwritten rules of ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft, you can all but guarantee a pleasant journey.

To find out just what passengers can do to ensure they have the best ride-sharing experience, we asked Uber and Lyft drivers to weigh in with their advice.

Here are 11 things that could help make your next Uber or Lyft ride easier and more enjoyable:

SEE ALSO: Uber and Lyft drivers share the 17 things they wish passengers would stop doing

DON'T MISS: Flight attendants share 11 of their favorite travel hacks

Make pickups easier

"Don't trust your phone to drop your pin in the right place. Always double check before requesting the ride."

—Uber driver

Have a more festive ride

"Use the app to play your own music. We want you to enjoy your ride."

—Uber driver

Relax

"Just sit back and trust your driver. The map knows where we're going."

—Lyft and Uber driver

We've seen lists comprised of the most-followed celebrities on Instagram, the most-liked Instagram photos, and the most popular musicians in 2017. But who is the most popular star in each of the 50 states?

INSIDER teamed up with Google to narrow down the most popular celebrities and determine a clear winner in each state. 

Take a look at the results below to find out who dominated the searches in every state.

Alabama: LeBron James

James was on the cover of Vogue with Gisele Bündchen in 2008.

Alaska: Barack Obama

His birthday is August 4, which makes him a Leo.

Arizona: Kylie Jenner

According to an USA Today's Arizona partner website, more than 1,000 people showed up to a PacSun store in Scottsdale, Arizona, to meet Jenner and her sister in 2014. 

• Your biggest setback can be an opportunity for your greatest success.
• That's how seven successful entrepreneurs and executives overcame the failures in their careers. 
• From real-estate tycoon Dottie Herman to Overstock.com's CEO Patrick Byrne, their lessons could help lead your own failure to the greatest success of your career. 

Everyone grapples with setbacks and obstacles on the path to success. Sometimes, a breakdown can lead you to a significant breakthrough. Here's how seven successful entrepreneurs and members of The Oracles overcame failure to fast-track their ultimate success.

SEE ALSO: 'Fail fast' isn't just tech startup jargon — it can make a huge difference for entrepreneurs in any field

1. Appreciate that failure presents a defining moment

 Dottie Herman, CEO of Douglas Elliman, a real estate brokerage empire:

At 39 years old, I started having terrible chest pain but ignored it. Eighteen months later, I discovered I had a 99.75% blockage in my main artery.

At the time, I was in the middle of negotiating with Prudential for a $72 million loan to purchase my company. When I learned that I needed immediate surgery, I asked my doctor if he thought my blocked artery was a sign I shouldn't buy.

He asked, "Do you love what you do?" I said, "It's my passion." He then replied, "Then you must go through with the purchase, or the stress of not buying the company could end up being worse for you." He was right.

After my surgery, I headed to New York to finish our negotiations. When things got heated between the parties, I took one of the bankers aside and explained my situation. Hearing the sincerity in my voice, Prudential knew I was the right buyer, and we closed the deal.

Sometimes, an unforeseen setback will present you with a defining moment. Major challenges can force you to muster the resolve to achieve your greater purpose.

2. Trust your gut about character

Patrick Byrne, CEO of Overstock.com and tZERO:

Everyone says they learn from their mistakes but too often repeat them.

In the past, I didn't trust my gut about people. Some executives on my team seemed to be self-serving and actively working against their colleagues. I ignored it, but my gut turned out to be true.

The lesson? Trust yourself more. Be unforgiving about character and loyalty. Remember, there's no trade-off — if someone doesn't have the right character, it doesn't matter if they have the right skill set. It's a huge mistake to hire them.

3. Clarify your 'why'

Mark Divine, retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander, founder of SEALFITand NYT/WSJ bestselling author; follow SEALFIT on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram:

My business failures usually stem from personal limitations or not being clear about my "why."

In my first venture of running a brewing company, my "why" (if I'd even thought of it) was simply to be an entrepreneur and enjoy free beer for life. That sounded pretty reasonable to me as a Navy SEAL transitioning into the business world.

But my "why" proved too weak to weather the early chaos of starting a new venture. The fallout caused lawsuits and major family disruption since the partners were also my brothers-in-law.

The painful lesson I learned is this: Make sure the "why" behind your concept is very clear and aligned with your vision for your future. In my current training company, we teach leaders how to clarify their personal ethos so their entrepreneurial endeavors completely align with their calling.

Here's my ethos to help you get clearer on yours. My passions are: breathe, meditate, move, learn, read, explore, grow, teach, lead, write, inspire, create and love. My purpose is to develop, live and teach the philosophy of my training company. My vision is a resilient, integrated, and peaceful world. My mission is to train 100 million world-centric leaders and help build dynamic teams by 2040.

• Jerry Brown, an Uber driver and government employee, spends and saves his $48,000 salary very cautiously. 
• In addition to driving, he also runs a personal finance blog in his spare time called Peerless Money Mentor where he describes his journey from "broke phi broke to financially woke."
• For Business Insider's "Real Money" series, he shared how much he spends on food and fuel, and how he's saving money for his next vacation.
• Want to share a week of your spending? Email your money@businessinsider.com.

  ---

At this point in my financial life, my money strategy is simple: kill debt to build wealth.

After graduating from college with two business degrees, I made a few bad financial decisions and bought a car I couldn't afford. My main focus right now is to eliminate all of my consumer debts including my car loan and two personal loans. After knocking those out, I will focus on knocking out my $6,000 in student loans, increasing my cash flow. 

I still manage to save plenty of money every month from my paycheck. I deposit $25 a month into a vacation fund and utilize my credit card points for flights. Last year I used the Chase Sapphire credit card reward bonus of $200 to fly to Miami for free. This year I plan on using my $600 Southwest credit card reward bonus to travel to San Diego or some other place I have not been before.

My daily food budget is still something I need to work on. Not being the greatest cook, I tend to eat out a lot, which is not healthy and generally more expensive than preparing your own meal. 

Here's a closer look at how I spend my money:

SEE ALSO: I retired at 34, moved to Scotland and now travel around the world — here's how I spend my savings

SEE ALSO: I live comfortably in a resort town on $35,000 a year — here's how I do it

I make about $48,000 a year, but my take-home pay varies based on my side hustle income. Here's what I spend in a typical week.

My brother, cousin, and I live in a house my mom owns. The total mortgage on the house is $633. Living with others gives me an advantage over other people who are struggling to eliminate debt.

My student debt is $6,000. Most of my education was paid for by grants, but I took out a small loan to cover housing one year. This loan has been with me for almost a decade now. Time to break up with Sallie Mae!

I spend 19% of my monthly budget on car expenses. Here's how the rest breaks down:

No matter what, I spend my money on gas; I cannot get to and from work without it! I also spend a good amount of money eating out as I'm not a great chef. 

On Friday, I was running a little late so I was unable to fix breakfast at home. Instead, I stopped by the Racetrac convenience store to grab some breakfast.

I grabbed an orange juice and a southern style chicken biscuit for a total of $4.71

While on my lunch break, I went to Walmart where I purchased a new USB charging cable for my phone, some Dasani water, and Febreze spray for a total of $18.40

Later on during the day, I grabbed some cinnamon apple Nutrigrain bars and some gummy snacks from Family Dollar for a total of $5.25

China's second aircraft carrier — and first domestically built carrier — completed its initial sea trial last week.

The carrier, referred to as Type 001A, left its port in the northeastern city of Dalian on May 13 and returned on May 18 after completing all of its assigned tasks. 

China launched Type 001A in April 2017, five years after commissioning its first carrier, the Liaoning, and expects to enter it into service later this year. 

Beijing has grand ambitions for a world-class military, and has steadily increased its defense budget over the last two decades. It reportedly might soon test its new Type 055 destroyer, and is even building a third carrier, 002, that may be nuclear powered. 

Here's what we know about Type 001A: 

SEE ALSO: Step aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's aircraft carrier that's considered one of the worst in the world

Launched in April 2017, and expected to be commissioned in 2018, China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, Type 001A, will likely be named Shandong.

Source: CSIS

It's about 1,033 feet long, has a beam of about 246 feet, and a displacement of 66,000 to 70,000 tons.

Source: CSIS

It's powered by eight conventional steam turbines with diesel engines, and has an expected cruising speed of about 36 mph.

The US Navy's newest carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, on the other hand, is nuclear-powered and has a displacement of 100,000 tons. 

Source: CSIS, The National Interest

• Wellington, New Zealand, has the best quality of life of any city in the world, according to a report from Deutsche Bank.
• Measures that went into the bank's quality of life index include quality of healthcare, cost of consumer goods, and housing affordability.
• Boston has a better quality of life than New York with higher marks for healthcare and affordability.

Life is good Down Under.

A report shows that several of the world cities with the best quality of life are in Australia and New Zealand. Australia has the 7th and 8th best cities and New Zealand has the first and 12th cities for best quality of life, according to a new report by Deutsche Bank Market Research.

Deutsche Bank created their quality of life index for 50 cities with global economies by compiling numerous measures including overall quality of healthcare, cost of consumer goods, and housing affordability.

Prices for consumer goods, groceries, and rent were compared to find each city's cost of living rank. Housing affordability is measured by the ratio of property price to income. Other measures that went into the quality of life index include safety, climate, and traffic.

Four US cities appear on the list, with New York having the lowest quality of life ranking of the group. Chicago and San Francisco are above New York, but below Boston, which the report found to have the best quality of life for an American city.

Each city is ranked on eight measurements that indicate quality of life, with 1 being the highest possible rank and 50 being the lowest.

Below, the world cities with the best quality of life, and how each fares for quality of healthcare, cost of consumer goods, and housing affordability.

SEE ALSO: The states where Americans have the best quality of life, ranked

DON'T MISS: 27 countries around the world where expats have the best job security, safety, and social life — and how much it costs to live there

33. London, United Kingdom

Healthcare: 28

Cost of living: 40

Property to income ratio: 42

32. Paris, France

Healthcare: 11

Cost of living: 42

Property to income ratio: 38

31. New York City, United States

Healthcare: 35

Cost of living: 47

Property to income ratio: 27

• The Hershey Company owns the rights to manufacture Cadbury chocolate in the US.
• It banned imports of British-made Cadbury chocolate in 2015.
• British expats claim that Cadbury's chocolate in the US tastes nothing like its UK counterpart, but according to Hershey, there's barely any difference in the ingredients.
• We tried both to see if we could tell the difference.

The difference in taste between Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate on either side of the Atlantic has become one of the most contentious debates of our time. 

For chocolate enthusiasts from the UK, the American version tastes like chalk and cheese. For others (with muted taste buds, perhaps), there's no real difference. 

This debate is especially significant to a Brit brought up in a country where Cadbury chocolate abounds and now finds themselves living at the mercy of Hershey in America. That is not to say that all American chocolate is inferior to the UK's — it is not.

Unless we are talking about Cadbury's Dairy Milk, that is.

The mysterious history of these two bars dates back to 1988, when Hershey paid $300 million for the US operations of the British candymaker Cadbury. This included Mounds, Almond Joy, and York Peppermint Patties, as well as Cadbury products such as Dairy Milk and Carmello. At the time, Cadbury used this as a way to enter the US market, which was dominated by Mars and Hershey. 

Then, in 2015, Hershey took legal action to bar US imports of Cadbury products that had been manufactured in the UK. A Hershey representative told The New York Times at that time that the company had the rights to manufacture Cadbury chocolate in America using different recipes. 

The Cadbury Dairy Milk bar that you'll find in the US today tastes almost nothing like its British counterpart, and there are different explanations for this.

The New York Times reported in 2015 that the British version of Cadbury has a higher fat content, as its main ingredient is milk. In an American-made Cadbury bar, the first listed ingredient is sugar.

But, according to Hershey, this is an incorrect interpretation of the bars' ingredients.

The Cadbury bars' contents appear to be different on each side of the pond because of different labeling standards in the EU and the US.

A Hershey spokesperson told Business Insider: "Our Cadbury Milk bars [in the US] start with quality ingredients we get straight from the Cadbury plant in the British Isles. Our 'chocolate crumb' — the core mixture of chocolate, sugar and milk — are made at the Cadbury plant using the same amounts of milk, sugar and chocolate as the UK version. In fact, it's the same milk sourced by Cadbury from cows in Europe. We add cocoa butter and mould the milk chocolate into bars for sale in the United States."

The only differences are the fat content and the amount of cocoa used in each bar. The US Cadbury bars use only cocoa butter as the "fat," in order to meet FDA standards. In the UK, the company is also allowed to use vegetable oils such as palm and shea.

We put them to the test to see how different they tasted:

SEE ALSO: We compared grocery shopping at stores in the US and the UK — and it was shockingly clear which country does it better

Here are the two bars side by side.

The packaging is the first difference we notice.

The US packaging is significantly more glitzy.

One of my fondest teenage memories is the time I wound up at a mall Circuit City in Nyack, New York, right as it was opening. 

It was the day of the now-defunct electronics chain's massive video game clearance sale, where literally hundreds of older titles were getting marked down to $5. Someone, on some web forum, had somehow figured out which games would go on sale, and compiled a master list. I printed it out and took it with me.  

When the store opened, it was total chaos, as dozens of nerds like myself swarmed the store. But it was also pretty cool: Since there were so few games and so many gamers, we started swapping them around like Pokémon cards. I myself traded the last "Timesplitters 2" for a copy of all-time Xbox classic "Panzer Dragoon Orta" with a broken case.

Ultimately, I wound up with "Orta,""Gun Valkyrie,""Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance," and at least a half-dozen more games, coming in at about $50 total — the regular cost of a single brand-new game at the time.

Since then, video game deal hunting has become a hobby unto itself, for me. I have less time than ever to play video games, but I still spend my free cycles hunting down deals. There hasn't been a single huge event like the Circuit City sale, but I would dare say that I save hundreds of dollars on video games in an average year. 

Here's how I do it — and how you can be as neurotic as me when it comes to saving money on video games:

SEE ALSO: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are about to go head-to-head at the biggest gaming event of the year — here's what to expect

The first best way to save money on video games is ... patience.

It's not right for everyone, and I totally get that there are some games that you need to play on release day. But the single best way to save money on so, so many blockbuster games is just to wait a little bit. 

When I was in high school, I insisted on having every new game right on day one, so I could pick it up right after school and have it all finished by the weekend. 

Nowadays, as a thirtysomething, I don't have that luxury. I pick up a game, and I might not even take it out of the case for a week. It stinks, but it happens. 

This cloud has a silver lining, though: It's made me realize just how fast games go on sale these days. New and exciting games come out so often that old ones get discounted just to make way. 

For instance: "Far Cry 5," the gorgeous new blockbuster first-person shooter, cost $60 when it came out on March 27, 2018. As I write this, it's on sale at GameStop and Amazon for $45. Given my limited playing time, I'm not sure I would have made a dent in those two mere months, so I'd feel pretty silly if I'd gotten it at launch. 

It gets more dramatic as you go. "Assassin's Creed Origins," which came out on October 27th, and was one of the hottest games of the Christmas shopping season, has gone from $60 to $30 at many stores. 

So if you can wait, maybe wait. It makes so much difference.

Take full advantage of your platform.

Again, this may seem obvious, but it's good to take full advantage of the programs available to you. 

For instance: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all run weekly game sales from their digital storefronts. Plus, if you're a member of the $60/year Xbox Live Gold program, you can get a discount on Xbox One digital games, and the same for PlayStation gamers on the $60/year PlayStation Plus plan.

Better yet, Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus offer their subscribers a selection of free games every month, which you can play on an unlimited basis for as long as your account is paid up.

Think of these plans like a Costco membership: It's a fee you pay up front to save later. 

On the PC side, Steam, the megapopular digital games store for Windows, Mac, and Linux gamers, has regular blowout sales several times a year — though they're rarely announced in advance. 

But if you're looking for a bargain...

The first and best site in the world of video game deal hunting is CheapAssGamer.com, run by David "CheapyD" Abrams. CAG was one of the first forums dedicated entirely to finding and discussing deals, and still one of the most active.

Week in and week out, you can expect CAG posters to find and list out all the video game sales at retailers like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart, with helpful commentary explaining if the price is a good deal or not. 

Beyond that, the CAG community is always on the ball, spotting flash sales at Amazon or Fry's Electronics, alerting you to discounts on iPhone and Android games, or surfacing a helpful 20% off coupon for the PlayStation Store. 

(Side-note: Back in 2005, it was my neurotic refreshing and triple-checking of CAG that enabled me to find my Nintendo Wii, back when that console was in extremely short supply.) 

China's more assertive posture in its near abroad has its neighbors more concerned about Beijing's ambitions, and President Donald Trump's seeming vacillation on US commitments to the region have many of those countries reassessing their own security and diplomatic relationships.

At present, the balance of power in Asia "really is one of contested US primacy," Hervé Lemahieu, a research fellow at Australian think tank the Lowy Institute, told Business Insider earlier this month.

"We now have two regional superpowers, and they both have their strengths, and they both have remarkable weaknesses," said Lemahieu, who is also director of the Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index project, which assesses countries in the region on a range of political, military, and economic factors.

But he stressed that the current dynamic is not a binary one.

"We're not seeing a renewed Cold War where Asia's carved up ... into zones of influence, because there are so many other actors involved with their own interests and agendas," he said.

Wariness about China has led countries in the region to look for ways to balance against potential challenges emanating from Beijing. Some of those responses include the US. Some look to build new ties between neighbors.

Below, you can see what Lemahieu described as the main ways countries in Asia are responding to China.

SEE ALSO: 'Strategically comforting and tactically terrifying': Chinese leaders are wary of Trump — but they still see an opportunity

'Hugging America'

Despite unease about the US's policy toward China and Asia in general, many countries in the region continue to see a partnership with Washington as the way to go.

"Countries are pursuing different routes by which they wish to hedge China's rise," Lemahieu said. "The first is the conventional route, which is sort of hugging America."

The Asia Power Index assesses a country's power with a weighted average across eight measures. Based on defense networks, which is one of those measures, the US retains its primacy, with a score of 89.6 to second-place China's 69.7.

Ranked by its regional-alliance network, a subcategory within that measure, the US is still far ahead, scoring 100 to runner-up Australia's 80.1.

The alliance-centric version of defense partnerships, "where you have ... mutual defense-treaty allies, of which the US has a number accumulated over the last half-century," suits the US very well, Lemahieu told Business Insider.

External balancing

"There's increasingly this new form of defensive policy taking place in Asia, which doesn't really rest in mutual defense treaties but rests in deepening defense partnerships through extensive bilateral exercises, through arms transfers, which are a sign of the strategic weight of an emerging relationship, and other means that countries are pursuing to diversify" their defense networks, Lemahieu said.

A kind of external balancing, in which smaller players band together, is starting to emerge.

"It's developing, and it's unproven," Lemahieu said. "So there's a degree of depth there, but it could be stronger."

Based on regional non-allied partners, another subcategory in the defense-networks measure, Singapore is far ahead, with a score of 100. The US, with a score of 73.9, ranks fourth, behind Australia, with 90.4, and Malaysia, at 83.2.

"Smaller countries, like Singapore, they do very well at this," Lemahieu told Business Insider. "They have to. They're small. They're vulnerable. They need to be investing in their defense networks."

"But even traditional allies of the United States, like Australia, have started hedging against the prospect of a possible US retrenchment from the region," he added. "It's a reality in the mind of a lot of allies, who traditionally have formed part of this hub-and-spoke system surrounded by the United States — i.e. their relationship with other US allies has been really precipitated through Washington, DC."

Australia and Japan are deepening their defense ties, and New Delhi, even with its growing ties to the US, is increasingly working with its neighbors, including its first-ever naval exercises with Vietnam and closer cooperation with Indonesia, which may let India use the deep-sea port of Sabang, at the western edge of the strategically valuable Malacca Strait.

"So in that way you see that the countries are pursuing different routes by which they wish to hedge China's rise," Lemahieu said.

Internal rebalancing

Some in the region have looked inward to adjust to external developments.

"Other countries, like Japan, are really investing in their own, reinvigorating their own military capability or reforming the constitution, like [Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe has tried to do," Lemahieu told Business Insider. "That's also been called internal rebalancing by the Japanese."

Japan disarmed after World War II, but in recent years, amid growing tensions in the region, Tokyo has moved to rebuild its armed forces and take a more assertive role abroad.

In 2014, Japan lifted a ban on military exports, and in the years since, its defense contractors have grown more interested in overseas sales. In 2015, parliament approved a law allowing Japan's military to mobilize overseas under certain conditions. The country's 2017 military budget was its largest ever.

More recently, Tokyo added a centralized command and amphibious forces to its Ground Self-Defense Forces, in what was the largest reorganization since the JGSDF was formed in 1954, according to The Diplomat. Earlier this year, Abe's party adopted his proposal to revise the constitution, modifying its prohibition on maintaining military forces — though that effort faces political obstacles and public opposition.

As the summer TV season gets underway, several fan-favorite shows are returning with new seasons next month.

To find out which returning shows audiences are anticipating the most, the TV-tracking app TV Time analyzed data from its 2.1 million global users to see which upcoming TV shows viewers had followed the most frequently on its platform.

The list includes the upcoming seasons of the popular Netflix original shows "GLOW" and "Marvel's Luke Cage," along with the USA drama series "Shooter."

Here are the 5 returning TV shows that viewers are anticipating the most in June, according to TV Time:

SEE ALSO: 7 great movies you can watch on Netflix this weekend

5. "The Bold Type" (Season 2) — Premieres June 12 on Freeform

Summary:"Ladies working at a global women's magazine navigate life, love and friendship together. Inspired by the life of Cosmopolitan editor Joanna Coles."

4. "12 Monkeys" (Season 4) — Premieres June 15 on SyFy

Summary:"Two time travelers, Cole and Cassie, must journey throughout time to prevent the Army of the 12 Monkeys from destroying all reality."

3. "Shooter" (Season 3) — Premieres June 21 on USA Network

Summary:"A drama based on the best-selling Bob Lee Swagger novel by Stephen Hunter, Point of Impact, and the 2007 Paramount film starring Mark Wahlberg."

You can learn a lot about what makes a brilliant mind tick by looking at the books on their bedside table. Beyond reading research in their field, the most famous and successful scientists take the time to read books about every subject imaginable.

We compiled a list of book recommendations from a handful of illustrious minds by combing the web for quotes, checking out personal blogs, and even asking them directly. The picks below come from popular scientists like Bill Nye, surgeons-turned-writers like Siddhartha Mukherjee, and globe-trotting superheroes like Jane Goodall.

The books they've recommended range from high fantasy, like Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," to canonical, like Plato's seminal work "The Republic." 

Here are 12 books that brilliant scientists consider must-reads:

SEE ALSO: The best books about science from the last 15 years that everyone should read

Jane Goodall: "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Jane Goodall is a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Goodall famously read the books to her son while studying chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She even named a precocious chimpanzee "Frodo" after the trilogy's main character.

She was also a fan of the movies and told W Magazine that "The Fellowship of the Ring" is one film that "really sticks with me." 

Buy it here.

Neil deGrasse Tyson: "On the Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin's seminal work exploring the theory of evolution is a text that popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson thinks everyone should read.

Tyson said in a Reddit Ask-Me-Anything thread that Darwin's book will help you "learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth."

"On the Origin of Species" is considered the foundation of the field of evolutionary biology, and popularized the concept of evolution through natural selection. 

Buy it here.

Carl Sagan: "The Republic" by Plato

One of the world's most influential works of political theory, Plato's "The Republic" is the foundation of much of Western philosophy (and a sometimes daunting assignment for many college freshmen).

Astronomer Carl Sagan, however, put the book on his personal reading list— books to tackle in his free time outside of class — when he was studying at the University of Chicago.

Plato's book is written as a dialogue with Socrates and evaluates differing notions of justice and morality.

Buy it here.

• Penthouses evoke luxury, particularly thanks to the stunning panoramic views their high-in-the-sky location affords.
• With the help of Trulia, we compiled the 15 most expensive penthouses for sale in the US with amazing views.
• Most of the penthouses overlook the beach or a city, with New York City penthouses being among the most expensive.

What more fitting place for the top 1% to live than, quite literally, at the top?

Perched in the sky, penthouses offer everything from exclusive amenities and lavish architecture to rooftop gardens and pools, with views as stunning as their interiors.

We teamed up with Trulia to compile a list of the top 15 most expensive penthouses with the most amazing views for sale in the US as of May 23.

It may come as no surprise that these palaces in the sky boast either beach or city views. Even less surprising, still, is the fact that New York City dominated this list — there must be something about panoramic views of the concrete jungle that rich people can't get enough of.

From a $35 million coastal pad in Honolulu, Hawaii, to an $82 million contemporary penthouse overlooking New York's Central Park, here are the priciest penthouses in the country, ranked from least to most expensive.

SEE ALSO: Stunning photos show what it's like to live at the top of New York City

DON'T MISS: Nobody wants to buy 'Versailles in Manhattan,' a $19.75 million Upper East Side townhouse that has been on and off the market for 15 years

15. $35 million

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Size: 10,515 sq. ft.

Cost per square foot: $3,329

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 6 beds/7 baths

14. $35 million

Location: Sunny Isles, Florida

Size: 10,750 sq. ft.

Cost per square foot: $3,256

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 6 beds/baths

13. $36 million

Location: Sunny Isles Beach, Florida

Size: 10,755 sq. ft.

Cost per square foot: $3,347

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 6 beds/8 baths

There are a lot of heroes in the Star Wars universe — almost too many to keep track of.

Some of them are among the most memorable characters in all of fiction, and some are memorable for being the absolute worse. (Meesa think probably you know exactly who we are talking about. How rude!) 

Some of the best characters fighting for the good side of the Force throughout the films have been in our lives for decades, like R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker. And some, like BB-8 or Rey, haven't been in the universe for long, but their impact is already powerful.

We ranked 34 of the most notable and memorable heroes in the Star Wars universe, from General Leia to Jar Jar Binks. 

Here's the Star Wars heroes, ranked from worst to best:

SEE ALSO: The 30 most important 'Star Wars' movie villains, ranked from worst to best

34. Jar Jar Binks

Do I even have to explain this? Jar Jar Binks, who voted to give Palpatine emergency powers while he was subbing for Padmé's role as senator, is honestly a villain. 

33. Padmé Amidala

It's unfortunate that Padmé was so poorly written. On paper, she's just as exciting as other female characters in the Star Wars universe like Leia and Rey: she's a leader who will do anything to fight for her people and the Republic. But her dialogue and characteristics were so bad that she isn't memorable. She doesn't need Anakin, and would be a part of the story despite their romantic relationship, but like most characters in the prequels, she just doesn't have any personality beyond what her job is. She was also dumb enough to select, of all beings, Jar Jar Binks to replace her in the senate. 

32. Rose Tico

There's isn't anything wrong with Rose, but her presence felt a little like a last-minute add-on. We do like her, but still don't feel like we know her well, beyond the fact that her sister died to save the Rebel Alliance. Hopefully we'll get to know her better in the next episode. 

• The specific words a company uses in its job listings affect how long it takes to fill positions.
• The words that work in one city often don't have the same success in other cities.
• Using the word "synergy" in a job listing leads to quickly-filled positions in Phoenix and Salt Lake City, but it slows down the process in Miami and Philadelphia.

Imagine you're a CEO in San Jose, California, with a management position to fill.

You post job listings around the internet searching for someone "with a great work ethic," and like clockwork, you're bombarded with applications from top candidates.

Meanwhile, a CEO in Everett, Washington, posts the exact same job listing — yet their position takes weeks longer to fill than the one in San Jose.

The reason for the discrepancy has nothing to do with the quality of candidates in either city. No, the difference-maker was the inclusion of the phrase "work ethic." As it turns out, job listings that say "work ethic" are significantly better at attracting new hires in San Jose than in Everett.

That was one of the conclusions from Textio, a startup that analyzes language performance to improve hiring. Textio recently examined hundreds of millions of job listings from around the world submitted by its user base, as well as the amount of time it took for each position to be filled, to isolate the words that are most conducive to a quick job search.

The results are fascinating. According to Textio, using the word "synergy" in a job listing works particularly well in Salt Lake City, Honolulu, and Phoenix, but not in Miami, Philadelphia, or Washington, DC. Openings for "intense" jobs are quickly filled in Portland, Denver, and Dallas, but not in Cleveland, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Meanwhile, people in New York City seem to be turned off by the words "competitive,""cool," and "fast-paced," but respond well to the phrases "meets commitments,""casual company culture," and "excellent critical thinking," according to Textio.

And as for our CEO in Everett, Washington, they're better off searching for someone who is "dedicated"— the word performs especially well there.

Take a look at the cities where the right words can speed up the hiring process, and where the same words can grind it to a halt:

SEE ALSO: For an inside look at Facebook, Amazon, and Apple, scrutinize something most people overlook: the words used in their job postings

SEE ALSO: The most disproportionately popular college major in every US state

'Super' attracts job candidates in Washington and London, but not Philadelphia or Miami.

'Competitive' is a good word for job listings in London and Sydney.

'Cool' won't get you very far in Los Angeles or San Francisco.

• Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to female shoppers in recent years, with some customers complaining on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• Meanwhile, rival brand Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to promote female empowerment and is gaining market share. 
• We've compiled a list of up-and-coming lingerie brands that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret.

Lingerie giant Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to its female shoppers with racy ad campaigns, relatively steep pricing, and rail-thin models. 

In its parent company's most recent earnings report, released Wednesday, same-store sales were down by 5% at Victoria's Secret stores.

Increasingly, brands such as American Eagle's body-positive underwear store, Aerie, have swooped in and taken market share away from Victoria's Secret. Aerie has seen 12 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth; its same-store sales were up 27% in the fiscal year 2017 (first-quarter earnings of 2018 have not yet been reported) and this is becoming a major concern for its main rival. 

"Over the past few years, we believe the competitive landscape in lingerie (in constructed, un-constructed, and Sport) has evolved. In addition to players such as Aerie (AEO) who are offering a very clear brand proposition, new digitally-native entrants are entering the arena," Cowen analyst Oliver Chen wrote in a note to investors in March.

Here are some of the hottest new companies and collections that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret:

SEE ALSO: These photos reveal why women are abandoning Victoria's Secret for American Eagle's Aerie underwear brand

American Eagle's Aerie

American Eagle's underwear brand, Aerie, has become one of the company's biggest sweet spots. The underwear collection, which includes a limited selection of apparel and swimwear, is targeted at 15- to 25-year-olds and covers a breadth of sizes from XXS to XXL.

Aerie famously doesn't Photoshop any of the images in its ads. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal. This seems to be resonating well with customers as it has seen 12 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth.

Love by GapBody

Gap's latest underwear collection, Love, is focused on "comfortable basics."

It's too early to judge how successful it is, as it just launched in February, but its ad campaign has been well-received online. One photo that showed a woman breastfeeding her baby went viral last week after being praised on Instagram.

"I have never shopped at Gap, but I will be purchasing something tonight! This is amazing!" one Instagram commenter wrote at the time.

True&Co

Online-only store True&Co, which launched in 2012, aims to make shopping for bras more straightforward with a quiz that asks shoppers a series of questions about their shape, how their bra currently fits, and what preferences they have. 

From there, the store emails customers a selection of recommended bras, which they can try on at home and then return any that they don't like. 

The company was acquired in 2017 by PVH Corp., the parent company of brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, for an undisclosed amount. 

Earlier this week, popular burger chain Shake Shack and Silicon Valley-favorite shoe brand Allbirds announced they had teamed up to release a sneaker that would be available in New York City for one day only, on May 24.

The Shake Shack-inspired sneaker, which created in the style of Allbirds' lightweight Tree Runner shoe, cost $100 to get — but it also involved standing in a monstrously long line on a hot day in Madison Square Park, smack dab in the middle of New York City.

And yet, lines formed as early as 5 a.m. Ultimately, Allbirds says that the shoes sold out in a little over three hours. 

Here's what it was like to buy the $100 Shake Shack Allbirds shoes, and what they're like to wear:

SEE ALSO: The Steve Jobs guide to manipulating people and getting what you want

SEE ALSO: Android phones everywhere are adopting the iPhone X notch, and it shows a true lack of originality among smartphone makers

Since the Shake Shack-Allbirds shoes were available for only one day (May 24), and at one location (the original Shake Shack at Madison Square Park), there was a massive line.

After an hour-long wait, which was nail-biting since so many sizes were selling out so quickly, success!

Now, to actually unbox this thing. The green fabric handle gives you a hint of what's inside.

• Trader Joe's foods are famous for being unique and quirky.
• According to the chain's website, the store's private label products also are free of artificial preservatives and flavors, genetically modified ingredients, and MSG.
• A number of Trader Joe's crew members have taken to the web to share their favorite picks from the store.

Trader Joe's foods are often unique and one-of-a-kind. They're at least pretty quirky compared to most standard grocery store offerings.

That's not too surprising, given the fact the brand employs product innovators to "travel the world looking for the most creative food trends, in order to create the most exciting — WOW! — products for Trader Joe's," according to a 2016 job description.

Plus, crew members themselves get to sample the store's products, to ensure they'll be a hit with shoppers. That's a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of Trader Joe's.

"We don't buy anything before we taste it…" former Trader Joe's president Doug Rauch said in 1999. "Focus groups aren't necessary, because our buyers and employees are a good representation of the customer base."

A number of crew members have taken to the internet to share some of their favorite food items from the store. In a 2016 Reddit AMA, one Trader Joe's manager even noted that boosting your favorite store purchase in a job interview can help you land a role at the chain, writing, "Tell them you love Trader Joe's and talk about your favorite product and why you like shopping there."

A few of the products the employees praised have since been discontinued — Trader Joe's is notorious for axing beloved items if suppliers attempt to increase prices. But maybe a few will inspire you to switch things up and try something new the next time you find yourself in TJ's.

Here's a look at some of the food items that Trader Joe's crew members love:

SEE ALSO: Costco employees share their 11 best food court secrets and hacks

DON'T MISS: 15 things all Trader Joe's employees know that most shoppers don't

SEE ALSO: The best deals you can find at Costco, according to employees

Chocolate babka, a 'sweet, swirly' chocolate cake

"This is a hard one," a Trader Joe's crew member of wrote in a 2017 Reddit AMA, when asked what their favorite store food was. "I'd say the chocolate babka."

Trader Joe's website describes the item as "a sweet, swirly, brioche-meets-cake loaf rooted in Eastern European Jewish traditions."

Mandarin Orange Chicken, a frozen item that sells for $4.99

A Trader Joe's crew member of 10 years wrote in a 2017 Reddit AMA that it was "tough" to select their favorite food from the store, but added, "If I had to choose it would be The Mandarin Orange Chicken in our frozen section."

According to Trader Joe's website, the item has been around since 2004. A 22-ounce package of the chicken goes for $4.99.

Vegan marshmallows, which are cheaper than comparable ones elsewhere

"The marshmallows are the best," a Trader Joe's employee wrote in a 2017 Reddit AMA. "Most marshmallows that are marketed as 'vegan' are very expensive — at least $5 a bag."

According to a 2016 post from the store's website, the vegan items are sold for $2.99.

• Many of your supposedly "bad habits" may actually be perfectly good for you, according to scientific research. 
• Whether you like naps, can't commit to a 2-hour daily workout, or occasionally indulge in fatty foods, there are studies to support you.
• Read on to find out if your shameful practice is really a science-backed tactic.

Admitting you enjoy naps, the occasional glass of wine, or hitting the couch instead of the gym every once in a while can often land you a prime spot in the shame corner. But there's plenty of scientific research to support many of these allegedly bad habits.

Instead of contributing to our collective guilt, we've taken a look at where the studies stand on a range of supposedly unhealthy tendencies — from making a pit-stop for an energy drink to indulging in an omelette for breakfast. Here's what you should know before you prepare for another Walk of Shame.

DON'T MISS: I tried a science-backed eating plan tied to a better memory and longer life — and never felt like I was 'dieting'

SEE ALSO: What your daily routine should look like, according to science

Skipping breakfast

Breakfast is not mandatory, despite what you may have heard.

Although it was once believed that skipping the first meal of the day leads to weight gain, several recent studies have found the opposite — that fasting, or occasionally skipping meals, may actually help some people lose weight.

These eating plans are known as intermittent fasting, and one of the most popular involves abstaining from food for 16 hours and eating for eight. That leads most people to shift their eating window back a few hours from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m, essentially foregoing breakfast.

Large studies have found intermittent fasting to be just as reliable for weight loss as traditional diets. A few studies in animals suggest it could have other benefits, such as reducing the risk for certain cancers and even prolonging life— but those studies need to be repeated in humans.

Drinking coffee

In March, a California judge ruled that Starbucks and other coffee businesses must include cancer warnings on their products.

Despite this frightening announcement, there's extensive scientific research on coffee which suggests that, if anything, regularly drinking the brew is linked with a reduced cancer risk as well as a range of other health benefits, such as protecting against diabetes and boosting heart health. 

That said, doctors recommend limiting your caffeine intake to 400 milligrams per day, or about 3 to 4 standard cups of drip coffee.

Eating eggs

The latest advice on healthy eating seems to change as frequently as the seasons.

Eggs— an animal product high in cholesterol, fat, protein, and several key vitamins and minerals — have been vilified for years. But as it turns out, eggs are actually pretty healthy. And ordering just the whites, a practice that low-fat food advocates say is a way to shave off calories, fat, and cholesterol, is completely unnecessary.

Whole eggs are high in a handful of key vitamins and minerals that you can't get from many foods like vitamin B12 and phosphorus. They're also rich in muscle-fueling protein and satiating fat, which makes them filling and unlikely to be overeaten.

Plus, the cholesterol eggs contain does not appear to lead to high cholesterol levels in healthy people. Just as eating fat does not translate into being fat, recent research has shown that eating cholesterol doesn't necessarily translate into having high cholesterol.

Manila, the hyper-dense capital of The Philippines, is known for its traffic jams. In a 2016 survey, navigation company Waze ranked Manila as having the "worst traffic on Earth."

The city's reliance on cars also exacerbates its growing air-pollution problem.

As a possible solution to Manila's smog and gridlock, the country plans to build an entirely new, more sustainable city called New Clark.

Plans for the $14 billion development — which will be larger than Manhattan — call for drones, driverless cars, technologies that will reduce buildings' water and energy usage, a giant sports complex, and plenty of green space. 

Take a look below.

SEE ALSO: American highways are so expensive that cities are tearing them down — here’s what they’re turning into

Over the next three decades, the Philippines aims to build out New Clark about 75 miles outside Manila.

Source: CNBC

According to the development's plan, the city will eventually stretch 36 square miles — a land area larger than Manhattan — and house up to 2 million people.

Source: The Inquirer

New Clark will be divided into five districts, each with a specific function: government, business, education, agriculture, and recreation.