• Forrester, a market research company, released its 2018 Customer Experience Index for the airline industry.
• JetBlue came in first for the second year in a row, while SpiritAirlines came in last.
• Effectiveness, Retention, and Enrichment were among the six categories measured. 

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Forrester ranked the customer service quality of 11 domestic airlines in its new 2018 Customer Experience Index.

JetBlue earned the top spot for the second year in a row, while Spirit Airlines came in last place.  

The 2018 list is down to just 11 brands following the merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America.

This year’s rankings showed increased volatility from last. Unlike in 2017, which saw only three brands move up spaces, Forrester’s 2018 Customer Experience Index saw six airlines rise in the rankings. Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta, United, Frontier and Spirit Airlines all saw their Customer Experience scores rise, while Hawaiian Airlines and Air Canadawere the only two airlines to move down in the rankings. Allegiant Air saw the highest rise of any airline from last year, as they moved up four spots from 9th place in 2017 to 5th place in 2018. 

The Forrester rankings are based on a survey of over 110,000 US adult customers and creates the CX (Customer Experience) index score out of measurements from six categories: Effectiveness (the experience delivers value to customers); Ease (it’s not difficult to get value from the experience); Emotion (customers feel good about the experience); Retention (likelihood of keeping existing business); Enrichment (likelihood of buying additional products and services); Advocacy (likelihood of recommending to others).

In an email to Business Insider, a Forrester executive noted that "compared to other industries Forrester measured, airlines landed in the 'poor' category, showing little change since last year. Across 19 industries, airlines ranked number 16, beating out only TV service providers, federal government and internet service providers."  

Essentially, American consumers are saying to the airline industry, we fly with you because we need to, not because we enjoy it.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best and worst airlines in America

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11. Spirit Airlines: They moved up from 12th place last year.

10. Frontier Airlines: Ranked 11th in 2017.

9. United Airlines: Moved up from 10th place in 2017.

• Sharks are one of the most misunderstood — and feared — species on the planet. 
• Many don't know that sharks rarely attack humans, are clever predators, and play a large ecological role.
• Here are 13 facts about sharks that scientists want you to know. 

These predators routinely appear on movie and TV screens as single-minded maneaters — but in real life, they rarely harm humans.

SEE ALSO: A shark expert says this US coastline could be the next danger zone for great white shark attacks

1. Humans kill more sharks than sharks kill people

It's true: Sharks kill about six people per year across the globe, while humans kill between 75 and 100 million sharks. "The math on that is pretty simple," says Nick Whitney, Ph.D, senior scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, who first got interested in sharks as a kid in Michigan because the movie version terrified him. Now that he studies them for a living, he's no longer afraid to swim in the ocean. "I know what lies beneath now, and in some ways, that makes me much more comfortable," he says. "Then again, if I see a lot of bait fish close to shore and birds actively feeding on them, I know there are probably bigger fish nearby as well, and there are likely to be sharks, too."

2. Only three shark species are responsible for most human bites and fatalities

Whitney says that of the more than 400 species of shark out there, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and white sharks are the most dangerous, but even with those groups, most bites are inspired more by curiosity than animosity. "If any of these three species wanted to kill a human and eat them, it would be easy to do," he says. "The fact that the vast majority of those bitten even by these three species survive, that's a good sign it was an investigatory bite." Whitney has been bitten twice, but says both times he totally deserved it. "Most of the injuries I've sustained during shark work have come from other humans or slip-and-fall accidents on the boat."

3. The US sees more shark attacks than any other country, but very few fatalities

Most of the bites in the United States happen in Florida. In 2017, sharks attacked 31 peoplewithout provocation (there were other incidents, where the person who got bitten was trying to remove a shark from a fishing line or found some other way to rile it up), but none died. The last fatal attack in the United States happened in 2015, in Hawaii. Worldwide, only five people died after shark attacks in 2017: one in Australia, two in Reunion Island (an overseas department of France near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean), one in Costa Rica, and one in Cuba. Here are 13 more things you never knew about shark attacks.

There are a lot of good reasons to fit in a workout today.

Whether you want to lose weight, combat anxiety and depression, improve memory, build endurance, or strengthen bones and muscles, exercise can help.

But depending on your goals, some types of exercise work better than others.

If you want to improve bone health, you'll want to do some sort of resistance training like weightlifting. For rapid improvements in speed or strength, a high-intensity interval program might be best. To improve brain health, aerobic exercise might be most helpful.

Some benefits are visible within a few minutes, while others can take months or years.

For sustained improvement, consistency is key. People see the most benefits if they work out on a regular basis, multiple times a week, throughout their lives.

But any form of activity can be good for you and count as exercise. Skip the elevator to take the stairs, walk a mile to the store instead of driving, or go help a friend move on the weekend. It's good for your body and brain.

Here's how much it takes for various forms of exercise to yield science-backed benefits.

SEE ALSO: The 39 best ways to burn the most calories in an hour

Even small amounts of exercise can make a big difference long-term — running five minutes a day could add years to your life, if you do it for years.

You can get big benefits without having to do a lot: running just five minutes per day could add years to your life, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

To be clear, you'll probably want to exercise more than this. But it's worth knowing that even just a little exercise is far better than none.

This study found that over a 15-year period, people who ran just a few times a week (averaging out to five minutes a day) had about a 30% lower risk of death than people who didn't run at all. And people who ran more had even healthier hearts.

For a mood boost, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise is enough to make a difference.

Spending 30 minutes on a treadmill is enough to lift someone's mood, according to a study published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. Even participants who moved at a walking pace received the same mood-lifting benefit.

This shows that no matter what pace you're going, moving has positive effect, adding to the already significant body of research showing that running and other forms of exercise can improve mood and help fight depression.

In another study, women who did three 50-minute aerobic classes a week had significantly improved mood, decreased anxiety, and were more optimistic after 12 weeks.

To lift symptoms of depression, that mood boost is a good start. But keeping up a regular exercise routine is most effective for improved mental health, no matter what type of workout you do.

In one pilot study, participants got 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day for 10 days straight, and showed significant improvement in depression symptoms by the end of the study. 

Other studies have compared aerobic exercise to resistance training programs to see if one worked better for treating depression.

The overall verdict from one major review of studies found that either sort of activity could be equally beneficial. Sample training programs from several of those studies had participants engage in either strength training or aerobic exercise at least three times a week, 60 minutes each time, for 12 weeks.

• Chipotle is turning to technology to grow sales, with mobile ordering, delivery, and even a digital drive-thru test in the works. 
• The tech investments are changing what Chipotle looks like for customers and behind the scenes. 
• We recently visited a location in New York City that has served as a test site for much of Chipotle's new initiatives and saw how tech is crucial to the chain's turnaround plans. 

Chipotle is turning to technology as the struggling burrito chain enters a new era. 

The chain basically invented the format that became a fast-casual classic: workers preparing food to order in a line, directly in front of customers. The low-tech, straight-forward preparation style helped make Chipotle a major success. 

Now, after a two-year sales slump following an E. coli outbreak, Chipotle needs to find new ways to serve customers and convince them to return to the chain. To do so, the chain is turning to tech, with mobile ordering, drive-thru, delivery, and behind-the-scenes changes in the works. 

These changes are transforming what it is like to dine at Chipotle. We recently visited a location in New York City that has served as a test site for much of Chipotle's new technology. 

Here's what it's like to dine at the Chipotle of the future — and what it says for the brand's turnaround:

SEE ALSO: Chipotle has started adding drive-thrus — but there is a huge catch

One of Chipotle's biggest tech advancements is mobile ordering.

Mobile ordering is sweeping the restaurant industry, and it has been an option on Chipotle's app for a while.

However, for a long time the process has been both time-intensive and confusing, according to Curt Garner, chief digital and information officer at Chipotle. Customers who placed mobile orders were met with wait times of up to 45 minutes. Then, when they showed up at Chipotle, they were left to wander around, looking for where their burritos were stashed. 

"The last five feet in the restaurant were still confusing in many places. … It's not clear in a Chipotle where you get your food," Garner told Business Insider. 

Now, Chipotle is both speeding up mobile orders and reorganizing restaurants to make things more clear.

The chain is testing clearly marked signs to lead customers to mobile pick-up shelves. And, wait time has been cut down to 12 minutes. Mobile orders now account for 8.8% of the chain's sales, according to the company, with a 40% increase from 2016 to 2017. 

As tech evolves, Chipotle is also making some behind-the-scenes changes. 

Chipotle is doubling down on its "second make line," a burrito preparation area geared towards mobile, delivery, and even drive-thru orders.

When Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol joined the company in early March, he said that the second make line was one of the things that immediately stuck out as an opportunity to boost sales. 

"One of the first things I uncovered was the second make line,"Niccol said."I was just like, this is a huge ... capability that we have not been taking full advantage of." 

• Renters have more than high rent costs to think about when finding a place to live.
• SmartAsset recently released a report on the best places to live in the US for renters based on seven metrics, from unemployment rate to average commute time.
• The Midwest is a great area for renters — four cities made it into the top 10.

In a time when the cost of rent is so high that a minimum-wage worker needs 2.5 full-time jobs to afford rent for a one-bedroom apartment in most of the US, finding an affordable place to live can seem like an endless game. 

But renters, who spent a record amount of money on housing in 2017, don't have just costs to worry about — they also need to look at factors like distance to work and safety.

SmartAsset took all of this into consideration in its recent report on the best cities for renters. They looked at data for 96 cities, comparing them across seven different metrics: rent-to-income ratio, percent of housing stock dedicated to renting, eviction rate, density of entertainment establishments, crime rate, unemployment rate, and average commute time.

SmartAsset ranked each city in every metric, then weighted all metrics equally to calculate each city's average ranking, which determined the final list.

Turns out, the Midwest is a great area for renters, with four cities making the top 10.

Below, see the best 25 places to live for renters, ranked. All rent prices are sourced from Zillow and are the median for all rentals in the metro area.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best places to live if you want to save a lot of money

DON'T MISS: How much renters pay to live in the most expensive neighborhoods in 9 major US cities — and in the most affordable

25. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Median rent: $1,350

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 58%

Unemployment rate: 5.5%

24. Los Angeles, California

Median rent: $3,500

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 42%

Unemployment rate: 5%

23. Irvine, California

Median rent: $3,350

Renters who spend 30% of income or less on rent: 46%

Unemployment rate: 3.8%

• The Acura RDX is a critically important compact crossover for Honda's luxury brand in the US.
• We borrowed a $47,800 Advance trim-level RDX and put it through its paces.
• We came away just as impressed as we often are with Acura vehicles, whose price-to-quality ratio is hard to beat in the luxury space for most owners.

Luxury crossovers are a white-hot segment in the new-vehicle world. Screw up in this realm and you'll pay. 

Acura can't afford to screw up because although Honda's premium marque has its loyalists — they're on par with BMW owners — the US-market crossover segment is a battlefield and new combatants are arriving all the time.

Lucky for Acura it has a solid compact SUV that, in its latest iteration, has gotten more solid.

The first-generation RDX landed in 2007, and the made-in-Ohio crossover came with a four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which was an oddity at the time for luxury vehicles. The second-gen hit in 2012, and the four-banger was replaced with a V6.

The all-important compact luxury crossover category demands that Acura keep pace, especially in the US, so for the 2019 model year we have an all-new RDX, tasked with maintaining the 50,000 in annual sales that the previous-gen enjoyed. Besides the engine change, the other major difference is that the RDX is now built on an Acura-only platform (the second-gen was based on the popular Honda CR-V).

For many, many Americans, the RDX is their version of a premium wagon and it's dedicated to upscale family duty. But it also promises zesty performance and plenty of technology, given the typical needs and wants of an Acura enthusiast. This new-gen RDX is also taking some design cues from Acura halo supercar, the NSX, which took home Business Insider's Car of the Year trophy in 2016.

The 2019 Acura RDX starts at about $37,000 for the front-wheel-drive version, but our tester was a $47,800 all-wheel-drive Advance trim level, fully loaded.

Here's how it went.

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The 2019 Acura RDX looks undeniably sharp in a "Performance Red" paint job. To my eye, the latest generation of this compact crossover is pushing toward midsize dimension.

The minimalist design of the second-gen RDX is going away, replaced by a more sleek and dynamic exterior. I rather like the fractured belt-line and the painterly slashes of chrome, but they aren't going to be for everybody.

The RDX has good presence for an entry level luxury crossover. The space is very, very crowded these days as SUVs have supplanted sedans as the world's go-to premium choice.

As the saying goes, "Do what you love, and you'll never work another day in your life."

These entrepreneurs did just that, and they've made millions!

From Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss — fashion-savvy business school classmates who launched the highly successful apparel rental service Rent the Runway — to Mark Zuckerberg, who started the platform that became Facebook as a side project, here are 14 people who turned their hobbies into million- and billion-dollar careers.

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, Making Sense of Cents

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner paid off $38,000 worth of student loans in just seven months after she graduated from business school. Her secret — and the reason she now earns more than $100,000 a month through her blog — is to focus on earning.

"The biggest reason for why I was able to pay off my student loans is because I earned as much money as I could outside of my day job," she explains on her personal finance and lifestyle blog, Making Sense of Cents. "I mystery shopped and got paid to take surveys, but the biggest thing I did was I made an income through my blog."

Schroeder-Gardner started Making Sense of Cents while pursuing an MBA in finance. Although she first envisioned it as more of a diary, the site now generates revenue through online classes she teaches on the site, affiliate marketing, and advertising (both company-sponsored ads and display ads). 

She and her husband both quit their jobs in 2013 and now travel across the US in an RV. 

Nadia Shuaib, Budget Electronics

After immigrating to Canada from Scotland, Nadia Shuaib turned her husband's part-time project into a multimillion-dollar e-commerce project — while studying for the Canadian bar! 

Shuaib listed a few of her husband's cell phone accessories on eBay. When the inventory quickly sold out, she decided to make her part-time project into a career. Now, her online store, Budget Electronics, which is based out of two Toronto warehouses, is a multimillion-dollar business.

Craig Newmark, Craigslist

Craig Newmark moved to San Francisco for a job in computer programming at Charles Schwab. When he was laid off, he made the most of the situation by using his severance package to start a small message board that aggregated events that fellow programmers might be interested in.

With terrific timing, Newmark's project coincided with the release of the early internet browser Netscape. With the addition of a job-listing section, the site, which eventually became Craigslist, boomed in popularity.

Today, Newmark's net worth is estimated to be $1.31 billion, according to Forbes.

Apple sells four iPad models: the iPad Mini 4, the iPad, and two versions of the iPad Pro.

Unless you're into the "mini" form factor though, most people will probably choose between the 9.7-inch iPad and the two iPad Pro models.

Here are eight reasons you should buy the most basic iPad instead of an iPad Pro.

SEE ALSO: 15 mind-blowing announcements Google made at its I/O conference

1. Price is the most important consideration for many people — and the basic iPad looks highly appealing here.

The most basic iPad starts at roughly half the price of the most basic iPad Pro.

Here's the breakdown:

• 9.7-inch iPad: $329 to $559

• 10.5-inch iPad Pro: $649 to $1,129

• 12.9-inch iPad Pro: $799 to $1,279

The higher-end iPad Pro models start getting into laptop territory, at least from a price perspective.

With that in mind, you'll need to consider whether the advantages of the iPad Pro make sense for you.

2. The iPad Pro has new display technology, but the standard iPad display is still incredibly high quality.

One of the biggest difference between the basic iPad and iPad Pro is the display.

The iPad Pro models have Apple's ProMotion technology, a 120 Hz refresh rate that makes everything from scrolling webpages to watching videos generally look smoother. When you're using the Apple Pencil, that enhanced refresh rate also makes it feel as if you're really writing on paper.

That said, the new 9.7-inch iPad still has the same Apple Pencil support, and everything looks great on that Retina display too. You might notice a difference if you're holding the two iPads side by side, but you're not missing much if your iPad doesn't have ProMotion.

3. The only accessory the 9.7-inch iPad can't connect with is Apple's Smart Keyboard, but you're not missing anything special there.

From an accessories standpoint, the most basic iPad can connect to almost everything the iPad Pro models can, thanks to the same Bluetooth and WiFi tech. It even supports Apple Pencil.

The only notable accessory that works only with the iPad Pro models and not the basic iPad is Apple's Smart Keyboard.

The iPad Pro's built-in Smart Connectors let the tablets pair to the Smart Keyboard automatically, allowing for seamless data and power transfer between the devices.

Still, the Smart Keyboard costs a whopping $160 to start — $170 for the 12.9-inch iPad — and there are plenty of other more affordable keyboard covers for iPad that perform similarly. I highly recommend Logitech's Slim Folio for iPad.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Kate Middleton wears some priceless heirlooms that have been in the royal family for generations.
• Her engagement ring was Princess Diana's.
• She's also worn Princess Diana's tiara, bracelet, and earrings.

Princess Diana would have turned 57 on Sunday. Her tragic death is still felt by those close to her, but she's still remembered fondly as a philanthropist, loving mother, and style icon.

While she may not have been alive to watch Prince William marry the love of his life, the priceless pieces of jewelry Kate Middleton wears that once belonged to her continue to keep her legacy alive. Middleton has also been known to borrow jewelry from the queen herself.

Here are five famous royal heirlooms from the royal family that Kate Middleton wears.

Pearl drop earrings

To debut her third royal baby to the world, Middleton wore pearl drop earrings belonging to the queen. Middleton has worn them several times, including on a 2016 royal tour to Holland. Queen Elizabeth last wore them for her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, acccording to People.

Middleton's red dress also paid homage to what Princess Diana wore after having Prince Harry.

Engagement ring

Princess Diana's engagement ring is one of the most recognizable rings in the world. A 12-carat sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, it was just another piece in Garrard's catalogue that any member of the public could buy until Lady Diana Spencer picked it as her engagement ring and made it famous, according to InStyle. Prince William proposed to Middleton with it in 2010 and she's continued to wear it since then.

Sapphire earrings

The sapphires in these earrings are believed to have come from the strap of a watch given to Princess Diana as a wedding present from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, according to the Daily Mail. The Princess wore them as studs, and Middleton reinvented them with a drop-down style.

Neymar Jr. has been compared to Pelé, and some believe he can even better than Lionel Messi.

While that is debatable, what is not is that Neymar is now one of the highest-paid footballers in the world, thanks to his new deal with Paris Saint-Germain, and he is also one of the world's most marketable athletes.

This all adds up to big contracts and a lavish lifestyle that includes boats, cars, and a famous on-again, off-again girlfriend. This is fitting for one of the biggest stars in the world's most popular sport.

Neymar signed his first professional contract when he was 17 with the Brazilian club Santos, where he was making approximately $1.2 million a year.

SOURCE: UK Daily Mail

In 2010, Santos rejected a $20 million bid for Neymar to join West Ham United in the English Premier League. He was just 18 at the time.

SOURCE: UK Daily Mail

At the time, Neymar's agent publicly rejected a pay raise from Santos.

SOURCE: UK Daily Star

The British royal family has carried out approximately 50,000 royal engagements since World War II. Royals often pose for formal photos on these occasions, but a new book of never-before-seen photos features pictures taken by the people behind the barriers.

"The Crown from the Crowd" contains over 250 photos of the royal family taken by members of the public where they look "genuinely relaxed and unguarded"— a rare feat when their public behavior is dictated by a strict protocol. Published by Photobox to commemorate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding, all profits from the book will be donated to Help for Heroes, a charity that supports military veterans.

Here are 24 photos of the royal family taken by their loyal subjects.

Lisa Hornal's grandmother couldn't believe she asked the future king for a selfie.

"My gran loved the royals and instilled that in all of us. I heard they were visiting to open the Commonwealth Arena and wanted to say I'd seen them. I took the opportunity to ask Prince William for a selfie which he happily agreed to. I'll never forget gran's shock when she heard I'd asked the future king for a photo. She loved that photo though, and showed it to everyone."

Photographer Brook Rose O'Brien remembers Prince Harry's visit as "such a great and exciting day."

"The photo was taken in July 2017 at the presentation of the new queen's color for the RAF Regiment, presented by HRH Prince Harry at RAF Honington. Prince Harry was greeting everyone so I managed to get this lovely picture as he was talking to us. It was such a great and exciting day."

Photographer Paul Ratcliffe caught Prince Charles cruising in his Aston Martin.

"HRH The Prince of Wales drives his Aston Martin into Windsor Castle after attending Royal Ascot 1992."

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:

• Going to the beach is always tons of fun, but sitting there in the sun can get dull after the first hour or two. A selection of great beach toys ensures your waterside outing is exciting and enjoyable all day long.

• Spikeball is our top pick for the best beach toy becomes it's an engaging, action-packed game that's easy to learn and that can be played by kids and adults alike.

When you imagine a beach, you probably think of equal parts relaxation and fun. You likely picture kids frolicking about while adults stretch out and relax. In short, the modern conception of the beach is as an idyllic place to be sought out and enjoyed.

But it wasn't always so. In fact, up until the later decades of the 18th Century, beaches were generally avoided when possible, used only as necessary for maritime purposes such as launching or retrieving boats, harvesting seafood, and so forth. A new interest in the restorative benefits of fresh air inspired by the ever-more choked air of industrializing cities paired with the ease of travel offered by trains and improved roadways led to a gradual changing of opinions about the beach. Over the course of the 19th Century, the seaside changed from a vaguely ominous swath of sand to be avoided to the beloved vacation destination we think of today.

What's better than a day at the beach? A day at the beach with fun stuff to do.

If you showed up to the beach empty handed and sat on the sand staring at the water all day, that wouldn't be much fun. It's really the items we bring along with us that makes a beach day a success, and that goes for the basics like a towel and an umbrella to the common diversions like a book or some music to the great beach toys that can make a seaside sojourn truly enjoyable.

Whether it's you and the kids or you and the crew headed to the beach this summer, we've assembled a list of some of the best beach toys for ensuring you have a great time. What you won't find here is badminton because it's impossible or those giant inflatable balls you can get inside of because they're begging for personal injury. What you will find are a few high-energy beach games, an exciting but slow-paced option, the best water gun I've ever used, and some things for the kids, too.

Here are the best beach toys you can buy:

• Best beach toy overall: Spikeball
• Best beach toy for kids: Melissa & Doug Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set
• Best water gun: Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher
• Best low-impact beach game: Yard Games Giant Tumbling Timbers
• Best frisbee beach game: Kan Jam Ultimate Disc Game
• Best beach kite: Singare Octopus Kite
• Best beach toys for the sand: Green Toys Sand Play Set

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best beach toy overall

Why you'll love it: Spikeball has all the energy and excitement of a game of volleyball without the need for a large net and huge piece of beach real estate.

The first time I played Spikeball, frankly, it wasn't much fun. But the second time I played, which was about five minutes later, I actually understood the mechanics of the game a bit, and I enjoyed myself. Within a few more rounds, my friends and I were spiking that ball with zeal and having a good ol' time and a decent workout, no less.

The object of this game is basically the same as that of a volleyball match. One team has to work together using a limited number of touches to get the ball bounced off a circular net and then ideally onto the ground without the other team successfully taking control of the ball and bouncing it right back. Got it? To paraphrase, instead of tapping the ball over a volleyball net, you bounce it off the Spikeball net to shift play to your opponents.

The best thing about Spikeball is the compact, portable nature of the set used in play. You can pack it down small enough to carry under one arm, yet a high-intensity game could see people running far and wide and even making jumping and diving plays. The second best thing about it is that you can also play a more casual, less intense round simply by not hitting the ball so hard.

With nearly 200 reviews posted on Amazon at the time of this writing, Spikeball commands a solid 4.5-star average rating. One descriptive customer calls it a "reverse/upside-down volleyball" game that's "super fun for the beach."

A writer from 50CampFires loved that the game was not only fun but also ensured players "get a pretty good workout" in the course of play.

Pros: Compact and portable set, enjoyable way to exercise, great for many ages

Cons: Requires moderate fitness and agility

Buy a Spikeball set on Amazon for $58

The best beach toy for kids

Why you'll love it: For kids ages zero through four or even a bit older, you really can't beat a great set of sand toys, and the Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set is certainly that.

My son started enjoying sand play when he was seven months old. And though the way in which he engages with the sand has changed in the ensuing four years, he still loves using sand toys when playing at the beach. Now he's trying to create trenches that channel water toward a reservoir instead of idly scooping and dumping, but sand play is sand play.

The Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set is a low-cost beach toy set that has all basic elements a kid needs for enjoying the endless supply of play material found there on the beach. It has the different sizes of scoop, a little spoon, a sand whisk, a sifter, and a larger bucket with handles.

Whether pretending to cook, working on a structure, or simply digging and pouring, young kids will love this set. Just make sure they don't eat too much sand with that spoon.

Hundreds of parents have reviewed this sand toy set online, and they have given it a commendable 4.6-star average rating. One mom calls it "very sturdy" and "absolutely perfect for" younger kids to enjoy at the beach. Other parents also report their kids using the toys at water tables or in the pool.

Pros: Great variety of toys, good for babies and toddlers alike, low price point

Cons: Sifter lid does not fit bucket well

Buy a Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set on Amazon for $13

The best water gun

Why you'll love it: The Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher is a low-cost, high-powered water cannon that blasts water dozens of yards across the beach, pool, or backyard.

The simplest effective design is always the best design possible, and it doesn't get much simpler than the design of the Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher.

You stick the muzzle of this powerful water gun down into some water — be it a bucket, a pool, the Indian Ocean, or whatever — and pull back on the handle. Then you point the thing at your "foe" and push the handle forward again as hard as you can, blasting that nemesis with a super-powered jet of water. With enough effort and decent arm strength, you can send a stream of water arcing more than 70 feet away.

Unlike with a Super Soaker, these water launchers are quick to load and fire, no prep work of pumping required. And unlike fancier multi-component and/or electric water guns, they are pretty hard to break even when treated roughly. Also, as a Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher costs about $12.50, you can always just replace one that finally gives out.

One word of caution: Watch out for kids and for anyone's eyes, because these water launchers create enough pressure to cause serious discomfort and discontent, if not an actual minor injury.

Pros: Powerful long-range stream, easy to use, cheap yet durable

Cons: Can cause minor eye injuries and major hurt feelings

Buy a Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher on Amazon for $12.50

The three-day Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and one that tipped the scales in favor of the Union, started 155 years ago on Sunday.

The Union fielded 90,000 troops in the battle, and the Confederacy 75,000, according to historian James McPherson. Eleven thousand died, 29,000 more were wounded, and 10,000 were missing or captured.

The hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, as McPherson described them, witnessed nearly 10 times as many casualties as the D-Day invasion in World War II.

There were many engagements over three days of combat — such as Devil's Den, the Slaughter Pen, and the Valley of Death — but some were more consequential to the battle, and therefore the war itself, than others.

Here's how the battle unfolded.

SEE ALSO: Trump said Andrew Jackson could have prevented the Civil War — but the 7th president has an ugly history

Here is a shot of Gettysburg from Cemetery Hill, which was taken in July 1863. The battle started, some historians say, because both armies were looking for shoes in the town. McPherson says this story cannot be proved or disproved, but whatever the case, it was a "meeting engagement" or "encounter engagement."

The first day of the Battle of Gettysburg was a skirmish compared with the last two days, as troops from both sides were still filing into the area. Still, as night fell, "three thousand dead and dying soldiers and the moans of many of the additional seven or eight thousand wounded" could be seen and heard on the field, McPherson said. Below is a photo of dead Union soldiers after the first day's fighting.

Though the Confederates had not captured the Cemetery and Culp's hills by the end of the day, the prospect of the battle still appeared promising for Robert E. Lee and the Rebel army.

John L. Burns, who is pictured below, is one of the more colorful people to take part in the battle. On the first day of the battle, the 69-year-old Gettysburg resident grabbed his musket and joined the Union ranks, much to the confusion of the Northern officers, when he saw the battle materializing.

He was deployed to the woods and picked off numerous Confederate troops before getting shot in an arm and a leg. When the Confederates found him wounded and wearing civilian clothes, after the Union soldiers had retreated from the area, he told them he was just a lost old man who had gotten caught in the cross fire. This picture, by famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady, was taken shortly after the battle.

• Banana Republic and J.Crew both appeal to working professionals by stocking classic styles with a trendy twist. 
• But both brands have hit some roadblocks in recent years. 
• Banana Republic's parent company, Gap Inc., announced it would be shifting attention away from Banana Republic and closing underperforming stores after the brand reported disappointing earnings in the first quarter of 2018. 
• J.Crew has continued to struggle, with sales dropping for a third consecutive year.

Banana Republic and J.Crew both target a similar set of customers: working professionals drawn to classic styles with a trendy twist. 

But both brands have had their struggles in recent years. 

In the first quarter of 2018, Gap reported a same-store sales growth of 3% for the Banana Republic brand. It was the first quarter in several years that the Banana Republic brand saw growth. It has long been seen as Gap Inc.'s weak link, in part because its styles tend to have a higher price tag than the company's other brands. In late 2017, Gap announced it would be shifting focus away from its namesake brand and Banana Republic in favor of the Old Navy and Athleta brands. 200 underperforming Gap and Banana Republic stores are set to close by 2020. 

J.Crew has also suffered from a customer perception that its prices are too high for the quality of its clothing. In the first quarter of 2018, comparable sales decreased 6%. This is the third consecutive year that sales have decreased for the brand, as it's lost favor with some customers because it's seen as overpriced, generic, and even "wannabe trendy." 

We visited Banana Republic and J.Crew to see which store we thought was better. Here's what we found:

SEE ALSO: We shopped at Forever 21 and H&M to see which was a better fast-fashion store, and the winner was clear for a key reason

We visited the Banana Republic store in Manhattan's Financial District.

In the window was a sign advertising a sale of 40% off regular-priced items. 40% off signs are also a common sight at Gap stores, as it's part of their efforts to clear inventory as it works to keep up with fast-fashion retailers on trends.

Source: Business Insider

The inside of the store was very spacious and bright. Nearly every display was accompanied by a sale sign.

• The Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord are two of the best-selling and most respected cars in the world.
• Both the Toyota and the Honda are known for being exquisitely engineered and expertly put together with top-notch reliability.
• The base 2018 Honda Accord starts at $23,570 and our mid-tier Sport model starts at $25,780. The top-spec Touring starts at $33,800.  With fees and the optional 2.0-liter engine, the as-tested price was pushed up to $31,200. 
• The base Camry starts at $23,495, but our top-of-the-line XSE V6 opens at $34,950. With options, our test car left the showroom at $38,730.
• The Honda Accord's sportier driving dynamics and superior infotainment edges out the Toyota Camry's more attractive styling and silky smooth V6 engine.

Camry or Accord? It's a question that's confounded many a car buyer over the years. 

For the better part of three decades, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry have been the cars of choice for American families. Even though crossover SUVs have become the dominant force in the marketplace, midsize mass-market sedans like the Accord and Camry still have a major role to play. 

Last year, Toyota sold 387,000 Camrys in the US alone — making it the best-selling passenger car in the country. The Accord wasn't far behind with 323,000 sold.

For the 2018 model year, both the Accord and Camry are brand new with the Honda now in its 10th generation and the Toyota in its eighth. 

The newest offerings from Honda and Toyota comes just in time to compete with the new sixth generation Nissan Altima and a freshly updated Mazda 6. There are recently revamped models from Hyundai, Kia, and Chevrolet with which to contend as well. 

Over the past couple of months, we had the chance to experience both the new Marysville, Ohio-built 2018 Honda Accord and the new Georgetown, Kentucky-made 2018 Toyota Camry on the roads in and around Business Insider's headquarters in New York.

We came away impressed by both vehicles' comfort, refinement, build quality, tech content, and performance. 

Here's a closer look at how the 2018 Honda Accord and the 2018 Toyota Camry matches up:

SEE ALSO: The 10 best used cars you can buy to get the most bang for your buck

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First up is the 2018 Honda Accord.

The base 2018 Accord LX starts at $23,570, while the top-of-the-line Touring model starts at $33,800. Our mid-grade, San Marino Red Sport model starts at $25,780, but fees and the optional 2.0-liter engine pushed the as-tested price up to $31,200. 

In total, the Accord is available in six different trim levels with three engines and three transmissions from which a buyer can select.

Aesthetically, the new Accord is not quite pretty. At least not in the traditional sense. However, it is edgy and eye-catching. I do find it sort of good looking in an off-beat sort of way.

Even though the Accord's hammerhead shark-esque front grille reminds us a bit too much of the dark days of Acura's controversial silver beak,...

The 2018 World Cup in Russia is off to a great start, and the tournament has already produced incredible moments and photos.

Russia is a gorgeous background for some amazing sports photography.

From goal celebrations to great saves, gut-wrenching own goals, and crazy fans, here are the most mesmerizing photos from the World Cup so far.

Luis Suarez celebrates Uruguay's win over Portugal.

England's Jordan Pickford goes airborne to stop a shot.

Cristiano Ronaldo helps Edinson Cavani off the pitch after he suffered an injury.

With peak TV and the rise of audience's obsession with anti-heroes, it seems inevitable that you'll love to hate at least one fictional person on your favorite show. But sometimes characters also wind up being off-putting in ways the writers surely didn't intend.

From "nice guy" Ted Mosby to the iconically annoying Kimmy Gibbler, here are INSIDER's picks for the 47 most unlikable TV characters of all time.

Jeremy Jamm — "Parks and Recreation"

Councilman Jeremy Jam was the bane of Leslie Knope's existence. He constantly tried to impede any progress Leslie hoped to make for Pawnee, he was misogynistic and annoying and condescending. He thought he was better than everyone. Also, his "You just got jammed" catchphrase was annoying. — Anjelica Oswald

Jenny Humphrey — "Gossip Girl"

"Gossip Girl" had several storylines and characters that were arguably problematic, but Jenny Humphrey was a truly loathsome character. She started out as Dan's younger, innocent sister — but it didn't take long before she turned into a rebellious, wild child.

She tried too hard to climb the social ladder and gain popularity by any means possible. It was also clear that she wished she was as old as Dan and his friends. Oh, and she did some damage to the relationships between Nate and Serena and Chuck and Blair. Needless to say, when Jenny graduated from high school and left town, fans were overjoyed. — Olivia Singh

Joffrey Baratheon — "Game of Thrones"

"Game of Thrones" may be known for its morally grey characters, but Joffrey Baratheon (er, Lannister) was a rare little s--- who any warm-blooded viewer wanted to regularly throttle. Yes, Joffrey's screwed up parents are partly to blame for his sadistic nature, but that doesn't make him any more likable.

A significant chunk of credit must go to Jack Gleeson, the incredible actor who played the punchable Joffrey so well that many fans have trouble separating the real person from the character. — Kim Renfro

It's no surprise that many people are obsessed with Aldi. The store offers low prices and food that many customers love. But even if it's part of your normal shopping routine, you may not know much about the store. 

Here are a few surprising things about this German discount import that you may not know.

At Aldi, you can't just grab a cart or a bag.

Aldi isn't the only chain that charges for shopping bags — Ikea and others do this as well. It's partially meant to encourage you to do the environmentally friendly thing and bring bags from home — but cuts down on overhead, as well.

If you want to use a cart, you'll have to plug a quarter into the cart stand outside. When you return the cart to the corral after you're done shopping, you'll get that quarter returned — so it's more of a deposit than a rental fee. This simple device ensures that no hapless employee has to chase windblown carts all over the parking lot — in theory, at least.

Aldi is a cousin of Trader Joe's.

Albrecht Discount — or Aldi for short — started in the small town of Essen, Germany in 1913, by a woman named Anna Albrecht. Sons Karl and Theo eventually took over the business. The two brothers split it into Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud (north and south) in 1961, reportedly after a feud over whether to carry cigarettes, according to the New Daily.

Each Aldi branch controls half of their home market in Germany — and there's only one type of Aldi in most countries in the world where the chains exist, as well — except in the US.

In the US, the stores we know as Aldi are part of the Aldi Sud chain. Aldi Nord also has a presence here as well — under the name Trader Joe's. If you're familiar with both chains, the signs are all right in front of you: House brand everything, fewer choices within categories, a strong push for you to bring your own bags, and some pretty amazing prices — even organic and specialty items.

Aldi stocks some of the best Girl Scout cookie knockoffs you'll ever taste.

If you're fiending for a Tagalong — or Thin Mint, or Samoa — Aldi's Benton brand has some knockoff cookie options that will blow your mind.

Also, they're under $2 a package, so you can easily buy a few to tide you over until your favorite cookies are on sale next year.

• Earnings season provides some of the best opportunities for investors to outperform their benchmarks, as companies get massively rewarded or punished in the stock market based on their results. 
• Bank of America Merrill Lynch has highlighted companies it expects to outperform expectations the most, which are also underowned by fund managers.

Earnings season is almost here again. 

The first quarter was the best for corporate America in seven years, based on earnings-per-share growth. For Q2, analysts forecast a slowdown to $39.19, a 20% year-on-year growth rate versus 23% in the first quarter, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.   

Yet, that's no good reason to sell out of the stock market, said Savita Subramanian, the bank's head of US equity and quant strategy, in a recent note. In fact, the busiest reporting period from July 23-26 and July 30-August 1 present a good opportunity for investors to rake in returns. That's because stocks make larger-than-usual moves based on whether they beat or miss expectations.  

"Watch crowded stocks by active funds: those that miss tend to get hit harder," Subramanian said. "In 1Q, the most overweight stocks that missed on EPS and/or sales underperformed by 40-150 bp more, suggesting that even with low dispersion, positioning can add alpha."

The list below shows the buy-rated stocks that Bank of America expects to outperform expectations the most, which are also underowned by fund managers. It is ranked in ascending order of Z-scores, or how much more bullish BAML's analysts are compared to consensus.

SEE ALSO: A $2.8 trillion investor unravels why a corner of the market that’s been beaten down since the financial crisis is attractive again

Cisco

Ticker: CSCO

Sector: Information Technology  

BAML vs consensus EPS Z-score: 0.3

BAML vs consensus sales Z-score: 0.6

Expected report date: August 15

Source: BAML

PulteGroup

Ticker: PHM

Sector: Consumer Discretionary 

BAML vs consensus EPS Z-score: 0.4

BAML vs consensus sales Z-score: 0.4

Expected report date: July 24

Source: BAML

PepsiCo

Ticker: PEP

Sector: Consumer Staples

BAML vs consensus EPS Z-score: 0.4

BAML vs consensus sales Z-score: 0.3

Expected report date: July 10

Source: BAML

• Best Buy has started pulling most CDs from its stores as of July 1. 
• The company said in a statement to Business Insider: "The way people buy and listen to music has dramatically changed and, as a result, we are reducing the amount of space devoted to CDs in our stores. However, we will still offer select CDs, vinyl and digital music options at all stores."
• Even though CD sales are dropping and physical format music is being pushed out by streaming services, many were upset with Best Buy's decision to pull most CDs from  stores.
• I went to a Best Buy store myself to see why it may have made this decision, and what Best Buy is doing to keep up with the rise of online retailers like Amazon.

Digital music streaming sites have been growing rapidly, all the while making CDs less and less relevant. 

In February, Billboard reported that Best Buy had plans to pull most CDs from its stores as of July 1. Even though CD sales have been dropping rapidly for years, people were shocked and upset with Best Buy's decision to start pulling them from its shelves.

One reason for the ongoing decrease in sales is the rise in music streaming and digital media. With products like CDs becoming obsolete and other products being sold for lower prices online, Best Buy is fighting to stay relevant in an increasingly digital marketplace.  

"The way people buy and listen to music has dramatically changed and, as a result, we are reducing the amount of space devoted to CDs in our stores. However, we will still offer select CDs, vinyl and digital music options at all stores," the company said in a statement to Business Insider.

The CDs that will still be sold in store will be "value CDs," according to Best Buy.

Carrying fewer CDs isn't the only thing Best Buy has done in recent years to keep its product offerings fresh and relevant. I went to a Best Buy store in New York City to see what's happening, and I saw why Best Buy is having to make major changes to keep up with Amazon:

SEE ALSO: 31 beloved snacks you'll never be able to eat again

The Best Buy I went to had three floors. Throughout the store, there were areas that mimicked Apple stores, Microsoft stores, and Samsung stores, with huge selections of products from each brand.

It also had two Amazon displays: one on the top floor by the mini-Apple store ...

... and another on the ground floor by home security.