Planes may get you where you're going more quickly, but there's something to be said about taking the scenic route aboard a train.

While you might have romantic notions about riding the rails, train travel isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days when people packed their belongings in posh trunks and drank Champagne in luxurious dining cars.

To illustrate how glamorous train travel once was, we rounded up photos from the 1910s to the 1950s and compared them to images from the present day.

Read on to see what train travel was like in its heyday.

There have always been crowds, but they seemed more civilized

Crowds at Waterloo Station in London, England.

Modern travelers are more impatient.

Travelers wait in line to board an Amtrak train at Penn Station in New York City, New York.

People used to pack up their lives in stylish trunks.

Two women at Paddington Station in London, England, push their luggage on a cart.

Nearly all chain restaurants offer discounted drinks and appetizers after work. You can offer up a round for your friends and coworkers without breaking the bank by hitting up these spots during happy hour.

Prices and times vary depending on location, so check your local listings.

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar has a Happy Hour with a bonus late-night Happy Hour.

Enjoy happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and stay until 9 p.m. for the late-night happy hour, enjoying half-price appetizers like the boneless wings and spinach artichoke dip with half-price pints of beer or the $3 Neighborhood Drink of the Month.

TGI Friday’s has the Fridays 5 at any time.

Doing away with traditional happy hour time constrictions, take advantage of the Fridays 5 at all times every day at TGI Friday’s, which offers $5 drinks and appetizers. Their specialty drinks include the Shimmering Diva and the Frozen Blue Hawaiian, along with draft beers and wines or $5 bar bites that include cheeseburger sliders, giant onion rings, and chicken quesadillas.

Chili’s has a Happy Hour that goes until 10 pm.

Every day until 10 p.m., Chili’s offers a happy hour with $5 margaritas and cheap appetizers that range from $3-$5. Selena Gomez recommends the queso dip.

Keto popularity has practically skyrocketed these days, as Google searches for the buzz-worthy diet have spiked tremendously in the last 12 months. And it’s for good reason, as the ketogenic diet has been recognized for its weight loss, cholesterol, and insulin level regulating benefits, according to Dr. Luiza Petre, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and weight loss management specialist.

But impressive benefits aside, it may be difficult for keto newbies to determine if their body is in ketosis, (the metabolic state where a lot of the fat burning activity occurs) especially if you haven’t been on the diet long. So, to break down all the signs you may actually be in ketosis we spoke to an expert nutritionist and a nutritional coach, about all the signs the diet is definitely working its magic.

Below are some keto pros and some setbacks they recommend looking out for.

SEE ALSO: I tried a science-backed eating plan tied to a better mood and longer life — and never felt like I was dieting

You will have increased energy levels.

"When you are in ketosis, ketones are providing more oxygen and energy to your cells,"registered dietitian Jennifer Masson told INSIDER. That, along with increased blood flow, will give you an increased sense of energy, improved mental clarity, and focus, she added.

You may have a reduced appetite.

"Stable blood sugar levels caused from ketosis help prevent the up and down roller coaster of hunger you would normally experience with a carb-filled diet," Masson said.

A study in The Journal of Physiology confirmed that ketones can lower blood sugar by testing patients using a ketone supplement. The researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Oxford demonstrated that a single drink of ketone ester enables better control of blood sugar by reducing spikes in sugar levels. 

You may have bad breath initially.

"When your body starts to produce ketones, you may not be adept at metabolizing them for fuel," Masson said. One way the body gets rid of them is through the breath, which can smell pretty bad, she suggested.

Once you become better at using the ketones as fuel, the bad breath will eventually subside, she added.

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.

From those who prioritize speed, convenience, and simplicity to those who cook every night and spend their weekends embarking on multiple-hour culinary adventures, the Insider Picks team consists of home cooks of all levels. Regardless of our differences in cooking style or interest in food, what we all know is that the accessories, cookware, and appliances we use matter.

We've tested a variety of kitchen products for review and in our personal lives, but there are a few favorites we always rely on and return to. There are no tricks or gimmicks with the kitchen tools we really care about — just quality, efficacy, and value. That means you'll see some investment pieces, but you'll also see small gadgets that prove you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to become a great cook. 

These are the 30 products we swear by in the kitchen and use every day to make our favorite meals and beverages. 

If you're looking for more kitchen tools and gadgets at a variety of price points, here are our recommendations: 

• 28 useful kitchen gadgets you can get under $25
• 24 kitchen tools and gadgets we actually use that are all under $50
• 6 high-end kitchen gadgets that are worth your money and counter space

A George Foreman grill that lets you make full meals in under 10 minutes

George Foreman 4-Serving Grill and Panini Press, $28.01, available at Amazon

I don’t enjoy cooking, but I do enjoy how much healthier and more affordable it is than eating out. This cheap $30 George Foreman grill my dad sent me in the mail as an “I’m worried about you not eating enough protein” gift is the only reason I eat healthy. You can cook a full meal (veggies, meat, paninis, etc.) on it in under 10 minutes and finish cleanup in five thanks to the removable plates. It’s the best gift I’ve gotten in years, and it makes home cooking and meal prep far easier than anything else I own. —Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter

A top-rated pour-over coffee maker

Chemex Classic Series Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker (6-Cup), $41.32, available at Amazon

The Chemex is my favorite way to make coffee. I saw it in a fancy coffee store a couple years ago and got one shortly after. I love the design and it just makes a great cup of coffee. I don't have a huge kitchen so anything larger than this would take up too much space. Yes, it is more of a process than a straightforward coffee maker, but I don't drink coffee every morning so I'm fine with that. It forces me to pay attention to making coffee, which means I end up with a better cup. —Breton Fischetti, Insider Picks vice president

A convenient slicer that will make you wonder how you ever prepared avocados in the past

OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, $9.99, available at Amazon

I make guacamole about once a week, and I don't know how I'd do it without OXO's 3-in-1 slicer. It has a plastic blade to slice the outside of the avocado in half, a pit remover, and a slicer to cut the avocado into perfect slices. The pit remover is my favorite part, because it eliminates the danger of removing the pit with a knife or by other means. —Malarie Gokey, Insider Picks guides editor

While Amazon and Apple are making much noise about their new headquarters, Microsoft is quietly revamping its Redmond headquarters to support its growth. 

Speaking of growth, I got to tour the treehouses that Microsoft opened for its employees last year, where they can meet, chat, or just generally catch some rays. They're located right near the buildings where top Microsoft execs like CEO Satya Nadella have their offices, but any employee can use them. 

They're WiFi equipped, with power outlets everywhere. And they're a very neat little employee perk.

Take a look.

If you don't know the treehouses are there, you might never notice them. This is the view when you leave one of the nearby office buildings.

But climb the wooden ramps...

...and you'll find the first of Microsoft's three semi-hidden treehouses.

Since the 19th century, people have flocked to amusement parks for thrills and family-friendly entertainment. 

Getting dolled up, rickety roller coasters, and cheap tickets encompassed the experience of going to a theme park in the early days.  Today, with the help of modern technology, amusement parks have become even more exhilarating for families and adrenaline junkies alike. 

To illustrate just how much amusement parks have changed over the years, we rounded up vintage photos and compared them to present-day ones. Keep scrolling to see how glamorous amusement parks were in their heyday. 

Back in the day, going to an amusement park was like going out on the town, and people dressed the part.

Men were buttoned up in their suits and ties.

For women, heels were part of the uniform.

Two women relax at a carousel at Rockaway Playland Amusement Park around 1950. 

Today, visitors have ditched the fancy getups for comfortable clothes and shoes.

People opt for more casual clothing in order to bear long wait lines.

• Victoria's Secret has recently seen a decrease in sales while American Eagle's sub-brand, Aerie, continues to grow.
• I visited Victoria's Secret's flagship location and Aerie's stand-alone shop in New York City to see how the lingerie stores match up.
• I found that Aerie and Victoria's Secret had similar pricing and apparel options, but differed greatly in terms of sizing, atmosphere, and overall shopping experiences.
• Aerie's increasing success is due in part to its #AerieREAL campaign, which promotes body positivity, size diversity, and inclusivity.
• Victoria's Secret focuses more on making sultry lingerie and advertises its brand through a special cast of models and "Angels."
• Aerie was my favorite of the two stores due to their diverse size range and empowering atmosphere.

Since Victoria's Secret was founded in 1977, the company has nearly monopolized the lingerie industry. Now an iconic household name, the retailer is known for its special cast of models and Angels; its annual televised fashion show; and its sultry lingerie, designed for everyday wear.

But the introduction of American Eagle's sub-brand, Aerie, in 2006 shook up the lingerie scene more than anyone expected. The offshoot had a relatively slow start until the launch of its body-positive #AerieREAL campaign in 2014, when the brand ditched Photoshopped ads for good.

The game-changing decision brought booming business, and Aerie has since been lauded for its inclusive campaigns featuring diverse models with all different body types, as well as people living with disabilities and illnesses.

Due in part to Aerie's growing success, Victoria's Secret has recently seen sales slip. To see how the two competitors stack up against each other, I shopped at both to see which store is better.

My first stop was Victoria's Secret's flagship store. Immediately upon walking inside, I was overwhelmed.

I had barely made it through the front doors when I realized that this was the biggest Victoria's Secret I had ever seen. Music was blasting overhead, employees were bustling around, and the sight of escalators leading to two other floors left me questioning where I should begin my shopping trip.

I took a deep breath to compose my thoughts but instead inhaled a strong stench of perfume. To my left was a section dedicated solely to the company's fragrance lines. While the individual perfumes smelled fine, the abundance of samples gave off an intense odor for which I was not prepared.

The atmosphere of the first floor was dark and seductive.

The minimal lighting definitely set the mood and matched Victoria's Secret's aesthetic, but I found it a big deterrent to spending a lot of time on the first floor. I also had some trouble figuring out where certain products were stocked.

Before heading upstairs, I stopped to look at the most brightly lit spots in the store: the giant portraits of Victoria's Secret Angels that lined the walls. While I wasn't exactly bothered by the photos, I couldn't help but wonder if shoppers felt represented by the models who are the faces of the brand.

Fancy lingerie was everywhere.

Going into this assignment, I knew that a Victoria's Secret store in New York City would have much more room to display a wider variety of garments than the smaller stores I usually shop at in New Jersey. Still, I was shocked to see how much of the flagship location was taken up by sultry lingerie sets.

Don't get me wrong — the presentation was beautiful. The lace corsets, silk robes, and rhinestone bodysuits all looked gorgeous, not unlike items designed by a luxury brand. Each piece, however, started to look a little less appealing when I checked the price tag. The cheapest items were bustiers priced around $50, and the most expensive bodysuits went up to almost $90.

Another problem was evident in sizing: Lingerie was only available in sizes XS to XL; and bodysuits and bustiers — even in the largest sizes — seemed small.

It's been 15 years since "The OC" first premiered and drew viewers to the Californian coast. 

Premiering on August 5, 2003, the series ran for four seasons and featured a cast helmed by Ben McKenzie (Ryan Atwood), Adam Brody (Seth Cohen), Rachel Bilson (Summer Roberts), and Mischa Barton (Marissa Cooper). But joining the four friends on various episodes are a collection of celebrity guest stars that include Paris Hilton and Chris Pratt. 

Here are 21 celebrities you might have forgotten appeared on the show. 

Chris Pratt played Winchester "Che" Cook, one of Summer's friends that she met at Brown.

He gets Summer into activism, but then gets her suspended from Brown during the fourth season. 

Olivia Wilde was Alex Kelly, a bartender who ended up dating both Seth and Marissa on season two.

After she and Marissa break up, she decides to move back home and return to school. 

Bella Thorne played a young Taylor Townsend in flashbacks.

She gives Summer her original poem to read in class for an invite to Summer's birthday party.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, then you have probably taken the official Pottermore quiz to find out what Hogwarts house you would be sorted into: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. Otherwise, how would we know what gear to get while visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

You're not the only one who has wondered what house you're in. Plenty of celebrities have taken the quiz as well.

As a refresher, Gryffindors are brave and courageous, while those in Slytherin are often marked by their ambitious and cunning spirit. A Ravenclaw values intelligence and creativity. Hufflepuffs are known for their patience, hard work, and loyalty.

INSIDER rounded up celebrities and a few "Harry Potter" actors who have spoken about taking the Pottermore quiz. And surprise! Not every "Harry Potter" actor is in the same Hogwarts house as their movie characters.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a proud Hufflepuff.

During the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, Johnson told the crowd he's a Hufflepuff. He even has a nickname for them. 

"Huffpuffs in the house!"Johnson tweeted. 

Margot Robbie says she rigged her answers to be a Gryffindor.

"I'm in Gryffindor, obviously... but I totally rigged my answers [on the Pottermore quiz]," the "Suicide Squad" actress told Elle in 2016. "I could totally tell which answers were going to get me into Gryffindor, and so those were my answers. I do think I'd be in Gryffindor anyway, but I definitely manipulated the quiz in my favor. I wouldn't have been bummed with Ravenclaw, though."

Ariana Grande revealed she's a Slytherin.

Actor Tom Felton told Huffpost he thought Grande would be a Gryffindor. She revealed on Twitter the quiz told her she's a Slytherin, but she's down to change that up.

It takes a lot more than some hotshot computer programmers to run a successful tech company. 

From marketing to business development, there's a wide range of tasks that every tech company must be good at to succeed, and experts in some of these fields are in high demand at tech companies right now. 

In fact, 18% of all open jobs at tech companies are currently for non-tech related positions, according to a report from career site Glassdoor. 

Here are the 10 non-tech roles that tech companies want to hire the most right now.

SEE ALSO: We compared Spotify and Apple Music subscriptions — and the winner is clear

10. Outside sales

Someone working in outside sales will regularly meet with potential clients, and will focus on securing sales of the company's product. 

9. Sales manager

A sales manager will be in charge of a team of sales associates within a company. 

8. Financial analyst

A financial analyst focuses on advising businesses on where and how to invest, including through stocks and bonds. 

• Financial firsts, like buying your first home and opening your first credit card, can come at a different time for everyone. 
• How old you are, where you live, and how much money you make can determine how soon you're hoping to reach these milestones.
• The younger you are, the more likely you are to say that it's best to retire earlier.
• Today, the median age for first-time homebuyers is 32.
• While millennials have shied away from taking on credit card debt, they seem more open to using credit cards.

Few 25-year-olds can say that they've paid off their student loans and started saving for retirement. Cody Clegg has done both.

He set up a budget that allowed him to quickly wipe out $16,000 in student debt. And since his company offered to match retirement contributions, he has about $33,000 socked away in a 401(k).

"Engineering jobs tend to have a pretty high possibility of earning a pretty good salary, but on top of that I focused really hard on eliminating all of my student loan debt within one year of graduating," says Clegg, a manufacturing engineer in Augusta, Georgia. "I was just setting up the budget to make sure I'm minimizing debt and maximizing my potential to invest."

Age may be nothing but a number. But we can use it to track our progress toward reaching certain goals. And according to a new Bankrate survey, how old you are, where you live and how much money you make can determine how soon you're hoping to reach certain financial milestones.

SEE ALSO: I'm a financial planner — here are 6 things you can do to master your money before turning 30

Lofty financial goals?

It's normal to get a driver's license at 16 and to go off to college at age 17 or 18. But if you're wondering about the right time to get a first credit card or retire, you might get different responses depending on who you ask.

Members of every generation agree that 21 is the ideal age for someone to buy or lease their first car. And everyone except the oldest Americans say you should buy your first home at age 28. The Silent Generation says 26 is the ideal age to be a first-time homebuyer.

But the younger you are, the more likely you are to say that it's best to retire earlier. According to Gen Xers, it's best to retire at age 60.

Whether reaching a milestone at a certain age is realistic depends on your own personal circumstances, experts say. More importantly, you have to think about how much money you need to save in order to accomplish your financial goals according to your timeline, says Chantel Bonneau Stewart, a wealth management adviser at Northwestern Mutual in Los Angeles.

Buying a first home

Buying a home at 28 could be a realistic goal for some people, Stewart says. But many Americans find the idea of entering the housing market at a young age challenging.

Today, the median age for first-time homebuyers is 32, according to the National Association of Realtors. More than half (52%) of lower-income individuals who earn less than $30,000 per year think that it's best for new homebuyers to be at least 30 years old. You're also more likely to say that it's best to wait to buy a house if you live in a region like the Northeast, where the cost of living in many places is high and affordable housing may be out of reach.

If you're hoping to get a mortgage and buy a home as early as possible, see if you qualify for local programs that offer down payment assistance. And find out if you qualify for an FHA loan, which allows homebuyers to make a down payment as low as 3.5%. But that doesn't work in every housing market, Stewart says.

Opening a first credit card

The ideal age for getting a first credit card is 22, according to Bankrate's survey. That age is a bit high, says Kevin Morrison, a senior analyst at Aite Group.

"I would think that the majority would start opening as they enter college or during college or get their first job right out of high school," he says. "So I would think it would be the 18-19 range."

Compared to their parents and grandparents, millennials are more inclined to say that it's best to open a credit card at a younger age. Nearly two-thirds (63%) think it's best to get a credit card before turning 21. Only 37% of older folks feel that way.

While millennials have shied away from taking on credit card debt, they seem more open to using credit cards to make purchases.

"I think what we're seeing is that millennials are hesitant to incur credit card debt. But the aversion to credit cards as a method of payment is something that seems to be diminishing," says Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate's chief financial analyst. "When you look at the success of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and a lot of that is attributed to a huge adoption rate among millennials."

Facebook announced Tuesday that the company had removed 32 Pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram for being involved in “coordinated inauthentic behavior” — some of which related to a series of protests slated for next week in Washington DC.

As part of its disclosure, Facebook released a selection of the posts, ads and events created by the fake accounts. The disclosure comes just months before the 2018 miderm elections in America.

Facebook says that they are still investigating the accounts, but so far they know that the accounts posted a total of 9,500 times, paid for 150 ads (to the tune of roughly $11,000 total), and created 30 events since May 2017.

“In total, more than 290,000 accounts followed at least one of these Pages, the earliest of which was created in March 2017. The latest was created in May 2018,” the company reports. Of the largest event created through Facebook, approximately 4,700 users said they were interested in attending, and 1,400 said that they would attend.

The ads, posts and events cover a range of hot-button political issues, including the anti-fascist movement, women’s rights, and colonialism. Some were designed to stir political divisions ahead of the mid-term congressional election in November 2018, while others seem fairly innocuous. 

Here are the examples of the posts that Facebook removed:

SEE ALSO: Facebook has detected a coordinated effort to influence US politics ahead of the 2018 midterm elections

“Resisters” was one of the most-followed accounts that was removed, which posted content related to women’s empowerment, Donald Trump and other political hot-button issues. This post was created just last month, and was shared 85 times.

“These bad actors have been more careful to cover their tracks,” Facebook explained. “For example they used VPNs and internet phone services, and paid third parties to run ads on their behalf. As we’ve told law enforcement and Congress, we still don’t have firm evidence to say with certainty who’s behind this effort.”

Colonialism and Native-American heritage was the focus of multiple posts included in Facebook’s sample set, most of them created by an account called “Aztlan Warriors.”

• Harley-Davidson is making significant changes to its global strategy, but it's remaining committed to its core business.
• The company has been attacked by Donald Trump after shifting production to avoid European tariffs.
• Harley is moving toward a multi-market strategy that will involve partnerships and new motorcycle designs.

This week, Harley-Davidson announced a new global strategy.

The company affirmed its commitment to the large and profitable motorcycles that have made it a worldwide icon. But it also revealed that it will expand its business in Asia and roll out a new platform for smaller motorcycles.

Contrary to the performance of its stock, Harley's business is actually pretty good. It's cruiser bikes and other big cycles aren't cheap, which means that they can be quite profitable and enjoy a loyal customer base.

But the motorcycle market in the US has been declining for years. Young people aren't riding, and new bikers aren't showing up as they did in the past.

Harley has been dealing with this downturn, but also casting an eye toward growth markets. India looks particularly attractive. But although motorcycles are a favored form of transportation there, people prefer small displacement bikes. Massive Harley v-twins aren't practical.

It will be up to CEO Matt Levatich to oversee the difficult new strategy.

Here's how it will shake down:

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Harley-Davidson has long been known for its iconic cruiser bikes — large, powerful motorcycles that are designed to take on sprawling American highways.

Harley isn't giving up on big bikes — not by a long shot, given that these expensive machines are highly profitable. But over the past decade, it has been diversifying its lineup.

The company is under pressure these days, despite its core business performing well. So CEO Matt Levatich will oversee a new strategy.

Over a multi-year period, Harley has held its own with the business, but Wall Street has penalized the stock. Despite the motorcycles generating good profits — the gross margin is above 30% — investors are nervous about the customer base getting older and requiring serious money to buy the bikes. 

Younger people aren't taking up motorcycles like they used to, and that's led to a long slide in the size of the market in the US, which is already quite competitive. The Harley image of open-road freedom doesn't necessarily dovetail with the enthusiasm of millennials for city living. 

Harley doesn't want to get stuck in the past, so it's taking steps now to revamp its business without betraying the loyalist, who after all haven't stopped buying bikes.

No summer is complete without a trip to the beach. From island escapes to coastal havens, there's a sandy paradise to suit your taste.

Keep reading to learn about the best beaches for 11 different types of travelers— whether you're planning a romantic getaway or a family-focused excursion.

Book lovers will get a kick out of the beach libraries of Albena, a resort in Bulgaria.

Named after the heroine of a play by Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov, this resort features three separate beachside libraries that contain a total of 6,000 books in 15 languages. 

For a laid-back beach vacation, travelers can head to Kauai, Hawaii.

While the Hawaiian island of Kauai is best known for the Na Pali Coast, its beaches are pretty incredible, too. In fact, US News and World Report ranked Kauai as one of the top relaxing destinations for beach lovers on the planet. 

Hanalei Bay, on the northern shore of the island, boasts two miles of secluded beaches.

Couples will find some of the world's most romantic beaches on Bora Bora.

Bora Bora topped Travel + Leisure's 2017 list of the world's most romantic islands. Some of its most jaw-dropping beaches include Matira Beach and the crystal-clear waters by the Four Seasons resort.  

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" is an iconic story of friendship. 

It's been 13 years since the first movie had four best friends — played by Alexis Bledel, Blake Lively, America Ferrera, and Amber Tamblyn— find a pair of jeans that fit them all. And on August 3, it'll be 10 years since they reunited for more adventures in the sequel, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." 

In April of 2018, it was reported that a third movie was in the works. Bledel said on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" that the girls had "pitched"a concept for another movie. 

The four main girls are all recognizable now, but the casts also include some familiar faces you might not remember or recognize. So while fans wait for more news on a third film, here's what the casts of both movies have been up to. 

Blake Lively broke out with her debut lead role as Bridget Vreeland, also known as Bree, who traveled to Mexico for a soccer camp.

At soccer camp, she hooks up with one of the coaches, and she loses her virginity to him. She also opens up to her friends about her mother's depression and suicide. In the second movie, she goes on an archaelogical dig in Turkey before traveling to Alabama to visit her grandmother, where she learns more about her own mother.

She's best known for her starring role on "Gossip Girl."

Lively's other film credits include "Accepted,""The Age of Adaline," and "The Shallows." A fashion icon, she'll next appear in "A Simple Favor." 

She married Ryan Reynolds in 2012, and they have two daughters. 

One of America Ferrera's earliest roles was playing Carmen Lowell, who spends some of the summer with her dad and his new family in South Carolina.

She is caught by surprise by her dad's new family. And after they ignore her feelings, she escapes back to Maryland. She and her dad later make up at the end of the first movie, and she attends the wedding. Carmen attends an actor's workshop in Vermont in the sequel. 

Taking care of your eyes is important, but it’s unfortunately pretty easy to let that fall by the wayside or not be quite as high on your list of priorities. And even if you think that you’re doing everything that you should be, generally, there are still probably some things that you’re doing that your eye doctor wishes that you wouldn’t.

Here’s what eye doctors wish people would stop doing so that they can protect their eyes from all kinds of daily stressors.

SEE ALSO: The best way to avoid gaining weight as you age has little to do with your metabolism, according to science

1. Stop staring at screens all day.

Nowadays, it seems like everyone spends all day (and night) staring at screens. From laptops and desktop computers to tablets, TVs, e-readers, phones, and more, your eyes very rarely get a break. As it turns out (and you may already know), this can have some serious implications when it comes to your vision and the health of your eyes.

"Eye health as it relates to screens is something that is not necessarily at the forefront of our minds,"Dr. Preeya K. Gupta, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist and corneal specialist at Duke University Eye Center, told INSIDER. "So if I had one wish, it would be to get people to screen more responsibly."

Gupta said that that doesn’t mean that you need to give up all of your screens entirely (which would be pretty difficult for most people), but just that you need to think about ways in which you can help protect your eyes while keeping screens a part of your life.

Gupta advised that you look 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen.

Additionally, make sure you take time to blink so that you avoid drying out your eyes.

"When we are staring at screens we don’t blink as often, in fact, our blink rate can decrease by 50%," Gupta said. "The tear film is vital to protecting the surface of the eye from stress—when we don’t blink we don’t allow that protective tear film to coat the eye fully allowing the eye to become dry."

Keeping the light on your screen lower than other lights in the room can also help you keep your eyes healthier, she added.

2. Don’t forget to schedule your regular eye exams.

If you don’t think that you have anything that needs addressing with your eyes, you might not always prioritize regular eye exams, but you can still benefit from them.

"Eye exams can detect conditions that can lead to blindness, many of which are preventable if caught and treated early,"Dr. Ming Wang, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist at Wang Vision 3D Cataract & LASIK Center, told INSIDER. "Many conditions, if not caught and treated, can lead to irreversible vision loss. These include glaucoma, retinal tears, retinal tumors, uveitis, and others. The risk of not having an eye exam is too high. Also, the eyes should be dilated for these eye exams. Photography is an effective tool, but does not replace the need for dilation, which is currently the only method to fully detect all eye conditions."

3. Don’t ignore the effects that smoking can have on your eyes.

You might not realize that smoking — even smoking hookah — can have real effects on the health of your eyes. "Hookah smoking, like any type of smoking, causes both reduced amounts of oxygen to be absorbed in the bloodstream as well as constriction of blood vessels throughout the body,"Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, MD, FACS, a Miami-based ophthalmologist, told INSIDER.

"In patients with longstanding diabetes, the blood vessels in the eye are already damaged and are preventing blood from perfusing the retina. Smoking hookah only further reduces the amount of blood and oxygen that can get to the eye, hastening severe damage that can permanently impact a patient’s quality of vision."

Though you likely knew that smoking can cause health problems, you might not have previously considered the impact that it can have on your eyes.

You might think smartphone use is limited in North Korea, considering how smartphones offer access to pretty much everything the North Korean government is censoring from its citizens.  

But North Koreans have been using smartphones since 2013, most of which are supposedly made within the country's borders by North Korean companies.

A North Korean news site called NKNews.org has been reporting on the country's smartphones released over the years, and some of them don't look half bad! With a few tweaks to remove the built-in censors, some of these smartphones could probably work just fine in other countries.

Check out five smartphones that North Koreans have been using since 2013, and some they're using now:

SEE ALSO: Millions of North Koreans now have smartphones — but they have to go to a physical store to install apps

The "Pyongyang Touch"

Little is known about the "Pyongyang Touch," which was released back in 2014. It's unclear what kind of specs it had, but it did come in pink, navy blue, and white, according to NK News, citing a pro-North Korea website based in Japan called Choson Sinbo.

The "Pyongyang Touch" was supposedly popular with North Korea's youth. It ran a modified version of Android that was "localized for North Korean purposes." It was unable to call overseas and couldn't connect to the internet. 

The original "Arirang"

The "Pyongyang Touch" could have also been the "Arirang." It's truly unclear. It's not like these phones or the companies that made them have accessible websites. 

It was said that the original "Arirang" phone was actually some sort of clone or rebranded model of the Chinese-made Uniscope U1201 from 2014. 

Based on the Uniscope U1201, the original Arirang had a 4.3-inch display, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chip running at 1.2GHz, an 8-megapixel camera, a dual-mode "dual-network" capability for GSM and CDMA networks. It also had a "3D stereo sound chamber design," and a 1,900mAh battery.

The "Jindallae 3"— translated to the "Azalea 3"

One of the more recent smartphones that became available to North Koreans is the "Jindallae 3," which translates to "Azalea 3," which was released in June 2017. It was produced by North Korea's very own Mangyongdae Information Technology Corporation, according to the North Korean state-run DPRK Today news outlet. 

It's unclear if there was a Jindallae 1 or 2, and the Jindallae 3's specs aren't immediately obvious. But it does look quite nice, and it was also available in black. 

"We have solved all the elements of intelligent hand phone development such as the device circuit design of the main motherboard, the design of the operating system, and so on," the North Korean outlet DPRKNews.com said in a translation into English by Google Translate.  

"The study group improved the performance of hand phone battery by reflecting opinions of users who used existing intelligent hand phones, further improved the safety and activity of the system program, and added various kinds of apps needed for people's business and life."

Whether you’re in the best shape of your life, or you’re trying to meet certain health and fitness goals, you’ve probably done some Googling to find the best ways to get the mind and body of your dreams.

And in your search, you’ve probably come across the process of intermittent fasting.

If you’re trying to lose weight, increase your endurance, or just generally feel a little less sluggish after hiking up to your fourth-floor walk-up, intermittent fasting could help you get there.

But there are definitely a few things you need to know before you start.

UP NEXT: The best ways to lose weight and keep it off, according to science

SEE ALSO: I tried the popular Silicon Valley diet credited with boosting energy and prolonging life — and I can see why people are obsessed

Intermittent fasting is different for everyone.

The general concept of intermittent fasting works like this: you eat almost whatever you want for a certain period of time, and then for a given amount of time you try not to consume anything other than water, tea, black coffee and other non-caloric liquids.

It sounds pretty simple, but there are actually a few different types of intermittent fasting to choose from.

Of course, everyone is different. So it’s important you choose a plan that best fits your needs, your lifestyle, and your goals.

But if you’re ready to dive right in, here are five different types of intermittent fasting that have become increasingly popular over the years.

The ‘5:2’ fast allots five days for eating and two days for restriction.

The 5:2 intermittent fasting diet works by allotting you five days a week to eat whatever you want, and restricting your diet for two days to 500 calories or less, according to Healthline. 

These two days of fasting don’t have to be one right after the other but are instead intermixed throughout the week to give your body time to recover. But on the non-fasting days, you’re encouraged to eat how you normally eat.

Healthline reported that the 5:2 diet may have several impressive health benefits, including weight loss, reduced insulin resistance and decreased inflammation. 

The ‘16/8’ method allows you to eat during an eight hour window.

The 16/8 diet is a daily fasting routine that requires you to eat during an eight-hour window during the day while fasting for 16 hours. This includes the time you sleep — so you don’t have to worry about that negatively impacting your day, according to Women's Health Magazine. 

The time frame varies depending on the person. Some people fast for 14 and eat for 10 — play around with it for yourself. But experts say you can fit in two to three small meals throughout your allotted eating time and still get the benefits whether you fast for 14 or 16 hours.

For many, this is the easiest way to fast as it doesn’t take too much effort or planning.

• Hebron is the biggest city in the Palestinian West Bank with a population of 200,000 Palestinians and around 1,000 Israeli settlers. 
• The city is home to the most important religious site for Jews and Muslims outside of Jerusalem: a 2,000 year-old building known as the Cave of the Patriarchs to Jews and Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslims.
• The history of the religious site and the tense situation around it today illuminate much about the persistence of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
• I recently visited Hebron on a "dual narrative" tour. Half the tour was guided by an Israeli Jew and the other half was guided by a Palestinian from Hebron. Each told their side of what has happened at the Cave of the Patriarchs/Ibrahimi Mosque.

It's not an exaggeration to say that if you want to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict, go to Hebron.

But, more specifically, if you want to understand how history and conflicting narratives collide into a tense and tenuous present, visit one of the region's most important and contested religious sites: the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

Referred to as Ibrahimi Mosque by Muslims and Palestinians and the Tomb of the Patriarchs by Jews and Israelis, the structure is said to be the tombs of the biblical figures of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. The 2,000-year-old building was built by King Herod the Great, and is considered to be the oldest continuously used prayer structure in the world.

As both Muslims and Jews revere Abraham and his descendants, the site is immeasurably important to both cultures. And it has a contentious and bloody history over the centuries and even today. 

SEE ALSO: I visited the most contested city in the Middle East, where Israelis and Palestinians are separated by a gauntlet of military checkpoints — and the harsh, complicated truth of the conflict was immediately clear

Hebron is located 20 miles south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. With a population of more than 200,000 Palestinians and around 1,000 Israeli settlers, Hebron is the biggest city in the Palestinian territory. Its name in both Hebrew (Hevron) and Arabic (Al-Khalil) translates to "friend."

Hebron is divided in two sectors: H1, controlled by the Palestinian Authority, and H2, controlled by the Israeli military. One of the key dividing points is the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs. The majestic building can be seen here.

The presence of the site has drawn the devout of all Abrahamic religions to the city for centuries. In the Byzantine period, the building was turned into a church. When the city was conquered by Arab Muslims, it was turned into a mosque. It was turned back into a church during the Crusader period and then back into a mosque under the Mamluks and finally the Ottomans.

Silicon Valley's tech giants have taken workplace dining to the next level, with themed restaurants, gourmet menus, and stunning designs — and at many companies, it's all free. 

But employers seeking to offer their staff subsidized meals won't have that option if the city of San Francisco follows through with a policy that would ban new construction of workplace cafeterias. The proposal is an effort to encourage tech employees to stimulate the local economy by eating at restaurants within the community.

The nearby city of Mountain View, California, already enforces the restriction, which will forbid Facebook from building an on-site cafeteria when it opens its offices there this fall. However, the proposal won't affect companies with existing cafeterias, like Google, Apple, and Facebook's main offices in Menlo Park, California.

Here are the gourmet perks currently afforded to the employees of Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies.

SEE ALSO: Free food may become a thing of the past in Silicon Valley — but there are plenty of other incredible perks companies like Facebook and Google offer their employees

Facebook has an on-site Philz Coffee.

The social media giant offers employees free unlimited food spanning healthy and guilty-pleasure options. Many of the on-campus cafeterias at the Menlo Park headquarters are more like specialized restaurants, from barbecue joints and burger shacks to smoothie stands and ice cream shops. There's even an outpost of the uber-hip Philz Coffee on campus. 

As one Menlo Park employee on Glassdoor put it, the meal benefits have its upsides and downsides — "pros: free food; cons: got fat."

Employees at Facebook's new Mountain View offices won't have that problem. When the location opens this fall, free food won't be offered to employees there as part of a city restriction forbidding tech companies in the region from supplying fully subsidized meals to staff.

Apple employees don't get free food — but they do get subsidized cafes.

Apple is one of the tech giants that does not offer its employees free food (with the exception of free dinner for iOS or OS X team members) but there are multiple subsidized cafes.

The new "Spaceship" headquarters in Cupertino, California, has a cafe that's four stories high, with a massive glass door and the capacity for 4,000 hungry employees, according to a 2017 Wired profile. 

The cafes subsidize everything except ingredient cost, and allow employees to pay using a payroll deduction plan. This means that although meals aren't, free employees are able to get a nice tax break. 

The menu isn't too shabby either: Employees can have a custom-made burrito, salad, pasta, or  pizza, and there's a juice bar that gives out ginger, cayenne pepper, and beat juice combo shots.

And though food isn't completely free like the company's tech neighbors, at least the apples are.

Twitter has free snacks on every floor.

Twitter's HQ in San Francisco offers employees free breakfast and lunch. There are lots of fresh options and a kitchen with snacks on every floor.

Source: Glassdoor