When I was pregnant with my first child I filled my baby registry up with a whole lot of nothing. At the time, I thought it was all the necessities of course. But I quickly realized that it probably would've been smarter to take all that money and use it for a new dining room table, something we desperately needed at the time, instead of an overpriced stroller, bedroom set, and a whole lot of useless gadgets.

As new parents, it's hard not to get overwhelmed by all the baby product marketing out there and feel like your kid absolutely needs everything the second they're born. The truth is, when it comes to baby necessities, less is more.

Looking back, and now as a mom of two, it definitely would've been smarter to hold off on lots of items until I knew what our needs with a new baby were actually going to be. But, you live and you learn, and hopefully, with this list, I can help save some new parents a few dollars and a whole lot of baby-clutter.

A wipes warmer is something a baby can live without.

Call me an evil mom, but I really think your baby will be fine without a warm-ish wipe on its tush. Many friends I've spoken to all agree these are more of a gimmick than a necessity. I've also found that they dry out the wipes if you don't use the pack up quick enough.

Fancy baby clothing will probably go unused.

Unless you're bringing your newborn to a black tie affair, there's really no need to spend money on fancy baby clothing. Chances are they are going to ruin whatever nice outfit you put them in, anyway. Plus, we all know by the time you get around to washing the outfit, it won't fit your baby anymore.

Baby shoes won't get much use.

Babies don't need shoes until they are walking or close to walking. But of course parents today are told they have to buy crib shoes for their baby. Why? Keeping a newborn's feet covered is important but that is why most baby outfits are one piece and cover your baby's feet.

• The day after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest shopping days in retail.
• Shoppers clamor for bargains in-store every year to save big on items like TVs and video games.
• But for retail workers, it can be a hectic affair.
• Here's what Black Friday was like for a former Best Buy sales associate.

"Black Friday" is no term of endearment, especially for the people who have to work in retail that day. To call it the most hectic day in retail is an understatement.

To get a better sense for what it's really like to work retail on Black Friday, we asked a former Best Buy sales associate who handled customer service and worked as a cashier during five Black Fridays until 2013 to weigh in.

The former Best Buy sales associate we spoke to is not featured in any of the photos below.

Here's what the former Best Buy sales associate had to say about their experience:

SEE ALSO: The rise and fall of Black Friday — the American shopping holiday that once beckoned hordes of frenzied shoppers and is now dying

DON'T MISS: What 'Black Friday' looks like around the world

"Black Friday was tons of work, and everyone was involved."

"November 1 is the normal beginning of the holiday season, but the store started hiring seasonal employees in October because it gave them more time to train the newbies."

"All new recruits got register training, sales associates got register training and department-specific training, and everyone got training on how to sell protection plans, including more senior employees, who got a refresher training on how to sell those plans faster."

• Every tax season, there are criminals trying to scam innocent people out of some of their money.
• Bogus, aggressive phone calls demanding payment and "phishy" emails taking you to scam sites are still the most prevalent scams, but there are some new tactics, and some lesser-known scams to be wary of too.
• Business Insider spoke with three CPAs to get the inside scoop on scams to watch out for this year.

Tax season is almost upon us, and if you are one of the organized few, you are already preparing your paperwork and considering your options for tax preparation.

But there's another group getting revved up for the tax season: Fraudsters.

These criminals can try to scam you in person, over the phone, or, most popularly, through email.

Business Insider spoke with three CPAs to help prepare you to look out for — and avoid — tax-season scams.

SEE ALSO: 10 abbreviations you should know to navigate your tax forms

1. Phishing emails

The IRS, other government agencies, and banks have been warning us about these emails for years, but they continue to be a problem. Some of these fraudulent emails will look like they are from the IRS or a bank and will ask you to visit their site and "update your account," according to the IRS. The page will look official, and criminals are hoping you'll enter your private information so they can use it to steal your identity, file a fake tax return in your name, or open new accounts without your knowledge.

There is a new twist on the theme this year. Fraudsters are sending emails pretending to be a professional association you might belong to, "like the state societies of opticians, or lawyers, or any other profession," Melanie Lauridsen, senior manager for tax policy and advocacy at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) told Business Insider.

Criminals will often use the official name of a professional association, or a very similar name, according to Lauridsen. The email will say that you need to login to update your information, such as licensure or registration info, and get you to enter other sensitive information. This leaves you vulnerable to identity theft or other fraud.

2. Phone calls from the "IRS"

"More and more of my clients have been getting random phone calls from scammers claiming to work for the IRS," Chad Elkins, CPA and author of "Elkins' Tax Guide 2019 Edition," told Business Insider. The IRS will almost never make initial contact with you by phone.

"They like to target the elderly and recent immigrants, in particular, who may not be aware that the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, nor contact taxpayers about taxes owed without first corresponding by mail or providing the taxpayer an opportunity to appeal a balance due," Elkins said.

These scammers have gotten sophisticated, according to the IRS. Now, they can spoof the local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) phone number to appear on your caller ID. If you doubt them, the scammers will tell you to look up the number.

Why do people fall for this? "Aggressive, high-pressure tactics enable schemes like this to work. Victims are threatened with arrest and other severe consequences if they don't make payment immediately. People react in a moment of fear and anxiety and do it," CPA Richard Lindsey, author of "Fairness or Folly: A Real World Guide to the Temporary Tax Reform of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," told Business Insider.

The IRS does not do anything immediate— they have a process of warning letters, registered mail, and other paper information before they demand money. To collect the money owed, the IRS can file a tax lien on your home,  levy your bank account or wages, or offset any refund you are entitled. Eventually, they can seize your car, boat, or real estate if you don't pay up. They have the force of the law behind them to eventually collect any money that you might legitimately owe them.

3. Using your Social Security number to file a tax return and steal your refund

Whether criminals have gotten your information from hacking, data breaches, or by using a phishing email that you fell for, if they have your social security number and other vital data about you, they can file a return in your name, according to Lindsey. "The scammers often get the refund put onto prepaid debit cards instead of being deposited in bank accounts because it's a lot harder to trace once the payment has been made," Lindsey said.

"We saw it at the height for our clients in 2017," Lindsey said, but the number of incidents has been declining since then. If you can file early, this reduces your chances of having this scam pulled on you.

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.

Every year, it seems like Black Friday starts a little bit earlier — and gets a little bit crazier. You've probably seen the headlines condemning big-box retailers for opening during Thanksgiving dinner and I'm sure you've heard the horror stories of long lines, mob scenes, brawls, and tramplings, among other shopping catastrophes.

This Thanksgiving, you don't even have to leave the dinner table before you get a slice of pumpkin pie to get in on the best deals. Luckily, plenty of retailers are releasing their Black Friday deals ahead of time, so you can actually spend Thanksgiving the way it's meant to be spent — eating. 

Cole Haan is one of the brands that, starting today, is helping you get Black Friday prices without dreaded Black Friday lines or website crashes. Now through November 27, Cole Haan will be running three great sales where you'll find discounts on its wide selection of quality-crafted, stylish, and comfortable shoes.

Here's what to expect from Cole Haan's offerings, starting today through Cyber Monday:

• Grand Giving Event: From November 15 - 18, get 30% off everything, plus free shipping.
• Black Friday Event: From November 18 - 24, take 50% off a selection of 400+ boots, Grand styles, bags, and outerwear, plus take 30% off everything else.
• Cyber Monday Event: From November 25 - 27, take 50% off everything, plus take an extra 10% off your purchase with code "CYBER".

Whether you've never shopped at Cole Haan before, or you're already are a loyal wearer, we can bet you'll find something you'll love on their site. We already checked it out and found 17 of the best men's and women's shoe deals you can find at the sale right now.

Shop men's and women's styles from the Grand Giving Event at Cole Haan here, or see our picks below.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

ZERØGRAND Water Resistant Hiker Boot

Men's ZERØGRAND Water Resistant Hiker Boot, $210 (originally $300) [You save $90]

ZERØGRAND Explore Waterproof Hiker Boot

Women's ZERØGRAND Explore Waterproof Hiker Boot, $196 (originally $280) [You save $84]

Wagner Grand Waterproof Cap-Toe Boot

Men's Wagner Grand Waterproof Cap-Toe Boot, $224 (originally $320) [You save $96]

The Democratic Party regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections, with 35 House seats so far flipping from Republican to Democrat. As of now, Democrats will control 230 House seats compared to 198 for Republicans, with 7 races yet to be called or conceded. 

FiveThirtyEight's deluxe House forecast — which includes everything from polls, district fundamentals, fundraising, and candidate quality — gave the Democrats a six in seven chance of taking back the House, predicting they would gain an average of 36 seats.

Their House model cast 14 contests as tossup, meaning both candidates had less than a 60% chance of winning, 15 as lean Democratic, and seven as lean Republican.

The results available so far show that 17 of these swing districts flipped from Republican to Democrat, six stayed in Republican hands, one flipped from Democrat to Republican, and four are still too close to call. 

Here's which parties and candidates are winning these highly competitive districts:

Kentucky's 6th district: Republican Andy Barr wins re-election with 50.9% of the vote compared to Democrat Amy McGrath 47.9%.

The candidates: Marine veteran Amy McGrath, the first woman to fly an F-18 fighter jet in the Marine Corps, launched a high-profile bid to unseat long-time Rep. Andy Barr.

Her race gained national attention after one of her campaign ads detailing the barriers she overcame as a woman in the Marines went viral, and she raised $6.9 million in individual donations compared to Barr's $2.5 million.

The district: The 6th occupies a large portion of central Kentucky, including the city and suburbs of Lexington. It's Cook Partisan Lean is R+9, and Trump carried the district by 15 points in 2016.

Predictions and polls: The race was rated as a pure toss-up by FiveThirtyEight on the day of the election. A Nov. 1-4 Siena College/NYT poll showed McGrath and Barr in a dead heat.

Virginia's 5th congressional district: Republican Denver Riggleman beats Democrat Leslie Cockburn 53% to 47%.

The candidates: Republican Denver Riggleman, a businessman and Air Force veteran, defeated Democratic candidate and former investigative journalist Leslie Cockburn in the open race for the fifth district.

The district: Virginia's 5th district occupies a large swatch of central Virginia, including the city of Charlottesville. Its Cook Political Rating is R+6. 

Predictions and polls: FiveThirtyEight rated the race in the 5th district lean Republican, giving Riggleman a seven in ten chance of winning. An Oct. 22-26 Siena College/NYT poll showed Cockburn leading Riggleman by one point.

Florida's 15th district: Republican Ross Spano defeats Democratic opponent Kristen Carlson 53% to 47%.

The candidates: After the district's Republican congressman decided not to run for re-election, State Representative Ross Spanowon the primary to challenge former prosecutor and attorney Kristen Carlson. While Spano defeated Carlson, she outraised himby more than a 3-to-1 margin.

The district: Florida's 15th district, created after a 2015 redistricting, includes several Tampa suburbs including Brandon and Lakeland, and stretches inland towards the city of Orlando.

Predictions and polls: FiveThirtyEight rated the race as lean Republican the day of the election, giving Spano a five in eight chance of winning. An Oct. 16-19 Siena College/NYT poll showed Spano and Carlson in a dead heat, with 43% of voters expressing support for each.

The world of children's literature wouldn't be the same without Dr. Seuss. There would be no "The Cat in the Hat," no "Green Eggs and Ham," and no "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." But, with such a heavy influence on the world of rhyming children's books, the question is: How much do you really know about Dr. Seuss? Other than his knack for thinking up absurdly wonderful characters, there are lots of things you probably don't know about him.

Here are 20 surprising facts about the beloved author, Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss is a pen name.

Dr. Seuss's real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel. He had several pen names, in addition to Dr. Seuss, including  L. Pasteur, D.G. Rossetti '25, T. Seuss, and Seuss. The title "Dr." was in fact just a moniker, as Seuss himself did not have a doctorate. He would eventually, however, earn several honorary doctorates throughout his career.

He has a star on the Walk of Fame.

Among the movie stars and television personalities included on Hollywood's Walk of Fame is Dr. Seuss's name. The star was awarded in 2004 and is located near 6600 Hollywood Blvd. 

You've probably been pronouncing "Seuss" wrong.

Sorry, but Seuss is not pronounced "Soose." Instead, Dr. Seuss and his family, who emigrated to the US from Bavaria, pronounce the name "Zoice."

Enterprise tech startups have been on a 12-month IPO joyride.

From MongoDB to Dropbox to Eventbrite, more than 20 startups in the enterprise tech industry have sold shares to the public and made splashy Wall Street debuts this past year. 

Unlike consumer internet companies whose products are usually free and designed for the masses, these enterprise startups create products and service that are sold to other businesses. It's a massive $3.7 trillion worldwide market, and yet these startups don't always enjoy the mainstream name recognition of their consumer counterparts.

To help you familiarize yourself with this new crop of public tech companies, Business Insider has rounded up some of the key players driving the growth and the success behind the scenes. 

The names may not be as familiar as Mark Zuckerberg, and there may not be movies about them, but these 15 executives are the stars you need to know about to really understand where the red-hot Enterprise tech market is going. 

SEE ALSO: Here are the biggest winners from Qualtrics' surprise $8 billion sale to SAP

Eliot Horowitz, CTO and Co-Founder of MongoDB

Eliot Horowitz is one of the founders of MongoDB, along with Kevin P. Ryan and Dwight Merriman.

MongoDB, an open-source database company based in New York, went public in October 2017. MongoDB had raised $256 million before going public with a valuation of $1.6 billion. Since then, the company's market cap has swelled to $3.6 billion under Ittycheria.  Today, MongoDB has over 30 million downloads and over 1,000 technology and service partners. 

Horowitz’s programming career began at age four when he wanted to create a chess-playing AI. And at age nine, he started programming for his mother’s medical practice.

Starting in 2007, Horowitz wrote the core codebase for the popular open-source database today. Today, as CTO he oversees the engineering and product teams. Recently, he led MongoDB in introducing new licensing to prevent major cloud companies from selling its software without open-sourcing it.

Before MongoDB, Horowitz also co-founded an online retail search engine called ShopWiki, which he built and later sold in 2010. Horowitz had also worked as a software developer in DoubleClick.

In 2006, Horowitz was listed in BusinessWeek’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under Age 25, and in 2015, he was listed in Business Insider’s “Under 35 and Crushing It” list. Just last year, he was also named to Crain's NY Business 40 Under 40 Class list.

Sameer Dholakia, CEO of SendGrid

Sameer Dholakia is accustomed to using both hands to accomplish a variety of jobs — and not just because he's ambidextrous. 

The executive has served in numerous roles in the tech industry, from sales to product management.  

Since Dholakia took the helm as SendGrid’s CEO in 2014, the company's revenue has quadrupled, and he led the company to IPO on Nov. 15, 2017.  Twilio announced it would acquire SendGrid in a $2 billion deal.

Dholakia has previously served as CEO at VMLogix, which was acquired by Citrix. And he worked in sales, business development and product management for Trilogy, where he helped the startup grow to a $300 million business.

And his ambidexterity has given him another special skill: he can write with his left hand and throw a fastball with his right.

Lynne Laube, COO and Co-Founder of Cardlytics

Lynne Laube is one of the co-founders of Cardlytics, along with Scott Grimes and Hans Theisen. On Feb. 8, Laube took Cardlytics public, and since 2008, she has secured over $200 million in capital from investors.  At the time, this Atlanta-based company had a valuation of $273 million.

Cardlytics partners with more than 1,500 financial institutions to run banking rewards programs for customers. It also uses insights on how consumers spend money to help marketers target likely buyers and measure the impact of marketing campaigns.

Laube wanted to build a company where people love coming to work everyday. For example, Cardlytics encourages and funds employees to start their own extracurricular groups, such as the rock band The Redeemers, a beer brewing club and a mentorship organization

In 2016, she was named one of the top 10 venture-backed female founders by Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur 360. She has also been a finalist for the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award twice.

Within Cardlytics, she launched Women of Cardlytics to provide career mentorship and support for women. Before founding Cardlytics, she worked at Capital One and Bank One.

Outside of work, Laube loves to cook, and she swears by her on-demand workouts.

Nick Ayers is reportedly being considered to take over as White House chief of staff and replace retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, whose status within the administration has been a source of much tumult and speculation.

Ayers, who currently serves as Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, has long been suspected to be Trump's top choice to replace Kelly. 

Here's some background on the man who could become the Trump administration's third chief of staff. 

Nick Ayers, 36, is reportedly the top candidate to be the next White House chief of staff. He would be one of the youngest people to hold this position in decades.

Ayers currently serves as Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff.

In a White House consumed by chaos, Ayers would have his work cut out for him. Chief of staff is arguably the toughest job in Trump's administration.

When you eat your veggies — which, you know, you should be doing two to three times a day, according to Choose My Plate— you may be of the belief that, in order to gain all the benefits they have to offer, you must eat them raw.

This isn't exactly true. Although raw vegetables definitely have many health benefits, forgoing cooked vegetables in their favor isn't always a good idea. INSIDER spoke with dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of "Read it Before You Eat It — Taking You From Label To Table," to find out which vegetables you should cook instead of always eating raw.

Raw kale can have negative effects.

Many people eat raw kale without any issues (most major chopped salad chains wouldn't exist otherwise) but it can have negative effects on others. According to Oregon State's Linus Pauley Institute, eating cruciferous vegetables like kale raw can disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis, which could negatively affect your metabolism.

That said, context is key here. Taub-Dix pointed out that you would probably have to eat an excessive amount of raw kale for it to negatively impact the thyroid, so, unless you're eating a bushel of raw kale a day, you're probably in the clear. If you're not sure, just ask your doctor or visit a dietitian.

Tomatoes release a cancer-fighting antioxidant when cooked.

Tomatoes certainly have many health benefits when eaten raw. But if you eat a lot of raw tomatoes, it might be worth giving them some heat every now and then, if only for the sake of variety. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, tomatoes release more lycopene (a cancer-fighting antioxidant) when cooked. According to Scientific American, this is because the heat can break down some tougher cell walls in the plant, making it easier for the body to absorb their nutrients.

You also don't have to cook the tomatoes yourself to reap their benefits.

"When you use canned tomatoes you might absorb more lycopene than when eating them fresh," Taub-Dix told INSIDER. "In addition, it has been said that when you add a bit of oil ([like] add[ing] some olive oil to your tomato sauce) you enhance the absorption of lycopene even further."

Red kidney beans need to be soaked and boiled.

Technically, beans are a legume, not a vegetable. But because beans are often part of a vegetarian diet, it is worth pointing out that, if you ever buy uncanned red kidney beans, it is vital to soak and then boil them. Otherwise, you will be exposing yourself to haemagglutinin, a toxin that, according to The Independent, can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Humans are so small compared to some animals; next to creatures like elephants and whales, we seem minuscule. But on the other end of the spectrum are animals a whole lot smaller than us — so small in fact, that we can hardly find them in the wild, let alone understand how they survive from day to day.

From a tiny chameleon to a pygmy monkey, here are 14 of the smallest animals on Earth.

SEE ALSO: 10 animals that are more beautiful than you

FOLLOW US: INSIDER is on Facebook

The pygmy rabbit can be as small as 9.25 inches long.

Averaging 9.25-11.6 inches (23.5-29.5 centimeters) in length, the endangered pygmy rabbit, or Brachylagus idahoensis, lives primarily on the West Coast of the United States. They tend to live in tall, dense sagebrush, which also makes up the majority of their diets.

A fully-grown dwarf lanternshark is about 8.3 inches long.

The smallest species of shark on Earth is the dwarf lanternshark or Etmopterus perryi, which grows to about 8.3 inches (21.1 centimeters). Their bodies contain light-emitting organs that allow them to camouflage in sunlight and attract small animals in darker, deeper waters.

Pygmy marmosets can wrap around a human's finger at 4.6 inches tall.

The pygmy marmoset, or Cebuella pygmaea, is the world's smallest monkey. The tiny creatures live in the rainforests of South America and tend to be between 4.6-6.2 inches (11.7-15.7 centimeters) tall, without counting their tails.

Between the months of November and January, there are tons of events and holidays that call for dressing up. 

Whether you have a fancy Thanksgiving dinner to attend or you're planning your New Year's Eve getup in advance, you're probably shopping around for a new look.

It's easy to assume that festive attire comes with high price tags, but that's not always the case. Below, we've rounded up 22 party dresses that you can get for under $50.

Sparkly dresses work for a number of occasions.

This ruched sequin dress by Forever 21 is cut above the knees and features spaghetti straps, so you'll want to consider wearing a jacket and tights depending on the weather.

Cost: $32

Find out more about Forever 21's ruched sequin dress here >

Cape dresses are an elegant choice.

Fashion Nova's chiffon cape-style dress features statement sleeves. Pair it with simple accessories and some cherry-red lipstick.

Cost: $27.99

Find out more about Fashion Nova's chiffon cape dress here >

Instead of a sequin dress in a solid color, try one with stripes.

Opt for one with sleeves for extra warmth in the winter.

Cost: $36.99

Find out more about Charlotte Russe's striped sequin bodycon dress here >

Black Friday is looming, which means that holiday shopping is about to consume your every waking minute.

INSIDER has got you covered on gift guides if you're looking to do your shopping online. But what about those brave souls who march into a department store in the middle of December?

From less-than-breathtaking holiday decorations to screaming kids, department stores don't always evoke warm and happy holiday feelings.

Here are just a few reasons why department stores might not be your best shopping option this holiday season.

Sometimes walking into a department store inspires childlike wonder. There are so many things to see and do that you can't help but marvel.

You should savor that feeling — department stores might not be long for this world.

But any goodwill you have towards shopping will be knocked out of you by the time you navigate the lion's den that is the parking lot.

You might think you're avoiding crowds by skipping Black Friday this year...

Nobody would blame you for sitting Black Friday out. It can be a nightmare.

Getting into Y Combinator isn't easy: the prestigious Silicon Valley startup incubator accepts less than 5% of the hundreds of applicants that apply to its program. Often, startup founders will apply multiple times before they're granted so much as an interview.

No one knows the struggle of getting into Y Combinator better than partners Karn Saroya and Natalie Gray, who applied four times before they were finally accepted on their fifth application. 

By the time Saroya and Gray applied to YC the fifth time, they had successfully sold the company they had originally pitched, a fashion application called StyleKick. While selling a company helped the pair snag Y Combinator's attention on their new business concept the fifth time around, there were tweaks they'd made in their application that helped them build a better business concept. 

Here are a few of their takeaways:

SEE ALSO: Here's why one insider predicts that Amazon will acquire Lyft in the next 18 months — and how Uber's valuation would plummet as a result

You don't need a high quality video to pitch.

The first time Saroya and Gray applied to YC, they put a lot of thought into their pitch video. 

"We had a script, lighting. We had everything," said Saroya. "It was really dumb. We shouldn't have done that, but we didn't know what we were being judged on."

Turns out, video production wasn't it. The video Saroya and Gray finally got accepted with was completed in one take, Saroya said.

"We did it in about 15 minutes," he said. "Natalie had just rolled out of bed...our dog was yapping in the background. But we'd realized that what they were looking for was a succinct description of our business, and we'd homed in on what we wanted to do. With [our first pitch], there was so much ambiguity about what we were trying to do." 

Don't use jargon.

"The goal with your pitch is to help the naive observer understand very quickly what it is you're doing and why it can be important or impactful," said Saroya. "A lot of the time, that's manifested in super concise writing. We learned those lessons the hard way."

It's especially important to not prop up your ideas using jargon language, said Saroya. "There needs to be no business jargon. You need to get down to the essence of your business narrative right from the start."

The ultimate goal isn't getting into Y Combinator.

While it might sound counterintuitive, Saroya said the ultimate goal in applying to Y Combinator isn't getting in.

"You have to remember that you're there to build a business and not to get into YC. YC is a forcing function that helps you determine whether or not you are on the path to find product fit," said Saroya. "YC is not a school. You're competing in the real world for your company to survive. Focus on that."

• Black Friday can bring out the worst in some people.
• Retail workers Business Insider surveyed shared some of their most cringe-worthy stories.
• We also scoured Reddit for workers' horrifying accounts of Black Friday mayhem.

If you ask the people who work in retail, Black Friday is rarely described in the most flattering of ways.

"Being retired now, Black Friday is a nightmare of the past," a former retail worker told Business Insider. "In my many years in retail, each one seemed to get worse." 

This isn't to say all Black Friday shoppers are horrible people. 

As one retail worker told Business Insider, "For the most part, people have always been very nice and patient. They can see it's busy and I'm doing my best to get everybody taken care of." They said it's usually the customers who are never satisfied — "we can spot them a mile away"— that are more likely to make a scene.

In honor of the "wild and hectic" day when everyone is "tired and cranky"— their words — Business Insider asked more than 40 Black Friday workers to share some of the most outrageous things they've seen working Black Friday.

We also scoured Reddit for horror stories told by former Black Friday workers.

SEE ALSO: 14 things Black Friday workers wish shoppers would stop doing

DON'T MISS: Black Friday workers confess 9 things they'd love to tell shoppers but can't

"Black Friday is like Hunger Games. The tributes are released, and everyone thinks they are extra special, so they should be allowed to just open pallets and take whatever they want well before the sale."

"I once saw a fight between strangers because someone changed lines. They did not cut in line, they just got behind the other line. And someone in front of that person — so no way they were being affected — decided to verbally attack this person ...

"... the person fought back. Nasty things were said, and both these individuals had kids with them to witness this.'"

• Companies that invest heavily in the future are generally able to generate outsize profit growth further down the line, and Goldman Sachs says these companies are already being rewarded.
• The firm has identified the 17 companies it says have been sinking the most money into future initiatives, which is positioning them to continue outperforming the market.

The old saying is that you have to spend money to make money.

That's abundantly true in the equity market, where companies that sink considerable capital back into their businesses frequently see their stocks rewarded further down the line.

But investing for future growth is easier said than done. After all, many traders are impatient and want to see bottom lines swell right this instant. It's the sort of pressure that can dissuade some companies from thinking about the long-term picture.

But according to Goldman Sachs, corporations that are investing in the future are actually outperforming the market. The firm has constructed a basket of stocks that possess a high growth investment ratio, and it has handily beaten the benchmark S&P 500 in 2018.

The index consists of the companies with the highest ratio of three-year capital expenditure and research-and-development spending, as a share of cash flow from operating activities.

And to make matters even more enticing for potential buyers of the stocks in this index, these types of companies should theoretically be able to turn that reinvestment into robust earnings growth further down the line. Considering that profit expansion has been the foremost driver of gains throughout the bull market, this is an attractive attribute.

Without further ado, here are the 17 stocks Goldman says have poured the most money into future growth over the past three years, ranked in increasing order of three-year growth investment ratio.

17. Symantec

Ticker: SYMC

Industry: Information technology

Market cap: $14 billion

3-year growth investment ratio: 88%

16. Juniper Networks

Ticker: JNPR

Industry: Information technology

Market cap: $10 billion

3-year growth investment ratio: 92%

15. Deere & Co.

Ticker: DE

Industry: Industrials

Market cap: $47 billion

3-year growth investment ratio: 100%

This is Business Insider's politics live-blog charting the latest developments as Theresa May's Brexit deal continues to dominate Westminster. Refresh the page for updates. All times are in GMT.

LONDON —Theresa May faces another bruising day with the possibility of further Cabinet resignations and letters of no confidence from her own Conservative MPs over her Brexit deal with the European Union.

The prime minister had perhaps the most challenging day of her premiership on Thursday, suffering several resignations, including those of Dominic Raab as Brexit Secretary and Esther McVey as Work & Pensions Secretary.

Leading Brexiteers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker plus several other pro-Leave Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence in the prime minister. If the number of letters reaches 48, there'll be a no-confidence vote.

They refused to advocate the agreement negotiated between May and the EU, which will keep the UK in a customs union with the EU for years after Brexit, and potentially create checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The chaos is set to continue on Friday with more Tory MPs sending no-confidence letters to Conservative grandee, Sir Graham Brady. Scroll down for the latest updates. 

13:03: Another Tory MP sends a no-confidence letter

Chris Green, MP for Bolton West & Atherton, becomes the twenty-second Tory to submit a letter of no-confidence in Theresa May. The Brexiteers are inching towards the 48 letters needed to trigger a vote in her leadership.

Green tweeted: "Many constituents have contacted me inquiring as to whether or not I have put my letter of no confidence in with Sir Graham Brady MP. With a heavy heart, I confirm that I have put my letter in calling for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, Theresa May."

12:30 AM: Lunchtime summary

Theresa May's bid to brave out what Jacob Rees-Mogg yesterday denied was an attempted coup against her, appears to be working for now. Her press conference yesterday and her appearance on LBC this morning suggests that she is following what Tony Blair's former press chief Alistair Campbell famously called the "masochism strategy." When Blair was in trouble over the Iraq War, Campbell persuaded him to go in front of the cameras for multiple difficult confrontations, including on Question Time. The idea was that by braving such appearances, the prime minister was seen to be still in charge, even if it meant taking a public barracking or two.

May's advisers are pointing her down a similar path with more awkward media experiences expected over the weekend. So will it work? Well the threat of yet more senior resignations from Cabinet appears to have subsided for now, with the prime minister set to reshuffle her top team within the next day or so. The long-promised 48 letters of no-confidence in May also have yet to materialise, despite Rees-Mogg's public assault on her yesterday.

How long May can last until the 48 letter threshold is breached remains to be seen. However, in one sense this is all something of a sideshow. All that really matters is whether the prime minister can get her Brexit deal through parliament and right now the arithmetic for that looks incredibly bleak.

If she can't get her deal through parliament then the prospect of a catastrophic no-deal Brexit will suddenly become very real indeed. And if that happens, the ins and outs of a possible Conservative leadership election will appear very parochial concerns indeed.

12:12 AM: Liam Fox tells Brexit rebels: 'We're not elected to do what we want'

Trade Secretary Liam Fox has been defending Theresa May this morning, telling reporters that Conservatives trying to get rid of her are not acting in the national interest. Here's a clip.

Fox said: "We're not elected to do what we want. We are elected to do what's in the national interest. Ultimately I hope that across Parliament will realise that a deal is better than no deal. Businesses require certainty and confidence as they go forward with their planning." 

Earlier, he said: "I have full confidence in the Prime Minister. I think she is taking us forward with confidence and — I have to say — with resilience, and I very much agree with Michael Gove that what we need now is stability."

Fox is a leading Brexiteer but has decided not to resign from Cabinet. 

When a narcissist targets their victim, there's little chance of escape. They've identified the strength they want to use for their own gain or destroy, and they strike when they know they'll succeed.

There are several red flags someone is toxic when you start spending time with them — some might even be visible on a first date.

But if you're unsure, there are four major signs the person you've started dating is a narcissist, according to counsellor Suzanne Degges-White in a blog post for Psychology Today.

Essentially, she says, it all comes down to whether you think your partner is trying to change you, and you feel like everything they say and do is for their own gain.

If you suspect you're being abused by a narcissist, you should be aware it takes the average person seven times to leave. So it's a good idea to be vigilant and know the signs early on.

1. Gifts always have strings attached

At the beginning stages of a relationship with a narcissist, they will likely be charming and full of affection. This is known as the love bombing stage, and during it the victim can expect gifts, compliments, and their full attention. However, as time goes by, they may notice the narcissist is losing interest, and every gift suddenly has a catch.

Degges-White says narcissists see people as objects and leave their partners feeling like accessories. So if they feel their affection is being bought, it's a sign there are strings attached.

2. You feel guilty

Narcissists are masters of manipulation, and they know how to twist any situation to make their victims feel ashamed, guilty, and responsible for everything that's gone wrong. They believe they're entitled to every shred of their partner's attention, so they label anything else as "selfish."

"When someone tries to convince you that they know better than you do about what would make you happy or help you become a 'better you,' take that as a warning sign that the purpose of the change is to please your partner, not support you," says Degges-White.

3. You feel like an object

The victim will never win an argument with a narcissist. Rows can quickly spiral out of control, and they may use tactics to baffle their partner — speaking very quickly and making confusing and contradictory statements, known as a "word salad."

In private, they will argue and abuse, while in public they'll be charming and show their victim off. Essentially, they only see their worth when they have someone else to boast to. The rest of the time, the victim is just a punching bag — both metaphorically and literally.

Degges-White says if someone is more concerned about themselves (or what other people think) than the relationship, then they're probably a narcissist.

Tenshin Nasukawa may well be the most interesting 20-year-old in combat sports.

Last month, Nasukawa was a relatively obscure fighter, globally-speaking. He is a rising star in Japanese mixed martial arts and competes in the Rizin Fighting Federation, a promotion that is only three years old and receives little press in the US and the UK.

But what a difference a few weeks makes. Nasukawa has been thrust into the media spotlight as Rizin made a stunning announcement — the company's phenom will fight the unbeaten American boxer Floyd Mayweather on December 31 in Japan.

Mayweather backtracked on the show just days after announcing it at a press conference in Japan. "I was completely blindsided," he said in an Instagram statement. But the bout looks like it is now back on, as Mayweather told TMZ Sports this week that fans can expect an "exhibition" consisting of three, three minute rounds with no kicking allowed.

So, the show will go on and the world will see more of Nasukawa.

But who is he, exactly?

Despite his young age, Nasukawa is already an accomplished competitor with an unblemished processional record.

If his kickboxing record of 27-0 (20 wins by knockout), and his mixed martial arts record of 4-0 (two wins by knockout, and one by submission), are indicative of his promise, his impressive stoppage wins over the former IBF boxing world champion Amnat Ruenroeng and the former Muay Thai champion Wanchalong PK Senchaigym are testament to his talent-level.

His Instagram profile, which has 237,000 followers, suggests there's more to the fighter than a strong record, though.

Here's everything you need to know about Nasukawa, the fight game's newest star.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know so far about Floyd Mayweather's extraordinary move to MMA firm Rizin, where he'll fight Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan

DON'T MISS: Conor McGregor says Floyd Mayweather's Tenshin Nasukawa matchup is like 'something out of Rush Hour 5'

This is Tenshin Nasukawa. Born in 1998, Nasukawa grew to become a young boy with a fascination for aliens, anime, and for fighting. He has a black belt in the Kyokushin style of karate and is an expert kickboxer to boot.

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Source: Instagram, and BBC.

Nasukawa began his combat sports journey when he started practicing karate at five years old. Before he turned professional, he had an amateur kickboxing record of 99 wins against five losses and one draw. Even more impressive, he beat prominent Muay Thai champion Wanchalong PK Senchaigym while he was still a student in high school. For many, this was when a new legend was born.

Source: MixedMartialArts.com and YouTube.

Nasukawa is a big fan of cartoons, specifically those from Japan. He grew up on anime, and likes shows like "One Piece,""Naruto," and "Hajime no Ippo" (pictured below), a Japanese manga series focusing on a student who begins a career in boxing, beating up multiple opponents and winning many championships. Nasukawa himself competed in over 100 fights before he had even left high school, so it could be just a matter of time before he is immortalised in an anime or manga series of his own.

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Source: Instagram and BBC.

I'd been putting it off. 

Before October 26, I hadn't gotten a new phone since Christmas Eve 2014. I'd resisted the temptation of the new phones that my colleagues were reviewing, coveting the cameras their phones carry but telling myself that my iPhone 5S was still kicking, and therefore should be fine.

But in July, things started going awry. Sure, I'd been losing battery much faster than I'd like for a while now, but then my Touch ID stopped working, and my phone stopped taking calls. I got good at typing my passcode and carrying around my charger, but once I couldn't connect with the world by phone, things got bleak.

So, after almost four years and much consultation with BI's tech reporters, I made the switch at their recommendation to the iPhone XR. What ensued was a bumpy — if not exhilarating — transition. 

This was the first time I'd ever pre-ordered a phone, so I wanted to get the full experience. Dutifully, I set my alarm for 3 a.m., placed my order, and went back to sleep.

It wasn't the best use of my time, as I found out when I woke up. The iPhone XR didn't sell out, and I spent the day a bit sleep deprived.

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"I disrupted my REM cycle and woke up at 3 a.m. to buy a coral iPhone XR — here's why it was worth it" ---- > a headline I hope I get to write next week 😴

I arrived at the Oculus in New York City where I had scheduled to pick up my new phone bright and early on October 26.

Beyond just generally being a good thing to do, giving can also be good for you. There have been a number of studies that suggest generosity and giving back could positively impact an individual's health both mentally and physically. 

Here are 10 ways giving back can be beneficial to your mental and physical health. 

You can feel an immediate surge in happiness.

There's science behind why you might experience a surge of happiness when you do something kind or generous for someone else.

A 2016 study from the University of the South suggests that performing "random acts of kindness"for others or for the world can boost your mood. The study found that helping others can boost your mood more so than if you had done something to help yourself. 

Medical News Daily also noted these acts might help to boost your mood because doing them encourages your body to release dopamine, which gives you what some call a "helper's high."

Giving to others can boost your overall life satisfaction.

Some studies suggest giving back can actually boost your overall life satisfaction.

A 2017 report from the Women's Philanthropy Institute noted that people are happier overall when they give to others and that the more they do or give, the happier they tend to be. It's simply referred to as "the joy of giving."

The study found that men experienced more happiness when they first started giving and women felt happier when they increased their generosity over time.

In some cases, volunteering can help decrease depressive symptoms over time.

A study published in the Oxford Journal, The Gerontologist, analyzed the mental and physical health of environmental volunteers over a 20-year-period.

The study was focused on environment-based volunteering and researchers found that some participants reported having fewer depressive symptoms after volunteering. 

Other non-environmental focused studies have also noted that generosity has been linked to lower rates of depression.