In the last 18 months, 13 cloud computing companies have gone public and investors have been eating them up.

A few examples include WorkDay, ServiceNow, Rally Software, and Marketo.

Bessemer Venture Partners has created a brand new index that tracks the top 30 public cloud software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.

"With 30 large public companies collectively representing more than $100 billion in market capitalization and $12.5 billion in estimated 2013 revenue, the cloud computing industry has officially come of age," explains the keepers of Bessemer's new index Byron Deeter and Kristina Shen in a blog post.

Here's another shocker:

No. 15 Jive Software: Worth $1.2 billion

Jive Software
Ticker:  JIVE
Stock price: $17.39
Market cap:  $1.159 billion

Jive offers collaboration software that lets enterprises communicate with employees, customers, and partners.

No. 14 Demandware: Worth $1.4 billion

Demandware
Ticker: DWRE
Stock price: $45.46
Market cap: $1.371 billion

Demandware sells a cloud-based ecommerce platform.

No 13 Fleetmatics Group: Worth $1.4 billion

Fleetmatics Group
Ticker: FLTX
Stock price: $39.21
Market cap: $1.397 billion

Fleetmatics offers a GPS fleet tracking service for companies that own multiple vehicles.

LinkedIn recently published a series featuring a wide range of things that can provide inspiration.

In the series titled "What Inspires Me," LinkedIn Influencers shared what keeps them working, from a harsh rejection they received at the beginning of their career to the hard-working people they see every day in the office.

The people who didn't believe in her

Naomi Simson, founder of RedBalloon, will never forget the pet name given to her by classmates during college: "Num" because it rhymes with "dumb."

"I had an idea that I was not the smartest academic in class – and that there were definitely cleverer students on campus. In fact my own father said to me as I was finishing my degree: 'Just in case your university education does not get you a job – let me send you on a touch-typing course, at least you will have that to fall back on.'"

"At some point I said to myself 'you just wait – I will show you, I will be a success.' I have never thought that people took me seriously. It is as if my need to 'prove' myself has fueled my relentless pursuit to create a best work place, for growth and for being 'world-famous' for what we do. To show all those people that said to me 'you can't' – that in fact I can."

Game-changing people

Richard Branson is inspired by something Steve Jobs once said: "The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

"My professional inspiration has no separation from my personal inspiration: it is people who will stop at nothing to make a positive difference to other people's lives," Branson writes. "I am fortunate to come across quite a few of these game-changing people, and the desire to help (and keep up with them!) is what drives me.'"

A harsh rejection letter

In the winter of 1976, CNBC's Herb Greenberg interviewed for a job with the Detroit Free Press, but was rejected because the city editor believed the newspaper could find "somebody better."

"Those words inspired one of those, 'Well, I’ll show them!' moments. Being told 'we can find somebody better' is crushing. But at the same time, those words resonate and continually inspire me."

"I keep that memory in my hip pocket and pull it out whenever anybody questions or criticizes my work — or whenever I feel I’m stepping out of my professional comfort zone."

Dreaming the Disney way

BuzzFeed's Jon Steinberg was once a high school intern at Walt Disney Imagineering and hasn't stopped dreaming on building the impossible since then.

"When I'm faced with a challenge or a project that seems too large, I swivel my desk chair and look at the picture of Walt or my badge from my days at Imagineering: It makes me realize that anything can be built, and that decades ago, people with far less technology built things that seem even daunting even today. One day at a time, brick by brick, anything can be built."

Reading 200 books each year

"Reading has been my favorite pastime since my earliest memory, and in my adult years books have become some of my greatest inspirations," says Twitter head of social innovation Claire Diaz-Ortiz. "I read more than more than 200 books a year, and most of these books are non-fiction. Business, inspiration, and leadership top the charts in terms of what I spend most of my time reading, and I the reason I put so much of my energy into reading these particular categories is because books in this genre, again and again, have changed the way I think."

Doing something unsafe

While on a "solid promotion track within academic health care administration" in the 1990s, Steven J. Thompson followed a unexpected opportunity in the emerging biotech sector in Singapore, which he knew nothing about. It worked out, and today he is the senior vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine and runs Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

"What the leader who gave me the assignment knew, and that I didn’t, is that people with leadership potential often don’t discover it and tap into it until they are faced with a truly difficult challenge, one that pulls them out of their comfort zone and makes failure a real option."

The curiosity of his co-workers

"Curiosity is not found on the resume," says Bloomberg anchor Tom Keene. " You have to drag it out somewhere between the first and fifth interview. You would be surprised at the low pass/fail rate on curiosity."

Donald Trump

VC Richard A. Moran says that a "consistent and reliable source of inspiration" for him is Donald Trump.

"On the one hand he is a bold decision maker and risk taker. He is clear in his communications and uses the media in ways others wish they could. All good. His success could be a source of inspiration and should be considered. But there is that other hand. As a CEO and leader, Donald Trump inspires me to behave in the opposite ways he behaves."

Flawed people

Shane Snow, co-founder of Contently, isn't inspired by Superman, because "he can't lose" and "that's not inspiring."

"Personally, I'm inspired by people who overcome bad fortune or circumstance to fulfill their dreams. Professionally, I'm inspired by people and businesses that do incredible things despite glaring flaws or environmental disadvantages," Snow writes.

"I like flawed people and underdogs. They can't just work hard to overcome their obstacles, they have to work hard and smart. And that leads to amazing things."

SEE ALSO: 17 successful people share the best career mistakes they've ever made

Join the conversation about this story »

One of the biggest jewelry heists in the world occurred this past Sunday when a thief made off with an estimated $136 millions worth of diamonds and jewels.

And it all went down incredibly simply:

At approximately 11:30am, investigators say that the lone robber entered through a French doorway at the side of the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes.

The door was not broken into, so police are uncertain if the thief somehow jimmied it open or if it had been accidentally left open by staff or guests.

He then made his way into a temporary jewelry exhibit that was being held over the summer in the hotel. It housed jewels and diamonds from the Leviev diamond house owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. The exhibition had been highly publicized in the area, according to 5 Eyewitness News.

There were only three private security guards, two vendors, and one manager on site, whom the thief threatened with the handgun (it remains unclear if the private security guards were armed at the time).

The thief then grabbed a bag containing a briefcase and small box that was filled with valuable jewels like earrings and pendants, according to Philippe Vique, the assistant prosecutor in the nearby town of Grasse.

With his loot in tow, the robber ran through a side door and jumped three feet onto a terrace next to the hotel, before dodging down a nearby side street.

The whole heist was over in a minute. The brazen thief got away with approximately 72 pieces of jewelry including rings, earrings, and pendants (though he dropped a few in his hasty exit).

Security cameras caught the man on camera, but he had covered his face with a scarf and cap, and wore gloves.

And that's how easily $136 million worth of diamonds and jewels was stolen on the French Riviera.

SEE ALSO: Tour The Elegant Imperial Princess Yacht That Debuted In Cannes

Join the conversation about this story »

On July 11, family, friends, and colleagues gathered to say their final goodbyes to three firefighters who were part of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died in Arizona wildfires .

Those three recieved military honors because they weren't only firefighters, they were also U.S. Marines.

"Going in I knew that this was a big deal," said Marine Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson, the military photographer who documented the honors. "I wanted to do these families and these men justice."

You can find Flowers' write-up on the funeral here, it's definitely worth a read.

On June 30, 2013, 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters gave their lives protecting the community of Yarnell, Ariz., from a wildfire. Among those killed were three Marine veterans: Cpl. Jesse Steed, Lance Cpl. Travis Turbyfill and Cpl. Billy Warneke.

Nearly half the Hotshots were dedicated family men, including Travis, who wanted to become a structural firefighter so he could spend more time with his family.

Fellow members of the Hotshots carry Travis’ casket into Heights Church in Prescott, Ariz, July 10. The camaraderie between the Hotshot crew members was similar to what Travis and the other Marine veterans had experienced while in the Corps.

How many times are we going to have to see Peter Parker watch his Uncle Ben die, become Spider-Man, and face the Green Goblin?

Or Batman face the Joker for the "first" time?

Or Superman fight Zod?

Superhero movies are getting stale because Hollywood is afraid to deviate from the stories that we all know. It's certainly not because of a lack of stories to draw inspiration from - the characters that studios focus their $200 million blockbusters on have decades worth of material to use.

Would using more obscure plot lines lead to better superhero films? It worked for The Wolverine, which was heavily inspired by a storyline from 1982 and is considered by many to be the best superhero movie this year (and is a success at the box office).

Old Man Logan - Decades after the world's supervillians united and killed all heroes, a series of betrayals convinces an aged Wolverine to forgive himself for his past transgressions and work to put an end to the reign of the villains.

Superman: Red Son - A "what if?" story, Red Son shows what might have happened if the Man of Steel had landed in Soviet Russia as a baby and not a farm in Kansas. Co-stars Batman as a pro-capitalist terrorist.

Planet Hulk - After a group of superheroes decides that the Hulk is too dangerous to stay on Earth, he is shipped to an alien world where he is enslaved and forced to become a gladiator. Bonding with his competitors, he overthrows the planet's tyrannical government.

It's been a while since we've heard the words "Europe" and "crisis" used in the same sentence. Indeed, new purchasing managers index (PMI) figures appear to be the green shoots of an economic recovery.

All of this comes as the emerging market (EM) countries like China have slowed down considerably.

Investors who believe the tides are beginning to turn will want to adjust their investment exposures before they miss the boat.

"More than a few clients have expressed interest in finding companies with exposure to Europe and less exposure to EM," said Tom Lee, JP Morgan's top equity strategist.

"Granted, Europe is not likely to grow at the pace of EM, but a positive turn is still a positive turn," added Lee.

Lee and his team looked at over 200 companies housed in North America that report their geographic exposure to both Europe and the EMs.

19. EdwardsLifesciencesCo

Ticker: EW

Industry: Health care equipment

Target Price: $64

European revenue exposure: 29%

EM revenue exposure: 0%

Edwards Lifesciences beat expectations in Q2 as earnings per share increased 22.39%. Revenue also jumped 7.26% from the year-earlier quarter, to $517 million.

Source: J.P. Morgan

18. Carnival Corp.

Ticker: CCL

Industry: Hotels, resorts & cruise lines

Target Price: $34

European revenue exposure: 35%

EM revenue exposure: 10%

Beset with high-profile disasters at sea, profits have lagged for Carnival Cruise line. The PR nightmares: In February, 3,000 passengers were left without functioning toilets for days. And in January 2012, 32 were killed in a shipwreck off the Italian coast.

Source: J.P. Morgan

17. Biogen Idec Inc.

Ticker: BIIB

Industry: Biotechnology

Target Price: $210

European revenue exposure: 30%

EM revenue exposure: 2%

Biogen reported Q2 revenues of $1.7 billion, an increase of 21% compared with the year-earlier quarter.

Source: J.P. Morgan

When the U.S. Navy wants to haul a few hundred tons of troops, material, or gear from ship to shore sailors use the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) or the Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC) vehicle, a hovercraft.

The two vessels are vastly different, yet they both provide the backbone of missions ranging from humanitarian relief to a full-blown beach invasion. We got up-close and personal with both crafts and the units that operate them.

The LCAC Hovercraft

At nearly 90 feet long the LCAC is a massive hovercraft whose operator must peg himself by four limbs to a yoke, and two foot rudders. Operating in six dimensions, like a helicopter pilot, the enlisted LCAC Craftmaster careens across water and land like an air-hockey puck.

The LCU Landing Craft

The LCU is old-school in every sense, but its navigation and electronics gear are continually upgraded. These were the boats dropping off Vietnam draftees on the shores on the Han river in the early 1970s.

LCUs drop off 125 tons of cargo and hit the beach at about 14 mph, while the LCAC slides in at more than 46 mph carrying up to 75 tons.

It's no wonder the two units, which are right next door to each other at the joint Expeditionary Base in Little Creek-Fort Story, have a bit of a heated rivalry based off Aesop's Fable number 226: The Tortoise and The Hare.

LCU Craftmaster Chief Petty Officer Bright of LCU Unit 2, told Business Insider,"It may take us a bit longer to get there compared to the LCACs, but you know what happened to the Hare. Slow and easy, is best."

Business Insider visited both units in early July and went out on the water with an LCAC team over Norfolk Bay. Here's what the day was like and how the U.S. military delivers its troops and goods onto shores across the world.

Pulling up to the Navy's East Coast Hovercraft Unit in Little Creek, Virgina leaves quite an impression.

Their hovercraft speeds in carrying 60 tons of material or troops at speeds in excess of 40 mph, straight from the water onto the beach.

Assault Craft Unit Four calls itself the East Coast Hoppers.

If you have ever wondered what it's like on set of a big-budget movie, director Peter Jackson liveblogged his final day of filming "The Hobbit" trilogy.

Jackson is no stranger to sharing behind-the-scenes images and video diaries from the set, but this was the first time he posted so much in one day.

From 8:20 in the morning until after 1 a.m. the following day, he shared photos and narrated the hectic — and fun — day of a director on his Facebook page.

"Ever since starting these blogs, there's been something I thought I'd like to try one day (as well as answering the other 19 questions I owe you!) - blogging throughout a shoot day in real time. Try to give you all a feeling for what we deal with on an average day." 

"So here goes ... I'll try to update as much as I can during the day. At least with a quick photo. Text will depend a little on how busy it gets."

8:20 a.m.: Jackson lives a mere five minutes from the studio. He says sometimes he heads to the set without a plan for the day. He wings it.

"100 people are about to look to me to find out what our first shot is, what lens I want to use, and how many set-ups it's going to take to get the scene finished. Some of the time I have a plan, and some of the time I wing it. It helps to rehearse with the actors, and the ideas (hopefully good ones) start flowing."

9:15 a.m.: It takes a while to prep filming. Jackson says they actually filmed these two people in penguin suits.

"Should be shooting soon. Two cameras, both with 16 mm lenses. Two huge wide shots of a fight happening on an enormous set that filling most of K Stage ... The photo: yes, we did actually just film this. Please don't ask me to explain!"

10:30 a.m: There's a lot of racing back and forth between sets and stages.

"Had to race to A Stage to try and explain to Graham (left) and Christian (right) why they were shooting their Dwalin fight against green screen, and not our beautiful expensive set as planned."

Strange as it may sound, family-friendly restaurant chain Applebee's has a new business venture: selling "Industrial Strength" blow up dolls. (Technically they're called "Lunch Decoys," but if it walks like a duck...)

Click here to see the dolls>

Yes, you can actually buy a diverse array of Applebee's branded blow up dolls for $6.99 (plus shipping and handling) on Amazon right now. Their purported function is to serve as stand-ins while office workers bail out of the cubicle to try one of Applebee's lunch menu combinations — which also cost $6.99.

The restaurant and ad agency CP+B launched this strange marketing initiative last year, although now the dolls are "20% thicker" and come with customization accessories kits with mustaches and tattoos for an extra dollar.

Applebee's will be rolling out banners, email blasts, and customizable content on BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post to drive more blow up doll sales.

The Go-Getter

The Overachiever

The Cubicle Queen

If you're a fan of "Breaking Bad," and especially of Bryan Cranston's iconic character Walter White,  then you'll love the new exhibit "From Mr. Chips to Scarface: Walter White's Transformation in Breaking Bad" at the Museum Of The Moving Image in New York City. For those of you not in the city or able to come see it before it ends in October, here's a tour of the goodies on display. 

There are spoilers below for those that might not be current with the series. Fair warning. 

The exhibit features authentic items from the AMC TV show on loan from Sony Pictures. 

Event Details:

July 26 - October 27

Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35 Avenue
Astoria, NY 11106

This is the Museum Of The Moving Image

The "Breaking Bad" exhibit is small, but fans will love it

You're greeted by Walter White's tighty whities

A couple bags of White's famous blue meth is kept under glass

The bear that fell from the sky in the episode where the airline exploded

Walter White's meth mixing Tyvek suit

Walter's Heisenberg ensemble

The sketch, Walter's hair, the cell phones and the poisoned cigarettes

Oh yeah, and here's Anna Gunn, AKA Walter White's wife Skyler

As a special treat, here's an hour long panel discussion we recorded of "Breaking Bad's" producer Vince Giligan talking about the show with Charlie Rose. 

Audio:

More "Breaking Bad" Check out a new teaser for the show's return

12,000 spectators traveled to Hayward, Wisconsin on Saturday to watch the annual Lumberjack World Championships. The event is one of the largest lumberjack competitions in the world and showcases a number of outrageous woodsy events. 

Each year more than 100 competitors from around the world travel to rural Wisconsin for the annual games, which test strength, agility, and coordination. The event has taken place every year since 1960 at what was once a holding pond for a major Northern Wisconsin lumber company.

Competitors participate in 21 events that range from sawing and chopping to log rolling and boom running for a shot at more than $50,000 total in prize money. It's a little-known event but has a ton of big names behind it: this year's competition was sponsored by Chobani, Mountain Dew, John Deere, Brawny and Miller Lite.

David Moses Jr. of Snoquaimie, Wash. swings a 5-pound axe into an aspen log in the "standing block chop" event.

Shana Martin of Madison, Wisconsin competes in the women's boom run event, one of the most difficult events.

Martin was later upstaged in the women's log rolling event.

Vandal, artist, and now… Good Samaritan?

British graffiti artist Banksy reportedly saved a homeless man who was living in an abandoned water tank in California after painting on his makeshift home, according to London's The Independent.

The man, Tachowa Covington, had lived in the water tank on the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu for years, turning it into a pseudo-apartment with lights, a TV, security cameras, and pictures on the walls.

But that all changed in 2011, when Banksy visited and painted on the phrase: "This looks a bit like an elephant."

Covington said he met Banksy when he was painting the now-famous words on the tank, according to The Independent. At the time, Covington said he thought it was funny, and had no clue who the famous British artist was.

But after the structure became a tourist attraction, a local design firm bought it from the city of Los Angeles, and Covington was forced to move from his home.

According to Covington, Banksy heard about the forced relocation of the 54-year-old former street performer, and gave him enough money to get an apartment and pay his bills for a full year.

“There ain’t no better man than Banksy,” Covington said to London's Independent. “He was an angel to me. He helped me more than anybody helped me in my life.”

Covington is now back on the street, and awaiting state-funded housing since the money has run out. He is currently the subject of a documentary called "Something from Nothing," as well as a play based on his story called "Banksy: The Room in the Elephant,"according to The Daily Mail.

SEE ALSO: The 15 Greatest Masterpieces At The Met In NYC

Join the conversation about this story »

In the most highly anticipated New York foodie news since the cronut's debut, beloved West Coast gourmet burger chain Umami Burger has finally opened its first New York outpost in Greenwich Village.

Since its doors opened Monday, the lines have been down the block, with wait times up to three and a half hours.

What makes the burgers so special?

"Umami" means "fifth sense," that indescribable taste that adds to every flavor.

The menu has something for everyone, from sweet and savory toppings to vegetarian options for non-meat eaters.

A fan of Umami Burger from my days living in Los Angeles, I knew I had to try the New York location the moment it opened. Here's how it stacked up against the original. 

I attempted to try Umami Burger on Monday, the first day it opened — but the wait ranged between 2 and 3.5 hours.

They don't take reservations and there were pages of names ahead of me, so I decided to try my luck at lunch the next day.

What do you know? The line was still down the block.

When Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 — 150 years ago today — travel was largely confined to trains and horses.

Ford revolutionized the auto industry in 1913, when he opened the first moving automobile assembly line to build the Model T. He also doubled wages to $5 per day, setting a new standard for the time.

Today, the company is in the midst of a product renaissance. The cars look and drive great, and the automaker is coming back from years of lackluster product — it smashed earnings expectations in its most recent quarter, and is finding success with hybrid models.

But what were the early days like for the company?

Ford was founded in 1903 and the groundbreaking Model T was released in 1908. In the 1910s, Ford cars dominated the roads. Thanks to Henry Ford's stroke of genius, the assembly line, the Model T became the least expensive way to ditch that horse.

Travis Okulski contributed to this article.

This is what the Ford Motor Company looked like in the 1910s.

Workers in the plant still come in shifts. This is the four o'clock shift heading in.

The developing auto industry led to a need for people to sell the cars. Here are Ford's dealers gathered in Michigan in the early 1900s.

Even if you're not a watch aficionado, chances are you've heard of the Swiss brand Rolex.

Rolex is a widely known status symbol, with over 700,000 of its timepieces pumped out annually. It's also one of the most counterfeited watch brands out there.

Bloomberg interviewed watch dealer David Duggan, who has been selling watches since 1975, to find out the best way to determine if a Rolex is fake or not. Here are some of his top tips:

1. The cheapest fakes are easy to spot because of their quartz dial movements. The second hand stutters along inside the counterfeit watch, whereas a real Rolex has a smooth second hand movement.

If you're still unsure about the difference between a "stuttering" second hand and a "smooth" one, listen closely — there should not be a ticking noise coming from a true Rolex.

2. The second way to spot a fake is by the heft of the watch. Fake Rolex watches are generally lighter, whereas a real Rolex is made of high-quality metals, and will weigh significantly more.

3. Next, take a look at the winder on the side. Usually, fake Rolex watches have rather basic winders to move the minute and hour hands. But a true Rolex will have a finely-crafted winder with engravings and grooves that are "quite a work of art," according to Duggan.

4. Last but not least, the cyclops lens on the face of the true Rolex will magnify the date. It's hard to replicate, so most counterfeit timepieces will skip this step and the date will appear the same size.

The cheapest watches sold on the street are pretty easy to spot. Duggan cautions it's when the fake watch is sold for over $700 that you will need to take your purchase to a watchmaker so he or she can remove the back of the Rolex and view the inner movements to know for sure if it's a counterfeit or not.

And always remember: "If it's too good to be true, it ain't true," Duggan says.

SEE ALSO: The 24 Most Expensive Watches Ever Sold At Auction

Join the conversation about this story »

Why did Apple's stock crash from $7o0 to $400?

Because the company went from being a fast growing beast to posting year-over-year profit declines, and flat revenue growth.

And why did that happen? Because it stopped releasing new products.

The last time Apple announced a new physical product was in October of 2012. That's ten months and counting since a new product.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says that's going to change.

"We are laser-focused and working hard on some amazing new products that we will introduce in the fall and across 2014,"he said in the company's most recent earnings release.

Apple didn't announce anything specific, but we have some ideas about what it's going to announce, and when, based on reports. 

iOS 7 is coming this fall.

This one is a layup. Apple already announced iOS 7, the major redesign of Apple's iPhone and iPad software. It's currently being tested by developers. 

iTunes Radio is finally coming this fall.

After over a year of rumors, Apple announced its Pandora-killer, iTunes Radio would be out this fall with iOS 7. It's an ad-supported streaming service. This is Apple's first ad-supported product ever. It also the first major software application since Maps. It will be interesting to see if anyone uses it. 

The iPhone 5S is likely in September.

All signs point to Apple updating the iPhone 5 with an iPhone 5S. Apple's earnings guidance suggests the iPhone 5S comes out this quarter. The quarter ends September 28. Fall begins September 22. Therefore, it seems like likely the iPhone 5S is out somewhere between those dates. 

Now that we're past the mid-point of 2013, tech companies are gearing up for a big product push for the holiday season.

You can expect to see a bunch of new flagship projects from just about every major tech company over the next few months.

Let's take a look.

HTC is reportedly working on a giant version of its flagship One smartphone. This device will probably have at least a 5.5-inch display.

Samsung is working on an update to its Galaxy Note phablet. The Galaxy Note III will reportedly have a screen that's close to six inches. It should launch this fall.

Google will likely have another new Nexus smartphone in time for the holidays. Early reports suggest LG will make the device.

Google has traditionally released its new flagship Nexus phones in the fall, just before the holidays. Last year's Nexus 4 was made by LG and it got pretty good reviews.

Starting or working at a startup can be one of the most stressful things a person does in his or her life.

Despite the fact that thousands have done it all before, it can be daunting to take your first step without a mentor as a guide.

Thankfully, the social question-and-answer site Quora has a Startup Advice and Strategy section, which is full of awesome entrepreneurs and venture capitalists who want to help others learn from their mistakes and accomplish their goals.

We've searched through them and pulled out the very best advice that founders have given to help others be successful.

Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora

Dan Cristo, founder of Triberr

Farhad Meher-Homji, founder of Brightlabs

President Barack Obama gave the second of seven major economic policy speeches this summer today at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

This comes only a day after Amazon announced that it is adding 7,000 jobs, 5,000 of which will be at its distribution centers. 

As the largest online retailer in the world, Amazon obviously has a major economic impact here in the states.

The fact that it does so while also creating thousands of jobs (tens of thousands during the holiday season) makes it an obvious example for President Obama to point to when looking at how government and private enterprise can work together to get out of the jobs hole that we've been in for the last half-decade.

This Phoenix, Arizona-based fulfillment center could contain 28 football fields.

Last Cyber Monday, Amazon sold more than 200 items per second.

Amazon brought in 50,000 additional employees for its insane holiday season last year.

If you like golf even a little bit, and you have a smartphone, you definitely should be using an app for keeping track of your scores and measuring distances on the course.  

Compared to dedicated range finders, smartphone apps are easy to use. Plus, they keep track of all your stats like putts, fairways hit, greens in regulation, scrambling, and much more. After the round you can nerd out, breaking down what you did right and did wrong, so you know where your game needs work. 

Until now, my favorite app for tracking on-course information has been Golfshot, a $30 app that gives yardages on almost every course I've ever played. (The lone exception was Streamsong in Florida, which was only a few months old when I played.)

The PGA Tour acquired the company that built Golfshot, Shotzoom, and developed a new app called TOURCaddie. It might be the best golf app on the market.

There's only one small problem — price. The app is $30 a year for the full suite of services. Golfshot, which still exists in the app store is a one-time fee of $30. You get a few more bells and whistles in TOURCaddie, but not that much more. I would still recommend Golfshot over TOURCaddie, as long as it's in the App Store, if price is your top concern.

Through a spokesperson, Ben Addoms at the PGA defended the new pricing, saying, "Having a subscription price ensures that the app is continuing to improve." 

Craig Prichard, President of Shotzoom added, "The primary differentiator is the PGA TOUR-level instruction. All of the instruction is of the highest quality and is proven effective in both amateur and pro instruction. Additionally, the tips and drills are tied to individual performance, allowing for customized instruction that fits a golfer’s personal game."

These are nice add-ons, but personally, I tend to ignore instructional videos. I find they mess me up more than help. The only thing that really helps is personalized instruction from a pro. But, that's just me. If you like to read all the tips in golf magazines, and watch Golf Fix on Golf Channel, then you would love the videos built into the app.

The PGA flew me down to Florida to test the TOURCaddie app on TPC Sawgrass. You can read a recap of the excellent course, and my attempt to par the famous island green here. 

I played with Travis Velichko, who leads business development for PGA Tour Experiences, a division of the tour that works on golf vacations, academies, and digital stuff like the TOURCaddie app. 

He said the app, which has been out for just over a month, already has 400,000 downloads. Golfshot, which was out for years, was at 1.2 million downloads. So, TOURCaddie is off to a strong start.

Rather than describe all the features in the app, we have a slideshow that shows what it looks like and how it works.

Here's the home screen. You can play golf, or go to the academy for some lessons.

I tested the app on my own in Brooklyn at Dyker Beach. The app finds local courses.

Choose your tee box, and then start the round.