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The highest-paying jobs at Tesla, ranked

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musk tesla model s

Working at a company as ambitious as Tesla is no easy task.

It's a demanding and even intimidating atmosphere, as Ashlee Vance illustrates in his new book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future."

But all that hard work is compensated well. Here's a look at some of the highest paying jobs at Tesla based on salaries posted by employees and former employees on career site Glassdoor.

(Note: We only included jobs with at least five reviews. All figures refer to base salaries without bonuses.) 

Mechanical engineer: $97,220

Tesla's various mechanical engineers are tasked with developing various parts of the company's vehicles, such as the power transmission, the components that make up the automobile's chassis, and more. With bonuses, the gig can pay up to $99,249 according to Glassdoor's data. 

Source



QA Engineer: $97,938

QA engineers, or quality assurance engineers, usually monitor every phase of software development to make sure it adheres to the company's standards. According to Glassdoor, Tesla's salary for this position is 19% above the national average for QA engineers. 

Source



Design engineer: $99,664

Tesla usually seeks design engineers that specialize in certain fields. Right now, the company is seeking mechanical design engineers for areas such as propulsion, stationary storage-wire harness designs, chassis systems, and more. 

Source



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The ugly truth about the wildly popular 'Game Of War' featuring Kate Upton

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Upton3

If you're a human with a phone or TV, chances are you've at least heard of "Game of War."

The mobile war-strategy game, made by Machine Zone, is making a ton of money (it has the second-highest gross in the App Store), and with Kate Upton as its spokeswoman it has clearly spent a ton of money in advertising.

But is "Game of War" worth the hype?

After trying it out for a couple of weeks, we have to answer a resounding no. This game is disaster.

Here's the load screen. This is important because if you don't have a reliable internet connection, you will spend a LOT of time staring at this screen. You can't play "Game of War" without a connection.



Chances are you've seen one of the game's ads, which are plastered everywhere. This one came up in another game altogether ("Trivia Crack").



Once you get it open, this is what you see. Find the arrows confusing? That's how our eyes feel. There is way too much to look at here and click on. Some options are ads to buy in-app purchases, some are actual gameplay controls, and some are resource monitors — the list goes on and on.



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I lived in Europe for 5 years — these are the places I tell all my friends to visit

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Cesky Krumlov

Travel isn't cheap.

But it usually makes for an experience that exposes you to something new and leaves an impression for years after.

I was lucky enough to live in Zurich, Switzerland, for five years when I was younger. Because of its central location in Europe, Zurich made it easy to explore the rest of the continent.

The traveling that my family did while living abroad was definitely an investment, but it was a worthwhile investment. Those travels make up most of my favorite memories from those five years.

I've rounded up 15 places in Europe I think are must-sees. This is by no means a comprehensive list, just a starting point based on my personal experience.

Morcote is located in the Italian part of Switzerland on the shores of Lake Lugano, which makes for beautiful views. It has the best of both worlds: Italian charm and Swiss cleanliness.



Besides Amsterdam's obvious tourist draws — marijuana and the Red Light District — its canals are incredibly picturesque and are a great way to see the city. Take one of the many boat tours, sit back, relax, and enjoy.



The Church of Peace in Świdnica, Poland, is one of the three wooden Evangelical churches built in 1656 in Silesia, a region in Southwestern Poland. The outside looks more like a home than a church, so the magnificent interior is both shocking and stunning.

Source: Lonely Planet



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Inside the 'Be Marlboro' parties Philip Morris throws for teenagers — but doesn't want you to know about

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thai girls be marlboro

Smoking is deadly, but Philip Morris International and its brand, Marlboro, still want to push tobacco products onto trendy and attractive teenagers around the world.

The company does so by throwing "Be Marlboro" parties in over 60 countries to promote the brand using sex, fun, and risk taking, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Tobacco-Free Kids tells us.

The parties are not held in the United States.

You can sign a petition to stop Marlboro, and these parties, here.

Philip Morris maintains it only advertises to adults who are of legal smoking age. "We do not market to children or use images that are aimed at or have particular appeal to minors," its website says.

 

Smoking is bad for you. This is not news. But tobacco companies like Philip Morris International and its brands, like Marlboro, still have to find ways to sell to younger markets, especially outside the US where advertising and smoking laws are less stringent.



The answer? "Be Marlboro" parties held in over 60 countries, and marketed specifically to teenagers.



"Be Marlboro" parties are elaborate events aimed at enticing youth to smoke Marlboro cigarettes.



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6 'Shark Tank' companies that are crushing the competition

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shark tank river illustration

It pays to have a Shark on your side.

Every entrepreneur that hooks a Shark as a partner sees at least a slight bump in sales as a result of the so-called "Shark Tank" effect — but only companies that take the long view toward sustained growth turn out to be good investments.

Here are six businesses that walked out of the Tank with a deal and have been scaling up ever since, generating a handsome return for their big fish investors.

Pipsnacks

Brother and sister team Jeff and Jen Martin struck a deal with Barbara Corcoran in the beginning of season six for their company Pipsnacks, whose flagship product Pipcorn is an all-natural miniature popcorn that doesn't get stuck in your teeth or cause digestive problems.

After Corcoran invested in the Brooklyn-based company, she took the product nationwide by adding co-packers in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Pipsnacks's sales went from $200,000 prior to "Shark Tank" to more than $1.1 million within just three months of the company's landing a deal with Corcoran.



Sun-Staches

In season six, novelty sunglasses company Sun-Staches attracted a $300,000 investment from Shark Daymond John, who immediately secured a licensing deal for the company with Marvel Entertainment.

Having access to Marvel's roughly 8,000 characters for its sunglass designs has certainly paid off, helping the company generate $4.1 million in sales in less that five months, just shy of the $5.7 million in revenue it earned the previous year.



Q-Flex

When 13-year-old entrepreneur Andrea Cao made a deal with Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban for her handheld massage device Q-Flex during season six, she had just $20,000 in sales.

Since launching a website and moving manufacturing out of her garage and into a fulfillment center, sales have risen to $500,000. Cao and her mother have also had to hire four employees to help with customer service and product assembly.



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The most expensive, over-the-top pieces of art owned by tech billionaires

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rothkoLast week, a Picasso painting called "The Women of Algiers (Version 0)"fetched $179.4 million minutes before a bronze statue by Alberto Giacometti called "Man Pointing" sold for $141.3 million.  

The buyers were anonymous, though a recent New York Times article narrowed the potential Picasso buyers down to 50 suspects — some of whom made their fortunes in tech. 

Tech titans have a taste for expensive art. We've rounded up some of the biggest purchases here.

Bill Gates set what was then an American art record when he bought Winslow Homer's "Lost on the Grand Banks" for $36 million in 1998. The painting hangs on a wall outside his home library.

 Source: Bloomberg



Inside his library is Childe Hassam's "Room of Flowers," a piece that's believed to be worth $20 million.

Source: Bloomberg



He also owns a painting by George Bellows called "Polo Crowd." Gates bought the piece anonymously at a Sotheby's auction in 1999, paying a whopping $27.5 million to add it to his collection.

Source: Bloomberg

 



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The 25 best cities for job seekers right now

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Austin, Texas

If you've been unsuccessful in your job search, it might be time to start looking in other parts of the country.

But before you pack up and go, you'll want to consider which cities have the best career opportunities, the happiest workers, and the lowest cost of living. 

To help, online careers community Glassdoor just released its latest report on the 25 best cities for jobs right now.

These metro areas stand out for having the highest Glassdoor "Job Score," which was determined by weighting three factors equally: how easy it is to get a job (hiring opportunity), how affordable it is to live there (cost of living), and how satisfied employees are working there (job satisfaction), on a five-point scale.

Click here for the full methodology.

25. Nashville, Tennessee

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.1

Number of job openings: 27,850

Median base salary: $41,600

Median home value: $176,700



24. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.1

Number of job openings: 29,456

Median base salary: $43,000

Median home value: $124,500

Job satisfaction rating: 3.1



23. Richmond, Virginia

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.2

Number of job openings: 17,933

Median base salary: $45,000

Median home value: $186,300

Job satisfaction rating: 3.2



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11 pieces of life-changing advice from commencement speeches by tech celebrities

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Steve Jobs Commencement HD 2Commencement speeches could often get boring.

A lot of them are filled with unnecessary cliches.

But these 11 speeches by some of the most successful tech giants will inspire you to do great things in life.

Evan Spiegel: "I am now convinced that the fastest way to figure out if you are doing something truly important to you is to have someone offer you a bunch of money to part with it."

At age 24, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel is only a few years older than the students who graduated this year. Yet he gave a pretty inspiring speech at USC's 2015 business school's commencement.

Best quotes:

"It turns out there are two things that can dramatically reduce conformity in a group setting. The first is a single dissenting voice. The second is the ability to communicate privately with other members of the group."

"I am now convinced that the fastest way to figure out if you are doing something truly important to you is to have someone offer you a bunch of money to part with it...The best thing is that, no matter whether or not you sell, you will learn something very valuable about yourself. If you sell, you will know immediately that it wasn’t the right dream anyways. And if you don’t sell you’re probably onto something. Maybe you have the beginning of something meaningful."

"Please voice your dissent. Anticipate your erasure. And find something you aren't willing to sell."

Watch full video here.



Dick Costolo: "Not only can you not plan the impact you're going to have, you often won't recognize it when you're having it."

Speaking at the 2013 graduation of the University of Michigan, Twitter's CEO Dick Costolo gave a commencement speech filled with jokes, wisdom, and valuable advice. In fact, prominent VC Fred Wilson said it's a speech "relevant to everyone working in the startup world." 

Best quotes:

"Not only can you not plan the impact you're going to have, you often won't recognize it when you're having it…The impact is what others frame for you and the world after it happens. The present is only what you're experiencing and focused on right now…You cannot draw that path looking forward. You cannot draw any of your paths looking forward. You have to figure out what you love to do, what you have conviction about, and go do that."

"When you're doing what you love to do, you become resilient. You create a habit of taking chances on yourself. If you do what expected of you and things go poorly, you will look to external sources for what to do next, because that will be your habit. You will be standing there frozen. If you are just filling a role you will be blindsided."

"What I implore you to do is believe that if you make courageous choices and bet on yourself and put yourself out there that you will have an impact as a result of what you do and you don't need to know now what that will be, or how that will happen, because nobody ever does."

Watch the full video here.



Drew Houston: "I stopped trying to make my life perfect, and instead tried to make it interesting."

At the 2013 MIT graduation, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston spoke about how giving himself a break and giving into some of the distractions actually helped him launch Dropbox.  By doing so, it made his life more interesting too.

Best quotes:

"What scares me is that both the poker bot and Dropbox started out as distractions. That little voice in my head was telling me where to go, and the whole time I was telling it to shut up so I could get back to work. Sometimes that little voice knows best."

"When I think about it, the happiest and most successful people I know don't just love what they do, they're obsessed with solving an important problem, something that matters to them."

"I stopped trying to make my life perfect, and instead tried to make it interesting. I wanted my story to be an adventure — and that's made all the difference."

Watch the full video here.



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The 13 new TV shows we're most excited about

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bi picks new shows

Of the 45 new TV offerings from the broadcast networks, we have chosen 13 series that most captured our attention.

Our decisions were made on admittedly few resources: available trailers, the talent attached, or even just a description.

But now more than ever, early buzz is necessary to cut through the cluttered TV landscape. Last year, the broadcast networks ordered 54 new series. Of those, only 19 shows survived.

"Minority Report" (Fox)

Why we're excited: Based on the blockbuster film by executive producer Steven Spielberg that starred Tom Cruise, this is the first TV show to be adapted from a Spielberg film. Plus, who didn't want to know what happened to the precogs after the program was shut down?

Stars: Stark Sands, Meagan Good, Wilmer Valderrama, Li Jun Li, Laura Regan

Expected premiere date: Mondays, fall 2015

Watch the trailer:

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/_fLl-DMzxrk
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"The Catch" (ABC)

Why we're excited: Shonda Rhimes clearly rules ABC right now, and we're not objecting. We've totally taken the Shondaland ride with "Grey's Anatomy,""Scandal," and "How to Get Away With Murder.""The Catch," about a woman who professionally catches con men but gets conned herself, sounds like a new extension of the twisty, turny roller-coaster ride. And we're on board.

Stars: Mireille Enos, Alimi Ballard, Jay Hayden, Jacky Ido, Rose Rollins, and Elvy Yost

Expected premiere: Thursdays, midseason 2015

Watch the trailer: 

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/_oANG1XrLqA
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


"The Muppets" (ABC)

Why we're excited: Duh, the Muppets! Plus, this is set to parody documentary-style shows like "Modern Family" and "The Office." So we're in for a totally new take on famous characters.

Expected premiere: Tuesdays, fall 2015

Watch the trailer:

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/pfJkusicBa4
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


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Insanely glamorous photos from the Cannes Film Festival

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Salma Hayek  Francois-Henri Pinault The 68th annual Cannes Film Festival is currently underway — and there are tons of celebrities in town for the festivities.

Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, and Amy Poehler are among the many actresses premiering their new films.

Meanwhile, models like Adriana Lima, Miranda Kerr, and Irina Shayk are also in town to celebrate.

For 11 days in May, much of Hollywood flocks to Cannes, France, for the annual film festival.



Celebrities and models attend red carpet movie premieres, where hundreds of paparazzi await their arrival.

(EDITORS NOTE: This image was processed using digital filters.) Andie MacDowell and Svetlana Khodchenkova attend the premiere of "The Sea Of Trees" during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2015.



Natalie Portman and her husband, Benjamin Millepied, attended the festival's opening ceremonies.



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Here's the real reason why you shouldn't wear pajamas that look like a suit

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Chris Hemsworth SuitSome time after the cultural revolution of the 1970s, suits took on a terrible stigma: They were stiff, uncomfortable, and for "squares."

This attitude has survived until today, which allows a product such as the abominable Suitsy to generate buzz and potentially even popularity.

It's incredibly novel and, to many, seems like a great idea because suits are so looked down upon.

Unfortunately, these "pajamas that fool people into thinking you're wearing a suit" are completely misguided. Suitsy is solving a problem that people only think exists. It actually doesn't. 

When choosing a suit, the most important thing isn't the brand, the materials, where it was made, or what style it is. The only thing that matters is fit.

If your suit is uncomfortable, your suit fits you wrong. If a pair of pajamas looks better than your suit, your suit fits you wrong. Most importantly, if you're uncomfortable in your suit, your suit fits you wrong.

Half of wearing a suit is to fulfill some sort of attire requirement. But the other half is the extreme boost of confidence wearing a suit provides. For many suit wearers, this is the chief reason to take pride in your outfit.

A well-fitting suit makes you feel like you're on top of the world. A sleeping garment can never offer you that.

suitsy

That's not even to mention that, at nearly $400, the garment retails very near the price point of a reasonably well-made traditional suit. It doesn't really look very much like a suit, either. In the end, everyone will be able to tell you're a phony who's trying way too hard to evade a problem that ultimately shouldn't be a problem at all.

SEE ALSO: How to dress like a professional on hot summer days

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Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Everything a modern gentleman should know about buying a suit

Take our 14-day plan to radically improve your finances

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BI Better Money 3x4

According to a 2015 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, less than half of Americans keep close track of their spending, and nearly 30% aren't saving for retirement.

Clearly, there's room for improvement.

On the heels of our #BIBetter program, #BIBetterMoney is a 14-day self-improvement plan designed for the busy professional, featuring a simple task a day for two weeks to help you take control of your money.

We recommend participating with at least one other person, so you have more fun and keep each other in check. You can start on any Monday and should complete actions on their specified day when possible.

The following slides go through the days and the thought behind them in detail, and you can also reference our infographic calendar.

MONDAY, DAY 1: Get your 90-day number.

Let's dive right in.

In his book "Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women & Money,""Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary recommends that before you take any steps to improve the way you manage your money, you get what he calls your 90-day number: A sum of every dollar you've spent and earned in the past three months.

"It's going to be a positive or negative number," he writes, "because money is black or white. There is no gray. You either have it or you don't."

You'll do this in two steps: First, add up your income, and next, add up your expenses. 

Income number - expenses number = 90-day number

If it's positive, you're starting off on the right foot. If it's negative, we have some work to do. And if it's hovering around zero, you're playing a dangerous game.



TUESDAY, DAY 2: Choose a system to track your spending.

You made a big effort yesterday, so today, we'll keep it quick: All you have to do is choose and implement a system to keep track of your income and expenses in the future, so the next time you want your 90-day number it will be available in a matter of minutes.

While you're welcome to break out a notebook and pen, you'll probably find it easier to take advantage of technology. Two of the most popular options are:

Mint, a website and app that you can connect to your credit cards and bank accounts. It automatically pulls in data from any connected account to log every expense and paycheck, so you can see the full picture of your finances in just a few clicks.

A spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel, which requires more manual input but allows you to manipulate the data in myriad ways. If you're already a big Excel user, you might be more comfortable with this format, although you will need to take a minute or two every morning — or a few minutes once a week — to update it.



WEDNESDAY, DAY 3: Add up your debt.

All debt isn't equal, but it does have the same bottom line: You owe money to someone else, and they're charging you for the loan. The money you pay them is money you can't use elsewhere. Generally, experts divide debt into two categories:

  • Good debt, which has relatively low interest rates and which pays for something immeasurably valuable or accruing value. For example, mortgage and student loan debt. Paying off good debt is less urgent than paying off bad.
  • Bad debt, which has relatively high interest rates and pays for a depreciating asset, like credit card debt or a car loan. You'll want to pay this debt as soon as possible, because it gets more expensive by the day.

One of the hardest things for many people to do with debt is simply to face exactly how much they owe — so we'll get that out of the way today.

Log into your accounts and get the balance for any debt you've been avoiding or has been weighing on you (take note of the minimum monthly payment while you're there). Add it all up, and face the number: This is money to be repaid, and tomorrow, we'll start figuring out how.



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12 of the worst economic predictions ever made by highly intelligent people

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great depression 1990 worst predictions

Economic forecasting is a difficult game — get it right, and you'll get not only plaudits, but potentially a lot of money too.

But get it wrong, and you'll never be able to take it back. Your predictions will live on, and potentially sound extremely funny one day.

The past half a century is riddled with grand projections about national economies and the way the world is going. Some have aged much worse than the others. 

These are some of the very worst.

"Japan As Number One" was released by Harvard social scientist Ezra Vogel back in 1979. It was not an unpopular view at the time that the United States economy would soon be surpassed by prosperous Japan, but it looks pretty ridiculous now.



Irving Fisher, one of America's greatest ever economists, said in October 1929 that he believed equities had reached a "permanently high plateau." Less than two weeks later, stocks plunged and didn't reach the highs they fell from for 25 years.



In December 2007, Goldman Sachs chief investment strategist Abby Joseph Cohen made a Fisher-like prediction of her own. She suggested the S&P 500 would hit 1,675 by the end of 2008, a climb of 14% — it actually ended below 900.



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Here's how much it costs to package, ship, and insure a multi-million dollar piece of art

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attached image

So you have some extra millions and you've decided to invest in a piece of fine art. Excellent choice. 

But before you go raising your bidding paddle, you'll need an insurance program.

Take, for instance, Pablo Picasso's "Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O')," which was recently auctioned for a record-breaking $179.4 million. Simply packing, shipping, and installing security for a painting of that value could cost up to $60,000, according to Kimeral Anthony, an account executive at ABD Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. 

But wait, there's more: For a painting such as "Les femmes," Anthony tells us the annual premium could easily exceed $100,000.

Whether the art you're eyeing is $1 million or tens of millions, here's Anthony's advice on the insurance arrangements you need to make before you buy.  

1. Meet with an insurance advisor as soon as possible.

Anthony strongly recommends looking into insurance options early. "You can't just add on a priceless painting [to your insurance] ... there are so many steps involved," he says. With a multi-million dollar piece of fine art, you need an insurance carrier willing to take on risk. Anthony suggests going to insurers that specialize in art and other valuables, such as AXA ART and XL Caitlin. The insurance advisor can also recommend appraisal and valuation services. 

Pablo Picasso

2. Obtain the necessary documentation for the art.

It's important to find out what documentation the insurance carrier requires. This can include any of the following: the artist's name, the significance of the artwork, the artwork's provenance (this includes previous ownership and exhibition history), and the value of the piece. The auction house from which the piece will be purchased should have all of these documents.  

3. Find out what type of packaging the art will require. 

There is much to consider when packaging a piece of art, including its size, its composition, and whether it requires a temperature controlled environment. "Art should always be professionally packaged by those who specialize in art shipping," says Anthony. For a painting like "Les femmes," Anthony explains that packaging would occur on site after a full evaluation. Security would be present throughout the process. 

4. Arrange for 24/7 shipping and handling security.  

High value works should be monitored throughout transit until they reach their final destination. When creating an insurance plan, it's essential to only hire professional art handlers in order to prevent damage.

Art handler

5. Prepare and install security at the site where the art will be displayed. 

Congratulations, your newly acquired piece of art has been safely delivered. Now, the piece gets professionally installed and alarms are set up. The insurance underwriter will receive confirmation once the piece is safely delivered. Anthony says that some insurance carriers also require video surveillance both inside and outside as a portion of the agreed security program (remember: this piece of art is high risk!).

SEE ALSO: Why Picassos are going to keep selling for record-breaking prices

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NOW WATCH: This artist just did something incredible with clay

17 clever Father's Day gifts under $50

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Carry on cocktail kit

This Father's Day, you don't have to break the bank to show dad how much you care.

From personalized accessories to thoughtful books to a classic bottle of bourbon, we rounded up budget-friendly gifts that every dad will love — all under $50.

His flight will be ultra-relaxing after an old fashioned — or two.

Price: $24

Give dad the first-class treatment — even if he's flying economy — with this carry-on cocktail kit. Complete with bitters, cane sugar, and a stirring spoon, he'll have everything he needs for a proper old fashioned. Just add alcohol.

Get it here »



Coasters made from vintage records add a fun touch to his home.

Price: $16.70 

Perfect for any music lover, these coasters made from vintage records will fill dad with a rush of nostalgia every time he sets down his drink. Not to mention they're also incredibly practical.

Get it here »



A Roku puts all his favorite shows in one place.

Price: $49.99

Dad will love having all his favorite shows in one place with a Roku. The device offers hundreds of free channels, allows users to stream services like Netflix and Hulu through their TV, and connects to Google Play and Amazon instant video, making it easy to rent any title.  

Get it here »



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There's a park in Bali where you can swim and play basketball with elephants

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bali bigger

Imagine waking up and seeing an elephant outside your window. Or swimming with an elephant in a lake. 

Bali's Elephant Safari Park & Lodge, located just outside Ubud, is an 8-acre park that's home to 30 Sumatran elephants who have learned to paint, play basketball and soccer, swim, and interact with humans. 

The park was created to provide a refuge for the creatures who are often killed due to illegal hunting. Proceeds from every visit goes towards continued conservation work.

Guests who visit can stay in the property's safari-style lodge, which has 25 rooms and a swimming pool where guests can interact with, feed, ride, observe, play with, and bathe the elephants. Rooms for the lodge typically start around $450. 

However, you don't need to stay at the lodge to visit the park. Rates start at $65 per person to visit the park and encounter elephants.

The park's owner, Nigel Mason, has been fighting for animal rights in Bali since 1980. For this reason, he ensures the elephants are well attended to and treated with love.

 

 



You can touch and hand-feed the gentle giants who will approach you.



Guests who stay at the lodge will wake up to elephants right outside their window. The rooms are built with a balcony landing so that you easily jump on board the elephants that approach and wait to take you to breakfast.

 

 



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10 amazing photos of nature taken at the perfect moment

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The 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest is nearing its conclusion. Judging by the entries National Geographic is showing off, the competition looks tough.

In last year's contest, there were more than 18,000 entries to the contest. Photos are divided into four categories: travel portraits, outdoor scenes, sense of place, and spontaneous moments.

Entries for this year's contest are being accepted until June 30th. If you think you've got what it takes, enter here.

The grand prize winner gets an eight-day National Geographic Photo Expedition: Costa Rica and the Panama Canal with airfare for two.

To celebrate the end of the contest, National Geographic has shared some of its favorite entries from the "Spontaneous Moments" category with us here.

Photographer Howard Singleton says he had "lucky timing" to snap this shot. The oxpecker was originally sitting on the hippo's head, but had to leave when the hippo decided to yawn.

 

 



"Whale watching is magical, but the waiting part is filled with anticipation," says Sandra Aileen Greenberg. She was lucky enough to catch a mother and calf burst out of the water at the same time.



This photo was taken in the Apuseni Mountains in Romania. "I really liked this kind woman, her funny smile, and how the ox licks her hand," says photographer Angyalosi Beáta.



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The most affordable towns on the French Riviera

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Nice France

The south of France has long been known as a playground for millionaires.

Years ago it served as inspiration for legendary American authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, and today Beyoncé sunbathes on a yacht in St. Tropez.

That doesn't mean that travelers without a disposable income can't enjoy the French Riviera.

You can experience the coast's old-world charm and dazzling beaches on a budget.

Here are the most affordable towns on the French Riviera.

Nice

Cannes and Nice are probably the most popular cities on the Côte d'Azur.

The difference between the two cities is that Cannes doesn't have much to offer the budget traveler. Nice, on the other hand, is just as beautiful and a lot less expensive.

Accommodation

The city has multiple chain hotels that offer rooms during peak season for under $150 per night. There's the Mercure Nice Centre Grimaldi and the Best Western Alba Hotel, both of which are in excellent locations.

Nice Garden Hotel Room

If you're looking for a more intimate experience and would rather stay at a boutique hotel, try the Ajoupa Apart'hotel— which offers apartments with a kitchen — the Nice Garden Hotel, or the Clair Hotel. Although basic, TripAdvisor reviews say all three hotels are clean and in prime locations.

Beaches

beach in Nice, France

Nice has a number of beaches that are free and open to the public, such as the Beau Rivage Public Beach, but beware that most of these have pebbles instead of sand, so spending a few euros on a padded beach mat is a smart idea. For a full list of the city's public beaches, click here.

One of the best activities to do in Nice is to simply stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, the boardwalk promenade that runs along the length of the beach.

Culture

Musee des Beaux Arts

For those who aren't beach bums, Nice has a selection of 20 museums and municipal galleries, as well as private art galleries and artist workshops. You can pay 10 euros for a 48-hour pass to a few museums that all fall under the same category (fine arts, science, history) or you pay 20 euros for a 7-day ticket to all museums and galleries in Nice. For more information on museum and gallery tickets, click here.

Transportation

Traveling around Nice is easy and cheap.

Trains run along the coast, stopping at different towns. A train trip to Cannes, for example, can cost from 5 to 15 euros on the SNCF line.

Bus travel is even cheaper. Lignes d'azur buses travel up and down the coast. Although slower and less luxurious than the train, these buses cost 1 euro no matter how far you're traveling.

Within Nice there's a tram line that has 21 stops throughout the city — again only 1 euro per ride.

For the more active tourist, there's Velo Blue, which has bikes all over city available to rent. The first half-hour is free, and then every hour after that is 1 euro.

Antibes

Located in the Alpes-Maritimes region of southeastern France, the city of Antibes sits between Nice and Cannes and includes the small town of Juan-les-Pins. It's a picturesque resort.

Accommodation

Le Petit Castel Room

Since Antibes is smaller than Nice, its selection of budget hotels is not as extensive. A few hotels that offer rooms for around $150 per night, all of which received favorable ratings on TripAdvisor — include Hotel La Jabotte, Hotel Eden, and Le Petit Castel. There's also a Best Western (the Best Western Le Grand Pavois) in the city that offers reasonable rates.

Beaches

Some of the city's best-known beaches lie along the Cap d'Antibes, a small peninsula on the edge of Antibes, which is home to a number of luxury hotels such as the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The Plage de la Gravette, the Plage de Ponteil, and the Plage de la Salis are the three main public beaches in Antibes.

Culture

Tourists can pay just 10 euros for a 7-day pass that's valid for all municipal museums and the Fort Carré, a fort on the outskirts of Antibes that dates from the 16th century.

For those looking to visit just one or two museums, there's the Musée Picasso, which houses a small collection of Picasso's paintings and ceramics. The museum's rates are reasonable; for pricing, click here.

 There's also the Musée Napoléonien in Juan-les-Pins, which not only tells the history of Napoleon but also offers spectacular views of the Cap d'Antibes.

Fort Carre Antibes

Some of Antibes' other landmarks include churches such as the Chapelle de la Garoupe and the Cathedrale Notre Dame de la Platea d'Antibes, as well as the Garoupe Lighthouse (Phare de la Garoupe), and the Sentier du Littoral (a walkway along the coast). All of these are either free or charge just a small fee for visitors.

Transportation

Like Nice, Antibes offers train service (SNCF) or bus service (Envibus). The Envibus has 31 bus routes throughout Antibes, and a 1 euro ticket will get you pretty much anywhere.

Vence

Although it doesn't sit along the coast, the small town of Vence is still part of the French Riviera. It's nestled in the hills of the Alpes-Maritimes, and its quaint cobblestoned streets and stone buildings make up for its lack of beaches.

Accomodation

Hotel Villa Roseraie

Because of its size, Vence doesn't have any chain hotels, but it does have some affordable boutique hotels. A few that earned high ratings on TripAdvisor include Hotel Miramar, Hotel Le Floreal, Hotel Villa Roseraie, and the Hotel Mas de Vence. All four offer rooms for under $150 per night. 

Culture

A visit to the Ville medieval in Vence is a must. This tiny medieval town is truly a piece of history, and there are explanatory signs all throughout the village, which provide a history lesson for tourists. Vence also offers the Chapelle du Rosaire, a gorgeous chapel, which was decorated and designed by artist Henri Matisse; the chapel has an entrance fee of six euros, but the church's beauty makes it well worth the visit.

Saint Paul de Vence

Saint Paul de Vence is another must-see, and it's just a 10-minute ride from Vence. The walled village sits perched a top a lush green hill. You'll feel like you've stepped back in time during your visit.

Transportation

There are three lines of buses that run through Vence: the Navette gratuites, the Ligne 46, and the Créabus C40. Two free shuttles run from the town center and Vence's east side to the central bus station. Click here for more information on Vence's bus system.

SEE ALSO: How to tip in 24 countries around the world

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NOW WATCH: How to skip long lines at the airport — just like the 1%

Google Maps tips and tricks you probably didn't know

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Maps

Admit it: You probably never use a physical map anymore.

Instead, there are a bunch of app and online options, making it easier than ever to get where you want to go.

One of the most popular is Google Maps, so we've compiled a list of tips and tricks to make you a power user.  

Scope the easiest bike paths on Maps for desktop

If you're a biker, Google Maps has a sweet elevation feature that will help you better choose between routes by showing you where you'll hit steep hills.

If you bike to work, knowing that you can avoid a doozy of an incline by taking a slightly longer route is incredibly helpful (and a good deterrent of showing up too sweaty). Maps also lists the total number of feet you will have to climb, as well as how far you'll get to coast downhill.

Unfortunately, this feature is currently only available on desktop, not Google's mobile Maps app.



Bad at directions? Drop a "pin" to seamlessly share your location with friends

Sometimes trying to explain to your friends where you are is a hassle, especially if you don't know the exact address. 

Never fear, Google Maps makes it easy. When you're looking at a map on your phone, you can press down on your location (marked by a little blue dot) on the screen to drop a pin. Then just press that pin and you'll be able to click "Share" to send the link via text, email, or whatever else you want to use to share your spot with your buddies. 



Find your way around a city — even without cell service or wi-fi

If you're going to be traveling in an area where you know you won't have cell service or wi-fi, you can download segments of maps to use as your guide. 

Just prep beforehand by finding the area when you do have service, taping the three vertical dots on the corner of the map, and tapping "Save offline map." That area will be saved under the "Your places" category in the app. 

Find more detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do it here



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These 10 Instagram users post photos from inside North Korea, the secretive 'Hermit Kingdom.'

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North Korea Online Sh_Mill (1)

Despite earning the nickname "Hermit Kingdom," North Korea isn't entirely disconnected from the modern world.

The country added 3G network access for foreigners in 2013. These days, several people post Instagrams regularly from inside the secretive country. Many are journalists like AP photographer David Guttenfelder although some are tour operators or foreign teachers living in the capital of North Korea. We've assembled a list of some of our favorites.

@drewkelly: A teacher in Pyongyang for three years, Drew Kelly has been posting iPhone-only photos from his life in the capital, including this shot from the Pyongyang 10K race.

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Follow @drewkelly

 



@shinchoi: Shin is another teacher in Pyongyang. Shin publishes lots of shots of people in their every day life rather than scenery.

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 Follow Shin



@dguttenfelder: David Guttenfelder is a photographer with the AP and National Geographic, among others. He only takes his Instagrams with his iPhone and was one of the first in the country to set up the geo-tags.

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http://instagram.com/p/23_mqPgw1K/embed/
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 Follow David Guttenfelder



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