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The 20 best places to live overseas

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Expat Explorer 2015 map

Tired of your old job? Looking for a new environment? There are many reasons to leave your home country in search of greener pastures, but picking where to go can be an overwhelming decision. Job opportunities, salary, quality of life, safety, and childcare are just a few of the factors to consider.

For those looking to make the move, HSBC's annual Expat Explorer survey is an excellent resource. The survey ranks the top countries based on experience, economics, and raising children abroad, with subcategories for each group — and a lot can change in a year.

Last year's number one, Switzerland, dropped to 10, India jumped way back from nine to 17, and new countries entered the top 20 ranking.

Keep scrolling to see which countries stole the top spots, and maybe find a place to make a fresh start.

Harrison Jacobs contributed to an earlier version of this post. 

SEE ALSO: Singapore's public housing buildings are colorful optical illusions

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20. Malaysia

Adventurous and social expats are likely to head to Malaysia. Sixty-three percent say their greater disposable income and better work/life balance give them time and money for a social life.

Those who make the move seem to love it, with expats in Malaysia scoring highly for making friends. 

The country is only middle of the pack, however, in economic measures and raising children abroad. The quality of childcare is not good, but 60% of parents do feel the overall quality of life is better for their children. 



19. Mexico

According to one expat, "If you love color, noise, laughter, history, culture, you'll love Mexico." Those who moved to Mexico acclimated themselves with the culture and lifestyle quicker than other countries. 

After only two years, 76% of expats claim the country feels like home, compared to the 62% global average. No surprise: 82% enjoy the Mexican cuisine.

However, the country ranked below average for career progression and financial benefits, despite its high ranking for overall experience. 

 



18. Czech Republic

Although expats found family integration here to be difficult, the cost of raising children is ranked fourth out of all the countries. 

According to HSBC, Czech Republic is one of Central Europe's most industrialized economies, making it a prime spot for international foreign investment. The country also ranks high in work-life balance. 

The country's high standard of healthcare puts it in the top 10 compared to other countries.  

 

 



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Mind-blowing photos of Mars and Earth reveal the miraculous wonders of our solar system

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Because of how they appear from afar, we call Mars the Red Planet and Earth the Blue Planet.

But these two worlds don't look so different when you zoom in, which is exactly what scientific satellites do to give researchers information on how different regions of each planet change over time.

We've collected some of these satellites' spectacular images of Mars and Earth and juxtaposed them to test your skills.

Can you tell which is the planet you call home and which is the desolate, lifeless wasteland more than 141 million miles away?

LEARN MORE: Epically awesome photos of Mars

SEE ALSO: The 12 most compelling scientific findings that suggest aliens are real

Which photo is of Earth and which of Mars?



Earth is on the right.

During a recent pass over the Australian continent, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly snapped 17 photos from the International Space Station, and they all look insanely alien — almost like certain features on Mars.

Mars is on the left.

When temperatures heat up in the Martian spring, the carbon-dioxide ice in the polar caps sublimates, meaning it changes from its solid form directly to a gas, into the atmosphere, leaving behind these distinct starburst patterns. Why the melting process makes these characteristic patterns is a subject of ongoing research.

(All of the photos of Mars shown here were taken by the HiRISE camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Each Mars photo has false coloring that highlights distinct Martian features, like sand dunes.)



Which photo is of Earth and which of Mars?



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17 tech toys and gadgets from the 90s that we want back

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friends nbc

The '90s was a decade that was famously rough for the tech industry as a whole.

But it did bring us tons of gadgets and innovative gadgets.

In honor of that nostalgic feeling, we're taking a look back at our favorite gadgets from the 1990s, the decade when the World Wide Web first started to change our lives.

Back then, our flannel was loose, our jeans were high-wasted, and our tech gadgets were cool.

 

SEE ALSO: 16 Tech Gadgets From The 1980s That We Want Back Right Now

After watching "Home Alone 2," everyone wanted a Talkboy. This little gadget let you record and playback whatever you wanted, plus speed up or slow down recordings to make yourself sound ridiculous.

Check out this old Talkboy commercial



The Sega Genesis, which came bundled with Sonic the Hedgehog, was technically released in the U.S. in 1988 but didn't start really winning our hearts until the '90s.



It didn't matter that your Sony Discman would skip despite its anti-shock protection, you loved it all the same.



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4 signs you have no idea what to expect in retirement

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tourists, map, women, confused, lost

It can be nice to indulge in a fantasy from time to time.

Wouldn't it be great to, say, be as wealthy as Oprah, as smart as Einstein — and have the pipes of Prince, to boot?

Of course, there's a difference between entertaining a daydream and living a delusion — especially when it comes to something as important as your future retirement.

Unfortunately, research shows that there's often a big disconnect between what we envision for our retirement — and how it actually pans out.

Case in point: The Employee Benefit Research Institute's (EBRI) 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey found that 67% of workers plan to work into retirement, but only 23% of retired people report actually doing so.

And 55% of workers believe they'll have a pension to rely on in retirement — even though only 32% have one now.

Which raises the question: Are we all a little too delusional when it comes to those golden years?

To get at the answer, we rounded up some key signs that you may be in need of a retirement reality check — along with helpful tips for snapping back into reality.

RELATED: 6 Common Retirement Savings Mistakes to Avoid

SEE ALSO: 5 hurdles holding you back from retiring a millionaire

1. You picked an arbitrary retirement number.

You’ve already painted the picture: For your 65th birthday, you’re going to celebrate with a big retirement party — and a round-the-world cruise.

Here’s the rub: You’ve never bothered to check whether you’re on track to get there.

"This is a really common problem," says Tony Drake, a Certified Financial Planner and owner of Drake & Associates, LLC in Waukesha, Wis. "Too few people have actually put pen to paper to see if the numbers can back up their goals and dreams."

And chances are, your numbers probably can’t back them up: According to the EBRI survey, 57% of workers have less than $25,000 saved for retirement — and nearly one in three don’t even have $1,000.

RELATED: What’s Your (Retirement) Number?

How to Snap Out of It: The question of just how much is truly enough for retirement will vary depending on your individual circumstances, but a good place to start is with a retirement calculator that can help show you how big of a nest egg you may need to retire by your target age — as well as how much retirement income your current level of savings could provide.

To get at an even more personalized estimate, Drake asks his clients specific questions about how they envision their retirement: How many annual international trips do they plan to take? How much money do they want to set aside for their grandchildren? What types of passions do they want to pursue?

"Some retirees can get by on next to nothing, but others may need a decent income," Drake says. "It all depends on their goals and what they want to accomplish in their retirement years."

You can also consider using a common financial planning rule of thumb of aiming to replace 85% of your current income in retirement.

After you arrive at a comfortable number, just remember to revisit your game plan periodically to ensure you’re making progress.

"Once you’ve set up a plan, the heavy lifting is done," says Patty Cathey, an investment adviser and owner of Denver-based Smart Retirement, LLC. "Then take a couple of weekends a year to make sure you’re staying on track to reach your goals."



2. You think you'll work until you're 80.

According to a 2013 UBS Wealth Management Americas survey, only a third of respondents aged 60 to 69 considered themselves "old." In fact, it wasn't until people reached their 80s that the majority reported feeling that way.

But while it's great that 80 is the new 60, youthful exuberance isn't a job strategy: Based on 2015 Gallup research, 61% of younger baby boomers say they plan to work until 65 or older, but only a third of today's oldest boomers — those who are 67 and 68 — are actually still working.

"I had one client who initially planned on working until 75, but at 60 found that he was unable to find a new job at his previous pay level," says Sarah Asebedo, a CFP and an assistant professor at Virginia Tech. "The permanent loss of income required him to rethink his lifestyle — and he wasn't prepared for the need to cut expenses."

How to Snap Out of It: For starters, assess whether your job is conducive to a long work life by asking yourself one key question: At what age are people in my industry actually retiring?

Based on a recent study from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the answer may surprise you.

The researchers culled occupational data to determine which industries were more likely to require early retirement because of a decline in skills due to aging. At the top of their list: pilots, manufacturing assemblers, dentists and designers, to name a few.

The lesson? While you may think you'll still be going strong at 75, your body and choice of occupation may beg to differ — so you should consider saving as if you'll call it quits at the standard retirement age, which is 67 for those born after 1960.

"A lot of people think, 'I love what I do and I can't picture not working, so I don't need to plan for 30 years of retirement.' "Drake says. "If your retirement plan is 'I am going to work forever,' that's what we call hope — and that's not a safe strategy."

RELATED: Semi-Retirement: Are You Cut Out For It?



3. You believe retirement will be one long — carefree! — vacation.

On the flip side, maybe your plan isn’t to work forever — but to party forever.

After all, you no longer have to worry about using up vacation days, because every day is a vacation day!

Not so fast.

In a 2011 Harvard School of Public Health survey, 59% of pre-retirees said they expected to do more traveling in retirement, yet only 26% of retirees actually reported doing so — and 34% said they did less traveling than they used to.

How to Snap Out of It: There are two main questions to ask yourself before you start packing your bags.

The first: Are you accounting for all those trips in your retirement savings strategy?

"The danger with that [vacation] mentality with retirement is that you may spend like you are on vacation 24/7 — and then quickly watch money dwindle from your bank accounts," Cathey says.

That’s why creating a realistic budget that takes all your retirement goals into account is so important.

RELATED: Need to Light a Fire Under Your Nest Egg? Reboot by Saving for Specific Retirement Dreams

"Some retirees will need to save a lot more, depending on their lifestyle and who depends on them [for support]," Cathey adds. "[But one of the] most important parts about getting ready for retirement is having consistent cash flow."

So if you’re barely putting away enough now to cover basic expenses in retirement, you may need to reboot your savings strategy to account for those jaunts to the Virgin Islands.

The second question: Is all that leisure time really what will make you happy?

"All of the engagement, community, purpose and meaning that an individual had in their work life needs to be replaced with other things in retirement that are more meaningful than simply more travel," Asebedo notes.

She offers the example of a client who, after consistently working 60-hour workweeks, started to travel and golf more in retirement — only to find it just made him more depressed and stressed than ever.

"After further exploration, the client realized that work had brought a great deal of meaning and purpose and a social life that was suddenly lost due to retirement," she explains. "Over time, he found new ways to bring those psychological elements back [into his life] through volunteering, professional memberships, hobbies and family."



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15 incredible places to pitch a tent this fall

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arches national park

The weather may be warmer in the summer, but camping in the fall often means escaping crowds and exploring stunning natural sites in peace. 

We've put together a collection of destinations that offer everything from beautiful foliage to clear skies you can enjoy year-round. 

From the dramatic landscape of Utah's Arches National Park to star-filled skies in Africa's Sahara Desert, here are 15 unique destinations for camping this fall. 

SEE ALSO: 14 gyms to work out at in your lifetime

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Milford Sound is a fjord located on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Described by Rudyard Kipling as the "eighth wonder of the world," the fjord is home to breathtaking mountain peaks and cascading waterfalls. Campervan spots can be arranged through the Milford Sound Lodge.

Click here to learn more about Milford Sound Lodge »



Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is located at the edge of Napa wine country in Calistoga, California. It features a 1,900-acre park with 10 miles of trails and 50 campsites spread out among redwoods and firs.

Click here to learn more about Bothe-Napa Valley State Park »



At Arches National Park in southeast Utah, visitors will discover an otherworldly landscape of contrasting colors, 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, and massive fins. Going in the fall allows you to miss the craziness of the park’s busiest season, which goes from May to October. The Devils Garden Campground is open year-round for campers.

Click here to learn more about Arches National Park »​



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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These intricate, see-through wedding dresses defined Bridal Fashion Week

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kim kardashian met gala kanye west

The American wedding dress has become more and more revealing over the past few decades — some brides are even getting married in crop tops. And at this year’s Bridal Fashion Week in New York City, the trend toward bare skin went one step further with designers showing sheer wedding dresses.

Even big names like Vera Wang included dresses in their collection that exposed nearly everything.

“It’s more about the body now,” Vera Wang told the AP. “What we’re trying to do more is really capture a certain sense of intimacy in body language.”

The dresses are similar to styles worn by Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Beyonce at recent red carpet events. Perfectly placed sequins and lace keep the wearer from getting a public nudity summons, and brides can always add a stole or shawl to cover up if they want.

Keep scrolling to see the sheer wedding dresses that were a part of this fall’s 2016 bridal week since, unless you know some especially daring brides, you might never see one in a real-life ceremony.

Vera Wang's 2016 look book was filled with sheer designs.

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Many of them left little to the imagination.

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Carefully placed embellishments and feathers kept the gowns from looking too risqué.

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Here’s how much Uber charges for a ‘safe ride’ in different US cities

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A woman wearing a Uber T-shirt checks her phone while Uber riders and driver-partners take part in a rally on the steps of New York City Hall against proposed legislation limiting for-hire vehicles in New York June 30, 2015. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Any time you take an UberX in the US or Canada, you see a 'Safe Rides' fee tacked onto your bill.

It used to only be $1, regardless of where you were in the two countries, but an update to the way the company calculates the fee means some users will be dishing out a lot more dough just because of their zip code. 

The $1 fee, introduced in April 2014, was a way for Uber to recoup the costs of running its background checks and providing 24/7 support to its riders.

But apparently the price of your "safety"— as its name suggest — depends a lot on where you live. 

Business Insider pored through the fees Uber charges in various locations and discovered interesting variations. Riding an Uber in places like Detroit and Southern California's "Inland Empire" costs twice as much in safety fees as in Fargo, for example. Reno, Las Vegas and Chicago are among the cheapest. 

So what gives? Is Uber making some kind of statement about each city's relative risks and the costs of finding drivers with clean rap-sheets and good driving skills? 

"Our safe rides fee will now vary city by city. This is to reflect the fact that in some cities the costs associated with providing a safe, reliable ride-sharing service have increased -- including improved 24-hour support, background checks, new in-app safety features and insurance. We are notifying riders and drivers as the change goes into effect in their city," an Uber spokesperson told us.

It's a small update, but Uber passengers were outraged initially to have to pay a fee for a "safe ride." The company is even facing a lawsuit over the term that was filed in 2014. Lyft, Uber's main competitor in the US, also has its own version of a "Trust and Safety Fee," which is typically around $1.55, but also varies by city. 

The new algorithm takes into account insurance costs, along with number of trips in the city and the cost of operating in each location. Surprisingly, many obvious markets like San Francisco and Washington D.C. stayed at a lower cost, while locations like retirement destination Fort Myers now cost more than $2. 

Here's how the new 'Safe Rides' fees stack up in different cities: 

SEE ALSO: Uber finally unleashes its FedEx killer, Uber Rush

Free - New York City. You would think that New York City would cost users a lot, but the way the regulations are set up in the Big Apple means that it's controlled by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. NYC riders have never had to pay a safe rides fee. The only other city to be free? Halifax, Canada.



$1 - Las Vegas. It may be Sin City, but the cost of your safe rides fee in Las Vegas is among the lowest in the country. The other cities not to feel a price bump include Ames, Athens (GA), Bloomington-Normal (IL), Bowling Green, Burlington, Champaign, Chicago, Columbia (MO), Eastern Idaho, Flagstaff, Florida Keys, Gainesville, Lafayette, Lawrence, Manhattan, Quebec City, Reno, Stillwater, and Tallahassee.



$1.05 - Honolulu. Vacationers and natives alike will have to pay an extra five cents compared to the old safety fee when they visit Honolulu. After all, the city was just named the worst place to drive, according to Waze. Other cities in this tier include Boise, Chattanooga, Erie, Las Cruces, Springfield (IL), and State College.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Stunning images of A-10 Warthogs under the northern lights in Estonia

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a 10 warthog northern lights Aurora Borealis estonia

When the US Air Force deployed 12 A-10 Warthogs to Ämari Air Base in Estonia during a stunning atmospheric phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis, Estonian photographerGen Vagula pounced on the opportunity to take these gorgeous pictures.

"I got so many letters from US Air Force personnel's family members and from veterans, thanking me for bringing these pictures to their newsfeeds," said Vagula in a Medium post.

The A-10 is currently a hot topic within military circles, with infantrymen depending on it, airmen swearing by it, and the Pentagon planning to take it out of rotation in favor of the newer, incredibly costly F-35.

Currently, the A-10s are stationed in Estonia as part of a larger NATO effort to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. The fate of the region, as well as the fate of the A-10, are uncertain, but the moment of beauty Vagula captured under the Aurora Borealis will endure.

For more amazing photos of Aurora Borealis, follow Gen Vagula on Facebook.

SEE ALSO: It looks like the US Air Force really did try to suppress an amazing A-10 video







See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The evolution of the Playboy woman's body type from the 1950s to now

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PLAYBOY HUGH HEFNER 1

More people might start reading Playboy for its articles after The New York Times reported the magazine will start phasing nude women out of its pages by March 2016.

In the early days of Playboy, the magazine was must-buy material for anyone seeking titillation and female nudity. But now, the internet makes pornography and explicit images readily available to anyone with a connection. Playboy has been looking comparably tame.

Rather than moving in a more explicit direction, though, Playboy is trying to make its product less graphic and therefore safer to consume anywhere. Its website stopped publishing nude photos in August 2014, and its print edition is now following suit. Chief executive Scott Flanders hopes the redesign will help the company reach more millennials both online and in print.

It's another change for a company that has been evolving since it was founded with a $1,000 loan from Hugh Hefner's mother in 1953. By the '60s, what had started as a men's magazine had transformed into a burgeoning lifestyle brand with nightclubs, and its own homegrown celebrities. And later, for Hefner, it also included a rotating roster of gorgeous girlfriends.

The women celebrated by Playboy — from the models to Hef's girlfriends — have also changed drastically throughout the decades as body types, hairstyles, and fashions have gone in and out of style. Over the years, the Playboy woman has become ever thinner and blonder, and now with the magazine's mission in flux, it remains to be seen how this aesthetic will morph as Playboy looks toward the future.

Keep scrolling to see how the Playboy bunny has evolved from 1953 to today.

Hef purchased a photo of Marilyn Monroe to cover the magazine's first issue in 1953, the same year she became a star. Monroe was famous for her full curves and blonde hair. Here, Hef's daughter Christie Hefner, former CEO and chairman of Playboy, holds a copy of the original magazine.

Source: The New York Times



The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960. The women who worked there wore bunny ears, a satin one piece, black tights, a tail, a bow tie, and cufflinks. Here, Hugh Hefner poses with "bunny-girl" Bonnie Halpin at the Chicago nightclub in 1961.



The "Playmate of the Year" contest also started in the '60s. The women of this decade ranged in age between 18 and 23 years old with an average height of 5'4'', average weight of 115 pounds, average waist of 22.7'', and average bust of 36''.

Source: Playboy Playmate Curves: Changes in Facial and Body Feature Preferences Across Social and Economic Conditions



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13 animals that have no idea how they got here right now

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animals

The great thing about animals, domestic and wild, is that they don't ask for invitations. They just wander around poking their cute faces wherever.

And sometimes humans put animals in places they really shouldn't be. Like in the sling of a hang glider. Or the front seat of a motorcycle. Keep scrolling to see some very amusing photos of all of the above — and then some.

This alpaca is not happy with the neck room in his economy car.



This eagle doesn't want you to sit next to him.



This sloth is going to be in big trouble if he doesn't get down now.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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14 signs you're about to get a job offer

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You're relatively sure you aced the interview and felt like you were walking on air as you left the lobby. But now, hours seem like days and days like weeks as you wait patiently for a formal offer.

"Fortunately, you can put some of the puzzle pieces together as you decide your course of action during this uncertain waiting game," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," agrees.

"While you can never be certain, and you definitely don't want to get your hopes up prematurely, there are certainly signs that might hint that you're about to get some good news," he said.

Here are 14 signs an offer might be coming your way.

SEE ALSO: 12 signs you're about to be promoted at work

You're asked to come in for an additional round of interviews.

You may be one of a handful of finalists.

"But if you've been asked to return for a second round of interviews, that's an encouraging sign that you're a serious contender," says Taylor. "They want to clinch the decision by building consensus among managers."



The hiring manager tries 'selling' you on the company.

A shift from a barrage of questions to a marketing mode is a great sign they want to hire you, says Taylor.



They ask you a lot of personal questions about your family, personal goals, and hobbies.

"Showing an interest in your personal life means they're seriously considering you, as it demonstrates an interest beyond just the professional résumé," says Kerr.

But remember you don't always have to answer personal questions. Some are illegal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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9 things they don't teach you in business school

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Last week I talked to a group of college students in a portfolio management class at one of the local universities here in Michigan. The topic was open-ended so I wanted to share with them a few of the things I wish I would have learned in school that weren’t taught or apparent to me at the time.

Here are a few things I think are overlooked at most business schools:

SEE ALSO: This might be the beginning of the end for major oil

How to deal with people.

It always amazes me how much emphasis schools place on knowledge, theories and models, but they rarely focus on the one skill that everyone needs to master — dealing with other people.

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred I’d rather work with a B student who has social skills than an A student who has no idea how to communicate or work with other people.



Theory requires context.

One of the students asked for my thoughts on the efficient frontier and mean-variance optimization. I told them that the general idea behind these theories has been very helpful to the portfolio management industry in a number of ways. Diversification and the idea that adding together investments that behave differently in a portfolio is an important concept.

But you can’t take these types of models literally. Correlations and market relationships are constantly changing. Nothing is stable and the past isn’t a perfect window into what’s going to happen in the future.

The efficient frontier shows you the best risk-adjusted returns from a historical data set. It can’t tell you what the perfect asset allocation will be in the future.

Models and textbook theories can play a role in building your knowledge base, but they never tell the whole story. Many people make the mistake of taking them at face value without thinking through the real world implications. No model is perfect, so the majority of the time what really matters is the interpretation by the end user.



Read, read, read.

I must have wasted thousands of dollars on textbooks in college. It’s not that textbook knowledge isn’t helpful, but looking back on it now I’m shocked at how few books I was assigned to read outside of academic textbooks.

There are so many great books out there on business, investing, history, leadership, psychology, etc. that cost a fraction of what students spend on textbooks and contain far more useful and practical information.

The majority of my own learning experience came after college from reading as many books as possible. I wish I would have started this process earlier. I don’t understand why more colleges don’t simply do away with most textbooks and allow students to learn from some of history’s great thinkers, investors, business leaders, economists and authors.

You can learn more from Warren Buffett’s collection of annual shareholder letters (which are available online for free) than what they teach in best MBA programs in the country. It boggles my mind that I was never required to read these when I was in school.



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I compared Chipotle's food to another major Mexican-food competitor — and the winner shocked me

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Qdoba Chipotle 5America is wildly passionate about its Mexican food — even if that food is not all that authentic.

Tex-Mex and similar restaurants have exploded in the past decade, thanks in part to the impressive success of Chipotle, the ubiquitous burrito chain that has more or less positioned itself as the standard-bearer of the fast-casual industry.

We recently pitted two giants against each other, and some readers voiced concern that a major Chipotle competitor hadn't even been considered: Qdoba.

The Denver-based chain, having reached over 630 locations in 2014, began in 1995 two years after and four miles north of Chipotle's first restaurant in Colorado's capital.

So the debate has raged on for nearly two decades: Which Denver burrito giant does it best?

With a grand plan for Qdoba in the works, I took it upon myself to investigate, comparing each chain's three classic meal choices: the taco, the burrito bowl, and the beloved burrito.

So which will make it in this Mexican heavyweight match? Whose taco triumphs, whose bowl bests, and whose burrito brings home the gold? Keep scrolling to find out.

SEE ALSO: Chipotle has taken a major step toward becoming more like Starbucks

The contenders meet: Qdoba and Chipotle, equal orders of chicken burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and guacamole to try. Chipotle is still pushing a litany of literary sources on their bags, while Qdoba displays more peculiar artwork.



First up burritos, with Qdoba on the left and Chipotle on the right. We all know and love the humble, delicious burrito, and unlike the last Business Insider Chipotle showdown, the sizes here are similar — no early edge.



Qdoba's offering is tightly packed, holding together despite being halved. There's a large amount of rice, and it could use more chicken. Upon tasting, Qdoba's advantage is clear: queso. Qdoba offers numerous types of quesos ranging from mild to very spicy, which adds a dense richness to the burrito. It's incredibly filling, and still tastes fresh. And at $7.80 with free guac — a complete game-changer — it's a great value.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The best laptops you can buy (AAPL)

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laptops students

Buying a laptop is an investment — at the very least, you're going to spend a few hundred bucks, so you'll want to make the right choice.

The problem is that it's tough to know whether a laptop is really right for you until you've used it for a while.

We've researched some of the best laptops on the market and combed through reviews to at least give you some of the best options to choose from. Here are some of the top picks from experts around the web. 

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The best smartphones in the world

The MacBook Air is gorgeous, super slim, and offers amazing battery life.

The MacBook Air is still one of the best laptops you can buy. Not only is it razor-thin and light, it offers excellent performance and battery life too. Earlier this year Apple updated its MacBook Air to add new fifth generation processors from Intel, which means the Air is capable of lasting even longer on a single charge than it was in the past.  

In its review, PCMag wrote that it got more than 17 hours of battery life out of the MacBook Air, which is extremely impressive. It comes in 11- and 13-inch screen sizes, but if you plan on using it primarily for work we'd suggest the larger option.

Price:Starts at $899



The MacBook Pro with Retina display has a beautiful screen and more ports than the Air.

If you want a Mac laptop with a better screen, check out the MacBook Pro with Retina display. There's a $300 difference between the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro of the same size, and the extra cash gets you a faster processor, a sharper screen, and more ports such as an extra Thunderbolt port and a spot to plug in an HDMI cord.

The new MacBook Pro also comes with Apple's new Force Touch trackpad, which can sense how hard you're pressing down to click in addition to only detecting where you're touching the trackpad. You can use Force Touch to access some shortcuts in Apple's Mac operating system.

Price:Starts at $1,299



Dell's XPS 13 is just as portable as the MacBook Air, and it's a bit cheaper.

Dell's  13-inch Windows laptop comes with an impressive 3,200 x 1,800 touchscreen with an "infinity display," which basically means it has really thin side bezels. It's a great option if you want to stick with Windows but want something that's as thin and light as a MacBook Air. It's $100 cheaper than the 11-inch MacBook Air and $200 cheaper than the 13-inch version.

Price:Starts at $799

 



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All of America's first pets

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kennedy pony

President Obama's Portuguese water dogs, "Bo" and "Sunny," are just the latest "first pets" to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

In fact, nearly every commander in chief has kept a pet during their term.

America's first families have shared their quarters with an impressive menagerie of animals, from snakes to ponies to sheep.

In honor of Bo, who celebrated his seventh birthday earlier this month, here is a list of the presidents' "first pets."

Pets are in chronological order of each presidents' term, beginning with President Theodore Roosevelt in 1901.

Theodore Roosevelt: Pony named "Algonquin," (12 horses)

Source: Presidential Pet Museum, The White House



Theodore Roosevelt: Hyacinth macaw named "Eli Yale" (owl, 6 dogs, 2 cats, snake, 2 kangaroos, one-legged rooster, rabbit, flying squirrel, 5 guinea pigs, 5 bears, pig, and a raccoon)

Source: Presidential Pet Museum, The White House



William Howard Taft: Cows named "Pauline Wayne" and "Mooly Wooly"

Source: Presidential Pet Museum, The White House



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How much you should save to retire in New York City, San Francisco, and 8 other expensive US cities

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columbus circle nyc

If you want to retire under the lights of New York City, you'll need at least $2.25 million in savings.

That's according to SmartAsset's recent report, which determined the average savings needed to retire in the least affordable cities for retirees, assuming a 30-year retirement.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Council for Community and Economic Research, SmartAsset calculated the spending required to maintain the average standard of living for seniors in each particular city. It also took into account annual Social Security income, using the national average of $17,189.

(Read the full methodology.)

If you're planning to fully retire in these 10 major cities without having to work part-time, here's how much it's estimated you would need in your retirement account in order to live off Social Security and savings alone:

SEE ALSO: How much money you need to save each day to become a millionaire by age 65

10. Los Angeles, California: $994,377

Read about the true cost of living in Los Angeles.



9. Boston, Massachusetts: $1,015,740



8. San Diego, California: $1,024,980

Read about the true cost of living in San Diego.



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The amazing life of Albert Einstein, a devout socialist who had his first child out of wedlock at age 23

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albert einstein

Albert Einstein is revered for his scientific intellect, which laid the foundations for modern-day physics and earned him introductions with some of the most exclusive people on Earth.

His opinions on race, politics, and war were also incredibly progressive for their time. Some even say that we will never see the likes of another Einstein again.

Here's how a man, who "had no understanding of how to relate to people," became history's most beloved scientist.

 

 

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Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1879 to Pauline Koch and Hermann Einstein.

Albert Einstein was the elder of the two – his younger sister, Maria Einstein, was born about two years later in Nov. 1881.

Einstein reportedly was slow in learning how to talk. That, combined with his tendency to whisper words softly to himself before saying them aloud led the family maid to nick name him "der Depperte"— the dopey one.

Source: Einstein: His Life and Universe



Einstein's parents were concerned about his intelligence because he was slow to learn to speak.

One year after Einstein was born, his father, mother, and uncle moved to Munich — to establish an electrical engineering company — where Einstein earned the bulk of his early education.

The secondary school he attended was eventually named after him and called the Albert Einstein Gymnasium before merging with another school in 2010.

Source: Einstein: His Life and Universe



Einstein developed a passion for music in his early teens.

Einstein began violin lessons at age 5 but didn't enjoy music until age 13, when he discovered Mozart's violin sonatas. After that, the young genius was hooked and would play the violin in string quartets later as a young adult and throughout the rest of his life.

"Mozart's music is so pure and beautiful that I see it as a reflection of the inner beauty of the universe itself," Einstein later told a friend.

Source: Charles Chaplain: My Autobiography



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21 signs you're a narcissist

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You're more likely to find a narcissist in the C-suite than on the street, research suggests

That's because the traits that make narcissists so difficult to hang out with or date — including a constant need for validation, a willingness to control people, and a ruthlessness in getting their needs met — happen to make them super effective at rising up the ranks.  

To help you figure out if you, or perhaps your boss, are a narcissist, we combed through the psychology literature looking for patterns of narcissistic behavior. We also spoke with Joseph Burgo, Ph.D., a psychologist and the author of "The Narcissist You Know."

Here are common signs of narcissism.

This is an update of an article originally written by Vivian Giang, with additional contributions by Drake Baer. 

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons narcissists can be highly effective leaders

You are a bad sport.

Burgo says some narcissists are bullies — and one of their most troublesome traits is their tendency to be a sore loser and a sore winner.

For example, when they lose in a sports match, they might try to humiliate the referee. When they win, they might gloat excessively or act abusive to the losing party.



You constantly feel underappreciated.

The kind of people that Burgo calls "grandiose" narcissists always hold a grievance against the world.

They typically feel entitled to something better and think they're not getting the recognition they deserve from others.



If you're not grandiose, then you're introverted, hypersensitive, defensive, and anxious.

Psychologists talk about the "two faces of narcissism." On one end there's the hyper-aggressive, super-loud Donald Trump type. But there's a softer form of narcissism, too. It's called "covert narcissism," which is denoted by introversion, hypersensitivity, defensiveness, and anxiety.

"Both shades of narcissism shared a common core of conceit, arrogance, and the tendency to give in to one's own needs and disregard others," Scientific American reports.



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The best of #InkTober, a 31-day challenge where artists show off on Instagram

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Inktober sketch

Six years ago, artist Jake Parker decided to challenge himself by completing a new ink drawing every day in October. In order to hold himself accountable, Parker made the experiment public, posting photos each day online.

#InkTober was born. 

Now, six years later, over 1 million photos have been posted on Instagram alone using the hashtag. The rules of participation, as Parker set them, are simple. 

1) Make a drawing in ink (you can do a pencil under-drawing if you want).
2) Post it on your blog (or Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest or just pin it on your wall.)
3) Hashtag it with #InkTober
4) Repeat

From famous animators to self-taught amateurs, artists around the world are now participating in #InkTober. 

Let's see what creative sketches some participants have come up with. 

 

Many artists kick off the month with a meta-post, so their followers know the challenge has started.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/8UeGkgM_KP/embed/
Width: 658px



The posts also tend to feature the artists' medium of choice in the photo, like this ink pen set up.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/8z7wE1m7ZZ/embed/
Width: 658px

 



And some have taken the October theme to heart, choosing Halloween subjects for their drawings.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/8nZ0x1zLEl/embed/
Width: 658px

 



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50 places everyone should visit in Europe

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Cliffs of Moher, IrelandEurope is home to historic cities, world-famous museums, and phenomenal restaurants. But there are also gorgeous hidden beaches, phenomenal ski resorts, and stunning natural formations like canyons, waterfalls, and gorges.

We've come up with the ultimate bucket list of travel destinations in Europe.

From biking along the canals of Amsterdam to scuba diving in the clear Mediterranean waters off the coast of Cyprus, here are 50 things you need to do in Europe in your lifetime.

Eliza McKelvey and Megan Willett contributed to this story.

SEE ALSO: 16 incredible European destinations that haven't been discovered by tourists

SEE ALSO: 100 trips everyone should take in their lifetime

Lounge on the stunning beaches of Lagos, Portugal.



Bike alongside the canals of Amsterdam, Netherlands.



Hit the slopes at Innsbruck, a breathtaking ski resort in the mountains of Austria.



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