• Sun Country Airlines left dozens of passengers stranded in Mexico over the weekend.
• A blizzard at the airline's home base in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport forced Sun Country to cancel dozens of flights.
• Including the last of its seasonal flights to Mexico, stranding the passengers.
• The airline has offered passenger a full refund of their round-trip airfare. 

Sun Country Airlines is telling dozens of angry passengers to find their own way home from Mexico. The passengers became stranded after a weekend blizzard dumped more than a foot of snow on Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport, forcing airlines, Sun Country included, to cancel hundreds of flights.

Unfortunately, Sun Country's service to Los Cabos and Mazatlan is seasonal in nature and the canceled flights were last ones of the season. As a result, the airline did not have additional flights on which it could accommodate the stranded passengers. 

Instead, Sun Country offered its passengers a full refund of their roundtrip airfare and asked them to find their own flights own. 

In addition, the stranded travelers complained about the airline's overburdened customer service lines which did not function properly. 

In an email to employees obtained by Business Insider, Sun Country CEO Jude Bricker explained that his airline did not have any spare planes sitting around which means sending a rescue flight would have required the cancellation of another flight, thereby stranding more passengers. 

In addition, Bricker said that his airline does not have any interline agreements in place that would have allowed them to book passengers on another airliner. 

However, the Sun Country CEO did express regret with the way things were handled.

"With hindsight, we should have flown a rescue flight to Mazatalan as service options are limited, Bricker said.

"Los Cabos has more service options and we felt the best option for those customers was giving them a full roundtrip refund on their Sun Country flight to make alternative arrangements as quickly as possible."

"Either way, for these routes we should have been reachable and covered their transportation costs if we didn’t fly them home," he added.

SEE ALSO: One person is dead after a major engine failure led a Southwest plane to make a terrifying emergency landing in Philadelphia

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• Southwest Airlines has released a statement about Flight 1380, which made an emergency landing in Philadelphia and left one passenger dead on Tuesday.
• "The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event," Southwest Airlines said.
• One passenger died during the flight and seven received minor injuries, Southwest Airlines said.

Southwest Airlines has released a statement about Flight 1380, which made an emergency landing in Philadelphia and left one passenger dead on Tuesday.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that there is one fatality resulting from this accident," the airline said. "The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event. We have activated our emergency response team and are deploying every resource to support those affected by this tragedy.

"We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Southwest Pilots and Flight Attendants who acted professionally and swiftly to take care of our Customers during the emergency diversion and landing."

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly responded to the incident in a video on YouTube.

"This is a sad day, and on behalf of the entire Southwest family, I want to extend my deepest sympathies for the family and the loved ones of our deceased customer," he said.

On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport after one of its engines failed and caused an explosion that sent shrapnel into the cabin. One passenger died as a result of the accident and seven people received minor injuries, the airline said. The deceased passenger has not been identified.

According to an audio recording obtained by NBC10, the flight's pilot was told a passenger "went out" of the aircraft while it was in the air.

"They said there is a hole and someone went out," the pilot told air traffic control.

Earlier, a family member of a passenger told NBC 10 that a woman was partially "drawn out" of the aircraft before she was "pulled back in by other passengers."

National Transportation Safety Board chairman Robert Sumwalt said the death was the first on a US passenger airline in over nine years. Prior to Tuesday, the most recent fatal accident came in February 2009 near Buffalo, New York, when an aircraft operated by the now-defunct regional airline Colgan Air crashed and killed 50 people, including 49 on board and one person on the ground.

The NTSB said on Twitter that it would send a team to investigate Tuesday's crash.

You can read Southwest's full statement below:

"Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) confirms an accident involving Southwest Airlines Flight 1380. The flight made an emergency diversion to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) earlier today after the Crew reported issues with the number one engine which resulted in damage to the fuselage.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that there is one fatality resulting from this accident. The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event. We have activated our emergency response team and are deploying every resource to support those affected by this tragedy. For a message from Gary Kelly, Southwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, please click here.

"The aircraft involved today was a Boeing 737-700 (N772SW) and was en route from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Dallas Love Field (DAL). In total, the flight had 144 Customers and five Southwest Crewmembers onboard. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Southwest Pilots and Flight Attendants who acted professionally and swiftly to take care of our Customers during the emergency diversion and landing.

"Finally, Southwest Airlines officials are in direct contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support an immediate, coordinated response to this accident. Southwest is in the process of gathering additional information regarding flight 1380 and will fully cooperate in an investigative process.

"Please join the Southwest Family in keeping all of those affected by today's tragedy in your thoughts."

SEE ALSO: One person is dead after a major engine failure led a Southwest plane to make a terrifying emergency landing in Philadelphia

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NOW WATCH: A $700 billion investor explains why traders should brush off an ominous market signal that's flashing

Former first lady Barbara Bush diedon Tuesday at the age of 92 after battling Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and congestive heart failure. She had been hospitalized several times over the last year.

During her lifetime, Bush was famous for speaking her mind on a variety of topics and issues. Take a look here at some of the former first lady's 12 best quotes during her lifetime.

SEE ALSO: Former first lady Barbara Bush dies at age 92

DON'T MISS: Inside the 'storybook' marriage of Barbara and George HW Bush — who were married longer than any first couple, and still said 'I love you' every night

Barbara Bush on regret:

Source: Time Magazine

Barbara Bush on what matters:

Source: Associated Press

Barbara Bush on George H.W. Bush:

Source: Smith Alumnae Quarterly

• Prince Philip was recently discharged from hospital after a hip replacement operation.
• The hospital — King Edward VII's in Marylebone — has nursed the royal family for generations.
• We decided to take a look inside of what promises to be "London's foremost private hospital."

Nestled in an inconspicuous street in Marylebone, London, there is a hospital. From the outside, the building exudes subtle grandeur — but not enough to turn heads.

This is no ordinary hospital, though. It is King Edward VII's Hospital, which describes itself as "London's foremost private hospital."

For many years, King Edward VII's has played nurse to a very special group of patients: The royal family. 

96-year-old Prince Philip was recently discharged from the hospital after a successful hip operation.

It is also where the Queen had knee surgery and where Kate Middleton was treated for morning sickness. Princess Margaret died in this building.

Clearly, the hospital occupies a special place in the hearts of Britain's monarchy, but why?

Comprising of just 56 beds and boasting more than four nurses to every patient, King Edward VII's promises "dedicated, individual attention."

Scroll on to take a tour of the hospital that gets the royal seal of approval.

Welcome to King Edward VII's Hospital. Here, police stand guard outside the premises as Prince Philip, inside, recovers from a hip operation.

The Prince received plenty of gifts from well-wishers during his stay, from chocolates...

...to large bouquets of flowers.

Drake tied Elvis Presley's number of top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 this week after his latest release, "Nice For What," hit No. 1 on the chart, dethroning his previous No. 1 single, "God's Plan."

The rapper has now earned 25 top-10 singles on Billboard's chart, matching the mark Presley set with 1972's "Burning Love."

Billboard notes that Drake has also added to his record for the most Hot 100 entries among solo acts, with "Nice For What" being his 162nd single on the chart.

Drake still has ground to make up on the list of artists with the most top-10 singles, however. His contemporary Rihanna ranks third with 31 — behind The Beatles and Madonna.

Here are the 14 bands and solo artists with the most Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles:

SEE ALSO: Drake gave away nearly $1 million in the music video for his No. 1 single 'God's Plan'

Jay-Z — 21

Whitney Houston — 23

Paul McCartney — 23

• Some people seem to have been born with confidence.
• But it's something most people have to learn over time.
• According to clinical psychologist Linda Blair, if you always worry about what other people think first, you're not self-confident.

Confidence can sometimes feel unattainable. Some people seem to have it to spare, whereas others can't get through a day without crippling self-doubt.

It can also be hard to work out if you actually have confidence. Some people are highly skilled at putting on a self-assured front, which can mask their deeper insecurities.

According to clinical psychologist Linda Blair, there's one really easy way to tell.

"You'll know you're insecure if your first reaction to any change is what other people think of you in regards to that change, rather than what you think about it," she told Business Insider. "So whenever you're measuring yourself against other people first, you're not sure of yourself, and that's what insecurity is. It's as simple as that, really."

In other words, if you're saying "I did that job as well as I could," you are a pretty secure person. If you're wondering about what other people thought and worrying about outside judgement, you're not.

"If you know you've done well, and other people don't like it, you consider that their problem, not yours," Blair said. "And that doesn't have to be nasty at all — it's just a quiet confidence. I know I did my best, I'm sorry you don't like it, but it's not my issue. It's a wonderful thing to have."

There is a big difference between this attitude and not caring, Blair pointed out. She said the more self-confidence you have, the more you can actually afford to care about what other people think.

For example, if someone at your job wants you to make adjustments or improvements to something you're working on, you're willing to do it for them. You're not offended or hurt by their suggestions because you know you did your best.

Teenagers often feel misunderstood for this reason, Blair said. They work really hard to appear confident when really they're crying out for validation. If parents miss that, teens can feel like nobody knows how they feel.

"Once that settles down, the hormones settle down, and you have a bit more direction… perhaps you have some good friends or a partner, then you begin to reflect on how they can build on what it is they have and what they want to become," Blair said. "And I think that's self confidence."

SEE ALSO: A psychotherapist shares 4 ways you can channel your anxiety into something positive

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• Long-distance relationships can be extremely difficult — you have to over-communicate, sacrifice time with friends and family, and miss out on holidays and birthdays.
• The author was in a long-distance relationship for five years before she relocated to be with her partner.
• Her advice? Consider these eight things be fore committing to a long-distance relationship.

Sometimes couples find themselves living in different cities, states, or countries. As someone who lives in New York City, I never planned on falling in love with a woman from the UK — but it happened.

We had two choices: End the relationship before we got too serious, or stick with it despite the fact that it would be years before we’d be in the same place. We chose the latter.

Thankfully, it worked out for us and now we’re married. But navigating a long-distance relationship isn’t for everyone — it takes a lot of trust, patience, understanding, and most of all, a strong desire to make things work even when it feels impossible.

Here are some things everyone should consider before deciding to commit to a long distance relationship.

SEE ALSO: Moving in with my significant other was challenging — here are 11 things I wish I had known

1. Your social life will likely suffer a little bit — but too much is bad

Wanting to spend as much time as possible talking to my partner in a different time zone meant that I often skipped out on friends and activities to make time for Skype sessions or phone calls.

I didn’t have much of a life outside of our largely virtual relationship, which eventually led to a dearth of conversational topics and a bit of resentment. We did eventually establish a balance, which kept us strong and allowed us to grow.

You should be prepared to occasionally sacrifice time out with your friends or doing activities in order to tend to your relationship, but attending to responsibilities and hobbies outside of the relationship is paramount.

2. Long-distance relationships are extremely expensive.

Whether you're shelling out on train or plane tickets — or just gas for your car — the money you’ll spend on trips to see your partner adds up.

Over the five years my partner and I were together long-distance, I spent an estimated $10,000 just in plane fare.

There’s also the long-distance phone bills, care packages, and the usual anniversary, birthday, and holiday gifts that come with any relationship to consider.

Cost shouldn't deter you from pursuing love, but it can definitely be prohibitive.

3. Sometimes you’ll wonder if you’re making a big mistake.

It’s important to make sure your heart is truly in the relationship as things progress. Once the honeymoon period was over, I sometimes wondered what I was doing. Yes, I loved my partner, but did I want to spend the next few years settling for phone calls, texts, and video chats rather than having real-life experiences with someone in the same city as me?

Ultimately, I always came to the conclusion that the difficulties we were experiencing were all worth it in the end, and questioning our relationship actually strengthened it.

Season one of "Westworld" raised far more questions than it answered. But that's why we loved it.

Like "Game of Thrones," it's one of those shows that spawns theories, making its ambiguity one of the best parts of watching it. Season one's mysterious story, characters, and expansive park left room for a wild second season, which expands beyond Westworld.

Here, we collected our biggest questions after season one that we hope get answered in season two. 

Season two of "Westworld" premieres on HBO Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET.

SEE ALSO: 'Westworld' season 2 is even better than the first and transcends the last sci-fi tropes holding it back

Did Robert Ford want Dolores to kill him?

Ford, played by Anthony Hopkins, was the director of Westworld and one of the cofounders. In the season one finale, we find out that Ford planned a host rebellion, which he called his "final story." At a fancy dinner party, Dolores and other hosts come in and try to wipe out the humans. Dolores shoots Ford in the head. But did Ford intend to die? It seems like he did, but if he didn't that would tell us the hosts are out of his control. 

Are hosts still acting on Fords orders, or do they have complete free will now?

Given that Ford is dead, it would make sense if the hosts, including Bernard, are relieved of the narratives he created for them. But Ford seems to have had a grand plan, which could've been planned to last long term. We think that Maeve acted against Ford's orders by getting off the train in the finale, but what about the other hosts? Does Dolores actually have the free will she thinks she has, or did Ford write that into her narrative? 

Where's Elsie?

Elsie Hughes is the behavioral specialist who Bernard seemingly strangled under Ford's orders. Her fate was left up in the air, and word is she's somewhere in the park. Now that the hosts are in the park and unhinged, we're a bit worried about her. 

On the morning of April 18, 1906, people living in the San Francisco Bay Area awoke to an earthquake. It lasted only a minute, but its consequences would devastate the region.

Louis P. Selby, an amateur photographer, was working in his family's confectionery shop on Market Street when the greatest natural disaster that ever hit San Francisco occurred. Selby grabbed a camera and took to the streets to document the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake.

More than a century later, Selby's grandson published the never-before-seen photos in a book: "When San Francisco Burned: A Photographic Memoir of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906." Here's what happened in San Francisco through the lens of a local.

SEE ALSO: San Francisco's housing market is so dire that people are spending over $1 million on the 'earthquake shacks' built after the 1906 fires

The 1906 earthquake struck San Francisco with a rough magnitude of 7.9 and ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time, because of its severity and the damage it caused.

Source: National Archives

Massive fires followed the earthquake and swallowed entire city blocks whole. The tremors broke the city's water mains, making it nearly impossible for firefighters to quell the blaze.

Source: HISTORY

The fires burned for several days and decimated some 500 city blocks. Half of San Francisco's population — roughly 250,000 people — was left homeless.

Source: National Archives and HISTORY

Most prospective homebuyers know that "cozy" is real estate code for tiny.

In San Francisco real estate, cozy is about all that most residents can afford. A person who wants to buy property in the city needs a household income of $303,000 in order to afford the 20% down payment on a $1.5 million home — the median sale price in San Francisco last quarter.

It should come as little surprise that cottages known as "earthquake shacks" are one of the most desirable real-estate assets in the city. After the 1906 earthquake and fires decimated some 500 city blocks and left half the population homeless, the city responded by building more than 5,000 small wooden cottages as temporary housing. They came to shelter over 16,000 people.

The surviving shacks are scattered across the city and fetch prices above $1 million.

Here's the story of how earthquake shacks came to be.

SEE ALSO: Go inside the hottest neighborhood in San Francisco, where home prices have risen 75% in the last 5 years

On the morning of April 18, 1906, Bay Area residents awoke to an earthquake. It lasted only a minute, but a series of devastating fires followed and decimated 500 city blocks.

Half of San Francisco's population, or about 250,000 people, was left homeless. Most escaped with only the clothes on their back. They were hungry, filthy, and distressed.

In the aftermath, the US Army set up 21 relief camps to shelter 20,000 refugees. The tents worked well enough until winter. The city needed a more substantial solution.

• Most of the Bay Area is highly vulnerable to future earthquakes.
• We asked an architect who specializes in engineering research what San Francisco neighborhood she'd never live in.
• She said her decision was influenced by a variety of factors, but mostly by the area's soil.

There's a 76% chance that the Bay Area will experience a more severe earthquake than 1989's Loma Prieta temblor in the next three decades. On the 112th anniversary of the region's massive 1906 quake on April 18, it's a good time to consider what parts of the city are the most vulnerable to destruction.

The central problem lies in San Francisco's soil.

A lot of it was built on fill added in the latter half of the 19th century by zealous developers wanting to extend the peninsula's real estate. That fill is marshy and prone to movement. When a quake strikes, it behaves more like a liquid than a solid — a phenomenon known as liquefaction.

"There are all different kinds of vulnerabilities," Mary Comerio, an architect who specializes in earthquake engineering research and teaches at the University of California, Berkeley, told Business Insider last September. Comerio considers all of them when she's deciding where to live.

In addition to taking into account the soil's softness in different neighborhoods, "there are also landslides in areas where we’ve built on quite steep hillsides where we probably shouldn’t have," Comerio said.

So-called "soft-story" housing is another consideration. In many places, builders have propped heavy, dense apartments above cavernous garages which buckle when the earth beneath them turns to mush.

With all that in mind, there is one stretch of land she'd never consider: the waterfront.

"I don’t want to live on soft soil. I'd love to be able to walk along the bay but I don’t want to live in that setting because I know it's going to be highly damaged," Comerio said.

Comerio's insistence on considering the soil conditions in an area has become something of an inside joke to her friends and family, she said.

"I always say, 'Honey, I like the soil conditions here.'"

SEE ALSO: Mexico is in the worst possible place for earthquakes — here's why it keeps getting hit

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• A Southwest Airlines airplane suffered a major engine failure during a flight on Tuesday.
• Engine shrapnel pierced the airplane's fuselage, blew out a window, and caused the cabin to depressurize. One passenger died.
• Some passengers wore their oxygen masks incorrectly during the emergency landing, according to a former flight attendant.
• Not breathing enough oxygen at high altitudes can lead to loss of consciousness and hinder evacuation procedures.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 suffered a major engine failure on Tuesday, forcing its pilot to make an emergency landing.

Shrapnel pierced the airplane's fuselage, blew out a window, and caused the cabin of the airplane to depressurize. One passenger died.

The pilot, Tammie Jo Shults, who used to fly US Navy fighter jets, guided the airplane, which took off from New York and was bound for Dallas, to a landing in Philadelphia.

Oxygen masks dropped from the cabin ceiling during the incident, according to a public Facebook post by Marty Martinez, a passenger on the flight.

Bobby Laurie, a former flight attendant who now hosts a TV show, shared one of Martinez's photos on Twitter along with a reminder that people should cover their nose and mouth with an oxygen mask in an emergency.

"PEOPLE: Listen to your flight attendants!" Laurie said. "ALMOST EVERYONE in this photo from @SouthwestAir #SWA1380 today is wearing their mask WRONG."

Why you need oxygen if an aircraft cabin loses pressure

Flying at high altitudes with a hole in an airplane is, to put it lightly, dangerous.

At altitudes above 15,000 feet, people struggle to breathe and keep enough oxygen in their blood. They can lose consciousness within minutes — a condition called hypoxia.

Symptoms of hypoxia include "nausea, apprehension, tunnel vision, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, tingling sensations, numbness, and mental confusion," according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

The problem isn't the percentage of oxygen in the air, which stays relatively constant at about 21% until about 70,000 feet — it's the lack of air pressure.

High pressure makes air dense, which helps force oxygen through lung tissue and into the bloodstream. Insufficient pressure lowers air density, thereby decreasing the amount of available oxygen.

Adding a flow of 100% oxygen helps counter this physiological problem. But you have to wear and use the mask correctly.

If you don't cover both your nose and your mouth with the mask, you may not get enough oxygen into your bloodstream, putting you at risk of losing consciousness.

How correctly wearing an oxygen mask could save your life — and those around you

The Southwest flight's engine failure happened when the plane was about 31,000 feet in the air, based on passenger reports.

Shults descended the airplane to an altitude of 10,000 feet shortly after, according to flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com, and landed the aircraft about 12 minutes after an emergency was declared.

According to a chart from AOPA on "time of useful consciousness," the passengers would have had about 30 seconds to get their masks on after the window blew open.

That flow of oxygen is crucial in emergencies, as passengers who are passed out won't be able to evacuate. And if there's any kind of fire or smoke condition, an unconscious neighbor slumped in an aisle could mean the difference between life and death. That's why masks are designed to deploy immediately.

Southwest public-announcement flashcards posted on Quizlet indicate passengers get these instructions before every takeoff:

"If needed, four oxygen masks will drop from the compartment overhead. To activate the flow of oxygen, pull down on the mask until the plastic tubing is fully extended. Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally.

"Secure the mask with the elastic strap. Although oxygen will be flowing, the plastic bag may not inflate. Continue wearing the mask until otherwise notified by a crew member. If you are traveling with children or anyone needing special assistance, put on your mask first."

Southwest did not immediately respond to Business Insider's questions about the use of oxygen masks on Flight 1380.

An investigation into the incident by the National Transportation Safety Board is underway.

Though concerns about flying and airplane safety permeate popular culture, it's much safer to travel by plane than by car.

The person who died on the Southwest flight on Tuesday was the first fatality in a US passenger airline accident in over nine years. In that time, there were almost 100 million US flights that carried billions of people, according to Bloomberg.

SEE ALSO: A Southwest jet suffered an eerily similar engine failure in 2016

DON'T MISS: 49 'facts' about health we often believe that are misleading, inaccurate, or totally false

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• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson told Rolling Stone that he thought the original ending to his new film "Rampage" was too sad.
• Johnson fought for a different ending and threatened to quit the movie unless it was changed.
• Johnson said he had "built a trust" with his worldwide audience and they come to his movies to feel good.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hated the original ending to his new movie "Rampage" so much that he was going to quit unless it was changed.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Johnson said he doesn't like sad endings because "life brings that s--- — I don't want it in my movies. When the credits roll, I want to feel great."

In the film's original ending (spoiler alert), George — a mutated giant ape with a close bond to Johnson's character — dies after sacrificing himself to stop the other infected monsters. In the finished version, George survives.

"He sacrifices himself like a brave soldier," Johnson told Rolling Stone when describing how others tried to sell him on the original ending. "OK. But this is a movie! There's a crocodile the size of a football stadium – we're not making Saving Private Ryan."

Johnson said that George's fate became the "number one topic of discussion" with the director and producers, and that if George didn't survive, he would have walked away from the movie. 

"My problem is I have a relationship with an audience around the world," he said. "For years I've built a trust with them that they're gonna come to my movies and feel good. So every once in a while, you have to drop this card, which is: You're gonna have to find another actor. We need to figure something out, otherwise I'm not gonna do the movie."

"Rampage" debuted to a huge $55 million in its opening weekend in China (and $35.7 million in the US), proving that he's one of the most recognizable actors in the world, and one of the few who can still bring people to the theater no matter where his movie is showing.

More on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson:

• How The Rock conquered the China box office
• The Rock calls out 'Fast and Furious' stars who complained about his spin-off movie
• Every movie The Rock has starred in, ranked by how much money they made at the U.S. box office
• The Rock describes dealing with depression after his mom's attempted suicide

SEE ALSO: The 25 worst superhero movies of all time, ranked from bad to unwatchable

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Facebook can still track you even if you delete your account — here's how to stop it

• Costco price tags sometimes reveal hidden deals.
• Look for Costco prices tags that end in .97, .88, .00 — or ones that feature asterisks.
• These denote products that have been marked down or won't be restocked.

Costco price tags occasionally reveal deals that are hidden in plain sight.

Business Insider recently asked 38 Costco employees from around the country to share their best tips for getting the best deal, and several of these employees said that members should check price tags carefully when shopping.

Certain symbols and sales prices can signify which products are about to run out, which ones have been marked down, and which items the store is desperate to get rid of.

Once you know this subtle secret code, you can use it to shop smarter and find better deals at your local Costco.

Here's are some tips on how to read the price tags at Costco:

SEE ALSO: Costco employees share the 20 things they wish shoppers would stop doing

DON'T MISS: Costco workers reveal 14 things they'd never buy from the store

DON'T FORGET: Why Costco food courts have charged $1.50 for hot dogs since 1985, according to employees

Asterisks indicate that the product won’t be around for long

A Costco employee of 15 months told Business Insider that seasonal items "that are the last quantities in stock are marked with an asterisk on signage." They added that such products "can be marked down quite a bit."

But, according to The Kitchn, asterisks don't necessarily indicate that the item has been marked down. It's just not going to be restocked — so, if it's a favorite, you should grab it before it's gone.

"Your favorite item may be seasonal, so buy it if you see it," one employee who's worked at Costco for 29 years told Business Insider.

Look carefully at sales prices ending in .97

An employee who's been with Costco for 12 years told Business Insider that items with a sales price ending in .97 are clearance items and have have been marked down from the regular price.

In an article for Tough Nickel, a website dedicated to frugal living, Lee Rapoport wrote, "Unlike all other retailers, Costco doesn't like you to know this, so they don't put the original prices with a slash and then the new price as many stores do."

The website Costco.97 notes that the clearance price could go even lower if the product has been sitting on the shelves for a while at this price. The way to tell is to look at the date code, usually in the bottom right corner of the price tag, and if the last time the price was updated was a few weeks ago, "there's a good chance another round of discounts are coming soon."

Sales prices ending in 9 — other than .99 — may or may not indicate a deal

Rapoport reported that most regularly-priced items have a sales price ending in .99.

But sales prices ending in .89, .79, .69, .59, or .49 can indicate a special deal that Costco got from one of its manufacturers.

The website Costco.97 reported that these sales items "may or may not be a good deal" and that they are "likely products new to the store that are being tested by the manufacturer, so they offer pricing that may be lower than what you'd normally see elsewhere."

On Tuesday night, former first lady Barbara Bush passed away at the age of 92 after battling COPD and congestive heart failure.

With Barbara having served as the "matriarch," the family remains one of the most polarizing and powerful political dynasties in American history.

Most known for putting two of its members in the Oval Office, the family has had members serve in both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. These political successes followed lucrative ventures in both the oil and financial industries.

With the death of the former first lady, we're looking back at how this family came to earn such influence.

The graphic below depicts the family lineage of the Bush dynasty.

Click to learn the epic story of how the Bushes took over America »

SEE ALSO: The epic story of how the Bushes took over America

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why the Saudi crown prince met with Trump, Oprah, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos

• Experiencing a culture's food is one of the most enjoyable parts of travel.
• Amir Benesh, CEO of LVH Global, works with clients whose net worth is between $30 million and $4 billion.
• Many wealthy travelers Benesh works with typically choose places to eat based on quality of food and exclusivity.

Amir Benesh, the CEO of LVH Global— a luxury home rental service that sets up ultra wealthy travelers in mansions, villas, and yachts during their luxurious vacations — knows a thing or two about how the rich like to travel.

"The typical net worth of our clients is between $30 million to $4 billion," Benesh told Business Insider. Most of their clients have an average annual income of $5 million.

A major part of traveling for anyone is experiencing the local food. However, for the ultra rich, getting a reservation at an exclusive spot might be a priority on their list of to-do's.

Benesh has seen many requests come through when it comes to where his clients want to eat. "As for restaurants, the ultra wealthy look for quality food, [and] mostly hype," he said.

"Those two often go hand-in-hand. People like to feel special. So getting into a place that has a reputation of being 'impossible' to get into makes gives people a sense of exclusivity," Benesh said.

Ahead, see where dinner reservations are being made across the world for the ultra wealthy, according to Benesh.

SEE ALSO: Forget the Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton: The most luxurious hotel brands in the world are ones you've likely never heard of

DON'T MISS: The new Ritz-Carlton luxury cruise ships for the '1% of global travelers' look like incredible super yachts — and you can start booking next month

Catch L.A. — Los Angeles, California

This West Hollywood restaurant offers seafood towers starting at $99 and bone-in Ribeye for $105. 

Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare — Brooklyn, New York

A three-Michelin star restaurant, Chef's Table is Japanese inspired, and offers a $394.36 tasting menu.

Alinea — Chicago, Illinois

Alinea is one of the world's best restaurants and serves a multi-sensory, 16- to 18-course menu in the The Gallery Menu and it costs $285 to $345 per person, depending on the day of the week. 

• Life lessons often only come with time and mistakes made.
• Figuring out financial responsibility, the importance of maintaining health, and having patience with my career would have helped me be more successful.
• Here are nine crucial life lessons that I wish someone had told me a decade ago.

When I was in my late 20s, my boss and I used to have epic lunches where we'd chat about life. One day, he told me that when you turn 30, you need to start being responsible. I didn't take him seriously, but now that I'm 40, I wish I had.

Here are nine of the hard-earned lessons I've learned leading up to my fortieth year that I wish someone had told me a decade ago:

SEE ALSO: The lesson I learned in my 30s that changed how I live my life

1. You may see some friends less often, but the bond remains strong

I've found that the closest friends I've had for the past 20 years are the ones from my fraternity — it truly is a forever bond. As life moves on, though, people do, too.

Some of your friends will move to different states, and some will get married, have kids, and end up immersed in a suburban bubble. Your inner circle will become smaller and smaller as you get older.

But that's not to say that the folks you see less often are gone forever. With many of my fraternity brothers, when we get together, we're still able to pick up right where we left off. It's like no time has passed. You just can't get bogged down with wondering when you’ll see them again or feel insecure about why they haven’t called.  

2. Your parents will need taking care of

My parents are on the verge of turning 70, and their health is becoming a concern. Between the two of them they have high cholesterol, hearing loss, and multiple medications, and doctor visits are becoming more and more frequent.

It's important to understand your family’s health and medical history, and to know all of their pertinent information so you can handle any medical situation that may arise.

3. An extravagant wedding is overrated

If there was ever a moment where the idiom "If I knew then what I know now" fits into this post, it pertains to my wedding. Yes, it was beautiful – everyone we wanted was there, we had an outdoor ceremony, the music was amazing, and the caterer's pigs-in-a-blanket were hand-rolled!

But weddings can be uber-expensive, especially in the New York City area. Planning a wedding often causes stress for the bride and groom and strife among the parents paying for it.

If you really want to have a wedding, focus on curating your guest list, paring it down only to the folks who must be there. Do what I would do now if I had the chance to do it all again: Take a long and lovely honeymoon and start your life together without this nuptial nonsense.

• The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai is the largest Starbucks in the world with a total square-footage of 30,000 square feet.
• The Roastery features in-house roasting, three coffee bars, an augmented reality experience designed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and a special Teavana tea bar.
• It feels like an amusement park or coffee. Since opening in December, the cafe is usually packed with customers and, at peak times, has a line out the door.

Is the thing missing from your daily cup of coffee a wild amusement park-like experience complete with bustling crowds, whizzing pipes, and a gift shop?

Starbucks is hoping so. 

It's proving true in Shanghai at least, where the company opened the largest Starbucks in the world in December. The Reserve Roastery, the second of its kind, is a 30,000 square-foot two-story tribute to coffee and tea — it's in China, after all.

The Reserve Roastery Shanghai, located on the city's biggest shopping thoroughfare and surrounded by luxury shops, is the company's attempt to restore the company's reputation as a premium brand.

From the two-story bronze cask at the center of the store to the nitrogen-infused tea drinks to an augmented reality experience created by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, it's clear that Starbucks has pulled out all the stops. 

The effort — one small facet of the company's extensive investment in China— seems to have paid off. At least at the Reserve location. Since opening, the location has remained packed from opening to closing.

I recently visited the Starbucks while in Shanghai to see what all the hubbub was about.

SEE ALSO: We partied at the exclusive, sexy Hong Kong party with the art world’s elite on a 62,000-square-foot floating restaurant — here’s what it was like

The Starbucks is located on Nanjing Road, Shanghai's version of New York City's Fifth Avenue or Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. The area is dominated by high-end luxury stores and shopping malls.

I arrived at the Starbucks early in the morning. Any time past mid-morning and I risked waiting in a line that stretches for blocks. Since opening in December, the Starbucks — the largest in the world and the company's second Reserve Roastery — has become a major tourist attraction for Shanghainese locals and visiting Chinese.

I had seen the lines on my previous two days in Shanghai. Even when I arrived in the morning, the cafe was bustling. There were few seats available and a sense of chaos as I struggled to figure out where to order. It felt like being at the hottest bar in town on a Friday night.

Over the course of five generations, the Bush and Walker clans have amassed fortunes and political power beyond belief. The family is worth a reported $400 million and has seated two members in the Oval Office.

With the death of the former first lady Barbara Bush at age 92, we're looking back at how his family came to earn such influence.

This retrospective includes insights from Jacob Weisberg's exhaustive biography, "The Bush Tragedy" and more, as well as vintage photos.

Here's how the Bush family became an American dynasty:

SEE ALSO: Inside the 'storybook' marriage of Barbara and George HW Bush — who were married longer than any first couple, and still said 'I love you' every night

DON'T MISS: 12 quotes that show why Barbara Bush was such a beloved first lady

Samuel Prescott Bush, son of a minister, lay the foundation for the family’s fortune. Known as the grand patriarch of the Bush clan, he was an Ohio steel and railroad executive.

He worked his way up from an apprenticeship to become president of Buckeye Steel Castings Co., the country's third largest producer of steel couplers at the turn of the century. Samuel rubbed elbows with the Rockefellers and cofounded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Sources: Columbus Business First, The New York Times

Samuel had a son who wanted nothing to do with his father’s manufacturing ventures. He would carve his own success story.

• Norwegian teens on the cusp of graduating high school celebrate "russefeiring" or "the russ" — a celebration like no other in the world. 
• The wild month-long event is centered on drinking, party buses, and wild challenges. 
• The russ dominates teens' social media in Norway for the month, giving outsiders a window into the wild party. 

Forget the "American Pie" movies — American teens can learn a thing or two about partying from their Norwegian counterparts. 

Every year, Norwegian teens on the cusp of graduating from high school celebrate "russefeiring" or "the russ," a month-long celebration centered on drinking, party buses, and wild challenges. 

Partying during the wild month often reaches absurd peaks. On Wednesday, Norway's national transport regulator put out a formal statement discouraging high school graduates from "running naked across bridges and having sex on roundabouts lest they give drivers 'too much of a surprise,'" Reuters reported. 

"In the American movies, we get the impression that they are so crazy. But we have the craziest celebrations here in Norway," Fredrik Helgesen, a student leader of the russ committee, told the Associated Press. "I don’t think anything in the world is like this."

Students aggressively document russefeiring celebrations on social media, giving the rest of the world a look into the wild — and sometimes just bizarre — celebration.

Here's what it's like to experience what is quite possibly the craziest teen rager in the world. 

SEE ALSO: Chipotle is banking on breakfast and drive-thrus to turn around the chain, according to billionaire investor Bill Ackman

The russ starts in mid-April and lasts until Norwegian National Day on May 17.

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Revelers are immediately recognizable by their red and blue overalls — or russebukse — a crucial part of russ.

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Russebukse are for sale on the official russ website, but many people choose to personalize their overalls.

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