• Stephen Colbert on Tuesday mocked Infowars host Alex Jones for getting removed from the online platforms of companies like Facebook, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify this week. 
• The "Late Show" host brought back a Jones-like character called Tuck Buckford to parody Jones and Infowars in reaction to the news.

Stephen Colbert on Tuesday mocked Infowars' host Alex Jones over the news that companies like Facebook, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify had kicked his show off of their online platforms this week.

"Why now? Why did this happen now?” the "Late Show" host asked in his monologue. "Alex Jones has been spreading vile conspiracy theories that hurt real people for years. Well, Jones earned this latest scrutiny when he addressed Russia investigation Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his show, imitated firing a gun, and said, 'You’re going to get it, or I'm going to die trying.'"

"OK, that is awful, but it's actually pretty close to my message to Mueller: 'You’re going to get him, or I’m going to die crying,'" Colbert joked, in reference to President Trump.

Colbert then brought back a Jones-like character called Tuck Buckford that he debuted earlier this year to parody Jones and InfoWars.  

Buckford, host of a show called "Brain Fight," said he has been facing "similar struggles" to Jones.

"Listen up, Brain Fight nation, the Brain Fighters, the Brain Nation, the skull meat, let's talk about the elephant in the room,"  Colbert's Buckford said. "The martyrdom of old Tuck Buckford at the hands of Silicon Valley snow boys and soy flakes."

“It's a slippery slope," he continued. "If they can de-platform Tuck Buckford, next thing you know they’ll be coming after me for so-called child support which I 'owe' to my 'ex-wife' who I 'miss desperately.'"

Mocking Jones' pleading with Trump on Monday to fight the "censorship" against him, Buckford added, "President Trump, I need you to do the right thing, all right? Help Tuck. Venmo me fifty bucks, or China will win the midterms."  

Watch the segment below:

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Join the conversation about this story »

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Robots could kill off jobs in the future — but at least they come bearing pizza.

Founded in 2015, Zume Pizza uses robotics and artificial intelligence to make pizza more quickly. Machines press mounds of dough, squirt and spread sauce, and lift pizzas in and out of the oven, in a fraction of the time it would take human workers to do the same.

Now SoftBank is in talks to invest up to $750 million in Zume, Bloomberg reports. The cash infusion could help ramp up the pizza delivery company's side hustle, creating technology for other restaurants that want to get into the automated food truck game.

An increasing number of pizza eaters are ditching legacy brands like Domino's and Pizza Hut for newer fast-casual and delivery chains. In 2016, Business Insider toured Zume's headquarters in Mountain View, California, to see if the pizza is as good as its tech.

SEE ALSO: What it's like when SoftBank founder Masa Son wants to invest over $100 million into your company

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This is no ordinary pizza. It was made by robots.

The concept of a robot-powered pizza delivery service came from friends and cofounders Julia Collins and Alex Garden, who wanted to make high-quality pizza more affordable.

Collins graduated from Stanford Business School, worked as an analyst under Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer, and helped launch New York City fast-casual chain Mexicue. She knew pumping pies full of chemical adulterants wasn't the answer — tech was.

• Mattress startup Casper will open 200 stores in the United States after opening its first permanent location in New York in February, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. 
• These stores are likely to be similar to the New York store, which is designed to be a testing ground for the company to trial new products and see how customers interact with them. 
• Casper CEO Philip Krim told the Journal that the company plans to test out the model of the stores and adjust them based on feedback from customers.

Casper is opening 200 stores. 

Just months after it launched its first permanent location in New York, the online-mattress startup confirmed plans to drastically grow its store count across the US, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Casper CEO Philip Krim told the Journal that sales have grown more quickly in markets where the company has opened temporary stores.

"It's a way to educate new consumers," he said, adding that the new stores will help the company to market its other sleep-related products, such as pillows, bed linen, and dog beds, which were more recently rolled out.

Since it launched online in 2014, Casper has become one of the biggest disruptors in the mattress industry. Customers can order the product online, trial it for 100 days, and return it if they don't like it. Total sales reached more than $600 million in 2017, and it has diversified from its core mattress product to sell all things sleep-related. 

It has also expanded its mattress range to offer more pieces — a queen-sized mattress, for example, can cost from $600 for a standard mattress up to $1,850 for a more technical piece.

50 Cent is an investor, as is Target, which now stocks Casper products in more than 1,000 of its stores across the US.

After running a series of pop-ups around the country, Casper opened its first permanent store in New York in February. The digital retailer is entering the brick-and-mortar game as legacy stores such as Mattress Firm succumb to the pressures of the retail apocalypse, scale back, and shutter stores. But Casper told Business Insider that it has a strategy to make it work. 

"It's all about creating an amazing experience. It will be a zero-pressure environment with no commission sales people," cofounder and chief operating officer Neil Parikh told Business Insider.

We visited the store shortly after it opened earlier this year. See what it's like: 

SEE ALSO: These photos of empty stores reveal why people are going crazy over a wild Mattress Firm conspiracy theory

The New York store is located in Manhattan's Noho area, on the popular shopping street Broadway. It took the design team a year to create the concept and just over a week to get it up and running. When we visited, parts of the store were still under construction.

Casper wants to eliminate the mindset that shopping for a mattress has to be a dreary experience by creating an engaging space where customers can trial products and have fun. There are no salespeople working on commission. "It's really meant to be the antithesis of a traditional mattress retailer," Emma Frane, communications director at Casper, told Business Insider.

"We want to create places that are fun and exciting. More like the Apple stores and less like a traditional mattress store, where you're like, 'Ugh, I have to go take a shower after I've been inside,'" Parikh said.

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced changes to the 2019 Oscar telecast.
• It will be a three-hour telecast.
• A new "popular film" category is being put in place.

On Wednesday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced some major changes to the 2019 Oscars telecast, and one in particular has made people furious on social media.

The Academy revealed that along with promising a three-hour show (it usually always goes closer to four), the 91st Academy Awards will also have a new category "designed around achievement on popular film."

The idea of there being "best picture" and "popular film" categories has led to an uproar on social media as many are confused how you can differentiate the two. Are those films in the best picture category now deemed unpopular? And are the popular films going to be considered not good enough to make it in the best picture category? And will titles be eligible for both categories? (The Academy says eligibility requirements and other key details will be forthcoming.)

This is the latest attempt by the Oscars to gain more viewership. Previously, the Oscars expanded its best picture category to go as high as 10 titles in the hopes that more audience favorites would be included. 

Though the Oscars is the biggest night in Hollywood, for most of the world it's become tired and not relevant to today's moviegoing habits. This year's best picture Oscar went to Fox Searchlight's "The Shape of Water," by director Guillermo del Toro (who also won the best director Oscar). The movie only made $195 million worldwide at the box office.

This has led to low ratings, with this year hitting an all-time low in viewership.

Along with the Academy board of governors passing these tweaks, it also announced that the 2020 telecast will air even earlier, on February 9.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's new show "Insatiable" is an offensive mess that goes way beyond fat shaming

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• Jack in the Box released a controversial ad for its new teriyaki bowls, and critiques are pouring in.
• The fast-food chain's mascot uses the word "bowls" as a play on words.
• He is seen telling other men in his office they have "nice bowls" as one woman says "Everyone is going to want to get their hands on Jack’s bowls."
• AdWeek's David Griner called the commercial "one of the most tone-deaf ads of the #MeToo era."

Fast-food chain Jack in the Box is under fire for a sexual innuendo-laden TV advertisement that critics have called "tone deaf."

The company launched a commercial featuring its mascot and fictitious CEO, Jack, bragging about the burger chain's new teriyaki bowls.

Jack, who wears a fake clown-like head, is seen using the word "bowls" as a play on words suggesting to viewers that he's actually referencing male genitalia.

"While other burger places serve the same old stuff, I'm the only one with the bowls to serve something different," Jack says as he compliments male colleagues for their "nice bowls."

In the clip, each person is seen holding two bowls near their waistlines.

One female colleague agrees that her co-worker has "nice bowls" while another says: "Everyone is going to want to get their hands on Jack's bowls."

In another scene, an executive tells Jack that he can't use such language in an advertisement. Jack seems baffled as to why he wouldn't be able to tell people, "Enjoy my bowls."

AdWeek's David Griner called the commercial "one of the most tone-deaf ads of the #MeToo era."

"In perhaps its most telling moment, the ad tries to go meta by having a lawyer explain to Jack that the campaign is inappropriate, but (in a commendable accurate portrayal of male executives), he doesn't understand what the fuss is about," Griner wrote.

Other brand strategists on Twitter also criticized the ad, saying it's "not the right time" for such content.

Jack in the Box and the ad agency behind the campaign, David and Goliath, have defended the commercial.

"[A]s a brand known by its fans for its tongue-in-cheek, playful sense of humor, this ad is simply a creative and humorous expression around the teriyaki bowl product," the companies said in a joint statement to CBS News.

The statement continued: "It intends to highlight how a burger brand such as Jack in the Box dares to go beyond the usual fast food fare and serve something different."

In a description to the advertisement uploaded to YouTube, the chain also defends the commercial.

"Jack in the Box wants it to be known that any of the following phrases are simply a reference to Jack's delicious Teriyaki Bowls," the description reads.

But some consumers are not having it, and tweeted their critiques of the ad:

SEE ALSO: Papa John's reportedly considered hiring Kanye West as a co-spokesperson with 'Papa John'

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• Elizabeth Taylor's  former home in Beverly Hills is on the market for $15.9 million. 
• Taylor lived in the home in the 1950s with her second husband, Michael Wilding, and their two children, before their divorce in 1957. 
• The home sits on two acres of land and boasts city and ocean views. 

  ---

Elizabeth Taylor's former Beverly Hills mansion is back on the market for the first time in 21 years.

The "Cleopatra" and "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" actress lived in the home in the 1950s with her second husband, British actor Michael Wilding. The pair lived with their two sons, Michael and Christopher, before their divorce in 1957. 

The 7,761-square-foot mansion was originally built in 1953 by architect George McLean, and is now on the market for $15.9 million.

Take a look inside to see where the legendary movie star once lived. 

SEE ALSO: Nobody wants to buy the world's largest log cabin

The Beverly Hills mansion Elizabeth Taylor once shared with her second husband, Michael Wilding, is on the market for $15.9M.

The famous couple lived in the home with their two children from 1954 until their divorce in 1957. 

The traditional-style home sits on two acres of secluded land and boasts views of downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific ocean.

Allegedly, MGM studios loaned the Hollywood couple money to buy the house. 

Taylor and her husband are rumored to have bought the one-story home after scaling the fence to take a peek inside.

The current homeowners purchased the house for $2 million in 1997 and didn't have to scale the fence. 

• One of the most important parts of parenting is showing a child how to be confident.
• But you may be confused as to how to raise a child who has high self-esteem.
• It starts with complimenting their efforts, talking openly about their emotions, and letting them know it's okay to make mistakes.

Confidence is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child. 

Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist and author of 15 parenting books, told Business Insider that a kid who lacks confidence will be reluctant to try new or challenging things because they're scared of failing or disappointing others.

This can end up holding them back later in life and prevent them from having a successful career.

"The enemies of confidence are discouragement and fear," he told Business Insider. 

Luckily, confidence is something you can encourage even in a child's earliest years. With "emotional coaching," Terri Apter, psychologist and author of seven books on family, wrote that parents can raise children who are comfortable with solving problems, managing their emotions, and socializing.

Here are 21 more tips for raising a confident child, from Pickhardt, Apter, and other child psychologists.

SEE ALSO: I asked two relationship experts how to keep young kids from eroding your marriage

Appreciate effort no matter if they win or lose

Applauding your child's effort is more important than what they actually did, Pickhardt said.

Whether they manage to score the winning goal or kick it out of bounds, your child shouldn't be embarrassed for trying. 

"Over the long haul, consistently trying hard builds more confidence than intermittently doing well," he said.

Encourage practice to build competence

Encourage your child to invest lots of time in whatever it is they're interested in, Pickhardt said. As they improve at the task at hand, they'll become more confident in their growing abilities. 

Don't distinguish between activities that seem practical, like building robots, over, say, starting a rock band. Discouraging certain activities over others can make a child feel like their interests aren't important.

Let them figure out problems by themselves

• Awkward moments are a part of life. But certain awkward situations wouldn't have been possible a few decades ago.
• For example: updating your LinkedIn profile, thereby making your boss suspicious that you're looking for new jobs.
• Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman recommends dealing with the situation, learning from it, and moving on, instead of dwelling.

Awkward moments aren't unique to modern-day life. But there are certain types of awkward situations that previous generations never could have imagined.

Think accidentally liking someone's Instagram photo from five years ago, making it clear that you were social-media stalking them. Or inadvertently sending a mean-spirited text message ... to the person you were talking about. Yikes!

Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert, the author of Modern Etiquette for a Better Life, and the founder of The Protocol School of Texas, calls situations like these "oh well moments."

If you accidentally liked someone's old Facebook update, "either unlike it or let it go," she said. If you were tagged in a photo at a friend's birthday party when you were supposed to be at another friend's get-together, "just say, 'I'm sorry. It was difficult for me to tell you I did not want to go.'"

Below, we've listed seven of the most cringeworthy scenarios that could only happen in contemporary life.

Instead of freaking out, Gottsman recommends using each of these experiences as a "lesson learned," so you know what kind of behavior to avoid in the future.

SEE ALSO: Here's exactly what to say in 10 of the most awkward moments you'll have in a new relationship

Your employee called in sick but posted an Instagram pic of their beach vacation

Alison Green, author of the Ask a Manager column, has heard this scenario before.

In her opinion, it's more about whether you trust your employee and less about the specific sick days they've taken.

Still, Green recommends that you say something like this:

"I've noticed that a few times when you've been out sick recently, you've posted photos to social media that made it look like you were doing something else that day. I’m sure you weren’t — I realize people post photos all the time that weren’t taken on that same day, and more importantly, I trust you.

"But it occurred to me that junior employees who are also connected to you on social media and who have to cover your work when you're out are also seeing these and may not have that perspective."

You want to update your LinkedIn profile to look for new jobs

Michael Lando at Glassdoor puts it succinctly: "If your boss gets that upset over a LinkedIn update (updating your LinkedIn can be considered professional development) you probably aren’t working for someone who wants to see you succeed."

That said, if you're really concerned about giving your boss reason to be suspicious, Lando advises transparency. You might send them an email saying: "I was looking at my LinkedIn profile, and I noticed that there are a lot of projects and responsibilities that I haven't included, so I'm going to be adding some additional information in the next few days."

LinkedIn is clear though: If you're actively searching for a job on the app, they won't send any updates to your network.

You were tagged in a photo of a friend's party when you were supposed to be somewhere else

Busted.

The key to making sure this doesn't happen again is learning how to decline invitations with confidence and grace.

Behavioral investigator Vanessa Van Edwards recommends not giving any excuse when you turn down an invitation. "Say 'thank you' and just say 'no,'" Van Edwards said.

Etiquette expert Rosalinda Oropeza Randall has another suggestion: "It's not going to work out tonight. I'm so sorry." That way, you'll be less likely to get in trouble.

• Staycation getaways are perfect for vacationers looking to save money and time while still having a "getaway" experience.
• Despite Los Angeles' perfect summer weather and beautiful beaches, you may be interested in a quick weekend break from the city.
• LA has staycation options for every kind of traveler, whether you're seeking an adventurous hike or a trip to a luxurious resort and spa.
• Here are five LA staycation getaways you need to try this summer.

One of my favorite things to do in Los Angeles is spend a weekend in a neighborhood I don't live in. Though I've been in LA for more than four years and currently live in Los Feliz, I still feel like there's so much of the city I haven't had the chance to see.

Even though it's forever sunny in LA, the working grind, smoggy air, andbumper-to-bumper traffic can get to me. Sometimes you need a change of scenery and a break from work — especially during the summer, when half your office is on vacation.

Even if you’re working your dream job and enjoying summer Fridays, things at work can start to feel a little drab.   

Enter: the LA staycation. It's a way to fall back in love with the city and go into full vacation mode without using any vacation days (or booking a plane ticket).

Interest in staycations seem to be on the rise. Between 2012 and 2017, Google searches for the word “staycation” increased steadily year over year, according to Google Trends. Searches peak in the summertime, when people want to be sipping cocktails by a pool, but can’t necessarily afford to do so in the Cayman Islands. In 2015, Millennials reported taking three staycations in the past year, according to the USA Today.

LA is such a versatile city that there are staycation options for every kind of traveler — whether you’re frugal, looking for a luxury excursion, a laze-by-the-pool type, or would much rather be hiking in the wilderness.

Here are five LA staycations to consider this summer:

SEE ALSO: 10 tips for planning the perfect staycation

1. Beach camping in Malibu

That's right, you can legitimately camp at some of the beaches in Malibu. There's nothing like taking in a sunset in Malibu, staying the night, and then watching the sun rise the next morning.

You get all the benefits of a luxury view for a fraction of the price.

To keep your costs down, grocery shop on your way up and pack a cooler with most of the food you'll need. You don't even need to sleep in a tent — just put your sleeping bag on the beach and fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean.

If you’re looking for a hike during the day, I recently hiked Point Dume Nature Preserve, which was lowkey but yielded some stunning coastline views. For something more intense, try the hike to Escondido Falls.

2. Have a downtown weekend filled with art, breweries, and good eats

I'm a huge fan of downtown LA, because when you live in a city that's really just 20 suburbs strung together, it somehow feels exciting to be surrounded by tall buildings and the bustle of downtown.

Stay at the Hotel Indigo, where you might learn quite a bit about the city you thought you knew so well. The hotel partnered with Cartwheel Art to offer an "Underground LA" tour that explores downtown the city’s Prohibition-era underground tunnels and speakeasies.

While you’re downtown, have lunch at Grand Central Market, a beer (or two) at Mikkeller, and an inventive Mexican meal at Broken Spanish.

3. Unleash your inner surf bum in Venice

There is no better aesthetic, in my opinion, than a Venice Beach bungalow. Rent one along the Venice canals and treat yourself to a glorious beach day — and maybe even a surf lesson.

Or rent fat-tire bikes for a ride along the strand. Enjoy a meal at sprawling bakery/deli Gjusta, where the bustling and picturesque outdoor patio truly feels like taking a holiday in and of itself.

• Detailing is the process of deep-cleaning a vehicle.
• It's more expensive than a regular car wash, at around $100, but it's typically done by pros
• Once a year should do the trick.

Detailing.

It sounds so, you know, involved. Can't you just wash your car in the driveway as have countless generations before, or simply run it through a car wash once a month?

Sure, that would all be fine. You should wash your car about every month and wax it a few times per year, to keep the exterior finish in good shape.

But the daily grind still takes its toll — more so if you have pets, children, or use your vehicle for gardening/home-improvement duty or lead an active outdoorsy lifestyle. You don't even what to know what three kids did to my Honda Odyssey minivan on a regular basis.

My argument is that it's worth it, once a year, to spend $100 to have your car detailed, which just means that in addition to a through exterior wash-and-wax, a professional detailer or full-service car wash will get down and dirty with the interior, extracting as much filth as possible. You'll be shocked at how, well, new your old car looks. And in some cases, a mobile detailer will come to you, so you don't have to leave home!

I've chosen the $100 figure because that's a decent ballpark for proper detailing. You can spend extra for ever-more surgical obsessiveness, involving compressed air, Q-Tips, X-Acto knives, whatever it takes.

You also don't have to spend that much for less thorough quasi-detailing. This option will consume far less time. I recently paid about $30 to have my Toyota Prius washed, waxed, and more heavily cleaned inside than usual. The entire process ate up about half an hour on a weekend. I ended up with a quite tidy hybrid.

Ultimately, there are three main reasons to undertake this yearly or bi-annual ritual (if you opt for the cheaper treatment, which could also be a quarterly thing).

1. Your vehicle isn't gross and is, therefore, a more pleasant place to spend time.

You don't have to be a neat-freak to be depressed if your car slips over the edge into Superfund site. Months of spilled coffee, scattered Doritos, and the simple churn of stuff will do it.

2. It maintains the resale value.

A sharp interior helps you get top-dollar for a trade-in or private sale, no doubt about it. And in an era when everybody shops based on internet photos, the cleaner the better.

3. You support your friendly neighborhood car wash.

I can get a basic wash in my neighborhood for less than $10. And I do. But every so often, it's a good idea to accept the upsells so that your local business can make more money and, you know, stay in business.

SEE ALSO: I drove a $77,000 GMC Yukon Denali to see if the massive SUV lives up to its premium reputation — here's the verdict

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• A car parked in direct sunlight on an 72-degree day can reach an internal 119 degrees in an hour.
• There are certain things that you should never leave in a car in the summer, like pets, tech devices, and plastic, due to the risk of damage from heat exposure.
• Here are 10 things you should never leave in your car on a hot summer's day.

Two things are more likely to happen to your car in the summer than in any other month. First, the summer season sees more car thefts than any other time of year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And when your car is stolen, so is anything of value that you happened to leave inside it.

Second, research conducted by Jan Null of San Francisco State University found that a car parked in direct sunlight on a day with an outside temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit can reach an interior temperature as hot as 119 degrees within an hour. So even if your car isn't stolen this summer, everything inside could end up baking in the heat and getting damaged if you're not careful.

To avoid ruining your stuff, you can just remove items at risk of heat damage from your car. Which items fall under that category? Quite a few, as it turns out. Here are 10 things you should never leave in your car on a hot day.

SEE ALSO: 7 luxurious resorts where rich people spend their summer vacations

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1. People and pets

Even on a day with cooler temperatures, children and pets in cars are still at risk, as the temperatures inside a parked car can still spike to life-threatening levels, according to a 2005 study by the Stanford University School of Medicine. "There are cases of children dying on days as cool as 70 degrees Fahrenheit," lead author Catherine McLaren, MD, clinical instructor of emergency medicine told Stanford Medicine.

Even if you're running into a store for a single item or even just to drop off a pre-stamped letter at the post office, if something unexpected comes up and prolongs your task, you just put the living thing left behind at grave risk.

2. Medicine

Extreme heat can reduce the efficacy of certain medicines, Dr. Sarah Westberg, PharmD, an associate dean at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, told NPR.

"Pharmaceutical manufacturers recommend most of their products be stored at a controlled room temperature of 68 to 77 degrees," Dr. Skye McKennon, PharmD, told the New York Times.

When you get out of your car, you're better off taking your medications with you than leaving them.

3. Plastic water bottles and food containers

If you leave plastic food or drink containers in a sweltering car, you could end up ingesting something harmful. Plastics can leach various potentially dangerous substances into their contents, including BPA, which may alter hormones over time and potentially increase risk for certain endocrine disorders.

• Because of a state law written to benefit farmers, a goat herd is helping President Donald Trump pay thousands of dollars less in property taxes on his New Jersey properties.
• Estimates suggest that Trump pays fewer than $1,000 in property taxes a year on land that would typically require roughly $80,000 in taxes.

President Donald Trump is able to pay tens of thousands of dollars less in property taxes on his New Jersey golf courses because of a goat herd, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Public records show that Trump has been able to save thousands of dollars in property taxes on his two properties in Bedminster and Colts Neck, New Jersey. Because of his goat herd, as well as hay farming and wood cutting on his properties, New Jersey law permits Trump to receive a farmland tax break.

Therefore, Trump pays reduced property taxes on the parts of his golf courses dedicated to farming.

Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster maintains 113 acres of hay farming and eight goats, and his property in Colts Neck has 40 acres of hay production and trees, according to tax-break applications WSJ reviewed in 2016 during the presidential campaign.

Estimates suggest that Trump pays less than $1,000 in property taxes a year on his two properties hat would typically require one to pay roughly $80,000 in taxes per year, according to The Journal.

The farmland assessment program that Trump is benefitting from was added to New Jersey's constitution in 1963 to prevent overdevelopment in the already-crowded Garden State.

The tax break is considered both popular and controversial in New Jersey, a state that has some of the highest property taxes in the country and is trying to maintain a semblance of its agricultural history as the state's population density continues to rise.

Trump's New Jersey properties, both of which are located in wealthy areas of the state known for their horse farms, were last approved by local tax assessors for farmland assessments in 2015, according to the report.

His qualification under the New Jersey farmland assessment program is not the first time that Trump has received a tax break for one of his properties. Trump famously received massive tax breaks from New York City on some of his most notable real estate projects, including Trump Tower and The Grand Hyatt.

The president is spending his "working vacation" at Bedminster this week.

SEE ALSO: US government reportedly spent at least $60,000 at Trump's Scottish golf resort

DON'T MISS: Trump is on a 'working vacation' at his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Here's how his vacation time compares to past presidents.

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• Rep. Chris Collins, a New York Republican, was arrested by the FBI and charged with securities fraud.
• Federal prosecutors say Collins engaged in insider trading of the stock of Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian biotech company for which Collins was a board member.
• A congressional ethics report in 2017 found that the congressman was able to buy discounted Innate stock that was not available to the public.

Rep. Chris Collins, a New York Republican, was arrested Wednesday by the FBI and indicted on allegations of securities fraud.

The indictment accuses Collins of passing nonpublic information about a tiny Australian biotech company whose board he served on, Innate Immunotherapeutics, to his son, Cameron, that was then used to make timely trades of stock. Cameron Collins is accused of giving that information to Stephen Zarsky, his fiancée's father, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors say the trades were made before the release of clinical-trial results for one of Innate's drugs in development.

According to the indictment, Innate's drug MIS416 was undergoing clinical trials early last year. They appeared promising at the time. But on June 22, 2017, researchers informed Innate's CEO that the drug had failed the trial.

Innate's CEO then informed board members, including Collins, of the trial failure. Prosecutors say Collins told his son of the drug trial's failure the same day, prompting Cameron to sell his US shares of Innate the next morning. According to the indictment, Cameron Collins sold a little over 1.3 million shares of Innate between June 23 and June 26, the day the trial results became public.

In addition to Zarsky, the younger Collins is accused of passing the information to a handful of other associates including Cameron's then-girlfriend, Zarsky's wife, and others who executed similar sales. All told, prosecutors say the people involved in the indictment avoided $768,000 in losses.

Collins, Cameron, and Zarsky are also alleged to have lied to federal investigators looking into the stocks sales.

In a statement following the news, attorneys for Collins said they planned to "mount a vigorous defense to clear his good name."

"It is notable that even the government does not allege that Congressman Collins traded a single share of Innate Therapeutics stock," the statement said."We are confident he will be completely vindicated and exonerated."

House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that Collins would be stripped of his congressional committee assignment while the case in ongoing and demanded an ethic investigation.

"While his guilt or innocence is a question for the courts to settle, the allegations against Rep. Collins demand a prompt and thorough investigation by the House Ethics Committee," Ryan said in a statement. "Insider trading is a clear violation of the public trust. Until this matter is settled, Rep. Collins will not be serving on the House Energy and Commerce Committee."

Collins' stock-trading activities came under scrutiny last year when it was revealed that the congressman recommended Innate to several colleagues, including Tom Price, the former secretary of health and human services. Collins was a board member of the company and was Innate's second-largest shareholder as of June 2017.

In October, the Office of Congressional Ethics determined that Collins might have violated House rules and federal law with his trading activities.

"Representative Collins may have also purchased discounted Innate stock that was not available to the public and that was offered to him based on his status as a Member of the House of Representatives," the report said. "If Representative Collins purchased discounted stock that was not available to the public and that was offered to him based on his status as a Member of the House of Representatives, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law."

Collins, who represents New York's 27th Congressional District, has served in Congress since 2013. He was Donald Trump's first congressional backer in the 2016 election cycle.

A press conference by the US attorney for the Southern District of New York regarding the charges is expected later Wednesday.

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• Beards remain extremely popular, especially among millennials. 
• The era of beards is causing problems in the razor industry, with sales falling by 5.1% over the last year.
• Razor makers like Gillette are scrambling to find a way to survive in the age of the beard.

The era of the beard lives on in 2018 — and it could be deadly news for the razor industry. 

The rise of the laid-back approach to shaving, most popular among men under the age of 45, is causing some serious problems and strategic readjustments in the razor industry, CNN's Nathaniel Meyersohn reports. 

"Today, men are not judged negatively when they skip a shave — it is not considered lazy or disrespectful," Massimiliano Menozzi, the vice president of Gillette North America, told CNN. 

According to Gillette, studies show that the average number of times men shave per month has fallen from 3.7 to 3.2 over the last decade. And, that is resulting in some actual problems in the razor industry, with sales falling 5.1% by June 2018 compared to the year prior. 

With the downturn, CNN reports that razor makers are scrambling to adjust.

Gillette staged an "intervention" last year, slashing prices by an average of 12% and pushing facial-hair-maintenance tools like a beard trimmer. Edgewell, the parent company of brands like Edge, Schick, and Personna, is pushing e-commerce and relaunching its Schick Hydro brand in October. Razor startup Harry's raised $112 million in a round of financing earlier this year to move beyond men's grooming. 

There may be hope on the horizon. Edgewell CFO Rod R. Little said in a call with investors on Tuesday that the company is betting that due to the "cyclical nature of facial hair," the clean-shaven look should be back in due time. 

However, people have been calling for the end of the Age of the Hipster Beard for years now. Perhaps it is simply time to embrace a bearded generation of millennials and see whether the razor industry adapts or dies. 

SEE ALSO: Alaska is closing the last of its Blockbuster stores. Here's what it was like to visit the last frontier of the video-rental chain before it went extinct.

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• Ritz-Carlton cruise ships are designed like yachts and come with 149 suites — each with their own private terrace — accommodating up to 298 guests.
• The Ritz-Carlton cruise line will begin sailing in 2020. 
• Reservations for the inaugural season of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection opened in June.

Last year the Ritz-Carlton Hotel revealed plans for a luxury cruise line, with three cruise ships set to begin sailing in 2020. Now, reservations are open for its inaugural season.

Somewhere between a private super yacht and a small ocean liner, the Ritz-Carlton cruise ships will accommodate the "the 1% of global travelers," according to Bloomberg. Starting prices for voyages can range anywhere from $3,100 to $10,100, depending on length of trip and location.

The new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is designed to defy all cruise ship stereotypes, with larger rooms, relaxing common spaces, and an on-board spa. The cruise ships boast 149 suites — each with their own private terrace — accommodating up to 298 guests. There will also be high-end dining options, including a restaurant from Sven Elverfeld of Aqua— the three Michelin-starred restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg.

"This unique combination of yachting and cruising will usher in a new way of luxury travel for guests seeking to discover the world," said Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in a press release.

"From the yacht’s design, to programming onboard and ashore, every aspect of the voyage has been carefully created to embody the signature service and casual luxury of a Ritz-Carlton resort," said Lisa Holladay, Global Brand Leader for The Ritz-Carlton, in the most recent news release.

Ahead, a look at one of the designs for the Ritz-Carlton cruise ship, created by the firm Tillberg Design of Sweden.

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: I spent 3 years writing about yachts, and owning one takes way more money than you think

Starting prices for voyages range from to $3,100 for four nights to $10,100 for 12 nights, depending on location. The all-inclusive fare comes with onboard gratuities, 24-hour in-suite dining, beverages in-suite and throughout the yacht, Wi-Fi, and onboard entertainment and enrichment.

The first of the three Ritz-Carlton cruise ships will set sail in 2020. With ten decks, it can accommodate up to 298 passengers and has a space ratio of more than 89 square feet per person.

The third deck features The Marina. With direct ocean access, it's the perfect spot to sunbathe and jump on a water toy or go for an ocean swim. There's also a terrace for a drink and a light bite.

• Parenting looks different in various cultures around the world.
• Living in Hong Kong, my parents emphasized obedience and rules.
• Some research suggests that this is a parenting style common among Chinese parents.
• After moving to New York at 15, I realized how my parents raised me left little room for self-expression and creativity, so I plan to do things differently.
• Here are seven ways my parenting style will look different from my parents'.

I grew up in a Chinese family, and undeniably, my parents set high expectations for me to do well in school. Though the pressure to succeed was heavy at times, I would never blame them for being too strict. Their parenting shaped who I am today and still motivates me to be the best in everything I do.

Chinese parents are often associated with authoritative parenting style, which emphasizes obedience and success in the classroom, according to research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Development.

"Western parents are concerned about their children's psyches. Chinese parents aren't. They assume strength, not fragility, and as a result they behave very differently," Amy Chua, a Yale Law School professor, wrote in her controversial book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother."

Of course, Chinese or Chinese-American parents are not a single entity, but I believe I was raised in this style. It was not until I moved to New York at the age of 15 that I realized I had only been doing what I was told, with minimal room for creativity and self expression, back in Hong Kong. The way I was raised had its limitations, and there are certain things I plan to do differently when I have kids of my own.

Here are seven ways I plan to raise my kids differently than my parents:  

SEE ALSO: We didn't let our son look at screens until he was 3 years old — here's why we're raising him with limited technology

1. I won't limit my children's social circles

My parents always made sure that my friends were the "right" group of peers who studied hard in school. They also believed that befriending classmates of the opposite sex would hurt my grades (which may be true, according to research reported by The Economist).

Childhood friendships can have a positive influence on a child's development, and parents play an important role in nurturing those friendships, according to a 2011 study published in ECRP.

"Friendships contribute significantly to the development of social skills, such as being sensitive to other people's viewpoints, learning the rules of conversation, and learning sex and age appropriate behaviors," Paul Schwartz, PhD, professor of psychology at Mount Saint Mary College, wrote in Hudson Valley Parent.

I plan to encourage my kids to make their own judgments and find a group of friends that fits them. Don't get me wrong — I want to ensure that my kids have supportive friend groups, but they will have a say in who they want to spend time with.

2. I won't doubt their academic abilities

My mom used to help me with school work by making lists of practice questions to help me study for exams. For questions I answered correctly, she never really complimented me — which a Chinese mother noted in a previous Business Insider article can be a difference between Chinese and American parenting.

But since "Good job," and "You did great!" are not in her dictionary, I was never confident in my performance in school. In order to make my kids feel confident about their academic abilities, I'll always encourage them to explain how they come up with certain answers.

Instead of shutting them down by simply marking their answers wrong, I'll give them an opportunity to express their thought process. I'll never judge my kids' performance on exams based on the letter grade, because their efforts mean a great deal, and simple encouragement can go a long way.

3. I'll relax on rules to encourage self-reflection and creativity

When I was in elementary school, I had a fixed bedtime and study schedule — all I knew was to stick to the rules.

While kids need structure, overdoing it with rules can be counterproductive. Adam Grant, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote in The New York Times, "By limiting rules, parents encouraged their children to think for themselves."

I won't over-discipline my kids by making a fixed schedule for them. Instead, I'll have open discussions with them to see what they enjoy doing outside of academics, like playdates with friends or extracurricular activities when they finish with their schoolwork.

Humans do not live in our homes alone. There are approximately 7,000 different species of bacteria floating around in your house right now. And that's just in the dust. 

The rich and complex web of dirt, viruses, and pollen around us isn't all bad. It's important to keep some microbes around to help us stay healthy and strong. Plus, you could say that microbes are the reason you're alive today — after all, ancient anaerobic bacteria came well before oxygen-breathing creatures, and thrived as some of the first life on Earth. 

Still, it's best to keep microbe levels in check inside your house. Some household items need a good wipe-down every day, while others do best when we scrub or sweep them once a week or every few months. 

Here's the perfect house-cleaning regimen to keep everything you own safe and squeaky-clean, without going insane.

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Your sponge is one of the grossest things you own. Microbiologists say you should replace it once a week.

The warm, moist environment inside a sponge is a delightful spot for bacteria to grow.

Microwaving or boiling sponges won't sterilize them — it'll only kill about 60% of the bacteria they're hosting. Bleaching a sponge is more effective, and a solution with 10% household bleach and 90% water solution should do the trick.

Tasting Table suggests that after one week of using a kitchen dish sponge, you bleach it and relegate it to countertop-wiping duties. After week two, bleach it again and relegate it to bathroom cleaning. Bleach is strong enough to kill anthrax spores, so it's always good to bleach a sponge after it comes into contact with raw meat or vegetables.

Your phone should get a daily wipe down.

Smartphones are with us nearly every waking moment. They often come into the bathroom and fall on the ground. They sit in our palms at almost every stage of the day, regardless of where our hands have been or how clean they are — and then we nestle the phones next to our ears.

It's no surprise, then, that smartphones can pick up E. coli and Streptococcus bugs along the way. A phone can easily be dirtier than a toilet seat. So most infectious disease experts, like Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and pathologist at the New York University School of Medicine, suggest giving it a wipe at the end of the day.

You can use a wet wipe or a gentle microfiber cloth. For extra cleaning power, add a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar to a corner of the cloth.

We spend roughly a third of our life rolling around in our sheets. So it's best to wash them every week.

Our beds are wonderful places for life to thrive. Skin cells, lotions, powders, and oils on our skin, as well as little crumbs of food, all contribute to a germy, microbial soup that we sleep with every night.

Change your sheets once a week to keep the dirt levels in check, as Tierno suggests.

At its best, science fiction can present a captivating, inventive picture of societal trends and flaws.

The Metacritic data we compiled here to track the most critically acclaimed sci-fi movies of all time traces a lineage of great films from Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" through the Tom Cruise-led "Minority Report" and Spike Jonze's "Her."

The resulting list includes all of the highest-rated movies that feature a "sci-fi" tag on the site, which turned out to be a wide-ranging categorization.

Here are the 100 best science fiction movies of all time, according to critics:

100. "Movement and Location" (2015)

Critic score: 74/100

User score: 8.6/10

What critics said: "Despite its sci-fi hook, 'Movement and Location' turns out to be a surprisingly resonant film about how impossible it is for most people — no matter their cosmic time zone — to carve out a life that's emotionally honest." — Village Voice

99. "Serenity" (2005)

Critic score: 74/100

User score: 8.4/10

What critics said: "As challenging as it must have been to pilot Joss Whedon's space opera from the TV junk pile to the big screen, the finished product is a triumph." — San Francisco Chronicle

98. "Inception" (2010)

Critic score: 74/100

User score: 8.8/10

What critics said: "As engrossing and logic-resistant as the state of dreaming it seeks to replicate, Christopher Nolan's audacious new creation demands further study to fully absorb the multiple, simultaneous stories Nolan finagles into one narrative experience." — Entertainment Weekly

• Traveling to Greece during the peak summer months can be an expensive, busy, and crowded vacation, particularly if you frequent the two most popular islands in the country, Mykonos and Santorini.
• At the recommendation of a local, I visited Tinos, an island well-known to Greeks and about a 30-minute ferry ride from Mykonos. While similarly located in the Cyclades, Tinos feels like a completely different world.
• The island has a breathtaking landscape, untouched beaches, and historic Greek villages built into the mountainsides, all at a fraction of the cost of Mykonos and Santorini, even during the peak summer season.

Most vacationers heading to the islands in Greece usually end up at one of two destinations: Mykonos and Santorini.

While both islands have their charms, they've undoubtedly become tourist traps, with overbooked hotels, overpriced restaurants, and beaches and sights packed with cruise-shippers and holiday makers all summer long.

But Greece has 6,000 islands in total, many of which are even more beautiful, a fraction of the price, and, best of all, relatively untouched by international tourists.

At the recommendation of a Greek local, I recently headed to Tinos, an island of 9,000 people about a 30-minute ferry ride from Mykonos. While Tinos is located in the Cyclades, like Mykonos and Santorini, it feels oceans away.

Rather than resorts that tend to your every desire, packed nightclubs, and hip  — some might say pretentious — restaurants and bars, Tinos is filled with breathtaking landscapes, historic Greek villages, a cuisine built on fresh, local ingredients, and beaches dotted with thatch-huts and a single van selling cheap drinks and snacks.

For those looking for a taste of classic Cycladic life, Tinos might as well be paradise. 

I had planned on only staying for two days in Tinos. I ended up staying for five.

Here's what it's like:

SEE ALSO: I visited the glittering Greek island of Mykonos, the summer destination of choice for billionaires — and it's a very different experience if you aren't swimming in money

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After a few days in Mykonos, I was ready for a more relaxed Greek adventure. I hopped a ferry to Tinos for 20 Euros. Just about everyone on the ferry to Tinos was either Greek, Italian, or French.

Immediately upon arriving in Tinos, I realized how different the island is from Santorini or Mykonos. While its town, Chora, also has cobblestone streets and white Cycladic architecture, it's far quieter. During the day, it's practically empty. At night, it gets a bit busier when Greek vacationers and some other European tourists visit the tavernas and souvenir shops on the main street.

From a distance, Chora is spectacular. I stayed about a 10-minute walk from the main square at a small hotel called Agali Bay. While the hotel was nothing special architecturally, it was only $70 a night for a room with a view of the sea. The family that has run the hotel for 30 years was incredibly kind, helpful, and accommodating.

Source: Agali Bay Hotel

Everyone has goals they want to accomplish. But with busy schedules and work demands, it can sometimes feel like we let them slip away.

The approach of 30 is the perfect time to be introspective and look at all the areas of your life you might want to tweak. So we asked the Business Insider UK office, as well as some friends and family, to send over the most damaging habits they managed to break — or are on their way to breaking — before they hit the big 3-0.

Scroll on for a comprehensive sort-your-life-out checklist of 50 damaging habits you should break by the time your 30th birthday rolls around.

Rosie Fitzmaurice contributed to an earlier version of this article.

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Living for the weekends.

The best way to stop doing this is to plan constructive things into your weekday evenings, according to Harry, associate distribution editor at BI UK. 

Megan, office manager and HR coordinator at BI UK, added, "Get a proper hobby. It's good to do something outside of work and socialising with friends... especially not involving a computer."

Whether it's signing up to your local book club or taking a dip in the lido, factoring in some me time after work can be extremely satisfying. 

Supporting fast fashion.

"Before turning 30 I made a decision to stop buying items that support fast fashion," Laura, an operations officer from London, told Business Insider. "That means no Zara! I have already given up on H&M and Primark. They say that most items are worn just seven times, so my goal is to buy things you will wear many times even if it costs more."

Thinking social smoking is 'OK.'

Paul, who is in recruitment from London, said social smoking was his biggest vice to quit before he turned 30.

Most people who consider themselves social smokers cut themselves some slack because they don’t smoke every day, or they "only smoke when they drink."

But government guidelines suggest that if you smoke at all, you're at higher risk of heart disease and cancer than those who don’t, not to mention unwanted short term effects like bad breath, ageing skin, and the money you're wasting.