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Here's what it's like to attend the Monaco Yacht Show — in a country where the poverty rate is 0 — when you are not a millionaire

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monaco yacht show

Allow me to start out by saying this: I am not a millionaire. I am a journalist. And I live in New York City, which means overpriced drinks and food are pretty par for the course.

But I did spend one fabulously ritzy week in a country that has no poverty and where 32% of the inhabitants are millionaires: Monaco.

This year's Monaco Yacht Show brought an estimated 30,000 people from around the world to the tiny city-state on the French Riviera. These attendees are yachting-industry insiders — including superyacht builders, designers, and brokers — as well as wealthy private clients looking to tour, charter, or purchase yachts.

Monaco may be smaller than New York City's Central Park, but it's one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with a per capita GDP of $165,420— the second highest in the world after Liechtenstein. An estimated 32% — or about one-third — of the country's residents are millionaires.

And according to the CIA World Factbook, no portion of Monaco's population lives below the poverty line.

This wealth was evident from the moment I arrived in Monaco — and even while I was booking my trip.

Here's what it's like to attend the glamorous Monaco Yacht Show when you're not a millionaire.

SEE ALSO: I got into a Monaco Yacht Show gala for VIP superyacht buyers and industry elite. Here's what it was like at the exclusive party, which overlooked $4.3 billion worth of superyachts in the port.

DON'T MISS: What it's like living in Monaco, the glamorous city-state on the French Riviera that's home to a glitzy annual yacht show and where an estimated 1 in 3 people is a millionaire

The glamorous Monaco Yacht Show is one of the world's premier yachting events.

More than $4.3 billion worth of yachts floated around in Port Hercules over the course of the show, with an average price of about $41 million.

At the first edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, in 1991, there were only 32 yachts on display.



And this is me. As I said before, but as it bodes saying again, I am not a millionaire. I am a journalist. I've got inside looks at a variety of luxury hotels across NYC, toured penthouses in Miami and Moscow, and attended exclusive parties for the tennis elite. But at the Monaco Yacht Show, I found myself in a whole different game.

Right before I went to Monaco, I got an exclusive tour of the $25,000-a-night penthouse suites at an iconic New York City luxury hotel. Before that, I attended a glitzy kickoff party for the world's biggest horse sale, where 300 of the industry's elite sipped on rare bourbons ahead of dropping millions on horses.

And earlier in the summer, I spent a night at the $18,000-a-night presidential suite at the Moscow Ritz-Carlton, visited the richest zip code in the US, and toured a high-security private island for billionaires.

But at none of these hotels, parties, or private islands did I feel the divide between millionaire and non-millionaire so clearly.



This year's yacht show displayed its largest fleet of yachts ever, both by volume — there were about 125 yachts — and value, according to Johan Pizzardini, the communications and media manager for the Monaco Yacht Show.

More than $4.3 billion worth of yachts floated around in Port Hercules over the course of the show, with an average price of about $41 million.

At the first edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, in 1991, there were only 32 yachts on display.



Monaco is tiny: It stretches across less than one square mile. It is also one of the world's wealthiest countries.

Monaco's GDP per capita is $165,420— the second highest in the world.

Monaco is beat only by Liechtenstein, which is about 80 times larger in area than Monaco. Tucked in between Switzerland and Austria, the German-speaking principality has a per capita GDP of $166,021, according to United Nations data.

Almost one in three people who live in Monaco is a millionaire. And according to the CIA World Factbook, no portion of Monaco's population lives below the poverty line.



I got my first hint of just how expensive Monaco would be while I was booking accommodations for my trip. The prices of Airbnbs in the area were nothing short of shocking.

The cheapest Airbnb I could find was $274 per night for a room in an apartment where other people lived — and that was an outlier. Most of the options were far more expensive, upwards of $400 or $500 per night.

While that may not be a problem for a millionaire, for the average person, it's not affordable.

In Nice, France, on the other hand, which is about 20 minutes from Monaco by train, I was able to book a studio apartment for $395 for four nights, or less than $100 per night.



But the pricey Monaco Airbnbs were still a bargain compared to Monaco's luxury hotels, where many guests stay during the yacht show. One of those options is Hotel Metropole, where rates range from about $417 a night to upwards of $8,500 a night for its signature suites.

I spent a night at Hotel Metropole my first night in town and got a taste of the millionaire Monaco lifestyle.

The ultra-luxurious hotel has a heated seawater pool with a lounge bar and private cabanas, a  Joël Robuchon restaurant, and a spa.

When I checked in, I was given a non-alcoholic welcome cocktail (which was more or less a refreshing fruit smoothie). In my junior suite — for which Business Insider paid a discounted media rate — I enjoyed Hermes toiletries, a plush king bed, and the best omelet I've ever tasted via room service.

The hotel offers helicopter transfers from the airport for an additional $175.



Hotel Metropole is in Monte Carlo, the city-state's glitziest neighborhood. The area is known for its iconic casino, as well as luxury shopping and hotels.

While some mistakenly use it as a synonym for Monaco, Monte Carlo is actually one of four Monaco districts.



From my small balcony, I had a stunning view of Monte Carlo, which seemed to sparkle at night. That, or maybe I was just a bit blinded by the sports car headlights and the complete lack of trash on the city streets.



The 1% have their choice of accommodations in Monaco: Right next to the casino is the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo, which just underwent a four-year, $280 million renovation.

Rates start at about $580 and run up to $51,000 per night for the most lavish suites.



I toured the Hotel de Paris' Princess Grace suite (named after American actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly), which books for 40,000 euros per night — more than $43,000.

The three-floor suite comes with a massive terrace with a hot tub and infinity pool.

But that's not even the hotel's most expensive suite. The Prince Rainier III suite is about $51,000 per night.



And then there is the Hotel Hermitage, the other major luxury hotel in Monte Carlo, which includes a Michelin-starred restaurant and an opulent ballroom.

Nightly rates at Hotel Hermitage range from about $300 to upwards of $27,000 for the diamond suites.



The cheapest meal I could find in Monte Carlo was at a little Italian joint called Tip Top, about a three-minute walk from the casino. My plate of grilled fish and vegetables was 20 euros, or about $22.

My glass of wine was about $8.80, bringing the total to more than $30.

If you ask me, $30 is quite steep for a casual lunch at the cheapest restaurant I could find in Monte Carlo via Google Maps.



At the Café de Paris, a great place to watch the luxury cars circle through the roundabout in front of the casino, a mediocre cappuccino cost me 6 euros, or about $7.

At the café, a Caesar salad costs about $26 and a hamburger is $32. Suddenly, the memory of my $22 plate of fish felt far less egregious.



The night before the yacht show, about 350 VIP guests and yachting industry elite were invited to an exclusive gala at the Monaco Yacht Club to kick off the show. I got an invite to the exclusive gathering.

The night began with a superyacht awards ceremony and was followed by a party with free-flowing Champagne, decadent food — from on-demand ravioli and risotto to sashimi and cheese platters — and live music.

I ate my fill because, as I just mentioned, burgers in this town cost upwards of $30 and I am not in the business of dishing out that much money for lunch.



But the real difference between me and the average attendee came at the end of the night, when most guests hopped into private cars and courtesy cars to get back to their luxury hotels five minutes away.

I, on the other hand, had to walk 15 minutes to the train station, ride the train for 20 minutes back to Nice, and then Uber from the train station there to my Airbnb.

It was neither glamorous nor convenient — but it was one of the early signs that my experience of Monaco would be in stark contrast to how the ultra-wealthy experience it.



The 2019 yacht show kicked off the next day, on Wednesday, September 25th.

The show started at 11:00 a.m., and I arrived at about 11:30 a.m.



At each entrance of the show, security guards check badges and search bags.



Monaco Yacht Show attendees can buy a daily pass for about $330 or a professional pass for all four days of the show for about $1,100.

Any private visitor can buy a daily pass, but for a professional pass, you need to be able to prove you're a professional of the yachting or luxury industry, according to Pizzardini. 

I had registered as press ahead of time, so picking up my (free) press badge was quick and easy.



Then there are the VIP guests of the yacht show, who must fill out an application and pay about $2,700 for the "Sapphire Experience," which gives them special privileges such as private yacht tours, cocktail hours, and access to private VIP lounges.

VIP guests wear red badges — I only spotted two people wearing them during my time at the yacht show.

Pizzardini told me that about 80% of applicants for the Sapphire Experience are rejected. The VIP experience is limited to 200 people, but this year, the show didn't even accept that many.

"The point is not to make money out of it," Pizzardini told me. "We prefer saying no and making sure that we have 60 good people. Because in the end those people would get on board [the yachts]. Brokers and shipyards, they have our trust and confidence to say, 'OK, that guy, if he comes through the Monaco Yacht Show, he must be quite interested and serious.'" 



VIP guests also have access to special courtesy cars provided by the Monaco Yacht Show to drive them around the city during their stay.

In a city built on a steep hill, where Uber is banned and taxis are few and far between, this seemed like a particularly precious perk.



The quais of Port Hercules were hectic and crowded during the yacht show.



Yachting industry insiders talked business in the exhibitor booths ...



... VIP guests relaxed in private lounges protected from ordinary people by metal fences ...



... and of course, everybody who could, went on board the yachts.



But not everyone at the show can simply walk onboard a superyacht. The show arranges private tours for VIP guests, and some yachts offer press tours (which is how I was able to get on board a few).

But for those with regular day passes to the show, you'll need an appointment and be able to pass a check by the yacht representative to make sure you're a serious potential buyer or charter customer.

"They indeed have to prove they are really interested in chartering or buying a yacht," Pizzardini told me. "Of course, you can visit a yacht but charter one next year! No one knows if a visit leads to a real sale [or] charter."



I was invited to a press tour aboard Tis, the largest yacht exhibited at this year's Monaco Yacht Show.

Tis, a brand-new, 365-foot superyacht by Lürssen, has two helicopter pads, a 40-foot swimming pool, a hammam spa, and opulent French-inspired furnishings.

From the infinity pool to the Ladurée-inspired tea room, I had never seen anything like it. It was so massive that I felt like I was on a cruise ship — but it was just a billionaire's floating mansion.

Tis was built for a Monaco resident who wanted a floating extension of his home, according to Andrew Winch, the founder of Winch Design, who designed the superyacht.

"His apartment is very similar to this boat, but significantly smaller," Winch said at the press event. 

The barely-used vessel is now for sale for an undisclosed price. 



Before going on board a yacht, everyone — VIP and ordinary guests alike — have to take off their shoes.



In the evenings, some of the yachts turn into party boats.

But it's not so easy to score an invitation to one of these exclusive gatherings. 

Nicholas Frankl, founder and CEO of My Yacht Group, throws superyacht parties at the Monaco Yacht Show and the Monaco Grand Prix that are attended by an elite clientele, including royalty, business leaders, and celebrities.

The parties are invite-only, limited to a group of about 120 to 150 people, all of whom know Frankl, and many of whom know each other.

For his parties at the Monaco Yacht Show, Frankl told me he charters luxury yachts for between $250,000 and $1 million per week and goes through about 100 bottles of Champagne per night.

But Frankl told me he didn't throw his customary superyacht party this year, to the disappointment of past guests.



And then there were the golf carts — the great equalizer of my time at the MYS. All attendees, not just VIPs, had access to the fleet of golf carts and could use them to get rides from one section of the show to another.

After spending two full days running around the yacht show, sprint-walking to catch my trains to Nice and back, scouring the city for affordable meals, and trekking up and down Monaco's hills and many, many stairs, the golf carts were an absolute God send.



There was also complimentary water transport to take guests from one quai to another. This was often faster than walking all the way around the port.



Across the port from the Monte Carlo side is Quai Antoine I, which is lined with restaurants and bars with outdoor seating areas.

During the show, many of the restaurants were hosting groups from various exhibitors in the yachting industry.



I stopped for lunch one day at Stars 'n' Bars, a sports bar and eatery where a DJ was blasting tunes on the first day of the yacht show.

A coworker who has attended the yacht show gave me the tip that Stars 'n' Bars was where the yacht crew tend to hang out. 

But while I was there, I mainly saw people wearing exhibitor badges. 



I ordered a cheeseburger and fries, which tasted perfectly fine.

It cost 17 euros, or about $18.70.

Compared to some of the more upscale restaurants on the dock — such as at Quai des Artistes where a plate of risotto was $29 and a simple green salad was $15 — that was a bargain.



Attending the Monaco Yacht Show for the first time was an unforgettable experience, largely because of the contrast it revealed between the wealthy attendees and everyone else.

While the upper-crust stayed at luxury hotels in Monaco's glitzy Monte Carlo district, I had to commute into Monaco from a more affordable neighboring city.

And while the VIP guests had access to courtesy cars and swanky private lounges, I was constantly exhausted from running around and not being able to find a bathroom. 

These seemingly minor details added up to affirm my conclusion that there's one Monaco Yacht Show for the millionaires, and another one for the rest of us.




14 incredibly useful Google Maps features everyone should know about (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Google Maps

Google Maps has become so pervasive and useful since its launch in 2005 that it's almost impossible to remember how we got around without it. From seeing how long it takes to get from point A to point B, to scouting out restaurants and points of interest, it's an invaluable resource for navigating neighborhoods both familiar and new.

And, of course, Google Maps has come a long way over its 14-year history.

Here's a look at some of the most useful features in Google's wildly popular navigation app.

SEE ALSO: I'm a loyal iPhone user, but after switching to Android for 2 weeks I found 3 things Google does better than Apple

Change the time to see the most accurate results.

Google Maps can be very helpful for looking up directions ahead of time, but be sure to change the time window to match when you plan to travel. That makes it possible for Google to serve up the most accurate results based on traffic patterns and other variables.

To do this, tap the "depart at" button near the top of the screen, just below where Google lists the available modes of transportation.



Keep a list of your favorite places.

If you often have a hard time keeping track of your go-to spots, Google Maps can help. Just tap the icon that looks like three stacked vertical lines and choose "your places." From there, tap the "saved" tab, choose "favorites," and press the "add" button to save your favorite brunch restaurant or neighborhood bar.



Or have Google make some suggestions for you.

If you're not sure where to go, try tapping the "For you" tab in Google Maps, which is located near the bottom of the screen next to the "Commute" button. This section will serve up recommendations based on your location and other factors. Here, you'll find roundups of restaurants and bars located in the neighborhoods of your choosing from around the web. To add or remove areas that you'd like to receive updates about, just tap the settings cog in the top right corner of the screen. 



Use the "commute" tab to see information about your route in just a tap.

The tab makes it easy to see information about your daily drive or train ride to work.

First, make sure Google Maps knows your work address by tapping the icon that looks like three vertical lines in the top left corner of the screen. Then press "your places" to view the home and work addresses you have saved in Google Maps.

Once your work address is up to date, tap the "commute" tab between the "explore" and "for you" buttons near the bottom of the screen to view details about your route.

Read more:How to avoid tolls on Google Maps and save yourself money on your next road trip



Download maps for offline use.

If you're driving through a remote area, you might not always have access to reliable internet service. Google allows you to download maps of certain areas so you can view them without a WiFi or data connection.

To do so, search for the area, like a neighborhood (Chicago's Wicker Park) or whole city (Toronto), you'd like to download. Then scroll down to the bottom of the screen to the "directions" button and swipe over to press the "download" button.

If you don't see this option, search for the area, press the vertical-lines icon to launch the menu, and choose "offline maps," then "custom map."

Remember that offline maps are able to provide only driving directions and that traffic information will not be available.

Read more:How to download maps on the Google Maps app for offline use when you're traveling or don't have good service



Add a stop to your trip.

Sometimes a trip doesn't always involve driving straight from point A to point B. You may need to pick up a friend, stop for gas, or grab a quick bite to eat along the way. In Google Maps, you can easily add a stop like this to your driving route.

After you've started your trip, tap the area near the bottom of the screen where the estimated time of arrival is displayed. Then press "search along route" and search for your desired stop. You can type in a specific address or a general point of interest, like "restaurants" or "gas stations."

Google will search for places that match your query along your route. When you find the one you'd like to add as a pit stop, just tap it on the map, and Google will add it to your trip.



See what the parking situation will be like at your destination.

Not only can Google Maps help you get from point A to point B — it can also assist you in finding parking once you get there. When searching for driving directions, look for the "P" icon with a circle around it next to the estimated time it will take to get there. This will let you know if parking is usually limited near this location. 



See how crowded your train will be.

Google Maps can now tell you how crowded the train will be during your next trip. Just type your destination in the search box, select public transit as the mode of transportation, and tap the route suggestion. You should see an estimate that tells you whether there will be standing room only on the train during that time of day in the route details where the train schedule and list of stops are located. 



Book an Uber or Lyft ride.

Google has made switching between its Maps app and apps like Uber and Lyft much simpler and more seamless.

After typing in the address of your destination and pressing the "directions" button, browse the available transportation options and tap the icon that looks like a person waving.

This will pull up a list of on-demand car services in your area and their estimated fares. Choose your desired option and press the "open app" button to summon a car.



Share your location with a friend.

There are times when you may want to let a friend or family member know exactly how long before you arrive. To make it easier to share your estimated time of arrival, use the "share trip progress" feature in Google Maps.

Tap the section near the bottom of the screen where the app shows how long it will take to reach your destination. Then choose "share trip progress." From there, you'll be able to select a contact you'd like to share your location with until you arrive at your destination.

Google will present you a list of suggested contacts, but you can also choose to share your location through a text message or email, among other options.



See if your favorite restaurant is too crowded.

Google Maps can do a lot more than just provide directions. The app can also serve up details on points of interest, such as restaurant descriptions, reviews, photos, and more.

One particularly useful piece of information in Google Maps is the times of day when a location is usually the most crowded.

After searching for a restaurant, bar, or attraction in Maps, tap near the bottom of the screen to launch a full-screen card that provides an overview of the location. Then scroll down to the "popular times" section to view a graph that indicates how crowded that location is likely to be or how long the wait might be during certain times of the day.



Or order delivery.

If you're looking for nearby restaurants in Google Maps, you don't have to switch to a separate app like Seamless, DoorDash, or Grubhub to order dinner. When searching for local eateries, just tap the "Order Online" button that appears on the establishment's search results page in Google Maps. But it's not available for ever restaurant; Google currently supports services including DoorDash, Postmates, Delivery.com, Slice, and ChowNow. 



Drop a pin to easily show friends where you are.

If you're in a crowded public space, such as a Central Park or a music festival, it can be difficult to describe your precise location. That's where dropping a pin in Google Maps can come in handy.

Just press and hold your finger on the screen to drop a pin at your desired location. Then you can label it and share it with a friend or family member by pressing the buttons toward the bottom of the screen.

Read more:How to drop a pin on Google Maps from your desktop or mobile app



Use augmented reality to point you in the right direction.

Google wants to use your phone's camera to take the guesswork out of figuring out whether you're walking in the right direction. The company recently rolled out a feature called Live View for Google Maps, which lets you view visual markers in the real world when you're looking through your camera's viewfinder.

Just look for the augmented-reality button near the bottom of the screen after you've typed in your destination to try this feature. Here's a closer look at how to use it. 



I tried the $249 BlanQuil Chill, a cooling weighted blanket — it's worth the price for hot sleepers like me

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Blanquill chill

  • I need the weight of blankets to fall asleep, but I often wake up sweaty in the middle of the night. The BlanQuil Chill Cooling Weighted Blanket has allowed me to strike a balance and sleep comfortably.
  • The BlanQuil Chill ($249) uses eco-friendly glass micro-beads for weight and cutting-edge cooling fabric that absorbs body heat.
  • At $249, the price may seem steep, but it solves such a unique problem that I found it to be worth it.

I love sleep. But sleep doesn't always come easily for me. I sleep hot, and I often wake up sweaty and uncomfortable in the middle of the night. Other people may just throw the blankets off to get some relief from the heat, but it's not so simple for me. I can't sleep at all without piles and piles of blankets. The weight and warmth helps me settle in, so I started looking into weighted blankets to see if I could mimic that feeling without all the bulk. My editor gave me the chance to try this cool-to-the-touch weighted blanket from BlanQuil, and now I can't sleep without it.

Weighted blankets have garnered a reputation as an invaluable sleep aid for those who struggle with insomnia. Many with sensory processing disorders, ADHD, and autism also swear by weighted blankets as a tool to feel grounded, safe, and comfortable as they fall asleep.

As someone who has anxiety, my mind will often race at night, and I'll end up tossing and turning for ages and having lots of restless nights. So even in the dead of summer, I've got sheets, blankets, and quilts galore, and I wrap myself up like a burrito. The combination of these two factors make getting a good night's sleep difficult in the warmer months, but the weighted BlanQuil Chill has been a godsend, allowing me to fall asleep quicker and stay cooler throughout the night.

Weighted blankets are often filled with plastic pellets, chains, or another heavy material — BlanQuil uses eco-friendly glass micro-beads. The calming cocoon effect they create is thanks to something called deep pressure stimulation. It essentially feels like a full-body hug, and causes the brain to release of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitters that help us feel relaxed, calm, and happy. Some research suggests deep pressure touch can also activate the brain's limbic system, which helps us process emotions and fear. Basically, there's a ton of science that says feeling like you're being given a gentle hug is really good for you.

The BlanQuil Chill combines BlanQuil's outstanding reputation for weighted blankets with a cooling cover that wicks away sweat and moisture and absorbs body heat. How the cooling fabric works remains a bit of a mystery to me, but there's no doubt it feels surprisingly cool to the touch. My partner sleeps with one leg outside of the covers, and she appreciates how refreshing the surface of the BlanQuil is against her leg when she's feeling too warm, kind of like holding an ice cube to your neck when you've come back from a run. Plus, the cover is  completely removable and washable, so you don't have to worry about spills or sweat buildup.

BlanQuil offers a 15-pound and a 20-pound version — they suggest going for one that's between 8-15% of your body weight.

I've been sleeping with the 15-pound one for the past six months, and I've noticed a huge difference in my quality of sleep. I fall asleep faster, I toss and turn less, and most importantly, I'm less sweaty when I wake up in the morning. 

Blanquill Chill 3

In the winter months, the cooling fabric was actually a bit too strong, and I had to use it on top of my existing blankets otherwise it felt too cold against my skin. But in the summer, I've found it to be most effective just on top of my top sheet. (Yes, I'm one of the few millennials that still uses a top sheet.) I've found the BlanQuil actually stays cooler this way, since it's not in direct contact with my skin, sucking up all my body heat until it's no longer effective.

After a while, the chilling fabric will adjust to your body temperature, so it works best in combination with some kind of fan or air conditioning circulating the air in the room to keep it refreshed.

It reminds me of how you have to hold something glow in the dark up to a bright light to "charge" it. The coolness needs to be "charged," otherwise you could end up a bit sweaty once you fall asleep.

The one downside is that it tends to slip off the bed if you toss and turn in the middle of the night. The cooling fabric has a wonderfully silky texture, but that causes it to have no real grip on the sheets, and once it starts to fall off the bed, the weight of the blanket takes it down. If you're a hot sleeper who doesn't rely on the weight to stay asleep, this may actually be a blessing in disguise freeing you from the blanket once it starts to warm up from your body heat.

BlanQuil also sells their Micro-Plush covers separately for $99, allowing you to turn your BlanQuil Chill into a warm, cozy, and velvety weighted blanket in the winter months. And, this may even solve the slipping-off-the-bed dilemma. 

The bottom line

The blanket is pricey at $245, butmost weighted blankets are. The cooling capacity of this one makes it worth the price for hot sleepers who need some nighttime relief.

Shop the BlanQuil Chill Cooling Weighted Blanket for $249 at Amazon

SEE ALSO: I thought it was impossible to find high-quality linen bedding that would fit my deep mattress — until I tried this little-known company's sheets

Join the conversation about this story »

Target stores are getting surprise visits from company inspectors and managers following workers' reports of unsafe backrooms (TGT)

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Target backroom mess

  • Target quietly cut overnight and backroom shifts in stores across the US, which workers say has created an increase in workload for those on daytime shifts.
  • Many backrooms in Target stores have become overcrowded and even unsafe because of the changes, workers said.
  • Business Insider spoke to 28 current and former Target employees who have observed or experienced the effects of shift changes on their stores. Following the publication of a Business Insider article that detailed the situation in many backrooms, four current and former employees told Business Insider that it appeared as though Target was looking into the issues reported. 
  • Target declined to comment for this story.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Target's shift cuts have made the backrooms of many stores overcrowded and unsafe, workers said.

The changes are part of a general process of change that Target is implementing in stores across the country. Target previously confirmed to Business Insider that it eliminated backroom and overnight shifts in some stores to increase the availability of workers to assist guests on the floor.

Following the publication of a Business Insider article on Wednesday that detailed the overcrowded and unsafe conditions that workers said have resulted from the shift changes, four current and former Target employees in Arizona, Houston, New Jersey, and California told Business Insider that they have noticed or heard of changes happening in their stores to address the issues reported.

Read more: Target quietly ended overnight shifts in some stores, and employees say their workload has become 'chaotic' as they try to keep up

A current employee at an Arizona Target said that her district manager came to observe her store on Wednesday, October 2 following the publication of the article. She also said her store received a surprise visit from Target safety inspectors, also on that Wednesday.

"Our store manager did [a] safety walk with them in the backroom and made a list of violations that need to be fixed as well as violations on the sales floor," she said.

Read more:Target is getting its thousands of workers pumped up for the holiday season with mottos like 'WWABD: What Would A Badass Do'

A team leader in a Texas Target said that all eight stores in his district received emails from the district team leader instructing them to immediately clean up their backrooms. 

"Now everybody is under pressure cleaning the backroom," he said, noting that some stores in his district are even allocating extra payroll to get this done. 

Another employee in a New Jersey Target said that his store received orders from district leaders to ensure that the backroom was free of issues highlighted in the report on Saturday. This employee's store was also warned that visits from the district manager in the future could be likely.

Target backroom mess NH

Business Insider spoke with 28 former and current Target workers for an article published October 2. Some 13 of them said they felt that shift changes had turned their backrooms into an unsafe work environment. Most of these workers — some current, some former employees — spoke on condition of anonymity so that they could speak frankly about working conditions and the situation more generally at Target.

A former leader in an overnight inbound team who worked at a New Hampshire Target for three years said that changes in her store began last September and took effect practically overnight. She left her job in February.

"There was a point where my store should have been shut down due to unsafe working conditions," she said.

Target declined to comment for this story.

SEE ALSO: Target's back rooms are becoming unsafe, overcrowded 'nightmares' as the company cuts shifts and hours, workers say

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Japan eats 10,000 tons of this poisonous puffer fish delicacy

A golden chamber buried under a mountain in Japan contains water so pure it can dissolve metal, and it's helping scientists detect dying stars

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Super Kamiokande

  • The Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector is a physics experiment the size of a 15-story building, buried under a mountain in Japan.
  • Neutrinos are sub-atomic particles that pass through us all the time, and studying them can tell us about supernovas and the composition of the universe.
  • The detector is full of ultra-pure water, which can leach the nutrients out of your hair and dissolve metal.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hidden 1,000 metres under Mount Ikeno in Japan is a place that looks like a supervillain's dream.

Super-Kamiokande (or "Super-K" as it's sometimes referred to) is a neutrino detector. Neutrinos are sub-atomic particles which travel through space and pass through solid matter as though it were air.

Studying these particles is helping scientists detect dying stars and learn more about the universe. Business Insider spoke to three scientists about how the giant gold chamber works — and the dangers of conducting experiments inside it.

Seeing the sub-atomic world

Neutrinos can be very hard to detect, so much so that Neil deGrasse Tyson dubbed them "the most elusive prey in the cosmos." In this video, he explains that the detection chamber is buried deep within the earth to stop other particles from getting in.

"Matter poses no obstacle to a neutrino," he says. "A neutrino could pass through a hundred light-years of steel without even slowing down."

But why catch them at all?

"If there's a supernova, a star that collapses into itself and turns into a black hole," Dr Yoshi Uchida of Imperial College London told Business Insider. "If that happens in our galaxy, something like Super-K is one of the very few objects that can see the neutrinos from it."

Before a star starts to collapse it shoots out neutrinos, so Super-K acts as a sort of early-warning system, telling us when to look out for these dazzling cosmic events.

Crab Nebula

"The back-of-the-envelope calculations say it's going to be about once every 30 years that a supernova explodes in the sort of range that our detectors can see," said Dr Uchida. "If you miss one you're going to have to wait another few decades on average to see the next one."

Firing neutrinos through Japan

Super-K doesn't just catch neutrinos raining down from space.

Situated on the opposite side of Japan in Tokai, the T2K experiment fires a neutrino beam 295 km through the Earth to be picked up in Super-K on the west side of the country.

Studying the way the neutrinos change (or "oscillate") as they pass through matter may tell us more about the origins of the universe, for example, the relationship between matter and anti-matter.

Inside Super-Kamiokande

"Our big bang models predict that matter and anti-matter should have been created in equal parts," Dr Morgan Wascko of Imperial College told Business Insider, "but now [most of] the anti-matter has disappeared through one way or another." Studying neutrinos might be one way of figuring out how this came to be.

How Super-K catches neutrinos

Buried 1,000 metres underground, Super-Kamiokande is as big as a 15-story building, and looks a little something like this.

Super-Kamiokande diagram

The enormous tank is filled with 50,000 tonnes of ultra-pure water. This is because when travelling through water, neutrinos are faster than light. So when a neutrino travels through water, "it will produce light in the same way that Concord used to produce sonic booms," said Dr Uchida.

"If an aeroplane is going very fast, faster than the speed of sound, then it'll produce sound — a big shockwave — in a way a slower object doesn't. In the same way a particle passing through water, if it's going faster than the speed of light in water, can also produce a shockwave of light."

The chamber is lined with 11,000 golden-coloured bulbs. These are incredibly sensitive light-detectors called Photo Multiplier Tubes (PMTs) which can pick up these shockwaves. Here's one close up:

A post shared by Kim Nielsen (@knielsen73) on

Dr Wascko describes them as "the inverse of a lightbulb." Simply put, they can detect even minuscule amounts of light and convert it into an electrical current, which can then be observed.

Terrifyingly pure water

In order for the light from these shockwaves to reach the sensors, the water has to be cleaner than you can possibly imagine. Super-K is constantly filtering and re-purifying it, and even blasts it with UV light to kill off any bacteria.

Which actually makes it pretty creepy.

"Water that's ultra-pure is waiting to dissolve stuff into it," said Dr Uchida. "Pure water is very, very nasty stuff. It has the features of an acid and an alkaline."

"If you went for a soak in this ultra-pure Super-K water you would get quite a bit of exfoliation," said Dr Wascko. "Whether you want it or not."

When Super-K needs maintenance, researchers need to go out on rubber dinghies to fix and replace the sensors.

Super K dingy lowered

Super K maintenance

Super K dinghies

Super K PMT

Super K cross section

Dr Matthew Malek, of the University of Sheffield, and two others were doing maintenance from a dinghy back when he was a PhD student.

At the end of the day's work, the gondola that normally takes the physicists in and out of the tank was broken, so he and two others had to sit tight for a while. They kicked back in their boats, shooting the breeze.

"What I didn't realise, as we were laying back in these boats and talking is that a little bit of my hair, probably no more than three centimeters, was dipped in the water," Malek told Business Insider.

As they were draining the water out of Super-K at the time, Malek didn't worry about contaminating it. But when he awoke at 3 a.m. the next morning, he had an awful realisation.

"I got up at 3 o'clock in the morning with the itchiest scalp I have ever had in my entire life," he said. "Itchier than having chickenpox as a child. It was so itchy I just couldn't sleep."

Super K gondola

He realised that the water had leeched his hair's nutrients out through the tips, and that this nutrient deficiency had worked its way up to his scalp. He quickly jumped in the shower and spent half an hour vigorously conditioning his hair.

Another tale comes from Dr Wascko, who heard that in 2000 when the tank had been fully drained, researchers found the outline of a wrench at the bottom of it. "Apparently somebody had left a wrench there when they filled it in 1995," he said. "When they drained it in 2000 the wrench had dissolved."

Super-K 2.0

Super-Kamiokande may be massive, but Dr Wascko told Business Insider that a yet bigger neutrino detector called "Hyper-Kamiokande" has been proposed.

"We're trying to get this Hyper-Kamiokande experiment approved, and that would start running in approximately 2026," he said.

Hyper-K would be 20 times bigger than Super-K in terms of sheer volume, and with about 99,000 light detectors as opposed to 11,000.

SEE ALSO: SpaceX's Falcon Heavy has successfully launched the first 'solar sailing' spacecraft into orbit. It will be powered purely by light.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Facebook's scandals aren't enough for people to stop using it. Here's how the company has held up through data hacks, lawsuits, and massive security threats.

I visited a Tesla store and a Mercedes-Benz dealership — these were the most striking differences between them (TSLA)

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  • In April 2018, I visited a Tesla showroom and Mercedes-Benz dealership in New York City to observe the differences between their sales models.
  • Tesla's store used innovative design strategies and revealed an eagerness to sell a vision of the brand beyond its vehicles.
  • The Mercedes-Benz dealership took a more traditional, less expansive approach to selling cars and its brand.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

 

As established automakers move toward electrification, Tesla will compete more directly with traditional luxury brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. 

Tesla has so far had limited competition in the luxury electric vehicle segment, but that will change in the next decade as auto companies plan to electrify a larger percentage of their offerings. As that happens, Tesla will have new challenges to face, and the viability of its unique sales model will become clearer.

Read more:How Tesla could rescue the US motorcycle market

Unlike most auto companies, Tesla sells its cars to consumers directly, rather than licensing its brand to independent dealerships. That model gives Tesla more control over how it presents its vehicles and interacts with customers, but it also makes it more difficult and costly to achieve the kind of scale some of its competitors have. And Tesla has fought legal battles for the right to sell its vehicles directly to consumers in some states, like Connecticut and Oklahoma, where it's currently prohibited from doing so. 

Tesla's stores also look different than traditional car dealerships, designed with a minimalist philosophy that echoes innovative retail companies like Apple and Warby Parker. Tesla's stores could end up influencing how other auto companies sell their cars — or remain high-profile outliers.

In April 2018, I visited a Tesla showroom and Mercedes-Benz dealership in New York City to see the differences between how a relatively new luxury brand and an established one sell their cars. My time in each revealed contrasting sales models that spoke to the fundamental differences between Tesla and some of its competitors.

Here's what I saw.

Are you a current or former Tesla employee? Do you have an opinion about what it's like to work there? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com. You can ask for more secure methods of communication, like Signal or ProtonMail, by email or Twitter direct-message.

SEE ALSO: Videos showing Tesla's Smart Summon feature doing bizarre things have gotten the NHTSA's attention

I started at Tesla's store in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.



The first thing I noticed was the store's minimalist design philosophy. Like Tesla's cars, the store seemed to emphasize the removal of non-essential features.



Because Tesla sells its vehicles directly to customers instead of using independent dealerships, the company has more control over its stores and the way they present the brand to consumers than other automakers do.



The aesthetic alignment between the store and its products reminded me of an Apple store and highlighted the fact that the store is selling Tesla as a brand as much as its cars and energy products.

See also: Apply here to attend IGNITION: Transportation, an event focused on the future of transportation, in San Francisco on October 22



When I first walked in, I was approached by a friendly and outgoing Tesla employee. Her enthusiasm didn't wane when she learned that I wasn't in the market for a car.



She explained Tesla's business model, vehicles, and energy business clearly and concisely.



She and her colleagues reminded me of a hybrid between Apple employees and traditional car salespeople, combining the former's approachability with the latter's extraversion and persistence.



The first employee I spoke with was eager to strike a conversation about Tesla at a moment's notice in a style that blended tech evangelism and product-oriented selling.



While the Tesla store didn't have any cars on the lot for those who want to drive home with one, there were cars available for a test drive.



You could evaluate your options through the store's digital "design studio."



And if you wanted to buy a Tesla vehicle, an employee could guide you through the process at one of the store's computers.



Overall, the store reinforced Tesla's aesthetic identity and showed how the convergence of the auto and tech industries might influence the way cars are sold.



Even the barista's station was clean and stylish.



I went to the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Hell's Kitchen next.



Immediately, it resembled a more traditional dealership.



There were more cars on display (which, of course, is a function of the fact that Mercedes-Benz sells far more models than Tesla).



Though the brand set some of its more high-end models, like this GT C Roadster, apart from the other cars.



Visitors could use this installation to examine digital versions of the brand's vehicles and read slides about the brand's history.



Open-air desks were arranged throughout the dealership and separated by rows of cars.



The lounge area also resembled that of a traditional dealership.



On the lower floor, a shop sold Mercedes-Benz branded merchandise.



In contrast to my time at the Tesla store, I wasn't asked if I needed help for over ten minutes. Once I replied that I didn't, I wasn't approached for the rest of my time in the dealership.



That wasn't a bad thing, since nothing about my activity indicated I wanted to buy a car or needed assistance, but it did reveal a key difference between the two brand's sales philosophies.



When it comes to marketing, Mercedes-Benz can rely more on traditional advertising (which Tesla doesn't use) and a reputation built over nearly a century. If you're coming to a Mercedes-Benz dealership, you're likely already familiar with the brand.



And unlike Tesla, Mercedes-Benz doesn't run an energy business on the side, so the brand has less of a need to sell its vision to people who aren't interested in buying its cars.



The brand's age and the auto industry's reliance on physical retail makes it less necessary for Mercedes-Benz to adopt innovative retail models. It will be interesting to see if that holds true in the coming decades as the auto industry shifts toward electric and self-driving vehicles.



How to get a free week of Disney+, Disney's new ad-free streaming service

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disney plus

  • Disney+ is a new on-demand, ad-free streaming service that will feature movies and TV series from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. 
  • You get a free seven-day trial when you first sign up. 
  • After the trial ends, the subscription costs $6.99/month or $69.99/year ($5.83/month).

The new Disney-centric streaming service, Disney+, is set to launch on November 12, 2019.

If you're a fan of everything Disney — meaning Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox — you're probably thinking of signing up for the monthly or yearly subscription on the Disney+ website the moment you can.

But if you're just a casual Disney fan or you're not sure whether you'll like this new service, you don't have to commit to a subscription ($6.99/month or $69.99/year) quite yet.  

How to try Disney+ for free 

Disney+ offers a free seven-day trial. This will give you the chance to browse and watch all of the movies and shows on the service. The free trial is only available to new subscribers. 

In addition to classic features such as the Disney and Pixar movies you grew up watching and new, recently released movies such as "Captain Marvel" and "Lion King," Disney+ has all-new, exclusive original programming. We recommend using the trial as an opportunity to see whether these original movies and shows are worth the monthly cost. 

Disney+ extras to consider

Once Disney+ officially launches on November 12, there will also be a bundled package option. For $12.99 a month, you can get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Signing up for all three of the services individually would cost $18. 

Read everything else you should know about Disney+ here:

Join the conversation about this story »

The 10 biggest video games launching this holiday, from an all-new 'Pokémon' to the hotly anticipated 'Death Stranding'

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Death Stranding

With new, "next-gen" Xbox and PlayStation consoles scheduled to arrive in 2020, the coming holiday season is the last hurrah for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 — and they're going out in style.

Between the mysterious, hotly-anticipated "Death Stranding" on PlayStation 4 and the thrilling new "Star Wars" game coming to both Xbox One and PlayStation 4, it's going to be a big holiday!

Here are all the biggest games arriving in the back half of 2019:

SEE ALSO: The 33 hottest video games you shouldn't miss in 2019

10. "Shenmue 3"

On the cusp of the millennium, Sega launched an ambitious third-person action game for its similarly ambitious new game console, the Sega Dreamcast. That game was "Shenmue," and it went on to become a cult classic. 

The game — and the subsequent franchise it spawned — are known for offering players a level of freedom previously unseen in a console game. 

In 2019, "Shenmue" is back with a brand-new entry from the original creators: "Shenmue 3." 

Release Date: August 27, 2019

Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PC



Check it out in action right here:

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9. "Gears 5"

Are you ready to chainsaw some more Locust? With "Gears 5" in the works, Microsoft's betting that the answer is a resounding yes.

The next entry in the gruff and grisly "Gears of War" third-person shooter series was announced by Microsoft in June during the company's annual E3 media briefing. A new character is at the forefront, introduced during a short trailer — her name is Kait, who previously debuted as a supporting "Gears" character.

Like previous games in the series, "Gears 5" features third-person shooting with a focus on movement and cover.

Release Date: September 10, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PC



Check it out in action right here:

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8. "Borderlands 3"

Finally, after years of waiting, "Borderlands 3" is here.

The game franchise that helped popularize the loot-shooter genre is back with a new entry, and it seems like more "Borderlands" in every way: new character classes, new planets to explore, and new guns to fire. 

Perhaps most notable is what "Borderlands 3" isn't— an online-only loot-shooter along the lines of "Destiny" and "The Division."

Release Date: September 13, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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7. "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Remastered"

The Game Boy classic "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening" was an incredible achievement when it arrived on Nintendo's Game Boy handheld console in 1993. It felt and played almost as well as the Super Nintendo game "The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past," despite running on far less powerful hardware.

Over 25 years later, Nintendo finally gave "Link's Awakening" the re-master treatment it deserves: The game got a gorgeous update on the Nintendo Switch this September.

Release Date: September 20, 2019

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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6. "The Outer Worlds"

The creative duo behind the original "Fallout" are working together again on a new series that feels suspiciously familiar: It's called "The Outer Worlds."

The kitschy first trailer for "The Outer Worlds" is a delight, and follows in the tradition of irreverent role-playing games like "Fallout."

The story is simple: "You awake from hibernation on a colonist ship lost in transit to its destination on the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the colony." How you play out that scenario is seemingly up to you.

Release Date: October 25, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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5. "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare"

Another year, another "Call of Duty" entry — and this time, the game even has the same name as a previous entry in the series!

In all seriousness, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" promises a return to the thematic era of "Call of Duty" games that catapulted the blockbuster series into worldwide popularity.

This year's entry puts the game's single-player mode back at the forefront, with a campaign that's promised to "[push] boundaries and break rules the way only 'Modern Warfare' can."

With an October 25 release date across Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, we've still got a bit of time to hear more about the next "Call of Duty" ahead of launch.

Release Date: October 25, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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4. "Luigi's Mansion 3"

If you're old like me, you may remember playing an early Nintendo GameCube game named "Luigi's Mansion." It came out way back in 2001!

It wasn't anything like a typical Super Mario game — instead of jumping on Goombas and clearing treacherous gaps, Luigi was sneaking around a haunted mansion with a flashlight and a vacuum. His goal: Stun the villainous ghosts with his flashlight, then vacuum them up. Naturally!

The game got a sequel, many years later: "Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon" for the Nintendo 3DS console. But the series has been absent from a Nintendo home console since that original game. Soon, in 2019, a third entry in the series is finally coming: "Luigi's Mansion 3."

Release Date: October 31, 2019

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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3. "Death Stranding"

"Death Stranding" is an open-world, third-person action game with a heavy emphasis on stealth and puzzle solving. Its main character Sam Bridges is played by Norman Reedus, of "The Walking Dead" fame — and Reedus is doing a lot of exploration in "Death Stranding."

He explores on foot, and he explores on a motorcycle. Sometimes he uses gadgets to traverse a particularly perilous bit of terrain — a cliff face or a mountain ridge or a snow-covered peak. Moreover, he's exploring America.

The game is the latest work from "Metal Gear" series creative lead Hideo Kojima, a legendary figure in the video game business. Reedus, as Sam Porter Bridges, is the main character. Mads Mikkelsen, a Danish actor best known as the bad guy from "Casino Royale," appears to be the antagonist.

Since "Death Stranding" is funded by Sony, the game is only coming to the PlayStation 4.

Read more about "Death Stranding" right here.

Release Date: November 8, 2019

Platform(s): PlayStation 4



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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2. "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order"

A huge new "Star Wars" game was revealed earlier this year: "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" is expected to arrive November 15 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

It's a single-player action game focused on lightsaber combat and Force powers.

Even better: The game is being made by Respawn Entertainment, the same studio behind the excellent "Titanfall" series and the recent blockbuster "Apex Legends."

Release Date: November 15, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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1. "Pokémon Sword & Shield"

Pokémon is coming to the Nintendo Switch — prepare yourself!

Indeed, Nintendo is developing "Pokémon Sword" and "Pokémon Shield" for the Nintendo Switch. Not spin-offs, like "Pokémon Stadium" or "Pokémon Snap" way back on the Nintendo 64, but a full-on main series entry. As is typical for main series "Pokémon" games, there are two versions ("Sword" and "Shield").

The game is set in a new region, known as "Galar," and it features the new art style that looks similar to the "Pokémon Let's Go!" games that arrived in late 2018. It also features new Pokémon, new trainers, and a totally new story. 

With a launch set for November 2019, "Pokémon Sword" and "Pokémon Shield" are likely to be the biggest games of the holiday.

Release Date: November 15, 2019

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch



Check it out in action right here:

Youtube Embed:
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How a tiny Mexican art store in one of NYC's priciest neighborhoods has thrived for 20 years despite skyrocketing rents

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  • It's National Hispanic Heritage Month, and Latino-owned businesses have become a major asset to the US economy. According to a Biz2Credit study, more Latinos in the US are applying for small-business loans and shrinking the funding gap. 
  • In a city with increasingly expensive rent, a small shop in NYC's East Village stands out for its vibrancy and longevity.
  • La Sirena captivates tourists and locals with colorful paper banners (papel picado), Frida Kahlo ornaments, and Día de Los Muertos skulls (calaveras).
  • Owner Dina Leor had little knowledge about running a business when she opened in 1999. She's struggled to pay rent at times, but continues to find ways to keep her Mexican folk-art store open without raising her prices.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

When people walk into La Sirena in New York City's East Village, they're either looking for a very specific piece of Mexican culture, or they've stumbled upon its captivating menagerie by chance.

In a city with increasingly expensive rent, it's clear that owner Dina Leor, who is Argentine-American, doesn't take her real estate for granted. Inside, she makes use of every square inch to display thousands of pieces she collects, primarily handmade by artisans in Mexico. There are colorful paper banners (papel picado), Frida Kahlo ornaments, altar candles, and Día de Los Muertos skulls (calaveras).

Leor has been in business for 20 years, despite almost losing her store to exorbitant rents. The median annual rent for a storefront in the East Village is $132 per square foot, according to 42Floors. Leor declined to share how much she pays in rent. 

Leor said she had no idea what she was doing when she started a small business in 1999, and she still does many things the same. She does her own accounting on a lined notebook, doesn't have an online store, and has never kept inventory. She went to art school, not business school. Customers may be attracted to her shop for the bright colors and array of pieces, but they stay for Leor's knowledge of Mexican culture and passion for supporting local artisans.

Latino-owned businesses like Leor's have become a major asset to the US economy. According to a study by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Latino-owned businesses contribute more than $700 billion to the economy each year. A Biz2Credit study also found that more Latinos in the US are applying for small-business loans and shrinking the funding gap.

Business Insider visited her store to find out how she turned her devotion to Mexican art into a brick-and-mortar that keeps people coming back. 

SEE ALSO: 16 craft breweries that are shaping the American beer landscape — and boosting their local economies along the way

The store immediately welcomes customers into a celebration of Mexican culture.

Garlands, paper flowers, and string lights dangle from the ceiling. Shelves are filled to the edge with figurines and sculptures. The light yellow walls are covered in ornaments, jewelry, and tons of thumbtack holes. Leor calls them her "holy walls." 



The wide array of decor, clothing, and art evoke what it's like to walk into a gift shop in Mexico.

Stacks of clothes and textiles line the rough, wooden floors and remnants of old, blue linoleum tiles. An aisle of walking space gives just enough room for two people to awkwardly side-step to switch places.



Leor is a self-proclaimed shopaholic, but only when buying for her store.

 "Right now it's less breathable than it used to be," said Leor. "I don't want to get rid of stuff because I want everything to show."



The moment customers walk in, Leor jumps up to show them around and teach them about Mexican culture.

Alex Hunter, from London, was on a work trip when he found La Sirena. "You get a real sense for the art," said Hunter. His children are fascinated with Mexican culture, so he bought luchadores masks to bring back home for them.



Leor taught one woman about the Mexican symbols and traditions of the pieces she liked.

Alina Chigri, traveling from Germany, came into the store with a friend to find a memento of her trip. "I felt welcomed, really warm," said Chigri.



A costume designer came in to find Mexican dresses for a play.

Linda Cho is a costume designer for "Chasing Rainbows" at the Paper Mill Playhouse. She needed costumes for the production, and Leor helped her sift through stacks of traditional embroidered dresses.

We need more stores like this, but the only resources we have left now are online," said Cho.



La Sirena is celebrating 20 years in business this year, but Leor started collecting Mexican art much earlier.

When Leor was nine years old, she joined her Argentine mother on a trip to Mexico. She had such a good time, she didn't want to leave — and it began a life-long interest in Mexican culture.



Leor became a carpenter and art therapist. She made trips back to Mexico any chance she had.

"I'd always feel like my heart was being torn out on my way home," said Leor. 



Most of all, she loved visiting artisans and buying their pieces to take back home.



In New York, people stopped her on the street to ask about her mercado bags.

She'd take their numbers and promise to grab them one on her next trip to Mexico. 

A mercado bag is a tote bag usually made with woven plastic. It's typically used for shopping at the market or grocery store. 



Leor collected so much art that one of the rooms in her home became a storage space.

While teaching at Bellevue Hospital, she held lunchtime markets in her classroom to sell pieces to other teachers.



'I'd never thought of having a store. Ever.'

Leor says she was laid off from her job at Bellevue in roughly 1997, and she planned to start up an at-home daycare while selling her pieces elsewhere in the East Village on the weekends. 

Then she came across an empty storefront. "I never thought of having a store, ever," said Leor. Yet, she found herself asking if the space was available.

She rented the front of the space for $500, while a designer rented out the back.



Leor didn't have much knowledge about building a business, but what someone may see as a disadvantage, she sees as her advantage.

"I feel like all my ignorance throughout all of this has been fabulous because it let me do things that I wouldn't have done otherwise," said Leor.

Before she accepted credit cards, she kept a little box for her money.



On one of her buying trips to Mexico, Leor spent $9,000 on 11 crates of art she shipped to the US.

"I was spending everything I made, because I didn't know when I could go back again," she said.

While the crates were on the way, she said the landlord ended her lease about a year after she opened her shop. Leor went back to selling her pieces around the East Village and at street fairs. Meanwhile, 11 crates of Mexican art took up her entire living room. 



About a year later, Leor found a real estate company looking for first-time store owners who couldn't afford spaces on their own.

She applied, took out a loan of $5,000, and got her current space at 27 East 3rd Street right before the holidays.

She painted the walls yellow and covered the floors in blue linoleum tile. She says that if she'd known most of the tiles would break over time, she would have chosen wood.



With 10 crates of products left in her apartment, she didn't need to go back to Mexico before opening.

It took just two days to set up her store.



Hiring and managing employees is one of Leor's biggest challenges.

"I have great people and I've always really appreciated them and we've worked well together, but it's a lot of work," she said.



Owning a Mexican folk-art store, Leor feels an obligation to hire Spanish-speaking employees.

"If a whole family comes in, they can't feel comfortable because they can't speak the language that you're speaking to them," said Leor. "It just feels important to me."



Affording rent in New York City has been a persistent battle for Leor.

"I've been really tight, but I've always managed," she said. "The rent goes up and I'm not raising my prices. I just feel that if I do, I really think I'll lose more business that way."

About four years ago, she struggled with her management company (which has since changed) as it negotiated a new lease. She said that they wanted more than she could afford, sent her a 30-day notice to leave, and she prepared to look for a new place.

But then she called her local councilwoman, who knew Leor's landlord. The councilwoman called him to vouch for her. "I don't know what happened, but I ended up getting a clear lease," said Leor.

Business Insider reached out to the councilwoman for comment.



Her rent increases each year, but Leor said she'll likely stay because the rents in other parts of New York City are so exorbitant.

"To move to something else that's the same size doesn't make sense to me. I'd rather stay here unless I could get something bigger," said Leor.

It's her dream to move to a larger space where she can have a cultural center to host classes and events.



When Leor struggles financially, her strategy is to have big sales.

"Unfortunately, they don't seem to be as successful these days," she said. "Maybe my customers are Mexican folk-arts shopped out."



Community and art events also help boost her sales.

Brooklyn Museum purchased T-shirts from Leor for its Frida Kahlo exhibit, and she held a pop-up in the museum's gift shop. 

She's having a shopping event for Día de Los Muertos on October 12 and 13; then she'll have tables set up at the Museum of Natural History's Día de Muertos festival in November.



Leor has noticed other stores in the area closing.

She used to hold an annual Mexico walking tour. It started at a Mexican restaurant and brought people around to other stores. She hasn't done it this year, partly because many of the stores have closed.



She couldn't pinpoint what's kept her store going, but said she doesn't know of any stores like hers that carry the same variety.

"I think just what we're doing attracts people," she said. "It's very heart-based."

"The fact that it's all handmade, people like that."



Advertising isn't worth the extra money for her, so Leor relies on social media and a 5,000-person email list to market her sales and events.

"I know it's kind of funny cause I am a business, but I probably don't think as business minded as most people do," she said.

"I just kind of do what I do and keep trucking."



The ultimate guide to going freelance — and making more than you did at a full-time gig

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freelance

  • The freelance economy has grown immensely in the past couple of years and is on track to expand. According to Upwork and Freelancers Union's Freelancing in America 2019 study, 57 million Americans are now freelancing.
  • If you're considering making the move from full-time work to freelance, you're not alone. Many freelancers earn more than in a 9-to-5, and many freelance jobs can command six figures.
  • But how do you get started — and become successful? To find out, we spoke with a wide range of freelancers in various industries who make more money now than they did in their previous roles.
  • Below is an inside look at the process from start to finish, including details about resources and infrastructure, how to budget your money and time, and how to find clients and recurring gigs.
  • Click here for more BI Prime stories.

For many, the American dream is no longer a corporate job, but working independently as a freelancer. The numbers are huge and continue to balloon: Over a third of US workers have been identified as part of the gig economy (about 57 million people), and it's been predicted that by 2027, over half of American workers will be freelancers.

Yet one thing has traditionally held some back from ditching their day job and becoming a full-time freelancer: financial fears. Freelancers often get lumped in the "starving artist" category in the collective psyche, considered something that people do more for love than for money.

Research has found that freelancers make more than 9-to-5ers in many countries, and some freelance jobs can command six figures; the annual mean wage of independent artists, writers, and performers was over $104,000 in May 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other types of freelance jobs, like web developer and graphic designer, can also be lucrative. According to a recent 2019 study commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union, freelancers contribute nearly $1 trillion in income to the US economy, which is almost 5% of the US GDP.

But even knowing that you have the potential to rake in more money than you do in traditional employment, it's tricky to make the shift from a regular, reliable paycheck to independent, client-based work. There's a lot you need to understand first — from infrastructure and budgeting to finding new clients and setting up a support system.

For behind-the-scenes guidance, Business Insider surveyed a wide range of freelancers in various industries who make more money now than they did in their previous staff position. Read on to learn what the process is like from start to finish, and what you need to know to make the leap from having a boss to becoming your own.

What infrastructure do you need to put in place to become a freelancer?

The freelancers we surveyed agreed that it's not smart to go cold turkey when making the transition to independent work. Creating a sustainable infrastructure should include a solid financial position, as well as setting up several standard business systems to avoid reinventing the wheel.

kenzi wood headshot

  • Financial footing. Kenzi Wood, a writer and the owner of Kenzi Writes, emphasized the importance of getting out of debt before quitting a full-time job.

    "I knew this would help me grow the business without fear of my personal finances," Wood said. "That meant putting full-time writing on the back burner for a year, but today I'm more successful because of it."
  • Administrative systems. Wood also recommended creating systems for accounting, client communication, task tracking, and building up a stream of regular clients, so that you can rely on solid processes rather than approaching each project piecemeal.

    Hannah Attewell, who recently became a freelance success-and-business coach, agreed with the importance of automation: "Automate everything you can — admin can eat up a lot of time that you then can't use to profit from."
  • Tools of the trade. Equipment is another vital part of your infrastructure, and this will vary depending on your industry.

    Stacey L. Vaselaney, a public-relations and social-media freelancer who quit her job as a senior PR specialist with a large Cleveland advertising agency in 2013, said a computer, a printer, a scanner, and a website were all she really needed to launch.

    Attewell explained that she was able to get started after setting up some solid SEO on her website, along with PR for backlines and carefully placed advertising. Many freelancers also recommended investing in accounting software before you begin freelancing.

man freelance desk work

What resources do you need before leaving a full-time job to go freelance?

Being prepared rather than naïve about what's to come is critical to getting your freelance business started on the right foot.

  • Cash reserves. In addition to getting out of debt, many freelancers homed in on the importance of building up some cash reserves before collecting your last paycheck from your employer. Marc Andre, the founder of the personal-finance blog Vital Dollar, set aside about $30,000 as an emergency fund when he left his full-time job as an auditor.

    "We didn't have any kids at the time, and my wife was still working, so that money would have lasted us for a while if needed," Andre said. "I'd recommend having at least a few months' worth of living expenses, and I think it's good to be more cautious if you have dependents."

    Lance Beaudry, who previously worked in youth ministry and now owns a small SEO and content-strategy company called Avalanche Creative, advised having at least six months of your desired income in the bank, not just six months of expenses.
  • Support system. When you leave an employer to become a freelancer, you also abandon an in-house support system that you may have taken for granted. Kathleen Osborne, who recently gave her notice at her full-time job and is preparing to kick off a freelance business, said that ensuring she had positive references was her initial priority.

    "The first thing I considered before making the decision was deciding on whether or not I had the strong network I needed that would vouch for me in terms of the quality of work that I do and/or be a resource for me with networking for new business," Osborne said.

    Max Kops, who left a job as an IT consultant to freelance in blockchain, agreed with the importance of ensuring you can obtain initial references when starting out. "What is most important is that you are not only an expert in your field, but you can also convey your value to your prospects," Kops said.
  • Understanding of benefits and tax implications. You'll be leaving behind employer benefits and tax structure as well when you give your notice, so an important consideration is how you'll account for these changes. For health insurance and other benefits, some independent workers opt to join freelance unions for group plans and advocacy, but most of the freelancers we spoke with didn't feel this was a necessity.

    "I don't belong to any freelance unions at the present moment, and I don't really think it's necessary when starting out," said Drew DuBoff, whose freelance specialty is online business management.

    It's critical, however, to have a strong understanding of the difference between being a W-2 employee and a 1099 contractor when it comes to tax preparation.

    "There can be a fine line with laws of employment versus contractor," said Nicole Gallicchio, whose freelance background includes serving as a virtual operations consultant. "It is important to account for taxes as soon as you get an invoice paid. I have learned that you should put away at least 35% of each check."

Nicole Gallicchio

What's the process like of leaving your job to start a freelance business?

Once you have your ducks in a row with infrastructure and resources, be prepared for some challenges as you shift your work life from employee to freelancer.

Our panel shared a variety of experiences leaving their employer, some of which were difficult. Many said they entered the situation with jitters and reservations but pushed through the fear.

  • Weighing costs and benefits.Beverly Friedmann, who works as a freelance content manager, said it was a difficult choice to leave her corporate position to embark on an untried path as a freelancer. Friedmann was among those who found themselves tallying possible pros and cons before deciding to take the plunge.

    "I was told by friends, colleagues, and even family that I was making quite a risky move," she said. "The obvious downsides? Potentially losing benefits without joining a union, including health insurance, workers comp, and unemployment. The upsides? Setting your own hours or working additional hours if desired, increased autonomy, the potential to make even more money by taking on more clients, less travel (depending on your position), and the ability to actually thrive in an industry you enjoy."
  • Facing politics. Telling your employer that you're quitting can be uncomfortable, even when it goes well. Some respondents said that while they were excited about delivering the news, it was met with mixed results from their unsuspecting boss and teams.

    "I absolutely loved leaving my job," Attewell recalled. "There was definitely a big drama with the job I was in — I imagine because they didn't see it coming. In my case it was more exciting than scary because I was right at the beginning of my career so didn't feel returning to full-time employment would be too tough if it didn't work out."
  • Losing healthcare. Vaselaney too had a difficult time pulling the plug on her steady job, paycheck, and benefits — particularly because of her health situation.

    "It was a very difficult decision," she said. "As a cancer survivor, I am considered high-risk for insurance coverage. Ensuring I'd have healthcare coverage was my biggest concern. After I discovered that I'd be able to be on Cobra for 18 months, I felt confident enough that I could quit my job."

How do you budget your money and time?

The specter of a paycheck-to-paycheck existence is often evoked when freelancing is mentioned, but most of the freelancers said they avoided this fate through proper budgeting and planning. Having enough time to get everything done as a freelancer, though, was flagged by many as a significant issue.

  • Put clients on retainer agreements. Some respondents said that to avoid feast-or-famine syndrome, they sought retainer-based client relationships to ensure a steady stream of income. Requiring clients to agree to a retainer fee allows you to receive a rate that's either fixed or variable, but is negotiated in advance.

    Brett Downes, a freelance SEO consultant, said retainer contracts were "peace of mind, as I know I get a minimum payment each month."
  • Save to avoid overreliance on current payments. Friedmann said that while she had occasionally found herself living paycheck to paycheck, she mitigates this possibility by ensuring that she always keeps a savings account as well-funded as possible.

    "I would definitely recommend freelance workers take on as many clients as they can and always save," she said. "Savings accounts become key when you're in freelance, as months can be very hit or miss."
  • Master self-discipline. With no boss breathing down your neck for that assignment, it can be easy to let things slide too much and find yourself in a constant last-minute crunch. Our sources said that successful freelancers are savvy about building in time to manage their whole business — including for invoicing, marketing, accounting/taxes, and other administration.

    Tom Wills, who shifted from a sales role in a digital agency to freelancing as a pay-per-click and SEO specialist, said it's vital for aspiring freelancers to learn to manage their time successfully.

    "You need to be very self-disciplined," Wills said. "So if you don't have this trait, I would seriously reconsider going freelance, as getting up for work is easy when you have to, but much more difficult if you are your own boss."

businesswoman meeting clients exec financial advisor

How do you find clients and get recurring gigs?

Once your freelance business is off the ground, you have to find ways to keep it up and running. According to our experts, there are a variety of ways to generate a steady stream of new business.

  • Build up referrals. Many of the freelancers we spoke with said they get most of their repeat clients through word-of-mouth referrals. This requires first doing great work so that you stand out in a crowded field of freelance talent.

    "Just do a Google search to remind yourself that freelancers are a dime a dozen," said Kristi Grigsby, a freelance marketing consultant. "You've entered a field where you are truly replaceable — within hours. That reputation of exceptional talent and integrity starts now and is crucial to your success as a freelancer."

    "It comes down to being a good person to work with," Wood said. "If you deliver a quality product on time with a smile on your face, you're a unicorn; it's so hard for businesses to find that in a freelancer. Be so good that they want to keep working with you."

    This strategy can lead to positive outcomes, said Alice Donoghue, a writing, marketing, and communications specialist: "If you do great work, you'll get repeat business from your clients, plus referrals."
  • Use Facebook groups. Some freelancers, including DuBoff and Lindsay Stead of Gilded Blooms Communications, said they found all or nearly all of their clients by networking online through niche Facebook groups.

    "People are always shocked by this, but almost every single client of mine has come from being active and engaged in Facebook groups," said Stead, who left her job with the local school board five years ago and now employs a core team of seven. "Having said that, in order to find new clients, you need to get very clear on who your ideal client is and go hang out where they hang out."

    For example, since Stead's ideal client is a woman who is a wedding professional, coach, or creative entrepreneur, or works with a not-for-profit, she found Facebook groups that support these women. "I show up regularly, I give value freely, and I make connections," Stead said.
  • Get creative. By necessity, freelancers are a driven bunch — complacency in identifying new opportunities can leave self-employed workers with little to no income if they lose a key account. Respondents highlighted a wide range of additional ways they gain new and repeat business, including traditional in-person networking, researching companies they want to work for and offering services to them, joining industry associations, attending events, offering thought leadership, and using different freelancer platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr.

Lindsay Stead

How do you make more money than you did in your full-time job?

After all is said and done, the bottom line still matters: If you can't pay your bills as a freelancer, you may end up back in the rat race. Fortunately, we found many freelancers who reported having the opposite experience.

"Within six months I was earning more than my full-time job, and within a year I had more than doubled my earnings," said Attewell, whose timing of rapid income ascension was typical of those surveyed.

Our experts shared thoughts about how they managed to make more than they did before and how others can too.

  • View freelancing as a business. Attewell pinpointed her approach to her vocation as the key to her financial success as an independent worker.

    "So often people diminish their position by calling themselves 'freelancers' and not treating their freelancing as a business that needs marketing, budgeting, and proper systems like any other business," she said. "The key to making money was that I tracked what I did and reinvested in avenues that were producing clients and revenue streams. Similarly, I would regularly trim out anything that wasn't making enough money to justify the time and expense."
  • Parlay freelancing into an actual business. Some freelancers go even a step further. Andre said he added $20,000 to his salary in his first year of freelance writing but felt he could make even more money by managing his own websites — so he used freelancing as a bridge to get him to that point.

    "It's been a great full-time business for more than 10 years now," Andre said. "I had a salary in the low $40,000s at my old job when I left in late 2008. In 2009, I made about $60,000 in my first year of self-employment. Every year from 2010 to 2018, I had a six-figure income."
  • Find a niche. While some freelance fields are very specialized by nature, others, like copywriting or graphic design, leave the door open to many possibilities. By identifying a target niche market that you can specialize in, you could build your income faster than you could as a generalist.

    "I think the key to making money freelancing is niching down," DuBoff said. "When I first started, I offered a lot of services, but I didn't do any of them particularly well. Once I refined my offerings, I began to attract the right kinds of clients that valued my expertise and skill."

Along with all of the advice above, keep timing in mind, and your financial and emotional readiness to make such a big change in your career path.

"It doesn't matter how cruddy you think your full-time job is, or that the work isn't fulfilling," Wood said. "If you jump off to freelance at the wrong time, there's a good chance you'll have to go back to a full-time job working for someone else."

If you time it right, though, the sky can be the limit.

"Being a freelancer has been great for me," Vaselaney said. "I can't imagine ever going back to an office job."

This story was originally published 7/3/2019.

SEE ALSO: One email I wrote brought in 100% of my clients after I started my business — here's the template

Join the conversation about this story »

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Ritz-Carlton's first-ever yacht — a luxury cruise ship for the '1% of global travelers' — is reportedly delayed and millions over budget. Here's a closer look at the planned design.

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Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection 1

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel's launch of its debut cruise ship has been delayed by four months, reported Jessica Montevago for Travel Market Report. A spokesperson for the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection told Business Insider "the yacht's first voyage will now take place on June 14, 2020."

The spokesperson didn't comment on reports that the project is over budget by roughly $55 million, as reported by Montevago.

In 2017, the brand revealed plans for its luxury cruise line, with three cruise ships set to begin sailing in early 2020. In 2018, reservations were finally opened for its inaugural 2020 season, now pushed to mid-year.

Somewhere between a private superyacht 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 a news release.

Here's a look at one of the designs for the anticipated 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.



Inside, there are endless glass walls, and elegantly comfortable decor. The living room is on the fourth deck. It features a library and turns into a cocktail lounge complete with piano bar and live music at night.



The main dining room, which serves locally inspired meals that change every day, and living room cafe with espresso counter and baked pastries are also on this level. The cafe also serves treats during the day and at night.



The pool is on the deck above, where guests can enjoy all-day dining, frozen treats, and water mistings. There are also a few whirlpools.



On deck six, there are two luxe restaurants and a Champagne bar which serves caviar pairings. Guests can indulge in the restaurant Aqua, designed by the chef behind the three Michelin-starred Aqua in the Wolfsburg Ritz-Carlton.



They can also enjoy Southeast Asian cuisine at Asian Fusion, which has a sushi bar. Guests can eat whenever they wish at any of the restaurants on board, rather than the traditional set meal times that are customary on cruises.



If that doesn't suit your fancy, there's always the outdoor grill on deck eight that serves fresh local catches for a sunny lunch or al fresco dinner.



Guests can work on their wellness on deck nine, which has a gym that offers offers personal training, sunrise yoga, and a wellness program customized for each guest. There's also spa with a full-service beauty lounge, sauna, steam room, and gentleman's grooming salon. Spa treatments can be enjoyed in a private room or al fresco.



On deck ten, you'll find a humidor and an observation lounge to soak in views of the endless blue, enjoy sunset cocktails, and dance into the night.



Across five of the decks are 149 rooms. Unlike most cruises, rooms will not be called staterooms, but rather, suites.



Each of the 149 suites has its own private terrace and comes with a dedicated personal assistant, who can do everything from making your dinner reservation to organizing a destination excursion.



Two of these suites are Owner's Suites, which are 1,098 square feet. They have two bathrooms and a private whirlpool on the 592 square-foot terrace.



The View Suites range from 571 square feet to 624 square feet and have stunning floor to ceiling windows.



At 700 square feet, the Loft Suites are two stories, with a luxurious modern living and dining area upstairs, and sleep area downstairs. They also have picture windows.



The Grand Suite is 635 square feet with a spacious terrace of 108 square feet.



There are also the Signature Suite and the Terrace Suite (shown here). Both are less than 500 square feet, but are still spacious and just as luxurious as the other suites, with impressive ocean views.



Certain suites can be combined into larger spaces "by removing soundproof, blind wall sections," Douglas Prothero, Managing Director of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, told Forbes. This gives guests more accommodation flexibility.

Source: Forbes



Prothero also told Forbes The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will have the highest staff to guest service ratio in the cruise industry, with almost as many staff members as guests to fulfill all your wishes.

Source: Forbes



During each trip, local talent — such as chefs, artists, and guest lectures — will join for a variety of entertainment throughout the cruise. There are also in-house classical and jazz musicians.



But there's also plenty of entertainment off board. Trip itineraries will offer less time at sea with more time to explore intimate, remote ports that bigger cruise ships don't have access to because of their size. Guests have the option to book back-to-back voyages without repeating ports.

Source: Forbes



Some voyages are packaged into themes. There's Escapes of Discovery, which explores the azure waters and sunshine of the eastern Caribbean, such as St. Lucia and the Grenadines.



There's also Yachting Playgrounds, with programs that cruise through the best of the Mediterranean: the Greek Isles, Balearic Islands, and French Riviera.



The Marquee Voyages are designed to take passengers to events around the world, such as the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo or the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland.



There are also voyages for the holidays, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and luxury crossing voyages for endless days at sea.



Baltic and Northern Europe voyages explore everything from the palaces of St. Petersburg and the glaciers of Iceland to the beaches of Normandy and Norway's fjords.



Voyages in Canada and New England take place in the autumn months, exploring fishing villages, Maine harbors, and Canadian maritime ports. There's also the chance for some whale watching.



To complement the unique itineraries, there are six themed shore excursion tracks. Iconic Sights can take one from the opera to a museum, Stirring the Senses has guests practicing yoga on a private beach and learning Feng Shui, and Active Explorations can involve snorkeling through a reef or zip-lining through a rainforest.



Epicurean Experiences can involve the behind-the-scenes of a Michelin-starred restaurant, visiting a winery with a sommelier, or learning to grow baby oysters in France, while Cultural Connections will have one helping the wildlife or environment. Guests can also opt for Concierge Ashore to customize a bespoke event.



The best bark collars you can buy for dogs

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  • Dogs will bark — it's part of their nature — but sometimes, barking can become a problem. If you've tried everything to break your dog's excessive barking habit, you may want to try a bark collar.
  • Of course, you should always consult a vet or dog-training expert before you try one.
  • With 10 levels of correction and three modes of operation, the SportDOG NoBark 10R is our top pick for the best bark collar for dogs. 
  • For nonaversive collars, check out our guide on the best dog collars you can buy.

Dogs bark, and it's something you'd have to deal with from time to time if you're a pet owner. Some dogs tend to bark more than others, however, and it can sometimes become a problem if you live close to your neighbors. Teaching your dog to stop barking on command is one option, but there are special collars that help you control your dog's excessive barking.

Bark collars for dogs are designed to break bad barking habits. When you're not actually around to tell your dog to stop barking, a bark collar can do the job for you. They can be safe and effective when used properly, however, many experts prefer you to try nonaversive methods first. As the Humane Society wrote, bark collars don't address the root cause of why a dog barks nor do they alleviate the stress that is causing a dog to bark.

We've researched the best bark collars you can buy, but if you've been thinking about getting one for your dog, we recommend that you first consult your vet or a dog-training expert. 

Here are the best bark collars you can buy:

Updated on 10/7/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices. Added related buying guides.

The best bark color overall

The SportDOG NoBark 10R is easy to use, effective, and safe for your dog.

Every dog is unique and you may not know how your dog will respond to a bark collar until you start to use it. Some dogs respond more to static shocks while vibration is enough for others. A large dog may require a higher intensity deterrent than a smaller dog, and some dogs learn more quickly than others. Though it is a little pricier than other options, our top pick for the best bark collar overall is the SportDOG NoBark 10R Collar.

SportDOG is known for producing some of the highest quality pet technology on the market and the NoBark 10R Collar is no exception. This collar features a patented sensory system that detects your dog's unique bark. It only emits a shock if it detects vibration from the dog's vocal chords as well as the actual sound of a bark. 

The collar offers three different modes with 10 levels of correction and a built-in safety feature that automatically turns off the device for three minutes if your dog barks 15 times or more within 50 seconds. It is also waterproof, rechargeable, and adjustable up to 22 inches.

Reviewers have described this collar as one of the most reliable dog bark collars and comments on the patented sensor system as well as the auto-shutoff feature, but that it may not be the best choice for puppies and very small dogs. BestAdvisor gave this collar its "Best Pick" award for being convenient, multifunctional, waterproof, and versatile.

Amazon reviewers commented positively on the product's durability and adjustability, though there are some comments about the low-setting being too high for small dogs.

Pros: Patented sensory system, 3 programmable modes, 10 levels of correction, waterproof and submersible to 25 feet, rechargeable battery lasts up to 6 months, automatic shut-off safety feature, good for multi-dog households, adjusts 6 to 22 inches

Cons: Lowest setting may be too high for some dogs, not for dogs under 8 pounds, battery takes several hours to charge



The best static bark collar

Available in several different sizes with a fast-charging battery and up to 10 stimulation levels, the Dogtra Yapper Stopper No Bark Collar (YS500) is an effective static dog bark collar.

Also known as electric bark collars, static bark collars are the most popular and the most versatile of bark collars. They work by sending a short pulse of static electricity when the collar senses your dog barking. Most static collars can be adjusted for different intensity levels and they come in different sizes for dogs of different breeds and ages. Our top pick for the best static bark collar is the Dogtra Yapper Stopper.

The Dogtra Yapper Stopper No Bark Collar comes in several different sizes to accommodate puppies and dogs as small as 10 pounds as well as dogs with mild to stubborn temperaments. The YS600 is the newest model, featuring a sleek design with a lower profile than previous models.

It is equipped with a 2-hour rapid charge battery and the highly accurate Accelerometer Bark Sensor. The collar offers ten different levels of stimulating as well as a non-stimulating High-Performance Pager vibration option. It is also fully waterproof and backed by a one-year warranty.

Treehouse Puppies said the several size and strength options this collar is ideal for dogs of all types. The reviewer also confirms that the sensor is able to distinguish your dog's bark from background noise and other dogs. Sporting Dog Pro included several models of the Dogtra Yapper Stopper in its lineup of the best dog bark collars, commenting on the simple and straightforward design as well as the efficacy of the product itself.

Dog owners who left reviews on Amazon said it works well for even large and stubborn dogs, though some commented that it may be too strong for very small dogs.

Pros: Multiple size options to choose from, sleek new design with low profile, 2-hour rapid charge battery, highly accurate Accelerometer Bark Sensor, automatic shut-off for continued barking, 10 levels of stimulation, non-stimulating High-Performance Pager vibration option, waterproof

Cons: Not ideal for dogs under 10 pounds, older models may have excess material on the strap, even lowest level may be too strong for some dogs



The best spray bark collar

With two levels of spray correction and a tone-only option, the PetSafe Spray Commander Dog Training Collar is a good choice if you don't like the idea of shocking your dog. 

If you don't like the idea of shocking your dog for barking, a spray collar might be the right choice. These collars work by releasing a mist of citronella spray each time your dog barks. Citronella is perfectly safe but, because dogs dislike the smell, it acts as a deterrent for barking. Our top pick for the best spray bark collar is the PetSafe Remote Spray Trainer.

With three training options — spray, tone, or vibration — the PetSafe Remote Spray Trainer is a versatile short-distance option for correcting your dog's barking behavior. It has an 80-foot range and features an adjustable waterproof collar made from comfortable webbing that adjusts up to 23 inches. Each can of citronella provides up to 35 sprays and the entire system is discreet and easy to use.

The Pet God blog commented on the convenience of the three program modes: low spray, high spray, and tone only. K9 of Mine named this training collar its top pick for the best citronella bark collars, noting that while this is a remote control-only device, it works well and is particularly effective with challenging barkers who require frequent correction.

Of the positive reviews on Amazon, shoppers liked the fact that it comes with a refill can and rechargeable collar and remote. Some said the automatic version is too sensitive, but the remote-controlled option seems to work well.

Pros: Features three training options (spray, tone, and vibration), lightweight design, 300-yard range, waterproof collar, includes one unscented and one citronella cartridge (35 sprays each), rechargeable, gentler option than static collars

Cons: Not for puppies dogs under 8 pounds, remote-control only, somewhat expensive compared to other models, may not be as effective as other types of bark collar



The best high-end bark collar

With advanced technology and plenty of useful features, the Garmin Bark Limiter Deluxe is our top pick for the best high-end bark collar. 

Some dogs only require gentle correction when it comes to curbing nuisance barking behavior. If you don't like the idea of shocking your dog but other bark collars haven't worked well, a vibration bark collar could be the next best option. These collars feature a sensor that detects barking and sends a vibrating interruptive pulse through the collar instead of a static shock. Our top pick for the best high-end vibration bark collar is the Garmin Bark Limiter Deluxe.

Designed with Tri-Tronic dog training technology, the Garmin Bark Limiter Deluxe features a Bark Odometer that measures effectiveness by counting the number of barks. This helps to reduce false shocks and overcorrection. The collar itself is durable and waterproof with integrated stainless-steel contact points specially designed to fit all dog breeds and all coat thicknesses. Plus, it has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts up to three months on a single charge.

Puppy Wire writes that while it may be one of the more expensive models on the market, it is also one of the most technologically advanced. Sporting Dog Pro includes this collar in its dog bark collar guide, noting that it is one of the most effective bark collars.

Shoppers said they appreciated that the product is packed with high-tech features and convenience options, though there were some comments about the price. If you want to save money, you can try the original Bark Limiter.

Despite comments about pricing, the Garmin Bark Limiter Deluxe currently costs the same as our overall pick.

Pros: Bark differentiating technology ignores background noise, Bark Odometer measures effectiveness, automatically increases correction for continuous barking, vibration and manual modes available, fits all breeds and coat thicknesses, waterproof design, compact and lightweight design, battery lasts three months

Cons: Might be too strong for very small dogs



The best vibration bark collar

With seven levels of vibration and sound, the DogRook Humane Anti Bark Training Collar is completely shock-free and an excellent alternative to static shock collars. 

Some dog owners simply do not like the idea of shocking their dogs and citronella spray collars don't always do the trick. One final option in dog bark collars is the vibration bark collar. These collars vibrate when they detect barking instead of emitting a shock, which makes them more humane and a better option for smaller or timid dogs. Our top pick for the best vibration dog collar is the DogRook Humane Anti Bark Training Collar.

The DogRook Humane Anti Bark Training Collar has recently been upgraded and the new collar features a high-quality nylon design with reflective stripes for maximum visibility in addition to being 100% water-resistant. This collar offers seven levels of sound and vibration but there is no shock, so it is completely humane. DogRook's anti-bark collar is adjustable for dogs 11 to 110 pounds, of all breeds and ages, and it only reacts to your dog's barking, not to background noise.

K9 of Mine liked its high quality and added features such as the reflective stripes and the fact that it comes with two sets of probes and backup batteries.

Dog owners said they love the shock-free design, but some warned that the fit can be awkward for very small dogs.

Pros: Recently upgraded with new features, completely humane, seven levels of sound and vibration, high-quality nylon strap with reflective stripes, works for dogs 10 to 110 pounds, water-resistant design

Cons: May not fit puppies and very small dogs (under 10 pounds), not completely waterproof, may not work for stubborn dogs



Check out our guides on the best products you can buy for your dog

The best dog collars you can buy

Every dog needs a good collar. It lets you attach a leash for outdoor walks and it's a place to hold an ID tag. While our overall pick is suitable for most dogs, there are some collars that may be better suited for your best friend. Here are the best dog collars you can buy:


The best no-pull dog harnesses you can buy

If your dog doesn't like wearing a collar, a no-pull harness may be a better alternative. It's also a great way to train your dog to walk on a leash, and the best no-pull harnesses provide dogs with comfort. Here are the best options you can buy:


The best puppy gear to make your new dog feel at home

Bringing a new puppy home is an important moment, so make it memorable and stock up on the right gear before it arrives. From a training collar to a bed and chew toy, here are the best items to buy to welcome your new dog.



I’ve worked with more than 100 execs to improve performance, and the most successful ones always share 4 traits

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woman shaking boss hand

  • Laura Garnett is a performance strategist and TEDx speaker who works with CEOs and executives to identify their unique genius and purpose and craft an actionable plan to leverage them.
  • In her work, she's identified four traits that reveal someone will be able to make the changes that they want. And luckily, they can all be learned.
  • You need to be disciplined and curious, as well as have an appetite for growth and confidence.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As a performance strategist, I work with high-level executives who have a strong desire to up their game at work. Most come to me with specific goals, like spending more time on the work they enjoy, ramping up their productivity, or becoming a stronger leader. And everyone starts with enthusiasm and a deep desire for change. 

But being a leader today is challenging. The non-stop nature of work, the unpredictability of an ever-changing economy, and the number of meetings that fill our calendar mean that most of us are incredibly overwhelmed and that getting off the hamster wheel of our day-to-day lives is difficult. I can't change our work culture, of course, so my job instead is to help people get connected to who they are, become clear about what they do best, and learn how to prioritize effectively. 

Most people soar, but there are always individuals who don't. What's the difference? Over time, I've identified four traits that demonstrate to me that someone can make the change they desire. The good news? With a little effort, you, too can cultivate these traits and move toward the success that you desire. 

SEE ALSO: Bill Gates's biggest fear is his brain not working — here's how to make yours the most productive it can be

Trait 1: They’re disciplined

When it comes to creating behavior change, working on yourself, or changing habits, discipline is key. You have to do what you say you are going to do — over and over and over again. It's those who are disciplined who I see get the most results in the shortest period of time — which feeds positive energy into the process. 

How to build it:

When you set a goal, mean it. The first part of this is making sure you're setting the right goals — ones you're excited and energized to work toward. The second? Embracing the structure that will allow you to stay on track. Gretchen Rubin's book, "Better Than Before," is a great resource for this.



Trait 2: They’re curious and open to thinking differently

When it comes to shifting how you operate, you have to be open to doing things differently — for example, prioritizing your well-being (something that is critical for success, but few people actually do), booking time in your calendar to think (which can feel awkward at first but reaps tremendous results), or being open to new career possibilities (rather than thinking inside the box you've always operated in). Without curiosity, it's more often the case that people stay stuck in the work behavior habits that they've had their entire lives.

How to build it:

Most people think that curiosity is an innate trait, but in reality, you have to re-wire your brain in order to cultivate it. Try this: When someone makes a suggestion that sounds "too hard" or "too out of the box," pause, ignore the messages your brain is sending you about why that's a bad idea, and force yourself to stay open. Or, set up interactions with people you know think differently from you and listen to their ideas. Don't share why they wouldn't work or how you think differently — just listen. By building your curiosity muscle, you will learn that often your resistance is the only thing preventing you from trying something new. 



Trait 3: They have a voracious appetite for growth

You need energy and perseverance in order to accomplish anything significant, which is why those who have a lot of it are destined for greatness. You need to be energized by your own growth and have a lot of drive for never giving up.

How to build it:

We all have drive — in fact, it's part of being human. But if you feel like you're lacking hunger or ambition, it could be because you're not doing activities that tap into your Zone of Genius. In short, that's the work you're doing when you are using your top talents and abilities to work toward your purpose. (You can read more about the concept here or explore the exercises in my book, "The Genius Habit"). Explore what your Zone of Genius is, and see if doing work that's more aligned with who you are ramps up your intrinsic motivation.



Trait 4: They’re confident about the value they have

Those who get the furthest fastest believe in themselves. When I am working with individuals, I help them see their own Zone of Genius. Those who can grab on to this and run with it are the ones who end up achieving their career visions faster than they ever thought possible. With these individuals, I often end up helping them craft a long-term career vision every year, because they've already achieved in one year what they thought would take them five.

How to build it:

Nobody is born 100% confident — instead, it's a practice. Whenever you're feeling a lack of confidence, see if you can reverse your thinking and build a positive mental messaging muscle. Remind yourself that your negative thoughts about yourself are just that — thoughts — and focus on your unique strengths and talents instead. Your confidence is intimately connected to this process of proactively creating positive thoughts about yourself.

Want to maximize your potential and blow through your career vision faster than you think is possible? Build the above traits or work with a performance strategist to help you. Knowing who you are and how to create the success you want is a skill. But once you learn it, the sky is the limit.



The Carlos Ghosn whistleblower is now facing a scandal of his own. Meet the Nissan's disgraced former chairman, who was arrested 11 months ago for underreporting his compensation.

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carlos ghosn

Nissan and its disgraced former CEO Carlos Ghosn settled their case with the SEC nearly 11 months after Ghosn was first arrested for underreporting his compensation, The New York Times reported September 24. The company will pay a $15 million fine, and Ghosn himself will pay $1 million, The Times reported.

Carlos Ghosn's rise as chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance took years. His fall? Quicker, and greater, than any other industry executive with his caliber. 

For a long time, he was known as the man who was able to usher in a new era of profitability and relevance to the automakers he helmed. Yet, to Japanese persecutors, he hid his earnings from regulators for years and used company funds to further decorate his lavish lifestyle. 

Now, one of the Nissan executives who reported Ghosn has been accused of the same crimes: Hari Nada, a Nissan vice president, is facing pressure to resign after was found to have improperly overpaid himself during an investigation by an outside law firm, sources told Bloomberg October 7.

Read more: 'I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained': Ousted Nissan exec Carlos Ghosn makes his first public remarks on financial misconduct allegations in Tokyo court

Prosecutors in Japan have also alleged that Ghosn earned a salary of about 10 billion yen, or $88.7 million, from 2011 to 2015 but reported only half of that. Ghosn, 64, could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 10 million yen if found to have committed any wrongdoing.

Keep reading to learn more about the rise and downfall of Carlos Ghosn.

SEE ALSO: How Jeffrey Epstein, the mysterious hedge-fund manager arrested on sex-trafficking charges, made his fortune

DON'T MISS: Bernard Arnault just became the 2nd-richest person in the world. These 5 mind-blowing facts show just how quickly the French billionaire's fortune is growing.

Ghosn started at Nissan in 1999, when "The Alliance" was formed — where Renault and Nissan each had a stake in the other. In 2016, Mitsubishi joined. The three act as separate entities, while also identifying as a global grouping.

Source:BBC



Ghosn was known for his cost-cutting methods — closing factories and cutting jobs while increasing profits and output. Nissan quickly surpassed Honda as the No. 2 automaker in Japan under Ghosn's leadership ...

Source:BBC, The New York Times



... for which he was greatly compensated. According to BBC's review of company records, Ghosn made over $17 million in 2017 in salary, share options and bonuses. As company success grew, so did Ghosn's net worth. As of 2018, his net worth was around $120 million.

Source:BBC, Bloomberg



Ghosn flew around the world using a series of Nissan-owned Gulfstream private jets, including a G650, which can seat up to 19 passengers, sleep up to 10, fly more than 8,000 miles, and can cost more than $67 million.

As chairman of Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, three car companies located on two continents halfway around the world from one another, Ghosn spent a considerable amount of time flying on Nissan's corporate jets between France and Japan. He also had frequent stopovers in the United States, Brazil, and Lebanon.

Source:Business Insider

 



According to a report from Bloomberg, Nissan paid over 8,000 euros a month for an Amsterdam apartment that was used exclusively by Ghosn.

Source:Bloomberg



And in Beirut, Nissan reportedly paid nearly $9 million in 2012 for a salmon-hued mansion for Ghosn to live in when he traveled.

Source:Bloomberg, The New York Times



In Tokyo, Nissan paid nearly $9,000 a month for Ghosn and family to live in a flat for only "few days each month on average." But then, all of a sudden, Ghosn's world came crashing down.

Nissan would soon begin seizing keys and blocking access from six of its properties frequented by Ghosn and his family. 

Source:Bloomberg



On November 19, prosecutors surrounded Ghosn’s Gulfstream after it touched down in Japan. Prosecutors alleged that Ghosn hid his earnings from Nissan filings for years.

Source:The New York Times



On November 19, 2018, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa confirmed the arrest of Ghosn after a months-long investigation into alleged financial crimes, like underreporting compensation to regulators. The Nissan board voted just two days later to remove Ghosn from his position as chairman.

Source:Bloomberg



A week after Ghosn's arrest, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Osamu Masuko announced the company would be ousting Ghosn from his role, too.

Source: Bloomberg



Ghosn was reportedly kept in the same facility that previously housed death-row inmates and given limited access to the outside world. Reports indicate that he was allowed to bathe twice a week and had 30 minutes a day of exercise.

Source:Bloomberg



In a January court hearing, Ghosn denied any wrongdoing on his behalf, and said he was “wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations.” The next day, his detention appeal was denied.

Source:Bloomberg



On January 23, Ghosn resigned as chairman and chief executive officer of Renault, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire told Bloomberg Television in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Source:Reuters, Bloomberg



Bloomberg reported in February that Ghosn may have used Renault funds inappropriately to "pay for his wedding party at the Chateau de Versailles" — marking the first indecency reported by the company toward its former head executive.

Source:Town and Country Magazine, Bloomberg



At the end of February, Ghosn hired lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, who said Ghosn's arrest was a result of a conspiracy inside Nissan. Hironaka said he believes Ghosn is innocent.

"The prosecutors have made a criminal case out of an issue that should have been handled inside the company," said Hironaka at a press conference. 

Source:The Wall Street Journal



In March, Ghosn, wearing blue workman's clothes and a baseball cap, was released after 108 days in a Japanese jail and after paying a nearly $9 million bail.

Source:Business Insider



According to The Wall Street Journal, Ghosn went to a court-approved residence in Tokyo. A trial is said to be happening later this year.

Source:The Wall Street Journal



He is to have no contact with anyone outside of the country by phone or computer. "I am extremely grateful for my family and friends who have stood by me throughout this terrible ordeal," Ghosn said in a statement released in March.

Source:The Wall Street Journal



Ghosn was rearrested on April 4 on new charges and then released on a $4.5 million bail later that month.

Source: Business Insider



Nissan is now struggling. The automaker's first-quarter profits were down 98.5% from last year, and it announced that it will cut at least 12,500 jobs. That's about 9% of its total workforce.

Source: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal.



Ghosn and Nissan settled their case with the SEC on September 24. The company will pay a $15 million fine, and Ghosn himself will pay $1 million, the Times reported.

Source: The New York Times



Hari Nada, the Nissan senior vice president who reported Ghosn and is set to testify against Ghosn in a Japanese trial, was found to have also improperly overpaid himself during an investigation by an outside law firm on October 7.

Source: Bloomberg



How to watch Hulu + Live TV on Roku, and stream over 60 live channels from one app

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Roku, Nasdaq sign

Hulu + Live TV is a relatively new add-on to the traditional Hulu streaming video service, which gives you access to live and on-demand television programs from more than 60 channels, as well as a DVR-like recording feature. 

If you subscribe to Hulu + Live TV, you can watch it on your Roku media player by adding the appropriate channel and logging into the service with your account information. 

Hulu + Live TV costs $45 per month, but if you upgrade to Hulu with no advertisements and Live TV, it's $51 per month. There are other add-ons available at additional cost, like premium cable networks, entertainment networks, and additional storage for the cloud DVR recording feature. 

For more information on pricing, check out our article, "A complete price breakdown for Hulu and Hulu + Live TV TV packages — here's everything you need to know."

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Roku Ultra (From $99.99 at Best Buy)

Hulu + Live TV (From $44.99 per month)

How to watch Hulu + Live TV on Roku

To watch Hulu + Live TV on your Roku, you must be sure that you're subscribed to Hulu + Live TV. You can't do this from the Roku itself. Instead, use a browser to go to the Hulu website to upgrade, if necessary. If you are new to Hulu, you may be able to start a free trial. 

When your account includes Hulu + Live TV, install the Hulu channel on your Roku player. Here's how to do that:

1. Using your Roku remote, press the Home button.

2. Select "Streaming Channels" in the list on the left side of the screen.

3. Select "Search Channels."

hulu 1

4. Search for "Hulu." When it appears in the search results, select "Add Channel."

hulu 2

5. After the channel is installed, select "OK."

6. Press the Home button again. 

7. Find "Hulu" and select it to open the channel. 

8. Sign in and you can start watching live TV on your Roku. 

Which Roku players are compatible with Hulu + Live TV

Most Roku media players are fully compatible with Hulu + Live TV. However, a few older models can only use the "classic" version of the Hulu app, which doesn't support Hulu + Live TV. 

Roku Streaming Players with model numbers 2400 to 3100 and the older Roku Streaming Sticks (models 3420 or earlier) can't play Hulu + Live TV. 

To find out if your Roku player works with Hulu + Live TV:

1. Press the Home button on your Roku remote. 

2. Select "Settings."

3. Select "System."

4. Select "About." You should see your model number. 

hulu 3

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best 4K TVs you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I cleaned my entire apartment with 4 of Amazon's highest-rated cleaning robots, but I could've done a much better job myself


The 7 'coolest' neighborhoods across the US where the food is good, the art scene is hot, and the culture is thriving

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downtown miami

For your next getaway, why not try something off the radar?

Time Out recently ranked 50 of the coolest neighborhoods in the world. As part of its 2019 Time Out Index survey, the publication asked more than 27,000 urbanites around the world about their opinions. Incorporating insights from experts — Time Out editors and contributing writers — it ranked the neighborhoods that are the ultimate "cultural and culinary hotspots right now," James Manning wrote.

Of that list, seven are in the US. They range from coast to coast, and most happen to be in cities near or on the water, whether it's Chicago or San Francisco.

Read more: The 25 best getaways in the US for millennials, where airfare is cheap and the cities are Instagrammable

So forget places like Manhattan and South Beach — neighborhoods like Astoria and Downtown Miami are where it's at.

Here are the seven "coolest" neighborhoods in the US.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best places to live in the US if you're a renter

DON'T MISS: Lisbon is the hottest travel destination for millennials in 2019. We asked 20-somethings for their best travel tips — from fairy-tale castles to buzzing nightlife, here's what they said.

7. Downtown Miami, Florida, is known for its nightlife and restaurants.

Average cost of a hotel in Miami: $114

Notable highlights: Catch a HEAT game at American Airlines Arena or a show at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts, as recommended by the Miami Herald. Or, enjoy the outdoors at Bayfront Park.

What the experts say: "More places to drink and new restaurants are expected to come, and Downtown is already the only place in Miami to get its second wind after-after-hours," James Manning wrote for Time Out.



6. Dogpatch, San Francisco, California, is known for its craft breweries and creatives.

Average cost of a hotel in San Francisco: $214

Notable highlights: Aislyn Greene for New York Magazine called Dogpatch "San Francisco's artsiest neighborhood." She suggested exploring the American Industrial Center, which has studio spaces home to artists and the like; Hugomento, a shop of porcelains and ceramics; and Romer Young Gallery, which features artists of all levels.

What the experts say: "The main drag along Third Street – which you can roam on foot or by hopping on the T line of the Muni Metro – is a browser's dream," Manning wrote.



5. Corktown, Detroit, Michigan, is known for its Irish heritage and craft cocktails.

Average cost of a hotel in Detroit: $132

Notable highlights: Visiting Motown Museum, shopping for artisan goods at Pure Detroit, and taking a tour with the Antique Touring Company are among the top 10 things to do in Corktown, according to TripAdvisor.

What the experts say: "Packed full of everything from freshly baked bagels to craft coffee and Thai-inspired cuisine to slow-roasted BBQ, Michigan Avenue is a great place to start your adventures," Manning wrote.



4. Holly, Austin, Texas, is known for its hip culture.

Average cost of a hotel in Austin: $132

Notable highlights: Pick up breakfast tacos from Juan in a Million, Erin Russell recommends for Eater Austin. The area is also home to plenty of parks for picnicking and hiking, like Edward Rendon, Sr. Park and Metz Park.

What the experts say: "Very much a rising cultural hub, Holly attracts artists, musicians and young creatives like metal filings to a magnet," Manning wrote.



3. Pilsen, Chicago, Illinois, is known for its Mexican cuisine.

Average cost of a hotel in Chicago: $189

Notable sights: Pilsen, Chicago, has a large Mexican-American community, Emmi Barrett wrote for The Culture Trip, so head to the National Museum of Mexican Art. Enjoy the neighborhood's music scene with trips to Simone's for Sunday karaoke and The Dojo for some underground music.

What the experts say: "...make time to wander off the beaten path to discover the splashy murals lining streets and alleyways, many of which tell stories of the area's eclectic past," Manning wrote.



2. Astoria, New York, is known for its diversity and art scene.

Average cost of a hotel in Astoria: $206

Notable highlights: According to Shaye Weaver for AM New York, the Socrates Sculpture Park, Welling Court Mural Project, and Museum of the Moving Image are must-sees.

What the experts say: "... you'll find yourself caught up in a bustle of people running errands at decades-old shops, lingering over meals at buzzy new restaurants and rubbing elbows with neighbours from around the globe," Manning wrote.



1. Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles is known for its street art and food.

Average cost of a hotel in Los Angeles: $237 

Notable highlights: According to Andy Wang for Food and Wine, Historic Filipinotown is LA's "next great dining neighborhood." Try Woon Kitchen or Porridges + Puffs. Head to Gabba Alley features eye-popping wall murals, wrote Aira Pamintuan for LAFOOD.

What the experts say: "As LA's other gentrifying areas ditch any sense of character and culture in favour of the latest generic-chic hotness, Historic Filipinotown is propping up its own," Manning wrote.



The owner of the controversial 'Flintstone House' in Silicon Valley says the city discriminated against her after they called her house a 'public nuisance,' and now the case is going to trial

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AP Photo/Eric Risberg

  • Hillsborough, California called the town's famed "Flintstone House" is a "public nuisance," and said that the owner lacked permits for additions to the property in a recent lawsuit.
  • Owner Florence Fang, who bought the house in 2017, countersued, alleging that the town is discriminating against her.
  • In September, Fang won the right to go to trial on the issue of discrimination over her treatment by the town.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Florence Fang, the owner of the famous Flintstone House in Hillsborough, California, is locked in a legal battle with city officials.

The city of Hillsborough sued Fang in March 2019 claiming her house didn't have the proper permits for modifications made, including lawn ornaments of large dinosaurs and a sign that said Yabba Dabba Do. The lawsuit also called her house a "public nuisance." 

Fang hit back with a countersuit of her own in April, claiming the city was discriminating against her based on national origin. In late September, a judge ruled to let Fang's case move forward. 

Keep reading for the full story of the town, and how it got to this point.

SEE ALSO: 'Dopamine fasting' is a new Silicon Valley trend, but some people are already taking it too far

Hillsborough, California is a wealthy town in the San Francisco Bay area with a median home price of over $4 million. Local zoning laws only allow large single-family dwellings, and because of minimum lot sizes, there are no apartments or townhouses in the town, according to local media.

Source: Zillow, San Mateo County



Architect William Nelson designed the now-called "Flintstone House" — a 2,700 square foot dwelling constructed in 1976 as part of an experiment with domed buildings.

Source: Business Insider



The house was originally off-white, with orange and purple added after 2000.

Source: Business Insider



The house has been known as "the dome house," "the bubble house," and other names throughout its history.

Source: LA Times



It has three bedrooms, and all interior areas are rounded.

Source: Business Insider



By the 1980s, the home had fallen into disrepair. San Francisco architect Eugene Tssui partially remodeled the home.

Source: Mercury News



In 2017, Florence Fang purchased the house at 45 Berryessa Way for $2.8 million.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle



Fang installed dinosaur sculptures, a woolly mammoth, a giraffe, and Fred Flintstone figures. "I see any dinosaur, I buy it," she told the Guardian in May.

Souce: The Guardian



In March 2019, Hillsborough filed a complaint against Fang, alleging that she did not have proper permits for her additions to the property, and calling it a "public nuisance."

Source: SFGate 



On May 8, Fang filed a counter-suit alleging that Hillsborough discriminated against her.

The 20-page document elaborates on specific instances of what Fang saw as discrimination.



The suit claims that Tim Anderson, a Hillsborough building official, has a history of discrimination against people of color, especially people of Asian descent. "He has told at least one individual of Asian origin that 'You have to speak English when you are in Hillsborough,'" according to the suit.

Anderson did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.



The suit also alleges that Anderson performed an illegal, warrantless search of the property, upon which the stop-work order was based in December 2017.



Fang's lawsuit also claims that Anderson spoke to contractors on a list she was given by the town and that as a result none of them would work with her.



In September, the court overruled Hillsborough's demurrer on the point of discrimination, meaning that the case will proceed to trial. Attorney Angela Alito told Business Insider "the case is moving along."



The best online deals and sales happening now

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best online sales deals

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on shoes at Cole Haan, Samsung washers and dryers at Best Buy, sneakers and apparel at Adidas, and the Echo Show 5 on Amazon.

Deals in this story are subject to change throughout the day. The prices listed reflect the deal at the time of publication. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

The best sales and deals happening today at a glance:

SEE ALSO: The best mattresses you can buy

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1. Save 30% on full-price and sale styles at Cole Haan

Shop the Cole Haan sale now

Cole Haan's semi-annual event is one of the brand's biggest sales of the year — and it's happening right now. Now through October 15, you can save 30% on full-price and sale styles. In addition to Cole Haan's wide range of footwear, the sale also includes outerwear, bags, and accessories.



2. Save up to $250 on Samsung washers and dryers and get a $300 gift card

Shop all Samsung FlexWash and FlexDry appliances at Best Buy now

Best Buy has great prices on home and kitchen appliances from a huge selection of brands, but one of the best deals right now is on Samsung washers and dryers. For a limited time, you can get a free $300 gift card when you buy a Samsung FlexWash and FlexDry combo. The washers and dryers are already discounted up to $250 off, so this is an amazing value.



3. Save an extra 20% on sale styles at Adidas

Shop the Adidas sale now

Adidas is running a short three-day sale with added discounts on its sale section. Now through October 10, you can save an extra 20% on sale styles by using the promo code "SALE20" at checkout. The sale includes Continental 80s (pictured above), Ultra Boost 19s, NMDs, and plenty of other styles, from performance to lifestyle favorites.

 



4. Save an extra 20% fleeces and jackets at Moosejaw

Shop the Moosejaw sale now

Fall is fully underway, and if you don't already have a warm jacket, now is the time to get one. Outdoor retailer Moosejaw is having a sale that'll save you from spending big bucks on cold-weather gear. Now through October 13, you can save an extra 20% on select clearance fleeces and winter jackets by using the promo code "OHSNAP" at checkout.



5. Save $25 on the Echo Show 5 on Amazon

Echo Show 5, $64.99 (Originally $89.99) [You save $25]

With a 5.5-inch display, the Echo Show 5 is a smaller and more affordable version of the original Echo Show. The Echo Show 5 allows you to make video calls; control Alexa-enabled smart devices; stream music, videos, and audiobooks; and much more. For a limited time, you can save $25 on the device, making it an even better deal.



6. Get $750 worth of travel points when you sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred from our partner The Points Guy.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great option if you're new to earning points and miles, as it has a reasonable $95 annual fee. You'll earn 2 points per dollar on all travel and dining purchases and 1 point on everything else, and the card includes some valuable benefits like trip delay coverage and primary car rental insurance.

You can earn 60,000 Chase points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred when you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. That's worth at least $750 toward travel. Read our review to learn more about the card's benefits.

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.



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How to add the YouTube TV app to your Roku player and watch over 70 live television channels

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Not to be confused with the separate, standalone YouTube service, YouTube TV is a premium streaming channel that offers live television programming from more than 70 TV channels. It includes local streams of all the major networks, as well as ESPN, CNN, the Disney Channel, and more. 

YouTube TV also includes a DVR-like recording feature that lets you store an unlimited amount of live TV (for as long as 9 months) to watch anytime you like.  

The service costs $49.99 per month, and you can watch with up to six accounts at once.  You can also add more premium cable channels, like Starz and Showtime, for an additional fee.

For more information on YouTube TV, check out our article, "'What is YouTube TV?': Everything you need to know about YouTube's subscription streaming service."

To watch YouTube TV on Roku, you'll just need to install the channel.

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Roku Ultra (From $99.99 at Best Buy)

How to add YouTube TV to Roku

You can watch YouTube TV on most Roku players. Here's how to get started.

1. Using your Roku remote, press the Home button.

2. Select "Streaming Channels" in the list on the left side of the screen, and then select "Search Channels."

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3. Search for "YouTube TV." When it appears in the search results, select "Add Channel." Remember that YouTube TV is a separate channel from YouTube. 

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4. After the channel is installed, select "OK."

5. Press the Home button again. 

6. Find "YouTube TV" and select it to open it. 

7. If you haven't already subscribed to YouTube TV, you can follow the instructions to sign up using your Roku player and a web browser.

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Which Roku players are compatible with YouTube TV

Unfortunately, a number of older Roku players can't play the YouTube TV channel. 

Here's a list of all the models that are fully compatible with YouTube TV:

  • All Roku TVs
  • Roku Ultra
  • Roku Streaming Stick+ and Roku Streaming Stick (3800x and 3600x)
  • Roku Express/Express+ (3910x, 3900x, 3710x, and 3700x)
  • Roku Premiere+
  • Roku Premiere
  • Roku 4, Roku 3 (4200x and 4230x), and Roku 2 (4210x)

To find out your Roku player's model number:

1. Press the Home button on your Roku remote. 

2. Select "Settings" in the menu on the left.

3. Select "System."

4. Select "About." You should see your model number. 

Cross-reference your Roku model with the list above to see if it's compatible.

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SEE ALSO: The best 4K TVs you can buy

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How to upload photos to Google Drive from your iPhone, for more storage space and sending larger files

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iphone google drive

iPhone users may not have an affinity for Android products, but it's no secret that many of Google's free services are simply too useful to resist. 

Google's cloud services and accompanying apps are extremely helpful for work, school, and other projects. Google Drive can house documents, video, audio, and images — and it's easily compatible with an iPhone

Uploading photos to Google Drive is a particularly good skill to master, as your iPhone doesn't always have the capacity to host or send larger image files. 

Here's how to do it. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

How to upload photos to Google Drive from your iPhone

1. Start by downloading the Google Drive app on your iPhone, if you haven't already.

2. Open the Google Drive app.

3. In the bottom right corner, you'll see a multicolored "+" icon. Tap it. 

4. Tap "Upload," then "Photos and Videos." Make sure your image file is an uploadable format. Image types supported by Google are .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP, .TIFF and .SVG.

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5. Go into your iPhone's Albums and select the photos you'd like to add to Google Drive.

6. Once uploaded, you can quickly find your photos with the "Locate" link that will appear on the bottom of your screen. 

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Google only allocates 15 GB for free use on Drive, but you can pay for up to 30 TB of extra storage.

If you need more storage but aren't ready to pony up, Google also offers ways to save space when adding photos in Drive.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

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