On the banks of Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida sits an isolated community of small, squat houses. About 150 residents, nearly all of them single men, make up this enclave, known as Miracle Village, and they all share one thing in common: They are all convicted sex offenders.

Founded in 2009 by minister Dick Witherow, the village is an attempt to ease the difficult and stringent regulations placed on those who were convicted of sex crimes, such as curfews and restrictions on internet use and where they can live. It was also an effort to introduce religious tenets into their daily life.

Some see it as a triumph in understanding, while others think it is dangerous and delusional.

Sofia Valiente, a young photographer from the area, spent three months living in the village, documenting its residents and their community. What she discovered changed her mind about sex offenders forever, and she hopes her work will pass on the same message. Her book of the work, titled "Miracle Village," can be purchased here. 

Valiente says she initially heard about Miracle Village from a friend at the local newspaper in Pahokee. She says she was "overcome by curiosity," so one day she decided to drive out to the small enclave of about 150 residents, living in small houses like the ones seen below.

"I was pretty terrified," Valiente says about first visiting the town. "All I knew was what the media had portrayed about them, that they were people who at all costs should be avoided."

Most members of the community were shocked to see Valiente as well. But as she explained her reasons for being there, Valiente says, "eventually people were happy to share their stories with someone that was there to listen without judgment, since that was very rare for them."

Sharing meals is a meaningful tool for trust building in nearly all cultures. But in some cultures, sharing drinks — particularly alcoholic drinks — is equally important.

I once conducted a training program for a German couple moving to Japan, assisted by Hiroki, a wise and entertaining Japanese culture specialist. The German asked Hiroki how to get his Japanese colleagues to tell him what was really going on: "They are so formal and quiet. I worry if I am not able to build the necessary trust, I won't get the information I need from them."

Hiroki thought quietly for a moment and then responded with only a small trace of humor in his eyes: "Best strategy is to drink with them."

"To drink?" the German client questioned.

"Yes, drink until you fall down."

When Hiroki said this, I thought back to my first-ever ride in the Tokyo metro, when I saw several groups of Japanese businessmen stumbling through the station as they traveled home after a long evening of well-lubricated socializing. I now realized they were following Hiroki's advice — quite literally.

If you look at Japan on the Trusting scale, you will see that it is a relationship-based culture, though not as far to the right as China or India. During the day, the Japanese generally take a task-based approach — but the relationship building that happens in the evening can be critical to business success.

In Japanese culture, where group-harmony and avoiding open conflict are overriding goals, drinking provides an opportunity to let down your hair and express your real thoughts. Drinking is a great platform for sharing your true inner feelings (what are called honne rather than tatemae feelings) as well as for recognizing where bad feelings or conflict might be brewing and to strive to address them before they turn to problems. Under no circumstances should the discussions of the night before be mentioned the next day. Drinking alcohol is therefore an important Japanese bonding ritual not only with clients, but also within one's own team.

Many Japanese use drinking to forge connections, as captured by the bilingual expression nomunication, stemming from the Japanese verb nomu ("to drink"). Japanese salespeople frequently woo their clients over drinks, knowing that although explicit deal making is never done during this type of socializing, a deal is rarely won with- out it. Of course, drinking to build trust is not just a Japanese custom. Across East Asia, whether you are working in China, Thailand, or Korea, doing a substantial amount of drinking with customers and collaborators is a common step in the trust-building process.

Many people from task-based cultures don't get it. "Why would I risk making a fool of myself in front of the very people I need to impress?" they wonder. But that is exactly the point. When you share a round of drinks with a business partner, you show that person you have nothing to hide. And when they "drink until they fall down" with you, they show you that they are willing to let their guard down completely. "Don't worry about looking stupid," Hiroki reassured our German manager, who had begun wringing his hands nervously. "The more you are willing to remove social barriers in the evening, the more they will see you as trustworthy."

Alcohol is not the only way to build a business relationship. If you don't drink, you can certainly find other ways to partake in the fun; in Japan, a round of karaoke or a trip to the spa can do wonders. And in Arab cultures, where alcohol is avoided, you can forget beer and relax instead over a cup of tea.

This excerpt adapted with permission from "The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business" (2014) by INSEAD professor Erin Meyer, from PublicAffairs.

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Homely sturgeon garner quite the following in Wisconsin, where fishermen battle extreme elements to spear the species of fish on frozen lakes. It is one of the few places in the country that allows sturgeon spearing.

Produced by Jason Gaines. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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Like all of us, I want to be smarter. I want to ask questions, read more, discover facts, and learn interesting things about the world.

But it can be hard to find the time. 

Then one of my colleagues tipped me off to an app called Pocket, and it totally changed my life.

The app, which is available for iPhone and Android, is perfect for anyone who commutes via mass transit, like I do, and wants some intellectual stimulation on the ride.

Pocket is an app that allows you to save articles online to your phone, so they can be read at a later time. Pocket is especially useful for subway riders, as it doesn't require phone service to work.

See an interesting article online but don't have the time to read it right then? Save the article (using your handy Pocket chrome extension) and read it later, like say, on your commute.

It transformed my commute — until I realized I wasn't stumbling upon great articles often enough. I had run through my saved articles by week two of using the app. That's when I discovered Longform.org.

Longform.org is a website that aggregates and curates longform articles from all over the web and many different print publications. The articles are always interesting and well-written, and the archives are extensive.

When I went on Longform for the first time, I spent a half an hour scouring the site's links, finding and saving over 40 articles on topics ranging from Kanye West to The Shaggs and professional dumpster diving to drug empires in Maine, from publications like the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Medium, Texas Monthly, and Wired. You can see my current list here.

Now I have a plethora of interesting articles waiting for me to read at any moment and I add more all the time. My commute will never be the same.

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Watch the full-length documentary on iTunes& YouTube

A humorous and heartwarming documentary feature, Cyber-Seniors chronicles the extraordinary journey of a group of senior citizens as they discover the world of the Internet through the guidance of teenage mentors. 

Their exploration of cyber-space is catapulted to another level when 89 year-old Shura decides to create a YouTube cooking video, inspiring her fellow cyber-seniors to do the same. A spirited competition for video "views" evolves as hidden talents and competitive spirits are revealed. 

Video courtesy of Cyber-Seniors

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Fact: every hairstyle does not not look great on every guy.

But how do you know which of the many popular styles will look great with your face shape without trying them all and looking ridiculous half the time.

Luckily, the folks at Birchbox have you covered so you don't have to wing it and look ridiculous.

Whether you have a round, square, oblong, diamond, triangular , or oval face, this graphic has you covered.

For more haircut and style advice, check out Business Insider'spreviouscoverage.

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Last week, 25-year-old Atlanta resident Tess Johnson received an unwelcome surprise when her Jeep Cherokee was stolen from the parking lot of her apartment complex. 

Later that day, she stopped by a Warby Parker store in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood to pick up a pair of glasses she had ordered the week before.

A sales representative there asked how her day was going.

"The group of employees circled around me as I told the story and each of them was so empathetic and awesome," Johnson told Business Insider. "They offered to take me out to dinner that night, and I said they were too kind to offer. They joked that I could use a beer — I'm a huge beer person so I said that a beer sounded amazing. Offhand I mentioned maybe I'll head to the Porter later (it's a serious craft beer bar in Atlanta), and they all said that was one of their favorite restaurants too."

Johnson works at an ad firm called Blue Sky Agency, and she has a passion for craft beer marketing. 

As she was leaving, the store manager asked Johnson her address.

"I felt like she might have had something up her sleeve," Johnson said. "She told me to please take care, and to come back soon and let them know how things were going."

A week later, a card with a $20 gift card to the Porter Beer Bar arrived at her apartment. 

"Everyone [at the store] is so kind and the manager is amazing," Johnson said.

We first spotted Johnson's story on Reddit.

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We've all heard the stereotype of the friendly Midwesterner, or the neurotic New Yorker. They're stereotypes, yes, but it turns out there may be some truth to them.

Personality and career assessment site Truity surveyed more than 12,000 residents in all 50 states and D.C. to find out if where you grew up has any bearing on your personality. Truity ranked the states based on the Big Five dimensions of personality: engaging with the world, getting along with others, responding to stress, using your mind, and organizing your life.

Truity found that states like Nevada, home to Sin City Las Vegas, is the most extroverted state in the US, and that the Dakotas were the "friendly conservative" states in the country. Not surprising. But the most neurotic state, the survey found, isn't New York — it's South Dakota; and the friendliest state of the bunch is Montana. No Midwestern states fell in the top five there.

Take a look at Truity's infographic below to see the results in full.

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Dubai spares no expense when making its cityscape the most jaw-dropping in the world.

In the 2000s, the emirate dropped nearly $600 billion into constructing the world's tallest tower, biggest man-made island, and most luxurious hotel, among other architectural feats.

These aerial photos of Dubai capture the city's elegance and ambition.

Dubai is a city of superlatives. Located in the United Arab Emirates, the ritzy metropolis is home to some of the tallest, biggest, and most luxurious structures in the world.

These dazzling photos of Dubai, taken from the sky, show off the city's architectural feats.

The Burj Al Arab, the fourth-tallest hotel in the world, dominates the Dubai skyline.

Most doctors suggest that men consume no more than two alcoholic beverages a day, while woman should only have one. So, why the difference? 

Produced by Alex Kuzoian. Illustrations by Mike Nudelman.

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Sony and the World Photography Organization have announced the shortlist for the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards in the Professional, Open, and Youth categories.

The 2015 competition saw more than 173,000 entries this year, making it the most successful year in the awards' eight-year history.

Those in the professional categories are competing for a $25,000 prize and the title of Photographer of the Year.

The winners of this year's awards will be revealed in April at the Sony World Photography Awards Gala.

OPEN: A shoal of black-tip reef sharks patrol the coast of the Seychelles, an island off the coast of Africa.

A man performs a "bomb" dive into the ocean. Photographer Antony Crossfield made the image to show how one could create "fiction" in digital photography.

These pelicans live at Port Vincent in South Australia. They have become accustomed to waiting for fish offal for food.

This jumping drone is a cool alternative to your run-of-the-mill flying drone.

You can make the acrobatic "Parrot Jumping Sumo" drone jump over 2.5 feet either vertically or horizontally. The drone's wheels will keep it from smashing when it lands.

You can control the drone with your tablet or smartphone — so you won't even have to carry around a separate controller.

And as a fun touch, the drone has a camera attached to it, which enables you to see what the drone "sees" on your tablet or smartphone's screen.

Parrot jumping sumo drone: $159.99$157.53[2% off]

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Science fiction makes you think.

Although sci-fi pushes past the boundaries of reality, it paradoxically allows readers to think about questions that hit closest to home. 

Technology, society, war, existence, family — these main sci-fi themes are things that we all deal with every day.

No literary list is exhaustive, but we've put together a list of 17 that any real sci-fi fan should definitely read.

"Foundation" by Isaac Asimov

"The first Foundation trilogy (...) won a Hugo Award in 1965 for 'Best All-Time Series.' It's science fiction on the grand scale; one of the classics of the field," wrote Brooks Peck.

Paperback:$7.19
Kindle:$4.99

The Foundation trilogy (paperback):$16.91

"Dune" by Frank Herbert

"Herbert created what was, in 1965, the most complex backdrop of politics, economics, religion, science, philosophy, and culture to inform an [science fiction] novel to date," wrote Tomas M. Wagner for SFReviews.net. 

Paperback:$7.99
Kindle:$5.99

"Ringworld" by Larry Nivel

200-year old human Louis Wu, 20-year old fellow human Teela Brown, and two aliens set out to explore an unknown world, Ringworld. 

Paperback:$6.00

"Daemon" by Daniel Suarez

“Suarez’s riveting debut would be a perfect gift for a favorite computer geek or anyone who appreciates thrills, chills and cyber suspense... A final twist that runs counter to expectations will leave readers anxiously awaiting the promised sequel," writes Publisher's Weekly.

Paperback:$6.68
Kindle:$6.35

"Avogardo Corp: The Singularity Is Closer Than It Appears" by William Hertling

"An alarming and jaw-dropping tale about how something as innocuous as email can subvert an entire organization.  I found myself reading with a sense of awe, and read it way too late into the night," writes author Gene Kim.

Paperback:$9.58
Kindle:$2.99

"I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

The Will Smith movie version is nothing compared to the actual book.

This nine-story collection is a mind-blowing read. Trust us.

Paperback: $11.46
Kindle: $5.99

"Contact" by Carl Sagan

"Who could be better qualified than the author of the highly successful Cosmos to turn the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence, and humankind's first contact with it, into imaginative reality?" according to Publisher's Weekly.

Paperback:$7.19
Hardcover:$14.76

"2001: A Space Odyssey" by Arthur C. Clarke

"Brain-boggling," according to LIFE.

Paperback:$6.00
Kindle:$6.00

"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

"[Dick] sees all the sparkling and terrifying possibilities... that other authors shy away from," wrote Rolling Stone's Paul Williams.

Paperback:$9.75
Kindle:$5.95

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card

"Intense is the word for Ender's Game. Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human species. To make sure humans win the next encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military geniuses -- and then training them in the arts of war," according to the Amazon.com review.

Paperback:$6.00
Kindle:$7.99

The whole Ender Quintet: $22.88

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adam

"You'll never read funnier science fiction; Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue. The Hitchhiker's Guide is rich in comedic detail and thought-provoking situations and stands up to multiple reads," according to the Amazon.com review.

Paperback:$13.48
Kindle:$11.99

"Pandora's Star" by Peter F. Hamilton

Astronomer Dudley Bose sees a star disappearing one thousand light-year away — and goes out find out what's going on.

Paperback:$8.99

"Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut

"The Sirens of Titan — a lacerating satire that undeniably influenced Douglas Adams — gives humanity the brutal message: You are not in control," according to the SFreview.net.

Paperback:$11.57
Kindle:$5.99

Leather-bound:$150.00

"Neuromancer" by William Gibson

"...the novel is not much interested in character and plot. Instead it is dedicated to creating the feeling of a transformed reality, where a new vocabulary is required to describe how perception itself has been changed by computers," writes John Mullan in The Guardian.

Paperback:$7.19
Kindle:$5.99

"Hyperion" by Dan Simmons

"Simmons make up a single thousand-page novel about the last days of a vibrant yet self-destructive galactic civilization called the Hegemony," according to Gerald Jones in the New York Times.

One of the most thought-provoking moments in the novel is when a character says, "Sometimes, dreams are all that separate us from machines."

Paperback:$7.14
Kindle:$4.99

"1984" by George Orwell

"Agreeing with all that the critics have written of it, I need not tell you, yet once more, how fine and how profoundly important the book is," Aldous Huxley wrote in a letter to George Orwell regarding "1984."

Paperback:$6.00
Kindle:$5.70

"War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells

"... true classic that has pointed the way not just for science-fiction writers, but for how we as a civilization might think of ourselves," writes Ben East in The Guardian.

Paperback:$6.99

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Sitting all day at work is dangerous. So if you're like me, stubbornly refusing to try a trendy standing desk (or treadmill desk!), then you may as well sit properly.

Fortunately, there are some science-backed tweaks to your desk set-up and posture that can dramatically improve your health and happiness. Though to ease your eyes and back, remember to still get up and walk around every so often.

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If you've got a pre-Retina display MacBook Pro, it probably feels like it's running pretty slow. It's easy to give your machine a boost by swapping in a Solid-State Drive and more RAM. 

Here are the links for what you'll need:

Solid-State Drives

RAM

Toolkit

Produced by Matthew Stuart

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FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler gave an incredible defense of net neutrality at Thursday's FCC hearing, going so far as to compare it to the First Amendment and saying the FCC was using all the tools in its toolbox to protect innovators and consumers.

Produced by Matthew Stuart

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You've been invited to a 1-year-old's birthday party, but you have no idea what to get.

We're here to help.

From stacking blocks to play kitchens, here are 12 awesome gifts every 1-year-old will enjoy. 

Building blocks will help them become future engineers.

At this age, children are just learning to stack blocks — and they may have more fun knocking over towers than actually building them.

Mega bloks are like giant legos — perfect for little hands that lack a lot of coordination.

Price:$25

A push toy will help them prepare to walk.

Most children begin to walk around age 1. Help him gain the confidence to walk by himself with a sturdy push toy.

The VTech sit to stand walker can be used as an activity center that sits on the floor (for non-mobile) babies, and can also be adapted to a push toy.

Note that some pediatricians say that walkers are dangerous since they gave toddlers a lot more mobility — just make sure that the parent is ok with this toy.

Price:$35

Shape sorters will teach them to problem solve.

A shape sorter will teach children patience and problem-solving skills: children will learn to figure out which shapes fit in the appropriate holes. They'll also learn colors and shapes.

Price:$15

This spring, you'll want to have a great dehumidifier in your house.

Things start to get extra damp and sticky as temperatures rise, so a dehumidifier will be especially useful in making your home more comfortable.

If the comfort aspect hasn't convinced you, excess humidity can lead to fungi and weird insect infestations. So, take our word for it, a dehumidifier is good to have in your bedroom and laundry room.

We've put together a list of four great (and discounted!) dehumidifiers — with tips on which kind you should get. Check them out.

Keystone energy star dehumidifier

This is the largest dehumidifier of the bunch — made for rooms up to 4,500 square feet.

If you need to de-moisturize larger rooms in your house (or even a large basement or garage) this is your go-to.

It has a transparent water level indicator and a full bucket alert with automatic shutoff.

Price: $229.99$199.99[13% off]

Ivation powerful thermo-electric dehumidifier (medium sized)

This is a medium-sized dehumidifier, which makes it suitable for 2,200-cubic-foot spaces. That's great for bathrooms, bedrooms, and even if you're storing antique cars or boats.

You'll only need to empty out the water tank every 3 days.

Price: $129.99$84.99[35% off]

Ivation powerful thermo-electric dehumidifier (small sized)

This is a smaller version of the above model, which means that it's better suited for people who live in apartments, or those who have small laundry rooms, RVs, or boats.

Price: $79.99$39.99[50 off]

Ivation mini dehumidifier

And here's a mini dehumidifier.

This one is best for small rooms, musty cupboards or closets, stored boats and antique cars, and attics.

Price: $99.99$59.99 [40% off]

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The Hospital Club, located on Endell Street in London's Covent Garden neighborhood, has quite the interesting history.

Previously a 19th-century women's hospital, the seven-story building now functions as a members-only club, hotel, TV studio, art gallery, and event space. The club also just added 15 bedrooms so visiting members have a place to lay their heads at night.

Microsoft's billionaire cofounder Paul Allen bought the club in 1996, shortly after he and musician Dave Stewart discovered the building while having a drink nearby. They renovated it and opened the Hospital Club in 2004.

An annual membership costs 8oo pounds, or roughly $1,200, though those based outside the U.K. and under 30 years old can take advantage of a slight discount. 

The Hospital Club is located in a seven-story building that was completed in 1849. Its name was inspired by the building's previous roles, first as a women's hospital and later as a secret, government-funded treatment center.

Inside, the decor is funky and eclectic.

Detailed woven rugs and bold walls give off an artistic vibe.

A mansion built to be a Zen-like paradise, aptly named "Nirvana," just listed in Palm Beach county, Florida for $25 million.

Located in Manalapan, Florida, the house was built to be an "oceanfront haven."

Zen and Buddhist influences permeate throughout the home —there's even a Buddhist prayer room.

But for $25 million, you should also expect some serious luxury. And with a spa room, a cinema, and a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean, that angle is appropriately covered.

“The Nirvana estate is the perfect combination of modern and spiritual, young and old, east and west,” says Senada Adzem, director of luxury sales at Douglas Elliman real estate, which has the listing.

Welcome to Nirvana, an estate built to maximize relaxation.

Every inch of its 12,244 square feet was built to be an "oceanfront haven."

The estate was build as a sort of East-meets-West theme, with zen and Buddhist influences.