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The UK technology industry has plenty of women in leading roles. It's still a male dominated arena, of course, so we've collected together some of the UK's most interesting women in tech, ranging from VCs, to startup founders, to government advisors.
Many are investors in some of the world's most exciting companies, some are members of the House of Lords, and others are helping fledgling tech companies conquer the world.
25. Robyn Exton
CEO and cofounder, Dattch
Twitter: @robynexton
Dattch is a dating app for lesbian and bisexual women that connects users based on location. Exton created the app after realising that existing lesbian dating sites were simply reskinned versions of other sites. Using her experience of working with a dating site at a branding agency, she set about making a dating app specifically created for lesbians.
Unlike many dating sites and apps, Dattch has been praised for its positive approach to LGBTQ dating, and the app has won countless awards, including the Best Design award at the 2013 LAUNCH conference. The business brought its operations to the US in 2014, and plans on expanding to Android in the near future.
24. Judith Clegg
Founder, Takeout and Glasshouse
Twitter: @judithclegg
Judith Clegg is the founder of two companies that work closely with the UK's tech industry.
Takeout is a consultancy that connects startups and larger businesses such as Microsoft with academics and new business opportunities. Her other company, Glasshouse, is an events business favoured by big-name tech companies like Craigslist, Index Ventures, Moo and Mind Candy.
23. Emily Brooke
CEO and founder, Blaze
Twitter: @buzzbrooke
The Blaze laser light is a green laser that attaches to the front of a bicycle. The laser then projects the image of the bike several metres in front of the rider. The bright images keeps cyclists safe on the road by helping drivers to see them.
Over 3,000 laser lights have been sold so far, after devices began shipping in early 2014. Blaze has raised £500,000 from Richard Branson's family and Index Ventures.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Turning 40 is a major milestone.
You're getting older, but you're still young enough to do something crazy, like bungee jump or take a trip on a whim. There's a good chance that you probably have more money to spend, too.
We've come up with a bucket list of 40 things everyone should do before they turn 40.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in a foreign city.
Challenge yourself to complete something that seems impossible: compete in the Ironman Triathlon, climb Mt. Everest, or finish a 100 Mile Race.
Splurge on a meal at The French Laundry in California, or another 3-star Michelin restaurant.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
At the end of the day, success in the legal industry still depends heavily on where you go to law school.
SurveyMonkey helped us survey more than 300 American legal professionals to determine the best law school, and this year Yale University replaced Harvard as the No. 1 school.
Click here to read our methodology.
For more on each school, read the full feature of the 50 Best Law Schools In America »
SEE ALSO: The 50 Best Law Schools In America
SOCIALIZE WITH US: Business Insider is on Instagram!
Join the conversation about this story »
There's no shortage of hot startups.
To stand out, startup CEOs are getting creative by launching innovative products and raising tons of money — and they've got the world talking.
We've found the hottest startup CEOs in the US. We ranked the CEOs by buzz, accounting for how much money their company raised and how much they've been in the news this year.
For the purpose of this list, we defined a startup as a private tech company that's less than five years old. With one exception, we included only US-based startups that have taken venture-capital funding and have not yet IPO'd or been acquired.
Did we miss a buzzy startup CEO? Let us know in the comments.
32. David Arabov
Company: Elite Daily
Arabov created the news website Elite Daily because he and the site's other two cofounders wanted to make a news site that was The Huffington Post for millennials. "Gen Y is where our biggest source of traffic comes from. The average reader is between 18 to 26 years old, and it's split between male and female," Arabov told Business Insider.
Founded in 2012, the startup just received its first funding in June, $1.5 million from Social Starts, Vast Ventures, Red Sea Ventures, and Greycroft Partners.
31. Or Arbel
Company: Yo
The Yo app is incredibly simple. You just tap a friend's name and the app sends that person a notification saying "Yo!" in a robotic voice, which is actually the voice of Arbel.
Yo, which came about when a friend enlisted Arbel to make an app that notified his personal assistant, has 1 million users.
In one round of fundraising, the app received $1.5 million. We wait to see which direction Arbel will go from here.
30. Paul Budnitz
Company: Ello
Ello is an invite-only ad-free social network that allows users to customize profiles with creative layouts. "When a network is very simple," Budnitz says, "people want specific features, and they’re willing to pay for those features."
The social network has raised $5.9 million in two rounds of fundraising from the Foundry Group, Bullet Time Ventures, and FreshTracks Capital.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Ski season has officially arrived in the US, with most mountain resorts officially opening within the next week.
FindTheBest helped us pick the best ski resorts in the US. They generated a Smart Rating to rank ski resorts around the country, based on rankings from SKI Mag and PowderHounds.com, mountain size, terrain, and snowfall.
In addition to awesome slopes, these mountains offer everything from sleigh rides to heli skiing to bumping apres-ski parties.
15. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Teton Village, Wyoming
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is designed for the advanced skier with 50% of its 116 trails being black diamonds and expert level trails. The mountain is one of the tallest on our list at 4,139 feet tall. Its longest trail stretches for four and a half miles.
Despite few nightlife options, the resort offers tons of outdoor activities like snowmobiling, sleigh rides, and heli skiing.
Lift Ticket: $109
Source: Facebook/Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
14. Copper Mountain Ski Resort, Copper Mountain, Colorado
Copper Mountain Ski Resort accommodates all ski levels from advanced snowcat skiing to beginners learning to master the snow plow. The resort is family friendly with daycare and ski school as well as a village with shops and restaurants.
Copper Mountain has 2,465 skiable acres, 140 trails, and is a great value. Season passes are $389 which is 21% less than the US average.
Lift Ticket: $75
Source: Facebook/Copper Mountain
13. Squaw Valley Ski Resort, Olympic Valley, California
Squaw Valley has an average annual snowfall of 450 inches and 177 trails. Despite having 29 chairlifts and 4,000 skiable acres, Squaw Valley can get overcrowded.
The resort offers activities from night skiing to dog sledding and has great nightlife options with 21 bars and restaurants to choose from. The bar Le Chamois is known for its incredible apres-ski parties.
The popular ski spot established its reputation as a top ski resort when it was featured in the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Lift Ticket: $99
Source: Facebook/Squaw Valley
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Prohibition was repealed 81 years ago today, but some of America's hidden speakeasies are still around.
The secret watering holes haven't changed much, from the passwords required on entry to the caliber of handcrafted cocktails served.
We dug up the hottest and most exclusive speakeasies in the US, and even gave away their addresses. Let's keep this one on the DL.
Did we forget your favorite speakeasy? Let us know in the comments.
SEE ALSO: 21 Hidden Bars In New York City
ATLANTA
The Chapter Room
5600 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs
Join the Brewniversity craft beer loyalty club to gain access to this modern-day speakeasy in the basement of the Taco Mac, which puts a large emphasis on craft beer. The Chapter Room maintains no fewer than 18 different kinds on draft at a time, as well as many others in bottles. Cozy up to Bobb, the bar's "overseer," and you may also have access to the rare and limited edition beers in his secret stash.
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Midnight Cowboy
313 E. 6th St.
Midnight Cowboy was formerly a massage parlor, and it still sports the original "Midnight Cowboy Modeling Oriental Massage" sign out front. Reservations are required, and when you get there you're free to enjoy classic and creative cocktails, as long as you leave all your mobile devices behind — they have no place at this lounge.
BALTIMORE
The Owl Bar
1 E. Chase St.
The historic Hotel Belvedere is the resting place of the Owl Bar, which has been serving fancy mixed drinks, beer, and wine for more than 100 years. The bar served as the stomping grounds for numerous famous and non-famous Baltimore natives and remained unnamed until after Prohibition. The Owl Bar also has an exquisite food menu, including weekend brunch.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
It's time to start thinking about planning your dream trip next year. So where should you go?
We looked at major developments, cultural trends, and global festivals to find the hottest places to travel around the world in 2015.
From the Philippines to Peru, here are the best places to travel next year.
Japan will become a bargain destination for travelers.
Tourism in Japan has taken a hit since the 2011 tsunami hit the country's coast and ricocheted into a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Since then, the Japanese government has cleaned up the countryside and launched a massive public-relations campaign encouraging tourists to come visit. Pair that with a sharp decline in the value of the Japanese currency, and you get a country that's ripe for tourism.
Traditionally one of the most expensive countries in the world, Japan is quickly becoming a bargain destination that's luring in travelers looking for a deal. More than 11 million visitors have traveled to Japan so far this year, with more expected. Most tourists are heading to Tokyo, which is also busy preparing for the 2020 summer Olympics.
Lima, Peru, will be the foodie capital of South America.
Lima, Peru has been slowly building its reputation as a city for foodies, cementing its status most recently when the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants Awards gave the coveted top spot to the city's Central restaurant. In total, eight of 50 restaurants on the prestigious list were in Lima.
The Peruvian city is home to everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall cevicherias that will continue to draw in foodies from around the world.
"Frozen" fans will flock to Norway to seek out Elsa and Anna's fictional Arendelle.
"Frozen" has made over $1.2 billion for Disney, and with its increased merchandising and rumors of a sequel, the "Frozen" craze will only continue to grow. Set in Arendelle, a fictional kingdom in Norway, "Frozen" shows a gorgeous landscape of lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and fjords. Fans of the animated film are now seeking out real-life Arendelle in Norway. The country has seen a huge growth in tourism since the release of the film, with tour operators reporting a 40% increase in sales.
Bergen, a city on the west coast, was the inspiration for the film. Voss is also popular with fans for its nearby fjords, glaciers, rivers, and lakes. With its small fishing villages and breathtaking cliffs, the Lofoten Islands will also attract Frozen fans.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Less than 8% of applicants are admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which means getting in is an impressive feat by itself.
We found 14 students who stand out at this esteemed university. MIT is known for its top notch engineering and computer science programs, and some of these students are certainly breaking ground in these areas, but others are dancers, firefighters, and Olympic archers.
The semester may be wrapping up, but their work certainly isn't.
Aashish Tripathee changed the way exams are graded in Nepal.
Class of 2017
All tenth graders in Aashish Tripathee's home country of Nepal are required to take an exam before they can get a higher education. Because the exams are counted, processed, and graded by hand before the results are published in the local newspaper, it takes months before students find out their scores.
Tripathee built an online system that enables students to log in and see their scores instantly. More than 10,000 students in 100 schools all over Nepal now use the system.
Tripathee has been building websites since he was eight years old, and has designed a number of sites for Nepali nonprofits; he also recently helped build Parikchhya, an online system that helps students in Nepal prep for engineering and med school entrance exams.
The physics major hopes to go to grad school after MIT and engage in theoretical high-energy physics research.
Amelia Bryan competed in one of the oldest, most prestigious ballet competitions in the world.
Class of 2018
Before attending MIT, Amelia Bryan was home-schooled by her mother, a former NASA employee. The non-traditional high school routine freed up Bryan to pursue a passion for ballet.
In 2013, Bryan was one of about 60 ballet students invited to compete in the prestigious Genée International Ballet Competition in Glasgow, Scotland. She qualified under strict Royal Academy of Dance criteria in the advance 2 level, and had the opportunity to train with renowned choreographers for five days before performing at the semi-finals.
At MIT, Bryan has traded her slippers for an epee dueling sword. The biomedical engineering and global health major plays on the women's fencing team, although she hasn't entirely ruled out auditioning for professional ballet companies.
Barbara Schloss helped develop the liquid propulsion system for Virgin Galactic.
Class of 2015
When she was 11 years old, Barbara Schloss' parents took her to California's Mojave Desert to watch SpaceShipOne try to make the first privately funded human space-flight.
Ten years later, the aerospace engineering major interned for Virgin Galactic, where as a member of the Advanced Programs group, she helped develop the liquid propulsion system for a small satellite launch vehicle. In June, Virgin Group billionaire Richard Branson wrote a LinkedIn Influencer post about the importance of encouraging children to reach for the moon — and used Schloss as the poster child.
After graduating, Schloss plans on returning to school for a joint MBA and Masters of Engineering program at MIT after she works for a few years. She will continue chasing her childhood dream of being "a rocket scientist."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
If you're planning a tropical getaway, the Caribbean islands are a gold mine of beauty, seclusion, and adventure.
Even though all the Caribbean islands are beautiful, some are better than others. So we decided to rank them.
We figured that the best islands would have a low cost, be easy to get to, and have beautiful beaches and lots of activities. In most instances, we defined a Caribbean island as a single country, republic, or territory in the Caribbean.
To rank these islands, we factored in each island's average hotel room cost, according to Hotels.com; the distance from New York City; the number of attractions listed on TripAdvisor; and the amount of coastline per square kilometer, which we called the beach density score. Read more on our methodology here.
We also created an infographic and map that shows our ranking of the best Caribbean islands.
25. Haiti
Distance from NYC: 7 hours and 45 minutes (no regularly scheduled direct flights)
Average hotel room cost: $107/night
Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince is the ideal setting to unplug and unwind. While the Wi-Fi may be shotty, the island boasts 23 historic and picturesque attractions — like the Musee du Panthenon National Haitien and Marche de Fer flea market — to explore.
Haiti has a low beach density score of 0.06, indicating that it has relatively little beachfront compared to other Caribbean islands.
24. Guadeloupe
Distance from NYC: 6 hours and 20 minutes (no regularly scheduled direct flights)
Average hotel room cost: $184/night
Guadeloupe is an outdoorsperson's paradise, although its beach density score is a low 0.19. Fifty-eight of the 84 attractions focus on nature, from the serene botanical gardens of Deshaies to the untouched, protected coral reefs of Pointe des Chateaux.
23. Dominica
Distance from NYC: 5 hours and 55 minutes (no regularly scheduled direct flights)
Average hotel room cost: $183/night
The aptly nicknamed "Nature Island" offers volcanic peaks, sparkling waterfalls, rainforest canopies, and 300 miles of trails — although it has a low beach density score of 0.2. Many of Dominica's 69 attractions are located in the capital city of Roseau.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
It's time to get serious about holiday shopping.
Trying to decide on the perfect laptop, tablet, or tech accessory can be overwhelming.
Manufacturers release tons of gadgets all year, so sifting through all of your options to find the best fit can be overwhelming.
Our holiday gift guide is full of excellent ideas — whether you're trying to find a new laptop for your son or daughter going away to college, some new cases and accessories to use as stocking stuffers, or the best entertainment devices to spice up your living room.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the two best phones you can buy.
For most people, the iPhone 6 is the best smartphone. The iPhone 6 Plus, with a larger 5.5-inch screen, is the best phone if you want a phablet.
Why? Both phones are the perfect blend of design, app selection, ease of use, and powerful hardware.
Click here for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus review >>
Price: Starts at $649 for the iPhone 6 and $749 for the iPhone 6 Plus.
The HTC One M8 is the most beautiful Android phone.
HTC's flagship phone, the HTC One (M8), is the best Android phone you can buy.
Like the original, the new HTC One, which is also called the M8, has a gorgeous design and high-quality metal construction. It also has an extra rear camera that acts as a depth sensor so you can edit photos later and change the focus.
Click here for the HTC One (M8) review>>
Price: Around $540
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Despite the heartbreak and gruesomeness that often accompanies war, there's no doubt that the subject is fascinating to read about.
Michael Inman, Curator of Rare Books at The New York Public Library, and curator of the current exhibition Over Here: WWI and the Fight for the American Mind, picked out the best nonfiction books about war.
These books are a selection of scholarly histories, journalism, first-hand accounts, and works on the tactics and theory of warfare from the crusades to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land" by Thomas Asbridge
The battle for the holy land launched in 1095, and pinned Catholics and Muslims against each other for the next almost 200 years. Asbridge puts the conflict in context, from Pope Urban II's call upon "Latin Europe" to take a stand against the Muslims to the Muslim reclamation of the holy land.
Asbridge lays out a clear timeline of events, and offers a compelling retelling of the crusades that reads nothing like a history textbook.
"This Kind of War" by T. R. Fehrenbach
Taking place in part along the 38th parallel where American and North Korean troops faced off, "This Kind of War" is a profound portrayal of the Korean War which includes maps and photographs to illustrate a human perspective on war.
First published in 1963, "This Kind of War" has become a classic in military history books.
"Thank You for Your Service" by David Finkel
A MacArthur fellow and Washington Post journalist, Finkel takes an in-depth look at some of the psychological issues, including PTSD, that plagued many of his fellow battalion members after returning from service in the Iraq war.
A sequel, if you will, to his book "The Good Soldiers,""Thank You for Your Service," presents snapshots of Finkel's battalion mates post-war, and how their service has affected their lives and loved ones.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
With more than 3,000 craft breweries in the US alone and countless others around the globe, the world of craft beer can be intimidating, and so can trying something different from your usual brew.
Recently launched personalized beer and wine suggestion app Next Glass helped us round up 12 craft alternatives to the most commonly ordered beers.
Next Glass takes user ratings to create an algorithm that suggests similar wines or beers, taking the question of "will I like it?" out of the equation.
If you normally drink Budweiser, try Kenya Breweries' Tusker Premium Lager.
Kenya Breweries makes its Tusker Premium Lager from locally sourced ingredients around the Savannah and the Maasai Mara. Light and biscuit-y, Tusker is a top-selling beer in Kenya, and available around the US.
If you normally drink Bud Light, try River Horse Brewing Co.'s Summer Blonde Ale.
Based in Ewing, New Jersey, River Horse Brewing Company's Summer Blonde Ale is crisp and easy to drink. Like Bud Light, its low alcohol content (4.5%) means it's great if you plan on having more than one.
If you normally drink Blue Moon, try Coronado Brewing Co.'s Orange Avenue Wit.
Blue Moon is known for its citrus notes and light body. Coronado Brewing Company, in Coronado, California, brews its Orange Avenue Wit with orange zest, like Blue Moon, but also incorporates coriander and orange blossom honey for sweetness.
If you normally drink Heineken, try Birra Moretti.
Lightly malty with the pleasant hoppiness of a traditional lager, Birra Moretti is the Italian version of Heineken — and in fact, is brewed by Heineken Italia, so it won't be a huge jump in making the switch.
If you normally drink Corona, try Pittsburgh Brewing Co.'s Iron City Beer.
Pittsburgh Brewing Company's Iron City Beer is an American lager with sweet corn and wheat aromas. It's lightly hopped, and light in body.
If you normally drink Guinness, try Starr Hill Brewing Co.'s Dark Starr Irish Dry Stout.
Charlottesville, Virginia's Starr Hill Brewing Co. earned multiple gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival for its Dark Starr Irish Dry Stout. Velvet-y, like Guinness, this beer features the roasted flavors of coffee and dark chocolate.
If you normally drink Miller Lite, try Kirin's Kirin LIGHT.
Miller Lite is a light, drinkable lager which, at 96 calories, is a great beer for those watching their waistlines. Japan's Kirin Brewery Co.'s Kirin LIGHT is comparable, at 95 calories, with an enjoyably hoppy taste.
If you normally drink Sam Adams Boston Lager, try Heavy Seas' Cutlass Amber Lager.
One of Sam Adams' most popular beers is its Boston Lager. Heavy Seas Beer, from Halethorpe, Maryland, makes its Cutlass Amber Lager uses some of the same hops, and has a warm, toasted quality.
If you normally drink Pabst Blue Ribbon, try The Lion Brewery's Lionshead Premium Lager.
Crisp and dry, Lionshead Premium Lager from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania's The Lion Brewery is thirst-quenching, with just a hint of sweetness in the finish.
If you normally drink Yuengling, try Great Lakes Brewing's Eliot Ness Amber Lager.
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s Eliot Ness Amber Lager is a classic example of a Vienna-style lager: malty from the grains and crisp and a little bitter from the hops.
If you normally drink Newcastle Brown Ale, try Wachusett Brewing Co.'s Nut Brown Ale.
Westminster, Massachusetts' Wachusett Brewing Co.'s Nut Brown Ale is rich and nutty. A light body and low alcohol content keep the beer from being overpowering.
If you normally drink Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, try Highland Brewing Co.'s Little Hump Spring.
Sierra Nevada is one of the original craft breweries, but its large production volume — about 1 million barrels a year— makes it widely available and has people wondering, "what else?" Highland Brewing Co., in Asheville, North Carolina, makes Little Hump Spring, an American pale ale brewed with three different kinds of hops that finishes nice and dry.
SEE ALSO: The Best Beer From Every State
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2014 gave us lots of reasons to smile, from the infamous Oscar selfie to the inescapable Ice Bucket Challenge.
It was a year for standing up for what you believe in, setting records, and making a meme of everything.
Before we "Let It Go," let's take a look at the year's highlights in entertainment, tech, business, science, and world news.
Gay marriage became legal in 18 more US states.
Nevada State Sen. Kelvin Atkinson (left) and Sherwood Howard tie the knot, becoming the first same-sex couple married in Las Vegas.
READ MORE: Court Ruling On Gay Marriage Causes Euphoria And Dismay »
Dennis Rodman struck up an unlikely friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.
In February 2013, Dennis Rodman traveled to North Korea with the Harlem Globetrotters for a documentary for media company Vice. He returned this year for a goodwill game with former NBA players.
READ MORE: Dennis Rodman Talks About His Controversial Trips To North Korea And Hanging Out With Kim Jong-Un »
American Eagle stopped Photoshopping images of its lingerie models.
READ MORE: American Eagle Stopped Airbrushing Lingerie Models And Sales Are Soaring »
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
If you often see the same books being read on your morning commute, it may be your cue to grab a copy yourself.
Amazon just released its list of the 20 best-selling books of 2014, and chances are you've already seen people reading them on the train.
It's not too late to read — or reread — the bestsellers of the year.
1. "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kid: Set in the south in the early 1800s, this Oprah Book Club book follows the complicated relationship between Handful, a slave, and Sarah, her owner, as they grow up together from childhood. Their confusing friendship, in the face of politics and societal norms, becomes a beautiful and difficult thing to watch as it changes over time.
2. "Gray Mountain" by John Grisham: When the recession causes Samantha Kofer to lose her Wall Street law firm job, she takes a job at a legal aid clinic in Virginia until she can hopefully get back to big law. But while her new job, for the first time, puts her front and center in the court room, it also puts her in terrible danger.
3. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr: This National Book Award Finalist follows both Marie-Laure, a blind French Girl living with her father during World War II, and Werner, a German orphan with a knack for building and fixing radios. As their paths cross, this haunting story will question how life and art are influenced by war.
4. "Twenty Seconds Ago (Jack Reacher, #19)" by Lee Child: After years of being out of the Army, Jack Reacher is pulled back into service at the CIA and State Department after someone tried to shoot the president of France. In Child's latest Jack Reacher installment, Reacher finds himself face to face with an old enemy and old memories.
5. "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty: From the author of the bestselling "The Husband's Secret," this book focuses on three Australian moms, all with pre-schoolers in the same class. Sounds straightforward, except by the end of the book one of them will be dead. Each mother carries a secret in this witty book that dissects the lives of three suburban families.
6. "The Target (Will Robie series)" by David Baldacci: Will Robie and his partner Jessica Reel are called in by the President to take down an international criminal. Baldacci's thrilling page-turner keeps the reader hooked as Robie and Reel hunt down their target, yet become targets themselves.
7. "The Fixed Trilogy" by Laurelin Paige: Fans of "Fifty Shades of Gray" will love "The Fixed Trilogy," which follows Alayna Wither, a rising star at the nightclub she works at, and Hudson Pierce, her boss who can't keep his eyes off her, and who Alayna can't seem to stay away from despite both their troubled pasts.
8. "The Heroes of Olympus Book Five: The Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan: The fifth book in Riordan's hit series launches the reader right in the middle of the Argo II crew's battle with the earth mother, Gaia. The story is funny and action-packed as the crew races against time to stop Gaia and her giants before the world is destroyed.
9. "Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum)" by Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum has to bring in a criminal used car dealer who missed his court date. But he's gone missing, and his No. 2 man is Stephanie's only clue and, to top it all off, now his old boss wants him dead. All in a day's work for Stephanie Plum.
10. "Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II’s Most Audacious General" by Bill O'Reilly: Just one of two nonfiction books to make the list, "Killing Patton" takes a look into the mysterious death of General George Patton, Jr., and theories about what, or who, may have really killed him.
11. "Unlucky 13 (Women's Murder Club)" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro: With a loving husband, new baby, great job, and close friends, San Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer has it all figured out... until the FBI mails her a photo of a notorious killer, and Lindsay and fellow members of the Women's Murder club must find the killer before she finds them.
12. "The Edge of Eternity: Book Three of the Century Trilogy" by Ken Follett: The Century Trilogy follows five families from different countries through the 20th century. The third book spans from the '60s to the '80s — an engrossing look at how the events of these three decades impact families from around the world.
13. "Shadow Spell (Cousins O'Dwyer)" by Nora Roberts: In the second book of the trilogy, Connor O'Dwyer and his sister Branna's best friend Meara work together on a regular basis without incident, but a near-death experience brings the two of them closer than ever — which would be fine, except Meara is afraid to get too close, and Connor is afraid of what he might unleash if he falls for her.
14. "Mr. Mercedes" by Stephen King: Hundreds of people are waiting hopefully on line for a job fair when a Mercedes plows into the crowd, killing and injuring a number of people before driving off. Months later retired cop Bill Hodges gets a letter from the alleged driver threatening to do more damage, pulling him out of retirement to prevent history from repeating itself.
15. "Blood Magick (Cousins O'Dwyer)" by Nora Roberts: The second Nora Roberts book to make the list is the third in the O'Dwyer trilogy. This time Branna finds herself reunited with an old lover, yet both fear for a repeat of the heartache they caused each other years ago. "Blood Magick" is an entertaining, mystical finale to Roberts' beloved trilogy.
16. "Field of Prey" by John Sandford: When a teenage couple encounter a dead body in an abandoned cornfield, Lucas Davenport is called in. Then more bodies turn up — 15 to be precise, and Lucas starts to notice an unusual pattern about when the victims were killed, almost like clockwork.
17. "Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander)" by Diana Gabaldon: It's 1778. France has just declared war of Great Britain, and the Fraser family is caught up in marriages, re-marriages, illegitimate children... and time travel. Gabaldon's thrilling series comes to life again in her latest installment.
18. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" by Jeff Kinney: Everyone's favorite "wimpy kid" Greg Heffley doesn't want to go on his family road trip. It's bound to be a disaster. But despite wrong turns, a fender bender, and gross gas station bathrooms, Greg is in for a bigger adventure than he imagined in Kinney's entertaining and cleverly illustrated short chapter book.
19. "City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments)" by Cassandra Clare: In an alternate, fantasy world, Sebastian Morgenstern is turning shadowhunters into demons and against each other. Clary, Jace, and Simon must stop him, which would be easier if only he weren't Clary's brother.
20. "Flash Boys" by Michael Lewis: Post-financial crisis, the stock market is less free than before, and all the characters involved either benefit from it big time, or are set to level the playing field. "Flash Boys" is a compelling nonfiction book that reveals the darkness, greed, and corruption on Wall Street.
SEE ALSO: The 15 Best War Stories Ever Told
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For some, 2014 was a good year; for others, it was a great year. It was the year of the big-screen iPhone, the fight against Ebola, powerful political protests, and revolutionary breakthroughs in health and technology.
We named the 24 most impressive people of the year starting with the overall winner, India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi.
From finance and tech to politics and entertainment, these are the people who amazed us the most this year.
MOST IMPRESSIVE: Narendra Modi is poised to reignite India's economy.
Prime Minister Modi is turning over a new leaf for India. The country's stock index is at record highs.
Since he entered office in May, Modi has reworked the government's budget, made bank accounts more accessible to everyone, made advances in reforming labor laws, transformed the government into a more transparent and open place, and formed positive relationships with China, Japan, and the US.
He's a political figure who's putting people's faith back in India, and he's utterly beloved by the people of India. He won the May 2014 election by a landslide, and since then he's kept people's faith in him through his initiatives both home and abroad.
Modi is undoubtedly India's newest and biggest rockstar.
Bill Ackman is soaring during a rough patch on Wall Street.
It was a tough year for most hedge-fund managers, but Ackman still ended up on top, most notably making $2.2 billion when Actavis bought pharmaceutical company Allergan in November.
Additionally, the net returns for Pershing Square, Ackman's hedge fund, are over 30% for the year. Ackman is famous for a big short of Herbalife, a multilevel marketing company that sells weight-loss shakes. But he's had most success with his stakes in Allergan and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Mary Barra took the helm of GM and helped it get through a major crisis relatively unscathed.
In January, Barra became the first female CEO in General Motors' history— and in the auto industry in general. And despite starting her tenure in the midst of a 30-million-car recall for defective ignition switches in Chevy Cobalts — GM's largest recall in history — Barra kept her poise throughout the ordeal.
She plans to use the incident as a launchpad to transform the company's rigid culture. She's leading by example, taking responsibility for GM's actions, and holding employees accountable for their work.
She earned Warren Buffett's stamp of approval.
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New businesses open around the country every day — but not all are created equal.
This year we've brought you San Francisco, New York (and Brooklyn), the Twin Cities, Boston, DC, and Denver, but we've searched high and low in all corners of the country for the most innovative new businesses that opened within the last five years or so.
There's a gym that generates electricity, a brewery that only brews sour beer, and a museum filled entirely of Instagram photos.
Did we forget somewhere great? Let us know in the comments.
Melia Robinson contributed to this story.
A Gathering of Stitches
What it is: A community space for textile crafting.
Why it's cool: A Gathering of Stitches is a place for those who love working with fabric, yarn, and thread to gather and share resources, tools, and ideas. The open space houses communal equipment for textile work, including quilting machines, screen printing gear, and cutting tables. Visitors can also sign up for workshops to learn new skills — they offer classes in everything from dying fabric to making clothes.
Arctic Fire Clothing
Online, based in Anchorage, Alaska
What it is: Heated shorts that keep you warm while working out in the snow.
Why it's cool: After years of suffering through cold winter training, Arctic Fire founder Jeanette Duenow had tried everything to keep her rear end warm — including sewing extra layers into her leggings or stuffing hand warmers down her pants. Eventually, she came up with the concept of heated shorts, the perfect base layer for any athlete who trains in extreme temperatures.
Bard Coffee
185 Middle St., Portland, Maine
What it is: A small-batch coffee shop where every cup comes with a story.
Why it's cool: Not only will you enjoy a healthy selection of small-batch single-origin brews at Bard, but the baristas are more than happy to share each batch's backstory, as well as their vast knowledge of brewing styles. Bard also hosts monthly latte pouring competitions, with proceeds from each event benefiting a local charity. This shop isn't just for coffee drinkers, but also for those who truly love the geeky ins and outs of coffee preparation.
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It just makes sense that the most entertaining books are written by or about — well, entertainers.
Amazon just released its list of the best humor and entertainment books of 2014.
Written by comedians, historians, musicians, and more, these books will delight from the first page to the last.
1. "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler: Whether you're a fan of "Parks and Rec,""Saturday Night Live," or you've been following Poehler since her "Second City" days, you'll find her anecdotes about parenting, love, sex, and life as hilarious as her work on screen.
2. "As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride" by Cary Elwes: From the star of cult classic "The Princess Bride,""As You Wish" gives readers an exclusive look at interviews with co-stars, photos from behind the scenes, and details from this enchanting love story.
3. "Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography" by Neil Patrick Harris: Told in the choose-your-own-adventure second-person voice, NPH narrates his life as if you, the reader, were living it. It's a hysterical and heartwarming memoir that makes you think you were flipping through Patrick Harris' own family photo albums.
4. "The Secret History of Wonder Woman" by Jill Lepore: Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore dissects the backstory of one of the most popular superheroes, and her creator, of all time. Steeped in feminism and the struggle for women's rights, Wonder Woman's story will resonate with all readers.
5. "Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page" by Jimmy Page: Legendary guitarist Jimmy Page's career is represented in a series of telling photographs taken from his time with Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, and more. Photos from his boyhood and beyond give a glimpse into the life of the man behind the guitar.
6. "Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story" by Rick Bragg: Bestselling author Rick Bragg details the life of a man as interesting and complex as the music he played. From his rebellious Southern childhood to multiple marriages, brushes with death, and record hits, the life and times of "the Killer" is a hard read to put down.
7. "The History of Rock 'n' Roll in Ten Songs" by Greil Marcus: Rather than focus on the people that shaped rock 'n' roll, Marcus's book takes an in-depth look at 10 of the most iconic rock songs recorded between 1956 and 2008 and discusses how they shaped this historic genre of music.
8. "Not My Father's Son: A Memoir" by Alan Cumming: Raised by an emotionally and physically abusive father, award-winning Scottish actor Alan Cumming writes how his upbringing shaped him as a performer and a person.
9. "Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America" by John Waters: Filmmaker John Waters wants to know what would happen if he attempted to hitchhike from his house in Baltimore to his apartment in San Francisco — so he tries it to find out himself. Full of wit and sarcasm, Waters's book is like a road trip gone hilariously wrong.
10. "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina" by Misty Copeland: Despite an underprivileged childhood, Misty Copeland proved herself a ballet-dancing prodigy. Copeland's moving memoir shows the reader how, even in the face of adversity and struggle, it's still possible to come out on top.
11. "Star Wars Art: Posters" by Lucasfilm LTD, Roger Kastel and Drew Struzan: Just in time to get you excited for next year's new movie release, this stunning coffee table book features big, beautiful pictures and scenes from one of the most popular sci-fi trilogies of all time.
12. "Easy Street (the Hard Way)" by Ron Perlman: Perlman, a critically acclaimed actor, grew up with self-image issues and very little money. His book is a revealing look at his life, as well as the lives of others in the public eye, which may not be as perfect as they seem from the outside.
13. "Chris Stein/Negative: Me, Blondie, and the Advent of Punk" by Chris Stein: Stein was a photography student at the School of Visual Arts when he met Debbie Harry, and Blondie was born. One of the cornerstone punk bands of the '70s, Stein's gorgeous photo collection looks back on one of the coolest decades to be in New York.
14. "Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s" by Tom Doyle: When The Beatles broke up, McCartney was lost and out of place. Doyle's biography reveals McCartney's journey from being loved as a Beatle to being loved as a solo artist.
15. "The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky, and Death" by Colson Whitehead: Pulitzer prize-winning author Colson Whitehead describes his search for meaning in the casino. He discovers that when everything is on the line, and you're sore from sitting at the poker table for 12 hours straight, you can come to a number of existential conclusions.
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Bro, do you even watch movies?
Bro movies are usually full of action, aliens, war, and crude humor, which is what makes them so great. The crowdsourced rankings website Ranker came up with the best bro movies of the year. Here are the films that made the list.
17. The Equalizer
Retired black-ops agent Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is back on the scene when a teen Russian prostitute he befriends lands herself in trouble, putting McCall face to face with the Russian mob.
16. John Wick
Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick, a former hit man who comes out of retirement to track down the men who wrecked his life after the death of his wife. Wick's quest for revenge is an adrenaline rush from start to finish.
15. The Judge
Robert Downey Jr. plays attorney Hank Palmer, who returns to his small hometown, where his father, the town judge, is accused of murder. Hank must defend his father in the face of the alleged crime and family secrets.
14. Need for Speed
Adapted from the popular video game series, "Need for Speed" follows a street racer, recently released from prison after his ex-business partner framed him for murder, who is back behind the wheel with revenge in mind. The film stars Aaron Paul, of "Breaking Bad" fame.
13. Godzilla
This remake, which features some stunning visual effects, reprises earth's most famous monster, who, though he wreaks his own havoc on the world, ends up being the key to saving humanity.
12. Interstellar
Still in theaters, "Interstellar" takes us years into the future, when Earth is veering toward uninhabitability and a team of astronauts is tasked with finding a new home for the global population.
11. The Maze Runner
Thomas has had his memory erased and is dropped in a community of teenage guys in the middle of an intricate maze. The guys take turns as runners, trying to solve the maze and find an escape, only the maze often changes. Based on a book of the same name, "The Maze Runner" is an eerie, "Lord of the Flies"-esque dystopian thriller.
10. 300: Rise of an Empire
The Persian army, after defeating Leonidas' army of ripped soldiers, follows Xerxes to the Greek city-states where they face off against admiral Themistocles and the forces of Athens and Sparta.
9. The Expendables 3
The mercenary group called the Expendables have taken down many a bad guy. But in the third movie in the series, the bad guy is the Expendables' own cofounder. The film features an A-list cast, guns, and explosions.
8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
After a pandemic kills most of the human population, a group of evolved apes living in San Francisco, having conflicting opinions of humans, struggles to stay united and avoid an all-out war between species. The special effects received high praise from critics.
7. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
The second "Hobbit" movie left our heroes in the dragon Smaug's den as Smaug flew off to destroy Laketown as revenge. The third and final installment, which just came to theaters, is an epic finale to one of the best fantasy stories of all time.
6. Fury
After playing a Nazi-hunter in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds," Brad Pitt is killing Nazis again as Sergeant Wardaddy in this "ultimate tank movie."
5. Edge of Tomorrow
When Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is killed during a battle against some enemy aliens, he is thrown into a time loop in which he relives the same battle over and over, "Groundhog Day"-style. But going in each time knowing what will happen next ends up giving Cage a huge advantage to defeating this alien adversary.
4. Lone Survivor
Mark Wahlberg stars in this black-ops thriller, based on a true story, about a team of Navy SEALs sent to Afghanistan on a mission to neutralize a Taliban threat. A difficult judgment call endangers the team, whose members must then fight for their lives.
3. 22 Jump Street
The two bumbling cops Schmidt and Jenko are back in the sequel to "21 Jump Street," this time going undercover at a local college at which hilarity ensues. "22" did so well at the box office that Sony Pictures decided to make a third movie.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
Peter Quill is a human on the run from an alien villain, but to stop his adversary Quill must team up with some other intergalactic outlaws. "Guardians" is a smart and funny movie full of Easter eggs that appeals to lovers of sci-fi, action, and Chris Pratt alike.
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past
With the help of some mutant friends, Wolverine goes back in time to stop an event that could doom all of mutant- and humankind. The latest in this popular comic book movie series is marked with murder, moral decisions, and questions about what's right and wrong, proving that no one is wholly hero or wholly villain.
SEE ALSO: The 15 Best Movies You Probably Didn't See This Year
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You can watch the ball drop on TV or online from anywhere, but if you happen to be in New York on December 31, Times Square is a classic place to ring in the New Year.
The New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square is co-produced by the Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment and takes a year of planning to put on.
Here are some things we learned from the organizers about what goes into the event.
Planning for New Year's Eve begins the day after last year's bash.
When the streets are finally cleaned of noisemakers and confetti, planning for the next New Year's Eve celebration begins. This includes booking entertainment, making the ball bigger and brighter, working with sponsors, and all the other things viewers don't see going on behind the camera.
The ball today weighs almost 17 times what the first ball weighed.
Made of iron and wood, the first New Year's Eve ball to be dropped from the flagpole at One Times Square in 1907 weighed 700 pounds. The ball today weighs 11,875 pounds. The celebration begins when the ball is raised at 6 p.m.
The televised event gets bigger and better every year.
While a million people gather in Times Square to watch the live performances every year, another million and a half from over 200 countries tune in to watch the event online from a live webcast, which you can also view on your smartphone through the Times Square Ball App or the Times Square Crossroads App. O.A.R., Idina Menzel, American Authors, and the USO Show Troupe, among others, will perform.
The celebration continues Dick Clark's tradition of "New Year's Rockin' Eve."
The program still takes the name of its original host of 40 years, though today it's hosted by TV and radio personality Allison Hagendorf who, for her second year, will ring in the New Year with a few co-hosts.
The confetti that rains down on Times Square has messages written on it.
Pick up a piece of confetti from the street and you'll likely find a note on there written by someone wishing for good things for the next year, or letting go of something from the past one. The Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment actually do a trial run of the confetti a couple of days before New Year's Eve.
Revelers are ushered into "party pens" just before 6:00.
Police officers start letting people, in groups, into sectioned-off areas known as "party pens" just before the New Year's Eve bash begins at 6 p.m. (though many people wait around hours before then to get a good view of the ball drop). But once you're in, coming and going is not permitted, lest you lose your spot.
Each year someone new gets to drop the ball.
Each year the mayor and a special guest pushes the Waterford crystal button that activates the descent of the ball down the Times Square flagpole. Last year it was Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; this year representatives from the International Rescue Committee will do the honors.
The countdown to the New Year always ends with a kiss at midnight.
Kissing at midnight is a New year's tradition, one which hundreds of thousands of revelers in Times Square uphold. The tradition is even turned into a contest, sponsored by Nivea, where a winning couple gets to kiss on stage.
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It's that time of year to head to the mountains and start shredding the slopes.
With the expert help of FindTheBest, we found the best snowboards on the market. The boards are ranked with a Smart Rating scale which accounts for magazine awards, the model year, and price.
Check out which boards are the best this season.
10. 2014 CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome ($400)
The CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome snowboard is designed for the advanced rider. The all-mountain board has a symmetrical twin shape and hybrid camber. The snowboard is $50 less than the average advanced board, and was named Whitelines Snowboarding magazine's top board for the 2013-2014 season.
9. 2015 K2 WWW Wide ($400)
Show off all your snowboarding tricks with the K2 WWW Wide freestyle snowboard. The rocker-flat-rocker camber will help you carve down icy conditions and float through powder. The board is one of Snowboard magazine's Platinum Picks.
8. 2015 K2 WWW Enjoyer ($400)
The K2 WWW Enjoyer is another advanced freestyle board to make our list. The board's twin shape allows the rider to land their freestyle tricks in any direction. Like the K2 WWW Wide, this board is also a Snowboard magazine Platinum Pick.
7. 2015 K2 WWW ($400)
The K2 WWW snowboard is made for the intermediate boarder. The board has a soft flex, making it one of the most flexible boards on the market, allowing riders to have more control of the board while performing tricks. The board made Whitelines Snowboarding magazine's list of top boards.
6. 2015 Salomon Sabotage ($400)
The freestyle Salomon Sabotage snowboard has a flat camber and medium flexibility. The flat camber provides more stability while the medium flex allows for control at higher speeds, yet can bend when riding rails. Transworld Snowboarding magazine gave the board a Good Wood award.
5. 2014 CAPiTA Birds of a Feather ($380)
The CAPiTA Birds of a Feather board is the first women's board to make our list. The all-mountain board has medium flexibility, a hybrid camber, and is designed for the advanced female rider. The board is also one of Snowboard magazine's Platinum Picks.
4. 2015 DC PBJ ($350)
The DC PBJ has the traditional positive camber that allows for precise turns and has a spring-like effect to allow for an extra "pop" when you're at the snowboarding park. It comes in six sizes, and earned a Good Wood award from Transworld Snowboarding magazine.
3. 2011 K2 Eco Pop ($449)
The top women's board to make the list is the all-mountain K2 Eco Pop. The board is designed for the intermediate female rider, has a traditional positive camber, and a directional twin shape. Snowboard magazine gave the board the Platinum Pick and Best of Test awards.
2. 2013 Salomon The Villain ($449)
The all-mountain Salomon The Villain board is flexible yet stable with its medium-soft flex. Transworld Snowboarding Magazine gave it a Good Wood award, saying, "It has a milled core and sidecut to match, along with a grip of other features for slaying the park."
1. 2015 Burton Family Tree Flight Attendant ($500)
The all-mountain Burton Family Tree Flight Attendant is the best snowboard on the market, earning a 100 on the Smart Rating Scale. The board has a rocker-camber, directional shape, and medium-stiff flex. The Burton board is a top pick from Whitelines Snowboarding magazine, Outside magazine, and Snowboard magazine.
Outside said,"As the name suggests, pro Nicolas Mueller's design flew over pillowtops and handled well in soft, uneven terrain... The topsheet is made from recycled Mountain Dew bottles (seriously) and weighs next to nothing, a big reason why throwing the featherlight Flight Attendant around on big days feels so effortless."
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