Missing Out on Starbucks Refills

You've Been Missing Out on Starbucks Refills for Years

Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images

Some good news, following recent price hikes.

MICHAL ADDADY / FORTUNE 

This story originally appeared on Fortune.com. 

Cold brew drinkers everywhere cursed all the money they’ve spent on seconds after Starbucks Melody, an unofficial Starbucks news website, shared news surrounding the policy. While the substance of the policy hasn’t changed in years, the coffee company has been known to tweak some of the language, according to the news site. This is what prompted the blog post in the first place.

F-35 Headed Into Combat

The F-35 Could Be Headed Into Combat in 2018

The Marine Corps is sending the F-35 to the Pacific and Middle East.

U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY SGT. APRIL L. PRICE

By Kyle Mizokami

The America’s newest fighter jet, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, might finally see combat in 2018. According to the Marine Corps Times, the U.S. Marine Corps is sending the jet on two overseas patrols next year, to the Middle East and the Pacific. The Middle Eastern tour could see the jet sent into combat over a number of regional conflicts the United States is currently embroiled in.

2017 was a Great Year...

2017 was a Great Year . . . For Identity Thieves

Every year has its ups and downs, and 2017 has been no exception. For example, it’s been a good year for the stock market and a bad year for hurricanes. But for identity thieves, this has been the best year ever, and that’s bad news for the rest of us. ​

Marijuana Legalization

CALIFORNIA MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IS FINALLY HERE: RULES AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR MONDAY SALES

BY CRISTINA SILVA

California is about to get high, like, really high. More than a year after Californians passed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, or Proposition 64, on November 8, 2016, legal cannabis will finally become a reality starting on Monday. The law allows adults 21 years of age and older to hold up to one ounce of weed. They can also have up to six plants at their home.

World's First Solar Train

World's First Solar Train Running in Australia

Along Australia's coasts, a cleaner train awaits for a quick ride.

By David Grossman

The world's first solar power train has gone on its inaugural run. It doesn't go very far but the Australian Byron Bay Railroad will begin making regular solar-powered journeys in January 2018.

How Countries Get Their Names

This Is How Countries Get Their Names

PATRICIA DOHERTY

If you tell your friends you’re planning a visit to Vitalia, they’ll probably think you’re heading to some new spa for a week of pampering. Or you might suggest going to Hellas, but you probably won’t get anyone volunteering to join you.

Highest-Grossing Actor List of 2017

Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Gal Gadot top Forbes' highest-grossing actor list of 2017

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images; Samir Hussein/WireImage; David M. Benett/WireImage

MIKE MILLER

Vin Diesel is the top grossing actor in the world, according to Forbes‘ annual list.

Money-Saving Tech Tips

3 Money-Saving Tech Tips for 2018

It's easy to cut down your cable and cellular bills without giving up convenience

By Consumer Reports

There are lots of ways to save money in the new year, from doing your own taxes to negotiating on tire prices. But when it comes to your digital life, some of the easiest tips for saving money come down to not overpaying for things you don’t really need or want.

We list three easy tips below. These tactics won’t all work for all people, but they can be relatively painless for many of us.

Case in point: Cable TV. If you watch tons of sports and love shows on many channels, your pay-TV package may be just what you need. But many people can switch over entirely to streaming services and barely notice the change.

In addition to what we list below, here are some bonus quick tips: Buy an older model smartphone, negotiate when you’re shopping online, and change the way you buy printer ink.

Happy Saving

Fire Your Cable Company

Cutting the cord has been a holy grail for consumers for years. That’s when you keep your internet service but cancel the TV package, perhaps subbing in online streaming services, such as Amazon Prime and Netflix, for entertainment.

But in the past, doing that could have meant giving up familiar channels, such as NBC, FOX, and HGTV. No longer. Newer internet TV services, such as DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling, include conventional channels in their mix. (Depending on where you live, an indoor antenna can also bring in traditional broadcasts.)

For instance, streaming service DirecTV Now charges $35 per month for a bucket of more than 60 channels. There are also higher-priced options that offer more, or you can add some premium channels, such as HBO, for just $5 to $8 per month.

Keep in mind: All services offer different mixes of channels and pricing. And these services don’t have all their channels available in all markets.

Don’t Overpay for Cellular Data

Unlimited data plans can cost just $60 to $85 for a single line, depending on the carrier and such factors as whether you want HD-quality video. But the takeaway is this: An unlimited data plan may be cheaper than whatever older plan you’re still using and may be cheaper than paying for each line’s data individually.

For instance, recently a 10GB plan from AT&T was $100 for a single line, $5 more than the company’s Unlimited Plus option for one line. (Cellular plans change frequently; we keep track of pricing at the biggest carriers.)

On the other hand, if you don’t use much data, don’t pay for it. You can get unlimited voice time and 1GB of data for just $30 at Consumer Cellular (less if you’re an AARP member). And this carrier is highly rated by Consumer Reports subscribers on factors such as value and customer service.

Buy, Don’t Rent, Your Router

If you’re still paying rental fees for your modem or router, you could be losing money.

Leasing a cable-company router or modem generally sets consumers back $5 to $10 per month—or about $60 to $120 per year on top of the fees you pay for your internet service.

Buy the equipment and you’ll be ahead within a year or two.

This can be a confusing purchase, and we have lots of basic information on routers. For now, just make sure any modem/router combination you buy is compatible with your service: Most traditional modems work with cable networks but not with fiber-optic networks, such as Verizon FiOS.

The Great Giver

The Great Giver

By Touching Lives 

“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

The gifts have been unwrapped. The mess has been cleaned up. Perhaps visiting friends and family have returned home leaving your home quiet for the first time in a while. The traffic has died down and the stores are emptier. Another Christmas has come and gone. And in just a few days, another year will have passed. With a fresh year approaching, I think it is a perfect time to ponder this question with me: Do I love God for His gifts or for who He is?

Yikes, right? That is a tough question to examine ourselves honestly about. Most of us probably understand the difference between enjoying a giver through his gifts and enjoying gifts instead of the giver. Maybe you have even experienced that in your own life.

The goal of everything God does for us is so that we can know Him and enjoy Him. He loves giving us gifts…and He wants us to enjoy them just like we want our loved ones to enjoy the gifts we give. We never have to feel guilty for enjoying God’s gifts. We do, however, want to make sure we are experiencing Him through His gifts.

So how can we ensure we are doing this? I believe this comes with recognizing that God’s gifts are expressions of His kindness to us. The gift of another day of life, the gift of health or healing, the gift of time with those we love, and the gift of food and shelter are all expressions of His grace. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” If this verse is true, then as believers every gift He gives to us comes out of the truth that He didn’t spare His own Son. Jesus is the basis for every other gift.

Devotional

God and Treadmills - Crosswalk the Devotional

God and Treadmills
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Culture Editor

May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 
2 Thessalonians 3:5

Ever since I moved to Richmond I’ve acquired a taste for working out. There’s just something addicting about going to the gym after a long day at the office and pounding a treadmill until you feel the moisture on your forehead. If I don’t get my usual workouts, I tend to go stir crazy. That’s why I can’t stand January. After every New Year’s celebration, like clockwork, the gyms become crowded with people who have resolved to become healthier.

Because of the crowds, it becomes harder to get equipment, find parking spaces, or do any of my usual exercises. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad people are trying to get healthier and I encourage anyone who wants to start working out to give it a try, but I still get frustrated because I know that within a month most of these people will be gone. Exercise requires a lot of commitment and perseverance, and while a lot of people have resolved to live better, when the hard part comes they give up. You could say the same thing applies to faith. I cannot tell you how many times God has revealed himself in my life through his grace, his power, or even his sense of humor. But despite all these moments, it’s still so easy for me to doubt, to get angry with God and wonder if he has a plan, or if he’s even there at all.

The book of James is useful in moments like this, and even offers some encouragement for when we’re tempted to doubt.    

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” – James 1:2-8

Spiritual workouts are no different from our physical ones. If you want to run a marathon, you first have to run a mile, and if you want to become a tool for Christ, you have to trust him first. So don’t be afraid of trials and challenges, but instead embrace them as opportunities to mature in your faith. It won’t be easy, and odds are you’ll probably have to endure some difficult and painful experiences, but in the end you’ll look back and know you’re stronger because of it.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Apply God to your daily life through the excercise of prayer and service.

Further Reading

 Hebrews 12:1

Believe It

You Have to Believe It Before You Can See It

You Have to Believe It Before You Can See It
By Rick Warren

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT).

Faith is visualizing the future. It’s believing before you see it. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (NLT).

How will you see 2018 through eyes of faith?

A lot of people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” God says the exact opposite is true: “You will see it when you first believe it.” There are many things in life that have to be believed before they can be seen.

In 1961, the Soviet Union sent the first cosmonaut into space. When the cosmonaut returned to Earth, the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev declared they’d been to space and didn’t see any god there.

About 10 months later, the United States sent John Glenn into space. He circled the earth three times on his Mercury mission, came back down, and told the world, “I saw God everywhere! I saw his glory in the galaxy. I saw his splendor in the universe. I saw his majesty in the stars.”

Which one was right? They both were. Jesus said, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NLT). Before there is spiritual transformation in your life, you’re too narrow-minded to see the possibility of what God wants to do in your life.

Wernher von Braun, the leading scientist in the early stages of the U.S. space program, said, “There has never been any great accomplishment in history without faith.”

It is faith that causes the scientist to believe that we can put a man on the moon. It is faith that causes an architect to design a building because, first, she believes it can be done. It is faith that causes an Olympic athlete to practice and go to the Olympic trials because she believes she can achieve. It is faith that causes a sculptor or an artist to believe that he can paint a picture or attempt the sculpture. Someone has to believe it before you see it. It is a universal principle of life.

Let’s believe in God’s love and guidance as we enter 2018. Believe it before you see it. Trust God’s promises and trust his work in your life during the next year.

Sun Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with James Merritt

Christ's kingdom should come before everything. Remember how Jesus put it? "Seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). This 'seeking' is a present tense verb that means "to actively pursue, to go after." And you can be sure, when Jesus tells us to "go after" something, he intends for us to do it with all our might – at the expense of everything else. Jesus is not interested in being some kind of runner-up or second-in-command in our lives. He is our King – and his kingdom gets it all.

Power Strip vs Surge Protector

What’s the Difference Between a Power Strip and a Surge Protector?

by Chris Hoffman 

Surge protectors often look just like power strips, but not all power strips are surge protectors. Only surge protections actually help protect your gadgets against power surges. Many power strips are just glorified extension cords without any protection. But you can tell whether a strip provides surge protection with just a few seconds of examination.

2017's Top Tours

U2, Guns N' Roses were 2017's top tours

By August Brown

U2 guitarist The Edge, left, and lead singer Bono at the Forum (Michael Robinson Chavez, Los Angeles Times)

Rock and roll may not appear to be so relevant on the pop charts these days, but it’s still a dominant force on live stages.

The concert-industry trade publication Pollstar released its list of the top-grossing tours of 2017, and rock-leaning acts took many of the top slots.

Maniacally Tiny Phone

Don't You Kind of Want This Maniacally Tiny Phone?

Built for people with extremely tiny hands.

Zanco

By Avery Thompson

Are your fingers too small to use a regular phone? Perhaps your arms are too weak to lift your massive phablet up to your ear to have a conversation. Or perhaps you simply enjoy using impossibly tiny versions of normal-sized things. Either way, U.K. company Zanco has the phone for you.

The Zanco tiny t1 is (probably) the world’s smallest functional phone. At less than 2 inches long, it’ll fit just about anywhere, and you’ll be able to use it to make calls and send texts, too. It charges with a standard micro USB cable and takes a nano SIM card. It can hold up to 300 numbers in its address book along with 50 text messages.

Of course, the small size does come with some drawbacks. The phone only works with 2G networks and there’s no way you’ll be able to access the internet with it. It’s also still only a Kickstarter campaign, which means the final product might be different or not exist at all.

Still, if you enjoy pushing tiny buttons this might be the phone for you. It’s available on Kickstarter for the next 27 days, so get your tiny fingers over there if you want one.

Sneaky New Octopus Species

Student Discovers Sneaky New Octopus Species

'Frilled giant Pacific octopus' has avoided detection until now

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

The new octopus species has two white spots on the front of its head. Its more familiar cousin has just one.   (Alaska Pacific University)

(NEWSER) – The world has a new octopus: Meet the "frilled giant Pacific octopus," newly detected by a student at Alaska Pacific University working on his senior thesis, reports Earther. The creature resembles the familiar giant Pacific octopus, but Nathan Hollenback not only laid out some distinctive visual differences but took DNA samples that proved it was indeed a new species. One easy giveaway is that the octopus, whose Latin name is still pending, has two white spots in the front of its head, while its more common cousin has one. As its name suggests, the new octopus also has a frill along the length of its body. “Presumably, people have been catching these octopuses for years and no one ever noticed,” says David Scheel, Hollenbeck's adviser. The pair presented their findings in the American Malacological Bulletin.

Given that the giant Pacific octopus is a "master of deception," Elijah Wolfson at Quartzthinks it's fitting that the new cousin has essentially been lurking undetected right under the noses of marine biologists for years. The GPO is known to inhabit a wide swath of the northern Pacific, from the western US coast to the shores of Japan, but the researchers for now estimate that the frilly new species has a smaller range, from Juneau, Alaska, to the Bering Sea. They also think it generally prefers deeper waters. News stories about the discovery suggest it's possible that we may someday come to view "giant Pacific octopus" as more of an umbrella term that encompasses various species rather than one distinct species of its own. 

Instagram add ‘Recommended’ posts

Instagram will now add ‘Recommended’ posts to your feed

Posted by Sarah Perez (@sarahintampa)


Instagram’s feed will now show users recommended posts – a change that earlier this month was spotted while in testing, and has since quietly gone live. The feature, described here in the company’s Help documentation, will suggest posts for you based on those that have been liked by other accounts you follow.

The new section, “Recommended for You,” is clearly labeled so as not to be confused with your own home feed. It will contain three to five suggested posts, we’re told.

This isn’t the first time Instagram has offered recommended content. But previously, you’d have to head to the Explore section to see recommended posts and videos – they wouldn’t be pushed to your home feed. You could also see what posts friends have been liking in the Following section, if you chose.

The injection of recommended content is a fairly big change for Instagram’s feed – perhaps one of the largest since the switch from the chronological feed to the algorithmic one, or the introduction of ads. It means users scrolling through their home feed will now no longer only see posts from accounts they directly follow alongside the ads. They’ll see things from their wider network, too – not entirely different from Facebook’s new Explore feed, in fact.

The change comes shortly after another update also focused on broadening users’ access to content beyond what’s being posted to those accounts you explicitly follow. Earlier this month, the company introduced a way to allow users to follow hashtags – in other words, you can now follow your interests, not just accounts.

But unlike the hashtags feature, which is opt in (as you choose if you want to track hashtags and, if so, which ones), you can’t really disable the new recommendations.

As the Help documentation explains, you can only choose to temporarily hide the “Recommended for You” section. This is done by tapping the three-dot menu above the post, then tapping on “Hide.”

The good news is that the “Recommended for You” section is not meant to displace the content you care about in favor of Instagram’s own suggestions. Rather, the section will appear after you’ve viewed all the posts in your feed, an Instagram spokesperson explains, while confirming the feature’s public launch to TechCrunch.

But even still, its appearance has irked some users, who prefer the classic experience – including, in many cases, the chronological feed.

Instagram says the feature, which is available on both iOS and Android, is currently rolling out. It didn’t confirm when that rollout would complete and become available to all of Instagram’s user base.

FEATURED IMAGE: JAAP ARRIENS/NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Nestle Pleased With Report

Nestle Pleased With Report on It Taking Too Much Water

Saying report confirms it has the right to access 'significant amount' of water in California

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

This July, 7, 2004, file photo shows the Arrowhead Mountain Water Company bottling plant, owned by Swiss conglomerate Nestle, on the Morongo Indian Reservation near Cabazon, Calif.   (AP Photo/DamianDovarganes, File)

(NEWSER) –

Nestle extracted roughly 32 million gallons of water from Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest in 2016 and sold it as Arrowhead bottled water. An investigation has determined the company's permits only allow it to take about 8.5 million gallons per year. The AP reports the news is being hailed by opponents to Nestle's action—and by Nestle. The company reportedly described itself as pleased that the State Water Resources Control Board's report confirms it has the right to access "a significant amount" of water. "We will continue to operate lawfully according to these existing rights and will comply fully with California law," Nestle said in a statement.

The longer view isn't quite as favorable sounding: NPR reports that between 1947 and 2015, Nestle extracted an average 62.6 million gallons annually, with the rights unchanged at 8.5 million. Nestle told the state its claim to the water dates to an 1865 claim held by the owner of the Arrowhead Springs Hotel; the board found that claim was limited to "riparian"—meaning at the water's origin—use "and is not valid for Nestle’s current appropriative diversion and use of water" from the forest. The company was notified of the findings—the result of an investigation begun in 2016 and borne from complaints spurred by the state's drought—on Dec. 20. A letter accompanying the findings recommended that Nestle immediately halt unauthorized distributions and outlined steps it recommends the company take over the next 18 months.

2017 Killed These Products

2017 Killed These Products, Startups

Including a $700 juicer

By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff

Steve Horowitz, Snap Inc. vice president of engineering, wears Snap's Spectacles during the company's first day of trading at the New York Stock Exchange, March 2, 2017.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

(NEWSER) – Think 2017 was rough? Try putting yourself in the shoes of people who spent their energy and fortunes building products and companies, only to see them fall by the wayside this year. BuzzFeedrounds up failed products and startups of 2017, including a $700 juicer and an early internet communication service used by millions:

Best Cabin Placement

Best Cabin Placement on Any Cruise Ship

It's that moment in the cruise booking process that requires you to select your cabin. You know you want a balcony (or inside or suite) but now you need to choose the specific room you want. The only problem? There are hundreds to choose from all over the ship!

How do you know which deck is best, or if you should choose a midship room or one more forward or aft? The truth is, there is no objective answer to the question, "What's the best cabin placement on my cruise ship?" It all depends on what's important to you. Whether you need a cabin that won't aggravate your motion sensitivity or want the best view possible, we round up the locations you should book, based on your stateroom preferences.

Best for a Great View

Cabins at the very front or very back of a cruise ship are most likely to have the best views, as they offer the widest vistas of the ocean stretching out behind or in front of the ship -- or in the case of forward cabins, your next port of call. Views are especially fantastic on ships that offer front cabins with oversized floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows. Select Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line ships fall into that category.

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Best for a Large Balcony

Aft cabins typically have some of the largest balconies on a cruise ship as there are usually just a few rooms lined up along the back of a ship giving each one more space for a bigger balcony. In particular, aft cabins located on the corners of the ship often have wraparound balconies, creating enough space for chairs, loungers and sometimes a small dining table.

Also good for a larger balcony are cabins located on the so-called "hump" of a cruise ship that is designed with a curvy outline. Cabins located where the ship transitions from a narrower to a wider width have angled balconies that are roomier than a typical veranda. Hump cabins can be found on select Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships.

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Best for Those with Motion Sensitivity

The closer to the edges (top, front and back -- but not bottom) of a sea-going vessel you are, the more likely you are to feel the movement of that ship in the water. It's worst at the front of the ship, which hits the waves first and rebounds upward. (How high the resulting bounce is depends on how rough the water is.) The higher on the ship you are, the more exaggerated the up and down motion of the ship hitting the waves feels. It's less noticeable at the back of the ship, but even there the motion of the ocean can be felt, especially if the seas are at all rough. Cruisers with a sensitivity to motion will do best midship (midway between front and back) and as low down as possible, as the rocking and rolling of the ocean is much less perceptible the closer you are to the waterline.

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Best for Light Sleepers

If you want the quietest cabin possible, eliminate cabins located by noisy areas. Do not book cabins located directly under the pool deck or buffet, too close to the elevators, across the hall from a laundry or crew entry door, and under or over the casino, theater or nightclub. You'll also want to skip cabins located low and forward (where the anchor being lowered or raised can generate a lot of sound) or at the back (where the ship's generators create a hum that rarely, if ever, stops). You'll need to study a deck plan for the best placement or call on a travel agent who knows the ship you're booking. However, a general rule of thumb is to surround yourself with other passenger cabins -- on either side of you, across from you and above and below you.

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Best for the Mobility Impaired

Crowds are the bane of cruisers with any type of mobility impairment, and while you can't avoid people all the time on a cruise ship, you certainly can choose a cabin in a location that's easier to navigate to or from. Cabins on decks that also host passenger services or public spaces are usually harder to traverse; there will often be people milling around, blocking the walking area so selecting a deck that only has cabins on it is advisable. Even though the hallways tend to be narrower, there are rarely people standing around. If possible, try to snag a cabin near an elevator so there's less distance between your cabin door and the lift.

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Best for Spa-Lovers

If you're a thermal suite aficionado and plan to spend lots of time in the spa, relaxing on a heated lounger or soaking in the ship's thalassotherapy pool, you'll probably want to get a room that's as close to the spa as you can get. (That way you don't have to traverse the entire ship in your robe and slippers!) On some ships, you can find designated spa cabins on the same deck as the spa; on others, you'll probably be one or two decks away. Other ships get you even closer; on Seabourn you can actually get a room with direct access to the spa via a staircase located in the spa's lobby. On Costa ships, the spa cabins have direct access to the Samsara Spa via a semi-private glass elevator. If you're a thermal suite aficionado and plan to spend lots of time in the spa, relaxing on a heated lounger or soaking in the ship's thalassotherapy pool, you'll probably want to get a room that's as close to the spa as you can get. (That way you don't have to traverse the entire ship in your robe and slippers!) On some ships, you can find designated spa cabins on the same deck as the spa; on others, you'll probably be one or two decks away. Other ships get you even closer; on Seabourn you can actually get a room with direct access to the spa via a staircase located in the spa's lobby. On Costa ships, the spa cabins have direct access to the Samsara Spa via a semi-private glass elevator.

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Best for Water Babies

The most obvious room location for any water-lover is as close to the poolas you can get. On some cruise ships, you can get a cabin on the very same deck as the pool, so it's out your door and a quick stroll to paradise. On other ships, you might have to get a cabin one deck below the pool, adding a minute or two or more to your cabin-to-pool commute.

Another, less obvious choice for water babies is a cabin that's located close to the water line. While you can't go into the water, you'll be able to hear it lapping against your balcony or porthole window. For those for whom cruising is just as much about being on water as anything else, these cabins -- like the cove balconies on select Carnival ships -- are the perfect home away from home.

Model 3s Are Rolling Out

Hundreds of Model 3s Are Rolling Out of the Tesla Factory

This marks a significant acceleration in production for the electric car company.

YOUTUBEBRADLEY WHITE/ELECTREK

By Avery Thompson

Tesla has been hyping its Model 3 vehicles since they were announced in 2014. The car was designed to be an affordable all-electric sedan, but despite receiving approximately half a million pre-orders the company has so far only delivered a few hundred units. However, that might be about to change: Electrek is reporting that ‘hundreds’ of new Model 3s have been leaving the Tesla factory over the past few days.

Now Dismiss

Now Dismiss

By Touching Lives 

“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

Simeon’s response to meeting Jesus in Luke 2:29-32 has come to be known in Latin as, “Nunc Dimittis,” which literally means, “now dismiss.” Simeon had just said to the Lord, “You may now dismiss Your servant in peace.” His use of the word “now” denotes something in the present.

Simeon saw this little baby as a “now” moment…the way we all should see Him. It was the first day of a new day; but it was more than that. It was a new day of the “last days.” The moment Jesus was born a clock began to tick and there is a time on that clock when time will be no more. This Jesus who came the first time is coming back a second time. The first time, He was placed in a manger…on a cross…in a tomb. The second time, He will be seated on a throne.

History is not an endless succession of random events going nowhere in a hurry. History is on a path being directed by God toward the event of all events. The first Christmas is to wet our appetite for the Second Coming.

One of the most familiar Christmas carols of all tis the classic, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” This stanza is one that is rarely sung that I will never forget. It says:

“For lo! The days are hastening on,

By prophets seen of old

When with the ever circling years,

Shall come the time foretold

When peace shall over all the earth

Its ancient splendors fling,

And the whole world gives back the song

Which now the angels sing.”

Yes, “Tis the season to be jolly, but not because we are looking for a jolly man in a red suit, but a risen King on a white horse. When He came the first time there was no room for Him in the Inn; but when He comes back everyone will make room for Him. When He comes back the graves will give up their dead. The devil will give up his war. Kings will give up their crowns. The world will give up its rebellion and all of us who are on the lookout will give up our worship.

Just as surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the Son who rose from the grave is coming again!

Faith Produces Persistence

Faith Produces Persistence
By Rick Warren

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT).

Faith unlocks the promises of God, it shows us the power of God, it turns dreams into reality, and it gives us the power to hold on in tough times.

God doesn’t always take you out of the problem. He stretches your faith by taking you through the problem. He doesn’t always take away the pain. He gives you faith-filled ability to handle the pain. And God doesn’t always take you out of the storm because he wants you to trust him in the midst of the storm.

I remember reading the stories of Corrie ten Boom, a young Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust before being sent to Nazi concentration camps. After World War II ended, she said that the people who lived through those camps were those who had the deepest faith. Why? Because faith gives you the power to hold on in tough times. It produces persistence.

Study after study has shown that probably the most important characteristic you could teach a child (and that you need in your own life) is resilience. It’s the ability to bounce back. It’s the ability to keep going. Nobody goes through life with an unbroken chain of successes. Everybody has failures and mistakes. We all embarrass ourselves. We all have pain. We all have problems. We all have pressures. The people who make it in life have resilience.

Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to resign as pastor at Saddleback Church? Just about every Monday morning! I say, “God, it’s too big. It’s too many people, too much responsibility. I’m not smart enough. What am I supposed to say to that many people? Get somebody else who can do a better job than this.”

Yet God says, “Keep going.”

Where do you get the resilience to keep going? Faith. It’s believing God could do something at any moment that could change the direction of your life, and you don’t want to miss it, so you keep moving forward. It’s believing that God will give you exactly what you need when you need it as you learn to rely on him to accomplish his purpose in you.

This is the testimony of Paul, a great man of faith: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT).

Sat Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

What, exactly, does it mean to abide in Christ? Jesus does not leave us wondering. Jesus tells us that abiding means, first of all, studying the Word of God. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7). When the children of God look into the Word of God and see the Son of God, they are changed by the Spirit of God into the image of God by the grace of God for the glory of God. That is what abiding is all about.

Abiding also means doing the work of God. Jesus said, "Who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit" (John 15:5). God is in the fruit bearing business. That is His work; that is what He desires for us. As we stay under His influence, we find that our work really becomes sharing His influence with others.

Third, abiding is obeying the will of God. Jesus said, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love" (John 15:10). When the branch rests in fellowship with the vine, it produces the fruit of the vine.

12 Rules of Drinking

12 Rules of Drinking on a Cruise Ship

The guy who leaves the hot tub looking like a crime scene, ridden with the remains of his fruity cocktail. The woman flailing around at the nightclub like Elaine from "Seinfeld," spilling her drink with every kick and jolt. The ruthless seat saver holding onto an entire booth in the lounge, forcing others to stand. Many cruisers enjoy a vacation drink or several, but you don't want to turn into an embarrassing stereotype.

Uber Hacks

Uber Hacks Every Passenger Should Know About

Getty Images

Helpful hints for a better ride.

BRIGITT EARLEY / REALSIMPLE.COM 
This story originally appeared on Realsimple.com. 

If all you ever do is open the app, request a ride, and sit back, you may be missing out on some features that could save you both time and money. Here, Laura Jones, head of product marketing at Uber, shares her best tips for maximizing the ride-sharing app.

Don't Judge this Car

Auction House Asks That You Not Judge This Car Too Harshly

Hitler rode in it, but 'it did not choose its user or its use'

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

Adolf Hitler's ride.   (Worldwide Auctioneers)

(NEWSER) – It's being called "the most historically significant automobile ever offered for public sale": the 1939 "Super Mercedes" once occupied by a standing Adolf Hitler. The AFPreports just four of the Mercedes-Benz 770K Grosser models were built, and the one being put up for sale in Arizona on Jan. 17 famously carried Hitler through Berlin as the country celebrated its victory over France. In its listing, Worldwide Auctioneers asks that the car be cut some slack: "It did not choose its user or its use. ... If the original Hitlerian provenance of this Mercedes can be set aside, if only momentarily, surviving examples of the Mercedes-Benz 770 'Grosser' ... remain quite likely the world’s greatest achievement in terms of automotive design, engineering, and construction."

As far as its engineering goes, it boasted a 7.7-litre supercharged engine that could push the car to speeds in excess of 100mph; design-wise, there were "built-in security measures" that included bullet-resistant glass and protective armor plating. Deutsche Welle reports the car was known to be used by Hitler from 1939 to 1941, but was subsequently sent for repairs and the paper trail temporarily ends. It was used by American military police in France, then sent to the US, where it entered the possession of a Veterans of Foreign Wars branch and was featured in military parades. "Rediscovered" in 1976, it was restored, displayed at the Chicago Historical Antique Automobile Museum, sold to the owner of a Vegas casino, and finally sold to a European collector in 2004 and then a Russian in 2009. Fox News suggests it could fetch as much as $14 million.

Snapchat Developing New Product

EXCLUSIVE: Snapchat Developing "Stories Everywhere” to Push Content Outside the App and Grow Users

Snapchat is developing a new product called “Stories Everywhere” with a goal of making Snapchat Stories available outside the app for the first time and kick-starting the app’s stagnant user growth, Cheddar has learned from a person familiar with the matter.

Amazon Celebrates Biggest Holiday

Amazon Celebrates Biggest Holiday; More Than Four Million People Trialled Prime In One Week Alone This Season

Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote were the #1 and #2 top-selling products across all categories on Amazon Items shipped with FREE One-Day Shipping or FREE Same-Day Delivery or Ultra-Fast Delivery with Prime Now more than doubled this holiday season Small businesses and entrepreneurs had a record-breaking season with more than one billion items ordered worldwide SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 26, 2017-- (NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon celebrated its biggest holiday season with customers all around the world shopping at record levels. Prime membership continued to grow this holiday – in fact, in one week alone, more than four million people started Prime free trials or began paid memberships, to benefit from free two-day, one-day or same-day shipping, in addition to ultra-fast one and two hour delivery with Prime Now.

Sitting in Traffic Is Costing You

Here’s How Much Sitting in Traffic Is Costing You

The average driver in Los Angeles lost 104 hours last year while stuck in gridlock during the city's busy commuting times, as well as $2,408 on wasted fuel and productivity, according to a new study.

Driving in some U.S. cities can cost serious time and money.

ZAMIRA RAHIM / MONEY.COM 

This article originally appeared on money.com

The average driver in Los Angeles lost 104 hours last year while stuck in gridlock during the city’s busy commuting times, as well as $2,408 on wasted fuel and productivity, according to a new study. The report also ranked Los Angeles as having the worst traffic in the world out of all the cities studied.

In total, congestion cost U.S. motorists almost $300 billion in 2016, USA Today reports.

New York and San Francisco also have badly clogged roads. Motorists on average wasted over eighty hours stuck in traffic at peak times in both cities.

The study was compiled by INRIX, a transportation analytics firm, which looked at 1,064 cities in total. “Gas prices haven’t increased that much over the last year or two,” Bob Pishue, senior economist at the firm, said. “Those kinds of factors, combined with an already strained road network leads to increased congestion.’’