For the business traveler who is all about efficiency: Check out these hotels that will get you in and out with a minimum of trouble. When you are pressed for time on a business trip, nothing can infuriate you more than a slow hotel check-in process. On your next trip, try these hotels that offer a speedier check-in process.

    ⒈ Yotel New York

    The self-service kiosks at this high-tech New York hotel work just like the ones you'd see at an airport. There are just five-steps to register and obtain your card key. There is even a robotic luggage bellboy. You tap in the number of bags you are carrying and sizes, then wait for a robot arm to swing down and store your luggage in a locker (say, for a day trip). This also speeds up the check-in process if the first thing you need to do, like me, is head to a series of meetings.

    ⒉ Marriott Detroit Airport

    Another option for business travelers in a hurry: Marriott is rolling out its mobile check-in app to 325 hotels this year, including the Marriott Detroit Airport hotel. (I've tested the app itself but not for a real visit quite yet.) Here is the basic idea: you download the iphone or Android app. The night before, you can “check-in” virtually. When you arrive, you get an alert that the room is ready and your key, which is already tied to your reservation, is waiting for you at the desk.

    ⒊ Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

    I happened to stay at this hotel recently and liked how fast the kiosk check-in works. Like the Yotel, the kiosk asks you to insert your credit card, similar to an airport terminal. The whole process took about three minutes, when I left, I was equally impressed with the fast check-out. An agent meets you in the lobby with an ipad and asks for an email to use for a receipt. The big advantage: you never have to wait in line.

    ⒋ Radisson: LaCrosse

    The Radisson is trying to make the kiosk process even faster, at a few select hotels like the Radisson Lacrosse in Wisconsin, you use a mobile app to register and then receive a barcode by email or text. When you get to the kiosk, you scan the barcode to get your key without any other steps required. It's super fast. You can find this new check-in system at the Radisson hotels in Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Phoenix as well.

    Water Floss Provide Healthy Gums and Teeth Clean Creates up to 1250~1700 plus/min jets of water to effectively clean areas that normal tooth brushes do not reach, keeping your teeth clean. Get rid of unsightly and embarrassing food debris stuck between your teeth which cause bad breath and gingivitis with water flosser.

    10 Pressure Setting－30~125 PSI Adjustable water flosser best suit for your teeth and the Oral Irrigator also comfortable use by all members of family. Electric water dental flosser have 180 seconds intelligent timing that can be easy for cleaning sessions.

    600ml Water Capacity－water flosser teeth cleaner with 600ml water capacity works for at least 90 seconds continuous flossing. It is perfect for per people once use. The flip top lid is convenient for easy refills and you can press the button on the handle at any time to temporarily stop the flow.

    Multifunctional Jet Tips－You can hygienically share water jet with your family. Three Classic Jet Tips, one Dental Plaque Tip, one Orthodontic Tip and one Periodontal Tip. Package additional tongue scraper helps prevent bad breath and bacteria build up.

    Quality Assurance   If you use flosser for the first time, please choose the low mode. When you adapt to it, you can use the other mode you like. Water pick flossers have 60 days hassle-free(无纠纷) return and 1 year guarantee. If you have any problem, please contact us.

    It takes a special person to travel with kids—a parent. Children have their own needs. Their idea of a vacation is more “adventurous” than a parent's. They need constant inspiration and they can get as tired as they are tiring.

    Make sure you have plenty of room while traveling

    If you are driving, get a mini-van. Sure, you might be more of a “car” type, and you might have resisted buying a mini—van so far. But pick up a rental van for the vacation just to give the kids a little more room for fighting.

    Accommodations along the way can be tricky. Usually it involves a crowded motel for just long enough to sleep, then back in the crowded car. This is not anybody's idea of a home away from home. An accommodation alternative is to camp, but not everyone enjoys a good early morning wake-up wrestle with a bear as much as I do, so a motel might be required.

    Make sure you have plenty of room when you “get there”

    Assuming you are actually heading for a destination, make sure to have lots of room when you get there. This part is easy. But it requires thinking outside the box. Forget hotels, motels, and inns. Look for private rental homes.

    Probably the biggest destination for families is Walt Disney World in Florida. Good news—Orlando, Kissimmee and the surrounding area is full of private vacation homes for rent. In Florida they call them vacation villas, and they offer all the space of home.

    Be prepared for “children being children” events

    Sometimes, stress hits you from behind when the unexpected happens. Like a cut or a scrape…or a child getting sick. Sharon Baillie told me that is why she tells all her villa rental guests where the first-aid case can be found, and exactly where to go for medical attention. This is particularly helpful for her many guests from abroad, who are unfamiliar with the US healthcare system.

    Booking tickets to theme parks and making reservations for just about everything in advance makes the trip less stressful. Try having your children baby-sat. Hire a local baby-sitter once or twice. Vacation Home owners can set this up for you, and some hotels might be willing to, too.

    Social media is one of the fastest-growing industries in today's world. Your friends' lives may look more exciting than yours on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but a new research shows it is because they are faking (伪造) it.

    A recent survey has found around two-thirds of people on social media post images to their personal information to make their lives seem more adventurous. And more than three quarters of those asked said they judged their peers based on what they saw on their Instagrm, Snapehat or Facebook pages.

    The British survey, by smart phone maker HTC, found that, in order to make our own pages and lives appear more exciting, six percent also said they had borrowed items to include in the images in order to pass them off as their own. More than half of those surveyed said they posted images of items and places purely to show off, causing jealousy among friends and family.

    Behavioral psychologist Hemmings said the trend was unsurprising due to the rise of social media. "We're living in a world instant communication." she said. "Fashion and style used to live and die in magazines; now people are in search of authentic, peer-to-peer recommendations as well, making social media an equal power house to magazines and newspaper."

    "With images being shared in an instant, we desire to know what our friends are wearing, or what super stars are buying, as soon as they have got them." Such is the influence of social media sites like Instagram, 76 percent of those asked also said seeing items on social influences them to buy them, with men more likely to take style advice and buy what they see.

    Many doors close for those who have ever been in prison for a crime. It can be difficult for former prisoners to reenter society. A number of training programs are aimed at reopening doors for these men and women.

    "Together We Bake" teaches cooking and marketing skills to women who have spent time in prison so they can start new lives. It is a 10-week program which teaches women how to bake and sell cookies. Two friends, Tricia Sabatini and Stephanie Wright, created the program.

    "I have a background in social work and she is an amazing baker," Ms. Wright explains. "We discovered that for this population of women, returning from prison into the community, there aren't a lot of resources for them. So we thought we could combine our passions (激情) and develop this job as a training program. "Stephanie Wright says they started the program earlier this year." We had two classes so far that have graduated. This is our third class. We have eight women currently in this class. We've 16 women graduated in the first two classes."

    Terry Garred is one of the graduates. She says the program helped her turn her life around. Next she hopes to complete her high school studies. She is also working for "Together We Bake" to help other women follow the path she took.

    The program includes classes in which the women talk about their experiences and learn communication and job skills. Thirty-six-year-old Jamie White had spent three years in jail, which made her a little puzzled about her future life back into society. But she found those meeting were very helpful. She learned how to open up, and was just trying to better herself. She gained new skills. She sells baked goods at local markets every weekend now.

VAZOnepwr Blade 5 Dual

Cordless Blade 5 is a great one for sheer suction(吸力) power. It's easy to use it under furniture and it works well on all surfaces. The dust tank holds 0.7 litres and it comes with two batteries for 90 minutes of charge. If you're on a budget, the Blade 4 is a good option (now£250,from£450;vax. co.uk)

MIele Complete C3

At 890W, this corded vacuum is "exceptionally powerful" and its "Air Clean" filtration traps even tiny particles. It has a 12m radius(半径) and comes with three tools, stored in the body(£219;miele.co.uk)

Shark CZ500UKT Duo Clean

This 880W corded vacuum has remarkable suction power. It can switch between cleaning carpets or hard floors, and has an anti-hair-wrap brush roll and an LED light to show up dust (£330; sharkclean.co.uk)

Dyson Ball Animal Multi-floor

Unusually easy to move or turn skillfully thanks to its responsive rollerball, this bagless vacuum delivers strong suction and is great for getting up pet hair. A bit heavy at 7.4kg, it has a ten-metre cord and 3.5-litr e caddy, which ejects at the touch of a button (£380; dyson.co.uk)

Henry HVR 160-11

A long-standing favourite, the Henry is famously strong and great value. It has a large six-litre dust bag, and packs 620W of power. Its cord is a generous ten metres, and it has a long 2.2m hose, which is useful for cleaning up high and under sofas (£130; myhenry.com).