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You can now skip the line at Shake Shack locations nationwide (SHAK)

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Shake Shack

Eating at Shake Shack just got a lot more convenient.

Mobile ordering is now available at dozens of Shake Shack locations nationwide, meaning you'll be able to place an order and pay via your iPhone, skipping the burger chain's infamous long lines. 

Danny Meyer's burger chain began testing its mobile ordering app in Manhattan two months ago. The feature is now available at locations across New York City and in a number of other states including Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Florida. 

According to Eater, which first reported the news, everything on Shake Shack's menu — with the exception of the chain's concrete shakes — is available for online ordering. Unfortunately, only iOS users can use the app for the time being. In October, Shake Shack said that it was also developing an app for Android. 

There appears to be a bit of a lag between when you place your order on Shake Shack's app and when you can pick it up. The wait time at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park was about 40 minutes on Monday afternoon. 

Mobile ordering is nothing new in fast food. Many chains, including Chipotle, Starbucks, and Taco Bell already allow customers to place orders ahead of time online and pick up in stores. McDonald's will start rolling out online-ordering technology next year. 

Online ordering cuts down on wait times and improves order accuracy. 

Here's a screenshot of the app's menu:

Shack Shack app

SEE ALSO: Shake Shack has one of the best breakfast menus in fast food

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer explains the 3 keys to building a powerful brand


This machine solves the most time-consuming things about doing laundry

TINDER COFOUNDER: The biggest mistakes people make with their photos

This lucky woman got Bill Gates as a Reddit Secret Santa and he showered her with thoughtful gifts

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Bill Gates Secret Santa Photoshop

Every year, Reddit puts on a massive Secret Santa gift exchange, and, every year, one lucky person gets Bill Gates as a Santa. And boy, is he good at it.

Alicia, also known as Reddit user "Aerrix" (who describes herself as a woman who loves video games, "The Legend of Zelda," "The Little Mermaid," "Harry Potter," and Nintendo) got blown off by her Secret Santa last year. But she faithfully signed up again. And was that ever a smart move.

Her first clue that the billionaire had pulled her name was that the box that arrived was huge. And he spared no expense in shipping it overnight either.

Her second clue: Bill Gates wrote her a personal letter and enclosed a picture of himself with the letter, wearing a Santa hat. When you're Bill Gates and you're someone's Secret Santa, part of the fun is proving that this gift really came from you.

The letter said:

"I can't believe your Secret Santa left you hanging last year. To ensure you don't lose faith in the Reddit Community I've enclosed several gifts that I hope you enjoy. There are a few video games for you to play, some things to keep you warm, and three of my favorite movies to watch over the holidays.

"I've also made a donation in your name to Code.org to help give more students the chance to learn computer science.

"With Best Wishes from Seattle, Bill Gates.

"P.S. I won't be able to consult with the Sorting Hat but I can tell that you are quite clever – so I got a pair of Ravenclaw slippers from Hot Topic."

The huge box was stuffed with individually wrapped presents, 12 in all. 

Bill Gates Secret Santa Gift

An ecstatic Aerrix posted a long note, along with photos of everything, on the Reddit Gifts site, writing:

"I'm just blown away by his generosity, which went even further than all these gifts because he submitted a donation to Code.org in my name to give more students the chance to learn computer science, which is AWESOME because it's something near and dear to my heart."

SEE ALSO: How a cold call to a billionaire led this founder to sell his company for $225 million

She opened the box. "I got everything out and laid it out all nice, and there was glitter EVERYWHERE."



First thing she saw was his photo and a signed note from him to verify that Bill Gates really was her Secret Santa.



The first box she opened said "Aerrix's Mittens" and "Clairrix's Mittens" first. My dog's name is Claire, btw, how freakin CUTE IS THAT?! He got me ZELDA MITTENS and you guys, matching ones for my DOWG!" Yes, Bill Gates bought matching mittens for a human and her dog. To answer her question, it is VERY CUTE.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A San Francisco startup is giving away free birth control with the promo code 'Donald Trump'

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Nurx Pill 1

A San Francisco startup that lets women order birth control and get it delivered to their door is now giving away contraception for free with the promo code "Donald Trump."

New users receive $45 of credit toward their birth control purchases for a very limited time.

Nurx, which has been called the "Uber of birth control," launched the campaign on December 19 — the day of the electoral college vote to elect Trump — in order to make birth control more accessible. The promotional deal is only available to new users in states where Nurx operates, which includes California, New York, Washington, and the nation's capital.

"Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and that would mean that millions of women would lose access to free birth control," Hans Gangeskar, CEO and cofounder of Nurx, said in a statement.

"This motivated us to figure out a way to help make contraception even more accessible."

Nurx, founded in 2015, set out to make the experience of filling an oral contraceptive prescription a stress-free one. Users fill out a brief profile, upload a photo of their ID and insurance card (if they have one), and pick from a range of generic and name-brand contraceptives. One of Nurx's four affiliated physicians reviews the request and issues a prescription. In fewer than two hours, a bike courier will drop the medicine at their door.

Patients without insurance can pay as little as $14 out of pocket for generic birth control.

San Diego California protest Trump presidency

In April, the company expanded its offerings to include Truvada for PrEP, a daily pill that has been show to reduce HIV infection among high-risk people by more than 90%, according to a clinical trial published in 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It's unclear how birth control will fare under a Trump presidency.

Throughout his campaign, Trump made promises to appeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare." The bill includes a mandate that "requires health plans to cover at least one form of the 18 FDA-approved contraceptives," according to a release from Nurx.

In September, Trump told daytime talk show host Dr. Oz that women shouldn't need a prescription to acquire birth control. But his Cabinet picks may not agree.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence is a staunch opponent of abortion. Slate reports that in 2011, Pence became the first congressman to try to defund Planned Parenthoood.

Tom Price, the future head of the Health and Human Services Department, has called the birth control mandate under Obamacare a "trampling on religious freedom and religious liberty."

The Nurx promotion ends December 25.

SEE ALSO: This Silicon Valley 'smart drug' startup crashed and burned on 'Shark Tank,' but business is booming

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A gynecologist reveals the most effective birth control

This graphic shows how out-of-control San Francisco housing prices have gotten

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San Francisco City and Homes

If you're at all attuned to America's real estate market, you've heard about San Francisco's ongoing housing crisis.

Residents have been doing crazy things to survive the sky-high cost of living, from camping out in Google's parking lot to taking up residence on a sailboat

But according to a recent report by online real-estate broker Truliathe story is slightly different for San Francisco's longtime homeowners, who are enjoying incredibly high rates-of-return on their homes.

In 1986, America's most expensive housing market was San Francisco, where the median value of a home was $160,955. Today, it remains the country's most expensive housing market, with a median home value of $1,058,474. That's a 557% rise over 30 years, more than any other US metro area.

To get an idea of how remarkable San Francisco's housing market is, check out the graphic below comparing San Francisco's 30-year increase in home value to the 10 major US cities with the smallest increase in home value over the same period.

Trulia San Francisco housing market graphic

SEE ALSO: The 10 US cities where homes have gained the most value over time

DON'T MISS: Here's the salary you have to earn to buy a home in 19 major US cities

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: REAL ESTATE WARS: Inside the class and culture fight that's tearing San Francisco apart

I read 15 books this year on happiness, productivity, and success — here are the most meaningful insights I've taken away

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books papers files reading

The good thing about getting to read a lot of books for work is that I'm constantly challenged to rethink my conceptions of happiness, productivity, and success.

The bad thing is that one time a stack of said books collapsed on my desk neighbor.

Without a doubt, the books that moved me most this year focused on psychology and behavioral science — and as 2016 draws to a close, I'm reflecting on everything I learned.

Below, I've rounded up the most meaningful insights from all that reading.

SEE ALSO: 11 mind-blowing psychology findings that explain the baffling choices you make every day

Money isn't enough to motivate us to do good work

In "Payoff," Duke University behavioral economist Dan Ariely argues that human motivation is a lot more complex than we might be inclined to believe. Case in point: Pizza motivates employees to perform better in the long term than money.

Managers especially should look to harness the power of intrinsic motivation — or the desire to do a good job for the sake of doing a good job.



Emotions always matter

Harvard psychologist Susan David wrote "Emotional Agility" to help people reckon with — not suppress or pass judgment on — their most difficult emotions.

Instead of looking askance at feelings as fluffy, David says it's important to recognize that our feelings hold important information about our values and our potential. We can draw on that information to make important decisions related to our career and relationships.



Plain old practice doesn't make perfect

The concept of deliberate practice— working with a teacher on specific goals and constantly pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone — has sparked a ton of controversy within the scientific community.

In "Peak," Florida State University psychologist Anders Ericsson and journalist Robert Pool argue that this process is the only sure path to expertise, whether in chess, ice skating, or anything else. (Some psychologists disagree.)

To be sure, Ericsson says, deliberate practice involves mistakes and failure and pain, but if you truly want to be the best in your field, it's worth it.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what happens to your brain when you hit the snooze button

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When the alarm goes off in the morning, a common reaction is to hit the snooze button so that you can get a few extra minutes of sleep.

It turns out this causes more
harm than good. These are the scientifically proven consequences of hitting the snooze button.

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5-minute morning routines that can make your whole day better

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sunrise

If you feel a twinge of jealousy each time you read about another successful person who wakes up at 4 a.m. to meditate, jog, read a novel, and eat two grapefruits, take heart.

You don't have to add three leisurely hours to your morning routine to be happy or productive.

In fact, plenty of the habits that can help you start your day take five minutes or less.

Several of those habits are listed under the Quora thread, "What can I do in 5 minutes in the morning to make my whole day better?"

Below, find some of the simplest routines to start your day feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever challenges come your way.

1. Write down three things you're grateful for

Quora user Nela Canovic suggests writing down three things you're grateful for every morning.

"Think about what you already have in your life," she writes. "Don't focus only on material things (such as a car or computer), but rather think in more simple or basic terms." For example, you might express gratitude for friends, family, or your education.

This strategy is similar to the "three good things" exercise recommended by Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the founders of the positive psychology movement.

Seligman and colleagues advise people to take time each night to write down three positive developments that happened that day, along with an explanation for why they did. You can, however, easily adapt this exercise for the morning and think about three things you're grateful for in general.

2. Think about what would make today great

Canovic recommends another, more prospective exercise: "Write one sentence about something that, if it were to happen, would make you feel like today will be a positive, productive, unique day."

It can be something as simple as going to bed before midnight or spending an hour doing something you love, she says.

Once you figure out exactly what would make you feel happy and accomplished, you can go about making it happen.

3. Meditate

Science suggests meditation has myriad benefits, from helping you deal with stress and negative emotions, to boosting your memory, to strengthening your immune system.

But meditation doesn't necessarily mean sitting in silence for hours on end. As Ariel Banayan points out, "sitting for five minutes to detach from the thoughts of your mind will have a profound impact on your day."

If you're unsure how to get started, the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center offers some free guided meditations, some of them five minutes or shorter.

bootcamp push up

4. Exercise

Minh Killy Le recommends five minutes of exercise right after you wake up. His favorite is planking, which is similar to a push-up.

Research suggests that working out before you eat breakfast can help you lose weight and boost your energy levels — though the workouts in these studies lasted about an hour, or until the participants had burned 400 calories.

Regardless of how long you choose to exercise, be sure to warm up beforehand, since your muscles will likely be stiff from sleep.

5. Make your bed

Raviteja Chirala says he loves coming home to a neatly made bed.

Meanwhile, journalist Charles Duhigg writes in his book "The Power of Habit" that making your bed can help increase your productivity for the rest of the day. That's because it's a "keystone habit" that can "spark chain reactions that help other good habits take hold."

6. Prioritize

Chirala also suggests writing a list of things you want to accomplish that day. That way, you'll have a clear set of priorities to guide your work for the next few hours.

Psychologist Travis Bradberry says this kind of careful planning boosts your chances of achieving your goals. He personally likes to set his daily goals after his mindfulness practice.

Eyes Closed

7. Visualize the rest of the day

Harrison Thorne recommends a morning visualization routine: "Simply picture your short- and long-term goals, and affirm your abilities to complete these goals."

In his second book, "Smarter Faster Better," Duhigg outlines a similar technique: Tell yourself stories about how the day will unfold.

Duhigg writes about researchers at MIT who studied the most productive people at a recruiting firm and found that they were "obsessive, in fact, about trying to explain the world to themselves and their colleagues as they went about their days." For example, they might ask colleagues to help them imagine how a future conversation or a pitch meeting might go, so that they were more prepared when the events actually happened.

He recommends making a habit of this strategy by spending your morning commute telling yourself a detailed story about the rest of the day.

8. Use the 'Five Minute Journal'

Chris Remus recommends using the "Five Minute Journal," which is a specific journal that comes with inspirational quotes and thought-provoking questions: "You'll feel more positive and happier when you use it. Your whole day will be better as a result."

Author, investor, and podcaster Tim Ferriss says he uses the Five Minute Journal every morning. As Business Insider's Richard Feloni has reported, you can order the journal online.

9. Drink warm water with lemon juice

Kelin Doan drinks freshly squeezed lemon juice with warm water every morning.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, lemon water has multiple benefits, including aiding digestion and supplying vitamin C, which protects you from cell damage.

10. Don't check your phone

This one's more of a non-routine. Matt Sandrini advises against picking up your smartphone within the first five minutes of waking up: "You start working on someone else's behalf, before you even had the chance to set your own schedule and priorities for your day."

Indeed, as Julie Morgenstern, author of the book "Never Check Email in the Morning," told The Huffington Post, if you start your morning by checking your email, "you'll never recover."

"Those requests and those interruptions and those unexpected surprises and those reminders and problems are endless," she said.

In fact, she recommends holding off for a full hour. "There is very little that cannot wait a minimum of 59 minutes."

SEE ALSO: 7 things not to do when you first wake up

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The worst thing people do to wake up in the morning — according to a sleep expert

What the sneaker industry says about how effective Trump's proposed trade policies will be

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Nike Sneaker

If one seeks a preview of the effects that President-elect Donald Trump's attitude towards trade may have, one needs only look at the sneaker industry.

The sneaker industry is already impacted by the high tariffs that Trump says would be a signature of his goal to re-shore companies and bring manufacturing back to the US.

Tariffs for athletic sneakers are much higher than for comparable products. The average tariff the US government charges on imported athletic shoes is 20%, a spokesperson for the US Department of Commerce told Quartz. 

A leather dress shoe carries a charge of about 8%, while the trade-weighted average for footwear hovers around 10%. The average tariff for all imported products is a relatively low 1.5%.

The high tariffs on shoes are due to hold-over policies that date back to the Great Depression. Successful lobbying by plastic and rubber corporations — starting in the 1960s and leading up to today — worked to keep them in place, according to the Wall Street Journal. These protectionist policies were meant to safeguard the American worker from companies outsourcing jobs across the Pacific Ocean.

By any measure, it hasn't worked. Nearly all athletic footwear sold in the US — a staggering 98.4%, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association — are manufactured overseas (mainly in China and Vietnam), despite high import tariffs. Because making footwear is so labor-intensive, it continues to make sense for US companies to import shoes made elsewhere.

Nike

Trump has suggested that his trade policies will include much higher tariffs on goods imported from China — all the way up to 45%, much higher than even the rates currently charged. It remains to be seen whether an even higher import cost would cause companies to reconsider their manufacturing and import strategy, or if the additional cost would just be passed on to the consumer like it is currently.

Another possible case is the re-shoring of American manufacturing, which would raise costs due to increased labor scrutiny and higher wages.

A third possible scenario — and what experts believe is the most likely in the long term— is automation. Sneaker manufacturing may be coming back to the US, but many of the low-skilled jobs will disappear as automation takes over for that work. The idea is already being pioneered by Adidas, which will soon be opening its first automated "Speedfactory" in Atlanta, with plans for more.

SEE ALSO: Nike's new $720 shoe is all about the tech — and it marks a big shift for the brand

DON'T MISS: What the Trump presidency could mean for sneaker prices

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Sneaker fanatics are driving a massive $1 billion resale market

The rise of Tinder is leading to some unexpected consequences at bars and restaurants

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romance date marriageThe popularity of online dating and dating apps is leading to some major design changes in bars and restaurants. 

Some restaurants are adding more two-person tables to accommodate the growing number of couples who are lingering over a first-date drink, after being brought together on a blind date by aps like Tinder and Hinge, reported the Washington Post.

Dating apps mean the more elaborate first date (movies, dinners) have been replaced by drinks that function as getting-to-know-you affairs that may or may not result in a second date. 

Reporter Lavanya Ramanathan profiled a restaurateur named Ashok Bajaj who revamped his design due to this dating boom. When refreshing one of his restaurants, Ardeo + Bardeo, Bajaj decided to ditch booths and install tables for two, after noticing the influx of couples in the restaurant. In another restaurant, Nopa, he installed a series of two-seat nooks in the bar area so couples on dates wouldn't loiter at dining room tables for hours.

One of our favorite places to dine in the District. #foodandwine #foodie #instagood #DMV #dcnightlife #CapLife

A photo posted by CapLife (@capitolifestyle) on May 20, 2016 at 6:40pm PDT on

Online and app-based dating has influenced the restaurant industry in a number of other ways, from what day of the week dates show up at restaurants to the length of time couples nurse a single drink (too long, according to restaurateurs). You can read the full story on the Washington Post.

SEE ALSO: Americans' shifting drinking habits could change happy hour as we know it

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Bumble founder: Men should stop putting these 4 things in their profiles

27 travel hacks that even frequent fliers don't know

I lived in Times Square for a year — here's what it's like to live in the most hectic part of New York City

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amanda times square

NEW YORK — While most New Yorkers avoid the wandering crowds of tourists, costumed characters, and bombarding big screens of Times Square, I chose to live there.

After renting in the Upper West Side for two years and fed up with my reliance on the temperamental No. 1 train, I decided to look for a new apartment that had more access to trains.

My search landed me in a year-long lease in the neon heart of New York City — where I had 12 subway lines to choose from.

As 2016 comes to an end, and an estimated 1 million flock to watch the famous New Year's Eve ball slowly descend, here's what it was like to live at the center of the world's third most visited tourist attraction.

NOTE: My rent skyrocketed — believe it or not — and I was forced out of my beloved Times Square neighborhood.

Welcome to the heart of Times Square!



Home sweet home! This is what my door looked like. I shared an entrance with a jewelry store, a barbershop, and a spa. I relied on the barbershop to accept my mail.



Before we go up the stairs, this is what the curb outside my apartment looked like on most days. There wasn't a place for me to throw trash, so I just placed it on the sidewalk like the businesses around me did.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

50 stunning moments captured by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Reuters photography team in 2016

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Marko Djurica

Earlier in 2016, Reuters' photography staff was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the Breaking News Photography category, specifically for its coverage of migrant refugees fleeing the war in Syria. 

The incredibly talented team is stationed all over the world, documenting everything from the refugee crisis to the beauty of the Northern Lights. Their team of editors has once again compiled the best photographs taken this year, and, with just a few days left in 2016, we've picked our top 50 favorites.

From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, here are some of the most powerful photographs they've captured in 2016.

Editor's note: Many of the images in this slideshow depict graphic violence and injury, and many are upsetting.

Captions by Reuters and Sarah Jacobs.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most stunning photos Business Insider took in 2016

People watch as fireworks explode over Copacabana beach during New Year celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 1.



A woman with a Ziggy Stardust tattoo visits a mural of David Bowie in Brixton, south London, the day after his death, on January 11.



A refugee headed towards Europe on February 8.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Professors at America's elite colleges pick one book every student should read in 2017

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Reading Books

College professors dole out an incredible amount of required reading to their students.

But what if they could only choose one book?

When asked, professors at America's most prestigious colleges — those in the top 10, according to US News & World Report — shared with Business Insider the single book they think every student should read in 2017.

The topics of the books spanned issues from politics to social science to Shakespearean literature.

Read on to see what professors from schools like Princeton, Harvard, and Yale think you should read next year.

SEE ALSO: 11 legendary leaders share the best books they read in 2016

Jill Abramson, Harvard: 'The Paranoid Style in American Politics,' by Richard Hofstadter

Abramson, a former executive editor of The New York Times and current Harvard English lecturer, recommends students read Richard Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style in American Politics," first published in 1964.

Abramson says the book is "everything you need to know about the root of Donald Trump's rhetoric and fake news."

FIND IT HERE »



James Berger, Yale: 'Orfeo,' by Richard Powers

James Berger is a senior Lecturer in English and American Studies at Yale University. He recommends the 2014 novel "Orfeo," by Richard Powers.

He implores students to read the book, explaining that:

"It is a story of music and genetics in our contemporary age of terror and surveillance. An idiosyncratic retelling of the Orpheus myth, an elderly avant garde composer who feels he has tried and exhausted every possible musical experiment, returns to his first love, biology, and seeks to inscribe a musical score onto the mutating DNA of bacteria. Yup.

"But his efforts are mistaken to be acts of bioterrorism, and so he flees into the 'underworld' of contemporary America, returning also to the various Euridices of his past. Amazing book —and you'll learn a hell of a lot about music, science, politics ... and even about Life!"

FIND IT HERE »



Eric Maskin, Harvard, and Maurice Schweitzer, UPenn: 'The Undoing Project,' by Michael Lewis

Eric Maskin is a Harvard professor and received the 2007 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. Maurice Schweitzer is a professor of operations, information, and decisions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Both chose Michael Lewis' "The Undoing Project."

FIND IT HERE »

Read Business Insider's December interview with Lewis, in which he discusses the book, the American presidential election, and how Wall Street has changed in recent years.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A former ad exec who sold his firm to Microsoft spent the last 20 years restoring a mansion in Los Angeles — and now he's selling it for $10 million

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leonard fenton artemesia

When Leonard Fenton first bought his home — a 13,000-square-foot architectural masterpiece called "Artemesia"— he had no idea just how much work he would end up putting into it. He was in his 20s, and though he had previously restored homes while funding an earlier music career, he had never before worked on a project of this size.

Still, he knew a valuable opportunity when he saw one.

"I've always been an autodidact. I always jump into learning what I'm working on," Fenton recently told Business Insider.

At the time of the purchase, Fenton was heading up an advertising firm, Automotive Dealers' Marketing, that he would later sell to Microsoft.

He called up a few architects who specialized in preservation, consulted the National Trust's guidelines for historic properties, and got to work on the home, considered to be the largest ever built in the Craftsman style.

"The people and sources I consulted often didn't have the answer, but they taught me how to research and get the right answers," Fenton said. "I didn't just want a neoclassical house. I wanted a piece of art."

Nearly 25 years later — most of which he spent working on the home part-time, though he has been working on the restoration efforts full-time for the last six years — he's putting the home back up for sale. It has been on and off the market for several years, but is now listed for $9.995 million with Sally Forster Jones of John Aaroe Group.

"I have enjoyed living in this beautiful castle and being the custodian of this cultural landmark immensely. In fact, I literally grew up as an adult living in that house," Fenton said. "Now that everything is done and the challenges completed, there's really nothing more for me to do. I'm ready to pass on this wonderful property to a new family who will protect and cherish it for the next twenty or thirty years as much as I have."

Let's take a look inside Artemesia.

SEE ALSO: 15 of the most luxurious mansions you can rent in Aspen

DON'T MISS: Inside the swanky private club where Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, and Justin Timberlake go to ski

The property spans nearly two acres atop the Hollywood Hills region of Los Angeles. Artemesia was originally built in 1913 for Frederick Engstrum, a construction magnate responsible for the Rosslyn Hotel downtown.



It's on a private road and is double-gated, which adds to its secluded feel.



As you approach, you get a sense of just how big the home is.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Reindeer are still very radioactive 30 years after Chernobyl

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reindeer chernobyl radio free europe

The holiday spirit might not totally explain what makes Rudolph's nose glow so bright.

Thirty years after a nuclear power plant exploded at Chernobyl, the reindeer that walk the picturesque, snow-capped mountains of Scandinavia are still radioactive.

They weren't the only ones affected. For generations, the Sami people, native to the Arctic North, lived in harmony with nature. Many worked as boazovázzi, or "reindeer walkers," herding the animals over hundreds of miles of terrain and selling their meat come slaughter season. The reindeer were a cultural and economic centerpiece for the Sami people.

But the explosion — considered the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history — coated the earth with toxic material, turned the reindeer radioactive, and poisoned the Sami people's way of life.

Photographer Amos Chapple with Radio Free Europe traveled to the Norwegian village of Snasa, where he met with herders fighting to preserve their traditions.

Chapple shared a few photos with us, and you can read the whole story here.

SEE ALSO: 'Mammoth pirates' spend months in the Siberian wilderness trying to strike it rich — take a look

In the fallout of Chernobyl, streams of radioactive material spewed into the atmosphere above the Soviet Union and across Europe. Among the most dangerous fission products was cesium-137.



Wind and rain carried contaminants to the ground. In Norway, a relentless downpour allowed 700 grams of radioactive cesium-137 to settle on the ground there.

Source: Radio Free Europe



The radioactive materials poured into the lakes and forests, contaminating wildlife, berries, and plants. It also got to a spindly green fungus called lichen, a reindeer's favorite snack.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What 17 successful people wish they'd known about money in their 20s

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Mark Cuban

Your 20s are far from simple ... especially when it comes to your finances. Even the some of the wealthiest, most successful people didn't escape this decade without making one (or several) money mistakes.

We asked a handful of self-made millionaires and billionaires, CEOs and entrepreneurs, and best-selling authors what they wish they'd known about money from the get-go.

Here's what they had to say:

DON'T MISS: An executive who's worked for Microsoft, Yahoo, and SoFi explains why you shouldn't take a job for the money

SEE ALSO: The 11 smartest things to do with your money in your 20s

Learn the concept of delayed gratification

Kat Cole, president of Focus Brands:

"What I wish I would've known is more principles and practices around saving and consciousness about how I was spending my money. And the concept of delayed gratification, which I was really not good at.

"When you're making a bunch of cash you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. ... If I had instilled the practice of 'Yeah, I want something, but do I need it? I'm going to wait,' one of two things is going to happen: Either the desire for it will go away, and now I've saved that money, or when I get it, I'm going to be much more grateful for it — and maybe it's on sale at that point."



Have a cash cushion

John Paul DeJoria, cofounder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón tequila:

"Before investing or starting a company, make sure you have enough money saved for at least six months to pay bills or anything else that might come up financially. It's important to have a cushion of six months financial back-up before you invest or if something doesn't work out in your favor."



Learn to manage your credit cards

Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur, investor:

"[I wish I knew] that credit cards are the worst investment that you can make. That the money I save on interest by not having debt is better than any return I could possibly get by investing that money in the stock market. I thought I would be a stock-market genius. Until I wasn't.

"I should have paid off my cards every 30 days."



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Watch a team of 'SNL' pros complete the nerve-racking transition between scenes in just over 2 minutes

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If you've ever wondered how "Saturday Night Live" transitions its set between scenes, then wonder no more.

The NBC sketch show just pulled back the curtain on the Hollywood magic with a new video showing the amazing and nerve-racking process of changing over the set while the clock ticks in real-time.

This video is especially timely as it captures the transition between this past weekend's cold open featuring Alec Baldwin, John Goodman, and Beck Bennett as President-elect Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, respectively, to host Casey Affleck's monologue.

In less than two-and-a-half minutes, the crew is tasked with pulling down a pretty elaborate Christmas-decorated set of Trump's living room to the bare-bones "SNL" stage. In the background of the video, you can hear the voices from the control room counting down the seconds.

At one point, time is barreling down on the crew as they try to pull down the last vestiges of the cold open set.

"Come on, that big wall's got to go and we'll be alright," said a voice with just 25 seconds left to complete the transition.

When they make it just in time, there's praise to be shared among the crew.

"They're the best," said one voice.

Affleck rushes to the stage for his monologue and the viewing audience is none the wiser. And that's why they're pros.

Watch the stunning behind-the-scenes video from "SNL" below:

SEE ALSO: Alec Baldwin gets paid $1,400 every time he plays Trump on 'SNL'

DON'T MISS: 'Rogue One' star Felicity Jones will host the first 'SNL' of 2017

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15 things you should never do at the office holiday party

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'Tis the season for office holiday parties, which can be fun and festive if everyone is on their best behavior — or disastrous when too many people decide to let loose.

Unfortunately, the latter happens far too often.

"People need to remember that although the holiday party is a time to celebrate, this activity is still a business event and how you behave matters," says Barbara Pachter, an etiquette expert and the author of "The Essentials of Business Etiquette."

"People have said and done all sorts of inappropriate things that have impacted their career by not following simple etiquette rules," she adds. "For example, it is important to stay sober. One young man got drunk at his holiday party, cursed out his boss, and got fired on the spot. The next day he couldn't understand why his badge didn't work. He had no recollection of the previous evening's events."

According to a new CareerBuilder survey, a whopping 69% of employers say they'll throw a holiday party this year. If your company is one of them and you want to keep your job and reputation intact, here are some simple etiquette rules to follow:

DON'T MISS: We asked and you answered — here are 19 of the wildest office holiday party stories we've ever heard

SEE ALSO: The 17 best icebreakers to use at a holiday party where you don't know anyone

Don't skip it

Unless you already have other plans that night that you absolutely cannot miss or change, show up to the office holiday party.

"You may not want to go," says Pachter, but it's important that you show your commitment to the company.

"Your absence will be noticed, and most likely, noted by your boss and other higher ups," she adds.



Don't be the first to leave

Obviously someone has to be the first to leave. But for the same reason that you shouldn't skip the holiday party altogether — it's good for your career to show your face — you should avoid being the first one saying their goodbyes. 



Don't dress inappropriately

The party may not take place during traditional work hours — but that doesn't mean you should dress like you're going to a nightclub.

You should wear clothing you wouldn't be embarrassed to wear to work, but, since it's a special occasion, it's fine to take it up one notch — just don't go over the top.

"It is a party, but your attire needs to be suitable for a business event, not a nightclub. Don’t wear anything that is too short, too tight, too low, or too anything," advises Pachter.

Also, if you normally wear a suit to work, don't show up to the office party in jeans and a T-shirt — or a Hello Kitty onesie.



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