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A couple who saved $50,000 to travel the world talks earning, spending, and working their way through nearly 50 countries

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The World Pursuit_Hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa

Two weeks before graduating college and leaving for a months-long backpacking trip through Europe, Natasha Alden met someone.

And after two dates, they decided he would go with her.

More than three years later, Alden and Cameron Seagle are still traveling together. They've backpacked Europe, Southeast Asia, and now, they're spending a year driving across Africa.

In all, the 20-somethings have been to about 50 countries. You can follow their adventures through their site, The World Pursuit, and their Instagram.

Below, they told Business Insider how they saved up about $50,000 to fund their travels, why they're driving across a continent, and what it's like to travel the world together.

SEE ALSO: A 31-year-old who's been traveling the world for 5 years explains how she affords it

On that first post-graduation trip abroad, Alden and Seagle met in Norway and traveled together for two months, using money they'd saved from weekend and summer jobs throughout college.

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In Norway. 



Then, Seagle returned home to the US as Alden kept at it. After six months at home, he flew back out to meet her again in Southeast Asia.

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Backpacking through Bangkok, Thailand.



They spent two months together in Asia, then moved to New York City to fill their coffers for longer-term travel.

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At Storm King sculpture park in New York. 



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Here are all the jaw-dropping looks from the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

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emily ratajkowski

The big stars are in the South of France looking their most glamorous for this year's Cannes Film Festival and getting their photos shared across the world.

Following her eye-catching red dress at last year's Cannes, model Bella Hadid returned to the festival to grace the legendary red carpet. But fellow model Emily Ratajkowski also showed up and was turning everyone's head. Then there are the movie stars like Robin Wright, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Williams, and Uma Thurman.

But the person having the best time has to be festival jury member Will Smith. When he's not arguing about Netflix with jury president Pedro Almodóvar, he's having an incredible time walking the carpet and waving to the fans.

Here are photos of all the stars looking fabulous at this year's Cannes:

  

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 11 best movies of the year so far

Here's Elle Fanning at the festival's opening night for the movie "Ismael's Ghosts." She stars in the anticipated Cannes title "The Beguiled."



"Ismael's Ghosts" stars Marion Cotillard.



Noamie Harris was also there. She's coming off her Oscar best supporting actress nomination for "Moonlight."



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An unlikely contender beat out Chipotle and Taco Bell as America's favorite Mexican chain (CMG)

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Moe's Southwest Grill

Moe's Southwest Grill has triumphed over Chipotle and Taco Bell in the battle of the Mexican fast-food chains.

The chain received the top spot in the fast-casual Mexican category in Harris Poll's annual EquiTrend Study. This is the second year in a row Moe's has been crowned the Mexican champion in the study, which asks respondents to rate brands based on familiarity, quality, and how likely they are to consider purchasing its items.

"Moe's has a unique tie to pop culture and knack for engaging customers that’s appealing to its core consumer," Joan Sinopoli, vice president of brand solutions at Harris Poll, said in a statement.

🙋🏻 if you need [📸 @kingofzones l] #foodporn #madeatmoes #burrito

A post shared by Moe's Southwest Grill (@moessouthwestgrill) on May 15, 2017 at 4:15pm PDT on

Moe's beat out the one-time category favorite Chipotle, which led the Mexican sector from 2013 to 2015. The chain has struggled to make a comeback in the poll since its E. coli scandal in late 2015. 

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill and Taco Bell also beat out Chipotle, coming in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the category, respectively. 

Nachos.

A post shared by Marquis Bias (@marquis.bias) on Oct 11, 2016 at 11:07am PDT on

Moe's was founded in 2000, in Atlanta, Georgia.

#CincoDeMoes is TOMORROW 🌯🎉 Plan accordingly. [📸 @onehungryjew]

A post shared by Moe's Southwest Grill (@moessouthwestgrill) on May 4, 2017 at 4:29pm PDT on

The chain is known for its free chips and self-serve salsa bar. Moe's menu is full of cultural references, like the "Art Vandalay" vegetarian burrito. 

The chain's name isn't an ode to a man called Moe — it's an acronym for "Musicians, Outlaws and Entertainers," Mental Floss reports.

Do you call this queso or hot cheese? #foodporn #madeatmoes #queso #eeeeeats #moemonday

A post shared by Moe's Southwest Grill (@moessouthwestgrill) on Apr 17, 2017 at 4:21pm PDT on

In a review comparing Moe's and Chipotle, Business Insider's Hollis Johnson noted that there was one area where Moe's easily defeated its rival: queso.

"It's rich and savory, and I have no idea what's in it apart from cheese," Johnson writes. 

7 days without a burrito makes one weak 🌯

A post shared by Moe's Southwest Grill (@moessouthwestgrill) on Apr 15, 2017 at 8:01am PDT on

Today, Moe's has more than 600 locations worldwide.

SEE ALSO: In-N-Out just lost its title as America's favorite burger chain

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NOW WATCH: People are trolling Dove on Twitter for releasing new soap bottles for different body types

I tested out the watch that's approved for use by Navy SEALs

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Luminox 4221 ANU

I have a love/hate relationship with watches. I go through months-long stretches where they gather dust in a drawer, as well as equally-long periods where I feel naked if I don't have a band snugly wrapped around my wrist. 

My most expensive watch was a $99 G-Shock that I got my senior year of high school and promptly lost in the ocean that summer. Because of this, I have never felt the need to venture into the territory of "nice" watches. Aside from my ill-fated G-Shock, all the timepieces I have owned have cost between $10 and $35 and have been perfectly functional. 

Luminox ANU 4221But when I had the chance to test out a model from American watchmaker Luminox, I jumped at the opportunity. You see, Luminox has bragging rights in the watch world not because of stratospheric prices or gimmicky features, but because of who their watches are designed for: U.S. Navy SEALs. 

The story goes that in the early 1990s, Nick North was in charge of research and development of gear for the SEALs and was testing a number of different watches. The only timepiece that could stand up to the rigorous abuse it was put under was the Luminox. 

Fast forward a quarter-century and I'm opening a box containing the Luminox 4221. It's part of the ANU series, meaning that it's "Authorized for Navy Use," which is just about the coolest thing a watch can be authorized for. 

The first thing I noticed about the watch was that it's heavy. The stainless steel build is solid, and it's readily apparent that it was designed with America's fiercest warriors in mind. 

With a 45 mm case diameter and a 13.20 mm case height, it's safe to say that the 4221 is bulky. However, the 22 mm silicone rubber band has a generous number of size increments, and I was quickly able to find a comfortable fit. 

Luminox ANU 4221The crown was screwed on tight, and took some effort to twist, but once I had it loose, I found that setting the date and time was simple. The unidirectional rotating bezel clicks solidly, and stays exactly where you set it. 

This watch was designed to withstand just about anything I could throw at it, and that toughness was evident as soon as I put it on.

Whereas with other, flimsier watches I would worry about accidentally knocking against something or getting the watch wet, I had no such concerns with the 4221.

I wore the watch while swimming, hiking and running, as well as throughout my regular day-to-day. The quartz movement kept the time perfectly, and at no point did I feel like I was approaching an activity that was too tough for it. It's built to withstand depths up to 200 meters, so I doubt I will be pushing this time piece to its limits anytime soon. 

But the real draw of any Luminox model — and where the company gets its name (from the Latin "lumi" and "nox," which mean "light" and "night") — is the self-powered illumination system.  

Luminox 4221 ANU GlowThe phosphor-coated tritium tubes are placed on every hour marker, as well as on the hour, minute, and second hands. I was surprised by how brightly my watch glowed in the dark, and even had to place it facedown on my nightstand when I was sleeping. 

According to Luminox, the glow is guaranteed to not lose brightness for at least 10 years after purchasing the watch, and can last for as long as 25 years. 

When it was finally time for me to remove the 4221, I found myself not wanting to. Suddenly, my cheap Casio seemed even flimsier than I remembered, and I missed the feel of the sturdy stainless steel weighing on my wrist. 

You can find a 4221 model online for around $500. I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to spend that much money on a timepiece just yet, but when I am Luminox will be among the first places I look. 

After all, if it's good enough for the Navy SEALs, it's good enough for me. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what I learned from working out with former Navy SEAL commanders before dawn

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Yale history professor: Trump's path to tyranny is unfolding

'Yay, I got accepted': Watch the moment teenage Mark Zuckerberg got accepted to Harvard (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg teen

Before Mark Zuckerberg was the fifth-richest person on earth and one of the most powerful CEOs, he was a teenager who aspired to study at Harvard.

He ended up dropping out to work on Facebook, but next week he'll return to give this year's commencement address and receive an honorary degree.

Thanks to a video taken by his dad and shared on Facebook, you can watch the moment Zuckerberg found out he was accepted to Harvard. Clad in his pajamas and surrounded by chunky computer monitors next to his bed, Zuckerberg opens the email confirming his admittance.

"Yay," Zuckerberg says softly. "I got accepted."

Watch the full video:

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg confirms that he is not, in fact, a shape-shifting lizard person

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Facebook bug was telling people they died

Everything you need to know about buying a home, in 7 steps

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BI Gaphics_HomebuyingTimeline

Buying a house is no walk in the park.

It takes a lot of organization, careful thought, and, of course, money.

But if you're serious about becoming a homeowner, you need to get prepared for the road ahead.

To help out, Business Insider consulted Dana Bull, a realtor with Sotheby's International in Boston, and George Chedid, a realtor with Century 21 Barrood in Kendall Park, New Jersey, to put together a timeline of the homebuying process.

Below, check out the seven steps you'll take to buy a house, from teaming up with a realtor and finding out what you can afford to closing on the deal, and everything in between.

 

 

SEE ALSO: 7 pieces of homebuying advice you can't afford to ignore

DON'T MISS: Here's how big a home you can buy for $400,000 in the 25 biggest cities in America

Step 1: Build your team and determine your price point

A home is a huge purchase, so you'll want to make sure you're making as few mistakes as possible along the way. That means putting together a team of people you trust, including a real estate agent, lender, and lawyer, which is often the bank's attorney, says Bull.

Estimate what you can afford

You can do this yourself using a mortgage calculator on sites like Zillow or Trulia (just be sure to include property taxes and insurance in that estimate), or you can ask a lender to pre-qualify you for a loan.

The general rule of thumb is to spend less than 30% of your take-home pay on total monthly housing payments.

But figuring out how much you can realistically afford will come down to your debt-to-income ratio. Chedid recommends your monthly debts including your housing costs not equal more than 40% to 45% of your gross monthly income.



Step 2: Get pre-approved for a loan

In most cases if you plan to get a mortgage, you need a loan pre-approval in hand before you can start looking at houses — most realtors won't entertain shoppers who don't have one.

Bull calls it getting your "financing ducks in a row." While you may already have an idea of what you can afford, you'll need to find out how the bank sees you. A mortgage broker will assess your income, assets, and credit to determine your maximum loan amount.

Because a loan pre-approval holds more heft than a loan pre-qualification, it'll take more work to get one. It requires a number of documents from each applicant (so if you're married, both you and your spouse will need to provide these items):

• ID

• Pay stubs for one-month period

• Bank statements, both checking and savings, for two-month period

• Income tax returns for two-year period

• W2s for two-year period

During pre-approval, the lender will also do a hard inquiry of your credit, which will show up on your credit report.

Once you're pre-approved, you'll receive a conditional letter stating the amount you've been approved for.

If you're a first-time buyer and your parents are gifting you money, your lender will want a letter from them confirming that amount.

Crunch the numbers

Now you can find out how much house you can realistically afford given your loan amount. Don't forget to factor in taxes, insurance, closing costs, private mortgage insurance (PMI), and homeowner's association fees (if you expect to have them).

Pick your lender

It's worth noting that you don't have to go with the lender that offered you pre-approval. You can use your pre-approval to shop around for lenders who will offer you better rates.

"The rate is important, but so is the service and making sure you get to the closing table," says Bull.



Step 3: Shop for homes

Though your real estate agent should be your top resource, "do your homework," Bull says. Find out which neighborhoods you want to be in and check out a few open houses. The more you see, the more informed your decision will be when you finally pick the one.   

You'll need to stay on your toes while you're shopping. New homes come on the market every day, so it's imperative to stay on top of listings, whether that means signing up for online alerts or checking in with your realtor daily.

Bull also suggests making it a priority to see homes the day they hit the market, or the first available showing, and always being ready to sign an offer. You may even want to keep your lender "waiting in the wings," she says, so that you can get an updated pre-approval letter quickly.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Reebok has created its own version of the controversial romper for men

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ReeRomp

The romper for men has apparently hit the mainstream.

Athletic brand Reebok has created its own style of the garment, best described as a onesie or shorter-all made for leisure (or romping, hence the name).

While consistently thought of as a women's garment, a recent popular Kickstarter for a product called the "RompHim" turned that idea on its head, raising nearly a quarter of a million dollars in a matter of days. 

The design was widely mocked on Twitter.

The "ReeRomp," however, turns the leisure garment into an athletic garment. The romper is made with Reebok's sweat-wicking "Activchill" technology, which the brand says will keep the wearer cool and dry.

How suitable it really is for working out remains to be seen, but Reebok promises that it is "built for bros."

A PR representative has assured Business Insider that the ReeRomp is "100% real," but Reebok has been known to stage stunts in the past. An "authentic sweat" shirt that was already drenched in someone else's perspiration popped onto its site last April Fools' Day. It retailed for $425. 

According to Reebok, the ReeRomp will sell in very limited quantities for a more reasonable $89 when it is released in June. ReeRomp

SEE ALSO: There's a successful Kickstarter campaign for a romper for men called 'RompHim'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A podiatrist explains the terrible things that can happen to your feet if you run too much

Alarming photos of the uninhabited island that's home to 37 million pieces of trash

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Jennifer Lavers Henderson Island East Beach

A small island smack in the middle of the South Pacific has never been inhabited by people — and yet, its white sand beaches are home to more than 37 million pieces of junk.

Every day on Henderson Island — one of the most remote places on Earth — trash from every continent except Antarctica washes up its shores. Fishing nets and floats, water bottles, and plastics break into small particles against the rocks and sand.

In 2015, Jennifer Lavers, a researcher at the University of Tasmania, traveled to Henderson in an effort to document the extent of plastics pollution. Her research paper has since gone viral.

Lavers shared images from her trip with us. 

SEE ALSO: See how Treece, Kansas, went from mining boom town to toxic wasteland in 96 years

Jennifer Lavers first saw Henderson Island in Google Street View. She's been documenting islands-turned-junkyards for years. Henderson was the epitome of the phenomenon.



Few humans have set foot on the island, which lies halfway between New Zealand and South America, 71 miles away from the nearest settlement. To get there, Lavers joined a freight ship traveling from New Zealand and asked it to change course for Henderson.



When she arrived, it felt "a bit like being the first to land on the moon," Lavers told Business Insider. It became immediately clear that something on Henderson was awry.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what a typical day is like at the New York Stock Exchange, which turns 225 years old this week

Here's everything science really knows about how to live a long life

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elderly aging old man walking

Most of us want to live long, healthy lives.

But figuring out how to get there is confusing — there's so much mixed information out there about what a person should do to increase their health and longevity.

So we've collected here nine behaviors that scientists agree measurably shorten people's lives. None of the items on this list is controversial in the field, even if there's a lot researchers do disagree with.

You'll notice many of these are foods. That's because most of the best science on longevity out there, recently reviewed in the sweeping paper "Metabolic Control of Longevity" in the journal Cell, has focused on the relationship between your metabolism and the lifetimes of your cells.

Without further ado, here are nine things to avoid — as much as possible, at least — if you want to live a long and healthy life.

SEE ALSO: I gave up drinking. You should too

DON'T MISS: Here's everything scientists know about how to avoid aging

1. Eating sugar

Source: "Metabolic Control of Longevity", Cell



2. Skipping sleep

Source: "Is sleep essential?", PLOS Biology



3. Eating red meat

Source: "Metabolic Control of Longevity", Cell



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The newest Instax Mini camera is small, colorful, and a whole lot of fun

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Instax Mini 9

The best way to describe Fujifilm's Instax Mini 9 camera is with one word: Delightful. 

Tech features aside, the camera is just plain adorable. When I opened the box for the first time, I quite literally squealed with excitement (and I'm not a squealer). It's small, it's retro, and it comes in an array of fun colors — mine was a minty blue-green called ice blue. 

It's so eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing, I was actually stopped on the street by someone who found it just as exciting as I did. 

So what's it like to actually use the camera? Dead-simple and lots of fun. 

Here's what I mean. 

SEE ALSO: This adorable device might be the world’s smallest 4G smartphone — check it out

What sets the Instax Mini 9 apart from previous iterations of Fuijifilm's Instax line of cameras is three key features: A tiny mirror next to the lens for selfies, a lens attachment (not pictured) for macro close-ups, and high-key mode, which adds a bright, faded look to your photos.

Like most other Instax cameras, the Mini 9 uses credit-card-sized film that prints instantly. The camera can hold 10 sheets at a time. 

The Mini 9 is super straightforward to use. A button next to the lens turns it on, while pressing the lens back into the body turns it off. A twist of the dial around the lens changes the brightness, and the shutter button on the right-hand side takes a picture. Wait a few seconds, and that photo pops out of the top of the camera. It runs on two AA batteries. 

The camera costs $69 at third-party retailers like Urban Outfitters and comes in lime green, smoky white, cobalt blue, flamingo pink, and ice blue. Refills of the film cost $30 for two 10-packs.



Here's my very first photo, taken of my colleague Kif Leswing. One thing to know about the Mini 9 is that is will flash every time it takes a photo, regardless of the lighting conditions (if you're trying to be subtle, this is not the camera for you). But it's helpful in low light: the Business Insider newsroom can be pretty dim on cloudy days, but Kif is lit perfectly.



I've shot with film, pinhole cameras, DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, smartphone cameras — you name it. While I'm mainly taking photos with my phone these days, I got a kick out of using the Instax because I remembered how beautiful film photos are, even if they're tiny, instant ones.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Bonobos introduced a solution for guys who are too tall or too short for regular shirts

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bonobos

The average height for American men is five feet, nine inches. And if you're that height, or around that — congrats, shirts from most retailers were made for you.

Everyone else is probably suffering with a button-up shirt that is either too long or too short. There are a few ways to deal with this: hemming, searching for special sizes, or just dealing with it.

Bonobos has come up with one solution that is rather elegant, however. Just like you would pick your preferred fit, the brand will now let you select your shirt length, just like a suit jacket.

Most shirts come in short, regular, or long, and there's no extra cost for choosing long or short over regular sizes. Not sure if your shirt is too long, too short, or just right? Fear not, because Bonobos offers a little guide for you.

There aren't many brands offering up this many different SKUs for shirts (three different fits and three different lengths, not to mention XS all the way to XXL) because of the extra logistics involved. So if you're a picky guy or just a little longer than normal, it seems that Bonobos has you covered. 

The sizes seem to be limited to casual shirts for now, which makes sense as most dress shirts already come long so that they can be tucked in.

These new options match the "better fit" ethos that the brand first launched with, starting with the curved band in their pants range. 

Bonobos

SEE ALSO: Yes, cargo shorts really are that bad — here's what you should wear instead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A stylist reveals what many men get wrong about dress shirts

A music producer who works with Eminem and Nas shows us how to make a hit hip-hop beat in 20 minutes

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Statik Selektah 9780

Statik Selektah has produced records for some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Nas, 50 Cent, Eminem, and 2 Chainz. He is also the mastermind behind “Detroit vs. Everybody” with Big Sean.

Business Insider visited Statik's Brooklyn studio along with Faith Newman, the senior vice president of A&R and catalog development for Reservoir, a music publisher and songwriting incubator that represents Statik. She is best known for discovering Nas. She also helped develop acts like The Fugees and LL Cool J and was Def Jam’s first female executive.

Statik produced the beat for Joey Badass and J.Cole’s collaboration “Legendary” on Badass's album "All-Amerikkkan Badass," released earlier this year, and Newman provided guidance on the album.

We got an up-close look with Statik and Faith in the studio at how you create a hit hip-hop record — and we found out it isn't what you think:

SEE ALSO: Oscar winner Brie Larson talks about the roles she instantly rejects

Statik Selektah is a record producer, DJ, and radio host.

You can catch his radio show on Sirius XM Radio’s Shade 45 every Thursday from 8 p.m. to midnight EST. On the show, he features unknown artists. One of those who's been featured in the past? Chance the Rapper. The show's been running for 12 years. 



Statik’s studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is very cozy — New York code for small. But he’s made it his own over the years, complete with a refrigerator full of Monster energy drinks and shelves containing records of all genres.



Statik's studio is dotted with tokens of his Boston roots.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These 10 American colleges have minted almost 400 billionaires

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Stanford

Currently, only 2,397 people in the world hold billionaire status, according to Wealth-X, a firm that does research and valuations on ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals.

While the path to mega-riches certainly isn't the same for all, nearly 400 of those billionaires — 398, to be exact — hold a degree from one of 10 top American colleges, according to the latest report from Wealth-X.

In its tally, Wealth-X counted alumni with both undergraduate and graduate degrees, counting alumni of multiple institutions more than once, but left out those with diplomas, certificates, honorary degrees, and drop outs.

According to the report, 131 living billionaires are Harvard University alumni, commanding a total fortune of more than $528 billion. And that doesn't include Harvard drop outs Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, two of the richest men in the world.

The next highest-billionaire producing school is Stanford University, with 50 known billionaire alumni.

Below, check out the 10 US colleges that have minted the most billionaires, and how much wealth they command.

SEE ALSO: The 20 colleges that have created the most millionaires and billionaires

DON'T MISS: Here's what the world's most influential tech CEOs studied in college

10. University of California, Berkeley

Known billionaires: 19

Combined wealth: $82.7 billion



(TIE) 8. Yale University

Known billionaires: 21

Combined wealth: $99.2 billion



(TIE) 8. University of Chicago

Known billionaires: 21

Combined wealth: $48.7 billion



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

San Franciscans are obsessed with 'cacao ceremonies,' where they claim to get high on chocolate

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cacao bean

A concentrated chocolate brew that is said to induce mind-altering experiences is taking over San Francisco.

The cacao drink is made from raw cocoa beans mixed with chili or cayenne pepper and a sweetener. People say it tastes like bitter coffee cut with dirt.

When consumed in "ceremonial" quantities (over 40 grams), the mixture produces a wide range of reactions, from feelings of connectness and ecstasy to hallucinations, according to devotees. For centuries, the Aztec and Mayan peoples used the cacao drink as a natural remedy to relieve fever and faintness and improve digestion, among other ailments. Its effectiveness as a hallucinogen has not been established in scientific research, however.

The feelings induced by the plant-based drink are said to be so dramatic, some users compare it to "instant therapy."

In San Francisco, the cacao drink is gaining popularity with the New Age crowd. While you won't find techies sipping on cacao in coffee shops, ceremonies centered on the bean seem to pop up on the calendar of healing collectives, tea houses, and yoga studios on a regular basis.

Homemade cacao with a rose petal sprinkle. We SF A.F. Courtesy of @subrosazion 🙌🏼

A post shared by Danyelle Ludwig (@danyludwig) on Apr 24, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT on

Palomi Sheth, a holistic wellness coach based in San Francisco, has been experimenting with cacao since she first tried it on a medical mission trip to Peru years ago. She became close with a cook who offered a cup of the cacao drink to her one morning after breakfast.

Sheth remembers a warming sensation coming over her body. Her cheeks flushed, and her heart raced. A feeling of openness grew in her chest. "It was magical," Sheth said.

She asked the cook to teach her how to make the brew and learned to perform the ancient Mesoamerican rituals around serving it. Sheth credits the cacao drink with helping her survive marathon study sessions and the blues through medical school.

For her birthday this year, Sheth spent half the day standing over the blender in her kitchen, grinding cacao beans and pouring the mixture into jars and water jugs. That night, 100 of her friends rotated through her apartment. Sheth led a ceremony that involves setting an intention — a common practice in meditation and yoga — and serving the brew. They drank in unison.

The group reflected on their bonds until the late hours of the morning. "They had never felt so connected," Sheth said.

Intention and trust... two important ingredients in life. I remember these ingredients in moments like this ✨ 📷 @_plantculture

A post shared by Lucy (@wander_beyond) on May 14, 2017 at 4:27pm PDT on

Web searches for cacao have steadily risen in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2015, according to Google Trends, though those searches certainly extend beyond the bean's recreational use. (Some might just want to watch this memorable "Portlandia" sketch, for instance.)

The Center SF, a tea shop and community center located in the Alamo Square neighborhood, hosts semi-regular "cacao ceremonies" led by musician and a self-proclaimed medicine man. The events offer the cacao drink as well as "an opportunity to connect with one's true purpose."

The duo behind another group, the Kula Collective, travels up and down the West Coast in a campervan and holds cacao ceremonies in yoga studios along the way. The website describes using the cacao drink to "open clear channels between" the body, the heart, and a divine spirit.

The cacao drink's popularity extends into San Francisco's tech community. Sena Shellenberger, a program manager at Google[X], prepares her own cacao and leads ceremonies in the Bay Area. According to her website, she also offers coaching for cacao enthusiasts who want to become facilitators. A review on her website describes the work as "transformative."

This is my life. #cacao #cacaolife #cacaoceremony #yogalife #FF #friday #friyay #sacred #sacredAF #mandala #circle #yoga #infreo

A post shared by Eve Laurén (@perthatory) on May 12, 2017 at 5:33am PDT on

There is little scientific research to suggest the cacao drink can cause psychoactive effects, though a ceremonial dose of the elixir may be enough to trigger warm and fuzzy feelings. One study found that its main active ingredient — theobromine, which translates to "food of the gods" in Greek — may increase heart rate and make users feel high. Cacao also contains tryptophan, which makes people feel calm and relaxed when ingested in high amounts.

More research is needed on the effects of drinking concentrated amounts of cacao.

Sheth hopes that as cacao ceremonies gain mainstream traction, people take the time to learn and honor the ancient traditions around it. She continues to perform the sacred rituals in preparing and serving the cacao drink and consumes it out of large Mason jars, often daily.

"It doesn't look strange," Sheth said. "It's the Bay Area — people are drinking all kinds of sludge."

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We tried the doughnut shop that has Super Bowl champs and Obama lining up — and it lives up to the hype

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Obama Top Pot Doughnuts Seattle

If you ask a Seattle local, you can forget about Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts — it's all about Top Pot Doughnuts, a local chain that's become an institution since it first opened for business in 2002.

How famous is Top Pot? Famous enough that President Barack Obama himself stopped in during a visit to Seattle in 2010. "You can't eat these every day," he quipped.

And how delicious is Top Pot? Delicious enough that, also back in 2010, Golden Tate — then a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks— walked into a closed Top Pot store at 3 a.m. because he was craving their maple bars (his apartment was located in the same building). It's especially funny because Top Pot was named the official doughnut of the Seahawks just a few months prior. 

In other words, Top Pot is serious business. At peak hours, it has lines coming out the door. So when we were in Seattle last week, we had to stop by and check out Top Pot Doughnuts for ourselves.

It was incredible. Take a look:

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There are currently 21 Top Pot locations, mostly in and around Seattle (with a few in Texas). This is the flagship location, not too far from Amazon's headquarters in downtown Seattle.

Top Pot was founded in 2002 by brothers Mark and Michael Klebeck. Here's the story of how the chain got its name, from the website:

"Years earlier, two of our co-founders spied a vintage rustic (and rusty) neon sign gleaming above a boarded-up Chinese restaurant called 'Topspot'. They bought the sign, and then left it idle in a backyard for four years, further rusting and creating a home for raccoons. Then, when the sign was finally driven off to be restored, the center 'S' fell off, leaving the words 'Top Pot' behind."



The store has a vibe like an upscale Starbucks. But that's not what we're here for. Enhance.



Oh yeah. That's the stuff. Top Pot specializes in perfecting old classics — it's less about crazy toppings and weird flavor combinations, and more about making the best darn apple fritters, old fashioned, and cake donuts possible.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to know whether you have Lyme disease

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Keep this in mind the next time you go for a hike in a wooded or grassy area: Tiny critters called deer ticks often carry Lyme-disease-causing bacteria, which is spread by their bite. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month— and recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates suggest Lyme disease, once thought of as fairly rare, is actually 10 times as common as we previously thought and infects roughly 300,000 Americans annually.

So long as it's treated quickly and properly, Lyme disease isn't too serious of a health issue. Untreated, however, Lyme can result in severe problems like meningitis or even partial paralysis, and the symptoms may not show up until a week or even years after a bite.

BI Graphics_Symptoms of Lyme disease

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The doomsday vault that's supposed to store every known crop on the planet is in danger

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If everything goes wrong — if because of disaster, climate change, or nuclear war, life as we know it comes to an end, with parts of the earth rendered inhospitable with widespread environmental devastation, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a resource that could come to our rescue. 

Hidden approximately 400 feet deep inside a mountain on a remote island between mainland Norway and the North Pole, the vault stores valuable seeds from crops all over the world. Buried in a mountainside in the Arctic, it's supposed to be protected and supposed to naturally stay at a safe temperature to store all those seeds.

But extreme temperatures in the Arctic this past winter — combined with heavy rain instead of snow — led to melting permafrost that gushed into the tunnel leading into the vault, according to a report in The Guardian, raising questions about whether or not the doomsday vault will survive a warming planet.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

"It was not in our plans to think that the permafrost would not be there and that it would experience extreme weather like that," Hege Njaa Aschim, of the Norweigan government, which controls the vault, told The Guardian. "A lot of water went into the start of the tunnel and then it froze to ice, so it was like a glacier when you went in."

The water didn't travel all the way down into the vault itself, which is still safe, and they were able to chip all of the ice out the entryway. 

Here's what the vault looks like inside — and why the administrators are now worried about the potentially devastating effects of warming:

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Svalbard is the northernmost place in the world that still has scheduled flights, according to The Crop Trust, the group in charge of the global seed-bank system.

Source: The Crop Trust



It's more than 400 feet above sea level, and there's little moisture in the air. But the Arctic is warming far faster than the rest of the world —faster than anyone expected.

Source: The Crop Trust



Since the vault is buried in permafrost, it's supposed to stay frozen at least 200 years, even if the power were to go out. But officials are worried. "Now we are watching the seed vault 24 hours a day," Aschim told The Guardian.

Source: Reuters



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here’s where you're most likely to live longest across the US

Here's why I changed my mind and finally let my kid have a smartphone

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TeensI have a confession to make: My son has a smartphone.

That may not seem like a big deal. After all, it's hard to find a teen who doesn't one these days. But it was a major move for our family — and particularly for me.

You see, when my son entered middle school nearly two years ago, I was adamantly opposed to to him having a smartphone. I even went public with my opposition, writing a column about it for the Mercury News.

I was the very picture of the stern, throwback father.

"Sorry son," I wrote in the headline for my piece, "You're not getting a smartphone."

Good intentions

I had good reasons. Most notably, I didn't think he needed one. We live half a block from his school, so we didn't have to worry about coordinating pick-ups. He wasn't involved in any after-school activities on campus, so we didn't need to check-in with him to find out when he would be coming home. And I figured his transition to middle school was going to be overwhelming enough without also having to worry about checking messages on a smartphone.

phone off sign planeBut I was also worried by what I knew and had learned about the assorted risks of smartphone use among teens. Cyberbullying, sleep deprivation, texting while driving, addiction -- they all weighed heavily on my mind.

I was further influenced by what I knew about how other kids my son's age were using their phones. My son reported that his friends never seemed to talk with each other at lunch, because they were all consumed with watching videos or playing games on their phones. And the middle school-aged son of my colleague at the time broke every rule she and her husband tried to set to limit his use.

Indeed, my piece was written as a response to this colleague who -- I not so subtly implied -- had been foolish when she got her son his smartphone.

Times change

But things have changed, and I'm the one feeling foolish. Not only does my son have a smartphone, he's actually had one since the beginning of this school year. So much for being the take-charge, in-command dad.

Why does he have a phone now? Well, it started as a practical matter. Instead of coming home immediately after school, he started staying after-hours to work on math. He also got involved in cross-country and started going to meets. We wanted to be able to check in on him. And we needed to be able to coordinate pick-ups.

But we let him keep it long past cross-country season, because it became an important tool for him. He uses it to look up information for his homework. He uses it to take pictures and share them with his friends. It's his link to his social group -- he uses iMessage like I used the landline phone in my room when I was a teen. And he uses it for fun, of course -- playing games, watching YouTube and catching up on pop culture.  

We also figured he was better able to handle it than he had been a year earlier. He had a year of middle school under his belt and had done very well.

As you might imagine, though, his phone use hasn't been a completely positive experience. Indeed, it's confirmed some of my worries. My son is on his phone all the time and has a hard time putting it down, even when asked. He's been exposed via his phone to some disturbing stuff on the web and on YouTube, and my wife and I have much less ability to monitor and control what he's doing. His chat groups seem to be mostly benign, but some of his classmates have written some questionable things.

Taking precautions

When we gave my son a phone, we didn't throw all caution to the wind. The phone we gave him was an old iPhone 5 we had sitting around the house unused. I didn't really want to give him a smartphone, but I figured it was cheaper and easier than going out and buying new phone, even a "dumb" flip phone. And because we had paid it off long before, we didn't have to worry about taking a big financial hit if it were lost or stolen.

iphoneIn addition to giving him an older phone, we limited how he could use it. We didn't get him a SIM card for it right away, for example. Not only did that make it free for us, it restricted him to using it only where he could connect to WiFi, which was generally at school or at home.

I also tweaked the phone's settings, putting it a restricted mode that prevented him from seeing some of the default apps and blocked him from installing new ones.

But many of these technical limits were as frustrating for my wife and me as they were for him. Because the WiFi at school wasn't always on, we sometimes couldn't connect with him there. And we often couldn't reach him easily when he was away from home or school.

Meanwhile, each time he wanted to have a new app on his phone, I'd have to play the role of IT support manager, a role I'm not fond of.

So, I ended up removing some of the restrictions I set, and we recently got him a SIM card for the phone.

Even so, we have tried to set other limits. One of the rules we set when we got him the SIM card was that he's supposed to plug in the phone in the kitchen every night, rather than keeping it with him in his bedroom. Another requirement: He's supposed to put the phone down and turn it off when we ask.

We've taken some other steps too. On occasion, I've glanced at some of his texts. And I've started to talk with him about some of the stuff he's seeing online.

For the most part, those limits seem to be working -- although he still seems to have his eyes on his phone much more than I'd like, and I still fret about the dangers.

All this is to say that I owe my former colleague, and my readers, something of an apology. I took a very black-and-white stance on the issue of kids and cell phones. But I'm seeing many more shades of gray today.

SEE ALSO: Children are getting their first smartphones at an incredibly young age

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