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If someone is friends with their exes, it could be a warning sign they're a psychopath — here's why

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exes

  • New research has shown that psychopaths are more likely to stay friends with their exes.
  • It's because they feel they can still get something out of the connection, even after the actual relationship has ended.
  • You can be friends with exes without them being psychopaths, but it is worth thinking about why they want to keep you around.


People tend to have strong opinions about whether you can stay friends with an ex or not. You may be optimistic about the situation, and are happy to become friends soon after a break up, or you may think that when you cut the cord it means goodbye forever.

It's not an exact science either way, but according to one study, a tendency to keep in contact with exes could be a sign of something sinister.

The research, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, found that how people relate to their ex partners could be a new test for psychopathy.

Generally, a psychopath is someone with dark triad personality traits — these encompass psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, and Machiavellianism.

Most of us fall on the spectrum somewhere, but what sets a psychopath apart is a complete lack of empathy. They don't have any sympathy for others, and everything they do is for their own gain or amusement.

The study, performed by researchers at Oakland University, looked at the personality traits of 861 subjects, as well as their relationship histories. They were asked about their current partners and whether they were friends with exes, then given a questionnaire to determine narcissistic and psychopathic qualities.

Overall, those with the most dark personality traits were more likely to report staying in contact with former lovers. This wouldn't be too alarming on its own, but it was the reasons they gave for the prolonged contact that was most worrying.

Having exes around provides opportunity for the psychopaths to still get access to certain resources, such as information, money, or sex.

Psychopaths are very charming, and hook their victims with great intensity. However, this also means it's hard to let them go. Psychopaths and narcissists tend to target very empathetic people, because they can mistreat them as much as they want without them leaving. By sporadically giving them hope, they can successfully string along multiple people at once.

By collecting bonds with ex partners that can't stay away, psychopaths reported their "strategic" motivations, such as the "practicality and the chance of hooking up."

"The thing about a [psychopaths] is they treat you or anybody as meat," Perpetua Neo, a doctor of psychology and expert in dark personality traits, told Business Insider.

"It's like how crocodiles store meat under a rock. Whenever they feel like it, they just take bites of this meat. Psychopaths and narcissists use people just like that, so if you're going to keep getting connected with them, that's when it exacerbates this trauma bond, and you find it very difficult to break away."

The study found the psychopaths reported picking friends with a similar agendas. This in turn helps them with keeping their victims around. Neo told Business Insider that friends help psychopaths spin their lies, and make their partners feel like the behaviour is normal.

"They say 'you've met all my friends, this is how we act,'" she said. This normalises the situation and can make partners hang around for even longer, because they start to think that's what a relationship is like.

This doesn't mean that if you're friends with an ex or two you are a psychopath. But if your ex does have a habit of collecting ex partners as "friends," you might want to re-examine their motivations, and distance yourself if anything makes you feel uneasy.

SEE ALSO: Answering this question can supposedly tell you whether or not you're a psychopath — but you shouldn't panic if you get the 'right' answer

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NOW WATCH: Tim Ferriss explains why he left Silicon Valley


6 artists who blew us away in 2017 — from an incredibly skilled baker to a slime artist

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  • Slovenian baker Anita Sumer makes beautiful artwork on loaves of bread.
  • A Canadian college student makes handmade slime.
  • Visoth Kakvei draws incredibly intricate patterns by hand.
  • Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura makes moving ornaments using paper.
  • Makeup artist Mimi Choi paints super detailed optical illusions on her face.
  • Alexa Meade literally paints people to make them look two dimensional. 

 

We compiled a list of 6 artists who blew us away in 2017.

Slovenian baker Anita Sumer makes beautiful artwork on loaves of bread. She either cuts patterns into the dough or uses a stencil.

A slime artist who has sold hundreds of handmade slime Etsy. Ingredients she uses include glue, shaving foam, and cornstarch.

Visoth Kakvei draws incredibly intricate patterns by hand. He has even hand-decorated a banana skin. His work looks more realistic when digitally retouched.

Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura makes moving ornaments using paper. He designs them on a computer, then prints them and masterfully and puts them together.

Makeup artist Mimi Choi paints super detailed optical illusions. She uses makeup to crack, melt, and slice her face. She also transformed her hand into sushi pieces.

Alexa Meade literally paints people to make them look two dimensional. She calls the technique a “reserve trompe-l’oeil”.

Produced by Claudia Romeo

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Rome's official Christmas tree is so bad that locals named it 'the Mangy One' and started a Twitter account in its honour

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rome christmas tree

  • Rome's skeletal public Christmas tree has earned a disparaging nickname.
  • Locals are reportedly calling the "lo Spelacchio" ("The Mangy One").
  • It reportedly cost the city around €48,000 (£42,400) and is now under investigation.
  • The tree has drawn further criticism of the governing abilities of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which controls the city council.


Rome's official 70-foot-tall pine Christmas tree is so disappointing it has earned a nickname from locals: "The Mangy One".

The tree, which sits in the middle of Piazza Venezia in the Italian capital and is normally part of the city's Christmas celebrations, appears to be dying or dead.

Even the giant silver baubles that hang on its branches don't help its sad appearance.

According to The Telegraph, Romans have nicknamed the tree "lo Spelacchio," which roughly translates to "the Mangy One." Sympathetic Christmas cards are being written to the tree, and a Twitter account has been started in its honour.

When translated, one tweet reads: "Eight hundred baubles and 4,000 metres of lights – now I’ve got a back ache from all this bloody stuff."

rome christmas tree

However, it's not all a laughing matter. The Telegraph reported that the tree "has become an emblem of the chaotic governance" of the city.

The Five Star Movement, the anti-establishment party led by mayor Virginia Raggi, has faced a number of accusations from residents of "failing to tackle the city's problems" since being elected last year.

The issues ranges from "uncollected rubbish to graffiti-sprayed trains and buses that alarmingly burst into flames– sometimes when passengers are on board."

rome christmas tree

The company that transported the tree from the mountains of Trentino in northern Italy was reportedly paid around €48,000 (£42,389). The tree is now under official investigation and has been referred a court of Italian auditors.

Consumer organisation Codacons filed the complaint, which called the three "waste of public money."

The document, filed this week, reads: "A lot of money was spent on a dead tree, meaning there is possible damage to the public purse."

rome christmas tree

Meanwhile, here's the Vatican's stunning Christmas tree.

vatican christmas tree

The Five Star Movement is hoping to win office at national elections, set to be held in the spring.

However, opponents are questioning the party's ability to govern, and are using the Christmas tree as an example.

Elvira Savino, MP from centre-right party Forza Italia, said: "The Five Star Movement can’t even manage to get a Christmas tree right, imagine how they would govern the country," while head of right-wing party Brothers of Italy Giorgia Meloni said: "€48,000 to kill a Christmas tree. Well done, Virginia."

rome christmas tree

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NOW WATCH: Here's why Boeing 747s have a giant hump in the front

The Empire State Building isn't the best view of New York City — and these are the photos to prove it

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SkylineTrio

Until recently, the Empire State Building was considered the best skyscraper in New York from which to view the city's iconic skyline.

That changed in 2014 when One World Trade Center, or the Freedom Tower, opened in Manhattan's financial district. The 1,776-foot tall tower immediately became the city's tallest skyscraper.

With an observatory designed for breathtaking views, it also supplanted the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center as the place to see New York.

These photos, taken on a trip to all three popular skyscrapers, are proof-positive that there's a new top tourist attraction in town.

SEE ALSO: Here's what it's like to visit New York's 3 most iconic skyscrapers in a single day

Let's start off with Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan. At 850 feet tall and 70 stories, it's the shortest of the three. This is the viewing platform on the 67th floor — outside with big glass panels to look through.



This is the Empire State Building's viewing platform. The building is 1,454 feet tall and 102 stories. This platform, on the 86th floor, is surrounded by cross-hatched fencing. That means you have peer through to get a clear view.

There's a second viewing platform on the 102nd floor, but it's indoors and cramped with small windows. The view isn't much better than that of the 86th.



Finally, One World Trade Center. At 1,776 feet tall and 104 stories, it's the tallest of the three buildings. The observatory, which takes up the 100th, 101st, and 102nd floors, is big and open with huge windows from which to take in the view.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The healthiest breakfasts you can order at 11 fast-food restaurants

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McDonald's Breakfast Menu 4

If you're on a budget and low on time, a fast-food breakfast might be your best bet every once in a while.

Whether you're headed to Burger King, McDonald's, or Starbucks, there are usually a few healthier options to choose from.

For this list, we prioritized breakfasts that contain whole food ingredients like eggs and whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Most are 400 calories or fewer and pack a hefty amount of protein to fuel your body for the day ahead.

One caveat with most of these items is that they pack a lot of salt, so watch your sodium intake on the days you eat them.

SEE ALSO: 18 'healthy habits' you should give up in 2018

McDonald's — Egg McMuffin, no ham (300 calories)

The fruit and yogurt parfait isn't the only healthy morning item McDonald's offers. Avoiding the meat is an easy way to lighten up the chain's traditional breakfast items. An Egg McMuffin has:

300 calories — not too high, not too low

17g protein — a hefty amount to strengthen muscles and fill you up

12g fat — not too high, not too low

29g carbs — pretty low

730mg sodium — high; a little less than half your recommended daily allowance



Starbucks — Spinach and Feta Wrap (290 calories)

While the yummy pastries at Starbucks are sure to catch your eye, sugary muffins and scones can leave you hangry. Their hot breakfast items, like this wrap, are likely a healthier, more filling AM meal, with:

290 calories — on the lower side

19g protein — a pretty good amount to strengthen muscles and fill you up

10g fat — not too low, not too high

33g carbs — pretty high; replace sugary or carb-heavy snacks with protein-rich ones

830mg sodium — just under half your daily allowance



Subway — Egg and Cheese Sandwich (360 calories)

"Eating fresh" in the a.m. is pretty easy at this chain, where you can get an egg sandwich on flatbread loaded with veggies. Our only caveat is that the sandwich is very high in sodium, which research suggests may be bad news for your heart.

360 calories — not too high, not too low

19g protein — a good amount to strengthen muscles and fill you up

12g fat — not too high, not too low

44g carbs — roughly 15% of your daily allowance

860mg sodium — high; more than half your daily allowance



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I traveled for a month with only two pairs of underwear — and it's because I found the perfect pair

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ExOfficioTravelTip (1 of 1)

  • I travel often, usually carrying only a small backpack and packing lightly.
  • The only underwear I carry these days is travelwear brand ExOfficio's Give-N-Go boxers.
  • The boxers are lightweight, durable, and can be washed and dried in a matter of hours, making them the perfect travel companion.

 

I'm the kind of person that likes to travel light. Really light. Usually when I head out on vacation, I make it a game with myself to see how little I can pack. 

Last year, when I took off a few weeks to visit Mexico and Cuba, I narrowed down everything to a small hiking daypack that doubles as a camera bag. 

The only reason I was able to pull that off was because I had recently discovered travel wear clothing brand ExOfficio's Give-N-Go boxers. The underwear, which retails for $26 (or $16-18 on sale), isn't cheap for a single undergarment, but I have found that it's undoubtedly worth it. 

The underwear is made of a nylon/lycra mesh fabric that is somehow durable, breezy, and comfortable. The mesh is surprisingly soft and light and dries quickly.

In fact, that's what makes it such an incredible piece of travel wear. You can wash it in the sink at the end of the day with a little detergent (or hand soap if you're short), hang it to dry, and in a few hours its ready to go. 

It's also treated to reduce odors, which is key when you are spending your day hiking or running around a city.

On that trip to Mexico and Cuba, I ended up bringing two pairs so I could switch off — giving each a wash every other day — but I could have easily just brought one. A bonus: Because the fabric is mesh and dries quickly, it can double as a swimsuit in a pinch; as it did for me on a hike in the Sierra Norte Mountains.

At this point, I wouldn't travel without it. 

SEE ALSO: The best part about traveling to Cuba is that you don’t have to plan anything — here's why

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NOW WATCH: Why most jeans are blue

A long-time E! News host has abruptly left the channel after learning her co-host earned double her salary

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Catt Sadler

  • Catt Sadler hosted programs on the E! channel for 12 years.
  • She learned that co-host Jason Kennedy earned double her salary for essentially the same job.
  • She decided not to renew her contract.


Catt Sadler, a long-time E! News host, walked away from her role upon learning her co-host early double her salary, People reported.

She discovered the discrepancy when her contract came up for negotiating, saying she learned co-host Jason Kennedy made double her salary for several years despite doing "essentially similar jobs, if not the same job."

"It's almost insulting because you know you work really hard," she told People. She continued:

"I'm a single mom of two kids. I've given my all to this network. I've sacrificed time away from my family and I have dedicated my entire career to this network. And when you learn something like that, it makes you feel very small and underappreciated and undervalued. It's heartbreaking."

A representative for E! said the company "compensates employees fairly and appropriately based on their roles, regardless of gender," according to People.

The gender wage gap persists in America, where women make 77 cents for every dollar men make. Some economists say that while it's true some women receive lower pay for equal work, a contributing factor to the gap may also be related to job choices and hours worked.

But cases like Sadler's show that in the entertainment industry, wage gaps between men and women exist for very similar jobs.

Earlier in the year, well-respected women in the media industry spoke out about the disparity in pay, and Sadler pointed to these women as a reason she decided to walk away from her job.

"It's like I now feel inspired and empowered by these women before me who refused to be silent," says Sadler, referencing Jennifer Lawrence, Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou. "And I now join them in what I believe to be a very important movement towards creating change."

SEE ALSO: Ivanka Trump says the equal-pay initiative her father blocked wouldn't have worked — but they don't have a better solution

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NOW WATCH: Here's how to figure out exactly how your take-home pay could change under Trump's new tax plan

Personal trainer Max Lowery, the man behind the 2 Meal Day explains how you can still fast over Christmas

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  • Business Insider spoke with personal trainer Max Lowery, authour of The 2 Day Meal.
  • Lowery explained how to it's possible to indulge over Christmas, but keep up with your intermittent fasting.
  • Lowery says that: "One of the main benefits from intermittent fasting is that you begin to burn stored body fat, rather than being dependent on sugars for energy."

 

Read the full transcript below:

The beauty of eating in this way is that you begin to understand what hunger actually is; and just because your stomach is empty, it does not mean that you're hungry. 

For me, I believe that eating regularly throughout the day is unnatural. We are not designed to have full stomachs all the time, and only when we begin to restrict meal frequency - not restricting calories - do we start to tap into those body fat reserves. 

And this is when your energy levels increase, you start to lose weight, and your hunger levels normalise. Calorie restriction cannot be done long-term. Traditionally, this is the advice that doctors and health professionals give. But, eating less and doing more is not sustainable. When you do more, you need to eat more. 

I often get asked the question: "how can you continue fasting during the Christmas period?" or "Does the way that in I fast change at all?" And the answer to that question is "no, nothing changes."

The only thing that changes is yes, I indulge, maybe more frequently than I did previously to Christmas. But on the days that I'm not indulging, I'm still eating two meals a day because this is a way of life. "The 2 Meal Day" focuses on when you are hungry. So you choose whether you're going to skip breakfast, or you're going to skip dinner.

Once you've done that - say, you're skipping breakfast - you have lunch at 1 or 2 o'clock when you'd usually have lunch, not because the clock is specifically telling you to eat at a certain time. Although this may seem trivial, this is the key for it becoming a way of life, rather than a short-term diet. 
So, for instance, on Christmas day you've eaten a lot of food. The next morning, normally people will go and eat breakfast, when the actual fact is that they're probably still full from the day before. So "The 2 Meal Day" - however you're doing it - gives you the confidence to understand that having an empty stomach is good for you, it's not a bad thing. 

You can follow Max Lowery on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 
Produced by David Ibekwe. Filmed by Leon Siciliano. Research by Fraser Moore

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London now has a 'selfieccino' cafe where you can get your face printed on your coffee

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  • Customers can get their faces printed on milk foam.
  • It’s at The Tea Terrace in House of Fraser, Oxford Street.
  • Customers send a selfie via WhatsApp to the cafe.
  • The selfie photo is then scanned and printed on a machine.
  • The Tea Terrace sold over 400 selfieccinos in 3 days since the launch.

 

A London cafe is now serving a "selfieccino" — a cappuccino with your selfie on it.

Customers can get their faces printed on milk foam for £5.75 at The Tea Terrace in House of Fraser, Oxford Street.

They send a selfie via WhatsApp to the cafe.  The barista uploads the image to the “Cino” machine which scans it and then prints it.

The froth uses a flavourless food colouring. The process takes around 4 minutes.

The Tea Terrace sold over 400 selfieccinos in 3 days since the launch. They hope to trademark the term to expand to other locations.

Produced by Claudia Romeo

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These photos of 'Star Wars' scenes made with Legos are incredible

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Bad to the Bone, Vesa Lehtimaki,

Vesa Lehtimäki has loved "Star Wars" since he was 10 years old. He saw the original movie in its first theatrical run back in 1977.

"For my generation, that's like Woodstock," Lehtimäki told Business Insider. He says he should get a T-shirt with the text "Star Wars 1977 theater run: I was there."

In 2015, the Finnish photographer released a book, "Small Scenes from a Big Galaxy," that depicts iconic movie moments from the "Star Wars" universe — in Lego form.

Lehtimäki shared some of his breathtaking images with us. Follow him on Instagram for more.

SEE ALSO: These photos of 'Star Wars' ships on Earth are mesmerizing

Vesa Lehtimäki said he had no idea how much money he had dropped on Lego toys — and preferred to keep it that way. (It's a lot, according to the Finnish photographer and father.)



He began shooting his kid's toys in 2009, reigniting his love of the "Star Wars" franchise.



Eventually, Lehtimäki started buying duplicate sets of the "Star Wars" ships so he wouldn't have to rebuild them after playtime.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The story of Disney's secret hunt for land nearly 60 years ago could predict how Amazon's HQ2 will change its home city

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Walt Disney World

• The Walt Disney Company spent years secretly acquiring swamp land in Florida.

• The company ultimately established Walt Disney World outside of Orlando in 1971.

• Today, cities and states are publicly vying for Amazon's HQ2.

• Both companies have used different methods to set up a second huge location. Like Disney, Amazon will likely benefit from an eager-to-please municipal government.



The top secret operation — known as "Project Winter" or "Project X" — began in 1958. Traveling under pseudonyms, men bounced between airports to throw off potential observers. The confidential team investigated spots around America, and eventually set up phony companies to disguise their activities.

These weren't Cold War spies at work. This was how the Walt Disney Company established Walt Disney World, its sprawling Orlando theme park.

"If they were doing that now, they would be on the FBI's watch list," "The Walt Disney World Trivia Book" author Lou Mongello told Business Insider. "What Disney did in the 1960s, in terms of buying this land in secret, could obviously never, ever happen again. This was a one-and-done type of operation in terms of how secretive it was."

Today, Amazon is in the middle of a similar, far-reaching search for a second headquarters. It's just going about things in a considerably more public manner. The Seattle-based tech titan announced its intention to found a second headquarters, nicknamed HQ2, in September 2017. This sparked a nationwide grovel-fest among states and cities looking to win them over. Offerings have included a giant cactus, free sandwiches, and big tax breaks.

The ongoing saga of Amazon HQ2 reads like a municipal perks-centric "Hunger Games," while the founding of Disney World comes off more like a spy novel about a theme park. But both quests for a second location came about during a time of diversification and expansion for huge companies at the top of their games. And Amazon seems likely to bend the government of whatever location it settles upon to its will, as Disney did with Florida decades ago.

A time of growth

Amazon may be on track to become the world's first trillion-dollar company. Having launched as an online bookstore in 1994, the tech giant is now both a colossal online and physical retailer, with a whole host of subsidiaries and increasing clout in show business.

Before the 1950s, "Understanding Disney" author and University of Oregon professor Janet Wasko said Disney's global reputation and cultural impact outweighed its actual size as a company. That changed as it began to branch out from focusing exclusively on animated films, and dipped into merchandise, film distribution, and television.

"That led to them building into one of the Hollywood majors," Wasko said. "Those were the foundations."

The diversification also featured theme parks. Disneyland opened in 1955 outside Anaheim, California. The park was built on orange groves, but the city quickly grew up around it. The gas stations and traffic weren't a part of Walt Disney's vision — he wanted a more immersive experience for guests.

"Walt, always being the innovator, was always looking to what's next," Mongello said. "He was already starting to think, 'We need a place that's going to give us the blessing of size.'"

So, starting around 1958, the company began to search for a new spot.

Amazon Seattle Dome

'Mucky, murky, disgusting swampland'

Most Disney employees weren't aware of "Project Winter." The real estate agents Disney hired were also kept in the dark about their client's identity. In "Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando," Richard E. Foglesong writes, "the slightest leak that a large company like Disney was acquiring property would quickly escalate land prices."

Disney ended up scouting Niagara Falls, St. Louis, Baltimore, and New Orleans, along with spots in Florida, California, New Jersey, and Colorado.

Some spots came close to snagging the deal. Foglesong writes Gussie Busch, chairman of the Anheuser-Busch Companies, wrecked St. Louis's chances just by annoying Walt Disney. At a dinner St. Louis leaders held with the Disney team, Busch remarked, "Any man who thinks he can design an attraction that is going to be a success in this city and not serve beer or liquor, ought to have his head examined."

During a plane ride over Florida, Disney settled on a remote area outside Orlando, which also happened to be close to major highways.

"If you look at pictures of this area, there was nothing here," Mongello said. "There was literally nothing around. There were orange groves. There was like one bar where all the workers used to go when they first started to build it."

Disney began scooping up land — much of which was either farmland or "mucky, murky, disgusting swampland," according to Mongello. To avoid scrutiny and land speculation, it used shell companies, like M.T. Lott — or, "empty lot." That's how Disney was able to snap up 27,000 acres of land with no one noticing, although the company had a few close calls over the years. One near reveal came when Disney grabbed lunch in a Florida diner.

Walt Disney

"The waitress is like, 'You look just like Walt Disney,'" Mongello said. "He was like, 'Oh yeah, I get that a lot.'"

Meanwhile, the local press began speculating whether large companies like Boeing, NASA, or Ford was behind the land grab. In October 1965, Disney's publicity team invited a group of reporters — including Emily Bavar, editor of the Orlando Sentinel's Florida Magazine — to visit Walt Disney at Disneyland. During the meeting in his office, Bavar asked the entertainment mogul if he was behind the land acquisition.

"Taken aback, he sputtered a non-denial denial and offered climate and population reasons why Florida would be inappropriate — but then explained how those factors could be overcome," Foglesong writes.

The Orlando Sentinel ended up breaking the news, and land prices jumped. Mongello writes the company got its first plot of land for $80, and its last for $80,000.

The home state of HQ2 can learn from Florida's experience

The state of Florida was thrilled by the news Disney would make its home there, sensing an opportunity to boost employment and tourism. Mongello said the state essentially allowed the company to form its own "quasi-government entity." Disney runs its own towns, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. It established its own building codes. If it chose to, the company could open its own school — even its own nuclear power plant.

Walt Disney passed away several years before the park opened in 1971. But his vision has since gone on to completely transform Orlando, according to Mongello. Today, Walt Disney World alone employs 70,000 cast members, and The Orlando Sentinel reported a record 68 million visitors to Orlando in 2016.

Meanwhile, the state of Florida's decision to bestow so much autonomy on the company has also sparked concerns. Foglesong called Walt Disney World "the Vatican with mouse ears" and alleges it has occasionally worn "their public hat or their private hat, depending on what best serves their corporate interest."

Disney's move to Florida offers insight into how Amazon might relate to its new home city. In its first home, Seattle, Amazon has been blamed for skyrocketing rents, gentrification, and increased traffic in Seattle.

There are clear differences between both cases, regarding scouting methods, industries, and the realities of real estate, to mention a few. But Mongello said the strategies employed by Disney and Amazon are "two sides of the same coin." And, given how determined many places are to land the tech giant, it's not unreasonable to imagine Amazon's HQ2 search might result in an outcome somewhat similar to Disney's relationship with Florida.

"They know what having the headquarters is going to mean for them," Mongello said, "not just in the next five years, but in the next 50 years."

SEE ALSO: Disneyland has raised ticket prices 70% to ease crowds — but attendance is soaring

DON'T MISS: Amazon's new $5 billion headquarters could give these 5 cities the biggest boost

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NOW WATCH: This abandoned Disney water park has been rotting for over 15 years

Rian Johnson reveals the 1 shot in 'The Last Jedi' he's wanted to do since starting on the movie

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the last jedi disney lucasfilm

  • Rian Johnson has been thinking about a particular shot since he started work on "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
  • He said it's the rare time when an early idea makes it to the big screen.


Warning: Spoilers coming if you haven’t seen “The Last Jedi.”

Rian Johnson spent four years getting “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” onto the screen. And when he sees the final version, there’s one shot he says that makes him the happiest.

In the early days of writing the script, Johnson said he had a particular image in his head that shockingly brought the light and dark side of the force together for a fleeting moment. And that image survived years of moviemaking to make it into the final version of the movie.

“I really love that slow-motion shot of Kylo and Rey back-to-back with the guards from all the sides in Snoke’s chambers,” Johnson told Business Insider in a recent interview.

scary snoke star warsThe shot is part of a plot twist that you would traditionally find in the third movie of a trilogy. The evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) brings Rey (Daisy Ridley) to Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Suddenly Ren turns on Snoke, and he and Rey then team up for an incredible lightsaber battle scene where the pair faces off against the guards closing in.

Audiences have been going nuts on social media reacting to the sight of Ren and Rey battling on the same side and what the connection they share means for the next movie.

Johnson doesn’t have to worry about that. He’s off to develop a whole new “Star Wars” trilogy for Disney. He’s just happy the shot made it in the movie.

“That was a moment that I had just always held dear to me, “ Johnson said. “It’s one of those very rare things where the realization of it on screen I just feel like, ‘Ah, we got it!’”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is currently playing in theaters.

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson reacts to the backlash and addresses the movie's most shocking moments

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NOW WATCH: Behind the scenes with Shepard Smith — the Fox News star who's not afraid to take on Trump

The 31-year-old Koch heir who is suing his ex-fiancee over a $250,000 ring is known as 'king of the wild pants' and plays tennis at Mar-a-Lago

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Wyatt Ingraham Koch

• Koch heir Wyatt Koch is suing his former fiancee Ivie Gabrielle Slocumb in order to retrieve a $250,000 engagement ring, The Daily Mail reported.

• Koch is the son of billionaire William Koch.

• He runs his own fashion brand in Palm Beach.



A broken engagement is almost always a source of pain, disappointment and turmoil for those involved.

But for one formerly betrothed couple in Florida, there's also a huge rock worth thousands of dollars on the line, too.

The Daily Mail reported Wyatt Koch filed suit against his ex-fiancee Ivie Gabrielle Slocumb after she failed to return her $250,000 engagement ring once their relationship ended. According to The Palm Beach Daily News, Koch bought the ring for $180,000 at Manufacturing Jewelers on Madison Avenue in March 2017.

Koch is the 31-year-old son of billionaire William Koch, who broke away from his brothers in the 1990s and hosted fundraisers for US President Donald Trump during the 2016 election, according to Fortune. Wyatt Koch lives in Florida, where he runs his own fashion line — Wyatt Ingraham.

Here's a look at the life and career of this Koch heir:

SEE ALSO: Brothers share what it was like quitting their corporate jobs to sell ties on the beach and cofound Vineyard Vines, a company worth nearly $1 billion

Koch's parents William Koch and Joan Granlund divorced when he was young. He was raised in Greenwich, Connecticut and New York City, and told Palm Beach Illustrated he has fond childhood memories of spending time on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, too.

Source: Palm Beach Illustrated, Tampa Bay Times, The Washington Post, Wyatt Ingraham, The Palm Beach Daily News



Koch's love of fashion began early, from where he first donned a "Yves Saint Laurent black with white pinstripes ensemble" at the age of 15, according to Palm Beach Magazine. He told The Palm Beach Record that he was voted "most fashionable" in high school.

Source: Palm Beach Magazine, The Palm Beach Record



In 2006, he moved to Palm Beach, where both of his parents live. Koch also owns a 450-acre ranch called Wonderland in Okeechobee, Florida.

Source: Palm Beach Magazine, Variety, Palm Beach Daily News



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the world's top 20 trending destinations, according to Airbnb — and you've never heard of most

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Gazimagusa

Earlier this month, travel rental company Airbnb analyzed its 2017 and upcoming 2018 booking data to reveal its forecasts for next year's hot spot destinations.

Airbnb compiled a list of places where bookings have doubled, tripled, or more, from the first half of 2017 to the first half of 2018.

While some destinations like Hanoi, Vietnam, and the Greek island of Mykonos have long been vacation favorites, other places, like the small Brazilian beach town of Matinhos, will be new to even the most seasoned of travelers.

Take a look below at the top destinations to visit next year. 

SEE ALSO: The top 10 cities travelers want to visit in 2018

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20. Located on Mexico's Pacific Coast, Mazatlán is known for its fine beaches and its Centro Historico.

Booking increase: 169%



19. Mykonos is one of the most popular Greek islands to visit in the Aegean Sea, with breathtaking sunsets, pebble beaches, and loud dance clubs.

Booking increase: 173%



18. Not far from vacation hotspots like Dubrovnik, the Croatian city of Zagreb and its bustling medieval 'old town' are becoming a hot place to visit.

Booking increase: 175%



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San Francisco's abandoned nuclear test site reveals the dark aftermath of war — take a look inside

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sf naval shipyard 2619

A sprawling middle-class neighborhood is rising on the site of the retired San Francisco Naval Shipyard in Hunters Point. But before residents arrived at this long-forgotten patch of the city's waterfront, the area was home to a federally run nuclear test site.

In a secret laboratory used for decades after World War II, the US Navy ran tests on ships exposed to atomic weapons and conducted research about the effects of radiation on living organisms. The shipyard's closure in 1994 left behind San Francisco's worst toxic-waste dump.

Developer Five Point, a spinoff of Lennar (the nation's largest housing builder), has set out to transform the abandoned San Francisco Naval Shipyard into a bustling live-work community with 12,000 new homes and roughly 5 million square feet of office and commercial space.

Business Insider recently explored what is left of the shipyard before the new residential community takes its place. It was not pretty.

SEE ALSO: A formerly homeless man gave us a tour of the gritty San Francisco neighborhood that's been overrun by tech companies

After the shipyard closed in 1994, the site was left abandoned for 19 years.



Buildings that once contained barracks, schools, a cafeteria, and other non-industrial facilities were emptied and left to rot. Paint now chips away like fingernail polish.

Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency



There are few reminders of what was there before, save for some signage and furniture.



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7 things unsuccessful people do over holiday breaks

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santa claus con man party holidays

Most people throughout the country will take some time off around the holidays this year.

If you're one of those people, you've got to make sure that you're not squandering your precious time off.

Business Insider spoke with Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job" about the major mistakes professionals make while on break.

Here are some behaviors to avoid:

SEE ALSO: 11 signs you're about to get a holiday bonus

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1. They stay completely connected to work

Can you even call it a break if you're working throughout your vacation time? "It takes a great deal of discipline to put work aside when a stream of emails comes through during a holiday break," Taylor said. "But that will ultimately make you feel cheated out of your coveted vacation time."



2. They don't unwind

"Will you look back and feel robbed of relaxation or joy in your life?" Taylor asked Business Insider. "You may feel trapped by your work when everyone else is enjoying himself or herself. But you can also take a more empowering stance — and realize that only you are really in control of your thoughts and actions. You determine your day — and level of success."



3. They feel guilty about rewarding themselves

"Never rewarding yourself or allowing time to smell the proverbial roses because of guilt is something you may come to regret," Taylor said. "If your boss doesn't react well to your taking time off, making it synonymous with a lack of dedication or loyalty, then this is your opportunity to manage up."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

LeBron James is the second highest-paid athlete in the world — and one chart shows how rich he really is

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Lebron James King

  • NBA player LeBron James is the second highest-paid player in sports.
  • He's earned a total of $234 million in salary over his NBA career.
  • Still, the majority of James' net worth comes from endorsement deals.

 

It's good to be King James.

Cleveland Cavaliers player LeBron James, the second highest-paid player in sports behind Cristiano Ronaldo, has earned $234 million from 15 seasons in the NBA, according to Spotrac data.

In his rookie season, James made $4 million as a 19-year-old fresh out of high school thanks to the league's rookie salary scale. This season, his salary is more than $33 million.

James is currently in the middle of a three-season contract worth $100 million. He can opt out of his contract next season, foregoing a $35.6 million salary, to become a free agent.

Check out the chart below to see the progression of James' season-by-season earnings, from 2003 to 2018.

BI Graphics_LeBron James' career salary

Worth the money

James currently holds career highs in assists per game, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage.

James has won the MVP Award four times, appeared in the All-Star game every year since 2004, and made the playoffs 12 seasons in a row, and his teams have won the NBA championship three times.

LeBron is sixth on the NBA's all time earnings list, eclipsed only by players with several more seasons played than him. Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry is the only NBA player earning more than James in the 2017-2018 season.

James took a pay cut in 2011 to recruit other talent like Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat but it didn't affect his earnings much, since he was playing in Florida, a state with no state income tax.

Ultimately though, the bulk of James' wealth comes from endorsement deals. His lifetime deal with Nike is worth over $1 billion and he also makes money from Verizon, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, and Kia Motors, according to Forbes.

BI Graphics_LeBron James' career to date

SEE ALSO: From LeBron James to Jordy Nelson, the surprisingly frugal ways 5 athletes spend their multimillion-dollar paychecks

DON'T MISS: The 29 highest-paid MLB players of all time

Join the conversation about this story »

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STUDY: Brexit will hike wine prices by 20% and have us all drinking a lot less

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theresa may drink red wine glass alcohol

  • Wine prices in the UK set to rise by 22% by 2025 thanks to Brexit.
  • New paper from the Journal of Wine Economics analyses the impact of leaving the EU on wine consumption and costs.
  • Price of wine is already at a record high thanks to the pound's post-referendum depreciation.

LONDON — The price of wine in the UK is set to increase more than 20% over the coming years, as a direct result of Britain electing last summer to leave the European Union, according to a major new academic paper.

This week, the Journal of Wine Economics presented its new paper, titled "UK and Global Wine Markets by 2025, and Implications of Brexit" — and the results are likely to be troubling for anyone who likes a glass or two of an evening.

The journal found that in its "large" Brexit scenario — essentially a harder Brexit — the consumer price (effectively how much we pay in the shops for a bottle) of wine in the UK will increase 22% by 2025.

Several factors would contribute to that price increase, the paper argues, and the rise would be compiled as such: "20% because of real depreciation of the British pound; 4% because of new tariffs on E.U., Chilean, and South African wines; and –2% because of slower U.K. income growth."

Rising wine prices mean that the amount of wine Brits actually consume will plummet, with 28% less being drunk.

"The volume of U.K. wine consumption is 28% lower: 16% because of slower U.K. economic growth, 7% because of real depreciation of the British pound, and 5% because of new tariffs," the paper argues.

"Superpremium still-wine sales are the most affected, dropping by two fifths, while sparkling and commercial-premium wines drop a bit less than one quarter."

Perhaps counterintuitively, domestic consumption of British wine is also set to fall in the "large" Brexit scenario. That's because of "shrunken demand for all wines resulting from lowered U.K. incomes and raised local prices because of devaluation of the British pound."

There is already some evidence that Brexit is starting to hit wine prices in the UK, with data from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association showing over the summer that the cost of a bottle of wine in the UK has hit a record high.

"Last year the WSTA predicted that Brexit and the fall in the value of the pound, compounded by rising inflation, would force the UK wine industry to up their prices. Sadly this is now a reality as an average priced bottle of wine in the UK is at an all-time high," Miles Beale, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association's chief executive said back in June.

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These are the most extravagant demands a luxury private jet company has received from super-rich clients at Christmas — and year-round

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santa on private jet

  • Private jet charter company Victor is used to catering to its wealthy clients' wild demands.
  • A spokesman for Victor told Business Insider that they once decorated a jet with tinsel and stockings and served a full Christmas dinner for a family on a trip to Lapland.
  • Bizarre requests come year-round — a businessman once required pickled onion Monster Munch crisps on a flight from Eastern Europe.
  • Meanwhile, the company's "Pets on Jets" service has flown five falcons, nine identical pugs, and 10 bunny rabbits for clients all on separate trips. 


Private jet charters are known to cater to their wealthy clients' every need, such as a red carpet arrival, concierge, and plenty of free flowing Champagne. But that's apparently not enough for some super-rich passengers.

Business Insider asked Victor, an on-demand private jet hire service, for the most extravagant requests they've received around the Christmas period, and some were rather fun.

A spokesman for Victor told Business Insider: "One customer requested the Christmas decoration of their jet charter to Lapland, Finland, for the benefit of their children."

Understandably, they wanted the full festive works, including:

1. Christmas canapés, mulled wine, and mince pies.

2. A DJ playing classic Christmas number ones on the way out...

3. ...And a Christmas film — Miracle On 34th Street, naturally — for the way home.

4. Full Christmas decor, including tinsel and stockings with sweets which were hung on the back of seats.

5. Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. "There was roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pigs-in-blankets, and brussels sprouts, which we arranged via our in-flight catering contacts," according to Victor.

christmas dinner flickr nick bramhall

6. A Christmas doggie bowl. "There was even a Christmas doggie bowl of treats for the family pet and, of course, strategically-placed mistletoe in the cabin’s various doorways," the company added.

And it's not just during the Christmas period that the company gets bizarre requests.

"We’ve allowed the redecoration of a jet cabin for a wedding – complete with balloon arches, buffet tables, cake stands, and DJ booth," the spokesman said.

The jet charter has also had some unusual catering demands. Victor said it works with On Air Dining, an in-flight catering company, to provide "all manner of sky-high fine dining" experiences for clients.

"However, catering requests often extend far beyond this and our team will help facilitate them down to the smallest detail.

"We've previously arranged sushi from Sumosan in London for a party of 80 and separately crabs from Joe’s Crab Shack in Florida for a flight to the Caribbean, and a subsequent 'VIP BBQ.'

He addded: "At short notice we once had to source pickled onion Monster Munch crisps for a major businessman on a flight from Eastern Europe."

Victor_Jet_Charter_Pets_On_Jets_01

Victor also offers a "Pets on Jets" service which allows dogs — and many other species — to fly with their owners.

And they've certainly had some bizarre requests from their animal-mad clients.

"One member once asked to take 10 cases of gourmet dog food on board with them, just so that their pooch had an entire menu of tailored," according to Victor.

"We’ve also flown five falcons on a Dassault Falcon 7X jet, and another customer once flew Victor with nine identical pugs.

"We've also previously flown an 80kg Leonberger dog from London to France, and, separately, 10 small bunny rabbits on a flight from London to central Europe."

SEE ALSO: People in Russia are renting out grounded private jets by the hour just to take Instagram photos — here's what it costs

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just released their official engagement photos — take a look

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released official engagement photos — and they're incredibly romantic.

The photos — which were taken by fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski earlier this week at Frogmore House in Windsor — were tweeted by Kensington Palace on Thursday.

One photo, in black and white, depicts the couple in an intimate embrace. It also shows off Markle's ring.

harry meghan engagement photo

The ring was designed by Prince Harry, and features a diamond from Botswana — where the couple holidayed in the summer — and two stones from his mother Princess Diana's personal collection.

In the shot, Harry is reportedly wearing a Burberry coat, while Markle is sporting a sweater by Victoria Beckham, with whom she is rumoured to be pals.

A second photo shows the pair in more glamorous outfits on the steps of Frogmore House. 

harry meghan engagement photo

Markle's glamorous gown is reportedly by Ralph and Russo.

The couple announced their engagement at the end of November.

According to The Telegraph, Polish photographer Lubomirski said of the photos: "It was an incredible honour to be asked to document this wonderful event, but also a great privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple’s love for one another.

"I cannot help but smile when I look at the photos that we took of them, such was their happiness together."

Lubomirski — who is a former assistant of renowned celebrity and fashion photographer Mario Testino, who took Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement photos in 2010 — has done photo shoots with the likes of with Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Scarlett Johansson, according to The Telegraph.

He added: "A huge thank you to His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Ms Markle, for allowing me to take their official engagement portraits."

SEE ALSO: This Israeli designer was asked to sketch a wedding dress for Meghan Markle — here are the designs

Join the conversation about this story »

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