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There's a term for people born in the early 80s who don't feel like a millennial or a Gen X-er — here's everything we know

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my so called life

  • Xennials are a 'micro-generation' born between 1977 and 1985.
  • This group has also been called the 'Oregon Trail Generation.'
  • Xennials may have been hit hardest by the recession, because of a combination of student loan debt, job losses, and other factors.


It's hard not fitting in.

If you feel sort-of-but-not-quite like a millennial, and sort-of-but-not-quite like a Gen X-er, take heart: You might just be a Xennial. That's a term for the "micro-generation" born between 1977 and 1985.

The term was coined in 2014, by Sarah Stankorb in Good Magazine. Recently, people have started talking about Xennials again, with self-proclaimed members of this demographic waxing (read: tweeting) nostalgic about Oregon Trail and flip phones. Merriam-Webster even labeled "xennial" one of its "words we're watching."

Below, Business Insider has outlined the defining characteristics of Xennials, and how they're different from the generations that came before and after them.

SEE ALSO: There's a term for people born in the early 80's who don't feel like a millennial or Gen Xer

Xennials are a 'micro-generation,' born between 1977 and 1985.

Source: Business Insider



This group has also been called the 'Oregon Trail Generation,' in reference to a popular computer game when they were growing up.

Source: Social Media Week



Xennials were the first generation to grow up with household computers and have internet access. ('You've got mail!')

Source: Social Media Week



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Gucci just opened a luxurious complex complete with a boutique and a restaurant run by a three-Michelin-starred chef

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Massimo Bottura

  • Gucci has re-opened its former Gucci Museo building under a new name: Gucci Garden.
  • The new building has a museum, boutique shop, and high-end restaurant.
  • The restaurant is run by world-famous chef Massimo Bottura and is likely to become a hot dining destination in the city.

 

Gucci is getting into experiential retail. 

The luxury retailer has renovated and reopened its former museum, dedicated to all things Gucci, under a new name: Gucci Garden.

The new complex, which will be unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy, today, is home to an exhibition space showcasing items from the luxury brand's archives, a boutique selling one-of-a-kind pieces, and a high-end restaurant called Gucci Osteria.

The restaurant is run by Chef Massimo Bottura of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Francescana, and it's likely to become one of the city's hottest dining destinations.

Last night, Gucci hosted an exclusive launch party to celebrate its opening. Take a look inside:

SEE ALSO: One of the world's best restaurants opened a temporary pop-up in the Mexican jungle — here's what it's like to eat there

Here's an interior shot of the restaurant. It seats only 50 people and is appropriately luxurious.

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It's located in one of the city's most famous buildings, the 14-century Palazzo della Mercanzia. The building previously housed the Gucci Museo until it was re-opened under its new name, the Gucci Garden.



The restaurant, Guccia Osteria, was created by world-famous chef Massimo Bottura.

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The exclusive no-men-allowed club that raised $32 million from investors like WeWork just announced a brand new location — take a look inside

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The Wing, Dumbo

  • The Wing is a women-only coworking space and club with two locations in Manhattan, and a brand new space in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood, which is set to open this February.
  • In November The Wing raised $32 million in a Series B funding round led by WeWork.
  • Its SoHo location, which opened in November, provides its members with desks, a beauty room, space to nap, meeting rooms, a library, and a café.
  • 8,000 women are on the waiting list for membership to The Wing.


When The Wing, a coworking space and social club for women, launched in October 2016, founders Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan didn't realize how large the demand for membership would be or exactly the type of comfort it would provide its members. In the months before the 2016 presidential election, Gelman, who has experience working in politics, said she believed Hillary Clinton would win.

"This was going to be the golden age of women in power, so women could have rooms like this," she told Business Insider. "It was sort of a triumphant concept. Obviously that's not what happened."

Overnight, after Donald Trump's victory, The Wing was inundated with calls from members and people on the waitlist, who, according to Kassan, were saying, "I didn't realize how much I wanted or needed a space like this."

Now, the club has 1,500 members and an 8,000-person waiting list for its two locations and soon-to-be open Brooklyn space. It also plans to launch another space in Washington, DC.

It recently raised $32 million in a Series B funding round led by WeWork, bringing its total investment to $42 million, according to Forbes. NEA also contributed to the funding round.

The Wing's prices, which vary between $2,350 to $2,700 a year, offer members access to a variety of perks. With a focus on growing a community for its members, the club provides more than a place to set up your laptop. Speaking events, community volunteer opportunities, movie screenings, and happy hours provide a home base for its members to build relationships.

The Wing is serious about its no-men-allowed rule. On the day we got a tour of the SoHo space — its opening day — we were told not to bring along any male coworkers. We found it already buzzing with members.

SEE ALSO: Bain & Company was just named one of the best workplaces of 2018 — step inside its New York office

Gelman realized she needed a space like The Wing while working a job that always had her on the go. Instead of changing outfits for events and meetings in "random bathrooms around the city," she envisioned a space designed with her needs in mind.



The spacious bathrooms, showers, lockers, and beauty room provide women with a safe space to prep and primp for their day.



Kassan, the COO, saw an opportunity to create a community: "For me it's really about the community that can come out of this space. The original idea of having a space of convenience — but also creating a space that you can meet new women in."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The most ridiculous law in every state

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frog jumping contest

We've all heard urban legends and rumors about absurd laws in America, but you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

Sites like dumblaws.com — which rarely link to states' current statutes or may misinterpret them — only perpetuate the myths. Yes, it's illegal for a drunk person to enter a bar in Alaska. No, a woman's hair does not legally belong to her husband in Michigan. The list goes on.

We decided to undertake some legal legwork and identify the strangest statute still on the books in each state. You might find you're guilty of one or two violations.

A previous version of this article was co-authored by Christina Sterbenz.

SEE ALSO: Here's where you can legally smoke weed in 2018

ALABAMA: The City of Mobile may know how to throw down on Mardi Gras, but the use of confetti is strictly prohibited. To carry, manufacture, sell, or handle the party supply is considered an "offense against public safety."

Source: Municode Library



ALASKA: A person cannot get drunk in a bar and remain on the premises. The statute says an intoxicated person may not "knowingly" enter or camp out where alcohol is sold.

In 2012, police in Anchorage, Alaska, started enforcing the law by sending plainclothes officers into to bars to identify excessively drunk people and arrest suspects, according to ABC News.

Source: Alaska State Legislature



ARIZONA: No one can feed garbage to pigs without first obtaining a permit. You can swap out the trough for a waste basket if the swine are raised for your own consumption.

Source: Arizona State Legislature



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Inside the 14 long years it took for the director of Amazon's Grateful Dead documentary to finally get his dream project made

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Long Strange Trip Grateful Dead Peter Simon

  • It took 14 years for Amir Bar-Lev to make the Grateful Dead documentary, "Long Strange Trip," 10 of which was spent just trying to convince the band to let him make it.
  • What was intended to be a 90-minute doc that would be released for the band's 50th anniversary in 2015 led to a 4-hour, 6-part doc that's now available on Amazon Prime.


Documentary filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev is no stranger to ambitious projects.

He's given us a look inside the complexities behind a 4-year-old painting savant (“My Kid Could Paint That”), explored the hero complex bestowed on an NFL star who went to fight for his country after 9/11 (“The Tillman Story"), and was front-and-center while the legacy of Joe Paterno and his beloved Penn State football program crumbled before our eyes (“Happy Valley”).

However, none of those compare to taking on the Grateful Dead, and its lead guitarist and figurehead Jerry Garcia, in his latest movie, "Long Strange Trip."

Amir Bar Lev Tibrina Hobson Getty final“This is the film I’m most proud of,” Bar-Lev told Business Insider. “On some level, this is my life’s work.”

For over a decade, Bar-Lev, an admitted “Dead Head,” tried to convince the band that he was the director worthy of making the definitive film on the legendary band. It finally happened, but there were many twists in the tale of how “Long Strange Trip” was made, including how Bar-Lev landed the job at long last.

Other directors failed

The Grateful Dead's original plan was to have a 90-minute documentary to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the band (which would have been released in 2015). But like the unconventional way the Grateful Dead operates, “Long Strange Trip” became a daunting task to accomplish from its inception.

Before Bar-Lev came on, other directors tried to tell the story and had to back out, in some cases because of all the moving parts that surround the band. At one point, acclaimed director Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”) had beat out Bar-Lev to make the movie. However, Bar-Lev said he later learned Van Sant bowed out. That left Bar-Lev as the only willing director to take it on.

Bar-Lev didn’t just roll with the band’s quirks, but also convinced his investors to go beyond the 50th anniversary plans, and make a movie that was hours longer.

After four years making the movie (three of them just editing), he premiered “Long Strange Trip” at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in its final 4-hour form. Amazon Studios acquired it and has made it into a six-part documentary (currently available on Prime) that masterfully traces the life of this complex band that was birthed during the LSD craze of the mid 1960s, and by the 1980s was worshiped by millions.

Pulling the rug from under the audience

A highlight of this deep dive into the Dead is the treasure trove of things Bar-Lev and his team kept coming across while making it.

“We found never-before-seen footage and photos and audio recordings in people's attics and storage lockers,” he said. “We had a vast network of people looking for this stuff.”

long strange trip Sundance Institute finalOver the years, as Bar-Lev kept convincing the producers that the movie could be longer, it gave him the ability to delve into aspects of the Dead that wouldn’t have worked in a 90-minute documentary. One example is looking at the loyal roadies tasked to build and break down the “Wall of Sound” every show during the band’s 1974 tour. The footage and interviews of the massive construction, which at the time was the largest concert sound system ever built, is a remarkable sight for newbies to the band — and a wicked acid flashback for the Dead Heads who were there.

The length of time it took to complete the movie also gave Bar-Lev the ability to convince notoriously camera shy Grateful Dead songwriter Robert Hunter to go on camera. But instead of attempting to give Grateful Dead fans a glimpse inside the man responsible for the lyrics to some of the band's most famous songs, Bar-Lev used the opportunity to show the audience that this is a different kind of rock band movie. 

“I realized there wasn't much I really wanted him to answer,” Bar-Lev said of talking to Hunter. “So I asked him a question I knew he hates to answer which was what's the song 'Dark Star' mean? And he did exactly what I hoped he would do, it provoked his ire and he answered in a very funny way and then basically kicked me out of his dressing room.”

The method to Bar-Lev's madness here was that he thought there were some things about the Dead that should never be explored, because if they were a part of the beloved mystique of the band would be lost forever.

“The question at the heart of the Grateful Dead is what does it all mean? That should never be answered, because once it's gone the magic is gone,” Bar-Lev said. “So we tried to make a point of that when interviewing Hunter. By exactly putting the wrong question to the wrong person.”

It’s alive!

What sets the movie apart from most documentaries about rock bands is that “Long Strange Trip” is as unconventional as its subject. Though Bar-Lev tracked down the existing band members for interviews, along with a slew of others who were in their orbit through the decades, the movie is filled with Easter Eggs for the most obsessed Dead Head, jump cuts in the story’s timeline, and appearances by the Frankenstein monster.

This last one is probably Bar-Lev’s most radical storytelling device. Using masterful editing, the iconic horror figure that Jerry Garcia loved as a child is highlighted throughout the movie for major moments in the band's existence.

abbott and costello meets frankenstein universal pictures“The appearance of the Frankenstein monster changes over the period of the film,” Bar-Lev explained.

“The first time he shows up Jerry is terrified of the monster,” Bar-Lev said (and as we learn in a Garcia interview Bar-Lev’s team uncovered that was done before his death in 1995). In the interview, Garcia said one of his all-time favorite movies as a kid was the classic comedy/horror “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.” At that point he was scared of the monster.

“The second time he shows up Jerry identifies with the monster,” Bar-Lev said. In the doc, Bar-Lev uses footage from 1931’s “Frankenstein” — of the monster smoking and playing a violin — to mirror Garcia forming the band.

“The third time he shows up it’s when Jerry’s daughter says that the fandom around the Grateful Dead has become too much for Jerry, and now he identifies with Doctor Frankenstein.” We then see “Frankenstein” footage of the doctor looking exhausted as the monster can no longer be controlled.

“The audience might not know it, but ‘Frankenstein’ is charting our progress,” Bar-Lev said. “Every time the monster shows up the audience achieves another milestone in the greater understanding of the movie.”

That’s what Bar-Lev hopes audiences get from watching “Long Strange Trip.”

“If I’ve succeeded then you get to the end of the movie and you don’t just have any more questions about why people love the Grateful Dead, you’re not even interested in the question anymore, “ Bar-Lev said. “My greatest hope is for the time you’re watching it you’re participating in a Grateful Dead story.”

SEE ALSO: Michelle Williams was reportedly paid less than $1,000 to reshoot "All the Money in the World," while Mark Wahlberg made $1.5 million

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Celebrities flocked to these underground poker games where someone once lost $100 million in one night

The best countries to escape the worst effects of climate change

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Norway

  • Using research from the University of Notre Dame, Eco Experts created a map ranking the countries that would fare the best — and the worst — in a worst-case climate change scenario.
  • The Notre Dame data analyzes countries based on factors like healthcare, food supply, and government stability.
  • While the US ranked among the top 10 countries most likely to survive climate change in 2015, it slipped to 12th place this year.

 

A safe haven sounds like a good idea right about now.

Somewhere that's warm but not too warm, free from roof-toppling hurricanes and close to a river or ocean but far enough to avoid the threats of flooding and sea-level rise.

According to climate scientists and urban planners, that doesn't leave a lot of options.

"The bottom line is it's going to be bad everywhere," Bruce Riordan, the director of the Climate Readiness Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, told Business Insider. "It's a matter of who gets organized around this."

That said, some countries will fare far better than others, according to UK-based energy comparison service Eco Experts, which created a color-coded map using data from the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. The index analyzes 181 countries based on factors like healthcare, food supply, and government stability and ranks them on their ability to cope with the challenges posed by a warming planet. Norway ranked #1, while a handful of other Nordic countries (and New Zealand) followed.

While the maps provide a great zoomed-out perspective of what will happen globally as the earth warms, there are a couple caveats to keep in mind when checking it out:

  • The map looks only at country-level data, not at states, regions, or cities. While the US gets a green light on this map, many cities within its borders are poorly prepared for climate change.
  • Developed countries in general have larger budgets and more infrastructure to work with, automatically shifting them toward the top of the list while lower-income countries are shuffled down.

Here's the full graphic:

full mapeurope

north americacentral americasouth americaafrica

asia mapsoutheast asia

SEE ALSO: The best US cities to live in to escape the worst effects of climate change

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How the ancient Greeks proved Earth was round over 2,000 years ago

The State Department has a new rating system for how dangerous countries are to visit

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department of state sign seal

  • The State Department has announced a major change to how it issues travel advisories.
  • This is the first major change to the advisory system in more than a decade.
  • The change comes in response to ongoing confusion over the old system.


The US Department of State today announced a new system for issuing travel advisories to Americans. Under the new system, every country in the world will have a standing advisory with a numerical level, ranging from 1 to 4, to indicate whether there are any safety concerns. If a country is ranked at a level two — "exercise increased caution" — or above, the score will be accompanied by a reason for the increased risk.

The change comes in response to persistent general confusion over the meaning of warnings issued under the previous system, according to a State Department spokesperson. Under that system, the department would issue either a "travel alert" or a "travel warning" when it deemed prudent, which generally included a briefing as to the reason.

But, the difference between the two types of advisory was not always clear. While alerts were generally shorter-term or related to specific events, and warnings were intended to be stronger, the new system is designed to provide additional clarity and guidance.

The levels are as follows, as described in a fact sheet shared by the State Department:

  • Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel.  Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time. 
  • Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.  Conditions in any country may change at any time. 
  • Level 3 - Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.  Conditions in any country may change at any time. 
  • Level 4 - Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance.  The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or leave as soon as it is safe to do so.  The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

To check each country's level, you can visit a newly updated State Department Travel Advisory website. There's also a color-coordinated map that you can browse.

Some examples of countries listed at level two at the time of publication include Mexico, due to crime in certain areas, and the United Kingdom, due to elevated risks of terrorism. Level three countries include Russia, due to civil unrest in certain areas, and Venezuela, due to crime and a limited ability of the US to provide assistance to citizens. Level four countries include Iraq, Iran, and Libya.

SEE ALSO: US airlines have said goodbye to the 747 — but these foreign airlines still fly the iconic plane

Join the conversation about this story »

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HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have made their small Texas hometown one of the top travel destinations in America — here are all the best things to do in Waco

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Chip and Joanna Gaines

  • HGTV's "Fixer Upper" couple, Chip and Joanna Gaines, are responsible for a huge spike in tourism to their hometown of Waco, Texas.
  • Waco has been named one of the top travel destinations of 2018 by TripAdvisor.
  • From the Gaineses' Magnolia Market at the Silos to the Dr. Pepper Museum and a mammoth fossil site, there's plenty to see and do in Waco.

 

Chip and Joanna Gaines have starred in "Fixer Upper," one of HGTV's most-watched home improvement shows since 2013.

The indelible husband and wife duo announced last fall that Season 5 of "Fixer Upper" would be their last as they shift focus to their growing young family.

Though the Gaineses may soon be disappearing from television screens across America, their hometown ambassadorship is strengthening nationwide.

Waco, Texas, a city with a population of about 134,400, was recently named the No. 2 trending travel destination in the US by TripAdvisor, seemingly thanks to the Gaineses' burgeoning local empire.

In 2017, their expansive downtown Waco hub, Magnolia Market at the Silos, averaged 30,000 visitors a week — an annual total close to 1.6 million people, reports the Waco Tribune. That's more than the Alamo, one of Texas' best-known tourist attractions.

Meanwhile, hotel occupancy rates in Waco were 75% in the second quarter of 2017, according to the Waco Tribune, the second-highest in the state.

The Gaineses employ more than 600 people in Waco to help run their laundry list of businesses, including a 2.5 acre home-improvement hub, a real estate and construction company, two rental properties, and an upcoming restaurant, Magnolia Table.

Here's everything you need to see and do in Waco:

SEE ALSO: I traveled to Waco, Texas, to see the town that has been transformed by HGTV's hit show 'Fixer Upper' — here's what it's like

DON'T MISS: HGTV's 'Fixer Upper' makes house flipping seem like a good investment — but there's a catch

Roundtrip flights from New York City to Dallas or Austin — the two largest airports near Waco — cost about $150 right now. Both airports are about 100 miles from Waco.



Once in downtown Waco, you can't miss the Silos. The Gaineses 'favorite investment' so far is a pair of rusted cotton-oil mill silos at the center of a 2.5 acre property otherwise known as Magnolia headquarters.

Source: Business Insider



On the Magnolia Market website there are tips for making the most of your visit to the Silos. Tip No. 1: The Silos are busiest during lunch hours, so come early or late in the day. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Sundays.

Source: Magnolia Market



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A look inside the relationship of Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham, who say avoiding marriage helped them stay together for 32 years

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Oprah Winfrey Stedman Graham

• Oprah Winfrey began dating Stedman Graham in 1986, the same year her namesake show launched.

• Winfrey and Graham got engaged in 1992, but ultimately decided against marriage.

• Graham's suggestion that Winfrey run for president at the 2018 Golden Globes isn't the first time he's encouraged her to enter the realm of politics.



Interest in media mogul Oprah Winfrey's hypothetical 2020 presidential run is surging.

Even US President Donald Trump has weighed in. While Trump asserted he'd beat Winfrey, in past years he said the former queen of daytime talk would be his ideal running mate, Business Insider reported.

Still, Winfrey's well-received Golden Globes speech, which touched upon the #MeToo movement, the free press, and the importance of combatting injustice, has catapulted her name to the forefront of this early presidential speculation.

And her longtime partner Stedman Graham's comments to the The Los Angeles Times also helped fuel widespread interest in her political prospects.

Graham, who runs management and marketing consulting firm S. Graham and Associates, has been with Winfrey for 32 years.

Here's a look inside their relationship:

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about Recy Taylor, the sexual assault survivor who inspired Oprah's iconic Golden Globes speech

DON'T MISS: From poverty to a $3 billion fortune — the incredible rags-to-riches story of Oprah Winfrey

Harper's Bazaar reported that the couple first met at a charity event in 1986, the same year The Oprah Winfrey Show launched. They began dating that year.

Source: Harper's Bazaar, People



Winfrey told People magazine that some people in her circle questioned her boyfriend's intentions because of his good looks: "They figured if he looked like that, he either had to be a jerk or want something."

Source: Harper's Bazaar, People



But that didn't deter Winfrey. According to People, in the early days of their relationship, Graham would spend weekends at her "lavish condo on Chicago's Gold Coast," and even began leaving a toothbrush there.

Source: People



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I tried Peloton's new $4,000 treadmill — and now I get why the company has such a cult following

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evolving business

Peloton Tread

  • The fitness startup Peloton unveiled the $4,000 Peloton Tread, a high-end treadmill with built-in fitness classes, on Tuesday at the CES tech industry trade show.
  • It's Peloton's second product and a step for the company toward becoming a full-service fitness empire with high-end hardware, livestreamed classes, and a 600,000-strong subscriber community.
  • CEO John Foley told Business Insider his goal was to have "tens of millions" of global subscribers, adding: "We're not committed to trying to sell you a treadmill. We want to get you fantastic content and great classes and instructors and community — whenever you want it, however you want it, so it works for you."


LAS VEGAS — With its new $4,000 treadmill, Peloton wants to work out your whole body.

The fitness startup on Tuesday unveiled the Peloton Tread, a high-end treadmill that, much like its popular exercise bike, has built-in live workouts.

The Tread is Peloton's first new product since the bike, and CEO John Foley has quickly chosen a favorite.

"Personally, I'm more excited about the Peloton Tread than I am about the Peloton bike, since I'd rather do a full-body workout," Foley told Business Insider in an interview at CES, the tech industry trade show here this week.

The Tread encourages users to get off the machine and work out next to it. The workouts — which beam into your home live or on demand — focus on activities like high-intensity interval training, which includes short sprints followed by exercises on a mat.

Because of this, Peloton installed a 32-inch screen and 20-watt soundbar on the treadmill so users can still see and hear the instructor when they're on the floor. The screen is twice as large as the one on the bike, and it looks shockingly large in person (for context, it's larger than an iMac Pro).

Still, a treadmill isn't exactly a revolutionary product — and a $4,000 treadmill is almost triple the cost of other high-end versions on the market.

So why make one now? It all has to do with Peloton's quest for fitness domination.

It's not about the hardware

These days, Peloton isn't exactly a scrappy startup. The company raised $325 million last spring and is now valued at about $1.25 billion, making it a so-called unicorn.

In 2016, Peloton tripled its annual revenue to $170 million, and the company now has 600,000 subscribers, who pay $39 a month.

But Foley is quick to point out that Peloton isn't a legacy exercise-equipment company and isn't in the same league as a brand like NordicTrack or ProForm.

"We're not a hardware company," Foley said. "We don't compete with those companies. Those companies are yesteryear."

What Foley thinks makes Peloton a company of the future is threefold: the classes, the instructors, and the community surrounding Peloton, which borders on fanatical.

"We're not committed to trying to sell you a treadmill," he said. "We want to get you fantastic content and great classes and instructors and community — whenever you want it, however you want it, so it works for you."

Still, Peloton is making hardware — and expensive hardware at that. The Peloton bike costs $1,995, and the treadmill costs $2,000 more. Even Foley acknowledges it doesn't look great.

"What we need to work on is making it the best value," Foley said. "It is the best value, but the optics of it, with that $4,000 price point ..."

To curb some of the sticker shock, Peloton is offering financing for the Tread. Current owners of the company's bike can get the Tread for $110 a month for 39 months after a $250 deposit, and new customers will pay $149 a month after the deposit.

Foley compares the cost when split between two people to a gym membership. In cities like New York, where Peloton is based, gym memberships can cost $75 a month on the low end.

The best of both worlds

The Tread uses technology that's a bit unusual for treadmills. Rather than a standard belt, the Tread is made up of 59 individual slats, which better absorb shock and are easier on your joints.

PelotonTread4_preview

The machine also differs from standard treadmills in a seemingly minor — but game-changing — way.

Rather than a screen full of buttons in the front of the treadmill to adjust speed and incline, the Tread has two knobs on either side bar, at about elbow height. To make the belt faster or steeper, you just gently turn the knob forward.

When I tried the Tread at CES, I was instantly impressed by that feature. When running fast on a treadmill, I'm always worried I'm going to trip and fall frantically trying to press the buttons. Not only are the knobs more convenient, but they made the machine feel safer to use.

I didn't brave a jog — better yet a sprint — on the Tread, but I could also feel the difference with the slat belt. It seemed springier and spongier than standard belts on other treadmills, and I felt as if the impact would be gentler on my knees and hips, which are always sore after a run.

But what really made the Tread special was on the screen. You can choose from a variety of workouts, from 20-minute run to 80-minute boot camps to evening yoga.

Just like with Peloton's cycling classes, the instructor looks right into the camera and urges you on, making you feel as though you're in class with them.

You can also choose a class based on the type of workout or music you want. You can even preview the playlist — so if you're not that into listening to Fall Out Boy while you run, for example, you can choose another workout.

The interface is clean, simple, and easy to navigate, with nice features like a "now playing" module and a leaderboard. Peloton offers an iOS app too, so even if you don't want to shell out for the Tread, you can still take Peloton's classes.

It wasn't until watching the classes and experiencing firsthand the immersive screen that it clicked for me: Peloton is providing all the features of a trendy workout class while letting you enjoy it in the privacy of your home.

It's a feeling of community without having to drive miles to the nearest gym, or cram into a crowded workout class in a big city. It's one-on-one attention without the often embarrassing or expensive experience of hiring a personal trainer.

And the best part: You can work out in whatever you're comfortable in, because no one else can see you.

In short, Peloton is offering the very best of both worlds — if you're willing to pay the price.

The cult of Peloton

Before checking out the Tread at CES, I asked an owner of the Peloton bike what she thought of the service. She ended up writing me five paragraphs about her love for the product.

"My fingers can't keep up with my love for Peloton," she said. "I love that I can hop on the bike at a time that works for me and ride alongside hundreds of other people. I feel like it's a live class because of how the instructors engage with the audience — in studio and at home — and the leaderboard reminds me I'm racing against others. And it works for people who can't get to a workout because of a busy life."

Her sentiments are the norm among Peloton users, who congregate on Facebook pages, have made celebrities of Peloton instructors, make pilgrimages to "the mothership" in New York for live classes, and continue to pay the $39 subscription fee month after month.

Foley says that level of super-fandom is one even the founders didn't expect.

"I was totally surprised by it," Foley said. "When I started Peloton with my cofounders, I saw clear as day what it was going to look like and how it was going to work — the technology, the hardware, the software, the business model. I saw everything except the community. The community has blown me away."

Foley says he hopes to replicate that fandom with the Tread in Peloton's pursuit of "tens of millions" of global subscribers, adding, "I'm crossing my fingers."

"What do we do? How do we do it? We don't," he said. "It's been created on its own."

SEE ALSO: The Google Home Max is too loud and too expensive — and you should absolutely buy it

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You can now get a Lyft beer — and a discounted ride to go with it

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Logan Green, co-founder and CEO of Lyft, speaks during the TechCrunch Disrupt event in New York May 5, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

  • Lyft is teaming up with a Chicago-based brewery to offer a Lyft-branded beer.
  • The app-based taxi company is offering discounted rides home to customers who buy the beer.
  • For now, the beer is only available in Chicago. 


You can now get a Lyft-branded beer to drink — and you'll even get a discount.

As part of a new partnership, Chicago's Baderbräu Brewing Company is brewing up a beer called Five Star Lager that will be sold under Lyft's brand. If you buy a can, the app-based taxi company will offer you 60% off your next ride home.   

According to Lyft, the deal is not about selling suds or getting consumers to use its service more often, but about cutting down on drunk driving.

"We decided to partner with Baderbräu for the Five Star Lager launch to encourage more Chicagoans to travel responsibly when they’re out on the town," David Katcher, Lyft's midwest general manager, said in a statement.

For now, the new Lyft lager, which will come in 12-ounce cans, will be available only at select locations in Chicago.

The partnership isn't the first time Lyft has teamed up with a beer company. For the past two years, the company has worked with Anheuser-Busch to provide thousands of free rides home during weekends and holidays in select cities. 

SEE ALSO: Lyft is adding a benefit offered by Chipotle and Taco Bell to give its drivers discounts on classes

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

A robotics startup called 'Robomart' wants to replace Postmates and Instacart with self-driving grocery stores

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  • Robomart is a self-driving, nearly full autonomous grocery store on wheels.
  • The vehicle will drive fresh produce from the supermarket aisle to customers.
  • Grocery chains can license the platform and the vehicles, which allows them to pocket the delivery fee instead of some on-demand delivery startup.

 

A robot grocery called Robotmart is coming for the humble delivery worker in California.

This week at the Consumer Electronics Show, a startup (of the same name) debuted a self-driving, nearly fully autonomous grocery store on wheels. The robot will bring fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items from the supermarket aisle to customers' doors.

According to Robotmart founder Ali Ahmed, the company could compete with the on-demand giants taking on grocery delivery services, like Amazon, Instacart, and Postmates. Supermarket chains would license the platform and robots for a two-year lease, which Ahmed said will still be cheaper than opening a new store. They pocket the delivery fee instead of the on-demand operator.

"I believe we're creating a new category," Ahmed said at CES, according to TechCrunch.

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Customers can use a smartphone app to hail the closest robot, which arrives packed with fresh produce. The app unlocks the doors, and the robot tracks what customers have taken using an array of cameras. Robomart charges the customer accordingly and moves on. The company has not revealed its delivery fee or a price range for the produce.

Robomart surveyed an unknown number of women between the ages of 24 and 44 and found that more than 85% of those polled said they do not shop for fruits and vegetables online because they think delivery is too expensive or because they do not trust the service to pick their produce. With Robomart, customers can cherry-pick their groceries from the vehicle, so are could be less concern about quality.

The vehicle is the culmination of 10 years of work from Ahmed, a serial entrepreneur. It's about the size of a Sprinter van equipped with LiDAR, radar, and cameras that help it see and drive without a human operator. Ahmed said he expects Robomart to be fully autonomous this year.

In San Francisco, supermarket chains that use Robomart may have to keep a close watch on their vehicles. A security robot from startup Knightscope was vandalized and toppled after it was deployed outside an animal rescue group in December.

The company has applied for an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles and plans to launch a pilot program by summer 2018.

SEE ALSO: Tiny self-driving robots have started delivering food on-demand in Silicon Valley — take a look

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NOW WATCH: These robots can be useful to your everyday life

The couple that paid $90,000 for a ritzy private street in San Francisco is now suing the city to get it back

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  • A Bay Area couple paid $90,000 for one of the most exclusive streets in San Francisco. In November, city leaders voted to reverse the sale.
  • Now the couple is suing the city to win their street back.
  • They launched a GoFundMe page to finance the legal action.

 

In 2017, a Bay Area couple shook up a private street in San Francisco when residents found out the duo bought the cul-de-sac for $90,000 without the knowledge of its wealthy residents.

Homeowners railed against the buyers, Tina Lam and Michael Cheng, in a November hearing before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. City leaders voted 7-4 to reverse the sale.

Now, the couple is suing the city to win their street back, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Lam, a Silicon Valley engineer, and her husband, Cheng, a real estate investor, have also launched a GoFundMe page to finance the legal action. They set a goal of $50,000.

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The story unfolding at Presidio Terrace, a private development made up of 35 mega-mansions, has captured the attention of people far beyond its stone walls. When news spread that residents lost ownership of the sidewalks, landscaping, and parking spots outside their homes — without their knowledge — some celebrated the comeuppance of San Francisco's ultra-rich.

In 2015, the city put the parcel up for sale in an online auction after the Presidio Terrace Homeowners Association failed to pay taxes on the street for more than a decade.

Lam and Cheng, who live in San Jose, scooped it up for just over $90,000, with plans to charge rent on street parking spots. Before the hearing at the Board of Supervisors, the couple offered to sell it back to residents for nearly $1 million, Supervisor Mark Farrell said at the hearing.

"I'm an engineer with a simple dream of owning a piece of San Francisco," Lam said during the hearing last November. "I'm not rich enough to live on that street, but I like to think that by owning it, I'm a San Franciscan in spirit."

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For at least 17 years, the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector mailed tax forms to the address of a now deceased bookkeaper. The $14 annual property tax went unpaid and racked up hundreds more dollars in penalties. The homeowners argued that they had been denied due process because the city's tax collection office did not make a reasonable attempt to contact them. 

Lam and Cheng told reporters ahead of the hearing that they planned to pursue ownership through the courts if the sale was resciended — and they're following through. Attorneys for the couple have filed a lawsuit against the city with the San Francisco Superior Court.

The couple's GoFundMe page, called the "Presidio Terrace defense fund," has raised $1,820.

"This fight is not just about the street. This is about defending property rights for everyone who is not super wealthy or doesn't look a certain way," the GoFundMe page says.

SEE ALSO: Inside one of the most exclusive streets in San Francisco that a couple bought for $90,000 and was forced to return to the city

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NOW WATCH: PAUL KRUGMAN: Bitcoin is a more obvious bubble than housing was

Inside the world's biggest fish market, where a single tuna can sell for millions of dollars

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Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is sometimes called the "Wall Street of fish."

Every day, fishers, wholesalers, and the owners of Japan's top sushi restaurants gather to buy and sell more than $21 million of the freshest fish in the world.

In recent decades, the market has unexpectedly become one of Japan's top tourists attractions. Thousands come to try to get a glimpse of the market's world-famous tuna auction, where a single tuna once sold for $1.76 million.

But time is running out to see the market. In October, the market will move from its original location in central Tokyo to a new $5.42 billion site east with improved refrigeration, earthquake resistance, and sanitation facilities.

We took a walk through before dawn — when it's off-limits to tourists — to see what the Tsukiji Market is like in action.

The Tsukiji Fish Market is located in the Tsukiji district in central Tokyo. It is bordered by the swanky shopping district Ginza and the Sumida River.

Google Maps directions »



The best time to visit is before sunrise when fishers are bringing in their catch and fishmongers are preparing fish for sale.



There are two parts to the market. The jōgai-shijō is a mix of sushi restaurants and shops that sell everything from wholesale restaurant supplies to groceries. The jōnai-shijō is where wholesalers process their fish and sell to restaurants. There's also a wholesale produce market, which is the part I visited.



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This calculator tells you how long it would take the world's highest-paid athletes to earn your annual salary — and for most it's a matter of hours

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  • Want to find out how quickly your salary is obliterated by top-earning athletes? Now you can.
  • Sports betting tips site Freesupertips has created the Sports Superstars Salary Calculator to find out how quickly certain sports stars would earn your annual wage.
  • Freesupertips gathered data from Business Insider, Forbes, and The Guardian to produce the calculator.


It's no secret that top athletes are raking in millions, with the highest-paid athlete in the world — footballer Cristiano Ronaldo — taking in $93 million last year.

The wealth of these elite sports figures becomes even more apparent when you compare their salary to that of the average worker.

The Sports Superstars Salary Calculator— put together by sports betting tips site Freesupertips— allows you to input your annual salary in order to see how quickly six of the world's highest-paid athletes — Lionel Messi, LeBron James, Roger Federer, Anthony Joshua, Rory McIlroy, and Derek Carr — would earn the same sum.

The company gathered salary data from Business Insider, Forbes, and The Guardian in order to produce the calculator.

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It would take Lionel Messi — whose current salary of £82 million a year could make him a billionaire in just 12 years — just two hours and 56 minutes to earn what the average Brit took home in 2017 (£27,600).

Messi also earns a whopping £14,039 just for playing 90 minutes on the pitch.

The calculator also compares the lifestyles athletes enjoy on their massive salaries to what you'll experience on an average one.

For example, on the average UK salary of £27,600, it would take you eight years to buy an average-priced house in the UK (£232,530), while Roger Federer could buy 205 average-priced houses in one year.

Screen Shot 2018 01 11 at 11.31.47

See how your salary measures up here.

SEE ALSO: Step inside Cristiano Ronaldo's £4.8 million luxury family villa in Spain, complete with two pools and giant portraits of himself

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NOW WATCH: Here's how LeBron James stays in incredible shape


The Queen and Princess Diana's bra-fitter has been stripped of its royal warrant after its former owner revealed royal secrets in a tell-all memoir

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  • Luxurious lingerie company Rigby & Peller has been popular with the female members of the royal family for 57 years.
  • But when the former owner published personal accounts of the royal family in her memoirs, the company was stripped of its royal warrant.
  • June Kenton compared one of the Queen's personal apartments at the Palace to "an old-fashioned dentist's waiting room."

 

When June Kenton and her husband Harold bought Rigby & Keller in 1982, the luxurious lingerie brand already had a long clientele list of "Ladies with a capital L" and "the aristocratic creme de la creme" — not to mention a royal warrant.

"Even the grandest ladies need to be well-supported," said Kenton, according to The Daily Mail, who measures her clients by eye rather than using conventional methods.

However, when Kenton published her memoirs, titled "Storm in a D-Cup," in March 2016, the royal corsetiere quickly ceased to be invited to conduct fittings at the palace.

As a result of the memoirs, which recount Kenton's personal experiences of fitting various members of the royal family, wandering through Buckingham Palace, as well as other anecdotes from her time in the lingerie business, Rigby & Peller lost its royal warrant this week.

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Rigby & Peller has nine boutiques across the UK including locations in Mayfair, Chelsea, and its flagship store in Knightsbridge. Brassieres typically retail for around £80 to £110 ($110 to $150).

Kenton has spent plenty of time with both the Queen and Princess Diana through the years. She regularly travelled to Buckingham Palace to conduct fittings for the Queen over the span of almost 35 years, and even claims that she became "good friends" with Diana when it turned out they both attended the same sports rehabilitation clinic in Chiswick, West London, every week.

Even after Kenton and her husband sold their majority stake in the business in 2011, Kenton remained on the firm's board and continued to fit the Queen's bras having established a strong, professional relationship with the monarch.

In order to be issued a royal warrant, a brand or retailer must have supplied goods or services to the royal family for at least five out of the last seven years. If a company loses its royal warrant, any promotional material or shop signs bearing the royal coat of arms must be removed within a given time frame agreed between the Royal Warrant Holders Association and the Retailer.

Russell Tanguay, director of warrants at the Royal Warrant Holders Association, confirmed to the MailOnline that Rigby & Keller no longer holds a royal warrant on Tuesday.

Kenton's memoirs contain accounts of the author fitting the Queen, Princess Diana, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.

The memoirs specifically recall one of the Queen’s fittings conducted in her private apartments at the palace which Kenton described in an unglamorous fashion, comparing them to "an old-fashioned dentist's waiting room" with "a jumble of mismatched [furniture]."

As well as uncovering the drab side of Buckingham Palace, Kenton also revealed that Princess Diana previously accepted posters of bikini and lingerie models for princes William and Harry.

"I never met William or Harry — though she was always talking about them," Kenton revealed in her book. "I gave her posters of models in lingerie and swimwear for them to put up in their studies at Eton."

Kenton has not been invited back to the palace since the memoirs were published in 2016.

SEE ALSO: Why the Queen might not attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

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NOW WATCH: A crypto expert explains the difference between the two largest cryptocurrencies in the world: bitcoin and Ethereum

The 10 most expensive divorce settlements in history

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Plenty of celebrities have been on the wrong end of a costly divorce settlement, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Tiger Woods, and even President Donald Trump.

Though each of those settlements were worth tens of millions of dollars, they pale in comparison to the most expensive divorce settlements of all time.

That dubious list is reserved for settlements worth hundreds of millions of dollars — and in a few eye-popping cases, $1 billion or more.

Read on to see the most expensive divorce settlements of all time:

SEE ALSO: In 9 US states, a divorce means you'll lose half of everything you own — here's why

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10. Bob Johnson and Sheila Crump Johnson, 2002 — $400 million

Television moguls Bob Johnson and Sheila Johnson were married from 1969 to 2002, and during their time together cofounded the network Black Entertainment Television.

In 2000, the couple became the first African-American billionaires, and when the couple divorced two years later, Sheila Johnson walked away with $400 million, according to ABC News.

In a twist of fate, Sheila later married the judge who presided over her divorce.



9. Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore, 2006 — $425 million

The nearly half-a-million-dollar settlement between actor Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore remains the largest Hollywood divorce payout in history.

The settlement totaled half of the actor's net worth at the time.



8. Craig McCaw and Wendy McCaw, 1997 — $460 million

Cell phone industry pioneer Craig McCaw and newspaper publisher Wendy McCaw amicably divorced in 1997, with the settlement estimated to exceed $460 million in Nextel stock, according to Forbes.



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The way the Queen and Prince Philip hold hands and exchange glances reveals these telling details about their relationship, according to body language experts

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  • Queen Elizabeth II has been married to Prince Philip for over 70 years.
  • Two experts analysed photographs of the pair over time.
  • They rarely show public affection, yet some small gestures suggest that they are still deeply committed to one another.
  • Her Majesty naturally takes the lead but the Duke is never far behind. 
  • They share a special touch.


Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip are not known for their wild public displays of affection, but the little they do show reveals a lot.

Patti Wood, the author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, and Blanca Cobb, behind Methods of the Masters, analysed photographs of the Queen and her Prince over time — and told Good Housekeeping that little has changed over the years. 

While the younger royals appear to be more comfortable with showing their down-to-earth sides to the public, it's understandable that the older generation is a little more stiff.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh marked their platinum wedding anniversary — an impressive 70 years of marriage — in November 2017. They've been through a lifetime of royal duties and, if the rumours are true, even affairs.

Yet the one thing that has never changed is their uncompromising commitment to one another.

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Cobb told Good Housekeeping: "When you look beyond the royal formality of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth's public appearances, you clearly see Prince Philip's love and adoration for his Queen."

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And the feeling appears to be mutual.

queen philip

But according to Wood, being the Monarch and all, the Queen feels the need to assert her independence, and she is "always trying to be seen as her own person."

queen philip

He naturally lets her take the lead, but he's never far behind.

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They even have a special touch that isn't all about affection.

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"This type of hand hold is seen time and time again," said Wood. "It's more formal than interlocking fingers but it's unique to them. It's their way of reassurance and comfort."

Although these days, she pointed out, the touch is also for practical reasons, as at 91 years old Her Majesty is not as strong as she once was. "In her older years, the Queen holds hands with the Prince for assistance as opposed to affection."

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And the Prince is always dutifully ready and waiting. "He's constantly looking at the Queen to make sure that she's okay. He's completely in tune with her needs," Cobb added.

During public appearances, you'll often catch them engrossed in a private conversation, a feat for any couple after a lifetime of marriage.

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And they really do seem to still share the look of love...

Queen Philip Reuter s Paul Hackett

...And make each other smile.

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SEE ALSO: There's a theory for why Prince William always holds George's hand in public while Kate looks after Charlotte — and experts on royals say it could be true

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NOW WATCH: We talked to Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman about tax reform, Trump, and bitcoin

Take a look inside the hidden bedrooms on board Boeing's 787 Dreamliner (BA)

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  • Qantas took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in October of 2017.
  • Before Qantas flew the Dreamliner to Australia, Business Insider got the chance to tour the plane.
  • As part of the tour, we got access to the Dreamliner's crew-rest compartments.
  • They are hidden compartments where pilots and flights attendants go to rest during long flights.


In March, Qantas will begin scheduled nonstop flights to London from its hub in Perth, Western Australia. The 17-hour-long, 9,008-mile flight is one of the longest in the world.

These flights are so long that pilots and flight attendants work on a rotating schedule, which means they need a place to sleep.

Most modern wide-body airliners used for long-haul international flights are equipped with crew-rest compartments.

To make this route possible, Australia's national airline ordered a fleet of eight brand-new Boeing 787-9s.

Business Insider got the chance to preview Qantas' first new Boeing 787-9 in October. As part of the tour, Qantas gave us access to the hidden crew-rest compartments located above the main passenger cabin. Since these are areas of the aircraft that are strictly off-limits to the flying public, we simply couldn't say no.

Here's a closer look at the pilot and flight attendant crew rests on board the Boeing 787-9.

SEE ALSO: Take a look inside the Boeing factory where it builds its most iconic jets

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Qantas took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in October. As part of the delivery ceremony, members of the media were allowed to tour the brand new jet.



Here's a look at the Dreamliner's state-of-the-art glass cockpit. Turn around ...



And you'll see the hidden doorway to the pilot's rest compartment. Since the Qantas Dreamliner does not have a first-class cabin, the crew rest is located above the business-class seats at the front of the plane.



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I tried the science-backed 7-minute routine that was one of 2017's hottest workouts, and it actually works

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When I first heard about an app that promises the benefits of a sweaty bike ride or trip to the gym in seven minutes, I assumed it was all hype.

It isn't.

Designed by exercise physiologist Chris Jordan, the Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout gets your heart pumping and helps build muscle.

The app is a great introduction to a trendy type of fitness routine called interval training, and it's ideal for weekends or days when I can't make it to my regular yoga class.

Here's what it's like.

SEE ALSO: 11 ways one type of exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug we have

DON'T MISS: The 10 most popular workouts of 2017

The entire workout really takes just seven minutes. I was initially skeptical about whether I could accomplish this much in such a narrow time frame.



The program consists of 72 exercises like jumping jacks, sit-ups, and push-ups. Ten require nothing but your body, and for others, you just need a chair that can support your weight. The latest version of the app lets you do each exercise along with Jordan.



To do my workout, I set up a yoga mat on the hardwood floor of my office and used a stool.



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