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50 Cent was reportedly spending $70,000 a month on his 52-room Connecticut home. We asked 3 real-estate agents to break down the 'invisible' costs of owning a mansion.

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purchase new york

A massive mansion with perfectly manicured grounds, a private pool, and a high-tech security system may sound like a dream home to many.

But such a house will cost you much more than just the mortgage.

"There are many 'invisible costs' of owning a so-called mansion," RC Atlee of Compass, who sells luxury homes in the Hamptons in New York, told Business Insider.

These costs, which can include utility bills, landscaping, maintenance emergencies, security systems, and smart-home technology, can quickly add up to thousands of dollars per month.

Take 50 Cent, who recently sold his 52-room Connecticut mansion for $2.9 million after 12 years. The rapper was spending about $70,000 per month, including property taxes and mortgage payments, to keep the house, which he bought for $4.1 million in 2003, according to The Wall Street Journal. The 50,000-square-foot home includes two private pools and indoor and outdoor basketball courts.

Read more: 50 Cent's Connecticut mansion, once listed for $18.5 million, has finally sold at an 84% discount after 12 years. Here's what the 52-room house looks like.

Atlee pointed to New York's "mansion tax," which requires anyone buying a residential property for more than $1 million to pay 1% of the sale price. The tax can be up to 4.15% for a property selling for $25 million or more, he said. 

"Things like that are a part of our standard disclaimer and should always be communicated to the buyer," Atlee said.

But taxes are just the beginning.

The invisible costs of owning a mansion can add up

Homeowners expect to pay utility bills, of course, but what some buyers may not know is how much these costs can add up in a large home — especially when they're coming from an apartment in the city.

"In a condo, your heat and hot water is probably part of your common charges, but if you buy say, a townhouse with 14-foot ceilings and have to pay all of your own utilities including heat, it can cost $2,000 to 3,000 per month," Justin Rubinstein of the Michael Graves Team at Compass told Business Insider. 

And then there's landscaping. Keeping lawns, gardens, and water features in pristine condition can cost thousands per month, depending on the size of the home.

50 cent

"Landscaping is always important because who wants to spend $10 million on a house and have an unappealing facade or front yard?" Rubinstein said. "Depending on the size of the property, this can easily eclipse $100,000 per year."

Rubinstein said homeowners should also consider setting aside money each month for maintenance emergencies.

"Eventually, there will be a flood, or an electrical issue, or a roof repair," he said. "And whether you save money each month for that, or you just risk it and wait for something to happen, it's definitely an invisible cost."

Smart-home systems may be the 'biggest hidden cost'

Jennifer Leahy of Douglas Elliman, who sells homes that cost between $500,000 and $9 million in affluent Fairfield County, Connecticut, said larger houses in Fairfield — those about 12,000 square feet or larger — can cost homeowners an average of $10,000 per month in upkeep, from utilities to landscaping and smart-home systems.

Read more: I spent a day in one of America's richest cities, a town an hour from New York City where hedge fund managers live in multimillion-dollar homes. It was immediately clear why it's a haven for Wall Street types.

"I think probably the biggest hidden cost is that smart-home systems, like a Crestron, must be updated with frequency, and the updates can cost — no joke — $20,000 a pop," Leahy told Business Insider. "And my clients sometimes have to update them every three to six months."

And don't forget about home security.

Leahy said many of the homes she sells have home security systems from Brosnan Security, a company that deals with many of the major estates in Greenwich, Connecticut, where the average home price is $3 million, according to Leahy.

"To have video monitoring, surveillance, drones that descend when people come on the property — that could cost thousands of dollars," she said.

Still, $70,000 per month — what 50 Cent was reportedly paying — is not the norm, even in ritzy Greenwich, Leahy said. Even the larger homes in town are only about 12,000 square feet, she said, four times smaller than 50 Cent's former home, she said. But for the size of the rapper's former home, $70,000 per month doesn't surprise her.

Owning a mansion like that, Leahy said, is like "having a small hotel."

SEE ALSO: I visited one of America's richest zip codes, a neighborhood known for its country clubs and sprawling mansions, where the average income is $857,300. Here's what it looks like.

DON'T MISS: Jeff Bezos is reportedly looking to buy an NYC apartment. Here's a look at the 6 massive properties his family already owns across the US, from a sprawling Seattle estate to a set of historic NYC condos

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How to make your dull and hazy headlights crystal clear again

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

headlight lens cleaning

  • Over time, UV rays can oxidize the factory-applied clear coat on your headlights, rendering them dull and hazy. 
  • Instead of replacing them, you can save hundreds of dollars by restoring them yourself with one of these under-$20 kits.
  • Based on personal experience, I recommend the Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit that uses a power drill to sand off the haze because it's fast and easy to use. However, it doesn't come with a replacement UV-blocking coat, so you'll have to re-polish the headlights every once in a while.
  • If you're willing to put more time and energy into the process for longer-lasting results, the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit comes with a replacement clear coat to protect your lights over time, but it requires sanding down your headlights by hand. 

Driving at night is no fun (not to mention dangerous) when you can't see where you're going. Although you've probably blamed poor visibility on bad bulbs, the problem is more likely the headlight lens, not the lights themselves.

Most headlight lenses are treated with a UV-blocking, clear coating from the factory, but over time, they can become corroded. The corrosion causes a dull and hazy overlay, which drastically diminishes light output — and no matter how bright your bulbs are, you won't be able to see well. But instead of spending hundreds of dollars replacing your headlights, there are much more affordable ways to make them crystal clear again.

You may have heard of janky methods involving toothpaste or bug spray to clear headlights, but the best way to do it is with a headlight restoration kit and a little bit of elbow grease. As a car enthusiast, I've done my fair share of DIY projects involving car restorations and repairs, and clearing up a set of headlights the simplest and and most satisfying jobs to complete. 

Here's what you'll need

  • A headlight restoration kit: I recommend the Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit that uses a power drill to scrub through haze quickly, though it requires a little more maintenance since it doesn't come with a replacement UV-blocking coating.
  • You can also opt for the manual Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit that requires sanding by hand. It takes more time and effort, but it comes with a UV-blocking coat that will give you longer lasting results. I haven't tested this personally, but it's highly rated on Amazon (4.6 stars out of 5, from over 4,200 customers).
  • Painter's masking tape: If you don't have some, any one of these on Amazon will do.
  • Microfiber cloths: The kit you get may have towels and applicators included, but it's always a good idea to have extras on hand for this job and other car-related cleaning jobs. 
  • A power drill: If you choose the drill-based kit, you probably already have one handy, but if you're in the market for one, check out our cordless drill buying guide.

Now that you've got your supplies, let's go over the cleaning methods.

How to use a drilled-based kit

mothers

Regardless of what type of restoration kit you use, you'll want to prep your headlights by cleaning them with soap and water and taping them off the from the rest of the car. Since the restoration process includes sanding and tough chemicals that could potentially cause some damage to your car's paint, it's a good safety practice.

Once your lights are cleaned and taped off, you're ready to begin.

The headlight restoration process always includes sanding. While you can go to town sanding your headlights by hand, the NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit makes it easier by letting a power drill do most of the work. The kit includes a 3-inch backing plate to adapt to your power drill, two 800-grit sanding disks, two 1,500-grit sanding disks, a 3,000-grit foam finishing disk, a PowerBall 4Lights polishing tool, and 8 ounces of headlight polish.

I've used this kit in the past and was extremely pleased with the results. Even if you don't consider yourself to be a master DIYer, you can still complete this job without any issues. Just follow these directions, and you'll be fine:

1. Attach the backing plate to your drill and sand the entire headlight with the 800-grit sanding disk. Use overlapping motions to make sure you don't miss any spots. Since this is the coarsest sanding disk, it might make your headlight look worse than when you started, but don't worry. The finer disks will make it better.

2. Repeat the sanding process with the 1,500-grit disk and then the 3,000-grit foam finishing disk. By working your way up to the finer grit disks, you'll achieve a smooth finish.

3. Apply a nickel-sized amount of the headlight polish to the foam PowerBall while the drill is off. Polish with the drill on until a clear finish is achieved. If you need more polish, gradually add more to your foam throughout the process. If you add too much polish at once, it'll likely fling off the foam PowerBall, making a mess.

4. Clean off any excess polish and buff the headlight lens with a microfiber towel.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 on your second headlight.

Since this effectively removes the damaged factory clear coat, you can maintain the clear finish by re-polishing your headlights periodically. You've already done a majority of the work, so it's a lot easier going forward. You'll only need to apply the polish (by hand or with the drill attachment) and buff it off.

Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit, available on Amazon, $19.97 (Originally $31.49) [You save $11.52]


How to use a non-drill-based kit

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If you're willing to invest a little bit more time and effort into your headlights, a kit that involves sanding by hand is the best DIY alternative. This one in particular can give you longer-lasting results since it comes with a UV-blocking polish that the other doesn't have (the drill-based kit strips the factory UV-block coating to clear the headlight and requires a little more maintenance to keep clear over time).

Though I haven't used this one myself, with a 4.6-out-of-5-star rating from over 4,200 customer reviews on Amazon, the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit seems to be a fan-favorite option. The kit includes one ounce of surface activator spray, one ounce of UV block clear coat, clarifying compound, an applicator cloth, two polishing cloths, a vinyl glove, and sandpaper in 400-grit, 800-grit, and 2,000-grit.

Unless you prefer to use your own gloves or microfiber cloths for drying and polishing, everything you need is included. Since this kit uses a wet sanding method, you'll need some water on hand. A bucket, spray bottle, or hose will all work fine. Once you've taped off your headlights as a precaution, you're ready to start.

1. Spray the surface activator onto the headlight lens. This softens the plastic and makes it easier to sand. Let it work for 30 seconds before rinsing it off with water. Dry the headlight.

2. Wet both the 400-grit sandpaper and the headlight lens and sand in a circular motion for about five minutes. Make sure to cover all areas of the headlight. Once you've thoroughly sanded the entire headlight, dry it off.

3. Repeat the wet sanding process with the 800-grit and 2,000 grit sandpapers. Since the sandpapers get finer with each step, you'll want to apply more pressure with each sandpaper. Dry the headlight off and you'll have a smooth surface.

4. Wet the headlight lens and apply the clarifying compound with one of the included polishing cloths. Use circular motions to apply it the same way you'd apply car wax. Rinse off any excess compound and dry the headlight.

5. Re-apply the surface activator (see step one), remove the tape, and completely dry the headlight. Your headlight should still look somewhat hazy, but that will change with the next step.

6. While wearing the supplied glove, apply the UV-block clear coat to the blue applicator cloth. Then, swipe it onto your headlights in clean, sweeping strokes from edge-to-edge. Use slightly overlapping strokes to make sure the entire headlight is covered and you'll see a crystal clear finish. Don't re-apply — you only need one coat of the UV blocker.

7. Repeat steps 1-7 on the second headlight.

While this kit does take more time and elbow grease than the drill-based kit, it's worth the extra effort. Rather than just removing the corroded factory clear coat and polishing the lens, the Sylvania kit also replaces the clear coat, so you won't have to do anything to upkeep the finish. Many years will pass before it begins to deteriorate as the factory finish did. 

Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit, available on Amazon, $19.99 (Originally $30.99) [You save $11]

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Save 20% on sale styles at Nike and up to 70% on outdoor furniture at Wayfair — and 6 other sales and deals happening now

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening today to save you time, with savings on sneakers and apparel at Nike, Easter gifts at Shari's Berries, and shoes at Clarks. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

Nike

1. Save an extra 20% on all sale styles at Nike

Now through April 21, you can save an extra 20% on sale styles at Nike by using the promo code "SAVE20" at checkout. This deal covers everything from performance gear to lifestyle sneakers — a good chance to save on warm-weather essentials for your outdoor workouts or adventures. To potentially save more at Nike, visit Business Insider Coupons to find the most up-to-date coupons and promo codes.

Shop the Nike sale now.

Shari's Berries

2. Save 20% on all gifts over $29 at Shari's Berries

Easter is right around the corner and if you're still looking for a gift, Shari's Berries is a real crowd pleaser. Right now, you can save 20% on edible gifts over $29. Whether you want to go with classic chocolate-covered strawberries or Easter-themed treats like chocolate bunnies,and jelly beans, you'll find something sweet to send to your loved ones. To potentially save more at Shari's Berries, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Shari's Berries sale now

Dyson

3. Save big on a Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Total Clean Vacuum at Best Buy

The Dyson Cinetic vacuum uses Big Ball technology for easy and accurate maneuverability, HEPA filters for removing allergens from your home, and a bagless canister for convenience. The state-of-the-art vacuum cleaner was originally $600, but you can save as much as $300 on one today only as a Best Buy Deal of the Day. Keep in mind that these vacuums usually sell for $400-$500 now, so the $600 retail price is from when it first released. Still, the $100-$200 savings from its current market value is still a great deal. For more deals and savings at Best Buy, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Total Clean Bagless Upright Vacuum, $299.99 (Originally $599.99) [You save up to $300]

Snapfish

4. Save 60% or more on photo gifts at Snapfish

With Mother's Day and graduation season approaching, you may be looking to turn your best photos into a gift. Whether you want to make cards, canvases, books, or just frame a picture, Snapfish has you covered. Right now, you can save 60% sitewide by using the promo code "APR6019" at checkout. You'll also find select gifts at an even biggest discount, like 65% off cards with the promo code "65APRCD" or 70% off hardcover books with the promo code "APRBK1199" at checkout. 

Shop the Snapfish sale now

Wayfair

5. Save up to 70% on outdoor furniture at Wayfair

This week only, you can save up to 70% on all things outdoor. The sale includes outdoor seating, gazebos, fire pits, outdoor lighting, trampolines, swing sets, bird baths, and much more. Whether you're doing a full outdoor renovation or simply adding final touches to your backyard or patio, you'll find great deals here. To potentially save even more at Wayfair visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Wayfair sale now

Clarks

6. Save 30% when you spend $130 or more at Clarks

Clarks is our go-to for styles that balance all-day walkability with a work-appropriate sensibility. Now through April 22, you can save 30% when you spend $130 by using the promo code "TAKE30" at checkout. The sale includes styles for men, women, and kids. For additional savings and deals at Clarks, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Clarks sale now

Chef'sChoice slicer

7. Save $81 on a Chef'sChoice electric slicer

If you take cooking seriously, your kitchen is probably filled with all kinds of cooking gadgets and appliances. But we'd venture to guess you're probably missing an electric slicer, which is actually a lot more useful than it seems, especially around Easter and the holidays when you may be entertaining a lot. Most commonly used for slicing meat, Chef's Choice electric slicer is also great for slicing bread and vegetables. It's not that we're saying it's a necessary tool, but it's a fun one to have around if you love to get experimental or you host big dinners often. Originally priced at $180, you can pick one up for $99 as an Amazon Deal of the Day. 

Chef'sChoice 615A Electric Slicer, $98.99 (Originally $180) [You save $81.01]

Helix mattress

8. Save up to $200 on Helix Sleep Mattresses

If your current mattress isn't living up to your comfort standards, it's time to upgrade. And, if you're looking for a deal on comfortable mattresses, there's one happening now on a Helix Sleep Mattress (which is what I personally sleep on). The brand designs custom mattresses based on data collected from your comfort and sleep quiz. Right now, you can save $75 on any mattress by using the promo code "TOPRATED75" and $200 on any Luxe mattress by using the promo code "TOPRATED200" at checkout. To learn more about the customization process, check out my review.

Shop the Helix Sleep sale now.

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Facebook usage is slowly dwindling — but Instagram is booming (FB)

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facebook ceo mark zuckerberg

  • The average time people are spending on Facebook is continuing to decline.
  • That's according to a new survey from financial services firm Cowen.
  • But Instagram, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app, is growing healthily.
  • The data underlines the stark contrast between the scandal-rocked core Facebook social network and its buzzy sister app.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Facebook and Instagram are currently following very different paths.

Time spent on the core Facebook app by its 1.52 billion daily active users is steadily dwindling, continuing a years-long downwards trend — but Instagram is booming.

Financial services firm Cowen recently published the latest update from its quarterly social survey, that analyses usage trends of the major social networks. It found that in the first quarter of 2019, the average daily time spent on Facebook by users in the US dropped to 49 minutes — down from 51 minutes three months ago, and substantively down from the 58-minute average of Q1 2017.

Instagram, meanwhile, is creeping up slowly, to an average 34 minutes a day (up 3% year-on-year), with the biggest jumps in core young demographics.

The data, based on a survey of 2,500 people, provides insight into how usage patterns on Facebook are declining amid its years of scandals — but make clear that Instagram continues to be a rich seam of opportunity for the California social networking firm to grow. 

Cowen analyst John Blackledge described Facebook as "the premier social advertising platform," and predicts 15% annual growth in company revenues until 2024. 

cowen facebook q1 2019

Buffeted by successive crises and mounting criticism over the effects in social media, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January 2018 that one of the company's targets for the year was to focus on "time well spent" — prioritizing "meaningful interactions" on the platform over passive consumption of content like viral video, even if it means users spent less time on Facebook overall.

Some of the drop-off detected by Cowen will likely be attributable to these changes — but the data also highlights that the origins of this decline preceded the changes, and that Facebook still isn't at the bottom, more than a year later. 

Instagram, on the other hand, has gone from strength to strength, avoiding the degree of scandals that have faced Facebook's core app (scrutiny over bullying and self-harm imagery notwithstanding). "Instagram most notably experienced an ~4 minute per day increase compared to last year among users 25-35," wrote Blackledge. "Usage among the highest-engagement 18-24 cohort was also up ~2 minutes/day vs last year."

Meanwhile, investors' mouths are watering at the potential of Instagram's big push into shopping, with analysts for Deutsche Bank recently predicting that it will generate $10 billion of revenue for the company in 2021.


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SEE ALSO: AN UNLIKELY REVOLUTIONARY: How Tristan Harris went from working at Apple and Google to consulting with heads of state about how to reform Silicon Valley

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This direct-to-consumer jewelry company makes customizable, minimalist wedding rings starting at $179 — taking the stress out of the shopping process

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

holden main

  • Simple, inexpensive, high-quality, and personal. Few jewelry stores offer these qualities in their wedding ring offerings and shopping experiences, but they're what many couples want, and what ultimately makes online company Holden stand out. 
  • You can customize every aspect of your wedding ring on its site, and spend less than $200 for the final product to be produced and shipped to you.
  • Finding the perfect ring shouldn't be as stressful as it is, which is why the founders created an easy-to-use online design studio and offer free sizing, shipping, and 14-day returns. 

It's all too easy to question how much you even want a wedding ring anymore after you've wearily walked into your sixth jewelry store of the day and confirmed that once again, it contains hovering salespeople, an overwhelming number of options, and price tags that make you think, "really?"

You shouldn't give up just yet because a new online startup called Holden, which sells high-quality customizable wedding rings starting at just $179, could be putting an end to this unnecessarily stressful search. 

Holden is not the first company, nor the first foray into jewelry for co-founders Simon Zhang and Andrew Lim. After graduating from Dartmouth, they founded MUJO, an online fashion jewelry brand, and met countless couples who couldn't find wedding bands they liked. Once they felt the frustration themselves while helping Lim's brother shop for a ring, it became clear that something needed to change.

By offering affordable, one-of-a-kind rings on a convenient online platform, Holden is a response to the expensive and overwhelming ordeal that wedding ring shopping has unfortunately become. 

Couples who are interested in its rings can start with the Ring Size Kit, which the company will send free of charge. Then, you can choose from eight different ring profiles and start designing your rings in the Holden Design Studio. The following features are all customizable:

  • Metal: Silver Palladium, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, or Platinum
  • Karat: 14-karat or 18-karat
  • Width: 1.5mm, 3mm, 4.5mm, or 6mm
  • Finish: Matte or Mirror
  • Optional Engraving: Up to 20 characters 

engraved holden ring

Read more: Online startup Vrai & Oro is challenging the traditional jewelry industry with conflict-free diamonds and custom engagement rings

The Domed, Square, and Triangle profiles are the most popular shapes, while the 14-karat Yellow and White Gold are the most popular metals, but don't feel pressured to follow the crowd — if you have alternative designs in mind, you can contact Holden directly to make your dream wedding ring a reality.  

It takes up to two weeks to produce the ring, which is crafted to order in New York City. The design is 3D printed, cast into conflict-free and recycled precious metals, and hand-polished before making its way to your doorstep. 

Traditional custom rings are usually pricey because of how time-intensive the design and production processes are, but Holden bypasses these hurdles by making the customer the designer and using efficient 3D printing technology. Free shipping and 14-day returns, complimentary resizing for life, and a limited lifetime warranty policy are other features that differentiate Holden from the typical jewelry shop. 

Lim says revenue has doubled month over month since the company launched in April 2018, and it's on track to generate annualized revenue in the millions by the end of 2018. As direct-to-consumer jewelry startups make their way into the mainstream, we don't see this growth slowing down any time soon. 

Design a wedding ring ($179+) at Holden here

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As the Justice Department gets ready to release the Mueller report, Ted Cruz says he hopes 'very little of it is redacted'

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Ted Cruz

  • Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he supports releasing the special counsel Robert Mueller's final report in the Russia investigation to the public with minimal redactions.
  • "I hope very little of it is redacted," Cruz told reporters. "If a lot of it's redacted, I'm sure that'll be an issue, and there'll be a lot of discussion about that, but I look forward to seeing what's in it."
  • Cruz is among just a handful of Republican lawmakers who support releasing the report with few redactions.
  • The Justice Department is poised to release a redacted version of the report on Thursday.
  • Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee lawyers and aides are reportedly planning on combing through the document and, depending on their findings, determining whether to subpoena the Justice Department for an un-redacted copy of the report.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Wednesday he believes the special counsel Robert Mueller's final report in the Russia investigation should be released with minimal redactions.

"I look forward to reading the report, seeing what's in it," Cruz told reporters. "I hope — I think the entire report should be released, and so I've called for the public release early on. I hope very little of it is redacted. If a lot of it's redacted, I'm sure that'll be an issue, and there'll be a lot of discussion about that, but I look forward to seeing what's in it."

Cruz is among just a handful of Republican lawmakers who have called for the report's public release with as few redactions as possible.

Earlier this year, GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley said he supported releasing the report.

"I don't care what the report says," Grassley told the radio host Hugh Hewitt in February. "We paid $25 million, maybe $35 million to do it, and the public ought to know what their $25 or $35 million bought. And except for national security and privacy of individuals — those would be understandably redacted — everything else, I think, ought to be out."

Read more:Washington is bracing for the redacted Mueller report. Here's everything we know about the 400-page document.

In March, Attorney General William Barr sent a letter to Congress with his "principal conclusions" on the Mueller report. Barr wrote that Mueller's team did not find sufficient evidence to bring a conspiracy charge against President Donald Trump or anyone on his campaign for coordinating with Russia during the 2016 election.

Barr also said Mueller's team declined to make a "traditional prosecutorial judgment" on whether Trump obstructed justice and did not draw a conclusion one way or another. Instead, Mueller laid out all the evidence prosecutors had collected on both sides of the issue.

After reviewing the evidence, Barr said he consulted with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and other senior Justice Department officials, and he determined there was not enough evidence to charge Trump with an obstruction crime.

Barr's decision sparked immediate calls from Democratic lawmakers for Barr to obtain permission from a judge to  release the full, un-redacted Mueller report to Congress so they could determine whether the president had committed impeachable offenses, and whether those around him warranted more investigative scrutiny.

Read more:The Justice Department says the redacted Mueller report will be released Thursday

Barr, meanwhile, has resisted calls to release the report without any redactions, and the Justice Department said this week that it will release the redacted report on Thursday afternoon.

The Wall Street Journal reported that once they get a redacted version of the report, House Judiciary Committee lawyers and aides plan to comb through the document and determine whether there is a large gap between what they requested from the Justice Department and what the redacted copy of the report provides.

Based on their findings, The Journal reported, the committee will decide whether to subpoena the department for a full version of the report, as well as its underlying evidence.

SEE ALSO: Washington is bracing for the redacted Mueller report. Here's everything we know about the 400-page document.

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NOW WATCH: 'He is a racist. He is a conman.' Michael Cohen's most explosive claims about Trump in his blockbuster hearing

An Israeli flight attendant has reportedly been in a coma for 10 days after contracting measles

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El Al

  • A flight attendant for the Israeli airline El Al has been in a coma for 10 days after contracting measles, CNN reported, citing Israel's Ministry of Health.
  • The flight attendant went to the hospital on March 31 with a fever and is now in the intensive care unit of a hospital near Tel Aviv, according to the CNN report. She is reportedly using a respirator to breathe.
  • As of April 4, at least 465 people in the United States have contracted measles, according to the CDC, more than in any full year since 2014, when there were 667 reported cases.
  • The rise in measles cases has followed lower rates of vaccination.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

A flight attendant for the Israeli airline El Al has been in a coma for 10 days after contracting measles, CNN reported, citing Israel's Ministry of Health.

The woman, who is 43-years-old, was reportedly healthy before catching the virus, but has now developed a brain inflammation known as encephalitis. According to the Mayo Clinic, encephalitis most often results in mild symptoms, if any, like fevers or headaches, but in rare cases can be fatal.

One or two in 1,000 children who contract measles will die from the virus, while one in 1,000 will develop encephalitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read more:Even if you got the measles vaccine, you may not be protected against the disease — here's how to tell

The flight attendant went to the hospital on March 31 with a fever and is now in the intensive care unit of a hospital near Tel Aviv, according to the CNN report. She is reportedly using a respirator to breathe.

Israeli health authorities do not yet know where the flight attendant contracted measles, but told CNN it could have happened in Israel, New York, or during a flight between them.

"El Al operates in accordance with the directives of the Ministry of Health," an El Al representative told Business Insider.

The flight attendant reportedly received the measles vaccine as a child, but was given just one dose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a single dose of measles vaccine is 93% effective, while two doses are 97% effective.

As of April 4, at least 465 people in the United States have contracted measles, according to the CDC, more than in any full year since 2014, when there were 667 reported cases. The rise in measles cases has followed lower rates of vaccination. Anti-vaccination groups and rhetoric have spurred controversy and frustrated the health community.

"We are starting to see a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases we thought we got rid of in the US. I am concerned when the proportion of individuals exempting is growing and becomes large enough that it puts the public at risk," Nathaniel Smith, president-elect of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told Insider, Business Insider's sister publication. 

SEE ALSO: Measles is a public health emergency in the US — these 15 charts explain the vaccine problem

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We took the Tesla Model 3 for a test drive. Here are the best and worst features.

Egypt is the biggest hot spot for elite travelers in 2019. Here's what it's like to visit as a billionaire, from luxury resorts on the Red Sea to sold-out cruises down the Nile

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egypt beach

Egypt is the hottest destination billionaires are traveling to this year, according to boutique luxury travel agency Original Travel, which plans trips for high-net-worth individuals.

The country came in first in Original Travel's ranking of top destinations where billionaires are headed in 2019, which it determined by looking at the number of bookings and performance; the latter was assessed by a combination of feedback and client inquiries. Their 2019 bookings for Egypt are set to triple last year's bookings, Amelia Stewart, brand ambassador for Original Travel, told Business Insider.

You don't have to look far to see Egypt's appeal: It has a rich Pharaonic history and plenty of iconic landmarks, not to mention Greek, Roman, and Islamic influences to explore.

Like most travelers, billionaires visit Egypt to soak up its sights and history — but they do so while taking advantage of Egypt's plentiful luxury offerings, from fine dining restaurants in Cairo to beach resorts along the coast of the Red Sea.

Below, see what's propelling billionaires to visit Egypt— and what they're doing when they get there. Prices indicated for hotels are representative of rates booked two months in advance.

SEE ALSO: These are the 15 hottest destinations billionaires are traveling to in 2019

DON'T MISS: These are the 10 hottest destinations billionaires are flying to via private jet this summer

Egypt has something for everyone, Stewart said: "Most people consider Egypt as a must-see destination in their lifetime. And there are those who return time and time again."

Source: Original Travel



The best time to visit is typically October through March. "A common misconception is that you shouldn't visit during Ramadan, but in fact the Islamic month of fasting is festive and it's fun to break the daily fast on the streets at sunset with all the locals," Stewart said.

Source: Original Travel



Part of Egypt's appeal is that it's full of new discoveries, according to Stewart. For instance, Alexander the Great's final resting place may have recently been discovered in Alexandria, the city he founded.

Source: National Geographic



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to easily record your screen on a Mac computer

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MacBook Air family 2018

Say you want to capture something on your Mac screen — but a screenshot just won't do it. You need something more dynamic, or maybe you need to show subtle changes or you just want to save a video without the hassle of downloading it.

That's when screen recordings come in handy.

Luckily, they're also easy to accomplish on a Mac. All you need is the QuickTime Player app (which is an Apple product, so you shouldn't have to worry about downloading anything.)

Here's how to get it done:

How to screen record on any Mac computer

1. Click to the Finder in your dock (located at the bottom of your screen).

Screen record Mac 1

2. Click on the Applications tab in the left sidebar.

3. Double click the QuickTime Player to launch it (Note: Nothing will pop up, but you will see the app logo appear on your Mac's dock).

click quicktime

4. Go to "File" in the toolbar at the top of your screen.

Screen record Mac 3

5. Click "New Screen Recording" (this will prompt a new recording window to appear).

Screen record Mac 4

6. Optional: If you want to record sound as well (using your computer's internal microphone), you'd click the down carrot, located next to the circular, white-and-red recording button.

Screen record Mac 5

7. Click the recording button.

8. To record everything, click anywhere on the screen; or, if you want to record a specific section of your screen, click and drag a box around the appropriate section and then click the "start recording" button (Note: The recording window will disappear from your screen once you start recording)

Screen record Mac 6

9. To end the recording, click on the small recording icon in the upper-left side of the toolbar at the top of the screen (it will look like a grayed-out square inside of a circle)

Once you end the recording, a new window of your screen-record video will appear. If you click the red "close" button in the upper left corner of the window, you'll be prompted to either save it (that's where you'd be able to name the recording and change its location on your computer) or, if you aren't satisfied with it, you can always delete it and try again.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best MacBook you can buy

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I went to Coachella for the first time. The most underrated part of the festival is how good the organizers are at picking what times musicians perform.

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Childish Gambino, Coachella 2019 Weekend 1, Friday, Main Stage

  • The Coachella Music & Arts Festival takes place over two weekends in April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
  • I decided to go to Coachella for the first time this year.
  • One of the best parts of the festival, for me, was how well the organizers chose set times for artists: The musical styles at each stage alternated, which encouraged festivalgoers to not stay in one place the entire time.
  • That made it easier to get a great position for the artists I really cared about seeing.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories or check out more of our coverage on this year's edition of Coachella.

Picking the set times for a festival has to be one of the most stressful jobs at Goldenvoice, the company behind the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California. It's akin to making the world's longest playlist and large-scale social engineering at the same time.

Festivalgoers are there to see a dozen of their favorite artists or more, which means questions like which artists' fan-bases are likely to overlap, which artists are ready for a main-stage spot and which would be better off in a more intimate venue, and which artists can bring up the energy at the end of the festival all need to be considered. And that's not to mention how you can make sure that the 100,000 people attending the festival don't all end up at the same stage.

I'm picturing the Goldenvoice team looking a little like this at the end of it:

pepesilvia

After attending Coachella for the first time this past weekend, I came away with the impression that Goldenvoice has schedule-building down to a science. 

Generally speaking, Goldenvoice seems to alternate different musical styles at each stage. This, I found, both encouraged casual fans to move around the festival to see different artists, while rewarding die-hard fans who wanted to get a great position to see their favorite artist. 

On Friday, the end-of-day lineup for the main stage was, in this order: Kacey Musgraves, Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, The 1975, Janelle Monae, and Childish Gambino. 

As a major fan of Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, I got to the front of the main stage during Kacey Musgraves' set and found a great spot against the fence of the first section (the field is divided into multiple sections for the first few hundred feet).

Anderson

It was perfect for seeing Anderson .Paak and it would have been for seeing the rest of the night's lineup, but I had to make a choice. After Anderson .Paak was the 1975, an English pop rock band that's not exactly my cup of tea. Did I care enough about having an amazing spot for Janelle Monae and Childish Gambino to stick around? In my case, I did — but most, I suspect, didn't make that choice. As I watched the crowd around me, it almost completely turned over from set to set.

I, like the few dozen diehards who stuck with me, was rewarded for the patience. I ended up getting a view of Childish Gambino that would've cost me hundreds of dollars alone if I went to his solo tour.

Childish

Some of that turnover happens naturally at a festival. There are a lot of artists playing, and people like sampling the music. But the amount of movement I saw at each stage each day indicated to me that Goldenvoice had made some smart choices to move the crowd around.

At other times, the schedule design showed up in subtle ways. Sunday, for example, featured laid-back acts like boy pablo, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Dermot Kennedy, before cranking up the energy with the electro-house of Zedd. I watched a crowd of lethargic people instantly put their fists in the air as Zedd started blasting over the speakers. It brought the whole crowd back up for Khalid and Ariana Grande on Sunday night.

To give an example of how this could go the other way, when I attended Governors Ball in 2017, the festival scheduled Childish Gambino for a Saturday headlining set at the same time as indie pop titans Phoenix. While Childish Gambino sits somewhere at the nexus of hip-hop, funk, and indie, his fans in New York tends toward the same hipsters that adore Phoenix. My partner was so torn between the two that she ran out of Childish Gambino's set two-thirds of the way through to try to catch the last third of Phoenix's performance. By the time she made it to Phoenix, the band was finishing its last song.

I'm sure this article will elicit responses in the vein of, "But actually, the scheduling was terrible because two of my favorite artists were playing at the same time." If you ask me, that's inevitable with any festival. With 100,000 attendees, there will be overlap.

But, on the whole, and I noticed this at Goldenvoice's now-defunct New York City-based Panorama Festival, the team seems to thoughtfully pick where to put each artist. It made a big difference in my experience at the festival.

SEE ALSO: I had an amazing time at Coachella — but I probably still wouldn't go back because of the effort it takes to get there

DON'T MISS: I spent a weekend at Coachella, and my favorite part of the festival is a rule most people over 21 would probably hate

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A mathematician gave us the easiest explanation of pi and why it's so important

E-cig company Juul is considering creating a digital health tool for smokers who want to quit

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vaping juul

  • Juul is the most popular e-cigarette in America and the company is partially owned by Altria, the tobacco giant behind Marlboro cigarettes.
  • Juul is on a quest to show that its sleek devices can help adult smokers take up a healthier habit, despite pushback from regulators who are concerned about youth vaping.
  • The company has gotten a makeover in recent years and started doing health research.
  • Now, Juul is beefing up a team focused on behavioral research that could include work on an app or other smartphone-based tool for smokers who want to cut back.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

The e-cigarette company Juul is considering dipping its toes into digital health.

The company, whose sleek devices are the most popular e-cigarette in America, is beefing up a team focused on behavioral research, a Juul representative confirmed to Business Insider. Juul is hiring for two new positions that could consider, among other things, creating an app or other smartphone-based tool that would help smokers who want to use its products to stay away from cigarettes, job postings show.

Part of one new role, according to a job description posted on Juul's website last week, includes "developing the foundations for programs that more fully meet smokers' personal goals ... including mobile health-based intervention."

Partially owned by Altria, the tobacco giant behind Marlboro cigarettes, Juul has undergone a makeover in recent years as it works to position itself as a serious alternative to smoking.

The company has faced scrutiny for its popularity among young people. At the center of the debate is a six-month launch campaign that the company kicked off with a promotional party. The campaign featured images of young models on bright, colorful backgrounds and included ads on social media.

Beginning this year, Juul started publishing health research as it works to move from buzzy startup to established company.

A big aim of that research is to show that its flash-drive-like e-cigarettes might help smokers take up a healthier habit than using combustible cigarettes. Last month, the company financed a study which provided the first clear evidence that some people are using Juul e-cigarettes to cut back on smoking. 

The work from Juul's behavioral research team — along with any smartphone-based tool that it may create — would complement those efforts.

Erik Augustson, a former program director at the National Cancer Institute, is heading up the work of that team, the Juul spokesperson said. At NCI, Augustson worked on initiatives to get people to stop smoking, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Augustson's team will also conduct more research into patterns of use among adults and youth and explore the kinds of factors that might play a role in whether someone uses the Juul to switch away from traditional cigarettes.

Currently, the team is heavily focused on submitting an application to have its products approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the Juul spokesperson said.

'More than just products'

In addition to its e-cigarettes, Juul could eventually offer smokers an app or similar tool that they could use for support while they try to curb their use of traditional cigarettes. That might include connecting them with a network of like-minded peers with whom they could regularly check in, or something as simple as a resource that includes motivational chat rooms and videos.

Christopher Russell, the lead author of the study Juul financed and published last month and a psychologist at the Scotland-based research consulting firm CSUR, previously told Business Insider that he believes more e-cigarette companies should be working on behavioral tools like this.

"I think increasingly, e-cigarette manufacturers who are genuinely interested in being a smoking alternative, I think they need to start selling more than just products," Russell said.

"They need to start selling a service as well, where they give wrap-around behavioral support that includes things like videos and chat rooms. Something where there's a human-to-human interaction. So you get the satisfying product and a network of peers," he said.

As part of Juul's behavioral research program, its researchers are studying more than 70,000 participants, according to the Juul spokesperson. They are looking to learn whether and how these people change their smoking habits as they use the Juul over the course of up to a year.

"We remain focused on how we can best support adult smokers in their switching journey and that will continue to guide us as we submit our regulatory filings," the Juul representative said. 

SEE ALSO: We just got the first clear evidence that some people are using Juul e-cigarettes to cut back on smoking

Join the conversation about this story »

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The best pillowcases you can buy

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

the best pillowcases

  • Is there anything more wonderful than laying your head down on a clean, fresh pillowcase at night? Probably not, which is why you need the best pillowcase you can buy.
  • The L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases are our top pick because they are soft, crisp, and comfortable to sleep on every night.

Does anything beat crawling into your bed after a long day and snuggling up with a down comforter and several perfectly-plumped pillows? Not in my opinion. But what takes the experience to a whole new level is the makeup and quality of your pillowcases. These covers come in many different materials, including silk, flannel, cotton, polyester, and more.

It's standard for two pillowcases to be included with a set of sheets. But many folks, myself included, often also purchase pillowcases separately. Depending on your needs, you may want a pillowcase made from silk, cotton, flannel, or a mix of materials. We've listed the pros and cons of each fabric below:

  • Cotton: Cotton's main selling point is that it is very soft, but other positives include that it is cool to sleep on, as well as absorbent. As for downsides, a cotton pillowcase will shrink when washed and wrinkle easily. Many consider Egyptian cotton to be the best — and the softest  — in the world, but it is expensive. Flannel is just loosely woven cotton, but it's warmer and softer.
  • Polyester: This man-made fiber is popular for all bed linens, but it's not very absorbent, so it's often mixed with cotton.
  • Nylon: A common pillowcase material, nylon is an easy-care fabric that is sometimes made to look like satin. The downside? Nylon is not absorbent and can make your face sweat.
  • Linen: A natural flax product, linen is a high-quality fabric that is quite expensive. Linen has a very unique feel to it and it cannot be mistaken for another material. Like satin, it is recognized for its quality.
  • Satin: Smooth and sensuous, satin, a high-sheen fabric, has long been held as the most luxurious pillowcase material. Many believe that sleeping on satin pillowcases can help prevent facial wrinkles and keep your hair from frizzing.
  • Silk: A natural protein fiber, silk offers many of the same beauty benefits of satin. Silk pillowcases are very delicate and most often need to be hand-washed. Quality silk fabric is sold by the weight, and the unit of measurement is called a momme. Good silk sheets and pillowcases have a momme weight of 19-25 mm.

A word about thread count: Cotton sheets and pillowcases are distinguished by their thread count, which is the total number of threads per square inch in a fabric. In general, the higher the thread count, the higher the quality. Or so we were taught to believe. However, sheet experts dispute the importance of thread count.

"There's a maximum number of threads that can fit into a square inch of fabric," Scott Tannen, CEO of Boll & Branch, a luxury linen provider, explained to Business Insider. "Depending on the type of cotton used, that number is generally not more than 400. So there is an awful lot of interesting math involved in the sheets you see in a department store that can be up to a 1200 thread count."

In our picks, we've included a few 100% cotton options, a silk pillowcase, and a cozy flannel one. All our choices are highly rated by buyers and expert reviewers.

Here are the best pillowcases you can buy in 2019:

Updated on 04/17/2019 by Tessa Ruben: Updated prices, added new products, and added related buying guides.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

SEE ALSO: The best sheets you can buy for your bed

The best pillowcases overall

Why you'll love them: L.L. Bean's wonderfully smooth 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases are durable, comfortable, and soft.

L.L. Bean makes our favorite sheets, so it stands to reason that the matching pillowcases would also be our top pillowcase pick. If you already bought the sheets, but want a few extra pillowcases around, these are the best.

Woven from 100% Pima cotton for the smoothest, softest feel, L.L. Bean's Percale Pillowcases are perfect all year round. As with all percale bedding, these pillowcases have just a bit of a "crisp" finish, which feels nice and cool against your skin.

You can toss them in the washer and dryer without any fear of shrinkage and wrinkling. They are available in seven colors and a few prints. L.L. Bean offers a lifetime guarantee on its sheets and pillowcases, too, so if you don't like them or you run into a problem, you can return them.

Buyers on L.L. Bean's website largely leave favorable reviews, though some said they were scratchy or overpriced. You may have to wash them a few times to achieve maximum softness. 

"I am very happy with these LL Bean standard-sized percale pima cotton pillowcases," one buyer writes, "They do not shrink. The percale material is very smooth. I intend to buy the sheets now that I know that the pillow cases are excellent."

Experts agree that these pillowcases are top-notch. The Wirecutter praises the sheet set that corresponds to these pillowcases, and ConsumerSearch likes them, too.

Pros: Smooth, crisp feel, durability, two in a pack, lifetime guarantee

Cons: No bright colors, few prints, expensive

Buy the solid color 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcases, Set of Two from L.L. Bean for $38



The best silk pillowcases

Why you'll love it: The Fishers Finery 25mm Luxury 100% Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase can do wonders for your beauty sleep.

Silk pillowcases take beauty sleep to the next level by helping to reduce hair frizz and tangles overnight. You can fall asleep with nicely coiffed hair and wake up with it intact. I've done it, and it's short of amazing.

The Fishers Finery Mulberry silk pillowcases seem to have acquired something of a cult following. This product has over 1,000 rave reviews on Amazon. This review from Good Housekeeping claims this is the pillowcase that will finally convert you from cotton to silk.

The downside to silk pillowcases is that they can be tricky to wash. The recommended way is to wash them by hand, but few of us have that kind of time. The best alternative is to put the silk pillowcases inside-out into the washing machine (to protect the smoother surfaces) on a delicate setting (low spin, cold water).

Be warned: Do not dry them in a machine dryer.

Pros: Helps combat wrinkles and breakouts, luxurious feeling  

Cons: Difficult to wash, pricey  

Buy the Fishers Finery 25mm Luxury 100% Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase on Amazon for $43.99-$49.99



The best flannel pillowcase

Why you'll love them: Oh so soft and warm, the Pinzon 190-Gram Cotton Flannel Pillowcases are thick, luxurious, and do well in the washing machine.

In 2009, Amazon launched Pinzon, a private label that sells towels, sheet sets, furniture, and kitchen gadgets, among other products. These 190-gram cotton velvet flannel pillowcases have been a best-seller since then.

Made in Portugal, the cases have a double-napped finish on both sides. Napping is a process that is used to obtain a deep, hairy surface. Double napping means that both surfaces have been napped in opposite directions, which produces greater warmth and greater firmness than the single napping process.

Flannel is a brushed-cotton fabric that is measured not by thread count, but by the number of ounces it takes to make up a square yard. These sheets weigh in at 190 grams, which makes them both durable and soft.

The pillowcases, which are sold in a set of two, come in the standard size of 20 x 31 inches, or King-sized, which are 20 x 41 inches. The sets are available in more than ten colors and patterns, including aubergine, chamois, and floral amethyst.

Across the web, professional reviewers give high marks to the Pinzon flannel sheets and pillowcases. The Spruce named the Pinzon sheets the best flannel sheets to buy in 2017. Thoroughly Reviewed and the Wirecutter also ranked the Pinzon flannel sheets and pillowcases highly.

There are more than 980 customer reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Verified purchasers rave about the durability, warmth, softness, and great value of these pillowcases.

"Just put these on the bed and crawled into heaven. The fabric is thick and soft, the aubergine color is deep and rich. They are well made," wrote HollyBLe on October 7, 2016.

"Purchased these flannel pillowcases for the cold winter months in New Jersey ... the pillow cases are soft, comfortable and look very nice on our bed. They are well constructed and will last a long time," wrote Al, a verified buyer, on January 29, 2017.

If you're looking for a high-quality, long-lasting, and ethically-produced set of flannel pillowcases, look no futher than the Boll & Branch Flannel Pillowcase Set. The company is part of a group of ethically-produced disruptor brands in the bedding space, and their products have received rave reviews since it became a viral marketing success in 2016.

The brand is particularly known for ensuring the cotton growers they source from, earn a living wage and work exclusively with fair-trade-certified factories. Boll & Branch's flannel pillowcases come in a variety of colors and patterns and are made from fair-trade, long-staple cotton for more durable and luxurious fabric. However, higher quality also means a higher price.

Pros: Soft, durable, warm, double-napped finish, affordable, do well in the washing machine

Cons: Some users complain that the pillowcases pill badly and attract hair and lint

Buy a set of two standard Pinzon Signature 190-Gram Cotton Heavyweight Flannel Pillowcases on Amazon for $15.99

Buy the Flannel Pillowcase Set (of two) from Boll & Branch for $55-$65



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to clear the Safari search history on your iPhone in three different ways

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iphone xr blue

  • You can clear your search history on an iPhone's Safari app in several ways, removing individual pages visited, deleting by batches, or clearing all search history at once.
  • Clearing your iPhone search history is a good idea if you use a device that is shared among a number of people or that may potentially be checked by someone else regardless.
  • Browsing the web in private mode can eliminate the need for clearing our your iPhone's history in the first place.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Your reasons for wanting to clear the search history on an iPhone are your business. Maybe you were looking up airline tickets as you plan a surprise anniversary vacation for your spouse, or maybe you were social-media stalking an ex and you'd rather your spouse not know about it.

Or maybe you use an iPhone given to you by your job, and you'd rather not let them know you were researching employment with another company or browsing sites that ask your age before you enter.

No matter why you want to clear the search history off your iPhone's Safari browser, the good news is that it's easy to do. And in fact, it's easy to do in three different ways.

How to clear individual pages of history from an iPhone

If you just want to remove that one search you ran or that one site you visited from your iPhone's history, this is how to do it. (And in fact, clearing iPhone history this way will look the least suspicious, as no one will notice a large chunk of your history cleared and wonder why.)

1. Open Safari (that's your web app; it's the one that uses the blue compass icon).

2. Click the history icon at the bottom, which looks like an open book.

IMG_3815

3. Scroll down to the search or page you want to remove, and swipe left on it, then tap "Delete," or simply swipe all the way left across the phone and the item will be deleted automatically.

How to clear an hour, day, or two days of history from an iPhone

If you want to remove a larger chunk of your iPhone's online history, again first open the Safari app.

1. In Safari, tap the book-like history icon on the bottom.

2. At the bottom of the next page, tap "Clear."

clear

3. Select how much history you want to clear, from "The last hour" to "Today" to "Today and yesterday" to "All time."

IMG_3817.PNG

How to clear your iPhone history entirely

If you already know you want to wipe your iPhone's online history out completely, once and for all, perhaps before you sell, exchange, or donate the phone, or before you give it back to your office, go at it a more direct way.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and find Safari, then tap the tab.

3. Scroll down and tap "Clear History and Website Data."

IMG_3818

4. Confirm by clicking "Clear History and Data."

IMG_3819.PNG

Just note that this also removes all your cookies, so if you are keeping the phone, prepare to re-enter a lot of usernames and passwords and such.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A mathematician gave us the easiest explanation of pi and why it's so important

One of the tech industry's leading critics says Apple and Google's new 'screen time' features will never work because they ignore the underlying problem (AAPL, GOOGL, FB)

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Louisiana , United States - 2 May 2018; Tristan Harris, Time Well Spent, on the Center Stage during day two of Collision 2018 at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

  • Tristan Harris is happy that companies like Apple and Google are starting to focus on their customers' well-being.
  • But efforts such as Apple's Screen Time are a bit misguided, because they don't address the underlying problem of attention manipulation, said Harris, the cofounder of the Center for Humane Technology.
  • Instead of giving consumers tools to monitor how much they use their devices and apps, tech companies ought to be encouraging users to do other things that are more fulfilling, he said.
  • Business Insider named Harris to its list of the 100 people transforming business. See the full list here.

Tristan Harris is encouraged by the big tech companies' recent focus on the well-being of their customers.

Encouraged, but truth be told, not all that impressed.

The problem with efforts such as the Screen Time feature Apple added to the iPhone and similar ones that Google added to Android is that the companies don't seem to understand and aren't really addressing the underlying problem, said Harris, a cofounder of the Center for Humane Technology and one of the tech industry's leading critics.

"I want to applaud the direction, but I think we have to get the diagnosis right," he told Business Insider in a recent interview.

Harris has repeatedly called out tech companies for exploiting what he calls the attention economy. For years, those companies have designed their products to take advantage of their customers' innate human mental proclivities and shortcomings to manipulate them into spending increasing amounts of time with those apps and services, he said. As Harris has detailed, design features such a "refresh to reload" systems and so-called infinite scroll pages play on users' basic instincts, getting them to devote more of their time and attention to particular products and services.

Read this: AN UNLIKELY REVOLUTIONARY: How Tristan Harris went from working at Apple and Google to consulting with heads of state about how to reform Silicon Valley

Giving customers usage data won't "magically" solve the problem

The companies now seem to think they can empower users to counter that manipulation in part by giving them more information on the time they're spending on their devices and apps, Harris said. But that's an "under-informed" approach, he said.

The thinking seems to be that if users just saw the data, "they would magically start to operate differently," Harris said. "And this is clearly not true, unfortunately."

tech addiction

Similarly misguided are the features that allow users to set limits on the time they spend on their devices or apps, he said. Such features don't address the underlying need or basic desire that users seem to have to interact with such products, he said.

"If the person is feeling the kind of anxiety and novelty-seeking craving in their lower nervous system that causes them to reach for their phone the second time this last 60 seconds ... it's not because they just need a seat belt or ... [need] a limit that says, 'don't do that,'" Harris said.

So what might actually counter the attention manipulation schemes?

Designers should encourage users to do things that are fulfilling

In general, designers should focus on having their products encourage people to make time in their lives for the activities that they find "regenerative" and that help them connect with the people around them, Harris said. That's going to take something other than asking them to set simple time limits, he said. The most effective counter to addiction is connection, not sobriety, he said, paraphrasing author Johann Hari.

When you focus on the things that are fulfilling to you, that connect and regenerate you, "you come back from that experience not feeling as twitchy for that next dopamine fix" from our phone or app, Harris said.

Harris also offered a practical design suggestion that companies and developers could incorporate into their products to help counter the attention manipulation. They could introduce into infinite scroll systems, like Facebook's News Feed, a randomized delay. As users scrolled through such systems, the feeds or pages would, at an unpredictable point, just start getting slower to scroll through.

You would "start to feel frustrated with how long it's taking, and you just start to give up," he said. "That would work. It wouldn't stop the whole problem, but it would work better than a reminder that says, 'Hey, it's been exactly ... an hour and 23 minutes.'"

But that's just one idea. Harris is confident companies and designers can and will come up with plenty more to address the problems of the attention economy.

"This is the opening inning of, hopefully, a whole reformation of the way we design these products to be sensitive to human nature," he said. 

Got a tip about the tech industry or a tech company? Contact this reporter via email at twolverton@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter @troywolv, or send him a secure message through Signal at 415.515.5594. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

SEE ALSO: The real lesson of Facebook's Apple dust-up shows why Zuckerberg's 'hacker way' is even more dangerous than we thought

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How to use and get rid of the split screen feature on your iPad

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ipad air 2 split view

  • If you're an iPad owner, you'll likely want to know how to use and get rid of the split screen feature on your iPad. 
  • Multitasking by opening two apps on your iPad screen is sometimes convenient, but also confusing, and works inconsistently depending on the apps you are trying to arrange.
  • When displaying two apps side-by-side on the iPad, simply drag the divider to the left or right to completely close one of the apps.
  • If one of the apps is floating rather than docked to the side of the screen, dock it to the side first by dragging it downward, then drag the divider.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

The iPad is so versatile that it might feel at times like a complete replacement for your laptop or desktop computer. When Apple implemented split-screen multitasking, that was a huge step forward in using the iPad like a laptop.

Unfortunately, the split screen is so confusing — and depending on the app you're using, so inconsistent — that it's hard to use.

Case in point: suppose you have two apps open, side-by-side. How do you get back to a single-app view?

We'll cover that, but first, a quick primer on how to use the iPad's split screen capability.

How to open two apps in split screen view on the iPad

1. When using apps side-by-side on your iPad, you'll need to "grab" the second app from the Dock bar that appears at the bottom of the Home page. That means if that app isn't normally found there, you need to open it, so it shows up temporarily in one of the "recently used" slots on the right side of the Dock.

2. After making sure that the second app will appear in the Dock, start the other app that you want to use.

3. Swipe up gently from the bottom of the screen to see the Dock. Don't swipe up too hard, or you'll just return to the Home screen. Only swipe up enough that the Dock floats over your app.

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  1. 4. Drag it all the way to the right and let go. If you release it without going all the way to the edge, it'll float on top of the first app in a small pane. If you drag it all the way to the right, it'll appear side-by-side, and you can drag the divider bar between them to make them relatively wider or narrower.

dock 2

Not all apps can run in split screen mode. If you dry to drag an app out of the Dock and it will only run full screen, this is why.

How to get rid of a split screen on the iPad

If you already have two apps on the screen and want to close one of them, it's easy to get back to the standard one-app view, once you know the trick.

  • If the two apps are side-by-side with a divider between them, drag the bar all the way to the right or left. If you drag it to the right, you'll close the app on the right. If you drag it all the way to the left, you'll close the app on the left. In both cases, the app that's left open will go full screen..
  • If the second app is floating on top of the main app, tap and hold the top of the floating app, and drag it downward. It'll then snap to the right side of the screen. Now you can close it by dragging the divider.

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How to turn off split screens on the iPad

If you dislike this feature and don't want to accidentally open apps side-by-side, you can disable it entirely.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General, and then tap Multitasking & Dock.
  3. Turn off "Allow Multiple Apps" by sliding the switch to the left.

dock 4

SEE ALSO: The best tablets you can buy

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A Google employee in Silicon Valley has been diagnosed with measles according to a report (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Google campus

  • Amid criticisms for letting anti-vaccination (anti-vax) content spread across YouTube, a case of the measles was reported on one of Google's Silicon Valley campuses, according to a BuzzFeed report on Wednesday. 
  • The incident was revealed in an email sent to Google employees, obtained by BuzzFeed, which stated that one of its employees working out of its Mountain View, California offices had been diagnosed with the measles.
  • That worker had been at Google's office on 1295 Charleston Road on April 4, the email said. 
  • The measles is a highly contagious disease that can linger and infect people, even when the sick person is not present.
  • YouTube, where much of the anti-vax content resides, said it considers the videos "dangerous or harmful," but still allows them on its site.
  • Visit Businessinsider.com for more stories.

Google, which has faced criticism for spreading videos that promote dubious anti-vaccine information, is in contact with health officials about a case of the measles involving a Google employee in Silicon Valley, according to a BuzzFeed report on Wednesday. 

The incident was revealed in an email sent to Google employees, obtained by BuzzFeed, which stated that one of its employees working out of its Mountain View, California offices had been diagnosed with the measles. That worker had been at Google's office on 1295 Charleston Road on April 4, the email said. 

The measles is a highly contagious disease that can linger and infect people, even when the sick person is not present.

The virus had been eliminated in the US by 2000, but cases have recently resurfaced, partly, public health officials have said, because of the spread of anti-vax information on social media. As of last week, there are 555 cases of the measles across the US. 

YouTube, the video website owned by Google, has been criticized for allowing so-called anti-vax videos to proliferate. YouTube has said it considers the videos to be "dangerous or harmful," but still allows them on its site. YouTube does not allow anti-vax content to be monetized— meaning that it won't run ads alongside the videos.

Read more: YouTube won't let anti-vaccine videos make advertising money for their creators, citing a policy around 'dangerous or harmful' content

"We have strict policies that govern what videos we allow ads to appear on, and videos that promote anti-vaccination content are a violation of those policies," a YouTube spokesperson told Business Insider in February. "We enforce these policies vigorously, and if we find a video that violates them, we immediately take action and remove ads."

A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment about the measles case on its campus. 

The BuzzFeed report said that 1295 Charleston Road is home to a number of Google executives, though the exact number of employees working out of that building is unknown. 

The email, which was sent to some, but not all, Google employees according to BuzzFeed, said that the company was working with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department on the issue and that the notice was "just a precaution." 

On Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department confirmed that a San Mateo County adult resident with measles spent time at Google.

 

Do you work at Google or Youtube? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via Signal or WhatsApp at +1 (209) 730-3387 using a non-work phone, email at nbastone@businessinsider.com, Telegram at nickbastone, or Twitter DM at @nickbastone.

SEE ALSO: Some reviewers say their $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Fold foldable smartphones are breaking after just two days of use

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How to copy and paste on your iPad or iPhone, and from one device to the other

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  • You can copy text and images on an iPhone or iPad just by tapping and holding on the content for a moment until the pop-up menu appears. Paste by tapping to get the pop-up menu to appear at the destination.
  • Selected text has drag bars that let you choose exactly what content to copy.
  • If you have Handoff turned on, you can copy and paste between your iPad and iPhone automatically.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

The ability to copy and paste text and images is such a fundamental feature of modern computing that it's inconceivable that you wouldn't be able to do it on the iPhone or the iPad.

But here's a fun fact: Did you know that it took Apple two years to include it?

But ever since iOS 3, we've had the ability to copy text in one place and paste it in another.

And even better, you can now even copy text on your iPhone and instantly be able to paste it on your iPad (and vice-versa).

How to copy and paste text and images on your iPhone or iPad

1. Find the content that you want to copy.

2. Tap and hold on the first word for about two seconds. When you lift your finger, you should see the word is highlighted, with "drag bars" – two blue dots – on either side.

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3. Tap and drag the drag bars until you've selected the text you want to copy. You can include only text, or text and images in your selection.

4. In the black pop-up menu, tap "Copy."

5. Go to the app where you want to paste the text.

6. Tap and hold for about two seconds, and then tap "Paste" in the pop-up menu.

How to copy and paste an image by itself

If you want to copy and paste an image by itself – without any text  -- the process is different (though actually simpler).

1. Tap and hold the image for about two seconds, and then tap "Copy" in the pop-up menu.

2. Go to your destination, tap, and tap "Paste."

copy 2

How to copy and paste from your iPhone to your iPad (or vice-versa)

Apple's Handoff feature includes a Universal Clipboard that makes it possible to copy and paste between devices, as long as you have turned that feature on (and your devices are all signed in with the same Apple ID).  

It works on the iPhone 5 or later, and most iPads starting with the 4th generation models. This feature can feel like magic — you copy something on your iPhone, and can immediately paste it in an app on your iPad, without manually sharing it.

First, make sure Handoff is enabled.

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app and then tap "General."

2. Tap "Handoff."

3. Make sure that Handoff is turned on by sliding the switch to the right.

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4. Repeat this on your iPad.

Now you can copy and paste between devices in the usual way.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best tablets you can buy

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I thought expensive jeans were a waste of money until I tried this $170 pair of Selvedge denim — here's why good jeans are worth the investment

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Todd Snyder Japanese Stretch Selvedge

  • I've never been the type to spend a lot of money on jeans. My budget was always around $50 a pair because I didn't think there was much of a difference in quality for pricier denim.
  • I recently tried Todd Snyder Japanese Stretch Selvedge denim, which changed how I approach buying and thinking about jeans. 
  • At $198 a pair (or $168 for non-stretch Selvedge), they're expensive, but the level of quality is high enough to outlast cheap jeans that need replacing every couple of years.
  • After wearing a test pair for a few weeks, I'll definitely be buying more with my own money and thinking twice about the cheap pairs I'm used to buying.

Despite my sometimes excessive spending habits on clothes, I've never been the type to spend a lot of money on jeans — and for the longest time, I thought my reason behind it was solid: With the exception of small details like buttons, stitch patterns, and the brand's logo, all jeans look about the same. Since literally no one can see those super fine details while I wear them, I always felt I should just buy the cheapest ones — and as long as they fit me, that was money well saved.

But I recently tested out a nearly-$200 pair of Japanese stretch Selvedge denim that completely debunked the myth I had bought into for so long. I wish it weren't the case, but the experience has made me a lot more critical of the faults of my cheaper pairs, to the point where I don't think I'll keep buying those $50 jeans anymore.

Todd Snyder, the company behind the jeans I tried, is a premium menswear startup that walks the line between high-fashion and streetwear. As part of its spring lineup, the brand curated a wonderful selection of pants called The Pant Shop to help guys like myself put some much-needed focus and attention on the bottom half of their outfits.

Todd Snyder

The Pant Shop also includes chinos, garment-dyed twill, corduroys, dress trousers, slim dress pants, joggers, and several styles of shorts, but I was most interested in the jeans since they're such a huge part of my wardrobe.

Todd Snyder jeans are handmade in the Los Angeles, California, using Japanese Selvedge denim. Selvedge denim is more tightly woven than typical denim, with clean-cut, red-thread-lined edges that won't unravel (the word "Selvedge" comes from the term "self-edge"). Unlike jeans made with modern production techniques, Selvedge denim is produced using older, yet better-in-quality looming processes that create unique variants in the denim's finish, making the jeans look richer in texture.

With the Todd Snyder jeans, everything from the stitching on the pockets to the rivets to the distressing of the materials is done by hand. It gives the jeans real character that would take years to achieve otherwise.

My first impression of the jeans was the great attention to detail — a TS logo stitched on the fifth pocket, a riveted fly as opposed to a zippered fly, exposed Selvedge edges with the signature red stitching, and a suede belt loop are some details you'll find. Others may not be able to see them from afar, but you'll definitely appreciate them as the owner.

Todd Snyder detail

When putting them on, I immediately noticed the heavy weight. At 13.5 ounces, they're heavier than most jeans I've worn, including other selvedge pairs. A heavy weight might be a con for sportswear or outdoor apparel, but for jeans it's generally a symbol of quality and durability. What further separates them from most other selvedge jeans is a very minimal amount of stretch, so they manage to be comfortable and easy to move in, yet still look and feel structured. I'll choose thick and heavy denim over something thin and stretchy any day.

Todd Snyder jeans feature a regular mid-rise cut that's slim, but not quite skinny — and in my opinion, the fit is timeless. You've seen baggy jeans, skinny jeans, and even bell bottom jeans go out of style at one point or another, but you've never seen a well-made pair of slim jeans look bad or out of place. If you're set on buying jeans with a skinnier fit, I definitely suggest looking to another brand. 

I've only had my test pair for a few weeks, but it's evident that they'll only get better with time. I'll be ordering another pair soon on my own time. 

Todd Snyder jeans

I'm completely aware that $198 (or even $168 for the non-stretch selvedge) is a lot of money for a pair of jeans, but Todd Snyder jeans are worth the investment for a few reasons.

The first is that as someone who wears jeans pretty much every day, the more affordable pairs I like don't last that long. I've had to replace them every couple of years, which amounts to more money spent, and more waste produced.

I'm also not growing teenager who's going to need new jeans in a year or so anyway, nor am I a college student on a super tight budget, so spending the extra money on jeans that will definitely last and get better with age feels like a smart move. 

If you're looking for timeless denim, with premium quality and attention to detail Todd Synder Japanese Stretch Selvedge denim is definitely worth checking out.

Shop all Japanese Selvedge denim at Todd Snyder now, starting at $168

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17 Mother’s Day food gifts she’ll want to dig into immediately

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sugarfina

Cards and flowers always make for good Mother's Day gifts, but if you really want to make her break out into a grin this Mother's Day, food is the not-so-secret secret to her heart. 

While sweets are usually the more popular gift option, don't be afraid to gift a little outside the box and surprise her with a meal delivery subscription, gourmet salt, or hearty steaks

We've personally taste-tested most of these food and drink gifts and our satisfied stomachs can confirm they're as delicious and indulgent as they look. 

Treat her to these 17 food and drink Mother's Day gifts. 

A smoothie kit that cuts down on prep work

Gift the Daily Harvest Smoothie Edit Box, $89.88

Online healthy food startup Daily Harvest can feed her from breakfast to dinner with its bowls, cookies, and lattes, but its smoothies are still a bonafide classic that she should try. The 12-smoothie sampler includes refreshing, healthy mixes like Acai + Cherry, Mint + Cacao, and Strawberry + Peach. All she has to do is dump the cup of ingredients into her blender. 



Cereal she won't be able to stop snacking on

Gift the Magic Spoon Variety 4-Pack, $39

The favorite cereal flavors of childhoods past are back in less sugary, more nutritious, and just as delicious forms. The high-protein, gluten-free cereals from Magic Spoon leave healthy, boring "adult" brands in the dust and are perfect for the kid at heart who eats a big bowl of cereal for breakfast every day.  

 



Tender, flavorful Wagyu beef

Gift the Snake River Farms Half Baked Harvest Gift Set, $199

The highly marbled, award-winning American Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms is drool-worthy. She'll probably have her own ideas for exactly how to make these cuts shine, but just in case, this gift set includes a cookbook from popular food blogger Tieghan Gerard so she can make Fig and Cider Pork Chops or Soy-Marinated Flank Steak with Sesame-Herb Roasted Potatoes. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Founders Fund made its first alcohol investment. Here’s how the 28-year old woman who founded the company is trying to change drinking culture for the better.

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Alix Peabody

  • Founders Fund led $7 million seed round Tuesday for Bev, a female-led direct-to-consumer rosé brand. This is Founders Fund's first investment in an alcohol startup.
  • Alix Peabody, Bev's 28-year-old founder, started the company in 2017 after draining her 401(k).
  • Peabody says the male-dominated alcohol industry and macho drinking culture are ripe for disruption, and hopes her brand will create a safe space for women.
  • Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Eleven years after investing in SpaceX, Founders Fund is betting on something more down to earth: canned rosé wine. 

The venture capital firm recently led a $7 million seed round investment in Bev, a female-led direct to consumer rosé brand. It's the Founders Fund's first alcohol investment. 

While going to Mars and swirling rosé might seem like incongruous missions, Founders Fund COO Lauren Gross tells Business Insider that the firm's investment strategy comes down to betting on entrepreneurs with the right stuff to disrupt an industry.

"Some of our more compelling successful bets started with young ambitious founders," Gross said. And Bev founder Alix Peabody checked all the boxes, she said. 

"We at Founders Fund pride ourselves in being intellectually honest and open to all founders in all sectors, and in this case, Alix was creating a powerful female-focused brand in a space that hasn't seen as many."

Peabody, 28, didn't have a background in the booze business when she started Bev in 2017.  After emergency surgeries left her unable to start a headhunting job and shouldering expensive medical bills, Peabody started a side business throwing day parties (dubbed "day-gers," according to Peabody) in Sonoma.

She realized the alcohol brands she worked with were mostly run by men and did not paint a particularly flattering light of women in their ads, and she says she felt could do better.

Read More: This CEO just raised $11.5 million to fix the broken field of fertility treatment by helping companies offer it as an employee benefit: 'A problem I couldn't let go of'

Since Peabody wasn't particularly well-versed in the supply side of the alcohol industry, she says she called up a man in the wine industry that she had been on a date with two years earlier, hoping he could help her make inroads in the tightly connected industry.

"He was literally the only person I knew in the industry," said Peabody. "I told him I wanted to buy rosé, he told me to go to the grocery store and I was like 'No, I want to buy, like, a lot. So he put me in touch with someone who introduced me to someone else, and it was literally one phone call after another picking people's brains on how to make this happen."

"The people running the alcohol industry haven't changed"

Bev sells rosé in 8.5 ounce cans (available in six packs, 12 packs and 24-can "party packs") online and in retail stores in Los Angeles. Commenters on the Bev website describe the blend as a "crisp, dry rose--not super sugarey," and the "most instagrammable can out there." Another reviewer commends Bev's lack of overcarbonation and "no funky aftertaste."

Bev wineFor all her wine's merits, Peabody says that the outdated laws and policies of the alcohol industry will continue to be a challenge for the young company.  A patchwork of state laws make it difficult to sell and ship wine between states. 

"The people running the alcohol industry haven't changed but the people who are buying alcohol have," Peabody told Business Insider. "You have all these laws and regulations that are a result of Prohibition, and women barely even worked let alone run and build companies then. Many of the big alcohol companies are family-owned, passed down generation after generation, and are predominantly male."

Peabody believes the best way to change an outdated industry that some see as problematic is to change it from the inside. Her company's mission to "break the glass," she says, extends well beyond alcohol and drinking culture. Peabody would not elaborate on the company's additional plans except that she intends to increase the 12-person team and invest heavily in developing new product offerings based on what her core customer wants.

"We're very much a 'build the plane as you fly it,' kind of thing," said Peabody. "It's also just, you got to be in the game to play it, right?"

SEE ALSO: The average Pinterest employee has $700,000 in equity according to a report which warns of disruption if the IPO is volatile

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