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Here's A $35 Million Diamond

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From Reuters, this big rock will soon hit the auction block in Hong Kong.

A model poses with a 118.28 carat, D colour, flawless type, IIA magnificent oval diamond (L) and a very rare 7.59 carat, internally flawless, fancy vivid blue diamond at a Sotheby's preview in Hong Kong September 19, 2013. The oval diamond is expected to achieve between HK$220 (US28 million) to HK280 million (US$35 million), while the blue diamond is expected to achieve in excess of 148 million (US19 million) at Autumn Sales on October 7, 2013 in the territory, according to the auction house's press release.

diamond

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There's No Better Place To Spend 'Hobbit Day' Than At Montana's Hobbit Hotel

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Hobbit House of Montana

Tolkien fans will be thrilled to know they can have a real-life Hobbit experience at the Shire-themed Hobbit House of Montana.

It's the perfect place to spend Hobbit Day  Sept. 22, for the birthdays of both Bilbo and Frodo   or Tolkien Week, the calendar week containing Sept. 22.

The adults-only, themed vacation rental, in Trout Falls, Mont., is available for $245 a night, May through October.

The Shire, as owners Steve and Chris Michaels call it, offers a pleasant, authentic experience, down to the last details of the doorknobs and cobblestones.

A welcoming sign greets you as you drive up on Hobbit Lane.



Don't drive in without making a stop at the Troll House first! Guests get a Troll House cookie when they check in.



Just like in "The Hobbit," everything really is underground. Take a look from this view from above. There are plenty of trails and paths to hike in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains.



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Here's The Real, Fascinating Reason Experienced Beer Drinkers Love Strong, Hoppy Beers

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Night Shift Brewing Co

Earlier this week we posted a chart from a Stanford study that shows the difference between novice and experienced beer drinkers.

Essentially, experts are much more inclined to give strong ales a higher rating. Experts also have much stronger opinions about all beers. They dislike cheap lagers (like Bud Light) more than the novices hate cheap lagers. And they like the strong ales more than the novices like the strong ales.

So why do experts like these strong ales so much?

Reddit user psychguy— who characterizes himself as a serious beer drinker who does his own homebrewing — wrote a fascinating, highly-rated comment explaining what's going on.

There are two factors at play, he says. One is taste-fatigue: The more beer you drink, the more you need a strong beer to keep interested. The other element is social conformity. Once the group has decided that strong tastes are superior, then everyone in the group feels the need to conform to that. He relates a fascinating observation that when he enters beer competitions, his mediocre strong beers tend to rate higher than his well-executed mild beers.

He was kind enough to give us permission to republish his comment here:

As an avid homebrewer who has been very involved in the craft beer movement for a couple decades, I have to say that this article also highlights a strong beer bias among experts, as well as the more commonly realized lager bias among beginners. I have noticed that the longer one is in the field (either brewing or being a connoisseur), the most tastes shift towards stronger beers. There is an assumption that this is due to expertise, but I think that taste fatigue and social conformity may also play a role. When you are regularly drinking strong beers, certainly within a session, but also between sessions, you are going to experience some taste fatigue and have difficulty appreciating nuances of weaker beers. Also, when you are embedded in a community that universally prizes certain experiences (Pliny the Elder, etc.), if you don't express appreciation for those beers your competency is questioned. This is a form of social conformity, and it would produce the exact same statistical convergence in expert opinions that expertise would produce. 

I have some personal anecdotes that support this as well. I am very good at brewing medium body malty beers; I have three medals from the AHA nationals and one from my local state fair for brown ales, Octoberfests and Vienna lagers. I am very good at self-critiquing, so I generally know which of my beers are good and which are mediocre. When I bring beers to professional tastings, my rather mediocre barleywines and imperial stouts get much better accolades than my far superior browns, California commons, milds, bitters, Octoberfests, and Vienna lagers. It is only when being judged within style in a formal competition that the strong beer bias does not show itself, and even there, there is still a tendency for out-of-style beers with high alcohol content to make surprise showings in competitions.

SEE ALSO: The full Stanford study on what beers people prefer

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MAP: Here Are The Countries That Work Hard And The Ones Where They like To Relax

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Which countries work like crazy and which ones work hard?

Our friend Seth Kadish who runs the fantastic Visual Statistix Tumblr put together this graphic of OECD countries, to answer exactly this question.

The more red or orange a country is, the harder it works. So, countries like South Korea and Mexico get the work-ethic prize.

The more blue a country is, the more workers like to chill: Congrats France!

The index combines average hours worked per year and average retirement age to create the ultimate index. (Many countries aren't represented, because they aren't in the OECD, and thus not in the OECD statistical database from which the information was drawn.)

working hard map

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10 Surprising Books That Parents Have Tried To Ban From Schools

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Romeo and Juliet

It's Banned Books Week, an annual event meant to highlight the issue of censorship.

The American Library Association has put together a list of the books most often banned or challenged in 2012 and 2013, and some of the titles are pretty surprising, including classics and critically acclaimed works.

A book "challenge" is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school asking that a book be removed based on its content. 

Here are some surprising titles that made the list for most often challenged or banned this year:

"Romeo and Juliet," William Shakespeare

The "No Fear Shakespeare" version of this classic play was challenged by parents in South Carolina. The complaints said the easy-to-read version of the play is "too mature" for middle-school children because it has mature themes about sex.

"Ender's Game," Orson Scott Card

The popular young adult book that's being made into a movie caused a controversy in South Carolina when a teacher read parts of the book to students in his class. The school put the teacher on administrative leave while they investigated the incident, which came to light when a 14-year-old student complained that the book was "pornographic."

"The Perks of Being A Wallflower," Steven Chbosky

Parents of students at Grandview Heights High School in Columbus, OH were outraged when this coming-of-age book (recently made into a movie starring Emma Watson) was assigned as required reading. Some parents attempted to ban it because it addresses drugs, alcohol, sex, homosexuality, and abuse.

"Looking For Alaska," John Green

This young adult book was banned from schools in Sumner County, Tenn. because it supposedly used "inappropriate language." But the novel seemingly has clear literary value considering it won the 2006 Printz award for excellence in young adult literature.

"Fifty Shades Of Grey," E.L. James

You won't find this scandalous book at many libraries across the country, despite overwhelming demand. The racy novel about a student who gets sucked into an intense affair with a young entrepreneur was pulled from the shelves at the Brevard County Public Libraries in Florida, but was eventually put back "in response to public demand." Other libraries haven't bent to the public pressure and still don't stock the book.

"The Kite Runner," Khaled Hosseini

The school board in Troy, Penn. debated on whether they should approve this New York Times bestseller as optional reading for 10th-grade honors students. 

"Beloved," Toni Morrison

This acclaimed novel about a woman who escapes from slavery was nearly banned from two school districts in Michigan and Virginia. The complaints objected to "obscene" passages in the book that addressed murder and rape. "Beloved" won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988.

"Fight Club," Chuck Palaniuk

A Texas school district took this book off of its required reading list after parents complained about its violent nature. The novel addresses masculinity and consumerism and was adapted into a movie that gained a cult following.

"The Glass Castle," Jeannette Walls

This bestselling memoir was challenged at school districts in Michigan and Kansas because of the explicit language and references to child molestation and violence. The memoir chronicles the life of the author, who grew up in a dysfunctional family. 

"Persepolis," Marjane Satrapi

Chicago public schools ordered this book removed from its schools because of "graphic illustrations and language." The graphic novel is based on the author's experience of growing up in Iran during the revolution. Students protested the decision, and eventually, high school principals were told to ignore the order to pull the book from library shelves.

SEE ALSO: 35 Books Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lifetime

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GO-NOWHERE GENERATION: Why Young People Are Stuck

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moving america brookings chart

At a time when young Americans have never been more connected, they sure have gotten used to staying put.

The chance that 20-somethings would pack up and move to another state has fallen by more than 40% since the 1980s, according to U.S. Census data. At the same time, young people are increasingly choosing to move back home with their parents and, in some cases, never leave in the first place.

"Sometime in the past 30 years, someone has hit the brakes and Americans — particularly young Americans — have become risk-averse and sedentary," Todd G. Buchholz, author of “Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race," wrote in a controversial NY Times piece. "Today’s generation is literally going nowhere. This is the Occupy movement we should really be worried about." 

Economically speaking, there's never been more incentive to do whatever it takes to find work. Workers aged 18 to 24 have a 16.8% unemployment rate, more than twice that of the national average.  Meanwhile, states that have plenty of jobs to go around are resorting to bribes to lure people across state lines. 

South Dakota spent $5 million on recruiting efforts to attract 1,000 skilled workers. The state has a 3.8% unemployment rate.

Kentucky, Missouri, Oregon, and South Carolina each ran a 12-month pilot program to help state leaders better match worker skills with local job needs, according to Pew. Georgia has already launched a program meant to put unemployed workers in apprenticeships and Pennsylvania looks poised to follow.

mobility states brookings graphSo why aren't young people biting?

Economists have been scratching their heads about the immobility of Generation Y for some time. Some have blamed high moving costs (even those who have landed jobs may be too underemployed to save for a move), while others have pointed to data showing that workers have been sticking with jobs for longer periods of time. Those who have landed jobs are sometimes under Perhaps living through their first recession was too much for young people to handle, making them much less willing to take big risks like leaving the security of their hometowns

"There are emotional and psychological costs to uprooting your life and starting fresh in a city without social or professional connections," writes the Atlantic's Derek Thompson. "You need some degree of bravery of certainty that things will work out. Today, young people have less economic insurance to bet on a big move these days." 

Buchholz caught some flack for insinuating that Facebook played a role in young people's waning interest in getting outdoors. But technology can at least be partially blamed for taking some of the "curiosity" and "adventure" of moving. What's so special about driving a couple hundred miles when you can click a button and peak into just about any corner of the world?

In that case, maybe it's not motivation but inspiration that young people need.

"College students are taught to think in terms of a 'career' that you pursue by actively seeking opportunity, not just a job to look for locally," writes Slate's Matthew Yglesias. "We ought to be finding ways to inspire the same spirit all across the educational spectrum."

BrittaniGetting unstuck can pay

After graduating from high school in 2009, Traverse City, Mich. resident Brittani Kirsch, now 22, was the epitome of Generation G0-Nowhere. Languishing under the pressure of college tuition, she worked two to three minimum wage jobs at a time to make ends meet. After her first year of school, she dropped out altogether.  

She was stuck, and so was her fiancé, Nick. 

"At the time we were making like $7.40/hour apiece [in Michigan]," she told Business Insider. "We had to do something. We were just going on faith." 

In early 2012, the couple packed up their car and drove 1,200 miles to Williston, North Dakota. Yes — that Williston, North Dakota.

"At first I couldn’t believe that we were actually going to move," she said. "But we just heard about all the jobs there were out there and we weren't making money [back home]."

The couple rented a camper for $740/month and gave themselves a month to find jobs. It only took them two weeks. 

Nick landed a position as a senior-level manager at a salt water disposal plant. Kirsch prowled a local jobs site to find a spot as a bank teller at First National Bank & Trust — a real coup for a woman in a male-dominated town like Williston, she said.

"Men get most of the high-paying jobs out here, while for women, there's Walmart and restaurants," she said. "So I'm grateful I found an actual job I can have a career in." 

Not only were they both employed, but Kirsch had doubled her wages and Nick's salary, which was four times his old take-home pay, came with the added bonus of company-provided lodging.

The move was worth it despite certain costs. Kirsch admits she misses balmy summers spent lounging at the many lakes surrounding her hometown and says Williston could do with more attractions than just bars. It goes without saying that winters there are tough to bear. 

At the same time, more young people are arriving all the time, and she's made friends through her coworkers at the bank. 

"Honestly, I'm kinda feeling like wherever this [move] takes us, I'm happy with it," she said. "If we can stay here and establish a family, I'd be happy with that to. We're just riding the wave."

SEE ALSO: After I Dissed North Dakota, The State Flew Me To Fargo To Prove Me Wrong

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Study Finds A New Reason Why Men Cheat More Than Women

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don draper mad men dante

Men cheat more than women because they have stronger sexual impulses than their female counterparts, a new study suggests.

Previous research has suggested that men are more likely to be unfaithful because they have less self-control, according to researchers from the University of Texas at Austin who published their work in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Researchers conducted two studies to show that men have stronger sexual impulses than ladies.

The first study consisting of 70 men and 148 women asked participants to describe an instance when they were attracted to someone who was "off-limits." Then they rated the strength of their attraction and sexual desire for that person as well as their attempts to control that desire by responding to questions like "I exerted myself to resist the desire/impulse" or "my behavior clearly indicated that I was acting on the desire/impulse."

Men were more likely than women to report acting on the inappropriate attraction, but did not exhibit weaker attempts to control their desire than women. Instead, men pursued other women because of their greater sexual impulses, researchers found.

"Men have plenty of self-control — just as much as women," Paul Eastwick, co-author of the study, said in a statement. "However, if men fail to use self-control, their sexual impulses can be quite strong. This is often the situation when cheating occurs."

In the second study, 600 undergraduate students (326 men and 274 women) played a computer game where they were instructed to accept or reject a photo of the opposite sex by controlling a joystick. The participants could not base their responses on personal feelings, meaning they may have been forced to "accept" an individual generally perceived as unattractive or "reject" a candidate who was generally thought to be attractive.

Men actually displayed greater control than women, but had a stronger impulse (indicated by longer response times) to say "yes" to candidates that they found desirable.

One explanation for men's poor performance is that gents pay more attention to the physical attractiveness of the opposite sex. As a result, men are more likely than women to be "impulsively drawn to attractive targets" even though men "do not possess worse control over their attention."

The authors also point to an evolutionary reason for men's behavior. According to the study, sexual impulses have an older evolutionary origin than self-control, which may have evolved more recently — in the last 50,000 years — as a way to control sexual urges that could have "threatened Homo sapiens' ability to comply with cultural norms and serve as valued group members."

In other words, men have always had stronger sexual impulses than women, but developed the ability to control these desires so they wouldn't, say, have sex with a married woman and then be cast out of society.

SEE ALSO: 25 Things That Make You Happier

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Here Are The Amenities Rich Americans Want Most In Their Mansions

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"Open floor plans" is the newest buzz phrase for wealthy real estate buyers.

A new survey from real estate franchise Coldwell Banker Previews International and research firm Luxury Institute asked 300 Americans with an annual income of more than $250,000 about their real estate shopping habits. 

In response to a question about the most important residential amenities, 39% said a home with an open floor plan was more important to them than it was three years ago, and 32% said a fully automated home that they could control via remote or voice activation was more important.

Of less importance to today's wealthy buyers were tennis courts, safe rooms , and multiple garages:

real estate buzz words chart

Here are a few other interesting points from the study:

  • Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed own two or more homes. Only 6% own another home outside of the U.S.

  • The average purchase price for wealthy consumers' most recent residential property was $1.6 million.

  • The most important factor when purchasing a home was by far its location, with 70% of respondents saying it was the most important factor in their last real estate purchase.

  • Younger buyers are driving the luxury real estate market: Forty-three percent of Americans aged 21 to 55 with a household income of $250,000 are considering another residential property in the next year, and spent almost twice the amount on homes than those aged 55+ ($2.1 million compared to $1.1 million).

Check out the full study here.

SEE ALSO: Tour The Most Expensive Mansion For Sale In America

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The 20 Best Restaurants In San Diego

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Market

Coastal San Diego has access to some of the tastiest, freshest ingredients in America. So it makes sense that its restaurant scene would be exploding with amazing culinary experiences and flavors.

From fish tacos served out of a beach side storefront to hearty steaks and lobster from fine steakhouses, San Diego has some of the best dining in Southern California.

In celebration of the upcoming San Diego Entrepreneur Day (September 27-28), we created the ultimate list of the best restaurants in San Diego. We did so by aggregating four notable restaurant rankings: Zagat's Best Restaurants in San Diego, Yelp's best restaurants in San Diego, OpenTable's Best Overall Restaurants In San Diego (from its Diner's Choice Awards), and San Diego Magazine's Best Restaurants of 2013.    

#20 The Kebab Shop

630 9th Avenue

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish

Serving cheap, quick, flavorful falafel and kebabs, The Kebab Shop is a local favorite, with people raving about the döner kebab.

It took the #13 spot on Yelp'slist, but didn't make any other lists.

To compile this list, we aggregated four notable San Diego restaurant rankings: Zagat, Yelp, OpenTable, and San Diego Magazine. We gave each restaurant a numerical rating based on how many lists it appeared on and how high it appeared on the lists that were ranked. Restaurants that appeared on all four lists ranked higher on our list, while restaurants that ranked on only one of these lists ended up closer to the bottom.



#19 Ruth's Chris Steak House

1355 North Harbor Drive 

Cuisine: Steakhouse 

Offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Ruth's is one of San Diego's top steak houses. Besides its high-quality sirloins and ribeyes, its drinks and hearty appetizers also get rave reviews.

It ranked on Zagat's list at #7.

To compile this list, we aggregated four notable San Diego restaurant rankings: Zagat, Yelp, OpenTable, and San Diego Magazine. We gave each restaurant a numerical rating based on how many lists it appeared on and how high it appeared on the lists that were ranked. Restaurants that appeared on all four lists ranked higher on our list, while restaurants that ranked on only one of these lists ended up closer to the bottom.



#18 Devine Pastabilities

3545 Midway Drive

Cuisine: Italian, Sandwiches 

This is no ordinary sandwich shop. Devine Pastabilities takes rolls, hollows them out and fills them with some of the most popular Italian dishes, including lasagna, ravioli, and meatballs.

The sandwich shop took the #12 spot on Yelp's list. 

To compile this list, we aggregated four notable San Diego restaurant rankings: Zagat, Yelp, OpenTable, and San Diego Magazine. We gave each restaurant a numerical rating based on how many lists it appeared on and how high it appeared on the lists that were ranked. Restaurants that appeared on all four lists ranked higher on our list, while restaurants that ranked on only one of these lists ended up closer to the bottom.



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26 Nostalgia-Inducing Photos From A Race Of Vintage Cars In Britain

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goodwood festival speed

Most motor shows are all about the future, a chance for automakers show off the cars that they'll be making in the years to come.

The Goodwood Revival is all about the past.

To be specific, the 1940s, '50s, and '60s.

No modern cars are allowed, and even contemporary clothing is discouraged.

The result is a three-day "extravaganza of nostalgia" where the cars are beautiful and everyone looks wonderfully classy.

Amy Shore, a photographer living in Leicester, England, spent the weekend at this year's Goodwood Revival, and shared her photos with us

Shore says she focuses on candid shots, "to make sure that I capture the true atmosphere of the moment, not the camera-posed one."

That attitude works especially well for Goodwood, where the magic of the event is all about the atmosphere, transporting people back to a totally different era.

The Goodwood Revival bills itself as 'the world's most popular historic motor race meeting.'



It’s held annually at the Goodwood Circuit, on the estate of the Goodwood House, southwest of London.



The entire idea is to spend a few days acting and driving like it's still the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.



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21 Examples Of Floyd Mayweather Flaunting His Insane Wealth

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floyd mayweather money countingFloyd Mayweather Jr. is the highest-earning athlete in the world.

When all is said and done, he'll likely earn $80 million from the Canelo Alvarez fight alone.

Unlike other super-rich athletes like Tiger Woods and Tom Brady, Floyd is not afraid to flaunt his wealth. He posts photos of himself and his money (literally, stacks of money) all the time, and they are unreal.

1. He deposited ~$1.2 million in cash.



2. His $6.4 million watch collection.



3. He bet $1.1 million on Oregon.



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24 American Microbreweries Every Beer Lover Should Know

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beernuts beer and ale microbrewery

The recent explosion of American microbreweries has shifted the beer industry's attention to quality, not quantity. And now  with Oktoberfest underway  is the perfect time to discover a new artisanal brew.

We found the 24 coolest microbrewers making waves in the American craft beer industry, from a Latin American-style cervecería in Chicago to a sustainable brewery in Maui that uses local Hawaiian ingredients to make its brews.

A brewery is considered a microbrewery if it produces less than 15,000 barrels per year, with 75% or more of its beer sold off-site, according to the Brewers Association.

5 Rabbit Cervecería

Located:Bedford Park, Ill.

Located outside Chicago, the first Latin American-style microbrewery, or cervecería, in the country infuses its brews with ancho chili, piloncillo cane sugar, and other Latin flavors.

5 Rabbit was inspired by an Aztec myth, and the names of the beers all coincide in some way with the Aztec calendar.

The brewmasters believe in enjoying and savoring life, so every few weeks they publish a recipe on their website that would pair well with one of their beers.



Alchemist Brewery

Located:Waterbury, Vt.

Alchemist sells just one beer: Heady Topper, which is found only in Vermont. They say they'd rather focus on doing one beer perfectly instead of doing many imperfectly.

Heady Topper is a double IPA brewed with a proprietary blend of six hops that blend together make a great beer.



Amplified Aleworks

Located: San Diego, Calif.

Amplified Aleworks isn't the only microbrewery in San Diego by a long shot, but it's one of the coolest.

Operated out of the popular California Kebab and Beer Garden, their best deal is on Sundays when you can pay $20 for four Amplified beer samplings and some thick-cut hickory smoked bacon. It's pretty hard to go wrong with bacon and beer.



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16 Ingenious Uses For Everyday Household Items

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We've previously written about clever uses for everyday objects, but you can never have enough life-hack tips.

In a recent /r/AskReddit thread, the Reddit community dug deep to come up with even more neat uses for everyday objects that are easily found in the home.

Some of their responses were absolutely genius. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Remove sticker residue with baking soda

label sticker residue"To remove sticker residue, make a mix of baking soda and just a couple drops of water and rub it over the goo. I prefer that method over using smelly solvents or oil that I'd have to wash off with soap." - truckstruck

2. Use unflavored, non-waxed floss to cut softer foods

floss to cut cheese"Use floss to cut cheese." - TurnaboutBeggings

"It's also good for cake, or really any softer food that needs to be cut." - -GregTheGreat-

3. Store a slice of bread with cookies to keep them moist

box of christmas cookies"Put a slice of bread in a box of cookies to keep the cookies moist. I don't know how this works but my friends who tried it were as surprised as I was that it does work." - bankergoesrawrr

4. Use the clips on cheap clothing hangers as bag clips

chip bag clip hanger"Cut the clips off of the cheap pants/shorts hangers from retail stores and use them as potato chip clips." - evo_overlord_lite

5. Create a make-shift slow-drip plant waterer with empty hot sauce bottles

Hot sauce"Clean out your bottles of Texas Pete or other hot sauce, fill with water, and stick upside down in the soil of your potted plants if you're going to be out for a couple weeks!" - not_an_armadillo

6. Tie a rubber band around a jar lid to get a better grip

trying to open a jar"When you can't open a jar, wrap a rubber band around the lid. It will give you a better grip." - redlptop

7. Hold a nail steady with a comb when hammering

nail and comb and hammer"Use a comb to hold a nail in place while you strike it with your hammer." - blight231

8. Coat cheap jewelry with clear nail polish to avoid green or black stains on the skin

young girl showing off necklace"If you put clear nail polish on cheap rings and earrings, they won't leave green marks on your skin." - the_drama_llama

9. Sharpen knives with the bottom of a coffee mug

Sharp knives in kitchen"The bottom of ceramic coffee mugs are great knife sharpeners." - GrandRaptorino

10: Use a potato to get a broken lightbulb out of the socket

light bulb with potato"If you break a lightbulb still in the socket, you can use a potato to take it out.
    1.    TURN OFF POWER TO THE LIGHT!
    2.    Cut potato in half.
    3.    Jam potato in over the broken glass of the lightbulb.
    4.    Unscrew.
    5.    Throw out that potato half." - dongbeinanren

11. Keep pizza from becoming chewy in the microwave with a glass of water

microwave pizza"If you don't want your pizza crust to become chewy in the microwave then put a glass of water in the microwave while you reheat your pizza." - Uncle_Oj

12. Use salt to fix a spill on your carpet

salt on a carpet wine stain"Salt can save your carpet after a spill. Just completely coat and cake that spill in salt immediately after getting rid of the majority of the spill with a rag or something. The salt will absorb the remaining liquid as it dries, taking the stain with it, and then you just have to vacuum to clean up." - ExpiredDustyMuffin

13. Remove stuck on labels or stickers with mayonnaise

hellmann's mayonnaise"Any sticker on anything, mayonnaise. Smear.. Let sit.. Peel." - CalistaDodd

14. Rub latex gloves on furniture and clothes to get rid of pet hair or lint

latex glove"Use a latex glove to remove pet fur or lint from clothing and furniture. Put a pair on and sweep repeatedly to one side. It's like magic. Much better than a vacuum cleaner or those sticky sheets of paper." - notalwayshere

15. If rice doesn't work, set a wet phone on a dehumidifier to dry it out

phone in water"I've tried the rice bag before with no success. I happened to soak my phone twice (TWICE) this weekend, and also happened to have just purchased a dehumidifier. I figured if it could dry out an entire basement, it couldn't hurt to set my wet phone on top. Sure enough, less than 6 hours later, good as new. Both times." - Pants-down

16. Use a dryer sheet to filter hair in the sink when shaving

Gasol Shave"When I shave, I get a used dryer sheet wet and place it over the drain to act as a filter for hairs. It'll stick to the sink if the water isn't too strong (which might encourage reducing your water consumption)." - Tylrt

EVEN MORE LIFE HACKS: 21 Clever Uses For Household Items

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18 Of The Most Surreal Landscapes On Earth

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Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia covered with a layer of water

Planet Earth is chock-full of bizarre landscapes.

Some are land formations molded over thousands of years by Mother Nature, while others are simply man-made creations that have altered the earth in strange ways.

From Tanzania to China, these 18 landscapes give surrealist painters a run for their money.

Near the city of Torrevieja in southwest Spain lie two salty and very pink lakes called Las Salinas de Torrevieja. The color is caused by algae that releases a red pigment under certain conditions.



Namibia's Dead Vlei, or "dead marsh," is surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world and dotted with dead trees more than 900 years old.



The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia's Danakil Desert is one of the hottest inhabited places on the planet, with temperatures ranging from 95 degrees Fahrenheit to as high as 145 degrees.

Read more about the Danakil Depression here




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The 3 Commandments Of Pulling Off A Mustache

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jason sudeikis jennifer aniston


Has Hollywood finally grown tired of the urban hipster beard and seven day stubble?

It would appear so, according to the finely trimmed lip foliage of men like James Franco, Colin Farrell, and Jason Sudeikis. (Even Justin Bieber's upper lip hair is showing signs of life.)

And while the facial fur is often associated with vintage porn stars, dictators, and washed up country stars, the resurgence isn't unwelcome by all: "Mustaches for some look new again and depending on the face and personality can fit well," says Vaughn Acord, owner of Mizu salon in New York City and stylist to celebs like Tom Brady, Ashton Kutcher, and Bruce Springsteen.

Below, Acord lays out his rules for getting your Tom Selleck on:

1. Keep things tight. "A mustache should not curve into the mouth, so keeping it trimmed at the lip is key."

2. Don't be afraid to go old school. "When going long, remember your mustache can look nostalgic or from another era, so think about your overall look and consider if it fits."

3. But be prepared for the extra attention. "A mustache is one of the first things people notice, so make sure yours grows with a thickness and color you're willing to defend."

Keep Reading:

Shop Like a GQ Editor: Fall 2013

Justin Theroux: Hollywood’s Reigning Cool Guy

The 50 Best Things to Eat and Drink Right Now 

9 Things Every Guy Should Have in His Pockets
 

The Hottest Women of the 21st Century 

The GQ Hair Guide to Bald Grooming 

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Paramount CEO Brad Grey Is Selling His Bel Air Mansion For $27.5 Million

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Paramount CEO bel air mansion Brad Grey

Paramount Pictures Chairman and CEO Brad Grey is selling his 10,600-square-foot Bel Air mansion for $27.5 million, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Grey originally bought the home back in 2009 for $22 million, but he and his new wife Cassandra Grey have decided to build a modern mansion on the former Frank Sinatra estate he also owns in Holmby Hills — and had previously listed last year.

Grey's broker Stephen Shapiro of the Westside Estate Agency told The WSJ the $5.5 million price jump comes from work Grey has done on the home, including re-landscaping, renovating the dining room, and adding a sitting room upstairs.

The white brick house sits on 1.1 acres of land, with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. It's also surrounded by tall hedges rising 20 to 50 feet, and has a terraced pool area in the backyard.

Welcome to the picturesque, 10,600-square-foot mansion owned by Paramount CEO Brad Grey.

Source: Westside Estate Agency



The white brick home was built in 2006, and sits on a gated 1.1 acres of land.

Source: Westside Estate Agency



The entryway is two stories and includes a dramatic curved stairway.

Source: Westside Estate Agency



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    






Disneyland Will No Longer Allow Disabled Visitors To Skip Lines After Growing Abuse Of The System

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disney world

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — People with disabilities will no longer go straight to the front of lines at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after growing abuse of the system, park officials said.

Under the change, visitors will be issued tickets with a return time and a shorter wait similar to the FastPass system that's offered to everyone.

Currently, visitors unable to wait in the regular line can get backdoor access to rides or go through the exit and wait in a shorter line.

The system "certainly has been problematic, and we wanted to curb some of the abuse of this system," Disneyland Resort spokeswoman Suzi Brown told the Orange County Register (http://bit.ly/16i4NDy).

The move was a response to the phenomenon of disabled "tour guides" who charge money, sometimes hundreds of dollars, to accompany able-bodied guests and allow them to avoid long lines. Others who don't have a disability have been able to get an assistance card since no proof of disability is required.

"Given the increasing volume of requests we receive for special access to our attractions, we are changing our process to create a more consistent experience for all our guests while providing accommodations for guests with disabilities," Brown said in a statement.

The change takes effect Oct. 9 for guests with park-issued disability cards. Disney officials said more details will be released after park employees are briefed on the new rules.

Some families of children with epilepsy and autism criticized the change, saying some kids' disabilities just don't allow them to wait in standard lines.

Rebecca Goddard said she takes her sons, ages 4 and 6, to Disneyland once a week. They have autism and can't stand in lines longer than a few minutes before they start pushing other people.

"My boys don't have the cognition to understand why it's going to be a long wait," Goddard told the Register. "There are so few things for my boys that bring them utter joy and happiness — to mess with it just makes me sad."

The advocacy group Autism Speaks consulted with Walt Disney Co. officials on the change and urged parents to see how it unfolds.

"Change is difficult," said Matt Asner, executive director of the Southern California chapter. "I didn't want it to change, but I understand there was an issue that needed to be dealt with."

___

Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com

SEE ALSO: 13 Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

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THE TRUTH ABOUT SEMICOLONS: How To Use The World's Most Controversial Punctuation Mark

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semicolon Christina Sterbenz

Happy National Punctuation Day, Internet!

To celebrate, we've prepared a guide to the most hated punctuation mark of all: the semicolon. Although you won't need it often, it can add essential clarity and nuance to your writing.

Aside from the winky face, these are the times when you must or may use the semicolon:

1. Use a semicolon to separate items in a list or series containing internal punctuation.

This is the most common and essential use of the semicolon.

In my last post on grammar, I discussed the use of commas to separate items in a series. For example, "I saw a duck, a magician, and a liquor store." (Note: Despite some dissension in the ranks, our style guide requires the final comma.)

But what if the items in a series contained nonessential clauses or phrases offset with commas? "I saw a duck, the kind with the green head, Fred, a magician, and a liquor store, which sells Japanese whisky." The sentence gets hard to understand.

To clarify, use a semicolon to separate the various items in the series. "I saw a duck, the kind with the green head; Fred, a magician; and a liquor store, which sells Japanese whisky."

2. You can place a semicolon between two related independent clauses.

"Susan found her favorite liquor store; it sells Japanese whisky."

By linking these two independent clauses with a semicolon, a writer signals a meaningful relationship between the clauses. In this case, the semicolon shows that this liquor store selling Japanese whisky is essentially linked to it being Susan's favorite liquor store. The selling of Japanese whisky is the quintessential example of why the store is her favorite.

The semicolon, which introduces a brief reading pause in this context, allows the kind of implicit link between sentences that speaking can easily convey but writing struggles to do.

There's no easy way to communicate the above relationship without the semicolon. Linking the two clauses with a period makes them seem like separate thoughts. Rephrasing the sentence to read "... which sells Japanese whisky" makes that fact sound incidental. And writing, "Suzy found a liquor store that was her favorite because it sold Japanese whisky" sounds verbose and reductive.

To use a semicolon in this context, the clauses on both sides must be able to stand on their own as sentences, making them independent clauses. As you'll notice in all the examples, lowercase letters always follow semicolons.

3. You can use a semicolon (in place of a comma) before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) that separates two independent clauses when one or both of the clauses contains commas.

"Hoping to see a duck, I'm going running; and if I don't see one, I'm going to the liquor store."

If either side of the conjunction isn't an independent clause (something that could be a stand-alone sentence), you don't need a comma and therefore can't use a semicolon.

The semicolon in this context is added for clarity.

4. You can use a semicolon between two independent clauses linked by a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase.

Conjunctive adverbs include: however, finally, consequently, indeed, etc. Transitional phrases include: as a result, for example, on the contrary, in addition, etc.

"I found my favorite liquor store; of course, it sells Japanese whisky.

In this case, the adverb or transitional phrase conveys the relationship between the two independent clauses while the semicolon solidifies it.

If a liquor store didn't sell Japanese whisky, it couldn't possibly be your favorite. Imagine yourself scoffing the second clause, almost incredulous that someone would think you'd call a liquor store without Japanese whisky your favorite. With a period, that meaning could get lost.

Never use a semicolon to introduce a clause of unequal status or a series; that is the job of the colon. For example:

"I made a great discovery: a liquor store that sells Japanese whisky."

"I saw the following while running: a duck, a magician, and a liquor store."

And remember, always put semicolons outside quotation marks.

Susan's father told her, "Go to that liquor store that sells Japanese whisky"; she ran there.

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The 6 Best Socks To Wear With Loafers

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loafers 2

Have you been Feet Free-Balling this whole summer? The loafer sock or some call it “no show” socks are extremely popular with us guys, women not so much.

This should be an essential in every man’s closet.

These are the times when little details count. Loafer socks are discreet and will NOT show your sock, which is the point. 

Just like socks that cover the ankle and above, these socks have personality too, with polka dot, plaid, and different graphic options. FYI you can slip these on with sneakers or shoes.

Take a look at some loafer cool loafer socks:

Hugo Boss

loafer socks

Sperry Topsider

sperry
Hook and Albert


hook albert
J. Crew

j crew
Falke
Falke
Marcoliani

Marcoliani

socks
gold bondLoafer socks helps to your keep smelling fresh and most repel against moisture. Also without socks you can severely wreck your shoes and wear the soles in, eventually.

3 Reasons Why You Should Own
Avoid odor
To keep from slipping
Avoid ruining your shoes

But….If you have to go “sockless” no judging over here, but at least grab this.


More from Details:

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The Virility Diet: What To Eat For Better Sex

5 Foods That Make You Look Younger

Are You A Narcissist?

The Worst Celebrity Eyebrows Of All Time

Join the conversation about this story »


    






RISE OF THE MUTANT MUNCHIES: 12 Strange Hybrid Foods People Are Dying To Taste

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RISE OF THE MUTANT FOODS

"Hybrid" foods seem to be the new foodie trend that just won't die.

Called "hipster foods" by The Associated Press, these mutant munchies — from Doritos Locos Tacos to the Ramen burger — are sometimes tasty, sometimes bizarre food combos that appeal to a social media-savvy crowd looking for the next big thing.

Here are 12 of the most buzzworthy hybrid foods in all their glory, from grossest-sounding to most delicious.

But who are we kidding — we'd probably try all of these.

#12 Italian Burrito, Burrissimo

Italian Burrito burrissimo with pasta

If you needed more carbs in your life, the Italian Burrito is here to help. Burrissimo, a fast-casual Italian Restaurant in LA, has created a new kind of burrito that uses angel hair pasta instead of rice, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Some of the ingredients you can get on the burrito are chicken, steak, meatballs, peppers, and even pasta sauce.

#11 Quesadilla Burger, Applebee's

Quesadilla burger applebee's

For all those who think the bun-to-burger ratio on most burgers is way too equal, Applebee's $11 Quesadilla Burger should do the trick.

It combines a juicy burger with Applebee's "Mexi-ranch sauce," pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, and two kinds of melted cheese, all on a delicious (and ridiculously flat) quesadilla "bun."

#10 Waffle Tacos, Taco Bell

waffle taco taco bell

Though still in it's testing stages, Taco Bell unveiled its breakfast Waffle Taco back in May, and the Chicken and Waffle Tacos this past August.

There are a few versions of the Waffle Taco — including with scrambled eggs, sausage, chicken with gravy, and fruit with whipped cream — but the basic idea of a waffle used as a taco shell is the same across the board.

#9 Pizzaburger, Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar

Pizzaburger

Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar was not content to leave good enough alone, and decided to combine America's favorite food with America's other favorite food to create the Pizzaburger.

It takes a half-pound burger and wraps it in either a pepperoni or cheese pizza, and then stuff it with cheeses, pizza sauce, and bacon. If you're into toppings, it's garnished with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle.

#8 Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt, Friendly's

Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt

"This is what happy tastes like..." is Friendly's new slogan for its latest menu items, including the Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt.

Easily over 2,000 calories, a burger is sandwiched between two Friendly's grilled cheese sandwiches, which run about 800 calories a piece. Sure it's probably delicious, but is it really worth it?

#7 Sushi Tacos, TAKA TAKA

Sushi tacos taka taka

Who knew Mexican food and Japanese cuisine went so well together? Fusion restaurant Taka Taka in New York has your typical sushi, as well as items like the tuna sashimi tostada or the "Mexican sushi" rolls with avocado and chipotle sauce.

But the big menu items are the so-called Japanese tacos, which roll vegetables, refried beans, your choice of meat, and pico de gallo up in a tortilla and then slice it like a sushi roll.

#6 Ramen Burger, Chef Keizo Shimamoto

ramen burger

When chef Keizo Shimamoto's Ramen Burger debuted earlier in August at the Smorgasburg food fair in Williamsburg, people went crazy. The burger — surrounded by two patties made of fried ramen noodles with a secret shoyu sauce, scallions, and arugula — had people standing in line for hours just to get one.

Though it's an interesting idea, the Ramen Burger is still in development as Shimamoto perfects his recipe and searches for a permanent place to sell it.

#5 Pizzabon, Cinnabon

Pizzabon cinnabon

Some inspired exec over at Atlanta-based Cinnabon realized that the company needed to expand its lunch offerings. Enter the Pizzabon, with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and cheese baked into the company's signature soft and buttery roll.

So far it's only available to those in Atlanta, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, but Cinnabon is hoping it will catch on and inspire lunch crowds to come back.

#4 Sushi Burrito, Sushirrito

sushirrito dragon roll

Taking those sushi tacos to the next level is the "sushirrito," from San Francisco-based company Sushirrito. It wraps ingredients up into a tasty, rice-based roll that looks just like a burrito.

The Asian-Latin fusion restaurants make some amazing varieties, too: There are seven different kinds, including the Geisha's Kiss with yellowfin tuna, Sumo Crunch with Surimi crab, and Mayan Dragon with Japanese-style fried chicken.

#3 The Luther Burger, State Fairs and restaurants around the country

The Luther Burger

It wouldn't be a food mash-up list without The Luther Burger. So well-known that it has it's own Wikipedia page, the Luther Burger uses donuts as the buns for a burger.

Though no one is quite sure who first invented this mythical creation, the 1,500+ calorie beast is sold at plenty of restaurants and state fairs across the country. Dunkin' Donuts even had a breakfast sandwich version.

#2 Doritos Locos Tacos, Taco Bell

new doritos locos taco flamas

Now with three flavors, Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Tacos continue to be insanely popular.

Combining a Doritos chip shell, meat, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream, the latest mystery flavor was Flamas after the success of Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese.

#1 Cronut, Dominique Ansel Bakery

cronut delicious sweet croissant donut

What is there to say that hasn't been said about the legendary Cronut? It's delicious, inventive, and hard to come by.

The donut-croissant hybrid has inspired numerous knock-offs and continues to be popular with celebrities and New Yorkers willing to wait in line for hours (or just pay someone else to get it for them).

For all those reasons and more, Dominique Ansel's Cronut creation is the number one food hybrid out there today.

If we forgot your favorite mutant food, or you disagree with our ranking, tell us in the comments.

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