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The Hidden Costs Of Working On Wall Street

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wolf of wall street

Yes, you make a lot of money when you work on Wall Street, but you're going to have to spend a lot of money to stay there.

To go to work every day you'll need to look the part — the suit, the shoes, etc. To live every day with a banker's schedule, you'll need people to take care of you — maid service, dry cleaners etc.

And then there are the social obligations — trips, schmoozing, memberships ...

Wall Street is full of Joneses, and as the saying goes, they're hard to keep up with.

Here's how much money it takes to try.

From the start, prepare to drop $3,000+ on an apartment in the Financial District

Rents may have slightly declined in Manhattan in 2012, but the average rent is still more than $3,300 a month according to Citi Habitats.

We searched two-bedroom apartments in the area and turned up a few for less than $3,000, but they were few and far between.

Luckily, the Financial District/Battery Park City area saw the biggest drop in asking prices — down 12 percent at the end of the year from October.

And given the beating Superstorm Sandy subjected the area to last fall, you'll definitely want to budget for flood insurance.



Men need at least $200 to invest in a solid pair of dress shoes. That figure doubles for women, who will need at least two pair.

What good is a $5,000 suit if you're rounding it out with the same pair of kicks you used to hit the streets in as an intern? 

Men, invest in a solid pair of black or brown dress shoes that meet these three critera: They won't scuff easily; they'll hold up to daily beatings running around the office; and you can go from work to cocktail hour without having to change. 

Let's be real, if you want to look great, you'll need more than one pair.

Ladies, unless you're willing to teeter over potholes and cracked sidewalks in 4-inch Manolo's, you'll need a sturdy pair of flats to trek to and from the office as well. 

Trust us. Nothing ruins a $300 heel faster than a puddle of mystery Subway sludge. 



And it costs at least $20 per month to keep your soles from caving in.

Unless you've nabbed a private office with a view by now, chances are you're not in any hurry to burn cash on shoe replacements every few months. 

For a few bucks, turn over your weary kicks to the plethora of time-tested cobblers on Wall Street.  Judging by dozens of glowing reviews, few are as beloved as Minas Shoe Repair

"[Minas Shoe Repair] is the only place I take my designer shoes for repair," writes one Yelp reviewer. "It can get pricey, but paying a little under $100 for resoling and re-heeling and fixing up a $700 pair of Chanel flats definitely beats shelling out another $700 for new ones." 

Wall Street's also one of the few places you can pop in for a $3 shoeshine at the corner drugstore.



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20 Lottery Winners Who Blew It All

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lottery

As one of the largest jackpots in U.S. lottery history climbs to $550 million and potentially beyond, we're reminded that winning the lottery will not solve all problems.

In fact many people's lives became notably worse after they got super rich, and they managed to lose it all quite quickly.

The Griffiths bought their dream home then life fell apart.

Before they won a $2.76 million lottery jackpot, Lara and Robert Griffith hardly ever argued.

They bought a million-dollar house and a Porsche.

But 18 months ago, six years after their win, Robert drove away in the Porsche after Lara confronted him over emails suggesting he was interested in another woman.

Their 14-year marriage was over, a freak fire gutted their house, and every penny of their fortune was gone.



Bud Post lost $16.2 million within a nightmarish year — his own brother put out a hit on him.

William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but was $1 million in debt within a year.

"I wish it never happened," Post said. "It was totally a nightmare."

A former girlfriend successfully sued him for a share of his winnings and his brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him in the hopes he'd inherit a share of the winnings.

After sinking money into various family businesses, Post sank into debt and spent time in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector.

Bud now lives quietly on $450 a month and food stamps.



Martyn and Kay Tott won a $5 million jackpot, but lost the ticket.

Martyn Tott, 33, and his 24-year-old wife of the U.K. missed out on a $5 million lottery fortune after losing their ticket.

They were able to convince officials but since there is a 30-day time limit on reporting lost tickets, the jackpot became the the largest unclaimed amount since the lottery began in 1994.

"Thinking you're going to have all that money is really liberating. Having it taken away has the opposite effect," Kay Tott told The Daily Mail. "It drains the life from you and puts a terrible strain on your marriage. It was the cruellest torture imaginable."



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25 Awesome Gifts Under $25 For Your Office Secret Santa Pool

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office secret santa presents on a table

The annual office Secret Santa game can be a major source of holiday stress.

And there's good reason: You need to stay in the price limit, find something a coworker (and possible stranger) will actually like, and hope you don't have to pretend to like whatever you receive.

Even worse, maybe this year you drew your boss' name.

Well, fear not. These 25 Secret Santa-appropriate office gifts are not only all under $25, but there's something for every type of coworker — from the kid-at-heart to the CrossFit fanatic.

For the work friend who's also a music lover, pick up this three-way earphone splitter. It's great for watching movies with a buddy on a long flight, or sharing a favorite album.

Buy it here for $10



If your coworker can't get enough tea, get her this playful ManaTea Infuser (get it?). Put your loose leaf tea inside and take out the infuser when the tea has been steeped.

Buy it here for $10



With the weather getting colder, any coworker will appreciate these touchscreen gloves. They're warm, convenient, and come in five different colors.

Buy them here for $14



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Four Reasons Why In-N-Out Burger Won't Expand To The East Coast

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in-n-out burger

In-N-Out, the cult favorite burger joint of the West Coast, has been teasing the East Coast with rumors of expansion for years.

The fast food retailer has slowly expanded eastward over its 65-year lifetime to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and most recently Texas. The company has also been holding "pop-up shops" around the world, where burgers tend to sell out within minutes.

All signs seemingly point to a plan for expansion. 

But there are four major factors making it highly unlikely that East Coasters will get to experience the joy of an In-N-Out in their neighborhood any time soon. 

1. Quality control: There are no freezers or microwaves in any In-N-Out restaurants because the company has a strict policy of serving its food fresh. Therefore, all locations must be close to its distribution facilities, which are in Baldwin Park, Calif. and Dallas, Texas.

"At In-N-Out Burger, we make all of our hamburger patties ourselves and deliver them fresh to all of our restaurants with our own delivery vehicles," In-N-Out Vice President of Planning and Development Carl Van Fleet told Business Insider. "Nothing is ever frozen. Our new restaurant locations are limited by the distance we can travel from our patty making facilities and distribution centers."

In-N-Out owner Lynsi Torres says the burger chain's quality is what sets it apart from competitors. 

"We're not changing things like many other companies do," she told The OC Register in a February 2013 interview. "That's kept us unique; it's kept the customers feeling like we're not a sellout."

2. Exclusivity: Everything has more appeal when it's not available to everyone, and the exclusivity of In-N-Out is what has helped the restaurant gain such a rabid following of fans.

In response to pleading from a local politician for an In-N-Out to open in Denver, Van Fleet made it clear the company isn't planning to expand.

"You continue to give us the biggest compliment possible with your efforts to interest us in Colorado,” he wrote in a letter obtained by The Denver Post. "That said, at this time, we’re still not looking to add a sixth state and we’re just focusing our growth efforts in the five states where we currently operate."

3.Competition: The East Coast has a number burger joints that would offer tough competition for In-N-Out, including Shake Shack and Five Guys.

4. No franchising: In-N-Out is a family-owned company that doesn't believe in franchising. A large-scale expansion without franchising would require a massive amount of up-front capital from the company.

"In-N-Out remains privately owned and the Snyder family has no plans to take the company public or franchise any units," the company reaffirms on its website.

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need To Know About Chipotle's Game-Changing New Catering

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Motivational App Lift Is Literally Changing My Life

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Lift motivation app

I've fallen in love with an iPhone app called Lift. Its helped me solve a tough problem: how to stay motivated in building new good habits and while ditching old bad habits.

I'm actually a pretty motivated person. I work out, floss my teeth, and eat healthy (at least most of the time). But there seems to be a motivational glass ceiling when I try to do much bigger changes in my life.

Not sure how it works for you, but for me it works like this:

I vow to myself to stop doing something like snacking on cheese. It's high in fat and my body doesn't love dairy. Or I vow to myself to start doing something like spending 15 minutes a day meditating.

Then I do it for a day or so and then life happens and I find myself home at night with a plate of cheese and crackers in front of me, or I find myself getting to the end of the day realizing that I didn't meditate, and am too tired to try.

Enter Lift. You download the app (free, Android, or iPhone, or sign up on the website) and then you join a challenge. The challenge is lead by a "Lift coach." Other like-minded individuals also join the challenge. Then you check in every day and you all create the new habit, or stop the old habit, together.

Lift is a San Francisco startup that was incubated in Obvious Corp, which is operated by some of Twitter's founders. It has raised $2.5 million from investors such as RRE*, Spark Capital and SV Angel. 

In December, I joined the 25 for 25 Challenge. The challenge is to workout every day for at least 25 minutes from December 1 - 25, to counteract the calorie-laden party month with extra activity. I work out regularly but, until this month, not every day.

I told a few friends about the challenge and they signed up, too.

We're half-way through and I haven't missed a day. One time, I got home from a party at 11:30 p.m. and still got on my bike trainer and pedaled. (I thought, "It's only 25 minutes. No excuses.")

Would I have done that without Lift? No.

You can join all kinds of challenges: Health things like flossing your teeth, eating more veggies, stopping nail biting, using your Fitbit. Personal development things like writing, meditating, daily de-cluttering. Fitness things like training for a race, building strength, learning new Yoga poses.

I realize that we're knee-deep into the holiday season, weeks before New Year's resolutions. But when the time comes, consider adding some motivation to your life through your iPhone, tablet or PC.

It's working for me.

*RRE is also an investor in Business Insider

SEE ALSO: The Business App 50: The Best Apps To Help You Do Your Job

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The Parking Lot At The American University Of Dubai Is Full Of Amazing Cars [PHOTOS]

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rolls-royce gold american university dubai

Dubai's police force is known for having a stable of amazing vehicles, and it turns out the city's students aren't doing too badly, either.

Reddit user Squirrelnelius, aka Meeka Nasser, is a student at the American University of Dubai, and posted these photos of the amazing cars that fill the school's parking lot. He wrote:

Because Cayennes and Range Rovers are a dime a dozen here, I only included a few of them in the album.

Keep in mind, almost all of the students are between 18 and 24 years old, as the graduate program is pretty tiny here. The students that drive the insanely expensive cars (Rolls Royces and Bentleys etc.) are usually local (Emirati) for those wondering.

Nasser gave us permission to run some of the photos, so we've picked out our favorites for your viewing pleasure. (We've blocked the license plates.)

This Porsche Cayenne Turbo looks like it's not even in a real spot.

american university of dubai parking lot porsche

No regular spots were left for someone's Maserati.

american university of dubai parking lot

The Bentley Continental GT looks good in red.

american university of dubai parking lot bentley

Yes, that's a Porsche Cayenne in the background of this photo of a Porsche Cayenne.

american university of dubai parking lot porsche cayenne

Another Continental GT, this time in black.

american university of dubai parking lot

One Mercedes owner went for the chrome red look.

american university of dubai parking lot

There's some American muscle at the university, too.

american university of dubai parking lot

And British luxury.

american university of dubai parking lot

Rolls-Royce is represented as well.

american university of dubai parking lot

There's at least one Nissan fan taking classes.

american university of dubai parking lot

An Audi R8 owner shows up for school.

american university of dubai parking lot

It takes a lot to make a Mercedes-Benz G Class look cheap.

american university of dubai parking lot

But a Porsche and a Ferrari, side by side, do the trick.

american university of dubai parking lot

Here's a better look at the Prancing Horse.

american university of dubai parking lot

Not a huge fan of the green stripe on the Lamborghini Gallardo.

american university of dubai parking lot

We prefer the orange Lambo hiding behind this BMW.

american university of dubai parking lot

Here's another Audi R8.

american university of dubai parking lot

The flag of the United Arab Emirates decorates this Mercedes hood.

american university of dubai parking lot

SEE ALSO: The Ridiculous Supercars Of The Dubai Police Force

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Those Terrible Bag Fees Are Keeping The Airline Industry Afloat

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airport laguardia bags vacation baby couple

The global airline industry should see record-breaking profits in 2014, and the key sources of revenue are the myriad fees that annoy passengers so much.

Called ancillary fees, they're what you pay when you want to check a bag, have extra legroom, or change a reservation.

They may seem minor and annoying, but they are an absolute gold mine for airlines.

In 2010, airlines around the world made $22.6 billion in ancillary revenue, worth 4.2% of industry revenue, according to an October 2013 report by IdeaWorks. In 2013, that number will reach $42.6 billion, worth 6% of total revenue.

About half of that comes from commissions for hotel bookings and sale of frequent flier miles. The rest is from "a la carte fees," like the $100 fee Spirit and Frontier charge some passengers for the right to have a carry-on bag.

That extra money is keeping the entire industry in the black.

According to a new forecast by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), fuel efficiency, consolidation, and robust passenger demand all play a role in pushing profits up, but ancillaries are especially crucial:

Ancillary revenues are a key driver of improved financial performance. Worldwide ancillary revenues have risen to an estimated $13/passenger. Airlines are underpinning their profitability with innovative products and services.

On a per passenger basis, ancillary revenues are greater than the $5.94/passenger profit that airlines are expected to earn in 2014. Without ancillaries, the industry would be making a loss from its core seat and cargo products.

This IATA chart tells the whole story. Over the past few years, revenue from fares has flatlined, while ancillaries are steadily bringing in more and more money:

iata airline ancillary fee revenue chart

According to IdeaWorks, KLM makes €65 million ($89.4 million) annually by charging extra for economy comfort seating. Southwest raked in $161 million with EarlyBird boarding charges in 2012.

So travelers should get used to fees like these, and be prepared for more: They're too effective to disappear anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: Flying Today Is So Much Better Than It Was In The 'Golden Age' Of Aviation

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An Irish Pensioner Placed An Ad In A Newspaper To Avoid Spending his 10th-Straight Christmas Alone

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groundhog day

An 85-year-old Irish pensioner faces the prospect of spending his 10th-straight Christmas alone, the Irish Post's Niall O'Sullivan reports, so he placed an ad with the newspaper to form a Christmas group for others in his situation.

At first James Gray, a retired butler who now lives in London, only received one response for — and that individual subsequently said they'd found someone else to pass Christmas with.

“I just want to find someone in time,” he said. "I am used to the loneliness, but I do not want it to be the same this year."

But since the story first ran Friday in the Post, Gray says he's been "inundated" with responses from all over the U.K. and even New York.

British charity Age UK says Gray would have been just one of almost half a million over-65s who face spending Christmas alone, O'Sullivan says.

Click here for the full story »

SEE ALSO: Michael Bublé's Complete Dominance Of Spotify Right Now Is Terrifying

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9 Maps That Show How Americans Speak In Different Regions

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Click for sound.

 

American English dialects and pronunciation have been a point of interest from coast to coast among linguists for years. 

In 1999, the Harvard Dialect Survey, a research project conducted by Professor Bert Vaux, used a series of questions, to collect information about what terms, word pairs and sounds are used in different parts of North America.  Some of the words highlighted in the survey inspired the "Regional Dialect Meme" videos, where people from around the country taped their pronunciation versions of words and sayings.

The data from the Harvard study was eventually brought to life by PhD student, Joshua Katz, through a series of interactive dialect maps, which went viral.

In this 90-second clip, we explore how some of the most contentious words and phrases are pronounced in the different parts of the country.

Follow us on YouTube >

SEE ALSO: 12 Sayings Only People From California Will Understand

Follow BI Video: On Twitter

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How 2 Friends Started The Most Hilarious Podcast Of The Year By Being Brutally Honest

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kid fury and crisslesOver the last year, a pop-culture comedy podcast called 'The Read' has garnered the kind of cult following that D-list celebrities and reality show contestants would chew off their left arms off for.

It's hosted by two friends — Crissle and Kid Fury. The show premiered in January, and from then on it was a race to the top.

In what seemed like no time at all, 'The Read' made it to #3 overall in iTunes' "New and Noteworthy" section, and peaked at #1 in the comedy section. When iTunes celebrated 100 million podcast subscribers, "The Read" was featured on a page of podcasts that helped get iTunes there.

In short: This show is hilarious, and its listeners are completely addicted.

Now, this is the kind of stuff that goes down on The Read:

In a recent episode, a guest on the podcast told a story about Drake (yes, that Drake). He'd been at a strip club in Atlanta and invited the dancers back to his hotel room. Instead of getting a private show, though, Drake gave one. He started playing music for his guests and telling them what he thought about it. The strippers, thinking they were going to get paid, got totally frustrated and left.

As you can imagine, Kid Fury and Crissle immediately lost it.

"I bet Drake got a pair of Uggs," Crissle between guffaws.

The episode was uploaded to audio streaming site SoundCloud two weeks ago. Since then, it's been played over 76,000 times. And then there's iTunes, where they have about 80,000 subscribers.

'The Read' breaks down in three segments. First, Kid Fury picks pop culture stories for the duo to discuss. Then Crissle brings out listener letters with questions for them to answer. Lastly, Kid Fury and Crissle "read" someone or something.

Let me explain: "A read" is the ultimate: "let-me-tell-you-what." It's what you do when you're so fed up with someone or something you just have to express everything you think about that person or thing — it can be mean, it can be hilarious, but above all it has to be honest.

"Reading," as they say, "is fundamental." It's a form of venting that has roots deep in the black gay community. But like a lot of liberating forms of expression, it has spread to the wider gay community, and the heterosexual black community as well. The release is like religion.

Crissle and Kid Fury moved to NYC, where they are based, only last year. Kid Fury approached Crissle with the project already having a big following on social media for doing no-holds-barred commentary videos on anything from pop culture gossip to "Five Ways Not To Get Catfished."

Remember "S**t White Girls Say..." Kid Fury is the star of "S**t Black Gays Say" (highly recommended).

Crissle was social media-savvy too, but in moving NYC, her intention was not to break out as a cult internet star.

"I moved here to get out of Oklahoma," she told Business Insider in a phone interview. "I had an online presence but not nearly enough to sustain something like this."

Kid Fury hails from Miami.

Neither of them expected their podcast to catch on so fast, but it's become so huge, they're are about to do their 4th live show in Houston, Tex. next month. The 500-person event is completely sold out.

"The first live show that we did was almost like a prototype," said Kid Fury. "I just feel like there's so much more we could have done with it."

Crissle said: "hearing the reaction from the crowd" was the strangest part of the live experience. In the studio there's no laughing, no yelling, no reacting. The tempo is different.

They'll get their chance to get used to it. Requests are piling up for "The Read" live in Los Angeles, Miami and more.

And it's because of the fans. Crissle and Kid Fury have an ad agency that handles their sponsors, but they don't really advertise their show. From the beginning the fans gave the show legs by sharing the podcast. They talked about it, and they engaged with it by writing in and asking questions about dating, sexuality, race, and family drama.

In response, Crissle and Kid Fury, both gay, have shared a lot about being outsiders at some points of their lives. On top of being entertaining, they've become two relatable friends to listeners, who are able to get together and do a hilarious one-hour podcast in one take. No rehearsals.

"I lived a regular life until January when Kid Fury asked me to host a podcast with him," said Crissle. Now she's so busy juggling media appearances, listener e-mails and business meetings, she *may have to quit her day job.

Kid Fury's job is the internet. It's where he lives and how he lives. In a city of noise, he works on his blog, YouTube channel and Kid Fury merchandise, while most people are in bed.

"Sometimes I think: 'Oh my God I want to strangle everyone in Harlem right now' because no one will shut up," he said. "When you're in lullaby land getting ready for work in the morning, I'm on the internet doing something stupid."

Whatever it is, Fury, it's working.

Check out The Read on iTunes here.

*Crissle told Business Insider that she will not be quitting her day job any time soon though — "My Mama ain't raise no fool."

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The Penthouse From The 'Wolf Of Wall Street' Movie Is For Sale For $6.5 Million

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Wolf Of Wall penthouse

The Midtown Manhattan penthouse Leonardo DiCaprio's character Jordan Belfort used in the upcoming film "The Wolf Of Wall Street" is on the market, New York Daily News reported. 

The Penthouse B at the Milan Condominium at 300 East 55th is for sale for $6.495 million.

"Million Dollar Listing" star/Nestseekers broker Ryan Serhant has the listing, the NYDN report said.  

The apartment is the location of the infamous scene where Belfort's crew beat up the butler and dangled him over the balcony threatening to drop him.  

The Penthouse is located on the 32nd floor of the Milan Condominium in Midtown East. It offers stunning views of the East River.



This is where Belfort's crew beat up the butler, Patrick, after Belfort's mistress Nadine caught him having a gay orgy in the apartment. 'Victor threw the first punch and Patrick's face exploded into raw hamburger meat...,' Belfort wrote in his memoir.

The Wolf Of Wall Street 



After it was revealed that Patrick took $50,000 from Belfort's sock drawer, Victor Wang hung him over the ledge of the balcony and threatened to drop him.

The Wolf Of Wall Street 



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Lincoln's Luxury Baby SUV Is Priced To Undercut The Competition

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2015 LINCOLN MKC SUV split wing grille

The 2015 Lincoln MKC crossover, the second vehicle in Ford's plan to revive the lagging luxury brand, will start for $33,995, Ford announced today.

That price puts it below the competition. The Acura RDX starts for $34,520, and Audi's Q5 starts for $37,300. Ford says the MKC will have "the most accessible starting price point in the segment."

That should help lure in buyers who otherwise have little interest in a brand that once was great, but has produced little of note in recent years.

Ford's plan to relaunch Lincoln started late in 2012, with the introduction of the MKZ, an attractive sedan that fell short of our expectations. But Ford has insisted all along that this is a long term project that will include four new cars in as many years.

The MKC is based on Ford's Escape, already a top seller in the crossover segment.That's a good way to start, and it's encouraging that there seems to be more differentiation between the two cars than there is between the MKZ and the car it is based on, the Fusion.

The fact that it's a crossover, or small SUV, is also encouraging. The premium utility vehicle segment is growing faster than any in the industry — up 25% since 2012.

The MKZ will come with a full suite of luxury car features, including an app that can start, lock, unlock, and locate the car.

The new ride will come in three trim levels: Premiere is the least expensive. "Select" starts for $37,225, and "Reserve" pushes the price tag up to $40,930. Those prices include destination and delivery charges.

SEE ALSO: The Parking Lot At The American University Of Dubai Is Full Of Amazing Cars

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The 10 Highest-Paid College Presidents

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Robert Zimmer University Chicago President

University of Chicago president Robert J. Zimmer made more than $3,ooo,ooo in 2011, the most of any private college executive, according a new report from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The higher education publication surveyed executive compensation data collected from 2011 IRS filings for the 500 colleges with the largest endowments. The Chronicle found that the median pay for college executives in 2011 was $410,523 — a 3% increase from 2010.

42 college presidents recieved more than $1,000,000 from their positions in 2011, up from 36 the previous year, according to The Chronicle.

Ron B. Seifert, an expert on higher education presidential compensation, told The Chronicle that Zimmer's high pay may be due to the size and complexity of the school's budget. The University of Chicago is "one of just 10 private colleges with budgets greater than $3-billion," according to The Chronicle.

"It would be really difficult for you to prove to me that the challenges associated with running a $200-million institution are the same as somebody running an institution at $2-billion. They are inherently different in terms of the managerial skills required," Seifert said.

Here are the 10 highest paid college presidents:

  1. Robert J. Zimmer (University of Chicago) — $3,358,723
  2. Joseph E. Aoun (Northeastern University) — $3,121,864
  3. Dennis J. Murray (Marist College) — $2,688,148
  4. Lee C. Bollinger (Columbia University) — $2,327,344
  5. Lawrence S. Bacow (Tufts University) — $2,223,752
  6. Amy Gutmann (University of Pennsylvania) — $2,091,764
  7. Anthony J. Catanese (Florida Institute of Technology) — $1,884,008
  8. Esther L. Barazzone (Chatham University) — $1,812,132
  9. Shirley Ann Jackson (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) — $1,752,642
  10. Richard C. Levin (Yale University) — $1,652,543

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The Heartwarming Story Of How Twitter Helped A Little Girl Find Her Stuffed Animal

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phoebe and roar

Metro News UK has a heartwarming tale about how a little girl was reunited with her lost stuffed animal through social media.

The story goes that Lauren Bishop Vranch found a "well-loved bear" at London's King's Cross station last Friday. She tried to give the lost bear to the train staff, but was told he'd be dropped off at Inverness Station — far away from the York-Kings Cross line she found it on. So she tweeted:

She then started using the hashtag #lostbear to try and find the stuffed animal's owner. She documented her weekend with the bear, watching plays, hanging out in Newcastle, and staying at a hotel.

The pictures were soon picked up by the Facebook group "Spotted: On the Train."

Finally after a long weekend of searching, Yorkshire father Ben Simpson realized on Sunday that the #lostbear was actually his daughter Phoebe's stuffed lion Roar, who she had been missing since Friday.

stuffed bear facebook

Roar is now on his way back to his rightful owner and all is right with the world.

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Daniel Boulud Thinks A Bunch Of Restaurants Are Aging Their Steak For Way Too Long

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Dry Aging Steaks at DeBragga

With three Michelin stars under his belt at the relatively young age of 58, Danie Boulud has captured the attention and respect of foodies across the globe.

And in a recent interview with The Independant, Boulud had his say about one of the most controversial debates rocking the world of meat right now — how long should dry aged steak be aged?

In New York City — where Boulud's restaurant, Daniel, has reigned over the Upper East Side for years — some restaurants are aging their steaks up to 125 days (like Osteria Morini) or 140 days (like Eleven Madison Park).

That's extreme, and a solid 44 days is more common, but Boulud says even that's too much for him.

From The Independent:

He’s so approachable, you end up asking him slightly silly, while-I’ve-got-you-here questions: does he believe in hanging meat for (the new fashion) 44 days? “Non, I don’t like that – you can’t do it with grass-fed meat, because it would be like that” – he bangs the table twice – “there would be no fat left in it. For me, 30 days it’s already pretty good for rib eye or sirloin on the bone. I like my meat grass-fed and juicy. The French never age their meat more than two or three weeks.”

Read the full profile here>

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Mercedes Made The All-New C-Class Bigger Because People Are Getting Taller

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2015 Mercedes-benz C-Class interior

Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to launch the all-new C-Class, and the luxury options and technologies it has packed into the sedan show just how quickly cars are evolving.

The lighter and more fuel-efficient C-Class has a control pad that looks like it was stolen from a spaceship.

It also comes with "GPS-sensitive air conditioning," which protects occupants from breathing filthy air when they drive through a tunnel.

With the Adaptive Highbeam Assist plus, you can keep your brights on without blinding oncoming traffic — it works "by masking out other vehicles in the cone of light."

The C-Class will also come with the "active fragrancing and ionisation" that it debuted in the 2014 S-Class this year. Basically, it's an active odor system that keeps your car smelling as fancy as it should.

The C-Class is matching human evolution, too: It's 3.74 inches longer than the outgoing model, "to take account of people's increasing average height."

Since the 1870s, the average height of European men has increased by over 4 inches, according to Britain's National History Museum.

Among Mercedes sedans, the C-Class is a step above the CLA-Class, which now starts for under $30,000. It's below the fancier E-Class and S-Class, which cost $51,400 and $92,900, respectively.

The new sedan will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month. Pricing has not been announced, but the current C-Class starts for $35,800.

2015 Mercedes-benz C-Class

2015 Mercedes-benz C-Class

2015 Mercedes-benz C-Class

SEE ALSO: Lincoln's Luxury Baby SUV Is Priced To Undercut The Competition

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A Top New York City Chef Reveals The Best Meal He Ever Ate

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Michael Anthony Maura McEvoy

Long before Michael Anthony became the executive chef and a partner at Gramercy Tavern and won a prestigious James Beard award for "Best Chef in New York City," Anthony was a 20-year-old business, Japanese and French major studying abroad.

He joined a friend with a big family in France for Christmas Eve, and that's where he told Business Insider he had the most memorable meal of his life.

Anthony and his friend's family sat down to dinner at a country house outside Léon, in the southwest of France. It snowed on Christmas Eve while the group ate in a big, stone kitchen and dining room in front of a hearth. "I'm not making this up!" Anthony swore with a raised hand.

The menu for Anthony's most-memorable dinner included:

  • Oysters and champagne 

  • Smoked salmon with caviar and little shots of vodka

  • Simple, handmade pasta dish featuring big eggy noodles with a creamy black truffle dressing 

  • Roasted turkey with chestnuts and cabbage

"It took all night," Anthony said to Business Insider. "It was one of those marathon meals where people are standing up and stretching and coming back to the table."

Anthony's first book, "The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook," also explores how place and time at the table influences one's relationship to food, alongside its recipes. 

"That meal was where I finally understood, full-on, the pleasure of being at a table in the most casual setting with family and friends, but eating the most exquisite things."

He said he'd been over the memory many times over the years, testing it to make sure it really held up as his favorite meal. Anthony decided the food he ate, the people he ate it with, and the place where he ate all had an equal impact; that's the formula for any successful meal, he said. Great meals come with as powerful a food memory as a contact memory.  

SEE ALSO: Gramercy Tavern's Head Chef Reveals His Holiday Wish List

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New York's Subway System Made Me Late For Work, Then Wrote Me This Ridiculous Late Pass

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marcy avenue M train nyc subway williamsburg brooklyn

Last week, I was half an hour late for work because my subway was horribly delayed, leaving me standing on an outdoor platform in freezing weather for about 20 minutes.

To prove to my boss that I wasn't just sleeping in, I applied for a "Subway Delay Verification" from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

The idea is simple: You fill out a form explaining what train(s) you take, when you entered and exited the subway, and the details of the delay.

If the MTA can verify the delay, it will give you a confirmation letter.

So I submitted the form, and promptly got an email promising me a response with 21 days. Fortunately, it took less than a week to arrive.

And it was ridiculous.

I expected a line confirming that my train — the M line — was delayed, maybe with an explanation. Instead, the MTA gave me a whole lot of information about all the trouble it was having that day:

"On the morning of Thursday, December 12, 2013 there was a disruption in service, specifically brakes in emergency, police investigation, unruly person, track circuit failure and signal trouble which caused service disruption on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, D, E, F, G, J/Z, M and R lines. Your delay is validated for the date and time specified in your request."

Yes, that's five distinct problems that caused delays on 15 subway lines.

Here's the full letter:

alex mta delay verification subway letter

SEE ALSO: Inside The Construction Of The New Subway Line NYC Has Wanted Since The 1920s

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The 10 Best Vegan And Vegetarian Restaurants In New York City

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Peacefood Cafe FB

Vegetables are coming back in a big way. Acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten announced last week plans to add a vegetarian restaurant with some vegan fare to his ABC empire.

Vongerichten told The New York Post that the soon-to-open space, called ABC Home Grown, will be “like an indoor Union Square green market” with local fresh produce, preserves, and specialty goods. 

But New York City is already home to a number of fantastic restaurants that cater to vegetarians and vegans. The editors at Zagat helped us compile a list of the top 10.

Restaurants are rated on a 30-point scale, based on periodic customer surveys, in the categories of Food, Decor, and Service. Scores between 26 and 30 are typically reserved for restaurants that are "extraordinary to perfection."

#10 Blossom (vegan)

187 9th Ave. (and other locations)

Food: 23

Decor: 18

Service: 21

Average Cost: $35

Blossom's noted for inventive vegan fare, like a mushroom dish that mimics calamari and a seaweed-tofu combo that tastes like cod. 



#9 Peacefood Cafe (vegan)

460 Amsterdam Ave. and 41 E. 11th St.

Food: 23

Decor: 16

Service: 17

Average Cost: $23

This cafe fits into a kosher and vegan diet. In addition to the full menu of entrees, you can also order from Peacefood's organic bakery. 



#8 Gobo (vegetarian)

1426 3rd Ave. and 401 6th Ave.

Food: 23

Decor: 19

Service: 20

Average Cost: $36

This vegetarian restaurant comes equipped with an organic juice bar specializing in fruit smoothies. The rest of the menu features Asian accents.



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Check Into The New York Palace's Lavish 'Jewel' Suite For $25,000 A Night [PHOTOS]

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The revamped New York Palace recently unveiled two new luxury suites with out-of-this-world amenities. 

The Jewel Suite, located in the newly renovated Towers section of the Palace, is a 5,000-square-foot triplex designed by jeweler Martin Katz. 

Rates start at $25,000 a night for the suite, which also includes private Maybach car service, complimentary champagne, and Michel Richard white chocolate diamond truffles in the grand parlor. 

As if the luxurious accommodations weren't enticing enough, guests who book the Jewel Suite will receive a diamond ring designed by Martin Katz. Guests can consult with the designer himself to find the perfect sizing for the Diamond Microband Ring, which typically retails at $2,500. 

Martin Katz microband ring

Floating boxes in the entryway showcase some of Katz' haute couture jewel designs. To the right is a 20-foot "diamond waterfall" chandelier. 

palace jewel suite showcase

Beyond the eye-catching chandelier is the grand parlor, with 15-foot windows, a grand piano, and luxurious jewel-tone decor. 

Jewel suite living room

A glass mosaic by Katz is the focal point of the dining room, which could accommodate up to 10 dinner guests. 

Jewel suite dining room

Sip champagne by the fireplace in the third-floor sitting room. 

jewel suite living room

Or take in some of Manhattan's most recognizable landmarks from the private terrace, which also has a fireplace and a hot tub. 

Palace Jewel suite terrace

SEE ALSO: My Suite At The New York Palace Hotel Felt Like A Multi-Million Dollar Apartment

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