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Attention Gentlemen — Cuffed Pants Are Officially Back In Style

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High-rise pants men's fashion New York Fashion Week Spring 2014

Men's pants haven't seen a good cuff — neatly creased and sewn into place — since '80s prep style went out of vogue, according to The Wall Street Journal's Steve Garbarino

But earlier this year, the spring runways were loaded with "turnups," and not ones that were just casually rolled in a prepster style. Hermès, Canali, Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren all featured cuffed pants exposing the man's ankle, mostly using "trim, tapered silhouettes and hems that stopped jauntily near the ankle" to avoid the dad look, Garbarino wrote.

The look majorly benefitted from a manly endorsement from the latest Bond: Daniel Craig wore cuffed, slim-fit pants by Tom Ford in last year's "Skyfall."

Off-the-rack designer suits rarely include cuffed pants, but men who go for tailor-made suits have the option. Modern cuffed pants look best in summer-weight fabrics with flat-fronts or nearly flat single-pleat styles, according to designers.

But as Canali communications director Elisabetta Canali warns, cuffs aren't for every man. 

"They're a distinctive sign of elegance that adds neatness to the look," she told Garbarino, but "a cuffed pant looks more refined on tall and long-limbed men. It's a matter of proportion."

SEE ALSO: Upscale Men's Shops Are Changing To Attract Younger Shoppers

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MICHAEL JORDAN: How The Best Player Ever Spends His Millions

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michael jordan bobcats owner

Michael Jordan hasn't played an NBA game in more than 10 years, but he's still one of the highest-earning athletes in sports.

In retirement he's a sneaker mogul, an NBA owner, and a spokesperson for a variety of products.

He makes $80 million a year, and spends it on houses, planes, boats, and his own NBA team.

A decade after he retired, Michael Jordan still makes $80 million a year.

Source: Forbes



That's way more than he made in salary while he played. He made ~$90 million TOTAL in NBA salary.

Source: Basketball-Reference



His net worth is $650 million, thanks to a bevy of endorsement deals.

Source: Forbes



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Wearable Activity Monitor Whistle Tells You How Your Pup Stacks Up Against Other Pups

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cute poodle donny

Whistle, a wearable activity tracker for dogs, lets you know when your dog is at his or her most active times. 

For the last week or so, I've been testing the Whistle tracker on my pup, Donny. 

Whistle, available for $99.95, is a small, stainless steel disc that you clip onto your dog's collar. 

As your dog walks, eats, and sleeps, Whistle records his activity and shows it to you via its smartphone app. All the data syncs via a Bluetooth connection.

On Christmas, my dad walked Donny for what seemed like 20 minutes before we headed to go see a movie. 

But Whistle notified us that my dad only walked Donny for 10 minutes. It turns out my dad was just hanging out in the garage for a bit before actually starting the walk. 

whistle for donny dickeyDonny likes his exercise, so when the time came for his afternoon walk, my mom knew thanks to Whistle that she needed to take him on a longer walk. So she walked him for 37 minutes.

With that in mind, Whistle could also be incredibly effective if you rely on a pet sitter or dog walker. That way, you can see if your dog is getting an appropriate amount of exercise. 

Another cool feature about Whistle is the ability to see how your dog stacks up to other dogs his or her size. Donny, it turns out, is nearly 3 times more active than other dogs his size. He also doesn't need to rest or sleep as much as other dogs. 

To date, Whistle has raised $6 million from DCM, Red Swan, and Gunderson Dettmer.

But Whistle isn't the only startup trying to tackle the activity space for dogs. FitBark is similarly a wearable activity tracker for pups, and it recently raised over $80,000 on Kickstarter to bring its bone-shaped tracker to market

FitBark seems to offer a more robust solution, fitted with an open API to allow the development of 3rd-party apps like custom exercise plans or custom food recommendations. But it will be hard to judge until the product actually comes out to market.

SEE ALSO: Yes, Your Dog May Need A Wearable Activity Tracker, Too

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Hundreds Of Starbucks Customers 'Pay It Forward' On Christmas

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Starbucks pays it forward

A single act of kindness at a Starbucks in Connecticut inspired hundreds of people to "pay it forward" and pick up the tab for strangers' drink orders over the Christmas holiday.

The chain of giving started around 8 a.m. on the day before Christmas, when a customer at the Newington Starbucks offered to pay for the next person in line, according to NBC Connecticut.

The recipient of the free drink was then inspired to extend the same offer to another patron.

By the time the store closed at 8 p.m., more than 300 customers had "paid it forward." By closing time the following day, the number grew to 420. 

"It feels so good," customer Cathy Shemeth said to NBC Connecticut. "It’s awesome. That's what Christmas is all about."

About $45 in paid-for orders was left over, so the first couple customers to visit the store Thursday also got free drinks.

SEE ALSO: 6 Blenders That Pulverize Food Just As Well As The Trendy Vitamix

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25 Unbelievable Travel Destinations You Never Knew Existed

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Jiu zhai gou in China

There are some tourist attractions that can't be missed: The Vatican in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Westminster Abbey in London.

These are the kinds of places friends and family expect travelers to go.

But there are plenty of places to see that are under the radar; often known only by locals.

Inspired by this Quora list asking about the best travel destinations most people never knew existed, we put together our own list of the 25 hidden gems around the world that are worth the trek.

Hike the Haiku Stairs in Oahu, Hawaii — also known as "The Stairway to Heaven" — a steep trail with a wooden ladder spiked into the side of a cliff. Technically it's not open for public use, but people still climb it, and rave about the views from the top.



Dive into the clear blue water of the Hinatuan River on the Philippine island of Mindanao. The saltwater river is nicknamed the "Enchanted River" because it appears to run from the middle of nowhere, and is ideal for snorkelers and divers.



Explore the mysterious "crooked forest" of Western Poland, with 400 pine trees all growing with a 90-degree bend at the base. The reason behind the curved trees remains unknown to this day.



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5 Tips For 'Popping The Question' From New York's Top Wedding Proposal Planner

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sarah pease the proposal planner

Proposing to your loved one can be one of the most exciting moments in your life. But it can also be incredibly stressful, and your head may be spinning thinking of all the ways it could go wrong.

That's where Sarah Pease comes in.

As New York City's premiere proposal planner, Pease and her Brilliant Event Planning team craft personalized proposals that are the stuff of romance movies. They'll take care of every intricate detail, from the timing and the venue to the music that will be playing when you get down on one knee.

Pease was inspired to start her business when she heard a story of a woman who had been proposed to with a ring left at the bottom of a bucket of fried chicken. 

"I heard that story and thought, 'There's got to be a better way to do this,'" she said to Business Insider. 

Since then, she's helped clients pop the question in some pretty amazing ways. She helped one couple take over the ice rink at New York's Bryant Park, while another wandered a deserted San Francisco Flower Conservatory as romantic music played in the background. 

For $500, Pease and her team will meet with you, gather information about your relationship, and come up with a big idea for how the proposal will go. For that plus the full execution of the idea, rates start at $2,000. 

"We've got experience on our side. We've done this many, many times," she said. "We can anticipate and control for things that could happen, so if something does go wrong, there's a plan B." 

Pease gave us some of her most important tips for the big day. 

Plan for every possibility.

Make sure you're ready for any little detail that could go wrong. Things like traffic or work schedules can fluctuate, so it's good to know what to do if that happens. 

"The most important thing is to plan very carefully," she said. "For example, most people have a backup plan for if she's running late, but what if she's running early?"

Keep friends and family on a need-to-know basis. 

Often what really makes a proposal great is the surprise. But sometimes even the most well-meaning people can inadvertently spill the beans.

"They may say something like, 'I'm going to see you tomorrow, right?' or 'I wonder if something is going on tomorrow?'" Pease said. "If they don't need to know, don't tell them. Seriously."

Limit your speech to three main points. 

This is a moment the two of you are going to remember forever, so it's natural to be nervous. Pease recommends sticking to a script of three things you want to say. 

"Anything more and you're going to forget and bumble your words. Keep it simple," Pease said. 

nyc proposalStick to what makes your relationship unique.

Some proposal elements — candles, flowers, even fireworks — have been used over and over again. Rather than focus on what you think might be considered romantic, make it personal.

Whether she's crazy about red roses, cupcakes, or shoes, whatever you end up doing should have a direct relation to the connection you share. 

"What is she head over heels about? What makes the two of you click?" Pease said. "Go back to the roots, the foundation of your relationship because that's what makes you unique, and that's never going to be corny."

Consider asking for outside help. 

Many of Pease's clients at Brilliant Event Planning are wealthy enough to afford her services, but she realizes that there are a lot of men out there who are shopping for engagement rings at Kay Jewelers, not Harry Winston. That's why she started her new venture, proposal-ideas.com, which offers customizable proposal packages at a more affordable price point. 

"The packages are completely custom-designed for them," Pease said. "If you have a proposal planner in any capacity, you're not going to feel stressed."

An especially popular package will let you rent out a screen in Times Square to display your proposal message. There are also private wine tastings, yacht cruises, and many other options. 

SEE ALSO: 23 Unusual Wedding Photos From Around The World

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Photos Of Identical Twins Shows How Smoking Destroys The Face

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By comparing photos of identical twins, researchers from Case Western Reserve University confirmed that smoking leads to premature aging of the face, contributing to more wrinkles, droopy skin, jowls, and under-eye bags.

For this study, 79 pairs of twins were selected between 2007 and 2010 during the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. In some sets of twins, only one smoked. If both twins smoked, one twin had to smoke at least five years longer than his or her counterpart to take part in the study. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 78, with the average age being 48.

To rule out other factors that contribute to premature aging, like sun exposure, drinking, and weight gain, researchers asked about their sunscreen use, alcohol intake, and perceived work stress for each twin and determined that the differences were not statistically significant.

To determine facial changes caused by smoking a panel of three plastic surgeons, who were not aware of the twins' smoking history, looked at professionally taken photographs of each twin's face (see some examples below).

They found that smokers, when compared to their non-smoking counterparts, had more sagging and bags under the upper eyelids, more smile lines, sagging jowls, and upper and lower lip wrinkles.

Among twins that both smoked, those who had a longer smoking history scored worse for lower lid bags, lower lip wrinkles, and baggy cheeks.

Most smoking-related differences were observed in the lower-thirds of the face, according to the study. In the lab, cells lose elasticity and collagen after exposure to tobacco extract, which could be to blame for the changes in this part of the face.

Additionally the "overall thickness of the skin is greater in nonsmokers than in smokers, perhaps making the upper lip lines and nasolabial creases less discernible," the authors write. Nasolabial creases refer to the lines that run from each side of the nose to the mouth, also known as smile lines.

The findings were reported in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

The twin on the left has smoked 17 years longer than the twin on the right. Note the differences in lower lid bags and upper and lower lip wrinkles.

smoking 1

Both twins are smokers. The twin on the right smoked 14 years longer than his brother.

smokin 2

The twin on the right is a smoker; the twin on the left is a non-smoker. Notice the difference in the smile lines.

smoking 3

The twin on the left is a non-smoker. The twin on the right smoked for 29 years. Note the differences in aging around the eyes.

smoking 4

SEE ALSO: The Oldest People On Earth Reveal The Secrets To Living Past 100

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10 Proven Ways To Relax

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Holidays have you stressed out? 

Here are 10 ways to reduce tension and anxiety through relaxation. 

1. Listen to the most relaxing song on Earth.

In a study paid for by Radox Spa, stress specialists found that "Weightless" by Manchester band Marconi Union helped women relax more than songs by Enya, Mozart, and Coldplay. "A continuous rhythm of 60 BPM causes the brainwaves and heart rate to synchronize with the rhythm: a process known as 'entrainment,'" according to ShortList.com.

2. Have a makeout session.

Kissing releases chemicals of oxytocin that reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according a study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2009.

3. Watch a funny movie.

Laughter is a proven stress-buster. One study published in 2009 in the journal Humor found that laughter is effective at reducing psychological stress. That's because people who laugh appear to have lower levels of cortisol, which increases in response to stress.

4. Take a yoga class.

Studies show that yoga — through a combination of controlled breathing and specific poses that relax your muscles — reduces anxiety, depression, and fatigue. In a study of 50 medical students, scientists found that yoga led to higher test scores as a result of improved concentration, lowered irritability levels, and a more upbeat outlook on life.

5. Eat chocolate.

According to Anna Magee, co-author of the The De-Stress Diet, research has shown that 40 grams of dark chocolate a day can help us cope with stress by releasing "happy chemicals" known as beta endorphins in the brain.

6. Create a "mental trigger."

This is something in your head that will snap you into a calm state, usually before engaging in a particularly strenuous activity. The method is described in the "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin as spontaneous relaxation.

"A physiological connection is formed between the routine and the activity it precedes," Waitzkin, a Tai Chi grandmaster, writes. The routine is anything that you perceive as calming — taking a bath, listening to music, or sitting on a bench, for example. During brief recovery periods, pro-athletes will use this technique to quickly wind-down before jumping back into the game.

7. Get a pet.

Studies show that people with companion animals, including dogs and cats, have lower blood pressure and are more chilled out when comforted by a furry friend.

8. Grab a drink.

We don't suggest going hog wild — as too much alcohol can lead to a less restful sleep, among other problems — but drinking, at least in moderation, has been shown to knock down stress levels.

9. Chew gum.

Whatever the flavor, studies find that chewing gum lowers stress levels and improves concentration because it reduces the amount of cortisol in the saliva.

10. Ignore your phone.

At least if it doesn't involve work. Research from the British Psychological Society found that compulsively checking text messages, alerts, and updates made people really stressed out.

People benefited from using their smartphone to manage work load but once they began using it for personal things, the "work load management benefits [were] displaced by the pressure to keep abreast with their new expanded virtual social life," according to researchers.

SEE ALSO: 33 Things That Make You Happier

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Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen Finally Sells His Private Island For A Discounted $8 Million

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paul allen private island

Microsoft cofounder and billionaire tech investor Paul Allen has finally sold his 292-acre private island off the coast of Washington, according to the listing on Redfin (via Curbed Seattle).

Allen had reportedly tried to sell the island for years, first listing it in 2005 for $25 million and dropping the price to $13.5 million in 2011.

The final listing price for the land was $8 million, though a final sale price and buyer have not yet surfaced.

The property, Allan Island, is named after a Navy hero and not its former owner, according to the Examiner. The island is accessible by private plane or boat, and while it has a log caretaker's cabin, it has no main house—though there are plenty of scenic spots on which to build one.

A bird's eye view of 292-acre Allan Island.



It sits off the coast of the city of Anacortes, Wash., near Skyline Marina between Burrows Bay and Rosario Strait.



There's a log caretaker's cabin, but no main house.



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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Reese Witherspoon Sells Her California Ranch At A Major Loss

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reese witherspoon california homeAfter more than a year on the market, actress Reese Witherspoon has sold her Ojai, Calif. home at a $816,500 loss, according to real estate blogger The Real Estalker.

Witherspoon listed the ranch in Sept. 2012 for $10 million, just weeks after it appeared on the cover of Elle Decor.

She later dropped the price to $5.9 million, but the still-unknown buyer bought it for just $4,983,500, according to The Real Estalker.

That's far less than the $5.8 million Witherspoon paid for the home when she bought it in 2008 from designer Kathryn Ireland, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The home has nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

Meredith Galante contributed to this post.

Welcome to Libbey Ranch. The home was built in 1923.



The ranch is Mediterranean-style, designed by the famed Wallace Neff.



Actor/director Harold Ramis of "Ghostbusters" owned the home before Ireland and Witherspoon, respectively.



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Here's How You Can Actually Save Money Using Uber

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2015 Mercedes-benz C-Class interior

On New Year's Eve, people will once again start screaming — on Twitter — about the price of taking an Uber car instead of a taxi. That's because EVERYONE will want to get a ride home rather than drive, demand will be high, and the algorithm that Uber uses with its mobile app will create the infamous Uber "surge," when prices can go up to eight times the normal rate.

If you do not know what you are doing with Uber, you can easily spend hundreds of dollars for a ride home even if it's just a few miles.

I've been using Uber for a while now, and I've discovered that as long as you are careful, using Uber is often cheaper than taking a taxi and a lot cheaper than actually owning a car. In fact, for anyone who has ever wanted to live the dream of being chauffeured around by your own private driver in a black Mercedes the whole time, Uber is as close as you're likely to get.

Here are a few Uber strategy tips to save you money:

1. Check the prices before ordering the ride — duh!

Some people forget that different types of cars have different prices. So tap one of these buttons to bring up the current rates:

Uber

2. Note that the SUV rates are high ...

Uber

3. Whereas Uber X rates are low ...

Uber

Some cities have Uber Taxi and Black Car, all running at different prices. So check before you ride!

4. Before you order a car, get a fare quote.

We decided to see how much it would cost to take Uber from the Business Insider HQ to the World Trade Center in New York.

Uber

5. Decide whether it's worth it.

Uber

In fact, $20 to go three miles in Manhattan during rush hour is pretty reasonable — especially when you consider that you won't be fighting other people on the street to get a cab, and your driver will be nice and polite and actually speak English, unlike a large portion of New York area cabbies.

6. Note that there is no need to tip an Uber driver.

Your taxi costs include a tip. With Uber, there is no tipping, according to the company's own web site:

Uber

(Although because it's Christmas and New Year, you might want to tip anyway.)

Once you get used to switching between Uber X and Black Car, especially for shorter trips, you'll find that Uber is often quicker and cheaper than a traditional taxi. And, because you can track the cars on the app, Uber cars really are "on the way" when they say they're on the way — not like some car services.

There are downsides, of course. Once surge pricing kicks in, sensible people avoid Uber and opt for public transport or a regular taxi if available. There is no such thing as a free lunch!

Or, if you want to go without owning a car completely, you could write off the occasional $100 trip as being cheap compared to the monthly cost of car payments, insurance, gas, parking, tickets and repairs. (This isn't going to work if you live in the suburbs and have a long commute, of course.)

It only took me one experience of getting an SUV home at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night — and wincing at the $120 bill that resulted — before I became an Uber miser.

I've never looked back.

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24 People Who Decide What's 'Cool' In America

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Jenna Lyons

The fashion industry is filled with designers, celebrities, journalists, stylists, and executives vying for influence. 

We've selected the best of the best and created a list of who determines what's cool in America. 

Some of the people who made the list are controversial public figures who move fashion trends based on what they wear. Others are executives who run multi-billion dollar companies. 

Everyone on the list is a magnate in their own right. 

Angela Ahrendts

Job title: CEO, Burberry 

Influence: Ahrendts solidified Burberry's position as one of the most aspirational brands in the world. Since becoming CEO, she's signed top spokesmodels like Emma Watson. In October, Apple poached Ahrendts to run its retail and online stores, a job she'll officially start next spring. There are even rumors that she could become the tech giant's next CEO.



Tom Brady

Job title: Quarterback, New England Patriots

Influence: Brady, known for his preppy-casual style, is one of the few fashion icons whom most men can relate to. He's landed fashion campaigns with Movado watches and Ugg shoes



Thom Browne

Job title: Fashion designer

Influence: Browne's menswear collection is groundbreaking because it is based around the newfound acceptance of business casual in workplaces. He also designed First Lady Michelle Obama's inaugural jacket. 



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This Abandoned Power Plant Has Beautiful Art Deco Interiors

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art deco power plantFrench photographer Romain Veillon, 30, has spent the last two years exploring abandoned facilities in Europe. One striking set takes us into the century-old control room of Budapest's Kelenföld Power Plant.

Built in 1914 and considered one of the most modern electrical plants in the world, the art-deco facility was designed by Hungarian architects Kálmán Reichl and Virgil Bierbauer as a tribute to the power of electricity. The buildings, shut down in 2005, are protected by law and cannot be restored or demolished.

"I love how these places are like a time capsule. Where time has frozen and nature slowly takes back what is hers," Veillon wrote via email.

The hub of the power plant, shown below, is closed to the public:

art deco power plant

art deco power plantart deco power plant

art deco power plant

art deco power plant

art deco power plant

art deco power plant

art deco power plant

SEE ALSO: Check Out The Abandoned Parts of Ellis Island That Tourists Never See

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Exactly 100 Years Ago Today, Someone Wrote A Brilliant Take Down Of New Year's

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In just a few days it will be time to celebrate one of the diciest holidays of the year: New Year's.

New Year's (well New Year's eve) can be fun, but can also be miserable because the parties are often bad, transportation is usually scarce, and there are expectations about staying up late.

Exactly 100 years ago today, someone named David Epstein wrote this great letter to the New York Times slamming the celebration. Hilary Sargent dug it out of the archives and tweeted it yesterday.

Screen Shot 2013 12 27 at 8.29.01 AM

Well said David Epstein!

UPDATE: And here are some more letters from the same date, which show that the more things change, the more things stay exactly the same.

nyt newyears2

nyt_newyears3

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An Italian Dad Reportedly Turned His Dead Son Into A Diamond

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cremation urn funeral ashesAn Italian father exhumed the body of his 20-year-old son earlier this year, had it cremated and sent the ashes to Switzerland to be turned into a "Remembrance Diamond," New York Daily News is reporting.

Several other tabloids have picked up the story, but the fuzzy details, like the lack of names for the father and son, make it seem more like the makings of an urban legend.

Still, the idea of turning a deceased loved one into a synthetic diamond is actually real.

According to the Canadian company, Remembrance Diamonds, which works with the Swiss company Algordanza to grow its diamonds, the process includes crystallizing ashes to graphite. Lab technicians apply high pressure and high heat to the pure carbon in the graphite and can create a diamond up to 2 carats in size. It takes 7 to 10 months and costs anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000. 

SEE ALSO: How To Turn Dead People Into Diamonds

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Inside Huaxi, The Mysterious 'Richest Village In China'

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huaxi village in china

The man who founded Huaxi, known as "the richest village in China," passed away this year in March.

But the sleepy farming community he helped turn into a Communist utopia still claims to be as strong as ever.

Much of what we know about the village, founded by the former secretary of Huaxi Village Communist Party Committee Wu Renbao, is media speculation or the word of Wu Renbao himself.

The original "registered residents" are even forbidden to speak with foreigners or the press, according to The China Chronicle.

It's believed the descendants of the so-called model socialist village's original residents are entitled to extraordinary amenities, including free healthcare, education, luxurious homes, cars, and at least $250,000 in their bank accounts.

We also know the village is home to a "World Park" that is filled with replicas of the world's most iconic landmarks, from the Statue of Liberty to the Arc de Triomphe, as well as a new glossy skyscraper that is the 15th tallest building in China.

But it's said that life is not as idyllic as Huaxi would like visitors to believe. Residents supposedly work seven days a week, often in Huaxi's industrial plants, and there is a rigid hierarchy between the 2,000 "registered residents" of the village whose families date back to the 1950s and newcomers to Huaxi who are paid standard wages and don't share in the same luxuries like free healthcare, cars, and property.

Plus, if original residents leave Huaxi, they lose everything.

Welcome to Huaxi, the so-called richest village in China. No one is quite sure how many people live here: AFP reports "tens of thousands" whereas the official tourism website for Huaxi claims 350,000 residents call the village home.

Source: AFP and Huaxi Village: The World's Village



Though it may be the wealthiest village in China, Huaxi is tiny. Its total land area is only 240 acres, just over twice the size of the Vatican City.

Source: Shanghaiist.com



The rural farming village started with only 600 people in the 1950s but was transformed by Wu Renbao, the former secretary of Huaxi Village Communist Party Committee.

Source: AFP



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Kim And Kanye Voted America’s Least Desirable Neighbors

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Kim Kardashian, Kanye West

Whether it's his hot temper, the Bel-Air home they purchased earlier this year that is currently under renovation, or the paparazzi they attract, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have just been named America’s Least Desirable Neighbors.

According to a new Zillow survey25% of Americans would least like to have Kimye as neighbors -- making them even less desirable than the cast of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” who came in at 18%.

Pop stars Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus tied for third-worst at 16%.

But the honor of America's Most desirable neighbor goes to Jimmy Fallon, who won with 11% of the vote.

The “Late Night” host surprisingly topped Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton and Jennifer Lawrence, who tied with 10%.

SEE ALSO: Kanye West And Kim Kardashian Music Video Mocked During SNL’s 'Waking Up With Kimye'

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The First Review Of Kia's New Luxury Sedan Is Here, And It's Not Good

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K900 on the road Kia

The first review of Kia's all-new luxury car is in, and the news is not great for the Korean automaker.

Consumer Reports has published a brief review of the K900, and starts off likening the sedan to the "old-style American cruisers like those once made by Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Oldsmobile." 

That's not a compliment: Oldsmobile is dead, and the three other brands are working hard to make 21st century customers forget the huge, boat-like cars they built for decades. 

Consumer Reports has mostly nice things to say about the luxurious interior and "effortless acceleration delivered quietly and competently." 

But when it comes to handling, things get rough: 

Isolated it might be but steady it is not. There’s enough of the floaty buoyancy familiar from grandpa’s Florida car and undulating corners have the K900 wallowing like a waterbed.

Clearly, handling isn’t the K900’s forte. The light-effort, slow-responding steering is devoid of feedback, and early onset of body lean also harks back to the Nixon era. It doesn’t take much wheel-winding to get the tires squealing and the body tilting.

That's a far cry from the "flagship performance" and "spirited driving" Kia promises.  

The review closes by questioning who wants a premium sedan from Kia, the brand that advertises the $15,000 Soul with dancing hamsters:

But it's an open question how many luxury-sedan customers will be willing to be seen behind the Kia emblem, a name more readily associated with K-Mart than Cartier.

Based on its large size and ample power (there's an optional 5.0-liter V8 engine), the K900 will compete with well-established cars like the Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8, but for a much lower price (likely around $50,000 base).

No one — not even Kia — is expecting the K900 to do very well at first. That's why this rough review, and the others that are likely to follow, won't sink the company's move into the luxury market.

Kia has kept development costs down on the K900, and doesn't need to sell more than a few thousand K900s to deem the effort a moderate success. It's a careful first step into the segment, and as Consumer Reports notes, a refreshed K900 is likely to hit the market in the next few years. 

Until then, it's unlikely many people will buy the K900, but that's not as terrible for Kia as it sounds.

SEE ALSO: Why Kia's Move Into The Luxury Market Isn't As Dumb As It Sounds

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Gorgeous Photos Of New York's Classic Diners Before They Disappeared Forever

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New York's restaurant scene is thriving, and there's more variety of food available today than ever before. 

However, some longtime New Yorkers will argue one important component has begun to disappear: the classic diner. 

In the last decade, many of the city's original railcar-inspired, chrome-and-neon-clad restaurants have either been demolished or relocated to cities across the country. Though some remain, there just aren't as many classic joints where you can satisfy your craving for greasy sandwiches and eggs at all times of the night. 

French photographer Gregoire Alessandrini took these photos of some of New York's few remaining diners when he came to the city in the 1990s. 

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The Moondance Diner was built near the Holland Tunnel on Sixth Avenue in the '30s and made appearances in "Friends," "Spider-Man," and "Sex and the City." In 2007 the struggling restaurant was bought and transplanted to a small town in Wyoming, where heavy snow and ice in its first winter caused the decades-old roof to collapse. The owners were forced to rebuild much of the restaurant, and the Moondance closed once and for all in 2012. 

Moondance diner

Jerry Lewis and David Letterman were once regulars at the Cheyenne, the diner that was hauled away in two pieces to Alabama in 2009. Years later, the Western and Native-American themed restaurant still has no permanent home, while its original site on 9th Avenue will soon be developed into a 13-story mixed-use building.  cheyenne diner

Chelsea's Empire Diner was a haven for quirky artistic types for 34 years until its closing in 2010. Chef Amanda Freitag is planning a still-unnamed restaurant in the space, which was briefly known as the Highliner after the Empire's closing.  

Empire diner

The popular Market Diner, on the corner of 43rd Street and 11th Avenue, reopened under new management in 2009 after being closed for more than two years. Frank Sinatra allegedly used to hang out here, and in one episode of "Seinfeld" the gang comes to the diner in search of black-market shower heads. Here's what it looked like in the '90s. 

market diner

market diner

The Jones Diner at the corner of Lafayette and Great Jones Streets had dirt-cheap $3 breakfast specials that catered to the factory workers who had eaten there since 1938. It officially closed in 2002. 

jones diner

Cuban-Chinese restaurants like Sam Chinita (also known as "Mi Chinita" or "La Chinita Linda" at different points in the restaurant's history) were not uncommon in the 1960s, when Chinese people fled Cuba at the beginning of Fidel Castro's reign.sam chinita

The River Diner, on 11th Avenue (Diner Avenue) and 37th Street, was demolished in March of 2004

River Diner

This particular spot was known by several different names — the Terminal Diner, the Lunchbox Diner, and perhaps most fittingly, the Lost Diner — before it closed in 2006. 

lost diner

SEE ALSO: Incredible Photos From When New York's Hip Meatpacking District Was A Creepy Industrial Wasteland

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Check Out Michelangelo's Beautifully Illustrated Grocery List From 1518

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Ever wondered what famous artist Michelangelo ate? Here's a peek at one of his grocery lists:

Michelangelo grocery shopping listRedditor filosoful posted a link today to Michelangelo's handwritten 16th-century grocery list on the subreddit /r/books.

The shopping list, which comes from the collection of the Florence museum Casa Buonarroti, is accompanied by illustrations that were most likely drawn to help guide Michelangelo's illiterate assistant while browsing the market.

It's separated into three days by horizontal lines, and includes requests such as "pani dua" (two loaves of bread), "un aria" (a herring), and "un bocal di vino" (a quart of wine). 

The 1518 list with ideograms is a part of a collection of Michelangelo's drawings and loose papers that have toured around America in recent years, from Seattle to Boston. The papers, which range from letters and poems to sketches of his most famous work, offer a glimpse into the daily life of one of the greatest masters in all of art history.

SEE ALSO: 23 Recent Works Of Art That Shook History

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