Museum of Modern Art director Glenn D. Lowry confirmed last night that it will demolish the American Folk Art Museum, reports The New York Times.

The little bronze art museum adjacent to MoMA has only been around for 12 years, but it was a darling among critics.

Herbert Mushamp of The New York Times wrote when the building was first built in 2001, "The museum's facade is already a Midtown icon. Like that of the Austrian Cultural Institute, now nearing completion two blocks away, it demonstrates the capacity to project a powerful urban presence at town-house scale."

It was even named “The Best New Building in the World in 2001”, and is renowned in the art community for its vast collection of everything from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century household furniture to sculptures created by self-taught American artists.

So why does the short-lived museum — bought by MoMA in 2011 — have to go? Because it's in the way of the MoMA's planned expansion, announced this past April.

When the museum first expressed its desire to tear down the Folk Art Museum building for not aesthetically melding with the MoMA's new design, the architecture community was in an uproar. They vehemently opposed the decision and immediately began circulating petitions to stop the demolition as well as creating the tumblr (and hashtag) #FolkMoMA. The Architectural League also strongly demanded that MoMA reconsider.

Things started looking up for the American Folk Art Museum when MoMA hired architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, which seemed sympathetic to preserving the landmark building.

But all hope for the building was killed at a press conference this Wednesday. Lead architect Elizabeth Diller made a presentation that showed the biggest problem with the American Folk Art Museum — it would block circulation between the current MoMA building and its planned expansion into three floors of Jean Nouvel's new tower at 53 West 53rd Street.

According to Architect Magazine writer Joseph Giovannini:

Diller presented three scenarios. The first would be accessed along the north 54th Street wall, but that would clearly create a bottleneck in a museum that expects to have three million visitors per year. The second and third scenarios created a loop for circulation along 54th Street, with the front part of the loop bridging through the existing Folk Art Museum building. The loop solves the circulation issue of bringing throngs of people to and through the new galleries and the Tower Verre.

Adapting the Folk Art Museum building, however, would basically compromise the building’s interior beyond recognition. A pall settled over the room as if the death of a family member had been announced. The architects would have had to destroy the Folk Art Museum building in order to save it.

Diller went on to show Diller Scofidio + Renfro's new design for the space, with a gallery for new exhibitions similar to the courtyard at MoMA PS1 and new space for performance art. The expansion would add 15,500 square feet of gallery space in the folk art site and 39,000 square feet in the Nouvel tower.

According to the Times, the architects who regionally designed the Folk Art Museum, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, protested the decision in a statement: “This action represents a missed opportunity to find new life and purpose for a building that is meaningful to so many. The inability to experience the building firsthand and to appreciate its meaning from an historical perspective will be profoundly felt.”

Construction will begin this spring or summer and finish by 2018 or 2019.

SEE ALSO: 23 Recent Works Of Art That Shook History

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Think your place is small?

These small spaces will put your 500-square-foot studio to shame. Small spaces are trending in real estate these days, and these folks are grabbing the bull by the horns.

Here are 24 of the smallest homes we could find, from all over the world. They're on roofs, on wheels, and in backyards.

They may make you feel claustrophobic, but their owners have found them to be quite livable.

Know of an even smaller living space? Let us know in the comments.

New York City will get 370-square-foot micro apartments.

Size: 250 to 370 sq. ft.

Location: New York, NY

Last January, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg finally revealed the design of thestudio apartments that will be no more than 370 square feet.

These apartments would be an affordable housing solution for young professionals and will be able hold a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and sleeping area.

The affordability is debatable, however, as the micro apartments will still cost between $940 and $1,700 a month to rent.

This 330-square-foot apartment in Hong Kong transforms into 24 different room combinations.

Size: 330 sq. ft.

Location: Hong Kong, HK

Gary Chang, an architect in Hong Kong, turned his family's tiny 330-square-foot tenement apartment into a sleek and efficient living space with 24 different room combinations, including bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and even a guest bedroom area.

So, how does he do it? Chang installed a number of sliding panels which he can move around the space to reveal hidden areas and storage. It's a system he calls the "Domestic Transformer."

San Jose is also getting its own 300-square-foot micro apartments.

Size:300 sq. ft.

Location: San Jose, Calif.

In August 2012, the San Jose Department of Housing built a development of 42 affordable single-room-occupancy apartments, each one 300 square feet or less. Designed by Studio E Architects, each unit measures about two parking spaces and includes a full kitchen, a bathroom, and a combined living/sleeping area. 

There is a long wait list for one of these studios, but at a price of $650 a month, the wait may well be worth it.

Breaking up is hard to do, but even worse when you live under the same roof.

While plenty of unmarried couples who live together end up tying the knot or continuing on blissfully, more than a quarter break up within the first three years of living together, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics.

And calling it quits with your roommate comes with a host of money troubles. According to a 2012 survey by Rent.com, some of the top concerns include dividing up your stuff, splitting the bills and financial responsibilities, and sorting out the lease. 

So how do you protect yourself during an already emotional and potentially awkward transition?

We asked life coach Dr. Michele Callahan, who has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Oz, and other media, how couples should handle their joint finances when the relationship ends. She offered the following four tips for dealing with the financial fallout:

Determine who can afford to move. After sharing rent and household expenses, it becomes a challenge for people to save enough money to find an apartment they can afford on their own, in addition to moving expenses and a new security deposit.

Close joint bank accounts. If you and your partner have any joint accounts, now is the time to fairly divide the balance of those accounts and close them. If you have any automatic payments coming out of the accounts or any direct deposits going into it, you should cancel all of those automated processes before you close the account.

Refinance joint debt. If you have any joint credit cards or have been sharing one individual card, talk with your partner about determining who is responsible for which charges so that you can either pay off the balances or arrange to have your fair share of the outstanding debt transferred to your individual accounts.

Sell the items you can’t divide. One of you can agree to buy out the other person’s share of the item or make a reasonable exchange of items to balance things out. If you can’t come to an agreement, sell the item and split the proceeds. This may be necessary with a big-ticket item like a car if neither of you can afford the monthly cost on your own.

SEE ALSO: 4 Ways Couples Can Protect Their Finances When They Move In Together

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In light of news that Khloe Kardashian has filed for divorce from NBA player Lamar Odom amid allegations of drug abuse, it should come as no huge surprise that their mansion in Tarzana, Calif. is now for sale, according to celebrity real estate blog The Real Estalker.

The 8,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style home has seven bedrooms, nine baths, and a fairly large pool area. It's located at the end of a cul-de-sac in the Mulholland Park area of Tarzana, a quiet San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles. 

The custom-built house may seem familiar to fans of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Khloe & Lamar" — the family filmed scenes for both reality shows here. 

It's listed for $5.5 million with Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty. 

Enter an ultra-private gated driveway that leads to a front door shaded behind palm trees.

Inside, a staircase with wrought-iron railings leads from the foyer to the second floor.

The master suite has a fireplace, sitting area, terrace, and three walk-in closets.

Popped collars, bow ties and seersucker suits are among the many fashion items that have come to define the preppy lifestyle.

But a recent thread on Quora argues that the prevalence of those styles isn't a true representative of how "preppy" a state or region is; Rather, it's the concentration of preparatory schools — where the word "preppy" came from — that dictates an area's partiality to Polo and Vineyard Vines. 

By that logic, this map would be one of the most accurate representations of the preppiest regions in America, Quora user Ian McCullough argued. 

It shows the top 150 prep schools in the nation based on athletics, academics and financial resources. The map was prepared by Prep School Sports Connection, a firm that helps match student athletes with prep schools. 

The states with the highest concentrations of top prep schools are Connecticut and Massachusetts, according to the map.

Prep schools in Connecticut include Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, Hopkins School, Loomis Chaffee School and Canterbury School. Massachusetts schools include Phillips Academy Andover, Deerfield Academy, Thayer Academy, The Winsor School, The Groton School, Milton Academy and Noble and Greenough School.

Clearly, the Northeast dominates as a region in top prep schools. Here's a closer look at that section of the map:

"It’s probably safe to say that the majority of top prep schools are in the Northeast because that’s where the country originated, and is still heavily populated," Prep School Sports Connection Founder Michael Stone told Business Insider. "Some of the schools are as old as — or older than — the U.S. (yes, older than 1776). However, that doesn’t explain why more never opened in the western two-thirds of the country."

Another reason why most prep schools are located in the Northeast is because of their proximity to Ivy League schools, he added.

SEE ALSO: The 50 Most Expensive Private High Schools In America

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When moving to a new city — especially a city in another country — it's useful to know how the cost of everyday living is going to change.

Website Expatistan provides a cost of living calculator targeted to professionals working abroad based on crowd-sourced data gathered from users for expenses ranging from transportation and housing to the price of medicine and bread.

We looked at the breakdown of prices in the ten most expensive world cities. Here's how the cities compare on a few staple goods.

Bread, the most basic of foods, is a bit more expensive in Northern Europe and Switzerland than in the other expensive cities. If you're grocery shopping in Oslo or Zurich, it would cost $3.97 and $3.82, respectively.

To go along with the bread, grab a bottle of nice table wine. This will set you back considerably more in Oslo ($28) and Singapore ($26) than elsewhere, and Paris stays true to its stereotype by keeping wine relatively cheap at an average of $10.

In any of these world cities, a cozy, furnished 900-square-foot apartment in an in-demand area will cost quite a bit. London was the most expensive at a staggering $4,259 a month.

Driving around your new city may feel quite expensive if you are used to lower gas taxes and prices in the United States. New York City ($4.05) and San Francisco ($3.90) are on the lower end of the spectrum, while Oslo residents pay an average of $9.24 a gallon to fill up their tanks.

Taking public transportation may be a more affordable option for getting around. The London Tube, however, is nearly twice as expensive to ride as as any of the other transportation systems with its Oyster cards costing $217 a month.

Head over to Expatistan for a full list and breakdown of prices.

SEE ALSO: This Map Shows The Most Expensive Cities In The World

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For most New Yorkers, waiting for the subway is nothing special. It's a time to read, check your phone, think, or just stare blankly ahead.

But Berlin-based photographer Adam Magyar found a way to make the routine look beautiful.

His photography and video series "Stainless" captures subway trains arriving in stations and the people involved. Posted to Vimeo, this excerpt is taken from a high speed recording. The result is a slow motion panorama of New Yorkers waiting for a train, shot at Grand Central Terminal.

It's worth taking two minutes to watch:

Adam Magyar - Stainless, 42 Street (excerpt) from Adam Magyar on Vimeo.

SEE ALSO: Why NYC's Public Transit System Is Ditching The Trusty MetroCard

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Anthony Bourdain has tried everything from authentic Edo-style sushi in Tokyo to Icelandic fermented shark during his career as a chef, restaurateur, and travel show host. 

Now, according to the New York Post's Page Six, the food icon is planning a return to the restaurant world with a new venture tentatively called Anthony Bourdain World Market.

Cuisines from all over the world will be featured in the internationally-inspired project, which aims to "introduce Americans to Singapore-style street food."

Bourdain is reportedly collaborating with New York entrepreneur Stephen Werther on the developing project. 

"We are ready to go with the concept, so we are going to be doing some very cool and unexpected pop-ups between now and the opening . . . showcasing different parts of what will be incorporated into the final big market," Werther said to Page Six. 

The opening date and exact location are still unknown. Page Six speculates that 3 World Trade Center and Hudson Yards are possible sites, since rumors surrounding the project imply that it will be housed in a large development that has yet to be completed. 

SEE ALSO: Anthony Bourdain Reveals His 10 Favorite Books

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There's a natural overlap between Americans who like to hunt and Americans who buy pickups, so it's kind of surprising you don't see many camouflaged trucks.

Chrysler is looking to fill that gap with the 2014 Ram 1500 Mossy Oak Edition. According to Ram, 30% of its owners hunt. 44% fish, 27% are boaters, and 42% go camping.

And for $39,885 (plus a $1,195 destination charge), they can do all that in a pickup whose bedcaps and tailgate are covered in camouflage pattern.

The rest of the truck comes in black, "black gold pearl," and "prairie pearl," which begs the question: Why not camouflage the whole thing?

Part of a collaboration with Mississippi-based camouflage producer Mossy Oak, the special edition lets hunters "proudly proclaim their love for the outdoors," Ram Truck Brand CEO Reid Bigland said in a press release.

The first Mossy Oak Edition was introduced in 2011. The 2014 version goes on sale early this year. It's available only as a Ram 1500 4x4 Crew Cab model, based on the Ram Outdoorsman.

SEE ALSO: You Have To Drive 2.6 Million Miles To Make The Chevy Cruze Diesel A Bargain

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One of the big stories in the auto industry this year has been the growth of diesel sales in the United States. No longer dirty and smelly, diesels are a great way for automakers to meet federal corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards.

That's because cars powered by diesel are significantly more efficient than those with gasoline in the tank, especially on the highway.

But diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline (thanks to dumb fiscal policy dating back to the '80s), and the cars themselves are usually more expensive by a few thousand dollars.

So how many miles does it take in a new diesel to see the savings at the pump make up for those extra costs?

A lot, it turns out.

Using EPA-rated combined fuel economy numbers, base prices, and the national average price for regular gas, premium gas, and diesel (from AAA, for January 9), we compared nine pairs of diesel and gasoline cars. Apart from the engine, there aren't significant differences between the cars in each pair.

Here's the chart. You can see the base price difference for each, how much money using diesel saves per mile, and how many miles driven make up for the extra cost.

We've noted cars that use premium gasoline in red, and the most cost-effective diesel model in green. Cars are model year 2014 unless otherwise noted. Click to enlarge:

It's not surprising that the break even mileage number is the lowest for the luxury cars — premium gasoline is closer to the price of diesel. And the markup for a diesel engine has less impact when the gasoline version is worth over $30,000.

Based on our math, the Chevy Cruze Diesel and VW Jetta TDI will never break even, because their fuel economy numbers aren't good enough compared to the gas version to make driving on diesel more efficient.

The best option is BMW's 328d, a car we recently reviewed and liked a lot.

So if you're looking to save money with a compact car, diesel isn't the way to go. If you want to spend less time at the pump and feel the savings before you put 100,000 miles on the odometer, BMW has some cars that should interest you.

Thanks to reader Andrew Maddox for suggesting this idea.

SEE ALSO: This BMW 3 Series Is More Efficient Than A Smart Car

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On a recent trip to Europe, I was invited by a group of Luxembourgish and German friends to race go-karts. Unaware of how competitive and risky the activity would be, I agreed and joined them at the Action & Fun Karting Center in Belgium. 

It was terrifying.

And while I'm sure there are similar go-kart tracks in America, it's hard to imagine they are as popular or intense as the ones  in Europe — and anyway, this was my first time.

SEE ALSO: Movies In Luxembourg Are Overwhelmingly Multilingual — And Other Observations Of An American Tourist

This is the only indoor go-kart racetrack in Belgium. The temperatures inside were a chilly 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The slick racing asphalt track is 3,000 feet long and three years old.

Dining tables, video games, a bowling alley, a mechanical bull riding machine, pool tables, 3-D movie theater, and a bar overlook the track.

WARNING: A goat is slaughtered in this video.

At Madani Halal, a pick-your-own slaughterhouse in Ozone Park, Queens customers can choose their livestock or poultry which is killed on site, butchered and packaged to be brought home all within a twenty minute timeframe.

Imran Uddin is not your typical halal slaughterhouse owner. He used to work in advertising at McCann-Erickson before taking over his father's business in the early 2000s. His decision to do so was captured in the documentary 'A Son's Sacrifice.'

These days Uddin's modern approach to traditional halal slaughter practices translates beyond his loyal, local immigrant customer base and has attracted top tier chef in New York from restaurants such as the Breslin, M. Wells, Fedora and Left Bank. He also has a growing numbers of hipsters coming in who are interested in digging deeper into the question of where their food comes from.

The term 'halal' which means permissible or lawful in Arabic is used to describe not just the slaughtering practice, but the lifestyle itself. Uddin is discerning in determining where he sources his animals from. His preference is pastured raised, organic and he works primarily with farms in Lancaster, PA. He also takes great care to ensure that his slaughtering techniques have the least impact on the animals themselves. After reading Temple Grandin, he's tried her cradling techniques to calm goats and lamb. For many Muslims, attending the slaughter of the animal before it's consumed is a family affair as was the case the day we visited.

Produced by Alana Kakoyiannis. Follow us on YouTube >

NOW WATCH: Here's Where The Freshest Chicken Meat Comes From

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Tiger Woods has made $1.3 billion in his career, according to a new Golf Digest report.

Despite a sex scandal that derailed his career and sent sponsors running for the hills, he's still raking in $80+ million per year in winnings, appearance fees, and endorsement deals.

Even after a $110 million divorce, he has enough money for custom houses, yachts, and a private plane to jet around the world with his new girlfriend.

Tiger has made $1.3 billion in his 17-year professional career.

Source: Golf Digest

$109 million of that came from on-course winnings. He's No. 1 on the all-time money list, by far.

Source: PGA

But the real money comes from off the course. Of the $83 million he made last year, $71 million came from endorsements.

Source: Golf Digest

Thanks to the "polar vortex," temperatures in cities across the U.S. plunged into the single digits with some insane wind chills up to 59 degrees below zero. 

And even as the Arctic loosens its grip on the U.S., we're still squarely in the middle of winter. That means the hats, scarves, and gloves will be sticking around for a while. 

So we put together a list of the 11 must-have accessories for men this season, from a hat with built-in headphones to a pair of sunglasses perfect for a day out in the snow.

Down-Stuffed Winter Jacket

LL Bean's Windstopper has enough strength to withstand Chicago winters, keeping guys warm in up to 40 degrees below zero. It's packed with down at a higher density than most mummy sleeping bags, specially designed for outdoor enthusiasts.

Besides the impressive functionality, the Windstopper isn't as stiff or bulky as previous incarnations of the super-warm jacket, and fits the body well. You'll be warm and look great.

Price:$269

Tweed Sports Coat

The real struggle is staying cozy outdoors, but sometimes the office can get chilly, too.

Instead of wearing ten sweaters to work, invest in a classic tweed sports coat, like this one from J. Crew. Tweed looks smart and distinguished while the heavier fabric serves as an extra-warm winter layer.

Price: $348

Texting Gloves

Leather gloves always look chic. But being a professional often means staying connected with work and colleagues on your phone.

With these leather texting gloves from LL Bean, you'll benefit from the style as well as the technology that allows you to work on your phone without taking those gloves off.

Price: $59 

Many medical marijuana supporters in Washington were skeptical about the legalization of recreational weed when the campaign took off in 2012. It seemed odd, but medical marijuana users saw what voters didn’t. Legalization could make the medical marijuana system much worse — or even kill it.

Their worst fears may already be coming true.

Initiative 502, a 2012 voter initiative to legalize recreational marijuana, came into effect on January 1. While the law was purposely written in a way that steered clear of the medical marijuana system, it placed the State Liquor Control Board in charge of creating a tightly regulated, tax-generating system for recreational marijuana.

And this past year's budget asked the Board to make recommendations for medical marijuana, too. These recommendations could be disastrous for the medical marijuana industry, threatening to limit possession amounts, restrict home growing, and shut down the hundreds of dispensaries currently operating. Ultimately, these limits could force the system's more than 100,000 patients over to the heavily taxed, more expensive recreational system. 

This potential disaster has led Washington State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), a longtime medical marijuana advocate, to prepare a bill aimed at salvaging medical marijuana and fixing many of the Liquor Control Board's recommendations for the upcoming session of the Legislature, slated to begin next week. 

Kohl-Welles has been a key player in any medical marijuana discussion in Washington since she was elected in 1995. After witnessing the drug’s effect on a cancer-ridden friend in the mid-90s, the senator became an outspoken advocate for the medical marijuana community.

The Making Of The Marijuana "Wild West"

Marijuana in Washington has a complicated history, far more so than in Colorado, which also legalized recreational smoking in 2012. In 1998, Washington passed a voter initiative with a nearly 60% majority to legalize medical marijuana for patients with terminal or debilitating illnesses.

The initiative left a lot of open questions. Unlike in Colorado and California, medical marijuana in Washington was mostly unregulated. Patients were allowed to have a 60-day supply of marijuana, 15 plants, or up to 24 ounces of usable marijuana, yet the law never specified where the product would come from. No regulatory agency was placed in charge of the nascent medical marijuana industry, which lead to what Senator Kohl-Welles calls “a grey market.” 

Despite pushing for the 1998 medical marijuana initiative, Kohl-Welles knew the law was flawed. Since its passage, she has tried, with varying degrees of success, to rein in the medical marijuana wild west she helped create. After nearly 10 years of back and forth, Kohl-Welles got small amendments to the law passed in 2007, 2008, and 2010.

In 2011, Kohl-Welles finally got a comprehensive reform bill through the state legislature to then-Governor Christine Gregoire. The bill established a complete system for licensing and regulating the medical marijuana dispensary business. In fact, it did for medical marijuana much of what I-502 is poised to do with recreational weed.

When Gregoire received the bill, Mike Ormsby and Jenny Durkan, the U.S. attorneys in Washington, told Gregoire that if she signed the bill into law as is, they would go after her administration and any officials who followed her directive. Those U.S. attorneys worked for the federal government, which was cracking down on medical marijuana at the time.

Under competing pressure from the federal government and medical marijuana activists, Gregoire signed the bill, but not before vetoing its most important parts. The messy medical marijuana business got even messier. 

“I was furious with the Governor,” Kohl-Welles told Business Insider. “It was one of the greatest disappointments of my legislative career.”

The senator attempted to immediately introduce a new law to fix the gutted law, but the legislature was exhausted of the issue. By 2012, it became apparent that marijuana reform might be more doable through another voter initiative.

Legalization As Washington's Best Shot At Reform

Public opinion about pot changed drastically over the years, in no small part due to the acceptance of medical marijuana. By 2012, 56% of Americans favored marijuana legalization and regulation. California’s Prop-19, a voter initiative for marijuana legalization, may have failed during the 2010 election, but it opened the eyes of marijuana advocates to the possibility of legalization. Recreational legalization was suddenly more plausible than significant medical marijuana reform. 

Alison Holcomb, an attorney for Washington’s ACLU and the primary author of Initiative 502, concluded that given the mess that medical marijuana had become, legalization was marijuana reform’s best bet.  

“I don't know if I-502 was the simplest solution, but it was definitely the most pragmatic,” Holcomb told Business Insider. 

Holcomb thinks that part of the support for I-502, at least from Washington voters, may have been a result of the messy situation of medical marijuana. 

Loopholes In Washington's Medical Marijuana Law

 Among the few provisions left in by Gregoire’s partial veto was a clause that allowed for “collective gardens.” It stipulates that up to 10 patients may participate in a “collective garden,” in which patients can pool up to 45 plants for the purpose of producing, processing, and delivering cannabis. Dispensary owners used the clause to justify or open businesses, taking the 10 patients limit to mean 10 customers in the store at a time. It was a wonky interpretation of a gutted law, but it has since held up in court.

Many politicians, analysts, and reporters have long felt that the dispensaries' interpretation of the "collective gardens" provision was a legal stretch, if not outright deceptive. Even Kohl-Welles — who wants medical-only marijuana stores in the state — has said the clause needs to go. 

UCLA public policy professor Mark Kleiman goes so far as to call the dispensaries' "collective gardens" interpretation "legal bullshit." Kleiman is the head of BOTEC, a drug policy consultancy Washington state hired to help design legalization. He has some opinions about how loosely medical marijuana was prescribed in Washington.

“It’s either a trivial issue or a cover for complete legalization … Anybody who behaves with oxycodone the way physicians do with cannabis would lose his or her license if they were lucky,” Kleiman told Business Insider.

Kleiman's assessment may be harsh, but it has some merit. In 2010, Washington amended its medical pot law to ensure doctors couldn't be punished for recommending medical marijuana. Since then, the number of dispensaries in Washington exploded. The lid blew off the industry and the profit margins for dispensaries began to soar. In Seattle alone, there are currently more than more than 150 dispensaries.

The state has made policing these dispensaries a low priority; both dispensaries we talked to claimed to never have any police issues. Basically, anybody can go in and out of these stores as long as he has a medical marijuana card, which is currently very easy to obtain.

Rick Garza, the agency director of the Liquor Control Board, claims that up to 90% of medical authorizations are fraudulent. In 2011, Seattle Times reporter Jonathan Martin demonstrated the ease of being authorized when, for a story, he obtained a card at Hempfest for $200, without providing medical records.

Medical marijuana's lack of oversight was a prime reason so many voters with no stake in the marijuana debate voted to legalize recreational weed. Under I-502, the Washington Liquor Control Board authorizes licenses for businesses, enforces regulations and collects 25% excise taxes at three separate points: when the producer sells to the processor, when the processor sells to the retailer, and when the retailer sells to the customer.

Tack on state sales taxes and you are looking at nearly a 40% tax rate for recreational marijuana. A regulated, heavily taxed system had voters, politicians, and even potential marijuana investors with dollar signs in their eyes. Medical marijuana, on the other hand, is subject to only the state's regular sales tax rate, which is just 6.5%.

It's now clear that it doesn't make sense to maintain Washington's loosely medical marijuana business alongside the new, highly taxed recreational system. If people can obtain legal high-quality marijuana at a far cheaper price, users will likely attempt to go to the medical marijuana stores. That could be a lot of lost revenue for Washington state and provide ammunition for legalization’s opponents to call the experiment a bust.

The Ones Who Stand To Lose

What’s gotten lost in the battle between earnest efforts at reform and political gamesmanship is not those who abuse the system, but the patients who need the system to be healthier.

Former Marine Ryan Day never thought about using marijuana, according to a story in The Seattle Times. Then he found out that his son Haiden had a rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet's Syndrome, which makes him have more than 100 seizures a day. They are so bad that, at 5 years old, Haiden's cognitive development remains stunted at 2. Pharmaceuticals either don’t help or, if they do, come with disturbing side effects.

When Day heard that medical marijuana might be an effective alternative to pharmaceuticals, he was skeptical. With the condition so bad, Day decided to give it a try, feeding his son marijuana-infused applesauce with pot he grows himself. According to Bob Young at The Seattle Times, the treatment has been miraculous. Provided that Haiden uses cannabis daily, his seizures are down to only a few a day. 

Haiden requires a marijuana strain high in cannabidol (a chemical with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-anxiety properties) and low in THC (the psychoactive ingredient in pot). The strain is expensive, rare, and difficult to cultivate. If Day purchased it in a dispensary, it would end up costing him about $15,000 a year to treat his son. That number could rise exponentially in the coming year.

Stephan Oxman, a patient with multiple sclerosis, was blunt about the problem with only having recreational stores. He thinks, with a profit-driven market, retailers will go after mass-producing plants that have high yields and appeal to recreational users.

"What quality will they put into their stores? Great, you got a place that can grow 10,000 plants, but if the 10,000 plants are garbage you are not helping the medical community," Oxman told Business Insider. "There are patients in far worse shape than I am." 

The Liquor Control Board's End-Game

In October, The Liquor Control Board and other agencies released initial recommendations about medical marijuana. Several of these recommendations infuriated the medical marijuana community. Most noxious among the recommendations were a reevaluation of what ailments could be treated, the folding in of medical marijuana into the I-502 system, and the elimination of home-grows and “collective gardens." The elimination of collective gardens in particular could eliminate many dispensaries, which rely on that definition to operate.

The only real benefit patients would see was the ability to purchase cannabis without a sales tax, which admittedly is a plus. However, patients would still have to pay the new, larger 25% excise taxes.  

Those changes could make marijuana not only prohibitively expensive for patients, especially those like Haiden, but also difficult to obtain. Many patients use nearly an ounce a day; the recommendations stipulated that patients may carry a max of three ounces at any one time. For patients like Oxman, that’s problematic. Some days he can barely get out of bed, let alone make the long trip to a dispensary. The ability to obtain large quantities at one time ensures that he’s never without medicine. 

In response to the recommendations, medical marijuana advocates went on the offensive. A single hearing was held in the state capital in November so that citizens’ voices could be heard. Advocates came in force to criticize the regulations. According to Kohl-Welles, the hearing got so rowdy, it never approached being helpful. 

In response to the criticism, the Liquor Control Board revised the recommendations in December. The final recommendations, which the Legislature will use to reform the system, fix some but not all of the issues that drew ire. The state will still redefine and restrict the medical conditions that can get you a cannabis prescription — a mistake according to Kleiman, who says it is akin to “the state playing doctor.” In addition, “collective gardens” will still be eliminated, possession remains at three ounces, and the tax structure is unchanged. The only real concession to the criticism is allowing patients to home-grow six plants which could, to be fair, help former marine Ryan Day grow medical pot for his son. The state legislature has the option of adopting these recommendations or, potentially, disregarding them.

The Plan To Save The Industry

The revisions were a step in the right direction for medical marijuana, but they still do far too little to help patients, according to Kohl-Welles. When the legislature opens its session next week, the senator will introduce a medical marijuana bill that she feels “aligns the industry with I-502,” while fixing some of the problems in the recommendations. 

Kohl-Welles’ bill is still undergoing final adjustments, but the key difference is that patients with authorization cards would be able to purchase cannabis without the retailer excise and sales taxes. It attempts to increase possession amounts and the number of plants allotted to patients. Kohl-Welles would also like to find a way to allow additional I-502 stores that are strictly medical. 

Under I-502, the total number of store licenses is capped somewhere around 300, with 21 allotted for Seattle. With more than 150 dispensaries currently in Seattle alone, Kohl-Welles believes that the number established by the state will be insufficient to fill demand, especially among patients like Haiden who need rare strains that are difficult to cultivate and not particularly commercial. 

With a limited number of stores and a strong recreational customer base, I-502 stores might be incentivized to only carry commercial strains that appeal to those looking to get high. 

Whether Kohl-Welles bill will pass is anyone’s guess. The senator places the bill’s chances of success at “fair.” She admits that, when the session opens, there will be a “wide array” of bills proposed, some aiming to repeal medical marijuana completely. Until the session opens, no one knows which way the legislature will go. 

And what happens if the Liquor Control Board’s recommendations are adopted, effectively eliminating the hundreds of dispensaries currently in business? Kohl-Welles thinks that it will push both medical and recreational users to the black market.

“People will go to whatever is out there so they can get marijuana at a lower cost,” says Kohl-Welles.

SEE ALSO: Here's Who Could Get Rich Off Weed In Washington

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The 2014 edition of the North American International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit Auto Show, kicks off on Monday.

We'll be in town to see the best new rides the world's automakers have to offer.

Here's a quick look at the 13 cars we're most excited to see, including big reveals from Porsche, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and more.

The show will be open to the public from January 18 to 26.

With the 2015 Q3, Audi is expanding its U.S. lineup of crossovers. A bit smaller than the Q5, Audi's best-selling model, the Q3 comes with a 2.0-liter engine that produces 200 horsepower. A panoramic sunroof and heated front seats come standard.

Source: Motor Authority

One of the new Porsche rides in town this year will be the 911 Targa. All we know is it will be based on the 1965 Targa (pictured), and come with a moveable center roof section and wrap-around rear window. Porsche promises "a true modern classic."

The smallest Dodge is getting the Blacktop treatment for 2014, just like the Journey, Charger, Challenger, and Avenger before it. The Dart Blacktop package will cost $295 on the Dart SXT, and offers a sportier look with black wheels and special exterior colors.

Los Angeles-based parenting blogger Doyin Richards sparked an unexpected controversy when he uploaded this picture of himself with his daughters back in October.

Richards snapped the photo when his wife was running late for work and asked him to take care of his older daughter's hair before bringing her to school. Since their younger daughter would likely get upset if he left her alone during the hair styling, he put her in an Ergo carrier and strapped her to his chest. 

"During the process, I thought, 'There’s no way my wife will believe me if I don’t take a picture of this.' That’s when I set my camera up, put it on a 10-second timer, and took the photo you’re looking at right now," Richards wrote on his blog, Daddy Doin' Work. "I emailed the photo to her with the caption 'Boom,' and we both got a good laugh out of it."

"Little did I know how interesting things were about to become." 

The photo went viral almost instantly, receiving more than 452,000 "likes" on Facebook and drawing plenty of commenters offering their opinions — some that were extremely nasty. For every person complimenting Richards on his fatherly prowess, there was a sexist or racist (or both) comment to follow.

"The picture stirs emotion for a few reasons," Richards explained to Yahoo Shine. "The media doesn't portray fathers as caregivers. We're seen as bumbling fools trying to figure out parenthood, or macho men pushing their kids into the NFL. The other issue is that there's a stereotype that black fathers are deadbeats."

He argues on his blog that in real life, dads like him aren't that uncommon: "I have a dream that people will view a picture like this and not think it’s such a big deal. I start to get a little uncomfortable when people want to start planning parade routes for me because of it. Somewhere there’s a dad doing the exact same thing for his daughters...There are plenty of good, involved dads out there."

He also questions whether a similar picture — with a woman instead of a man — would have elicited the same reaction. 

"Until we can get to the point where men and women can complete the same parenting tasks and the reactions are the same, we will have problems," Richards added. "These behaviors should be expected of moms and dads. No exceptions."

Still, Richards manages to keep it light on his blog, despite the controversy. 

"I need to step up my hair game," he joked. "I’ll have you know that the end result was a semi-lumpy ponytail. I need to create something a little more advanced...Doing a girl’s hair nicely takes practice, but I’ll get there eventually."

SEE ALSO: World's Most Creative Parents Recreate Famous Movie Scenes With Household Items And Their Baby

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Guide dogs can make navigating for blind people significantly easier, but they also open up their owners to discrimination.

After all, a taxi driver may not want a dog in his cab, or a restaurant manager may get nervous that his customers will have to dine near an animal. The Norwegian Association of the Blind understand these fears, but it wants some of the more cold-hearted to imagine the alternatives.

What if instead of dogs, the blind chose to live with skittish ducks, lazy donkeys, or a sheep that poops everywhere? Dogs should seem much better when considering the alternatives: 

The agency TRY/Apt Oslo created the spot as a way to keep the issue of fighting discrimination lighthearted.

After all, "It's just a dog."

SEE ALSO: P&G Made An Awesome Sequel To Its Tearjerker 'Thank You, Mom' Ad From The 2012 Olympics

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Cool stuff doesn't have to be expensive. 

A recent Reddit thread asked for the coolest products for under $25.

We chose our favorites.

1. Miracle berry tablets. 

The tablets last for about an hour and alter your taste buds so that anything sour tastes sweet. 

"Eat a whole lemon like it's an orange. Taste pineapple like you've never tasted. Enjoy pomegranate, persimmons, sour patch kids, sour cherry bombs, sour grapes, like you've never enjoyed before," writes piyokochan. 

Buy a pack for $9.99 here. 

2. LifeStraw. 

"Drink from basically any water source with the straw, fill containers of unfiltered or gross water and drink from them on the go," writes AestheticalGains. "If you're an outdoors person, hiker, backpacker, or survivalist, they're a must." 

Get it on Amazon for $20. 

3. Venus Flytrap.

"Got it for $7," writes FlamesFanatic. "His name is Septimus Prime." 

You can buy your very own for $7.99 here. 

4. Slow Cooker. 

"You put a bunch of stuff in, turn it on, go to sleep, and when you wake up you have a delicious meal," writes Ghost17088. 

Target has a 4-quart device for $24.99. 

5. Rock-It. 

"It basically turns just about any surface into a speaker," writes AlwaysClassyNvrGassy. 

Get it here for $19.99. 

6. Loot Crate subscription. 

For $13.37 per month, you get six to eight hand-picked "geek-gamer" products, notes Kjarahz. 

Check it out here. 

7. A vibrating head massager. 

"Like an orgasm for the scalp," writes JungleLegs. 

Get one on Amazon for $12.50. 

8. Cards Against Humanity. 

The game "will give you hours of entertainment with friends," writes kinnelonfire75. 

Get a starter kit for $10, or the entire thing for $25. 

9. Blow dart gun. 

"Provides hours of entertainment!" writes MinistrofDeath. "Great for annoying your girlfriend." 

Amazon has one that includes darts for $19. 

10. Diamond Candles. 

The candles, which cost $24.95, contain a ring worth anywhere from $10 to $5,000. 

"The excitement of not knowing what ring you get is worth the money," writes msshellshock. "Mine ended up beig a $100 white sapphire."

11. Solar charger for mobile devices.  

"I'm a big fan of solar power and wish i had one," writes The_Wac. 

Get one for $24.99 here.

12. An animal for someone in need. 

"The animals go to someone in an impoverished country who needs them, and the good feeling is shared by you, the needy person, and whomever you decide to give that gift in the name of," writes magicdragonfly. "Pretty cool, if you ask me."

You can send a flock of geese, chicken, or ducks for $20. 

13. Rainbow glasses. 

"They refract white light into the visible light spectrum into about 8 directions," writes ElEspecial. "Best used at night, and actually they show different bits and pieces of the spectrum depending on the element which the source of light is made from, so consequently 'green' light bulbs with mercury look different than street lamps with phosphorous."

Get 20 pairs for $12.50 on Amazon. 

14. Lodge cast-iron skillet. 

For $20, you can cook items like bacon and eggs more perfectly, according to kdgarden. 

Target has one for $15.99. 

15. Swiss Army Knife. 

"Pretty cool and definitely very useful," writes ijustreally. 

The classic is $15.99. 

16. Superior noise-canceling earbuds. 

"You can't find a better pair of earbuds for under $100," writes ReeG. "There's a 300+ page thread on head-fi.org of people vouching for these."

Get them for just $6.12 here. 

 17. Motorized pepper grinder. 

"Nothing says 'look mate, I'm higher up in the hierarchical system of life' like offering them a motorized pepper grinder when they come over for dinner and don't know what it is," writes Svardskampe. 

Amazon has one for $17. 

18. Kinetic sand. 

This sand looks normal, but the product recommended by wcbdfy is actually made so it can be packed into 3-dimensional shapes. Makes building a sandcastle way easier. 

Buy a small bag for $15. 

19. Remote control helicopter. 

"Who knew a 21-year-old could have so much fun?" writes RUFFLZ. 

This Syma helicopter is on sale for $20 on Amazon. 

20. T-shirt from Once Upon A Tee. 

"This website puts up a new collection of shirts every week," writes firefly71.They've gotten $12 from me almost every week in the last month."

The site has a variety of creative T-shirts. 

21. ODB2 Dongle. 

"Plug it into your car, run the app and get your diagnostics. You get the same info the mechanics get and you get a code if you cars have errors," writes aimhelix. "You can then check the internet for fixes for that code and start learning about doing your own fixes in your car. Eventually you'll come to see that its much easier than you think."

Get one here for $13.99. 

22. Five bottles of Trader Joe's La Fin Du Monde. 

"One of the best beers you'll probably ever try," writes UpDownAndAround3. 

You'll have to venture to Trader Joe's or another vendor to buy this beer. 

23. Bubble Calendar. 

This fun calendar lets you pop a bubble every day of the year, writes chains_of_silver. 

Get it for $20 here. 

24. Tactical Bacon. 

This bacon has a shelf life of 10 years, so you won't have to worry about the expiration date, writes skinnejj. 

Get a can with 18 servings for $19.99. 

25. Some Dogecoin. 

"It's the entry-level cryptocoin, could be worth more if it 'goes to the moon' and will get you involved in a fun community," writes tpepperoni. 

Get it here. 

SEE ALSO: 20 Items Under $20 Everyone Should Own

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At a New York City steakhouse, you're not supposed to get through a plate of oysters, three sides, a steak, and dessert without any of it leaving a single impression on your mind aside from, 'I just ate and it was good.'

It happened last night at American Cut in Tribeca.

This fall Marc Forgione, the winner of the third season of Iron Chef, opened the restaurant to much anticipation. There was already an Atlantic City outpost of the spot at Revel casino, and steakhouse aficionados thought the NYC location might give favorites like Wolfgang's and Sparks a run for its money.

So we had to check it out. That kind of talk is basically like sending a steak scented invitation to Wall Streeters, asking them to come on in and have a seat. Plus, the restaurant's not far from Goldman Sachs HQ.

As I ordered my mandatory martini (gin, up with a twist) at the bar, it was clear that the bankers had RSVP'd yes. The guy standing next to me wearing a suit (no jacket) with a fleece vest ordered a Ketel and tonic and immediately started complaining about working too hard.

How was the martini? Fairly solid.

And that could be said for the experience in general. The oysters were good, but I've had brinier. The creamed spinach was good, but it was just standard. The wild mushrooms, twice baked truffled potatoes with cheddar, the wild mushrooms — standard, standard and standard.

I was told to have the $10 carrot side too. It's just two carrots, glazed. They're big. I guess if you're impressed with big things, that's cool. But I'm a New Yorker, I'm used to big things. In fact, in this town, big is where you begin. After that there is still much more to do.

That brings us to the matter of the steak. It was delicious. But steak is delicious. If you put a cigarette in a cow's mouth and then microwaved the animal its steak would still taste delicious (at least that's what I've told every vegetarian I've ever known).

There are two things that make a steakhouse great — the food and the vibe. We've talked about the first, so lets get to the second.

Vibe can be everything. You can argue all you want about whether or not Sparks has the greatest steak, but it was once the scene of a Gambino crime family hit, and that makes it legendary. In fact, that makes it great. End of story.

You can also argue all you want about how great Del Frisco's steak is, but the fact that former NY Knick Jeremy Lin got a standing ovation from the entire restaurant when he was snuck in there one rainy night tells you everything you need to know about the spot — it's a great hang. That makes it great. End of story.

American Cut is a gorgeous restaurant, but as yet it is not a great hang (could be in time, but not right now).

I will remember Art Deco lamps better than I will remember the steak. And our sommelier — I'll remember her. She was great.

That said, I'll never complain about the number of steakhouses in this town. You can never have too many steakhouses.

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