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Coffee Is About To Get More Expensive

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Coffee Bean Variety

A drought in Brazil is driving up the cost of coffee to 14-month highs, and consumers may start seeing the prices increases hit stores within the next couple of weeks.

Analysts expect Brazilian suppliers, who provide a third of the world's coffee, to lose as much as 30% of their crop in the scorching weather, Bloomberg reportsJanuary and February were Brazil's driest months in three decades.

The expected losses have pushed the cost of arabica coffee — a popular roast used in gourmet blends — 55% higher this year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Price fluctuations in the coffee market typically take months to hit consumers. But the increases are so steep this year that it may only be a couple weeks before consumers are impacted, according to the Journal.

The higher prices will hit supermarkets first, affecting retail bags of coffee, before coffee shops consider raising their prices.

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19 Photos Of Sochi From 1974, When It Was A Popular Soviet Resort Town

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sochi 1974

We've heard plenty of travel horror stories out of Sochi since the Olympics began, and many have questioned the city's level of preparedness for the Games.  

Despite the controversy, however, Sochi has a long history as a popular resort town for Russians and other eastern Europeans. 

Sochi was first developed in the 1920s under Stalin, who was attracted to the area because of its mineral springs, which helped ease his joint pain. The dacha he built there was his favorite of the seven vacation homes he owned around the country.

Over the next few decades, the city by the Black Sea became a favorite destination among Soviet citizens. 

We got in touch with German Manfred Schammer, who took some beautiful photos during a trip to Sochi in 1974. He gave us permission to use his photos, which paint a beautiful portrait of the city as it was 40 years ago. 

Schammer stayed at the Hotel Leningrad, seen here.



He could catch a glimpse of the Black Sea from the hotel room.



The bridge leading into town was busy with tourists.



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These Incredible Works Of Art Were Saved By The Real-Life 'Monuments Men' Of WWII

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Rorimer_at_Neuschwanstein monuments men

The new George Clooney film "The Monuments Men" movie pales in comparison to the real art historians, architects, curators, and museum directors who saved Europe's finest art during World War II.

These men and women were civilians who were launched into a deadly war and tasked with saving an entire culture.

It was well-known that Adolf Hitler was hoarding Europe's plundered art for his planned Führer Museum in Linz, Austria. In addition to stealing Europe's paintings and sculptures, he also intended to destroy "degenerate" works of art that he despised from both Jewish and modern artists.

So Francis Henry Taylor, the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, lobbied Washington D.C. to protect Europe's museums and art. President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed, and established the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program in 1943. The goal: to recover and return works of art that had been stolen and hidden by the Nazis.

Despite extraordinary odds, this team of art experts were highly successful. Because of their efforts, more than five million works of art were saved or discovered in Nazi hiding places, many of which are still immensely famous today.

Here are 11 of the most amazing paintings, sculptures, and architecture that were rescued or recovered during history's greatest treasure hunt.

Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa"

Mona LisaIn 1939, prescient Louvre officials bundled the "Mona Lisa" into an ambulance and evacuated it from the Louvre along with 400,000 other works of art. The famous painting was on the go through much of the war, expertly hidden in various homes throughout the French countryside. It avoided capture with the help of the Monuments Men by changing locations more than six times, and was finally returned to the Louvre in 1945.

Jan van Eyck's "Ghent Altarpiece"

ghent altarpiece jan van eyckOne of the most frequently stolen art works in the world, the "Ghent Altarpiece" is ginormous, weighing over a ton. It was coveted by Hitler since it symbolized the ideal of Aryan supremacy, having been painted by a Germanic artist.

monuments men uncovering ghent altarpieceIt was taken by the Germans in 1942 from its hiding place at Chateau de Pau, in the south of France, and found in the Altaussee salt mine by the Monuments Men after the war.

Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper"

The Last SupperIn one of the most amazing stories from WWII, da Vinci’s "Last Supper" was threatened by the Allies bombing Milan in August 1943. The mural is on the refectory wall of the convent at Santa Maria delle Grazie, and was saved by the Monuments Men by jury-rigging a scaffold of steel bars and sandbags around the wall. After the raid, it was the only wall in the refectory still standing.

Michelangelo's "Madonna of Bruges"

Madonna of bruges MichelangeloThe Monuments Men arrived just days after the Nazi's had stolen this two-ton marble Madonna and Child sculpture from the Bruges Notre Dame Cathedrale in Belgium.

madonna bruges recovered by monuments menMichelangelo’s statue was later recovered in the ancient Steinberg salt mine in Altaussee— one of the many underground hiding places used by Hitler and the Nazis to stash art — by the Monuments Men.

Leonardo da Vinci's "Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (Lady with an Ermine)"

Leonardo da Vinci Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani Lady with an ErmineAnother one of Da Vinci's most famous paintings, "Lady with an Ermine" was almost immediately seized by the Nazis after the German occupation of Poland in 1939. In 1940, Hans Frank, the Governor General of Poland, requested it be returned to Kraków and hung it in his suite of offices. At the end of WWII, it was discovered by the Monuments Men in Frank's country home in Bavaria, and was returned to Poland's Czartoryski Museum in Kraków.

Édouard Manet's "In The Conservatory"

edouard manet in the conservatoryThis huge oil painting was looted from the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin during the Nazi plunder.

Monuments men discovering manet's in the conservatory in the salt minesAmerican soldiers and the Monuments Men later discovered Manet's "In the Conservatory" hidden in Germany's Merkers salt mines along with large amounts of Nazi gold, and many other stolen works of art in 1945.

The Bust of Charlemagne

bust of charlemagneThis bust was donated to the Aachen Cathedral, a Germany church, in 1349 by Charles IV. It is one of the most highly prized Charlemagne relics, and is thought to contain a piece of his skull. Monuments Men George Stout and sculptor Walker Hancock went behind enemy lines while under fire to reach the Aachen treasury hidden in a tunnel. It still can be seen in the church today.

Johannes Vermeer's "The Astronomer"

Johannes Vermee The Astronomer In 1940, this painting was seized from Edouard de Rothschild in Paris by the Nazi's Reichsleiter Rosenberg Task force (essentially the German equivalent of the Monuments Men) after the German invasion of France. A small swastika was stamped on the back in black ink, and the painting was sent to Hitler on one of his personal trains and hidden in the ancient Steinberg salt mine in Altausse.

Vermeer Astronomer monuments menWhen it was discovered after the war, it was returned to the Rothchild collection.

Original manuscript of Ludvig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 6

Beethoven symphony number sixIn the same tunnel that hid the relics of Charlemagne, 600 paintings, and 100 sculptures was the original manuscript of Ludvig van Beethoven's sixth symphony. The tunnel in Siegen, Germany was still behind enemy lines when the Monuments Men went in to try and save the remaining art.

Rembrandt's "Self-portrait, 1645"

rembrandt self portrait oval 1645This Rembrandt self portrait once hung in the museum of Harry Ettlinger's — the last surviving Monuments Men— old home town of Karlsruhe, in the south-west of Germany. In fact, Ettlinger still remembers when he found the painting in the salt mines of Heilbronn after the war.

rembrandt self portrait 1665Today, the World War II veteran now has a print of the painting hanging in his living room. "It reminds me of what we achieved and the sacrifices that people like my buddies made," he told the Mirror. The real painting has been returned to the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe is the State Art Gallery in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Florence's Medieval Architecture

Torre degli amideiAfter the liberation of Florence, all of the city's bridges were mined and destroyed by the retreating German forces, including the medieval Ponte alla Carraia and Ponte alle Grazie, as well as the Renaissance era Ponte Santa Trinita.

Ponte Vecchio The only medieval vestiges of the city that survived were the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge (rumored to have been saved by the express wishes of Hitler) as well as the nearby Torre degli Amidei. The medieval tower was shored up, and rubble was cleared away from the Ponte Vecchio. Both stand to this day.

SEE ALSO: 23 Recent Works Of Art That Shook History

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Ikea Just Discontinued Its Most Popular Shelving System And Customers Are Furious

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Ikea Expedit shelf

Ikea is planning to stop making one of its most popular shelving systems, and people are outraged.

The EXPEDIT shelf apparently has a cult of fans, many of whom are vinyl record collectors who believe its cubed storage space is unrivaled by any other furniture in the world. 

Ikea says it will replace EXPEDIT with a similar shelf called the KALLAX, which "has the same internal sizes and uses the same internal fittings," according to the Huffington Post

"I think our customers may be worried that they won’t have the wonderful function and flexibility that they had with EXPEDIT, but this is not the case," Ikea spokeswoman Janice Simonsen told Huffington.

But EXPEDIT lovers are inconsolable: 

SEE ALSO: How To Make Your Ikea Furniture Look Like It Doesn't Come From Ikea

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Top Auto Execs Reveal The First Car They Ever Owned

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1976 Ford Mustang II 2+2

One perk of being an executive in the auto industry is that you're always driving a new, well-equipped car.

But most of the folks running companies like GM, BMW, and VW didn't start out with anything fancy.

In interviews over the past few weeks, we asked top execs from various companies about the first car they ever owned.

Just as you'd expect from a bunch of car guys, the answers were detailed and packed with nostalgia.

Mark Reuss, who took over new GM CEO Mary Barra's post as global head of product, started off as a GM man. He seemed to remember every detail of his first ride, a 1967 Camaro 327.

Red with a white bumblebee stripe, it was a "pretty original car." He bought it in his dad's Illinois hometown for $1,300, and it came with air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes.

GM's head of global design Ed Welburn also started off with a company car. His very first was a 1965 Buick Gran Sport. It was great, he said, since it had "all the power in the world, it was lightweight. But my parents never thought I was driving a hot rod like a [Pontiac] GTO."

"My parents never would've let me buy a GTO," he said. "But a Gran Sport, I could get away with. And it was just as quick, if not quicker."

Maybe this is the ad that won him over:

1965 buick riviera gran sport ad

Bob Ferguson, now head of Cadillac, drove a 1976 Mustang II, powered by a 302-cc V8 engine. Bill Peffer, Cadillac's U.S. VP of sales and service, also started off with a Ford, a 1987 Mustang GT.

Filip Brabec, product planning manager for Audi of America, was born in Prague but moved to Wisconsin for high school after the Cold War ended. He got right into the American spirit, driving a 1989 Chevy Camaro RS, with a 5.5-liter V8 engine. "I put well over 100,000 miles on that car in college," he said.

Austin 7 Mini 1959Among other execs from Europe, there's a pattern. Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös started off with a Mini 850, a "lovely car."

Andy Goss of Britain, now president of Jaguar Land Rover North America, had a 1981 Mini, in russet brown.

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen's first car was a Mini — which he flipped over within 24 hours. His parents thought he was crazy, he told Business Insider.

CEO of BMW North America Ludwig Willisch had a 1958 Beetle, about 20 years old by the time he got his hands on it. It was not a unique choice, he said: "In my generation, the probability of driving a Beetle is very high, because at that time Beetle had about 50% market share," he explained. "Especially for poor students, it had close to 100% market share."

Kevin Rose, sales and marketing director for Bentley, almost got a Beetle, but went for a Lotus Cortina instead. It was "old and decrepit," he said, "but for an 18-year-old it was monstrously cool."

SEE ALSO: The New Corvette Stingray Is, Hands Down, The Most Fun Car I've Ever Driven

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The Most Ridiculous Laws In Each Of The 50 States

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trial by combat medieval sword fight

We've all heard urban legends and rumors about absurd laws in America, but don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Sites like dumblaws.com— which rarely link to states' current statutes or may misinterpret them — only perpetuate the myths.

We decided to undertake some legal legwork and identify the strangest statute still on the books in every state.

Many of these laws make sense, such as a ban on guiding sheep onto a train track if you're trying to hurt the train. But the fact that states have to spell out bans like this might make you scratch your head.

Alabama

Alabama residents commit unlawful bear exploitation if they purchase, possess, or train a bear for the purpose of bear wrestling. It's a Class B felony, punishable by a fine, confiscation of the bear, and restitution to a humane society for animals.

Apparently, man versus bear wrestling took hold in the early 1800s — a byproduct of Greco-Roman displays of masculinity.

Alaska

A person cannot get drunk in a bar and remain on the premises. (Kind of defeats the purpose of a bar, doesn't it?) The statute states an intoxicated person may not "knowingly" enter or camp out where alcohol is sold — so maybe if you're inebriated enough, you can get away with it.

In 2012, police in Alaska reportedly started aggressively enforcing the law, sending plainclothes officers to bars to identify and arrest suspects.

Arizona

No one can feed garbage to pigs without first obtaining a permit, which requires annual renewal. You can, however, swap out the trough for a waste basket if the swine are raised for your own consumption.

Arkansas

A pinball machine can't give more than 25 free games to a player who continues to win. Some restaurant-gaming chains — like Chuck E. Cheese— are exempt from certain anti-gambling statutes because they award free games, toys, and novelties that don't constitute an exchange of "valuable things."

California

A frog that dies during a frog-jumping contest can't be eaten. This health code likely made its way into the books to protect competitors at the Calaveras County Fair and Frog Jumping Jubilee, an 80-year-old tradition in the gold mining town of Angels Camp. Each year, tourists and experienced jockeys compete to see how far their bullfrogs can leap.

Colorado

You have to get a permit to modify the weather. Weather modification is not only possible, but it's actually a lucrative business. In select states, it's legal to perform activities that produce artificial changes in the composition or behavior of the atmosphere — such as burning silver iodide, which carries into the clouds to stimulate rain. The permit requirement ensures minimal harm to the land and maximum benefit to the people.

Connecticut

In Connecticut, letting other people copy your academic work isn't just a no-no in school — it's also illegal. The general statutes explicitly prohibit selling a term paper, essay, dissertation, etc. at any education facility supervised by the state.

The punishment isn't specified, but it's probably more than detention.

Delaware

It's a Class B misdemeanor to sell, barter, or offer the fur of a domestic dog or cat. Any products made in whole or in part from the hair, say a coat of 101 Dalmatians, also result in a fine of $2,500 and a ban on owning a dog or cat for 15 years after conviction.

Florida

Owners of commercial establishments where alcohol is sold may be fined up to $1,000 if they participate in or permit any contest of dwarf-tossing. In 1989, Florida outlawed this Australian bar fad of tossing little people when it caught on in southern parts of the state.

A Florida state legislator tried to repeal the law in 2011 but wasn't successful.

Georgia

Those engaging in llama-related activities, such as riding, training, or goofing around at a county fair or performance, are accountable for any and all personal injuries incurred. The "llama professional" is immune from liability for harm or death with few exceptions.

Injured participants have a shot in court if they were just spectating from an authorized area.

Hawaii

Billboards have no place in paradise. They're outlawed in the state with just 18 exceptions.

The "urban beautification" initiative dates back to 1927, when an all-white circle of Hawaii's power wives created the Outdoor Circle Club and lobbied for the ban. Today, the group exists as a watchdog on ever-threatening, jumbo-size advertisements.

Idaho

Cannibalism is strictly prohibited and punishable by up to 14 years in prison in Idaho. But it's okay to "willfully ingest the flesh or blood of a human being" in life-or-death situations, if it's the only apparent means or survival.

The only state to declare cannibalism a no-no, Idaho erected the ban in 1990 as a reaction to spreading fear that eating humans would pop up in ritualized practices.

Illinois

Urban legend says it's a crime to possess more than $600 worth of salamanders. (That's 75-plus salamanders, according to fair market value.) In reality, it's illegal to keep any variety of aquatic life in excess of $600 in Illinois if it was captured or killed in violation of the state's law.

Indiana

Liquor stores can't sell cooled water or soda, but they can sell uncooled soda. In fact, they can't sell milk either. The code specifically lists what types of beverages (and at what temperatures) permit-holding businesses can have in stock.

Iowa

Anyone trying to pass off margarine (or oleo or oleomargarine) as real butter is guilty of a misdemeanor. The great butter vs. margarine battle rages on though, so we understand Iowa's desire for transparency.

Kansas

Liquor may not be sold by the glass in 26 counties. In Kansas — a state that outlawed alcohol sales until 1948, a full 15 years after Congress repealed Prohibition — individual counties may, by resolution or petition, prohibit the sale of booze in public places where 30% or less of their gross comes from the sale of food. There's no place like home to get tipsy.

Kentucky

Every legislator, public officer, and lawyer must take an oath stating that they have not fought a duel with deadly weapons. When it entered the Kentucky Constitution in 1849, the law was meant to deter men who might aspire to public office from participating in the once-rampant Southern tradition.

Some evidence suggests, however, that trial-by-combat might technically be legal on a federal level even today.

Louisiana

Jambalaya prepared in "the traditional manner" is not subject to typical sanitation regulations. According to the public health and safety codes, this Creole stir-fry, made with rice, meat, and vegetables, may be prepared for public consumption in the open, using iron pots and wood fires.

Maine

An early version of the chance game of Bingo, called Beano, is legally regulated in this New England state. The legal rules dictate that a person conducting or assisting in the conduct of the game may assist players by playing their cards while they take a restroom break.

This allowance does not apply in high-stakes Beano, which apparently, is also a thing.

Maryland

A person who sells non-latex condoms by means of a vending machine is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine up to $1,000.

Massachusetts

Whether you're in Gillette Stadium or Fenway Park, you'll probably never hear just half of the "Star Spangled Banner." Singing or playing the national anthem other than as a whole and separate composition is punishable by a fine no more than $100.

You'll pay the same price for dancing (at all) to it, too.

Michigan

A statute on the books since 1931 makes adultery a felony— punishable by a maximum of four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

In 2012, Portage police Sgt. James Myers was fired for on-the-job misconduct, including allegedly cheating on his wife and furthering a relationship with a local waitress using a city-issued cellphone and email account while on the clock. He was neither fined nor imprisoned, suggesting Michigan doesn't take the law too seriously.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, any game in which participants attempt to capture a greased or oiled pig is illegal. The same laws also prohibits turkey scrambles. Let's assume legislators were more concerned with animal cruelty than human stupidity.

Mississippi

Using profanity in front of two or more persons in a public place might land you in the county jail for up to 30 days. Or you could pay a hefty fine to the state swear jar, no more than $100.

While this law appears to be a direct assault on the First Amendment, it's thought to have been conceived in order to protect the public.

Missouri

If any bull or ram over the age of 1 year old runs rampant for more than three days, any person may castrate the animal without assuming liability for damage. Three town residents must attest in writing that the animal is loose, and its owner must fail to reclaim or confine the beast after notice is given.

Montana

Guiding sheep onto a railroad track with intent to injure the train, not the sheep, can stick you with a whopping fine up to $50,000 and a stay at the state prison not exceeding five years. The locomotive corporation or owners of the railroad must be harmed, in addition to Dolly and friends.

Nebraska

No person who is afflicted with a venereal disease can marry. While it's nearly impossible to enforce, this health code could prevent marital bliss for more than 8,000 Nebraskans who reported cases of chlamydia or gonorrhea to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012.

Nevada

In the only state where prostitution won't get you arrested in most counties, using x-rays to determine shoe size could. That may sound strange, but a device with that exact purpose actually exists: a shoe-fitting fluoroscope also known as a pedoscope or foot-o-scope.

With the knowledge that exposure to radiation harms people in awful ways, this practice went by the wayside. But at one point, the state had to spell it out. Anyone who didn't get the message is guilty of a misdemeanor.

New Hampshire

As of 1973, it's illegal to carry away or collect seaweed at night. Breaking most of the general provisions about fish and game will land you a "violation" — with an unspecified punishment.

Seaweed is routinely used in fertilizer and animal feed. It's also considered a good source of alginate, which gives liquid solutions a thicker texture (think Jell-O). Just last year, Maine and its fisherman grappled over a similar set of regulations.

New Jersey

In the Garden State, anyone wearing a "body vest" a.k.a. bullet-proof armor while committing murder, manslaughter, robbery, sexual assault, etc. is guilty of another crime. And attempting to flee while wearing this unlawful piece of clothing, after committing the initial act, bumps up the crime from third-degree to second- or first-degree.

New Mexico

As stated in the New Mexico Constitution, "idiots" can't vote in state elections. Traditionally, the word "idiot" has referred to someone (rather politically incorrectly) mentally disabled or with an IQ below 30. But read the comments section on any website, and you'll see the term is more loosely applied now. The vagueness in these statutes could cause problems someday.

Currently, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio uphold the same idea in their constitutions. Even if you have a mental disability though, if you understand what voting means, federal law protects your right to cast a ballot, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

New York

It's unlawful for three or more people wearing masks to gather in public for a demonstration or a march. Originally enacted in 1845, it entered the books when local tenant farmers disguised themselves as Native American and attacked and killed their landlords.

The law includes exceptions for masquerade parties and similar events.

North Carolina

For certain organizations in North Carolina, bingo games can last only up to five hours. The state's administrative code even contains a few more explicit restrictions on the game: only one in a 48-hour period and no more than a $500 prize.

Our best guess as to the motivation behind this law? Retirement homes needed to crack down on geriatric bingo sharks.

North Dakota

All members of North Dakota's Dry Pea and Lentil Councilmust be citizens. The organization was created in 1997 to to promote the dry pea, lentil, chickpeas, lupins, and fava bean industries, and the legislature clearly didn't want someone with just a green card wielding all that power.

A national version of the Dry Pea and Lentil Council also exists. But North Dakota obviously decided it needed a more state-focused group.

Ohio

Every operator of an underground coal mine must provide "adequate supply" of toilet paper with each toilet. This law clearly makes sense, but the fact that it exists at all raises some questions about basic human decency.

Oklahoma

According to the most recently updated version of the Oklahoma statutes in 2013, McCarthyism is alive and well. We quote:

"It is here now found and declared to be a fact that there exists an International Communist conspiracy which is committed to the overthrow of the government of the United States and of the several states, including that of the State of Oklahoma, by force or violence ..."

Oregon

In Oregon, leaving a container of urine or fecal matter on the side of the road is a Class A misdemeanor. And you can't throw it from the vehicle either. Again, we understand the logic. But who tried to leave urine or excrement on the side of the road in the first place?

Pennsylvania

Human trafficking in general violates too many international laws to count. But Pennsylvania felt the need to specify that you can't barter a baby. But if you do find yourself swapping goods or services for your precious bundle, it's only a misdemeanor, which is usually punished less harshly than felonies.

Rhode Island

Rhode Islanders who bite off someone else's limb will face no more than 20 years in prison (but no less than one) — but only if they maimed the victim on purpose. Don't worry if you fall and your teeth accidentally dismember somebody. You will have a legitimate defense.

South Carolina

A male over the age of the 16 can't seduce a woman by falsely promising to marry her. If found guilty, he'll be charged with a misdemeanor, fined at the court's discretion, and/or imprisoned for no longer than one year — with a decent number of exceptions.

For example, if the woman was already married or considered "lewd" or "unchaste" (which the law doesn't define), the court can't convict the male of the misdemeanor. The offender will also walk if no one can corroborate the woman's testimony. And no one law exists with the gender roles reversed.

South Dakota

Agricultural producers may set off fireworks and other explosives to safeguard their sunflower crops. Crows and other birds can wreak havoc on a blossoming field, and pyrotechnics are farmers' first defense — so long as they're not used within 600 feet of an occupied home, church, or schoolhouse.

Tennessee

In Tennessee, you can't hunt, trap, or harm an albino deer intentionally. If you do, the fish and wildlife commission will hand you with a Class C misdemeanor (punishable by fine only.)

"White deer," as people often call these mammalian anomalies, are extremely rare. Only about one in every 30,000 deer is born albino. Some even consider the animal the modern unicorn and believe it has magical powers.

Texas

In Texas, people wishing to run for office must acknowledge the "Supreme Being." If not, they could be subjected to religious tests. In other words: no atheists allowed.

Utah

In Utah, no one may hurl a missile at a bus or bus terminal— except "elected or appointed peace officers" or "commercial security personnel." Any one outside those positions is guilty of a third-degree felony.

Vermont

The Vermont legislature created a law that prohibits outlawing clotheslines— proof that governments don't always abuse their powers. The same statute also states that no law can ban solar collectors, listing both items as "energy devices based on renewable resources."

Virginia

Except for married couples, sex is completely banned in Virginia. No matter your age or your partner's, breaking this law results in a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Washington

Doors to nearly all public buildings must open outwardly. Anyone who violates this will face a misdemeanor charge. The statute does explain why though: to avoid congestion during emergencies, like fires.

West Virginia

Don't attempt to substitute a hunting dog for a ferret in West Virginia. Anyone who hunts, catches, takes, kills, injures, or pursues a wild animal or bird with a ferret will face a fine of no less than $100 (but no more than $500) and no less than 10 (but no more than 100) days in jail.

Wisconsin

Not to stereotype, but in Wisconsin (also known as America's Dairyland), many different kind of state-certified cheeses (Muenster, cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack) must be "highly pleasing."

Wyoming

In Wyoming, you can't "cut, sever, detach, or mutilate" more than one-half of a sheep's ear. Violations are felony offenses, punishable by up to five years in prison.

But less than one-half? Totally fine. And if the sale document or title approves said mutilation, go ahead then.

SEE ALSO: Here's What All 50 State Names Actually Mean

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Rupert Murdoch Is Paying $57.25 Million For The Top Four Floors Of A Swanky NYC Condo Building

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One Madison Park

Billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch is in contract to buy the triplex penthouse at One Madison, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

Murdoch will also purchase the unit on the floor below, the report said.

That's four floors in the swanky condo building for the newly divorced 82-year-old.  

He's paying a total of $57.25 million for the two units, the report said. The penthouse triplex was listed for $50 million, while the apartment below had been listed for $16.5 million.

It's definitely a dreamy condo building, and now we're going to take a tour. 

One Madison's triplex penthouse occupies the 58th to 60th floors. The unit features nearly 7,000 square feet of living space.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



The penthouse features five bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



The unit features high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a 596 square-foot wraparound terrace.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    






The Ultimate Guide To Putting On A Tie

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There are more than 177,000 ways to tie a tie, but that doesn't mean they all look equally good.

The experts behind the blog The Art of Manliness created a great infographic with the help of illustrator Ted Slampyak that breaks down the correct way to wear your tie.

With tips like which knots look best with dress shirts and correct tie proportions, you have no excuse to wear a tie wrong ever again.

Tie Tips art of manliness

SEE ALSO: 9 Bad Fashion Tips Men Should Stop Following

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Leaked Document Says McLaren's New Supercar Will Cost $320,000

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McLaren 650S Coupe

McLaren Automotive's next supercar, the 650S, will cost €232,500 (about $320,000) in Europe, according to a leaked price list on 650SForum.com.

A spokesperson for McLaren would not confirm the figure, but said in the U.K., the 650S will cost about £20,000 more than the automaker's MP4-12C, which puts it around £195,000. That's about $325,000, in line with the European price offered in the leaked document.

Of course, that's just the base price, and with high-end cars, the options add up quickly. Try $6,638 for "elite paint," $8,338 for carbon fiber racing seats, $233 for a fire extinguisher, and $2,510 for a "diamond cut wheel finish."

A rear view camera — standard on the $18,190 Honda Civic Coupe — will cost you $1,673 extra on the 650S. The good news is that you'll be able to afford it.

The 650S will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in early March and launch this spring. It will go from 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds, and hit a top speed of 207 mph, according to Car and Driver.

[H/t: Jalopnik]

SEE ALSO: Top Auto Execs Reveal The First Car They Ever Owned

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How To Use LinkedIn To Get Your Next Job

Here's How Google Can Fix The San Francisco Bus Problem Once And For All...

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itown campus

Rent prices in the Bay Area are outrageously expensive, in part because a lack of sufficient housing in the Silicon Valley continues to push tech workers to San Francisco.

Looking at some of the stats, it makes sense why people who work in the Silicon Valley would look elsewhere for housing.

According to the 2012 American Community Survey, Santa Clara County (where many tech companies are located) has about 636,000 housing units, only 42% of which are renter-occupied. 53% are single-family detached homes, while 47% are single-family attached and all other types.

In San Francisco, however, 63% of the city's 377,000 housing units are renter-occupied. Only 19% are single-family detached homes, with 81% being all other types, including apartments. 

Commuting an hour or two from the city to the Valley seems to be a better option for renters, but it's starting to put a strain on San Francisco residents fed up with gentrification and the rising cost of living in the city. 

In an experiment imagining possible solutions to the problem, Berkeley designer Alfred Twu created renderings of how some Silicon Valley tech campuses would look if they eliminated their parking lots in favor of employee housing.  

"It'd offer them shorter commutes and less of a hassle in finding housing," Twu said to Business Insider. "Right now these companies already provide everything else traditionally associated with the domestic sphere, such as food and laundry, so why not housing?"

At iTown, Twu's vision for Apple's imaginary campus in Cupertino, all 13,000 employees would be housed in towers of 20, 30, and 40 stories.

With construction costing $400 per square foot, Twu estimates that the complex of 800-square-foot apartments would cost $5.2 billion to complete. itown campus

 Oddly looks enough, it looks a lot like a college campus. itown campus

Apple might end up better known for its skyline than its "spaceship."itown campus

"The drawings are a site capacity study — the actual layout and shape of the buildings could vary — and some commentators have suggested that closely spaced 5-8 story buildings could also accommodate the same amount of housing," Twu said. "This is especially true if some of the traditional apartments are substituted with co-housing or shared living spaces."

At Facebook City in Menlo Park, an "East Campus" on the opposite side of Highway 84 would provide space for tall apartment towers in addition to some built onto the existing campus. facebook city

And at the new concept for Googleplex, imposing apartment towers for the company's 10,000 employees would create a new skyline from the 101. fake googleplexfake googleplex

Twu admits that the high-density developments shown in his renderings aren't currently allowed by zoning laws.

Still, it's a step in the right direction. 

"The zoning changes are obviously the hardest part," Twu said. "However, as there's a strong desire to preserve open space, farmland, and existing residential neighborhoods, that only leaves one place to build: the 'grayfields' of parking lots and strip malls.  The big changes will probably need to wait until current politicians age out of office and a new generation with different cultural expectations replaces them."

SEE ALSO: Tech Startups Will Go Crazy For This Futuristic Campus In Silicon Valley

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Otherworldly Pictures Of Northern Iceland

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Iceland

Last July, travel photographer Jesper Anhede spent a week shooting photos in Northern Iceland, one of 10 international trips he made from his home in Hjo, Sweden in 2013. 

"Summertime in Iceland has really nice light and very long days," Anhede wrote in an email to Business Insider. "Near the equator, the sunrise and sunset is over in a few minutes, but here you had several hours of golden light which is perfect for a photographer."

While there, Anhede photographed wild Icelandic horses, a dormant volcano with a bright green pool at its base, and the Waterfall of the Gods. He rode an Icelandic horse during some of the shoot to move faster and not frighten the animals.

"Riding while holding a camera or even two cameras sometimes can be hard," Anhede wrote. "But since the Icelandic horses, unlike other horses, can run in a very smooth gait called tölt, that was no problem. Last year I did a photo job for a cowboy ranch in Montana, that also gave me some experience in being able to always stay in the saddle without using my hands."

He said he's eager to return to Iceland to see its other dramatic seasons.

Anhede found these wild horses in what's known as the horse valley in northern Iceland.



Icelandic horses are almost pony-sized, but they live long and hardy lives and contract few diseases.



Icelandic law doesn't allow horses to be imported, and once a horse is exported, it can't return.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    






HOUSE OF THE DAY: New Dad Simon Cowell Lists His Insane Bachelor Pad For $17.9 Million

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Simon Cowell House 15

Simon Cowell has officially listed his Beverly Hills bachelor pad, after quietly looking for a buyer for the home in the fall, according to the Los Angeles Times

The "X Factor" creator and judge was initially looking to get $20 million for the 12,000-square-foot mansion, but ended up putting the property on the market at $17.9 million instead.

The home was built for entertaining with five bedroom suites, a separate guest house, and a gorgeous swimming pool that lights up at night.

Zillow reports that Cowell is looking for a more family friendly home for himself, girlfriend Lauren Silverman, and their new baby.  

Blair Chang at The Agency is handling the sale. 

Simon Cowell's bachelor pad sits on two acres of land in Beverly Hills.

Source: The Agency



The gated estate has parking for up to 10 cars.

Source: The Agency



The main house has five bedroom suites, seven bathrooms, and two powder rooms.

Source: The Agency



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This Fast Food Restaurant Is Carved Entirely Out Of Wood

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Fast food sculpture

Few people would find artistic inspiration inside a McDonald’s or a KFC.

But that’s exactly where New York artist Roxy Paine went for his latest installation featured in a Kavi Gupta Gallery in Chicago. The work, called Carcass, is a life-sized replica of a fast food joint, carved entirely out of birch wood.

There are intricately detailed fryers, drink dispensers and coffee brewers. Empty menu signs hang above the counter, where three replicas of touch-screen computers are arranged next to fake straw dispensers. 

Fast food sculptureA single box, made to look like the carton for a hamburger, appears ready to be served on a shelf next to a fake frozen yogurt machine.

Fast food sculptureAt first glance, the installation looks like an exact copy of a McDonald’s restaurant. But Paine drew from a number of restaurants for inspiration, according to Emanuel Aguilar, a director at Kavi Gupta Gallery.

“If you look closely at the objects in the room, you see that some of the things pertain to KFC, while others pertain to a restaurant that would make burgers,” Aguilar said. “It’s a combination of fast food restaurants that we have in our collective memory.”

Here's an up-close look at the fryer:

Fast food restaurantThe sculpture is purposefully barren of the busy colors and sounds of a functional fast food restaurant.

Aguilar said Paine taught himself woodworking in order to create the piece, which took him six months to complete.

Paine left out few details. Here's a computer monitor that might log orders in an actual restaurant.

Fast food sculptureTiny wooden straws sit idly in the fake straw dispenser:

Fast food sculptureThe installation was set behind a glass window to give the viewer the same experience as they might have with a diorama at a museum, Aguilar said. 

Fast food sculpture

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11 Icons Of American Pop Culture Who Are Actually Canadian


One Of Wall Street's Favorite Hangouts Just Got A Sexy New Restaurant

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bodega negra

One of the beautiful things about New York City is that hotels aren't just hotels, they're adult playgrounds.

And like playgrounds they've got jungle gyms (world-famous clubs) and hot dog stands (killer restaurants).

But unlike playgrounds, they're constantly competing for (your) attention.

Without question The Dream Downtown, home of rooftop nightclub PH-D, has Wall Street's fullest. Soon so will its new restaurant, Bodega Negra.

We'll keep this short and sweet. Bodega Negra looks like a sexy Mexican Cantina right in the middle of West 16th Street. Instead of hombres with mustaches in the corner, though, it's probably Kristen Ritter or Orlando Bloom munching on Soft-Shell Crab Tacos and drinking Blood and Fire cocktails.

Also there's a giant gold disco ball in one of the dining rooms. Cantinas normally don't have those.

The night Business Insider dropped by a few weeks ago (and ate about 7 slices of Quesadilla Rustica, a Mexican pizza type thing), the raging started early. Bottles were getting popped by about 9:30 pm.

But that was a party.

Then again, it's the Dream Downtown is a party. Expect nothing less.

Bodega Negra dinner menu below:

 

BN -Dinner 11.75x12.5 2.4.14 by Linette Lopez

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19 Striking Photos Show What Nevada Brothels Are Really Like

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099_MMA_BR509GirlsTopgether_flat

Before traveling to Nevada, photographer Marc McAndrews had never been to a strip club, let alone a brothel. Now, he’s been to every single one in the state. 

Over the course of five years, McAndrews made regular trips to Nevada’s legal brothels, staying anywhere from a week to a month each time. He stayed in bedrooms in the houses, shared a bathroom with the working girls, and saw the world that no one — except those that work at the brothels — see. 

“It’s a different experience when you wake up in the morning and have to pass the cereal and the milk to your subject. It changes the relationship,” explains McAndrews. “People’s guards go down and they become more at ease. They start to let you see their world.”

McAndrews shared some photos from his trips inside the brothels with us (you can see more photos and amazing stories in his book, "Nevada Rose").

When McAndrews began shooting Nevada's brothels, he expected to find a seedy place, filled with drugs. What he found, at places like the Wild Horse Ranch (shown here from afar), was something completely different.



He started by going to Moonlite Bunny Ranch, which was made famous by HBO's Cathouse series. When he first asked about photographing, the women didn't believe him, thinking that he was just a nervous customer. He was eventually turned down.



After being turned down by several other brothels in the Carson City area, one of the prostitutes recommended that he try a smaller town like Elko or Ely, where proprietors might be more friendly.



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This Nasty Court Case Helped Make Surrogacy Illegal In New York

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Baby M

New York is one of a handful of states that bans surrogate pregnancies, thanks to a nasty 1980s court battle that pitted a baby's biological father against the surrogate who decided she wanted to keep that baby after all.

In a New York Times article on Thursday, gay male couples who wanted children in the Empire State bemoaned the fact that they couldn't hire women to bear their children in their home state. New York's unusual 1992 law barring commercial surrogacy contracts is a legacy of the so-called "Baby M" case, The Times notes.

The "Baby M" drama actually took place in New Jersey, and that state's highest court ultimately ruled in 1988 that paying women to bear children was illegal and "potentially degrading to women." While the case was in the Garden State, New Yorkers became obsessed with it, too. It eventually helped spur the Empire State to ban paid surrogacy altogether.

The case centered around a surrogate named Mary Beth Whitehead, who agreed to bear a child for a biochemist named William Stern and his wife, a pediatrician named Elizabeth. Elizabeth had a mild form of multiple sclerosis and worried that a pregnancy could paralyze her, the Times previously reported.

Whitehead agreed to a $10,000 payment and was artificially inseminated with William Stern's sperm. (Whitehead's own egg was used.) Whitehead changed her mind and refused to sign away her parental rights. A drawn-out and emotional custody fight ensued.

William Stern testified in January 1987 that Whitehead had seemed like a "perfect" surrogate. But a week after the child's birth, Whitehead went to the couple's house "sobbing openly" and saying she wanted the baby back, according to the biological father's testimony.

"Everything had gone wrong," Stern said, according to The Times.

While New Jersey's Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the surrogacy contract was illegal and restored the parental rights of Whitehead, the court granted custody to Stern.

''I'm really happy,'' Whitehead told The New York Times after the state high court's ruling. ''It's one step, and that's all I asked for. I just love the Supreme Court.''

As the legal parent, Whitehead was allowed to seek visitation with the child — a privilege the Sterns tried to revoke.

''She hates my guts,'' Stern reportedly said, at a tense visitation hearing after the New Jersey Supreme Court's ruling. "The one thing I've learned is I can't trust Mary Beth. Mary Beth lies.''

These days, surrogacy agreements are probably less emotionally fraught than they were in the 1980s. That's mainly because most people seeking surrogates — often infertile couples and gay men — will take an egg from one woman, fertilize it, and implant it in another woman. While the surrogate might get attached to the baby she's carrying, that child is not biologically hers.

SEE ALSO: How A $2.9 Million Jury Verdict Over Spilled Coffee Became America's Most Misunderstood Story

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13 Things Only 'Military Brats' Will Understand

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Army baby salute

Children who grow up with one or more parent in the military and spend time on or around bases, aka "military brats," get used to things that seem weird to everyone else.

Since I was born at William Beaumont Army Hospital on Fort Bliss, Texas, with years spent there and previous deployments to Kaiserslautern, Germany and Osan, South Korea, I've become very familiar with this lifestyle.

Here are some tell-tale signs you were a member of a military family:

1. Your pantry was always stocked with rations.

The self-contained, individual ration called Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a typical military family household commodity. MREs contain a main course, side dish, bread, dessert, and a flameless ration heater. These instant dishes, like "beef ravioli in meat sauce" and "pork chop formed in Jamaican style sauce with noodles," are designed to give service members in the field well-balanced meals. Sometimes a packed lunch was an MRE shoved into your backpack.

2. You learned the phonetic alphabet along with your ABCs

The phonetic alphabet is a list of specified words used to identify letters in a message transmitted by phone or radio.

For example, the word "Army" would be "Alpha Romeo Mike Yankee" when spelled using the phonetic alphabet.

Just like the military, you also refer to countless things with acronyms. Military slang and acronyms are tossed around in conversations with ease and as a child you learn to pick them up quickly. For instance, no one ever explained the meaning of "Hooah" (pronounced WhoAh) to you but you knew that it was short for "Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged."

3. Along with a school ID, you had a military ID.

Military ID cards are golden tickets and misplacing one meant perpetually waiting with a sponsor in a small ID card office. The khaki-colored "identification and privilege card" is the key to a military base and all of its goodies — gym, commissary (grocery store), swimming pool, etc. 

4. Your church had an American flag inside it.

No different than an American flag hanging inside of a school classroom, America's Stars and Stripes are also recognized inside military installation chapels. 

These chapels are designed to be convertible in order to accommodate various religious beliefs of service members. For example, the chapel may offer a Catholic Mass at 8 a.m. and then a Protestant service at 11 a.m. 

Service ended with singing "God Bless America" or "America the Beautiful." Also, the priest was referred to as chaplain.

5. Calling everyone by last names seems normal.

It is almost as if this behavior is innate, because remarkably, military brats quickly begin to refer to anyone by their last name. That is because troops refer to each other by their last name, a practice originating from their training in boot camp. 

Calling an adult "ma'am" or "sir" is another natural mannerism.

6. At “colors” you drop everything and look for an American flag.

The flag is raised briskly and lowered slowly on American military bases every morning and evening while a patriotic song is played through a loudspeaker, usually "To the Color" or the National Anthem, depending on the base. 

This time is referred to as "Colors." Military personnel are required to stop, face the direction of the base flagpole, stand at attention, and render a salute until the music stops.

Moreover, you're used to singing the national anthem everywhere, even in movie theaters after the previews finish.

7. You are a bit of a perfectionist, especially in your appearance.

Appearance represents a form of self discipline, and in the armed forces, it is a requirement that a soldier is neat and well-groomed when in uniform.
amanda macias army brat promotion

Leaders ensure that personnel under their command present a conservative military image.

Similarly, this practice was echoed into your childhood and that meant you didn't get to sport a trendy haircut, loud fingernail polish, or an untucked shirt. 

8. People ask you where you grew up and it takes you five minutes to answer.

Not having one permanent home for more than five years can make for a lengthy response to the question, "Where are you from?" Living in different states and sometimes foreign countries makes, "I'm from all over" the simplest answer. 

That is because military families don't have much of a say as to where they go. Some families luck out and get amazing placements to installations like the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, with sailing and surfing classes at the on-base marina and ample plus views of paradise.

9. Your doctor wears combat boots.

amanda macias military brat army

Service members and their families largely use the hospitals and clinics on-base as their primary care providers, and those clinics are staffed with military doctors and medics.

A far cry though from the white lab coat with the cold stethoscope, many of these health care providers have seen the worst of the worst. 

10. You had holiday dinners in a chow hall.

Instead of heading over to grandma's house, military families often go to a dining facility for a cafeteria-style Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. 

This is either because travel is too difficult or expensive, or because the family lives on an installation in a foreign country. 

11. Your chores were mandatory.

Mom never had to come in and make your bed because every morning before school it was your responsibility. Failing a parent-conducted room inspection resulted in more chores or pushups. So you learned how to do things the "right way" quickly.

12. If you aren't 15 minutes early, you're late.

Being "tardy" doesn't exist in the military world. You were early to school, doctor appointments, ceremonies, and parties — no exceptions. 

13. You have immediate respect for anyone in uniform.

Respect for individuals serving in the armed forces is strongly encouraged in military family upbringings. Possibly because you catch a glimpse of your personal experiences as a military brat and that kind of relation isn't possible with civilians.

I always look twice when a young troop is in an airport terminal — not because of the enormous rucksack, but to figure out if they're heading home, to an overseas deployment, or to a combat zone.

SEE ALSO: 31 Phrases That Only People In The Military Will Understand

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Here's What The People Of Detroit Think About Their Bankrupt City

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Detroit's been through some rough times. The city
 is bankrupt, people are moving out in droves, and abandoned homes and buildings are scattered throughout town.

"It's not the hooligan city that people make it out to be," according to longtime Detroit resident James McGee.

When my colleague Alex Davies and I visited Detroit last month for the Auto Show, we talked to a bunch of Detroiters like McGee. All of them think Detroit is poised for a comeback. Watch and find out why.

Produced by Will Wei. Special thanks to Alex Davies.

Music: "Communication" by Tom Quick

SEE ALSO: Detroit Is Losing Money On Its Bizarre 'People Mover' Train That No One Ever Rides

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