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The Fabulous Life Of Sir Richard Branson

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Sir RIchard Branson holding the model of LauncherOne, in SpaceShipTwo.

It's got to be fun to be Richard Branson. 

Since founding his record label in the 1970s, he's launched more than 400 businesses with the Virgin Group, exploring pretty much every industry you could imagine: airlines, hotels, mobile-phone companies, banks, and even space tourism. 

With an estimated net worth of $5 billion, he's one of the wealthiest people in the world.

From parties with models to daredevil world-record attempts, this British businessman always takes it to the next level. 

Richard Branson was born on July 18, 1950 in Blackheath, London. His father was a barrister, but their family was not wealthy, and they struggled to make ends meet. As a young man, he struggled with dyslexia and performed poorly in school. A headmaster once told him he would either end up in prison or a millionaire.

Source: Washington Post



His first business was a magazine he called 'Student.' The first issue came out on January 26, 1968, when Branson was just a teen.

Source: Virgin blog



He started selling records by mail order in 1970. The business later grew into a brick-and-mortar store, which grew into a recording studio that eventually became Virgin Records.

Source: Virgin blog



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Meet The 'Titan Zeus,' A $1.6 Million 370-Inch TV That's Bigger Than An Elephant

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Titan big screen home cinema

For those wishing for a TV the size of their living room wall, look no further than the Titan Zeus, a whopping 370-inch TV that costs $1.6 million.

The Titan Zeus has the largest dimensions we've ever seen, measuring 32 by 15 feet. The Zeus is designed for indoor or outdoor use, but to view it properly, you'd have to be about 50 feet away to optimize your enjoyment of the Titan Zeus. Thankfully, it's a 4K display, meaning it has around four times the amount of pixels compared to a traditional 1080P HD TV.

London-based manufacturer Titan first entered the TV industry in 2013 when Microsoft's Xbox team wanted "the most beautiful gaming screen ever." Since the introduction of its Zeus TV, Titan has sold only one Titan Zeus to a private customer. Titan recently told Engadget that the individual would prefer confidentiality.

To visualize a screen of this size, here's how a Titan Zeus would compare next to an elephant.

Big screen Titan Zeus

Titan offers a full range of massive displays; the more conservative consumer can opt for a 173-inch, 196-inch, or a 251-inch display. And for the more daring, Titan provides the full works, offering a completely customized display for "any shape or size required." They're not joking either, Titan's customized displays "include a waterproof Titan screen emerging from a swimming pool, curved screens for a super yacht sun deck, and a model custom designed for roof terraces."

Film buffs will be able to glimpse the Titan Zeus at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, where it will be used to display the World Cup. 

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The 35 Most Gay-Friendly Cities In The US

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gay pride parade philadelphia

In the spirit of Gay Pride Month, media organization Vocativ has released its first-ever "Queer Index," which uses a number of lifestyle factors to determine the most gay-friendly cities in the United States.

The index looks at variables that influence where LGBT Americans live and work, including the number of "out" singles, hate-crime rates, and ease of casual hookups, using Vocativ's technology to search the "Deep Web" —the 80% of the Internet that search engines can't reach.

The Queer Index unearthed some interesting facts about major U.S. cities and their relationships with the LGBT community. For example:

  • The Washington, D.C. metro area has the highest percentage of openly gay adults. At the same time, the nation’s capital has the highest number of anti-LGBT hate groups.

  • Memphis, Tenn. has the highest percentage of single lesbians.

  • Atlanta has the highest number of LGBT-friendly businesses in the country at 685—over three times more than the next highest city.

  • Of the top 100 largest U.S. cities, Boston had the highest number of sexual-orientation hate crimes last year: 63.

  • Four of the top ten U.S. cities by population did not make the list: Houston (#4 in population), Phoenix (#6), San Antonio (#7) and Dallas (#9).

These are the most gay-friendly U.S., according to the Queer Index:

1. Los Angeles, Calif.

2. New York, N.Y.

3. San Francisco, Calif.

4. Des Moines, Iowa

5. Chicago, Ill.

6. Seattle, Wash.

7. Albany, N.Y.

8. Rochester, N.Y.

9. Denver, Colo.

10. Madison, Wis.

11. Harrisburg, Pa.

12. Hartford, Conn.

13. Providence, R.I.

14. San Diego, Calif.

15. Washington, D.C.

16. Portland, Ore.

17. San Jose, Calif.

18. Boston, Mass.

19. Sacramento, Calif.

20. Minneapolis, Minn.

21. Chattanooga, Tenn.

22. Milwaukee, Wis.

23. Honolulu, Hawaii

24. Riverside, Calif.

25. Las Vegas, Nev.

26. Worcester, Mass.

27. Fresno, Calif.

28. Philadelphia, Pa.

29. Stockton, Calif.

30. Atlanta, Ga.

31. New Haven, Conn.

32. Syracuse, N.Y.

33. Bakersfield, Calif.

34. Buffalo, N.Y.

35. Oxnard, Calif.

See Vocativ's complete "Queer Index" here.

SEE ALSO: The 12 Best Honeymoon Destinations For Gay Couples

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New Black Card Comes With One Big Perk — A New York City Social Life

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Magnises

Billy McFarland, 22, was a kid tech whiz who started his first outsourcing company at 13. "I had no friends ... I had my computer," said McFarland, the CEO of Magnises, a credit-card social club for young professionals in New York City.

Today the college dropout and entrepreneur, who is also founder and CEO of Spling, an online ad platform, regularly hosts five-course meals and hotel parties for some of the city's young upper crust.

The idea for Magnises came about in the summer of 2013. McFarland was out to dinner with friends when they started talking about their credit cards. He thought about how much better the plastics could be if they were used in more personalized ways.

His idea? “Take this thing you’re using five times a day, make it more community-based, and then build perks around it that affect your everyday life,” said McFarland.MagnisesHence Magnises, a young and inevitably chichi club that operates through a metal credit card. And out of a West Village townhouse.

Which is precisely where I went to meet the young entrepreneurs in charge. As soon you climb the entrance steps and see the palatial main floor, you can’t deny the cool factor. With labeled artwork, funky decor, and a mash of bold patterns, it looks like a rich guy's bachelor pad.

Open seven days a week from noon to 9 p.m., the rented townhouse is the epicenter of Magnises' cocktail parties, elaborate dinners, art shows, and lectures. But the company encourages members to stop by anytime, to network or just hang out.MagnisesAs they gave me a tour, McFarland and Trevor Gopnik, a co-founder and VP of Business Development, told me about designing the townhouse and showed me the tiny nook where most partygoers congregate at the end of the night. When we got to the upstairs bathroom, I asked if anyone’s actually used the shower. They thought about it for a second, and answered in amusement that they've never been asked that before. Later, VPO Callie Katt said, "I hope not!"

Then there's the card itself. The black metal card is essentially a stylized form of club identification — linking to your existing bank account (but not creating a new one).

As McFarland explained, “It’s not really about some showy card. It’s about the people that have it.” Basically, it's like dressing up your existing credit card with Magnises' logo.

Aside from townhouse access, the membership card has other perks. A flash of the metal gives members access to last-minute reservations and deals at trendy restaurants such as ACME and Catch, clubs like Finale and Goldbar, and room upgrades at Grandlife Hotels.MagnisesLater, as we sat down to lunch at the neighboring Rosemary’s — their townhouse literally overlooks the restaurant's green roof — McFarland, Gopnik, and Katt describe Magnises' 1,200 members (roughly 30% of applicants are accepted) in a more plebeian way than I'd anticipated.

They stress the diversity of their members, explaining that their jobs run the gamut from finance to fashion to technology. They want outgoing people, they want groups of friends, they want everyone from "all walks of life." They're aiming for those between 25 and 35, not post-grads.

But when asked what qualities their members share, they’re less specific, using labels like “experience seekers” and those looking for “community.” Friday-night Netflix binge watchers need not apply. According to Magnises' business deck, over half their members attended top 50 schools, with 80% raking in over $75,000 a year.MagnisesTheir event photos show rapper French Montana rallying a fresh-faced crowd dressed in button-downs and miniskirts. However, they seemed visibly irked when I asked about their reputation as a "cool kids' club."

"It's just not true. People who apply to Magnises don’t think they’re above it all. They want to be in the thick of things, and they’re working really hard," Gopnik said. "If you lay something as an elitist organization, you're saying you accept people who are just sitting back and spending their trust funds. And that’s not what we’re going for."

But while they say they encourage diversity and believe the $250 annual membership fee won’t “class” anyone out, the new May members featured on their blog include a professional ski racer, a high-ranking Google employee, and a fashion model. They also dished that several Rangers players have applied.

"We definitely have wealthy members ... there are a lot of wealthy people in New York," Gopnik said. "I think we’re a very good cross section of what New York is."MagnisesMany of the company's services sound like there straight out of "Gossip Girl." This summer they’re hosting a Mariner III Yacht Party, offering private drivers to the Hamptons and all over Manhattan, and setting up appointments for members to get custom wardrobes.

The founders say that applications are now flowing in, growing from a few a week in December 2013 to about 70 a day today.

When the company launched, The New York Times reported that during the application process Magnises asked applicants to hang out at their townhouse to see if they're “cool enough,” as during a fraternity rush. But McFarland says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

He says The Times reporter came to interview them in the fall, before Magnises was fully formed. “If that’s what we did, I would not be working here,” Katt said.MagnisesIn reality, the online application is brief and asks questions like where you shop, what your favorite restaurants are, and what you like to do for fun. It makes applicants rank their reasons for applying, and asks them to provide their annual income. The next step is a phone interview (and a Google name search).

Katt said the process lasts between five days and two weeks.

Magnises is searching for a second townhouse in Midtown and ultimately wants to expand membership until New York is “tapped.” The next stop is D.C., and one enthusiastic member is already talking about Istanbul.Magnises As lunched winded down, the trio joked about getting a club pet (maybe a black Lab) and watching HBO's "Silicon Valley." They pondered whether there’s anything to do with the shower in their townhouse.

After some half-serious considerations, they decide to just let it be. It was probably best left for show.

SEE ALSO: Tour NYC's Super-Exclusive Core Club

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Here's How To Win Rock-Paper-Scissors

14 Secret Discounts You Can Get With A Student ID

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j. crew store shoppingBetween tuition, textbooks, food and partying, it's tough for college students to set aside money for shopping.

That's why a number of retailers, including J. Crew, Topshop, and Anne Taylor, offer a variety of student discounts.

Most retailers only offer discounts to students who can present a valid ID in stores, but others, like Club Monaco, slash prices for online purchases as well, as long as students have a valid email address with a ".edu" domain. 

Not all the student discounts are advertised on the retailers' websites, so we called the companies to confirm.

Here's a list of some of the top discounts for students.

Apparel

  • Ann Taylor: 15% off in-store and online purchases.
  • Banana Republic: 15% off in-store purchases for teachers and students.
  • Charlotte Russe: 10% off at participating locations.
  • Club Monaco: 20% off purchases in stores and online for anyone with a valid ".edu" email address.
  • Eastern Mountain Sports: College students are eligible for 20% off all full-price Eastern Mountain Sports brand items and 15% off all full-price national brand items with valid student ID presented at the register.
  • Eddie Bauer: 10% off on one regular priced in-store purchase.
  • J. Crew: 15% off all regular-priced items for teachers and college students.
  • Madewell: 15% off off all regular-priced items for teachers and college students.
  • The Limited: 15% off in-store purchases.
  • Topshop: 10% off in-store purchases.

Tech

  • Apple: The Apple Store for Education gives students up to $200 on a new Mac, and up to $30 on a new iPad. Various discounts are available to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students, faculty, homeschool teachers, and staff at all grade levels.
  • Best Buy: Best Buy offers a variety of student discounts to students with a valid ".edu" email address.
  • HP: Up to 20%  if you sign up for its free, student-only "HP Academy" online.
  • RadioShack: 10% off in-store purchases.

SEE ALSO: How To Get Free Refills At Starbucks

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30 Experiences You Should Have Before You Turn 30

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friends happy laughing jumping, twenty-somethings

Turning 30 is a major milestone.

For many it means that you're no longer in the hard-partying, bad decision-making stage of your life, for better or for worse.

Before you turn the big 3-0 (or even if you already have), here are 30 things you should do, from adrenaline-pumping activities to experiences that help you grow.

Did we forget something on your bucket list? Let us know in the comments.

Run a half marathon (it’s okay if you have to walk a little).

See some awesome marathons to sign up for here



Travel somewhere TRULY exotic — anywhere that feels like the end of the earth.

See the best safari locations in Africa here

See what it's like to travel to Antarctica here



Buy tickets to a music festival and rage with the best of them.

See the 11 music festivals you can't miss this summer here



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The Best Coffee Maker You Can Buy

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cup of coffee

Whether you find it too pricey to buy your cup of coffee outside the house every morning or you simply can't wait more than five minutes after hitting your alarm to get your caffeine fix, a great coffee maker can really help start the day off right.

Thanks to our friends over at FindTheBest, we've found 10 incredible coffee makers on the market right now.

FindTheBest rated the coffee makers based on six criteria: features, Carafe, type, SCAA approval, CoffeeGeek.com rating, and Amazon.com rating. They then aggregated those scores and created a smart rating for each product.

FindTheBest notes that new coffee makers come out frequently, so this list may not include the newest models.

10. Mr. Coffee DRTX85 ($40)

The Mr. Coffee DRTX85 is well-priced for its high quality brew. The coffee maker can be preset to turn on at a specific time and shuts off automatically so you don't have to worry that you left it on after leaving the house.

9. Mr. Coffee JWTX85 ($36)

Proctor silex coffee maker

The Mr. Coffee JWTX85 is very similar to the DRTX85, with a slightly lower price tag and a little bit more height. Both coffee makers have eight cup thermal carafes that keep coffee warm and fresh. 

8. Proctor Silex 43574Y ($18)

The cheapest coffee maker on our list, this Proctor Silex model is good for the money, but lacks some convenient features of more expensive products out there. It has auto shutoff and brew pause, but its 12 cup glass carafe likely won't keep your coffee as warm as a thermal one.

7. Capresso MT500 ($180)

The Capresso MT500 has most of the features that you'd expect from its price, including auto shutoff, water level indicator, auto on, and a thermal carafe. It also has a charcoal water filter to reduce chlorine and a ThermoBlock system to reduce calcification. FindTheBest, however, suggests that you may be able to find cheaper coffee makers with higher quality brews.

6. Cuisinart DCC-1400 ($100)

The Cuisinart DCC-1400 also has auto on and off, a water filter, and brew pause. It includes a self-clean feature, and Amazon.com reviewers were impressed by its thermal carafe's ability to keep coffee warm.

5. Technivorm KBGT 741 Polished Silver ($299)

Keurig B145

The Specialty Coffee Association of America awards the Technivorm KBGT 741 with five stars, meaning temperature of 200 degrees farenheit. This product includes typical features such as a water level indicator and a hot plate to keep coffee warm. This coffee maker is one of the few that brews at an optimal temperature.

4. Keurig B145 ($73)

The Keurig B145 is the only one cup brewer on our list, so if you're a fan of the Keurig system and are only making coffee for one, this is a great option. Keurigs vary in features, but this one includes brew pause and auto shutoff. A nice thing about the Keurig is its ability to brew your coffee in less than a minute.

3. Technivorm CDT Polished Silver ($299)

The Technivorm CDT Polished Silver is another of only four SCAA approved coffee makers. It brews 10 cups in just six minutes and functions similarly to other Technivorm products, but with a different cylindrical appearance.

2. Bonavita BV 1800 ($125)

Bonavita BV 1800TH Coffee maker

The SCAA also gives the Bonavita BV 1800 coffee maker its seal of approval. Its quality brewing includes 1400 W heater that brings water to optimal temperatures. This version is good for coffee lovers who prefer a glass carafe, although it likely won't keep the coffee quite as hot. 

1. Bonavita BV 1800TH ($125)

The Bonavita BV 1800TH is the only product to receive a FindTheBest smart rating of 100, including five stars from the SCAA and a perfect 10 from CoffeeGeek.com. It's the same as the Bonavita BV 1800, just with a thermal carafe to perfect the coffee maker.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Digital Cameras On The Market

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Babysitters For New York's Wealthy Demand Car Service, Sushi, And Cash

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Nanny New York City

If a new report in The New York Post is to be believed, the latest accessory for Manhattan’s wealthy is a babysitter.

These days, New York City babysitters are “demanding” $20+ per hour wages, Nobu takeout, and VIP car services to take them home, according to the Post. Some even require car access and get free shoes from Barney’s from their employers for “being paid essentially to just sit,” as one sitter put it.

It’s true that NYC babysitters are the highest-paid in the nation, according to UrbanSitter. It's also true that some high-end babysitting services are even asking $30+ per hour for their staff.

Sitters Studio, an art-centric babysitting firm, charges $30 per hour with a $20 booking fee and a minimum of four hours, according to The Post. Another babysitting referral service called Hamptons Babysitters charges $33 per hour with a $25 booking fee and three-hour minimum.

The Post also mentioned Lucky Lil’ Darlings, a "family care solutions company" that charges $300 per year for membership, $23 per hour, and requires mandatory cab fare home after 9 PM. The website claims it’s worth it, given that “Every LLD sitter is hand-selected, college-educated, experienced and undergoes a rigorous interview and background check process.”

Not all New York babysitters are raking it in, of course.

When we browsed UrbanSitter— one of the largest babysitting booking websites in the country — we saw that many New York sitters were asking for $15 per hour, with some going as low as $11 per hour. This also fits with a recent UrbanSitter report that says the hourly rate of its NYC sitters has jumped from $13.50 to $15.34 in the last year — far below the $30+ per-hour rates claimed by The Post.

And while that’s still more expensive than babysitters in the rest of the U.S., as one NYC mother told The Post, “that’s the high price of living here.”

SEE ALSO: 10 Summer Camps Where Your Kid Will Actually Learn Something

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Meet The Big-Shot Residents Of 'Billionaire Lane' In The Hamptons

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meadow lane billionaires southampton

Owning a big apartment in New York City is great, but having a mansion in the Hamptons is a privilege only the 1% of the 1% can enjoy.

Last year, then-Forbes reporter Morgan Brennan broke down the who's who of one of the most exclusive streets in the Hamptons — Southampton's Meadow Lane.

Not only does it have access to a long stretch of private beach, but the median sale price of a home here was just under $18 million in 2012, according to PropertyShark, making it the most expensive street on the East End.

The five-mile road even has a helipad to whisk its famous residents off to Manhattan.

Meadow Lane is one of the most expensive addresses in the country, and no wonder — it runs along a coveted beachfront strip in one of the most exclusive towns in the Hamptons.

Source: Forbes

 



The famous millionaires and billionaires who live there all reside within throwing distance on the same stretch of road.

Source: Forbes



Daniel Och, CEO of Och-Zipp Capital Management Group, has a 4-acre estate valued at $20.4 million with a 7,000-square-foot mansion.

Source: Forbes



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Here's Where To Watch The World Cup In New York City

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world cup fans

With the World Cup right around the corner, it's time to start making plans to watch the world's most widely viewed sporting event

There are plenty of spots in New York City where you can cheer on your favorite soccer players.

Some of the bars are allied with certain teams, others just want to celebrate soccer in general. At these bars, you'll experience everything from World Cup cocktails to samba dancers.

Ribalta

48 East 12th St.

This Italian restaurant is a World Cup hub for fans of not just Italy, but every team. Ribalta will be offering a special menu honoring several teams, featuring items such as Yuca Frita pizza for Brazil and Pizza Guacamole for Mexico.

Enjoy a slice while watching all of the games on a 16-foot HD projection screen, and don't miss the opening game party on Thursday, which will feature a Brazilian DJ and carnival dancers.



Hecho en Dumbo

354 Bowery

Mixing tasty Mexican food with the World Cup is the recipe for a good night. Munch on some half-price nachos at Hecho en Dumbo during matches, and don't forget to enter in the bracket; if you win, the restaurant and bar will throw a party for you and 40 friends.



Haven Rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel

132 West 47th St.

This cocktail lounge is literally above others—it's located at the top of the Sanctuary Hotel. Watch the Cup games while enjoying beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline. Haven Rooftop will also be serving $10 Caipirinhas in honor of Brazil.

You can make a reservation here.



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The 10 Richest Soccer Players At The World Cup

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cristiano ronaldo portugal swedenThe 2014 World Cup begins Thursday when Brazil takes on Croatia in São Paolo.

In honor of the summer's best sporting event, Wealth-X determined the 10 richest soccer players that will be lacing up their boots in Brazil.

Although the two wealthiest players in the world play in La Liga, six of the 10 players play in the English Premier League.

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo — $230 million

National team: Portugal

Club team: Real Madrid

Why he's so rich: Ronaldo earned $44 million last year and will make $23 million per year with Real Madrid until 2018. Off the field, Ronaldo cashes in $21 million per year in endorsements from Nike ($8 million per year), Herbalife, Samsung, Catrol, and others. 

Sources: Marca, Forbes



#2 Lionel Messi — $180 million

National team: Argentina

Club team: FC Barcelona

Why he's so rich: Messi cashed in $41.3 million last year and just signed a new deal with his club that will guarantee him $27 million a year. He also earns $23 million per year in endorsements and sponsorships with Gillette, Samsung, Gatorade, and Adidas.

Sources: Forbes, Reuters



# 3 Wayne Rooney — $95 million

National team: England

Club team: Manchester United

Why he's so rich: Rooney recently signed a new contract with Manchester United for $26 million a year. He also earns $4 million a year from deals with Nike, Samsung, and Harper Collins.

Sources: Daily Mail, Forbes



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The 20 Most Beautiful iPhone Photos Of The Year

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46 LITTLE SU 1stSunset

The winning entries of the 8th annual 2014 iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) truly showcase the power of the smartphone camera.

For the contest, photographers submitted photos taken on their iPhone, iPod, or iPad, and were not allowed to edit the photos unless they used an iOS app to do so, Kenan Aktulun, founder of the contest, told Business Insider.  

After receiving entries from people around the world, jury members chose 54 winning photographers from 17 different countries. In addition to the best overall photographers, winners were announced in categories including animals, flowers, landscape, people, and sunsets.

Photographer of the Year (1st Place): Julio Lucas of Bradenton, Fla.



Photographer of the Year (2nd Place): Jose Luis Barcia Fernandez of Madrid, Spain



Photographer of the Year (3rd Place): Jill Missner of Ridgefield, Conn.



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A Design Company Has Invented A Way To Drink Cocktails In Zero Gravity

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Zero Gravity Cocktail Glass

In case you get bored while taking in the sights of the universe, The Cosmic Lifestyle Corporation has created a spirited solution.

The group developed "The Zero Gravity Cocktail Project," a 3D-printed cocktail glass suitable for space.

"The cocktail is injected through the stem from the bottom of the glass into the bowl," and grooves on the inside help "utilize the physics of surface tension" to keep the liquid from floating away, co-founder and CEO Russell Davis told Business Insider.

The grooves also guide the liquid to the rim, making it possible to sip like you're on Earth. "We wanted to give the space tourist a sexier way to drink," Davis said.

Davis said his company also designed the glass-based coffee mug used in space by astronaut Don Pettit's. So far, the cocktail glass has only been tested "terrestrially," but there are different molds in case this one doesn't work out.

The company is also developing a “Drinkbot,” which is essentially a robot bartender that mixes and dispenses the booze. Additionally, a custom cocktail recipe is being formulated. We're guessing it will be something similar to a Cosmo.

SEE ALSO: Learn How To Make The Perfect Caipirinha

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Banksy's New York Street Art Could Sell For 2,000 Times Its Original Price

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During his month-long "residency" in New York City last year, street artist Bansky pulled off a pretty ingenious stunt.

He set up a stand in Central Park and and had a huckster sell his original works for $60 a pop. Just a few people purchased the stenciled, signed canvases, not realizing they were tremendously valuable.

Now, two of those canvases are up for auction at Bonhams, and expected to sell for as much as £70,000 ($117,870) – nearly 2,000 times what they originally went for.

"Kids on Guns" is estimated to sell for between £50,000 ($84,179) and £70,000 ($117,870) at the July 2 auction in London.

 

banksy"Winnie the Pooh" is expected to sell for between £30,000 ($50,507) and £50,000 ($84,179).banksy

The works are being sold on behalf of a client, according to Bonhams.

The elusive artist Banksy unveiled a new piece of art on the streets of New York every day during October 2013. They included a sculpture of Ronald McDonald getting his shoes shined and a truck of squealing, animatronic farm animals.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: All Of Banksy's New York Art From Best To Worst

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Researchers Figured Out What Really Happens To Cool Kids When They Grow Up

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Mean Girls

Being king or queen of the high-school hallways might seem cool in your teens, but it doesn't bode well for your social status later in life, a new study suggests. 

Teens who try to act older than their age might gain popularity early on but are more likely to have problems with drugs and alcohol and engage in serious criminal behavior by their early 20s, according to the study published on Thursday in the journal Child Development. 

"It appears that while so-called cool teens' behavior might have been linked to early popularity, over time, these teens needed more and more extreme behaviors to try to appear cool," Joseph P. Allen, lead author and professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, said in statement.

The finding comes from a 10-year study in which researchers followed 184 students as they progressed from age 13 to 23.

At 13, those who exhibited  "pseudomature behaviors" — a catchall term for behaviors that seem to boost perceived popularity — were rated as more popular by their peers. The cooler kids impressed their peers through displays of romantic behavior (like kissing or touching), deviant acts (like damaging their parents' property or sneaking into a movie theater without a ticket), or by associating themselves with more physically attractive friends. 

As the years went on, however, these antics did not correlate to an increase in popularity. In fact, just the opposite happened. The pseudomature behaviors evolved into larger problems and the status of once cool individuals dropped: "The adolescent who comes to depend upon pseudomature behavior to gain peer status may gradually need to shift, for example, from minor forms of delinquency, such as vandalism and shoplifting, to more serious acts of criminal behavior to impress even a subset of older peers," the authors wrote.  

The chart below shows that students who engaged in pseudomature behavior at 13 were perceived as more popular by their peers than those who did not engage in pseudomature behavior, but that correlation faded over time. 

Screen Shot 2014 06 12 at 10.59.20 AM

If the trend lines continued past age 15, you'd expect so-called cool-kid behavior to be less associated with popularity as people get older — and that's exactly what happened.

By 22, the cool kids struggled to make friends. "These previously cool teens appeared less competent — socially and otherwise — than their less cool peers by the time they reached young adulthood," Allen said.  

Teens who become popular simply by hanging out with pretty people probably don't work as hard to develop meaningful relationships, according to the study. That behavior is carried into adulthood, to their detriment. 

One thing to note is that this was a relatively small study. The students were chosen from one public middle school in the southeastern U.S. Though participants were from both urban and suburban areas, 184 kids can't be enough to be totally sure about widespread patterns.

In any case, rock on, nerds.  

SEE ALSO: 24 Rules Used In The Dark Art Of Seduction

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A Master Chef Explains How To Cook The Perfect Burger

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Monday through Thursday at the Monarch Room in New York City, executive chef Michael Citarella prepares his off-the-menu burger, the Monarch Burger. It's 8 ounces of all-natural, ultra-premium beef ground from a single steer with a 20% fat ratio. It's served on a toasted caraway-seeded bun with aged cheddar, bibb lettuce, beefsteak tomatoes, and Monarch's special sauce.

Hungry yet?

We visited Michael's kitchen, where he showed us how to make the juiciest burger right in your own home. 

Produced by Sam Rega. Additional camera by Justin Gmoser.

SEE ALSO: How To Supercharge Your Coffee To Give You Even More Energy In The Morning

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1,000 People Simultaneously Ate The World's Hottest Pepper And Their Reactions Were Priceless

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Ghost chili eating

In an act that further demonstrates the unmatched weirdness of mankind, 1,000 people gathered in Copenhagen to willinglyeat 1,000 pieces of ghost chili in an event hosted by Danish entertainer Chili Klaus. 

The results were immensely entertaining for us and, as it appears, excruciating for them.

The off-the-charts-hot pepper, also known as the Bhut Jolokia, is considered the hottest in the world, measuring about 200 times hotter than a jalapeño. 

The participants were given milk afterward to counteract their scorching taste buds. 

See their amazing reactions below:

They were all smiles before.Ghost chili eatingAnd even seemed excited to chow down on the chile.Ghost chili eatingThe first bite didn't seem so bad.Ghost chili eating

But then things took a turn for the worse.Ghost chili eating

Like, running-man-style worse.Ghost chili eating

Some tried to put on a brave face. Ghost chili eating

While others had no shame.

Ghost chili eating

It got kind of scary for a moment. 

Ghost chili eating

But then things started to cool down.Ghost chili eating

And by the end, they were all smiles ... mostly.Ghost Chili eating

See the full video below:  

SEE ALSO: Learn How To Make The Perfect Caipirinha

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Stan Lee's Secret To Keeping The Perfect Work-Life Balance

The 10 Best Cities For Singles

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If you're down on the fact that you're still single, here's some comforting news: It may not be all your fault. According to new data from Rent.com, some cities are more amenable to finding a date than others.

With data from Onboard Informatics, Rent.com determined the top 10 cities for singles to live in.

Rent.com looked at cities with more than 50,000 rental dwellings, high concentrations of single adults, and populations greater than 100,000. Single-friendly criteria like rental rates, as well as nightlife and restaurant options, factored into the ranking. Indices were based on a scale from 1, the lowest possible score, to 1,000.

Here are the 10 best cities for singles:

10. Chicago, IL

Chicago, singles, happy hour

Chicago, with a population of 2.7 million, is composed of 23% single adults. The Windy City has a nightlife options index of 869 and a restaurants options index of 507. Try hitting up a cool new bar in the hip Logan Square or Lincoln Park neighborhoods, or go out for dinner at a restaurant built for groups.

9. Jersey City, NJ

Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ

Jersey City, with a population of 252,335, is also composed of 23% single adults. JC has a nightlife options index of 421 and a restaurants options index of 512. Because it's so close to New York City, residents have the nightlife capital of America at their fingertips, but Jersey City itself is quickly becoming a going-out destination with its own laid back variety of bars and restaurants.

8. Portland, OR

Portland, rooftop, happy hour

Portland, with a population of 605,247, is composed of 24% single adults. Popular with hipsters and idealists, Portland has a nightlife options index of 383 and a restaurants options index of 168; the city is known especially for its food trucks, as well as some other weird and wonderful entertainment options.

7. Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis, picnic, singles

Minneapolis, with a population of 389,314, is composed of 25% single adults. This half of the Twin Cities has a nightlife options index of 149 and a restaurants options index of 108; Minneapolis was recently named the third best city for recent college graduates, so it's full of young twenty-somethings with newfound freedom.

6. Philadelphia, PA

South Street, Philadelphia

Philadelphia, with a population of 1.5 million, is composed of 26% single adults. The City of Brotherly Love has a nightlife options index of 502 and a restaurants options index of 340. Philly is known for its great nightlife and dining scene on South Street and in the Center City neighborhood, and has some great roof bars to boot.

5. Seattle, WA

Seattle, Public Market

Seattle, with a population of 627,704, is composed of 30% single adults. It has a nightlife options index of 302 and a restaurants options index of 199. You won't find any yellow brick roads in this Emerald City, but it is the birthplace of the great American coffee shop, which is the perfect place, for some, for a low-key date.

4. Boston, MA

Quincy Market, Boston

Boston, with a population of 632,091, is composed of 33% single adults. Beantown has a nightlife options index of 192 and a restaurants options index of 224. Boston is known for the intensity its residents have for both the local sports teams and the city itself, so sports bars here will always be a good choice.

3. Washington, D.C.

DC, Washington, Adams Morgan

Washington, D.C., with a population of 623,996, is composed of 38% single adults. The Capital has a nightlife options index of 173 and a restaurants options index of 228. DC's residents are as diverse as its neighborhoods, and its burgeoning small business scene provides some excellent choices for hangout spots.

2. Manhattan, New York, NY

times square new york city

Manhattan, with a population of 1.5 million, is also composed of 38% single adults. The Big Apple has nightlife and restaurant options indices of 1,000. There's a reason they call New York "the city that never sleeps" — most bars don't close until 4 a.m., and a lot of restaurants, many of which are highly acclaimed, serve multi-course dinners all night long.

1. San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, Date, Sunset, Skyline

San Francisco, with a population of 813,433, is composed of 39% single adults. SF has a nightlife options index of 374 and a restaurants options index of 236. The Bay Area is incredibly popular among the tech and startup scenes, which has its own lively and lovably geeky parties.

DON'T MISS: The 10 Most Expensive US Cities To Live In

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