Apple has released the beta version of OS X "Yosemite" to the world, and it really is a strong move forward. It is a departure, though, in a lot of ways, so we put it to the test so you know what to expect.
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The tiny house movement might start looking really appealing to city dwellers — one roughly 172-square-foot house recently featured by Reuters looks nicer than many studio apartments you'd find in New York City.
The portable house has everything you need to be comfortable, including a a kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom, and tiny front porch. It even has a washer/dryer and air conditioner.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company's Cyprus house comes in models ranging from 130- to 172-square-feet. To put that into perspective, the average American home is 2,600 square feet.
The Daily Mail notes that the tiny house movement is a product of rising debt among Americans and a desire to avoid a 30-year-mortgage.
The Cypress house ranges in price from $57,000 to $66,000, and monthly payments can be as low as $433 a month. One bed apartment rentals in New York City average about 750 square feet and cost $2,700 per month.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has more photos of various models of the Cypress 24 house on its website. You can also check out floor plans.
Some models come with more than one bedroom, and the houses can be customized to include a full stove if the owner wishes.
Here's the floor plan for the Cypress 24 Horizon house:
SEE ALSO: 20 Surprisingly Beautiful Tiny Homes Around The World
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Your 30s are typically a time for settling down after using your 20s to take risks and find yourself.
Many 30-somethings are busy raising a family and rising through the hierarchy at work.
Those who have already been through that decade say that as their responsibilities accumulated, it became easier to neglect relationships and ignore opportunities that they would never get again.
Quora users discussed lessons they learned in the thread: "What is the biggest mistake you made in your 30s and what did you learn from it?"
We've collected some of the best responses:
Twenty-somethings are often willing to settle for a job they are not passionate about, but before they know it, that job turns into their career. An anonymous poster writes that his or her biggest mistake of his or her 30s was to become "addicted to a monthly salary," in the sense that he or she settled for job security over career satisfaction.
If you've ever wanted to start a business or pursue a side project, it will only get more difficult as your responsibilities increase.
"Don't just work. Make memories. The older you get, the harder it is to make meaningful relationships. Foster those while you're young," writes Microsoft product designer Michael Dorian Bach, who is now in his late 30s.
Bach writes that the pursuit of a career can also be a drain on one's health. "Be healthy. That is priority 1. Don't get into your 30s being slow and tired all the time. It sucks," he says. Develop an exercise routine, and enjoy your mobility while you're still young.
CEO coach Alison Whitmire shares a personal story about how she took getting pregnant for granted in her 30s and chose to pursue a new career opportunity instead of trying to have a child. Years later, after a failed pregnancy and then a failed marriage, she remarried and had a baby at 43. She realizes now that no one is ever adequately prepared to have a child, and if you want one, it's best to do so before it's too late.
Entrepreneur and blogger James Altucher, who is now 46, writes about a particularly difficult memory for him: "When I was 34 I hung up the phone on my dad in an argument and never returned his calls. Six months later he had a stroke and died. A week before that he had emailed me to say hello but I didn't return the email. I'm sorry, Dad."
It can be easy to forget that your parents grow older as you do. Don't take them for granted.
Altucher writes about the many times in his 30s he bet practically all of his money on a business venture and then lost all of it. Altucher is doing well now, but he looks back on his failures as the result of recklessness.
As your responsibilities grow, it can seem like what you put into savings won't amount to much come retirement, but it will only become harder to start saving in your 40s.
Just because you're not in your 20s anymore doesn't mean you need to give up enjoying life. Bach says he spent the early half of his adult life chasing money, and it only made him unhappy and more cynical about life.
Go on dates with your significant other. Take your kids on trips. Go to concerts with your best friends. Just don't forget that the money you work to make is useless if you're miserable.
SEE ALSO: 33 Things Everyone Should Stop Doing In Their 30s
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Every man should own a navy blazer.
It’s a closet staple that goes with absolutely everything. The problem is that some men just don’t know how to style one, and stick to pairing their blazer with a boring white button down and khakis.
But a navy blazer can be so much more.
We reached out to the senior stylists at Bombfell, a monthly personalized clothing subscription site, to help us put together four looks that all centered around a Brooklyn Tailors Italian navy wool jacket (above).
Keep reading to see the outfits, how to wear them, and where to buy them.
(Shirt: Z Zenga Poplin Shirt, $281; Tie: Gitman Brothers Silk Tie, $115; Pants: Brooklyn Tailors Navy Trousers, $285; Suspenders: Ben Sherman Classic Braces, $25; Tie Clip: In God We Trust Rifle Tie Clip, $50; Shoes: To Boot New York Medford, $395; Belt: Coach Dress Weston Reversible Belt, $148)
Dubbed “The Rainmaker” by Bombfell stylists, this outfit is a must-have for every businessman. The coordinating trousers* turn the blazer into a full suit, and the crisp white shirt and dress belt are classic pieces.
To amp up the look, the stylists added suspenders, a striped power tie, gold tie bar, and trendy double buckle shoes. Wear this for big meetings, weddings, and days when you just want to feel powerful.
(*Tip: When you buy a navy blazer, buy the matching dress pants that go with it — no other navy dress pants will match as well, and you should only pair these with your blazer.)
(T-shirt: Velvet by Graham & Spencer Whisper Tee, $59; Jeans: dl1961 Russell Tribute Jean, $168; Flask: Izola Salut! Flask, $24; Shoes: Tods Gommino Driving Shoes, $425; Belt: Maker & Company Crios Washed Cotton Belt, $38)
If you work in a startup environment but have a meeting with a client or investor, try your signature work uniform (comfy jeans, t-shirt) topped with a navy blazer.
The Bombfell stylists added driving shoes — not sneakers — to make the outfit feel more grown-up and threw in a belt for a pop of color. They also told us if you were going for a “happy hour comfort” vibe, you could bring along a fun flask in your lapel pocket.
If it’s cold, add a hoodie under the blazer for a comfortable, relaxed look.
This look is also tailor-made for dates, parties, and anywhere you want to look great, but still dressed down.
(Shirt: Ben Sherman Gingham Long Sleeve Shirt, $84; Chinos: Corbin Retro-Fit Trousers, $164; Watch: Timex Weekender Watch, $33; Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider Boat Shoes, $150; Belt: L.L.Bean Braided Leather Belt, $45)
If your office is into Casual Fridays, throw on a relaxed button down and chinos topped with a blazer. You’ll feel comfortable all day, and will still look office appropriate.
The braided leather belt, boat shoes, and weekender watch the stylists included are casual enough without making you look like you didn’t try at all.
This outfit will also serve if you’re meeting the parents or attending a work BBQ — casual, professional, and put-together.
(Shirt: French Connection Plain Polo, $48; Shorts: Johnnie-O Poplin Shorts, $54; Sunglasses: Persol Round-Frame Sunglasses, $310; Shoes: Converse Jack Purcell Leather, $70; Belt: J. Campbell Suede Belt, $89)
This “lunching at the club” look may be too preppy for some readers, but it shows how versatile the navy blazer truly is. This dressed-up day outfit includes a crisp polo tee, colorful shorts, white sneakers, sunglasses, and a navy suede belt.
And for those wondering if you can wear shorts with a blazer, yes you can — the short suit is back in style, and has always been a go-to country club look.
For the gentleman who also enjoys a round of squash, this is the outfit for you.
-Neverwear clashing navy pants with your navy blazer. If you're going to wear navy pants, make sure they are the same brand and color as your jacket.
-Do play with different colored bottoms, as long as they're not navy or black (you'll look like you're wearing a mismatched dark suit). Light khaki, olive green, gray, brown, or even light blue trousers will look professional if styled correctly.
-Any color dress shoes go well with navy, from black to Merlot.
-Be creative with the color of your shirt. We chose white or neutral colored shirts for these outfits, but aside from aa= navy or black shirt, almost any contrasting color (or pattern!) will do.
-Always, always, always get your jacket tailored. Otherwise, what's the point?
SEE ALSO: A Gentleman's Guide To Looking Smart At Every Kind Of Wedding
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Southern poverty has grown in an extreme way within America's post-recession landscape, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution.
Of the 15 metro areas where poverty is expanding at the greatest rates, nine are located in the South, with four in North Carolina and another three in Florida.
Metro areas include cities and their surrounding suburbs, where poverty has been expanding fastest.
The Brookings report analyzes the poverty levels in metro areas, examining the change between 2000 and the period of 2008-2012, which includes an average from a five-year Census estimate and shows the effect of the recession.
Business Insider previously looked at the Brookings report to see which U.S. cities had rapidly expanding poor neighborhoods. This analysis looks at the metro areas that saw the biggest overall increases in poverty. To do so, we ranked metro areas based on the change in poor population from 2000 through the 2008-2012 average.
For the year 2013, the Census set the poverty level at $12,119 for a single person under the age of 65 and $24,028 for a family of four.
Sarasota County, home of North Port, has experienced a major spike in poverty since the start of the recession, particularly for those under 18, the Sarasota Herald Tribune reported in 2011, citing its own analysis of Census data. That analysis found the poverty rate jumped to 13.1% from 8.1% between 2007 and 2010.
Based on a Brookings report comparing 2008–2012 to 2000.
The percentage of poor people living in Greensboro — home of several universities including Guilford College and a branch of the University of North Carolina — is nearly 19%, higher than both the state and overall U.S. level.
The city and its surrounding areas are part of the 12th Congressional district, which saw the nation’s biggest increase in suburban poor people between 2000 and 2011, according to a previous Brookings Institution report that the Raleigh News & Record reported on last year.
Based on a Brookings report comparing 2008–2012 to 2000.
Orlando — a city many associate with the "happiest place on earth," Disney World — has more than 18% of its residents living below the poverty level compared with 15.6% for the state. In 2011, the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting found the number of kids in Orlando living in poverty had spiked 50% since before the recession.
Based on a Brookings report comparing 2008–2012 to 2000.
The European Central Bank is building a new headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, and some amazing graffiti art has been popping up at the construction site over the past two years.
The new building is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2014. During construction, the ECB is allowing artists to use the surrounding fence as a public art gallery.
Many of the paintings are politically charged, making statements on capitalism, money, and public figures, including ECB President Mario Draghi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Despite the negative depictions, the bank's response has been positive, the New Yorker reported in June. One mural of two fighting roosters was bought by the bank to hang in the new headquarters after completion.
Reuters photographer Kai Pfaffenbach has documented the graffiti dating back to September 2012. Check out some of the photos below:
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Apple might be known for its minimalistic aesthetic now, but there was a time when that wasn't true.
Back in 1986, Apple released a clothing line it called "The Apple Collection," filled with oversized sweatshirts, windbreakers, and obnoxiously bright patterns.
It's hard to imagine that black-turtleneck aficionado Steve Jobs would have approved of these clothes — the catalogue was released a year after he left the company.
Laura Stampler contributed to this story.
For most students, the college experience is not limited to their time in the classroom. Much of what a school has to offer can be found on its campus — from great libraries to standout career services to, simply, beautiful surroundings.
We looked at 11 campus-related categories from The Princeton Review's 2015 college rankings to determine which colleges offer the best campus experiences.
Click here to read our complete methodology.
There was no discernible connection between the colleges that came out on top, as they represented everything from Ivy League universities to small liberal arts colleges to technical schools. Perhaps more telling of the list's diversity is that each one of our top five schools came from a different area of the country.
Whereas last year's ranking included half of the Ivy League, this year only two members cracked the top 20. Several schools made the list for the first time, and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, ranked no. 6 last year, earned this year's top spot. Although Olin College didn't rank no. 1 in any individual category, its high placement in several categories — including Best Quality of Life, Best Career Services, and Best Dorms — earned it the outright top spot.
Boston, Massachusetts
Northeastern took home the top spot in the career services ranking because of its unique co-op program. The program allows students to work in real world, professional settings during the semester for credit as an undergraduate.
Located in the heart of downtown Boston, the school also fared well in the City Gets High Marks list.
Source: The Princeton Review. To learn more about our methodology, click here.
Poughkeepsie, New York
The liberal arts college has a student body under 2,500 total students, but still managed to rank in the top ten of Princeton Review's best college library ranking.
Founded in 1861 as an all-women's college, Vassar began admitting male students in 1969. Today, approximately 56% of the student body is female.
Source: The Princeton Review. To learn more about our methodology, click here.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Located in the heart of New Orleans, Tulane ranked second in Princeton Review's City Gets High Marks ranking and sixth on the Quality of Life ranking.
The 110-acre campus sits along the oldest streetcar line in the country, and the historic St. Charles streetcar makes the four mile trip into the downtown and French quarters of New Orleans easily accessible.
Source: The Princeton Review. To learn more about our methodology, click here.
If you've ever gone to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, you've seen David Schwendeman's work. Where ever you see a taxidermied bird swooping or animal running, there's a good chance Schwendeman's artful hands carefully crafted that creature in lifelike, frozen animation.
Schwendeman was the last full-time taxidermist employed at the museum, a position he held until 1986, when he retired to his hometown studio, in Milltown, New Jersey. Schwendeman passed away in 2012 at the age of 87.
Photographer Steven Hirsch was always interested in taxidermy, too, though he never pursued it as a career. Shortly before Schwendeman's death, Hirsch had the chance to photograph Schwendeman's studio. Hirsch shared the photos and some insight into his experience with us.
SEE ALSO: This Photographer Captures The Incredible Human Side Of Animals
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are officially moving out of Kris Jenner's house and into a $20 million home of their own — five minutes away from Kim's mom in the hills of Calabasas, according to Zillow.
The 8,000-square-foot French country-style home, formerly owned by Lisa Marie Presley, includes eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, two swimming pools, two spas, and even a vineyard on its three acre property.
"I am so ready to be out of my mom's house, you have no idea," Kim told People magazine this week. "We wanted to be away and have more privacy ... but it will be nice to still be close."
Gin is a classic liquor that draws its flavor from juniper berries and an essential component in many cocktails.
Our friends at FindTheBest helped us compile a list of the best gin on the market.
To rank the gin, FindTheBest looked at expert reviews from Wine Enthusiast Magazine and the Beverage Tasting Experience as well as the number of awards each gin received from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most highly esteemed competitions in the alcoholic beverage industry.
Gin is a beverage commonly drank mixed for the best results. Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Gin is a Wisconsin-made product that combines the flavors of aniseed, cardamom, cassia, coriander seed, juniper, lemon and orange peel, and sweet basil for a unique floral taste.
The North Shore Distillery's Gin No. 11 is a traditional London Dry gin. This Illinois distillery product is crisp and consistent, with key ingredients like fresh juniper, citrus, and spice.
Voyager Small-Batch Dry Gin prides itself on being a "gin lover's gin." Its another London Dry that utilizes key ingredients like juniper, citrus, and exotic spices, but differentiates itself by using only the finest organic elements.
Made in Austria, Monopolowa Vienna Dry Gin is another quintessential, light flavor product with selective ingredients. Caraway, coriander, and fennel seed, as well as ginger root, lemon peel, and orange peel, are what gives this gin its distinctive bite.
With a modern flare, Nolet's Silver Dry Gin experimented with different elements to create a more fruity, floral beverage. Its key flavors are raspberry, rose petal, and white peach.
The West Winds Cutlass Gin is a rare Australian gem that's made with water from the Margaret River in Australia, lemon myrtle, bush tomato, and wattle seed.
Tanqueray No. 10 is a traditional gin with a citrus punch, that actually uses whole fruits in its production including white grapefruit, lime, and orange. Juniper, coriander, and a sprinkle of chamomile flowers give this gin its extra special touch.
Given its namesake, Van Gogh Gin is imported from The Netherlands, but still has flavor influenced from around the world. Licorice is a noteworthy detail and scent, but almond, angelica root, and of course juniper and orange peel keep it traditional.
Sloane's Premium Dry Gin is a top of the line London Dry, with expert botanicals and distilling. It's smooth, and flavorful, with fresh citrus ingredients. Try one of Sloane's Dry Gin cocktail recipes.
The only gin to receive a perfect score from FindTheBest, Only Premium Gin really is a first class product. Hailed from Spain, the gin is floral infused with everything from hibiscus and violet to lavender and pansies.
SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Tequilas You Can Buy
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Before you ask your boss for a raise or that cute colleague on a date, you may want to turn up the bass.
According to a new study led by Northwestern professor Dennis Y. Hsu, bass-heavy music can make you more confident.
"The effect of music appears to manifest itself not only in its ability to entertain," he and his colleagues write, "but also in the ability to imbue humans with a real sense of power."
As Tom Jacobs notes at Pacific Standard, writers like Henry David Thoreau and George Eliot have noted how fiery music can stoke you into action, but the new research lends empirical evidence.
Jacobs summarizes one such experiment:
... 78 undergraduates listened to an original, two-minute-long piece of instrumental music in one of two conditions: With the bass line prominent or subdued. Afterwards, they "rated how powerful, dominant, and determined they felt," as well as how strongly they were feeling three positive emotions (happiness, excitement, and enthusiasm).
The result: People who heard the heavy bass line felt more powerful, dominant, and determined than their easy-listening peers.
Why? Researchers chalked it up to the associations we have between deep sounds and authority, calling out how James Earl Jones sounded when he voiced Darth Vader in "Star Wars." Similarly, CEOs with deep voices make more money.
This connection extends to whatever summer jam you have pumping through your headphones.
"People can hear specific music components that express a sense of power and mimic those feelings internally," the study authors write.
If you have any recommendations for what to listen to — aside from Black Sabbath on repeat — tell us in the comments.
SEE ALSO: The Science-Backed Reason You Should Watch Standup Comedy Before A Meeting
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If you're looking up businesses in the Philadelphia area on Yelp, you might be in for a surprise.
Comedian Gregg Gethard has taken to Yelp with the username Kyle G. and is writing a hilarious novel through Yelp comments on Philadelphia businesses (via Grubstreet). The novel features an actuary named Kyle G. and his divorce from Cynthia, his wife of 14 years. He also writes about his new love interest Tonya M. who was convicted for voter fraud; Cynthia's love interest, Doug, who is a fitness trainer at LA Fitness; and his two kids, Bradley and Bryan (B'n'B).
His comments were left on the pages of businesses including AT&T, LA Fitness, Custard and Cakes Creamery, and Stanley's Hardware. He gives each business five stars.
The writer's reviews incorporate bits of the story as well as commentary on the business, and are hilarious. Take this one, on Cactus Restaurant and Bar: "I had a Bloody Mary and it was too spicy, but to be fair I made it myself at the Bloody Mary bar so it was my fault, like everything has been for 14 years." Many other Yelp users have rated Gethard's comments as "Funny," "Useful," and "Cool."
Here are some excerpts from Gethard's Yelp novel. To read all of his comments, visit his Yelp page.
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Food production has become a race for maximum efficiency. When it comes to producing meat, whether chicken, beef, or pork, that race has fallen at the feet of the so-called factory farm and its hallmark feature — the feedlot.
Feedlots, officially called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), house thousands of animals in tiny, confined spaces before they're slaughtered. Critics call the practice inhumane and say it breeds environmental problems and disease.
"A feedlot is very much a pre-modern city … teeming and filthy and stinking, with open sewers, unpaved roads, and choking air rendered visible by dust," Michael Pollan writes in his book "The Omnivore’s Dilemma."
There are currently about 15,500 CAFOs in the U.S. According to FarmForward — which used numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture — 99% of farmed animals in the U.S. are raised on feedlots.
For the last several years, British artist Mishka Henner has collected images of the feedlots via satellite, to document a largely hidden phenomenon. Initially, he was searching satellite imagery to look for oil fields. When he came across the feedlots, Henner was shocked he didn't know about about such a central part of our food production.
"The feedlots are a brilliant representation of how abstract our food industry has come," Henner told Business Insider. "It’s an efficient system for extracting the maximum yield from animals. That’s the world we live in now. We want to extract the maximum yield from everything, no matter what business you are in."
As you can see from these photos, the chemicals in animal waste turn feedlots into oddly beautiful, multicolored cesspools. Henner's work has been collected into a study called Feedlots, prints of which can be purchased here. Henner will be displaying the work with the Carroll/Fletcher Gallery at ArtExpo in Chicago from Sept. 18-21..jpg)
The goal of the feedlots is to produce the greatest output at the lowest cost. To that end, cows eat a combination of cheap corn, protein, and fat supplements (often manufactured from other cows), and drugs to fatten them up quickly and efficiently, according to Pollan. Cows naturally feed on grass, but grass-fed cows take much longer than corn-fed cows to get to slaughter weight.
“Cows raised on grass simply take longer to reach slaughter weight than cows raised on a richer diet, and for half a century now the industry has devoted itself to shortening a beef animal’s allotted span on Earth,” Pollan wrote.
Since factory farms became part of the food industry in the mid-20th century, Pollan writes, the length of cows’ lives before being slaughtered has steadily decreased to 12 to 14 months, from about four to five years.
With meat consumption set to rise exponentially in the coming years, these feedlots will only increase their dominance on our production of food. And these CAFOs have serious environmental costs.
Thousands of of cattle on a small parcel of land produce an exorbitant amount of waste with nitrogen and phosphorus that would render it useless as a fertilizer. With nowhere for the manure to go, farms must create “manure lagoons” — ponds or reservoirs filled with toxic waste, according to a report by the CDC. As you can see from these photos, these "lagoons" look like gigantic, multicolored petri dishes.
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The manure lagoons can hurt water and land quality. Animal waste pollutants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter, antibiotics, pesticides, and diseases, leach into the groundwater and land. The EPA estimates that states with high concentrations of CAFOs experience 20 to 30 serious water quality problems per year.
That waste also pollutes the air. Farm workers and nearby residents have reported asthma, headaches, eye irritation, and nausea, apparently as a result of the emissions from the feedlots. The health and environmental concerns have driven down nearby property values, according to a recent studycited by the CDC.
These feedlots are tough to fight because of so-called "ag-gag" laws in seven states, which bar the recording of undercover videos, photographs, or sound recordings at farms. Farms and livestock producers say the laws are aimed at protecting their homes and businesses from intruders, but critics say they have a chilling effect on whistle-blowing or investigative work.
Two "ag-gag" laws are currently being challenged in federal court in Idaho and Utah, according to USA Today.
While Henner trespassed on no lands to produce his images, he says he has been warned his images would fall under "ag-gag" laws in the states where they exist. He has yet to be confronted with any legal challenges.
"Ag-gag" laws are one of the main reasons so few people have seen photos of the feedlots, making Henner's work all the more unique.
SEE ALSO: Stunning Photos Of Contemporary Nomads Who Live As Hunter-Gatherers
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Creative directors Žužu Gálová and Peter Sedláčik have put a new spin on travel photography with their photo series titled, "Lens Between Us."
Gálová and Sedláčik, who are both from Slovakia, captured snapshots of landmarks, landscapes, shops, and more while aiming their cameras at each other. This allowed them to capture their surroundings from opposite viewpoints.
They have photographed many places so far, including Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Portugal, and Singapore. The couple recently moved to Australia, so many of their photos are from there as well.
"We've liked every single place we've visited, because each of them has something special," the couple told Business Insider in an email. "But where we would really like to go back to is Berlin. The city is amazing, full of inspiration."
The couple told Business Insider that neither of them have a professional background in photography, but they are both passionate about taking pictures and plan to create more photo projects together in the future.
You can view their full project on Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.
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The Co-Chairman of Goldman Sachs' Investment Banking Division, Gordon Dyal, and his wife, Jillian, have sold their Park Avenue apartment for $17.45 million after over two years on the market, Curbed reported.
Dyal's apartment originally went up for sale in April 2012 for $23.5 million. Several price cuts brought it down to $17.85 million before it finally sold.
The property is a four-bed, 4 1/2 bath condominium on the sixth floor of 521 Park Ave. A total of 4,500 square feet, Dyal's apartment has a game room, a gym, and a 35-foot long gallery upon entering. It was completely renovated in 2010.
The Islamic State, or ISIS, has been taking swaths of territory in northern Iraq and Syria in recent weeks. Between taking the city of Mosul, targeting the Yazidis (an ethno-religious minority in Iraq), and battling the Kurdish peshmerga, ISIS has moved increasingly toward Kurdistan, the de facto state of northern Iraq’s Kurds.
Amid the chaos, U.S. officials and northern Iraqis have fled to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan. U.S. President Barack Obama authorized military strikes against ISIS should they threaten Erbil
With a population of 1.5 million, Erbil is the largest city in Kurdistan. It is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with life in the city dating as far back as 6000 B.C.
Since the winding down of the Iraq War, Erbil has become a hub for development, leading some to question whether it could become the next Dubai.
We gathered some photos of the progressive city that ISIS has in its sights.
SEE ALSO: Visit The Holy City Of The Iraqi Religious Minority That ISIS Is Threatening With Destruction
DON'T MISS: There's A Big Paradox About The US Fighting ISIS In Iraq
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A recent Quora post prompted the question, "What are some of the most mind-blowing facts that sound like "BS", but are actually true?"
They might be hard to believe, but these facts about geography, people and events are in fact true.
Produced by Justin Gmoser.
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Even if you're the most thorough reader, it can be difficult to take in every single detail of a book on the first read.
That's why a a second, or even third, reading can provide a fuller appreciation of any great book.
The New York Public Library compiled a list of the 10 best books to reread, from groundbreaking short-story collections to all-time favorite biographies.
This 1939 crime novel introduces the famed fictional detective Philip Marlowe, who is featured throughout Chandler's work. Hired by a billionaire on his death bed, Marlowe sets out to investigate a case of blackmail, but he ends up ensnared in mysteries of murder, pornography, kidnapping, and more.
The book is notoriously complex, so a second reading may help you uncover any clues and details you may have missed the first time around.
Langston Hughes not only wrote beautiful poetry, but also captured over 40 years of African-American life within his writing. Reading the jazz poet's work is important for both of these reasons, and this volume includes his 868 poems arranged in the rough order that they were written.
Some of his most famous poems, like "I, Too, Sing America" and the lengthier "Montage of a Dream Deferred," are included, but it's easy to pick up this collection over and over again to discover something new.
The Lambert family is gradually tearing at the seams, as wife and mother Enid desperately searches for some enjoyment. Her husband, Alfred, is deteriorating from Parkinson's disease, while her children each deal with their own share of struggles.
Enid's goal is to reunite her family for Christmas one last time, and the novel is a tale of that family's trials and tribulations.
"The Corrections" won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2001.
If you had to pay $600 for a flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, you might be disappointed. But what if you knew the person sitting next to you had paid $1,600?
According to Hopper, a site that analyzes airfare data, plane ticket prices can differ by more than $1,000 in the same cabin.
Hopper conducted a study that looks at the range of prices people pay for airfare by analyzing flight search results between major U.S. cities.
They found that economy seats on a flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas can cost anywhere from $200 to a whopping $1,600. The study shows that while airfares can vary tremendously on most airlines, Spirit Airlines and Virgin have the most consistent ticket prices for this flight route.
Hopper also looked at other routes and concluded that flights between Chicago O'Hare and John F. Kennedy airports have the most equal ticket pricing.
In order to avoid paying way too much for your airline ticket, Hopper suggests buying your ticket at least 30 days in advance.
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"In the 1980s, I would sneak my SX-70 camera in and make wonderful Polaroids that captured all the animals magnetic and mysterious qualities. So, it wasn’t a coincidence that taxidermy popped into my head one day as a fertile subject for a new project."
Steven searched for taxidermists on the internet and quickly found Dave Schwendeman's studio in Milltown, New Jersey. Schwendeman had lived in the town his entire life.
Hirsch arrived at the beautiful white house and ventured inside, still not knowing that this was the studio of the man who created all of the taxidermy he had been so enthralled with all those years ago.
"Eyes stared at me from every direction. Animals filled every nook and corner. Each was brilliant. I realized I had stumbled into a time warp. Nothing was new or modern. Dust filled the air. Lions, owls, crows; every imaginable animal filled every crevice. No empty spaces here," Hirsch says.
Bruce Schwendeman, David's son, came out to the front room of the studio and greeted Hirsch. "We talked for a minute and I asked him if I could photograph the interior. With his permission, I spent a few hours there that day making these photos."
Eventually, David Schwendeman came out and introduced himself. He explained that his father, Arthur, taught him the trade and that he was so pleased to pass it on to his son, Bruce. "It was incredibly fascinating and I couldn’t stop making images," Hirsch says.
It was only later, after Hirsch had gone home and read an online biography on David Schwendeman, that he learned that Schwendeman had been the main taxidermist for the American Museum of National History.
Hirsch returned to the museum the next day to look at the dioramas again. "Now I had a face to connect to the magnificent displays I had admired as a child. I could visualize the genius that was David Schwendeman," says Hirsch.
You can see more of the images 
This is Erbil International Airport. Though an airport has been located on the site since the 1970s, a brand new one with modern amenities was built in 2010.
This is downtown Erbil, the main hub of development in the city. In 2013, Dubai's Emaar Properties announced that 
This is what downtown looks like at night. In the distance are a number of the towers that are currently being built or have just opened in downtown Erbil.
Erbil's major tourist attraction is the Citadel, the historical city center of Erbil. It was been inhabited since 5000 B.C. and has been a major center of numerous cultures. It 
This is what it looks like closer up. The Citadel is located on a mound that archaeologists think conceals the remains of ancient cultures. It features a continuous wall with 19th-century facades, giving it the look of a fortress.
This what it looks like inside the Citadel.
There is a wealth of development at the base of the Citadel. Shar Park features numerous fountains, brick arcades, and a clock tower. It also features numerous cafes and teashops.
The Mudhafaria Minaret is nearly 120 feet tall. It is all that remains of a massive mosque built in the 1100s.
The Qaysari Bazaar in Erbil 
The Bazaar is a bustling center of life in Erbil. You can find anything there from food to clothes to books and electronics.
As with other economic hubs in the Middle East, Erbil has recently begun opening mega-malls. The Family Mall that Erbil 
The mall is extremely popular. It also features an indoor ice-skating rink and a 14-screen movie theater.
