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Facebook Is Still Clogging Up Your iPhone — And Here's The Only Way To Fix It

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When we first noticed Facebook's app was taking up a lot of room on your iPhone, the company told us it was working on a fix. While that fix has arrived, it hasn't really solved the problem.

In a statement, Facebook told us: 

"Like many apps, we try to balance how much data we cache on the phone and how much data we fetch over the network. The more we can cache on the phone, the less data we need to fetch over the network. When we save posts, profile pictures, and photos on the device, we don’t need to re-download them when you look at that same photo or post a day later, which both saves data on your network plan and makes the app much faster. 

"We're working hard to get better at this balance with every release. Photos and videos account for most of the data we store, and we made a recent update to get smarter about when to delete old photos from the device that aren’t being used anymore. We also made an update in v18 of our app to clear out cached web pages after the web page cache reaches 25 megabytes."

Produced by Matthew Stuart

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The Worst Things You Can Order At 15 Fast-Food Chains

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Wendy's 3/4 lb burger

It's easy to go wrong with fast food. 

We studied nutritional data from 20 restaurant chains to find the worst of the worst.

Find out which items have the most calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol.

You'll want to steer clear of them if you're watching your waistline.

Here are the offenders, in order of least to most calories. 

Starbucks' Venti Egg Nog Latte

Calories: 620
Fat: 29 g
SaturatedFat: n/a 
Sodium: 300 mg
Cholesterol: n/a

Starbucks' holiday beverages are delicious, but the combination of egg nog and whole milk adds up. Opting for low-fat or skim milk will help you save a few calories.



Kentucky Fried Chicken's Pot Pie

Calories: 790
Fat: 45 g
Saturated Fat: 37 g
Sodium: 
1,970 mg
Cholesterol: 75 mg

Chicken pot pie may be comfort food, but a meal that serves one shouldn't come this close to 800 calories or have this many grams of fat.



Chick-Fil-A's Sausage Breakfast Platter

Calories: 810
Fat: 54 g
Saturated Fat: 20 g
Sodium: 1,850 mg
Cholesterol:
 385 mg

While this breakfast platter may not veer as closely to 1,000 calories as some other breakfast platters, it is still way too many calories. This meal contains roughly the recommended amount of daily fat intake, and it's just breakfast! Fortunately, there are less caloric options on Chick-Fil-A's menu.



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Pictures Show How Central Park Has Drastically Changed Since The 1980s

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2.aerials 1982

Central Park was a dangerous place in the 1980s.  

The park was covered in garbage and graffiti, the meadows were barren dust-bowls, the playground equipment and benches were in decay, and the one-hundred-year-old infrastructure was crumbling.  

In fact, many thought it was lawless ruin — and avoided it at all costs. 

In efforts to make the park a safe place again, a Central Park Conservancy was formed. In 1980, the Conservancy began to enact a 'master plan' that would lead to the gradual reestablishment of the park. 

The Central Park Conservancy has since raised over $700 million toward the restoration of the park, and it will celebrate its 35th anniversary this year. 

Aerial view of Central Park, 1980s.



Aerial view of Central Park, present day.



Belvedere Castle, 1980s.



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America's Hipster Farmers Are Keeping Their Animals Warm With Sweaters

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mod farm baby pig

I'm calling it: 2015 is the year of cute farm animals in sweaters.

Cute animal pictures are not a new thing, they've been the meme of the last decade. But this year — this year is all about farm animals. 

Unlike animals dressed up for the purpose of dressing up, generally sweaters serve a practical use: keeping out the elements in cold weather. Pampered pets, these are not (necessarily).   

The first indication of the rise in the cute farm animals in sweaters meme is from the epicenter of hipster farmer culture: Modern Farmer. The magazine's post on farm animal winter wear hit the internet this week.

Modern Farmer isn't some anomaly, either. We're seeing a bit of a rise in hipster farmers (that is, self-employed people tending relatively small farms) in the labor market recently.

Horse sweaters — or blankets, more accurately — are quite common. It's a recommended move for horse owners in cold climates. This purple camo blanket is pretty cute.



Goats are the most popular farm animals to put in sweaters, based on my internet searches. This photo has five (FIVE!) goats in sweaters.



The image title for this bunny photo reads "I saw your cat in a sweater. Raise you my devil bunny." This is arguably not a farm animal, but it's hard to tell from the photo.



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These Classic Cars Decaying On The Streets Of Detroit Will Bring A Tear To Your Eye

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Abandoned Cars Detroit

The city of Detroit has been defined by the automotive industry as much as America's cars bear the influence of the city's people and culture. Sadly, the city and its slow and infamous decline have been well documented over the years.

Fortunately, things are beginning to look up. A judge declared last November that the city was fit to emerge from the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. The city is beginning to reinvest in some of its blighted neighborhoods, and Detroit's "Big Three" automakers are finally running smoothly again.

However, Detroit has yet to fully recover from decades of crime, financial mismanagement, and population loss. Blight still exists. Reuters photographer Joshua Lott ventured into the city to document the noble symbols of Detroit's struggles: its abandoned and neglected classic cars. 

Lott found this Chevrolet Suburban from the early 2000s in a vacant lot. It had been stripped of its engines, a few of its wheels, and most of its more valuable parts.



This 1980s-era Lincoln Town Car spends its time sitting in someone's back yard...



...while this Town Car from the early 2000s sits abandoned in front of a local business.



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Here's How Long You'll Live In 204 Different Countries

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Thanks to vaccines, healthier lifestyles, and new developments in health science, humans today are living longer, and better than ever before — in some countries, at least.

Marcelo Duhalde, deputy infographic editor and CEO at Infographic Solution Times of Oman, plotted out exactly how long a person would live if he or she were born in 2013 in 204 different countries, assuming that mortality remains the same at each age in the future.

At 49, Chad has the lowest life expectancy, likely due to high degree of risk for major infectious diseases, high rates of underweight children under the age of five, and poor access to sanitation facilities. At 90, Monaco has the highest life expectancy.

Take a look at the graphic below to see each country in further detail.

Life Expectancy Graphic

SEE ALSO: This Map Shows What Country Matches The Life Expectancy In Each State

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The Best Sports Bars In 19 Cities Around The US

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Society Sports & Spirits, Denver

Parking yourself on the couch in front of the TV with a cold beer is a fine way to watch the game, but nothing beats the energy and camaraderie of mingling with other sports fans, and maybe a basket of wings.

From Seattle, Washington, to Washington, DC, we searched 19 cities on Yelp for the best in each according to Yelp users.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Industry Tavern

3280 Peachtree Rd. NE, Ste. 185

Industry Tavern is like the awesome basement bar you always wanted. The comfortable, no-frills bar in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta serves craft beer, cocktails, and great American food.

"Great location in Buckhead for a laid back experience," wrote Yelp user Eric B. "This is also a good place to watch games and enjoy the atmosphere."



AUSTIN, TEXAS: Cover 3

2700 W. Anderson Ln., Ste. 202

Whether you're a football, basketball, or baseball fan, Cover 3 broadcasts every major sports network in the Austin area so you can get all your games in one place.

"Great food, quick service, quality drinks, a fabulous dining atmosphere and the best part is SPORTS," Yelp user Charlsie D. wrote. "I recommend just getting a table full of appetizers, that's where they really shine."



BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: Baltimore Tap House

600 S. Potomac St.

Lovers of beer and ball games flock to Baltimore Tap House for the friendly crowds and diverse draft list.

This place has everything Yelp user Justin K. could have asked for: "Want a great corner bar? Want a great corner bar that supplies you with an outstanding tap list? Want a great corner bar that supplies you with an outstanding tap list and all of your local sporting events on tv? You have found it."



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How To Take Control Of Your Mind And Focus Better

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Doing a daily reflective practice can yield numerous health benefits. Dr. Dan Siegel, co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center teaches us the "Wheel of Awareness" exercise. This exercises is a component of "Mindsight" which "describes our human capacity to perceive the mind of the self and others". 

Produced by Justin Gmoser. Additional camera by Alana Kakoyiannis.

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Why 'MythBusters' Adam Savage Is Way In To Cosplay

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The world of cosplay is a dedicated fan club to all things comics and entertainment.

Cosplay hobbyists will spend an exuberant amount of time and money on their costumes to portray their favorite characters.

MythBuster co-host Adam Savage is no different. Having become somewhat of a Comic Convention celebrity, Savage explains his love for the culture. 

Check out more of Adam's cosplay costumes from Tested.com.

Produced by Justin Gmoser

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A Chinese Millionaire Is Suing After His Malibu Mansion 'Loses' Square Footage

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malibu mansionA New York Times article tells the story of Hong Kong multimillionaire Hiroshi Horiike, whose $12.25 million Malibu manor is allegedly "missing" a third of its square footage. 

Advertised for 15,000 square feet by real estate brokerage firm Coldwell Banker, official county records say that the home actually has less than 10,000 square feet. Horiike, who bought the home in 2007, is suing Coldwell, looking for $5 million in damages.

It’s one example of a series of instances where square footage provided by the city and the real estate agent don’t match up. 

But this problem isn't new. Not every appraiser will get the same measurement, and what they choose to measure as livable space can vary, either based on city requirements or the shape of the property.

“I’ve seen instances where people wanted to include the square footage of stairs leading to the second story,” Dennis B. Ellman, a real estate lawyer in California, told the Times.

In the case of Horiike's home, a barbecue area and the garage were included in the measurement which the architect stated in a deposition, according to the Times.

For those scoffing at a millionaire who’s missing 5,000 square feet of house, consider that the size of the home isn’t only about bragging rights — it can influence property taxes, the price of contracting jobs, and the ultimate price when deciding to sell.

“I don’t love my house,” Horiike told the Times. “It has become a bad dream. It has broken my heart and broke my dream about American people. Before, I thought everything here is beautiful. And perfect.” 

Buyer beware. You can read the full New York Times article here.

SEE ALSO: A Venture Capitalist Is Reportedly Selling His Remarkable 'Floating Box’ House For More Than $20 Million

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Two Tech Execs Tackled A Man Accused Of Robbing A Radio Shack

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radio shack polk street

Two tech executives played the role of superhero Thursday morning when they thwarted a man's alleged attempt to steal a drone and a remote-control helicopter from a San Francisco Radio Shack.

According to CBS San Francisco, a man allegedly entered the Polk Street store at around 10 a.m., grabbed the drone and helicopter, then ran out.

Greg Forrest, president and CEO of software company Greenhawk Financial Services, was in the store at the time. He reportedly chased the thief out of the store and engaged him in a fist fight.

"Punches and pushing and everything else," Forrest said to CBS. "My prescription glasses were crushed. I detained him, but he was strong enough to get away."

 About a block away, the thief encountered Jeff Manheimer, COO and cofounder of vacation rental site Tripping.com. Manheimer tackled him to the ground, holding him there until police arrived. 

"I just barreled into him in the middle of the intersection and took him out," Manheimer said.

Forrest, at least, saw the humor in the situation.

"It’s been a crazy day because CEOs and COOs are not supposed to be running down the street tackling people," Forrest said.

SEE ALSO: A San Francisco Entrepreneur Is Accepting Applications For A Date At The Best Restaurant In The World

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Two Towers In New York City Are Battling To Be The 'Tallest Apartment Building' In The World

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111 west 57th street

JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group has revealed that the 111 West 57th Street tower will now reach 1,421 feet —  71 feet taller than originally expected. 

This will also make the building 24 feet taller than the city’s current tallest residential tower, 432 Park, which topped out at 1,396 feet last October.

Crain’s found city records’ documents that show the future tower’s new height. The super-skinny skyscraper will now have a “crown” that will push it higher than originally anticipated.

New York Yimby blog Yes in My Backyard reported that the final permits for the building were received and the developers are now trying to secure a $500 million construction loan.

Here’s a closer look at the plans, via Skyscraper Forum:

111 west 57th street

And a closer look at the crown:

111 west 57th street

111 West 57th Street is a few blocks west of 432 Park on New York's famous Billionaires' Row. The building's developer bought the land leases, as well as 45,000 square feet of air rights and a neighboring property, for $131.5 million back in 2013

This is what the lot looked like in 2008:

111 West 57th street 2008 Google MapsConstruction began in February 2014, and so far, not a lot of progress has been made. The 60-foot-wide structure will contain a hotel as well as condos.

111 west 57th StreetHere's a rendering of the completed building. The tower will have three high-speed elevators and a hotel inside as well as 45 luxury apartments. 

111 west 57th streetAbove the hotel, each floor of 111 West 57th St. will be a single 5,000-square-foot apartment with views of Central Park. The now 1,421-foot tower will absolutely dominate its surroundings.

SEE ALSO: THE NEW BILLIONAIRES' ROW — See The Incredible Transformation Of New York's 57th Street

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10 Safest Low-Cost Airlines In The World

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Westjet Boeing 737-800 Disney livery United Boeing 757

The low-cost airline business model has only been around for a couple of decades, but it has developed a major presence in the airline business.

According to PWC, low-cost airlines account for more than 25% of the world's aviation business.

From a pool of 449 carriers around the world, AirlineRatings.com selected the 10 safest low-cost and leisure charter airlines in the world. 

To compile its list, the website evaluated each airline based on its standing with international regulators, its fatality record over the past 10 years, its results from an International Air Transportation Association(IATA) safety audit, and whether the airline's country of origin conforms with the International Civil Aviation Organization's 8-point safety parameters.

All of the airlines on this list passed those tests with flying colors.

Aer Lingus — Ireland's national carrier — operates a hybrid low-cost model that offers some of full service luxuries on its long-haul routes. The airline has not suffered a fatal accident since the 1960s.



Alaska Airlines: According to AirlineRatings.com, the Seattle-based airline has had the best on-time performance of any North American-based carrier three years running. Alaska Airlines has not had a fatal accident since 2000.



Icelandair: The Reykjavik-based carrier operates a hybrid low-cost business model using a fleet of Boeing 757 jets. Complementary meals are offered on economy comfort and its business class, but not in economy. Icelandair has not had a fatal accident since the late 1970s.



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The Lines Outside Luxury Stores In Hong Kong Are Like Nothing You've Ever Seen

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Mainland Chinese tourists Chanel store Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district

Before landing in Hong Kong, I thought Paris's Champs-Elysées, London's Bond Street and Tokyo's Ginza and Omotesando districts were pretty slick luxury store meccas. Queues generated by Chinese Mainlanders outside Louis Vuitton's flagship on the Champs-Elysées were a mesmerizing sight, yet an exception, to be fair. Queues in New York exist (or used to exist) outside the more volume-driven Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister Fifth Avenue stores.

Queues outside most luxury stores on Canton Road in the Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) district of Hong Kong are an everyday feature. And they occur even outside stores of higher-end brands, whether they are Chanel or Cartier, not just the flagship of the more ‘mainstream' Louis Vuitton or Prada. While the higher-turnover store of many brands used to be the flagship in their home city, today's reality from both a sales and a margin perspective is that the largest-grossing store (or building) on the planet is usually the one on that famous Canton Road.

Mainland Chinese visitors Louis Vuitton Hong Kong Tsim Sha TsuiMany investors who have not been in Asia much, despite covering luxury stocks, doubted me when I told them about the endless queues. I ended up sending them pictures to prove that I had not become delusional. It's true that some days the queues are artificial, as certain brands seem to be intent on having consumers wait a bit outside even though the store inside is pretty empty. This is a classic example of retailers counting on the gregarious instinct of shoppers: if people queue outside this store, surely it can't be bad, can it? But generally speaking, queues are real in TST.

Hermes lines luxury shoppers hong kongIn Hong Kong, freezing is good. If you have not been to Hong Kong, think about it as Des Moines, Iowa, but in reverse. Here you can go from one building to the next while avoiding the heat; there, you avoid freezing by taking passages between the buildings. In Hong Kong, you can go around the entire ‘Central' part of the Hong Kong Island without having to go out much in the street. Shopping malls and the Central Elevated Walkway enable you to keep well protected from the heat and humidity across the entire Central–Admiralty area. It is a bit like the building connections in Des Moines to avoid freezing.

Often I have been to TST on shopping mall visits—yes, that's my job—and ended up shivering in the Cartier, Chanel, Duty Free Shoppers (DFS)7 and Omega stores as the air conditioning was on full throttle.

Intrigued and frankly annoyed as I started sneezing when it was summer outside, I finally asked a shopping attendant why I felt I needed a duffel coat or, better, one of those fashionable Moncler down jackets in their store despite the heat outside, and there I had it: it's chic, it's luxury, it's a sign of wealth, it's for the mainlanders.

And after experiencing it a while, I started to realize that there was a direct correlation between how cold it was and how mainland dominated a shopping district had become. Obvious for all but new to me: Hong Kong retail was not about Hong Kong locals but about retailers tripping over each other—almost literally if you have been over on Chinese New Year or the mid-autumn festival weeks—to cater to mainlanders.

This leads to the most shocking of facts for the luxury sector. Hong Kong, a city of 7 million souls, does as much business in luxury as Mainland China, a subcontinent of 1.3 billion inhabitants.

But you understand, of course: Hong Kong is not about Hong Kong. It's about wealthy Chinese spending abroad. 

Excerpted from "The Bling Dynasty: Why the Reign of Chinese Luxury Shoppers Has Only Just Begun" by Erwan Rambourg; ISBN: 978-1-118-95029-6. Copyright © 2014 by Erwan Rambourg. Reprinted with permission of Wiley.

SEE ALSO: Meet The Chinese Luxury Shoppers Who Are Taking Over The World

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This Robot Waitress In China Serves Food, Takes Selfies, And Is Super Busty

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Footage has emerged from Henan Province, China of a restaurant using a robotic waitress to serve food and greet customers. 

The video shows the human-sized robot is automatically carrying dishes around the dining area of the restaurant. The owner of the restaurant spent $13,053 to buy the robot.

Produced by Jason Gaines. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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The Cost Of Living In Every Part Of The World In One Infographic

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We think about cost of living all the time, especially when we're looking to move from one location to another. Our perspective is, therefore, generally rather narrow.

The folks at Movehub.com have compiled some awesome data that forces us to take a look at the entire world.

This is an infographic of the cost of living all over the world and when you look at the data, presented in this way, the results are a bit staggering.

For example, the top three countries for cost of living are Switzerland, Norway, and Venezuela. While the lowest are India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Take a look at the whole eye-opening infographic here:


Global Living Costs Map

SEE ALSO: The Happiness Level Of Every Part Of The World In One Incredible Infographic

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Incredible Aerial Photographs Of New York City Taken At An Astounding Height

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Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Vincent Laforet has spent the past 15 year taking daring helicopter rides to capture some of the most incredible aerial images from around the world. 

But his latest photo mission — to photograph New York City at night from above — was "the scariest of his life," he tells Business Insider. In order to take the photographs, Laforet had to dangle from the door of helicopter hovering at a dizzying 7,500 feet above the ground (an uncommonly high altitude for a helicopter), secured only by a harness, and shoot straight down.

Laforet's photo series, titled “Gotham 7.5K,” reveals an incredible new vantage point of America’s busiest city.
 
Night Over New York Photo Series Laforet has always dreamed of capturing these photographs of New York, he says.

“I’ve been wanting to take these pictures since I was a teenager, peering out of a window of a jet liner,” Laforet says. “Every time I landed at LaGuardia or JFK, I would see incredible lights in the city and in the streets of New York and I’ve always wanted to try to find a way to make these photographs."

Night Over New York Photo Series But it just wasn’t possible, until now. 

"I think it’s a pretty unique series of photographs, because technology is allowing us to make these images for the first time," Laforet says. "Just a few years ago, you would never see this level of color and detail. The fact that you can get a pretty clean image at that high of a sensitivity is pretty remarkable.” 

Laforet used cameras such as the Canon 1DX and the Mamiya Leaf Credo 50 MP to take some of the clearest photographs ever taken above New York.

Screen Shot 2015 01 12 at 7.27.46 PMTo take the photographs, Laforet had to fly at a unique altitude as well. “We were actually flying above all of the airline traffic landing at JFK, LGA, and Newark airports,” Laforet wrote on Storehouse.

If they had gone just a few thousand more feet up, they would have needed oxygen masks.

Night Over New York Photo Series 'When you’re that high, you think to yourself, 'if anything were to happen, it would be a very long fall,' ” Laforet says. “It’s definitely one of the scariest flights I’ve ever done, especially when you’re hanging out of the helicopter and shooting straight down." 

Night Over New York Photo Series Helicopters shake pretty significantly while in the air and, even with fancy cameras and special tools, getting such clear images is a remarkable feat. “Between the way I hold the camera, the gyroscope, and a little bit of luck, you’re hoping to get one out of every five images sharp,” Laforet says.

Night Over New York Photo Series From above, the city has always reminded him of brain synapses. 

"I was recently on assignment for Men's Health Magazine and I proposed shooting the city from an unusually high altitude so that we could capture the lines that are formed by the streets of New York at night," Laforet wrote on Storehouse. "It was an article about psychology and I've always thought that from a high altitude the streets looked like brain synapses." 

See the rest of the incredible aerial photographs below: 

Night Over New York Photo Series

Night Over New York Photo Series For more information about the photographs, check out Laforet's blog here.

SEE ALSO: Amazing Pictures From The Coldest Inhabited Town On Earth

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How To Solve A Rubik's Cube Step By Step

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Step 1: White Cross
You should be able to complete this step just by playing around with the cube. Make sure that the edges of the cross match the center squares on the adjacent sides. 

Step 2: Finish First Layer

Step 3: Middle Layer
You may need to move some middle-layer edge pieces from the top layer. Follow the patterns below to get these pieces in the right places.  

Rubik's - Middle Layer

Step 4: Top Corners
To get the corners in the right place, you can use this pattern to swap corners until all four corners are in the right location. At this stage, they do not need to be facing the right way. 

Rubik's Swap Corners

To orient corners use a combination of the patterns below. The first will turn the faces of three corners clockwise. The next will turn the faces of three faces counter-clockwise. 

Rubik's Clockwise

Step 5: Top Layer Edges In The Right Place
Make sure all the edges are in the right location. Do not worry if they are facing the wrong way. Use a combination of the patterns below to move these edge pieces.

Rubik's Permute Edges 

Step 6: Top Layer Edges Facing The Right Way
Use either of the patterns below or a combination to orient these edge pieces correctly.

Rubik's Final Layer Edges

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This Sex-Drug Inventor Was Murdered, And Now His Best Friend Is Trying To Fulfill His Legacy

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Ron Gilbert

Since 2010, Jeff Abraham has had a stake in Promescent, an over-the-counter spray intended to help men overcome premature ejaculation. He invested $100,000 and wrote business plans for the company that made it, Absorption Pharmaceuticals.

But after the January 2013 murder of the product's inventor, Ronald Gilbert, a respected urologist and one of Abraham's dearest friends, he ended up taking over the company. Initially, Abraham wanted to sell it.

"I'd wake up in the morning and try to convince myself that [Ron's death] was a dream," he tells Business Insider. "So I decided that I was going to take an offer or have someone else come run the company."

The day that Abraham, 57, decided to let go of the company, he Googled Ron's name. The first several results told the story of his friend's untimely death.

"Ron went from being an inventor, a father, a husband, to the guy shot by a crazy," Abraham says. "He was a statistic. That really bothered me."

Seeing the news coverage nudged Abraham to change his mind about selling, at least until after he built up the company more. It wasn't long before his interest grew into an obsession. He says he now works 16 hours a day, every day of the year.

"I can't change what happened, but I have the power to make Ron's legacy a success and take care of his wife and kids," Abraham says.

Together, Gilbert's family owns about 15% of Absorption Pharmaceuticals, and Abraham owns 36%. The rest, and portions of the eventual profit, is split among three other employees and the two men (aside from Gilbert) on the patent, numerous urologists, and a few key investors.

Over a year ago, Abraham, with approval from Absorption's board, turned down an offer of more than $30 million. The buyer, a top pharmaceutical brand, wanted to turn Promescent into a prescription drug. But that plan didn't mesh with Abraham's vision.

"This product needs to be on the shelf at every Walgreens, CVS, and 7-Eleven right next to the condoms," he says. "This is a lifestyle product."

Right now, Abraham is in talks with multiple companies. He demands that any potential buyer preserve his friend's legacy.

"I will not sell this company unless the new website includes a little memoriam about Ron," Abraham says. "That's nonnegotiable. I don't care if someone offers me a billion dollars."

A Case Of Mistaken Identity

Stanwood Fred ElkusOn the afternoon of Jan. 28, 2013, Ron's wife, Ellie Gilbert, began to feel strange. She was visiting New York for a wedding but could barely walk down the street.

"It was really weird," she says. "Something I've never felt before, like my soul was leaving me."

After dragging herself back to her hotel room, she recieved a call from her husband's partner at their private urology practice. She knew something terrible had happened. 

Stanwood Fred Elkus, a 75-year-old veteran, had allegedly made an appointment earlier that day under a fake name at Ron's practice, Orange Coast Urology, in Newport Beach, California. Elkus let a nurse take his blood pressure, but when Ron entered, he allegedly fired nine shots into the doctor's torso and chest. Ron didn't survive.

"I can't even put it into words," Abraham says. "Ron was the absolute most pure human being I’ve ever met. He was the kind of guy you’d want your sister to marry."

The year before Ron's death, Abraham crashed his bicycle and broke his collarbone in two places. Over the next few months of his recovery, Ron brought him lunch and dinner and took him to hockey games to get him out of the house. "At least once a day Ron would call or text me asking how the pain was and if there was anything I needed," Abraham says.

Elkus, the alleged shooter, apparently blamed Ron for a botched prostate surgery he underwent more than 20 years ago at a Veterans Association hospital. While Ron did work there, no records indicate he performed Elkus' operation, according to the Gilberts' attorney, Ed Susolik. He claims another urologist with a similar name likely treated Elkus.

Elkus, who worked as a barber after his time in the military, struggled for years with prostate problems and other health issues, reportedly telling a neighbor shortly before Ron's death that he "might not be alive much longer." Elkus later pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, with his lawyers submitting a PET scan showing "neurological and psychological disabilities.

Then, 11 days after Ron's murder, Elkus, who is still awaiting trial, allegedly gave away seven properties he owned from behind bars in order to avoid their inclusion in the likely civil case from Ron's family, the Los Angeles Times reported.

And the family did end up filing a civil suit against Elkus, "because evil needs to addressed," Ellie says. "But even if I got all the money in the world, nothing will bring back my husband."

The day after the funeral, she says, her family lost its health insurance, and she wouldn't see any more profit from her husband's business. "I didn’t get one penny out of the medical practice, the only form of livelihood that my husband had," Ellie explains. So far, all profits from Promescent have gone back into the company, according to Abraham. "I have to really, really watch every penny," Ellie says.

Like Abraham, Ellie wants to use Promescent to preserve Ron's legacy. "Throughout his life, the well-being of his patients was a priority for him," she says. "People will benefit from [Promescent] — for pleasure or for need."

Ron Gilbert

The Next Viagra?

Abraham started as Ron's patient, and the two quickly became friends. One day, the doctor gave Abraham a sample of his new creation, Promescent.

"It was insane," Abraham says. "At that point my eyes spun around in my head like cash registers." He half-jokingly talked to Ron about changing the name to "Have Sex Like A Porn Star."

Soon after, Abraham asked for 10 more bottles.

"Ron goes, 'Where are you going this weekend?'" Abraham laughs. But he only wanted to see if others would have the same response as he did.

Abraham gave samples to friends, family, even his son, a "great-looking kid" at UC Santa Barbara. Everyone reacted the same way, according to Abraham: "What is this, and where can I get more of it?"

Since Abraham invested his $100,000, he says the company has sold 221,000 bottles of Promescent in 338 independent pharmacies. A standard bottle sells for $79.95, while the trial size ("convenient pocket-size for men on the go!!") run $19.95.

"I said it had the same potential as Viagra," he recalls. "Three years ago people laughed at me. They're not laughing anymore."

At this point, Abraham says he's invested $1.5 million in the company and that its sales hit $1.2 million this year, which he expects to increase by 25% in next year. That figure is still a far cry from Viagra, which peaked at about $2 billion in annual sales. Still, the market for this kind of drug could be just as large.

While ED, or erectile dysfunction, gets more press, estimates show that PE, or premature ejaculation, affects more men.

PE ranges from a dire sexual issue to a common complaint in the bedroom. A definition is tough to pin down. The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, hosted by the National Institutes of Health, says that any man who orgasms before he or his partner would like suffers from PE. The International Society for Sexual Medicine imposes time limits: A male has to ejaculate within one minute of penetration for "lifelong PE" and within three minutes for "acquired PE." Regardless, most experts agree that nearly one in three men suffer from some form of PE.

Both Abraham and Absorption's chief medical officer, Laurence Levine, frequently mention a phenomenon called "the arousal gap." While the data varies, Promescent's marketing materials claim men last an average of five to six minutes during intercourse, while women, on average, take 17 minutes to reach orgasm. "That is exactly correct," Peter Stahl, the director of male reproductive and sexual medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center, told Business Insider.

"That's why there are 8 million vibrators in the world," Abraham jokes.

Ron's motivation to create Promescent stemmed from listening to his patients' struggles to maintain erections. He would come home from work, upset that he couldn't help more, Ellie says. "It is truly a problem," she says. "Intimacy does make for a better relationship. Everything connects."

And yet another market for Promescent exists — the recreational one. "I have friends who are in their 50s who eat Viagra and Cialis like they're M&M's," Abraham says. Studies show that these medications can make men last longer in bed. Promescent, Abraham says, fixes a similar issue and doesn't enter the bloodstream.

How It Works

As advertised, about 1,100 urologists in the US recommend FDA-approved Promescent. Of those, "1,080 .... have no financial gain and involvement with the company," Abraham says. The spray, a lidocaine-based topical liquid, works much like Orajel does on the gums. Promescent essentially desensitizes the penis to prolong intercourse.

Promescent

"People freak out when I rub Promescent on my gums," Abraham says, which is how he demonstrates the product's safety. But a man simply wouldn't rub Orajel on his penis before sex — although he could. The numbing effect would overwhelm him, making sex less enjoyable, and the medication would likely transfer to his partner, ruining the experience for both.

Promescent supposedly avoids that. The formula changes the lidocaine from a crystal into an oil-aqueous form, which can penetrate the outer layer of the penis, much like how good lotion absorbs into the skin. After 10 minutes, according to Abraham, the desensitizing effects won't transfer to the man's partner.

While Promescent's clinical trials won't be complete until 2015, Abraham says rave reviews fill his inbox almost daily. He sent us a few of his favorites.

Nathan, a 42-year-old man married for 19 years, called his experience with Promescent "the best sex" he and his wife have had since college. Another man, Kevin, 53, has suffered from PE his entire life. "My life has changed," he wrote in an email to the Promescent team. "It simply works."

Josh Gondelman, a writer for New York Magazine's The Cut, had less positive "adventures with 'penis-numbing' spray." "Masturbating felt like listening to a Phish song; I was ten minutes in with no end in sight, just a lot of aimless noodling. After twenty fruitless minutes, I gave up, limp from exhaustion and local anesthesia," he wrote.

As Abraham immediately pointed out, though, Gondelman used 10 sprays — the maximum dosage for men who suffer from severe PE. Gondelman wrote that he tried again, using only three squirts, but that felt "like eating the last slice of pizza just because it's there."

Still, Ron and his wife tried Promescent and loved it. "You have to be your first guinea pig," Ellie says. "It was wonderful." Sometimes she didn't even know her husband, who didn't suffer from PE, was even using it. "It’s very natural. There’s nothing weird or uncomfortable about it," she says.

Promescent can even be used with condoms, Abraham adds.

But James Hamblin, a doctor and a senior editor at The Atlantic, is skeptical about the actual application. "The numbing spray idea immediately struck me as one that makes perfect sense to scientifically minded people but sounds absurd to everyone else," he wrote. Getting out a "secret" vial of penis spray to numb up before sex could increase some men's anxieties about intimacy, he suggested.

Challenges 

Part of the problem with creating a solution for PE is identifying the causes. "Male sexual function is a complex neurobiological phenomenon, and sexual dysfunctions tend to coexist," says Stahl, the Columbia University urology professor we spoke with.

For example, a man with erectile dysfunction could experience so much anxiety about developing and maintaining an erection that, when he does, his sexual experience ends prematurely. Conversely: "The man knows if he gets an erection, it’ll lead to an unsatisfactory conclusion, so he develops anxiety and fails to get one at all," Abraham says.

The medical community generally considers premature ejaculation to have psychological components, with some patients even being treated with antidepressants. PE, however, afflicts men in two distinct variations, according to Stahl. "Lifelong premature ejaculation is a true biological early trigger point that usually requires lifelong therapy to prolong intravaginal ejaculatory latency [the amount of time someone lasts when having sex]," he says. "In contrast, acquired premature ejaculation that develops at a particular time is usually related to either anxiety or development of another sexual dysfunction."

As Ron, Promescent's creator, explains in the video below, "To tell a patient that may have sexual relations six to eight times a month, that they have to take an antidepressant, that is not specifically designed for this problem, every single day ... is a tough sell."

Then dapoxetine came onto the scene. As the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) designed specifically for premature ejaculation, studies have shown users can take the oral pill on an as-needed basis, although at least three to five hours before intercourse.

Other topical sprays and creams exist, too, such as Stud100, EMLA, and EjectDelay. The one that's probably gotten the most press is TEMPE, a topical spray, with both licocaine and prilocaine, created by one of the makers of Viagra.

There are some clear differences between TEMPE and Promescent. For one thing, TEMPE is a prescription drug that has gone through clinical trials, while large-scale testing for over-the-counter Promescent is still underway. Another difference is that TEMPE isn't yet FDA-approved for PE, while Promescent conforms to the FDA's existing regulations for lidocaine, according to Levine.

Although clinical trials are expensive and time-consuming, Promescent must undergo them to receive approval from the Sexual Medicine Society of North America and International Society for Sexual Medicine, which would put the spray on the radars of the organization's 12,000 members, according to Abraham. 

Even without those trials, Promescent remains the only FDA-approved, lidocaine-based spray with absorption technology that doesn't require a prescription. And absorption is key: It improves efficacy and reduces transference to partners, according to Stahl.

"My overall impression is that Promescent is an effective treatment for delaying ejaculation, and is particularly useful in men who do not want to take daily oral medication," he says.

The Future Of Promescent

With its unique formula, Promescent has started to attract media attention. In October 2013, CNBC called Promescent the "new sex drug in town," and, in June, Men's Health magazine recommended it to last longer in bed. Of course, there's this article, too.

Abraham hopes this is just the beginning. And he still attributes the company's success to Ron.

"I'm not a religious person — I won’t fake that," he says. "But there’s karma here."

When he does sell the company, Abraham wants to open a scholarship fund at the University of California, Irvine, Ron's alma mater, in his name.

"When one of these companies turns Promescent into a billion-dollar product, everyone who buys it will see Ron's face," Abraham says. "I want people to understand how truly spectacular this man was."

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The Problem With Women In The Workplace Is Men

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pete campbell rifle mad men

Women are nearly 50% of the workforce in the United States, but our workplaces are far from equal.

As easy as it might be to say that leadership from women will likely follow total numbers, there isn't a lot of evidence that that's the case. 

There were two essays published this week that get into why the glass ceiling is so hard to break. It comes down to the fact that this isn't a fight that women can win alone.

Here's Jessica Valenti on traditionally male professions (like politics) that still don't have very many women represented: 

Asking individual women to enter hostile spaces to make them better is really asking women to make men better – and to make men better at women’s own risk. But it shouldn’t be women’s responsibility to fix men or deal with their misogyny. Instead, men should be taking it upon themselves to treat women with respect, and demand their other male colleagues do the same.

 

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