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These 10 grilling accessories are perfect for summer

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steak, grill, grilling, beef, meat

Summer is coming up, which means that it's time to break out the grill.

But if you want the best grilling experience, you'll need the right gear.

Check out our list of barbecue accessories.


 

Stuffed hamburger press

grilling accessoriesIf you and your family are cheeseburger fans, we recommend getting a stuffed hamburger press.

This way, you can melt the cheese inside your burger, creating a dish that's both gooey and delicious.

Cuisinart stuffed burger press:$14.99$8.57 [43% off]


 

Tongs

grilling accesories

Eventually you'll need to move your food off the grill.

It's probably not a smart idea to try to do that with your fingers, so we recommend investing in a solid pair of tongs.

GrillPro stainless steel tong/turner: $14.99 $10.70[29% off]


Basting brush

grilling accesories

You'll need a basting brush to make the most of your marinades. Just apply it using the brush over meats and vegetables.

Kitchen joy silicone basting brush:$15.00 $6.99[53% off]

 


 

Marinade injector

grill accesoriesUpgrade the taste of your meat with a marinade injector. 

This way, the inside of your meat will be just as delicious as the exterior. 

Mr Grill marinade injector: $29.95 $14.95 [50% off]


Skewers

grilling accesories

One word: kebabs.

You'll need metal skewers to grill meats and vegetables. Definitely worth the investment in our opinion.

Steven Raichlen stainless steel grilling skewers: $14.99


Meat shredders

grilling accessoriesFor pulled pork or pulled chicken, you'll need a pair of meat shredders.

These things will help you quickly rip apart large pieces of meat.

Kassa meat claws: $19.95 $11.95 [40% off]


Grill press

grill press accessoriesIf you're grilling thin slices of meat (say, bacon or Korean barbecue styled meat), you'll want a grill press.

It'll prevent your meat from curling up.

Lodge pre-season rectangular cast-iron grill press:$27.50$16.97[38% off]


Grill basket for fish

grilling accessories

Fish is way more delicate that steak — so it makes sense that you'll want something a bit more heavy duty for grilling it.

A fish grill basket will keep your fish from breaking apart on the grill.

Weber original stainless steel fish basket: $34.99 $28.39 [19% off]


Meat thermometer

grilling accessoriesThis one's pretty self-explanatory: you'll want your meat properly cooked.

We recommend that you get a digital one. It'll beep when your meat is done.

Smart digital meat thermometer: $50.00 $15.99[68% off]


Meat tenderizer

meat tenderizerIt's important to pound your meat before you grill it.

After pounding it, the meat's thickness will be uniform, which will make the meat cook through quicker and more evenly.

Kitchen basics professional grade tenderizer: $29.99 $12.95[57% off]


Grill brush

grilling accessoriesAfter all your grilling is done, things are going to be dirty.

You'll want a solid grill brush that gets the hard to reach areas.

Weber grill brush: $11.84 $7.99[33% off]


 

 

SEE ALSO: 'Carnivore' is the ultimate cookbook for meat lovers

SEE ALSO: 6 shampoos to use if you're worried about hair loss

SEE ALSO: The 5 things you'll need in your kitchen to make great burgers

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China is about to open a terrifying 984-foot-high glass bottom bridge

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IP_Prof_Architect_Haim_Dotan_Zhangjiajie_Glass_Bridge 4__18052015People might say that everything’s bigger in America, but it’s China that’s cementing its role as the most superlative-creating nation.

Taking things to dizzying new heights, the national park of Zhangjiajie in China’s Hunan province — said to be the inspiration behind planet Pandora in Avatar — is set to open the world's longest, as well as highest, glass-bottom bridge.

Designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge is set to be completed in July, with an official opening in October, according to CNN.

Connecting two massive cliffs, the bridge will be 1,247 feet long, and 20 feet wide, with nothing but glass between visitors and certain death 984 feet below.

IP_Prof_Architect_Haim_Dotan_Zhangjiajie_Glass_Bridge 1_18052015To top it all off, the bridge, which can accommodate up to 800 people at a time, will serve as a runway for fashion shows, and  feature world’s highest bungee jump, which is currently a 764 foot drop from Macau Tower.

IP_Prof_Architect_Haim_Dotan_Zhangjiajie_Glass_Bridge 5__18052015America boasts a similar contraption, but its Grand Canyon Skywalk is comparatively tame, at only 69 feet in length and 718 feet above the ground.

SEE ALSO: This is one of the most dangerous parts of China's Great Wall

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This floating Airbnb in London is nicer than most apartments, and you might be able to stay there for free

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Airbnb Floating House London Thames

In celebration of the legalization of Airbnb in London, the company is holding a contest where the lucky winner and three friends will get to spend the night in an adorable blue house floating down the city's main waterway, the River Thames.

The houseboat, which Airbnb describes as "Primrose Hill meets Pixar," will set sail for one night only later this week.

Amenities for the voyage include massages and a gourmet meal prepared onboard by a professional chef, as well as incredible views of the city iteself. 

Here's a photo of the living room, via Airbnb:

Airbnb houseboat living room

Inside, guests will find all the comforts of a well appointed home: a bright living room, kitchen, full bathroom, two bedrooms, as well as a landscaped yard with a doghouse in case Fido wants to tag along too. 

 Here's a another look at one of the chairs in the living room: 

chair houseboat airbnb

 Here's a close-up of the houseboat's steering wheel, located in the kitchen:

airbnb houseboat steering wheel

Here's a view of one of the bedrooms from the living room:

Airbnb houseboat bedroom london

The houseboat features a number of interesting design elements. Here's a picture of a rotary phone decorating the space: 

airbnb houseboat phone

The floating house was designed by brothers Nick and Steve Tidball. Best known for their work in creative advertising, the twins were excited to use their backgrounds in architectural design to bring this project to life. 

Here's a look at the book selection, curated by the Tidballs:

airbnb houseboat books

Here's a picture of the full bathroom guests will use during their stay aboard the houseboat:

airbnb bathroom houseboat london 

Here's a look at the view from the yard: 

airbnb houseboat yard london

Be warned, Airbnb will not tolerate any "houseboat parties," so you'll have to be on behavior fit for the Queen. 

airbnb floating house front

 To enter for a chance to win, contestants are asked to submit 500 words on where they would go with their own floating house and why. 

In case you don’t win the contest, here are a few other options from Airbnb to get you out on the water.

SEE ALSO: This guy has gamed the airline industry so he never has to pay for a flight again

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We spent a lovely morning with the second-oldest person in the world

There are shoe police at the Cannes Film Festival — and they're drunk with power

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cannes shoes

The talk of the Cannes Film Festival is not the films, nor the cascading red carpet gowns, but the shoes.

At the premiere of "Carol," starring Cate Blanchett, women on the red carpet were turned away from the theater door because they were wearing flats instead of high heels.

Even more egregious, an amputee was rebuffed at Gus Van Sant's "Sea of Trees" screening.

Valerie Richter, a film producer who is missing part of her left foot, told BBC 5 that red-carpet officials looked at her flat shoes and said, "No, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this." She was later allowed in but said that many of her colleagues were not. 

"No, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this.

And then there's art dealer Larry Gagosian, who wore a tuxedo and "stylish" sneakers, also a no-fly footwear choice at Cannes. Lucky for Gagosian, a call to pal Harvey Weinstein, who produced the film Gagosian was there to see, cleared the way. 

Asif Kapadia, the director of the new Amy Winehouse documentary, had to flex his connections, too: His wife's shoes didn't make the initial cut but she was eventually let in. Kapadia was so perturbed that he took to Twitter to confirm that women in flats were, indeed, being shut out. 

The real question here is whether the high-heel (and sneaker) rule is actually a rule or just evidence that Cannes has some sort of rogue shoe-police brigade. Yesterday, Screen Daily wrote that, yes, the festival had confirmed that flats are a red-carpet dress-code violation. But today the website posted the following statement from the festival's press office. 

Regarding the dress code for the red carpet screenings, rules have not changed throughout the years (Tuxedo, formal dress for Gala screenings) and there is no specific mention about the height of the women’s heels as well as for men’s. Thus, in order to make sure that this rule is respected, the festival’s hosts and hostesses were reminded of it.

So it seems flats are allowed at Cannes. And with the festival culminating this Sunday, there's plenty of time for actresses and goers to abandon their stilletos and see where it gets them. 

SEE ALSO: Insanely glamorous photos from the Cannes Film Festival

SEE ALSO: Uber is offering helicopter rides to the Cannes Film Festival

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These are the 6 trendiest styles of men's sunglasses right now

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Wonder no longer what you should put on your face this summer. We've identified the most popular styles real-world men are wearing this season when it comes to shades. 

Are you a fan of the classic Wayfarer or are you more of a round frame kind of guy? From fashion-forward or conservative, one of these trends is sure to fit the bill — whatever your style.

trendiest sunglasses

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One of the most important museums in the world just appointed a director who's never even worked at one — and it's shaking up the art world in the best way possible

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anne pasternak and marisa tomei

The Brooklyn Museum just announced that it is appointing as its new director Anne Pasternak, who has never actually worked in a museum.

While perhaps lesser-known outside New York City than the Metropolitan Museum or MoMA, the Brooklyn Museum is no small potato. Housed in an imposing Beaux-Arts building at the edge of Prospect Park, it's the second-largest museum in New York, with well over a million works in its collection and more than 300 full-time staffers. 

Someone new to museums might seem like a strange pick for director of one of the country's oldest and most important ones.

Leading a museum involves not only developing a board, courting donors, and building staff — things Pasternak has years of experience with, if on a smaller scale — but also managing a massive facility, a vast collection, a large team of curators, and a budget most nonprofits can only dream of. That's why the top candidates for these roles, which at the country's flagship institutions come up only rarely, are usually hand-picked from among those already high-up in the museum world.

Yet Pasternak's appointment, which will make her the first woman to lead either of the city's largest two museums, represents a significant shift in the art world and — as one longtime arts leaderargued— it's an "inspired choice" by the Brooklyn Museum.

Full disclosure here: As someone who worked closely with Pasternak for nearly two years at Creative Time, the organization she has led for two decades, I'm not an impartial observer. I'm basically a groupie: one of the many fans she's picked up along the way. I can testify firsthand though that she consistently inspires the people around her, pushing artists to dream big and rallying employees and supporters to great loyalty and devotion.

That's the key behind Pasternak's rise to the helm of such an iconic institution: not where exactly she's worked, but what she's shown she is capable of imagining and — often against challenging odds — executing to great acclaim. 

"You can’t have expertise in every area in an encyclopedic museum," Tom Finkelpearl, commissioner of cultural affairs for New York City, told The New York Times. "Mainly you have to be a good evaluator and a good attractor of talent, and Anne is both those things."

anne pasternak with david byrne

Pasternak ran a small gallery in the late 1980s, spent a year as the curator for a space in Hartford, and co-founded a nonprofit called BRAT. In 1994, the Times notes, when Pasternak took the reigns at Creative Time, "she was its only full-time employee." She was also only about 30 years old.

The public art nonprofit, now famous for launching ambitious projects like Tribute in Light and Kara Walker's much-ballyhooed installation at the Domino sugar factory, was a scrappy upstart when it was founded in the early 1970s. It always punched above its weight, but under Pasternak's leadership, it became a real powerhouse, growing from a one-woman operation on a shoestring budget to a team of 25 with an annual budget of $5 million

Along the way, Creative Time somehow held on to its alternative, counter-culture appeal, embracing bold and provocative ideas while drawing crowds of visitors to its events and exhibitions, which are almost always free to the public. A proven record of success with that kind of outreach — increasingly important to major institutions that are shedding the stuffy reputations of yesteryear — seems like it was one of the sticking points in the Brooklyn Museum's decision, which is shaking up the traditional power dynamics of the art world in the best way possible.

brooklyn museum

"Deeply passionate about engaging broad audiences that transcend geographic, racial, and socioeconomic divisions, Anne Pasternak has continually championed artists and works relevant to the contemporary age," a museum press release noted. "This fresh approach makes Pasternak uniquely qualified to lead the Brooklyn Museum."

Pasternak may have never worked at a museum — she has, it bears noting, curated museum shows — but that rare mix of visionary leadership, art world street cred, and inclusive spirit seems to be exactly what the Brooklyn Museum was after.

For Pasternak, who has helped realize the dreams of a long list of artists during her tenure at Creative Time, it's also a bit of a dream come true. "If there was one job I fantasized about," she told the Times, "it was being director of the Brooklyn Museum."

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The second oldest person in the world told us her secrets to a long life

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Susannah Mushatt Jones

Susannah Mushatt Jones has loved bacon for more than a century. She is 115-years-old and the meat is the first thing to disappear from her plate every morning, followed by eggs.

We arrived five minutes late for breakfast in Jones' home, a sunbathed one-bedroom in the Vandalia Houses, a public housing facility for seniors in the Canarsie neighborhood on the southern edge of Brooklyn, New York. She already dispensed with the bacon and was tackling the grits. Jones is blind (and partially deaf), but with steady, fervent hands, she searched her plate for morsels and shoveled them into her mouth.

The routine is the same each day for Jones. When she finishes the grits, she unwraps five sticks of Doublemint gum and tosses the papers on the floor beside her slippers. She likes to chew them all at once because, as her caretaker explained, "they're making them so flimsy now." The oversized armchair engulfs her as she leans back to sleep.

At 115, Jones is the second oldest person in the world. She is one of three verified people remaining who were born in the 1800s, and one of about 40 supercentenarians, or people who lived past their 110th birthday.

Her age has earned her something of a celebrity status. When we entered her building, other residents spotted our cameras and immediately asked if we we there to see Jones, or "Miss Susie" as she's known among family and friends. A newspaper clipping about Jones hangs in the lobby, and her room is decorated with cards she's received from notable well-wishers over the years including President Barack Obama (who she voted for in 2008), former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and children from local schools. 

While Jones' feats of longevity aren't entirely unparalleled (a Frenchwoman once lived to be 122, the longest confirmed human lifespan on record), her nearly perfect bill of health has amazed doctors and family for more than a decade. We met with Jones and her niece, Lois Judge, to find out what it takes to be a supercentenarian.

Susannah Mushatt Jones 33

A long way from Lowndes County

Jones doesn't look a day over 100. The Lowndes County, Alabama, native has smooth, soft skin like peach fuzz. Patches of light brown hair cover her head, while whiskers pepper her chin. Her frame is small — maybe 5 foot, 90 pounds — a far cry from the sturdy woman she was in her youth. Still, the most prominent giveaway of Jones' age is a cloudy left eye. Glaucoma took her sight 15 years ago.

But the moment Cecily Freser, her live-in caretaker of more than 12 years, clears the breakfast plate from her lap, Jones nosedives into a pillow resting on the recliner's arm. She sleeps most of the day, with the radio or a daytime TV game show playing in the background, though she probably can't hear it. These days, Jones mainly responds to the voices of her family members and friends.

"Sometimes she'll ask a question," Freser explained, "and sometimes she'll laugh to herself. She'll say, 'I was thinking about something someone did long, long ago."

Susannah Mushatt Jones 20

Born July 6, 1899, Jones grew up the third oldest of 11 children in the Alabama countryside, about an hour southwest of Montgomery. Her parents worked as sharecroppers. After graduating from high school in 1922 (she's kept the class roster over the years), she was accepted to the Tuskegee Institute's teaching program. However, her family couldn't afford to send her. A year later, she hopped a train to New York City.

Jones found work as a nanny for wealthy white families, and she traveled the country with them, from New Jersey, Vermont, California, and Mexico to Westchester, New York. Some of the children she helped raise have stayed in touch with her family over the years and visited her at the apartment in Brooklyn. Jones never had children of her own, though she was married briefly to a man named Henry Jones, and took great pride in the kin she cared for professionally. She roomed with the families, and on days off, stayed with friends in an apartment at 145th Street in Harlem, New York.

Throughout her life, Jones lived simply: no parties, smoking, or alcohol. Her greatest indulgence was lace lingerie from Bloomingdale's, with which she reportedly startled her doctors when she sported it during an EKG appointment years ago.

Susannah Mushatt Jones 39

Jones had no trouble spending money on her family, however. At Christmas, she gifted pill boxes of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters to the young ones. She loved to bake cakes for company. And Jones used her salary to send her nieces to college and to provide scholarships for other Alabama students, so they would not be prevented from attending college as she was.

Her niece Judge still has the cashmere sweater adorned with pearls that Jones sent her while she was away at school. Dressing well provided a crucial source of pride for Jones, who grew up as an African American woman in the segregated south. She once returned to Alabama for the funeral of a family member. When she stepped off the platform in Calhoun, a predominantly white area, the bystanders gawked at her outfit: a jacket, hat, gloves, and bag on her arm.

"They said, 'Who is this important person getting off the train?' She felt so proud," Judge said, having heard her aunt tell the story over and over. "But of course, who was there to pick her up but someone with a wagon and a mule?"

In 1965, Jones joined the family at Mushatt Farms in Alabama, where they raised cattle and horses, and stayed 10 years. She loved the countryside and would have gladly lived out her 50-plus-year retirement there. But as more relatives migrated north, her growing dependency on them forced her to follow.

Susannah Mushatt Jones 10

One in seven million

Jones represents a very rare slice of the demographic pie. Supercentenarians occur at a rate of about one in seven million people. In the US, roughly a dozen of every 4,500 centenarians, or people who reach the age of 100, will live past their 110th birthday.

A surprising majority, like Jones, are in great shape. According to the Boston School of Medicine – New England Centenarian Study, a leading center for longevity research, 69% of supercentenarians show no signs of age-related diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and stroke, at age 100 or later. Another study found 41% of supercentenarians require minimal or no assistance in activities of daily life, such as feeding, bathing, and getting in and out of bed.

Jones' daily regimen is simple. Every morning with a glass of water and cranberry juice, she takes a multivitamin and a blood pressure medication. She sees the doctor just four times a year for "maintenance," Judge explained. Along with chewing gum and her breakfasts, Judge said Jones' diet largely consists of fruits. She never complains of pain. To the bewilderment of her physicians and family members, Jones even appears to be "reverse aging." Over the last four years, her hair changed from gray to brown and softened. When she was 96, she grew a tooth — not a wisdom tooth, not an impacted tooth, but a new tooth — in her lower jaw. She's a medical marvel.

For decades, researchers have engaged in a modern-day space race to identify the common thread among supercentenarians that allows them to live so healthily, so long. Jones checks off a few boxes.

Susannah Mushatt Jones 2

The genetic jackpot for long-lasting life

Jones is a woman, and that counts for something. Approximately 90% of supercentenarians are female. The New England Centenarian Study suggests that women may biologically fare better than men when age-related diseases manifest, meaning they hold on longer despite illness.

In her heyday, she never abused alcohol or drugs. Even coffee was too strong for her tastes.

Most importantly, Jones has good genes. Her niece Judge told us that, according to the US Census, Jones' grandmother lived to be 117.

The research is inconclusive, but it suggests that supercentenarians have ingrained protective mechanisms — basically a complicated web of genes — that help them avoid age-related diseases and delay cognitive and functional decline. George Church of Harvard Medical School explained it best in an interview with io9's George Dvorsky:

"To appreciate why it's so extremely rare to live to 107 and beyond you need to think about it this way. It may take several genes to help protect a person from various forms of cancer. You can have all of those genes, but still die early of cardiovascular disease. If you have genes that protect you from the many forms of CVD, you may nevertheless still die early from cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and so on. So a person likely needs numerous protective genes in every major category of disease risk, in order to sidestep these typical longevity landmines."

As researchers scramble to pinpoint the winning DNA combination, Jones sticks with her routine.

Susannah Mushatt Jones 30

Finding strength in family

According to Judge, Jones partially attributed her longevity to family. She never had children or a husband of her own, but she still had a large family around her to provide comfort, contact, and a support system.

For the last 30 years, Jones has lived in her apartment in the Vandalia Houses. Her nieces and nephews visit every Sunday, and she will call out any one of them who misses a week. Though she can't see them, she recognizes their voices and the ways they interact with her; one likes to tap her on the head, for instance. Judge knows it's possible one of them will live to be 115 years old, although she hopes it's not her.

"I don't think I would have the support that she has," Judge said. "She's had good people with her."

Still, the apartment doesn't feel like home to Jones. "She wants to go back to Alabama, that's her main thing [these days]," Judge said, quoting her aunt's refrain, "'I want to go home, I want to go home.'"

They try to remind her that the family no longer lives at the farm, with seven Mushatts residing nearby. Brooklyn is her home now. Jones will often reply, "'No, this is not what you call home."

Then she goes back to sleep, where her family likes to think she returns to Alabama. 

SEE ALSO: Here's the real reason humans age

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Pro gamer earning six figures quit playing sports because it wasn't 'on an even playing field'

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dominate rebirth team liquidWith its 12-hour practice days and unusual living situations, pro gaming requires a certain personality. Christian "IWDominate" Rivera, a 24-year-old player on Team Liquid's pro League of Legends team, is a prime example.

“Winning is above being happy in my mind,” Rivera told Business Insider in a recent interview.

Rivera has been obsessed with video games since he was a young child, starting with Super Nintendo games like Donkey Kong and Super Mario and progressing to real-time-strategy games like Warcraft III. Rivera says that, as a kid, he viewed video games as a means to “progress,” not as an outlet for "screwing around."

Rivera’s competitive spirit wasn’t limited to video games. Through most of his youth, he was heavily involved in traditional sports such as tennis and baseball. He was dedicated and skilled at both, competing in the United States Tennis Association and the Richard Dowling league in tennis and playing in regional Florida leagues for baseball.

Despite his skill and competitive nature, Rivera had a moment early on that convinced him to put all of his effort into video games over traditional sports.

Dominate (3 of 3) team liquid

Here's what Rivera said:

In sports, I was always good, but good for my region or my team. When I brought my skills to the national level, there were kids that were better. They were just more athletic.

I remember playing football in fifth grade and seeing kids that were built like men. They were six feet tall. I was 5’5” and scrawny. I realized that sports weren't on an even playing field. Video games were …

Sports were a risk. I didn’t know how tall I would be. I didn’t know how athletic I would be. I didn’t know what my build would be. With video games, it’s all mental. If you are good enough and you practice hard enough, you can get to the top.”

Pro gaming didn't catch on until Rivera was 19. He was ready when it did. He dropped out of the University of Miami his senior year and has been playing in the League of Legends pro league ever since. Now, he plays for Team Liquid, a pro team in the League of Legends Championship series, earning between $80,000 and $100,000 in salary, endorsements, and income from streaming on Twitch.

It looks like he made the right decision.

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American Eagle is making a huge change to win back teens

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Don't Ask WhyAmerican Eagle is trying win back teens with a one-size-fits-all clothing brand.

The brand, called Don't Ask Why, offers crop tops, loose dresses, high-waisted bottoms, and slouchy sweaters in muted, solid colors. 

The one-size-fits-all strategy comes directly from one of the company's newest competitors, Brandy Melville. And the styles offered by both brands are nearly identical, reports Racked.

"Brandy’s definitely someone who broke into the American market with this kind of look," American Eagle global brand president Chad Kessler told Racked. "We’re looking around at everybody. You could say it has a Brandy vibe to it, but a lot of these styles are available at many retailers, not just one. Brands and trends come and go, and we are really trying to make this a reflection of how girls are dressing now."

The company opened a Don't Ask Why pop-up shop in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood recently. The shop is just down the street from Brandy Melville's Soho store. 

Here's a look inside the Don't Ask Why store:

 on

 

Now here's a Brandy Melville store:

 on

Racked notes that some of the styles are nearly identical, like the shirts below. Brandy Melville sells the shirt on the left for $18. Don't Ask Why sells the shirt on the right for $29.95.

Brandy Melville/Don't Ask WhyBrandy Melville, which originated in Italy, didn't exist in the US until five years ago. Now it's ranked No. 1 among brands that teen girls in the US say they are starting to wear, according to a Piper Jaffray's survey on teen spending.

Meanwhile, American Eagle has been struggling. 

Net revenue declined 1% in fiscal 2014 and comparable sales decreased 5%. The company has been closing stores and last fall, it relaunched the Don't Ask Why brand with the hopes of winning back teens.

The strategy appears to be working. 

American Eagle reported Wednesday that it's revenue increased 8% and comparable sales grew 7% for the first quarter of its fiscal year, compared to the same period last year.

"Recognizing the consumer desire for a less branded, cleaner product the company now has a much more balanced range that is able to compete more effectively with players like Forever 21 and Zara," Carter Harrison, a retail analyst at Conlumino, wrote in a research note Wednesday. "To be fair, this is not yet perfected and is something of an ongoing work – but there is no denying that AEO has taken a major step in the right direction."

Brandy Melville's recent rise has been helped by its popular Instagram account, which has more than two million followers and mainly features the same group of ultra-skinny, long-haired white girls posing in the brand's clothes.

Some of the girls appear to be professional models. Others are part of Brandy Melville's teen focus group, many of whom have become famous on the internet as a result of their exposure to the brand's followers, reports Racked.

"Product research is made up of all teenage girls," Kjerstin Skorge, a 16-year-old from Malibu, told Racked's Julia Rubin. The team consists of about 20 girls who are paid to research and select new styles.

"It's fun because we just come up with cool things that we like and then put them on a T-shirt," she told Rubin. "For the Instagram, the marketing team will send us out with clothes and have us take pictures with a photographer and then they'll decide what to post."

Kjerstin now has more than 45,000 Instagram followers, up from 3,000 before she started working for Brandy Melville. Girls sometimes come into the Santa Monica store and ask to take pictures with her, she said.

American Eagle has also been actively increasing its marketing efforts on social media, Harrison said.

"As part of its efforts in showcasing its fashion credentials, AEO has also been active on the marketing front, making effective use of social media campaigns to reach and communicate with core customers," Harrison said.

 on

 

Like Brandy Melville, American Eagle could face some backlash for its one-size-fits-all strategy.

"The last thing women need is another company creating low self-esteem and body image issues," blogger Laura Zaneuth writes. "I will not support a Brandy Melville or any company that discriminates the majority of women."

In an op-ed for the University of Southern California campus newspaper, student Rini Sampath wrote: "One size does not fit most. According to the Los Angeles Times, the average American woman is a size 14. The crop-tops and miniskirts that litter the shelves of Brandy Melville would barely cover the average American."

SEE ALSO: Here's How Teens Really Spend Money, What They Like, And Where They Shop

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How far in advance you should book your flight

11 crazy facts about Paul Allen's $200 million superyacht

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paul allen octopus

With an estimated net worth of $17.5 billion, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen can afford some expensive toys.

His 414-foot yacht, "Octopus," has to be one of the best billionaire toys around. 

Fully equipped with a pool, two helicopters, a movie theater, basketball court, recording studio, and accommodations for 26 guests in 41 suites, Octopus makes for an extremely luxurious escape. 

We've rounded up some of the yacht's craziest features here.

1. It cost Allen about $200 million to build.

octopus yachtOctopus is said to have cost Allen up to $200 million. Custom-built by German shipbuilders Lurssen over several years, it was officially launched in 2003.

2. It costs an estimated $384,000 a week to operate.

Yacht owners are expected to pay approximately 10% of the original purchase price each year to cover basic maintenance and operations.

By that logic, Allen pays about $384,000 a week to keep Octopus in tiptop shape. That adds up to approximately $20 million a year, according to New York Social Diary.

3. It weighs more than 9,000 tons. 

Measuring a whopping 414 feet, Octopus is one of the biggest private yachts in the world. According to Boat International, it was the largest when it launched in 2003, though yachts belonging to David Geffen and Roman Abramovich have since surpassed it.

4. He employs a permanent staff of 60.

octopus yachtKeeping such a massive operation running requires a lot of helping hands: captains, first mate, engineers, deckhands, in addition to chefs and stewardesses.

The yacht has 28 cabins just for the crew, the Superyacht Times reports. 

5. The tender — a boat used to shuttle guests between the yacht and the shore — is 63 feet long.

octopus yacht man of war tenderIn keeping with the sea creature theme, Octopus' tender is called "Man-of-War." At 63 feet long, it's a decently sized boat itself.

6. It has two submarines.

Allen has said that Octopus is "less a Bentley than a Range Rover" because of the state-of-the art exploration equipment onboard.

According to Vulcan, one of the submarines, called Pagoo, can dive for up to eight hours and accommodate 10 people. It's stored in an interior dock on the bottom of the yacht.

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A second submarine, called the Octo ROV, can be remotely controlled and dive up to 8,843 feet. The ROV has been loaned out for Google Earth's "Explore the Ocean" project and for a documentary on the Discovery Science Channel. 

7. A crew discovered a Japanese battleship with one of them.

In March, Allen announced that a crew onboard Octopus had located a WWII-era battleship at the bottom of the ocean in the Philippines.

It wasn't the first time Octopus has been used for purposes beyond entertainment for Allen and his inner circle. In 2012, Allen loaned the yacht to the Royal Navy in an effort to find a bell from a British WWII-era battleship. The search was eventually called off due to bad weather.

Octopus is also a member of the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue, which means that it can be used to assist other boats in distress. 

8. It also has two helicopter landing pads.

octopus yacht

There's one in the front and one in the back.

9. Mick Jagger has used the recording studio onboard.

A longtime fan of rock and roll — he built an entire museum dedicated to Jimi Hendrix memorabilia — Allen reportedly lent Octopus' recording studio to Mick Jagger when he was recording an album with SuperHeavy in 2011. 

Usher, Dave Stewart, U2, and Johnny Cash have all reportedly performed onboard Octopus.

10. It has a glass-bottom pool. 

octopus yacht

Other amenities include a basketball court, move theater, and a swimming pool with its own bar area. 

11. Parties Allen has hosted on the boat have drawn loads of A-list guests.

Octopus was built for a good time. 

Each year at the Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France, Allen throws an extravagant party attended by actors, filmmakers, and supermodels.

Actors John C. Reilly, Jessica Lowndes, and Kelly Rutherford, as well as models Karlie Kloss and Melissa Bolona were all in attendance at this year's party.

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Sharon Stone, Adrian Grenier, Russian actress Svetlana Metkina, and model Natasha Poly came last year.

Allen usually treats his guests to a live performance.

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SEE ALSO: Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen threw a Bollywood-themed yacht party attended by celebrities and supermodels

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NOW WATCH: Here's what Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen actually found at the bottom of the ocean in the Philippines








We finally know how George Clooney proposed to Amal Alamuddin

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george and amal

Eight months after their Venice nuptials, George Clooney has spilled the beans on how he popped the question to Amal Alamuddin

This Tuesday, during an appearance on "CBS This Morning," Clooney spoke with Charlie Rose about his new bride while touring the observatory at One World Trade Center

"I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Amal," he started. "But I have to say, when I asked her, we'd never talked about it ... There wasn't like, 'Maybe we should get married?' I literally dropped it on her."

When it came time to get on one knee, the longtime bachelor kept things simple and classic, proposing at home to a very personal soundtrack. "I queued up a playlist of some of my aunt Rosemary's songs and I asked her," he said softly. 

Apparently the proposal was so unexpected that Amal just kept saying, "Oh my God," and "Wow," rather than giving an answer.

Said Clooney, "Finally I just said, listen, I'm [52] and I've been on my knee now for about 28 minutes so I've got to get an answer out of this ... I may not be able to stand back up."

Romance and a laugh. We'd expect nothing less. 

SEE ALSO: George Clooney Sold His Wedding Photo Rights To The Highest Bidder

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14 gorgeous photos of beaches in Croatia

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Brela BeachBecause of its location near the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is home to a variety of stunning beaches with clear blue waters. 

Whether it's Dubrovnik's well-known central beach or Vis Island's secluded Stiniva Beach that's hidden between two rocky cliffs, each beach has its own unique beauty.

You'll want to book a trip to Croatia after seeing these gorgeous photos.

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Moscenicka Draga, a small coastal town outside of Opatija, is known for its beautiful pebble beach set at the foot of Ucka Mountain. The beach offers magnificent views and shady pine trees.



Brela Beach in Split is a Mediterranean oasis with 6km of white sands dotted with fig trees and olive groves. For this reason, it's a favorite with couples. It was ranked Europe's best beach by Forbes.

 

 

 



Dubrovnik's central beach is one of the most popular, thanks to a close-up view of the old town and city walls, nearby bars, and pedal boats you can rent to tour the city from the seaside.

 



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Meet the rich and powerful people who live on '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.

And there may be no more exclusive place to own an East End home than Southampton's Meadow Lane, which Forbes once dubbed "billionaire lane."

Not only do Meadow Lane residents have access to a long stretch of private beach, but the median sale price of a home there was just under $18 million in 2012, according to PropertyShark, making it one of the most expensive streets in the US.

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

Julie Zeveloff contributed to this story.

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

Source: Forbes

 



They also live within easy access of the Southampton Heliport, useful to anyone who travels from Manhattan to the Hamptons by helicopter.

Source: Forbes



In mid-2014, the Hamptons home where Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson holed up in "Something's Gotta Give" sold for $41 million to hotel mogul Jimmy Tisch of Loews Corp. The 8,000-square-foot mansion has 11 bedrooms.

Source: New York Daily News



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Science says these 9 tactics will help you win any argument

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obama romney debate

Arguments aren't logical. To win them, you have to understand people.

We've scoured the research and compiled the following science-backed tactics that will help you win any argument.

Be civil.

Contrary to what your debate coach said, arguments aren't rational.

So respect the other person's perspective, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

"When people have their self-worth validated in some way, they tend to be more receptive to information that challenges their beliefs," political psychologist Peter Ditto from the University of California at Irvine tells New York Magazine.

With that emotional connection established, you can then start getting logical.



Don't try to 'win' the argument.

Attacking someone's ideas puts them into fight-or-flight mode. Once they're on edge, there will be no getting through to them.

So if you want to be convincing, practice "extreme agreement": Take your conversational partner's views and advance them to their logical — and perhaps absurd — conclusion



Don't ask why. Ask how.

In a 2013 studyUniversity of Colorado psychologist Philip M. Fernbach separated people with extreme political views into two groups — people who had to explain why their opinions were right, and those who were tasked with explaining how their ideals could be turned into actual policy. 

The result?

Folks who gave their reasons for being right were just as confident in their convictions after the experiment as they were beforehand. But the people who had to explain the mechanics of implementation had softer views.  



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Why it's better to be a tourist than a traveler

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Female TouristNowadays, there seems to be a raging debate about the differentiation between “tourists” and “travelers.”

Tourists are believed to be culturally insensitive, unwilling to step out of their comfort zones, and always traveling in packs. Travelers, on the other hand, are lauded for their adventurous and independent spirit, their insatiable curiosity, and their ability to immerse themselves culturally.

In fact, the term "tourist" has become an insult, a way of singling out people who are simply believed to be traveling wrong.

But being a tourist isn’t all bad. Here’s what they do right:

1. Tourists know how to maximize their time off

Instead of wasting precious time and money in an internet café trying to book a last-minute room or wandering around for hours trying to find a “local gem” rather than eating in a guidebook-recommended restaurant, tourists spend their time more efficiently and deliberately, allowing for more time spent doing what they actually want to do, whether it's soaking up the sites or the sun.

2. Tourists can be lazy sans guilt

woman sitting on beach in turks and caicos, caribbeanBeing a traveler can come with a lot of pressure — pressure to find the road less traveled, pressure to soak up boatloads of culture, pressure to see everything while at the same time avoiding other travelers (because being around fellow travelers ultimately makes you a tourist.) Tourists, on the other hand, can laze at the beach, piña colada in hand, without feeling guilty for not doing something slightly more significant.

3. Tourists can easily unwind

It takes a lot of work to effectively embody the traveler stereotype while making it look effortless: travelers work hard to see, do, and experience everything — and do it all without the help of a map or guidebook. Travelers can become so caught up with turning every minute into a culturally significant moment, and making each trip a journey that they forget they’re on vacation, thus eschewing some much-needed rest and relaxation.

4. Tourists can do what they actually want to do

From getting cornrows in Jamaica to riding elephants in Thailand to taking those dreaded “holding up the Tower of Pisa” pictures, tourists are hard to embarrass (just check out their fanny packs!). But that’s a good thing. Their lack of concern about doing things that are deemed touristy or shameful frees them up to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and thereby fully take control of their time off.

5. Tourists can explore the beaten path

tourists at the great pyramids in cairo egyptThe beaten path may be beaten for a reason. Because it’s good. Because it’s interesting. What, are you going to visit Cairo without seeing the pyramids because it’s touristy?

6. Tourists can get the best photos

It must be crippling to always be concerned with what others think. Often, travelers don’t keep their cameras handy for fear of “looking like a tourist.” Too bad, because they just missed a shot of that massive wave crashing into Bali’s Tanah Lot temple while digging around their backpacks for their camera phone.

7. Tourists can play off faux pas

Slurping noodles in Osaka, JapanTourists can always clutch their guidebook and say they didn't know any better when they gave a thumbs up in Iran, didn't slurp their noodles in Japan, or refused a drink in Ukraine. A self-pronounced traveler, however, probably should have known better.

8. Tourists can share their experiences with others

Meeting locals is obviously great, but that shouldn’t mean avoiding your own country folk like the plague. Unlike the traveler who resents all other travelers, tourists don’t expect to have holy sites and world wonders to themselves. It's easier to make new acquaintances and share your experiences when you're not trying to avoid other people who are traveling too.

9. Tourists can fend off muggerswith their massive guidebooks

You might laugh at the guidebook wielding tourists, but they just might have the last laugh when it doubles as a weapon. 

SEE ALSO: How to dress like a local in 25 cities around the world

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10 useful gifts for new college graduates

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OptiGrill

College graduation is an exciting event, but it also marks a nerve-wracking step into the real world.

Help ease the transition with graduation gifts that are both thoughtful and practical. We've rounded up 10 gifts any recent college graduate will appreciate, from furniture for their new pad to a nice dinner out.

Bring a piece of their college town to their new apartment.

Memorialize their college town on a fun throw pillow. It's both a tasteful decoration for a new studio and a nostalgic reminder of their college days.

Price: $35



Treat them to a dinner for two at a local restaurant.

Treat the grad (and a friend) to dinner at a local favorite in their new city. Not only will it give them a chance to explore, but a nice meal out is always a welcome change for anyone on a strict budget.

Need restaurant ideas? Start with our list of the best restaurants in America.



Let them travel in style.

Post-graduation is a prime time to travel, whether it's an around-the-world trip or a quick jaunt home. Make sure your grad is prepared with a suitcase sturdy enough to keep up with them wherever they go, like this hard-shelled one from Longchamp.

Price: $610



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Here's the slight wardrobe update every gentleman needs this summer

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brandon wilson

Being a man is easy; being a gentleman takes a bit of skill.

Sometimes that skill is knowing what little touches will signal to the world that you're on top of the times.

Seasonally, that means a slight wardrobe update. 

So here's what you need to know for this summer, according to Judah Estreicher of Baltimore's JBD Clothiers. JBD makes custom suits and dresses for clients like Flip Saunders, the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Frank P. Bramble Sr., a board member at Bank of America Corporation.

"This summer, the newest, 'IT' accessory is the silk knit tie. A must have item to update any wardrobe," said Estreicher. "They are great year round, but add a touch of fun and exceptional detail when paired with light-weight materials such as linens and cottons."

Linens and cottons mean everything you wear over the summer, in case you were wondering. Adding a knit tie to fabrics like those, says Estreicher, makes your outfit just a little more complex — which is what you want.

"Paired with chinos and a blazer, the knit tie adds a touch of sophistication and makes the perfect statement piece without being overbearing and flashy. It can be worn with anything and transform your look due to its texture and feel," he said.  

If you want to pick up a tie quickly and easily, The Tie Bar has them for $25.

If you want to go a little crazier, check out what they have at Mr. Porter. Those can run you around $145 though.

The tie pictured is pretty pricey too. It's Ralph Lauren Purple Label, and it will cost you $135.

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2 strangers met at Columbia University and realized they were sisters

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Lizzie Valverde and Katy Olson

In a plot twist shocking enough to be a work of creative fiction, two adopted women found out they were actually sisters while at Columbia University, The New York Times reported last week.

The irony? The two women were both enrolled in the same creative writing course and realized their connection during class.

Lizzie Valverde and Katy Olson were both enrolled in Columbia's School of General Studies, and during their very first literary-reporting class the professor asked each student to go around the table to introduce themselves. While Valverde started providing the class with her introduction, she shared personal details about her life, like she was adopted and had a daughter, among other things.

Valverde's details triggered a reaction in her still unrealized sister, and Olson was visibly shaken.

"It looked like she was having a panic attack,” Valverde said, according to the Times.

Olson grabbed Valverde after class and told her that she thought they may actually be sisters. They immediately started sharing details about their lives and comparing stories. Eventually, they realized they were indeed sisters, both given up for adoption in Tampa, Florida.

Valverde has actually met their biological mother before after she discovered her maiden name under a whited-out section of an adoption certificate. But she didn't know she had a biological sister. 

Their mother, Leslie Parker, had the two sisters when she was a teenager and gave them up so they would have the opportunity for a better life, the Times wrote.

And in the ultimate happy ending, Parker and flew up for a first-time meeting with Olson for her graduation from Columbia. "I'm so proud of them," Parker told ABC news. "They're both amazing, beautiful women."

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