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The way nicotine interacts with our brains to get us hooked is terrifying

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Nicotine is the natural, highly-addictive substance in tobacco, and it takes as little as seven seconds to reach the brain after you inhale a drag from a cigarette or other device, according to the World Health Organization.

Once it reaches our brains, nicotine can dramatically raise the activity level of feel-good chemical signalers deep in our brain's reward system.

This key effect is actually what all abused drugs, including nicotine, appear to have on our brains.

As a result, using nicotine or other addictive drugs doesn't just make us feel euphoric — it also makes us want to use again.

The producers at the infographics site Column Five recently made this graphic to show how quickly and easily our bodies can become primed to use nicotine.

 

good magazine infographic why is it so hard to quit smoking 2

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8 bizarre German words with no English equivalent

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zie Germans

The Germans are famous for using long words used to describe hyper-specific, complex sentiments. For instance, the 26-letter word vergangenheitsbewaeltigung describes the inability to cope with the past. And, of course, schadenfreude reflects the happiness you derive from somebody else's pain. 

In honor of Oktoberfest, which wraps up this weekend in Münich, we have entmystifiziert, or “demystified," our favorite German expressions that have no clear English meaning.

Here are "acht" (eight) of our favorite German words:

1. Sauregurkenzeit

A typical German vacation, which can last anywhere from three to six weeks in July through August, is referred to as the Sauregurkenzeit. This literally translates to "pickle time," possibly because cucumbers come into season in the summer. This is the "off-season" where nothing happens because everyone is away. Washington, D.C. experiences a Sauregurkenzeit during Congress' five-week summer recess.

2. Torschlusspanik 

Imagine that all your friends are getting married, moving to the suburbs, and having children while your love life consists of matches on Tinder. That brutal feeling of  "anyone will do at this point cause I'm not getting any younger" is torschlusspanik.

3. Frühjahrsmüdigkeit

This 18-letter word is used to describe a general sense of weariness in the springtime, specifically between mid-March through mid-April. In German, the word Frühjahr means "springtime," and Müdigkeit means "tiredness." Conjoined, Frühjahrsmüdigkeit is "springtime lethargy."

4. Erbsenzähler

Anyone who's obsessed with details and a bit of a control freak would be referred to as an Erbsenzähler. The word Erbsen means "peas" and Zähler means "tally." Therefore, an Erbsenzähler literally describes a person who counts their peas.

5. Honigkuchenpferd

By dissecting this word, you have "horse-shaped honey cake." Literally, it means having a giant dorky grin on your face. If your mom embarrasses you in front of your friends, you're probably going to have a honigkuchenpferd-looking smile. German dictionaries translate this word as the action of "grinning like a Cheshire cat" given the wide-sweeping smile from the Cheshire cat in "Alice and Wonderland." 

6. Backpfeifengesicht 

This word essentially means "a face that is begging to be punched." The word Backpfeife means either "punch or slap" and Gesicht means "face." The German punk bank, Die Ärzte, named one of its songs Backpfeifengesicht since the lyrics mention a person who's apparently wearing a stupid look that frustrates the singer.

7. Geborgenheit

The feeling you get when sitting near a warm fire, while wrapped in a blanket, when it's cold and rainy outside is geborgenheit. The word describes a sense of security, coziness, and comfort.

8. Pantoffelheld

A man who may act tough in front of his friends but can't stand up for himself against his wife is what Germans call a Pantoffelheld or a "slipper hero." The first part of the word, Pantoffel means "slipper" and the latter, Held means "hero." The closest English reference would be someone who is "whipped" by an overbearing partner.

SEE ALSO: 9 Incredibly Useful Russian Words With No English Equivalent

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The world's largest digital camera is about to be built on top of a mountain in Chile — here's what it will look like

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LSST - World's Largest Camera

There is currently a gigantic camera being built in the mountains of Chile, in the foothills of the Andes, that will be like nothing we've ever seen before. While the new iPhone 6S camera may have just upgraded from eight megapixels to 12, this will have a whopping 3,200 megapixels — making it a 3.2 billion pixel camera.

Named the LSST, or the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, it is set to be the largest camera in the world. Scheduled to be finished in 2019, it will combine a telescope, mirror, camera, data system, and survey technology. 

This thing is going to huge. It's just one addition to a class of giant land-based telescopes coming online in the next decade. It will have a lower enclosure 100 feet in diameter, a service and operations building of 32,000 square feet attached to it, as well as another section for the calibration telescope. 

What it will do

LSST - World's Largest Camera

The LSST will record the entirety of the visible nighttime sky twice a week, taking over 800 panaromic images during each of those nights. This will result in 30 terabytes of data each evening.

From these captures, it will produce an animated 3D map of the universe. With a large depth of details, these maps will allow us to analyze the solar system in a new way, including studying mysterious dark matter and learn more about our own Milky Way galaxy.

How it will work

The LSST will focus on capturing images of space at night. It's able to cover 10 square degrees of sky (which, for reference, is equal to 40 times the size of the moon). This ability comes from its large mirror and field of view, which work hand-in-hand to capture billions of objects that are too faint to be seen with the naked eye.

The powerful data system will be able to keep track of the brightness and positions of space objects, like galaxy clusters and asteroids, as well as comparing the images being taken in the present with those of the past. This even includes detecting and keeping track of asteroids that might be threatening to Earth. 

LSST - World's Largest Camera

Access to the findings

Luckily, these maps won't be an exclusive experience to scientists. The public will be able to view the moving 3D map via the internet each night as it captures the sky.

These new, highly detailed images will allow us to see billions of objects in space that we can't with our own eyes.

Education is important to the team behind the LSST. The group is also planning to develop research projects which students can do in school, in their home, or out at museums.

LSST - World's Largest Camera

Why Chile?

Telescopes are almost never located in highly populated areas because of the threat of light pollution. Cloud cover can also be a problem, so they are also usually put at higher altitudes and in drier climates. 

Cerro Pachón, the mountain in Chile where the LSST will be located, was chosen as the best option by an appointed committee. 

Construction started in 2014, and it's scheduled to be completed by 2019. 

SEE ALSO: This camera takes photos that you can view in 3D

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A photographer traveled to remote parts of Vietnam and took these incredible pictures

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Minority PHU LA

French photographer Réhahn Croquevielle fell in love with the people of Vietnam during a mission trip there in 2007.

Four years later, he moved from France to the town of Hoi An.

Although Hoi An is Réhahn's base, he spends much of his time motorbiking across remote parts of the country and taking photos of landscapes and locals.

Réhahn strives to capture his subjects in their most "natural and random moments," so that viewers can imagine the story behind that person.

Keep scrolling to see the incredible photos from his most recent trip through northern Vietnam.

For more photos, check out his Facebook page.

SEE ALSO: A photographer traveled to Iceland and took these incredible photos of his trip

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Réhahn spent a total of 11 days in Vietnam traveling by motorbike to various small towns that are home to some of Vietnam's minorities. Here's a map of the places he visited.



These two sisters are part of the H'mong minority, one of the largest minority groups in the country.



The Hmong generally live in the north of country at high altitudes. Different kinds of H'mong people dress differently — Black H'mongs wear traditional indigo blue clothing, and Flower H'mongs wear more colorful dress.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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New York's 2016 Michelin rankings are out — here are all the restaurants that made the cut

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the modern

The 2016 "Michelin Guide to New York" was announced earlier than originally planned Wednesday night, thanks to social media.

According to the website Eater, Michelin called certain chefs to let them know that they had earned or maintained their star(s), and the chefs then shared the news on social media.

As for the big winners, the six three-star restaurants from last year maintained their status. Since 2011, when Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare and Eleven Madison Park were inducted into three-star fame, the Michelin Guide hasn't added any new restaurants to its top echelon. But it has demoted one restaurant, Daniel, to two stars.

In all, 10 new restaurants were added to the one-star list this year, and Danny Meyer's The Modern was elevated from one star to two. The longtime favorites 15 East, Gotham Bar and Grill, Lincoln, and Seäsonal were among the restaurants to lose their star and fall off the list.

The biggest snubs were Annisa (upgraded to three stars by The New York Times in 2014), Cosme (from the chef behind the No. 16 restaurant in the world), and Sushi Nakazawa (one of only six New York City restaurants to earn four New York Times stars).

Here's the Michelin Guide's complete 2016 list:

Three Stars: "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey"

Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
Eleven Madison Park
Jean-Georges
Le Bernardin
Masa
Per Se

Two Stars: "Excellent cuisine, worth a detour"

Aquavit
Atera
Blanca
Daniel
Ichimura
Jungsik
Marea
The Modern (previously one star)
Momofuku Ko
Soto

One Star: "A very good restaurant in its category"

Ai Fiori
Aldea
Andanada
Aureole
Babbo
Bâtard
Betony
Blue Hill
Bouley
The Breslin
Brushstroke
Café Boulud
Café China
Cagen (new)
Carbone
Casa Enríque
Casa Mono
Caviar Russe
Delaware and Hudson
Del Posto
Dovetail
The Finch (new)
Gabriel Kreuther (new)
Gotham Bar and Grill
Gramercy Tavern
Hirohisa (new)
Jewel Bako
Juni
Junoon
Kajitsu
Kyo Ya
La Vara
Luksus at Tørst
Meadowsweet
Minetta Tavern
The Musket Room
M. Wells Steakhouse
NoMad
Peter Luger
Picholine​
Piora
Pok Pok NY 
Public
Rebelle (new)
The River Café
Rosanjin 
Semilla (new)
Somtum Der (new)
Spotted Pig
Sushi Azabu 
Sushi of Gari
Sushi Yasuda (new)
Take Root
Telepan 
Tempura Matsui (new)
Tori Shin 
Tulsi 
Uncle Boons (new)
Wallsé 
ZZ’s Clam Bar 

SEE ALSO: The 25 best restaurants on the planet

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Here's how US classrooms compare to schools in 30 countries around the world

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classroom

With the right teacher, any classroom – be it a boat in Brazil or a park in Pakistan – can change a child's life.

World Teachers' Day, a UNESCO initiative highlighting the work of educators teaching children amid intimidation and poverty, is coming up on October 5. 

Thanks to international efforts, the number of children not attending primary school has plummeted to an estimated 57 million worldwide in 2015 from 100 million 15 years ago, according to the UN. 

Reuters asked photographers to document teachers, their students, and classrooms across the world to celebrate the power of learning. We've compiled the best photos here.

SEE ALSO: 17 images that show the real price of gold

Children between six and seven years old pose in their classroom at Gifted Hands Educational Centre in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. In 2003, free education was reintroduced in Kenya — school fees had been the norm since the 1980s.



High school students in uniform attend a maritime vocational program at the Artes y Oficios Melchor Lasso de la Vega school in Panama City, Panama.



Reginald Sikhwari poses for a picture with his class of 11th-grade students at Sekano-Ntoane school in Soweto, South Africa. In 1976, students in Soweto took part in a famous uprising against the country's former apartheid policies.



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Take a tour of the ultra-modern estate of 'Simpsons' co-creator Sam Simon, which you can buy for $18 million

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simpson's house interior

A sprawling Los Angeles estate that formerly belonged to Sam Simon, the late co-creator of "The Simpsons," has hit the market for $18 million.  

With a property that totals about 1.5 acres, the residence actually includes two homes: a chic modern residence and a second, more historic home designed by architect Richard Neutra in 1948. The house was part of Arts & Architecture magazine's postwar Case Study House Program, which commissioned architects to build affordable and modern homes.

Simon died in March 2015, after a battle with colon cancer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the property is being sold by Simon's estate, and the proceeds will be donated to charity.

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Both the home designed by Neutra (right) and the contemporary main house (left) sit in stunningly green surroundings in Pacific Palisades, California.

 

 

 



Neutra's 2,000-square-foot 1948 home was one of 34 designed as part of the Case Study House Program. Today, only 21 of the original homes remain standing.



At the time, Neutra built the residence for Stuart and Lucia Bailey, creating a clean and crisp living room that includes floor-to-ceiling glass.



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21 incredible restaurants everyone should eat at in France

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Alain Ducasse au Plaza AthénéeIn France, wine is acceptable pretty much any time of day, everything is made with butter, and food is an important part of the culture. 

So it's only natural that the country has long been a gastronomic powerhouse. France is home to five restaurants topping the World's 50 Best Restaurants list and a whopping 609 Michelin-starred restaurants.

We decided to see what other culinary delights France has to offer by putting together our own catalog of the country's crème de la crème.

Here are 21 restaurants everyone should eat at in France.

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Mirazur features Mediterranean-inspired food with an Argentine twist, thanks to its Argentine-born chef, Mauro Colagreco. Located in Menton, on the French Riviera, the restaurant boasts views as revelatory as its dishes, and was awarded two Michelin stars as well as the No. 11 spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Learn more about Mirazur »



Chef Alain Passard was ahead of his time when he opened a biodynamic farm outside of Paris to supply his restaurant years ago (veggies are picked fresh daily, transported to the city by high speed train), shocking diners when he wrote off red meat and seafood in favor of vegetables in 2001. Today, Paris' L'Arpège is rated number 12 in the world by World's 50 Best Restaurants, with simple dishes like an egg becoming world famous, and emulated globally.

Learn more about L'Arpège »



La Bouitte, meaning "little house" in the local dialect, was once just that, in the middle of a potato field in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, purchased by a French couple in 1976. Over the years, remaining in the family, it has turned into a luxury chalet, surrounded by the Saint-Marcel ski slopes and boasting a restaurant with three Michelin stars, helmed by a father and son duo. The food, like the chalet, manages to be both modern and rustic — think haute comfort food — and is inspired by the surrounding mountains and lakes, with ingredients like lake trout and chanterelles from the forest.

Learn more about La Bouitte »



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We can finally peek inside the home of the world's second-richest man

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Carlos Slim Townhouse 80 million

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's 20,000-square-foot mansion became one of the most expensive public listings in New York City when it hit the market this spring. 

At that time, the landmarked, Beaux-Arts masterpiece was listed with facade photos only. Now, interior photos of the home owned by the world's second-richest man have finally surfaced. 

Listing agency Sotheby's International Real Estate has recently uploaded pictures of the house, giving us a better look at what a 25-room, $80 million townhouse looks like. 

The house was originally built in 1901 and is officially named the Benjamin N. and Sarah Duke House.

Keep scrolling for a tour of the townhouse that's neighbors with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

SEE ALSO: The 10 most expensive homes you can buy in New York City right now

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Slim's Fifth Avenue palace holds court on the Upper East's Side's "Gold Coast."



It sits at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, directly across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.



The corner location ensures that plenty of sun hits its historic, limestone and brick facade.



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These three travelers visited 22 states in 24 hours — here's the route they took

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Gunnar Garfors Virginia

Gunnar Garfors had already traveled to all 198 countries in the world when he decided to tackle another travel feat: traveling to more than 19 countries in 24 hours.

Last year, Garfors and his two travel companions, Øystein Djupvik and Tay-young Pak, managed to break a record and make it to 19 countries in one day.

This year, they set out to break another record and make it to 22 US states in 24 hours. And they succeeded.

Garfors said the three friends made the trip for two main reasons: the adrenaline rush that comes with trying to beat a record, and as a kind of promotional tour for the book he just released. 

They traveled mostly by car — and admittedly broke some speed limits — but also took a few flights.

There were some states where the group spent more time than others due to a flight delay or lots of driving, and then there were states where they only hopped out to take a photo or grab food.

Here's a map of the route the group took. According to Garfors, a fair amount of planning went into the route.

Gunnar Garfors 22 States in 24 Hours Map

And here's the complete list of states they visited in order:

1. Maine

2. New Hampshire

3. Massachusetts

4. Connecticut

5. Rhode Island

6. Vermont

7. New York

8. Pennsylvania

9. New Jersey

10. Delaware

11. Maryland

12. Virginia

13. West Virginia

14. North Carolina

15. South Carolina

16. Alabama

17. Mississippi

18. Tennessee

19. Arkansas

20. Missouri

21. Kentucky

22. Illinois

SEE ALSO: This guy traveled to every country in the world before turning 40 — here are the countries he thinks everyone should visit

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The stylish actors of the James Bond films, ranked

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james bond thumbnail

All the actors who've played James Bond left a stylish footprint on the franchise.

Dressed in the prevailing fashions of their day, they set the benchmark for sharp style in their respective decades.

It's nearly impossible to judge which Bond has the most sartorial swagger.

But we did it anyway.

We decided to rank the most stylish Bonds in a modern context, to see which 007 stands up to fashion's tricky test of time.

Automatically, this 21st-century approach is supremely unfair to George Lazenby's ruffled dress shirt. But here we go ...

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6. Roger Moore

By putting Roger Moore in sixth place, we're by no means saying his Bond had no style. Again, all Bonds are stylish — and products of their time.

Unfortunately, Moore's 1970s style is a bit grandfatherly. Wide, patterned ties and gray, patterned sport coats do not make a very debonair James Bond.



5. Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton's Bond wore all the right clothes, from tuxedos to high-collared suits. But he didn't wear them convincingly.

He looked out of place in every suited-up scene, as if he much preferred combat gear. Dalton treated formal threads like a uniform he couldn't wait to take off. 



4. Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan's Bond knew how to rock a suit. Unfortunately, they made him look more like an international mogul than a slightly unhinged British secret agent.

He was a bit more convincing in a tuxedo — but he still looked like an executive at a charity gala, rather than an undercover spy.



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The 21 most popular novels of the year so far

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reading in bed

It's starting to get chillier, and there's arguably nothing more cozy than curling up with a good book. 

The beauty of fiction writing is its ability to take the reader into captivating imagined worlds, from fantasy-like environments to tales set back in time. 

Every year, Amazon pulls together its most popular print books of the year​. Based on sales numbers and updated daily, the list is a good indication of what books people have been reading and talking about the most. 

The list of fiction includes everything from classics like F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" to Harper Lee's newly released novel "Go Set a Watchman."

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21. "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

"Orphan Train" is set in 1929, just months before the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression.

After a young Irish girl loses her family, she is put on a train to the Midwest with dozens of other orphans. This fictional book is based on the true story of the thousands of children that were shipped to the Midwest at the time, often by their own families.

Click here to buy »



20. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

In this novel, Holden Caulfield tells the story of a few days in his 16-year-old-life, soon after he is expelled from prep school. 

With a unique style that includes edgy slang, the book reads as if it is the unedited thoughts of the teenager.

Click here to buy »



19. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

A New York Times bestseller that is also a major motion picture, "The Book Thief" is set in 1939 Nazi Germany.

As foster child Liesel Meminger steals books to get by, she learns to read and shares them with her neighbors amidst all of the madness that is surrounding them. A remarkable story of how books feed the soul, it's a must-read for book lovers.

Click here to buy »



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There's a bizarre yet legal drug that locals go crazy for during Oktoberfest

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Bavarian man snorting wiesn koks fake cocaine

Oktoberfest may be famous for beer being guzzled by the liter, but increasingly locals can be seen snorting a white substance from tables all over tents: and it's entirely legal.

Wiesn koks (Oktoberfest cocaine), which is also known as Wiesn Pulver (powder) or Bavarian cocaine, has become locals' pick-me-up of choice.

Essentially like snuff, Wiesn koks is made of glucose and menthol, and is sold in little glass bottles or Bavarian themed containers for almost $6. You may have read about giant masses and Lederhosen in your guidebook, but you won't find Wiesn koks in there.

The powder is cut into lines on beer tables, or, since those are usually covered in sticky beer, tapped out onto the back of hands, to be snorted through nostrils.

Despite looking like the real deal, Wiesn koks is harmless. Sure, you get a small sugar rush when it hits, and the menthol has a cooling, sinus-clearing effect, but that's about it. Wiesn koks is entirely drug and tobacco free.

That said, it's all about moderation: snuff too much and you might get yourself a bloody nose.

Wiesn koks fake oktoberfest cocaine

And despite being harmless, tent owners and security personnel have been trying to crack down on the tradition for years. However, locals refuse to give up this bit of culture, because that's really what it is: a cultural, seasonal tradition that basks in revelry and camaraderie.

SEE ALSO: 21 tips that will help you experience Oktoberfest like a local

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This couple spent their honeymoon on a luxury safari in Tanzania — here's what it was like

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Morgan Safari 16

For their honeymoon last year, Morgan and David DesPrez chose to go on a luxury safari to Tanzania.

They wanted a trip that was active and exciting but also luxurious.

They spent six days in the Singita Grumeti Reserve in northern Tanzania and six days in Zanzibar.

Morgan said the best parts about the trip was the privacy the couple enjoyed and the service they received.

"We were waited on hand and foot," she said.

A luxury safari like this one is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most people — but it comes at a high price. The safari portion of their trip cost close to $25,000.

Keep scrolling to see what a luxury safari is like.

SEE ALSO: Here's why a trip to South Africa was the best vacation I've ever taken

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Morgan and David chose to spend two weeks in Tanzania in September for their honeymoon.



The couple are active travelers and were looking for a "once in a lifetime trip." They wanted something that was luxurious.



And since the trip to Tanzania requires about 24 hours of travel time — they made the trip from New York — Morgan and David wanted to be able to take enough time off to make it worthwhile. Their flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport, as well as the smaller flights they took within Tanzania, cost $6,400.



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10 things you can tell about a Wall Streeter by looking at them on the morning train

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Grand Central Station

The movie based on Michael Lewis' best-selling book "The Big Short" will be coming out in December.

The official trailer was recently released, and we can hardly wait to see some of Hollywood's biggest names playing the heroes of the financial crisis— Steve Carell as Steve Eisman, Christian Bale as Michael Burry, Ryan Gosling as Greg Lippmann, and Brad Pitt as Ben Hockett.

Like the book, the film chronicles the stories of this group of Wall Street outsiders who accurately predicted the housing crisis and made a fortune betting against subprime-mortgage bonds.

If you haven't read it yet, we recommend that you do. It's full of incredible details. One in particular that stands out is a passage on the observations of former FrontPoint head trader Danny Moses.

Moses, described as the small-picture guy on Steve Eisman's team, claimed he could tell a lot about a guy just by looking at him.

The best place to study Wall Street people was on the morning commute from Connecticut. Moses estimated that 95% of the people on his morning Metro North train worked on Wall Street.

Just by looking at them, he said, he could tell at a glance what their jobs were and where they worked.

[The following text is excerpted from The Big Short.]

If they were on their BlackBerrys, they were probably hedge fund guys, checking their profits and losses in the Asian markets. [Given the book was based on 2008, you can probably swap BlackBerrys then for iPhones today.]

This is an excerpt from Michael Lewis' The Big Short (pp. 235-237).



If they slept on the train they were probably sell-side people — brokers, who had no skin in the game.

This is an excerpt from Michael Lewis' The Big Short (pp. 235-237).



Anyone carrying a briefcase or a bag was probably not employed on the sell side, as the only reason you'd carry a bag was to haul around brokerage research, and the brokers didn't read their own reports — at least not in their spare time.

This is an excerpt from Michael Lewis' The Big Short (pp. 235-237).



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The incredible life of private equity titan Robert Smith, the 268th wealthiest American (GS, YHOO, MSFT, AAPL)

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Robert F Smith

Robert F. Smith, CEO and founder of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, just graced the cover of Forbes' richest Americans issue.

With a net worth of $2.5 billion, he's ranked No. 268 on Forbes' list of wealthiest Americans.

That puts Smith ahead of early Facebook investor Jim Breyer, who has a net worth of about $2.4 billion, and on par with private equity veteran and Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Josh Harris, who has earned $2.5 billion to date.

He also displaced Michael Jordan, becoming the second-richest African-American in the US — behind Oprah Winfrey.

It's the latest accomplishment in a stellar 12 months for the leader of one of Silicon Valley's budding software and technology investors. Last October, Smith and Vista closed a fund nearing $6 billion, the firm's biggest ever.

He also got hitched to Hope Dworaczyk, mother of his young son, in a wedding that can only be described as epic.

Check out scenes from the life of one of private equity's rising stars:

He faced an uphill battle in Silicon Valley from early on

Smith gave the commencement speech at American University's 2015 graduation, where he spoke about his earliest attempts to get work in Silicon Valley while he was still in high school. 

"I dug up the phone number for Bell Labs to ask about summer internships. They said I could apply if I were a junior or senior in college. I said that was fantastic, because, while I was only a junior in high school, I was getting A’s in computer science and my advanced math courses, so it was like I was in college. Much to my dismay, they disagreed."

But he was persistent and eventually got his way. 

"I called back every day for two weeks straight. The HR director stopped taking the calls after the second day but … I left a message with my phone number. Then I called every Monday for about five months, and every Monday the receptionist chuckled and took a message. I kept at it. To my great surprise, Bell Labs HR Director finally called me back — in June. An intern from MIT hadn’t shown up, and they needed someone fast."



Smith spent years working as an intern at Bell

Smith attended Cornell for undergrad but he never lost touch with Bell Labs. He continued to do work there as an intern during his summer and winter breaks before graduating Cornell with a chemical-engineering degree. 



After Cornell, Smith headed to Columbia University

Smith would go on to earn his MBA from Columbia University. Afterward, he headed straight to Wall Street, taking a job at Goldman Sachs. "When I finished business school and decided to join the tumultuous world of investment banking, my family and friends spoke up with concerns about my sanity," he said in his American University commencement speech. 

Smith would rise to cohead of enterprise systems and storage-investment banking, advising on $50 billion of deals from 1994 to 2000. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Most banana peels end up in the trash, but they can do a lot of good in your stomach. Not only do banana skins contain valuable nutrients, they can taste good as well.

Produced by Alex Kuzoian. Original reporting by Jessica Orwig.

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