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The incredible story of YouTube's early days and how it rose to become the world's most popular place to watch video (GOOG)

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psy gangnam style danceYouTube is the undisputed king of online video.

It has over a billion users, which is almost a third of the entire internet population. These users watch hundreds of millions of hours of content every single day. 

But many people don't know how YouTube got its start. 

The company rose like a rocket ship after its founding in 2005, and was bought by Google scarcely a year later. 

Under Google, YouTube went from being a repository of amateur video to a powerhouse of original content, not to mention a launching pad for its own new brand of superstar, like PewDiePie

Here is how YouTube got its explosive start, and maintained that momentum to become the biggest force in online video. 

SEE ALSO: Here's how Uber got its start and grew to become the most valuable startup in the world

February 2005: Chad Hurley registers the trademark, logo, and domain of YouTube on Valentine's Day. Former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim had come up with the idea after two significant events in 2004 — Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl, and the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Source.



April 2005: The first video posted to the site, "Me at the Zoo," is only 19 seconds long. The video is exactly how it sounds: founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego zoo standing in front of the elephants and talking about their trunks.



May 2005: YouTube launches its first public beta site. As you can see, the design has changed quite a bit since then.



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8 things you should ask for on your next flight

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They say there's no such thing as a stupid question, and this rings especially true on flights, which feature a variety of free items passengers can snag, as long as they know to ask.

Reddit thread recently asked flight attendants about secret perks passengers should be taking advantage of on flights. We consulted that thread and did some of our own research to create the following list. 

From free alcoholic drinks to ibuprofen, here are 8 things you should ask for on your next flight.  

1. The whole can of soda 

soda cansFlight attendants are stingy with soda, generally only doling out half of a can, which, combined with the quantity of ice they dispense, simply isn't enough to quench our thirst. So next time, order a whole can. Flight attendants are happy to oblige, or, if they've run out of cans, happy to return to refill your cup.  

2. Basic medication and bandages

advilWhile it depends on the airline's regulations, most flights are equipped with basic medications like painkillers and antacids, as well as band-aids. These are free if you ask. 

3. Hot chocolate 

hot chocolateAs an alternative to coffee or tea, most airlines also offer hot chocolate. Etihad Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Southwest Airlines are just some of the airlines that offer hot chocolate in Economy. Qantas even has hot chocolate made with Cadbury chocolates to satisfy your sweet tooth.

4. Free alcohol 

drinks on a flightSince airlines are basically charging passengers for everything these days, most assume this applies to alcoholic beverages as well. However, many airlines do still offer free booze.

Alaska Airlines for example serves free beers on some of its routes; US Airways gives out free wine with dinner on international flights; Delta offers complimentary wine, beer, and spirits on international flights; and Lufthansa has a whole menu of complimentary alcoholic beverages on all of its flights. Typically, this tends to be the case with long-haul and international flights.

5. Grooming kits

Amenity Kit QatarOn longer flights, some airlines tend to stock items like earplugs, pens, combs, and playing cards that they're happy to give away. Emirates even has free grooming kits that include shaving items, toothbrushes, socks, and playing cards. 

6. Extra snacks

snacks on a flightThe complimentary snacks offered on flights are tiny and often leave you hungry. Simply ask for seconds — if there are leftovers after all customers have been served, flight attendants will happily give you an extra snack.  

7. A tour of the cockpit

airplane cockpit

Security measures regulating tours of the cockpit have become stricter, but many airlines will still do it. The best time to ask is usually after a flight has landed, since that's when pilots aren't in a rush.  

8. Sanitizing wipes

sanitizing wipesAirplanes are dirty and carry a lot of germs, which is why you want to wipe down surfaces like the tray table in order to avoid getting a cold. If you forget to pack your own sanitizing wipes, ask a flight attendant since they usually have them on hand. 

SEE ALSO: 27 travel hacks that even frequent fliers don't know

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NOW WATCH: Stunning time-lapse shows daily airplane traffic at Tokyo's Haneda Airport










The new 'Yelp for people' app is a psychologist's nightmare

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You've probably heard about Peeple, the new app that lets you rate anyone including your friends, neighbors, and ex-romantic partners the same way you rate businesses on Yelp.

When the app launches in November, you will be able to leave reviews and rate people on a five-star scale. All you need is their phone number, The Washington Post reports.

A beta version of the app already exists:

Post by Peeple .

Julia Cordray and Nicole McCullough, the app's cofounders, thought it would be useful to research people before you began a relationship with them the same way you would research a car or anything else before you committed to buying it. McCullough, a mother of two, said she created the app because she wanted a way to decide whether she could trust her neighbors.

But several psychologists we talked to think it's a terrible idea. Here's why:

1. It totally removes the human element

Psychologist Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in Newport Beach, California, says the idea of using online ratings to learn about another person's character is ridiculous.

If you want to know your neighbors, she told Business Insider, "talk to them so you actually know what they're like."

Instead of a nuanced face-to-face interaction, people will be able to give blanket judgments on Peeple, she said. As a society, we're already struggling to figure out how to navigate human relationships in an online world, and reducing someone to a single number or a basic review is "a gross simplification of human experience," Rutledge added.

2. It takes things out of context

Then there's the fact that these ratings could be based on a single interaction, like a bad date. You wouldn't believe some random person on the street who shouted that your partner was a terrible lover, for example. So why would you believe an app user?

As Rutledge put it, "A recommendation is only as good as the recommender."

But not everyone we spoke with took a uniformly negative view of the app. "If I'm entering college and want some idea of other people who have chosen my major, that information could give me some kind of an icebreaker, and make me feel like I know a little bit about somebody," psychologist Marcia Scherer, president of the Institute for Matching Person and Technology (an organization that helps people with disabilities, students, and employees find the right technologies), told Business Insider.

3. It may be easy to scam people

The founders of the app are taking some measures to protect against potential scams, but as with any online interaction, there's always the potential for someone to take advantage. To review someone, for example, you have to be at least 21 years old and have an existing Facebook account, and you must use your real name (though how that will be enforced is unclear).

As far as we can tell, the system doesn't prevent someone from setting up a fake persona. "I think [the app's founders are] underestimating what will happen in a site like that," psychologist Patricia Wallace, author of "The Psychology of the Internet," told Business Insider.

computer hacker

4. As with any review, it's subject to bias

As websites like Yelp have made clear, the kinds of people who leave reviews are usually the ones who had an extremely negative or extremely positive experience, something known as extreme response bias.

As the theory holds, people who use the app will tend to either love you or hate you, which is why they would bother taking the time to rate you.

But there's another weird potential problem as well: Users might see negative reviews for only certain people. According to The Washington Post, positive Peeple reviews will be posted right away, whereas negative ones must go to a private inbox for 48 hours so users can respond to them. And if you aren't registered with the app, your profile will show only positive reviews (because you can't contest negative ones unless you have an account).

5. It could be pretty bad for users' self-esteem

Getting a negative review could have a pretty terrible effect on those who use the service. This would "create a new layer of anxiety based on nothing," Rutledge said.

Whether people will take this app seriously remains to be seen. But in the end, Scherer said, "the free market is going to decide if people want to use it or not."

UP NEXT: This app lets you publicly criticise your friends — and it's as bad as it sounds

SEE ALSO: Tinder isn’t the only reason the dating scene is terrible for women right now

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NOW WATCH: This is why we are compelled to lie










The 34 best hotels in Asia

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best hotels in Asia 4x3

We recently published a list of the best hotels in the world, and many of those happen to be in Asia.

So we decided to focus on the best hotels in Asia.

To create this list, we aggregated five notable hotel rankings made by elite travel publications and websites:Travel + Leisure's World's Best Hotels,Conde Nast Traveler's Top 100 Hotels and Resorts, TripAdvisor's Top 25 Hotels in the World,Fodor's 100 Hotel Awards, and Jetsetter's Best of the Best Awards.

Read the full methodology here.

From the thatched-roof villas of Bali's Amandari resort to the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai, Thailand, here are the 34 best hotels in Asia.  

SEE ALSO: The 30 best hotels in the world

SEE ALSO: The 50 best hotels in America

34. Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa, Da Nang, Vietnam

Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa sits on a stunning beachfront location near Marble Mountain. Guests can choose between rooms, private villas, or residences on the secluded location and go for a relaxing massage at the VIE Spa, where they’ll see breathtaking views of the area’s mountains and the ocean.

Rooms start at around $260 per night.



33. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo sits high above the city to offer bird’s eye views of the breathtaking skyline. Besides being at a walking distance from Tokyo’s main shopping and entertainment destinations, the resort is equipped with 157 rooms and 21 suites that offer panoramic views, and dining options that include three different Michelin-starred restaurants.

Rooms start at around $750 per night.



32. Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, Singapore

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore can be found on the tranquil and tree-lined Orchard Boulevard. The hotel offers a relaxing getaway while still being steps away from the shopping, entertainment, and business district of Orchard Road and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Guests can also enjoy its four tennis courts, its two outdoor swimming pools, its luxury spa, and its fine dining options.

Rooms start at around $307 per night.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Rich New Yorkers are opening their gorgeous homes to stressed-out professionals searching for peace

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the path

The working world can be stressful. 

Dina Kaplan, who cofounded online video startup Blip.tv in 2005, knows that better than almost anyone. 

"All I did was think about work. I was super-confident, functional ... but then I started having panic attacks," Kaplan told Business Insider. "For two years, I was afraid to walk down the street. All of the success and accolades just weren't worth the fear." 

Kaplan attributed her growing stress to a number of factors. New York City's work culture can be intense, and long hours are often heralded as a sign of success. Plus, as a woman, she didn't have a good role model in the tech world.

"There are not a lot of women founders to look up to. In my head, I would say, 'What would Peter Thiel do?'" Kaplain said. "But that's not me. I knew I needed to get out of that world." 

Kaplan decided to leave her job at Blip, which was sold to Maker and then Disney before shutting down in August of this year. She booked a one-way trip to Bali and spent more than two years traveling the world.

After traveling to Myanmar and Bhutan, she arrived in India. In the airport, she started chatting with a guy in front of her in the customs line. He somehow talked her into going on a 10-day silent retreat.

"On day eight, a lightbulb went off. I started to understand what my triggers were," she said. "You can choose your reactions throughout the day and exercise mental agility." 

She arrived back to New York in October 2014 and, soon after, started The Path, a startup that brings weekly meditation classes to beautiful spaces across the city. 

"It was important to me that it was a modern form of meditation, where people could feel comfortable and learn what works for them," Kaplan said. "It's just like going to the gym for your mind."

dina kaplan the path

The Path's instructors teach four different styles of meditation: energizing, mindfulness, mantra, and compassion. Each technique offers different benefits, and each class has a different structure.  

"We really try to say, 'Here are the tools. You decide what works for you,'" Kaplan said.

At a recent Path class, I met a banker who took up meditating as a way to ease his stress surrounding market volatility. 

Nearby, a pair of Classpass employees told me they had tried to meditate on their own, but were happy to have a group to guide them through it. 

"I had been wanting to do it on my own," one told me. "But I find it hard to focus for a long time when I'm by myself."

Much of the Path community comes from the startup world, Kaplan said. Investors, bankers, artists, and filmmakers are other frequent guests. 

"A lot of the people who come are doing important and/or creative things," Kaplan told us.  

The session I attended was a small one, held at a gorgeous two-bedroom apartment at Jean Nouvel-designed 40 Mercer, in SoHo. I walked into the building — a swanky spot where Marc Jacobs and Daniel Radcliffe own condos — and was greeted by an attendant who, in a quiet, calm voice, sent me on the elevator to an upper floor. 

As I entered, some guests relaxed on comfy couches, sipping on coconut water. Others enjoyed the city views, which were made even more awesome with wide-open windows. 

the path

The home belongs to a member of The Path community who preferred to remain anonymous. He told me he had heard about The Path from a friend who works at dating app Hinge.

He liked the community enough to offer up his home for an evening. 

"Meditation was something I wanted to do anyway, so it was good to join together with like-minded people," he told me.

Once everyone had filed in to the apartment — it was a particularly small session, about 15 people — our instructor had us sit comfortably on pillows situated on the floor. As the sun set, we closed our eyes and were told to start monitoring our breaths.  

I was worried that closing my eyes for 45 minutes at the end of a long work day would put me straight to sleep. But I actually felt energized by the process – counting six seconds to breathe in, six seconds to breathe out, I started to feel more relaxed than sleepy. The 45-minute sit felt more like 10.

the path

After the class was over, the instructor and host invited us to stick around and meet the other members of the community. Everyone was speaking in quiet voices, and most people left after about 15 minutes or so. 

Some of my classmates say that's the point of The Path – there's no pressure to socialize or make your meditation experience anything more than what you want. 

"It can be social, but it doesn't really have to be," one told me. "It's what you make of it." 

The Path also hosts monthly socials — in September, for example, the community planned a meet-up at famed NYU economist Nouriel Roubini's apartment. 

Classes are held in the evening on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and each sit costs $20. The location is constantly changing, depending on who in the community wants to offer up their home for the evening. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Yoga for men — or Broga — is so popular even women are doing it










Beard Beer — containing actual beard yeast — is the beer to drink this Movember

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beard beer

Though it may seem like it, Rogue brewery's Beard Beer is no joke.

"Beard Beer is brewed with a yeast created from brewmaster John Maier’s beard," reads the explanation on Rogue's website. 

After searching for a yeast to complement the local Oregon ingredients in a new beer, Maier — whose "old-growth" beard has been flourishing since 1978 — eventually turned to his own beard yeast. 

As for the taste of Beard Bear, reviewers on Beer Advocate say the golden ale has notes of bread, citrus, and banana, with a slight sourness and a dry finish. 

Let's just hope Maier washed his beard before he took the specimen.

SEE ALSO: 15 things the modern gentleman should buy for fall

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Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Is draft beer better than bottled beer?










I took the challenge where I could only spend $125 on food last month — and it was easy

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SNAPtember 1

I first heard about the SNAP challenge when Gwyneth Paltrow failed it in April 2015.

The challenge invites anyone to attempt to live on a budget from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for a set period of time – generally a week, or a month. Income inequality and food insecurity are two incredibly hot topics in the United States, and they are often mentioned together.

I decided to give the challenge a try for the whole month of September (SNAPtember) to see how hard it actually is.

The guidelines

The guidelines of the challenge are simple:

  1. You’re allowed $4.40 per day for food and drink ($132 per month). I chose to stick to the national SNAP benefits average in 2014, which was $125 per month.
  2. All food purchased and eaten in the time period must be counted in total spending.
  3. You’re not allowed to eat food purchased prior to the challenge.
  4. Avoid accepting free food because these opportunities are not available to everyone.
  5. Eat as healthy as possible.

It was hard to explain some aspects of the challenge to friends and family, particularly guideline 2.

All food means ALL OF IT: alcohol is food, coffee is food, eating out is food, candy is food; and it all must be accounted for during the challenge.

Guidelines 3 and 4 I had issues with myself. Guideline 3 seemed wasteful and unnecessary — I can't imagine anybody would cheat by doing something like pre-purchasing food for the entire month and then say they ate nothing — and I ended up wasting 3 eggs and half a pound of spinach. (A much better way to word the guideline would be “be sure to account for the value of all food eaten regardless of when it was purchased.”)

Guideline 4 also seemed unrealistic for someone living on a restricted budget.

In San Francisco, there's a staggering amount of opportunities to get free food. In fact, just the other day I passed some company giving out free breakfast bars to anyone on the sidewalk when I walked to work.

There is even a website devoted to chronicling all of the free things available in San Francisco: sf.funcheap.com– and many of the events will involve free food that anybody can take advantage of. Not to mention co-workers, friends, and family who are willing to help out a little. When you’re on a restricted budget, every little bit helps.

What I bought

Regardless of my disagreements with the guidelines, I followed them, except I allowed myself sugar packets for my morning oatmeal.

Here are all of my receipts for the month:

SNAPtember 2

SNAPtember 3

SNAPtember 4

If you go back and check out all of my receipts you’ll find they only add up to $114.52.

But the two words “I can’t” became a very common phrase in my vocabulary.

Despite the strict guidelines, I still participated in a few events. I had a friend get a new job, and went out to celebrate with him. I also attended a video gaming event in the city and had a lot of fun – I just brought my lunch instead of buying it there or taking advantage of the free food trucks outside the venue. I turned down a couple of happy hours, and quite a few work lunches. On a SNAP budget, going out to eat is completely out of the question.

McDonalds

Fast food actually isn't cheap.

Another frequent conversation I had revolved around people’s perception of cheap food.

A lot of the food we’re told to believe is cheap isn’t at all. Almost all fast food is incredibly expensive (and terrible for you), even the dollar menu items. The calorie per dollar value just isn’t there.

For instance, each box of pasta I bought at Safeway was $1 – they have eight servings, and 200 calories per serving. That gives me 1,600 calories for $1. On the McDonalds dollar menu, a double cheeseburger only has 440 calories — about 1/4 the calories as my box of pasta AND it cost 19 cents more. It might seem like 19 cents isn’t a big deal, but on a restricted budget every penny makes a difference.

It’s not difficult to figure out that fast food doesn’t give you the same value as food from the grocery store. But once you get to the grocery store, spotting value becomes a little more difficult. I even fell into the trap when I bought canned beans for $1 each instead of a 2lb bag of dried beans that would have lasted the month. I would have saved myself $3, but I chose to go the easy route instead to illustrate that there is a bit of flexibility when eating on a budget.

The point is that it’s important to stay mindful of the choices you’re making as you shop for food.

What I cooked

Actual cheap food includes things like pasta, canned vegetables, dry oats, and rice.

For breakfast I ate quick oats with cinnamon and sugar. (Funnily enough, Whole Foods had the cheapest deal on them.) Not including the Reese’s Puffs that I splurged on during the last week, my breakfasts for the month cost me $3.72 total – and I still have some left over.

I found chicken to be the cheapest protein, but at $6/lb for organic chicken, it was still fairly expensive. I also mixed in some smoked sausage links and splurged on chicken meatballs in the last week when I had a lot of money left over.

Eggs are another very inexpensive protein, but I don’t like them. I bought a carton of 6 for the last week to make carbonara. I choked down the last two in an omelet for breakfast on my final day.

All of these inexpensive foods can be combined very easily to make some delicious and healthy dishes. Here are a couple of meals I made:

SNAPtember 5

 

SNAPtember 6

I also made some spicy chicken in my crock pot and served it over rice.

There’s a huge misconception that cooking a delicious and healthy meal takes a very long time. These dishes took maybe a half hour to prepare and lasted about half my week. I’m not exactly Gordon Ramsay. Anything I cooked took the absolute minimum amount of effort and time. And the compliments on my lunches were endless.

Not once during the month did I find myself even the slightest bit hungry.

It's not about money — it's about mindset.

I believe food insecurity is due to a combination of issues, but after living a month on such a strict budget I don’t believe money is one of them.

The average SNAP benefit for California is $141.99, and for the City of San Francisco it can be as high as $194. I completed the month on far less, and it was easy — you just need to have the right mindset and resources. Completing the challenge for one month satisfied me that SNAP provides more than enough for a month’s worth of food, and that food insecurity is more of an education issue than a money issue.

I think lack of education about good choices and how to prepare healthy meals is a big part of it. People constantly told me, “oh you must have eaten McDonalds and tons of processed foods.” They were often shocked when I told them that these foods are way too expensive to include when cooking on a budget.

Here are a few resources that helped me through this challenge quite a lot.

  • Leanne Brown has a free cookbook on how to live on a SNAP equivalent budget. The book is loaded with cost saving tips and tricks, as well as quite a few extremely healthy, fast, tasty, and cheap recipes.
  • Budget Bytes is a blog run by a woman named Beth. I made her Slow Cooker Taco Chicken bowls for lunch almost every day. Some days I skipped the cheese though, because cheese is expensive.
  • SNAP benefits used at farmer’s markets count DOUBLE – meaning you can get twice as much food for the same price! The USDA keeps a list of all farmer’s markets. Just type in your zip code and it will show you the nearest ones. They’re often inexpensive, and you can get great produce and directly support farmers at the same time.

Would I do it again?

That’s the real important question I faced at the end of the challenge.

I’m confident I could do it again. During this challenge I only made one trip to the farmer’s market, bought some very expensive ingredients, and made very minimal use of coupons.

But I wouldn’t be interested on living for another month on $125 without a very good reason.

My reluctance is primarily due to the arbitrary rules of the challenge – not being able to use leftover food, and not being able to accept free food.

I still have salt, olive oil, oatmeal, cinnamon, chili powder, and rice left – as well as a few bucks. That may not seem like a lot, but it represents an extra $17 that I could use for another month if it weren’t for those rules. I’ve already proven to myself that it’s possible; even in one of the most expensive cities in the country where groceries are 23% higher than the national average.

Finally, while I don’t need them, I enjoy expensive foods like hamburgers, steaks, and sushi.

SNAPtember 7

SEE ALSO: I spent only $4 a day on food for a week — and it was grueling

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The way you pay with a credit card will start to change on October 1 — here's what you need to know










Why Tinder’s new ‘super like’ feature is a game changer — at least for me

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Tinder super likeOn Thursday, the mega-popular dating app Tinder released a new feature called “super like,” which lets you indicate to someone that you really, really like them.

That means there are now three options on Tinder: “Yes,” “No,” and “Yes, please message me!!!”

The catch is that you can only “super like” one person per day — unless you have a premium account. Tinder no doubt sees it as a chance to drive users into the premium area, but I personally found the once daily restriction to be the main draw of "super likes."

Yesterday, I opened Tinder to try out the new function, and it completely changed the way I interacted with the app.

But first I should explain what type of Tinder user I am. I use Tinder mostly as a fun game to kill time while I’m waiting for something.

When I match with someone, it’s cool for about five seconds before I forget about it. I rarely ever message someone, and mostly just let my matches pile up and up. I’ve only actually met a couple of people in person.

It's lame, I know, but I’m not alone. This is how many people have begun to use Tinder — as just a marginally fun cellphone game to pass the time. In this jaded use case, swiping is the end in itself.

But yesterday, when I was trying to find someone who I could “super like,” Tinder felt different. I looked at people's profiles much more closely, and I felt like I was actively thinking instead of swiping in a yawning stupor. And when I did finally “super like” someone, I felt embarrassingly nervous about whether she would like me back. In some way I felt like I was putting myself out there in a way I wasn't used to on Tinder.

When she liked me back I was thrilled. I felt like I actually wanted to message someone for the first time in a long time on Tinder.

Tinder claims that, based on tests, if you “super like” someone you’re three times as likely to get a match. But not just that, conversations that start in this manner are 70% longer than average.

Maybe it’s silly, but “super likes” have changed — at least temporarily — how I use Tinder. Now we'll just see whether I eventually manage to become jaded and bored all over again.

SEE ALSO: Bumble, the dating app that only lets women make the first move, is rewarding some of its members with a special VIP status

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NOW WATCH: This video of a slab of meat swiping right on Tinder is weirdly perfect











Watch a video of Pope Francis hugging a same-sex couple

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pope hug

Pope Francis held a private meeting with an openly gay couple during his visit to the US last week and embraced both men.

The meeting was first reported on Friday by CNN's Daniel Burke, who said one of the men, Yayo Grassi, took a high-school class taught by Pope Francis in Argentina from 1964 to 1965. Grassi told CNN he arranged the meeting personally with Pope Francis over email. At the meeting, which took place at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, DC, Grassi was accompanied by some friends and his partner of 19 years.

A video of the meeting was posted online by Marisa Marchitelli, who described herself on Facebook as "good friends with a life long friend of the Pope."

The video shows Pope Francis entering a room where Grassi and his friends had been waiting. Speaking mostly in Spanish, Francis greeted each of the people in the room and shared a blessing. He kissed and hugged both Grassi and his partner.

Grassi told CNN Pope Francis is aware that he is gay. He also said the pope has previously met him and his partner in Rome. Grassi said the pope emailed him in the weeks leading up to his US visit and said he would "love to give me a hug." Grassi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on Friday.

The news of Pope Francis' meeting with Grassi and his partner comes after it was revealed that the Catholic leader also met with Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who made headlines in recent weeks for refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Pope Francis' meeting with Davis led to speculation he endorsed her views, though a Vatican spokesman released a statement on Friday that said: "The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects."The Vatican's statement also said "the only real audience granted by the Pope at the nunciature (embassy) was with one of his former students and his family." That former student was Grassi.

Watch Marchitelli's video of the pope's meeting with Grassi below.

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A guy surprised his girlfriend by proposing to her with a homemade video game about their relationship

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A Cincinnati man took a marriage proposal to the height of nerdy sweetness when he built a computer game for the express purpose of proposing to his girlfriend, Lauren Woodrick.

Austin Piech says the pair had been dating for a few years when he "realized that if I was going to spend the rest of my life with someone, there wasn't anyone better than her," according to his post on Reddit.

Lauren knew he'd been coding a homemade game for a few weeks, and Austin asked her to be the first one to test it out. But the game was actually a virtual tour of levels inspired by significant moments in their lives, like their first date.

And the whole time, a ring was hidden behind the computer.

guy proposes to girlfriend with video game

As Lauren played the last level, her character passed by little mariachis playing the same song Austin's grandfather played for his grandmother when he proposed.

Lauren giggled at this and then the screen spelled out: "It's dangerous to go alone. Take this!"

video game proposal

At that moment Austin said, "Will you marry me?"

She said yes and started that wonderful laugh-cry familiar to anyone who has just been overcome with emotion.

You can see the entire video game journey leading up to the proposal in the screenshots below — annotated by Austin himself — or scroll to the bottom to watch the full video.

The first thing she saw: "The ominous flash file," Austin says.



Level 1: "Our first time really getting to know each other had been at Bockfest (a street festival celebrating high gravity beer and also goats) in Cincinnati, OH. We had been friends-of-friends before."



"Anyone who lives in Cincinnati can tell you that our streets are so terrible it's like living in an actual platformer."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Why you should always dress up on a plane

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Mad men, drinking on planeThese days, dressing up for a flight doesn't automatically mean you'll get an upgrade — too many loyalty programs, the frequency of overbooking — but that's no excuse for dressing like a college kid late for their Monday-morning class.

I get it, flights are long, seats are uncomfortable. You want to wear something flexible and not sit on jeans buttons for eight hours.

But there's a difference between looking sloppy and rocking leisurewear.

You can look put-together in less than 10 minutes if you just have your outfit planned and ready before an early-morning flight.

Here are four reasons why you should dress up on a flight:

You may get an upgrade

These days, most flights are overbooked, but in the rare instance that they aren't, being better dressed than all the other schlubs will give you an edge.

When AirFareWatchdog.com founder George Hobica asked a gate agent directly whether they'd be more likely to upgrade someone who was dressed well, the answer was, "Yes, the better dressed you are, the more likely you are to nab that seat. I am not going to put someone wearing flip-flops up front with our best customers."

You'll save space in your suitcase

If you're bringing sweats and schlubby clothes that you don't plan on wearing again on your trip, you're wasting precious suitcase space.

Wearing heavier items like boots and a sweater is not only a space saver, but practical: You can plan other outfits around those items, and thus have more ensembles while packing fewer clothes.

You'll feel better about yourself

Besides never knowing who you might meet on a plane, you'll feel better about yourself once you land — ever landed in Europe wearing Crocs? You're also taking a step toward making flying a special occasion again — and you can't tell me that travel isn't a cause for celebration.

You'll make work more pleasant for the flight attendant

Planes are their workplace. No one wants to wait on someone in basketball shorts and dirty flip-flops.

SEE ALSO: This stylish shirt doesn't wrinkle or smell and is perfect for traveling

FOLLOW US: BI Travel is on Twitter!

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Business Insider is hiring a graphic designer

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Office Worker 3x4 illustration

Business Insider is looking for a Graphic Designer to join the newsroom's graphics team.

Projects would include maps, charts, data visualizations, and infographics — like these.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate is super creative, a team player, and pays amazing attention to detail. Other desired skills include:

  • Expert knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
  • Mac proficiency
  • Experience with illustration, typography, GIFs, photo editing, layout design, and infographics
  • Specific experience with data visualization is a big plus
  • Social media savvy — you know what our audience wants to see and share and you have tons of ideas for every section of the site
  • 2+ years of professional design experience

To see the type of graphics work we do, check out our Twitter account and our Instagram.

The position is full-time in our New York City headquarters. Business Insider offers competitive compensation packages complete with benefits.

Apply herewith a résumé and cover letter if this sounds like your dream job, and specify why you're interested in working on our graphics team. 

Only applications with a web portfolio will be considered.

SEE ALSO:  Business Insider Just Moved To An Awesome New Office — Come On In And Meet The Team!

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How a chef cooks gourmet meals on a hot plate in his 100-square-foot apartment

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Grayson Altenberg 6103

You might be under the impression that you live in a small space.

This may be the case, however, I can guarantee that it is not as tiny as professional chef Grayson Altenberg's new apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

A recent New York transplant from the Midwest, the 22-year-old moved into a 100-square-foot studio this summer and hasn't regretted his decision. Yet. 

The media — The Village Voice, New York Post, and the Today show, for example — has gawked at his extremely compact lifestyle, but Altenberg says he's happy to occupy his 100-square-foot space.

A line cook at Lincoln Ristorante, we were intrigued that a restaurant professional could stand to live in a space that has no counter tops for slicing, dicing, and chopping — not to mention a stove.

Turns out, he's perfectly capable of making a delicious dish with just a hot plate, mini fridge, and portable tray. Take a look at his process, and a (very quick) tour of his place. 

SEE ALSO: This chef, who lives in a 100-square-foot apartment, is proof that kids will do anything to live in New York

This shows most of Altenberg's apartment — behind me, there's a closet-size toilet "room," and to the left is a shower. And yes, that is a cast iron skillet hanging right above his pillows. He sleeps on an air mattress.



Altenberg has to be smart about organizing his belongings. He's got these nifty shelves for his dry food and a shoe rack just the left.



He also keeps some cookbooks around — inspiration for an aspiring chef.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The way JFK's father built part of his fortune is illegal today

23 romantic photos of Michelle and Barack Obama on their 23rd anniversary

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obama wedding photoWho can resist romance between the commander-in-chief and the first lady?

Married on October 3, 1992, Barack and Michelle Obama have captured our hearts with their love for one another over almost seven years in the White House — and on the campaign trail even before that.

Obama mentions his wife in almost every speech he gives. He often seems unable to resist showering his wife with PDA, even when the cameras are rolling.

On their 23rd wedding anniversary, we've collected a few of our favorite photos of America's first couple's most romantic moments — from their first days in the White House to their everyday moments inside it.

Secret Service agents avert their eyes as the Obamas share a private moment on Inauguration Day 2009.



Dancing at the White House during the Governors Ball in February 2009.



In the White House's Red Room with adviser Valerie Jarrett in March 2009.



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Animated map shows the history of immigration to the US

This haunted house takes photos of people's reactions to getting scared — and it's hilarious

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nightmares fear factory 2015 13

Nightmares Fear Factory, in Niagara Falls, Canada, is situated in what seems to be the perfect location for a haunted house: a former coffin factory.

It's known not only for supposedly being one of the world's scariest haunted house experiences, but also for the scared reactions they capture on three cameras hidden inside. 

It's completely dark inside the haunted house, but the flash of the camera illuminates some pretty hilarious faces. 

Nightmares has been kind enough to share those images with the public. 

SEE ALSO: America's 12 scariest real-life haunted houses

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Lifestyle page on Facebook!

According to Nightmares, the legend behind the haunted house is a classic ghost story.



Abraham Mortimer owned the Cataract Coffin Factory and was routinely tormented by local kids who said he was "eccentric."



It was all in good fun until one fateful night, when during a struggle between Mortimer and more "hooligans," Mortimer was supposedly crushed to death by empty coffins.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 9 most popular burgers in America right now, according to Foursquare

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donut burger

These days, it isn't hard to find a good burger. 

You've got your bistro burgers, your fast-casual burgers, your white tablecloth burgers, and even some extremely solid veggie burgers. 

And then there are the buzz burgers, the creations that cause a social media frenzy.  

According to Foursquare — the app that lets you track where your friends are going and, more importantly, what they're eating — these nine burgers are trending off the charts. 

Keep scrolling to get up close and personal with each and every one. 

 

The Walking Ched Burger at Zombie Burger + Drink Lab (Des Moines, IA)

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Price: $8.79 (single), $10.79 (double), $12.79 (triple)

You might need a fork and knife for Chef George Formaro's insane Walking Ched. It's a cheeseberger topped with bacon, caramelized onions, and macaroni and cheese. And it's sandwiched between two fried macaroni and cheese pucks. If that's not your style, there are 26 other "stunt burgers" on the menu. 

300 E. Grand Ave., 515-244-9292; zombieburgerdm.com



The Dry-Aged Cheeseburger at The Nomad (New York, NY)

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Price: $18

Chef Daniel Humm uses a rich beef blend that's 25% marrow and suet (raw beef fat) for a thick-yet-juicy patty. He puts his burger on a brioche bun and tops it with aged cheddar, red onion, and special sauce. Humm is also the chef of Eleven Madison Park, the No. 1 restaurant in North America, according to the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.  

1170 Broadway, 212-796-1500; thenomadhotel.com



The Bison Burger at Roam Artisan Burgers (San Francisco, CA)

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Price: $12.98

Roam's menu offers seven different burger styles (plus a custom option) with your choice of a beef, turkey, bison, veggie, or elk patty — but bison is the most popular according to Foursquare. We recommend getting your bison burger French and Fries style, which includes truffle fries, Gruyere cheese, avocado, caramelized onions, watercress, and Dijon mustard. 

1785 Union St., 415-440-7626; roamburgers.com



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A photographer gets up close and personal with California's wildfires — and the photos are hauntingly beautiful

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California WildfiresCalifornia is in the midst of one of the worst droughts in recorded history. According to a study recently published in the journal Nature Climate Change, snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains is at its lowest point in 500 years.

With drought comes an increased risk for fire.

The recent Valley Fire is said to be the third worst in the state's history. It destroyed more than 74,500 acres of forest and 585 homes in Lake County, California. Three people died as a result, according to Reuters.

Photographer Stuart Palley was there for the end of it. 

"I've never seen destruction like that from a fire in my career, and I've shot about 60 wildfires," Palley, who has been documenting fires across California for the past three years, said to Business Insider.

Growing up in Newport Beach in Southern California, wildfires were always part of Palley's life.

"I remember playing football in high school during the fires and going to practice, 100 degrees out, and ash was just falling onto the field," Palley said.

Palley's series, entitled "Terra Flama," includes surreal wildfire photos that depict the beautiful chaos. 

SEE ALSO: 'Shade balls' are being used across California to combat the drought

In 1993, a major forest fire burned down 400 houses near Palley’s childhood home in Southern California. Although he was just a kid, Palley remembers the ominous fire and smoke coming over the hill. His family decided to evacuate the area and escape the smoke.



During his freshman year of high school, in 2003, he missed an entire week of class due to another round of wildfires in Southern California.



In 2007, during one weekend visit home from college, Palley photographed his first nearby fire. Still, it wasn't until five years later that he first took professional photos of a wildfire, during an internship at the Orange County Register.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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