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You might have more control over aging than you think — here are 5 things you can do to slow it down

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richard branson young and old

  • Chromosome ends called telomeres prompt the aging process in cells.
  • Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn says we have more control over our telomeres than we think.
  • In her recent TED talk, she details some of the key ways people can live more healthful lives into old age. 


Aging: it's largely your chromosomes' fault. That’s what biologist Elizabeth Blackburn discovered when she started exploring the world of the invisible, threadlike cellular strands that carry our genetic code. 

She revealed her decades-long process of discovery in a TED talk from April that was posted online this week.

In the talk, Blackburn detailed how the cells dividing and multiplying inside our bodies each carry chromosomes that are bookended by vitally-important caps called telomeres.

You can think of the DNA-strand tips “like the protective caps at the ends of your shoelace,” she said. And just like those shoelace ends, telomeres fray and wear over time. Eventually, telomeres get so short that they fall off. “It’s the overshortening of telomeres that leads us to feel and see signs of aging,” Blackburn said. "It sends a signal. Time to die." 

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Blackburn shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine with Carol Greider and Jack Szostak for discovering how telomeres, and an enzyme they named telomerase, can protect our chromosomes and make them last longer. Now thousands of studies based on that discovery are starting to shed light on simple ways we can control how short our telomeres get.

Here are a few key things people can do to keep their telomeres long. While these tips won't make you live forever, they  can help with human “health span” — the number of years a person lives happily, and disease-free. 

Manage Stress

The more chronically stressed we are, the shorter our telomeres become. Research conducted by Blackburn that focused on mothers caregiving for children with autism and other chronic conditions revealed that moms who were more resilient to stress — perceiving their situation as a challenge, rather than a stressor — kept their telomeres longer.

“Attitude matters,” Blackburn says.“If you typically see something stressful as a challenge to be tackled, then blood flows to your heart and to your brain, and you experience a brief but energizing spike of cortisol." 

Meditate

In case you haven’t heard enough about how great it can be to add meditation into your routine, here’s another way researchers have found it helps: Family members who meditated for as little as 12 minutes a day for two months while caring for a relative with dementia improved their telomere maintenance

Invest in your neighborhood

“Emotional neglect, exposure to violence, bullying and racism all impact your telomeres, and the effects are long-term,” Blackburn said. Meanwhile, tight-knit communities can be good for telomere health.

Get married and maintain lifelong friendships 

In a 2013 study of 298 adults ages 65-74, participants who were married were found to have longer telomeres. Long term friendships can also help telomere health, according to Blackburn. 

Make lots of money

Money can't buy love, but apparently, it might buy some longer chromosomes. The same study that pointed to the benefits of marriage also reported that high income is associated with longer telomeres. 

Watch Blackburn reveal her entire journey from pond scum explorer to Nobel Laureate here: 

 

SEE ALSO: I tested my dog's DNA and learned she's not even close to the breed I thought

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NOW WATCH: Scientists discovered people who are highly-intelligent have 52 genes in common


Dozens of claims of sexual assaults at Massage Envy spas reveal a crisis gripping the industry

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massage envy

  • More than 180 people have accused Massage Envy massage therapists of sexual assault, BuzzFeed reports. 
  • However, the problem extends beyond a single company, with several other massage therapy franchises facing similar allegations. 
  • Critics say under-trained employees and a lack of oversight could be contributing to the prevalence of sexual assault reports against massage therapists. 

 

Dozens of allegations of sexual assault by Massage Envy massage therapists could be just the tip of the iceberg of problems plaguing the massage therapy industry. 

On Monday, BuzzFeed News reported that more than 180 people had filed sexual assault lawsuits, police reports, and state board complaints against Massage Envy and its employees.

Reporter Katie J.M. Baker uncovered allegations of massage therapists touching women's genitals or breasts without consent, as well as other instances of sexual assault, such as grinding against or ejaculating on customers.

massage envy

Troublingly, BuzzFeed reported that Massage Envy employees often brushed off customers' reports of sexual assault. In fact, Baker reported that in more than one instance, Massage Envy continued to employ massage therapists who had been accused of sexual assault.

While the claims against Massage Envy are horrific, they could be part of an even bigger issue in the massage industry.

Investigation into any major massage chain in the US reveals a number of sexual assault claims. 

Customers at Massage Heights — a company with more than 100 spas nationwide — have filed at least 10 lawsuits and complaints after alleged sexual assaults. Massage LuXe, with more than 50 locations, also has a number of lawsuits filed against it. Hand and Stone, another massage chain with more than 100 locations, has similarly been accused in a number of cases. 

Some people argue that the franchises' business model could be contributing to the prevalence of assaults. 

massage masseuse spa

Massage Envy and other franchised massage chains have helped make massages increasingly accessible and inexpensive across the US. However, some say that massage therapy is an industry that requires a certain level of understanding and experience that some franchisees may lack. 

"You can't compare running a fast-food joint to laying your hands on someone’s body," Gina Liccardo, a New York City massage therapist, told BuzzFeed News. 

BuzzFeed News also reported that there are fewer qualified therapists graduating from massage school. As a result, some fear that franchises are hiring people who should not be allowed to massage customers.  

In 2015, a massage therapist started a Change.org petition to call attention to issues with massage franchises, specifically those that underpay employees. In light of BuzzFeed News' report, many massage therapists have taken to social media to speak out against brands that they believe have a negative impact on the profession. 

"As a high integrity male working as a professional therapist, I am glad the insane lack of oversight while hiring is being addressed," one man posted on Facebook. 

As an [licensed massage therapist] this is so upsetting," wrote another person. "People come to me for relaxation, healing, and safety. This tears that all apart and tarnishes a profession where a majority are health care workers." 

For Massage Envy's part, the company told Business Insider in a statement that it "will never stop looking for ways to help our franchisees provide a safe environment at Massage Envy franchise locations." 

"The article references 180 reported incidents," the statement continued. "These occurred over a span of 15 plus years and 125 million massages. But, we believe that even ONE incident is too many, so we are constantly listening, learning, and evaluating how we can continue to strengthen our policies with respect to handling of these issues."

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Thanks to Thanksgiving shoppers, Jeff Bezos is now the world's only living $100-billion man

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Jeff Bezos had a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend. After record-breaking weekend sales, Amazon's stock price hit an all-time high of $1,213.41 a share on Monday. That pushed Bezos' net worth to over $100 billion, which is up 35% from the same period last year, according to Bloomberg.

Thanks to that recent surge, Bezos has once again passed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as the richest person in the world, as we can see in this chart from Statista, which is based on data from the Bloomberg Billionaires index. That list is dominated by American tech titans, many of whom have committed to giving away a significant portion of their wealth to charity. Bezos stands out not only because he tops the list, but because he's made no such commitment.

COTD_11.28

SEE ALSO: Many Americans just can't put their phones down — even in bed

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What it means for couples to go 'unicorn hunting' — and why it usually doesn't end well

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unicorn phone

  • Polyamory is when couples allow each other to have multiple romantic partners outside their primary relationship.
  • There are several different approaches, such as triads which consist of three people.
  • Sometimes couples try out polyamory naively, especially when a straight couple wants to find another bi woman to join them.
  • This is called "unicorn hunting," and it's something of a cliché in the poly community.


To some people, the idea of polyamory — the term describing having more than one romantic partner — is exciting.

In polyamorous relationships, a couple decides they will give each other the freedom to meet, flirt, and hook up with other people. Sometimes they may invite another person into the relationship permanently, in what's known as a triad.

But it's not as simple as finding a third person you both fancy. In fact, according to Dr Elisabeth Sheff, expert witness, speaker, and coach of polyamory and author of "The Polyamorists Next Door," straight couples often come into the polyamorous community expecting to find a bi woman to join them. This, she said, is called "unicorn hunting."

Sheff's former husband introduced her to the idea of polyamory with exactly this intention. He wanted another woman to sleep with, but he didn't particularly want her to be able to meet other men. Apparently in the poly community, this is quite a cliché.

"She's known as 'the unicorn' because she's so rare, and almost mythical," Sheff told Business Insider. "He thought he was so edgy and out there, and we could have a wife the two of us together.

"As it turns out, it's every straight boy's fantasy. It doesn't fly well in the poly community. And when he didn't get what he wanted, he had a tantrum, and didn't want to do it anymore."

When couples can't find a unicorn, Sheff said it's common that the woman has actually started to quite enjoy the freedom of polyamory. She may have been reluctant to try it at first, but turns out to be the one who enjoys it more.

"The woman of the couple finds other people to socialise with, and the man realises he's not the centre of attention that he [thought he] would be, and thinks 'this isn't as much fun as I thought it would be,'" Sheff said. "These couples either blow up, [or] some of them return to monogamy... and she might have a little more clout than she used to. But if she really likes it, and he really can't stand it, they'll break up."

Remember — everyone has feelings

Alex* is in a polyamorous relationship with his wife. They were monogamous for a long time, but ended up making friends with many polyamorous people, and it turned into quite a normal thing in their social circle.

He told Business Insider he's not aware of a situation where a male-female couple actively seeking a bi woman has worked out well.

"I don't really feel like there is a consistent way of thinking about these things in the many varied ways people approach polyamory," he said. "But amongst my friends 'unicorn hunting' is usually considered with suspicion and scorn."

"The stereotype at least is that unicorn hunting couples are looking to treat a partner as an object in their relationship," he added. "They want someone — maybe anyone, reducible to their gender, sexuality, and availability — that fits into their lives and fits their relationship without thinking about the needs and human perspectives of the person they're looking for."

In other words, it can look a lot like people wanting to have their cake and eat it too, without actually taking into account anyone else's feelings. This is what Sheff felt when her ex-husband first came up with the idea.

"My instinct is to say that 'unicorn hunting' couples are likely not taking the considerate and compassionate approach which I associate with polyamory," Alex said. "But like I say, this is something of a stereotype, and folk are welcome to do whatever works for them, right?"

* Name changed for anonymity.

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Fired 'Today' host Matt Lauer's contract was reportedly worth $25 million a year —here's how that compares to other top TV show hosts

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Matt Lauer2 AP final

On Wednesday, NBC announced in shocking fashion while opening the "Today" show that its longtime host Matt Lauer had been fired due to "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace."

This is the latest bombshell revelation of a powerful man in entertainment who has been taken down due to sexual misconduct allegations. 

Though it's too soon to tell what the ramifications will be for "Today" in the battle for morning ratings, it's clear NBC has lost one of its major players. That's evident by how much the company was paying him. 

Lauer, who has been a host on "Today" for 20 years, was earning $25 million a year, according to Variety.

The trade compiled the biggest estimated annual salaries of reality, news, and talk show hosts over the summer, and Lauer is in the top three on the list, which also includes the likes of Megyn Kelly, Ryan Seacrest, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Here are the top 20 paid hosts:

Note: Some of these figures below include fees for producing and back-end compensation. 

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Mike Myers (“The Gong Show”) - $3 million



Jamie Foxx (“Beat Shazam”) - $ 3 million



Alec Baldwin (“Match Game”) - $3 million



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The morning breakfast routines of Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, and 13 more of the busiest people in the world

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Richard Branson eating apple

• Scientists aren't necessarily convinced breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Tech Insider reported.

• Still, many successful people take the time to eat a balanced breakfast.

• Others, however, like Bill Gates and Donald Trump typically abandon the meal altogether.



What goes into a breakfast of champions?

Well, the science isn't exactly settled on whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast doesn't necessarily even help you lose weight, according to Tech Insider.

Still, tons of successful people opt to make breakfast a part of their busy schedules, with a few notable exceptions.

Here's a look at some of the typical breakfast routines of successful people:

SEE ALSO: A Marine veteran says a morning ritual he picked up in boot camp primes him for success every day

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson prefers to dig into fruit salad and muesli in the morning while spending time with his family.

Source: CNBC, Business Insider

 



Popeyes CEO Cheryl Bachelder's morning meal depends on whether she's traveling or not. She has said she prefers steel-cut oatmeal when she's at home, and bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast when she's on the go. But either way, she always reaches for some coffee, too.

Source: Business Insider



Singer and actor Justin Timberlake told Bon Appetit he goes for a scrambled egg along with flax-seed waffles spread with almond butter before his morning workout.

Source: CNBCBon Appetit



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Chipotle is facing a reckoning — and I saw why it may never again be the chain it once was

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Chipotle Burrito

  • On Wednesday, Chipotle announced that its CEO and founder plans to step down after 24 years.
  • Chipotle has had a rough two years marked by E. coli scares and lackluster menu additions.
  • The chain's efforts to turn things around have yet to really work.
  • Chipotle still has a ways to go before it turns things around — if it can.


It's been a bumpy ride for Chipotle.

On Wednesday, Chipotle announced that its founder and CEO, Steve Ells, plans to step down as the company begins its hunt for a new CEO. 

The chain's reputation has yet to truly recover from the 2015 E. coli outbreak that left 50 people sick in 14 states. Chipotle's tarnished image has led to slumping sales growth, and third-quarter earnings missed targets. And, according to IWasPoisoned.com, the rate of self-reported foodborne illnesses at Chipotle is at least nine times that of all other restaurant chains.

Chipotle has tried to reignite the spark with loyalty programs, queso, and even free lunches. But the rewards program was limited and lackluster, the queso grainy, and the free food most likely in vain.

A few weeks ago, we decided to visit Chipotle to see whether the chain had made any improvements in its attempt to turn things around — or was stuck in a mire of its own making.

SEE ALSO: Panera just acquired one of its biggest competitors — here's why it won the comfort-food battle

ALSO READ: We tried the restaurant that wants to make cheap pasta the next big thing in fast food — here's the verdict

It's lunchtime — roughly 12:30 p.m. — at a Chipotle near our offices in the Flatiron neighborhood of New York City. The lines certainly aren't as long as they used to be.



The staff was polite but hurried. The ordering line went so fast, I wasn't even sure what I had ordered by the time I was paying for it. The queso was peddled strongly, and I gave in and ordered it to give it a second chance. I hadn't been crazy about it the first time I tried it.



There were customers in the restaurant, but I wouldn't call it busy. The line was fast — too fast for someone who isn't sure exactly what he or she wants. I ended up ordering a chicken burrito, which has a menu price of $8.65.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

22 photos that show the evolution of New York City's Times Square ball drop

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1942

Every year, over a million people pack into New York City's Times Square to revel in the new year.

2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the ball drop — the tradition of watching a glowing sphere that slides down a pole until midnight.

Let's take a look at how the celebration has evolved over the past century.

SEE ALSO: 19 of the most beautiful public spaces in the world, according to urban designers

Since the tradition began in 1904, New York's New Year's Eve celebration has been one of the world's largest. The first celebration had about 200,000 attendees.

In the early years, crowds gathered at Wall Street's Trinity Church to listen to church bells at midnight before the Times Square festivity became more popular.



New York had its first ball drop in 1907 after the city banned fireworks. The 700-pound ball had 100 bulbs, was made of iron and wood, and appeared every year until 1920.

Source: The New Yorker



Over the next few decades, the number of spectators swelled. This was the crowd on December 31, 1941.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The craziest moments in the sordid history of Trump SoHo, the five-star hotel and condo building that will lose the Trump name

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Trump SoHo

  • The Trump SoHo hotel and condo building opened in 2010.
  • Last week, the news broke that the Trump Organization would end its contract with the real estate investment firm that owns Trump SoHo.
  • The cofounder of the development firm that the Trump Organization worked with on Trump SoHo, Felix Sater, is currently being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.


Last week, The New York Times reported that the Trump Organization would be cutting ties with Trump SoHo, the five-star Downtown Manhattan hotel and condo building that bears the family name but has been owned by the California-based investment firm CIM Group since 2014.

As part of the deal, the tower will no longer bear the Trump name, but the Trump Organization will still get a share of its revenue. 

The hotel has run into various problems since its inception. Aside from empty rooms and recent layoffs, Trump SoHo and its origin story have been under scrutiny by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is actively investigating President Trump's previous business dealings to determine whether the campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

From grave sites to bar fights, see why the tower's twisted past is being so closely examined.

SEE ALSO: The Trumps are cutting ties with the five-star Trump SoHo hotel after business plummeted post-election

Donald Trump announced plans to develop Trump SoHo in 2006, during the fifth season of his NBC television show, "The Apprentice."



Trump's company had a licensing agreement with the building's developers, the Sapir Organization and Bayrock Group. The neighborhood wasn't exactly welcoming. Both the Soho Alliance and the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation protested the building's size, as well as its apparent flouting of the neighborhood's zoning laws.

Because the area wasn't zoned for residential properties, the 391 condo-hotel units were built for owners to live in for 120 days of the year. They could choose to rent out their units for the remainder of the time.

Source: Curbed, LA Times, NPR's Embedded

 



By the end of the year, construction had been halted due to the discovery of human bones and coffin plates from the Spring Street Presbyterian Church, which was an abolitionist church that had burial grounds on-site. The bones, which came from around 190 people, dated back to the years between 1820 and 1835.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Matt Lauer has been married for 19 years to a Dutch former model, who reportedly filed for divorce in 2006

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Matt and Annette Lauer

  • Matt Lauer, the longtime host of NBC News' "Today" show who was fired on Wednesday following an accusation of sexual misconduct, has been married to Annette Roque Lauer for 19 years.
  • Roque Lauer, a former model from the Netherlands, reportedly filed for divorce in 2006 but withdrew the papers weeks later.


Matt Lauer, the longtime host of NBC News' "Today" show who was fired on Wednesday after an accusation of sexual misconduct, has been married to Annette Roque Lauer for 19 years.

Roque, a former model born in the Netherlands, met Lauer on a blind date in 1997 and the two were married in Bridgehampton, New York, in 1998. The couple have three children, a 16-year-old son, a 14-year-old daughter, and an 11-year-old son.

While Roque was pregnant with the couple's third child, in 2006, she reportedly filed for divorce, citing "mental abuse, extreme mental and emotional distress, humiliation, torment, and anxiety" caused by Lauer, according to documents (PDF) filed in the Supreme Court of New York and obtained by the National Enquirer.

"The conduct of defendant [Lauer] so endangers the physical and mental well-being of the plaintiff [Roque] so as to render it unsafe and improper for plaintiff to cohabit with defendant," Nancy Chemtob, Roque's attorney, reportedly wrote in the legal documents.

The documents, which Roque reportedly withdrew three weeks later, have not been independently verified.

NBC News chairman Andy Lack sent a memo to NBC employees on Wednesday saying that he "received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer" and that, while the complaint was the first the network had received about Lauer, there was "reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Lauer had been a fixture on NBC since the early 1990s, and he's traveled the world to report on a variety of subjects. He hosted "Today" for two decades.

SEE ALSO: Trump calls for investigation in top TV journalists and executives following Matt Lauer's firing

DON'T MISS: Megyn Kelly delivers an impassioned monologue about Matt Lauer's firing for alleged sexual misconduct

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NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly heard rumors about Matt Lauer and 'hoped it wasn't true'

Inside one of the most exclusive streets in San Francisco that a couple bought for $90,000 and was forced to return to the city

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presidio terrace street san francisco 6912

Tina Lam and Michael Cheng said all they wanted was their "American dream."

In 2015, the couple dropped nearly $100,000 on the purchase of Presidio Terrace — a private cul-de-sac in San Francisco lined by 35 mega-mansions. The city put the parcel up for sale in an online auction after residents failed to pay taxes on the street for more than a decade.

On November 28, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors heard from residents and voted to reverse the sale. Lam and Cheng will be reimbursed for their speculative investment.

For at least 17 years, the city's Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector mailed tax forms to the address of a now deceased bookkeeper, who once worked for the homeowners' association. The $14 annual property tax went unpaid by the people who live on Presidio Terrace. Lam and Cheng paid just above $90,000 for the street, the sidewalks, and well-manicured shrubbery. 

In August, we visited the ultraexclusive Presidio Terrace to see the street for ourselves.

SEE ALSO: Go inside the hottest neighborhood in San Francisco, where home prices have risen 75% in the last 5 years

Welcome to one the most exclusive streets in San Francisco.



Presidio Terrace is a block-long, oval street (and private development) that has been run by homeowners who live there since at least 1905, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle



It has attracted some of the wealthiest and most powerful politicians in California over the years, thanks to enhanced security and its isolated location at the top of the peninsula.



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Sarah Huckabee Sanders says it doesn't matter if the anti-Muslim videos Trump retweeted are real because 'the threat is real'

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Sarah Huckabee Sanders

  • The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, responded to President Donald Trump's promoting anti-Muslim videos on Twitter on Wednesday.
  • "Whether it's a real video, the threat is real," she told reporters. "His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security."


The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said it didn't matter whether the anti-Muslim videos President Donald Trump retweeted on Wednesday morning were real.

"Whether it's a real video, the threat is real," Sanders told reporters Wednesday, according to a CBS News reporter. "His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security."

Trump's early-morning retweets included three videos posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of the ultranationalist far-right group Britain First who has previously been charged with "religious aggravated harassment" in the UK, The New York Times reported. The videos included footage portraying Muslims committing violent acts.

Fransen's videos were titled, "Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!," "Muslim Destroys a Statue of Virgin Mary!," and "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!"

Authorities later found that the man in the first video shown assaulting the Dutch person was neither Muslim nor a migrant, The Mirror reported, citing two Dutch websites.

Britain First often peddles anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

Trump's retweets were widely condemned by the likes of British Prime Minister Theresa May, the former US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and even the far-right conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson of InfoWars.

"Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trump's Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics," Watson tweeted.

Piers Morgan, a British television host who formerly competed on Trump's reality show "Celebrity Apprentice" and is often sympathetic to Trump and his policies, also blasted the president's retweeting the Britain First videos.

"What the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists?" Morgan tweeted. "Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets."

SEE ALSO: Even a top far-right conspiracy theorist says Trump's retweets of fringe British anti-Muslim videos are 'bad optics'

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22 powerful men in politics and media accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of Harvey Weinstein

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harvey weinstein

Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein fell from his lofty pedestal atop the entertainment industry in October after more than 80 women accused him of varying degrees of sexual misconduct.

Since the accusations against Weinstein came to light, the floodgates have opened and scores of women have come out with allegations against some of the most powerful figures in media and politics.

Here are some of the biggest names in the industry who have been accused of sexual misconduct. This list includes men who were accused after the Weinstein allegations came to light, but also some prominent men in media and politics whose accusations resurfaced after Weinstein's accusers came forward.

SEE ALSO: 26 powerful men accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of Harvey Weinstein

DON'T MISS: 2 congresswomen accused sitting male lawmakers of sexual misconduct during a hearing on Capitol Hill

Longtime NBC host Matt Lauer

NBC announced on November 29 that it had fired Lauer after a colleague reported he had engaged in "inappropriate sexual behavior" in the workplace.

Before being dismissed, Lauer had long been a staple at NBC and on the "Today" show. He joined the network in the early 1990s and hosted "Today" for 20 years.

NBC News' chairman, Andy Lack, sent staff a memo on Monday saying he had "received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer."

Lack added that NBC had reason to believe "this may not have been an isolated incident."

Savannah Guthrie, Lauer's co-host on the "Today" show, announced Lauer's departure from the network on Wednesday and read Lack's statement on air.

"This is a sad morning for 'Today' and NBC News," she said. "We just learned this moments ago, just this morning. As I'm sure you can imagine, we are devastated, and we are still processing all of this."

Lauer has yet to comment.



Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan

Conyers, 88, has been accused of sexually harassing several former staffers. He denies the allegations but announced on November 26 that he would step down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee pending an investigation into his conduct.

He did not say he would resign. Conyers' announcement came after a former staffer claimed the congressman fired her after she rejected his sexual advances.

"I have come to believe that my presence as Ranking Member of the Committee would not serve these efforts while the ethics committee investigation is pending," Conyers said in a statement. "I cannot in good conscience allow these charges to undermine my colleagues in the Democratic caucus, and my friends on both sides of the aisle in the Judiciary Committee and the House of Representatives."

Shortly before his announcement, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi drew sharp criticism when she defended Conyers and told NBC's Chuck Todd that Conyers was an "icon." She quickly changed course after Conyers announced he would step down.

"We are at a watershed moment on the issue, and no matter how great an individual's legacy, it is not a license for harassment," Pelosi said in a follow-up statement. "I commend the women coming forward."

 



Roy Moore, former judge and current Alabama Senate candidate

Nine women have accused Moore of sexual misconduct or pursuing relationships with them when they were teenagers. Among them are:

• Leigh Corfman told The Washington Post that she was 14 years old when the then-32-year-old Moore made unwanted sexual advances toward her.

• Two other women told The Post that they dated Moore when they were 17 and 18 years old. Another woman said Moore asked her out when she was 16 but that they did not go out.

• Gena Richardson told the paper that Moore asked her out while she was a high school senior, and allegedly gave her an unwanted "forceful" kiss that scared her.

• Beverly Young Nelson said during a press conference Nov. 13 that Moore attempted to sexually assault her when she was a 16-year-old waitress.

•Tina Johnson told AL.com that Moore allegedly "grabbed" her buttocks in 1991 while she was in his law office.

Moore has vehemently denied all the accusations against him and painted them as a liberal smear on his campaign.

Several prominent Republicans have since disavowed Moore, and called on him to step down. Some have also floated the option of removing him from the chamber if he wins Alabama's special election in December.

But Moore continues to have strong support from Alabama's Republican establishment. He also earned two de facto endorsements from President Donald Trump.

On Nov. 19, many of Alabama's most influential newspapers ran a scathing editorial condemning Moore and endorsing his opponent, Democrat Doug Jones. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A couple bought one of the most exclusive streets in San Francisco for $90,000 — now the city is making them give it back

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presidio terrace couple 2x1 2

  • Residents of a private street in San Francisco were outraged after one couple scooped up their cul-de-sac in an online auction and tried to sell it back to them for nearly $1 million.
  • City leaders are now moving to rescind the sale.


SAN FRANCISCO — Tina Lam is an engineer with an engineer's salary. She can't afford to live on Presidio Terrace— one of the most exclusive streets in San Francisco — but she could buy the street.

In 2015, the City of San Francisco put the parcel up for sale after the homeowners' association failed to pay property taxes on the street for more than a decade. Lam and her husband, Michael Cheng, paid $90,000 in an online auction to become the proud owners of the street, the sidewalks, and the well-manicured shrubbery around the 35 mega-mansions on Presidio Terrace. On Monday, the couple offered to sell it all back to residents for nearly $1 million.

Now, city leaders are moving to rescind the sale. On November 28, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors determined that the city's tax collector did not make a reasonable effort to notify residents of the unpaid tax bill before awarding their street to the highest bidder — and voted to reverse the sale. Lam and Cheng will be reimbursed their $90,000.

For at least 17 years, the city's Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector mailed tax forms to the address of a now deceased bookkeeper, who worked for the homeowners' association before retiring in the 1980s. Over the years, the $14 annual property tax went unpaid by the people who live on Presidio Terrace. (San Francisco taxes the private street as a separate parcel from the homes on it.) The bill racked up hundreds more dollars in penalties and interest.

Presidio Terrace, along with 1,400 other parcels (mostly vacant lots), hit the auction block in 2015. The tax collector's office sent advanced notice to the same outdated address, which was later returned to sender and marked as undeliverable, according to José Cisneros, treasurer of the city and county of San Francisco. Still, the sale went on.

presidio terrace street san francisco 6945

Residents were furious about the sale

Sunny Lee, whose house on Presidio Terrace has passed through three generations of her family, said before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that she was in "utter disbelief" that her street could be "taken out from under us" after the tax collector's office saw that its attempts to notify residents of the unpaid tax bill and of the sale failed to reach them.

Carol Shearer and her husband purchased a home on Presidio Terrace two years ago and have been living in Boston while the house is being renovated. She described her shock when she learned from the news "that our new community has this bizarre condition" that she said "threatens the safety and quiet environment" of her real-estate investment.

Residents came in droves to express their outrage. Most who spoke, including Carrie Weintraub, president of the homeowners' association, accepted some responsibility for not updating the group's address with the tax collector's office. But they argued the city did not perform the due-process required before selling land they thought they owned.

Presidio Terrace isn't open to the public. A stone wall circles most of the development, and a private security guard stands watch at the entrance. The street's enhanced security and isolated location at the top of the peninsula has attracted some of the wealthiest and most powerful politicians in California over the years, including Sen. Diane Feinstein and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. A homeowners' association has reigned over the street since 1905.

Though they may be well-connected, the residents of Presidio Terrace were not made aware of their street's sale until May, when a title-search company working on behalf of Cheng and Lam contacted the homeowners' association to see if it was interested in buying back the parcel. Cheng has since said that was done in "error." A few months later, the couple revealed plans to charge rent on street parking spots in a buzzy interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Supervisor Mark Farrell, who represents the district, urged the board to reverse the sale on Tuesday. He criticized the out-of-town investors for wanting to turn a profit on homeowners who simply didn't know they owed tax on their street. According to Farrell, Lam and Cheng offered to sell the street back for $950,000 on the day before the hearing.

Lam, a first-generation immigrant who was born in Hong Kong, said her intent was never to make money off the ultra-rich residents of Presidio Terrace.

"I'm an engineer with a simple dream of owning a piece of San Francisco," Lam said before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. "I'm not rich enough to live on that street, but I like to think that by owning it, I'm a San Franciscan in spirit."

Critics say the rich will get their way in San Francisco

The homeowners' association's fight to win their street back has sparked interest far beyond Presidio Terrace. Critics, including citizens who appeared at the Board of Supervisors hearing in support of Lam and Cheng, have argued that city leaders would not devote the same attention to the sale had the street been located in a less pricey zip code.

The median home value in the Presidio Heights neighborhood tops $4.8 million, according to real-estate site Zillow— more than four times the median home value for San Francisco.

"No one, regardless of who they are, should be deprived of their property without due process of the law," said Scott Emblidge, an attorney representing the homeowners' association.

The Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 to reverse the sale of Presidio Terrace, which prompted residents watching the hearing from an overflow room at City Hall to cheer. But the fate of Presidio Terrace remains hazy. Lam and Cheng told TIME ahead of the hearing that they planned to pursue ownership through the courts if the sale was rescinded.

Shepard Kopp, attorney for the buyers, expressed his disappointment with the outcome.

"Sadly, the seven members of the board who voted to rescind this sale have demonstrated that you get a different standard of government in San Francisco if you are rich and politically connected," he wrote in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Inside the most expensive zip code in America, where tech moguls like Eric Schmidt and Paul Allen have their mansions

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NOW WATCH: Inside the exclusive multimillion-dollar San Francisco street that a couple bought for $90,000

The salary you need to earn to buy a home right now in 23 of the most expensive US housing markets

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San jose listing

  • Home prices increased in 92% of the largest 177 metro areas in the third quarter of 2017.
  • Incomes aren't keeping up with home prices, making it more difficult for homebuyers to qualify for a mortgage in the most expensive markets.
  • The salary needed to qualify in the top-five metro areas — four of which are located in California — exceeds $110,00.

 

In the third quarter of 2017, the US housing supply continued to lag, pushing home prices further upward, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

By the end of September, there were 1.9 million existing homes available for sale — 6.4% less than were on the market the same time last year.

The group reports that while the national median family income rose to $71,775, increasing mortgage rates and home prices will affect Americans' ability to buy a home, specifically in the country's most expensive housing markets.

"While there was some moderation in price appreciation last quarter, home prices still far exceed incomes in several parts of the country — especially in the largest markets in the South and West where new home construction simply is not keeping up with job growth," said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.

Using NAR's data on housing affordability, we gathered a list of the US metro areas where the minimum salary required to qualify for a mortgage, after a 20% down payment, is highest. NAR assumes a mortgage rate of 3.9% for all areas, with the monthly principle and interest payment limited to 25% of income.

Notably, the salary needed to qualify in the top-five metro areas — four of which are located in California — exceeds $110,000.

For the US as a whole, the average qualifying income is $46,435 and the median home price is $254,000.

Below, check out how much you need to earn to buy a home in the most expensive housing markets, and what the median home will cost you.

The following markets are based on metropolitan statistical areas, with the exception of Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, which are metropolitan divisions.

SEE ALSO: The 10 most expensive ski towns in America — and how much it costs to buy a home there

DON'T MISS: Millennials are abandoning the suburbs for a new kind of neighborhood — see inside

23. Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont

Population: 214,363

Median sale price: $283,100

Salary needed to buy: $51,775



22. Salt Lake City, Utah

Population: 1,170,266

Median sale price: $293,000

Salary needed to buy: $53,565



21. Austin-Round Rock, Texas

Population: 2,000,860

Median sale price: $296,400

Salary needed to buy: $54,187



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Legendary investor T. Boone Pickens is selling his enormous Texas ranch — complete with its own airport — for a whopping $250 million

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Boone Hunting

  • T. Boone Pickens is selling his Texas ranch for $250 million.
  • It's one of the most expensive homes for sale in all of America.
  • The ranch comprises 100 square miles of land and houses a number of different structures.
  • Pickens said in a statement that he's selling the property because it's "the prudent thing for an 89-year-old man to do." 


Legendary investor and oilman T. Boone Pickens has decided to put his enormous Texas ranch up for sale, and it comes with an equally enormous price tag of $250 million. 

Mesa Vista Ranch, which encompasses more than 100 square miles of land in the Texas Panhandle, has long been a hunting and golfing getaway for Pickens, who cited his age and health as the primary motivators for his decision to sell.

Pickens has owned the ranch for 46 years.

"Selling the ranch is the prudent thing for an 89-year-old man to do. It's time to get my life and my affairs in order," Pickens said in a statement.

"There are many reasons why the time is right to sell the ranch now, not the least of them ensuring that what I truly believe is one of the most magnificent properties in the world winds up with an individual or entity that shares my conservation beliefs."

The property has its own airport and a number of different accommodations, including the 12,000-square-foot Lake House, the 33,000-square-foot Lodge, the 6,000-square-foot Family House, the 1,700-square-foot Gate House, the 1,600-square-foot Pub, and the 12,000-square-foot Kennel, which has space for 50 dogs. There's also a separate, single-story structure where ammunition, hunting gear, rifles, and shotguns are stored.

Let's take a look around the massive ranch. 

SEE ALSO: Meet the big shots who live at 15 Central Park West, the world's most powerful address

Welcome to Mesa Vista Ranch.



Mesa Vista Ranch covers some 64,809 acres of land in the Texas Panhandle, northeast of Amarillo.



According to a brochure that provides details about the listing, Pickens assembled the land in a series of purchases, beginning with about 2,900 acres in 1971.



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The 28 happiest, richest, most advanced, and healthiest countries in the world

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american flag, freedom, usa

The Legatum Institute released its 11th annual global Prosperity Index, a huge survey that ranks the most prosperous countries in the world.

The amount of money a country has is one factor of prosperity, but the Legatum Institute considers much more than that in its ranking.

The organisation compared 104 variables to come up with its list. These variables include traditional indicators like per-capita gross domestic product and the number of people in full-time work, but also more interesting figures such as the number of secure internet servers a country has, and how well-rested people feel on a day-to-day basis.

The variables are then split into nine subindexes: economic quality, business environment, governance, personal freedom, social capital, safety and security, education, health, and natural environment.

The index looked at the 149 countries in the world that have the most available data. After seven years of Norway topping the rankings, it was dethroned in 2016 by New Zealand. Can Norway take the top spot back in 2017?

Find out the results below.

28. Uruguay — Uruguay scored solidly across all of the Legatum Institute's categories, but excelled in the personal freedom sub-index, ranking 7th of all countries surveyed.



27. Estonia — Despite being known as one of the world's most digitally savvy nations, Estonia's top individual sub-index score was in natural environment, where it was 7th overall.



26. Czech Republic — Although the Czech Republic, now officially called Czechia, didn't excel in any sub-index, it did finish in the top 30 in six of nine categories.



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Chipotle quietly changed the recipe of its most-hated menu item (CMG)

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Chipotle Nachos

  • Chipotle is testing nachos, a long-time secret menu item. 
  • The chain has also tweaked its queso recipe in the wake of backlash. 
  • Chipotle's queso hasn't caught on with many customers, who have called the dip a "crime against cheese" and "dumpster juice."

 

Chipotle's battle to get customers to embrace its "dumpster juice" queso is far from over. 

A visit to the chain's Manhattan test kitchen on Wednesday revealed two pieces of queso news. First, Chipotle has made some changes to its queso recipe. Second, the chain is testing nachos. 

While Business Insider taste testers found Chipotle's original queso recipe to be too grainy to be enjoyed with chips, the queso we ordered on Wednesday was substantially less grainy. Even after it had been sitting out, it retained the proper texture of a dip instead of degrading into a sort of bizarre chowder.

The flavors were slightly different as well — still a little smoky, but more of an even, overall heat. 

Chipotle spokesperson Chris Arnold confirmed that the chain had "tweaked" its queso recipe. 

Chipotle Queso

"Same commitment to ingredients (still all real ingredients with nothing artificial), but it's got a creamier texture and a really nice flavor," Arnold said in an email to Business Insider. 

Chipotle said soon after its national queso rollout in September that it was still "tweaking" the recipe. 

The chain faced backlash soon after debuting the queso, with customers calling the dip a "crime against cheese," "expired Velveeta," and "dumpster juice." The company confirmed that just 15% of orders include queso — less than half of the 40% that include guacamole. And, Cowen found that queso-related traffic died off after peaking the first week it was available.

Improved queso is necessary if Chipotle wants to roll out its new nachos to a wider audience.

Nachos have long been an unofficial Chipotle secret menu item. Last week, Chipotle added nachos to the menu in its Manhattan test kitchen, for $4.80. Chips are covered with queso and whatever else customers would typically get on a burrito or bowl (minus rice). 

On Wednesday, Chipotle announced that its founder, Steve Ells, is planning to step down as CEO as the chain struggles to recover from an E. coli scandal that began in 2015. Shares of the company are down more than 60% since peaking in August 2015.

SEE ALSO: Chipotle's founder plans to step down as the struggling chain begins the hunt for a new CEO

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NOW WATCH: Shake Shack just added chili to the menu — here's the verdict

Shaq will run for sheriff in 2020 — and he has a plan to heal the disconnect between police and communities

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Former NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal recently announced that he plans to run for sheriff in Henry County, Georgia in 2020. We asked Shaq about what he hopes to achieve with his transition to law enforcement. 

Shaq recently stopped by Business Insider to talk about his collaboration with home security technology company 
Ring to raise awareness about how homeowners can better protect their property this holiday season. Shaq recently kicked off a campaign with Ring's CEO Jamie Siminoff around protecting holiday package deliveries - specifically as National Package Protection Day is observed on Nov. 29. Following is a transcript of the video.

Shaquille O'Neal: When I was in LA, I went through a full-fledged police academy, so I know the hard work and dedication that these guys put in to keep people safe. Me running for sheriff — I've felt, over the past couple of years, there's been a disconnect from the community and police.

So, the community that I'm in – I'm definitely gonna try to bring that back together.

[Shaq is a spokesman for the home security company Ring]

O'Neal: I've mentioned that I plan on running in 2020. I live in Henry County. There's a little town called McDonough outside of Atlanta. When I was coming up, the police were loved and respected, but you know, it's tough for both sides right now. 

I would try to bring back community policing. When I was coming up, there was a cop in my neighborhood. Everybody knew him. He was a fair guy. Like, he'd catch you stealing gum and he'd tap you. "Hey, man get outta here."

You know, we needed that. Then, you'd have Mrs. Jones be like, "Hey, Officer so-and-so. The kids are down there fighting." 

And then he'd go down there and break it up. So, I would definitely try to introduce that back. We are definitely more divided than ever. That's why, whenever I'm out there, I just try to ease people's tension. We need more togetherness. We need more joyfulness. That's why I always try to just make people laugh because there's a lot going on  — a lot of craziness going on and you would think, in 2017, we would be much more advanced, but it seems like we're going backwards. 

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A look inside Donald Trump's breakfast routine

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Donald Trump eating a french fry

• US President Donald Trump isn't a big fan of breakfast.

• When he does choose to indulge, he prefers bacon and eggs.

• During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump would also go for McDonald's Egg McMuffins.



US President Donald Trump may be an early riser, but he isn't big on breakfast.

Business Insider reported the president only gets three to four hours of sleep a night. In February, Trump told ousted Fox News host Bill O'Reilly he's typically up by 5 a.m.

Trump's morning routine includes taking to Twitter, watching the news, and receiving a compilation of glowing press coverage, which VICE News reports is put together every morning in the Republican National Committee's "war room."

"He feeds on attention,""Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success" author Michael D'Antonio previously told Business Insider. "He probably needs it more than he needs his breakfast in the morning."

In fact, he usually doesn't eat a morning meal.

Back in 2016, Trump told People, "Oftentimes I skip breakfast. But usually my favorite would be bacon and eggs — bacon medium and the eggs over-well."

Trump reasserted his general avoidance of morning meals in a 2016 interview with Fox News' Jesse Watters: "If I can, I'll avoid breakfast. In terms of that, I will have a lunch, but my big thing is dinner. Breakfast, Jesse, if I can avoid 'em, I'm very happy to do that."

Apart from bacon and eggs, Trump has also said he enjoys different kinds of cereals: "Made in the USA, has to be made in the USA. You know, the cornflake-type stuff, Raisin Bran. Has to be right out of the fields of Iowa." The interview with Watters occurred just before the 2016 Republican debate and caucus in Iowa, according to Politico.

During the 2016 presidential election, Trump also relied on fast food for early morning fuel. Politico reported former Trump bodyguard and confidante Keith Schiller would run to a McDonald's near the Marine Air Terminal in Queens in order to grab him some Egg McMuffins.

When it comes to beverages, he reportedly avoids some classic breakfast staples. While he does wake up early, he doesn't keep caffeinated with tea or coffee, he told US magazine.

SEE ALSO: 15 breakfast routines of highly successful people

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Donald Trump rose to power in America, according to former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis

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