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Fox wants to cut its TV ad time to 2 minutes per hour by 2020

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fox empire

  • Fox wants to cut its TV ad time to just two minutes per hour by 2020, the Wall Street Journal reports.
  • The company's ad sales chief said Fox will look to sell ads based on the time viewers spend with ads, as opposed to the number of views the ads receive.
  • Fox's goal follows NBCUniversal's reported decision to cut commercials by 20% this fall.
  • The average per-hour ad content on ran just over 13 minutes on network TV in 2017, and 16 minutes on cable, according to Nielsen.

 

Fox wants to cut the TV ad time on its broadcast network to just two minutes per hour by the year 2020, the company said in a "private industry event" on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

Fox Network Group's ad sales chief, Joe Marchese, stated the goal in his closing remarks of the meeting, saying that he wants the company to look at selling ads based on the time viewers spend with ads, as opposed to the number of views the ads receive, according to WSJ. 

Fox's ad goal would be a drastic drop from the industry average. According to Nielsen, the average per-hour ad content on ran just over 13 minutes on network TV in 2017, and 16 minutes on cable. 

"The two minutes per hour is a real target for Fox, and also our challenge for the industry," Ed Davis, chief product officer for ad sales at Fox Networks Group, wrote in an email to WSJ. "Creating a sustainable model for ad-supported storytelling will require us all to move."

Davis told WSJ that Fox reduced ad time by 75% on its on-demand FX Originals in 2017, and that the company "saw great effectiveness in brand lift."

Fox's goal follows NBCUniversal's reported decision last week to cut its commercial content by 20% across all of its networks for the coming fall season.  

The networks' moves toward hosting less ad time come as broadcast audiences are shifting en masse toward subscription streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, which offer either no ads or comparatively limited advertising.

Read the Wall Street Journal's report.

SEE ALSO: Bill Hader reveals how his HBO show 'Barry' about a hitman was inspired by the years of anxiety he had while on 'Saturday Night Live'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How 'leftover' women in China are changing its culture


How to write an excellent email subject line

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Woman computer laptop working

• It's important to know how to write an excellent email subject line.

• Your email subject line will often determine whether or not anyone will actually read your message.

• In order to make the email stand out, keep your subject line short, specific, and personalized.



How can you write the perfect email subject line?

It's an important question to ask yourself whenever you're preparing to send out an important email. We send billions of emails every day. You need to make sure your message stands out.

Business Insider spoke with a number of career experts to get their secrets on crafting the perfect email subject line. We also included a few examples of awesome subject lines that recipients are sure to click on.

Here are some tips on how to write an excellent email subject line:

SEE ALSO: 7 phrases never to type in your work email

1. Always write a subject line

The experts said that not including a subject line is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

The subject line often determines whether an email is opened and how the recipient responds.

An email with a blank subject line will likely get deleted, lost, or immediately irritate the recipient, who is forced to open the email to figure out what it's about.



2. Write the subject line first

For many professionals, the subject line is an afterthought that you add just before you hit send. But Amanda Augustine, a career advice expert for TopResume, told Business Insider that it can be the most important part of the email. 

Write the subject line first, so that it sets the tone and you don't forget.



3. Keep it short

A typical inbox reveals about 60 characters of an email's subject line, while a mobile phone shows just 25 to 30 characters, said Augustine. Get right to the point in about six to eight words.



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Your nose can look about 30% bigger in selfies, a new study found — here's how to fix it

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woman taking selfie

  • There's a reason your nose looks so much bigger — and your face so different — when you take a selfie.
  • Researchers found that when a phone camera lens is close to your face, it can make your nose appear about 30% bigger.
  • By holding your phone far away and paying attention to the angle of your shot, you can take a much less cartoonish image.


There's something distressing about pointing a camera at yourself, snapping a photo, and then seeing something that doesn't look right. We live in the age of the selfie, after all.

It turns out that dissatisfaction with the images coming from our cameras is so pervasive that it's become a major driver for plastic-surgery requests. A poll of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons reported that 55% of surgeons say they see patients who want to undergo facial reconstruction to make their selfies and social-media photos look better.

But a lot of those patients might be seeking an improvement they don't need — and not in a "you look great how you are" sense (though you do!).

Selfies can make your face — especially your nose — look about 30% larger than it really is because of the way phone camera lenses distort close up objects, according to a study recently published in the journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

"Young adults are constantly taking selfies to post to social media and think those images are representative of how they really look, which can have an impact on their emotional state," Boris Paskhover, an assistant professor at Rutgers Medical School and an author of the study, said in a news release. "I want them to realize that when they take a selfie they are in essence looking into a portable fun-house mirror."

selfie distortion

Framing the perfect shot

The researchers behind the study wrote that self-esteem issues arising because people don't realize how their cameras distort their appearance could be considered a public-health issue.

But once you understand why this distortion is happening, you can use science and some photography know-how to minimize the effect and get the most accurate selfie (or other close-up) possible.

It's all about distance and angles.

To get the least distorted image, you need to understand a bit about what the lens on your camera does. As photographer Rafi Letzter explained it, "Every focal length of a camera lens (in effect, how zoomed in it is by default) changes the distortion of the object it's shooting."

Each focal length is ideal for capturing a certain shot. If you want a close-up of a far-away object, you'll want a zoom lens; if you want to capture as much of a scene as possible, a wide-angle lens is usually the go-to.

The lenses that portrait photographers use are generally somewhere in between — often 50 mm to 85 mm — as these present the most realistic representation when the photo is taken at the right distance.

The lens on your phone is a much wider-angle lens, which is going to distort a close-up object and can make things look cartoonish.

Using your phone to take a selfie

Taking a photo with a camera phone from 12 inches away can increase the size of a nose by about 30%, the researchers behind the new study found. Taking a photo of the same person from five feet away will represent their face accurately.

If you want to figure out the right way to hold your phone for a more flattering image, there are a few steps that might help. (You could also probably ask a local teenager for help with this.)

For one thing, know that the farther you hold your phone away from your face, the less distortion there will be. So get that arm fully stretched out.

Secondly, Letzter notes that anything near the edges of the frame or closer to the lens is more likely to get distorted. So try to keep your head in the center of frame and keep your chin and forehead equidistant from the camera itself.

Then go ahead and snap away.

SEE ALSO: The best photos taken of Earth last year will transform the way you see the world

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Meet the kids of the richest black billionaires in the world

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Michael Jordan kids

Life is anything but ordinary when your mom and dad are some of the richest people in the world.

We already met the world's richest black billionaires, so it is time to take a look at their kids. 

Being born into a billionaire family can certainly make life interesting. Many of these kids followed in their parent's footsteps, whether that meant playing basketball or running an oil company.

Despite growing up in undeniable privilege, many of the kids of billionaires have made an impact in their own right.

Keep scrolling to meet the children of the world's richest black billionaires.

SEE ALSO: A Nigerian businessman is half as rich as he was 3 years ago — but he's still the richest black billionaire in the world

DON'T MISS: Meet the kids of the world's richest tech billionaires

Michael Jordan is perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time, but also one of the richest African Americans on the planet with a net worth of $1.65 billion. In 2014, Jordan became father to a twin boy and girl, his fourth and fifth children.

Source: USA Today



His son, Marcus Jordan, played basketball at the University of Central Florida from 2009 to 2012 where he scored an average of 12.3 points per game.

Sources: Sports-Reference 



Like his father, Marcus also got into business after his playing days. He opened a boutique sneaker shop in Disney World called Trophy Room — inspired by his dad's collection of awards.

Instagram Embed:
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Source: Bleacher Report



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Every lawyer in the state of Utah was emailed an image of a topless woman — and the bar association has no idea how it happened

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utah state bar

  • The Utah State Bar sent an image of a topless woman to lawyers in the state.
  • An investigation is underway to determine how that happened.
  • "We are horrified," the executive director of the Bar said.
  • A NSFW tweet with the topless image has been included at the bottom of this post.

The Utah State Bar is investigating how an image of a topless woman was emailed out to every active lawyer in the state, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The email, sent around 3 p.m. on Monday, was meant to advertise the group's spring convention for lawyers. Under an image of the advertisement was another image of a woman unclothed from the waist up (scroll to the bottom of this post to see the NSFW image).

"We are aware of the situation," Matt Page, communications director of the Utah Bar, told the Tribune. "We're investigating how it got out.”

The organization also tweeted a similar message to its followers.

Recipients of the email were confused. "What the hell with that email?" one lawyer said after opening the email on the floor of the Utah State Capitol, according to the Tribune.

Senior administrators said they were working to insure the gaffe doesn't happen in the future.

"We are horrified," John Baldwin, executive director of the Bar, told The Tribune. "We are investigating to discover how this occurred."

A tweet with the image is below (NSFW):

SEE ALSO: The top 20 business schools where graduates earn the most money, ranked from lowest to highest salary

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NOW WATCH: An ACLU lawyer tells us why you should be careful talking to the police after being pulled over

The 18 most beloved best-picture nominees that got robbed of their Oscars by mediocre movies

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get out

The Oscars determine the best in filmmaking. Or do they?

Often, best picture winners don't line up with the most beloved movie of the year by fans, or even critics. 

Although many of the most iconic movies in American cinema have been nominated for best picture, some didn't win. But they're loved so much and held in such high regard that you might assume they did. 

Some years were competitive — which is why "There Will Be Blood" lost the best picture win to "No Country for Old Men." And why 2018's winner was "The Shape of Water," which was fine, but beat a few of the most exceptional films of the year and the decade: "Call Me by Your Name," "Lady Bird," and "Get Out."

But some votes made by the Academy don't make any sense at all. Some years, the best picture winner was a movie you've probably never heard of. Or worse, sometimes it was a movie that's now considered terrible, like 2005 when "Crash" was awarded best picture instead of "Brokeback Mountain."

Here are the most beloved best picture nominees that didn't actually win:

SEE ALSO: 5 reasons 'Wonder Woman' was one of the most important films of 2017, and deserved a best picture Oscar nomination

"Citizen Kane"

Year: 1942, at the 14th Academy Awards

What beat it: "How Green Was My Valley"

"Citizen Kane," even to those who have not seen it, is one of the most recognizable films of all time, and it didn't even win best picture. A film doesn't have to have "best picture winner" next to its name in order to be iconic, and this movie is a great example. 



"The Graduate"

Year: 1968, at the 40th Academy Awards

What beat it: "In the Heat of the Night"

"The Graduate" is one of the most iconic films in American cinema. From the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack, to the cinematography, to its performances, it quickly became one of those movies that is studied in film class, and is still quoted today. 



"2001: A Space Odyssey"

Year: 1969, at the 41st Academy Awards

What beat it: "Oliver!"

To this day, Stanley Kubrick's revolutionary space odyssey film looks decades ahead of its time. And a mediocre musical beat it. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We shopped at Costco and Sam's Club to see which is better — and there's a clear reason why you should join one over the other

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SamsClub 6836

  • Costco and Sam's Club are similar membership-based warehouse stores that offer a wide variety of products and services, from eye exams to photo printing.
  • The only significant difference between the stores is the cost of membership, with Sam's Club costing $15 less annually than Costco.
  • I went to a Costco and Sam's Club in New York and found that the cost and quality were comparable enough that the deciding factor between the two stores might just be how close you live to each one.

Costco and Sam's Club are membership-based warehouse stores selling groceries, clothing, furniture, and, well, lots of other stuff. Both stores offer eye and ear exams, a pharmacy, one-hour photo services, and a food court at affordable prices. Even the return policies are similar, with bothstores accepting most items with or without a receipt.

After visiting both stores in succession, I found there was really only one major difference between them: the cost of membership. Costco charges $60 annually for a basic membership and $120 for an executive membership, while Sam's Club charges $45 annually for a basic membership and $100 for a premium membership.

According to a grocery-store ranking from Consumer Reports, the higher membership costs at Costco might be worth it — it ranked higher than Sam's Club in cleanliness, meat and produce quality, customer service, store-brand quality, and prices of organic items.

To see for myself which store offers a better deal, I went to Costco and Sam's Club stores in Westchester County, New York. This is what I found:

SEE ALSO: How to shop at Costco without a membership

First, I went to Costco. I got there about five minutes after it opened, and I was surprised by how many people were there so early. Even though it's a members-only store, no one was at the door checking for memberships.



At the front of the store was a one-hour photo station.



There were rows of TVs ranging in price from $500 to $2,000.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what popular dog breeds looked like before and after 100 years of breeding

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bulldog after

Dogs have been our furry companions for thousands of years, but they didn't always look the way they do today.

Many well-known breeds have changed a lot physically in the last century, thanks to humans.

By identifying specific traits — such as size, coat color, and demeanor — and allowing only those animals to mate, we've created at least 167 different "breeds," or groups of dogs with unique physical and mental characteristics. Still, they're all part of the same species.

The Science of Dogs blog put together a side-by-side comparison of several popular breeds from the 1915 book "Dogs of All Nations" by Walter Esplin Mason, showing what they look like today.

Here are some of the dogs from that list, plus a couple more we found ourselves.

Tanya Lewis contributed to an earlier version of this post. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what fruits and vegetables looked like before we domesticated them

DON'T MISS: 9 science-backed reasons to own a dog

Bull terrier then

The bull terrier was first recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885. In 1915, it appears to have been a fit, good-looking dog, with a well-proportioned head and slim torso. "Dogs of All Nations" called it "the embodiment of agility, grace, elegance and determination," and the "gladiator of the canine race."



Bull terrier now

But today, bull terriers are bred to have a football-shaped head and a thick, squat body — a far cry from the lean and handsome dog of 1915.

The AKC now states that the dog's face "should be oval in outline and be filled completely up giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid of hollows or indentations, i.e., egg shaped." According to Science of Dogs, it also developed extra teeth and a habit of chasing its tail.



English bulldog then

Few dogs have been as artificially shaped by breeding as the English bulldog. In the UK, the dogs were used for bull-baiting— a blood sport where dogs were used to bait and attack bulls — until it became illegal in 1835. In 1915, the bulldog already had some of the characteristic features we see today, like saggy jowls and a squat stance.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Scientists have found even stronger evidence that vaping is exposing teens to toxic chemicals

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woman vaping vape e-cig

  • For a new study, researchers analyzed urine samples from nearly 100 teens in the Bay Area.
  • Those who vaped had significant levels of potentially hazardous chemicals in their urine.
  • The research builds on a set of new findings which together suggest that while vaping may be healthier than smoking, it comes with its own set of health risks.


Vaping instead of smoking seems like an easy way to improve on a deadly habit. But the first good research on the fairly new practice, which involves inhaling heated vapor, is only now starting to emerge — and it suggests that although potentially safer than smoking, vaping isn't as benign as it might seem.

In a new study published this week in the journal Pediatrics, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco found increasing evidence that e-cigarettes expose users to significant levels of hazardous chemicals that are also found in manufacturing products like styrofoam or acids. To arrive at their conclusion, they studied the urine of nearly 100 teens in the Bay Area — some of whom vaped, others who vaped and smoked, and another group who didn't vape or smoke at all.

The research jibes with another study from the same university which found evidence of toxic metals like lead in the vapor of nearly 70 randomly sampled e-cigs. This study takes those findings a step further, discovering that not only are potential toxins present in the vapor of e-cigs; some of those toxins are also making their way into users' bodies.

The scientists even found evidence of these toxins in the urine samples of teens who vaped using products without nicotine, suggesting that the problems do not stem from e-cigs' most addictive component but instead from the heating process inherent to any vape pen.

What's inside your vape pen

Most e-cigs or vape pens rely on a fairly simple technology that heats a liquid and spits out a vapor that is inhaled or "vaped." But the devices can vary in many ways — something that makes them notoriously difficult to study since researchers have to find a way to account for all of the different variables that users might be tweaking.

One of the strengths of the latest study is that instead of looking at one particular type of vape pen, the researchers simply looked at regular vapers — regardless of the type of device they were using.

marijuana vaporizer vaping vape

In most e-cigs, the e-liquid that's used to fill the devices is usually comprised of four main ingredients: nicotine, a highly addictive stimulant drug; propylene glycol, a preservative found in ice cream and coffee-based drink; glycerine, a widely used liquid sweetener; and flavorings. (These ingredients differ a bit from those used in marijuana vape pens, where a host of unregulated ingredients may be used to dilute cannabis oil.)

Some e-cigs are customizable, allowing users to change everything from the amount of nicotine in the e-liquid to the temperature at which it is heated.

Other vape pens come in a simple, ready-to-use format, where most of the technology is hidden inside the device. Users can't customize these devices; they're typically geared toward beginners and some are made so they can be thrown away once their e-liquid runs out.

For the latest study, the researchers didn't specify what type of e-cig users were vaping. But they did ask users whether or not their devices included nicotine — and some vapers were using flavored e-liquid that had either very low levels of nicotine or none at all.

The evidence of toxic metals in e-cigs is growing, and it includes some of the same compounds found in regular cigarettes

Despite the fact that vaping is often advertised as a potential tool to help adults quit smoking, it appears that young people are illegally taking up the habit as well.

That concerns researchers who study the devices and find that they come with their own set of risks, all of which are sharply elevated for young people whose bodies are still developing.

"Vaping among teens is my (and most public health professionals) biggest worry," Ana Rule, a professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins University and an author of a related study on e-cigs and teens, told Business Insider.

Rule authored a paper published last month which showed the vapor of e-cigs included toxic substances like lead, nickel, chromium, and manganese — often in concentrations that either approached, met, or exceeded the limits defined as safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Consistently inhaling high levels of these metals has been tied to health problems in the lungs, liver, immune system, heart, and brain, as well as some cancers, according to the US Department of Labor's Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

The latest study found evidence of another set of potentially toxic chemicals, including acrylonitrile, acrolein, propylene oxide, acrylamide and crotonaldehyde — some of which are also found in conventional cigarettes. Most of these compounds are used in the manufacturing process for things like acids and fibers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and have not been explicitly studied in humans for their potentially disease-causing effects.

Still, many of them have been found to cause things like headaches, dizziness, nausea, upper respiratory tract irritation, and congestion. At least two were found to cause tumors in rodents, leading researchers to classify them as "probable human carcinogens."

"Teenagers need to be warned that the vapor produced by e-cigarettes is not harmless water vapor, but actually contains some of the same toxic chemicals found in smoke from traditional cigarettes," Mark Rubinstein, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco and the lead author on the new study, said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Vaping instead of smoking still exposes you to toxic metals like lead — here's how worried you should be

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The science of why human breasts are so big

All the crazy things happening in San Francisco because of its out-of-control housing prices

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golden gate heights san francisco neighborhood 8806

People are leaving San Francisco in droves as the cost of living reaches a new high.

A recent report from real estate-site Redfin revealed that San Francisco lost more residents than any other city in the country in the last quarter of 2017. The great migration is far from over. Last month, 49% of Bay Area residents said they would consider leaving California because of the cost of living, according to a survey of 500 residents by public-relations firm Edelman.

Here are all the crazy things happening because of the Bay Area's insane housing prices:

SEE ALSO: San Francisco's housing market is so dire that people are spending over $1 million on the 'earthquake shacks' built after the 1906 fires

This is how people outside the area imagine living in San Francisco.



And this is the reality.



The median-priced home in San Francisco sells for $1.5 million, according to Paragon. It's not uncommon for buyers to bid hundreds of thousands above asking and pay in all cash.

Source: Paragon



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Why 'Black Panther' will make more money than 'The Last Jedi' in China, according to a box-office analyst (DIS)

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Black Panther

  • After a huge opening in the US, "Black Panther" now has the China box office in its sights, the second-largest movie market in the world.
  • The big question is whether it can bring in more business overseas than "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," which didn't even claim the top spot its opening weekend in China.
  • Paul Dergarabedian, a comScore box-office analyst, believes the movie will "exceed" what "The Last Jedi" earned there.

Since opening in theaters, "Black Panther" has destroyed the decades-old conventional wisdom in Hollywood, where it's long been thought that movies with predominantly black casts or those that open in February can't bring in strong business.

But with its record-breaking opening weekend behind it, Disney now embarks on its final test with "Black Panther" — finding box office success in China.

"Black Panther" opens in the second-largest movie market in the world on Friday and the studio hopes that this time it will succeed where "Star Wars" couldn't. "The Last Jedi" opened in China in January and failed to claim the top spot its opening weekend there. It went on to take in $42.5 million in the country. 

A big reason for that modest return is because much China has only been familiar with the "Star Wars" saga since the late 1990s, when the prequels were the first-ever "Star Wars" films shown in theaters (outside of piracy). The original trilogy wasn't released in China until "A New Hope" opened in 2015.

But thanks to "Black Panther" being within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there's more recognition of the story and characters in the country.

Outside of "The Force Awakens," all the recent MCU titles performed stronger in China than the recent "Star Wars" releases — $109.1 million for "Doctor Strange," $100 million for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and $116.2 million for "Spider-Man: Homecoming." In fact, none of the "Star Wars" movies have broken the $100 million mark in China since "The Force Awakens" ($124.1 million). 

the last jedi disney lucasfilm

And 2016's "Captain America: Civil War" bested all the above titles in China with a $180.7 million take.  The reason why that's an important stat — and why Disney should be excited about its chances in China — is because that's the movie that introduced the country to Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther.

And the Disney marketing machine has been in full force ahead of the "Black Panther" opening to remind audiences in China that Black Panther is part of the MCU. 

The official Chinese trailer for "Black Panther" features Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America, and the studio is also showing a promotional video in China featuring Boseman and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) discussing the movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

All of this looks good for Disney going into this weekend.

"The massive amount of coverage already devoted to the film, its cultural significance, critical acclaim and status of one of the best superhero films to ever come out of Hollywood, the China results should prove to be impressive and exceed 'The Last Jedi's' takings in the country where the 'Star Wars' brand doesn't have the built in audience that Marvel has developed over the years," comScore box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian told Business Insider. "Conventional wisdom really does not apply since 'Black Panther' has rewritten the record books and more importantly broken down outmoded ideas and preconceived notions about what types of films can 'travel' and be successful around the world."

With a domestic take of $506.4 million, "Black Panther" is now the ninth-biggest earner all-time at the domestic box office. It has a global box office of $909.8 million

If the movie can exceed expectations in China, the movie will not only shoot past the $1 billion global box office mark quicker than most ever though, it will be in line to take down some of the biggest all-time box office records.

SEE ALSO: Bill Hader breaks down how "SNL" stage fright inspired his new HBO show about a hitman, and tells a funny Tom Cruise story

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

I've tried to figure out why Apple thinks an iPad can replace your computer, and I've finally cracked it (AAPL)

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ipad pro 10.5 inch typing on keyboard

  • Apple keeps saying the iPad can replace your computer.
  • The iPad can do many of the things a computer can, but it's still unrealistic to think it can replace a computer.
  • Apple's claims could be true if you don't own a computer and are provided one by your company.
  • It could also be true for those who don't need a computer for work, but need something for basic things like email and web browsing. 


Apple has spent the last few years insisting that the iPad can replace your computer, and I've never understood how that could possibly be true. 

And the latest "iPad Pro - What's a computer?" ad campaign from late 2017 proves the company isn't relenting. It's even suggesting that "computers" will become extinct relics to the younger generation, and iPads will be the only device we'll ever need for those times when iPhones just don't cut it. 

Check out the ad for yourself. You might have already seen it on TV, and perhaps it rubbed you the wrong way, like it did with some other people:

The ad follows a young girl as she goes about doing kid things, like drawing on the iPad with the Apple Pencil, taking photos of bugs, and even being productive while she types up a...novel?

ipad commercial whats on the screen

Then, when a friendly neighbor asks the girl what she's doing on her computer, the girl condescendingly asks "what's a computer?" and resumes writing her oeuvre with seemingly no desire to further interact. Don't her parents have this outdated "computer" tech? Where are her parents or legal guardians, anyway?

The message I'm getting here is that the iPad can replace a computer if you're a kid who hasn't yet been assigned homework that involves actual work. Once more complex homework hits, she'll be asking Reddit which MacBook Pro she (her parents) should buy. I personally recommend Apple's refurbished laptops that sell for a slight discount, and they come in perfect condition. Or wait for the rumored new MacBook Air

apple ipad 4

For busy adults with busy work, the iPad isn't the device of choice. You can usually tell if your work is too busy for an iPad if you can't possibly imagine yourself working on an iPad on a daily basis.

Do you normally have a lot of open app windows, like web browsers, documents, PDFs, and office message services? Do have 20 or more open web browser tabs, and you're using every single one of them throughout the day? Do you think a mouse is faster and more comfortable to use than raising your arm and tapping tiny objects on a screen all day? Do you use more than one screen? If you answered yes to most of these questions, the iPad is probably not for you, at least not for your work. 

Macbook Pro

So here's what I think Apple means by iPads replacing computers. Perhaps Apple is assuming that you don't actually own your computer, and it's actually owned by your company: It's a "work computer." So, with the iPad, Apple is letting you keep your work computer at work, and the iPad offers a similar, pared-down, and lightweight experience that lets you do everything you need in your downtime at home.

Or, maybe your work isn't really busy or doesn't even involve computers, but you need something for emails and general web browsing.

Either way, you could say Apple doesn't really believe its own marketing. The company is still selling computer of all shapes and sizes, and is continuously updating most of them with new models. 

The iPad can replace computer, just not the computer. 

SEE ALSO: Reviewed: A used, year-old MacBook Pro from Apple's Refurbished Mac store that saved me $450

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NOW WATCH: The new iOS 11 gives the iPad its biggest update ever — here’s what it’s like

These were the 50 most violent cities in the world in 2017

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brazil gangsta

In 2017, Latin America retained the ignominious distinction of having the most cities on Mexico's Citizens' Council for Public Security's annual ranking of the world's most violent cities.

Of the 50 cities on the list, 42 are in Latin America, including 17 in Brazil, 12 in Mexico, and five in Venezuela. Colombia had three, Honduras had two, and El Salvador, Guatemala, and Jamaica all had one.

The region's violence is in large part driven by drug trafficking and organized crime— in Mexico, fragmentation of criminal groups has stoked more bloodshed in recent months. Insecurity is also exacerbated by political instability, poverty, and poor economic conditions. Corruption, abuses by officials, and impunity also facilitate crime.

The ranking contains cities with populations of more than 300,000 and does not count deaths in combat zones or cities with unavailable data, so some dangerous cities don't appear on the list

The Council also estimates homicide rates for some cities based on incomplete data.

In Venezuela, for example, the government has not consistently released homicide data (though it did for 2016), and in the past the Council has estimated based on entries at the Bello Monte morgue, which draws from an area larger than Caracas and doesn't only include homicides. The Council was also unable to gather 2017 full-year data for the city, leading it to calculate last year's tally based on previous estimates. Two other cities in Venezuela were excluded from this year's ranking because there was no reliable homicide data for them.

Here's the top 50:

SEE THE 2016 RANKINGS: The 50 most violent cities in the world

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50. Cucuta, Colombia, had 34.78 homicides per 100,000 residents.

In 2017, Cucuta had a population of 833,743 people and 290 homicides.



49. Vitoria, Brazil, had 36.07 homicides per 100,000 residents.

In 2017, Vitoria had a population of 1,960,213 people and 707 homicides.



48. Teresina, Brazil, had 37.05 homicides per 100,000 residents.

In 2017, Teresina had a population of 850,198 people and 315 homicides.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A psychologist says you should actually talk about exes on a first date — here's why

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  • Speaking about your exes on a first date might sound like a terrible idea.
  • But, if you can do it in a healthy, mature way, you're probably doing yourself a favour.
  • How your new partner speaks about their past can be very revealing, and could show some ugly personality traits if they are overly critical.
  • Or, if you can both be honest without feeling uncomfortable, you might have the basis for a great relationship already.


You can never predict how well, or how badly, a first date will go. You might end up being side-barred, or simply not feel a spark. If things do seem to go well, there's no guarantee they'll even respond to your texts afterwards.

In several countries around the world, bringing up an ex on a first date is considered to be a bad idea. However, according to psychologist Susan Krauss Whitbourne from the University of Massachusetts, avoiding the topic of previous relationships can back you into a corner, especially if it comes up at a later date.

She told Elle that it might seem like a small lie at the time to say you went on holiday "with a friend" rather than your ex-partner, but it might not go down well if you have to change your story in the future.

It's a good idea to think about why you'd want to keep it a secret in the first place. If it's because you're concerned about making your new love interest jealous, then that's probably a red flag they aren't right for you.

On the flip side, if your date is bringing up their ex at every available opportunity, then that might be a sign they're not ready to move on yet.

Bringing up the past in a mature, healthy way can actually be very revealing, Whitbourne said.

"You want a partner who's securely attached," she told Elle. "That means they're not intrusive, and not dismissive."

In other words, if you do bring up an ex partner in casual conversation, someone who is secure will ask an appropriate amount of questions — they won't probe too far, or brush off the conversation like it never happened. If you can get through the conversation with neither of you squirming, that's probably a good sign.

Also, how your date speaks about their past relationships can be a predictor for how they might treat you. For example, psychologist Elinor Greenbergtold Business Insider that people tend to follow patterns, and whatever they have done in previous relationships they are likely to do again.

"If you listen carefully to how your new lover describes his or her important previous relationships and how he or she speaks about their exes, you can learn a lot about how this person is likely to treat you," she said.

"When people describe all of their exes as terrible people and put all the blame on them for the relationship's failure, this is a red flag for me. It practically shouts: 'I cannot take any responsibility for whatever went wrong. I have not learned anything from these relationships. It is totally up to you to make our relationship work.'"

It is also likely to mean they are unable to see people in a realistic way, and may be prone to idealisation. They probably thought their exes were perfect at the start of the relationship, but since breaking up they are only able to see the bad things.

"Either they have a knack for picking the absolutely worst people with whom to be in a relationship, or they are seeing all of these people in a very distorted way," Greenberg said. "If they could not see anyone before you realistically or make any of these relationships work, they are unlikely to be able to do it with you."

SEE ALSO: Posing this simple question to a first date will help you decide if you have a future together

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The 9 biggest signs you're finally over your narcissist ex-partner

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  • After the end of a relationship, it can feel like you'll never recover.
  • This is especially true when you break up with a narcissist, because of the emotional roller-coaster you've been on.
  • One day, though, you'll move on.
  • Here are eight signs that you already have, so you never have to look back.


Some people are mentally and emotionally equipped to recognise the red flags that they are entering into a relationship with a potentially toxic person.

Others, unfortunately, are either unaware of the signs, are attracted to narcissists, or have had trauma in their lives that has drawn them to these dangerous partnerships.

Whatever the reasons for starting the relationship, it will eventually end. Narcissists tire of their victims when they've exhausted their supply of care, money, or whatever else they were after. As quickly as they entered your life, they leave it, which can leave the victim incredibly confused, broken, and lost.

However, in time, you will realise how much better off you are without them in your life, says psychologist Perpetua Neo. Then, after gaining more clarity, one day you will finally move on.

Here are the eight signs you never have to look back, because you are completely over the narcissist who was in your life:

1. You don't care anymore

It might seem obvious, but the main way you know you're over someone is when you stop caring about them. When you first broke up, you might have still been so bonded to them you would immediately respond if they ever reached out.

However, once you've gained some perspective, Neo said you'll find you no longer feel the need to pay any attention to them anymore.

You may still have mutual friends, because narcissists are skilled at keeping people around to do their dirty work. But if you hear their name, you'll find your stomach no longer does back-flips.

"When they say this person's done this or done that, you say 'I really don't care' because you really don't care at all," Neo said. "It's not you trying to pretend to strong — you really just don't care."

2. You don't hate them

After the breakup, you probably experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. After longing for them back, you're likely to go through a period of intense hatred. Neo said you know you're truly over the narcissistic abuser when you don't hate them anymore.

"One day when you realise you don't hate them anymore, that's when you're completely free," she said.

3. You feel no guilt for speaking the truth

In many cases of abuse, it's a good idea to let it go, get as far away from the abuser as possible, and not look back. Sometimes, though, it might be best for your safety to submit a police report — particularly in the case of stalking or domestic abuse. Neo said this can leave some people feeling torn, because they feel like they are betraying their ex.

"After all, the relationship wasn't all bad — there could be good times and all the good times are blown out of proportion, which is what keeps us hooked," she said. "But when you realise your right is justice, you're speaking up for other people who have been abused, you no longer feel bad for it, and you realise you're doing something good. Again, that's how you know you're free."

red hands heart

4. You don't look at their social media

After any breakup, it's tempting to linger on your ex's social media, just to see what they're up to. Curiosity in itself isn't harmful, but if your ex was a narcissist, then scrolling through their feed is not a healthy choice.

"Narcissists, especially covert narcissists, play on your sense of pity and they pretend to be this sad, anxious introvert with no friends," Neo said. "That's how they hook you in so you always feel like you're responsible for them."

When you no longer worry about what they're doing, or who they're doing it with, that's a big sign you've moved on.

5. You don't feel bad about what happened to you

"We judge ourselves for not seeing through the lies, for staying in the relationship, or even for running away or being dumb," Neo said. "We blame ourselves for every single thing."

Narcissists often target confident, successful people because it makes them look good. Neo said it's important to remember not to beat yourself up for falling for it, because they are highly skilled at manipulating others.

"When you are able to look past that and you no longer feel stupid, or you feel doubtful about your ability to speak about the situation, then you're really over it," she said.

6. You no longer fear them

There's a difference between being vigilant, and being terrified that every other person you meet will treat you the way the narcissist did.

Neo said you know you're over them when you stop looking over your shoulder. You're no longer looking for their face in the crowd, and you don't fear every new person who comes along.

"When you're out with different guys, and you're not automatically thinking, 'Oh my god, is he a narcissist?' that again is a very big sign, because you are actively aware there are good people in this world," she said. "If you're thinking 'Please don't be a narcissist,' you are still haunted."

7. You look healthier

Narcissistic abuse can wreak havoc on your body. The insults and intermittent kindness keep you on high alert, and your body will respond to that. Many survivors of abuse report losing or putting on weight, breaking out in acne, and even getting chest pains.

"When they look back on old pictures with the narcissist, they will say 'I look so old, I look so haggard, I look so thin or so fat, I look so stressed, I look so sad,'" Neo said. "When you leave your narcissist and you take care of yourself, and you're no longer in a toxic environment, you actually get healthier. When you're not fighting all the time, your immune system gets a rest."

8. You root for different people in books or films

Neo said you may notice you root for different characters in films and books. For example, in "Wuthering Heights" you may have loved Heathcliff. After going through what you did, you'll probably realise that is no longer the case. A brooding, toxic man isn't your Prince Charming anymore.

9. Your perspective changes

Rose-tinted glasses can be good in a healthy relationship, but completely inappropriate for a narcissistic relationship, Neo said. When you look back and see the abuse for what it really was, that's when you know you've moved on.

SEE ALSO: 9 important things to remember to stay strong and love yourself again after a tough break-up

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A cringe-worthy video of a 13-year-old Kate Middleton acting in a school play has resurfaced — and its prediction of her future is startlingly accurate

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  • Footage of 13-year-old Kate Middleton starring in a school play has resurfaced online.
  • The play's story bears a startling resemblance to the Duchess of Cambridge's real life years down the line.
  • It captures the moment a fortune teller tells her she will marry a rich and handsome gentleman who will take her to London.
  • In the play she goes on to meet a tall blonde boy called William, who proposes to her.


A video of a 13-year-old Kate Middleton playing a girl called "Maria" in a 1995 school play has made its way onto YouTube — and not only is it highly amusing, but its prediction of her future is startling accurate.

In the play, the Duchess' character Maria, dressed in a long white gown wearing flowers in her hair, meets a fortune teller who reads her palm. He tells her that she will meet "a handsome man, a rich gentleman" who will marry her and take her to London.

"It is all I’ve ever hoped for!" Middleton says to the audience. "Will he fall fall in love with me?"

When the fortune teller confirms that he will, she asks: "And marry me?"

"And marry you." he confirms.

The footage later cuts to a scene where a tall, blonde, and presumably rich boy called William — seriously — comes on stage.

William asks for her hand, and she accepts and proclaims: "It is all I've ever longed for!"

The video was uploaded online some years ago, according to the Evening Standard, but has resurfaced this week. It was taken at St. Andrews prep school in Buckhold, Pangbourne.

While Middleton's performance is a little over-the-top, her timing's not bad, and she appears to have the audience on board, who laugh in all the right places.

Watch the video here:

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle always follows this routine when flying to avoid getting jet leg and travel sick

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A look inside the daily routine of Walt Disney, who wandered through the office after-hours and always carried snacks in his pockets

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Walt Disney

• Walt Disney's daily routine involved long work days.  

• Sometimes, he didn't even leave his studio. Other days, he wound down with Scotch Mist and headed home for dinner.

• Disney incorporated a number of usual habits that defined his managerial style.


Walt Disney's daily routine was far from static.

Disney didn't just have to contend with all sorts of disparate tasks, from reviewing film storyboards to planning the construction of Disneyland to establishing the studio's television presence.

His role also shifted as the Walt Disney Company changed drastically over the years, from upstart animation studio to a powerful Hollywood icon.

Still, Disney had a few habits and strategies that did stick with him over the years. Some of these practices even helped shape his work.

Here's a look at Walt Disney's daily schedule:

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In order to get pumped up for work, Disney sometimes woke up at 5:30 a.m., played five holes of golf, and then skipped ahead to the eighteenth hole.

Source: "The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney"



Breakfast was a simple affair for Disney. He'd typically have toast, eggs, juice, and maybe a sausage.

Source: OhMy.Disney.com"Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food,"The Orange County Register



Biographer Bob Thomas wrote that Disney would often come into work around 8 a.m. He'd start the day off by reviewing storyboards or holding conferences in his office.

Source: "Walt Disney: An American Original"



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Babies who look like their dads are more likely to be healthy, according to a new study

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dad and baby

  • New research has found that babies who spend more time with their fathers are healthier one year later.
  • If the baby resembles their dad, then they are more likely to spend time together.
  • The researchers suggest it could be something to do with certainty over their paternity.


Sometimes, research reminds us of how our decisions can be inherently biological. For example, new research has just found that when a newborn looks like its father, they are more likely to spend time together.

This has an impact on the child, as the study found babies who spend more time with their dads were healthier on their first birthday.

The study, published in the Journal of Health Economics, looked at 715 families in which babies lived with their mother. Babies who resembled their fathers were found to be healthier one year later, and the researchers believe this is because these fathers spent an average 2.5 more days per month with their child than fathers who didn't resemble their offspring as much.

This extra dad-time resulted in better health, with fewer asthma attacks and fewer health care visits for illness. According to Solomon Polachek, economics professor at Binghamton University and co-author of the study, fathers who thought their baby resembled them are more certain of their paternity, and so spend more time with them.

"The main explanation is that frequent father visits allow for greater parental time for care-giving and supervision, and for information gathering about child health and economic needs," he said. "It's been said that 'it takes a village' but my coauthor, Marlon Tracey, and I find that having an involved father certainly helps."

Previous research supports the theory that parents who are genetically related to their children can invest in them more. For example, a study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior in 2009, found that overall, stepchildren and adopted children are neglected more than biological children.

This area of research shows the importance of encouraging absent fathers to spend more time with their babies, the researchers said.

"Few can disagree that single-parent households tend to fall at the bottom of the distribution," they wrote in the study. "Further, children in these households are at a disadvantage, which likely affects them throughout their lives."

SEE ALSO: Stubborn children could grow up to be richer — here's why

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These 4 short L-words can help reveal if you might be depressed

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depression

  • Being unhappy about something or having a bad day is different from the long-term sadness and loss of interest in life that are associated with depression.
  • A simple 4-word checklist can help you decide if you or a loved one is at risk.
  • It's always best to get a professional opinion, but these words can help start a conversation.


Mental health experts are worried: Depression is on the rise in the US, especially in teenagers. From 2005 to 2015, depression rates in kids between the ages of 12 to 17 spiked, and the suicide rate for teenage girls is now the highest it's been in four decades. 

Experts aren't sure what's causing the disturbing trend, but they're concerned about the mental health of the country. 

In New York City, coaches are working to recruit and train a kind of civilian mental-health army of 250,000 volunteers. The hope is that people trained in "mental health first aid" will be better able to start conversations, lend a helping hand, and share compassion for friends, colleagues, neighbors and other fellow New Yorkers who are dealing with mental health issues. 

New York residents who volunteer get a free, day-long training — I recently participated in one. My fellow volunteers and I were taught some simple ways to spot the difference between someone experiencing a bad mood or a few bad days and a person with more serious, long-term depression. 

The coaches suggested a four-word approach to checking in on friends and loved ones.

If you're worried that you or someone you care about may be suffering from depression, but you're not quite sure how serious it is, ask yourself how the person is doing when it comes to four key happiness measurements.

Is you/your loved one's mental state having an impact on the person's ability to:

  • Live
  • Laugh
  • Learn 
  • and Love?

If these four pillars of life are feeling compromised by a persistent cloud of sorrow or indifference, it may be a sign that depression is at hand. 

It's pretty likely that you know someone dealing with depression.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 5.9% of the US population is dealing with a diagnosable depressive disorder. That means more than 1 in every 20 Americans are suffering from depression at any given time.

Depression is the single largest contributor to "non-fatal health loss" worldwide, according to the WHO. It affects around 4.4% of the globe, though those rates vary from place to place. Some of the highest depression rates in the world are among women in Africa, while some of the lowest are in men in the Western Pacific islands, the WHO says.

When health care professionals in the US diagnose depression, they use a manual called the DSM-5, or "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." It lists several common signs of depression, and defines depression as a condition that lasts for more than two weeks and impacts a person's ability to go about their life, enjoying the activities that typically make them happy.

Depression might change how a person thinks and feels about the world, and can uproot how they would otherwise go about an average day. In some cases, it can make it impossible for a person to get out of bed in the morning. And it can have an impact on other daily routines, like how a person sleeps, eats, and works.

Only a trained mental health professional can officially diagnose depression, but when it comes to on-the-fly "first aid" for depression, these tell-tale signs can be a first warning that it might be good to ask for help or see a counselor.

If you're worried about depression, here are some additional resources:

In New York, you can contact health care professionals at this link. They're available by text message or online chat there as well.

If you're having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

There are also new apps coming online that aim to provide some of the benefits of therapy on the go. These include Woebot, a texting-based system, but they're untested and by no means a substitute for a mental health professional.

The National Institute of Mental Health also offers a full list of resources for depression on its website.

SEE ALSO: Rare blue ice usually only seen in the Arctic has come to US shores — and photographers are capturing stunning images

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NOW WATCH: How to know if you're actually depressed

The founder of the doomed Fyre Festival could spend years in prison after pleading guilty to defrauding investors out of millions of dollars

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Billy McFarland

  • The Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland pleaded guilty to wire-fraud charges on Tuesday.
  • The 26-year-old was arrested in June after being accused of misleading investors who poured money into Fyre Media.
  • McFarland admitted to defrauding 80 investors and a ticket broker out of more than $26 million.

Billy McFarland, the 26-year-old creator of the disastrous Fyre Festival, which left hundreds of participants stranded in the Bahamas last year, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud on Tuesday.

Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, but McFarland would most likely face eight to 10 years in prison plus a fine of up to $300,000 under the plea deal, according to Bloomberg.

McFarland admitted to defrauding a ticket broker and 80 investors in Fyre Media, a company he founded that was responsible for putting on the Fyre Festival. Prosecutors have accused McFarland of using falsified documents to trick investors in a $26 million scheme.

McFarland also pleaded guilty to duping an unnamed ticket broker into paying $2 million for a block of advance tickets for future Fyre Festivals.

"My intention and effort was directed to organizing a legitimate festival," he said in court on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. "In an attempt to raise what I thought were needed funds, I lied to investors about various aspects of Fyre Media and my personal finances."

He told the judge he "grossly underestimated the resources that would be necessary to hold an event of this magnitude."

McFarland was arrested in June and accused of misleading investors who poured money into Fyre Media.

A statement released by Joon Kim, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time of McFarland's arrest, said McFarland told investors that Fyre Media earned millions of dollars from thousands of artist bookings in 2016 and 2017, but in reality the company had brought in less than $60,000 from about 60 artist bookings.

Fyre Festival was pitched as a luxury music and arts event with tickets starting at $1,200. Attendees were expecting a VIP experience when they set off to Great Exuma in the Bahamas, but the reality they faced was very different: delayed flights, half-built huts to sleep in, and cold cheese sandwiches to eat. Partiers then found themselves stranded on the island with little food or water, and, at times, there was no electricity.

fyre 6

McFarland is free on bail and living with his parents in New Jersey.

SEE ALSO: Here's what Fyre Festival attendees thought they were getting when they bought $1,200 tickets — and here's the nightmarish reality

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