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Firstborn children are more likely to be CEOs, and other things your birth order can predict about your future

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siblings

  • Siblings often have different personalities, and their places in the birth order may be partially responsible.
  • First-born kids tend to be leaders, like CEOS and founders, and are more likely to achieve traditional success.
  • Middle-born children often embody a mix of the traits of older and younger siblings, and they’re very relationship-focused.
  • Last-born individuals are used to fighting for attention and respect and aren’t afraid to break the rules and redefine success.

 

We tend to associate first-born siblings with leadership and success and “the baby of the family” with rule-breaking and humor. And while science doesn’t universally back up those assumptions, some experts have found that one’s place in the birth order can have a lasting impact on professional success.

SEE ALSO: A psychologist explains how birth order affects your chances of success

1. First-born kids are poised for success

First-born children have a special place in the family hierarchy.

“[They] come into the world as their parents’ sole princess or prince,” wrote Jeffrey Kluger, author of the book “The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us” in an article for "Time."“They are more inclined to be pampered, more inclined to be indulged, more inclined to grow up with a sense that they sit at the center of the familial orbit.”

They also may be inclined to assume leadership positions. In a 2007 survey of 1,582 chief executives, 43% reported that they are the first born. Another, smaller survey revealed that first-borns are 55% more likely than the rest of the population to be founders of companies or organizations.

“Studies of CEOs have shown that those who are first-borns tend to run their companies conservatively — improving things by, say, streamlining product lines, simplifying distribution routes and generally making sure the trains run on time,” Kluger wrote in an article for TIME.

Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos are all first-borns who went on to become successful CEOs.

Eldest children also tend to have higher IQs and be more cautious and dutiful, the New York Times reports, and they often earn higher salaries, according to study from CareerBuilder.



2. Middle-born children are team players

Kids who are born in the middle tend to be less well defined in their personalities than their older or younger siblings.

“They’re more of a puzzle,” Kluger wrote. “They may adopt the behaviors of the biggest siblings or the littlest ones — or they may find some behavioral blend of the two.”

Research from the University of Redlands in California found that middle-born kids are more relationship-focused, which bodes well for their careers.

“At the heart of nearly all jobs is that kind of relationship management — connecting, negotiating, brokering peace between differing sides,” Kluger wrote in TIME. “Middle siblings may not wind up as the corporate chiefs or the comedians, but whatever they do, they’re likely to do it more collegially and agreeably — and, as a result, more successfully — than other siblings.”

Katrin Schumann, co-author of "The Secret Power of Middle Children: How Middleborns Can Harness Their Unexpected and Remarkable Abilities," said in an article for "Psychology Today" that middle children are social beings, skilled negotiators, and good team players who think outside the box and resist conformity. She pointed to such examples as Madonna, Martin Luther King Jr., Charles Darwin, and Abraham Lincoln.



3. Last-born kids rewrite the rules

When you’re the last-born child of the family, you have to contend with being the smallest and weakest of the bunch.

“That makes them more inclined to be rebellious (the better to overturn the system),” Kluger wrote. “It also makes them funnier, more intuitive and more charismatic than their older siblings. If you can’t use strength and size to prevent yourself from getting pushed around, you learn to disarm with charm and to pay attention to other people’s thoughts and motivations in order to stay one step ahead of them.”

Younger siblings are more likely to participate in high-risk sports than their older siblings, according to researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and Guildford College. This translates to bigger risk-taking in the professional world, according to Kluger: “Last-borns are more likely to blow up the tracks and buy new trains — reinventing a company entirely, rather than simply reforming or improving it.”

Another study found that last-borns are more relaxed, easy-going, and funnier.

“Multiple studies have shown that the baby of the family is likelier than other siblings to be a writer or artist or especially a comedian — Stephen Colbert, the youngest of 11 siblings, is a great example of this,” Kluger wrote. “All this, again, speaks to the last-born’s ability to get inside other people’s heads. You can’t write a powerful poem if you don’t deeply understand what moves your potential readers.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 things you should consider before trying to make a long-distance relationship work

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  • Long-distance relationships can be extremely difficult — you have to over-communicate, sacrifice time with friends and family, and miss out on holidays and birthdays.
  • The author was in a long-distance relationship for five years before she relocated to be with her partner.
  • Her advice? Consider these eight things be fore committing to a long-distance relationship.

 

Sometimes couples find themselves living in different cities, states, or countries. As someone who lives in New York City, I never planned on falling in love with a woman from the UK — but it happened.

We had two choices: End the relationship before we got too serious, or stick with it despite the fact that it would be years before we’d be in the same place. We chose the latter.

Thankfully, it worked out for us and now we’re married. But navigating a long-distance relationship isn’t for everyone — it takes a lot of trust, patience, understanding, and most of all, a strong desire to make things work even when it feels impossible.

Here are some things everyone should consider before deciding to commit to a long distance relationship.

SEE ALSO: Moving in with my significant other was challenging — here are 11 things I wish I had known

1. Your social life will likely suffer a little bit — but too much is bad

Wanting to spend as much time as possible talking to my partner in a different time zone meant that I often skipped out on friends and activities to make time for Skype sessions or phone calls.

I didn’t have much of a life outside of our largely virtual relationship, which eventually led to a dearth of conversational topics and a bit of resentment. We did eventually establish a balance, which kept us strong and allowed us to grow.

You should be prepared to occasionally sacrifice time out with your friends or doing activities in order to tend to your relationship, but attending to responsibilities and hobbies outside of the relationship is paramount.



2. Long-distance relationships are extremely expensive.

Whether you're shelling out on train or plane tickets — or just gas for your car — the money you’ll spend on trips to see your partner adds up.

Over the five years my partner and I were together long-distance, I spent an estimated $10,000 just in plane fare.

There’s also the long-distance phone bills, care packages, and the usual anniversary, birthday, and holiday gifts that come with any relationship to consider.

Cost shouldn't deter you from pursuing love, but it can definitely be prohibitive.



3. Sometimes you’ll wonder if you’re making a big mistake.

It’s important to make sure your heart is truly in the relationship as things progress. Once the honeymoon period was over, I sometimes wondered what I was doing. Yes, I loved my partner, but did I want to spend the next few years settling for phone calls, texts, and video chats rather than having real-life experiences with someone in the same city as me?

Ultimately, I always came to the conclusion that the difficulties we were experiencing were all worth it in the end, and questioning our relationship actually strengthened it.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

DJ and producer Avicii has died at 28

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Avicii press

  • Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, known by his stage name Avicii, has died at the age of 28, his representatives told Variety. 
  • Bergling retired from touring in 2016, citing a series of health concerns that included acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking, he told Billboard at the time.
  • He released a number of hit singles in the past decade, including the six-time platinum song "Wake Me Up," featuring the singer Aloe Blacc, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, known by his stage name Avicii, has died at the age of 28, his representatives told Variety. His cause of death was not immediately revealed.

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii," his representatives said in a statement. "He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given."

Bergling retired from touring in 2016, citing a series of health concerns that included acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking, he told Billboard at the time.

"To me it was something I had to do for my health," he told the outlet of his decision to quit touring. "The scene was not for me. It was not the shows and not the music. It was always the other stuff surrounding it that never came naturally to me. All the other parts of being an artist. I'm more of an introverted person in general. It was always very hard for me. I took on board too much negative energy, I think."

Bergling released a number of hit singles in the past decade, including the six-time platinum song "Wake Me Up," featuring the singer Aloe Blacc, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2013. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This incredible animation shows how humans evolved from early life

What marijuana really does to your body and brain

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marijuana

Marijuana's official designation as a Schedule 1 drug— something with "no currently accepted medical use" — means it's pretty tough to study.

Yet a growing body of research and numerous anecdotal reports link cannabis with several health benefits, including pain relief and the potential to help with certain forms of epilepsy. In addition, researchers say there are many other ways marijuana might affect health that they want to better understand.

Along with several other recent studies, a massive report released this year by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine helps sum up exactly what we know— and what we don't — about the science of weed.

SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley's LSD habit is exploding, and now a 27-year old is offering how-to tutorials over Skype

DON'T MISS: A scientist leading the largest marijuana study in history says it's '5x stronger' than in 1980 — but there's a catch

Marijuana can make you feel good.

One of weed's active ingredients, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, interacts with the brain's reward system, the part primed to respond to things that make us feel good, like eating and sex.

When overexcited by drugs, the reward system creates feelings of euphoria. This is also why some studies have suggested that excessive marijuana use can be a problem for some people — the more often you trigger that euphoria, the less you may feel during other rewarding experiences.



In the short term, it can also make your heart race.

Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana, your heart rate can increase by between 20 and 50 beats a minute. This can last anywhere from 20 minutes to three hours, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The new report found insufficient evidence to support or refute the idea that cannabis might increase the overall risk of a heart attack. The same report, however, also found some limited evidence that smoking could be a trigger for a heart attack.



Marijuana's effects on the heart could be tied to effects on blood pressure, but the link needs more research.

In August, a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology appeared to suggest that marijuana smokers face a threefold higher risk of dying from high blood pressure than people who have never smoked — but the study came with an important caveat: it defined a "marijuana user" as anyone who'd ever tried the drug.

Research suggests this is a poor assumption — and one that could have interfered with the study's results. According to a recent survey, about 52% of Americans have tried cannabis at some point, yet only 14% used the drug at least once a month.

Other studies have also come to the opposite conclusion of the present study. According to the Mayo Clinic, using cannabis could result in decreased — not increased — blood pressure.

So while there's probably a link between smoking marijuana and high blood pressure, there's not enough research yet to say that one leads to the other.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Melania Trump is brilliantly copying Michelle Obama and becoming the most popular person in the White House

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Melania Trump Converse

  • Melania Trump was spotted wearing Converse sneakers that retail for less than $50.
  • Michelle Obama was also a fan of wearing Converse — and Trump is no stranger to replicating her look.
  • Creating a more accessible style like Obama's has proved a brilliant political move for Trump.

Spotted: Melania Trump wearing a brand for the people — Converse sneakers.

The first lady donned a pair of white Chuck Taylors, which cost less than $50, during a visit to Florida in September. In November, when she hosted schoolchildren in the White House Kitchen Garden, Trump wore $65 Converse Jack Purcell sneakers.

These affordable shoes are a far cry from the $675 Christian Louboutins she wore at the Republican National Convention and the $1,150 pair of René Caovilla sandals she flaunted while doing charity work.

But this isn't the first time a first lady has worn a pair of Converse. Michelle Obama sported the accessible footwear brand at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2016 and again at MTV's College Signing Day in 2017.

michelle obama egg roll

Trump is once again pulling a hanger from the former first lady's wardrobe. No stranger to copying Obama, Trump also replicated her affordable style when rewearing a $75 J.Crew button-down (a favored brand by Obama) on Thanksgiving Day.

It's all part of the balance she's mastered when pairing high-fashion brands with more relatable pieces for public appearances. Swapping out high heels for All Stars is another brilliant move in her political playbook.

A recent Economist-YouGov poll found that Melania Trump's approval rating has soared to 48%, increasing from the 44% favorability she held at the same time last year. She's officially taken the spot as the most popular Trump in the White House, passing President Donald Trump, whose approval rating is 43%, and the second-most-popular female Trump, Ivanka, whose approval rating slipped from 44% to 41%.

In fact, she's the only Trump family member to have a higher favorable than unfavorable rating. So it looks like it pays to invest in a more approachable style.

SEE ALSO: Melania Trump copied Michelle Obama again — but this time, it's a brilliant political move

DON'T MISS: The cost difference between Melania Trump's and Michelle Obama's outfits reveals the truth about America's criticisms of them

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Melania Trump has been accused of plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s 2008 address — here’s the footage

Inside the Chinese tropical island dubbed the 'Hawaii of the East,' which the Communist elite is making a hotspot for gambling, tech, and luxury

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hainan phoenix island

China is planning to transform an island the size of a small country into a sprawling hub for foreign investment, gambling, tourism, and luxury.

Xi Jinping's government announced its plans for Hainan last month. It said it would encourage the horse racing, gambling, and water sports industries to the island known as the "Hawaii of the East."

This is a big deal: The Chinese Communist Party bans its members from playing golf, prohibits gambling, and only allows occasional horse-racing.

Scroll down to learn more about the island destined to become China's biggest playground.

The island of Hainan is located in southern China. Its Chinese name — 海南 — means "south of the sea." Its population is around 9 million, and its landmass is around the size of Belgium.



Many ad campaigns and news outlets have described the island as the "Hawaii of China" or the "Hawaii of the East."



It certainly looks very different to other pollution-ridden Chinese cities like Beijing.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Queen at 92: The most important photo from every single year of her remarkable life

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queen elizabeth prince philip

On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 92nd birthday.

In her 92 years, the record-breaking monarch has pretty much seen it all — she has undertaken more than 260 official overseas visits and has lived through 20 British prime ministers and 16 US Presidents.

This year's celebrations will include a birthday party held on Saturday night at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall, where several members of the royal family are set to watch performances from Kylie Minogue, Shaggy, Craig David, and Sir Tom Jones.

In celebration of her 92nd birthday, we've found a photo from every single year of her remarkable life.

Scroll down for a look at the most important photo from each year since Her Majesty was born.

This is an updated version of a story by Charles Clark.

1926: The Queen was born at 2:40 a.m. on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in London. This photo shows the newly born Princess Elizabeth with her father and mother, the Duke and Duchess of York — later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.



1927: She was the couple's first child and was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in Buckingham Palace's private chapel. She was named Elizabeth after her mother, Mary after her grandmother Queen Mary, and Alexandra after her great-grandmother Queen Alexandra.



1928: No one ever thought Elizabeth would become queen. This became apparent only once her father's elder brother Edward abdicated, putting her father on the throne and making her first in line.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

It's Queen Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday — here are all the world leaders she has outlasted

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queen elizabeth ii ronald reagan margaret thatcher helmut kohl

Queen Elizabeth II is 92.

On Saturday, April 21, the venerable British monarch celebrates her 92nd birthday. On the throne since 6 February, 1952, she has reigned for more than 66 years. She's both the longest-serving and oldest British monarch ever, breaking the records set by Queen Victoria (who died at 81 after 63 years on the throne), her great-great grandmother, in 2015.

In her life she has seen the rise and fall of innumerable world leaders, great and terrible.

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in the 1950s, a year before the death of Stalin. She has lived through the Second World War, and met with Winston Churchill numerous times. She has also ruled through the US presidencies of Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and more.

See how the Queen's life and reign stacks up against the tenure of other legendary political figureheads in the graphic below.

Queen Elizabeth II outlasted world leaders 92 birthday 2018

This isn't the last you'll hear of the Queen's birthday this year, however. One of the unusual perks of being a British monarch is that you get two birthdays.

While April 21 is Queen Elizabeth II's "real" birthday, her "official" one is held in June. Meanwhile, her spouse Prince Philip is an impressive 96, with his (only) birthday on June 10. 

SEE ALSO: Queen Elizabeth II owns every dolphin in Britain and doesn't need a driving license — here are the incredible powers you didn't know the monarchy has

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 3 reasons why North and South Korean reunification is unlikely


Walmart employees share 8 insider facts about shopping at the big box store

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Walmart worker smiling

  • Walmart store employees know all about the chain's inner workings.
  • Some shopping hacks, savings tips, and store policies might not be readily apparent to shoppers.
  • Here's a look at some insider tips from employees that you should know if you're going to shop at Walmart.


Walmart stores are everywhere.

The retail chain reports that it currently operates 11,700 retail locations in 28 countries.

It's safe to say that the 1.5 million Walmart employees in the US — as well as their eight million international colleagues — know a thing or two about the chain's inner workings.

Whenever you're preparing to go on a shopping spree, it pays to come in armed with as much information as you can get. That way, you can keep an eye out for the best possible deals and shopping strategies the next time you visit your local Walmart.

Walmart employees know all of the tricks of the trade, from how to spot mark-downs to finding clearance items in the store. They also know all about store policies that might not be immediately apparent to shoppers.

Here's a look at a few tricks of the trade that only Walmart employees and long-time customers know about:

SEE ALSO: Employees explain how to read the price tags at Costco to get the best deal

DON'T MISS: Costco employees share their 9 best hacks for getting an even better deal

SEE ALSO: Walmart's Jet.com is offering employees outrageous perks in the talent war with Amazon

Don't be afraid to ask to see the store's clearance items

Clearance items aren't always easy to find. So when you're on the look out for deals, just ask for help.

"Over the course of the years, I've managed to find good deals because I looked and asked at the right times," a Reddit user who said they were a Walmart employee in 2016 wrote.

The employee described looking for electronics at their local Walmart. They asked the employee working in the electronics section to point out any clearance items. The Reddit user said they were "blown away with the deals I found. I saw Samsung tablets, GPS units, high-end external hard drives, and Bluetooth speakers."



The Savings Catcher app can really add up overtime

How helpful is Walmart's mobile app Savings Catcher?

Quora user and former Walmart employee Ward Miller wrote that customers shouldn't "expect boatloads of money to come rolling in" from the app because "Walmart goes to a lot of work to maintain its competitive price points."

The mobile app doesn't give shoppers cash back. It instead accrues store credits and dispenses e-gift cards that can be spent on Walmart's website or in its stores.

"That being said, I paid for a $140 dehumidifier using nothing but Savings Catcher rewards," Miller wrote.



Sales prices contain clues about hidden deals

Always check the price tags carefully at Walmart.

According to the site TipHero, sales prices ending in 7 are full-price, prices ending in 5 denote first markdowns, and prices ending in 1 indicate a final markdown.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Disney World cast members share the 7 annoying things they wish park-goers would stop doing

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Walt Disney World princess rapunzel tangled

  • Walt Disney Worldemployees, also known as cast members, are trained in the art of creating a positive experience for guests.
  • But some visitors to the famed Orlando park don't make things easy for the people who work there.
  • Business Insider spoke with eight former Disney World cast members to get an idea of the most annoying guest behaviors.
  • From overly aggressive pin-hunting to blaming cast members for bad weather, these are the things sure to annoy or concern Disney World cast members.

Walt Disney World cast members interact with a ton of guests every year — as many as 20.4 million people visited the park in 2016.

But for employees, also known as cast members, not every interaction with a guest is going to be positive and seamless.

John Quagliano, a former cast member, told Business Insider that most guests were perfectly nice to cast members.

"But at the same time, a lot of people can be really testy," he said.

Quagliano, who worked in the Magic Kingdom, added that he understood why some Disney visitors might be on edge at the park.

"People have just spent this much money to have this wonderful vacation and come to Florida, and then all of a sudden they get to the park and they realize 'Whoa, my family and I maybe have to stand in line for 20 minutes,' or 'It's raining, and now the ride's closed down,'" Quagliano said. "A water's $3, so they get thirsty and they say, 'I just spent four grand on a hotel — how is the water $3?'"

But former cast members say there are some things visitors can avoid doing to avoid antagonizing them.

Business Insider recently spoke to eight people who participated in the Disney College Program at Disney World. Here are the annoying guest behaviors they said they wished would stop.

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

DON'T MISS: 11 insider facts about working at Walt Disney World only cast members know

READ MORE: 20 cities are left in the running for Amazon's second headquarters — and the story of Disney's secret hunt for land nearly 60 years ago could predict how Amazon's HQ2 will change its home city

Getting mad while waiting in line

At Disney World, the lines can get long, and heat and boredom can cause tempers to flare.

But one former cast member who operated rides like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Mad Tea Party, told Business Insider that now that she had worked at the park, she'd "never get upset at a merge point, when a cast member lets all of the FastPass line go and not standby."

"There's a certain expectation in terms of how that is done — and knowing that, I am more than willing to be patient with the cast member at merge because I know they're just doing their job," she told Business Insider.



Ignoring cast members' instructions — especially when it comes to safety precautions

"A lot of guests sort of ignored safety-related directions," Devin Melendy, a former cast member who wrote "Devin Earns Her Ears: My Secret Walt Disney World Cast Member Diary," told Business Insider.

Melendy, who worked in Frontierland, said she often helped with crowd control during park parades. She said she felt uncomfortable when she had to ask guests to move to a better location and often got attitude in response.

Quagliano agreed, saying he sometimes encountered guests who were reluctant to comply with requests like moving strollers to the side to avoid blocking foot traffic.

"We don't tell people what to do just for the sake of doing it," Melendy said. "Disney is very devoted to safety and making sure that guests are happy and in a safe zone. We don't do it for fun — it's so everyone can enjoy the park and the parades in a safe manner."



Debating height requirements for rides

"You'll have guests try to argue about the height requirement when they're at the front of the line," Christina Hartless, a former Disney cast member, told Business Insider. "You'll have guests who try to stuff their kids' shoes."

Hartless worked at the Epcot attraction The Sum of All Thrills, which allowed guests to design a simulated roller-coaster experience.

The ride had two height requirements: You had to be 48 inches tall to ride and 54 inches tall to use the feature that would flip the attraction upside down.

As a result, Hartless said, she often encountered people who'd try to persuade cast members to look the other way when it came to height requirements.

"I once had a family tell me that they had come all the way from Brazil just so their 3-year-old could ride that ride," she said, "which I kind of doubted."

Fortunately, Disney World's website allows you to check which rides have height requirements before you waste your time waiting in line and bugging cast members.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Costco employees explain how reading price tags can help you save money

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Costco employee crabs

  • Costco price tags sometimes reveal hidden deals.
  • Look for Costco prices tags that end in .97, .88, .00 — or ones that feature asterisks.
  • These denote products that have been marked down or won't be restocked.


Costco price tags occasionally reveal deals that are hidden in plain sight.

Business Insider recently asked 38 Costco employees from around the country to share their best tips for getting the best deal, and several of these employees said that members should check price tags carefully when shopping.

Certain symbols and sales prices can signify which products are about to run out, which ones have been marked down, and which items the store is desperate to get rid of.

Once you know this subtle secret code, you can use it to shop smarter and find better deals at your local Costco.

Here's are some tips on how to read the price tags at Costco:

SEE ALSO: Costco employees share the 20 things they wish shoppers would stop doing

DON'T MISS: Costco workers reveal 14 things they'd never buy from the store

DON'T FORGET: Why Costco food courts have charged $1.50 for hot dogs since 1985, according to employees

Asterisks indicate that the product won’t be around for long

A Costco employee of 15 months told Business Insider that seasonal items "that are the last quantities in stock are marked with an asterisk on signage." They added that such products "can be marked down quite a bit."

But, according to The Kitchn, asterisks don't necessarily indicate that the item has been marked down. It's just not going to be restocked — so, if it's a favorite, you should grab it before it's gone.

"Your favorite item may be seasonal, so buy it if you see it," one employee who's worked at Costco for 29 years told Business Insider.



Look carefully at sales prices ending in .97

An employee who's been with Costco for 12 years told Business Insider that items with a sales price ending in .97 are clearance items and have have been marked down from the regular price.

In an article for Tough Nickel, a website dedicated to frugal living, Lee Rapoport wrote, "Unlike all other retailers, Costco doesn't like you to know this, so they don't put the original prices with a slash and then the new price as many stores do."

The website Costco.97 notes that the clearance price could go even lower if the product has been sitting on the shelves for a while at this price. The way to tell is to look at the date code, usually in the bottom right corner of the price tag, and if the last time the price was updated was a few weeks ago, "there's a good chance another round of discounts are coming soon."

 



Sales prices ending in 9 — other than .99 — may or may not indicate a deal

Rapoport reported that most regularly-priced items have a sales price ending in .99.

But sales prices ending in .89, .79, .69, .59, or .49 can indicate a special deal that Costco got from one of its manufacturers.

The website Costco.97 reported that these sales items "may or may not be a good deal" and that they are "likely products new to the store that are being tested by the manufacturer, so they offer pricing that may be lower than what you'd normally see elsewhere."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A look inside Boston Marathon champion Des Linden's daily routine, which features at least 16 miles of running and 2 breakfasts

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Des Linden Marathon run Boston

  • Boston Marathon champion Des Linden is the first American woman to win the event since 1985.
  • Linden told Business Insider about the daily routine she sticks to when she's training for a race.
  • The marathoner's average day revolves around long runs, but she leaves plenty of time for recovery too.

Boston Marathon champion Des Linden wasn't always drawn to her signature event.

"Actually, when I first started watching marathons, I was, like, 'That's insane. Crazy. I would never do that,'" Linden told Business Insider. "So it wasn't love at first sight by any means."

But when the professional runner joined the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project, she saw the transformative effect that training for the marathon had on her teammates.

"They just came out the other side as different people," she said.

Linden was sold. Since then, she's represented the US at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Linden made history in April by becoming the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since 1985.

She told Business Insider that running marathons has taught her that she's capable of handling adversity.

"When we think we're down and out, there's still a little bit more," the runner said. "It's figuring out where the very bottom of your well is. And every time you're, like, 'Wow, that was a little more than I thought.' You can keep pushing that threshold. It's kind of the same lesson over and over, but it's just going a little further each time."

Here's a look at Linden's daily routine when she's training for a marathon:

SEE ALSO: You're probably running all wrong

DON'T MISS: US Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin just won gold in Pyeongchang — here's the grueling morning routine that helped her do it

When she's in training mode, Linden packs a ton of mileage into each day. She said that training for a marathon is "really teaching your body how to run when it's really fatigued."



Linden said she wakes up around 6 and starts off the day by reaching for the coffee.



She'll also eat a light breakfast — a bagel or a piece of toast with some peanut butter.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Costco employees share their 9 best tips for getting an even better deal on your next run to the store

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Costco employee chicken

  • Costco deals are a great way to save money — but they're not always obvious.
  • Business Insider asked Costco employees to share their top tips for saving money and making the most of your experience at the store.
  • From learning how to navigate the store to figuring out how to identify clearance items, here's some advice from Costco employees.

Costco's deals are a huge draw for many members.

The retail chain is known for hawking just about everything — and selling it in bulk.

Business Insider reached out to Costco employees to learn more about their top shopping tips, because it pays to shop armed with insider information. Thirty-five ended up sharing their best strategies.

One employee of four years suggested shopping for everything at the chain, which isn't that far-fetched of an idea, considering Costco sells cars, vacations, food kits for the apocalypse, yummy fast food, and even caskets.

"The deals are amazing," a Costco employee of four years told Business Insider. "Always think Costco first. From auto insurance, travel, mortgages, return policy, warranties — if you can get it through Costco, you absolutely should."

Here's what Costco workers had to say about how you can instantly improve your shopping experience.

SEE ALSO: Costco employees reveal the worst, grossest, and most bizarre things they've seen on the job

DON'T MISS: Why Costco food courts have charged $1.50 for hot dogs since 1985, according to employees

READ MORE: Costco employees share the 20 things they wish shoppers would stop doing

Buy Kirkland

Kirkland products are the way to go, according to Costco employees.

Kirkland Signature — named for the chain's former headquarters in Kirkland, Washington — is Costco's private label.

"Buy Kirkland — it's cheaper and the same product as the name brand," a Costco employee who has worked for the store for five years told Business Insider.

An employee who's been with the store for 25 years agreed.



Don't hesitate

See something you like at Costco? Buy it. Don't hesitate.

That's what eight Costco employees told Business Insider. Seasonal items often disappear forever. If you decide to sit on your hands, you might end up regretting it.

"Too many people come back looking for something we phased out," an employee of 10 years told Business Insider. "Buy it when you see it."

You can always return it later if you decide you don't want it.



Spring for the executive membership

A standard membership at Costco is $60 a year. An executive membership will cost you $120 a year and net you an annual 2% reward of up to $1,000 on your purchases.

Five Costco employees who've worked at the store for six, two, four, 12, and six years, respectively, told Business Insider that they advised that customers spring for the executive membership.

"Come on," said one employee who has worked at the chain for six years. "You get 2% back on travel. Go to Hawaii. Make money."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

There's a science-backed treatment for drug addiction that works — but it's nearly impossible to get

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  • The death toll from the opioids epidemic continues to soar.
  • Experts say we already have a science-backed treatment that works: medication-assisted treatment, or MAT.
  • The problem, however, is that very few people can get it.


The death toll from the opioids epidemic continues to soar — nearly 64,000 people died in 2016 alone. Scientists are working to find creative tools to fight it, and President Donald Trump has called the overdose crisis a public health emergency. But he has not yet outlined any targeted solutions aside from calling for drug dealers to be given the death penalty.

A growing cadre of health professionals say we already have a science-backed treatment that works. It's called medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, and it involves administering FDA-approved medications that help curb cravings and reduce the excruciating symptoms of withdrawal.

"Medications are an effective treatment for opioid addiction," Kelly J. Clark, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, told Business Insider.

The problem is that very few people can get those medications.

Only about half of private-sector treatment programs for opioid use disorder currently offer access to MAT, and of those that offer it, only one third of patients actually receive the medication, according to a study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.

There are many reasons for this lack of access to medication. Some stem from a misconception about how the treatments — which can include buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone — work. The stigma surrounding drug use and addiction plays a role, too. Still other issues include federal and state laws that restrict the availability of the medications. 

"It's more of an implementation problem than a basic science problem," Clark said, "because we know what works."

Medications do not ‘substitute one drug for another'

Fentanyl opioids

In someone with opioid use disorder, using the drugs is often not a pleasurable experience, but rather a practice that has become a necessary fact of life. Being without the drugs leads to painful symptoms that can include severe nausea, shaking, diarrhea, and depression. The need to use is simultaneously a physical and emotional compulsion — the lines between those kinds of pain are blurred.

One of the main misconceptions about medication-assisted treatment is that medications simply replace the drugs that hooked users — leading to more highs and fueling a pattern of repeated use.

But that view is outdated and ill-informed, experts say. Instead, the drugs work by staunching cravings and reducing or preventing withdrawal and relapse. Buprenorphine and methadone help suppress cravings, while naltrexone blocks the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids so users don't experience a high.

"People ask me all the time, ‘well, aren't they just substituting one drug for another?' The answer is no. These are evidence-based treatments and they work," Patrice A. Harris, the former president of the American Medical Association and a board certified psychiatrist, told Business Insider.

Several large studies suggest that as access to MAT rises, drug overdose deaths fall. A study of heroin overdose deaths in Baltimore between 1995 and 2009 published in the American Journal of Public Health, for example, found a link between the increasing availability of methadone and buprenorphine and a roughly 50% decrease in the number of fatal overdoses.

"These treatments are life saving and they work," Sarah Wakeman, the medical director of the substance use disorder initiative at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor at Harvard, told Business Insider.

From jail to court to rehab, medication-assisted treatment is hard to find

methadoneDespite the evidence demonstrating MAT's effectiveness, it is surprisingly difficult to obtain.

One of the hardest-to-access forms of medication for recovery is methadone. In the US, the medication can only be accessed in specialized clinics; because of the way the treatment works, people on MAT must come to a facility to be injected daily. But those facilities typically have negative reputations because of policies that restrict them to locations considered seedy or run-down. And patients who come for treatment often have to push past active drug users — a big trigger for someone with substance use disorder — on their way to and from the clinic.

"You can access heroin pretty easily, yet we make it really hard to get a treatment that’s life-saving and allows you to live healthily," Wakeman said.

On Friday, the US Food and Drug Adminstration issued a new set of guidelines aimed at underlining the important role MAT should play treating opioid use disorder.

“Unfortunately, far too few people who suffer from opioid use disorder are offered an adequate chance for treatment that uses safe and effective medications,”commissioner Scott Gottlieb said.

Other countries take a very different approach to medication-assisted treatment that makes the treatments easier to obtain. In Canada, for example, methadone is distributed in pharmacies.

Rehabilitation facilities and courts in the US often don't offer medication-assisted treatment either. Instead, most operate on an abstinence-based model, in which patients must detox and then are offered counseling. They're  encouraged to attend 12-step meetings like Narcotics Anonymous, which remains opposed to MAT despite the growing body of evidence behind it.

Among staff at rehab centers across the US, many workers maintain the belief that the medication doesn't work and say clients will "abuse" medications. Stephanie Rogers, an intake coordinator at Talbott Recovery, an Atlanta-based addiction treatment center, told Business Insider that she "honestly believed" that MAT was "just substituting one drug for another."

This trend runs in sharp contrast to the way treatment for other conditions has changed based on new research. When it comes to type 2 diabetes, for example, a large body of scientific evidence demonstrated that the medication insulin helped curb the symptoms of the illness. Those findings prompted medical professionals across the country to uniformly endorse and offer it.

Even among rehab center workers who do understand the potential of medication-assisted treatment, many told Business Insider that their facilities aren't licensed to provide MAT in the first place. San Diego-based drug treatment center AToN, for example, lacks the proper licensing to provide methadone to patients, according to its program director.

Turning the tide requires buy-in from officials and medical providers

Some officials, including judges who preside over courts that see people brought in on drug offenses, are trying to update their policies to incorporate the most recent research on addiction treatment.

Judge Desiree Bruce-Lyle presides over several such courts at the Superior Court of San Diego County. She told Business Insider that she became convinced of the efficacy of MAT after attending an American Society of Addiction Medicine conference and speaking to some of its leaders, including Kelly Clark and vice president Penny S. Mills.

"I didn't believe in [MAT] until I met Penny and Kelly last year and they convinced me why it was a good thing and then I heard from a lot of the speakers that were attending that we needed to take a look at it," Bruce-Lyle said.

Still, out of roughly 50 participants in the reentry court that Bruce-Lyle helps oversees, only one or two are on MAT, she said. In their veterans court, which includes roughly 60 people, three or four are on MAT.

"I'd like to see more of it," Bruce-Lyle said, but added that she felt she'd need to convince key players at the court — including the Sheriff and other leaders — of the treatment's efficacy.

A handful of physicians and social workers are also helping to lead the charge by calling attention to the scientific evidence that shows MAT is more effective than an abstinence-only model. Wakeman, the assistant professor at Harvard, travels around the country giving presentations at conferences like the one that helped change Bruce-Lyle's mind.

"Medication-assisted treatment saves lives," Wakeman said. "You can also just call it 'treatment' and drop the two words in front of it."

DON'T MISS: Prince died with 'exceedingly high' levels of a drug that's 30 times stronger than heroin in his system, according to a new report

SEE ALSO: Pharmaceutical giants are sidestepping US marijuana restrictions to research cannabis-based drugs

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why humans enjoy pain so much

The 22 top Marvel Cinematic Universe sidekicks and supporting heroes, ranked from worst to best

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When you think about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, popular heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Panther probably spring to mind first. Or you might even think about the notable villains like Loki and Killmonger.

But the MCU is also rich with memorable supporting characters that have made their mark on their respective movies. Standouts like the rock-man Korg in "Thor: Ragnarok" or Black Panther's technologically savvy sister Shuri stole the show in great movies.

Business Insider has gathered 22 of the most memorable (some more than others) supporting heroes and "sidekicks" in the MCU and ranked them worst to best. These are the characters that aren't necessarily "Avengers" (yet) but could be; or they are regular people who have provided immense support.

Love interests like Natalie Portman's character in "Thor" and Rachel McAdams in "Doctor Strange" were left off the list because the MCU unfortunately casts talented actresses in wasted, underwritten roles. There are, though, a couple exceptions, like Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts in the "Iron Man" movies and Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia in "Black Panther," who have memorable roles that stand apart from the main character.

Below are 22 notable supporting heroes and sidekicks in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked:

SEE ALSO: All the Marvel Cinematic Universe details you need to remember before seeing 'Avengers: Infinity War'

22. Ned ("Spider-Man: Homecoming")

Played by Jacob Batalon

Ned, Peter Parker's best friend, doesn't really do much in "Homecoming" aside from providing comic relief. He does help Parker unlock some cool features in his Spider suit, but that's about it.



21. Erik Selvig ("Thor" and "The Avengers")

Played by Stellan Skarsgård

The astrophysicist Selvig was first introduced in 2011 in "Thor" and reprised his role in "The Avengers," and then the sequels to both of those movies. You probably wouldn't realize that he's shown up that much in the MCU, even though he's been a big help to Thor and the Avengers, because he's kind of forgettable. And he spends much of "The Avengers" brainwashed. 



20. Harley ("Iron Man 3")

Played by Ty Simpkins

Harley is a very, very supporting character who shows up in "Iron Man 3" and helps Tony Stark after his armor shuts down and leaves him stranded. The movie is so divisive, though, that perhaps the one thing most people can agree on is that this kid is the best part of the movie. 



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The 17 worst sequels to great movies, ranked

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terminator genisys

Whenever a critically acclaimed movie does well at the box office, Hollywood studios are eager to throw money into a follow-up picture or even a series of sequels.

But some movie premises aren't meant to be extended.

And many, many sequels aren't executed with the thought or care of their far-superior original films, especially in series that have stretched over many years — as one sees in the chasm of quality between "The Terminator" (1984) and "Terminator Genisys" (2015). 

We adapted this ranking from our list of the worst sequels of all time, selecting the films that had a vast discrepancy in Rotten Tomatoes critic scores between their terrible sequels and great originals. 

Here are 17 of the worst sequels to great movies, ranked by the increasing discrepancies in their critical reception:

SEE ALSO: The 44 worst movies made by iconic directors — from Spielberg to Scorsese

17. "Friday After Next" (2002)

Critic score: 26%

Sequel to: "Friday" (1995) — 74%

Discrepancy: 48%

What critics said: "The jokes are sophomoric, stereotypes are sprinkled everywhere and the acting ranges from bad to bodacious." — San Francisco Chronicle



16. "Batman & Robin"

Critic score: 10%

Sequel to: "Batman" (1989) — 72%

Discrepancy: 62%

What critics said: "A sniggering, exhausting, overproduced extravaganza that has virtually all of the humanity pounded out of it in the name of an endless parade of stunt sequences." — Chicago Tribune



15. "The Fly II" (1989)

Critic score: 27%

Sequel to: "The Fly" (1986) — 91%

Discrepancy: 64%

What critics said: "It's got nothing on Cronenberg's original - or the Vincent Price classic" — Sunday Times



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We visited the grocery store chain that's an alternative to Whole Foods — here's why it's better

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sprouts

  • Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market are health food stores with locations all over the US.
  • Both grocers sell mostly natural or organic products and have fresh salad and juice bars, sandwich counters, and pre-made foods for purchase.
  • They also both have partnerships with Instacart to deliver groceries on demand.
  • After shopping at Sprouts for a few months, I've found it's the perfect blend of Trader Joe's prices and Whole Foods quality.

 

Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market are natural grocery chains with hundreds of locations all over the US.

Both grocers sell mostly natural or organic products and have fresh salad and juice bars, sandwich counters, and pre-made meals for purchase, along with in-store dining areas. They also sell natural health products like vitamins and supplements. 

Ever since Amazon bought Whole Foods last year for $13.7 billion, the company has been working to shed the store's "whole paycheck" image by lowering prices and opening new, no-frills stores called Whole Foods 365.

That's placed Whole Foods in direct competition with health food stores that have long advertised low prices, like Sprouts, which has built a national brand on the motto "healthy food for less."

I've always been loyal to Trader Joe's for its unique and cheap products. Still, there's no salad bar or sandwich counter at Trader Joe's. I started shopping at Sprouts a few months ago out of convenience, and I've decided it's the perfect blend of Trader Joe's prices and Whole Foods quality.

Keep reading to see what it's like inside a Sprouts store in Los Angeles — and why I think it's so great.

SEE ALSO: We shopped at Costco and BJ's Wholesale to see which store had the better deals — and one had a clear edge over the other

DON'T MISS: Here are all the changes Amazon is making to Whole Foods

Sprouts has over 285 stores across the Southern US, the majority of which are in California, Colorado, Arizona, and Texas. Sprouts opened 36 stores in 2016 and 32 stores in 2017, and is projecting 30 new locations this year.

Source: Sprouts



The Sprouts location I frequent is in a busy part of West Hollywood on the bottom floor of an apartment building.



There's a huge seating area right at the front of the store.



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There's a new vape pen taking over America — and it has Wall Street worried about tobacco stocks (MO, PMI)

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  • The Juul, a wildly popular vape pen with twice the nicotine content of similar devices, is starting to encroach on big tobacco's financial terrain.
  • In a recent memo, Citigroup analysts warned investors that the device's sales could have a negative effect on tobacco stocks such as Altria and British American Tobacco.
  • But the Juul isn't just popular among adults, and scientists say its potential health effects are concerning.
  • Shares of Altria and Philip Morris International plunged Thursday after disappointing earnings reports showing that sales of its new products were not meeting expectations.

A new vape pen is starting to encroach on big tobacco's financial terrain.

In a recent research note, Citigroup analysts warned investors that the Juul, an e-cigarette that's particularly appealing to former smokers because of its powerful nicotine punch, was beginning to disrupt tobacco stocks.

The note suggested that the rise of the Juul could bode poorly for tobacco companies — including Altria, British American Tobacco, and Imperial Brands — as sales are falling faster than they should.

The analysts expect a sustained slowdown for tobacco companies — something they see as directly attributable to the Juul and its "rapid growth." They said its skyrocketing sales would pose a significant challenge to traditional tobacco earnings.

"The US tobacco market is beginning to be disrupted by Juul," the analysts wrote, adding, "We don't expect underlying cigarette trends to improve much in the rest of 2018."

Several tobacco companies, such as Altria, Philip Morris, and British American Tobacco, make so-called next-generation devices designed to compete with the Juul, but most have failed to generate profit for companies.

On Thursday, shares of Altria and Philip Morris International plunged, most likely as a result of disappointing earnings reports showing that sales of its new products were not meeting expectations.

In 2016, Philip Morris International launched the Iqos, a heat-not-burn device that lies somewhere between a regular cigarette and an e-cig and is expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration later this year.

But that device isn't expected to protect Altria — which maintains sole distribution rights for the product in the US — from the slump, the analysts said.

Vaping and the future of big tobacco

Unlike cigarettes, which burn their ingredients, e-cigs or vape pens heat vapor via a small portable device.

The Juul, which comprises an e-cig device and interchangeable pods that contain nicotine, is one of the most popular vape pens, having generated a whopping $224 million in retail sales from November 2016 to November 2017 and snagging one-third of the total e-cig market share during the four weeks that ended November 4.

But the Juul is also trendy among teens — something that has been a big red flag for scientists, who warn that nicotine is highly addictive and damaging to the developing brain.

Several other health concerns related to vaping are also emerging.

A study published this spring found that some of the toxic metals in conventional cigarettes were present in e-cigs.

Another found that at least some of those toxins appeared to make their way through the body, as evidenced by a urine analysis by researchers who randomly sampled about 100 people in the Bay Area who vape.

And research presented recently at a large conference found substantial evidence tying daily e-cig use to an increased risk of heart attack.

SEE ALSO: Experts are calling out a vape pen with 'scary' nicotine levels that teens love — here's how it affects the brain

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's what happens in your body when you swallow gum

14 movies playing at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival that should be on your radar

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Beginning on Wednesday, the Tribeca Film Festival kicks off another year of spotlighting fascinating movies, TV shows, and the latest projects from the world of virtual reality.

That isn't even mentioning the anniversary screenings of treasured classics like “Schindler’s List" and “Scarface,” accompanied by talks with the legends behind the works.

But not everyone can make it to New York City to take in all the fun. Here are 14 movies showing at the fest that you should seek out when they are eventually released in theaters and streaming.

SEE ALSO: "Westworld" season 2 is even better than the first and transcends the last sci-fi tropes holding it back

“The American Meme”

This documentary looks at the people who are famous for being famous — Paris Hilton, The Fat Jew, Emily Ratajkowski, among others — and dissects what you really have to do to become a social media brand. [Seeking distribution]



“Disobedience”

Following up his best foreign film Oscar for “A Fantastic Woman,” Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio gives us the story of a taboo romance set in North London’s Orthodox Jewish community, starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams. [Released by Bleecker Street on April 27]



“The Fourth Estate”

Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Liz Garbus (“What Happened, Miss Simone?”) looks at the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency from inside one of the papers he criticizes the most: The New York Times. [Airing on Showtime May 27]



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China's 'Las Vegas' is leaving billionaires behind in favor of the rising middle class — see inside the $3.4 billion mega-casino leading the charge

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MGM Cotai

  • The gambling capital of the world is Macau, an autonomous region in China, with gaming revenues more than three times that of Las Vegas.
  • The city made its name catering to high-spending VIPs from China, but casino giants have had to change their strategy due to a corruption crackdown and directives from the Chinese government. 
  • MGM China opened its new $3.4 billion mega casino-resort earlier this year to appeal to China's rising middle class, with a $100 million theater, priceless art, and a high-end spa, among other features.
  • I visited the resort recently. It was clear that gambling was hidden away while MGM was trying to sell a new kind of luxury to its guests.

 

Americans might be surprised to find out that the gambling capital of the world isn’t Las Vegas.

It's Macau.

Gambling revenue in the former Portugeuse colony topped $33 billion last year, more than three times the revenue generated by Las Vegas casinos. 

It's a stunning turnaround for the city, which became a gambling mecca for the millionaires and billionaires created by China's economic rise. Global gambling giants Steve Wynn, Las Vegas Sands, and MGM all jumped in to feed the demand.

But, starting around 2013, revenue started to dry up as President Xi Jinping led a crackdown on corruption in the Communist Party, scaring off the VIPs who drove casino revenue.

Gaming revenue has come back as the crackdown has eased, but this time around its the crowds driving the revenue, not the VIPs. That, along with the Chinese government's directives that Macau needs to broaden its scope away from gambling, has changed the strategy for casinos.

In February, MGM China opened its $3.4 billion bet on the new face of Macau — the one based around family-oriented tourism and appealing to China's middle class, which is projected to grow from 430 million to over 780 million in the next decade.

The MGM Cotai is a 35-story, 1,390-room casino-resort that takes the focus off gambling and towards features like  a $100 million theater that change into multiple configurations — from fashion show to concert to nightclub — as well as a $12.7 million collection of contemporary and traditional Asian art, nine high-end restaurants, and a world-class spa with “singing bowl” massages.

“Our strategic plan is built on catering to this tremendously emerging more-affluent Chinese customer, a customer that’s looking for more experimental experiences, not just a selfie moment or a gaming table," MGM CEO James Murren said.

I was recently invited to the MGM Cotai for two-day art symposium to show off the resort’s extensive art collection, as well as try out the various features and facilities — here’s what it was like.

SEE ALSO: We partied at the exclusive, sexy Hong Kong party with the art world’s elite on a 62,000-square-foot floating restaurant — here’s what it was like

The MGM Cotai is located in Macau, which I accessed by ferry from Hong Kong. More specifically, the resort is on Cotai, a 2-mile strip of reclaimed land where casino giants have sought to create a new Las Vegas Strip of diversified mega casino-resorts offering everything from amusement parks to a mechanized dragon.



The MGM is surrounded by massive casino-resorts like Steve Wynn's Wynn Palace and City of Dreams Macau. There are more than 10 casino-resorts on "the Strip."



Opulence is the name of the game. The golden lion in front of the MGM Cotai weighs 38 tons, is 33 feet tall, and made from 32,000 sheets of 24-karat gold foil.



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