Rapper Kanye West told Jon Caramanica of The New York Times in an extensive Q&A that he's going to be the next Steve Jobs and run a billion-dollar company.

Here's how Kanye phrased his ambitions to The New York Times: 

I think what Kanye West is going to mean is something similar to what Steve Jobs means. I am undoubtedly, you know, Steve of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture. Period. By a long jump. I honestly feel that because Steve has passed, you know, it’s like when Biggie passed and Jay-Z was allowed to become Jay-Z.

I’ve been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You have like, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Nicolas Ghesquière, Anna Wintour, David Stern.

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.

Incredible. 

Read the full interview at the New York Times >

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Five continents, 22 days, and 12 rounds of golf.

It's a golfer's dream vacation, and it'll only set you back $74,450. 

The trip, organized by the luxury golf company Kalos Golf, departs from Maui and ends in Sotogrande, Spain three weeks later, says Bloomberg.

A decked out 757 jet will cart golfers from five-star hotel to five-star hotel across the globe.

Like what you're hearing? Too bad. The October 2014 trip's 78 slots are already sold out and there's a 21-person waiting list. 

We can certainly see why.

Here's how it works: golfers will head across the globe, from Hawaii to Dubai to South Africa

Travelers start in Maui before heading to Fiji, Australia, Bali, Thailand, Dubai, Mauritius, South Africa, and Spain. Not bad!

Source: Kalos Golf

Play at some of the most gorgeous courses in the world

Including the Majlis Course at Emirates, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius, and Valderrama in Andalucía, Spain.

Source: Kalos Golf

And relax at five-star hotels like the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel in Dubai

And in Bali, "After playing 18 holes, unwind in tropical splendor among the cascading waterfalls and soothing Jacuzzis of the Nirwana Bali Resort’s four magnificent pools."

Source: Kalos Golf

Things are starting to look up for retirement savers. 

The average 401(k)s' balance in the U.S. rose by 10% in 2012  to $86,212, according to Vanguard's latest retirement report.

Not only are Americans saving more now that the worst of the recession has passed, but they've also benefited from the market rally and increasing contributions from employers. 

The majority of account holders saw their accounts grow 67% over the five year period between 2007 and 2012.  Here's how workers are improving their savings strategies: 

They're wising up to crushing 401(k) fees. A whopping 82% of plan participants now hold at least part of their investments in low-cost index funds, including target-date funds.

They're letting go of control. In fact, when it comes to individual investors, many have stopped trying to actively manage their own accounts at all (smart move).  More than one-third of workers have opted for a target-date fund, a balanced fund or a managed account advisory program. By Vanguard's estimates, this number will rise to 55% by 2017.

They're opting for Roth 401(k) plans in lieu of traditional 401(k)s. More than half of those enrolled in at least one Vanguard target-date fund went the way of the Roth.

All in all, workers have proven they're pretty solid savers. One in five are managing to tuck away 10% or more of their income into a 401(k) (the average is 10.5% nationwide). But just 11% maxed out their contributions, most of whom were high-earning, older males. Only 15% of workers over the age of 50 managed to make "catch-up" contributions in 2012 to make up for losses during the recession. 

They're taking out fewer loans against their savings. Dipping into your 401(k) is tantamount to time traveling into your future and robbing yourself blind. Luckily, there's been a 3% decline in new loans against 401(k)s in 2012. Still, nearly one in five had outstanding loans of about $9,000, on average.

People are still investing in the market, just a little less than usual. The percentage of plan assets invested in equities, which was 73% in 2007, declined to 66%. Of course, we know what happened to 1% of savers who ditched the market altogether after the recession: They haven't bounced back nearly as quickly.

But we still have some work to do. One-third of participants saved less than 4% on their own, and 7% of workers declined to enroll in any defined contribution plans at all in 2012.

“While we are seeing good news overall in the retirement planning habits of participants, many Americans are still not saving enough for the future," Young said. “Simply put, people need to save more and save more now.” 

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Thanks to to the tireless tweeting of Hamptons Handyman Joe Schwenk (aka HamptonsBorn), we know about a fairly serious confrontation that happened this morning between a hedge fund manager and his generators, a neighbor with a hatred for noise, lawyers, private security, and the cops.

We imagine that the hedge fund manager, identified only as "Mr. C",  probably needs those "movie set" generators — Bloomberg machines suck up a lot of power.

It all started out early this morning:

Things quickly escalated....

Things started to get tense...

Naturally, young traders were confused (note: No slickbacks in this crowd)...

And then... the true clash — lawyers and private security versus the Hamptons police....

NOW GUESS WHO WON?!

Couldn't have put it better ourselves, and of course, eagerly await the next showdown.

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The role of luck in getting wealthy is no longer just an academic issue: it's also a political one.

If we assume that wealth comes from working hard, taking great personal risk and coming up with great ideas, then the wealthy don't necessarily "owe" society for their success.

But if the rich are simply lucky, or if they get wealthy on the back of America's publicly funded infrastructure, they owe more of a debt in the form of taxes or philanthropy.

The debate over luck or work, self or community, came into the spotlight last summer with a commencement speech at Princeton by author Michael Lewis. The speech was called "Don't Eat Fortune's Cookie." Success, he said, often comes from luck and happenstance—yet the successful often "rationalize" their success as stemming from talent or work or intelligence.

"Recognize that if you have had success, you have also had luck—and with luck comes obligation," he wrote. "You owe a debt, and not just to your Gods. You owe a debt to the unlucky."

President Barack Obama reignited the debate during the election campaign with the "you didn't build that" line. Many said it was taken out of context—he was talking about roads and bridges and public schools—but it still hit a nerve. And it fueled the battle over the wealthy paying their "fair share" in taxes.

But what about the wealthy themselves? A study from Spectrem Group, the wealth research firm, shows that while some of the wealthy say luck played a role in their success, many say hard work, education and risk-taking played a much bigger role.

(Read More: Top 1 Percent Control 39 Percent of World's Wealth)

Among people worth $5 million or more, more than 98 percent cited hard work as a "wealth creation factor." More than 90 percent cited education, followed by "smart investing," "frugality" and then "taking risk."

Slightly more than half of those surveyed cited "being at the right place at the right time" as a factor in their success—ranking it far below hard work and education.

Among business owners, however, the number of self-described "lucky wealthy" is much higher: 79 percent of them cited "being at the right place at the right time" as a factor in their success. Fully 68 percent of business owners cited "luck" as a factor.

(Read More: We're Rich Again! We Just Can't Feel It)

Among corporate executives, 64 percent cited "being at the right place and right time" as a factor in their success while half cited "luck."

So are the wealthy downplaying luck or is wealth truly self-made?

"One way to interpret the data is that it's a balance," said George Walper of Spectrem Group. "Some acknowledge that their success is partly based on luck. But some people don't. And maybe ego plays a role among the people who may understate the effects of luck."

—By CNBC's Robert Frank. Follow him on Twitter

@robtfrank

SEE ALSO: 8 Reasons To Stay At A Job You Hate

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Beauty is not subjective. Contrary to popular belief, men and women generally agree on who is and who is not physically attractive, even across different cultures.  

What makes someone enjoyable to look at? 

High cheekbones, fuller lips, big eyes, and a thin chin are associated with sexiness in women, whereas a big jaw and broad chin are preferred in men. Smooth skin, shiny hair, and facial symmetry are also key aspects of beauty.  

According to various studies, these provide measures of health, good genes, intelligence, and success. More often than not, the world rewards beauty.

Here's why it's better to be hot: 

#1 Beautiful people are viewed as healthier.

Facial symmetry, considered the beacon of beauty, can be perceived as a sign of health, even if it is not related to actual health. In an Australian study, researchers morphed photographs of young adults so that their faces were perfectly symmetrical. In general, the symmetric version of each face — both male and female — received higher health ratings than the normal image. Individuals with asymmetric faces were perceived as unhealthy.

#2 Beautiful people are actually healthier. 

Although the link between facial symmetry and real health is weak, there is some evidence that individuals with more distinct facial features, considered less attractive, are more susceptible to disease, parasites, and other illnesses. Specifically, in a study of 17-year-olds, researchers found that facial distinctiveness was linked to poor health in both men and women, either during childhood or adolescence. Facial averageness, on the other hand, was linked to good health. One theory is that distinctive facial traits are tied to chromosomal disorders. The preference for average faces may have evolved as a way of identifying a mate with good genes. 

#3 It's easier for beautiful people to find mates. 

Men seek attractive women as mates because good looks signal youth, health, and reproductive fitness. 

#4 Beautiful people are more intelligent. 

University of New Mexico researchers found that general intelligence is positively linked to body symmetry, a characteristic that is indicative of attractive qualities like health, social dominance, and fitness-related biological traits.  

#5 Beautiful people are more persuasive. 

Good-looking people can use their sex appeal to command attention and to get ahead, say in a job interview or when asking for a promotion. Attractive people are more persuasive, in part, because they also possess or develop key personality traits — like intelligence and strong social skills — that make them more effective communicators. Researchers also found that compared to unattractive speakers, attractive speakers were much more fluent talkers.  

#6 Companies with good-looking executives have higher sales.  

In a study of nearly 300 Dutch advertising agencies, economists found that firms with better-looking executives had higher revenues. Overall productivity, and resulting sales, were greater in companies with more attractive managers, partly because firms with more attractive workers have the competitive advantage when client interactions are involved. 

#7 Beautiful people have an advantage in politics. 

Beautiful people have the upper-hand in politics, according to a study in Finland which found that both male and female political candidates who look better than their competitors are more successful. A better individual beauty score was associated with an increase of 20% in the number of votes for the average non-incumbent parliamentary candidate. Perceived competence and trustworthiness had less of an effect. The study authors suggests that voters favor good-looking candidates because they enjoy watching them and they fare better in social situations. 

#8 Beautiful people are perceived as more likeable and trustworthy. 

Beautiful people are typically treated better by others. In a study from Harvard University, researchers found that wearing makeup, shown to enhance a woman's attractiveness, boosted people's perceptions of that subject's competence, likability, attractiveness, and trustworthiness.

SEE ALSO: What The Human Face Might Look Like 100,000 Years From Now

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On May 28, 96 classic cars left Beijing for an epic race that will take them all the way to Paris.

It's the 5th Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, one of the planet's toughest rally races.

The cars in competition are rarely seen on roads today, and span from a 1913 Ford Model T to a 1982 Renault 4.

They're being driven by teams of two, who hail from 26 countries and are made up of spouses, parents and children, and siblings.

Some are doing it just for fun, while others are raising money for charity (causes include environmental conservation and brain research).

Seven cars were forced to drop out within the first week, but the rest are aiming to reach Paris by June 29.

Standing between them and their goal are 7,500 miles of deserts, mountains, gravel and dirt roads, through China, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, France, and more.

On May 28, the cars took off from Beijing, starting the 7,500 mile journey.

Things quickly got muddy.

The 1913 Ford Model T is the oldest entrant in the rally. On day two, its oil cap vibrated loose and ended up breaking a fan blade.

Universal Orlando Resort is featuring a new attraction this summer: Springfield, hometown of America's favorite animated family.

That's right. Homer, Marge, and the kids are moving to Orlando.

Parts of the attraction — a new section of the expansive theme park — are still under construction, but areas like Fast Food Boulevard are already open. Visitors will be able to eat a Krusty Burger and even sip on Duff Beer, brewed especially for the park.

Springfield will mimic the same immersive experience that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter brought fans.

Thanks to Ricky Brigante of Insidethemagic.net for sharing these photos of the park with us. You can read his preview here.

The park-in-a-park is an expansion of the Simpson's franchise at Universal.

The pre-existing Simpsons Ride, a virtual roller coaster, anchors the area. A new ride called Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ’n’ Hurl will take fans on an "intergalactic spin."

Photo credit: Ricky Brigante / InsideTheMagic.net

Springfield's brightly colored storefronts mirror the animated originals from the TV show.

Photo credit: Ricky Brigante / InsideTheMagic.net

Controversial artist Damien Hirst has flooded the art market with nearly 1,400 of the same painting.

Well, virtually the same — Hirst's famous multi-colored "spot" paintings have dots ranging from the size of a pin to over five feet across.

But they all have the same industrial uniformity, mainly due to the fact that Hirst has assistants who manufacture the paintings for him.

Hirst has openly admitted that he is only responsible for the first 25 spot paintings, and his assistants have done the rest. But he still told Reuters last year that "every single spot painting contains my eye, my hand, and my heart."

Whether they are the products of assistants or Hirst himself, the artist's name has guaranteed the paintings have sold well at recent auctions — from $53,000 to $1.7 million in the past 18 months, according to The New York Times.

Even so, those numbers are not what they used to be. Hirst's golden boy status in the art world began to tank in 2008 along with the economy, and since then his works of art have resold for 30% less than the original price, according to The Independent.

Perhaps that's why Hirst is now drumming up publicity by revealing exactly how many spot paintings actually exist in a new book by his publisher Other Criteria — 1,365, to be precise.

That number is significantly lower than the rumored 2,000-7,000 paintings in the series, which may increase future auction prices, but it's still a lot.

And despite the market saturation, Hirst is in the process of creating even more spot paintings:

"Damien is working on some spot paintings with very small spots, including a painting with one million spots, which will take number of years to complete," James Kelly, director of Hirst's London company Science Ltd, told The New York Times in an email.

Of course he is.

SEE ALSO: 10 Billionaires Who Spend A Ton Of Money On Art

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You’ve got kale, spinach, and collard greens down, no?

Well, time to add another super-veggie into the healthy-eating mix.

Enter: kohlrabi.

“Kohlrabi is a vegetable that is part of the mustard family (aka brassicaceae), whose ancestors are wild cabbage and wild turnips,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D. and wellness manager for Cleveland Clinic's Center for Lifestyle Medicine.

According to Kirkpatrick, it looks similar to a turnip —a round-sized bulb with a stem and large, edible leaves. “The stem may have purple, white, or green skin but the flesh is white," she says.

Now that you know how to find it at the supermarket, you're probably wondering what exactly makes this unassuming veggie so beneficial. First, it’s high in potassium. The reason that's a big deal?

"Increased potassium intake & decreased sodium is associated with reduced blood pressure levels and increased bone mineral density,” explains Kirkpatrick. “And even a moderate deficiency in potassium leads to elevated blood pressure which can lead to unwanted aging on the inside and outside of the body.”

Kohlrabi also has ample vitamin C, says Kirkpatrick — about 54 mg per 100 grams — meaning it contains more vitamin C than cauliflower, strawberries, melon, orange juice, and grapefruit juice. And, last but certainly not least, it has high water content and fiber.

Kohlrabi is also part of the microgreen fam, a nutrient category we've already dived into due to its buzzworthy health benefits.

“Purple kohlrabi is considered to be a microgreen, since it provides a punch of flavor, color, and nutrition, however, there is a lack of scientific research to justify the nutrient content of microgreens and different microgreens provide varying levels of vitamins and carotenoids,” cautions Kirkpatrick.

And, the most important part: How does it taste?

“Kohlrabi has a flavor that is similar to a turnip but is sweeter and milder,” says Kirkpatrick.

And you can whip some up basically any way you please. “If the Kohlrabi is young and tender, it can be eaten in thin, raw slices with dip,” she says.

Or, hey, go crazy and steam it. “Kohlrabi leaves can also be steamed and sautéed in oil and garlic — similar to spinach or chard,” says Kirkpatrick.

Her simple sautée recipe: Wash and cut kohlrabi bulk into slices or bite-size pieces; add to a saucepan with a half inch of water, a dash of salt, and cover. Then add zucchini, squash, and other vegetables, some olive oil, onions, garlic, and spices. Stir-fry for 5-7minutes. 

Bon appetit!

Follow Us On Facebook — Business Insider: Science

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So you’ve seen the heated indoor lap pool in the state-of-the-art fitness center, toured the screening room, entertainment lounge, game room, catering kitchen and pet spa. But take a moment before you rush over to the leasing office to sign on the dotted line.

Here are ten questions to ask before renting in a luxury building:

1. Do you have to pay extra for the gym?

Sure, the building’s fitness center rivals your local Equinox—with a lap pool, elliptical machines a-plenty and round-the-clock spin classes—but if it isn’t included in the rent, you might end up paying more than you would otherwise for a gym just because it’s on premises.

If you already use the gym at work for a nominal fee, or if you'll have to pay a hefty penalty to quit your current gym--or if you've never ever worked out in the past--don’t allow yourself to be won over by the impressive exercise facility.

If, on the other hand, having a gym just an elevator ride away from home sounds perfect to you, check it out at the time of day you would normally want to use it to see if there's a wait for your favorite exercise equipment.

2. How's the cell-service in those sky-high apartments?

Spotty cell service can be a problem for those who dwell several dozen stories above the earth. Find out if the building offers a technological workaround, like a cellular base station that connects calls through a broadband network.  And ask how much extra it will cost you.

3. Is the location convenient enough?

In classic razzle-dazzle NYC real-estate chutzpah, landlords and management companies often compensate for an awkward location--say, three avenues from the nearest subway line--by piling on amenities and charging luxury rents. 

Practice your commute--and remain focused.

“People get excited about amenities they rarely wind up using,” says Phil Lang of Suitey, a referral network of high-quality New York City real estate agents established by Lang and fellow Yale graduate David Walker in response to the apartment search travails of their classmates and colleagues.  "It's important to stay practical."

(FYI, BrickUndergrounders can sign up here to take advantage of Suitey's low corporate rate on rental broker fees--usually around 10% of a year's rent versus the standard 12-15%.) 

Lang says that new arrivals to the city--as well as their parents, who frequently reach out to Lang ahead of their college-graduate children--are most susceptible.

“Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by amenities you won’t use anyway. If you’ve never stepped foot in a gym before, you probably won’t start now," says Lang. "And if you don’t have a pooch to pamper, the pet spa is useless."

Keep location a top priority. You'll use the screening room/golf simulator/roofdeck a fraction of times you'll commute...twice a day, five days a week, all year round.

If you decide a long commute is worth it, and the building runs a shuttle bus to the nearest subway line, find out how frequently it runs--and whether it will be operational on weekends.

4. Are guarantors accepted?

Luxury buildings don't come cheap. If your annual income (or your and your roommates' income combined) doesn't add up to 40-45 times the monthly rent--and if putting down a larger security deposit (say, 4 to 6 months rent) isn't possible--will you be allowed to call in some reinforcements? 

Many landlords will accept a guarantor who makes at least 80 times the monthly rent and lives in the Tri-State area.  

If you're short on wealthy nearby relatives, see if the building is one of the thousands in NYC and other major cities that accepts Insurent, an institutional lease guarantor that guarantees leases for a fee of about a month's rent. 

5. What’s the story with storage space?

Your luxury building is more likely than other types of rentals to offer storage space, bike spaces, stroller storage and even wine storage, but is there a wait list? Is the price included in the rent? 

6. Are you guaranteed a spot in the garage?

If you’re one of the lucky/unlucky New Yorkers who owns a car, you may be sick of playing the alternate side parking game every morning. But even if your new building has a garage, don’t just assume that you’re guaranteed a spot.

Many places have waiting lists a mile long, with people waiting months, if not years, for a parking space.

Find out if you have a chance of getting into the parking structure anytime soon or if you’ll simply be circling a different neighborhood in search of a spot after your move. Valet parking is also available at a number of buildings—for an additional charge.

7. What is the temporary wall policy?

In recent years, safety concerns have led a number of NYC buildings to disallow temporary walls in favor of bookshelves or partial walls that don’t reach the ceiling. So if you can’t swing the apartment's rent without a roommate, or afford a true two-bedroom, find out the building’s official policy on carving out your own space.  (And don't take your broker's word for it.)

8. Is the building technology-enabled? 

Websites like BuildingLink.com allow residents to input maintenance requests and send instructions to doormen at any time of the day or night. It also emails you when packages have been delivered.

Lang recommends finding out whether your desired building is signed up for such an account or stuck in the Stone Age using sticky notes to track deliveries.

9. Are dogs allowed?

Luxury rentals tend to be more dog-friendly than many rental buildings (at least if your dog is under 50 pounds). You will probably need to sign a pet rider—an addendum to your lease that lists the number and type of pets you own--and pay a pet deposit. You may also have to ride the service elevator when you're walking your dog, so ask about any special rules that apply.

Many luxury buildings permit smaller pets (under 50 pounds), but prohibit larger animals or exotic pets that might frighten other residents.

10.  Do they take credit cards?

Many large buildings owned by national REITs accept credit cards, explains Lang. Before you hand yours over, ask whether you will be charged a "convenience fee" for the pleasure/points of putting your rent on plastic.

Related posts:

• How to Rent a NYC apartment
• From 1 room to 2: The insider's guide to temporary walls
• Moving to NYC? Here's a crash course in finding an apartment here

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When we came across Yahoo Finance contributor Adam Hatter's story about his family's five-year triumph over their mortgage debt, we couldn't help but wince.

On the one hand, Hatter and his wife's success is something to marvel at. They borrowed $157,000 with a 30-year fixed-rate loan in 2008 and managed to pay it off 25 years early on a "quite average" dual income.

"The sooner it was paid for, the sooner we would be free from the shackles of debt," wrote Hatter, a government analyst who lives in Charleston, W. Va. "The sooner we would have the ability to use our money for more than just monthly bills."

They saved tens of thousands of dollars worth of interest in the process, but what is troubling is how far they went to do it.

In order to double up on their mortgage payments each month, Hatter and his wife put the brakes on their retirement savings, save for their 5% employer contribution. And when they realized how much they'd need to sacrifice to double up on mortgage payments each month, they also stopped contributing to 529 college savings plans for their two young children. 

Every homeowner would love to be unshackled from mortgage debt, but there are few homeowners out there who are likely in good enough financial shape to go for it.

"People today are woefully under-saved for both emergencies and retirement," Greg McBride, mortgage expert for Bankrate.com, told Business Insider. "They need to be maximizing their financial responsibility by padding their emergency savings, utilizing tax favored retirement options and not pouring every spare nickle into their home, which is an illiquid asset."

There's no telling how much that money would have grown over half a decade in an IRA or 529 account, but one thing is for certain: there's no way to get it back now. 

"That extra money applied to the mortgage is effectively gone until they sell the house and whether you're selling or staying there, it's not a free house once you get the loan paid off," McBride said. "You still have property taxes, maintenance and upkeep, not to mention you've really compromised your financial security in the meantime." 

Hatter family aside, in what case would it be wise to pay off a mortgage early? Ideally, you'd first be able to meet these criteria: 

And if you don't? The smartest move the Hatters made was to refinance their mortgage as soon as they could, dropping their interest rate to a fixed 4.375%. That's one way to tackle huge interest paymets and cash in on today's low rates, which are slowly starting to creep back up.

Personal finance expert Richard Barrington supports the early mortgage pay-off approach, if homeowners have examined every option and decided they're fiscally fit enough to go for it. 

Here are the simple questions he recommends asking before taking extreme measures to pay down your mortgage: 

1. Are there prepayment penalties? Actually, it’s best to ask this question before you sign up for a mortgage. If you can minimize prepayment penalties, it will give you more options down the road.

2. Is your income solid? This is essential for making sure you don’t run into a liquidity problem by putting too much into your mortgage too soon.

3. Have interest rates fallen or risen? If interest rates have risen (and assuming you have a fixed-rate mortgage), you might do better by investing at higher rates while continuing to pay a low rate on your mortgage. If rates have fallen, you face a choice of paying down the mortgage early or refinancing, which leads me to my final suggestion.

At the end of the day, each case is different, and every family should strategize carefully for paying off any debt as large as a home loan. 

"Look, it's not like [the Hatters] took out all that equity and went and spent the money ... but it's certainly not their optimal move," McBride said.

"It may be 10, 20, 30 years for them to realize that, when their kids go to college and they haven't accumulated enough savings and they have to borrow student loans. And yeah, they don't have a mortgage, but they sure won't have as much saved in retirement as they would have liked."

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New Yorkers are considered the the world's best tippers for a reason.

A 20% tip is the norm at Manhattan restaurants (some restaurants in tourist-heavy areas even go so far as to include tips in their totals just in case travelers stiff them).

But 14-year-old Japanese restaurant, Sushi Yasuda, is breaking the mold and banning tips altogether, reports food critic Ryan Sutton on his blog, The Price Hike.

Instead of a tip line, patrons now see this message at the bottom of their bill:

'Following the custom in Japan, Sushi Yasuda’s service staff are fully compensated by their salary. Therefore gratuities are not accepted. Thank you.”

"We are just taking tipping out of the equation,” explained restaurant owner Scott Rosenberg.

But even though diners can get away without tipping, they aren't exactly getting a cheaper meal. Rosenberg has also raised the prices on menu items to make up for his no-tip policy.

Daisy Chung, executive director for Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, a nonprofit that supports restaurant workers, told ABC News they're totally behind the idea.

“It started a good conversation about tips and restaurant compensation,” Chung said. “We definitely feel there shouldn’t be a separate system where tip workers rely on tips to subsidize their wages ... Workers should be fully compensated.”

Rosenberg hasn't revealed how much his waitstaff are paid, but his restaurant is no dive. A meal for two at Sushi Yasuda could easily top $200 (Yelp gives it four $ signs) — and potentially net a sizeable tip for a friendly waiter or waitress. Hopefully, their new salary is making up for the difference.

SEE ALSO: Use this tipping guide and you'll never look cheap again >

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In the first quarter of 2013, 9.7 million or 19.8% of all residential properties with a mortgage were still in negative equity, according to CoreLogic's latest negative equity report.

Homeowners are in negative equity when they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth.  

This is down from 10.5 million or 21.7% of all residential properties at the end of Q4 2012.

Higher home prices helped lift 850,000 mortgage borrowers out of negative equity. But a large part of the country is still deep underwater.

Using CoreLogic data, we ranked the 12 states that had the most underwater mortgages as a percentage of all mortgages. The five states with the highest negative equity accounted for 32.8% of negative equity in the U.S.

Note: Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio is a measure used by financial institutions to gauge risk before approving a mortgage. The higher the LTV ratio, the higher the risk and the more expensive the loan.

California

Negative equity share:
21.3%

Total mortgages:
6,747,000

Average loan-to-value ratio:
63.4%

Source: CoreLogic

New Hampshire

Negative equity share:
21.3%

Total mortgages:
226,000

Average loan-to-value ratio:
72.1%

Source: CoreLogic

Mississippi

Negative equity share:
22.3%

Total mortgages:
50,000

Average loan-to-value ratio:
77.3%

Source: CoreLogic

No need for the preamble here, we all know what this is about — Kanye West's super candid, super cocky interview with the New York Times.

Kanye's quotes from the story have, as likely was intended, both delighted and enraged fan and foe across the country. Kudos Kanye, you got what you wanted, but  just one tiny quibble on this end.

These quotes right here:

"Yeah, respect my trendsetting abilities. Once that happens, everyone wins. The world wins; fresh kids win; creatives win; the company wins...

“I am undoubtedly, you know, Steve of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture. Period. By a long jump. I honestly feel that because Steve has passed, you know, it’s like when Biggie passed and Jay-Z was allowed to become Jay-Z.”

Let's not even touch the Steve Jobs concept. It seems unseemly to pull him into this. The problem here is that Kanye West has never set the standard for downtown fashion, culture, or the kids that truly own it in his life.

In fact, it's arguable that he's never set a trend in his life.

What's actually happening here is that Kanye West is following downtown culture, and the kids are respectfully letting him have his say. To break this down, let's take it back to 2007, when Kanye released his 3rd album, Graduation.

That was the year Kanye started wearing neon and putting on skinny jeans. That's really when a lot of people — uptown, downtown, black and white did. The cover of his album reflected the palate of the moment — bright colors designed by the work of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.

It was 2007 and 2008 when electronic music really started showing up in pop music, and a lot of things changed.

But Kanye didn't lead that movement, he followed it behind the same downtown kids that embody the style he claims to innovate. Perhaps he was one of the first rappers to do this, but it definitely didn't come from him.

Before Graduation hit the airwaves, indie band and true innovators LCD Soundsystem released their 2nd album, Sound of Silver. It had the sentiment, and its listeners had the skinny jeans. Even more to this point, French techno DJs Justice released their underground hit gone above, D.A.N.C.E in 2007, and it's neon technicolor dream of a video was a smash.

Kanye copped that. And that's fine, it was great stuff. As for the Murakami inspired cover, the Japanese artist had been showing a major exhibit at L.A.'s Getty Museum in 2007, which was later taken to Brooklyn with great success in 2008.  The kids loved it, and so did Kanye.

So there's that.

A few other trends Kanye can claim to have started — shutter sunglasses. Thanks for that, Kanye. Everyone fist pumping at Avicii concerts thanks you as well.

Perhaps his fashion line?

Lest we not forget, Kanye's first attempt at  Paris Spring Fashion Week in 2011 was largely panned. The NY Times said "yawn," actually, and given their track record at identifying what is cutting edge, that's pretty horrific.

From the NY Times:

At the after-party for his first runway show here on Saturday night, Kanye West, even before the reviews came out, made an obscenity-laced speech in which he complained about people treating his aspiration to be a serious fashion designer as a joke, and said he had taken out loans to hire the best models, designers and location.

“I gave you everything that I had,” he said, one of his few printable remarks.

If that is true, Mr. West faces bigger obstacles in life than credit-card debt. His show was described by those who attended as, at best, a disappointment, and yet the rapper could be found almost everywhere during Paris Fashion Week defending himself.

The following season Fall Fashion Week 2012, Kanye didn't show at all.

His glorious return the season after that was overshadowed by this disturbing news: Rolling Stone reported that Kanye would not allow critics at his fashion show at all. Not exactly the fearless attitude of a trendsetter, and not exactly the embodiment downtown energy that he claims to imbue which is, by nature, never tired, and never scared.

Now, all that said, as a musician Kanye is more than solid. His songs are thoughtful, passionate and refreshing. He makes amazing beats for very talented lyricists (something we wouldn't call him either).

However,  you won't find downtown scenesters with an eye for art  pre-ordering his next album on iTunes, waiting for it with bated breath. They're likely more appreciative of his latest single as a welcome reprieve from the onslaught of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus tunes while they're waiting in line at their local bodega.

By and large, Kanye has done little more than appropriate the innovations of others into his own work and call it something completely new. 

But it's not.

He is not the master of all that is cool, he just writes good songs that everyone can groove to. This isn't meant to ream him, he's talented — it's just meant to set the record straight.

Thanks for the Workout Plan, though Kanye — and this mixtape from Mick Boogie. That was awesome.

For good measure, here's Justice's D.A.N.C.E video:

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See the latest leather, camo, and tartan bags uncovered by our community of contributors in the Details Style Network.

Wood & Faulk DIY Leather Lunch Tote, Price Varies

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Carven x Porter Quilted Backpack, $817

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If you’re counting on an inheritance, you might think again.

Recent data show that more older adults today are in debt than before.

A study earlier this year from the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that the percentage of households with credit card debt headed by someone age 75 or older doubled from11 percent in 1998 to 22 percent in 2010.

And a 2011 University of Michigan Law School study found that those 65 and older are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population filing for bankruptcy and they carry 50 percent more credit card debt than younger debtors.

RELATED: The High Cost of Growing Old Alone

In addition to credit card debt, today’s older Americans carry loans that were rare in the past for their age group. Fourth-quarter 2012 data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York show that 2.2 million adults age 60 and older have student loan debt—with one in eight delinquent on payments. And since 1989, the proportion of those older than age 75 with mortgage debt has quadrupled.

Many seniors are racking up debt because of high medical bills and dwindling retirement savings, thinking that it will be forgiven when they die. While most debt cannot be transferred to their children, creditors can go after a senior’s home, their savings, and sometimes their families, who might have unknowingly cosigned a loan or who pay simply because they’re unsure who is responsible.

Children also can get bitten by a parent’s back taxes. If a deceased parent gifted money to a child, and that gift occurred after the IRS informed the parent that they owed the government, the IRS can reach into the child’s bank account, says California estate planning attorney Mark Powell. Some parents will try to gift their children money or assets to avoid creditors, but if the child takes it knowing that the parent did so to circumvent those seeking repayment, courts can order it seized once the parent is gone, Powell says.

In New York, for example, transfers to a child or another person that are made as early as 6 years before a debtor defaults on money they owe (including because the debtor dies) can be subject to seizure to repay the debt, he says. In other states, the “look-back” period is four or five years.

Other mistakes are more basic: if a child co-signs a loan—helping a parent refinance into a better mortgage rate, for example—they’re liable for the entire amount if their parent dies, says Ted Beck, president and CEO of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).

Declining health is a major driver of older adults’ straitened finances. Out-of-pocket health care costs in the 5 years before death average almost $39,000 for individuals and more than $51,000 for couples in which one spouse dies, according to a study this year in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. For one in four of the participants, those costs outstripped the value of their total household assets.

New York City elder law and estate planning attorney Ann-Margaret Carrozza also says long-term care costs not covered by health insurance, such as for nursing home care, are the single-biggest financial problem for her clients 65 and older. And a survey released June 3 by the NEFE found that among older adults with cognitive decline, 47 percent pay bills late or not at all, 36 percent have trouble calculating simple math problems, 35 percent have made irrational purchases, and 21 percent have depleted their savings accounts.

Carrozza says she’s seeing a growing number of cases in her practice of nursing homes coming after children for outstanding debts owed by deceased parents. She says it happens because during the admission process, children unwittingly sign a third-party guarantee to pay their mother or father’s outstanding debts when they’re gone. Failing that, debt owed to a nursing home by someone who dies gets absorbed by the institution. And most homes are operating on slim margins, says Greg Crist of the American Health Care Association, which represents the nursing home industry.

Federal law prohibits creditors from discriminating against prospective borrowers based on age. A 70-year-old can take out a 30-year mortgage loan just like everyone else if she qualifies, says Nessa Feddis of the American Bankers Association —banks also aren’t allowed to give extra scrutiny to a borrower’s qualifications based on age. But she says creditors themselves haven’t yet appeared to be affected by the growing ranks of indebted seniors.

Children can take preventive steps to avoid surprises at a parent’s death. When they sense a parent is in financial trouble, they should work with the parent to develop a plan for one of the children to help in overseeing their finances, says Beck. “Too many children don’t know their parents’ financial situation,” says Powell. “They don’t realize that every year when the parent writes them a check at Christmas time, that shouldn’t be happening.”

Powell recounts a recent case of an older client who was paying for her grandchildren’s college tuitions by withdrawing equity from her house. Her children could have afforded to pay for their own children’s school costs and were shocked to discover that their mother had drawn down 40 percent of her equity to keep up the school payments.

Robert Stammers of the CFA Institute also advises children to consider hiring the same financial advisor or accountant as the parent—the professional then can serve as an objective outsider who also knows the complete picture. And Kevin Gallegos of Freedom Financial Network says that for cases of serious debt, children should consider working with a credit counseling agency or a company that provides debt settlement services—the latter can often get clients savings of up to 50 percent of the total debt, he says. (The Federal Trade Commission offers advice in selecting among these services.)

Those can both help children protect themselves and avoid what may be worse—money-related family arguments that often arise when parents get into financial trouble. “The number of people I know who are feuding with siblings over how [money decisions] are being managed with mom and dad is just incredible,” says Beck. “This is the little family secret that everybody’s dealing with.”

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SEE ALSO: Here's What Happened To Your 401(k) If You Panicked In The Financial Crisis

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Visiting Europe is often composed of a whirlwind tour, during which visitors hurry from one tourist destination to another.

Therefore — in between trips to museums and monuments — finding the time to breathe can be surprisingly difficult.

To help speed along to the moment where you actually find relaxation — you’re on vacation, after all — some of our favorite hotels across the pond are outfitted with top-notch spas designed to get you to that “Ahhh” feeling faster than you can say “Euro Trip.”

Whether all you want is some downtime in the sauna or a deep tissue massage, these properties have you covered.

So sit back and relax—the Louvre will still be there tomorrow.

K West Hotel & Spa, London

K West is a smart and sophisticated option in London, with its main attraction being the beautiful K Spa.

Featuring sleek style and impressive facilities — the hydrotherapy pool and “Snow Paradise” room are particularly noteworthy — the spa is well-regarded throughout the United Kingdom.

The “Snow Paradise” room is meant to follow a hot steam treatment, and is based on Finnish spa techniques of using hot-cold therapy to stimulate circulation and the immune system.

Altis Belem Hotel & Spa, Lisbon

The Altis Belem Hotel & Spa is a 50-room boutique in Belem, a residential neighborhood on the Tagus River.

Belem is slightly removed from the city center, but has several of its own attractions, as well as gorgeous marina views and lovely restaurants lining the river.

Despite its small size, this hotel has many amenities, including a big indoor pool, a fitness center, a Michelin-rated restaurant, and a beautiful spa.

The 1,000-square-meter space features a Thermo Garden with a wide dynamic pool, sauna, hammam, and Turkish bath.

Ashford Castle, County Mayo

The fantasy-like Ashford Castle features a massive historic stone facade, complete with towers and turrets; gorgeous, manicured grounds; a stunning setting on a huge lake in Ireland.

Common spaces that are truly grand, with rich wood paneling, chandeliers, and antique furniture.

The spa at Ashford only has a few treatment rooms, but it also has a lovely neoclassical whirlpool area, steam room, sauna, and a glass-enclosed relaxation lounge with lake views.

Dolly Lenz, Douglas Elliman’s perpetually top-ranked luxury sales broker, is leaving the firm after a 14-year tenure, The Real Deal has learned.

Lenz was not immediately available for comment on the reason for her departure. Elliman declined to comment.

For years, Lenz and fellow power broker Carrie Chiang of the Corcoran Group battled for the top spot on TRD‘s list of top Manhattan listing agents.

Lenz eventually withdrew from her company’s own competition in 2011 in order to allow other brokers a chance to contend. Instead, she received a newly created Stratosphere award. This year, the brokerage’s top honor was awarded to Brazilian broker Marcos Cohen.

“Dolly’s production and transaction volume speaks for itself over the course of her career as a top producing broker,” said Andrew Heiberger, CEO of residential brokerage Town Residential, of Lenz’s departure. “She is probably pursuing an opportunity where she can leverage her brand, but this is just an outsider’s opinion.”

Kathy Braddock, co-founder of Rutenberg Realty, said Lenz’s departure might mean more of a loss to Elliman from a brand perspective than from a financial point of view. Lenz has recently made several television appearances, including on a one-off CNBC show entitled “Secret Lives of the Super Rich: Mega Homes,” in which she talked about calculating multi-million dollar price tags, six-figure commissions and told real estate war stories.

“I don’t know what [commission] split she’s on,” Braddock said, “but I don’t know if it’s such a monetary thing. [Her listings and connections] give them visibility.”

On his blog, fellow Elliman star broker Leonard Steinberg addressed whispers that Lenz might be set to start her own firm.

“Rumor has it she will be following the footsteps of brokers such as Michael Shvo, Shaun Osher and Wendy Maitland to start her own brokerage firm,” Steinberg said, referring to the independent broker, the CEO of Core and one of Town’s early hires, respectively. “The departure does not come as much of a shock to the industry: the rumor mill has been whispering of Dolly’s departure for some time.”

While Lenz had been consistently the top-producing broker at Elliman for years, Steinberg said her dominance had been somewhat “eroded” more recently by the rise of brokers like Shvo, now a developer, and Elliman star Raphael De Niro.

Still, if Lenz were to open her own company, she’d have a following with which to do so, sources said.

“[Her departure] is surprising but it’s not super shocking,” said top-producing broker Richard Nassimi of the Corcoran Group. “I don’t think she left Douglas Elliman because of Douglas Elliman. She is a name. She could open the Lenz Real Estate Group tomorrow and people would follow her.”

Braddock said it’s not unusual for a top-level broker to get itchy feet after a lengthy stint at one firm. Brokers “max out at a certain time,” she said.

Lenz has worked with celebrities like acting duo Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith as well as rocker Billy Joel and designer Karl Lagerfeld.

She is currently listing a $95 million penthouse at the Sherry Netherland at 781 Fifth Avenue and a three-bedroom residence at 116 East 61st Street, which is asking $12.49 million, according to her Elliman profile page, which has not yet been removed.

Lenz has not been seen around the office in recent months and did not attend the company’s annual awards ceremony earlier this year, according to sources within the firm. Her assistant, Nicholas Polihros, has also departed the firm, they said.

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There are bars, and then there are bars.

There are places where you can get a decent beer, and then there are bars where cocktails are actually a brilliant thought process brought to fruition by a combination of the perfect mix of ingredients, a creative mind, and a steady hand.

These are places are part watering hole, part religious experience — think of them as a kind of cocktail Mecca, and in the past few years they've become a global craze. The U.S. is no exception.

But that isn't to say that what is made in these bars can't be done at home — it's magic, after all, not rocket science.

So Business Insider reached out to some of the most badass bartenders at some of the most badass cocktails bars in NYC, Portland and Washington D.C., to find out what they're putting on their menus this summer. Some of this requires a little finesse, but not too much.

You're creative enough to get it right.

Here are the recipes they sent over broken down by city and bar — you're welcome.

Let's start with New York City:

Bar:Employee’s Only - 510 Hudson Street (and definitely one of the coolest bars in town)

Drink: The Waterloo

Created by Jason Kosmas & Dushan Zaric, founders of Employee’s Only NYC

1.5 pts Plymouth Gin.75 pts Simple syrup (2:1).5 pts Campari.5 pts Fresh squeezed lemon juice4 (1x2-inch) chunks of watermelon1 watermelon wedge, with rind, for garnish

Muddle the watermelon chunks and syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass until the fruit has turned into a juice. Then add the gin, juice, and Campari and fill the glass with 5 large cold ice cubes. Shake briefly and pour unstrained into a tall Collins Glass. Garnish with the watermelon wedge.

Drink: The Martinez

2.5 pts Beefeater 24.5 pts Luxardo Maraschino liqueur.25 pts Dolin Blanc Vermouth.25 pts Absinthe Bitters1 lemon twist for garnish

Pour all liquid ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice cubes and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cock glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Bar:Gin Palace

Drink: Irish Blood, English Heart

1.5 pts Beefeater Gin.5 pts Jameson Irish Whiskey.75 pts Lemon Juice.5 pts Ginger Syrup.25 pts Grenadine

Combine all ingredients and shake. Strain into a Collins glass. Top with soda. Float (carefully dash) 4-5 dashes of angostura bitters. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Drink: Nelson’s Fix

1.5 pts Beefeater Gin.75 pts Lemon1.5 pts Amontillado Sherry.5 pts Simple Syrup2 raspberries

Do not muddle, whip shake with 3 kold draft cubes or a small amount of ice. Strain (only once) into a double rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with one raspberry speared through with a mint sprig.

Now onto Washington D.C.'s cocktail scene:

Bar:Firefly

Drink: Caravan

1 pt Beefeater Gin.5 pts Bulleit Rye.5 pts Kina Avoin d’or.25 pts Honey.25 pts Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters

Combine all ingredients and shake. Strain into a Collins glass.

Bar:Brixton

Imperial Tonic

2 pts Beefeater Gin1.5 pts Safari Cordial

Pour into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

And last but not least, cocktails from Portland:

Bar:Portland Penny Diner
Drink: Coat of Arms

created by Brandon Wise

.75 pts Plymouth Gin.75 pts Lillet blanc.75 pts Bonal gentian aperitif.5 pts Tea-infused Dolin Blanc.25 pts Rothman and Winter Pear liqueur

Stir in mixing glass, strain into chilled coupe glass, garnish with expressed lemon peel

Bar:Gilt Bar/Hogsalt Hospitality
Drink: Bijou

1.5 pts Plymouth Gin.75 pts Carpano Antica.5 pts Green Chartreuse1/3 of a dropper of Orange Bitters

Stir ingredients slowly in an ice filled mixing glass for 20-25 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange peel and luxardo cherry

Last Word

.75 pts Plymouth Gin.75 pts Green Chartreuse.75 pts Luxardo Maraschino.75 pts Lime

Shake ingredients in an ice filled shaker for 20 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a luxardo cherry

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