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The Remarkable Story Of How Lobster Went From Being Used As Fertilizer To A Beloved Delicacy

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Lobster Roll

It's time to eat all of the fresh lobster, seafood, and summer fare we can before Labor Day.

But here's something to think about while downing every lobster roll in sight before summer's end — our beloved shellfish was once a throw-away food.

Back when the first European settlers reached North America, they wrote that lobsters were so plentiful that piles up to two feet high would wash ashore in Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Instead of this leading to epic clam bakes with buckets filled with butter, the colonists were embarrassed by these unsightly "cockroaches of the sea."

In fact, lobsters were so plentiful and undesirable that they were commonly used as fertilizer and fish bait by Native Americans and colonists alike.

Their abundance also meant colonists had easy access to protein during bad seasons or harvests, so lobster quickly garnered a reputation as the poor man's meal. They were fed to prisoners, apprentices, and slaves as a way to save money.

But all that changed during the mid-1800s because of two things — canned food and railway transportation.

People living in the center of the country could now buy cheap canned lobster, which became one of the most popular canned products on the market. They could also afford reasonably-priced train tickets and take trips out to coastal American cities.

Fresh lobster was suddenly popular with early New England tourists. Because of the new demand, restaurants started serving the food and recipe books began describing the best way to poach and cook lobster.

Lobster had become a commodity instead of a nuisance. Prices began surging in the 1880s.

By World War II, lobster was considered a delicacy. Due to its new status, it was not rationed by the U.S., and the wartime economy allowed wealthy patrons to consume lobster and shellfish at unprecedented rates.

And we haven't slowed down since.

Today, even when market prices are low, restaurants and food trucks can still charge a premium on their lobster dishes.

And that's the story of how trains, tourism, and canned foods made a fertilizer into a gourmet treat.

SEE ALSO: 8 Foods You Should Eat In New England This Summer

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Escape The Hustle Of New York City At One Of These Laid-Back Weekend Getaways

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Hikers, New York State

Summer in New York City can be unbearable.

Heat radiates off the concrete, making the city feel like it's a solid 20 degrees hotter than nearby suburbs, the overcrowded streets are a sweat-fest, and the subway platforms turn into inadvertent saunas.

So during the dog days of summer, New Yorkers look for any excuse to escape the city.

The Hamptons is a favorite weekend getaway, but a weekend in the Hamptons can feel suspiciously similar to a weekend in New York City (albeit on the beach), as the entire in-crowd shuffles between the city and the island.

But there are places where you can actually get away from the crowds, the scene, and the hustle and bustle. Find yourself in a truly laid-back state-of-mind at any one of these three weekend retreats from New York City.

The Catskills

The Catskills epitomize laid-back retreat.

There are no sceney lounges nor swanky hotels here.

There are, however, farmer's markets serving fresh-off-the-farm produce, quaint small towns, and breathtaking natural scenery--the rolling mountains here inspired James Fenimore Cooper and his famous historical novel, The Last of the Mohicans.

Distance from New York City: Woodstock is just over 100 miles from the city.



Where to Stay in the Catskills

The Emerson Resort & Spais one of the few large luxury properties in the area; it's got a great spa (try their Emerson Signature Massage at $105 for a 50-minute massage, which uses Warm herbal infused oils).

For a more offbeat experience, book a cabin, suite, or trailer at Kate's Lazy Meadow, owned by Kate Pierson of the B-52s. She tried to create her own version of "Love Shack" right here in the Catskills; the eclectic accommodations are retro chic with bright furnishings and kitschy decor.



Where to Eat in the Catskills

The charming town of Phoenicia is home to Brio's Restaurant & Pizzeria, which serves delicious pizza baked in a wood-fired oven plus an array of fresh salads, sandwiches, and more.

For breakfast, head to Sweet Sues, just down the street from Brio's, for hearty portions of mouthwatering pancakes, waffles, omelets, and fresh-out-of-the-oven baked goods.

Woodstock is a vegan's dream: try the Garden Cafe on The Greenfor creative vegan cuisine.

For dinner, try to score a reservation at Peekamoosein Big Indian. The owners here have a serious pedigree (they've served stints at some of New York's best restaurants, including Le Bernardin, Gramercy Tavern, and Atlantic Grill), and chose to open up this homey yet refined restaurant in a restored farmhouse closer to the source of their produce. Try their slow braised beef short ribs--they are melt-in-your-mouth amazing.



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Cadillac Created A Gorgeous Concept Car That Hints At Its Future Designs

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Cadillac Elmiraj concept tree

The festivities at Monterrey Car Week in California are in full swing, and Cadillac is getting in on the action with the reveal of a brand new concept car.

It's called the Elmiraj.

The name is not good. The car is very, very good.

The four-seat, rear-wheel drive grand coupe is both an homage to the 1967 Eldorado and a hint at the kind of design Cadillac has planned for years to come.

GM's luxury brand has been on a roll in the past few years, and is well on its way to earning back its once-superb reputation.

If the Elmiraj is any indication, Cadillac's resurgence is far from over.

Here's the Ciel, the concept car Cadillac rolled out in 2011. The grand-touring car was reminiscent of the big Cadillacs of old, and apparently inspired by the 'natural beauty of the California coast.'



The new concept car is inspired by El Mirage Lake, in the California desert. The dry lake bed is used for high speed time trials.



The Elmiraj is made for 'projecting design forward,' not just teasing the future of a single model.



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There's A Plastic Surgery To Make You Look Like You're Always Smiling

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A Reddit thread pointed us to a growing trend in Asia: Mouth corner lift surgery.

This is where tiny incisions in the corners of the lip are used to raise the sides of the mouth.

A photo posted by Reddit user anthissomesh*t, shows a woman with very pronounced, Joker-like mouth curls, but we can't verify its authenticity.

According to a video produced by Aone Plastic Surgery in South Korea, this procedure (called a "Smile Lipt" because it combines lip and lift) corrects "drooping" mouth corners and enables people to look like they are smiling without actually smiling.

The cosmetic procedure is ideal for patients with sagging or asymmetric mouth corners or people who are not confident with their smiles, the video says.

South Korea's penchant for plastic surgery is well-known. In the country's capital of Seoul, one and five women have had some type of procedure.

The below before and after pictures of a woman who received Smile Lipt surgery were featured by Aone in their video.

Here's the before:

mouth lift

And after:

mouth surgery

Watch the video below to learn more about the surgery:

SEE ALSO: Answers To Your 20 Biggest Health Questions

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Google Maps Shows Manhattan Is Experiencing A Traffic Nightmare Right Now

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The FDNY put out the truck fire on the Queensboro Bridge at 12:30 p.m., but the bridge remains mostly closed to traffic, and that's causing a nightmare for anyone trying to get around or off Manhattan.

The bridge has one Manhattan-bound lane open, but nobody can use it to get off the island.

As you can see from Google Maps' real time traffic data, that's causing a real mess. Alternative crossings, like the Robert F. Kennedy and Williamsburg Bridges, are snarled too as they pick up diverted traffic.

manhattan wide screenshot

And routes going across, up, and down town are also snarled as drivers who would normally cross the Queensboro seek to access other crossings.

If you're trying to get to the Hamptons, we suggest the Manhattan Bridge or the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, if you can reach them. Staying put on Manhattan is also an option.

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STEP BY STEP: How To Make Your Own Rum

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First off, this is illegal. But if you must, you must.

Redditor preggit posted a great step-by-step explainer of how to distill your own rum (via Imgur user Charmandler88, who made the batch legally in New Zealand).

But be warned: "You have the potential to create poison if you do it wrong," preggit writes in the thread. "If you just run it through the still twice and don't discard the first few milliliters, you may get methanol which is poisonous and potentially fatal."

From acquiring molasses to pouring in yeast to letting it age, check out how to make DIY rum below.

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Four Ways To Make Your Home More Luxurious

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Ever walk through a design center, flip through a home remodeling magazine or scroll through a home improvement website and think “Why can’t that be my house?” Not everyone is as gifted as “Cousins on Call” or “Million Dollar Decorator,” but knowing what to focus on can go a long way!

Here are four places to start.

Inlays, trays and molding

Crown molding

Design by Alder & Tweed

They don’t call it “crown” molding for nothing. Make your walls look like royalty. Simple molding can add character to any space and highlight specific features in a room. A tray ceiling can make any standard room stand out, and adding inlays on doors can make any entrance grand.

Paint it up

A simple paint job can go a long way, but a bad paint job can end up causing a huge headache. You may toy with the idea of becoming the next Picasso and feeling “one” with your paintbrush, but that doesn’t mean that your paintbrush feels the same way about you. Don’t give your walls the short end of the deal. Spend the additional money and hire a professional for the best look possible.

Custom and convenience

From custom closets to custom kitchens, anything and everything that’s made-to-order will immediately put the home in “glam” status — not to mention add convenience, organization and extra space.

Time to shine

Master bedroom

Design by D for Design

A little sparkle can go a long way. Silky drapes, cashmere throws and metallic pillows can add both a whimsical and romantic vibe that will transform any dull home into a luxurious space. In addition, new, shiny fixtures can add a sense of “wealth” to any average old item.

Related:

Samantha (Sam) DeBianchi is a Realtor and founder of DeBianchi Real Estate. Her expert real estate advice and straightforward approach can be seen and heard on FOX Business. Always keeping it REAL, you can follow Sam online on Twitter and Facebook.

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Mercedes-Benz Just Unveiled A Teeny SUV Made For Urban Driving

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Mercedes-Benz GLA compact SUV mountain road

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the GLA, a compact SUV that will compete with cars like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

After showing off a flashy concept version of the ride at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, Mercedes will officially debut the GLA at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.

It hasn't released pricing yet, but it did reveal some impressive figures, including a 0 to 62 mph time of 7.1 seconds and a remarkable 54 miles per gallon on the most efficient, diesel-powered version.

The German automaker says the little SUV will be capable in moderate off-road conditions, but be especially practical for "day-to-day urban lifestyle" driving.

And of course, it's filled with the little luxury features and trims that set Mercedes-Benz cars apart from the rest of the pack.

Here's the GLA concept car Mercedes showed off at the Shanghai Motor Show in April.



Mercedes-Benz bills the GLA as a compact SUV that's both capable off-road and practical for everyday driving.



Perhaps to emphasize the tiny quality of the GLA, Mercedes gives its dimensions in millimeters: 4,417 long by 1,804 wide by 1,494 high. In feet, that's a compact 14.5 by 5.9 by 4.9.



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Mercedes-Benz Just Unveiled A Teeny SUV Made For Urban Driving

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Mercedes-Benz GLA compact SUV mountain road

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the GLA, a compact SUV that will compete with cars like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

After showing off a flashy concept version of the ride at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, Mercedes will officially debut the GLA at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.

It hasn't released pricing yet, but it did reveal some impressive figures, including a 0 to 62 mph time of 7.1 seconds and a remarkable 54 miles per gallon on the most efficient, diesel-powered version.

The German automaker says the little SUV will be capable in moderate off-road conditions, but be especially practical for "day-to-day urban lifestyle" driving.

And of course, it's filled with the little luxury features and trims that set Mercedes-Benz cars apart from the rest of the pack.

Here's the GLA concept car Mercedes showed off at the Shanghai Motor Show in April.



Mercedes-Benz bills the GLA as a compact SUV that's both capable off-road and practical for everyday driving.



Perhaps to emphasize the tiny quality of the GLA, Mercedes gives its dimensions in millimeters: 4,417 long by 1,804 wide by 1,494 high. In feet, that's a compact 14.5 by 5.9 by 4.9.



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The Story Of Hudson Whiskey: How Its Small 'Baby Bourbon' Bottles Got To The Top Shelf

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Tuthilltown Spirits, which distills Hudson Whiskey, was the first distillery to open in New York State since the days of Prohibition.

Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee started the business over 10 years ago but spent the first couple of years figuring out how to make whiskey as neither of them had any professional experience in the trade. They welded, mashed and experimented until they knew they had something special on their hands.

The distillery created New York's first bourbon ever, Hudson Baby Bourbon, and has now expanded to produce a variety of whiskeys and vodkas.

In the beginning, Erenzo started selling the Hudson Whiskey brands to liquor store owners and bars from the trunk of his car. The Hudson Whiskey distillers also regularly talk to bartenders to find the newest beverage trends to come up with new products that meet the demand.

Watch the video below to find out how Hudson Whiskey made it to the top shelf defying the old traditions of whiskey making.

 

 

Produced by Kamelia Angelova & Robert Libetti

Music "Back to the Woods" by Jason Shaw

SEE ALSO: The Secret To Making Pizza So Tasty That Even New Yorkers Will Wait In A 2-Hour Line For A Slice

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13 Travel Mistakes I'll Never Make Again

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mandi

I was 18 the first time I ventured outside of the U.S. on my own. 

I only needed eight weeks' worth of clothing, but I packed two huge suitcases, a carry-on bag, an extra backpack and at least half a dozen handbags. 

When I landed in the dead of winter in Salta, Argentina carting 100 lbs of summer dresses behind me, it was a wake-up call I've never forgotten. 

I've been learning to travel the hard way ever since – and tripping myself up plenty of times along the way.

I let a local talk me into a $500 bike rental.

I had the chance to check out a public bike share in Montreal for the first time last year.  But since I couldn't read the instructions in French, I asked a local to explain the process.

It was free for the first 45 minutes, he said, and I would be charged a couple of extra bucks every hour after that. 

Unfortunately for me, he forgot to mention the $250 security deposit the company applied to my credit card for each bike. I rented two.

Good thing I had used a credit and not my debit card, because it took well over a week for the temporary charge to disappear. 



I forgot to tell my bank about a D.C. road trip.

After President Obama was elected in 2008, I hatched a plan for the ultimate 48-hour road trip — from Athens, Ga. to D.C. for his Inaugural address.

I just forgot to tell my bank about it. 

Apparently, swiping my debit card at a slew of gas stations up and down the East coast in such a short period of time spelled "FRAUD" to them. They froze my account and I wound up stranded at a North Carolina pit stop until I could get a representative on the phone to correct the mistake.

If I had been overseas, it would have been an even bigger nightmare. 



I lost some serious haggling potential by not learning the native tongue.

Although I can count the number of Portuguese words I know on two hands, I hoped my decent Spanish skills would help me get by on a recent trip to Brazil. 

I was dead wrong. I could read signs well enough, but anything spoken sounded like pure gibberish.

Learning the language would have made haggling so much easier — especially when ordering at restaurants. 



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Researchers Create An App That Decodes A Baby's Cry

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Crying-Scared-Baby

Babies cry. The cry can mean a whole bunch of things: the baby is hungry or tired or uncomfortable or doesn't feel well.

Sometimes the baby cries a lot and even a doctor can't tell if the crying indicates something serious or not.

So researchers at Brown University have created a cry analyzer app that they hope will one day decode a baby's cry, as first spotted by Network World's Michael Cooney.

The tool can detect slight variations in cries imperceptible to the human ear. These sounds indicate if a baby is suffering with some kind of condition or neurological problem.

The new analyzer is the result of two-year's work between Brown’s Laboratory for Engineering Man/Machine Systems and the Women & Infants Hospital Of Rhode Island, Brown says.

The tool is not yet an app that you can download to your iPhone yet. The next step is to make it available to researchers around the world to help with the cry research. Eventually a doctor will be able to use it to detect serious health issues.

SEE ALSO: The Business App 50: The Best Apps To Help You Do Your Job

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See The Gorgeous And Extremely Rare Ferrari That Sold For A Record $27.5 Million

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Ferrari 275 GTB auction sold

An extremely rare Ferrari sold at auction Saturday night for a record price of $27.5 million (including commission), LA Times reports.

While the sale of this car was one of many at auction that evening, the 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyder — one of only 10 ever made — was the highlight of the event. Its original owner was Eddie Smith Sr., who took delivery of it in North Carolina in 1968.

The Times has more:

"This is a bittersweet moment for us," owner Eddie Smith Jr. told a packed crowd before the bidding started. "Ferraris came and went, but this one never went, thank God. We enjoyed it as a family for 45 years."

He had advice for its new owners: "Drive it, love it, enjoy it, and more importantly share it with others so they can see it."

The winning bid came from Lawrence Stroll, a Canadian fashion entrepreneur, according to Bloomberg.

The successful sale doesn't mean the Smith family will be hoarding their newfound millions. They'll be donating every dollar earned to charity.

The N.A.R.T. Spyder — or North American Racing Team — is incredibly rare.



Only ten were ever made, but the price in 1968 was around $15,000.

Source: Bloomberg.



The car was seen in the 1968 film "The Thomas Crown Affair" starring Steve McQueen.

Source: LA Times



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China's Richest Man Is A Property Mogul Who Likes To Sing Folk Songs At Meetings

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wang jianlin

China's richest man is now Wang Jianlin, according to Bloomberg's team of billionaire hunters. He's the chairman of the Dalian Wanda Group  — a conglomerate that holds shopping centers, five star hotels, movie theaters, and more —  and worth an estimated $14.2 billion.

Wang was boosted to the number one spot when a June 30th filing revealed the worth of his company's retail and entertainment businesses.

A few things to know about Wang — he's 58, from western China near the border with Tibet, comes from a military family, and is known for singing Tibetan and Mongolian folk songs at meetings.

That sounds very Buffett-like...

To get the full break down of Wang's wealth, head to Bloomberg>

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Mindblowing 6-Minute Factory Farming Video Might Turn You Into A Vegetarian


The UAE President's New Megayacht Is An Absolute Monster [Photos]

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The Azzam is officially the largest motor yacht in the world by a full 57 feet.

The luxury boat was launched on April 5th and is longer than some cruise ships at a staggering 590 feet, knocking Roman Abramovich's Eclipse down to second largest yacht in the world.

Azzam from the air

According to CNBC, it's owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nayan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi, and cost as much as $600 million to build.

The ship is extraordinarily swift for its size. With over 94,000 horsepower, it's able to travel at more than 30 knots, or nearly 35 miles per hour.

Azzam Yacht at Dusk

The Azzam was built by Lürssen Yachts over the course of four years, with exterior design by Nauta Yachts and interior design by renowned French designer Christophe Leoni. 

AZZAM is longer than most cruise ships

The ship is rumored to have up to 50 suites and a 95-foot salon, among other lavish features. Photos of the yacht's interior have yet to be released, but it's not hard to imagine the luxury that must abound inside. 

"She truly represents another milestone in not only our history, but yachting history as well," said Peter Lürssen, the managing partner of Lürssen Yachts.

AZZAM in Port

SEE ALSO: An Up-Close Look At $1 Billion Superyacht Eclipse

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People Who Have Sex At Least 4 Times A Week Earn More Money

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feet

Having an active sex life plays a major role in your financial success.

Nick Drydakis, a senior lecturer in economics at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, found that those who have sex at least four times weekly made 5% more in wages than their counterparts who aren't as lucky.

On the other hand, those who don't have any sex at all earned 3% less than those who are sexually active. 

In the paper titled "The Effect of Sexual Activity on Wages," published by the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn, Germany, Drydakis  writes that sex is a "barometer for health, quality of life, well-being and happiness."

The economics professor says that more sex alone won't result in a higher paycheck. However, more sexual activity may result in higher self-esteem, confidence, and overall happiness, which in turn make employees more amiable, productive, and creative. Sex can be an important factor in how satisfied someone is in his personal life, and satisfaction in that area can affect work as well.

"People need to love and be loved (sexually and non-sexually) by others. In the absence of these elements, many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and depression that could affect their working life," Drydakis told Michelle Castillo at CBSNews.com.

It's also important to note that more sex can result in higher wages, but higher wages may also result in more sex. "They may increase the value and attractiveness of a person on the dating market," Drydakis says.

The study collected data on 7,500 people aged 26 to 50. Sexual preference did not make a difference in the results, the study found.

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China Is Trying To Make Chinese Tourists Less Embarrassing

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Nationalistic angst over the apparently poor reputation of Chinese tourists abroad is leading to official action.

Xinhua News Agency reports that for five consecutive days since last Wednesday, Xinwen Lianbo, a flagship news program on the state-run China Central Television (CCTV), has aired videos aimed at making Chinese tourists more polite.

It's a pretty bold move — as Xinhua notes, Xinwen Lianbo is usually a political news and major events— but it shows just how concerned the Chinese establishment is about the reputation of its tourists abroad.

Things are so serious that on October 1, a new tourism law will come into place that will make it legally binding for Chinese tourists to respect local customs and traditions, and unruly holiday makers will risk penalties, according to Xinhua.

Are Chinese tourists really so bad? Well, within recent memory there have been a few unsavory incidents that have gone viral online.

For example, a Chinese teenager scrawled his name on the 3,500-years-ago old Luxor Temple in Egypt:

chinese teen graffiti of the luxor

The beach-goers who posed with a dying dolphin in the Hainin, China:

China Dolphin

Or the Chinese tourists photographed with their feet in the water at a fountain by the Lourve in Paris:

Louvre paris china tourists

While these incidents are all quite embarrassing (and some even worse), it's noteworthy that many went viral on Chinese social media first before gaining international attention, indicating that perhaps the Chinese are more concerned with how they are perceived abroad than others are.

And sometimes the controversy seems a little unfair: After photographs of people dipping their feet in the Lourve's fountain created condemnation, a number of bloggers were forced to point out that a lot of non-Chinese looking people have been photographed doing the same.

Part of the problem, if there is one, might be that an unprecedented rise in living standards in China has resulted in a generation of tourists who have never really learned how to "be tourists." International trips by Chinese tourists grew from 10 million in 2000 to 83 million in 2012, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, and Chinese tourists recently overtook Americans to become the biggest spenders in the world.

The clear hope is that a little education will go a long way to informing these inexperienced tourists. From one Global Times editorial last month:

It is understandable that China desires to improve its image in the international community. Many hope that it can recover its traditional reputation as a courteous country.

But for a country that has just escaped from poverty and backwaters, patience and education of civic virtues are what really matter.

There may be more hope too. One recent poll said that the Chinese are only the third "worst" tourists in the world.

In this category at least, Americans still rule the roost.

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A Gorgeous Group Of Vintage Autos Competed At Pebble Beach Classic Car Week [PHOTOS]

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Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2013

Over the weekend, some of the most impressive and beautiful classic cars in the world headed to Monterey, California for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, held on the 18th fairway of the famous golf course.

The annual contest is designed to highlight and reward the best preserved or restored, most historically valuable vehicles. Every competing car must be driveable. This year, 248 vehicles vied for first place.

But to win its class, let alone Best of Show, a car must above all be elegant, which the Concours calls a "matter of the eye and the heart."

The classic car show is a magnet for brands like Aston Martin, which celebrated its 100th birthday with the US debut of its CC100 Speedster Concept (right).



Lincoln chose Pebble Beach to introduce new 'Black Label' premium versions of its current models.

[Source: Autoblog]



There's no set dress code, and the Concours website says 'styles range from dressy to resort casual.'



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Coffee Shop Owner Says Curtailing Laptop Use Boosted His Business

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coffee shop, working, laptop

A coffee shop owner says that posting signs discouraging people from camping out all day has boosted sales. 

Luigi Di Ruocco, owner of San Francisco's Coffee Bar, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was plagued by patrons who used the shop's free WiFi for hours at a time. 

The so-called "laptop squatters" deterred new customers because they couldn't find seats, he said. 

Di Ruocco decided to limit access to tables. 

From noon to 2 p.m., some of the tables have 30-minute limits and are reserved for customers without computers. 

As a result, sales have soared 15 to 20%, Di Ruocco said.

"We unclogged the clog," Di Ruocco told the Chronicle. "We made it work for the office workers in the area who wanted to grab a quick lunch. Now they can actually get a table."

Starbucks has also taken measures to keep people from camping out all day. 

The coffee chain began covering some electrical outlets at locations in 2011. 

SEE ALSO: 24 People Who Determine What's Cool In America

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