Now that most communication is accomplished through virtual channels, it is easy to lose sight of our face-to-face relationships.
UCLA clinical professor of psychiatry Dr. Dan Siegel gives his five tips for keeping it real in the virtual-driven world in which we now live.
Produced by Justin Gmoser ; Additional camera by Alana Kakoyiannis
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“Stand,” a new app for Mac, has one simple goal: to get you to stand up more often. Every hour, in fact.
Creators Red Davis and Hector Simpson are fans of the the Apple Watch’s reminder to stand up every hour. But they want everyone to get up from their collective desks and move around a bit, not just Apple Watch owners, so they created Stand.
Stand's interface is simple. You choose when in the hour you want the notification (at 15 past, for example), and Stand pops up a little notification for you. “Time to stand up!”
That's it. Nothing fancy. But for Mac users without an Apple Watch or standing desk, this kind of simple reminder could be just what they need.
You can download the “pay what you want” app over at its website, or check out its page on Product Hunt.
SEE ALSO: 6 things we wish the Apple Watch could do
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What makes a bar truly great?
We tapped mixologists, bartenders, cocktail kingpins, and professional drinkers to find out—and their picks include upscale drinking dens and gritty dive bars, places with world-class cocktail menus or a vibe that just keeps you coming back every Thursday.
Read on for our list of the greatest bars.
SEE ALSO: The most popular liquor in every state
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“I absolutely love The Easter Gibson at Angel’s Share in Manhattan’s East Village. It’s made with AO Japanese Rice Vodka, Junmai Daiginjo Sake, Rakkyo onion, and thin sliced cucumber. The fact that you need to go through a Japanese restaurant called Village Yokocho, climb a set of stairs, and know to look for a nondescript, unmarked wooden door to enter makes it pretty cool.
Inside, the drinks are made with a unique Japanese precision and sensibility that separates it from the rest of the New York speakeasy crowd. It has a special place in my heart as I used to take my wife Becky there on dates.”
—Chris Cannon, owner of Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen in Morristown, New Jersey
"I like to have a French 75 and a Sazerac, mostly with bartender Chris Hannah.
This bar is so special to me because it has one of the best, most professional, and dapper bartenders on the planet who makes excellent concoctions. We walk out with a great experience and a smile on our faces."
—Julio Cabrera, head bartender at the Regent Cocktail Club in Montauk, NY
Recently listed for $10.99 million, this 9.5-acre estate in California's exclusive Coto De Caza community features a backyard wonderland complete with a grotto, lagoon, and pirate ship.
Coto De Caza is a gated community best known as the original setting for Bravo TV's "The Real Housewives of Orange County." John Frankhouse, a former mortgage banker with a passion for real estate, owned the home until his recent passing.
In 2001, Lakers player Kobe Bryant and his wife reportedly made and later rescinded an offer on the home at its previous asking price, $13.5 million. Lyn Chadwick and John McMonigle of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices hold the listing.
Keep scrolling for an inside-out tour of the whimsical estate.
SEE ALSO: Take a tour of the most expensive house for sale in America
AND: Donald Trump sells the Park Avenue penthouse he never lived in for $21 million
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The Princeton Review is out with its annual list of the top party schools in America, and there's a new No. 1 — the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Known for its Fighting Illini fans and massive parties like Unofficial, this is UI's first time landing at the top of the Princeton Review's list.
The ranking is based on a survey that asks students about "the use of alcohol and drugs at their school, the number of hours they study each day outside of class time and the popularity of fraternities/sororities at their school."
The two most recent schools to top the list — Syracuse University and the University of Iowa — both made the top five this year.
Check out the top 10 party schools in the country below:
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It's not an easy task to narrow down 17,000 images taken by intrepid world travelers — but that's what National Geographic has just finished doing for its 2015 Traveler Photo Contest.
The contest, in its 27th year, is divided into four categories: Travel Portraits; Outdoor Scenes; Sense of Place; and Spontaneous Moments.
Images were evaluated through two rounds where both creativity and photographic quality were taken into consideration.
Grand-prize winner Anuar Patjane Floriuk, who won with a dynamic whale image, said the photo wasn't even planned. “I was taking photos near the head of the whale, and all of a sudden she began to swim toward the rest of the diving team," he told National Geographic. "The divers gave the whale and her calf space, and I just clicked at the moment when the flow and composition seemed right."
Captions below were written by the photographers.
Anuar Patjane Floriuk (grand prize winner)/National Geographic 2015 Traveler Photo Contest
Photo by Faisal Azim (second prize winner)/National Geographic 2015 Traveler Photo Contest
Photo by Ahmed Al Toqi (third prize winner)/National Geographic 2015 Traveler Photo Contest
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The golf cart's days may be numbered.
Meet the GolfBoard — part motorized skateboard, part caddy, part golf cart, and all quirk.
Much like a regular skateboard, it moves in the direction that the rider is leaning. A handheld remote controls speed (14 mph), and it can travel up to 18 miles on a single charge.
According to the company, the GolfBoard also dramatically increases the speed of play: it has been shown to cut the average 18-hole game down to 2 hours and 37 minutes.
The board was created by professional surfer Laird Hamilton and businessman Don Widman with the intention of drawing "the younger action sports crowd looking for adventure, excitement, and fun."
The board has already caught on somewhat. Over 100 resorts and golf courses across America are using the device. More courses are likely to embrace the 114-pound Golfboard, as its impact on the green is 30% less than that of a traditional golf cart. It also requires less maintenance than a golf cart.
Individuals may purchase a Golfboard for approximately $6,500, according to the Daily Mail.
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I learned a valuable lesson about buying watches from a shop in Hong Kong.
While on a business trip to China, I got pulled into a back room and was offered five luxury watches for a steal.
They were counterfeit luxury watches. They looked really nice and I was tempted by the brand names on the watches – Breitling, Louis Vuitton, Rolex. And against my better judgement, I violated all the sensible watch-buying rules ever written and paid $100 for each watch.
I have never worn those watches.
I wasted $500 that day – please learn from my mistakes in this article so you can make a smart buying decision when purchasing a watch.
You see, a quality watch isn’t just a tool that shows time. A man’s watch is a sign of taste, where you are in life, and it’s something that shouldn’t be “faked." And let me be clear, any man can buy a great watch at a very affordable price.
Whether you’re looking for accuracy of time, a fashion accessory, or something you want to leave your grandkids – here are my five tips that will help you purchase the right timepiece.
To make a sensible and practical wristwatch purchase – you have to go out there and learn more about watches. There is a whole industry built around horology– the science of making timepieces.
For centuries watchmakers have honed their craft to create complicated pieces of mechanism that are built to outlive the person wearing them.
Numerous websites and blogs offer the latest news on wristwatch designs. You can even browse through brand specific websites to see what makes watches like Rolex, Breitling, Seiko, Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe tick. Lifestyle journals also offer advice on selecting timepieces of men, check The Gentleman’s Gazette, ABlogToWatch, and Art of Manliness.
Get excited about watches and you’ll then find the time to discover why so many men love them!
Get to know a local watchmaker or jeweler – they are storehouses of knowledge and are always willing to talk about different wristwatch options. The salesperson at your local watch store will be more than willing to recommend watches to suit your lifestyle.
Magazines like GQ and Esquire publish regular features on watches and advertise new and classic models.
If you prefer to use an app, check out Watchville.
One of the first criteria that comes up in a watch purchase is price. However, it is more important to consider the value of a watch before discussing pricing.
A simple formula to assess the value of a watch:
(Frequency Of Use * The Feelings Associated With Wearing It)/ The Price Of The Watch
Price is not the most important thing. Although most of have a specific budget in mind, it is better to spend a little extra to buy a quality watch.
Remember the fake watches I bought in Hong Kong? They represent no value to me because I don’t wear them.
On the other hand, I now wear a brand in The Fifth Watches that, although less famous than many, feels and looks great on my wrist. Their watches are a well-made classic design, Bauhaus to be exact and work well with my personal style.
Although they have a short history I love The Fifth Watches story as an Australian family run business looking to disrupt the industry with fun watches that are affordable. I find I wear my new watch everyday – already I’ve gotten my money’s worth and the value is high. That’s what you want to strive for in any watch you purchase, wear it, love it, and reduce the cost per wear to pennies!
Be careful when purchasing watches online.
Check the reputation of both the dealer and company first. If they’re new, make sure they have testimonials and/or a strong social media presence where they are engaging with customers and following up with questions.
Make sure to find a manufacturer who is willing to ensure quality will exchange watches that have been damaged in shipping or have manufacturing defects.
You are also more likely to get standard issue warranties to cover repairs from certified dealers or when you buy from the manufacture themselves.
The different grades of watches vary in the craftsmanship, quality of materials used, and amount of labor involved.
Timepieces under $250 – Consumer Watches
These are considered fashion watches that you can purchase to wear with an outfit. You are not going to feel too bad if they break after a couple of years. Although watches in this category are not meant to be heirloom pieces, you can find some great deals here and a well made watch at this price point can last decades.
Under $1,000 – Brand & Enthusiast Watches
This is a good price range for men with disposable income looking to purchase their first statement quality watch.
Of all the ranges – this is the one that has the widest variety of quality levels and you can find deals or get ripped off. I advise you not buying your first watch at this price point as you’ll want to have tested a few at lower price points to ensure you’re going to get your money’s worth and enjoyment from a watch at this level.
Think of watches at this level as a gateway to the next price point!
$1,000 – $10,000 – Luxury Watches
This is the bracket of well known names. You get what you pay for here and once you start to spend this type of money you need to know more about watches than 99% of men or else you’re getting ripped off.
Luxury watches by definition, are exclusive items and signal to certain people your ability to afford them.
Over $10,000 – Ultra Luxury Watches
At this level it’s not uncommon for diamonds, gold and other precious stones to be on the watch face.
Many of the of these watches are not available for public sale, and are controlled and only made available to select clientele. Most of these exclusive watches carry a rich heritage of exquisite craftsmanship and exceptional quality.
Watches as an investment?
All the more power to you if you can afford a 10K watch, but in general watches are not an investment. It is unlikely that you will retrieve the money spent on it when trying to sell under duress. It’s like buying a Harley Davidson motorcycle, it’s only worth what a buyer will pay for it.
A good quality watch is an expression of your individualism. Only buy a watch that your are going to enjoy and love wearing.
Choose it yourself because it should reflect your personality. Unlike other items that men traditionally buy to express themselves, such as cars, a wristwatch is on constant display.
Watches are practical purchases that can be worn for decades. A fine wristwatch can signify a milestone or an achievement like graduating from college or getting your first job.
It stays on your hand as a reminder of what you have achieved.
Watches are not just a functional piece – you need to enjoy wearing it too.
SEE ALSO: The best men's watches at every price point
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Julie Deane founded The Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008, in Cambridge, England as a way to pay her children's private school fees.
A few years later, in March 2011, the burgeoning bag business was awarded the Small Business and Businesswoman of the Year award at the News Business Excellence Awards. Around then, its bags also found homes on major e-commerce sites — like Urban Outfitters, ASOS, and J.Crew — and the arms of any female fashion blogger and editor worth her salt.
The Cambridge Satchel Co.'s bags have been popular among women ever since. Now the brand is tapping men.
This August marks the company's first dedicated men's collection, available exclusively in the US at menswear retailer, East Dane. The range of briefcases remains true to the brand's signature satchel-inspired design, with additional functionality, finishes, and hardware tailored to men. The leather bags run from $285 to $410, which is a fairly reasonable amount to spend on a polished-looking work bag you'll use every day.
Captions by East Dane.
The fall 2015 men's collection introduces a new feature for The Cambridge Satchel Company products, the bridge closure. The simple brass holds premium saddle leather tabs to complete the bridge closure making it easier to close and more simple in design than the traditional buckle. The supple saddle leather offers each bag a unique look as it ages naturally in a different way to the body of each bag. An evolution of the Work Bag style, this masculine satchel is perfect for everyday use.
A reworking of The Cambridge Satchel Company's Music Bag, this design is available in three sizes: small, large, and backpack style. The small style has one simple handle while the larger size had an additional handle and wider fit. All three styles carry a webbing strap, which can be detached so that each is carried by the handle in a briefcase fashion. The new design has a more robust metal bar closure which carries the brand's distinctive bike logo on each end.
Available in two colors, dark brown and oxblood.
An evolution of The Cambridge Satchel Company’s Batchel — a classic satchel with top handle, the Mutipocket Batchel is the perfect bag for busy guys. With magnetic side pockets and two front pockets, it can be used for work or as a weekend bag, with ample space for all essentials. The style includes a webbing strap for easy cross-body wearing and comes with branded brass hardware.
The fall 2015 Work Bag uses nickel hardware and comes with a webbing strap.
Matte leather composes this classic Cambridge Satchel. The briefcase has a top handle and an optional, adjustable shoulder strap.
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It's easy to manage many dangerous driving situations, such as bad weather or a stall, by planning ahead. It's better to be safe than sorry.
According to Ready, a national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, this is everything you should keep in your car in case of an emergency.
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Syracuse University professor Sam Van Aken spent nine years growing a single tree.
"The idea is that I could collapse a whole orchard and put it into one tree," he told Business Insider.
Each of the colors in the photo above represents a variety of flowering tree. Collectively, as one plant, they produce 40 different edible stone fruits (ones with pits, like peaches and plums). The tree above is just an artist's rendering, but the trees do exist.
To create his unique tree, Van Aken, a sculptor at SU's College of Visual and Performing Arts, uses a process called "grafting," which is used frequently by orchards and gardeners.
When two plants are grafted together they are cut so their "veins" flow into each other, letting them share a vascular system. These veins, known as the phloem and zylem, transport water, sugar, and minerals between the plant's roots and leaves.
Grafing a plant with a weak root system onto a plant with a strong one can enable the weak plant to grow better. Grafting has been around for centuries. It's actually the reason we still have wine — a disease threatened to kill all the French wines, until a resistant plant was found to serve as a host for grapes of all different varietals.
Though it's used frequently, 40 is an extreme number of plants to graft together. To do so takes years and years.
He'll let a tree grow for about three years, until it shows four or five branches. Then, he'll slice each branch and attach buds from four or five other types of tree on each one, grafting their vascular systems together. At that point, the count stands at about 20 or 25 plants attached to one very strong trunk.
"What you're essentially doing is injuring the tree and then attempting to trick it into believing that the part you placed in it is actually itself," Van Aken explained.
After that, those 20-to-25 varieties grow together for about two years and start to show new branches, to which Van Aken will attach more buds. Any that don't graft properly, he prunes away until about 40 varieties remain within a single tree.
"They all maintain their own genetic variety," Van Aken said. "You can see all the different types of flowers and fruit."
"But the science is almost like a byproduct," he also noted. "It's really, for me, a metaphor."
The amount of labor involved makes the tree fairly impractical for the world of agriculture. But as a work of art, Van Aken sees considerable value. "It definitely won't cure world hunger. But I hope that it could inspire that type of thinking," he said.
Van Aken also created a timeline of sorts to keep track of when the various types of tree will flower. Thus, he can control the color by timing the grafting appropriately.
Syracuse University actually picked the tree as a commemoration of September 11. As such, the institution plans to plant one on the quad.
The number 40 represents "somewhere between finite and infinite," according to Van Aken. Western religion, especially The Bible, popularized 40 as an uncountable number. Think 40 days and 40 nights of rain circa Noah's Ark. Thus, the tree's combined variety represent growth, hope, and renewal, as Van Aken explained — important topics to keep in mind in a post-9/11 era.
While the project seems abstract to some, Van Aken hopes people will see the value. "That day [9/11] was so vivid and tragic for me. I don't think you can make a piece that can adequately represent that tragedy," Van Aken noted. "It's too horrific."
Right now, 14 of Van Aken's stunning trees (not counting the two in his backyard) exist around the country. But come fall, he starts plans for an entire grove in Portland, Maine.
Below, an architect created a rendering of how that might look. In a word — gorgeous.
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Italy's culinary universe goes far beyond pizza and pasta. From the top of the boot in Milan to the tip of the toe in Sicily, there's a wide array of cuisines and regional specialties to explore.
Based on their Michelin star ratings, critical praise, and industry accolades and awards, we believe that these 20 restaurants offer the very best taste of Italy.
Keep scrolling to find out which reservations you should book on your next trip to Venice, Modena, Florence, and other Italian food hubs.
SEE ALSO: 40 incredible restaurants you should eat at in your lifetime
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Situated along the Grand Canal in the luxurious Gritti Palace hotel, Club del Doge Restaurant is the place to go for a Venetian meal with a view. Condé Nast Traveler voted it one of the world's most spectacular waterfront restaurants. Make sure to plan your visit between May and October to enjoy the terrace.
To learn more about Club del Doge Restaurant, click here >
Ranked No. 65 on this year's World's 50 Best Restaurants List, Combal.Zero holds two Michelin stars. Chef Davide Scabin experiments with ingredients, texture, and temperature to elevate the classic cuisine of Piedmont with dishes like squid bolognese and barbecue sweetbreads.
To learn more about Combal.Zero, click here >
Da Vittorio restaurant, located in the Da Vittorio Relais & Chateaux resort, has earned three Michelin stars for its cuisine. Some of the ingredients you'll find on the menu include meat from Piedmont and langoustines from Mazara del Vallo.
To learn more about Da Vittorio, click here >
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There are plenty of simple things men can do to look and feel their best. We've compiled the best grooming and style pointers to make any guy's life better.
Dennis Green and Megan Willett contributed to this post.
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People around the world are eating way more red meat.
According to the latest Grantham Mayo van Otterloo (GMO) quarterly report, "The increasing middle class of the emerging countries, especially China, is rapidly increasing its meat consumption."
On the one hand, that's good news, because it means people are eating more protein, an ingredient critical to healthy muscle and tissue development.
But for the most part, it's likely bad news for the world for two main reasons:
A big uptick in the amount of animals we raise for food can also put a strain on global resources of water and energy.
It takes far more water, land, and energy (in the form of carbon and methane, two gases that contribute to climate change) to raise cattle that are slaughtered than it does to raise crops for people to eat.
The countries that account for the majority of the uptick in meat consumption are wealthy countries, where people are actually eating more protein than they need.
According to a recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch research report, developed countries like the US and the UK already eat about twice as much meat compared with the global average, and it predicts this trend will continue until well into the 2020s.
And all those burgers and steaks require a lot of water. From raising the cows to washing and processing their meat, red meat uses a whopping 106 gallons of water per ounce. That's roughly five times the amount necessary to produce a handful of severely maligned almonds.
In California, where the state recently entered its fifth year in a record drought, the problem is especially bad.
This chart of water use by California crops, from a presentation made by University of California Davis professor Blaine Davis, makes the difference pretty clear:
Those arrows point to "forages" and alfalfa — crops raised almost exclusively for feeding farm animals. In California, the largest milk-producing state in the US, the vast majority of these animals are cows. "Forages" include the fields that get watered for cows to graze on and the corn and other irrigated crops that later get churned into cow feed.
All this data shows that the world's drought problems can't be nailed to one specific cause — be it almond enthusiasts, bottled water companies, or wealthy Californians over-watering their lawns.
However, the spike in meat consumption will only contribute to the world's water shortages.
UP NEXT: Devastating photos of California show how bad the drought really is
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Whether for a client or a friend, a bottle of Champagne makes a fabulous gift.
But the art is in the choosing.
According to Jeffrey Meisel, president and founder of the curated wine and spirits e-tailer Merchants of Beverage, one label does not fit all.
And, especially for a business gift, you want to make sure your selection sends the right message.
As Meisel is in the business of hand selecting Champagnes for different people and occasions, we asked him to create the ultimate Champagne gifting list for business, personal, and holiday giving.
"Don't feel compelled to get a big name brand," says Meisel. "Take a moment to separate yourself from the pack by selecting with care and insight."
If your budget is under $100, Philippe Gonet ($65) or Marc Hébrart Brut Special Club 2009 ($95) are two great artisanal options. Or go for name-recognition with Billecart-Salmon Brut ($63) or a Brut Rosé.
For budgets in the $200 range, you can stick with one expensive bottle or go the magnum route (two bottles in one). Meisel recommends a bottle of Krug 2003 or Dom Pérignon Brut Rosé. For a magnum, try Vouette & Sorbée Fidèle Extra Brut ($200).
For times when you really want to wow, these four bottles are your go-to: Krug “Clos d’Ambonnay 1998, ($2,250, with stemware), Dom Perignon P2 1998, Salon Blanc de Blancs "Le Mesnil" 1999 ($500, with stemware), or the rare Delamotte 1970 ($2,400).
Stick to one bottle for a housewarming gift, and don't present it in a shopping bag. "Come in with just the bottle or the gift box," says Meisel. "It is so much more elegant that way."
Try Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2004 ($235, with stemware) or L’Apôtre Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru ($225).
If you're buying for your own anniversary or a special occasion, Meisel suggests bringing a chilled bottle of Champagne and two crystal glasses. For these occasions, stick with high quality Champagne for an elegant touch, like the Krug 2000 ($375, with stemware).
This is truly a time for something pink. Meisel suggests André Clouet Rosé ($195, with stemware) to really set the mood. The above mentioned rosé Champagnes are also excellent Valentine's Day selections.
Meisel notes that magnums are "always welcomed and loved by all." They allow you and your colleagues to celebrate year-end success, and are great to pop at family gatherings.
A few great magnums: Vilmart Grand Cellier d'Or 1er Cru Brut ($70), Ruinart Brut Rosé ($210), and Vouette & Sorbée Blanc d'Argile ($225).
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It’s no secret that currently the top 1% of the world’s population holds 50% of the global wealth, and the bottom 50% holds a mere 1% of the wealth.
Top CEOs in America make around 350 times more than the average worker, and in 2014 the top 25 highest paid hedge fund managers were collectively paid $11.6 billion — reportedly one of the lowest figures in recent years.
In his upcoming book and touring gallery show, titled "1% Privilege in a Time of Global Inequality," curator and photo editor Myles Little explores this complex issue by showing a collection of work from various photographers. The book, which is currently being crowd-funded via Kickstarter, is due out by December 2015.
“I want people to start a conversation about economic fairness, about our priorities, and about our values as a society,” he tells Business Insider. “Are we celebrating the right heroes? Are we treating the right people well? Or are our sympathies misguided?” These are the questions he hopes viewers of this show contemplate as they get an exclusive look into the lives of the super wealthy.
We spoke to Little about the project and how it came together.
SEE ALSO: Here's where the world's ultra-rich are moving — and where they are coming from
Varvara in Her Home Cinema, Moscow, 2010, Anna Skladmann
Cheshire, Ohio, 2009, Daniel Shea
Untitled # IV, Mine Security, North Mara Mine, Tanzania, 2011, David Chancellor — kiosk
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Prices for homes in Silicon Valley are notoriously steep, with tech money contributing to an inflated real estate market that continues to grow in value.
Zillow helped us pull data on the most expensive listings in 14 Silicon Valley towns: Palo Alto, Atherton, Cupertino, Menlo Park, Woodside, Saratoga, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Hillsborough, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, and San Jose.
Atherton, which consistently ranks among the most expensive zip codes in the country, made the most appearances on the list, with five of the top 11 most expensive homes overall. Several tech billionaires, including Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, HP CEO Meg Whitman, and Google chairman Eric Schmidt, are known to own homes here.
From a Los Gatos mansion with its own helicopter pad to a historic 40-acre hill estate in Woodside, some of these Silicon Valley homes are pretty out-of-this-world.
SEE ALSO: A home in Palo Alto is worth more than twice as much today as it was in 2006
This massive Los Gatos estate has six bedrooms, more than 20,000 square feet of space, two pool houses, a tennis court, and a helicopter landing pad. The garage has room for up to 15 cars.
This seven-bedroom home in ritzy Atherton has a sweeping driveway lined with palm trees. Inside, you'll find high ceilings, dramatic chandeliers, and a gourmet kitchen. Additional amenities include a sauna, swimming pool, and tennis court.
Located about three minutes further south on the same Atherton street, this property includes a two-bedroom guesthouse in addition to the six-bedroom main house.
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Knowing the local laws of a country can save you from getting fined or arrested.
In Singapore, feeding pigeons will cost you $500, walking in the nude at home is illegal, and selling gum could land you two years in jail.
We've put together a list of 16 things you might be surprised to find are illegal in the country, from singing offensive songs to spitting.
An earlier version of this post was written by Noah Plaue.
According to Singapore Statutes Online, the first-time penalty for the selling of gum can be as high as $100,000 or a prison sentence of up to two years.
Penalties are subject to rise with each conviction, but certain chewing gums that have medical benefits will be allowed.
Singapore's statutes state that playing an instrument in a public place in "a manner as to cause or be likely to cause annoyance to any person lawfully using a public road or in any public place shall be guilty of an offense" that includes a fine of up to $1,000.
You can get a fine of up to $5,000 if you happen to be flying a kite or "playing any game" that gets in the way of traffic in any public road.
If you’re caught singing or uttering songs that have either obscene lyrics or obscene “ballads” in any public place, you’ll face a punishment of imprisonment for up to three months, a fine, or even both.
Spitting isn’t the classiest act, but do it in any public place in Singapore — including coffee shops, markets, eating houses, school houses, theaters, public buildings, omnibuses, or public roads — and you'll be slapped with a fine of up to $1,000.
The distribution of any materials deemed "obscene" is prohibited in Singapore. Any violation of this — whether it is photographs, a DVD, books, or figures — can get you up to three months in jail, a fine, or both.
Singapore’s Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act defines using another person’s Wi-Fi network as hacking. If you’re caught doing the deed, you can be fined a whopping $10,000, face up to three years in jail, or both.
While flushing a public toilet is common courtesy, in Singapore, there is an actual law against it. If you're caught leaving without flushing the toilet, you're looking at a fine of around $150.
Wandering around your house nude with any open curtains can land you a fine of $2,000, imprisonment for three months, or both. Both being nude in public and being nude in a private place where you are exposed to the public are considered public nuisances.
You might not think it's a big deal to toss your leftover sandwich bread to pigeons, but think twice when you're in Singapore because feeding the birds here will cost you $500.
In Singapore, some public elevators come equipped with Urine Detection Devices that set off an alarm and close the doors when any odor or urine is detected until the police arrive.
You shouldn’t litter in any country and it isn’t uncommon for littering to be against the law, but in Singapore, you’ll find yourself paying a $1,000 fine for it.
In Singapore, vandalism can get you both arrested and caned. Singapore’s vandalism laws first shocked the media in 1994, after an American teenager received a caning as punishment for destroying cars and public property. Earlier this year, two men visiting the country also faced prison time and caning for painting graffiti on a public train.
Penalties for drug possession in Singapore range from fines as high as $20,000 to 10 years in prison. In certain cases, if the amount of the drug is high enough, the punishment can even be a death penalty. Singapore officials have the right to conduct anonymous drug tests without a warrant, so any drugs taken before you enter the country can still put you at risk.
Attempts were made last year to change the Singaporean laws which forbid two members of the same gender from being able to have sexual relations, but unfortunately the regulation still stands. The punishment for gay sex in Singapore is a two-year jail term.
In Singapore, jaywalking is defined as crossing the road within 50 meters (164 feet) of a crossing zone. Jaywalkers can receive a $20 fine on the spot, a fine of up to $1,000, or three months of jail time. The punishment doubles to a fine of up to $2,000 and six months in jail if you’re caught jaywalking twice.
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Ban gluten. Say good-bye to sugar. Give up carbs.
No matter what diet you pick, the problem remains the same: Eventually, it ends.
Research shows that the vast majority of people who diet to lose weight end up gaining back some or all of the weight they lost, typically within a few years. And most of us who try lifestyle changes like cutting carbs or sugar only do so for a set period of time.
We recently asked exercise scientist Philip Stanforth, executive director of the Fitness Institute of Texas and a professor of exercise science at the University of Texas, why that happens, and what people who want to lose weight and keep it off can do.
He says there is one key principle that should guide any decision to make a change about what you eat. And that's "doing something you can maintain for the rest of your life."
After the initial "dieting phase” of cutting calories, eating healthier food, and upping your workout regimen — experts recommend aiming to lose only a couple pounds a week by burning a few hundred more calories than you're eating each day — you can start to make some small shifts back towards how you’d normally eat and workout, says Stanforth.
But overall, Stanforth says, "you still eat the same way [as you did when you started to eat healthier]."
Meaning that after you've lost a bit of weight, it's normal to scale back a bit on your workouts and start to eat more calories each day. "But you still eat the same kinds of foods," says Stanforth, because you're in the mindset that, "this is how I’m going to eat for the rest of my life."
Unfortunately, the vast majority of dieting information doesn't reflect this view.
And that's a mistake, Stanforth says.
"You know we tend to say you go on a diet, but that also implies you’re going to go off of it. And that’s not how we should be looking at this. Sometimes people are looking for the latest fad, but oftentimes it’s the fundamentals that are the most important and that make the biggest difference."
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Wemadeamillionaire.com launched on July 28 with one goal — get strangers on the Internet to make another stranger a millionaire within 90 days.
"You don't know who I am, where I am from, or how I'm going to spend your money," says the millionaire hopeful in the website's video.
Word has just started to get around and donations are already nearing $12,000 to date.
In order to reach its goal, the site needs to earn over $11,000 every day until its October 25th deadline.
The project is described as a social experiment: The mystery person behind it will document the next year of his or her life if the goal of $1 million is met.
There are three different levels of donating: gold ($9.99), silver ($4.99), and bronze ($1.29). All that's offered in return is a photo and custom message on one of the site's "walls of fame."
The website doesn't state whether "donations" (not pledges) will be returned if the project fails to meet $1 million in 90 days.
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