Quantcast
Channel: Business Insider
Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live

How to grill the perfect steak


Guys, your summer uniform makes you look basic

0
0

cargo shorts bad

I wasn't going to do this, but I have to.

It's finally summer in New York City, and that means everyone is changing their wardrobe for something that makes the sweltering heat more bearable.

For women, this means the return of strappy sandals and sun dresses.

For men, this means dressing like a 5-year-old waiting in line for the teacup ride at Disneyland.

It means the unholy trinity of bad men's fashion — cargo shorts, graphic tees, and flip-flops — is back in rotation. We're about to see this uniform everywhere.

And that's sad, because no one looks good in it.

Let's go through each item and talk about why:

Cargo shorts: 99.9% of the time, cargo shorts are too long. That means they make you look shorter. They're also too baggy and the pockets weigh the shorts down and make you look sloppy. It's like the shorts themselves know that you shouldn't be wearing them and are trying to slide off of your body.

  • Instead: You can wear shorts, but wear ones that fit. That means they hit you an inch or two above the knee. You also need only four pockets: two in the front, two in the back. This is not rocket science, it's just taste.

Graphic tees: It's great that you enjoyed that Phish show in 2003 so much that you bought a T-shirt, but now that you're an adult with a job, you don't need to remind everyone of your jam-band days. And — no matter what it says — if you think your shirt is clever, I guarantee to you that it's not.

  • Instead: There are a lot of great shirts you can wear that will keep you cool over the summer. Polo shirts work, and they have collars. Linen shirts breathe for you, and they make you look fresh and clean. Or you can just wear a solid-color tee that isn't a walking advertisement or doesn't have Mighty Mouse or something equally juvenile on it.

Flip-flops: No one wants to see a grown man's feet.

  • Instead: Loafers or sneakers. This one's too easy.

Jay Butler loafers

All of this should be obvious by now. I've written about it over and over again, and so have tons of other people on the internet. Still, year after year there's a conveyor belt of bro-bots all dressed in the same stupid outfit walking down the street.

I get it. You're comfortable. Just keep in mind that you're also embarrassing.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: You’ve been cuffing your jeans all wrong — here’s how to do it

Scientists have reached a 'milestone' in treating addiction with a drug in Adderall — but there's a catch

0
0

Crack_Crack.JPG

A new study suggests that a stimulant drug used in the ADHD medication Adderall could be useful in helping to treat cocaine addiction.

This isn't the first time the drug, called dexamfetamine, has been studied as a potential component of addiction treatment.

The problem is most of these studies have been very small, as neuroscience journalist Maia Szalavitz reported for Time in 2008. Some of them found no effect.

Until now, that is.

Essentially, the drug would treat cocaine addicts with a chemically similar (albeit somewhat different) version of the very drug they're hooked on.

It might seem counterintuitive, but years of research suggest the method is one of the best options available for certain types of addiction, like heroin addiction. Methadone clinics operate on this principal. They offer people addicted to heroin and opioid painkillers a lab-made version of the drug in smaller, sustained doses. And so far, the treatment has been found to work better than any other heroin-addiction therapy.

That success has had scientists wondering for years: Would a similar approach work for other drugs like cocaine?

A new high-caliber study published Friday in the journal The Lancet has some promising results. The randomized, double-blind trial of 73 people found that, as compared with participants who were given a placebo, those who were given the stimulant drug dexamfetamine along with two lab-produced opioid medications used cocaine significantly less frequently over the course of the trial.

Like any treatment, though, this one comes with some potential downsides. Treating cocaine addicts with amphetamines is not the same as treating heroin addicts with methadone. For one thing, high doses of the main active ingredient in dexamfetamine (amphetamines) have been linked with serious health risks, from brain damage to heart attacks and strokes.

The reason this isn't a huge problem with methadone treatments for heroin and opioid-painkiller addiction, Szalavitz writes, is because people develop tolerance to opioid medications, blocking high doses of the drug from being lethal.

crack pipeSome other limitations of the study include the fact that most of its participants were male and white, so the effect of the treatment on other groups could be different. Plus, all of the participants also tested positive for cocaine and heroin and had a history of addiction to both drugs. Many reported regularly using other drugs as well, including alcohol and/or marijuana.

Still, the results are promising.

"Our findings are an important contribution to the search for effective pharmacotherapies for cocaine dependence," the researchers write in their paper. "It is the first study that shows the benefits of a robust dose of sustained-release dexamfetamine as a valuable ... medication in the treatment of cocaine dependence."

Others agree that while the study has some weaknesses, it is hopeful, too.

"The more small groups of people that find something that works, the better off we'll be," Szalavitz told Business Insider in an email.

SEE ALSO: A new book will change everything you think you know about drugs, alcohol, and addiction

RELATED: Mind-blowing new images show how LSD changes the way parts of the brain communicate

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Cocaine won't just get you high — here's what it does to your body and brain

Scientifically proven features men find attractive in women

These are the safest airlines in the world

0
0

Air travel continues to be one of the safest forms of transportation, and these 20 airlines rise to the top.

Ranked by AirlineRatings.com, the Australian website took 407 airlines into consideration and based their rankings on audits, operational history, incident records, and operational excellence. AirlineRatings also provides the top-ten safest low-cost airlines. 

Produced by Justin Gmoser

Follow BI Video: On Twitter

 

Join the conversation about this story »

You've been rolling your shirtsleeves wrong your entire life

The most over-the-top tech billionaire vacation homes

YouTube star wakeboarded the canals of Amsterdam wearing a tuxedo

0
0

caseyneistat.wakeboarding

Remember the guy who snowboarded through the empty streets of New York City during Winter Storm Jonas?

YouTube star Casey Neistat's latest stunt involved wakeboarding through the canals of Amsterdam behind a Jet Ski ... and he did it wearing a tuxedo.

With just one day of training— he'd never been on a wakeboard until the day before the video was shot — Neistat donned a tux over a life jacket and wet suit, and hit the canals just after sunrise.

He didn't run into any problems while filming, but was stopped later in the day by officials who had seen the Instagram picture of him wakeboarding. "They were trying to say we didn't have the right permits to be wakeboarding in the canals — which we did," he explained. "In the end, everything was cool and they let us go."

See how he pulled off the stunt in his behind-the-scenes video, "Busted for illegal wakeboarding" and watch the full stunt video below.

SEE ALSO: This guy used the blizzard as an opportunity to go snowboarding behind a Jeep through the empty streets of New York City

Join the conversation about this story »


These are 7 of the most expensive degrees in the world

0
0

Harvey Mudd College studentsAt $1.2 trillion, student-loan debt in the US exceeds car loans and even credit-card debt. But education is an investment for the future, or so the mantra goes. Students routinely pay hefty costs to come away with the diplomas they desire.

With that in mind, Business Insider rounded up some of the most costly degree programs around the world.

The programs span some of the expected categories, like medical degrees and MBAs, to less likely bachelor of arts programs and music degrees.

The prices listed below reference only tuition costs without room and board and other expenses. 

Below are seven of the most expensive programs in the world.

Wharton School — $192,900 Executive MBA

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has a two-year executive-education program that runs students $192,900.

Known as one of the top business programs in the world, Wharton grads have an average base salary of $127,280 upon graduating.



Sarah Lawrence — $204,784 Bachelor of Arts

Sarah Lawrence, based in Westchester, New York, costs students $204,784 for four years

The liberal arts school has a unique and individualized approach to learning where there are no required courses and examinations mostly don't exist.



Harvey Mudd College — $209,532 Bachelor of Science

Harvey Mudd appears to be one of the most expensive undergraduate program in the US. The Claremont, California-based program runs students $209,532 for four years.

It focuses on science, mathematics, and engineering, and graduates earn an early career average salary of $78,200 and $133,000 mid-career.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The most luxurious condo buildings in 7 major US cities

0
0

one dalton boston

When it comes to luxury residences across the country, the real-estate landscape has turned into a downright battle of the buildings. 

We may have reached a ceiling of growth and fallen into a sluggish market in some cities, but these supertall and super-expensive developments — many of which have been in the works for years — continue to rise up. Now, though, they vie for attention from discerning buyers by outdoing each other with extravagant extras. Those perks come in the form of indoor golf simulators, custom car elevators, drone landing pads, and 24-hour room service from renowned chefs.

We surveyed the upper tier of residential condominium towers across the US, zeroing in on seven major cities and identifying the most over-the-top buildings currently in development.

Below, take a look through the winners in New York City, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Honolulu. Each of these tower complexes boasts crazy amenities, architectural chops, and a certifiably elite lifestyle.

SEE ALSO: 20 resorts and villas where you can have a private island practically all to yourself

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

BOSTON: One Dalton (Four Seasons Private Residences)

The Millennium Tower is currently the tallest residential building in Boston, but it's about to be one-upped by One Dalton, a Four Seasons Private Residence that will be the tallest residential building in all of New England when it's finished in 2018. The prices are steep, as to be expected. But an indoor golf simulator gives this one an extra leg up. (Honorable mention goes to the Pierce Boston, which offers "sky cabanas" that residents can purchase as an extra.)

Architect: Harry Cobb

Number of stories: 61

Unit pricing: $2 million and up

Penthouse price: $35 million

Penthouse price per square foot: Not released

Perks: It's the tallest residential building in New England and has plenty of amenity space within, including a 70-foot lap pool and a dog-grooming room. You can also access Four Seasons services like in-home dining.

Standout amenity: An indoor golf simulator.

Open for residency: 2018



CHICAGO: Vista Tower

Chicago's growth is reflected in the development of the Vista Tower, the city's first major luxury supertall and the third-tallest tower in the city overall. It's another view-centric building, but it also gets all of the amenities of its associated hotel, as well as some quirky extras like wine storage and valet services. 

Architect: BLK

Number of stories: 95

Unit pricing: $1 million and up

Penthouse price: $17.1 million

Penthouse price per square foot: $2,443

Perks: Wine storage for residents, a movie theater, and a valet garage. You can choose your apartment's look and feel based on different "jewel" design concepts that match to different aesthetics.

Standout amenity: City views and unique architecture.

 Open for residency: 2020



HONOLULU: Waiea Tower

Hawaii isn't known for its high rises, which is part of what makes Waiea at Ward Village such an unusual project. The most expensive residential tower in the island state, it's an LEED-certified building with lots of amenities, including a ground-level park and shopping village. 

Architect: James K.M. Cheng Architects and WCIT Architecture

Number of stories: 36

Unit pricing: Starting at $3.9 million

Penthouse price: $36 million

Penthouse price per square foot: $3,600

Perks: Poolside cabanas by the rooftop infinity pool, an indoor golf simulator, library, and theater, a fitness center with yoga room, and a dog park and children's play area. This is Hawaii's most expensive residential tower.

Standout amenity: You can get room service from famous chef Nobu Matsuhisa's sushi and Japanese restaurant, Nobu.

 Open for residency: 2018



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We're on the cusp of an explosive change in how we treat one of America's most ignored health problems

0
0

Woman Using iPad

You've probably been there: Something stressful is happening in your life, and you're feeling more anxious than usual. You'd love to talk to someone about it, but you don't know who to turn to.

Therapy is one option, but A) it can be crazy expensive, and B) you don't want to be that person who has to see a shrink.

Turns out, there is no that person. Roughly one in every five Americans, or about 43 million people, suffers from mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. About 60% of us received no treatment in the past year.

Stigma isn't the only problem. For many, treatment is simply too expensive; others can't physically get to a therapist or treatment center. It's one of America's biggest and most ignored problems.

Lots of people are trying to help. There are a handful of apps, from Talkspace to BetterHelp, that link people to licensed therapists and counselors over text message and video chat. The site 7 Cups of Tea offers chatrooms where people can talk with other like-minded fellows online. Others are scrapping the idea of real people altogether and experimenting with on-screen, artificial intelligence-powered robots.

Welcome to the future of therapy.

Face-to-screen

Some people think the future of therapy won't take place in an office. There will be no couches, no tissues, no awkward first-date-esque meetings. Instead, it'll unfold on screens.

After all, they say, most of our daily interactions already happen via text. Therapy should be no exception. 

Talkspace is spearheading this change by linking people with therapists they can talk to via text. (The app also recently began offering real-time video chat, but some 80% of users use the texting feature only.) "We are taking a very traditional profession and delivering it in a very modern way," Roni Frank, Talkspace's co-founder and head of clinical services, told me. "It's convenient. There’s no need to schedule an appointment. You can use it if it's 4am and you can't sleep. There’s no business hours or office hours, those don’t exist," said Frank.

Therapists who use the service agree that text-based therapy has its advantages. Some of them include having clients who feel more comfortable because they don't have to sit in a room with a therapist.

"I've had clients disclose things to me [on Talkspace] that they say they’d never disclose face-to-face," Licensed Professional Counselor Katherine Glick, one of the therapists who works for Talkspace told me.

talkspace_computer

Why is it so much easier to be honest online?

One reason, suggests Jonathan Gratch, who directs the center for virtual humans research at the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, is because we feel more anonymous there (whether we actually are is another matter).

"People are more honest on web forms," says Gratch. "They just feel safer disclosing things that way," he said.

When we interact with others for the first time, we spend a lot of time trying to manage what they think of us. If you've ever massaged the details of a story to make yourself look better or chosen to hide other information that might make you look worse, you've engaged in what Gratch calls "impression management."

It's a phase therapists spend lots of time getting past so they can get to a place where clients are being honest with them and letting them help. They call it building rapport. 

To Gratch, the future of therapy lies between these two important things: anonymity and rapport. And he thinks a "virtual person" might be the part of the solution.

Sim Sensei: The bot that makes you feel like she cares

usc sim sensei talkspace

"People who don't want to talk to people might be more interested in talking to virtual people," Gratch told me.

Gratch and his team study how people interact with on-screen artificial intelligence (AI) robots. While the bots clearly aren't human, they display some people-like capabilities, like gesturing at the appropriate times with their hands, nodding, and asking follow-up questions. One of their bots is named Sim Sensei.

In a 2014 study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, Gratch and his team had 239 volunteers go through a health screening in which they interacted with a bot interviewer which they called a virtual human (VH). Half of them were randomly assigned to be told the VH was controlled by a person ("like a puppet"), while the other half were told it was computer-controlled ("fully-automated") and there was no human on the other end.

This is way better than talking to a person. I don't really feel comfortable talking about personal stuff to other people.

When volunteers thought they were simply talking to a computer, they tended to engage in less "impression management" and they also displayed emotions like sadness more intensely. The volunteers who talked with the allegedly computer-controlled interface also said they felt less afraid to disclose personal details about themselves than those who talked with the supposedly human-controlled program. 

One of the study participants who'd been told he was talking to a fully-automated bot wrote this in the study about the experience:

"This is way better than talking to a person. I don't really feel comfortable talking about personal stuff to other people."

Gratch and his team think that's because people felt less judged by the computer. "We had this empathetic listening that draws people out to make them say more things, plus a feeling of anonymity," said Gratch.

To make Sensei, Gratch and his team spent years studying how people convey to each other that they're interested in what another person is saying, something called "active listening." They looked at what characteristics lead someone to say "Uhuh" in a conversation, for example, or "I'm sorry," as well as what sort of hand gestures we tend to use and when. Here's a screenshot from their 2014 study:

sim sensei talkspace ai bot

"It's kind of like being at a cocktail party," Gratch said, "where you're talking to someone but it's noisy and there's a lot going on in the background and you want to convey to this person you're talking to that you're interested in what they're saying."

By plugging that information into a series of algorithms, Gratch was able to create an AI with the ability to track and respond to facial expressions and tone of voice — to create the illusion that she was actively listening.

For example, in addition to determining when someone is sharing information that's generally positive or negative, Sensei can differentiate between when someone is asking a question and when they are making a statement. And, based on certain words she's been trained to pick up, Sensei can appropriately respond with an expression that either conveys understanding — like an "Uhuh" or a nod — or a sense of empathy, like an "Oh I'm sorry." To ask a question, Sensei leans in.

The limitations of therapy without people

The idea of replacing a human therapist with an artificially intelligent bot is decades away at best. At worst, it's an approach that's unmoored in reality, some experts say. And if it is at all indicative of the potential limitations a bot-based therapy platform might have, text-based therapy still has several weaknesses. 

Jumana Grassi, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works on the text-a-therapist platform Talkspace, told me she sees the app for most people as more of a gateway to face-to-face therapy than an end point. "There's an energy between human beings, you can tell when you're sitting next to someone. And I think a lot of that gets missed without that face-to-face interaction," she said.

More importantly, does text-based therapy work? 

Talkspace has done some of its own preliminary research that suggests it does. One study they conducted found that when compared with people enrolled in face-to-face therapy, people enrolled in text-based therapy experienced equally positive outcomes. But text-message-based therapy (as opposed to online therapy or therapy delivered over the phone) is relatively new. And very few high-caliber, peer-reviewed studies exist today that can vouch for these preliminary claims.

Still, there are some studies that compare a select few types of therapy administered online. 

A 2014 review of studies published in the journal World Psychiatry, for example, compared how people with a variety of psychiatric disorders fared after they got a popular type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). In about half of the studies, the treatment was done online in a guided format, while in the others it was conducted traditionally in a face-to-face setting. Their results suggested that — at least for treating the handful of psychiatric disorders they reviewed — doing the therapy online was just as effective as doing in person. Still, the authors firmly concluded that “more research is needed."

There is evidence, though, that people who've never considered therapy are trying text-message-based therapy. This is a potentially huge bright spot for the method: It may reach people who'd otherwise never try it.

roni frank talkspace therapy conference"Many of our clients have never been in traditional therapy. Our average user is a first-timer. And therapists are hearing from clients that we've changed their lives," said Frank.

For others, it's the only way people can get any help. "I have a woman who would never be able to get to traditional therapy who I talk to everyday," Grassi told me. "That's awesome."

Still, Grassi thinks in-person therapy will always be the best option for the vast majority of people. Part of the reason for this, she says, is because so much of the information we communicate happens outside of typing or even speaking. Social psychologists call this system of communicating feelings or thoughts nonverbal communication, and it includes everything from making eye contact to using hand gestures. To convey that we're not interested in a line of discussion, for example, we might cross our arms, roll our eyes, or position our bodies away from someone else. Therapists are trained to pick up on these things.

"I'm sensitive to other people's reactions and body language, and I think it's one of the things that makes me a good therapist," said Grassi. "If I'm sitting with you I can see if you're maybe detached from the conversation or something is making you uncomfortable, for example. I can see your mouth is saying this, but your eyes are saying this."

Another therapist I spoke to who wanted to stay anonymous because of the sensitive nature of her clientele — she works with sex offenders and pedophiles — said she'd never work for a platform like Talkspace or Betterhelp, since meeting in person with her clients is so crucial to her. "You have to be able to look people in the eyes and be able to see how they're interacting in a real life, person-to-person setting," she told me. "How else can you see if they're really improving?"

Gratch agrees that Sensei isn't quite ready for the big time — at least not yet. Which means she's certainly not about to pop up as an app on your phone anytime soon.

"It's good for pulling information out of people, not so much for understanding what's going on. It's not appropriate for therapy...at this stage."

SEE ALSO: The answer to treating drug and alcohol addiction may be far simpler than you think

DON'T MISS: 7 things to consider before buying one of those kits that lets you 'test your genes'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: NASA is looking for ways to dispose of dead bodies in space — and it's getting weird

Scientifically proven ways to make someone fall in love with you

0
0

We've talked about how you can get someone to be attracted to you by using scientifically proven flirting techniques, but how can you get someone to fall in love with you? We talked to psychotherapist and author M. Gary Neuman who cites five scientifically proven ways to transcend simple attractiveness and inspire the feelings that could lead to a long-term connection.

Business Insider readers get a 20% discount on Neuman's products for a limited time by using the promo code "businessinsider." Click here to visit his website.

Produced by Graham Flanagan with camera by Devan Joseph.

Follow BI Video: On Twitter

Join the conversation about this story »

These are the 10 safest low-cost airlines in the world

0
0

Airbus A319 Virgin America

The low-cost airline business model has only been around for a couple of decades, but it has developed a major presence in the airline industry.

According to PWC, low-cost airlines account for more than 25% of the world's aviation business.

From a pool of 407 carriers around the world, AirlineRatings.com selected the 10 safest low-cost and leisure charter airlines in the world.

To compile its list, the website evaluated each airline based on its standing with international regulators, its fatality record over the past 10 years, its results from an International Air Transportation Association(IATA) safety audit, and whether the airline's country of origin conforms with the International Civil Aviation Organization's 8-point safety parameters.

All of the airlines on this list passed those tests with flying colors. Want a cheap ticket and a safe flight? Have a look at these airlines.

SEE ALSO: These are the 20 safest airlines in the world

Aer Lingus — Ireland's national carrier — operates a hybrid low-cost model that offers some of full service luxuries on its long-haul routes. The airline has not suffered a fatal accident since the 1960s.



JetBlue: AirlineRatings.com awarded Jetblue the honor of being the best low cost airline in North and South America. Jetblue has never had a fatal accident in company history.



Jetstar is the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas — AirlineRatings.com's safest airline in the world. The Melbourne-based airline has not suffered a crash in company history.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 essentials every guy needs before heading to the beach

0
0

6 lido beach venice italy

Beach season begins this weekend. Are you ready?

For every guy heading to the beach, we've prepared a seven-item checklist to make sure you're stylish, healthy, and well-prepared to frolic in the sun.

Don't leave home without them.

SEE ALSO: The biggest mistake guys make with their business attire

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Sunglasses that fit your face.

Even men who don't typically wear sunglasses every day wear them to the beach. It's basically the law (or something).

You also need them to protect your eyes from UV radiation.

Get ones that fit your face correctly, and you'll be beach-ready in no time.

Dries Van Noten Round-Frame Metal Sunglasses ($345)

 



A beach towel that isn't hideous.

OK, so you don't need something super fancy. But a nice, big beach towel is absolutely essential to lay out in the sun.

And no, a top sheet or a bath towel isn't going to work in a pinch.

Thom Browne Striped Cotton Towel ($390)



Swim shorts that are the right length.

There are a lot of terrible swimsuits out there on men. Don't wear one of those.

You need three things in a great swimsuit:

- A 6-inch or shorter inseam.

- An elastic waistband.

- A classic pattern or plain color.

Beyond those, it's up to you to find a fit and color you like.

One word of caution: avoid the "board shorts" trend.

J Crew 6" Swim Trunk ($70)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 ways to open a beer without a bottle opener


15 of the most beautiful travel photos from around the world

Adidas outfitted its French Open players in an audacious style inspired by 'dazzle camouflage,' and it could be distracting to opponents

0
0

french open outfits

Adidas has turned quite a few heads at the 2016 French Open.

The sportswear company chose to outfit its players — including former champion Ana Ivanovic, world No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and ex-Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych — in a bold, black-and-white zebra-striped collection "made to disrupt and inspire."

The eye-boggling style has sparked a lively conversation among fans and commentators— some are "digging the zebra print," while others are observing that it's "a bit busy" or "hideous." Others argue that it could be distracting to the players on the other side of the net.

The sportswear company says the clothing line is inspired by "dazzle camouflage," a military pattern used on ships in World War I and II.

dazzle ship HMS KildanganShips were painted with dark and light stripes, the idea being "to distort an enemy submarine commander's perception of the ship's size, shape, range, heading and speed, so as to make it harder to hit with the non-homing torpedoes of the period," The Economist explains.

When releasing the 2016 French Open style, the Adidas senior director of tennis said, "We designed the apparel as to minimise distractions for the players."

However, as Vanessa Friedman at The New York Times pointed out, "He was talking about the Adidas athletes themselves. When it comes to their opponents, the clothes probably work the opposite way, much as the military intended. It must be hard to keep an eye on the ball when faced with a riot of animal print."

If the flamboyant pattern is indeed a distraction to opponents, it doesn't seem to be a significant one.

Australian Open champion and third-seeded Angelique Kerber only got to don the zebra stripes for one match — the Adidas-sponsored player was ousted in the first round. And Ivanovic, who won the French Open in 2008, was knocked out in the third round.

The zebra-striped players who still remain include Simona Halep, Tomas Berdych, and Dominic Thiem.

SEE ALSO: A wild rally at the French Open continued even after both women fell to the ground and kept hitting shots

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch Maria Sharapova explain why she failed a drug test

4 summer grooming mistakes you need to stop making

These are America's 2 most hated fast-food restaurants

A 35-year-old and his wife ditched the rat race for a cabin in the woods and now live off the grid debt-free

0
0

Dan Timmerman lives off the grid

Professional cyclist Dan Timmerman always wanted direct access to nature. Sitting around observing it from a distance was never enough. He wanted to be in nature.

Five years ago, Timmerman and his wife, Sam, bought a 10-acre property in rural New York and moved into a cabin. They have lived there ever since.

While the couple hasn't totally rejected modern life — they have no TV, but do own cellphones, laptops, and cars — they lead an unconventional lifestyle that is simple and enlightening. They own their property outright, have no debt, and live on solar power.

DirtWireTV recently profiled Timmerman for a day-in-the-life video, and Business Insider later caught up with him to learn more about what it's like living off the grid.

DON'T MISS: One of the hottest things in cycling right now is riding your bike someplace far and then taking the train home

SEE ALSO: 35-year-old American who thinks modern life is too stressful works 6 months a year, then lives on $10 a day adventuring around the world on a bicycle

By living in their cabin off the grid, Timmerman and his wife, who is a caterer, have saved a good deal of money.

"We're on the reduce-your-expenses method," he told Business Insider. "This is an off-the-grid cabin that we bought pretty cheaply, and living this way is cheap. We don't have many expenses, if any, basically just a cellphone bill.

"We have plenty of money in the savings, and I'm able to work as a professional racer mainly because of the way that we live. If I had to pay rent in town it would be a different story."



"Off the grid" can have a lot of meanings. For Timmerman, it means their cabin isn't connected to the electrical grid at all.

"We have our solar power, which is stored in batteries. A lot of people assume that means you're also disconnected, but that's not true in our case. We are connected. We talk on the phone. We have the internet."



Though Timmerman and his wife live in the woods, that doesn't mean they aren't connected to the world. They have cellphones and laptops, using mobile data to go online. While they don't stream movies, they occasionally watch DVDs. He uses the internet to keep up with the bike-racing community and do research for all his projects.

"We're pretty content," he says. "Living in the city or in town, you have the social aspects and the conveniences, but you're surrounded by concrete and motors, you know? For us it's more worth it to be out here, to have access to the natural world, have our place, and do all the projects we want to do."

Timmerman says living off the grid does have drawbacks.

"We end up driving more because my wife works in Ithaca, and we're 18 miles outside of town. And certain times of the year, like winter, you tend to feel a bit isolated. But it's not like we live in the middle of a mountain with nobody around us. We have a pretty hoppin' village eight miles away, and we go in, and we have friends down the hill."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images