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The 32 most ridiculous things musicians have demanded in their dressing rooms

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katy perry

Ever wonder what it's like to hang out backstage with your favorite musicians?

Thanks to nifty little documents known as tour riders, you don't have to wonder anymore. 

Broadly speaking, tour riders outline all the terms that a venue must meet when an artist comes to give a performance. They generally include each artist's detailed demands for food, decorations, and other personal touches in their dressing rooms. Most give a surprisingly detailed snapshot of the artist's private backstage space.

But as you might expect, some celeb requests can get pretty exorbitant — even downright weird. We combed through dozens of leaked tour riders published on the website The Smoking Gun. Here's a look at some truly ridiculous requests made on the riders of 32 artists across the industry. 

Pharrell Williams requests that his dressing room contain a framed photo of legendary astronomer Carl Sagan.

Apparently Williams has been a longtime fan of "Cosmos"— the 1980 educational series that Sagan narrated.

"I watched 'Cosmos' as a child and I was always blown away by [Sagan's] mind and the way he thought," Williams once told the TODAY Show. "When I look at that picture I realize how lucky we all are [...] to be on this planet and be able to do what we love to do every day. Seeing Carl's face reminds me of it."

Sources: TODAY, IMDb, The Smoking Gun

 



Celine Dion's dressing room must be exactly 73 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a 2008–2009 rider.

Source: The Smoking Gun



In 2015, One Direction asked each venue to provide a ping pong table, pinball machine, and "one other games [...] of your choice." They suggested pool, air hockey, or Space Invaders.

Source: The Smoking Gun



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

45 ways to make more money in 2017

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tour guide

Whether you need to boost your cash flow to pay bills, save more or simply improve your lifestyle, there are plenty of ways to make more money.

Some methods of saving are easy, while others require more effort.

But all have the potential of paying off if you want to boost your bottom line.

Try any of these 45 ideas to start making more money in 2017.

SEE ALSO: 8 ways to make your money work for you

DON'T MISS: Here's how much you need to earn to be in the top 1% of every US state

1. Ask Your Boss for a Raise

If you want to make more in 2017, start by asking for it. According to compensation data company PayScale, 75 percent of workers who negotiate their salaries get pay raises. However, less than half of workers have asked for raises, according to PayScale’s salary survey. So, if you’re not asking for more, you could be leaving money on the table.

To get a general idea of what you’re worth, check the going rate for your position at sites such as PayScale.com, Salary.com and Glassdoor.com. Then build your case for why you deserve higher pay based on your accomplishments and the value you’ve added to the company, according to PayScale’s salary negotiation guide.



2. Give Yourself a Raise

You can boost your paycheck on your own by keeping more of what you earn. Do this by adjusting your tax withholding if you typically get a large refund every year. A big refund indicates that you’re letting Uncle Sam hang on to too much of your money during the year.

Rather than wait until the spring to get your money, file a new Form W-4 with your employer to claim additional allowances and have less tax money withheld. IRS.gov has a withholding calculator that you can use to figure out how many allowances to claim. Considering that the average refund was $2,777 in 2016, you could be adding more than $230 back to your paycheck each month.



3. Refer Other Employees to Your Company

You might be able to score a bonus at work by referring potential employees for job openings at your company. About two-thirds of large employers have documented referral processes in place, according to iCIMS, which provides software for screening new hires.

“Check to see if your company has a bonus policy for referrals,” said Lisa Rowan, a writer at personal finance site The Penny Hoarder. “For example, at The Penny Hoarder, employees receive a $500 bonus upon referring job seekers who get hired.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to use the 12 coolest Snapchat tricks and Easter eggs

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snapchat header

The INSIDER Summary:

  • Snapchat has a trove of fun and easy-to-use features.
  • The app is increasingly popular among adults ages 35 and older.
  • Even seasoned Snapchat users may not know about some of the app's best Easter eggs.


As of today, I've sent 37,153 pictures and videos since I first downloaded Snapchat five years ago. It's by far my favorite social media platform, and the one I use the most.

While Snap's future growth might be shaky, the company's innovations keep its namesake app interesting and fun to use. From stickers to Stories, Snapchat has built a trove of easy-to-use features that millennials love and other platforms love to copy.

If you're new to Snapchat, or just not as (unhealthily) obsessed as I am, here's a guide to the app's best tricks and Easter eggs so far.

1. Add dynamic emojis that move with your video.

An easy way to spice up your Snaps is to add stickers and emojis that move with your video. First, tap the sticker button on the top of your screen (the square between the scissor and the T). Then, tap on a sticker to select it, and press and hold the sticker to "pin" it to a moving person or object in your video.

To save time, especially when you already have a specific sticker or emoji in mind, use the search bar at the top of the sticker panel to narrow down your options.



2. Add old pictures from your Camera Roll to your Snapchat Story.

This feature is perfect for sharing throwbacks and for when you can't connect to the internet. Tap the small circle below the bigger record button to access your Snapchat Memories. Then, tap "Camera Roll" to access your phone's pictures. Press and hold on any picture, and tap the blue arrow to add it your Story. 

For more private photos, tap "Move to My Eyes Only" to add Snaps and pictures to a private section protected by a custom Passcode.

 



3. Customize your Snapchat friendship emojis.

Not sure what those emojis next to your friends' names mean? Swipe down on the main Snapchat screen (the one you use to take pictures) and tap the gear symbol in the top-right corner to access your Snapchat Settings. Tap "Manage" under "Additional Services;" then, tap "Friend Emojis."

Here, you can learn what Snapchat's default emojis mean and change them to whichever one you want. Simply tap on an emoji to switch it out with one you prefer.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 most expensive ZIP codes in America

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Tribeca apartment

The 25 most expensive ZIP codes in the US are unsurprisingly concentrated on the coasts.

Real estate listings site Property Shark recently used data from all residential transactions closed in 2016 to determine which ZIP codes across the US were most expensive for buyers.

California dominated the list with 17 cities represented, including well-known places like Beverly Hills and its famous 90210 ZIP code.

New York also claimed six spots, with pricey Hamptons favorite Sagaponack coming in at No. 1.

Only ZIP codes containing more than five sold properties were considered for the list. Property Shark helped us find listings that were close to each of the ZIP codes' median sales price. Check out the full list below:

SEE ALSO: Here's how much you need to earn to be in the top 1% for the 15 largest cities in the US

DON'T MISS: 9 hidden costs that come with buying a home

25. 95030: Los Gatos, California

Median sale price: $2,180,000

This two-bedroom, two-bathroom Los Gatos home will run you around $2.3 million, but it comes complete with hardwood floors, a detached guest house, and four private acres of wooded land. 



24. 94123: San Francisco

Median sale price: $2,210,000

In San Francisco, $2.27 million will get you a home like this one, which packs three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a wood burning fireplace, stainless steel appliances, and a formal dining room into 1,900 square feet. 



23. 94306: Palo Alto, California

Median sale price: $2,227,500

This three-level home in Palo Alto, on the market for $2.25 million, features quartz countertops, abundant natural light, and a fenced-in patio. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I lived off $6 a day and ate better than ever

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day 1

The INSIDER Summary:

  • For $40 a week, averaging out to around six dollars a day, you can make delicious, healthy meals.
  • Chicken sausage, tinned salmon, rice, eggs, and spinach turn into faux-risotto, vegetable soup, and fried rice.


As I was doing my monthly budgeting, I realized how much I'd been spending on groceries. It seemed sorta crazy that all that money could go to much better things. I decided to try and challenge both my self-control and my cooking skills by spending $40 on groceries for the whole week — which averages out to less than six dollars on food a day!
Take that, McDonald's.

I left my local grocery store with chicken sausage, tinned salmon, basa filets, a carton of eggs, an onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, a bag of spinach, pesto sauce, tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, rice, pasta, and cucumbers for $39.81 AUD (about $30.53 USD) — leaving me just under budget. I have soy sauce, tabasco, vinegar, oil, honey, brown sugar, salt and pepper in my pantry already so I don't include those in my grocery costs.  

Day 1

Breakfast is a spinach, cucumber, tomato and spiralized carrot salad with a fried egg on top. I attempt to use the pesto as a dressing, but the pre-made stuff is much thicker than the pesto I usually make — not the best for salad.

For lunch, I test out the pesto with some pasta and it turns out great. I mix in sauteed mushrooms, sausage, garlic and onions along with tomatoes and spinach. Superb. It's so tasty I wind up making the same thing for dinner (with only spinach this time — gotta save those groceries, y'all).

By the end of the day, I'm down one tomato, half a bag of spinach (whoops), half an onion, two carrots, half a cucumber, half a jar of pesto and half a package of spaghetti. Since I didn't have class today, I wound up cooking more than I usually do and it really dug into my provisions. I'll have learn how to manage my goods better. 



Day 2

Half a cup of rice, two small potatoes, a sausage, two eggs, two carrots and a cucumber were my lunch. I know, it's a lot. I was making a "few" side dishes for another article and made the very dumb choice to try to eat them all for lunch. My stomach feels like it's going to burst but I do feel productive for having cooked so many new things.

After class, I get drinks with some girlfriends (booze wasn't included in this challenge) and my lunch manages to last me through the excursion, but by the time I get home at 2 am, my stomach is grumbling — so it's fried rice time.

I use my leftover rice from this morning (fun fact: old/dried out rice is great for frying up, it doesn't get mushy) and throw in eggs and some garlic. I add a dash of soy sauce and some tabasco and I've got myself another easy meal. 



Day 3

For breakfast, I have rice with sautéed spinach and teriyaki basa on the side. It's honestly delicious. I'd never tried to make my own teriyaki sauce before, but I found that cooking my fish in soy sauce and brown sugar was just as good (if not better) than the pre-made stuff. I would've liked to have kept these ingredients for longer and really stretched out their use, but the spinach had gotten soggy and the fish was dangerously close to its expiration date. Bummer. 

I have classes from 11 am to 6 pm so I also make a lil' something to take to school: fried rice, some of the leftover fish and some carrot slices. When I finally dig into it at 3 pm, it still tastes delicious — even cold! Way better than forking over 15 bucks at the on-campus café for a sandwich. On my way back home, my ovarian cyst starts acting up so I take a few painkillers and call it a day. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 25 best personal finance books to read in 2017

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Bill Gates Summer BooksFrom Bill Gates to Elon Musk, from Warren Buffett to Ben Franklin, the most successful people in the world have always been voracious readers. So if you want to achieve financial success, become wealthy, and retire early, one of the most important things you can do right now is crack open a book!

Luckily you don’t have to do much searching. I’ve compiled for you a list of the 25 best personal finance books to read this year. The books on this list are incredibly varied, from true personal finance books by gurus like Dave Ramsey, Robert Kiyosaki, and Tony Robbins, to value investing classics like The Intelligent Investor, The Tao of Charlie Munger, and A Random Walk Down Wall Street. This list as it all!

So keep on reading to learn more about the 25 best personal finance books you should read this year! And for more great book recommendations from Vintage Value Investing, check out The 11 Best Investment Books for Beginners and The 14 Most Recommended Investing Books of All Time.

Unshakable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook by Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins, who has coached more than fifty million people from 100 countries, is the world’s #1 life and business strategist. In this book, he teams up with Peter Mallouk, the only man in history to be ranked the #1 financial advisor in the US for three consecutive years by Barron’s. Together they reveal how to become unshakable—someone who can not only maintain true peace of mind in a world of immense uncertainty, economic volatility, and unprecedented change, but who can profit from the fear that immobilizes so many.

Here’s what is covered in this book

  • How to put together a simple, actionable plan that will deliver true financial freedom.
  • Strategies from the world’s top investors on how to protect yourself and your family and maximize profit from the inevitable crashes and corrections to come.
  • How a few simple steps can add a decade or more of additional retirement income by discovering what your 401(k) provider doesn’t want you to know.
  • The core four principles that most of the world’s greatest financial minds utilize so that you can maximize upside and minimize downside.
  • The fastest way to put money back in your pocket: uncover the hidden fees and half truths of Wall Street—how the biggest firms keep you overpaying for underperformance.
  • Master the mindset of true wealth and experience the fulfillment you deserve today.


Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You're Not): A Parent's Guide For Kids by Beth Kobliner

Beth Kobliner is the author of the bestselling personal finance bible Get a Financial Life.Make Your Kid a Money Genius is a new, must-have guide showing parents how to teach their children (from toddlers to young adults) to manage money in a smart way.

This book is a easy to understand, step-by-step guide to help parents of all income levels teach their kids—from ages three to twenty-three—about money. It turns out the key to raising a money genius isn’t to teach that four quarters equal a dollar or how to pick a stock. Instead, it’s about instilling values that have been proven to make people successful—not just financially, but in life: delaying gratification, working hard, living within your means, getting a good education, and acting generously toward others.

More specifically, you’ll learn why allowance isn’t the Holy Grail when teaching your kid to handle money, and why after-school jobs aren’t always the answer either. You’ll discover the right age to give your kid a credit card, and learn why doling out a wad of cash can actually be a good parenting move.



How to Make You Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide by Jane Bryant Quinn

This book will teach you how to turn your retirement savings into a steady paycheck that will last for life.

One of people’s biggest fears is running out of money in their older age. Luckily you can use a few tricks for squeezing higher payments from your assets, like

  • Your Social Security account (find the hidden values there),
  • Pension (monthly income or lump sum?),
  • Home equity (sell and invest the proceeds or take a reverse mortgage?),
  • Savings (should you buy a lifetime annuity?),
  • Retirement accounts (how to invest and—critically—how much to withdraw from your savings each year?).

The right moves will not only raise the amount you have to spend, they’ll stretch out your money over many more years. At a time when people are living longer, yet retiring with a smaller pot of savings than they’d hoped for, this book will become the essential guide



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Check out the boat that was part of the biggest yacht deal so far in 2017

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Moran Yacht & Ship has announced the largest brokerage deal of 2017 so far - the sale of 85m Solandge built by Lurssen in 2013 and on the market since summer 2015. The buyer was represented by SSH Maritime in this deal.

1581_03e02

The 85m superyacht, seen in Palm Beach two weeks ago, was built by Lurssen in 2013 under the code name, Project Niki. The superyacht is based on a modern 80m hull and engineering platform similar to Phoenix2Ace and Quattroelle

Solandge’s exterior design is the work of Espen Oeino, who has created harmonious lines and balanced proportions that encase a vast selection of versatile outdoor living, dining and entertainments areas.



Her panoramic top deck plays host to a beach club area with customized dance floor, Jacuzzi and bar while the bridge deck is ideal for relaxation and casual al fresco dining with a spacious seating area. On the bridge deck there is also a fully-equipped health spa featuring massage room, sauna and gymnasium leading out onto a glass-edged plunge pool.



As for the interior, it is the result of collaboration between Rodriguez Interiors and Dolker & Voges, between them using more than 49 different marble and granite surfaces and 33 alternative woods. Solandge boasts a number of unique areas to accommodate all needs, ranging from a large indoor movie theatre, to a vast main salon with bar, games room and seating areas.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 most breathtaking views in Britain

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snowdon snowdonia

The view from the top of Snowdonia in Wales is the most beautiful in the United Kingdom.

That's according to a survey of more than 2,500 people who crowned the dramatic vista the country's best view, followed by the view of Three Sisters in the Scottish highlands, with Stonehenge placing third.

The survey, commissioned by Samsung, asked respondents to vote from a list of views created by a panel of leading travel experts from publications including Rough Guides, Mr and Mrs Smith, Wanderlust, and Good Housekeeping.

To show the views in their best light, Britain's Landscape Photographer of the Year Matthew Cattell photographed several of the locations using the upcoming Galaxy S8, some of which are shown below.

From coastal cliffs to the spires of Oxford University, scroll down to see the most beautiful views in Britain, ranked in ascending order.

20. View from the Rive Cam — King's College, Cambridge, England.



19. Bournemouth Pier and Beach, Hampshire, England.



18. Seven Sisters, Sussex, England.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The hardest college to get into in every state

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CalTech, California Institute of Technology, College

With an acceptance rate of just 8.8% and typical SAT scores between 1500 and 1600, the California Institute of Technology is America's hardest college to get into, according to a list from academic review site Niche.com.

The rankings are based on acceptance rates and SAT and ACT scores reported to the US Department of Education. College acceptance rates received a weighted average of 60% in the ranking computation, and SAT/ACT scores received a weighted average of 40%. 

Business Insider used Niche's state filter to find out which college is the hardest to get into in each of America's 50 states and the District of Columbia. Niche reports that a few states (Alaska, Delaware, Nevada, and Wyoming) are missing from the ranking because they don't have data for enough colleges.

Scroll through to find out the most selective college in each state, along with their acceptance rate and SAT score, listed for the lower end of accepted students (25th percentile) and higher end (75th percentile). Note that Mississippi Valley State University and Union College reported ACT scores rather than SAT.

SEE ALSO: The 50 smartest colleges in America

SEE ALSO: The 25 US colleges with the best location

Alabama: University of Alabama

Acceptance rate: 51.1%

SAT 25th-75th percentile: 990-1250



Arizona: Arizona Christian University

Acceptance rate: 56.7%

SAT 25th-75th percentile: 840-1090



Arkansas: University of Arkansas

Acceptance rate: 62%

SAT 25th-75th percentile: 1010-1230



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 weird signs you're good in bed

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couple in bed The INSIDER Summary

  • There are some weird indicators that determine how good in bed you are.
  • Being a slow eater means that you savor things, which will translate over to your sex life also.
  • Women who drink two glasses of wine each day are more sexually satisfied.   

Everyone wants to be good in bed. In turn, everyone wants to go to bed with someone who’s good in bed. At least I’m pretty sure this is the case. I’ve yet to meet someone who has said, “I really wish I were bad in bed,” or “Ugh… why can’t I meet someone who’s a nightmare in the bedroom?” Maybe these people do exist and I’m just casting a huge generalization, but I find it hard to believe. There are just certain areas in which people want to excel and I firmly believe that sex is one of them.

"A great lover makes you feel as though you’re 'escaping' your worries and totally engaged with them. Engagement with eye contact, the way you touch them, and slowing down helps build excitement, making climax easy to achieve," sex therapist Mary Jo Rapini tells Bustle.

While there are many components that can make you a great lay, according to research, there are actually indicators, before you even get into bed, that prove you’re pretty effing killer in the sack. It’s not just about your bedroom skills, the way you kiss, or even the way you carry yourself. But actual things that even border on being “weird,” that prove you know your way around not just a bedroom, but the person in your bed.

So if you, like many, are wondering exactly what these bizarre indicators might be, search no further. Here are 11 weird indicators that you’re killing it in the sack.

You drink a lot of wine.

A 2009 study by the University of Florence in Italy (of course) found that women who drink two glasses of wine a day are better in bed and more sexually satisfied than those who only drink one glass of wine a day or none at all. According to the study’s lead author, “Historically, the aspects of wine and sexuality have been well known since the time of Ancient Greece.” So as long as you’re not stinking drunk and keep to those two glasses a day, you’re going to be a tiger in bed. Also, who doesn’t love a study that gives you permission to drink more wine and more often?



You're funny af.

Whether you can tell a good joke or have that amazing ability to be able to laugh at yourself (which, in my humble opinion, is a very sexy quality), research has found that people who laugh a lot are good in bed. Which makes perfect sense to me. I’ve always felt that those people who don’t take things so seriously are really good in bed, because they know how to have a good time. If a partner can make me laugh and give me an orgasm, especially at the same time, it’s like hitting the jackpot.



Your favorite ice cream is coffee-flavored.

In a world of so many ice cream flavors to choose from, if you find yourself always eye-spying and ordering coffee ice cream, it definitely says something about your sexual prowess. A 2013 study by the Smell and Taste Institute in Chicago found that if your favorite ice cream is coffee, it’s a sign that you’re all about being in the moment; you don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow. All you care about is the here and now; being really present during sex makes you one hell of a lover.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Twitter users are tearing into United after it forcibly removed a passenger from its plane

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united twitter meme

Unless you've been locked in a nuclear bunker for the past few days, you can't have failed to miss the incident that occurred on a United Airlines flight set to travel from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, in the US on Sunday.

After refusing to give up his seat for cabin crew, David Dao, a doctor practising in Kentucky, was forcibly removed from the aircraft. Unfortunately for United, passengers filmed the whole thing.

The violent nature with which Dao was removed from his seat has sparked backlash and relentless mocking of the airline on Twitter.

These are some of the highlights to come out of the public-relations debacle:

"United Airlines, you guys won."

 



The first rule of United Airlines is: You do not talk about United Airlines.

 



Indie rock artist Mikel Jollet was quick to link the United Airlines blunder with Pepsi's advert that went viral for all the wrong reasons.

 You can see the infamous Pepsi advert here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I got my dog’s DNA tested and what I learned shocked me

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izzie 2

The board of a luxury New York City apartment complex raised concerns about "dog racism" in 2015, when it started requiring residents to test their dogs' DNA before granting the animals permission to reside in the building.

The board reasoned that certain dog breeds are aggressive by nature. (The complex has a list of banned breeds, which includes Pomeranians, according to DNAinfo.)

Dog DNA tests claim they can tell you about your pet's behavior, estimate how big a puppy will get, and indicate whether it will play nice with children or other pets.

Having experimented with testing my own DNA, I decided to find out more about my pup. In honor of National Pet Day, here's how it went:

DON'T MISS: 11 surprising things that your physical appearance says about you

SEE ALSO: What you should know before you do a take-home DNA test

This is Izzie. When I adopted her over a decade ago, I was told she was a mixed-breed golden retriever.

She was only a year old at the time, so no one knew how big she'd get (most goldens reach their full size, about 60 lbs., around age 2) or how she'd behave. Our veterinarian told us she was likely a (smallish) golden retriever mutt.



But Izzie stayed roughly the same size, and we stayed curious about her heritage. Now 15 years old, she's friendly and loyal.

Most people get dog DNA tests so they can find out what kind of behavioral traits to expect — golden retrievers tend to be loyal and good with kids, for example, while dalmatians are super active and generally make good guard dogs.

Source: American Kennel Club



When I got the chance to test her DNA, I seized it. There were several options, but I picked the Wisdom Panel DNA test developed by MARS Veterinary, the world's largest pet healthcare provider.

At $79.99, the kit isn't cheap.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 companies that pay their employees to go on vacation

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couple on vacation

If you're always in the office and never take vacation, no matter how generous your company's policy is, then you might be a work martyr.

Many jobs allow for such workaholism (if not outright endorse it), but at certain places, work martyrdom is out of the question. Instead of just giving employees paid time off or unlimited vacation days, these businesses actually set aside a chunk of their budget to give employees extra money to take vacations.

Here are some the places work martyrs should probably apply.

SEE ALSO: A CEO who gives his employees $2,000 to go on vacation says people are more productive than ever

Basecamp

Web development company Basecamp has paid for its employees vacations for the last seven years.

Each year, the company puts together a list of 16 vacation packages that employees past the one-year mark get to choose from. Jason Fried, CEO of Basecamp, tells Business Insider that the trips range from $4,000-$5,000 apiece. Many are geared toward specific kinds of travelers, such as single people or couples.



SteelHouse

Marketing and advertising company SteelHouse began the practice of giving employees $2,000 a year for vacations in 2011, when it was only a year old. Mark Douglas, SteelHouse CEO, says it wasn't a hard decision.

"Our culture is really simple," he told Business Insider. "It's based on trust and ambition."

If people buy their vacation on a Monday, they're reimbursed up to $2,000 by Tuesday. If they can't front the money themselves, SteelHouse will let them use the company credit card.



BambooHR

After you've worked at human resources software company BambooHR for six months, you're entitled to $2,000 a year to go anywhere in the world. The policy started last year.

"We don't measure and say, 'OK, if you went on vacation, then you're this much more productive,'" CEO Ben Peterson told Komono News. "You can’t work 60, 80, 90 hours a week and expect to be as efficient and thoughtful and productive as you might assume."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

If you suffer from allergies, here's how you can find relief without a prescription

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pollen spring pine allergies

Allergies to pollen and other chemicals in our environment are extremely common. They affect from 10-30% of people around the world. Chances are good that you or a member of your family is an environmental allergy sufferer who sneezes or wheezes either seasonally or all year round.

The good news is that, over the years, more and more medications that doctors prescribe to treat these allergies can be purchased without a prescription. The bad news is that a roadmap telling you how to use these drugs has not been available — until now.

I call my environmental allergy treatment strategy The IPA Gameplan. No, beer will not control your allergies, but IPA stands for Identification, Prevention, and Aid, both first and lasting.

There are other allergies besides environmental allergies, and many of them are severe or even life-threatening. Such allergies to foods or medications are not the subject of this guide. They should and must be managed carefully by your personal physician or your child's pediatrician.

SEE ALSO: The 'ABCDE' method is the best way to conquer the common cold — here's how it works

DON'T MISS: Humidifiers keep your hair, skin, and lungs happy — here's how to use them

Do you have an allergy?

The first question that you must answer is "do I have an environmental allergy?" The most common dilemma along this line is whether the nasal symptoms you're experiencing are due to allergy or due to a common cold.

Let's look at the differences:

Allergies typically begin in association with exposure to an identifiable environmental trigger. In the spring, that trigger is typically grass or tree pollen, and in the autumn the trigger is weed pollen or mold.

Colds, in contrast, are caught from someone else as an invisible virus is passed person-to-person and usually hand to mouth. Allergy symptoms continue for a longer period of time than cold symptoms. Allergies last months during which pollen rains down on us versus a week of cold symptoms while your body's immune system eradicates the cold virus. Environmental allergy symptoms, except those associated with a severe allergy to a food like peanuts or to medications such as penicillin or sulfa drugs, tend to be milder than those due to infection. Finally, allergies rarely have associated bodily symptoms such as fever and body ache, while those are hallmarks of colds.



What is an allergy?

Allergies are abnormal immune reactions by your body to agents in the air or in food. Allergies have triggers in your surroundings and targets in your body.

Allergic individuals frequently are susceptible to many triggers while most of us fail to react to any of these. Triggers include airborne pollens from grasses, plants, and trees, irritants such as dust particles, flakes of animal skin from cats and dogs, or tiny airborne organisms such as mites or mold. Many triggers are only in abundance during certain times of the year while others are present year round.



When an allergic reaction occurs it affects one or more targets in our bodies. The common targets for environmental allergies are the nose, the eyes, the throat, and the lungs.

Do-it-yourself allergy treatments are most available for nasal allergy, so called allergic rhinitis. Since allergies affecting the eyes and the airway can escalate with serious consequences, the FDA has wisely restricted access to those medications necessary for their definitive treatment. However, some oral allergy medicines and other general duty medicines can effectively control allergic reactions in all target zones.

Allergic reactions occur when a trigger enters the body and meets sensitized immune cells that release chemicals to produce reactions at the target regions. A common example is grass allergy. Grass pollen is inhaled and contacts the nasal linings. Previous exposures have already produced grass-specific antibodies of the IgE type that help the grass pollen bind to immune system cells. When that binding occurs, mast cells release histamine and typtases while other white cells release leukotrienes and cytokines. These effector substances lead to blood vessel relaxation, nasal congestion, an increase in respiratory secretions, sneezing, coughing, and most dangerous of all, the constriction of lower airways.



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Microsoft just released a huge new update for Windows 10 — here's what's new

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Satya Nadella

On Tuesday, Microsoft released the Windows 10 Creators Update — a big, free upgrade that brings new features to the operating system.

It's not a massive change, and the Windows 10 experience won't be that different. Instead, the Creators Update brings a lot of smaller changes behind the scenes, adding a few new settings, features, and apps to your PC or tablet.

Here's a quick rundown of the highlights in the Windows 10 Creators Update.

SEE ALSO: I switched from Mac to Windows and I'm not going back — here's why

Windows 10 brings a new Game Mode. This helps keep your gameplay consistent by prioritizing the game you have open, devoting less processor power and memory to other apps running in the background.

Read more about Windows 10 Game Mode »



The Creators Update also brings integration with Beam — the video-game streaming service that Microsoft bought in 2016. Microsoft thinks it'll beat Amazon's Twitch by having a much lower latency, plus you can start streaming from any PC game with a click or two.

Read more about Beam »



Windows 10 catches up to the Mac, iPhone, and Android with the introduction of Night Light, a mode that reduces blue-light emissions from your screen to help you sleep after using your computer after sundown.



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5 easy getaways from New York City

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hudson valley new york catskills

The bright lights of the big city attract the sort of restless spirit who takes an all-or-nothing approach to life, but even those seemingly indefatigable energy seekers sometimes need a break from the go, go, go.

Thankfully, the Big Apple is ideally located near a diversity of places where the living is much easier, and warmer weather means it's the perfect time to explore them all.

From small-town idylls to seaside getaways, we rounded up 8 easy weekend getaways from New York City.

SEE ALSO: The best beer from every state

Hudson Valley, NY

The boom-bust towns of New York's Hudson Valley are once again en vogue thanks to a coterie of stylish Manhattan expats who are restoring them to their pre-industrial glory. Leading the way is Hudson, a riverfront antiques-shop town (don't miss the French pieces at Red Chair or the midcentury furnishings at Finch) that's also a hipster's paradise. Set up camp at Rivertown Lodge, a motel that was recently rehabbed by indie-favorite Brooklyn design firm Workstead, then sample the best of the hyper-local food scene. Some of our favorite bites: the hearth-fired slipper loafs at Bonfiglio & Bread (for now just across the street, but the bakery will reopen this summer in nearby Athens, just a short ferry ride across the river), the farm-raised roast duck breast at Wm. Farmer and Sons, and the spring-dug parsnips with guanciale at Fish & Game. For souvenirs, the artisan-made textiles and tabletop items at Hawkins NY are musts.

RELATED:The Hamptons Has Nothing on These Bucolic Upstate New York Stays



Saratoga Springs, NY

Just over three hours on Amtrak's Ethan Allen express takes you along one of the country's most scenic routes. (JS Tip: sit on the left for sunset views of the Hudson River on your way north.) Check into one of the seven cheerful rooms at the Inn at Five Points, a bed and breakfast housed in a restored 1886 Victorian home, then choose your own adventure: watch former Kentucky Derby winners working out at Saratoga Race Track over breakfast, hike to the legendary mineral springs at Saratoga Spa State Park, or ride the waves on Saratoga Lake or nearby Lake George, a former playground of America's elite. Then, head back to Broadway, the town's main thoroughfare, for local craft beers on the patio at Druthers Brewing Co. and farm-to-table Creole-style dishes at historic Mouzon House.



North Fork, Long Island

If you’re seeking a quick getaway that has it all, look no farther than Long Island. Every summer, jet-setters and chino connoisseurs alike flock to Shelter Island and the Hamptons for their pretty beaches and stately shingle-style houses — plus the occasional velvet-roped club. For a quieter experience, consider the island’s rural sibling, the North Fork, a bastion of family-owned vineyards, no-fuss farm-to-table bistros, and fresh-shucked oysters. With its crisp white palette and simple modern décor, Greenport’s American Beech sets the tone for a low-key wine weekend. After a day spent hunting antiques (just try to leave Beall & Bell on Main Street empty-handed), unwind with a sundowner at mixology den Brix & Rye before tucking into risotto fritters and clam-braised hake at North Fork Table & Inn.

RELATED:Why the North Fork Should Be Your Next Getaway
 
 



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A look inside L'Oréal's New York office, where employees of the $103 billion company can relax on a roof terrace and test products before they're on the market

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When L'Oréal decided to move its US headquarters, the $102.9 billion company knew that it wanted its new offices to exude a "startup" vibe. The brand had outgrown the Midtown offices it had inhabited for 60 years, and Hudson Yards, the mega-development on Manhattan's West Side, seemed like the ideal place for a fresh start.

"L'Oréal is a 108-year-old company with the spirit of a startup. We have never stopped reinventing and transforming ourselves, and to us, Hudson Yards represents the reinvention of Manhattan," Frédéric Rozé, president and CEO of L'Oréal USA, said in a press release.

Aside from the 360-degree view of the city, the new location has some major perks, including an in-house nail salon, a consumer beauty lab, a cafeteria that takes up an entire floor, and an outdoor terrace that employees are welcome to work on when the weather permits.

Ahead, take a tour of the company's chic new space.

SEE ALSO: A day in the life of a private banker at HSBC

The new L'Oréal office takes up 10 floors and 418,000 square feet at 10 Hudson Yards.



Here, product development, marketing strategy, and merchandising is done for L'Oréal brands like Maybelline, Essie, Urban Decay, Lancome, and SkinCeuticals.



The new office catered to a trending wish among much of today's workforce: more informal meeting spaces.



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The best US beaches to visit in your lifetime

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Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park California

No matter where you are in the US, you don't have to travel far to find both surf and sand.

From coast to coast, America is home to plenty of beautiful beaches that all offer something different.

From the stunning rock formations that dot Washington's Shi Shi Beach, to the crystal clear quartz sand of Florida's Siesta Beach, keep scrolling for the US beaches that should be on every beach lover's bucket list.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu, Hawaii

Formed within a volcanic cone, Hanauma Bay is home to a large variety of fish and marine life, thanks to the fact that it's both a marine life conservation area and underwater park. 



Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, California

Known as Surf City, USA, Huntington is famous not just for the quality of its waves, but the consistency of them. The beach — located in Orange County just outside of LA — is an ideal spot for all levels of surfers.



Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Pensacola Beach sits on Santa Rosa Island, one of the many barrier islands that dot the 160 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to Mississippi and down to the Florida Panhandle. It's known as one of the Gulf Island National Seashore's most stunning beaches, and, if you're lucky, you might spot a dolphin in its clear blue waters.



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How to use Hooked, the highly addictive reading app topping the App Store right now

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Hooked app

Hooked — an app for reading bite-sized stories in text message form — is rapidly climbing the App Store charts. 

The app initially launched in 2015, but it started growing quickly last fall. Now, it's risen to the top of Apple's top free apps chart, surpassing apps like Bitmoji, Instagram, and Snapchat.

In fact, according to app analyst Sensor Tower, Hooked's total downloads grew from about 336,400 in October 2016 to 2.22 million in March 2017 — which equates to a 560% jump.

So why is Hooked becoming so popular? Likely because it's incredibly simple to use and its stories keep you on the edge of your seat.

Here's how it works. 

SEE ALSO: Here's how to use Memoji, the popular new app that turns your selfies into emojis

Hooked has overtaken the App Store's long-reigning champ, Bitmoji, as one of the top free apps on the App Store. Over the past few days, it's jockeyed for No. 1 with Ballz, a Breakout-style game that's also incredibly addictive.

Read more about how to play Ballz here



As soon as you open the app, you'll be launched into your first chat story. The interface looks a lot like iMessage, but all you have to do is tap the screen to get the next message. Each message is called a "hoot" (Hooked's logo is an owl).



Hooked doesn't give you any information about the characters or any backstory before you start reading. All you know is the names of the two main characters — in this case, Tiffany and her mom.



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What it's like visiting one of the world's greatest treasures: Machu Picchu

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It's hard to describe the experience of visiting Machu Picchu. People who've visited like to call it "breathtaking."

Visiting Machu Picchu

While cliché, it's not inaccurate. How often are you standing on an Andean peak, walking through thousand-year-old ruins, looking down on the clouds? 

For Indiana Jones, perhaps the feeling is common. For the average person like myself, the feeling is momentous. Visiting Machu Picchu evoked the kind of awe that my childhood brain produced regularly — the kind of awe that's since faded from my daily life. 

Perhaps best of all, visiting Machu Picchu means dedication. Even if you live nearby, you have to really want to visit Machu Picchu. Even if you take a bus to the main entrance, you still have to work pretty hard to just traverse the grounds. Here's what that experience is like, first-hand, based on my visit in late March 2017.

SEE ALSO: 26 pictures that will make you want to visit Machu Picchu

There's no easy way to stay near Machu Picchu itself. That makes sense: Machu Picchu is on a remote mountaintop in the Peruvian Andes! For most travelers, including me and my wife, the trip starts very early in a bus at the Cusco bus station.

The bus we took started in Cusco — the former capital of Peru, and the original capital of the Inka Empire — and went to Ollantaytambo.

You could stay in Ollantaytambo, thus saving yourself an ungodly early bus ride from Cusco. We instead chose to stay in Cusco, as many people do, because it's a slightly bigger city and has plenty of stuff to do unto itself. It was the original capital of the Inka Empire, which means there's a load of fascinating history in Cusco itself: gorgeous plazas, churches, museums, and more. It's also a common staging area for tourists going to places other than Machu Picchu, which we did.



A few hours later, we arrived in Ollantaytambo. Since we booked our Machu Picchu travel through a company named "Inca Rail," our bus was destined for trains operated by the same company.

There are several different train operators that run to Machu Picchu: Inca Rail, Peru Rail, and the Belmond Hiram Bingham. I've intentionally listed them in that order as it shows them in order of expense, from least to most expensive. The tickets we bought on Inca Rail cost $310 in total, round trip, for two people.

That $155 per person price includes the bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, and back again. 



The train station in Ollantaytambo is ready for an influx of tourists with each new bus offloading nearby. There are little shops like this selling food, as well as locals selling all manner of food and supplies. If you forgot your poncho, this is the time to buy one.



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