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Who Will Win As Mobile Payments Go Mainstream? [Slide Deck]

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BII_Payments2013_GlobalAdoptionThe old dream of the digital wallet is coming true — on mobile. Credit cards and cash are being disrupted by payments made directly from mobile phones. U.S. consumer adoption remains moderate, but several players are positioning themselves to win big once mobile payments take off.  

We at BI Intelligence have put together a deck on Mobile Payments that covers how mobile payments work, the main players in the ecosystem, the competition between the two main approaches to mobile payments, and the main barriers to consumer adoption.

We've posted the deck here. We hope you enjoy it. 

BI Intelligence is a new research and analysis service focused on mobile computing and the Internet. Subscribers can download the entire deck as a PDF or PowerPoint, as well as any of the individual charts from the presentation. Please sign up for a free trial here.







See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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8 Ways Same-Sex Couples Will Benefit If DOMA Is Repealed

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Gay pride parade

As the Supreme Court hears arguments against the constitutionality of DOMA this week, the editorial team at MyBankTracker figured a slideshow should be in order.

DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Essentially it prevents same-sex couples from receiving over 1,000 federal benefits that opposite-sex married couples receive.

If DOMA is overturned, that ruling could significantly impact our economy and the financial lives of same-sex married couples. They would have the right to file federal taxes jointly, receive spousal Social Security benefits, and more.

$363,000

The amount New York widower Edith Windsor is sueing to get back from estate taxes paid when her partner of more than 40 years died. Currently, widows of federally-recognized marriages do not have to pay taxes on their deceased spouse's estate, whereas same-sex widows pay a 35% tax on anything in excess of the $5 million exemption.



$1,625

The amount a same-sex couple with a combined income of $100,000 would save by filing taxes jointly if their income was split $70,000 to $30,000. That amount would change if the gap between spousal incomes were to grow. If one spouse were to make $100,000 while the other made nothing, they would owe $11,858 filing jointly compared to the whopping $19,585 they would owe if they filed separately -- a 65% difference.



$0

How much couples would save filing taxes jointly if they evenly made $50,000 each. Filing jointly doesn't always equal savings, and some couples will owe more if they file jointly -- especially if their combined income no longer qualifies for certain deductions and credits.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Meet The Gorgeous Musician Who's Engaged To Facebook Billionaire Sean Parker

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Alexandra martha stewart airtimeAfter a two-year engagement, Alexandra Lenas and Sean Parker will get married on June 1 in Big Sur, California.

Last year they had a child together, Winter Victoria Parker.

The theme for the wedding is Medieval, according to the New York Post.

Who is Parker's bride-to-be?

She's an aspiring musician who's had some success already, having made at least one appearance on MTVShe's also big in New York society.

We know Lenas because she also played a big role in saving Parker's life when he accidentally ate some nuts a few years back (he's allergic).

New York society blog Guest of a Guest has lots of pictures of Lenas and they kindly shared some of them with us.

Alexandra (left) out at a birthday party with friends in 2008

Photo courtesy of Guest of a Guest



And again.

Photo courtesy of Guest of a Guest



Here's the whole clan.

Photo courtesy of Guest of a Guest



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 12 Funniest Google Searches Ever (GOOG)

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google data center

Google's powerful search engine answers more than one billion questions each day. The search giant even says, "15 percent of the searches it sees everyday have never been seen before."

Because of this massive amount of queries it received everyday, there are bound to be some crazy results.

We discovered this hilarious article on answers site Quora and pulled out a few of our favorites.

The results are hilarious.  

Google introduced autocomplete in 2010. Since then the feature has resulted in some pretty hilarious results. Take for example the classic "what would happen if..." query. How many people actually wonder what would happen is the sun exploded?



Typing in Twilight star "Taylor Lautner lama" produces some hilarious results. Mark Zuckerberg also randomly makes an appearance.



We knew that Google knew almost everything, but apparently the search engine also knows the answer to "life the universe and everything." The result is a reference to the popular novel A Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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SOLD: Late Billionaire Teddy Forstmann's Incredible Hamptons Compound

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teddy-forstmann-hamptons-house

About a year after it was put on the market, sources tell The NY PostTeddy Forstmann's Hamptons mansion is in contract.

Forstmann was a billionaire private equity titan immortalized in the book Barbarians At The Gate.

He lived an epic bachelor's life, dating gorgeous women and flying around the world in his Gulfstream jet. His NYC apartment sold last year for $40 million.

As for this property, the 6 bedroom home is on Meadow Lane (arguably the most exclusive street in the Hamptons) and boasts an ocean-side pool, two hot tubs, and a tennis court. It is said to be going to $28.5 million, Corcoran's Tim Davis has the listing.

The house is 8600 sq ft



Entertain over dinner with gorgeous views



The property sits on 4 acres



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Beautiful New Photos From Mad Men Season 6

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Mad Men MMS6_0716 760

AMC's sixth season of Mad Men begins again on Sunday, and the channel has released a bunch of nice new publicity photos showing the cast in all their period-dress finery.

The shots don't give away too many plot clues — Betty still hates Megan, Peggy still looks unhappy, etc. — but they do show how some characters are aging and changing.

Betty has dropped her depression weight and Megan's hair is entering a huge 1970s phase, it would appear.

Joan is still stunning, of course.

The cast looks stunning, as usual.



Joan looks set to continue stealing every scene she's in.



AMC is promoting Season 6 around the idea of a big formal party.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 25 Colleges With The Highest SAT Scores

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exam test

The college admissions process is extremely competitive at each school, with only a small percentage of applicants receiving acceptance letters.

One major factor that universities use to evaluate students is the SAT score.

A perfect SAT score will not guarantee a student admission to a top school because it is only one aspect of a larger application that includes coursework, recommendations, and extracurricular activities. But a great score will certainly help.

CollegeBoard publishes the mid-50 percent SAT scores of incoming freshmen for each of the three sections — critical reading, math, and writing — for each college.

For example, a range of 710-780 means that 50 percent of the students scored in that range, with 25 percent scoring above, and 25 percent scoring below that range.

We took the average of the ranges and ranked the schools based on the highest average SAT score.

#25 University of Notre Dame (Tie)

Average SAT Score: 2130

Critical Reading: 705

Math: 725

Writing: 700

Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana, is known for its football team, but its students are smart too.



#25 Haverford College (Tie)

Average SAT Score: 2130

Critical Reading: 705

Math: 710

Writing: 715

Haverford College is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. 



#24 Carleton College

Average SAT Score: 2135

Critical Reading: 715

Math: 715

Writing: 705

Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and was ranked the eighth best liberal arts college by U.S. News.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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These Are The Worst States To Make A Living

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cops, nypd, police, scary, imposing, looking down, zuccotti park reopened, reopen, ows, occupy wall street, november 15 2011, bi, dngThe halting economic recovery in the years since the Great Recession has created hardships for many American workers, but people in some areas have had it much worse than others.

While the employment conditions in some states are relatively strong, others continue to feel the effects of low wages, high inflation, unemployment and rising taxes.

For the third consecutive year, MoneyRates.com has ranked the best and worst states for making a living.

Quantitative factors used in this study include average wage and unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cost of living data from C2ER (formerly ACCRA) and state tax information from Tax-Rates.org. This quantitative analysis was then adjusted for qualitative workplace conditions, according to each state's Workplace Environment ranking in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index poll.

10. South Dakota

Having no state income tax is not enough to make up for an extremely low average wage -- South Dakota's is the second lowest of any state's.

That average wage is low enough to give South Dakota the 10th spot on this list for the second year in a row.

To a large extent, people in the above states may be well aware that job conditions are difficult. But a ray of hope may come from knowing that they may be able to find better conditions elsewhere -- perhaps in one of the places that made the list of 10 Best States to Make a Living.



9. Alaska

You can make a high wage with no income tax in Alaska, but you'll pay for it with a very high cost of living.

In addition, Alaska ranked near the bottom for work environment, which isn't surprising given the often-harsh conditions in the state.



8. Vermont

Vermont is actually about average in most criteria, but its downfall is a cost of living that is about 20 percent higher than the national average.

Many states with high costs of living have higher average wages to compensate for it, but Vermont does not.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Wall Street's Best Paid CEO Is Trying To Save The Panoramic View From His Sick Penthouse — Here's The Apartment

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One York Street

Last week, it was reported that Jefferies CEO Richard Handler is trying to stop the construction of a Tribeca roof top deck that would block his panoramic views from his apartment. 

Handler, who was awarded $58 million, including his 2012 compensation and future incentives, filed a petition in Manhattan Supreme Court claiming the planned roof deck at 50 Varick Street would obstruct his river views from his penthouse at 1 York Street, according to DNAInfo. 

We were able to track down photos of Handler's apartment and the views are jaw dropping. 

The One York Street building is located right at Tribeca and SoHo.

Source: Street Easy



The One York Street building is super swanky.

Source: Street Easy



The building has a swimming pool and a gym.

Source: Street Easy



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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See How Craftsmen Make Each Bentley Flying Spur One-Of-A-Kind

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 bentley flying spurThe New York International Auto Show opened to the public this weekend at the Jacob Javits Center, but Business Insider got a sneak peek at Bentley's new Flying Spur, which officially debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

The car comes with a hefty $206,000 price tag, but for people who care about driving a unique vehicle and who can afford it  it's worth the cost. (Of course, the total price can rise tremendously depending on how it's outfitted.)

Customers who are buying the Flying Spur can design their vehicles so they are one-of-a-kind, picking their own woods, leathers, and even stitching styles so they get exactly what they want.

We had the opportunity to speak with the leather and wood craftsmen who make many of the car's details by hand, and they showed us everything that makes Bentley's new Flying Spur special.

This is Bentley's new Flying Spur. Compared to older models, it has stronger lines, and is lower and wider than its predecessor.



Part of the inspiration for the design came from older Bentleys.



The basic frame of the car is standard, but beyond that, the buyer has endless options to make the car completely unique.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Here Are All The Unusual Moments You Missed From Baseball's Opening Day

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bryce harper eye blackAlthough there was a game Sunday night and only 24 teams were in action, yesterday was officially baseball's Opening Day.

From empty seats at Yankee Stadium to Bryce Harper's creepy new ad and Prince Fielder attempting to slide, it was great to have baseball back.

And on the next few pages we will take a look of some of the more telling, unusual, and funny moments from those games.

The day started off in the Bronx, where David Ortiz's earring was in midseason form



All teams wore a Newtown, Connecticut patch on the left shoulder



Amazingly, it is believed that Red Sox rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. is the first MLB player to have 'JR' on his jersey



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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North Korea's Fighter Fleet Is Full Of Decrepit Russian MiG 21s

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mig 21The same model of jet that inspired the creation of the U.S. Navy's "Top Gun" program (and so popularized, by proxy, such memorable phrases as "kick the tires and light the fires") is now protecting North Korean skies, but it's the airborne equivalent of your grandfather's old Buick — the MiG-21.

Yes, the MiG 21 is no longer the scourge it used to be, especially in the hands of a North Korea (DPRK) wracked to strangulation with international sanctions.

Even Grandpa's Buick is probably in better order than the DPRK's fleet of approximately 150 or so MiG 21 flying jalopies — the country's most numerous fighter jet.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 first appeared in the air in the late-50s, and the Soviets later produced more than 10,000 of them.



In 1963, when the DPRK began building its fleet, the MiG 21 was a total beast in the air, one U.S. F-4 Phantom pilots were wary of encountering over Vietnam.



The MiG had serious advantages in that war, leading the Navy to develop the Top Gun school (pictured).



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Take A Tour Of Graham Hill's Remarkably Tiny SoHo Apartment

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LifeEdited Party SceneGraham Hill, founder of minimalist design firm LifeEdited, brought his ultimate dream home to life less than a year ago.

After shedding the excess, he managed to fit his entire life inside a 420-square foot apartment in Manhattan's trendy SoHo neighborhood. 

The idea was to fit 700 square feet into 420 square feet with the creative use of space. The result is a home that doubles as a treasure trove of storage space, featuring fold-up beds, hidden cabinets, removable walls and more. It can be transformed from a living room to bedroom, workspace, dining room and entertainment space.

"A simpler life is a happier life," Hill told Business Insider in an interview in March. 

But his particular brand of simplicity comes at a cost. 

In 2009 and 2010, he bought two apartments in an old Sullivan Street building and held a design competition for the larger of the two, which is now the popularized LifeEdited apartment. The space cost about $300,000, plus an extra $250,000 to $300,000 in renovations

"You have to fill it full of stuff and then you have to light it, heat it, cool it, clean it, maintain it, move it," he said, adding that his intention isn't for Americans to copy his design exactly. 

"We truly believe that this is not only a middle, upper-class type thing. We can absolutely do this on a cheaper basis."

With Hill's permission, we've published a walk-thru of his LifeEdited apartment. 

Here's the floor plan of Hill's apartment. At 420 sq. feet, it could fit inside the average American home about four times.



Here's what the space usually looks like as a bedroom. Hill says it can transform into five different spaces — including a living room, bedroom, dining room, entertainment center and workspace.



This is the view from the opposite angle. Hill said he loves the apartment and it hasn't been very difficult getting used to living in the small space, although he had lived in some other small spaces previously.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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What It's Like Into Fly Into Cuba's Retro Airport

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havana cuba José Martí airport

As a resident of Miami (sometime called Havana North), an aficionado of Cuban culture, a global wanderer and well, let me just say it, “A Wandering Jew,” I had always had a fascination to visit the off-limits island of Cuba.

When my synagogue Temple Beth Shalom in Miami Beach organized a humanitarian and cultural exchange trip, my wife and I leapt at the chance. The story of our 6-day trip to Cuba is one left to another post, and one difficult to put concisely into words.

Jump right to the photos >>

It is a bittersweet experience of paradoxes and contradictions. On one hand, it is fascinating and beautiful. On the other hand, it’s tragic, sad, and desperate. Two things stood out the most: Traveling to Cuba is indeed stepping back in time and not just because half the cars on the road are pre-1959 “Detroit Steel”.

Second, the people in spite of all they have endured remain warm, and full of passion. We never once felt unsafe or unwelcome, except by two aggressive customs officer on the way out of the country. Sixty minute private interrogations even if eventually communicated to me as “routine” are never fun, especially in a country that’s still a police state.

But back to the positives, as an affirmed AvGeek, the experience of flying to Cuba nonstop from Miami and a visit to José Martí International Airport were of almost equal attraction in anticipation and in hindsight.

You can read the full story at Airchive.com >

The ticket counter at Miami International Airport for our flight to Havana was bustling, even at 5 a.m. on a Sunday.



Miami-based Sky King operates 3 ex-Alaska Boeing 737-400s on charter flights for numerous touring agencies with flights into Cuba. Currently, flights to Cuba originate from Miami, Tampa, and New York.



One flight attendant told us this was her first flight, and was excited for it to be Havana even though U.S. flight crew aren’t allowed in the terminal, don’t lay-over, and immediately turn-around. In fact, no fuel, water, or service provisions are taken on in Havana for the MIA-HAV flights.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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A Gay Wedding Planner Explains Why It's Harder To Throw A Same-Sex Wedding

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gay marriage expedia

Even though it appears the political landscape is shifting in favor of gay marriage and the Supreme Court recently heard arguments on the legality of the Defense of Marriage Act, getting married still poses some unique challenges for same-sex couples.

There are a series of questions and issues gay couples must face when planning their wedding that hetero couples simply don't have to worry about.

We spoke with Bernadette Coveney Smith — founder and president of the New York- and Boston-based gay wedding planning company 14 Stories and the same-sex wedding style website Fourteen— about the major challenges and questions gay couples must face as they plan the happiest day of their lives.

'Are You Gay Friendly?'

One of the biggest challenges couples address when deciding who to invite to the wedding is which of their family members and friends are supportive of same-sex marriage.

"Some people don't mind if their nephew has a 'roommate,' but they do have an issue with gay marriage," Coveney Smith explained to us. "It's more an issue with gay marriage than with the relationship."

Norway gay marriageThe question also comes up in relation to vendors, since 29 states don't recognize sexual orientation in their anti-discrimination laws, meaning that it's perfectly legal for a florist or country club in Texas to tell an LGBT couple that they refuse to plan the wedding because they're gay or transgendered.

"There's also more subtle discrimination: Not returning phone calls or emails, or all of a sudden becoming booked once they realize it's a same-sex wedding," Coveney Smith added.

So unless they hire a wedding planner to do it for them, the couple must come out to every vendor, venue, and photographer they contact. "Many of the vendors I refer my clients to are also gay-owned businesses, so they speak the language, they understand the culture, and they're obviously more than happy to work on a same-sex wedding," Coveney Smith said.

Thinking beyond the traditional 'Bride and Groom'

The wedding industry is very bride-focused: Forms and contracts refer to the "bride and groom," vendors say "bridal party," people sit on either the "bride's side" or "groom's side." And most traditional "bridal" magazines portray the norm as one woman and one man.

Denmark gay marriageIt's up to the couple how they decide to break those traditions. Choosing what to wear can be a very personal choice, for instance. Do two lesbian brides want to wear two suits, a suit and a dress, or two dresses? Do two grooms want to wear the same tux, or one white and one black? Or does the couple simply want to wear whatever they like?

Tradition also dictates the bride walks down the aisle, but for couples with two brides or two grooms, the answer isn't as obvious. "We often will have the couple walking in holding hands, or if the space works, we'll use two aisles and eliminate the question of 'Who's the bride?' all together," Coveney Smith explained.

And even though most gay weddings are not in a place of worship, that doesn't mean certain religious traditions aren't included in the ceremony that need to be updated for a same-sex marriage. If a gay Jewish couple is getting married for example, the tradition of the man breaking the glass might evolve into the couple breaking two glasses or taking turns breaking the glass together.

Decisions after the wedding may be complicated, too

Since same-sex marriage is still illegal in certain states and countries around the world, deciding where to go on the honeymoon can be a challenge.

"If they travel together internationally or throughout the country, that marriage is mostly invalid. So they basically have to carry around this extra paperwork [proving their relationship in the case of a medical emergency], which costs thousands of dollars in attorney fees," Coveney Smith explained.

This also affects couples taking one another's name, or creating a new name together. Said Coveney Smith: "If they get a legal marriage in New York and then go back to Texas — that name change wouldn't apply just by presenting the marriage license. They'd have to actually go through the court system to change their name."

And the issue only gets more complicated when children are involved, leading to more paperwork, attorney fees, and issues to address such as second parent adoption.

Stay true to who you are

conan o brien gay weddingEven though all of these issues pose a serious challenge to same-sex couples when they're planning their wedding, Coveney Smith encouraged them to remain optimistic and stay true to who they are.

"Don't have a boring wedding if you're not a boring couple. If you really like drag queens (like some of my clients do) then have a drag queen. If you really like go-go dancers, have go-go dancers at your wedding," she said.

"Your wedding should be an expression of who you are, and it should be really fun."

SEE ALSO: 8 New York City Wedding Venues That Will Be Tough To Book Now That Gay Marriage Is Legal

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These Are The 5 Best Credit Cards For Groceries

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costco line grocery supermarket checkoutWhen it comes to frugal grocery shopping, scouring through weekly circulars and clipping coupons can only save you so much (though extreme couponers might disagree).

By using a cash back credit card tailored for grocery shoppers, you can slash your grocery spending even more.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average U.S. household spent $3,838 on food at home in 2011. Every 1% cash back would yield annual cost savings of $38, but some credit cards offer more than a mere 1% cash back on groceries.

1. Blue Cash Preferred from American Express

Blue Cash Preferred from American Express is the must-have cash back credit card for anyone who regularly visits the supermarket.

It does come with a $75 annual fee but it is worth the price if you spend $2,500 per year, or roughly $48 per week, at the supermarket.

Noteworthy card features:

  • $75 annual fee
  • 6% cash back at stand-alone supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent annually at supermarkets, 1% thereafter), 3% cash back at stand-alone gas stations and department stores, and 1% cash back on everything else

2. Target REDcard

The Target REDcard does not offer cash back. Instead, it acts like a membership card that enables cardmembers to get a flat 5% discount at checkout when the REDcard is used to pay for the purchase.

Yes, for those who didn’t know, Target does sell groceries.

Noteworthy card features:

  • No annual fee
  • 5% discount at Target stores or Target.com

3. Blue Cash Everyday from American Express

Blue Cash Everyday from American Express is the little brother of Blue Cash Preferred from American Express.

For no annual fee, Blue Cash Everyday offers less cash back on groceries but it is still a very generous amount.

Noteworthy card features:

  • No annual fee
  • 3% cash back at stand-alone supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent annually at supermarkets, 1% thereafter), 2% cash back at stand-alone gas stations and department stores, and 1% cash back on everything else

4. U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature

The young U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card is better known for is 5% cash back on various categories that may change from quarter to quarter.However, cardmembers can also choose to earn 2% cash back on groceries.

Additionally, it has a redemption bonus that’s worth plenty of consideration.

Noteworthy card features:

  • No annual fee
  • Choose 2 of 12 categories that earn 5% cash back (categories may change quarterly) and 1 of 3 categories (groceries, gas and drug stores) that earn 2% cash back, 1% cashback on everything else
  • Get a $25 bonus prepaid card when you redeem $100 or more at once

5. Bank of America BankAmericard Cash Rewards

Bank of America’s BankAmericard Cash Rewards card is very similar to the Blue Cash Everyday card from American Express. But, the cash back rates for groceries and gas are swapped -- BankAmericard Cash Rewards offers 2% cash back on groceries and 3% cash back on gas.

It’s a solid choice if you’re also on the market for a gas credit card.

Noteworthy card features:

  • No annual fee
  • 2% cash back on groceries and 3% on gas for the first $1,500 in combined gas and grocery purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on everything else
  • Cash back redeemed into a Bank of America checking or savings account will be 10% greater ($27.50 cash back on a $25 redemption)

More from MyBankTracker: 

3 Credit Cards for Common Monthly Expenses

Best Credit Card Offers of the Month

Top-rated Credit Card on MyBankTracker

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Join the conversation about this story »

A Closer Look At The Chinese 'Ghost Mall' Seen On '60 Minutes' Reveals A Complicated Picture

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Zhengzhou China Ghost Mall

Last month "60 Minutes" featured a segment on the hot new Chinese phenomenon— "ghost cities".

These ghost cities — massive new construction projects that sit forlorn and empty after completion — have become a high-profile example of China's growth and its surrounding problems, though some people argue that the problem is overblown or misread.

Wade Shepard, a journalist and photographer who publishes at Vagabond Journeys, recently visited the city of Zhengzhou where "60 Minutes" filmed, and — while he found the mall deserted — the nearby economic growth left him wondering how long it would be empty for.

He's kindly allowed us to republish some photos of a mall in the city that reveal a somewhat different picture of the ghost city phenomenon.

The construction is called the Orient Center mall, and it sits in the center of Zhengzhou — a city of over 8 million people.



"60 Minutes" filmed part of their story on China's "ghost cities" here.



Inside, it is indeed deserted.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The Unprecedented Shift In Support For Gay Marriage [CHARTS]

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Edith Windsor doma gay marriageA week after two landmark gay-marriage cases were argued before the Supreme Court, the progress of gay marriage advocates has been evident in a recent swath of public opinion polling.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life recently published seven charts that show trends over 13 years of polling on same-sex marriage. 

According to the polling, not only is support for same-sex marriage growing across different demographics, but it also runs especially high in groups that are growing the fastest. 

In the past 13 years, opposition to gay marriage has declined 13 percentage points.



Today, seven in 10 millennials support same-sex marriage, meaning the shift will continue to trend upward.



Support for same-sex marriage is also heavily based on religious sentiment. Religiously unaffiliated people — the largest and fastest growing sect of Americans — support gay marriage by a four-to-one split.

Source: Data on the religiously unaffiliated



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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America's Best Places To Eat Like A Local

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morning call new orleans

Opened in 2012 by a father-and-son team, Hattie B’s has become the Nashville spot for fiery, cayenne-infused, deep-fried “hot chicken.” It’s an inspired twist on a dish that’s comfortingly familiar.

Check out the best places to eat like a local >

Like beignets (made from a 143-year-old recipe) in New Orleans or a bagel sandwich in New York, the best regional American fare feels close to home—even if you’re dining far from yours.

With the combined forces of our staffers and contributors, we canvassed the 50 states, happily put our stomachs to work to yield a menu of America’s must-try dishes from Maine to Honolulu. It’s the all-American slice of Travel + Leisure’s coverage of the Best Places to Eat Like a Local.

Check out the best places to eat like a local >

Related Links:

Big Bad Breakfast: Oxford, MS

Southern chef John Currence’s motto? “Lard have mercy!” Flour biscuits slathered with sausage gravy and the burrito filled with house-made chorizo will have you praying for more. bigbadbreakfast.com



Huckleberry: Santa Monica, CA

The perpetually crowded joint is famous for its maple-bacon biscuits, Valrhona chocolate–dipped doughnuts, and egg sandwiches stuffed with bacon, cave-aged Gruyère, and tangy aioli.



Morning Call: New Orleans

The airy beignets (made from a 143-year-old recipe) and café au lait at this 24-hour, wood-paneled Metairie haunt leave the better-known Café du Monde in their sugar dust.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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A Ukrainian Billionaire Oligarch Is Selling His Unreal 6 Story NYC Townhouse For $22 Million

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232 East 62nd Street

Alexander Rovt made his $1.2 billion fortune selling fertilizer, and he's parlayed some of that wealth to make serious investments in NYC real estate.

Take his Upper East Side townhouse, for example.

According to Forbes, Rovt sank $27 million into the home, including a recent $18 million reservation. It's just one of 35 properties he has in NYC (at last count) including the 30-room, 18,267-square-foot Sloane Mansion on East 68th Street.

It's the purchase of the Sloane Mansion that prompted Rovt to sell this smaller house. Not to say that this 6 story, 11,400 square foot townhouse is anything to sneeze at. It boasts five bedrooms, a full gym and sauna, a pool, and five outdoor spaces.

The property was first put on the market for $27 million last year, but since then the price has been chopped to $22 million. Not only that, but the listing changed hands from Matthew Lesser at Leslie J. Garfield to Pamela Marcus and Leighton Candler at Corcoran.

Since there are 6 stories, these steps would be your best friends.



After climbing all of them you may need to dip in the pool.



A lovely game room



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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