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What It'll Be Like When Apple Takes Over Your Car

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Screen Shot 2014 03 03 at 9.53.39 AM

Apple has officially announced CarPlay, a means of natively bringing your iPhone's capabilities into the car.

As Apple puts it, CarPlay "takes the things you want to do with your iPhone and puts them right on your car's built-in display."

This means you and passengers can send and receive email, texts, use GPS navigation via Apple Maps, and more. Of course it has Siri capabilities so that you can interact with it by voice, but you can also use your car's knobs (for adjusting the volume, example) or your car display's touchscreen. Apple says that if a certain control normally operates your car's display, it's compatible with CarPlay.

There's no announcement yet on when we'll see this available, but Apple has shared some cool teaser shots on its site.

Here's CarPlay's home screen. The user's iPhone is currently out of sight, but it would merely be showing the CarPlay logo — it docks with the car.



You have a variety of options for interacting with it, from voice to touch.



GPS navigation is one of the most obvious applications here. You're no longer lost.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How Uniqlo — The Japanese Clothing Giant That May Buy J.Crew — Is Taking Over The World

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UNIQLO SoHo

Japan's Fast Retailing is in talks to purchase J. Crew for as much as $5 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal

Fast Retailing is the parent company of Uniqlo, which has exploded in the past decade, becoming Asia's biggest clothing retailer. And its leaders have ambitious goals to make the brand the leader in retail worldwide.

Uniqlo, which focuses on mass-producing affordable basics in dozens of colors, got its start in the Japanese suburbs. Less than 20 years later, it's laid its stake along swanky shopping streets in major global cities.

What's the story behind the company's success?

Additional reporting by Megan Durisin.

The first Uniqlo opened its doors in Hiroshima, Japan in 1984.

The company is a division of Japanese retail holding company Fast Retailing, with Tadashi Yanai at the helm. In addition to Uniqlo, Fast Retailing owns brands including J Brand, Theory, and Comptoir Des Cotonniers and National Standard.



The company originally called itself "Unique Clothing Warehouse." By joining those words together, Uniqlo was born.

The name is pronounced "YOU-nee-klo" in English. 



In the early 1990s, the Japanese economy hit a major slump. And Uniqlo's cheap clothes got popular fast.

The Japanese economic downturn is often called "The Great Recession" and lasted for an entire decade. It was bad news for the country as a whole, but Uniqlo reaped major benefits by catering to citizens who were trying to cut back on spending.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These Stunning Images Prove That Life On The Space Station Is Just As Mind-Blowing As 'Gravity' Makes It Seem

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The furthest an astronaut has been from the safety of a spaceship, thanks to the jetback on his back.

Space-station based "Gravity" took home seven Oscars last night, including the best visual effects.

But in reality, life on the real-life space station is just as visually stunning as the movie, as NASA proves in a set of images posted to Flickr. 

NASA put together an album of these absolutely amazing images from space and life on the space station.

They include thunderstorms, sunsets, and cities viewed from above, as well as some of the more memorable images from spacewalks on the ISS.

Here's a view from the ISS of the sun rising over Earth.



Another view of the sun from the ISS. In this, the sun is setting. The ISS orbits 230 miles over the surface of the Earth and orbits our planet more than 15 times a day.



Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld participating in the mission's fifth and final moon walk.



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Here's Why There's A 'Huge Boom' In Men Getting Plastic Surgery

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male plastic surgery

We live in a culture where youth and beauty are prized — even for men.

"Over the last three to five years, there's been a huge boom is men's aesthetic surgery," Dr. Douglas Steinbrech, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon, told Business Insider. "Our practice has seven websites, one exclusively for men, and many of our patients now are male. It's a very big misconception that all patients are women."

National trends agree. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the number of cosmetic procedures for men has increased by more than 106% between 1997 and 2012.

Dr. Steinbrech said that men want plastic surgery for two reasons: to look good and stay competitive in the job market. "Men get surgery as a key tool to help them succeed," he explained. "In a marketplace where looking  fit, younger, and more masculine is imperative, the better you look, the better your chances of ascending the corporate ladder."

Helping men advance in their careers is a powerful marketing tool, and Dr. Steinbrech mainly advertises male procedures this way. On his all-male plastic surgery website, he outlines four "types" of men that he says typically come in for surgery, and the best procedures for them.The first type identified by Dr. Steinbrech is the "male model," who he says wants jawline augmentation, "hi-def liposuction" to show off his abs, pectoral implants, and gluteal implants. "This guy wants a sharper jawline, and nice abs — really ripped and very defined abs," Dr. Steinbrech told us. "You take an average, good-looking kid, and you enhance his jaw, elongate his chin, enhance his cheekbones, and suddenly he looks like the cover of Vogue."

Then there's the "body builder," who has similar procedures as the male model, but wants to look more muscular. "A body builder want to go big," Dr. Steinbrech said. "Big chest, big glutes, but muscularly defined. They also have some of that fatty tissue around the breasts from steroids that we often remove as well [in a process known as Gynescomastia]."

The third type of man that Dr. Steinbrech identified as getting plastic surgery to enhance their career was the "CEO or board member.""These men are at the top of their career and they feel young and confident, but they're worried they don't look it," Dr. Steinbrech said. "I tell these men I want to leave a little bit of wrinkles — since wrinkles are sexy and trustworthy — and give them what I call the 'Forbes Facelift.'"

The so-called "Forbes Facelift" typically consists of a necklift, eyelift, jawline recontouring, and perhaps liposuction as well.

The only category that doesn't specifically reference a career is the "athletic dad.""As a play on the 'mommy makeovers' we now we have 'daddy do-overs,'" Dr. Steinbrech told us. "This is what the banker wants. He's married with kids, probably put on 15 pounds. He's in his 40s and he's thinking, 'Man, I used to look so good in college.'" These men typically go for jawline recontouring, liposuction, and a small eyelift.

Currently, the most common cosmetic procedures for men are liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose job), eyelid surgery, gynescomastia (removal of breast tissue), and ear shaping, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.top 5 male cosmetic surgery (1)

The list of the most popular minimally-invasive procedures for men is topped by Botox.top 5 male cosmetic minimally invasive

Dr. Steinbrech and his team shared some before and after images of the most common procedures their clients get with Business Insider. Keep reading to see the before and after results, how much they cost, and what recovery time is like.

Jaw Augmentation

jawline augmentation steinbrechJawline recontouring injects Juvederm (a hyaluronic acid) into the jaw and chin to make it more angular and strong. He also might choose to do the same thing on the cheek bones to augment facial structure and give more definition.

Recovery time: Less than 24 hours

Cost: $2,300-$3,800

Liposuction

liposuction steinbrechLiposuction (which Dr. Steinbrech refers to as "liposculpting") typically takes away fat from around the abdomen so as to better show off muscles and abs. The healing process may often involve drainage tubes, compression garments, and antibiotics.

Recovery time: 2 days (but should avoid strenuous activity for a month)

Cost: $2,700-$5,000

Pec Enhancement

pec implants steinbrechPectoral enhancements are the most common with the male models and body builders who make money with their physiques. Surgery requires general anesthesia and involves a small incision in the armpit. Unlike breast implants, these should feel firm to the touch, Dr. Steinbrech said.

Recovery time: 4-6 weeks

Cost: $6,500-$8,000

Gluteal Enhancement

glute implants steinbrechThe most common method of gluteal enhancement is fat transfer (extra fat from liposuction is used to make the glutes appear "perkier"), but silicone implants may also be used.

Recovery time: 4-6 weeks

Cost: $7,500-$10,000

Gynescomastia

breast tissue Gynescomastia steinbrechGynescomastia is most common for body builders, but is a surgery for anyone who has extra fatty tissue around their pectoral muscles. It's achieved by liposuction and/or by removing excess glandular tissue, and is currently one of the biggest trends in male plastic surgery, according to Dr. Steinbrech.

Recovery time: 2-3 days

Cost: $1,500 to $5,000

Neck Lift

neck lift steinbrechNeck lift surgery gets rid of any loose skin or fat in the chin, so that it helps the jaw stand out and gets rid of any "jowls." In this procedure, incisions are made around the ear lobe or behind the ears, and then the underlying muscles are tightened and excess fat is removed.

Recovery time: 5-7 days

Cost: $6,000 to $11,000

Lower and Upper Eye Lift

lower and upper eyelift steinbrechAn upper and lower eyelift will get rid of any puffiness or drooping skin around the eyes so that they look more awake. Known as a blepharoplasty, the procedure involves very minor incisions made in the natural eyelid creases.

Recovery time: 5-7 days

Cost: $4,500-$8,000

SEE ALSO: I Had My Face 'Morphed' By A Plastic Surgeon And Was Shocked By The Results

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The 21 Richest People In Retail

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Wal-Mart family Jim Walton, Alice Walton and Rob WaltonForbes has released its annual list of the world's billionaires. 

We sorted through the rankings to find the richest people in retail, from grocery store king Karl Abrecht to fashion designer Miuccia Prada.

The heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune continue to have the strongest presence on the billionaires list compared to any other family in the world.

Four members of the Walton family rank among the 14 wealthiest billionaires, with their riches amounting to $140 billion — which is more than Bill Gates' and Warren Buffett's wealth combined.

#21 Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen

Net Worth: $10.2 billion

Overall Forbes billionaires ranking: 119

Age: 66

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen's grandfather founded LEGO, the second largest toy company by sales. He was CEO of LEGO for 25 years before stepping down in 2004. He remains deputy chairman of the company. 



#20 Sergei Galitsky

Net Worth: $10.3 billion

Overall Forbes billionaires ranking: 117

Age: 46

Sergei Galitsky is the founder and CEO of Russia's largest supermarket chain, Magnit. Wal-Mart was his inspiration for founding Magnit, according to Forbes.



#19 Stefano Pessina

Net Worth: $10.4 billion

Overall Forbes billionaires ranking: 113

Age: 72

Stefano Pessina is the single largest shareholder of the drug store chain Walgreen Co. He is also the fourth richest man in Italy. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Vanity Fair After Party Was Even More Star-Studded Than The Oscars [PHOTOS]

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Anne Hathaway Jared leto vanity fair oscars after party photobomb

After the 86th annual Academy Awards concluded Sunday night, stars did a costume change and headed to the super exclusive Vanity Fair Oscar After Party in West Hollywood.  

Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter’s annual bash brings out the most A-list guests, who are all able to let loose and celebrate after the big show.  

This year's attendees included everyone from Rupert Murdoch and Harvey Weinstein to Sofia Vergara and a handful of Victoria's Secret models.

"12 Years A Slave" Best Actress winner Lupita Nyong'o changed into this Miu Miu gown with fringe to celebrate at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party.



Show host Ellen DeGeneres switched into sneakers to help wife Portia De Rossi with her Naeem Khan gown.



Jennifer Lawrence changed out of her red Dior Oscars gown and into this Tom Ford party dress.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 30 Richest Investors In The World

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prince alwaleed

Forbes' annual "World's Billionaires List" is out for 2014 — and we've rounded up the richest in the financial and investments industries.

Some of these people will be familiar to you (i.e. Warren Buffett and George Soros) and some of them prefer to stay in the shadows, like Taiwan's Tsai Wan-Tsai (he's a huge name in Taiwanese finance).

According to the list, roughly two-thirds of the billionaires built their own fortunes, 13% inherited them and 21% have been adding on to fortunes they received.

That means you could probably still make it on the list yourself, right?

30. Rupert Johnson, Jr.

Rank: 224

Net-worth: $6.2 billion

Age: 72

Source of Wealth:  Franklin Resources

Source: Forbes



29. Suleiman Kerimov

Rank: 196

Net-worth: $6.9 billion

Age: 47

Source of Wealth: Investments

Source: Forbes



28. Eli Broad

Rank: 196

Net-worth: $6.9 billion

Age: 80

Source of Wealth:  Investments

Source: Forbes



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This New Food Delivery Startup Makes Lunchtime Easier By Limiting Diners' Choices

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city lunch club

Sometimes, having to make too many decisions can be a bad thing.

That's why I was really impressed with my trial of City Lunch Club, a recently launched company that's putting a new spin on food delivery. 

Unlike food delivery services like Seamless, which offer endless options, City Lunch Club offers just three menu items from a different restaurant every day.

Click here to see how City Lunch Club Works >>

 The startup has partnered with 25 restaurants in New York City to deliver fresh, high-quality lunches to subscribers. Members choose how many meals they want to order in one week, with lunches costing between $10.99 and $12.99 depending on how many they select. 

I tried out the City Lunch Club for five days. An email arrived early each morning with the day's restaurant and lunch options and I picked my lunch with the click of a button. The startup schedules lunch to arrive between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and they followed through every day of my trial. My food arrived between 12:15 and 12:45 on each of the five days, and it was always warm. 

My one complaint would be that the quantity of food that arrived was much more than I would ordinarily eat for lunch, and I always had leftovers. Excess food isn't necessarily a bad thing, but this delivery service may not be the way to go if you're looking for a light lunch.

Still, I definitely enjoyed the huge variety of meals I received while trying out the City Lunch Club, and it was a huge upgrade from the sandwich or salad I would usually pick up from a place down the street. 

The company is currently serving customers in zip codes 10010 and 10003; it hopes to expand to the rest of Manhattan in the next few months.

Disclosure: City Lunch Club compensated us for the meals we tried with their delivery service. 

On Wednesday morning, the first day of my trial, I woke up to this e-mail from City Lunch Club. First up was Zampa, an Italian restaurant in the West Village.



I chose the mixed greens and pasta salad, which they confirmed would arrive between 11:30 and 1.



Here's what all of our food looked like when it arrived at 12:30.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This Is The Afghanistan That Never Makes It Into The Headlines [PHOTOS]

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MARIEKEVANDERVELDEN1

When most people hear about Afghanistan, they expect tales of war, terror, extremists, and the Taliban — the kinds of stories they read in the Western media.

For Afghans, life is not always so dramatic. They may be residents of a country that has been caught in strife for the better part of three decades, but the average citizen is still trying to live a normal life amid the chaos.

It was this side of life that photographer Marieke Van der Velden set out to capture when she traveled to Kabul in 2013.

“It’s important to talk to and show normal people on a normal day, not just right after a bomb attack,” Van der Velden told Business Insider. “The people I photographed are in the middle of a 30-year-old war, but they have no part of it.”

For all the people Van der Velden met, she decided to ask them a simple question: “What is your favorite place in the city?” Finally given a voice to talk about something other than war, her subjects lit up and showed her a side of Kabul few Westerners ever see. 

Van Der Velden shared some of the photos here. You can see the rest at her website.

One of the most popular favorite places is Ghargha Lake on the Afghanistan "riviera," where families can take boat trips.



This man loves Ghargha Lake because residents rent horses and ride along the beach. Each rider tries to outdo the other by making his or her horse rear.



Maize (wearing the blue burqa) lives in a village 15 hours outside of Kabul, but came to visit her husband, an army officer stationed in the city. They picnicked for the day at her favorite place, Bagh-e Babur Gardens, a historic park built in 1528.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This 500-Pound Metal Suit Can Take Humans To Incredible New Ocean Depths

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6a. Michael Lombardi.JPG

Space exploration seems to get all the glory, but there's another virtually unexplored frontier right here on Earth: the deep sea.

The Exosuit, a 530-pound metal suit, will for the first time allow a human to plunge down to a depth of 1,000 feet without being crushed by the pressure of the ocean.

The aluminum shell looks oppressive and suffocating, but feels weightless once in the water. The diver inside the suit can pick up marine life using robotic claws and has thrusters on the feet to move around.

The Exosuit is a "quantum leap forward in atmospheric diving," said Michael Lombardi, the American Museum of Natural History's dive safety officer and the project coordinator for an upcoming expedition, at the museum's Feb. 27 unveiling of the next-generation diving system.

5b. Training/ExosuitScuba divers can only go to depths of about 200 feet because of the intense pressure of the water above them. So, scientists have only been able to study the deeper regions of the ocean with remote submarines, where cameras send images back to the surface. But studying the behavior of animals through a television screen is limiting, said John Sparks, a curator in the museum's Department of Ichthyology.

In particular, scientists want to know more about bioluminescent creatures, those that generate light through chemical reactions in their skin, and inhabit the ocean layers that are cut off from the sun, generally beyond 600 feet. Because these gelatinous animals tend to get crushed when they are brought up in trawlers they are not well-studied. However, by looking at these organisms in their natural environment, scientists hope to understand more about their flashing patterns.

2. ExosuitVincent Pierribone, a research associate at the museum, is more focused on the medical applications of bioluminescent proteins found in these animals and how they can be used to "probe the brain," he said. These glowing proteins, which only exist in nature, can also be valuable for tagging and tracking cancer cells and tons of other applications in the lab.

The suit can support a diver for up to 50 hours, though most missions would last three to five hours. It only takes 10 minutes to get to 1,000 feet below the surface. A remotely operated vehicle travels alongside the diver, equipped with high-definition video cameras that beam footage back to the surface through fiber optics.

The Exosuit's first real-world test comes in July when it will be used to explore a place called "The Canyons" off the New England Coast.

The suit will be on display at the American Museum of Natural History through March 5.

SEE ALSO: This Brilliant Water Filter Made From A Tree Branch Could Help Millions Of People

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Here’s The New Version Of Sean Parker’s Failed Video Messaging App

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sean parker

Two years ago, serial entrepreneur Sean Parker held a star-studded extravaganza to celebrate the launch of Airtime.

The video network that let you talk with strangers who shared your Facebook interests was hindered by technical issues and lack of interest before it eventually shut down.

Parker relaunched Airtime as OkHello last week. This free social networking app lets users create video chats with friends and family and share photos, stickers, texts and more.

It's available for iOS and Android.

This is the welcome screen where you create a new account.



You can manually create a username and password or choose to import info from Facebook.



All you have to do is create a password, and you're all set.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 Richest People On The Planet

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bill gates

Forbes is out with its annual list of the wealthiest people on the planet, and there are some shakeups in the top 20.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates reclaimed his spot at the top of the list, adding $9 million to his fortune in the past year. 

Tech tycoons continued to dominate the top 20, with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin appearing on the list. Others are familiar faces, but saw a substantial increase in wealth over the previous year.

You can see Forbes' complete billionaires list here; we're taking a closer look at the top 20.

#20 Li Ka-Shing

Net worth: $31 billion

No change in net worth from 2013; dropped 12 spots on the Forbes list

The richest man in Asia, Ka-Shing currently serves as chairman of Hutchison Whampoa, a conglomerate with interests in shipping and construction. He also holds a major real estate portfolio.



#19 Sergey Brin

Net worth: $31.8 billion

Gained $9 billion since 2013; jumped 1 spot on the Forbes list

Brin in the co-founder of Google, along with Larry Page.



#18 Jeff Bezos

Net worth: $32 billion

Gained $6.8 billion since 2013; jumped 1 spot on the Forbes list

Bezos is the founder and CEO of e-commerce giant Amazon.

Disclosure: Bezos is an investor in Business Insider.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 Delicious Foods That You Can Only Eat In New Orleans

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mardi gras king cake

New Orleans is known for its eclectic food — a mix of Cajun, French, Italian, African, Chinese and everything in between, the Louisiana city has cooked up some of the tastiest and most interesting foods around today.

And though Gumbo and Jambalaya have become popular across the US, some of New Orleans' favorite dishes are still just catching on.

From Mardi Gras King Cakes to a breakfast of cornmeal mush known as couche-couche, we rounded up 10 of the Big Easy foods that are still relatively unknown around the country.

Ya-Ka-Mein: A type of beef noodle soup with Cajun seasoning, chili powder or Old Bay Seasoning added to the broth. Commonly found in Creole and Chinese restaurants.

 



Doberge: A 17-layer cake with alternating layers of cake and custard. Pronounced Dough-bash.

 



Sazerac: The official cocktail of New Orleans, it combines cognac or rye whiskey, a sugar cube, and Pechaud's bitters in a glass swirled with absinthe or Herbsaint.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These Vintage Photos Of Mardi Gras In New Orleans Show It's Always Been A Wild Party

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Mardi Gras arrived in the United States in the late 1600s, thanks to the Le Moyne brothers, whom King Louis XIV sent to defend France's right to the territory of Louisiane.

Traditionally, Fat Tuesday ushered in the last chance to eat fatty foods and party through the night before the self-denial season of Lent began for Christians.  

But even after France decamped from the New World, their traditional spring hurrah stuck around. Check out these vintage photos of Mardi Gras from the early 20th century, which prove it's always been America's coolest party.  

The royal chariot with Rex, the King of the Carnival, starts the Mardi Gras procession in downtown New Orleans, La., in 1906.Mardi Gras 2

The Rex pageant began as a part of Mardi Gras in 1872. Mardi Gras 3

This Mardi Gras parade took place between 1890 and 1910.Mardi Gras 1

The procession winds down Canal Street in 1900.Mardi Gras 5

Rex passes by Camp Street on its typical route through downtown New Orleans between 1900 and 1906.Mardi Gras 6

This float is hoisted through the crowd of a 1907 Mardi Gras celebration.Mardi Gras 7

Here's a sign on a New Orleans storefront advertising what kind of costumes the masses should wear to a 1941 parade.Mardi Gras 8

Rex receives the key to city hall at the finale of the Mardi Gras parade in 1906.Mardi Gras 9

The night after the parade, downtown New Orleans is lit up for further celebration in 1903.Mardi Gras 10

Source: Library of Congress

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 10 Best Cities For A Mardi Gras Celebration

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22 Surprising NBA Players Who Have Made An Insane Amount Of Money

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metta world peace

None of the players on this list are superstars.

Many have never made All-Star teams. Some have spent most of their careers coming off of the bench.

But looking at their massive career earnings, you see that even role players can get filthy rich if they play long enough.

For comparison, Michael Jordan only made $90.2 million in his career!

Jermaine O'Neal: $168.8 million

Career length: 18 years

Teams: 6 (Blazers, Pacers, Heat, Celtics, Suns, Warriors)

NBA titles: 0

Source: Basketball Reference



Rashard Lewis: $155.3 million

Career length: 16 years

Teams: 5 (Sonics, Magic, Wizards, Hornets, Heat)

NBA titles: 1 (2013, Heat)

Source: Basketball Reference



Juwan Howard: $151.5 million

Career length: 19 years

Teams: 9 (Bullets, Mavericks, Nuggets, Magic, Rockets, T'Wolves, Bobcats, Blazers, Heat)

NBA titles: 1 (2012, Heat)

Source: Basketball Reference



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 17 Coolest Small Businesses In New Orleans

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mardi gras beads

With New Orleans in full celebration mode for Mardi Gras, the nonstop party that started as a purging of hedonistic behavior before the Christian season of Lent, it's a good time to celebrate the small businesses that have helped the Big Easy rebound.

The city's economy took a big hit after Hurricane Katrina devastated the cityscape in 2005, but it has since rebuilt and reinvented itself.

Whether it's an established restaurant or a budding tech startup, here are some of New Orlean's coolest small businesses.

adverCar

Online, based in New Orleans

What it is: A transit advertising and media company

Why it's cool: AdverCar matches brands with regular drivers who are looking to make some extra cash. The brand pays a driver to put a decal on their car. When that person drives through different neighborhoods and regions, the brand is then broadcast to the area in a subtle yet effective way.

It is part of New Orleans Startup Fund's portfolio.



American Sector And National World War II Museum

945 Magazine St.

What it is: A 1940s themed restaurant and museum

Why it's cool: Besides being America's first museum devoted to World War II, this venue features restaurants and bars that are all 1940s themed. Everything from the seating to the cocktails to the styles of the performers oozes 1940s glamour. There are even live musical performances by Big Band orchestras and tributes to 1940s icons like The Rat Pack.

The restaurant, the American Sector, serves dishes that put a creative spin on traditional American food, like mini cheeseburgers with bacon-onion marmalade and Wagyu short ribs.



Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel

739 Canal St. at Bourbon

What it is: A sustainable hotel

Why it's cool: This is a luxury hotel that has a ton of green initiatives. It recycles all cardboard, paper, plastic, and aluminum products.

About 90% of the hotel's lighting is energy efficient, and it has a grease recycling program.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 Books That Will Make You Want To Visit Thailand

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Thailand evokes a sense of mystery like few countries in the Eastern hemisphere do.

From its celestial beaches on the gulf to the bustling capital of Bangkok, the country gives new meaning to the word "exotic."

Whether you're planning a trip or just looking for some guilty pleasure literature, these are the Thai-set books you have to read.

"Anna and the King Of Siam" by Margaret Landon

The book follows Anna Leonowens, a young English widow and mother who comes to work under King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s. She joins his staff to help him communicate with foreign governments, and tutor his favored concubines and children. One of the sons soaks up her Western teachings and years later becomes Siam's most progressive king.

The inspiration for the hit musical and movie, "Anna and the Kind of Siam" will transport you to a lush landscape of mystic faiths and curious people while sneaking in a history lesson.

Buy the book here »



"Bangkok 8" by John Burdett

Bangkok is not a city for the faint of heart. This dark comedy thriller peels the curtain back on the capital's illicit drug scene, infinite corruption, and fast-paced lifestyle, while also giving way to a deeper understanding of Thai Buddhism.

When his partner is killed off-duty, Sonchai Jitpleecheep — a police officer and devout Buddhist — is hellbent on seeking revenge. He teams up with a beautiful FBI agent to track down his partner's murderer, traversing the shady underworld of one of the world's most exotic cities.

Buy the book here »



"Bangkok Days" by Lawrence Osborne

Not your typical tourist, Osborne frequents Thailand for the cheap dentistry. Discovering he can live for a few dollars a day there, this English-born journalist extends his trip indefinitely and begins the most visceral chapter in his chapter. 

In a city where illicit pleasure is easily found and bought, he restores his faith in adventure and the world: dining on insects at a roadside stall, eating at a restaurant where his waitress feeds him like a baby, and launching a career as a gigolo. All the while his twisted sexual mores mix with ancient Buddhist practices for a culturally enriching experience.

Buy the book here »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

HOUSE OF THE DAY: Rent Whisper's Santa Monica Bungalow For $16,000 A Month

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whisper HOTD Secret-sharing app Whisper is outgrowing the small Santa Monica bungalow that has served as their headquarters since they launched in 2012. According to Curbed LA, the house can now be rented for $16,000 a month. 

The three-bedroom house is not quite what you'd expect from a startup. It's simple yet charming, and there's a pool in the backyard. The beach happens to be only a few minutes' walk away. 

But neighbors in the laid-back southern California neighborhood reportedly haven't been crazy about living next to a fast-growing tech company.

"They're renting a house, pretending to live there, but they're running a business instead,"a neighbor said to CNET in January.

Whisper and its 32 employees will be moving to a larger space in Venice Beach later this month. 

The bungalow is located in the laid-back but pricey neighborhood of Santa Monica, Calif.



It was built in 1947 in the typical California ranch-house style.



Here's the living room as shown in the listing, though it will surely look better when furnished.



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Mardi Gras 2014: 18 Photos From The Wildest Outdoor Party In The US

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Mardi Gras girl AP

Mardi Gras 2014 is wrapping up with a bang in New Orleans with today's Fat Tuesday celebrations.

The party's been as wild as ever this year, before the self-denial season of Lent begins. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flocked to the city decked out in beads and feathers to watch dozens of over-the-top parades. They spent a little over a week drinking, eating and dancing in the streets.  

Some estimates say the biggest free party in the country brings in more than $500 million for New Orleans.

Streets in downtown New Orleans are so packed for Mardi Gras, revelers can reach up and grab beads right off the floats.



The Krewe of Zulu kicked off Fat Tuesday, ready with painted coconuts to give parade-goers in New Orleans.



The King of the Krewe of Zulu leads his section in the Mardi Gras Day parade.



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The 10 Most Expensive Cities In The World

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singapore trees

Singapore is the most expensive city in the world, according to new data from the Economist Intelligence Unit.

It takes the title from Tokyo, thanks in part to inflation, high transportation costs, high utility costs, and an excess of luxury retailers.

Tokyo remains the priciest location for everyday food items, while European cities tend to be priciest for recreation and entertainment.

New York City ranked #26 in EIU's ranking, a jump of only one spot from 2013. In comparison, it rose 19 spots the previous year.

The survey calculates cost of living based on prices for 160 products and services, including food, clothing, rent, and transportation. Each cost of living index is set in relation to New York's, which is fixed at a base of 100. We've selected a few price points to highlight costs in the world's most expensive cities.

#10 Copenhagen

Copenhagen ranked #15 last year. The current cost of living index is 117.

Loaf of white bread:

  • Today: $4.82
  • Last year: $4.47
  • 5 years ago: $3.82

Bottle of table wine:

  • Today: $13.70
  • Last year: $12.03
  • 5 years ago: $10.79

1 liter unleaded petrol:

  • Today: $2.18
  • Last year: $2.07
  • 5 years ago: $2.05

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit



#6 (tie) Tokyo

Tokyo ranked #1 last year. The current cost of living index is 118.

Loaf of white bread:

  • Today: $7.12
  • Last year: $9.06
  • 5 years ago: $7.55

Bottle of table wine:

  • Today: $12.53
  • Last year: $15.95
  • 5 years ago: $12.13

1 liter unleaded petrol:

  • Today: $1.73
  • Last year: $1.97
  • 5 years ago: $1.69

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit



#6 (tie) Melbourne

Melbourne ranked #4 (tie) last year. The current cost of living index is 118.

Loaf of white bread:

  • Today: $4.43
  • Last year: $4.87
  • 5 years ago: $3.77

Bottle of table wine:

  • Today: $22.28
  • Last year: $25.03
  • 5 years ago: $17.45

1 liter unleaded petrol:

  • Today: $1.35
  • Last year: $1.49
  • 5 years ago: $1.28

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit



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