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14 Things You Can Do With Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps

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Dr. Bronner's soap

If you've been to an organic grocery store, you've seen a shelf full of Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Pure Castile Soap.

Easily recognizable by the tiny-print labels on every bottle, the soap comes in eight different scents and claims to have over 18 uses, including shampoo, toothpaste, body wash, deodorant, household cleaner, and more.

But does it actually do all those things?

A little history first: The organic and fair trade soaps were originally invented by a third-generation soap maker named Emanuel Bronner, who was famous for his personal philosophy that he called the "Moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith!"

Bronner was eccentric, to say the least. A German immigrant who escaped Nazi Germany, he spent his life sending (unanswered) letters to world leaders, developing his personal philosophy, and making his soap by hand out of his California home.

His label reflects his personal philosophy about unity and peace with ideas borrowed from Christianity, Judaism, and famous quotes from people like Karl Marx and Abraham Lincoln. It's also very liberal with exclamation points. For instance, consider this line: "Human race the Moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or none! ALL-ONE! ALL-ONE! ALL-ONE!"

Bronner passed away in 1997, and the Dr. Bronner's company is run by his surviving relatives. The brand has since tempered down Bronner's original language about what you can actually do with the soap, and added some tips of their own. We gathered these tips from the Dr. Bronner's website and various fan blogs around the web.

Here are 14 things you can actually do with Dr. Bronner's soaps:

1. Body Wash: This soap is awesome as body wash, and will last forever. Squirt a small amount on a wash cloth or loofah, and it will lather up extremely well.

2. Face Wash: These products are 100% organic, made with vegetable oils and coconut oil to help it lather, so they're good for your skin. Put two to three drops on wet hands, and wash your face as normal.

3. Shampoo: The Dr. Bronner's brand now makes shampoo specifically for your hair, but a lot of people still like to use the soap. Put roughly half a tablespoon in your hand and work it into damp hair. You'll most likely need to use a conditioner afterwards to detangle your hair.

4. Bath Soap: Dr. Bronner's does lather a lot, but not so much in a tub of water (unless extremely agitated with water jets) — it will be more like a bath oil. Depending on water amount, put roughly two tablespoons of the soap into the running water.

5. Baby Wash: The mild version of this soap is especially good for infants. Because it's not made with any chemicals and only contains organic ingredients, it will be especially gentle on babies' skin.

6. Shaving Cream: There's no excuse to buy expensive shaving cream. Just work this soap into a lather, shave, and rinse when done. You'll need approximately 10 drops for your face, three drops for under arms, and a teaspoon for legs.

7. Clearing Congestion: When you're not feeling well, put one tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's into a bowl of steaming hot water. Drape a towel over you head, and breathe in the mist until your congestion clears. This is particularly good with the Peppermint-scented soap.

8. Cleaning Dishes: Dr. Bronner's recommends diluting the soap 1:10 with water, and then squirting the diluted mix onto a scrub brush. This only works when hand washing dishes, and not in a dishwasher.

9. Laundry: Use 1/3 – 1/2 cup of soap for a large load in a normal washer. Most people also recommend combining with a cup of baking soda or Borax (a type of powder used in a variety of household laundry and cleaning products) and diluting with water.

10. Cleaning Your House:

a. Mopping: Pour 1/2 cups of soap in 3 gallons of hot water.

b. Windows: Add a tablespoon of soap into a quart of water in a spray bottle. Follow up with pure club soda or half vinegar/half water to prevent streaking.

c. All-Purpose Cleaner: Pour 1/4 cup of Dr. Bronner's soap into a quart of water in a spray bottle.

11. Fruit/Vegetable Rinse: Put a dash of the soap into a bowl of water and drunk your produce and scrub with hands to get off any dirt. Rinse in cold water.

12. Dog Washing: The amount of soap you use will vary widely depending on the size, hair type/length, and overall dirtiness of your dog. Wet your dog thoroughly, then start to work the soap up and down his body until there's a good lather. Rinse.

13. Plant Spray For Bugs: To keep bugs from gnawing on your plants, add one tablespoon of soap into a quart of water and spray onto plants. You can also add some cayenne pepper or cinnamon into the mix.

14. Ant Spray: Though less common, some followers of Dr. Bronner's say the soap is good for fighting ants. Put 1/4 cup of the Tea Tree soap into a quart of water and spray infected areas. (Note: This concentration will burn plants.)

And 4 things you should NOT do with Dr. Bronner's:

1. Douche: Older labels of Dr. Bronner's included a suggestion for ladies to douche with the soap. Bronner believed using the soap as a post-coital douche would restore the body’s natural pH. Doctors for years have debunked this myth, and it has since been removed from the labels.

2. Use As Deodorant: Sure you could wipe the oil on your underarms, but it won't do anything to keep you from sweating and smelling, plus you'll feel sticky all day.

3. Use As Toothpaste: You can do this (just put a drop on your toothbrush), and some people do. However, not only will it foam a lot, but it does not taste like peppermint or citrus or almond — it tastes like soap.

4. Use As Mouth Wash: Again, this is soap. It tastes like soap. If you don't want soap in your mouth, do not use this as mouthwash.

SEE ALSO: The Bizarre Story Behind Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap

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How To Be A Better Public Speaker Based On Your Personality Type

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presenter types_large

Gavin McMahon, cofounder of fassforward strategy and communications consulting group in New York, thinks that it's a fundamental mistake to see presenting advice as one-size-fits-all.

He's spent the last seven years collecting data from his company's work with clients like Microsoft and Estee Lauder. He's determined that presenters naturally have different ways of prioritizing words, pictures, and structure, and that these tendencies result in six distinct kinds of presenters.

While experienced speakers can utilize techniques from any of the types, McMahon finds that every speaker starts as one of the six, and he believes that amateurs should play to their innate strengths and correct for the accompanying weaknesses.

Click here to take fassforward's quick and free survey to determine your type. Then scroll down below for some advice you can use in your next presentation.

The Coach

Priorities: Pictures, Words, Structure

Strengths: Coaches win over an audience with their passion and energy. They're great at role-playing and interacting with their audience. "They are very animated speakers, pacing and gesturing," McMahon says, referring to the way they are able to communicate their own experiences.

Weaknesses: Coaches may be so enthusiastic that they move too quickly for their audience, not giving them time to absorb ideas. They can also become wrapped up in their energy for a subject and get lost in tangents.

To avoid these problems, McMahon advises these types of presenters to prepare by focusing on two or three concrete messages they would like to impart so that they stay on track. He says he's seen coaches keep a "cheat sheet" with these messages to keep them at the forefront of their mind. It's necessary for coaches to be aware of the fact that they're on a different level from their audience in terms of both energy and knowledge of a particular subject.



The Inventor

Priorities: Pictures, Structure, Words

Strengths: Inventors are great at building a slideshow for a presentation because they understand how a thesis should be presented and then explained. They'll start with some points they'd like to hit and then construct an arrangement around them. They are usually most comfortable in a Q&A following a presentation because it allows them to express themselves while freed from the constraints of a performance.

Weaknesses: They aren't naturally comfortable presenting. The worst thing inventors can try to do is commit a script to memory because they become anxious over remembering little details and just the right words.

Instead, they're best off using slides as "stepping stones," with cues for how they need to proceed. These cues can be brief notes or images that trigger ideas and require that the speaker only quickly glance at a slide rather than falling into a trap of reading text in front of their audience, putting them to sleep.



The Counselor

Priorities: Words, Structure, Pictures

Strengths: Counselors are eloquent and confident speakers. They're logical and easy to follow.

Weaknesses: As "words people," counselors have a tendency to become "very dry and clinical," McMahon says.

He tells his clients of this type to consciously insert anecdotes into their presentations, allowing them to use their gift of eloquence to engage their audience on a human level.



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Marsala Is The Official Color Of The Year For 2015

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blake lively marsala

Pantone just announced the 2015 Color Of The Year, and this year’s color is Marsala.

The reddish brown color is named after a wine produced in the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily. Pantone says it’s equally appealing to both men and women, and flattering against all skin tones.

“Nurturing and fulfilling, Marsala is a natural fit for the kitchen and dining room — making it ideal for tabletop, small appliances, and linens throughout the home,” Leatrice Eiseman — the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute who has helped decide the color for the last 14 years — explained in the press release.

“Marsala enriches our mind, body, and soul, exuding confidence and stability,” she added.

Though it all sounds rather silly, retailers and designers pay attention to Pantone’s yearly selections. And the "global color authority" does not take its choice lightly, either — there is a committee of color experts who search the world for the next big thing in color.

Pantone's Vice President of Consumer Licensing Lisa Herbert told Business Insider last year how the process works: "We deliver the news in a sealed envelope, and we have our representatives go out to [partner companies] in their trench coats with their suitcases. They have to sign a confidentiality agreement and the color cannot be revealed until we say so."

Celebrities, designers, and retailers then rush to fill their shelves with the color.

"It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy because people are going into the stores asking for it," Herbert said. "[Retailers] have to have it, even if they have to scramble to do it."

For those curious, this 2014's color was “Radiant Orchid.”

SEE ALSO: Meet The Secret Powerbroker Who Decides The Color Of The Year

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21 Video Games We Can't Wait To Play In 2015

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No Man's SkyIt's the final month of 2014, and while it's been an incredible year for video games, 2015 looks even brighter.

The PS4 and Xbox One are both settling into their second years on the market, and the maturing Wii U is finally ramping up its own titles, too. There are blockbusters, indie games, adventures, and even some horror games you'll need to play with the lights on. The next year in video games will have a little bit of everything.

We've already fawned upon the best video games that are already out; now it's time to peek into the future.

"Inside"

The Xbox One is scant on exclusive games, but this title, from the makers of "Limbo," looks like a doozy. We don't know much about "Inside" just yet, but it will have a similar post-apocalyptic feel as "Limbo," taking place in a creepy world where people are basically drones.

Platforms: Xbox One

Release date: TBA 2015



"Bloodborne"

The Xbox One isn't the only console with exclusives. "Bloodborne," which will be released for the PS4 in March, is an action role-playing game from the people behind the "Dark Souls" series.

The game takes place in an ancient mythical city, Yharnam, which many believe holds secret remedies to many afflictions. You play as a traveler to the city, but soon discover that it's plagued by an endemic sickness that's turned many of the residents into monsters. 

Platforms: PlayStation 4

Release date: Feb. 6, 2015



"Splatoon"

"Splatoon" is an upcoming Wii U game that seems like a lot of fun, and a little bit strange. Players take on the form of a squid that can transform into a human. The goal of this third-person shooter is to mark your turf with ink. The best part, though, is that in addition to a co-op mode, it includes a single-player campaign, which is a nice change of pace from Nintendo, which banks on its party games (like "Mario Kart" and "Super Smash Bros.") as its bread and butter. 

Platforms: Wii U

Release date: Q2 2015



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Why The World Trade Center Transportation Hub Is Going To Cost $4 Billion

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WTCPath

Fact: The new World Trade Center Transportation Hub in Lower Manhattan will go down as one of the worst public-works construction projects in US history.

Eight years overdue and with more than $2 billion in cost overruns, there are very few things that went right with the Port Authority of NY and NJ's project.

Designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the building's white spines were supposed to represent a bird taking flight and evoke something "metaphysical." Instead, they just represent a huge boondoggle.

The failure is a classic case of too many hands on the project, trying to please too many people, and ending with a finished product that, in effect, pleases no one.

The New York Times released a report outlining all the missteps and poor planning that led to that huge $4 billion total, which include:

  • $655 million in administrative costs, including "management, supervision, inspection, monitoring and documentation, among other items."

  • $355 million or more to build around the 1 line of the New York City Subway. At the time the station was designed, then-Governor George Pataki, a Republican, was considering a run for president. The 1 line, which bisects the Transportation Hub, connects Staten Island commuters from the ferry to the rest of Manhattan. Staten Island also happens to be a Republican stronghold in largely Democratic New York City. The result: Pataki and the MTA pushed to keep the 1 line open through the new hub's construction, even though it made the building process considerably more complicated.

  • $78 million for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's demand that the adjacent Sept. 11 Memorial be finished before the 10th anniversary of the attacks. This re-prioritized the phases of construction and complicated construction procedures.

  • $474 million for steel. It was sourced from specialized factories, including one in Northern Italy.

  • $500 million in money-saving measures suggested to the Port Authority that were ultimately rejected. 

  • $323 million for the temporary PATH station — which will be torn down when the new hub replaces it.

  • $400 million for improvement to adjacent structures, which actually had little to do with the hub project itself. This included electrical, mechanical, and plumbing projects.

  • $80 million for Calatrava's design contribution to the elaborate project.

  • $400 million for the design of many of the above-ground elements of the hub, which were done by the Downtown Design Partnership.

  • $982.5 million for the Port Authority's construction contractor, Phoenix Constructions. Phoenix hired subcontractors after the Port Authority and Phoenix couldn't come to an agreement on the maximum price of the project, which drove the price up.

  • Not-yet-known costs, including damage done by Hurricane Sandy and mistakes made during construction. These costs are expected to total in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Port Authority Vice Chair Scott Rechler put it best when he told the Wall Street Journal“Did you need to build the [then-estimated] $3.7 billion transportation hub to achieve the meaningfulness of the World Trade Center redevelopment? In hindsight, I don’t know if I would have come to that conclusion.”

World Trade Center WTC transportation hub exterior rendering

When the Port Authority’s board authorized the project in 2004, the cost was estimated to be $2 billion, with $1.7 billion from the Federal Transit Administration and a $300 million contribution from the Port Authority. Now that the cost has doubled, where the extra funds will come from seems to be a mystery.

In 2009, the Port Authority requested an additional $662 million from the federal government, with a pledge to finish the project in 2015. Indeed, the full hub, which will include the spined Oculus, underground hallways and a retail mezzanine, and the already-operating PATH station, is expected to open December 2015.

We'll have to wait and see whether it was all worth it. But it's not looking good.

SEE ALSO: Check Out These Stunning New Images Of London's Crossrail Network

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How To Tip Everyone In Your Life This Holiday Season

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The end of the year is a time to thank the people who make our lives easier, whether that's your building superintendent or your babysitter.

But how much?

We spoke with etiquette expert Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick of The Etiquette School of New York to find out more about holiday tipping and gifting. Here's our helpful infographic on who to tip this season.

Holiday Tipping Guide BI graphics

SEE ALSO: You Should Always Tip The Maid When You’re Staying In A Hotel

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The 10 Most Popular Places To Instagram This Year

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louvre instagram

Tagging your location in your Instagram photos is a great way to keep track of where you've traveled. 

To celebrate the end of 2014, Instagram has shared the 10 most commonly tagged locations for the past year. The most popular geotags are a good indicator of where people all over the world most like to travel and photograph. 

These places are ridiculously photogenic, too.

10. The Dubai Mall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Instagram Embed:
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9. Yankee Stadium, New York, New York

Instagram Embed:
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8. Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

Instagram Embed:
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The 25 Best All-Inclusive Resorts In Mexico

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Royal Hideaway Playacar Resort

The best thing about all-inclusive resorts is that everything is taken care of for you, from the moment you arrive to the moment you check out.

But the difference between a good experience and a great experience lies in the details.

Hotels.com helped us find the best all-inclusive hotels in Mexico. These hotels offer everything from circus performances to deep-sea sportfishing.

25. El Dorado Royale, Riviera Maya

The El Dorado Royale stretches over a mile of Riviera Maya's white sand Maroma Beach. It has 13 outdoor swimming pools and recreational activities, from golf to zip lining. The second longest barrier reef in the world is just off shore, making it a great destination for scuba diving.

Rooms start at:$461

El Dorado Royale

Source: Hotels.com



24. Marival Residences Luxury Nuevo Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta

Sitting on the Bay of Banderas, the Marival Residences Luxury Nuevo Vallarta has infinity pool balconies with views of the bay. Take advantage of the resort's private beach, and unlimited access to three nearby golf courses.

Rooms start at:$600

Marival Residences Luxury Nuevo Vallarta

Source: Hotels.com



23. Sunset Plaza Beach Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta

All 106 rooms at the Sunset Plaza Beach Resort & Spa open up to balconies with southern-facing rooms that overlook the beach. The resort has a full service spa and three outdoor swimming pools.

Rooms start at:$368

Sunset Plaza Beach Resort & Spa

Source: Hotels.com



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What Guys REALLY Want For The Holidays

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Boosted Board_Gift GuideNo one really wants another scarf this holiday season. 

We polled the men of Business Insider to see what gifts would put the biggest grins on their faces, and then picked our favorite items to match their wishes.

From kitchen gadgets to electronics, here are the gifts guys really want for the holidays.

"I'd really love some home goods, like a really beautiful woven rug or blanket."

It's not just women who care about tasteful decor. One of our editors said he'd love a blanket or rug, and also a plant  he's hoping for a cactus, too.

We love Etro's cozy wool throws, which come in a variety of colors and patters.

Price: $631.00

 



"A tuxedo."

A tuxedo is a great investment: buy one that fits, and you'll have it forever (and you won't have to keep shelling out for rentals).

Indochino is an online custom menswear company that makes a variety of suits, shirts, and tuxedos. Just send in your measurements, and your hand-tailored wardrobe will arrive roughly four weeks later. The company offers several style of tux, starting as low as $449.

Price:$449 to $749



"I want a Note 4."

This request comes from one of our senior tech editors, who calls the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 "the best Android on the market."

 That's an easy one: You can order the smartphone, which has a big screen, upgraded camera, and a premium metal frame, from almost anywhere.

Price:$299



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An Expert Doomsday 'Prepper' Tells Us How He Is Planning For The Apocalypse

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prepper (27 of 30)

New York City firefighter Jason Charles is a "prepper," someone who spends large amounts of time preparing and planning to survive an eventual apocalypse.

When Charles isn't on camping trips to test his gear or conducting meetings with other NYC Preppers to work on survival skills, he's building out his "bug-out bag," a portable kit filled with everything one might need to survive in the event of an evacuation. 

The Department of Homeland Security currently recommends that all Americans keep a bug-out bag with everything they need to survive for three days. While few citizens heed this advice, these bags are every preppers' first line of defense. Charles goes a few steps further, though.

He's developed a complete kit so that he, his wife, two kids, and dog could survive for an entire week with nothing else but its contents. In addition, the bags have supplies to get them started on a new life, in the event that it becomes too dangerous to return home.

We asked Charles to show us what's inside his bug-out bag.

Charles' "bug-out bag" weighs approximately 50 pounds and includes a four-person tent, an emergency blanket, water bottle, and number of other necessities. 

prepper (18 of 30)

While his kit includes multiple water bottles, it also holds emergency drinking water packages (left, top), meant to be used as a last resort. On the right is a handmade first-aid kid. Below is a waterproof emergency candle kit, which can burn for 50 hours continuously. On the bottom left is a 10-gallon folding bucket, perfect for carrying and purifying water.

prepst1

Aside from water, food is the most important thing Charles carries. He says each bug-out bag should carry at least a week's worth of food per person, most of which comes in the form of Mountain House freeze-dried meals. All you do is add hot water.prepper (7 of 30)

Charles also has numerous First Strike Ration MREs (meals, ready-to-eat), developed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center. The meals are designed to be eaten during the first 72 hours of conflict and are said to enhance physical and mental performance. They require almost no preparation.prepper (22 of 30)

Though some preppers opt to carry around "firestarter" logs for fires, Charles prefers to use simple sawdust and lint. By practicing with the bare minimum, he believes he is preparing himself for when he doesn't have all his supplies. Charles frequently goes on "bug-out" weekends to test his survival skills, by building a campsite with other preppers and practicing starting fires, setting up lookout points, and foraging edible plants and insects.

It used to take Charles more than five minutes to get a fire going. Now, he can do it in under a minute.flinttinder

Charles considers this Firebox folding stove a luxury. It's useful for cooking, but is extremely heavy.prepperfire

Charles always carries particle masks for everyone in his family. While they don't protect against radiation, his hope is that they would help the family breathe through heavy ash or dust in the air after an explosion, as well as help protect against contagious diseases.prepper (25 of 30)

Charles says its important to think about how one would survive for an extended period after the initial catastrophic event. He keeps a portable saw in his bag, which would be invaluable when cutting wood for fires or for building materials.prepper (20 of 30)

He brings a hatchet for similar reasons. In addition, the hatchet can serve as a weapon if need be. Because of New York's strict gun laws, Charles does not own a firearm. Instead, he carries the hatchet and a machete.prepper (15 of 30)

This Scorpion Radio by Aton is a solar-powered outdoor radio and flashlight that can also charge your smartphone. If there is no sun, you can also charge it by cranking its attached arm.prepper (14 of 30)

Charles says the Nomad 13 solar panel by Goal Zero is one of the most useful things he carries that most people might forget. "We're all so dependent on our devices and our phones now," says Charles.prepper (6 of 30)

Charlie the dog gets his own bug-out bag. It's filled with his food, treats, and medications. dogprep

Charles keeps all his extra supplies in a closet filled with food, water, medications, and extra tools. If he is able to take his truck during an evacuation situation, he plans to load the majority of the closet's contents in the truck with him.closet

SEE ALSO: Why This NYC Firefighter Is Prepping For The End Of Civilization

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These Gritty Pictures From Homeless Photographers Depict What It's Like To Live On The Street

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LN.Catholic Worker.JPG

In early June, Jason Storbakken distributed disposable cameras to 10 homeless residents of New York City.

Storbakken, the director of chapel and compassionate care at The Bowery Mission and author of "Radical Spirituality: Repentance, Resistance, Revolution," directed each photographer to capture "things they hoped others might see."

Here, Storbakken has allowed us to run 17 photos from the project, along with the photographers' statements.

For more information on the project and the Bowery Mission, visit OneGlimpse.org.

'Pam'

The photos from this project have been curated into a show called "Through My Lens," which will spend the next year in various locations around New York City.

"That dog always runs up on me. But she's nice. Her name is Pam."– Robert Perry

RP.Pam.JPG



'Mom'

First, the show will be displayed at the Bowery Mission Fellowship Hall as a counterpart to the Lower East Side Art Drive, a silent auction of professional artwork held next door at the New Museum on Sunday, December 14.

"This reminds me of my mom — the lady leg and the big splotch over the rest of her. She left me when I was two."– Robert Perry

RP.Mom.JPG



'Bed'

The show is dedicated to Robert Perry, the photographer who took the photo below and the two previous, who was hit and killed by a New York City driver earlier this fall.

"I've been homeless on and off since I was twelve. I never really had a bed. This bed looks beautiful … like a dream. I usually sleep in The Bowery Mission or on a park bench or I take the A train to Far Rockaway and back three times and that gets me some sleep. I’m 57 now."– Robert Perry

RP.Bed.JPG



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HOUSE OF THE DAY: New York City's Walker Tower Combo Apartment Hits The Market For $44.5 Million

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HOTD

Chelsea’s infamous Walker Tower, where apartments sell for record-breaking prices, has its newest listing. 

The $44.5 million dollar combo apartment is the most expensive residence in the building after the $50.9 million Penthouse One, according to the Wall Street Journal

The 18th-floor apartments were previously on the market separately, selling for $34 million and 1$0.52 million respectively.

But owner Elliott Joseph decided to combine the two units to make one massive 6,975-square-foot apartment. 

The new listing is actually bigger than the Penthouse One, but is selling for only $6,380 per square foot, which is a much better value than the $8,547 per square foot price of the Penthouse. 

The buyer of this apartment will join notable neighbors such as Cameron Diaz and Sex Pistols produce Mike Thorne. 

Michael Graves of Douglas Elliman Real Estate has the listing

Welcome to the Walker Tower. Designed in 1929 by the famed architect Ralph Walker, the Art Deco building was turned into 50 luxury condominium residences in 2012.



The apartment in downtown Chelsea has coffered ceilings, custom-designed millwork and lighting, plus a built-in humidification system. It even has a beautiful wood-burning fireplace.



The unit is covered in heated French herringbone oak wood floors, making it stylish and cozy.



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12 Baking Hacks That Will Seriously Improve Your Cookies

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christmas sugar cookies baking

It's the happiest time of the year — cookie-baking season.

Due to sheer amount of office holiday parties, family meals, and last-minute homemade gifts for friends, chances are you've spent at least one chilly night indoors whipping up batch after batch of cookies.

But just because two people make chocolate chip cookies doesn't mean both will taste equally delicious.

So in honor of National Cookie Day, here are 12 kitchen hacks to up your cookie-baking game.

1. Use room temperature butter

You can use cold butter if necessary, but the cookies won't be as chewy. Room temperature butter will mix better with dry ingredients, like sugar and flour, and will help hold the cookie shape as your cookie bakes. (Some recipes also call for half-melted or melted butter, but unless the recipe specifically asks for it, the safest bet is room temperature butter.)

The fastest way to get butter to room temperature is to cut it into pieces and let it sit on a plate for 30 minutes while you get the other ingredients ready.

2. Speaking of butter, it needs to be unsalted

butter and eggs

The amount of salt in salted butter varies among brands, so there's no way of knowing how much salt it adds to the cookies. Better to use unsalted butter and add the exact amount of salt the recipe calls for to avoid salty, disgusting cookies.

3. Your eggs should be room temperature, too

Even though many Americans store their eggs in the fridge, you're actually supposed to use room temperature eggs when baking since the whites and yolks combine easier and more evenly into the batter (leading to a better, airier cookie texture).

Getting eggs to room temperature is really easy — just place an egg in a bowl of warm tap water for 10-15 minutes.

4. Spend time creaming your butter and sugar together

The process known as "creaming" is basically just blending ingredients together with a solid fat, like butter or shortening. Not to get too much into the science of baking, but the sugar crystals help aerate the butter by creating air bubbles as they cut into the fat.

Basically, if you cream the butter and sugar correctly (about 10 minutes), you'll get evenly baked, fluffy cookies.

5. Reduce the flour to make even more tender cookies

Here's what most people do: Dip the measuring cup into a bag of flour, pack it in densely, and then swipe off the excess with a knife. These people are probably making rock-hard, dry cookies that their friends are politely nibbling and then throwing away.

Instead, take a spoon and fill up the measuring cup without packing in the flour, and then use a knife to swipe off the excess. This reduces your flour by a few tablespoons, which will make cookies even more chewy and tender.

6. Chill the dough before baking

chocolate chip cookies doughSome people think this is an unnecessary, time-consuming step, but those people are dead wrong.

Letting the dough chill in the refrigerator (from four hours to overnight) makes it easier to work with (less sticky), and really brings out the buttery flavor since the ingredients have had time really meld together.

7. Put coarse sea salt on top of chocolate chip cookies

Salty and sweet flavors always go really well together, but putting a sprinkling of sea salt on top of already delicious chocolate chip cookies will make the chocolate seem even richer, and help the buttery, sugary dough taste even better.

Try this once and you'll never go back.

8. Flour your cookie cutters before use

If you're making sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies and using cookie cutter shapes, make sure to dip the cutters into flour before use. This way, the dough will loosen easily from the cutter when you place it on the cookie sheet.

You should put flour on your hands and rolling pin for the same reason.

9. Invest in insulated cookie sheets

Insulated cookie sheets are worth investing in because they help cookies bake evenly and will not burn the bottoms. They're made with multiple layers of aluminum so that the air is insulated within the sheet, and not just whichever part of the oven is hottest.

10. Lower the oven temperature

If you're making a thicker cookie, dial the oven temperature back about 25 degrees. This will keep the exterior of the cookie from getting too crunchy before the inside finishes cooking.

Serious bakers should also invest in an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is the exact cookie-baking temperature.

11. Check on cookies 2-3 minutes before they should be done

sugar cookies baking in an ovenIf you like soft, slightly-underdone cookies (like most humans do) be ready to take your cookies out of the oven 2-3 minutes before the recipe says they should be done.

Cookies burn easily, and oftentimes don't appear "done" on top when they're actually perfect. Thick or moist cookies are done when you can press lightly and leave a small imprint, while thin or crispy ones are done when they're firm to the touch and have slightly golden edges.

12. Store an apple wedge with your cookies to keep them soft

The moist apple wedge will let your chewy cookies steal some of its moisture, keeping them soft and tender for longer.

Also, make sure to always put away cookies once they've completely cooled — otherwise, condensation will build up and the cookies will turn soggy.

SEE ALSO: 12 Great Sandwich Hacks

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The One Rule All Balding Men Should Follow

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jason statham rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Balding men and anyone else with thinning hair: It's time we had a talk.

Let's face it, you're not fooling anyone with that comb-over, that weave doesn't look right, and the toupee will always look crooked.

But take heart, because there are a few things you can do to your hair and head that will lessen the notability of the hair loss as well as boost your confidence.

The first mistake men make, according to barber Richard Bresson of Fellow Barber, is keeping their hair on the longer side. As a rule, shorter is always better.

This is because, as hair grows out it becomes "stringy and limp on top" and bushy on the sides. 

Instead, get the sides cropped close with scissors or clippers and the top short with the hair brushed to the side. Don't get any kind of part since you don't want any hard lines drawing eyes to the "problem area."

"It's all about creating an illusion, moving the eyes away from the thinning top, instead of to the whole cut that's pleasing to look at," Bresson told us.

As for styling, stick to clays and pastes (you can see our recommendations here) that will give your hair lift and body, according to Bresson.

willarnett

And if all else fails, just buzz it.

It's up to you and your scalp to make this relatively drastic decision, but more men should definitely consider it, Bresson told us. It can make you look younger and feel more confident.

Plus, you don't have to shave down to nothing. A No .2 setting or lower on the clippers to shave your head will drastically minimize the appearance of any bald spots or receding hairlines.

But remember, now your head is fully exposed to the elements, so use sunscreen.


NOW WATCH: Here's What Happens To Your Body If You Stop Eating

 

SEE ALSO: 15 Things Every Modern Gentleman Should Have In His Bathroom

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Silicon Valley's Massive Homeless Camp Is Being Shut Down For Good — Here's What We Saw When We Visited Last Year

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Silicon Valley Homeless Encampment The Jungle San Jose  12

Despite Silicon Valley's remarkable wealth, the area is home to more than 7,500 homeless people and one of the biggest homeless camps in the United States. 

Nicknamed "The Jungle," the 65-acre encampment is located in a middle-class neighborhood in San Jose and at times has been home to more than 200 people. 

Now, after years of cleanup attempts, authorities are shutting the The Jungle down for good, the Los Angeles Times reports

While around three-quarters of residents have been relocated, around 50 still have not found a new place to live despite rent subsidies and assistance from the city, according to the LA Times.

Business Insider visited The Jungle over the course of a week in July 2013.

Robert Johnson wrote an earlier version of this story.

Welcome to the Jungle, the largest homeless camp in the Silicon Valley and continental United States. It's relatively close to the headquarters of tech giants like Apple and Google, but a world apart. Locally, the gap between these massively successful companies and a vast homeless camp like The Jungle is called "The Great Divide."



Business Insider visited The Jungle several times in July 2013 to talk to the people who lived there and see what their lives were like.



The conditions were deplorable.



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The 10 Most Important Differences Between Macs And PCs (AAPL, MSFT)

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Macs and PCs have been locked in an epic battle for many years. 

PCs were once the go-to computer because developers used to write the best apps for Windows first.

But over the last several years, that's changed. Now it's almost impossible to find an app on Windows that isn't also on Mac.

Now that Windows 8 has been available for about two years, Apple and Microsoft's platforms seem even more different than ever. 

We put together some of the key differences between Macs and PCs to help you out.

This is an update of an article originally written by Kevin Smith.

Apple prides itself on design.

Apple spends years working on how its products look. The company is all about the details, even the internals of its computers are beautifully constructed. 

PC design depends on the company making them, but they're usually not as attractive as Macs. However, we have seen some nice copycats like this Dell laptop from 2012



Macs are usually more expensive.

On average, Macs tend to be noticeably more expensive than their PC counterparts. Although there are some high-end Windows PCs that cost about the same as a MacBook Air (or more), there aren't really any super cheap budget options like there are with Windows computers. 

You can get a Windows laptop for as cheap as $200, which is a fraction of what you would pay for a Mac. 



Windows is better for hardcore PC gamers.

Because of how highly customizable Windows machines are, gamers tend to prefer them. You can boost up your computer's performance with a better graphics card or add more memory to handle power-hungry games.

Macs typically can't compete on the gaming side unless you're willing to spend a huge amount of money.



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THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL: 2014 [SLIDE DECK]

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We're at Business Insider's Ignition event to hear from business leaders and notable folks in the tech space, who are sharing their thoughts on where the future of digital business is heading.

To kick off today's events, Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget delivered the following presentation put together with the help of the BI Intelligence team.

BI Intelligence is a new research and analysis service focused on mobile computing and the Internet. Only subscribers can download the individual charts and datasets in Excel, along with the PowerPoint and PDF versions of this deck. Please sign up for a trial membership here.

 







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How Benedict Cumberbatch Became So Wildly Popular

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benedict cumberbatch the imitation gameA few years ago, not many people knew the name Benedict Cumberbatch.

Now, the 38-year-old actor has an Emmy-winning miniseries, "Sherlock," and a rabid fan following known as the "Cumberbitches." Dozensupondozens of Tumblr pages are devoted to the London-born actor.

He was also just cast in Marvel's upcoming "Doctor Strange" movie.

In his latest role, he plays brilliant British cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game," opening in theaters Nov. 28th. 

He also plays not one, but two villains in "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies."

Benedict Cumberbatch was born in London in the summer of '76 to actor parents Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton. He said he had a "great childhood," though he was "over-gregarious" and "prone to moments of hyperactivity, then exhaustion and bad temperedness."

Source: ElleUK



His parents tried to dissuade him from acting by sending him to Harrow, one of the oldest, most-respected all-male boarding schools in the United Kingdom. He describes the experience as "a bit embarrassing.""Luckily I was on the rugby team, so I was macho at the same time!"

Source: ElleUKPBS

 



While he also painted at school, he couldn't escape the theater. One of his earliest roles was playing Titania, Queen of the Fairies in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Source: Digital Spy

 



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7 Math Tricks That'll Make Your Life Easier

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abacusThe worst part of going out to dinner with a group of friends is figuring out who owes what at the end of the night. All too often, once everyone's chipped in, there's either not enough money on the table, or way too much.

When trying to plan for retirement, or figure out whether to make an investment, one helpful thing to know is how long it will take to double your initial capital.

And when you're considering taking a new job with an annual salary, it might be useful to know how that salary compares with what you'd earn at a job with an hourly pay rate.

Some handy math tricks can help you figure out each of these situations quickly — and without having to resort to pulling out the calculator on your phone. We've assembled seven such tricks and talk a little about how they all work.

Eric Platt and Walt Hickey contributed to earlier versions of this article.

WATCH: We Did The Math: Which iPhone 6 Should You Buy?

Converting your salary to an hourly figure

The Trick: Take your salary, drop the last three zeros, and then divide by two.

Example: So if you earn $40,000, you're left with $20 an hour.

Maybe you're a salaried employee trying to figure out whether you should take that job that pays by the hour. This trick would certainly help.

This comes from making a couple of assumptions about your working hours and some quick observations about time. There are 52 weeks in a year, and so if you're working a 40 hour week for 50 of those weeks, you'll be working 40 x 50 = 2,000 hours in a year. Take your annual salary and divide by those 2,000 hours (equivalently, drop the last three zeros and divide by two), and voila, you get your hourly rate.



Figuring out sales tax and tips

The Trick: Assuming an approximately 9% sales tax, as in New York, if you take your pre-tax part of the bill, divide by four, and add this amount to the pre-tax part, you'll be leaving about a 16% tip. If you're feeling more generous, divide by three and add that amount instead, leaving about a 24% tip.

Example: Say your part of the pre-tax bill comes to $18. If you want to leave a 16% tip, divide $18 by four to get $4.50. Add that to your $18 pre-tax cost, and leave a total of $22.50. If you want to leave a larger tip, divide $18 by three to get $6, and combine that with the pre-tax cost to leave a total of $24.

Here's why this works: Dividing the pre-tax bill by four is the same as taking 25% of that amount. That's enough money to cover the 9% sales tax, with 16% leftover for the tip, because 25 - 9 = 16. Similarly, dividing by three gives about 33% of the pre-tax bill, covering the 9% sales tax and a 24% tip, because 33 - 9 = 24.

Business Insider's Sarah Schmalbruch also recently wrote about a few other nice tricks to calculate tips, like moving the decimal point one place to the left and multiplying by two to find 20% of the bill.

So, if the bill is $18, the moving the decimal points gets you $1.80. And multiplying it by two gets you $3.60.



How long it'll take to double your investment

The Rule of 72: Need an easy way to determine how long it will take to double your investment? Simply divide the number 72 by your projected growth rate.

Example: So, if you're getting a return of 9% per year, it will take about eight years for your investment to double in size, because 72/9 = 8.

The rule of 72 comes from manipulating the basic mathematical formula for calculating compound interest. The exact number you need to divide your growth rate by is actually closer to 69, but 70 or 72 are frequently used for quick mental estimates, because most common single-digit rates of return will divide evenly into one of these.



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Tour The Extravagantly Derelict Island That Starred In The James Bond Movie 'Skyfall'

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Few people cared about the derelict Japanese island of Hashima until 2012, when its crumbling piers and abandoned apartment buildings were used as a backdrop for the secret island in the James Bond movie "Skyfall."

Now one photographer, Kevin Dooley, has returned to document the rest of it. Hashima was first occupied because it produced coal. The Mitsubishi Group bought the island in 1890 to use it as a base for coal extraction from the sea. 

Dooley used Google Street View to find and capture some of the most enchanting parts of the old factory. It gives everyone a chance to tour where more than 5,000 people once lived and worked. 

This is what Bond villain Raoul Silva's island looks like in "Skyfall."



Bond and Severine are brought to the island to be killed by Silva, a villainous rogue MI6 agent.



The movie used exterior scenes of the island as a backdrop.



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