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Marijuana startups are blooming — here's who's poised to cash in

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Marijuana Alaska

Marijuana may not be America's largest cash crop, as was long rumored, but it's still probably a $4 billion annual business. 

As of last year, it's also legal to grow, own, and use recreationally Colorado and Washington, with Alaska, the District of Columbia, and Oregon soon to follow. It's approved for medical and other limited use in 18 more states.

Entrepreneurs are racing to take advantage of the new laws and changing attitudes toward the drug. Here are the players and startups you need to watch.

Privateer Holdings is a private equity firm that's making big investments in marijuana startups. Its CEO is 42-year-old Yale graduate Brendan Kennedy, and it counts Peter Thiel's Founders Fund among its investors.

Source: Business Insider, Quartz



Based out of Seattle, Leafly was one of the first new marijuana businesses, founded in 2010. It's like Yelp for reviewing different strains of pot and dispensaries. This is a screenshot of the company's periodic table of pot strains. Privateer bought the company in 2011.

Leafly



Marley Natural, backed by reggae star Bob Marley's heirs and Privateer Holdings, aims to be the world's first global cannabis company, selling smokeable weed, topical oils, and accessories. It's based in New York.

Marley Natural



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16 ways to crush your summer internship on Wall Street

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Congratulations! You've landed yourself an internship on Wall Street this summer.

While this is just the very first step to building a career on the Street, the stakes are high – if you play this right, it could lead to an entry-level job.

Join the conversation about this story »

Photos of the best cosplay from 'Star Wars Celebration'

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star wars celebration sith elsa

“Star Wars Celebration,” an annual gathering of all things celebrating a galaxy far, far, away, took place April 16-19 in Anaheim, California.

Many turned out to see new footage from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," learn details about the first spinoff film, and to hear the original cast speak on panels.

The only better part about "Star Wars Celebration" is dressing the part!

If you missed out, we rounded up some of the best cosplay, short for costume play, from the weekend. 

If you've seen other cool cosplay at "Star Wars Celebration," we want to see it! Email me your photos at kacuna[at]businessinsider[dot]com.

We can't think of a better way to get around the Anaheim Convention Center ...

 



... unless you're this woman.



We’re partial to this balloon-made ride more.

 



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Rupert Murdoch is flipping his Madison Square Park triplex for $72 million after purchasing it for $57 million last year

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one madison penthouse exterior roof deck

Rupert Murdoch is moving.

After living at the very top of One Madison for a year, he's decided to move downtown – to a West Village townhouse for $25 million, Curbed reports.

That means his penthouse in the luxury high rise on the south side of Madison Square Park is on the market for $72 million. 

That's $14.75 million more than what he bought the triplex for in 2014. Curbed notes that this price could break the record for downtown Manhattan's most expensive sale.

The penthouse has 7,600 square feet of space spread through three floors, five bedrooms, five and a half baths, and a wraparound terrace featuring 360 degree views of Manhattan.

The next owner of this over-the-top penthouse will also have access to One Madison's 10,000 square feet of amenities, including a 50-foot lap pool, fitness center, yoga room, screening room, and playroom for children.

Dolly Lenz has the listing.

Spanning from the 58th floor to the 60th, the penthouse has full-height window walls that give a 360-degree view of Manhattan.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



There are five bedrooms, a living room, deluxe kitchen, and an internal elevator in the home.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



Here's a glimpse of what the uber-swanky dining room could look like if it's decorated by Yabu Pushelberg, the designer of the building's amenities.

Source: One Madison Penthouse



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 44 best restaurants in America

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With new restaurants opening left and right, it can be hard to break through the noise and find the ones that are truly the best of the best.

We combined five noteworthy lists compiled by food critics, experts, and diners to come up with a definitive ranking of the best restaurants in the country.

We gave each restaurant a numerical rating based on how many lists the restaurant appeared on and how high it appeared on lists that were ranked. Restaurants that appeared on multiple lists ranked higher on our list, while restaurants that ranked on only one of these lists ended up closer to the bottom. You can read our complete methodology and see numerical scores here.

The lists we used were The Daily Meal's 101 Best Restaurants in America 2015, OpenTable's 2015 Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America, The World's 50 Best Restaurants, the James Beard Foundation's 2015 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists, and TripAdvisor's Travelers' Favorite Fine Dining Restaurants

44. The Bazaar – Los Angeles, California

Chef: José Andrés

The Bazaar is known for its contemporary renditions of classic Spanish dishes — like the Spanish tortilla with potato foam or the fried farm egg and jamón Ibérico with egg truffle butter — which are artistically executed by chef de cuisine Holly Jivin.

The Bazaar slipped a couple of spots from last year's list, from 42 to 44, but it made No. 24 on The Daily Meal's list.



43. Masa – New York, New York

Chef: Masayoshi Takayama

New to the list, Chef Masayoshi "Masa" Takayama's eponymous restaurant Masa provides a sushi counter experience that's as cultural as it is sensory.

Guests dine on high-grade fish and the freshest of ingredients, but quality comes at a premium: Expect to pay close to $600 a head for the meal.



42. Jean-Georges – New York, New York

Chef: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Located in The Trump Hotel on Central Park West, Jean-Georges blends French, American, and Asian influences to craft an ever-changing menu. It has four stars from the New York Times, three Michelin stars, and it landed on the World's Best restaurant list.

Executive chef Mark Lapico offers a few different prix fixe menus, depending on the season, but the cost per person typically averages about $166.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

13 celebrities who are outspoken about their love of smoking weed

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In honor of smoking holiday 4/20, we've rounded up 12 celebrities who have openly discussed their love of smoking weed.

Some like Snoop Dogg and Rihanna make no effort to hide their habit, but others like Justin Bieber have gone to great lengths to try to keep it a secret — to no avail.

Plus, a few surprise celeb smokers.

Justin Timberlake believes "Some people are just better high."

In an interview with Playboy magazine, Justin Timberlake said he "absolutely" smoked weed.

"The only thing pot does for me is it gets me to stop thinking," JT told the magazine. "Sometimes I have a brain that needs to be turned off. Some people are just better high."

He did attempt to quit for a bit in 2003 after being high during the first-ever episode of "Punk'd.""I actually stopped smoking pot for nine to ten months after that. I was so stoned."



Cameron Diaz bought weed from Snoop Dogg.

Justin Timberlake's ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz is no stranger to weed — especially since she went to high school with Snoop Dogg.

"We went to high school together. [Snoop] was a year older than me," she said on "Lopez Tonight.""He was very tall and skinny and wore lots of ponytails in his hair and I'm pretty sure I got weed from him. I had to have!"

 



Snoop Dogg taught his son how to "properly" smoke.

Snoop Dogg confirms Cameron Diaz's comments, saying, "I might have sold her some of that white girl weed."

Meanwhile, the rapper admits he is a proud holder of what he calls "a platinum medical marijuana card."

He even taught his son how to "properly" smoke weed.

"What better way to [learn] than from the master?" Snoop tells The Hollywood Reporter, referring to photos posted on Twitter showing his son lighting a 2-foot-bong.

“My kids can do whatever the hell they want," he explains of his parenting philosophy. "For me to say otherwise would be hypocritical. A lot of motherf-----s don't have a relationship with their kids, and that's when they get on drugs and have suicidal thoughts and drive drunk. Me and my son is mellow. I'm his father, so I wanna show him the proper way because he looks up to me.”



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The 21 most successful Apple alumni of all time

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Dave Morin

Since its inception in 1976, Apple has been known to attract some incredibly smart and talented employees.

We decided to take a look at the some of the company's most successful alumni.

Whether these Apple alums left after a year or a decade, they all went on to do some pretty impressive things.

Tony Fadell served as the senior vice president of the iPod division from 2001-2008, creating the first 18 generations of the iPod. He cofounded Nest Labs in 2010, which was bought by Google in 2014 for $3.2 billion.

Source: Business Insider, Forbes, Nest Labs



The other cofounder of Nest Labs, Matt Rogers worked at Apple from 2007-2010. While at Apple, Rogers was a senior manager of iPod and iPhone software development. He remains vice president of engineering at Nest.

Source: Nest Labs



Bill Campbell joined Apple in 1983 as the VP of marketing, and was promoted up the ranks to group executive of the US. Campbell was CEO of a few companies, most notably Intuit. He served on Apple's board starting in 1997. He is known as "coach" in Silicon Valley for helping numerous technology executives.

Source: Intuit



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25 companies that are revolutionizing retail

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pirch shower

The way people shop is changing every day.

Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and innovations in delivery and data, the retail landscape is evolving like never before.

We selected 25 companies that are revolutionizing the industry.

From an established e-commerce giant deploying drones to an inventive pizza chain, here are the consumer companies making big impacts.

Zulily is applying the TJ Maxx model to e-commerce.

Headquarters: Seattle

Year founded: 2010

Why it's revolutionary: Similar to discount retailer TJ Maxx, Zulily creates a daily treasure hunt for the mothers who shop its site. While TJ Maxx offers close-out discounts on various brands in its stores, Zulily's website offers flash sales on apparel, home goods, toys, and more.

 The deals and constantly changing selection keep shoppers coming back, and the e-commerce site, which went public in 2013, has nearly 4 million users.



Kroger is writing the playbook for the grocery store industry.

Headquarters: Cincinnati

Year founded: 1883

Why it's revolutionary: Kroger has reported positive comparable-store sales for 45 straight quarters and is expected to surpass Whole Foods Market within two years to become the nation's top seller of organic and natural food. The chain is renowned for its excellent customer service and extensive selection.

The retailer is a leader in offering private-label products to keep prices low and is well-known for its "Kroger Plus Card" loyalty program, which makes customers eligible for discounts and fuel savings.



Brandy Melville built a business catering to teens on Instagram.

Headquarters: Santa Monica, California

Year founded: 1994

Why it's revolutionary: Fashion retailer Brandy Melville was founded in Italy more than two decades ago, brought its tiny crop tops, high-waisted bottoms, and slouchy sweaters to the US just five years ago.

Thanks to a brilliant Instagram account, which features a mix of professional models and real customers, the retailer is now ranked in the top 10 teen clothing brands, and has a major e-commerce presence.

The brand is also notable for offering "one size fits all" clothing. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This woman has worn the same outfit to work every single day for the past 3 years

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matilda kahl one outfit woman

For the past three years, art director Matilda Kahl has been wearing the same outfit to work every single day.

“I just wanted to save some time and energy,” she told Business Insider.

Kahl was tired of running late in the morning, reevaluating her outfits, and stressing about whether her clothes were appropriate for different events or meetings at her creative advertising agency.

For someone in the creative field who has to make a lot of decisions throughout the day, she longed for one less choice to make.

During the weekdays, I have so many creative challenges at work to keep my mind stimulated that I don’t feel an urge to express myself creatively through what I wear,” she said. “I finally had enough.”

After one particularly memorable meeting in which she realized her male work colleagues never face as much sartorial stress as she did, Kahl decided it was time for her own work uniform —something that could look professional, fashionable, and classic when worn every day.

I was looking for something that was simple yet wouldn’t feel too anonymous,” Kahl said. “After a few long days hunting for the right top, I fell in love with the white blouse for its diagonal line of buttons and the cuts in the sleeves. It felt personal but wasn’t too attention-drawing.”

Kahl bought 15 versions of the silk white top as well as six pairs of black pants so she wouldn’t continually have to do laundry. She also included a black leather blow around her neck to add flair to the ensemble.

matilda kahl one outfit womanThe outfit was a success, with hardly any of her coworkers caring what Kahl was wearing. “I’m happy to say we don’t talk about it much, which was the whole idea behind the uniform,” she said. “To take focus away from the wardrobe and lay it on the work instead.”

In April of this year, Kahl wrote an article for Harper’s Bazaar about her decision to implement her work uniform for the past three years. Her story soon went wild online.

The response has been overwhelming since Harper’s posted the article,” Kahl said. “I never thought the public would think it’s such big of a deal, but wearing a uniform as a woman is apparently more provocative than I could ever imagine.”

She also didn’t realize how big a change the outfit would have on her own life as well.

matilda kahl one outfit womanNowadays, I never have to rush through the process of putting together an outfit, so the whole experience has become a lot more enjoyable,” she told Business Insider. “It has really made me more appreciative of the clothes I own — they feel more special now when I don’t wear them every day.”

Kahl has other clothes aside from her black and white weekday wardrobe, and loves to wear her more creative outfits on the weekends and weeknights.

“I still wear all the colorful skirts and patterned sweaters that I own as often as I can,” she said. “I’m also very into dresses, as they are feminine and fit most occasions.”

As for whether she’ll keep doing it, Kahl isn’t sure, but sees no reason to stop yet.

“If I wake up one day and feel like start spending time on picking out an outfit every morning of the week, I’d have no problem with giving it up,” she said. “The uniform is here for me, I’m not here for the uniform.”

SEE ALSO: A new trend has tons of women cleaning out their closets until they're left with only 33 things

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why supermodels swear by Pilates

33 stunning pictures of US national parks

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horses on Assateague Island National Seashore

With everything from vast deserts and gorgeous beaches to sprawling mountain ranges, America is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world — and nowhere is that more evident than in the national parks.

The US National Park Service oversees 401 areas throughout the US and US territories and has nearly 300 million visitors each year.

In honor of National Park Week, which runs through April 26th, we found some spectacular pictures of national parks, monuments, seashores and heritage areas around the country that will make you appreciate how beautiful the US really is. 

Anmargaret Warner contributed to an earlier version of this post.

Visitors come to hike the granite peaks, swim on the beaches, and even get married in Acadia National Park, Maine, the first national park east of the Mississippi River.



Hoodoos, or pillars of weathered rock, fill Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. The area has some of the best air quality in the world, and on a clear day the visibility can exceed 100 miles.



At the Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland and Virginia, wild horses roam freely along the white sand beaches.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 Facebook hacks you probably didn't know about

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Popsugar

Facebook's undying popularity has made it one of the first online destinations people check every day, multiple times a day.

But as it keeps evolving, simple tasks have become more difficult to manage.

To make your daily Facebook experience the best it can be, check out some of these under-the-radar tips and tricks.

Send Facebook messages without downloading the separate app.

We don't know one person who likes the idea of having to download the separate Messenger app to access Facebook messages. Luckily, there are two ways to avoid this, starting with the mobile browser on your phone.



Sneakily change your Facebook relationship status.

There are a couple of ways to change your Facebook relationship status without alerting all 300 of your friends. One option is to go to the "About" section on your timeline and scroll to the "Relationship" section. Hit "Edit" on the upper right corner, and change your privacy settings to "Only Me." Then change your status, and hit save. The second option is for when you don't want any relationship status whatsoever to appear on your profile.



Post to Facebook when you're not on Facebook.

It's true! You just have to have access to something called a "post-by-email" address that you can use to post text, photos, or videos to your account from your phone. So if you're traveling, say, and have no Facebook access or really slow WiFi, you can still keep friends posted on your awesome life by sending an email to this special address. Here's how tofind your post-by-email address.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 most powerful people in the marijuana business

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Marijuana has come a long way. 

In just a few short years, the drug has gone from being banned throughout the United States to holding some legal status for the majority of Americans.

As of April 20, four states have legalized recreational use of cannabis and 23 allow marijuana to be prescribed for medical use.

Go straight to the list >

But marijuana hasn’t shed its reputation as a subversive gateway drug in the collective American consciousness on its own.

For years, investors, entrepreneurs, advocates and researchers have been pushing the dialogue on marijuana forward, helping to back well-heeled campaigns aimed at changing hearts, minds and laws around the country.

International Business Times identified 20 of the most influential people in the marijuana industry, as chosen by their peers. The list represents the industry in advocacy, business and research and is made up of people who those in the marijuana business say are driving the industry forward.

It includes names as recognizable as Sen. Rand Paul, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as well as industry insiders such as Ethan Nadelmann, Brian Vicente and Dr. Trista Ghosh. These people were chosen by industry stalwarts who are journalists, business owners, investors, medical professionals and activists, all of whom have years of experience in the industry and make their living in some way from it.

Business: Troy Dayton and Stephen DeAngelo

Troy Dayton and Stephen DeAngelo know what it takes to get investors and business owners talking marijuana – and shaking hands.

As co-founders of the ArcView Group, an investor network and research firm launched in 2010 and based in Oakland, California, CEO Dayton and DeAngelo, the president, help marijuana entrepreneurs find venture capital. On Green Street, knowing how to get high is an asset, not a liability.

Many pot enthusiasts looking to start a business in the legal weed market are unfamiliar with raising capital. “Cannabis entrepreneurs don’t have as much experience as others working with investors,” says DeAngelo. ArcView helps them develop pitches, interact with venture capitalists and close deals.

The group hosts conferences to get people with marijuana business ideas shaking hands with financiers. The conferences were not an immediate success. “For the first two or three conferences, nobody wrote a check,” says DeAngelo. “Now, when a compelling company with a good pitch leaves the stage, they are trailed by three, four, five investors who are eager to have the first conversation with them.”

In 2014, the first full year there was a legal recreational marijuana market and the year that pot shops opened in Colorado and Washington state, total marijuana sales reached $2.7 billion. That’s a 74 percent increase over the medicinal marijuana market that existed in 2013. It’s the fastest growing industry in the U.S., according to market experts, and the possibilities seem endless.

“This isn’t like the tech boom, where you had innovation that was driving market adoption,” says Dayton. “In this industry, it’s much more similar to the opening of China or the fall of the Berlin Wall because you’re talking about people who are willing to break the law in the millions to get at a particular product. That just doesn’t happen very often in modern history.”



Advocacy: Brian Vicente

After graduating from law school, Brian Vicente began a career defending medical marijuana patients, people suffering from AIDS and cancer.

They were finding some relief from pot at a time when the law offered few protections for pot users. “Many were still being harassed by police, losing their jobs, having their kids taken away,” says the Denver attorney, a partner with Vicente Sederberg LLC, also known as the Marijuana Law Firm. “That really launched my career.”

Today, Vicente is recognized throughout the marijuana industry as a standard-bearer of the modern pot movement. He carries its central message – that the real crime isn’t using pot illegally but rather the criminalization of pot – to lawmakers and into courtrooms. He also was instrumental in the 2012 passage of Colorado’s Amendment 64, which legalized recreational marijuana.

That legislation, along with Washington state’s Initiative 502, became a paradigm for lawmakers around the country – and maybe even globally – who are considering their own legalization measures. “Colorado showed that marijuana legalization was possible,” says Vicente. “At my office, we have folks get in touch every week, elected officials from across the world, who are interested in what Colorado is doing.”

The marijuana industry has come a long way since Colorado’s first pot shops opened their doors in January 2014. One year later, banks still shy away from working with the industry, and many pot businesses have troubles filing taxes. Still, there has been improvement. "We really don’t face the same existential threat from the federal government that we faced previously,” says Vicente. “The fear a couple of years ago was that the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] would parachute into Colorado and start making arrests. I think we’ve reached that tipping point, if you will, where public opinion is really clear on this topic.



Business: Wanda James

For Wanda James, entering the marijuana industry was about making a political statement. “Social justice,” she says.

Seeing her brother serve around a decade in the criminal justice system for what she calls “$120 worth of weed” pushed her to enter the industry, first as the co-owner of a dispensary and later as a restaurateur and head of an advocacy organization. Up next she and her husband will be opening a marijuana cooking school.

As one of the few black women in an industry heavily dominated by white men, James, a former Navy lieutenant and political campaign manager, and her husband Scott Durrah, a former Marine and certified chef, felt that they could provide examples of the kind of people who were involved in the industry and be a catalyst for further change with regard to marijuana policy in the U.S.

“We wanted to step out and say this has got to change and we’ve got to stop arresting people for cannabis,” says James, 51.

As director of the Cannabis Global Initiative she’s excited about the Obama administration’s embrace of medical marijuana and the future of the industry in the upcoming year.

“For the first time a president is coming out in favor of medical marijuana and in favor of social justice for marijuana. That’s a huge step ” says James. “I think that Barack Obama’s administration can be looked at as moving this whole thing forward.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

14 money-saving travel hacks from the ‘Man Who Flies For Free’

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Scott KeyesScott Keyes, a reporter for Think Progress and author of the e-books “How To Fly For Free” and “How To Find Cheap Flights,” is an expert at finding affordable airfare. 

Keyes has become so gifted at landing super cheap tickets and getting the most out of his frequent flyer miles that he has booked an epic world trip that spans 13 countries, 20,000 miles, and 21 flights — all free. 

He told Business Insider his process is a “labor of love,” and after spending five years dedicated to finding airline deals, Keyes now knows the best websites, tricks, and tips for getting tickets for dirt cheap prices. 

Keep reading to see his 14 best travel hacks.

Set up a Tweet deck and email alerts

If you’re truly dedicated to finding cheap flights, it has to be a lifestyle. Keyes has alerts and a Tweet deck filled with airlines and websites that he follows to discover affordable tickets.

Your odds of scoring bargain tickets will also skyrocket if you set up newsletter alerts from travel websites like Airfarewatchdog and The Flight Deal. You can even sign up to get emails from Keyes himself when he stumbles across a deal.

Search for flights from all nearby airports

This one might seem obvious, but if you’re flying from a hub like New York City, make sure you’re not only searching flights leaving from JFK or LaGuardia and include the nearby Newark airport, too.

“If you live in an area or are flying somewhere where there are a lot of airports, search them all,” Keyes advised. This could save you hundreds of dollars, even if the airport is a little out of your way. 

Do a ‘month search’ on your itinerary

ITA matrix testWebsites like Kayak and ITA Matrix allow travelers to search their itinerary and destination for an entire month’s worth of travel so you can discover the cheapest possible airfare.

“I flew to Costa Rica once a couple years ago and I did a month search on ITA Matrix,” Keyes told us. “Instead of going in the first week of April, I realized I could go in the second week of April and save over $100.”

If it doesn’t make a difference when you get to your destination (even if it’s a matter of getting in Thursday instead of Friday), searching for an entire month can save you a significant chunk of cash.

Compare prices on Southwest separately

Affordable airline Southwest will not show up in aggregate search engines such as Kayak or Orbitz. 

It’s annoying, but always worth it once you find a decent-priced domestic flight to see if Southwest has something even cheaper. This goes for all budget airlines that may not be showing up in search engines, too.

Always check for “throwaway tickets" 

Throwaway tickets are flights you purchase to an unpopular destination. Let’s say you’re traveling from New York to Chicago — those tickets are going to be quite expensive. But New York to Milwaukee will be less expensive since fewer people will be traveling there. 

A throwaway ticket would be if you found a flight from New York to Milwaukee with a layover in Chicago. Then instead of getting on the plane to go to Milwaukee, you would throw away that leg of the ticket and exit the Chicago airport. 

“This one can be a huge money saver,” Keyes said of the hack. If you want to find throwaway tickets, check one of Keyes’s favorite websites Skiplagged that specifically searches for them (though due to a lawsuit, you currently can’t buy the tickets through Skiplagged, but through a third party site).

Book at the right time 

Airport Travelers Silhouettes“A big mistake that people make is buying either too early or too close to the departure,” Keyes told us. “Wait until between three months to a month out because that’s when you tend to get the best prices for domestic flights.”

That’s for off-peak flights. If you’re hoping to fly home during the holidays, book a trip to Europe, or fly during a time period where a lot of other people will be booking (like for spring break), Keyes suggests  looking at flights about six months out.

Buy the cheapest ticket, no matter when it is 

“The way most people approach airfare, they do it backwards: They decide where they want to go and then try to find the cheapest flight to get there,” Keyes told us. “But if your ultimate goal is to be able to find as cheap a flight as possible and go somewhere cool for not much money, then starting with an open, blank slate and going wherever there's a cheap flight right now is going to be your best bet."

That’s how Keyes wound up flying to Milan for $130, going to Galapagos for $45, and visiting Norway and Belgium for around $350 instead of the typical $1,000.

None of these destinations were necessarily on his ideal travel list, but because Keyes found deals on Twitter or through websites, he decided to buy them right away and ended up saving thousands for being flexible.

Fly on the cheapest possible days

Keyes told us the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. If you’re going home to visit your parents over a long weekend and were planning to fly in Friday and leave on Sunday, search Thursday to Saturday or even Friday to Monday instead to see if there's a cheaper alternative.

“If you have any flexibility in being able to fly on those days, that’s usually when you’re going to find the best fares,” Keyes said.

Don’t be afraid to complain (politely)

airplane aircanada tv broken seat“One of the things I’ve been able to employ rather effectively is when things go wrong on your flight, you can get compensation for those errors,” Keyes said. “I’ve gotten miles for it and I’ve gotten money for it.”

If something goes wrong — say the TV in your seat isn’t working or there are mechanical issues with the plane — it will never hurt to send an email to the airline politely informing them of the problem. Keyes even created special email templates in his book “How To Fly For Free” that he’ll use if something happens.

The key is to be polite, give the airline all of your information (what seat you were in, the flight number, etc.), and inform them that usually you love flying with them, which is why you were so surprised by the inconvenience.

“As long as your grievance is somewhat legitimate (and not outside the airline’s control like the weather), most of the time you’ll actually get some sort of compensation,” Keyes said.

Be open to getting bumped

One of the most dreaded travel experiences is being bumped from a plane or having a delay. But Keyes insists that this is a fantastic way to earn free money or frequent flyer miles.

If a flight is full and you're not under any tight timeline, take advantage of being bumped and ask the ticketing agent if you can get money or frequent flyer miles instead of flight vouchers for your inconvenience (they'll usually honor your request). 

"I was once given a $500 voucher and a confirmed seat on the next flight — an hour and a half later," Keyes wrote in his e-book "How To Fly For Free.""In other words, I earned $333/hour. Like me, if your goal is to fly for free, you probably don’t make $333/hour. Plus, unlike flights you book using miles, you actually earn miles when you pay using a voucher."

Open credit cards (smartly) to get lots of miles

“If you’re financially smart and responsible, there’s so much opportunity for you,” Keyes told us.

Keyes currently had 25 credit cards that he uses to get hundreds of thousands of miles and points, which ultimately helps him fly for free. He monitors his credit score, always pays off his credit cards in full each month, and keeps track of his miles and cards at websites like AwardWallet.

Though that sounds like a lot of work, it’s a lifestyle that Keyes has built up to.

“Over time, you start to ramp up your credit cards slowly but surely,” Keyes said. “Don’t go open six cards right off the bat, but go at your own comfort level and slowly work your way up.” 

Choose credit cards that give you the best perks

centurion amex lounge airport“I enjoy flying because I can get into these lounges and that just makes the experience a whole lot more pleasurable,” Keyes said. “You can have free beer and free WiFi and get out of the hustle and bustle. They even have perks like showers in here and free spas.”

To access the luxurious world of airport lounges, Keyes uses his credit card perks.

“Every airport has different lounges and it just depends on the credit card whether it will give you access,” he told us. Do some research about what lounges are at your most frequented airports and see if there is a travel credit card you can sign up for to access them.

Get a free stopover trip with your frequent flyer miles 

Airlines charge a set number of frequent flyer miles for certain places around the world, no matter where you go. For instance, an economy ticket from the US to Eastern Asia on United will cost you 65,000 miles, whether you’re traveling to Taipei or Tokyo.

But Keyes said that airlines will let you have a free stopover with your frequent flyer miles – something many people don’t realize. That means you can book a flight from the US to Tokyo, but fly back to the US from Taipei.

You’ll need to book separate travel accommodations to get from Tokyo to Taipei, but the ticket will likely be pretty affordable. “You can add a whole other destination to your trip for almost nothing extra,” Keyes said. 

Make your miles go further with long layovers

Scott KeyesMost frequent flyer users don’t realize that you can take a layover of less than 24 hours for an unlimited amount of flights.

If you’re willing to do the legwork and research, you could see a lot of different countries on your way to a destination with this hack.

“Say you’re flying in the South Pacific and you’re willing to spend less than a day in each place, you can fly from New Zealand to Cook Island to Guam to Singapore to Bangkok and basically do all this for the price of one awards flight,” Keyes said.

You may not be able to soak up the feel of each city for only a day, but it just goes to show that with a little planning, you can see the world.

For more of Scot Keyes’s travel tips and advice, check out his ebooks e-books “How To Fly For Free” and “How To Find Cheap Flights.”

SEE ALSO: This guy has gamed the airline industry so he never has to pay for a flight again

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Happy 4/20 — here's what happens to your body and brain when you smoke marijuana

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Marijuana

It's April 20. For those not in the know, 4/20 is the unofficial holiday that pot smokers and marijuana-legalization activists around the world celebrate by lighting up.

The plant, best-known for its "feel-good" effects and touted for its uses for diseases, can damage our bodies and minds.

The high you get from marijuana mostly comes from a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is found in varying amounts in different strains of cannabis.

Another important compound is cannabidiol, or CBD, thought to cause many of the medical effects of marijuana. There are more than 70 other chemicals in marijuana that could cause effects on the brain and body that haven't been well studied.

Most of THC's effects happen in the brain, where the chemicals in the plant interact with receptors on brain cells called cannabinoid receptors. Our bodies actually make chemicals similar to THC, used in normal brain function and development. THC co-opts these natural pathways to produce most of its effects, which are varied and depend on how much and how often someone uses pot.

Marijuana makes us feel good.

When THC hits brain cells, it causes them to release dopamine, a feel-good brain chemical. This is a part of the brain's reward system, which makes you feel good when you do things that ensure the survival of yourself and your offspring. These things include eating and having sex.

When over-excited by drugs, the reward system creates feelings of euphoria.

But too much of a good thing can become a problem, as the more often you trigger this feeling, the less you can feel happiness for other "rewarding" experiences. It takes a lot of pot use to get to this point, though.

In a recent study of people who had smoked nearly five joints a day, five days a week, for more than a decade, researchers saw that heavy pot smokers had weaker responses to the stimulant methylphenidate, which is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, than nonusers. The stimulant gave them a less intense "high."



It can be addictive.

Because of those feel-good effects, extended, heavy use of marijuana can be addictive or cause dependence. That doesn't mean anyone who tries marijuana will become addicted — most causal pot users most likely aren't — but there are some factors that could increase the likelihood of addiction.

New studies have found that pot can be more addictive when used in combination with nicotine (in the form of blunts) or when used through a vaporizer or other means, which may be more potent than smoking. According to researchers, this could mean that physiological effects of vaporized marijuana extracts could be very different from those of smoked marijuana, since the vaporized marijuana contains mostly THC, the main psychoactive compound.

A study in the journal Addictive Behaviors researchers found that compared to marijuana smokers, users who ingest hash oil using a wax, called "dabbing," or by inhaling marijuana oil using a "vape pen," may more rapidly develop tolerance and may also have a greater risk of withdrawal — two signs of addiction.



It blocks memory formation.

The active ingredient in marijuana acts in the part of the brain called the hippocampus to alter the way information is processed and how memories are formed. Animal studies have shown that this is particularly true while the brain is still developing.

This is specifically why the legal smoking age is 21 in the states that have legalized it.

This blockage of memory formation can cause cognitive impairment in adulthood if use happens during adolescence, at least in rats. It can also quicken age-related brain cell loss, though some studies have suggested that marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

21 health benefits of marijuana

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Sparc's San Francisco-based retail location

Despite the fact that the Drug Enforcement Agency categorizes marijuana as a schedule I drug, one that has no accepted medical use, a majority of Americans have thought medical pot should be legal since the late 1990s — and a majority now support recreational legalization as well.

Washington D.C. and 23 states have legalized medical marijuana (that number is 35 states if we count laws with very limited access).

Even the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse lists medical uses for cannabis.

But even though researchers have identified some fascinating potential benefits of medical marijuana so far, it's something that's still hard to study, making conclusive results tough to come by. The schedule I classification means it's hard for researchers to get their hands on pot grown to the exacting standards that are necessary for medical research, even in states where it's legal. Plus, no researcher can even try to make an FDA-approved cannabis product while it has that DEA classification, which removes some motivation to study the plant.

More research would identify health benefits more clearly and would also help clarify potential dangers — like with any psychoactive substance, there are risks associated with abuse, including dependency and emotional issues. And many doctors want to understand marijuana's effects better before deciding whether to recommend it or not.

With that caveat about research in mind, here are 21 of the medical benefits — or potential benefits — of marijuana.

Weed can be used to treat Glaucoma.

Marijuana use can be used to treat and prevent the eye disease glaucoma, which increases pressure in the eyeball, damaging the optic nerve and causing loss of vision.

Marijuana decreases the pressure inside the eye, according to the National Eye Institute: "Studies in the early 1970s showed that marijuana, when smoked, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma."

These effects of the drug may slow the progression of the disease, preventing blindness.



It may help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health.

There's a fair amount of evidence that marijuana does no harm to the lungs, unless you also smoke tobacco, and one study published in Journal of the American Medical Association found that marijuana not only doesn't impair lung function, it may even increase lung capacity.

Researchers looking for risk factors of heart disease tested the lung function of 5,115 young adults over the course of 20 years. Tobacco smokers lost lung function over time, but pot users actually showed an increase in lung capacity.

It's possible that the increased lung capacity may be due to taking a deep breaths while inhaling the drug and not from a therapeutic chemical in the drug.

Those smokers only toked up a few times a month, but a more recent survey of people who smoked pot daily for up to 20 years found no evidence that smoking pot harmed their lungs.



It can help control epileptic seizures.

Marijuana use can prevent epileptic seizures in rats, a 2003 study showed.

Robert J. DeLorenzo, of Virginia Commonwealth University, gave marijuana extract and synthetic marijuana to epileptic rats. The drugs rid the rats of the seizures for about 10 hours. Cannabinoids like the active ingredients in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC), control seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation.

The findings were published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Look how similar red-hot Chinese startup Xiaomi's products are to Apple's designs (AAPL)

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lei jun steve jobs apple xiaomi side by side ceo

Xiaomi is one of the hottest smartphone companies out there. Just five years old, it has rapidly grown to become the world's most valuable tech startup, worth about $46 billion (£30.9 billion), which is more than Uber, Snapchat, or SpaceX.

Xiaomi, founded by CEO Lei Jun, is often referred to as the "Apple of China,"not least because of the famed devotion of its fans. The company holds worldwide flash sales for its customers and throws them parties in expensive nightclubs — and they love the company for it.

But Xiaomi is like Apple in another way. Many of its products have an awfully similar look to the Cupertino company's models, prompting Apple design chief Jony Ive to accuse the Chinese company of copying Apple's designs.

"I don't see it as flattery,"Ive told an audience last year. "I see it as theft. I have to be honest. The last thing I think is, 'Oh, that is flattering ...' I think it's theft and it's lazy. I don't think it's OK at all."

But is Ive's accusation fair?

Business is booming for Xiaomi. It's the biggest smartphone company in China and the third-largest in the world.



Founder and CEO Lei Jun is largely responsible for the smartphone maker's meteoric rise. He's a charismatic figure who introduces new products in carefully choreographed keynotes, often wearing his signature outfit — blue jeans and a black top.



Look familiar?



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20 crazy, beautiful ad agency staff photos

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Mekanism

One of the many joys of working in the advertising and marketing industry is that companies tend to squeeze their creative juices wherever they can, even down to their agency staff photos.

Agencies always put a lot of effort into their staff photography: They want to make a good impression to their current and potential clients. Some of the results are beautiful, while others are downright bizarre. 

Take a look at the agency that got its whole office to pose in the nude, the shop that turned its staff photo into a movie poster, and some epic individual shots.

Long before Vince Vaughn and the stars of "Unfinished Business" created their parody business stock photos, Beeby Clark+Meyler posed for their own gallery of stock imagery.



For every photo shared online, Beeby Clark+Meyler donated a toy to charity Toys for Tots.



Webrandcorporation, an India-based agency, went for an action movie poster to act as a metaphor for their office culture.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This is the self-driving sci-fi Chevy we've all been waiting for

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Chevrolet FNR Concept

General Motors and its Chevrolet brand kicked off the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show in style with the introduction of the Chevrolet FNR Concept. According to GM, the FNR is an autonomous electric-driving concept that is meant to give us a glimpse of what mobility will look like in the future.

The menacing concept is also part of a celebration to commemorate Chevrolet's 10th anniversary in China.

The 2015 Shanghai Auto Show runs April 22-29.

The Chevrolet FNR Concept was developed in Shanghai by GM's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center.



The FNR's designers aimed to create a unique and innovative vehicle for the young consumers of the future.



That's why it looks a bit like a cross between a Hot Wheels toy and a prop car from a sci-fi flick.



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Inside the office of London design company MOO, which prints some of the coolest business cards around

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MOO office London

London-based company MOO lets customers design business cards and other products online. MOO might not necessarily sound like a tech company, but it's using the digital space to enhance the business of reputation management.

In 2012, for example, MOO acquired online profile site Flavors.me. The company has also launched a range of Near Field Communication business cards, which are embedded with a microchip. When the cards are touched to a smartphone, it can download contact information and other details. 

Here are some photos from inside MOO's Old Street offices in London, as well as its printing warehouse in Stratford.

The London office is a large warehouse-style space in Shoreditch.



The MOO office is a colourful place.



Even books in the library are sorted by colour instead of name.



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The incredible real estate portfolio of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison

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larry ellison lanaiFormer Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is no stranger to the real estate market — he's been called"the nation's most avid trophy-home buyer" and has all but taken over entire neighborhoods in Malibu and the Lake Tahoe area. 

When asked by CNBC in 2012 why he would buy more homes than he could possibly live in, Ellison referenced his love of art. 

"I'm going to start these art museums that are basically converted homes, and I have one for modern art, and I have one for 19th century European art, and one for French impressionism,"Ellison said to CNBC. "I've got Japanese. I own a home in Kyoto, Japan actually on the temple grounds in Nanzenji that is going to become a Japanese art museum. So, a lot of them are museums." 

Though his 2012 purchase of the Hawaiian island of Lanai has been his largest overall investment by far, he's made a number of blockbuster purchases over the last two decades. 

In 1988, Ellison paid $3.9 million for a William Wurster home in San Francisco's swanky Pacific Heights neighborhood, a popular area that's now home to other tech moguls like Mark Pincus, Jony Ive, and Trevor Traina. Several news outlets reported Ellison planned to buy the home next door for $40 million, but the sale never happened.

Source: Curbed SF 

 



His home in Woodside, Calif., modeled after a 16th-century Japanese emperor's palace, is worth an estimated $70 million. The 23-acre estate took nine years to design and build, and it was completed in 2004.

Source: SF Gate

 



He also owns a historic garden villa in Kyoto, Japan, which was reportedly listed for $86 million, though the price he paid is unknown.

Source: SF Gate, Japan Property Central

Pictured: Nanzen-ji Temple, which is right near Ellison's estate



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