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How I tracked down and anonymously chatted with an insanely private hacker

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privacy

Two weeks ago I decided I wanted to contact a hacker who did not want to be tracked. While this may sound difficult, I was able to communicate with the hacker using an array of online tools so that both he and I were happy with the level of privacy and felt we could speak freely.

Here is how I did it: 

Some background

I became aware of a teenage hacker who made a malware platform called Tox that was quite powerful. The hacker communicated using the dark web — forums on websites that could only be accessed using web browsers that anonymize traffic. He also posted a few updates on Pastebin, a website hackers frequently post messages, including the announcement that he wanted to leave behind his life of cybercrime. 

Using the information this Tox hacker had posted, I had very few details on how to contact him. It boiled down to a possible email address that he used and a PGP key (see my explanation on what that is below). Using these two pieces of information, I delved further, and ultimately found a way for us to talk in private.

What is a PGP key? 

PGP stands for Pretty Good Privacy — no joke. A PGP key is a way that internet users can encrypt their messages, making it nearly impossible for anyone but the sender and receiver to read the message. Everyone using PGP must have two keys — a public key and a private key. 

PGP works like this: If I want to send a message to you, I first need to know your public key (there are online repositories with public keys available). Then, using software, I write my message and the text is ciphered in a way that is unique only to your public key.

But the only way for this message to be deciphered is to use the second part of the puzzle — your private key. So I send you a message that is encrypted using your public key. You must then put your private key into the PGP software to decrypt the message. 

Given that no one but you knows the private key, it is nearly impossible for anyone to intercept the message and decode it. 

I generated my own encryption key using software called GPG Suite. It is a program that makes it easy for people to encrypt and decrypt messages. (I won’t go into great detail about all the things GPG Suite can do, but here's a bunch of documentation about the software if you're interested in learning more.)

Here's what my PGP public key looks like:

pgp screenshot

Back to the Tox hacker

Since I had his public key as well as probably email I address, I decided to write him a message using PGP to show that I trusted his privacy.  

So I wrote a short message asking if he’d talk to me. I said we could chat on Skype, as it’s been known as a good place for hackers to chat.

I used a web platform to encrypt my message on the iGolder website. It’s an easy form that has me copy and paste the public key as well as the message. It then encrypts the message into a garble of letters and numbers.

encryption screenshot

I then copied the encrypted message into an email and sent it to Tox. I also posted the encrypted body of my text to Pastebin in case the email didn't work. This way, if he was searching on Pastebin for anything entitled Tox (I named him in the subject), he would be able to copy the text and use his private key to decrypt the message.

encrypted email screenshot

And, what do you know, less than a day later I got a reply from the email I sent!

The Tox hacker said he would be interested in talking, but did not want to use Skype. He prefers to audit all the communication software he uses, and he wasn't sure about Skype's security. Instead, he wanted to use another chat client. 

Using TorChat 

The Tox hacker decided that TorChat was best, because it best ensured anonymity. TorChat uses Tor networks, which is a decentralized network to make tracking traffic nearly impossible. TorChat also encrypts messages (like the PGP emails before) making the text of the messages sent impossible to intercept. 

TorChat can be used for both instant messaging and file sharing, making it a go-to for dark net businesspeople.  

When you log into TorChat it gives you a randomly assigned address, which serves as your screen name. Tox gave me his TorChat address, I downloaded the app, and then we connected. 

torchat screenshot

Following that, we chatted using a simple interface very similar to iMessage. The rest of our correspondences were done using TorChat. 

torchat message screenshot

Using these services I was able to get in contact with and gain the trust of someone who held his privacy to the utmost degree.

There are a variety of other privacy-focused programs out there, but these are good starting points and a good way to see how the most skeptical of web users keep their web activity private.

You can read my actual interview with Tox here.

SEE ALSO: One of the most popular password security companies just admitted it was hacked

Join the conversation about this story »

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9 facts about flirting that single — and married — people should know

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fallon miller laugh

What could be more terrifying than talking to someone you're attracted to? 

Luckily, social science has figured out what makes flirting work — or not.

Couples need to flirt, too.

Like Tinder, cats, and dying alone, flirting is usually associated with single people. 

But couples need to know how to flirt, too.

After studying 164 married people for a 2012 study, University of Kentucky researcher Brandi Frisby noted that most of them flirted as a means of maintaining and emphasizing intimacy. Oftentimes, she wrote in her paper, married couples flirted to "create a private world with the spouse." 



People flirt for six different reasons.

In a 2004 review of the literature on flirting, Northern Illinois University professor David Dryden Henningsen identified six different motivations for the behavior: 

• Sex: trying to get in bed 
• Fun: treating it like a sport
• Exploring: trying to see what it would be like to be in a relationship
• Relational: trying to increase the intimacy of a relationship
• Esteem: increasing one's own self esteem
• Instrumental: trying to get something from the other person

In that study, Henningsen asked 101 female and 99 male students to write out a hypothetical flirty conversation between a man and a woman, then identify the motivations for the things they said. 

The behaviors broke down along gender norms: men were significantly more likely to have a sexual motivation, while women tended to have a relational one.



Some conversation starters are better than others.

For a study in the journal Sex Roles, University of Alaska psychologist Chris L. Kleinke asked 600 respondents to rate the effectiveness of three varieties of opening lines in a flirtatious situation: 

• "Pick-up" lines like "You must be a librarian, because I saw you checking me out" 

• Open-ended, innocuous questions like "What do you think of this band?" or "What team are you rooting for?"

Direct approaches like "You're cute — can I buy you a drink?" 

The responses were pretty evenly split along gender lines: While the men in the study tended to prefer the more direct approach, the women tended to prefer the open-ended, innocuous questions. Not surprisingly, very few people said they preferred the pick-up lines.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

There's a secret restaurant inside Bloomingdales in midtown Manhattan that looks like a 19th-century train car

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Tucked away on the sixth floor of Bloomingdales in midtown Manhattan is Le Train Bleu, a quaint restaurant remodeled after the 19th-century luxury French night express train, the Calais-Mediterranée Express. 

Since opening in 1979, Le Train Bleu has had its array of regular customers, but for many, it has managed to stay a hidden gem in the city for over 30 years.

Marvin S. Traub, president of Bloomingdales at the time, created Le Train Bleu in 1979 at the flagship store on 3rd Avenue and 59th Street in New York City.



Take the escalators up to the sixth floor and walk to the end of the housewares department, where you'll see the restaurant's sign hidden in the back.



Head up the staircase to reach Le Train Bleu's entrance.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Russia's secret space shuttles have been sitting in plain sight for 22 years

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In 1974, Russia launched its largest, most expensive project in space exploration history.

The stars of the project, called the Buran program, were its space shuttles, which were built in secret from designs the Soviet secret police stole from NASA.

The Soviets invested anywhere from tens of millions to billions on the project, which was terminated in 1993. The sites where the shuttles were laid to rest have since been completely abandoned.

Photographer Ralph Mirebs recently visited one of these dust-ridden graveyards and chronicled the journey on his LiveJournal blog, where you can see the full collection.

The abandoned garage, also called a hangar, is located on a site that belong to Russia's space launch facility, called Baikonur Cosmodrome, where rockets are still launched today.



The abandoned hangar is 433 feet long and 203 feet high with giant doors on either end, shown below, that slid open to release the shuttles.



Near the top of this photo are beams attached with cranes that could lift up to 400 tons.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The fabulous life of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed

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alwaleed bin talal

For two years, one of the world's wealthiest men, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, was locked in a battle with Forbes over his net worth, with the prince claiming the publication had underestimated his fortune by nearly $9.6 billion.

On Monday, the disgruntled billionaire and Forbes Media announced that the defamation suit has been settled on "mutually agreeable terms," Reuters reported. 

The magazine currently has Alwaleed pegged as the 34th richest person in the world, with $22.6 billion in wealth. (Bloomberg lists Alaweed as the 20th wealthiest in the world, with $30.6 billion in wealth.)

Regardless, Alwaleed is still rich beyond belief from his stake in his Kingdom Holding Company, his Saudi real estate investments, shares in Arab media companies, and investments in public and private companies globally, including Twitter and Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com.

Lucinda Chen and Julie Zeveloff contributed to this post.

Prince Alwaleed was born into Saudi royalty.

He is the son of Prince Talal and Mona Al Solh.

His maternal grandfather was the first prime minister of Lebanon and his paternal grandfather, King Abdulaziz, created Saudi Arabia.



He attended a California school for college.

It was while attending Menlo College in Atherton, California that he acquired what many believe to be a Western world outlook, making him the go-to Saudi investor for American businessmen.



He got his big break when he invested in a little company called Citicorp.

He received a $30,000 gift, a $300,000 loan, and a house from his father after graduating, and slowly began investing.

In 1991, when Alwaleed was 36, he made a high-stakes decision to invest in Citicorp, which made him $800 million. By 2005, that had turned into $10 billion.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what it's really like to play video games for a living

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Video game player controller grand theft auto

In the realm of "dream jobs," video game tester ranks pretty highly for a significant number of people.

But if you dream of endless days spent playing your favorite video games, you'll be sorely disappointed.

As an unnamed video game tester explained during a recent Reddit AMA, success as a QA tester in the video game industry means taking your job seriously and meeting high expectations.

The tester, who goes by the user name HigherCalibur, said he's been working in the industry as a quality assurance tester for about 10 years, and during his time he's worked for several different companies and has been credited on more than 30 game titles.

Here are some questions he answered during the live chat that provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of video game testing. (We've edited questions and responses for clarity.)

Q. How did you get started?

A. I had a friend in customer support at EA Games who knew a guy in Human Resources that brought me in on a group interview. I made it through that and the two weeks of training they put the newbies through, and I started my first testing job.

Q. What do you do all day?

A. A lot of people ask if all testers do is play video games all day, and that would definitely be a no. While I do work on video games most of the day, I definitely don't play them like a normal, sane person would.

My objective is to break the games in any way possible and to report anything that breaks to people on our programming, design, or art teams (generally referred to as "devs").

For example, I've had to do what is called "matrix testing" for fighting games, which is where you test every character against every character on every stage. Then there's "functionality testing," which means making sure game features work according to design documentation.

I also don't test the game itself all day. I have meetings to attend, emails that need to be sent out and replied to, bugs to report and regress, and all of the other stuff you would assume someone in a normal office job would need to do. I just do it at a place that makes video games.

Q. What does testing look like in a typical day?

A. Usually my day starts out with regression testing, which is when I see if programmers successfully fixed a bug previously found. We get a new build (version) and refer to our bug tracker database to find anything that developers claimed they fixed. Anything fixed gets closed, anything not fixed gets reopened, noted, and sent back to the person who claimed to fix it.

After that, we usually just go through any game features that are a priority to check. These tasks are typically sent down from the production team, since they manage and oversee the project itself. Anything that needs "hands-on" attention at that moment gets it.

Finally, if nothing needs our direct attention, we usually just engage in "open" testing. That depends on the individual tester, to be honest. I personally like doing organic playthroughs using as few cheats or dev commands as possible in order to make sure the user experience is where we want it.

Some folks pound on specific systems. Some folks go through all of the text with a fine-toothed comb. Any bugs we find, we simply write up and send off to the member of the dev team responsible for fixing the particular issue.

Q. What skills do you think are most useful for a QA tester?

A. Being able to keep your cool in a frustrating situation is key. Crunch time is one of the most mentally draining and awful situations you can be in. But if you thrive in stressful situations, then you've definitely got the mental fortitude to handle the job.

You also need to be a very skeptical, analytical person. Never take someone's word for it. If someone says something is working properly, check it anyway.

Being a flexible thinker who's able to pick something apart without knowing what it is or how to make it yourself is also key.

man laptop listening woman speaking explainingLastly, being able to communicate with different kinds of people is vital.

I've had to learn how to communicate with artists, programmers, and designers, all of whom think very differently and have to be handled in different ways.

Programmers might prefer a blunt, direct approach, but that will typically put an artist into a defensive mindset.

Knowing how to communicate with people is extremely important because you're telling them how something is broken on a daily basis and, if they don't understand what you're trying to communicate, then you're wasting time that could be spent fixing the issue.

Q. What's the pay like?

A. Usually pretty low. The industry standard where I live is around $16 to $18 an hour, but those places are rarely looking for testers these days, and almost never hire people with no experience. More often than not you're going to start at around $10 an hour.

Q. What are the benefits like?

A. Usually you don't get benefits, but since the state of California just required all businesses to provide benefits to workers after 90 days, now even contract employees are getting health benefits at least.

As for other perks we usually get free copies of whatever game we work on and other free game-oriented swag. I have so many game t-shirts from stuff I've worked on, it's kind of crazy.

Q. Are most of these positions contract-based?

A. Yes. It's very, very rare to find a QA position that is direct-hire. However, most of them are now contract-to-hire positions and around three to six months per contract. After this you're evaluated and hired on permanently if you work your butt off and get along well in the team environment.

Q. Any advice for breaking into the industry?

A. You kind of have to know where to look. There are a small handful of staffing agencies that work to get people their first jobs in the industry. I would also suggest checking out Linkedin for anything temporary since the temp jobs are usually for new people trying to break in.

I should mention that QA is a good starting point but is usually not a career. You should definitely look at what you want to do in the industry now and take steps to get there. Want to be a designer? Make something. Want to be an artist? Make something.

Q. Are there any games you dread testing?

A. Yes. God, yes. For every game I have enjoyed working on, there are three or four games that just make me want to claw my eyes out. Most of them are kids games, adaptations of ancient arcade games for modern platforms, or games that are just bad.

Video game player controllerThe six months or so for normal testing cycles are mind-numbing if you didn't find some way to enjoy what you're working on. This is usually made worse if there's a "cooler" project going on at the same time. You become jealous of those people who look like they're having more fun and enjoying their job.

Q. Do you have a say in what games you test?

A. Pretty much, but you really need to know people and be able to have an "in." Most of the time, it's because you know and are friends with the lead on the project. Yeah, it seems immature, but games QA is very cliquey. One of the reasons I started smoking in the first place was to get into the smoking circle at work and socialize with that group.

Q. Are more than 80-hour workweeks a real concern?

A. More than 80+ hour weeks are usually only the norm during crunch time, which, sadly, does still happen far too often.

Q. How do you feel about the lack of job stability?

A. I know QA is extremely volatile and there's no such thing as job security. If a company hires a ton of contractors, then they usually keep on anyone they like and ditch the chaff. But that's just how it is. One day you can be filing a bunch of crash bugs, the next your contract is up and you're filing for unemployment. It happens.

unemployment office layoffs jobsQ. What's the best and worst part of being a QA tester?
A.
I love the fact that I get to work on games for a living and that everyone around me has a passion for games. I love my job, and I love that I've been able to work with the people I have. Some of my closest friends are people I've met doing this job.  The thing I dislike most is that it's incredibly hard to move one's career forward. That can be a deal breaker for some.

Q. Do you play the games you test in your down-time?

A. I rarely, if ever, play a game I tested outside of work. The only exceptions to that are "Soul Calibur 3,""Tekken: Dark Resurrection,""Star Trek Online," and "Neverwinter Online."

Q. Has the job affected your enjoyment of gaming?

A. I've long since learned to "switch off" after work so I don't pick apart something I enjoy. That said, I definitely don't play games as much as I used to. Binge gaming is a rarity for me these days, and I almost never go out and buy the newest game release. The last game I bought on launch day was probably Warlords of Draenor (released in November, 2014) and before that was Space Marine (released in September, 2011).

Q. What's your favorite game and why?

A."Mega Man 2." Not only does it have my favorite soundtrack from any of the Mega Man games, but I have very fond memories of playing it with my Dad, passing the controller back and forth between lives, reading off the passwords from the screen after beating a stage so he can put it down in his notebook.

I've always been a huge fan of the "Mega Man" series in general because I like the concept of defeating an enemy to get their powers and using those powers to exploit the weakness of another boss.

Q. Favorite movie based off a video game?

A."Street Fighter." Hands-down the best G.I. Joe movie ever made. Seriously, watch it again and just assume both armies are the Joes and Cobra — It'll blow your goddamn mind. Also, I love watching Raúl Juliá and Jean-Claude Van Damme ham it up.

Barring that? Probably "Mortal Kombat." In my opinion it's still the best translation from game story to movie ever (a game about a fighting tournament becomes a movie about a fighting tournament).

SEE ALSO: The disenchanting reality of being a phone-sex operator

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 things you should never put on your résumé

The fabulous life of Mark Zuckerberg

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More than 1.4 billion people around the world use Facebook today, thanks to founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Connecting that many people — and, of course, selling them ads — has made Zuckerberg and his company quite a bit of cash. 

The Harvard dropout's current net worth is about $33.4 billion, putting him at No. 16 in Forbes's ranking of the world's billionaires.

Here's a closer look at the life of the simultaneously down-to-earth and yet extravagant CEO. 

(Former Business Insider reporter Rebecca Borison wrote an earlier version of this post)

Edward and Karen Zuckerberg, a dentist and a psychiatrist respectively, raised four children: Randi, Donna, Arielle, and, of course, Mark, in Dobbs Ferry, New York. A precocious child, Mark created a messaging program called "Zucknet" using Atari BASIC at age 12. As a kid he also coded computer games for his friends.

Source: Bio.



While attending high school at the renowned Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, he built an early music streaming platform, which both AOL and Microsoft showed interest in. Still a teen, he rejected offers for an acquisition or a job.

Source: Bio.

 



He wasn't just a computer nerd though. Zuck loved the classics — "The Odyssey" and the like — and he became captain of his high school fencing team.

Source: The New Yorker



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 12 coolest neighborhoods in Europe

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canal saint-martin

Europe's hottest neighborhoods are home to cutting-edge art, hip restaurants, and eclectic bars.

Some of these neighborhoods were once areas of political turmoil that have been transformed into creative hubs. Others have stood as artistic gems for years. 

From Kreuzberg, where Berlin's punk rock movement was born, to Amsterdam-Noord, which is home to the continent's biggest vintage market, here are 12 of the coolest neighborhoods in Europe. 

 

AMSTERDAM-NOORD, AMSTERDAM: Across Amsterdam-Noord, neglected warehouses and buildings from its industrial past have been transformed into trendy restaurants, festival locations, hubs for artists and designers, and locations for Europe's biggest flea market, the monthly IJ-Hallen.

Click here to see what you can find at IJ-Hallen.

 

 

 

 



SAVAMALA, BELGRADE, SERBIA: The Savamala district continues to grow as one of Serbia's cultural centers. It's home to the Mikser House, an art and performance space which hosts programs like its four-day Mikser Festival which features DJs, punk-rock, alternative, and rock musicians, as well as art installations.

Learn more about the Mikser Festival.

 



KREUZBERG, BERLIN, GERMANY: The Kreuzberg district was the historic home of the Berlin punk rock movement. Today it continues to attract music lovers to legendary locations like the SO36 music club, a favorite stop for Iggy Pop and David Bowie back in the day.

Explore SO36.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 things everyone should start doing in their 30s

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The older you get, the harder it is to change your habits.

But in your 30s, there's still time to adopt new, positive behaviors.

To help you pinpoint the changes you'll want to make, we consulted recent Quorathreads on this critical decade and highlighted the most compelling responses.

Read on for the best ideas.

1. Start laughing at yourself.

"Laugh at yourself, laugh at the absurdity of life, laugh at the goodness and the badness of every situation,"writes Quora user Cyndi Perlman Fink.

Being able to find humor in your own struggles may be important for your overall health and happiness. Research suggests that people who are able to laugh at themselves are generally more cheerful.

2. Start appreciating your family and friends.

In your 20s, you may be so busy getting an education and launching your career that family and friends fall by the wayside. Your 30s are a good time to get back in touch and remember how much you love spending time with them.

As for family, "if you can find a way to make a connection with them, you may find some things in common with them, more than you expect,"says Robert Walker.

And as for friends, Nan Waldman says: "Nurture them. Laugh with them. Be silly too. Contribute to their survival and enjoyment of life. Take the time every week to be in touch."

3. Start keeping a journal.

"Journal your life! Your written records will entertain and endear in your future,"writes Mark Crawley.

You don't necessarily have to keep a secret notebook under your bed — a digital photo album with captions works just as well.

Whithings smart scale body analyzer

4. Start maintaining a healthy weight.

Several Quora users noted the importance of maintaining a healthy weight in your 30s. "Keep your weight at a normal level that's good for your body,"writes Fink.

To do that, it's important to stay active and eat right. A growing body of research suggests that if you're looking to lose weight, your diet makes more of a difference than your exercise habits.

5. Start saving money.

One of the most important financial habits to start practicing in your 30s is spending less than you earn. "Make it a habit to live below your means,"writes David Leon. "I know way too many people who live hand to mouth at 50 due to excessive spending at 30."

Bonus: If you start saving for retirement early, you'll reap the amazing benefits of compound interest.

6. Start chasing a big goal.

Up till now, you may have only dreamed about starting a family, buying a house, or earning an advanced degree. Now's the time to go for it.

"It's easy to put things off,"says Bill Karwin. "But it's really true that time starts accelerating as you enter your 30s, and it keeps accelerating. The time that you'll get around to those dreams should be now."

7. Start learning from your mistakes.

You probably made plenty of mistakes in your 20s. That's OK — as long as you grow from your experiences. That requires accepting responsibility for what went wrong and understanding why it went wrong.

After all, as Amanda Frisk says, "everything in life is a way for us to learn, to be better."

SEE ALSO: 10 changes to make in your 30s that will set you up for lifelong success

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 15 things you should do before you turn 30

17 clever Father's Day gifts under $50

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Carry on cocktail kit

This Father's Day, you don't have to break the bank to show dad how much you care.

From personalized accessories to thoughtful books to a classic bottle of bourbon, we rounded up budget-friendly gifts that every dad will love — all under $50.

His flight will be ultra-relaxing after an old fashioned — or two.

Price: $24

Give dad the first-class treatment — even if he's flying economy — with this carry-on cocktail kit. Complete with bitters, cane sugar, and a stirring spoon, he'll have everything he needs for a proper old fashioned. Just add alcohol.

Get it here »



Coasters made from vintage records add a fun touch to his home.

Price: $16.70 

Perfect for any music lover, these coasters made from vintage records will fill dad with a rush of nostalgia every time he sets down his drink. Not to mention they're also incredibly practical.

Get it here »



A Roku puts all his favorite shows in one place.

Price: $49.99

Dad will love having all his favorite shows in one place with a Roku. The device offers hundreds of free channels, allows users to stream services like Netflix and Hulu through their TV, and connects to Google Play and Amazon instant video, making it easy to rent any title.  

Get it here »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This $16-billion airport helped Qatar Airways become the best in the world

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Qatar Airways has been named the Best Airline in the World for 2015 by leading aviation consumer website Skytrax.

However, the carrier's one glaring weakness over the years has been the antiquated and over-crowded Doha International Airport. In fact, the overcrowding affected the airline's on-time performance so much that it kept the airline from the top spot on Business Insider's list of the world's best airlines

But that's all changed!

Doha International has been shuttered. In its place is the gleaming new Hamad International Airport (HIA). It's biggest tenant and benefactor is none other than Qatar Airways.

The new airport, constructed on 5,400 acres of land, features two world-class terminal buildings along with two of the longest runways in Asia, with each more than 14,000 feet long. 

HIA took a decade to complete, at a cost of $16 billion.



A large portion of the facility was built on reclaimed land.



The new airport is located just 2.5 miles away from the old Doha International.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The incredible toys of 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump

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donald trump playing golf

Donald Trump announced his bid for the presidency Tuesday, at the same time claiming that he's worth nearly $9 billion. (Forbes says it's less than half that).

Regardless, the billionaire knows how to spread his wealth.

Aside from running some of the best-known apartment buildings in the country, he also owns a personal portfolio of homes from Manhattan to Palm Beach, all of which are drenched in gold. 

Here, we check out Trump's collection of homes, cars, aircrafts, and more.  

Julie Zeveloff and Meredith Galante contributed to an earlier version of this post.

Donald Trump calls Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue "home" the majority of the time. Trump Tower is a 68-story skyscraper, and Trump sleeps in the penthouse.

Source: Trump



Trump's penthouse has a gold- and diamond-covered door, an indoor fountain, a painted ceiling, and an ornate chandelier.



When Trump gets tired of his cosseted New York abode, he hops on his $100 million Boeing 757 and jets to one of his other mansions.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A bunch of adventurous bikers ditched Chicago for a 21-day motorcycle ride through Vietnam

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bikers in vietnam

A group of bikers from Chicago spent three weeks this spring touring Vietnam by motorcycle.

Dubbing their trip the Hilo Project, the five American bikers were provided with vehicles by Ducati Vietnam. They started their trip in Saigon in early April, and made their way north to Hanoi.

The group made friends with bikers and other locals over the course of their trip even though only one of the bikers, Catherine Pham, was able to speak Vietnamese.

We spoke with Chris Force, who spearheaded the trip, about the group's experience and how the biker scenes in Chicago and Vietnam differ.

SEE ALSO: 14 money-saving travel hacks from the 'man who flies for free'

BUSINESS INSIDER: How do the five of you know each other?

CHRIS FORCE: "Laura Heidenreich and I own a small business together. I do some magazine photography and had used Cat (Catherine Pham) as a wardrobe stylist. We met Dave Mucci and Juan Francisco through the Chicago motorcycle community. We all had kinda followed each other on Instagram and all love motorcycles, so it we came together pretty easily."



BI: What's your relationship with motorcycle culture?

CF: "We’re all pretty big bike nerds with multiple bikes. Dave runs a custom bike shop in town and runs a moto blog. Cat’s background is in moto-related fashion and retail and is really active in the Chicago bike club community. Juan is currently a full time motorcycle tourist and connoisseur of high end moto gear and accessories. I work full time in media and write about moto travel and design. I also do a lot of “organizing.” Laura’s a really avid rider, and her identical twin also just got a bike — so they stop a lot of traffic in town, haha."



BI: What's the biking scene like in your hometown, Chicago?

CF: "The bike scene here is great. It’s a hard-working, fun, and supportive group. Like any other scene it has all its little factions and stuff, but everyone is united by a very-Midwestern no-nonsense vibe. It’s a lotta dudes, but that’s changing and really exciting. The community is very friendly and encouraging of new riders and female riders. When the weather permits we try to stay on our bikes as much as possible since winter lasts for six months here!"



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How to turn a great idea into an iPhone app

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Apple teen developers at WWDC

It happens in a moment of inspiration.

You get an idea for the next great app. Move over, Snapchat. Move over, Twitter. Move over, Instagram. This is going to be a big deal. 

But there's one thing you don't know. How to get it from your head into the App Store, onto the 700 million iPhones Apple has sold, and onwards towards glory, fame, and venture capital funding. 

Read on to find out how iPhone apps are made.

The first step is the most costly: A $99 annual enrollment into the Apple Developer Program, which entitles you to make apps for the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, plus Safari browser extensions.



Apple's developer program also lets you try the early preview versions of the next versions of iOS and the Mac OS, so you can make sure your app works with them.



Next, you need Xcode 7, Apple's development software, which is included in that $99 annual fee. The bad news is that it's for Mac OS X only, making life difficult for Windows developers.



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These 12 bizarre caskets certainly make for more interesting funerals

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RTXG5FDFor some eccentric souls, traditional caskets and cremation urns just won’t do.

Luckily, for those looking to leave this world on a more outlandish note, there are options out there to help fulfill those somewhat bizarre afterlife requests.

From odes to beloved comic book heros to soccer ball urns, click ahead to see some truly out-of-the-box options.

Victor Perez Cardona’s last dying wish was to be behind the wheel of his taxi cab. With help from the funeral home and special embalming techniques, Victor’s family was able to fulfill his request.



For his funeral, Renato Garcia was dressed in the costume of his favorite comic book character, the Green Lantern.



Soccer fans can have their ashes kept in a soccer-shaped urn created by Vienna's municipal funeral services.



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The 30 most successful Stanford alumni of all time

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RTX1BJR5This year, Stanford University topped our lists as the the best and most selective college in the US. As such, it attracts an extremely talented and intelligent study body.

The northern California university has educated household names including Yahoo's Marissa Mayer, golf legend Tiger Woods, and US President Herbert Hoover. 

Surprisingly, many of Stanford's most successful students never actually finished their degrees: 11 of the 30 people to make our list never crossed the podium to receive their diploma, but instead left the university to pursue already promising careers.

Evan Spiegel, the co-founder and CEO of Snapchat, runs his multi-billion dollar company with a former fraternity brother, Bobby Murphy. Spiegel dropped out of school in 2012, just before receiving his degree, in order to dedicate himself fully to Snapchat. He has turned down multiple buy-out offers for the company.

Source: Forbes, Business Insider



Reese Witherspoon began acting at the age of 12 and attended Stanford University for only one year in 1994 before dropping out to pursue her career, which had her flying to Hollywood every weekend while in school.

Source: Huffington Post



Tiger Woods' golf career was already off to an impressive start while he was a student at Stanford University, where he won numerous awards. Woods studied economics for two years, and left the university in 1995 to play golf professionally.

Source: Stanford Men's Golf, Time



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The 12 most corrupt countries in the world

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Russia Vladimir Putin

The recent FIFA scandal shone a spotlight on the prevalence of global corruption.

A recent report from Verisk Maplecroft, a risk analysis and forecasting company, now identifies where similar occurrences happen most often in the world.

Defining corruption as "exerting influence, often through the provision of money or favours, to obtain a service," Verisk examined the economies of 198 countries from August 2012 to August 2014 based on reports by Transparency International, Freedom House, and the US Department of State and determined that developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East suffer the most from corrupt practices.

Throughout the two-year period, Verisk tracked five factors: the frequency of corruption, the duration of the corruption, the spread of corruption, the severity of the corruption, and the ability of those committing corruption to operate with impunity. 

Analysts at Verisk Maplecroft then quantified this data into a predefined scoring system on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being at extreme risk for corruption and 10 being at low risk for corruption.

iraq oil gushIn particular, Verisk determined that 45% of the countries deemed at "extreme" risk for corruption are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, oil, gas, and mining firms are the businesses most frequently exposed to demands for bribery, which dragged several Middle Eastern countries, as well as Russia, toward the bottom of the rankings.

"[Corruption] risks are particularly prevalent in developing economies,” Trevor Slack, legal and regulatory analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, wrote in the report “Factors such as weak rule of law and a lack of institutional capacity in these markets undermine efforts to combat entrenched systems of patronage, while exposure to corrupt public officials and a reliance on third party agents is also higher.”

Out of the 198 countries, Verisk found 73 at "extreme" risk for corruption, 64 at "high" risk, 38 at "medium" risk, and 23 were at "low" risk. (Denmark was rated as the least corrupt country, the US was rated 23rd least corrupt).

SEE ALSO: Fans don't care if FIFA is corrupt

#10 South Sudan (tied)

Score: 0.15/10

A recent film by Al Jazeera entitled "South Sudan: Country of Dreams" examines how the world's newest country (created in July of 2011) spiraled into civil war.

"Despite its oil wealth, extensive corruption plagued the fledgling democracy," Al Jazeera reported. "Less than three years after gaining independence, the new country descended into civil war, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of its people and the displacement of almost two million."



#10 Russia (tied)

Score: 0.15/10

Here are just a few recent examples of shady Russian practices:

1. The imprisonment of politician Alexei Navalny, a Moscow mayoral candidate and one of Vladimir Putin's biggest critics.

2. Winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid by allegedly buying votes from FIFA delegates.

3. The alleged close relationship between the Russian government and the construction companies involved in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.



#10 Myanmar (tied)

Score: 0.15/10

A May 2015 profile on the southeast Asian country by the BBC reported that the Burmese economy is "one of the least developed in the world and is suffering the effects of decades of stagnation, mismanagement, and isolation. Key industries have long been controlled by the military, and corruption is rife."



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The best tour companies for solo travel

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Man Sitting Solo Travel

Solo travel is on the rise.

And for good reason— it allows you much more freedom and a greater opportunity to connect with locals.

According to the 2015 Visa Global Travel Intentions study, which surveyed over 13,000 travelers from 25 different countries, 24% of travelers traveled alone on their most recent leisure trip. That's almost 10% more than in 2013.

But for some, venturing out into the world completely solo can be intimidating.

The good news is there are a number of travel companies that cater to solo travelers and can help you book a guided trip with other travelers who are on their own.

Take a look at our list below and start planning your next trip.

General trips

Solos

Solos, Britain's number one "singles holiday company," has been around since 1982, and they've been catering specifically to solo travelers from the start. The company offers all kinds of vacations — from walks and treks to cities, ski or beach vacations. They also just recently launched an American branch, Solos Vacations, which only offers trips to the UK and Italy as of right now.

Classic Journeys

Quebec

Classic Journeys provides a solution to an issue that solo travelers have long had to deal with: supplements. Most travel companies raise prices up to 50% for those traveling alone. Classic Journeys, on the other hand, keeps its mark up to around 15%, because they only charge customers the extra fee that hotels charge for single travelers.

This isn't a "singles vacation" company; Classic Journeys specializes in walking tours with knowledgeable local guides. They're happy to book you a double room just for yourself, and they've received top ratings from both National Geographic and Travel + Leisure. About a third of their guests book solo trips.

Contiki Vacations

Contiki is geared towards younger travelers, specifically those aged 18-35. The company uses forums and social media to connect vacationers with each other before they embark on their journey. Since most of their pricing is for doubles, Contiki's goal is to match travelers up with someone of the same sex and then book a double room for them. So if you're looking to make friends on your trip, this is the company for you.

Abercrombie and Kent

Best known as a luxury travel company, Abercrombie and Kent accepts solo travelers on all of its trips — to all seven continents. They also offer Solo Savings escorted group tours, where single travelers enjoy their own private accommodations during every stop of the trip, but don't have to pay the usual single supplements. A&K either completely waives the supplement, or reduces it by up to 75%. 

Adventure trips

Galapagos Islands

Exodus

Exodus is unique in that it designates one or two departure dates per tour as Solo Departures, which the company suggests solo travelers use. Therefore, most of the people who leave on those dates and end up on those trips are people vacationing alone.

Exodus' tour guides are local and have gone through leader training. Guests can choose trips like cycling Croatia's Dalmatian Coast or exploring Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands in South America.

Overseas Adventure Travel

Ideal for budget travelers, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) takes single travelers to exotic destinations such as Botswana and Patagonia. They have both land adventures, which are tours on land with groups of 10-16 other travelers, or small ship adventures, which are boat tours with anywhere from 16 to 25 other travelers. 

OAT does not charge supplements, even if you extend your trip 4-9 nights, and they offer the "Solo Traveler Challenge:" a guarantee that if you find another travel company offering a better price on a comparable trip, OAT will meet that price, plus lower it by $500. 

G Adventures

If you're looking for an authentic experience, G Adventures is your answer. You can sleep in tents in a desert camp in Morocco or sleep under the stars in Antarctica. Active travelers will also like G Adventures; they have multiple trekking and hiking tours, such as a 10-day journey up Mont Blanc in Switzerland.

There are no single supplements, but G Adventures does book shared hotel rooms, so your accommodations won't be private. However, if you choose to extend your trip by using the company's independent extensions option, you will be charged a singles supplement.

Safaris

Zebras Safari Kenya

Singita

Singita has luxury safari lodges in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. One is located in the well known Kruger National Park, and the others are in lesser known parks. They've completely abandoned the single supplement, and they offer reduced pricing if you're looking to travel in the off season.

Wilderness Safaris

Billed as Africa's "foremost ecotourism operator,"Wilderness Safaris takes guests to some of the continent's most remote locations while also helping to maintain its biodiversity. The company's 50 luxury camps are located in eight African countries: Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

If you travel through southern Africa during November to April 15th, Wilderness Safaris will waive not only your flight but also your accommodation charges. It's a great deal, considering you still have a good chance of seeing just as much wildlife — but for a fraction of the price.

Cruises

Norwegian Cruise LineNorwegian Cruise Line

On three of its ships — the Epic, Breakaway, and Pride of America — Norwegian Cruise Line has cabins made exclusively for solo travelers that cost about 30% less than a double stateroom. They offers cruises all over including Alaska, Florida and the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and New England, Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, and Panama just to name a few.

 Lindblad Expeditions

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Like Norwegian, Lindblad Expeditions is another cruise company that offers solo cabins for a third less than the price of regular rooms. These single rooms can be found on their National Geographic Explorer, Endeavour, and Orion ships. Their destinations include the Amazon, Peru, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Caribbean.

Grand Circle Cruise Line

Grand Circle Cruise Line is one of the few cruise companies that does not offer a single supplement on their small ship cruises. Its small ship cruises go to the British Isles, Greece, France, Turkey, Bosnia, Spain, Burma, Iberia, and many others.

SEE ALSO: Here's why I think everyone should travel alone at some point in their life

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This year's Art Basel fair features $3.4 billion worth of art — and it's selling out fast

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Art Basel 2015As opening day sales at Art Basel soar, the art market bubble is getting fatter.  

This year's fair boasts $3.4 billion worth of art for sale in the Swiss city of Basel. 

Artnet reports that multimillion dollar works sold like gangbusters in the fair's first few hours. "I haven't had such a good day one at Basel in 10 years," New York dealer David Nolan told the website. 

Here's a look at the galleries and artists who are raking in millions, as well as some really cool art you need to see. 

Works by British artist Martin Creed are a hot item at Basel. A four-minute film he created in 2013 sold quickly for $65,000.

"Work No. 2068" by Martin Creed.



According to Artnet, a $5.5 million Christopher Wool piece was sold by New York's Van de Weghe Gallery in the first half hour of Basel's opening day.

"Untitled (SC5)" by Christopher Wool.

 



Artist Julius von Bismarck is doing performance art on this rotating platform. The work is called “Egocentric System.”



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The best ice cream shop in every state

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Churn ice cream, Arizona

It's almost summer, and summer calls for ice cream.

With or without toppings, it's the perfect treat to cool down on a hot afternoon.

Our friends at Foursquare helped us find the best place for ice cream in every state across the US, taking into account Foursquare users' likes, saves, shares, tip sentiment, and more.

To create this list, Foursquare included the top-rated ice cream shop in each US state.

ALABAMA: Bruster's Ice Cream in Prattville makes a mean brownie sundae... but you can celebrate the ultimate occasion with an entire ice cream sundae cake, complete with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Just add candles.

Find Bruster's Ice Cream on Foursquare »



ALASKA: Alaska may not be the first place you think of for ice cream, but Hot Licks, at Chena Pump Plaza in Fairbanks, is the first place Alaskans think of for ice cream. Customers rave about the pumpkin ice cream, and say that you can't tell the difference between regular and sugar-free flavors.

Find Hot Licks on Foursquare »



ARIZONA: If there's one place you want ice cream, it's in the southwestern heat of Phoenix. At Churn, the name says it all: It serves hand-churned batches of creamy scoops, ice cream sandwiches, and sundaes topped with toasted marshmallows.

Find Churn on Foursquare »



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