Day: May 27, 2024

Silicon Valley doesn’t seem to be buying Sam Altman’s NDA pleas

Sam Altman
  • Sam Altman says he didn't know OpenAI had non-disparagement clauses in exit deals.
  • But a follow-up Vox report suggests Altman may have known, citing leaked documents and ex-staffers.
  • Silicon Valley types are voicing their skepticism of whether Altman was being entirely truthful. 

Silicon Valley types are skeptical about whether Sam Altman knew OpenAI had non-disparagement clauses in its exit agreements.

Tech firm workers have weighed in on the recent chaos at OpenAI after a bombshell Vox report said that the ChatGPT maker could take back vested equity from departing employees if they didn't sign non-disparagement agreements.

Sam Altman took to X soon after the report was published, writing: "This is on me and one of the few times i've been genuinely embarrassed running openai; i did not know this was happening and i should have."

The claims against OpenAI didn't go down well in the tech community, and some were unconvinced that Altman was being entirely honest.

Another story published by Vox on Wednesday, citing unnamed former OpenAI employees and leaked documents, seemed to bring into question Altman's claim that he was out of the loop.

Vox published a document showing the OpenAI chief signed incorporation documents for the holding company that handles OpenAI's equity. According to the report, some former staffers were given just seven days to sign separation agreements.

Naveen Rao, vice president of generative AI at DataBricks, wrote that "there's just no way senior leaders didn't know about these separation terms."

Neel Nanda, who leads Google DeepMind's safety research team, said it looked like OpenAI was caught in a "series of public lies," while Nils Reimers, director of machine learning at Cohere, said it was "unacceptable behavior" by OpenAI.

Meta researcher Soumith Chintala praised the follow-up Vox report, saying it brought "receipts that it wasn't just some standard exit paperwork from OpenAI."

Former OpenAI employee Jacob Hilton, meanwhile, posted a thread on X on Friday stating that he left a year ago and that he signed a non-disparagement agreement.

He also said he signed a separate non-disclosure about the agreement so he wouldn't lose his vested equity.

"The agreement was unambiguous that in return for signing, I was being allowed to keep my vested equity, and offered nothing more," he wrote, "I do not see why anyone would have signed it if they had thought it would have no impact on their equity."

Hilton added that OpenAI contacted him a day earlier to release him from the agreement as a result of Vox's report.

OpenAI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Take a look inside Lyndhurst Mansion, a historic 14,000-square-foot Gothic Revival home featured in ‘The Gilded Age’

Lyndhurst Mansion.
Lyndhurst Mansion.

  • Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York, belonged to three elite New York City families.
  • Completed in 1842, the Gothic Revival mansion spans 14,000 square feet.
  • The Max show "The Gilded Age" was filmed inside the mansion and on the 67-acre grounds.

Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York, once belonged to three of New York City's wealthiest, most elite families. Now, it's a museum and an occasional film set for the Max show "The Gilded Age."

Located around 26 miles from New York City, the mansion was built by former New York City mayor William Paulding Jr. and completed in 1842. It was subsequently purchased by merchant George Merritt and railroad tycoon Jay Gould.

Take a look inside the historic home, including a behind-the-scenes look at its onscreen appearances in "The Gilded Age."

Once a lavish summer escape for New York City's elite families, Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York, is now a museum.
Lyndhurst Mansion.
Lyndhurst Mansion.

I booked an hourlong Classic Mansion Tour, which costs $25 and visits 16 rooms. The full list of tour offerings is available on Lyndhurst Mansion's website.

Seasons one and two of the Max show "The Gilded Age" were filmed inside Lyndhurst Mansion and on the 67-acre grounds.
"The Gilded Age" filming at Lyndhurst Mansion.
"The Gilded Age" filming at Lyndhurst Mansion.

On "The Gilded Age," Lyndhurst appears as the home of characters Charles and Aurora Fane, played by Ward Horton and Kelli O'Hara.

The estate grounds also served as Sheep Meadow in Central Park in the show.

The Carriage House, where horses were fed and groomed, is now the museum's Welcome Center.
Horse stables turned into booths in the visitor's center at Lyndhurst Mansion.
Horse stables turned into booths in the visitor's center at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Built in the 1860s, the carriage house's horse stables have been reimagined as booths.

The gift shop was once the tack room where bridles and saddles were kept.
The gift shop at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The gift shop at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The original metal hooks on the walls that once held saddlery now help display the assortment of clothes, accessories, and other merchandise sold in the gift shop.

Part of the Carriage House was also transformed into The New York Globe office for "The Gilded Age."
Sullivan Jones and Denée Benton in "The Gilded Age."
Sullivan Jones and Denée Benton in "The Gilded Age."

The New York Globe was a Black newspaper founded by Timothy Thomas Fortune, played by Sullivan Jones in "The Gilded Age."

When the show isn't filming there, the space functions as a screening room in the Welcome Center.
Chairs at the visitor's center at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The visitor's center at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Visitors can watch an educational video about Lyndhurst Mansion and its history.

The tour began outside the mansion, where our guide spoke about the three families that owned the property: the Pauldings, the Merritts, and the Goulds.
The side of Lyndhurst Mansion.
The side of Lyndhurst Mansion.

In 1836, former New York City mayor William Paulding and his wife, New York real-estate heiress Maria Rhinelander Paulding, purchased the land overlooking the Hudson River to build a summer home.

Architect Alexander Jackson Davis designed the home and much of its furniture. Construction began in 1838 and was completed in 1842.

In 1864, the Pauldings' son sold the mansion to George Merritt, who made his fortune as the patent holder of a rubber spring used in railroad cars, and his wife, Julia. The Merritts rehired Davis to design an addition to the home, doubling its square footage.

After George's death, Julia sold it in 1880 to Jay Gould, a railroad tycoon and businessman who was one of the wealthiest figures of the Gilded Age, and his wife, Helen Day Miller. Adjusted for inflation, his net worth totaled approximately $71.2 billion.

Gould's daughter, Helen Gould, then took ownership of the property, followed by his youngest daughter, Anna Gould, who married a French aristocrat and spent most of her adult life abroad. After her death, Anna left the Lyndhurst estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which manages the site today.

The name "Lyndhurst" came from the Linden trees that the Merritts planted on the property.
Linden trees on the grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.
Linden trees on the grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.

The Linden trees still grow on the grounds today.

We then moved into the porte-cochère, the enclosed doorway where residents boarded and disembarked from horse-drawn carriages.
The entrance to Lyndhurst Mansion.
The entrance to Lyndhurst Mansion.

The Merritts had Davis enclose the open porte-cochère from the Pauldings' era of the house with floor-to-ceiling doors and windows and construct a second porte-cochère outside.

The grand entryway featured a marble floor and four closets.
The entrance hall at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The entrance hall at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Closets were a sign of wealth, indicating that the owners could afford to use a room's valuable real estate for storage, the tour guide said.

The walls and the ceiling looked like marble, but they were actually handpainted plaster, another sign of wealth.
A bust of George Washington in Lyndhurst Mansion.
A bust of George Washington in Lyndhurst Mansion.

The Merritts could have afforded real marble, but it was more expensive to decorate with faux finishing than actual stone, making it a status symbol for their wealth.

The Parlor, also known as the Drawing Room, was used for family gatherings and entertaining.
The parlor at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The Parlor at Lyndhurst Mansion.

All of the furniture is original to the Pauldings, the home's first owners from 1842, except for the cabinet in the bay window.

A portrait of George Washington hung in a corner of the Parlor.
The parlor at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The Parlor at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The piece was painted by American artist Rembrandt Peale.

"The Gilded Age" transformed the room for scenes in the show, though the same blue patterned carpet is still visible.
Taissa Farmiga, Carrie Coon and Donna Murphy in "The Gilded Age" filmed at Lyndhurst Mansion.
Taissa Farmiga, Carrie Coon, and Donna Murphy in "The Gilded Age."

"The Gilded Age" brought all of its own furniture in for filming since the existing furniture pieces are valuable artifacts original to the home.

The formal Dining Room, added as part of the Merritts' renovation, featured a hexagon-shaped table designed by Davis.
The dining room at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The Dining Room at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Staff prepared food in a downstairs kitchen, brought it up on a dumbwaiter, and plated it in a butler's pantry off to the side of the room.

The fireplace was made of red-grain marble, but its columns were handpainted with a marble pattern over plaster and wood.
A fireplace in the dining room at Lyndhurst Mansion.
A fireplace in the Dining Room at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The walls were also hand-stenciled to look like they were covered with leather wallpaper.

The Dining Room featured stunning views of the Hudson River.
The view from the dining room at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The view from the dining room at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge would not have been visible in the Gilded Age since it was completed in 2018.

Scenes from "The Gilded Age" were shot in the Dining Room.
Louisa Jacobson, Cynthia Nixon, and Bill Irwin in a scene from "The Gilded Age" shot in the Lyndhurst dining room.
Louisa Jacobson, Cynthia Nixon, and Bill Irwin in a scene from "The Gilded Age" shot in the Lyndhurst dining room.

The Dining Room appears in episode three of the first season of "The Gilded Age."

One of the mansion's grandest rooms was the enormous Art Gallery on the second floor.
The art gallery at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The art gallery at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Priceless paintings covered nearly every surface of the walls.

The Pauldings originally used the room as a library.
The art gallery at Lyndhurst Mansion.
The Art Gallery at Lyndhurst Mansion.

When the Merritts moved in, they turned the Pauldings' old dining room into their library and built the new dining room as part of the expansion.

The Lyndhurst guide called Gould's art collection "one of the finest intact Gilded Age art collections in the country."
Paintings at Lyndhurst Mansion.
Paintings at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Gould's collection included pieces from French, German, and Spanish artists.

The State Bedroom off the Art Gallery was considered the best guest room in the house.
A bedroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.
A bedroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The room featured a Tiffany & Co. stained-glass window.

A bathroom in the hallway was furnished with pink double sinks sourced from Trenton, New Jersey.
A bathroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.
A bathroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The bathroom also included a claw-foot tub and rain-style shower.

Gould's daughter, Anna Gould, redecorated her late sister Helen's girlhood room and turned it into a guest room.
A bedroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.
A bedroom at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Anna Gould continued to sleep in her childhood bedroom when she visited Lyndhurst.

Before electricity, Lyndhurst's wealthy residents used speaking tubes in the walls to communicate with servants.
A speaking pipe at Lyndhurst Mansion.
A speaking tube at Lyndhurst Mansion.

The tubes connected to the butler's pantry downstairs.

Back downstairs, the estate office contained one of the mansion's most valuable artifacts: Gould's "laptop."
Jay Gould's desk at Lyndhurst Mansion.
Jay Gould's desk at Lyndhurst Mansion.

Gould's 100-pound Wooton desk, known today as his "laptop," held all of his business paperwork and accompanied him to work in New York City every day.

Gould refused to take the railroad to work because it was owned by his archrivals, the Vanderbilts.
Railroad tracks on the Hudson River near Lyndhurst Mansion.
Railroad tracks on the Hudson River near Lyndhurst Mansion.

Even though the railroad passed right by Lyndhurst Mansion, Gould commuted with his desk down the Hudson River on his steam yacht called the Atalanta. The journey took around 45 minutes.

The Vanderbilts also owned a mansion upstate during the Gilded Age in Hyde Park, New York.

Once the mansion tour concluded, the guide encouraged us to spend some time exploring the grounds.
The grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.
The grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.

The property is full of walking trails, gardens, and scenic picnic spots with views of the Hudson.

I could see why the estate stood in for Central Park in "The Gilded Age."
Sullivan Thomas and Denée Benton in "The Gilded Age."
Sullivan Thomas and Denée Benton in "The Gilded Age."

The wooded paths, park benches, and grass lawns looked just like Central Park.

While walking along the river, I stopped inside the bowling alley built for Helen Gould in 1894.
The bowling alley on the grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.
The bowling alley on the grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion.

The bowling alley can be rented for special events where guests bowl with the lightest possible balls to help preserve the historic space, according to The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Lyndhurst Mansion and its sprawling estate are worth a visit even if you've never seen "The Gilded Age."
Views of the Hudson River from Lyndhurst Mansion.
Views of the Hudson River from Lyndhurst Mansion.

With so many notable residents and original furnishings, the home preserves the opulence of the real Gilded Age.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I ranked 12 fast-food double cheeseburgers from worst to best, and my favorite was also one of the cheapest

Double cheeseburgers from In-N-Out. Cook Out, and Sonic.
Double cheeseburgers from In-N-Out. Cook Out, and Sonic.

  • I ranked double cheeseburgers from 12 different fast-food chains.
  • White Castle surprised me with its small, cheap, and super-flavorful sliders.
  • I thought In-N-Out's famous Double-Double was great value and undeniably delicious.

A classic double cheeseburger is a fast-food staple, but which chain has the best one?

May 28 marks National Burger Day, but burgers remain one of the most popular foods in the US throughout the rest of the year. A 2023 report by Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation found that 79% of Americans order burgers at restaurants at least once a month, while Forbes reported McDonald's is one of the most valuable brands in the world.

Over the years, I've tried practically every fast-food double cheeseburger on the market. For a definitive ranking, I tried double cheeseburgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Shake Shack, White Castle, Whataburger, P. Terry's, Five Guys, Cook Out, Checkers, Sonic, and In-N-Out.

Here's every fast-food double cheeseburger ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite double cheeseburger was from Burger King. It cost me $3.89.
The author holds a burger king double cheeseburger
Burger King's double cheeseburger.

The burger was under $5, but I'm not sure it was worth the price.

It comes with two of the chain's beef patties, American cheese, pickles, mustard, and ketchup on a sesame-seed bun.
burger king double cheeseburger
Burger King's double cheeseburger.

It comes with one slice of cheese.

This burger was super filling, but I liked the other burgers I tried more.
burger king double cheeseburger
Burger King's double cheeseburger.

Right away, I tasted the thick beef patties. The burger had traveled a little more than 15 minutes from my local Burger King to my apartment, but the meat was still juicy and the cheese nicely melted.

The pickle slices were thick and crunchy, and I enjoyed the sesame-seed bun, which added a nice textural element. But I thought there was just a little too much ketchup, which will likely vary depending on who's making your burger that day.

It was also a little heavy for my liking. It filled me up a little more than I had anticipated before jumping into the rest of the burger comparison. Still, for a burger that costs just under $4, that might be more of an asset than a hindrance if you want a filling, inexpensive lunch.

Next was Wendy's double cheeseburger, which the chain calls a Double Stack. I ordered it for $4.49.
wendys meal
Wendy's double cheeseburger.

It was about the same price as the burgers from McDonald's and Burger King, though it landed squarely in the middle in terms of value.

A Wendy's double cheeseburger comes with two junior-size hamburger patties, American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and sweet onion.
wendys meal
The Wendy's Double Stack.

The toppings looked a little stingy, and they were clustered in the middle of the sandwich. I would have liked to see them more spread out.

The burger bun was fluffy and light, and the toppings had a ton of flavor.
wendys meal
Wendy's double cheeseburger.

But I had to get a few bites in to reach the toppings in the center.

The toppings themselves were amazing. I thought the pickles were the most flavorful out of the burgers I tried, and I liked the use of an onion ring rather than diced onion, although I would've liked more.

The McDonald's double cheeseburger cost me $5.79.
The author holds a mcdonalds double cheeseburger
McDonald's double cheeseburger.

It was slightly more expensive than Wendy's version but had more toppings. It came with an extra slice of American cheese plus chopped onions, and I thought it was still relatively affordable.

The double cheeseburger from McDonald's comes with two beef patties, pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, and two slices of American cheese.
mcdonalds double cheeseburger
McDonald's double cheeseburger.

I was interested to see if the added toppings would amp up the flavor.

I thought the ingredients came together well in this burger, but the bun was a little lackluster.
mcdonalds double cheeseburger
McDonald's double cheeseburger.

The bun held everything together and was a good size, but it was a little too soft and didn't have a lot of flavor on its own. But I enjoyed the amount of condiments and didn't find them overpowering.

The chopped onions added a lot of flavor, and the burger patties were juicy despite being thinner than the Burger King ones. I liked the added cheese but didn't think it was necessary.

In ninth place was the double-meat Whataburger with cheese.
whataburger double cheeseburger in paper packaging on blue background
Whataburger double meat burger with cheese.

It costs $9 at a Whataburger in Austin, excluding tax and fees.

I ordered it with a large bun, American cheese, grilled peppers and onions, pickles, and ketchup.
whataburger double cheeseburger
Whataburger double meat burger with cheese.

The burger was a decent size and I could see the gooey cheese peeking out from underneath the soft potato bun. 

Unlike the other double cheeseburgers, this burger had sliced jalapeño peppers that I imagined would add quite the kick.
open whataburger double cheeseburger
Whataburger double meat burger with cheese.

The ingredients definitely set this burger apart from the others.

I thought the burgers had a delightfully crispy texture to them, and the toppings added a ton of flavor.
bitten into whataburger double cheeseburger
Whataburger double meat burger with cheese.

The bun was light and fluffy, but I did think the burger patties could have been a little thicker and juicier.

Coming in eighth was the double cheeseburger from P. Terry's Burger Stand, a regional chain I visited in Austin, Texas.
p terrys double cheeseburger
P. Terry's double cheeseburger.

The burger cost only $5, making it one of the cheaper burgers I tried.

Despite being less expensive than the Whataburger double cheeseburger, the P. Terry's burger was larger.
p terrys double cheeseburger
P. Terry's double cheeseburger.

I ordered it with pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard, and American cheese.

I again thought the cheese could have been more melted, but the size definitely made up for that small detail.
p terrys double cheeseburger
P. Terry's double cheeseburger.

One of the benefits of ordering from P. Terry's is that you can easily customize your burger and add a number of toppings including grilled onions, the chain's special sauce, tomato, lettuce, and more.

I thought the burgers were juicy and the pickles had a tart crunch to them.
bitten into p terrys double cheeseburger
P. Terry's double cheeseburger.

The bun was slightly underwhelming, but I thought it was an excellent, large burger with tons of flavor, especially for the low price. I also thought the mustard really came through and added a lot to the burger.

The double cheeseburger from Shake Shack was the second most expensive burger I tried.
shake shack double cheeseburger in paper wrapping on blue background
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.

I paid $12.49 for a double cheeseburger. I could customize my toppings, but I went with pickles, onions, and Shack sauce.

Right away, I thought the burger was massive.
shake shack double cheeseburger in paper wrapping on blue background
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.

The burger patties were perfectly crispy on the outside and covered in gooey melted cheese. The pickles also looked large and homemade. It was even heavy to pick up.

The toppings were generous and the chain's signature Shack sauce, which is a mayo-based sauce with a slight mustard flavor, made it really tasty.
shake shack double cheeseburger in paper wrapping on blue background
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.

The cheese was thick and perfectly melted.

However, biting into the Shake Shack burger was a little overwhelming, in my opinion.
bitten into shake shack double cheeseburger in paper wrapping on blue background
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.

The burger was huge, which was both an asset and a hindrance. I struggled to get through more than a few bites.

However, despite being the second most expensive burger, I thought it was worth the price. The burger patties were much thicker than the other burgers I tried, and the toppings took it over the edge in terms of flavor.

Overall, I was impressed … but stuffed.

In sixth place was the double-decker burger with cheese from Checkers.
checkers double cheeseburger
Checkers double cheeseburger.

The burger has since been replaced with the Big Buford, which has all the same ingredients but a bakery-style bun instead of a sesame-seed bun. The burger costs $7.69 at my local Checkers in Brooklyn.

I thought this burger was a little pricey for the size.
checkers double cheeseburger
Checkers double cheeseburger.

It was smaller than my hand, though it did include a variety of toppings like tomato, lettuce, and red onion. The burger also comes with American cheese, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on a toasted bun.

The burger patties were very juicy and the toppings tasted fresh.
checkers double cheeseburger
Checkers double cheeseburger.

I also thought the American cheese was very tangy and flavorful. Overall, I enjoyed the combination of flavors. However, the price prevented this burger from ranking higher. 

I also tried the double cheese slider from White Castle.
white castle double cheeseburger on blue background
White Castle double cheeseburger.

White Castle sliders tend to be eaten in pairs, so I ordered two. Each burger cost me $3.55, so I ended up paying $7.10.

The burgers were small but packed with flavor.
white castle double cheeseburger on blue background
White Castle double cheeseburger.

The burgers smelled strongly of onions and condiments the second I removed them from the bag.

The amount of toppings on each burger was generous.
white castle double cheeseburger on blue background
White Castle double cheeseburger.

The pickles were crunchy and flavorful. Though the burgers each had a bun sandwiched in the middle of the burger, it wasn't too bready — instead, it allowed the flavors to really come together while still being filling.

I was blown away by the cheeseburgers from White Castle, a result I admittedly wasn't expecting.
white castle double cheeseburger on blue background
White Castle double cheeseburger.

As the cheapest and smallest burgers, I was expecting them to be a little lackluster. However, I found that good things definitely come in small packages. The onions, condiments, and pickles were flavorful, but it was the beef that really impressed me.

The small-but-mighty burger was one of the most flavorful out of the ones I tried, easy to eat, and perfectly priced. 

My fourth-favorite double cheeseburger was from Five Guys.
five guys cheeseburger
Five Guys cheeseburger.

Five Guys doesn't technically have a "double cheeseburger" — its regular cheeseburgers already come with two slices of cheese and two beef patties.

My burger cost $13.55, excluding taxes and fees, making it the most expensive burger I tried.

I was able to customize my toppings, but I ordered the burger with pickles, grilled onions, ketchup, and mustard.
five guys cheeseburger
Five Guys cheeseburger.

Right away, I noticed that the toppings were generous. The pickle slices were large, and none of the toppings cost extra to add.

The burger was large without being too intimidating.
five guys cheeseburger
Five Guys cheeseburger.

I thought it was a perfect size. It required two hands to pick up and eat, but it wasn't as heavy as the burger from Shake Shack. Slices of melted American cheese coated each burger, and there wasn't so much sauce that it dripped out from underneath the sesame-seed buns.

The burger patties were crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside.
five guys cheeseburger
Five Guys cheeseburger.

I thought the pickle slices were thick, crunchy, and tart. I also really enjoyed the choice of a sesame-seed bun — it added a bit of texture to each and every bite.

The grilled onions also really impressed me. They were soft and almost caramelized, adding a lot of flavor that I didn't get from any other burger.

My third-favorite double cheeseburger came from Sonic Drive-In.
sonic double cheeseburger in tin foil wrapping on blue background
SuperSonic double cheeseburger.

The SuperSonic double cheeseburger was the only burger I tried that came with lettuce and tomato. Since this was the default option, I decided to try it with these toppings rather than specifically remove them. 

The burger cost me $9.75, excluding taxes and fees.

The burger came with a hearty serving of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, two slices of cheese, diced onions, pickles, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
open faced sonic double cheeseburger in tin foil wrapping on blue background
Sonic double cheeseburger.

Unlike Sonic's quarter-pound double cheeseburger, which comes with two junior patties, the full-size burger has a combined half-pound of meat. 

The bun was perfectly soft but still held the sauce-covered burger together.
bitten into sonic double cheeseburger in tin foil wrapping on blue background
Sonic double cheeseburger.

The ingredients tasted fresh and vibrant. The tomato wasn't too watery, the lettuce was crisp, and the burgers tasted well-seasoned and juicy. Plus, the burger was a very generous size. 

However, despite all these accolades, I thought the price was a little steep compared to what I got from Cook Out and In-N-Out.

My second-favorite double cheeseburger came from Cook Out, a regional chain I visited in South Carolina.
cook out double cheeseburger
Cook Out big double burger.

You can order a "big double" from Cook Out any way you wish, but I ordered mine with cheese, ketchup, mustard, onions, and pickles. It cost me $4.99, not including tax.

The burger came wrapped in foil and featured two juicy patties.
cook out double cheeseburger
Cook Out big double burger.

It also had thick slices of fresh onion and large pickle spears layered on top of the burger.

For the price, I thought the burger was out of this world.
cook out double cheeseburger
Cook Out big double burger.

The cheese slices were thick and tangy, and the burger was perfectly moist and medium-rare. It was also very large, and, after already eating dinner, I struggled to get through more than a few bites, though I kept wanting to go back for more.

At an amazingly low price, this burger definitely earned the second-to-top spot on my ranking.

In my opinion, the best double cheeseburger I tried was the famous Double-Double burger from In-N-Out.
in n out double double, fries, and drink on blue background
In-N-Out Double-Double burger.

It cost me $4.90, which I thought was an excellent deal for the large burger sitting in front of me. One of the first things I noticed was how thick the burger patties were — they were much thicker than other burgers I tried at a similar price point.

Most Double-Double burgers come with lettuce, tomato, onions, and spread.
in n out double double on blue background
In-N-Out Double-Double burger.

To keep my burger similar to the other burgers I tried, I ordered it with onions, pickles, and spread, which I thought tasted similar to Thousand Island dressing.

The first thing I noticed about the In-N-Out burger was how juicy the burger patties were, followed by the incredible layers of cheese.
bitten into in n out double double on blue background
In-N-Out Double-Double burger.

The cheese slices were perfectly melted and coated each part of the burger, something I couldn't say about any other burger I tried.

The bun was perfectly soft and held everything together perfectly, while the special spread had my mouth watering for another bite.

Of all the burgers I tried, I thought the In-N-Out double cheeseburger packed the most flavor for the best price.
bitten into in n out double double on blue background
In-N-Out Double-Double burger.

When it came to a double cheeseburger, the West-Coast chain really nailed it. The burger was beyond flavorful, the perfect size, and, in my opinion, very good value for money.

The next time I'm in a state with an In-N-Out, I know where I'll be filling my burger craving.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Ohio man plans to take a 2-person submersible to Titanic depths to show the industry is safe after the OceanGate tragedy

A picture of an OceanGate vehicle
The Titan submersible.

  • A submersible imploded as it descended to view the wreck of the Titanic last year.
  • All five passengers on board the OceanGate vessel were killed in the incident.
  • Two men are now planning a trip in a new submersible to try to prove the industry is safe.

An Ohio real-estate investor is planning to take a two-person submersible down to Titanic-level depths to prove that the journey can be carried out safely following the Titan sub implosion last year.

The investor, Larry Connor, told The Wall Street Journal: "I want to show people worldwide that while the ocean is extremely powerful, it can be wonderful and enjoyable and really kind of life-changing if you go about it the right way."

He is working with Patrick Lahey, the cofounder and CEO of submersible manufacturer Triton Submarines.

The pair aims to show that such an expedition can be carried out repeatedly and safely despite the implosion of the OceanGate sub last June, which killed all five people on board, including the company's CEO, Stockton Rush.

Stockton Rush.
Stockton Rush.

Lahey said that Connor rang him a few days after the implosion and said: "'You know, what we need to do is build a sub that can dive to [Titanic-level depths] repeatedly and safely and demonstrate to the world that you guys can do that, and that Titan was a contraption.'"

Connor, who has previously been to the Mariana Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on Earth, said they plan to do the journey in a two-person vessel called the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, named "4000" for the depth in meters it can reach. He did not say when the trip will take place.

Lahey was one of the many industry figures who criticized OceanGate before and after the disaster, accusing it of questionable safety standards.

After the implosion, he described Rush's approach to convincing people to get on board as "quite predatory."

Others in the industry and the company also voiced their concerns.

An OceanGate tourist submersible descending from the surface.
An OceanGate tourist submersible descending from the surface.

A former chief submersible pilot for the company said years before the fatal incident that he was worried Rush would get himself and others killed in a "quest to boost his ego."

Filmmaker and Titanic explorer James Cameron also weighed in, saying he and some engineers had warned OceanGate officials that the Titan could lead to "catastrophic failure."

The waiver that Titan passengers were required to sign mentioned multiple ways that passengers could die and described the vessel as "experimental" three times.

Previous passengers had also described errors, failed trips, and feeling unsafe.

CBS News' David Pogue said his trip on the submersible was canceled after the Titan reached 37 feet due to an equipment malfunction, while one diver who made it to the wreckage said there were multiple aborted attempts, calling it a "suicide mission."

Nevertheless, Rush and his company repeatedly defended the submersible and its design.

A side view of the Titan submersible, a large white cylindrical vessel with a rounded grey front that has a single porthole in water.
The Titan sub.

The subsequent disaster raised concerns about the industry, with some experts calling on the industry to reassess taking people to such a remote location.

But Lahey said he believed that OceanGate's problems weren't reflective of the wider industry, saying that classed submersibles are considered to be very safe due to the extensive testing they undergo.

Rob McCallum — a former OceanGate consultant who had warned Rush about the safety of the Titan — agreed with that assessment.

"In that sense, OceanGate didn't make the industry look bad," McCallum told the Journal. "It made us look good."

Read the original article on Business Insider