You kind of got the feeling back in November that April 20 wasn't going to be an ordinary day in Colorado or Washington.

 

Even folks who've never inhaled tend to understand the significance of 4/20 -- or 4:20, or even 420 -- to U.S. cannabis culture. After voters in both Colorado and Washington state approved legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and dispensed with all legal and medical pretense, 4/20 graduated from counterculture celebration to a full-on victory party.

 

Large-scale festivities are planned in both states on Saturday, even if those taking part in them are a little hazy on why they're happening on April 20 in the first place. For some, 420 has its origins amid the roving community that once followed the Grateful Dead around the country. It indicated the time and, once a year, the date to light up and partake.

 

One of the largest flawless diamonds in the world heads to the auction block next month, and the jewelry world is buzzing.

The pear-shaped gem weighs 101.73 carats and is one of the most perfect diamonds in the world, according to Christie's, which will hold the auction in Geneva. Christie's head of jewelry, Rahul Kadakia, says the diamond "has literally been sculpted like a work of art."

The diamond is considered perfect because of its color, which is rated "D," and its flawless clarity. It's also completely symmetrical and has a rare brilliance, Christie's says.

Experts say the diamond will likely sell for between $20 million and $30 million and could break the auction record set by the $21.5 million purchase of the 76-carat Archduke Joseph Diamond last year.

 

Four of Apple's (AAPL) top executives earn more than CEO Tim Cook and many other heads of companies in the S&P 500 ($INX), according to Bloomberg.

Bob Mansfield, the senior vice president of technologies, received $88.5 million in pay last year -- almost all of it in stock. His base salary was $805,400.

The three other well-paid execs include chief lawyer Bruce Sewell, earning $69 million; Jeffrey Williams, the senior vice president of operations, earning $68.7 million; and Peter Oppenheimer (pictured), the chief financial officer, earning $68.6 million.

Cook is a pauper by comparison, earning $4.17 million in 2012, though he earned $378 million in 2011 when he took over for the late Steve Jobs. Most of that came in a restricted stock award that will vest over 10 years.

 

Are American consumers ready for some tofu in their fast-food diet? That's what Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) is betting as it incorporates the vegetarian soybean curd into its menu at nearly 100 restaurants in Northern California.

Tofu, the low-fat, high-protein curd that's often used as a meat substitute, is a traditional part of many Asian dishes and can be found on the menus at Asian-based fast-food establishments such as Panda Express and Genghis Grill. But Chipotle is hoping its Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chilis and spices, will attract a broader base of diners.

"We are changing the way people think about and eat fast food," Chipotle founder, chairman and co-CEO Steve Ells said back in January when the company was testing out its new product. "Sofritas is a very different menu item not just for Chipotle, but for any fast-food or fast-causal restaurant.

 

Why are investors suddenly dropping gold as if it were deadly? There are just as many theories as there are experts offering them.

One thing is for sure -- gold's allure has been tarnished for many investors. Futures for June delivery settled at $1,361.10 an ounce on the Comex, a 9.3% decline on the day and the biggest drop since 1980. At one point, prices slid to $1,355.30, the lowest since February 2011.
 
Writing in Quartz, Matt Phillips offers five reasons for why gold has become so toxic, ranging from increasing supply to worries about a slowdown in China's economy to a call by Goldman Sachs (GS) to short the commodity. But he freely admits that he found none of them especially convincing.   

The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear a challenge to a New York gun-permitting law, providing a blow to gun-rights advocates and driving down shares of some gun makers. 

The high court declined to take up a review of New York's handgun law, which requires permit applicants to demonstrate special need for self-protection to receive approval for carrying a concealed handgun in public, according to Bloomberg. The century-old law had been upheld by an earlier federal court decision, which found it didn't infringe on the Second Amendment. 

Shares of gun makers fell on Monday, with Sturm Ruger (RGR) and Smith & Wesson (SWHC) declining more than 4% each in intra-day trading.

But that doesn't mean the Supreme Court won't consider gun-rights issues at some point. 

 

President Barack Obama and his wife earned only about $608,000 in 2012, a huge drop from the millions they made in the past when his book royalties were pouring in. Most of the president's income last year came from his $400,000 salary.

Even though the president's income has slowed, you'd expect his tax rate to be fairly high. Yet for 2012, the Obamas saw an effective tax rate of just 18.4%. The couple paid about $112,000 in federal income taxes. You can see their tax return here.

Why is the president's tax rate so low? 

Sure, McDonald's (MCD) is known for its reasonable prices, but the fast-food giant may be finding that even its iconic burger costs too much for many struggling customers. 

When McDonald's reports earnings on Friday, it's expected to produce an increase in first-quarter profit, but the reason for the growth is tied to its Dollar Menu, not the Big Mac, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The implication is that as the economy continues to roil some of McDonald's customers, they're opting for the chain's lower-cost options. The Dollar Menu allows customers to pick offerings such as a Sausage McMuffin accompanied by a small coffee.

The low-price menu's popularity might present something of a chicken-and-egg conundrum for McDonald's.