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Stunning Yet Eerie Photos Show 'Ground Zero' Of Chernobyl Years After The Nuclear Disaster

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Chernobyl Timm Suess Lenin Square

Twenty-eight years ago on April 26, nuclear disaster struck in the former Soviet Union. 

An explosion and subsequent fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine released radioactive materials into the atmosphere, resulting in the most expensive and deadliest nuclear disaster in history.

In 2009, Timm Suess visited what he calls "ground zero of the 1986 accident," the now-abandoned town of Pripyat near the Chernobyl power plant. This town and its inhabitants — mostly power plant workers and their families — were the main victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The actual town of Chernobyl was farther from the power plant than Pripyat — about 10 miles — but it was also affected by the nuclear disaster. Still, Suess wrote wrote after his trip in March 2009, “Chernobyl is a more lively place than you might imagine: Nowadays it is repopulated with 500 people, many of them scientists.”

With its high radiation levels, however, the area still poses danger to its inhabitants. Consequently, those found within the radiation zone fall into either of two categories: “radiophobes” and “radioenthusiasts.”

To commemorate the explosion and its victims, Suess' photos show what the city of Pripyat looks like recently. You can follow Timm Suess on LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, and DeviantArt.

To enter the city of Pripyat, Suess passed through three security checks. "Entry into the zone of exclusion is only allowed with proper authorizations and a tour guide."

Photographs and text by Timm Suess. You can follow him on LinkedInTwitterFlickr and DeviantArt.




"A couple of minutes later, we arrived in the heart of the city: Lenin square in the middle of Pripyat, where two of the main city axes cross."

Photographs and text by Timm Suess. You can follow him on LinkedInTwitterFlickr and DeviantArt.



"To the west are the big restaurants and the market and the high rise of the Voskhod building with its hammer and sickle insignia on top."

Photographs and text by Timm Suess. You can follow him on LinkedInTwitterFlickr and DeviantArt.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 Vintage Pictures Of Los Angeles When It Was Still A Beachside Village

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Los Angeles may have been founded in 1781, but by the late 1870s, the city was still barely anything more than a few seaside villages. A new collection of rare photos acquired by the Huntington Library show the turning point in the city's development in the late 19th century.

Los Angeles exploded in population and size with the completion of the Southern Pacific railroad in 1876, which connected the area with the rest of the country. In 1892, oil was discovered in the area, driving settlement and industry to the area. By 1900, the city had grown to more than 100,000 residents.

The Huntington Library shared a selection of the photographs with us, but you can see the more than 4,600 photographs at their location in San Marino, Calif

This is the Southern Pacific railroad as it enters Santa Monica. The railroad ignited a bustling tourism industry along the Pacific Coast.

4_mar102These two people are canoeing in Westlake Park, now called MacArthur Park. The park was originally constructed as a reservoir for the city. By the 1890s, it was a hot vacation spot, surrounded by luxury hotels.18_Two_people_in_canoe

This is the "Chinese Quarter" of Los Angeles — the city's first Chinatown — in 1892. This version of Chinatown was in its heyday from 1890 to 1910, but an explosion of gambling houses, opium dens, and gang warfare led the government to condemn the area. The residents were evicted to make room for Union Station. 17_Chinese_QuarterThis is the Cathedral of St. Vibiana in 1895. Located in Downtown Los Angeles, the cathedral was the seat of the Los Angeles bishop for over 100 years. It is now an event space.13_Roman_Catholic_Cathedral

This is the San Fernando Valley around 1890. The Valley now encapsulates parts of Los Angeles, Hidden Hills, and Glendale, as well as the cities of Burbank and San Fernando. It is completely undeveloped here.10_In_The_San_Fernando_Valley

These people are visiting  Santa Monica beach in the 1880s. In the distance you can see one of the first iterations of the Santa Monica Pier. 3_mar098This is the Santa Monica Bathhouse, built in 1876. It included rooms for rent, enormous bathtubs, and two steam rooms. It was built by Colonel Baker and millionaire John Percival Jones, who developed much of Santa Monica.5_Beach_and_Bathing_HouseThe Santa Monica Hotel was the first hotel built in the area. It was constructed in 1885 to accommodate the influx of tourists from the railroad.6_Santa_Monica_HotelThe 125-room Arcadia Hotel opened on January 25, 1887. It was one of the landmark hotels of the era. This is the roller coaster at the hotel.1_mar092This is the view of Santa Monica from the Arcadia Hotel in 1893.20_Santa_Monica_from_Hotel_ArcThis photo from 1905 shows bathers on the beach in Santa Monica. 16_Bathing_in_the_PacificThis man is fishing at Redondo Beach, one of Los Angeles' three beach cities. At the time, Redondo was a source of halibut, lobster, and sea bass.11_Fishing_at_RedondoHere you can see the beginnings of Venice Beach, Calif., built in 1905 as an oceanfront resort. Several miles of canals were dug in the area to drain the marshy land and a variety of attractions were constructed, including the dance hall shown here.12_Venice_photo_postcard_3_manDowney, a city southeast of downtown Los Angeles, is seen here in 1875, just two years after the railroad reached the community.15_Los_Angeles_14

SEE ALSO: 45 Vintage Photos Of Manhattan In The 1940s

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RANKED: The Hottest Pre-IPO Adtech Startups Of 2014

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AppNexus, Brian O'Kelley

Last year, we began ranking pre-IPO adtech companies by size and importance. Since then, the adtech IPO market has just gotten hotter.

Rubicon Project filed for an IPO, and its stock popped nicely on the first day — making adtech IPOs suddenly much more interesting than they used to be.

Tubemogul also filed for an IPO. DataXu confirmed it will do the same thing.

And, biggest of all, Pinterest looks like it is gearing up an adtech revenue model— always a pre-IPO sign.

In the last year or so we've seen IPOs from Millennial Media, which raised $130 million, Tremor Video ($75 million), YuMe ($46 million), Rocket Fuel ($116 million), Marin Software ($105 million) and Criteo ($190 million).

This ranking looks at the hotter companies subject to IPO (or at least big exit deal) rumors right now. Our data comes from Crunchbase, LinkedIn, our own reporting and that of other business publications. We've tried to rank them by revenues. See our methodology at the end.

17. xAd: GOOGLE'S WAZE PARTNER HAS TAKEN $24M IN FUNDING

CEO: Dipanshu Sharma

Estimated gross revenues: $65 million, net revenue would be less than that.

Employees: 102

Total venture funding: $24 million

Comment: xAd tracks in-store visits from people who recently saw mobile ads, allowing clients to do hyper-local mobile targeting and location-based "retargeting" (hitting you with an ad just bceause you were recently near a relevant store).

We believe xAd is profitable. Its clients include Macy's, Home Depot (direct) and YP. xAd also gets revenue from platform partners using xAd for their long tail. More importantly, xAd is the exclusive third-party provider of search and display mobile ads for Waze, Google's new mobile traffic mapping app.



16. FLURRY: TOO BIG TO NOT GO PUBLIC

CEO: Simon Khalaf

Estimated revenues: $100 million

Employees: 140

Total venture funding: $50.5 million

Comment:"I consider an IPO an entrance," CEO Simon Khalaf told us. "We don't have a choice, our volume is too high and our scale is too big for anyone to absorb us."



15. SPRINKLR: FLYING UNDER THE RADAR

CEO: Ragy Thomas

Estimated revenues: unknown.

Employees: 300

Total venture funding: $28 million

Comments: Sprinklr targets large companies that need massive social, CRM and enterprise communications management needs. (In plain English, imagine a company that has a different Twitter account for every single product it market in every single country. Now multiply that across all the other platforms companies need to use to communicate — LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Global companies can easily end up with hundreds or thousands of social media accounts. Sprinklr's products can sit on top all of, that making them much easier to manage.)

So far, Sprinklr has flown mostly under the radar.

The company acquired The Dachis Group earlier this year for an undisclosed sum. TBG Digital — one of Facebook's larger ad partners — is now Sprinklr's de facto Facebook ad-buying arm.



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Inspirational Photos From The Boston Marathon

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2014 Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon was changed forever when two bombs went off near the finish line of last year's race, killing four and wounding dozens of others.

We got our first look at how the Boston Marathon is now about survival and recovery, as well as showcasing the strength of the Boston community.

The race now serves as an inspiration and we collected some of the most inspiring photos.

Marc Fucarile, a 2013 Boston Marathon bombing survivor touches the finish line during a tribute run for survivors and first responders.



One bombing survivor carried another across the finish line.



Bombing survivor Rebekah Gregory DiMartino wipes away a tear while wearing a Boston Strong shirt during the tribute run.



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15 Movies You Should See This Summer

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lucy scarlett johansson

Summer movies had an early start this year when "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" premiered the first week of April.

Come May, three highly anticipated movies will make their way into theaters.

Past the web-slinging, transforming, and roaring monsters and superheroes are a few films you may not have heard of with talent ranging from Scarlett Johansson to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

We've gone through more than 100 summer movie releases and picked the top 15 you should check out.

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

Release Date:
May 2

Why to see it: Flashbacks to Sam Raimi's jam-packed "Spider-Man 3" came to mind when multiple villains were announced in the sequel; however, director Marc Webb assured fans this wouldn't be an issue. And it doesn't seem like it.

Very positive early reviews— out a month ahead of the film's U.S. release — make us confident Andrew Garfield's return as the web-slinger will be well worth it as the sequel is expected to touch upon an iconic scene from the comics.

Action aside, the on-screen chemistry between real-life couple Garfield and Emma Stone is reason to head out.

Watch the trailer



"The Double"

Release Date:
May 9

Why to see it: The black comedy allows Jesse Eisenberg to play two dynamically opposite characters — Simon, an awkward, shy, introverted worker and then James, a smooth, charismatic new employee who begins to take over Simon's life.

The film first premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and has been nominated for several awards. Mia Wasikowska ("Alice in Wonderland") also stars.

Watch the trailer



"Godzilla"

Release Date:
May 16

Why to see it: We know what you're thinking: It's a reboot, one from a little-known director, Gareth Edwards, who's best known for an alien movie "Monsters." 

Every trailer so far has looked pretty darn impressive — thanks in part to the chilling vocal narratives of "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston. Plus, it appears 'zilla won't be the only monster wreaking havoc in the new film.

At the end of the day, it can't get any worse than the 1998 film featuring Matthew Broderick.

Watch the trailer

Check out behind-the-scenes artwork from the film »



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The 46 Most Important African-Americans In Technology

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condoleeza rice

African-Americans in the tech industry still seem to be relatively few and far between.

But that is changing. In February of this year, Apple appointed Denise Young Smith to lead its worldwide human resources division — a position previously held by a white man

Just this month, storage startup Dropbox announced the appointment of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to its board of directors

Still, racial minorities and women are generally underrepresented in management roles, according to a 2013 CNNMoney probe into the 20 top U.S. tech companies. Last year, we began tracking the most important black people in tech.

Now, we've updated our ranking of some of the most accomplished African-Americans in the industry. 

46. Stephen DeBerry

Founder and CIO, Bronze Investments 

Before founding Bronze Investments, Stephen DeBerry was a partner at Kapor Capital. Before Kapor, DeBerry worked as an investment director at Omidyar Network, the investment firm started by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam. 

In his career, DeBerry has backed startups like Chromatik, Formlabs, SendHub, and CardMunch, the mobile app for business cards LinkedIn acquired.

Bronze Investments has taken no outside funding and has an undisclosed number of employees.



45. Will Lucas

Founder and CEO, Creadio 

Will Lucas founded brand marketing technology company Creadio back in 2003. Two years ago, he launched Classana, an educational resource discovery engine. To date, Classana has raised $26,500 in grant money.

Lucas is also the organizer behind TedXToledo, which is now in its second year. 

Creadio is a bootstrapped startup with fewer than 10 employees. 



44. Ade Olonoh

CEO, Formspring

Ade Olonoh is the co-Founder and CEO of Formspring, a social network that helped people find out more about each other. 

Prior to founding Formspring, Olonoh founded online form building Formstack. Formpsring has taken $14.3 million in funding and has about 12 employees. In 2013, Spring.me acquired Formspring's assets and rebranded it. 



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15 Gorgeous Retro-Future Photos From The 1964 World's Fair

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Fifty years ago yesterday, the World’s Fair opened in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, N.Y. The event was a watershed moment for 1960s America, which was still putting the assassination of President Kennedy in the past. Though the Vietnam War and resulting social upheaval were only just getting underway, the fair exhibited the nation's postwar optimism of a bright, technological future. 

Spanning two six-month seasons from April 1964 to October 1965, the fair was full of space-age futurism, newfangled technologies, and more than its share of controversy. 

In honor of the anniversary, we’ve collected these photos from the fair: 

The 1964-1965 fair was the third major World’s Fair to be held in New York City. The theme of the '64 fair was Peace Through Understanding and was symbolized by a 12-story stainless-steel model of the Earth called the Unisphere. It was built by U.S. Steel. fair1Admission to the fair was $2 for adults (those 13 and older), equivalent to about $15 in today’s dollars. Les Poupées de Paris was a wildly popular puppet show at the fair. After a review complained about the risqué nature of the show, tickets sold out for weeks.fair15By the time the fair closed in 1965, 51 million people had attended the exposition. It was well below the projected attendance of 71 million. The New York State Pavilion, designed by Philip Johnson, was a key attraction. Pictured here are the flying-saucer-like observation towers, designed to evoke the Space Age.fair5The fair was the only World’s Fair not to be sanctioned by the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE). Despite the fact that New York had hosted the World’s Fair 25 years earlier, a group of New York businessmen led by master urban planner Robert Moses spearheaded the effort for a new fair in the hopes that it would create an economic boom in the city.fair2Moses attempted to gain the approval of the BIE in Paris but was rebuffed because of a number of unorthodox requests that he determined were necessary to make the fair profitable. Moses wanted to charge nations rent for exhibiting at the fair, and wanted the fair to run for two six-month seasons, despite BIE stipulations that only one season was allowed.

After Moses blasted the BIE in the French press, the agency asked that member nations not participate in the New York fair. As a result, many major countries, such as England and France, opted out. Smaller countries took advantage with large exhibits.

This recreation of a Belgian village became one of the highlights after fairgoers went crazy over a couple selling Belgian waffles.fair16The Swiss Sky Ride gave riders panoramic views of the fairgrounds and Manhattan. In the foreground, from left, are the pavilions of the United Arab Republic (a short-lived union between Egypt and Syria), Lebanon, and China. In the background are the anthill-shaped pavilion of Jordan and the multi-arched Moroccan pavilion on the right.fair3Corporations ended up hosting some of the largest and most elaborate exhibits. At the Futurama II exhibit by General Motors, visitors took a ride into the future on individual seats on a track, accompanied by narration. The GM ride included numerous scenes of the near future including a weather station underneath the Antarctic ice shelf where technicians live and predict the weather.Fair9Other scenes included a laser-assisted demolition of a jungle to create a superhighway, and a trip to the moon with lunar crawlers and commuter space ships, shown here.fair11The city-of-the-future scene shows airports in Midtown, high-speed "bus trains," moving sidewalks, and "super-skyscrapers."fair6The General Motors pavilion was massive. In addition to the Futurama ride, the pavilion included exhibitions that showed the variety of research conducted by GM, including home appliances and this experimental car.fair10Chrysler attempted to compete by unveiling what at the time was groundbreaking technology — a turbine-powered car. The Chrysler Turbine Car was called the "jet car" because the engine was similar to one used in a jet. Other parts of the Chrysler exhibition included a massive turbine engine that fairgoers could walk through and a simulated assembly line. Fair14Forty years before the advent of Skype, AT&T's Bell Labs premiered the Picturephone at the fair. Attendees were invited to video-chat with a caller in a special exhibit at Disneyland in California. The product never ended up catching on because of the high price tag and small size of the picture. fair8Nuclear energy was still a crowning achievement of the U.S. at the time. The Atomic Energy Commission's Atomsville, U.S.A., exhibit touted the benefits of nuclear-produced electricity. As the children pedal the bicycles, lights on the panel in front are activated by a generator. The exhibit indicated how long they would have to pedal to equal the energy in 1 pound of uranium fuel: 30 years of nonstop pedaling. fair7The U.S. pavilion was designed with the theme Challenge to Greatness to show what a "free people can compete in a free society." Exhibits included "The Voyage to America," a film tribute to immigrants' journeys to America, "The Great Society," showing U.S. advances in science, the arts, and world peace, and "American Journey," a moving grandstand showing 472 years of American history. fair4The fair closed on Oct. 21, 1965. It was considered a failure, after it failed to meet attendance projections or repay its financial backers their investment. Most of the fair was completely demolished within six months, and the remaining pavilions have slowly succumbed to neglect. Here, the fair is lighted at night.fair12


NOW WATCH: This Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Lego Art

 

SEE ALSO: 26 Vintage Photos That Show How New York Has Transformed Since The 1970s

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Why A New Skyscraper In Saudi Arabia Could Mean Doom For The Global Economy

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kingdom tower, saudi arabia

Saudi Arabia is expected to begin work on the Kingdom Tower next week. 

The building in Jeddah is expected to cost $1.23 billion and stand 3,280 feet tall, according to the Saudi Gazette.

That's 568 feet taller than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

Construction is also underway on Sky City in China, projected to be 2,749 feet tall. Sky City is expected to finish before the Kingdom Tower and will, for a very brief period, hold the title of the world's tallest building.

Two years ago, Barclays introduced its Skyscraper Index, which suggests that construction booms, highlighted by record-breaking skyscrapers, coincide with the beginning of economic downturns.

In his 2012 report, Barclays' Andrew Lawrence and his team wrote that this is because "the world’s tallest buildings are simply the edifice of a broader skyscraper building boom, reflecting a widespread misallocation of capital and an impending economic correction."

But it isn't just the world's tallest building we should be looking at. Lawrence said it's also important to look at the number of skyscrapers being built and their geographic profile. This is because the tallest buildings "rarely stand alone."

With this in mind, investors should watch the building booms in China, India, and Saudi Arabia.

Here's a look at the Skyscraper Index from Barclays (click the image to enlarge it). Basically, what you see is a series of famous skyscrapers associated with subsequent busts. The most recent one is Dubai's Burg Khalifa. Another notable recent one is Malaysia's Petronas Towers, which presaged the Asian economic crisis of the late '90s.

skyscraper indexDrawing on Barclays' Skyscraper Index, we pulled 10 skyscrapers whose constructions coincided with the financial crises of their times.

Equitable Life Building (1873)

The Long Depression, 1873–1878

The pervasive U.S. economic recession with bank failures that came to be known as the Long Depression coincided with the construction of the Equitable Life Building in New York City in 1873. At the time the building was the first skyscraper at a height of 142 feet.

Source: Barclays



Auditorium (1889) and New York World (1890)

British Banking Crisis, 1890

Chicago's 269-foot-tall Auditorium building, completed in 1889, and the 309-foot-tall New York World building, completed in 1890, coincided with the British banking crisis of 1890 and a world recession.

Source: Barclays



Masonic Temple, Manhattan Life Building, and Milwaukee City Hall (1893)

U.S. panic marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding, 1893

Chicago's 302-foot-tall Masonic Temple, the 348-foot-tall Manhattan Life Building, and the 353-foot-tall Milwaukee City Hall coincided with the U.S. panic of 1893 marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding. It also coincided with a string of bank failures and a run on gold.

Source: Barclays



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The 10 Best Vegan Restaurants In LA

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Veganism is catching on. So much so that Chipotle even started cashing in on the trendy diet with its tofu-based sofritas

Ever since celebrity endorsements started pouring out about animal-product-free dining almost a decade ago, Los Angeles has been seen as the epicenter of the movement. 

America's first vegan restaurant even opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1969, attracting legends such as Marlon Brando and John Lennon. 

And as veganism keeps growing, the dining options just keep getting better and better.

Here are the 10 best vegan restaurants in LA, compiled by our friends at Yelp.

10. Veggie Grill

6374 Sunset Blvd.

Carnivores shouldn't shy away from Veggie Grill. Yelp users rave about their satisfying vegetarian meat, especially the chickn. 

"So, have no fear, Veggie Grill would put your meat free meal or substitute meat nightmares to rest," Yelp user Whitney P. wrote."I ordered one of the entrée salads with some sort of imitation chicken on it and my fiancé got the same but with faux steak.  Both were surprisingly amazing, but the chicken was better."

Note: Yelp's search results are based on an algorithm that is designed to provide the best results based on a number of different factors including review text, ratings, and number of reviews. Because several factors are taken into account, this is why you may see a 3.5-star restaurant with 500 reviews showing above a 4-star one with 15 reviews.



9. Un Solo Sol Kitchen

1818 E 1st St.

This small Latin restaurant has a great atmosphere with live music and excellent pupusas and tacos. 

"This place is amazing. I had a flower papusa, plantains, and a mango coconut smoothie. Everything was delicious," Yelper R.J. wrote."The papusa was homemade and fresh with salty cheese, and the mango coconut smoothie wasn't loaded up with sugar, it simply contained those two ingredients. The wait staff was very friendly."

Note: Yelp's search results are based on an algorithm that is designed to provide the best results based on a number of different factors including review text, ratings, and number of reviews. Because several factors are taken into account, this is why you may see a 3.5-star restaurant with 500 reviews showing above a 4-star one with 15 reviews.



8. Native Foods Cafe

1114 Gayley Ave

With locations across the West Coast, this restaurant has an expansive menu that includes meals like a Bistro Steak Sandwich and Chicken Run Ranch Burger.  

"Vegans are modern day tricksters. All of which I am amazed by with every visit,"Jessica Y. wrote."There is a lot of thought that goes behind the dishes to make Vegan food not only delicious, but appealing to the regular restaurant-goer. I'm seriously a meat lover, and now a vegan food lover."

Note: Yelp's search results are based on an algorithm that is designed to provide the best results based on a number of different factors including review text, ratings, and number of reviews. Because several factors are taken into account, this is why you may see a 3.5-star restaurant with 500 reviews showing above a 4-star one with 15 reviews.



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E-COMMERCE AND THE FUTURE OF RETAIL: 2014 [SLIDE DECK]

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BII percent of retail online

The retail industry is undergoing a dramatic shift: E-commerce is capturing a larger share of sales than ever before. 

We've created a slideshow highlighting the retail categories where e-commerce is having the most impact, and where there is still opportunity for disruption. The shift away from physical retail toward digital retail is happening faster than many observers expected. 

BI Intelligence is a research and analysis service focused on mobile computing, digital media, payments, and e-commerce. Only subscribers can download the individual charts and datasets in Excel, along with the PowerPoint and PDF versions of this deck. Please sign up for a free trial here.

 







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What Brazil's Brand-New Soccer Stadiums Look Like 50 Days Before The World Cup

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2014 brazil world cup stadiums 6

With 50 days to go before the first game of the World Cup, Brazil is rushing to finish the last of its brand-new stadiums.

The Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo is the most worrisome venue. Construction was delayed after a worker died last month, and there's still a significant amount of work to be done before it hosts the opening game on June 12.

Three other stadiums — in Porto Alegre, Curitiba, and Cuiaba — also have FIFA, the international soccer governing body, worried.

It's not all bad, though. Eight of the 12 World Cup stadiums are ready to go, and many of them are stunning.

These photos of the 12 host venues reflect the complexity of the Brazil World Cup. The venues are striking and surrounded by natural beauty. But they're also sometimes half-built, sometimes tucked between slums, and sometimes needlessly expensive.

Let's start with the good news: The Maracana in Rio de Janeiro is finished.



The historic stadium once held nearly 200,000 people. After a renovation, the capacity is now 78,000.



The Maracana is in the thick of Rio, right down the road from the Mangueira slum.



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9 Of The Most Amazing Office Spaces On The Planet

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BBC office

The places we work shape the work we do. Research shows that natural light leads to higher test scores in schools, plants reduce stress in the office, and spaces with high ceilings tend to promote creative thinking. 

Culled from Architizer's second annual A+ Awards, which are chosen by 300 experts and a popular vote, these are a handful of the most amazing office spaces in the world.

They are spaces we'd love to work in — warehouses transformed into airy workrooms, newsrooms of the future, and offices that double as laboratories. 

The BBC Broadcasting House in London brings together nearly 6,000 of the British broadcaster's employees.



The Autodesk headquarters in San Francisco is equal parts office, laboratory, and workshop.



The office of shipping company Drukta and mailing company Formail in Kortrijk, Belgium, epitomizes northern European cool — shipping containers are turned into sleek workspaces.



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These Are Some Mesmerizing Photos Of The Urban Sprawl That's Devouring The Planet

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Growing up in post-war Germany, photographer Christoph Gielen was “repulsed” by the rows of drab, identical, pre-fabricated buildings that were constructed quickly to rebuild cities lost to Allied bombings. When he left art school in his 20s, he took on a photographic mission to document the way buildings and development misuse land.

He headed to the United States, where he encountered the most extreme examples of suburban development. Heading out with a helicopter pilot, Gielen began photographing communities from above to show how our car-centric development has altered the face of the planet. 

“We are leaving a huge footprint on the environment,” says Gielen. “Sustainability is something that we need to address now.”

Gielen shared some of the photos from the project with us here, but you can check out the rest in his new book Ciphers.

For Gielen's first attempt at aerial photography, he flew with an LAPD pilot in a training helicopter. With the doors off, Gielen hung outside the helicopter to catch these photos of California's famous freeway interchanges.c5On the left is a development constructed in the 1950s in Sun City, Arizona. On the right is Sterling Ridge in Florida, built in the 1970s.c2This is a view of Sun City, Arizona. To choose which communities to photograph, Gielen uses population and economic statistics like foreclosure rates, and mapping from the U.S. Geological Survey. When he has found an area that he thinks will be intriguing, he poses as a prospective home-buyer so that real estate agents will show him the area from a local's perspective. C1 sprawlOn the left is another view of Sun City, Arizona. Venture Out RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona (right) is an active retirement community of nearly 2,000 homes. It was built in 1968.c8Gielen says that suburban sprawl like the kind pictured here in the Anthem–Henderson, Nevada, region, originated in America, but has since spread to many parts of the world. c7Sun Lakes, Arizona (left) was built in the 1970s and encompasses five country-club communities. Summerlin, Nevada (right) was owned by Howard Hughes and has since been developed into a number of villages, many of which are still under construction.c4Gielen believes that single-family homes are a misuse of land. He instead envisions "mixed use zoning." "You'd have developments that are a mix between housing and businesses, so that you wouldn't have to get into your car every time you need to go grocery shopping or go to your school or job," explains Gielen. Here, Gielen photographed skyscrapers in China.c3

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16 Photos Of The World's Greatest Boxers Like You've Never Seen Them Before

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M.Pacquiao4

Ten years ago, German photographer Holger Keifel was looking through a few boxing books when he noticed that, in each photo, the boxer was in a similar position: hands up, tough face, ready to fight. He felt there was something missing — who the boxers were outside the ring.

Keifel resolved to change that. Now, he has become known in boxing circles for having what may be the largest single collection of boxing portraits in the world, consisting of 400 portraits of fighters, promoters, trainers, cutmen, and announcers. Every portrait tries to reveal the inner life of his subject, from Mike Tyson to Joe Frazier to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Keifel shared some photos from his boxing project with us here, and you can see more in his book, "Box: The Face of Boxing." The National Portrait Gallery also recently acquired two of Keifel’s portraits.

Despite Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s tough reputation, Keifel says the boxer is a nice guy once he's done "selling" himself and the cameras are off.F.Mayweather.Jr.2It took Keifel two and a half years to get Luis Collazo in the studio. When Keifel asked for the portrait, Collazo had just been injured in a loss to Shane Mosley. Keifel decided to wait because he "wanted to make him look good."L.Collazo1Ukrainian boxer and current heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko has spoken out often about the current unrest in his home country. His brother Vitali, also a boxer, is the leader of the opposition in Ukraine.W.KlitschkoArthur Abraham's nickname is King Arthur. When Keifel took this photo, Abraham had just arrived in America to promote the Super Six World Boxing Classic. He was wearing the crown and jacket.A.AbrahamConsidered one of the finest defensive boxers of all time, James Toney tried his hand at mixed-martial arts in 2010 at the age of 42. He lost his one and only match in under 4 minutes.J.ToneyKeifel calls Bernard Hopkins "the quintessential old-school boxer." He took this shot after a training session at Hopkins' gym in Philadelphia.B.Hopkins1Nicknamed "the Golden Boy," Oscar De La Hoya retired in 2012, after losses to both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.O.DLHoyaKeifel had to stand on a milk crate to photograph the 7-feet 1 inch tall Nikolai Valuev.N.Valuev2"The Italian Dragon" Joe Calzaghe retired in 2009 with an undefeated record and as a reigning world champion.J.CalzagheMike Tyson was not easy to get in the studio, Keifel told MaxBoxing. In order to convince Tyson that it was worthwhile, Keifel talked to Gene Kilroy, Muhammad Ali's business manager in the 1970s, who set it up.M.TysonLennox Lewis is ranked as the number one pound-for-pound British boxer of all time.L.LewisOne of the most well-known boxers of all time, Evander Holyfield will likely be most remembered for when Mike Tyson bit off a piece of his ear during a rematch.E.HolyfieldLarry Holmes made 20 successful title defenses, second only to Joe Louis.L.HolmesKeifel got this shot of Joe Frazier in 2003, eight years before the boxing great died. "You don't have to tell him what to do," Keifel says of Frazier. "He had an incredible life story and it was all written in his face."J.FrazierAfter seeing this shot of himself, Jake LaMotta told Keifel, "It's an ugly picture of me, but I like it because it makes me look tough."J.LaMotta1After initially refusing, Don King eventually let Keifel photograph him three times. During the first shoot, King asked Keifel, "What am I doing this for? For my enemies?" It was only after seeing Keifel's work that King warmed up to him.D.King1

SEE ALSO: If Vladimir Putin And Vitali Klitschko Got Into A Fight, Here's Who Would Win

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The 10 Least 'American' Cars From Detroit's Major Automakers

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Chevrolet SS

In the era of globalization, buying cars that wear Ford, GM or Chrysler badges no longer guarantees car shoppers an American product.

According to recently released rankings from American University's Kogod School of Business, some models sold by America's most iconic brands are less "made in America" than many of their Japanese and German counterparts.

The rankings considered data including where an automaker is headquartered and where it assembles its vehicles, produces parts, and conducts research and development. 

They also evaluated the final destination of an automaker's profits. The report argues "the true impact of these [design and manufacturing] activities [by foreign automakers] on the U.S. economy is reduced by the repatriation of profits back to the automaker's home country." Everything that's done in the U.S. earns points, scored out of 100.

According to Kogod, the most "American" cars in the world are Ford's F-Series pickup and Chevrolet's Corvette, each with a domestic content score of 87.5 out of 100.

The same rankings also concluded that the most "made in America" of the foreign -randed cars are three Hondas and a pair of Toyotas that scored 78.5 out of 100.

But many cars carrying American badges scored far lower than some foreign competitors. 

This is because Detroit's big three all operate extensive design, development, and manufacturing facilities around the world, including plants in Australia, China, Thailand, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Belgium, and Spain. Most of the time, vehicles designed and built overseas are sold abroad, but occasionally they do make their way to our shores. 

10. Chevrolet Spark EV

Domestic content score (Out of 100): 37

Assembly location: Changwon, South Korea

Why it's on the listThe Spark EV, along with GM's Gamma II small car platform, is a product of GM Korea. Formerly known as Daewoo, GM Korea operates three assembly facilities capable of producing 860,000 cars a year. 

The domestic content score is a ranking system developed by the Kogod School of Business to measure the amount of U.S. based business and manufacturing activity for each car. 



9. Buick Encore

Domestic content score (Out of 100): 36

Assembly location: Bupyeong, South Korea

Why it's on the list: The Encore sub-compact SUV, along with its mechanical twin the Opel Mokka, is a joint product of GM Korea and the company's German Opel division

The domestic content score is a ranking system developed by the Kogod School of Business to measure the amount of U.S. based business and manufacturing activity for each car. 



8. Ford Fusion & Ford Fusion HEV (tie)

Domestic content score: 34

Assembly location: Hermosillo, Mexico

Why it's on the list: The Fusion and Fusion HEV are both assembled alongside the Lincoln MKZ at Ford's 1.6 million square foot Hermosillo plant.  

The domestic content score is a ranking system developed by the Kogod School of Business to measure the amount of U.S. based business and manufacturing activity for each car. 



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The 10 Best Spas In America

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Montage Deer Vallery

Summer is a time to relax on the beach, drink something fruity out of a coconut, and indulge in a massage. Or two, or three.

But instead of squeezing in a measly back rub between your sunbathing, why not plan your whole vacation around it?

Condé Nast Traveler came out with a voter-based list of the best spas across America.

Far from your strip mall spas that play "Sounds of the Beach" on loop, these are full-on retreats that offer premium pampering in some of the most beautiful and tranquil places in the country.

So sit back, relax, and completely indulge.

10. Samoset Resort, Rockport, Maine

The Spa at the Samoset is on the smaller side with just four private rooms, but their outdoor patio overlooks 230 acres of Maine' Penobscot Bay. Their body massage options include Detoxifying Seaweed Wraps and Citrus Detox Reviving Scrub. If you're looking to go all out, get the Samoset Ultimate Signature Package for $445 which includes a facial, massage, and champagne.



9. The Cloister, Sea Island, Georgia

The Mediterranean-style resort on Georgia's private Sea Island, offers the "best of ancient and modern wisdom" with therapists and consultants on hand at their Forbes Five-Star spa and fitness center. Their treatments range from a White Tea Organic Facial to a Fresh Start Spa Day for those who want to embrace a healthier lifestyle. 



8. L'Auberge Del Mar, San Diego, California

Located in California's "heart of Del Mar," their treatments are primarily open-air and "draw on the healing wonders of the ocean." A popular option is "Seaside Sojourns" which feature ingredients and techniques indigenous to the Amazon, Morocco, Polynesia and Asia. They also have the Invigorating Coffee Scrub which uses coffee oil. 



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A Late Hedge Fund Millionaire's Central Park West Apartment Is On Sale For $25 Million

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The San Remo

The Upper West Side co-op that belonged to the late-hedge fund manager Robert Wilson is on the market for $25 million, the New York Times reports [via Curbed].

Wilson, a retired fund manager and a big philanthropist, jumped to his death from the 145 Central Park West apartment late last year. He had previously suffered a debilitating stroke a few months before. He was 86.

Kleier Residential has the listing on his former residence.

It's a lovely apartment with breathtaking views of Central Park. Now we're going to take a tour.  

You enter apartment 16C from a private elevator into this gorgeous gallery with marble floors.



Wilson's apartment was located in the south tower of The San Remo.



Seen here is the 32-foot living room. The corner apartment has 4,600 square-feet of living space.



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18 Awesome Fast Food Items You Can't Get In The US

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Foreign Fast Food

Americans are consuming less fast food and causing chains like McDonald's, Burger King and KFC to ramp up their international expansion.

Restaurants have had to come up with some pretty creative menu offerings to cater to local tastes. 

We reviewed the menus overseas for a handful of the world's top fast food chains, and compiled some of our favorites. Too bad you can't find them on menus in the U.S.

Pizza Hut's Crown Crust Pizzas

Where: Middle East

What it is: Pizza Hut sells a variety of Crown Crust pizzas with various meats cooked inside the crust, including mini cheeseburgers, chicken filets and hot dogs.



Burger King's Kuro Ninja Burger

Where: Japan

What it is: This is one of Burger King Japan's most bizarre offerings. The bun is colored black with bamboo charcoal and inside is a Whopper patty, a hash brown, a ridiculously long slab of thick bacon, lettuce, onions and Chaliapin sauce, which is made of onions and garlic.



KFC's Blueberry Patbingsu

Where: Korea

What it is: KFC's Blueberry Patbingsu is a summer menu item with shaved ice, blueberries, blueberry syrup, and red beans.



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What It's Like To Eat At Noma, The Best Restaurant In The World [PHOTOS]

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noma copenhagen denmark dinner

Copenhagen restaurant Noma has once again been named the "world's best restaurant" by Restaurant magazine.

The kitchen, run by executive chef René Redzepi, serves a reinvented version of Nordic cuisine with a focus on ingredients foraged from the nearby forests and shores.

The two-Michelin-starred restaurant regained the title after coming in second in last year's restaurant ranking. Before that, it had held the crown for four years running.

One thing is for sure: a meal at Noma is completely out of the ordinary. Guests are treated to a parade of around 20 small plates, most of which bear little resemblance to recognizable food. The tasting menu costs $296 a head, and the wine pairing is an additional $185.

Jose Moran Moya and Elise Porter, foodies who takes gorgeous photos of their meals for their blog Spanish Hipster, were lucky enough to eat at Noma in 2012. They shared pictures of their Noma feast with us.

The first appetizer was actually hidden in the table arrangement. It consisted of malt flatbread and juniper.

See more of Moya's photos at Spanish Hipster



Next up, "moss and cep,"—fried reindeer moss and mushrooms.

See more of Moya's photos at Spanish Hipster



Crispy pork skin and black currant. Moya described it like "a fruit roll up getting it on with a chicharrones (Spanish fried pig skin) ."

See more of Moya's photos at Spanish Hipster



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11 Great Gifts All Mothers Will Love

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mother child sweden parent

Just because Mother's Day comes around every year, doesn't mean you have to get mom the same bouquet of flowers and Hallmark card every year as well.

We know mothers come in all different shapes and sizes, but we compiled a list that we think every mom will love.

Here are the best things to give your mother on May 11th for a truly special Mother's Day.

 

A fancy tea-maker so she can always have the perfect cup.

For the serious tea-drinkers, Teavana's Perfect Teamaker "is an efficient, simple and clean way to steep tea."

Instead of making and covering a pot of boiling water, this tea-maker does all the work, even draining out the tea leaves. 

Price:$19.95



The important staple of a statement necklace.

Statement necklaces are the must-have accessory now, so if your mother (or the mother of your children) is looking to freshen up her wardrobe, a bold necklace would be a welcome addition.

This Maldives necklace with a gold-plated chain is perfect for her to either dress up or down.

Price:$118



A terrarium will let her garden on a micro scale.

The Brooklyn-made First Connection Terrarium is pint-sized greenery set in a glass apothecary jar and features a tiny, customizable sculpture of parent and child.

And if your mother is into light gardening, each terrarium comes with a set of tweezers to help prune, and needs only a misting every two weeks for upkeep. 

Price:$75



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