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17 bizarre yet beautiful hotels around the world

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faralda crane hotel

Sometimes, where you stay can help make a trip unforgettable. 

In countries around the world, there are quirky and innovative accommodations that take guests to new heights and unimaginable environments. 

From the transparent bubble rooms of theAttrap'Rêves, which sit nestled in the forests of France, to Amsterdam's Faralda Crane Hotel, where rooms are situated within a 164-foot-tall crane, here are 17 fascinatingly unusual hotels around the world.

SEE ALSO: 50 incredible hotels you should sleep in during your lifetime

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Shaped like a volcano and complete with water that spews down instead of lava, the Montaña Mágica Lodge is tucked within the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve in Chile. The hotel is built from local wood and stone, and includes nine rooms and hot tubs made out of tree trunks that overlook the forest.

Click here to learn more about the Montaña Mágica Lodge>



The Jumbo Stay hostel is a Boeing 747 jumbo jet that was converted into a hotel and is located on a disused runway at the Stockholm Arlanda Airport in Sweden.

Click here to learn more about the Jumbo Stay hostel> 



Areas like the flight deck have been converted into en-suite double bedrooms, the first class cabin was transformed into a 24-hour cafe, and a communal balcony on the cockpit offers runway views to guests.

Rooms start at about $70 per night.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Simple etiquette rules to remember the next time you fly


Check out Porsche's new $100-million US headquarters — it's like Disneyland for car lovers

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Porsche HQ Atlanta

Porsche's CEO was just names the new CEO of parent company Volkswagen.

Back in May, Porsche opened a brand-spanking-new North American headquarters. The car maker did this because Porsche's business has been booming in recent years — one of the reasons that Matthias Müller will succeed Martin Winterkorn in the aftermath of an emissions-cheating scandal that has rocked VW.

The next time you find yourself flying into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, take a look at the northeast corner of the airport.

There you'll find a groovy-looking building with sports cars speeding on an adjacent racetrack. That's the $100-million HQ and Porsche Experience Center.

"[W]e celebrate a significant milestone in the history of Porsche as we expand our footprint in the United States and reaffirm our commitment to the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta," Müller said when the new HQ opened. "We are investing more than ever before, heightening visibility for the Porsche brand in the US and worldwide."

Business Insider recently traveled to Atlanta and checked out the place. We'll report on our adventures in a later post, but in the meantime, have a look at what got us to hop on a plane and fly down to Georgia.

SEE ALSO: China has knocked off a Range Rover and is selling it at a third of the price of the real thing

Porsche North America has called Atlanta home since 1998.



But with the new 27-acre facility, Porsche has created an opportunity to connect with current and prospective buyers.



In fact, the new Porsche compound is the largest investment the company has ever made outside Germany.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This is how Porsche's iconic 911 sports car has evolved

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Porsche 911 Targa 4S

There are very few cars that have been in continuous production for 50 years.

The Porsche 911 is one of them.

In fact, if the lineage of the 911 is traced to its roots, you will find that it is actually related to the original 1930s Volkswagen Beetle.

And now the guy who has been running Porsche, Matthias Müller, will take over as CEO of the VW Group. He was instrumental in developing Porsche's lineup beyond the 911, into luxury sedans and SUVs.

While a few aspects of the 911 have changed over the years, even more have stayed the same. The engine hanging over the rear axle is the most obvious hallmark that has remained the same for the entire production run. Such a heavy weight should act like a pendulum and throw the Porsche off balance, but instead this Porsche is one of the best handling cars on the road today.

The distinctive shape has also changed very little in the last 50 years, but that is what makes the car an icon.

The Corvette, 10 years older than the 911, has changed completely since it was introduced in 1953 and would be unrecognizable to someone who has only seen a first generation car.

An owner of the original 911 could teleport 50 years into the future and still instantly recognize a new car on the road as an evolution of his own.

Have a look at how this icon has evolved.

[An earlier version of this article was written by Travis Okulski.]

The Beetle is the grandfather of the 911. Ferdinand Porsche Sr. designed the "People's Car" in the late 1930s. It was not fast, but basic design elements like round headlamps and a engine in the rear made their way to Porsche's next car.



If the Beetle was the grandfather, the 356 is the father. Porsche once again used a rear-engine layout, but the 356 was lower, wider, and faster than any Beetle on the road in 1948. It stayed in production until 1965.



The original 911 entered production in 1963 as a more usable and refined alternative to the 356. The round headlamps and distinctive profile are readily apparent. The five spoke Fuch's wheels also became closely associated with the 911; a replica version is still made today.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A sommelier shares 10 words to look for to find high-quality wines under $25

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choosing wine bottles

Affordable wine doesn't have to taste cheap.

But how can you tell you have a good bottle before pouring that first glass?

"Many wine consumers in the US are still challenged by the abundance of language on a wine label," says Jörn Kleinhans, owner of the The Sommelier Company. "It's difficult enough with an English label, but adding the other languages and countries, it becomes very difficult."

Kleinhans explains that certain words, often those regulated by local government in the region a wine is produced, are reliable indicators of high-quality wine at any price point.

Here are ten words he recommends looking for on wines under $25, to guarantee you're getting the best bottle on the shelf.

SEE ALSO: Why expensive wine is probably a waste of money

'CLASSICO' on a Chianti

Chianti is a popular wine in the US, Kleinhans explains, because it was the first wine commercially exported from Italy in large amounts.

However, he says, "Wine that is only labeled Chianti is usually not very good. If you see 'Chianti Classico,' that is always a good wine."

"The term 'Classico' describes the local best core-growing regions of this type of wine," he continues. "The core vineyards in the center of the region that have the best terroir and the best orientation to the sun."

Other vineyards may also produce a wine called Chianti, but they aren't permitted to add "Classico." Kleinhans explains that the distinction is an important one when looking to experience "classical notes of tomato paste and vanilla" typical of the wine. 



'GRAN RESERVA' on a Rioja

Rioja, Kleinhans says, is the most important wine of Spain.

It can be labeled as either "Reserva" or "Gran Reserva," but "you're always looking for, without exception, the Gran Reserva," says Kleinhans. "It means this wine has a strong oak flavor, the hallmark flavor of Rioja. It also guarantees this wine has been aged in oak for two years or more, and an additional three years in the bottle."

Kleinhans says Rioja Gran Reserva is "probably one of the greatest high-end wines in the world that you can get at tremendous value."



"CRU BOURGEOIS" on a Bordeaux

The "Cru Bourgeois" distinction has to do with the French region of Bordeaux, where these wines are produced.

The greatest wines of the region are classified as "Grand Cru Classé," which Kleinhans explains has been so successful that prices went through the roof and bottles are no longer available for under $40 or $50.

"For the value lovers, 'Cru Bourgeois' is the back door to get outstanding Bordeaux for under $25," he says. "Those are the chateaus not allowed into the Grand Cru classification 150 years ago. Several outstanding chateaus were left aside, and nowadays these wines not labeled Grand Cru, but Cru Bourgeois, you can get at a great value. It's the level right under the Grand Cru level people are paying thousands for."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 apps that show off the iPhone 6S's best new feature

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Apart from better cameras, the new iPhone 6S's marquee feature is what Apple calls 3D Touch, an upgrade to the phone's display that can detect the level of force from your finger as you tap.

Apple says that 3D Touch is "the next generation of multi-touch" technology. It allows apps to respond in different ways depending on how hard you press the display. 3D Touch also makes it easier to jump in and out of your favorite apps.

It's hard to understand how 3D Touch works until you see it action. Luckily, lots of apps already support the feature on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, the new iPhones that went on sale on Friday.

When you press into Apple's Photos app icon from your home screen, you get these handy shortcuts.



Inside the Photos app, press down on a thumbnail and swipe up to quickly share it.

RAW Embed



The Camera app icon allows you to quickly take a photo, a selfie, and record regular or slo-mo video.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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If you’re single, these are the 10 best cities to find new love (Z)

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Happy Couple on Date at Restaurant

Looking for love?

Maybe it's time to move.

Zillow, the $3 billion online real estate company, has ranked the cities with the highest odds of finding a new love. Zillow considered a variety of data, including each city’s percentage of singles, percentage of singles who moved to town in the past year, median disposable income of single residents, and the number of date spots per capita.

See if your city made the list. (Spoiler: NYC couldn't crack the top 10.)

SEE ALSO: Salesforce ran out of hotel rooms, so it rented this cruise ship for its big annual conference — and it looks amazing

No. 10: Raleigh, NC

Singles: 56% of total residents

New single residents (who moved to town in the past year): 7.1% 

Disposable income: $25,690 (median income minus median rent)

Potential date spots: 27 per 10,000 people



No. 9: San Francisco, CA

Singles: 60% of total residents

New single residents (who moved to town in the past year): 6.5% 

Disposable income: $9,207 (median income minus median rent)

Potential date spots: 57 per 10,000 people



No. 8: Nashville, TN

Singles: 58% of total residents

New single residents (who moved to town in the past year): 6.2% 

Disposable income: $17,962 (median income minus median rent)

Potential date spots: 39 per 10,000 people



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 24 best things to do in Singapore, according to locals

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Singapore Flyer

Singapore may be the most expensive city in the world, but it's also home to eclectic budget shops, incredible street food, and dozens of free parks — it is called the Garden City, after all.

We sifted through a Quora thread on the best things to do in Singapore, and pulled out the top suggestions from locals.

From exploring the hot new hipster neighborhoods to finding the best spots for local street food, here are 24 of the best things to do in Singapore.

 

FOLLOW US! 50 mouthwatering pictures of street food in Singapore

SEE ALSO: The best thing to eat in 50 countries around the world

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is home to an array of lush plants and flowers. It’s free and open to the public every day of the year from 5am to midnight.

Click here to learn more about Singapore Botanic Gardens >



Check out Tiong Bahru, Singapore's hot new hipster neighborhood that's filled with cool shops, restaurants, bars, and restored shophouses.

Click here to take a virtual tour of Tiong Bahru »



Eat at a hawker center for a wide variety of mouthwatering local dishes that include everything from spicy curries to savory noodle dishes. Singapore is famous for its incredible street food, which you can sample here.

Click here to check out some of Singapore's street food options >



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Simple etiquette rules to remember the next time you fly

The 35 most expensive tasting menus on the planet, ranked

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restaurant de lhtel de ville crissier switzerland

One of the best ways for foodies to truly experience the world's best restaurants is by ordering a multi-course tasting menu.

But it's not for everyone — these carefully crafted and elaborate meals can sometimes cost as much as $1,000 a head.

From the experimental Sublimotion restaurant in Spain to the innovative Noma in Denmark, here are 37 restaurants with the priciest tasting menus in the world.

NOTE: We calculated the cost of a meal for two people, and included the price of a wine pairing where applicable. Unless otherwise indicated, the listed cost does not include gratuity or tax. Foreign prices were converted at today's conversion rates.

SEE ALSO: Here's what burgers look like at 16 Michelin-starred restaurants around the country

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35. Eleven Madison Park, New York, New York (TIE)

$450 for two; 12-16 courses

Despite the grandeur of Eleven Madison Park, which is set in a dazzling room with white tablecloths and high ceilings, the food here is anything but stuffy.

Chef Daniel Humm creates playful and interactive dishes like the "Name That Milk" dessert, which comes in a wooden box with four specially commissioned Mast Brothers chocolate bars.

 

 

 



35. The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, California (TIE)

$450 for two people; 9-10 courses (wine pairing additional $225 per person)

The Restaurant at Meadowood caters to every guest's individual preferences so that the tasting menu perfectly suits your palate.

And even though the dishes may vary from night to night (or from customer to customer), they are all guaranteed to be presented and cooked by Chef Christopher Kostow and his team with impeccable attention to detail.

 



33. Quay, Sydney, Australia (TIE)

$470 for two people; eight to nine courses (wine pairing additional $105 per person)

Australian Chef Peter Gilmore's Quay serves a tasting menu that combines classic dishes with new seasonal additions. The meal flows flawlessly from the delicious starters to the guava snow egg — one of Gilmore's signature desserts.

The intimate dining room has crisp white linens that only add to the ambience of this serene meal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

22 photos that show the intense excitement surrounding Pope Francis' first-ever visit to the US

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Pope Visits USA

Pope Francis arrived in the United States for the first time as pontiff this week, and between addressing Congress, visiting various charities, and leading Mass, he's been keeping busy.

Greeted by President Obama and Vice President Biden upon his arrival to the Capitol on Tuesday, the pope's US travel plans include events in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia.

Here, we've gathered some of the best images of the pope's visit so far. They're just a few examples of his mass appeal, as well as his ability to connect with the Catholic community.

SEE ALSO: A 5-year-old girl jumped a barrier in Washington DC to give her letter to the Pope

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

A crowd of supporters cheer as Pope Francis arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside of Washington, DC.



The pope was greeted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as by other political and Catholic leaders.



President Obama shakes hands with Pope Francis during the arrival ceremony at the White House on Wednesday.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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7 ways super-wealthy people think about their money

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hamptons pool

In "The Thin Green Line: The Money Secrets of the Super-Wealthy," author Paul Sullivan makes a distinction between being rich and being wealthy.

Rich people, he says, have a lot of money. Wealthy people have the security that comes with knowing how to manage however much money they do have so that they'll still have money tomorrow.

Super wealthy people apply that know-how to an enormous bank account balance.

So, what's it like to be super-wealthy?

Sullivan, who is also the New York Times Wealth Matters columnist, explained to Business Insider seven of the money secrets he's unearthed in his research.

1. Super-wealthy people still want to identify as middle class.

As "The Thin Green Line" opens, Sullivan is sitting in an opulent Upper East Side drawing room in New York City, listening to "four men worth tens of millions of dollars argue over who had the poorest childhood."

"It's one of the good and bad things of being an American," Sullivan tells Business Insider. "When you get to the top of the wealth pyramid, people still want to think of themselves as middle class. Where we came from is very ingrained in us — much more so than where we ended up."



2. Many wealthy people aren't sure how to communicate their wealth to their kids.

"In an effort to keep children motivated, parents shelter children from their wealth, as best they can," Sullivan writes. "It is not unlike parents of middle-class children who don't talk about money and leave their kids to guess about how much they have when they might have far less."

This leads to what he calls "sheltered inheritors," or kids who have no concept of how to deal with the massive wealth they have received.

There's another approach, though: Sullivan writes of Doug Ideker, who started and owned a building-supply company in Colorado until he sold it for enough money to retire in his 40s. He always mandated that his two sons either find summer jobs on their own or work for his company ... on the loading dock at 6:30 a.m.

Ideker created two adult sons he calls "inspired inheritors," which Sullivan describes as "a class of kids who are driven in spite of their family's wealth."



3. They realize that it's important to work the tax system — legally.

The IRS can present a major threat to superrich people who are not smart about their taxes.

"The wealthiest people understand that with the proper guidance, they can pay exactly the amount they're supposed to pay in taxes — not a penny more," Sullivan says. "That's a lot less than what people think the bill will be. There's a way for them to work the system without breaking the law."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Brazil's economy is a disaster (EWZ)

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brazil

There's no way around it: Brazil is a disaster.

In a report to clients on Friday, economists at Deutsche Bank took a detailed look at South America's flagging economy and found that, any way you cut it up, things are not good.

In recent weeks, the government has seen its debt rating cut to junk, and in response it introduced a $17 billion austerity package that will freeze public hiring, cut about 1,000 jobs, and eliminate 10 ministries altogether.

As the AFP outlined in a report earlier this week, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has now been "painted into a corner" as she deals with a recession, inflation rising sharply, unemployment soaring, and corruption allegations to boot.

In short, things are nightmare.

And in its report Deutsche Bank said Rouseff may not be long for the presidency, writing:

The economic scenario remains very volatile, as the recession and the political crisis continue to feed each other. President Dilma Rousseff is becoming increasingly isolated, and with unemployment still rising and no recovery in sight, more bad news on the economic front (e.g., another downgrade) could further boost the opposition’s movement for her impeachment. While this is still not the most likely scenario, we believe the probability that the president will not be able to finish her mandate in 2018 has risen to approximately 40% – a significant risk.

This, of course, would bring further hardship to the country's economy and more volatility to financial markets, which have also seen significant pressure because of the slowdown in China — Brazil's main export partner — and the appreciation of the dollar, which has weighed on the value of the real.

And if you take a quick look at the following charts — showing consumer and business confidence, unemployment rising, inflation soaring, expectations that Brazil could default spiking, and retail sales dumping — there is little to get excited about in Brazil.

SEE ALSO: Brazil is officially junk

Rousseff's "new economic matrix" policies, which pursued a cut in interest rates and increase in fiscal spending crushed business confidence.



With these measures also dragging down consumer confidence.



Retail sales, as a result, have fallen significantly with confidence and real income falling.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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I took a ride to New York City's first new subway station in over 25 years

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Hudson Yards 16

The extension of New York City's 7 subway line is finally open.

What began as a part of the city's failed 2012 Olympics bid will soon redefine the far western reaches of Manhattan and make way for vast redevelopment. 

Previously, the western part of midtown had no access to rapid transit and no links to Grand Central Station for commuters.

The Olympics bid included plans for a stadium to be built over the train yards at 11th Avenue, and the 7 subway would be extended to reach it.

Despite losing the Olympic bid, the plan for the subway extension was given the green light, and construction began in 2007. 

The Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project is now well underway, and residential and commercial sites are rising above the train yards. With the terminus of the popular High Line park a block away, the MTA's 469th station is expected to see heavy use. 

We have a firsthand look at what it's like to go through the MTA's newest complete station since 1989.  

SEE ALSO: New York has much bigger transportation problems than just LaGuardia airport

I hopped on the train at Times Square — 42nd Street. After navigating the labyrinth of platforms in the enormous Times Square station, I finally found the 7.



Well, it's official: It's on the map! The mile-long extension seems much smaller on the simplified system map.



The trains are the same, but looking out the windows, I can tell that it's a brand new tunnel. There's no soot to cover the concrete just yet.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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25 quotes that take you inside Elon Musk's brilliant, eccentric mind

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elon musk tesla

Elon Musk has had a futuristic mindset since he was a young boy, when he sold his first software — a game called Blastar— at age 11.

He went on to found and sell a startup to Compaq for $300 million in 1999, and parlayed that into a major stake in PayPal, which eBay bought for $1.5 billion in 2002.

He then got into three world-changing companies: Tesla, SpaceX, and Solar City. And though Tesla and SpaceX nearly went bankrupt, each company is now shifting its respective industry. 

Yet Musk — with his 100-hour workweeks, estimated $13 billion net worth, and habit of never taking a note in meetings — remains enigmatic. So we went looking for clues to his vision, goals, and thinking process. 

Here's what we found.

This is an update of an article originally written by Drake Baer.

SEE ALSO: 25 quotes from Bill Gates that take you inside the mind of the world's richest man

On finding your own education

"My background educationally is physics and economics, and I grew up in sort of an engineering environment — my father is an electromechanical engineer. And so there were lots of engineery things around me.

"When I asked for an explanation, I got the true explanation of how things work. I also did things like make model rockets, and in South Africa there were no premade rockets: I had to go to the chemist and get the ingredients for rocket fuel, mix it, put it in a pipe."

Wired, October 2012



On his childhood experiments

"It is remarkable how many things you can explode. I'm lucky I have all my fingers."

Businessweek, September 13, 2012



On his favorite book when he was a teen, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

"It taught me that the tough thing is figuring out what questions to ask, but that once you do that, the rest is really easy."

Businessweek, September 13, 2012



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's what happens after you die

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"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes," Benjamin Franklin once wrote in a letter.

Unfortunately, those words are just as true today as they were in the 1700s.

Worse, sometimes the two come as a package deal.

After all, when someone dies, their family members must go through a lengthy series of tax, financial, and legal steps in order to sort out the affairs of the deceased.

With the help of Levenfeld Pearlstein trusts and estates associate Adam Garber, Business Insider put together a guide to many of the hurdles that surviving relatives will certainly face. Take a look below.

And just so we're being clear, this article is not a comprehensive list of what to do after someone's death. Contact your legal, financial, and tax adviser or advisers for advice catered to your specific situation. Also, some legal language was simplified for clarity.

It will be necessary to determine whether or not there is a will.

If there's a will, the executor will be named in the will. In lay-person English, their job is to administer the process by which assets are transferred, including paying the deceased's debts, filing their income-tax returns, and distributing any remaining assets according to the terms of the will.

If there's no will, the remaining assets pass to the decedent's heirs according to the state of law. The executor is appointed by the court.



Although Hollywood has glamorized the role of the executor of the will, one is not always needed.

Sometimes, an executor may not even be needed. The most obvious reason being if an asset is owned jointly with the right of survivorship. For example, if a couple's bank account was jointly owned, then when one spouse dies the second gets the account.

Furthermore, if there is a beneficiary designation, such as life insurance or an RIA, then in order to receive these assets the beneficiary needs to file a claim form.

Still, there are other reasons, such as if the deceased held all of their assets in a revocable living trust, or if the deceased's individual assets do not exceed a certain threshold — which depends on the state.



The executor or closest family member will need many copies of the death certificate.

It's important to get multiple copies of the death certificate. They will be necessary when notifying financial institutions, government agencies, insurance agencies, and others about the death.

Death certificates can be obtained at the funeral home. It's a good idea to obtain at least 10.

Source: Carolyn L. Bird, North Carolina State University



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 shocking facts about World War II

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Did you know that...

1. There was a Japanese soldier, named Hiroo Onada, who didn't surrender until 29 years after World War II was over, in 1974.

hiroo onoda

 

SEE ALSO: The B-29 Superfortress debuted 73 years ago today — relive it's legacy in photos

2. That a Japanese man, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, survived both the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.



3. Flight Sergeant Nicholas Alkemade, who was a rear gunner in RAF Avro Lancaster bombers, survived a fall from 18,000 feet (5,500 m) without a parachute! He suffered only a sprained leg.



4. Emil Hacha, who was in 1939 President of Czechoslovakia, suffered a heart attack after he was informed by Hitler & Göring of the imminent invasion of his country and threats to bomb the capital if he didn't cooperate.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

16 photos that will make you want to travel to the Philippines

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Ariel's Point Philippines

The Philippines are a group of over 7,000 islands in the Western Pacific.

It's the ultimate paradise for beach bums, divers, and adventurers.

The country offers a vast array of waterfalls, lagoons, caves, and beaches, among other attractions.

Keep scrolling for some of the Philippine's must sees.

 

SEE ALSO: 27 pictures that will make you want to visit India

SEE ALSO: 23 incredible photos of fjords that will make you want to travel to Norway

Lake Kayangan is one of Coron Island's most popular attractions thanks to its stunningly crystal clear green water. After the ten minute climb it takes to get there, chances are you won't be able to resist a swim in the cove, which is surrounded by mountains and greenery.



The Mayon volcano or Mount Mayon sits on Luzon Island above the Albay Gulf and is the Philippines' most active volcano. Mount Mayon's perfect symmetry makes it a beautiful and intriguing sight.



The tower of the Cagsawa Church, an 18th-century Franciscan church, is the only ruin of the church that remains, and it sits against the backdrop of the Moyan volcano. It has been said that the church was destroyed when the volcano erupted in 1814, however this has since been disputed.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 5 most unusual tasting menus in San Francisco

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Omakase

Tasting menus are a wonderful way to discover the breadth and depth of a chef, an indulgent overview that’s a noticeable level up from a typical fine-dining experience.

They don't have to break the bank, either.

Here are five restaurants whose tasting menus provide extreme value for money while offering something unique in the always-competitive San Francisco dining scene.

 

SEE ALSO: The world's 35 most expensive tasting menus

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1. Californios

Californios is Val M. Cantu’s unmatchably elegant Mexican restaurant, with dark colors, expensive art books, and an overall noirish cinema feel. You won't know exactly what’s ahead of you, since the ingredients highlighted on the abstract, ever-changing menu you’re presented with read in only the vaguest of terms, like arroz (rice) and frijoles (beans). This poetic approach makes for an evening of surprises. The number of courses varies but is typically around seven to nine.

From $75 | 3115 22nd St. | (415) 757-0994



2. Coco Frio

The latest venture from chef Manny Torres Gimenez, who operates The Palace steakhouse down the street, brings the beachfront street food of Isla Margarita to the former Savanna Jazz Club. Gimenez's dishes adopt many of the saucy names used on Isla Margarita (an island in the Caribbean that belongs to his native Venezuela), including mussels siete potencias, A.K.A. “love soup,” and rompe colchon, a seafood cocktail that translates as “mattress breaker.” Pair his surf and turf–focused three-course tasting with a deconstructed Coco Frio, a potent rum-and-mint cocktail for two served in a coconut.

From $29.99 | 2937 Mission St. | (415) 375-1185



3. Michael Mina

A playful alternative to the restaurant’s more straightforward 10-course option is called Trios, a customizable tasting designed by eponymous chef Michael Mina and his trusted star chef Ron Siegel. Diners select three different courses to make their ideal meal, but what makes Trios different is that several of the options are actually mini-tastings within themselves. For example, your first course might be a tasting of Tolena Farms quail prepared three ways, with your second course offering three different tastes of Liberty Farms duck and foie gras. Take it up a notch by adding the optional caviar service for a supplemental fee.

From $105 | 252 California St. | (415) 397-9222



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's the 11 largest London fintech investments so far this year

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Eileen Burbidge

Financial technology, known as fintech, is a boom area for businesses and investors right now, and Britain is leading the way in Europe.

London's pedigree in finance has combined with the booming technology scene of the last few years to turn the UK capital into a petri dish for financial innovation.

Eileen Burbidge, the government's fintech envoy, told Business Insider: "The UK is emerging as the fintech centre of the world and London is the jewel in the crown of the UK’s fintech success story."

Total investment in London-based fintech companies so far this year has already hit £357 million ($554 million), according to London & Partners, the organisation set up by the Mayor's office to encourage investment into the city.

That's already higher than 2014's total of £314 million ($487 million), according to figures London & Partners obtained from CB Insight.

London & Partners and BI have compiled a list of the 11 funding deals in the sector above £10 million — check them out below.

11. Seedrs — the crowdfunding platform raised £10 million in July

Investment: £10 million ($15.6 million), July.

Who invested: Woodford Patient Capital Trust, Augmentum Capital.

Company value: £30 million ($46.4 million).

What it does: A crowdfunding platform that lets people invest in startups. Tennis star Andy Murray is an advisor and has been investing through the platform.



10. Currency Cloud — the cloud-based money transfer company raised £11.3 million in June.

Investment: £11.3 million ($18 million), June.

Who invested: Sapphire Ventures, Rakuten FinTech Fund.

Company value: N/A.

What it does: Cloud-based international money transfer software. It's used by many of the companies on this list, including TransferWise, Azimo, and WorldRemit.



9. Borro — the online pawnbroker raised £12.2 million in February.

Investment: £12.2 million ($19 million), February.

Who invested: OurCrowd, Rocket Internet.

Company value: N/A.

What it does: An online upmarket pawnbroker that lets people use expensive, one-off items as collateral for loans. The company is on track to lend $100 million (£64.4 million) this year, TechCrunch reports.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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9 tripped-out sci-fi technologies in 'The Martian' that NASA really uses

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the martian (entertainment weekly)

In Matt Damon's latest thriller "The Martian," NASA doesn't just play a key role in the movie — the agency was also an important consultant in the making of the film.

The movie is based on the best-selling recent novel by Andy Wier and explores the story of Mark Watney, a man marooned on Mars, and his struggle to survive. 

While the premise is science-fiction, much of the NASA equipment and technology featured in the film is scientifically accurate. Here's a comparison of all the awesome, seemingly science fiction elements of the movie that actually exist as science fact.

Make sure you don't miss them when you see the film, which premiers on Oct. 2.

 

 

DON'T MISS: All of the beautiful locations in Matt Damon's new thriller about Mars are real — here are the epic photos that prove it

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SCIENCE FICTION: Mark Watney spends most of his time on Mars in what he calls "the Hab,"— short for Mars Lander habitat — which shields him from harmful radiation, contains breathable air, and protects against the sub-zero temperatures on Mars.



SCIENCE FACT: This is NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA). It's a three-story habitat that spent some time in the Arizona desert to test its equipment under intense arid climates similar to Mars before reaching its current home at Johnson Space Center in Texas.



SCIENCE FICTION: Perhaps the most impressive piece of machinery in Watney's arsenal is this Mars rover. It won't travel any faster than 15 mph, but it gives him great opportunity to explore the Martian surface.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Glamorous photos from Obama's China State Dinner, where Silicon Valley's elite traded in hoodies and jeans for tuxes and evening gowns

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Chinese State Dinner Mark Zuckerberg Priscilla Chan pregnant baby

On Friday evening, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama hosted about 100 executives, politicians, and artists at the White House.

The occasion: A State Dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan. The elite group gathered to discuss regional tensions in Asia, cybercrime, and more.

The guest list included Silicon Valley executives such as Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Apple CEO Tim Cook, billionaire Mark Cuban, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Singer Ne-Yo was invited to enchant the guests.



Mark Zuckerberg and a pregnant Priscilla Chan arrived in style.



Shark Tank star and billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban arrived with his dazzling wife, Tiffany Cuban.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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