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The Man Who Has Eaten At Every Michelin 3-Star Restaurant Says The 'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' Spot Is Not Worth The Hype

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Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi meal

Last week, President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro, considered by many to be one of the best sushi restaurants in Tokyo, if not the world.

It's certainly the most famous sushi spot on the planet thanks to the 2011 documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." The three-star Michelin restaurant is located in the basement of an office building near the Ginza station, with a modest wooden counter and only 10 tables in the entire establishment. 89-year-old master chef Jiro Ono serves a tasting menu of roughly 20 courses, for a total of 30,000 Japanese yen (just under $300).

But some people question if the experience is actually worth the money.

While there's no question that diners are eating some of the freshest and most perfectly prepared fish available, the meal is often rushed. The Michelin Tokyo Guide warns“don’t be surprised to be finished within 30 minutes.” That’s the equivalent of spending 1,000 Japanese Yen — or $10 — per minute.

Jiro Ono Dreams Of SushiAndy Hayler, a food critic at Elite Traveler who has dined at every Michelin three-star restaurant in the world, had a less-than-stellar experience at Sukiyabashi Jiro in 2008. “It was very rushed, and I gather has become even more rushed since,” he told Business Insider. “A well traveled American friend went recently and timed it in and out in 28 minutes, his wallet several hundred dollars lighter.”

(For those curious, Obama’s visit lasted for one and half hours, three times longer than the typical meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro.)

There are a few reasons for Chef Ono's fast pace. Connoisseurs believe that the highest quality sushi is served within five seconds of being prepared, and that diners should not let a bite of sushi rest, but consume it immediately.

Plus, eating those 20 sushi courses over the span of hours could ruin the customers' appetites as they become increasingly full, and they would not appreciate the later courses. Chef Ono’s meal lasts less than a half an hour, so there’s not enough time for diners to start to feel overly full (it takes about 20 minutes for our body to recognize that it's satiated) and they can better enjoy every perfect bite of sushi.

In addition to the fast pace, however, some people claim the service itself can be hit or miss at Sukiyabashi Jiro depending on who you are and who you’re with. Foreigners who don’t speak Japanese, known as gaijin, have a hard time getting a reservation at Sukiybashi Jiro in the first place and an even harder time being served. Since Chef Ono doesn't speak English and his son speaks very little, their explanations and any diner questions or requests are often completely lost in translation.

Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi mealBringing along a friend or guide who speaks fluent Japanese is not only highly recommended by every reviewer, but often necessary. Some reviewers even describe a hostile relationship between Chef Ono and foreigners, with some going so far as to claim discrimination.

Hayler described the poor service in the 2008 review:

From the moment we sat down, the old gentleman who runs the place, and the chef who served us, regarded us with barely concealed contempt. They spent their time glowering at us throughout. The fish came at a very fast pace, and when at one point my wife stopped for a few moments towards the end and explained (via our translator) that she just needed a moment, they just took her sushi away regardless.  "The customer is always right" is not a concept that has caught on at this place.

Many of his readers agreed with his assessment of the service in the comments section, describing their own experiences with Chef Ono. One man even said he and his brother were almost kicked out during a 2011 visit:

As my brother and I entered the restaurant, my brother removed his jacket and placed it on a rack. Before I could reach for my scarf, my brother's jacket was — literally — shoved back into his chest, and he was being pushed in the back towards me and told, "Sorry, no foreigner."

….

My wife, as yet unseen, suggested she try herself — being Japanese — and sure enough, she was treated as if a new guest had come in. When she confirmed our reservation and learned our table was ready, she beckoned us in. They were startled to see us re-enter the restaurant with her, although no apology was forthcoming.

Despite these negative reviews, not everyone experiences poor service at Sukiyabashi Jiro, and most people still agree that the food itself is superb. Obama called it the “best sushi I’ve ever eaten,” and Hayler agreed, telling Business Insider that he thought his meal was “objectively good,” but that it still did not compare to other Tokyo establishments such as Sushi Saito, Yoshitake, Mizutani, and Sawada.

Daisuke NakazawaSo if you are comfortable with feeling rushed throughout a $300 meal and potentially poor service, then it's worthwhile to visit Sukiyabashi Jiro and try Chef Ono's truly amazing sushi.

But Japan is filled with fantastic restaurants. Jiro Ono’s spot isn't even in the top 30 sushi restaurants in Tokyo by Japanese diners on Tablelog, Japan’s Yelp equivalent.

And for those looking for a more affordable and low-key sushi meal in the U.S., New York is now home to Sushi Nakazawa. Owned by Jiro Ono’s former protégée Daisuke Nakazawa, the entire meal lasts for two hours and costs only $150 a head.

SEE ALSO: What It's Like To Eat At Noma, The Best Restaurant In The World

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The 34 Most Beloved Food Joints In College Towns Across America

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zingerman's deli university of michigan

Every school has a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where patronage is practically a graduation requirement.

It’s not necessarily pretty to look at, and sometimes the food is subpar, but by senior year you and your buddies have countless memories of reeling out of the bars and heading there for sustenance.

Whether it’s the late-night burrito hut that consistently kept down your PBR, the bagelry with the best hangover cure, or the cookie delivery service that fueled marathon sessions in the library, these restaurants are central to the college experience.

We dug up the best and most beloved food establishments in college towns across America. They're listed alphabetically by city.

AMHERST, MASS.: Wings Over Amherst

181D University Dr.

Popular with: University of Massachusetts – Amherst and Amherst College

There are more than 30 Wings Over franchises scattered on college campuses across America, but none is more near and dear to students' hearts than the flagship location in Amherst. This takeout- and delivery-only chain cooks up wings meaner than ever conjured in Buffalo, N.Y.. Wings come in five degrees of Buffalo-style heat.

One alumna joked that Wings Over is "the reason for my freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior 15. The College 60."



AMES, IOWA: Hickory Park

1404 S. Duff Ave.

Popular with: Iowa State University

Located in the heart of Iowa, where meat and potatoes reign supreme, Hickory Park feeds roughly 14,000 Cyclones and guests each week. Furnished with church pews and antiques collected by the owner through the years, this BBQ joint has a smokehouse out back and an old-fashioned ice cream fountain.

The Saucy Southerner, Hickory Park's rendition of a pulled pork sandwich made with chopped hickory smoked pork, beef, and turkey simmered in BBQ sauce, is practically a graduation requirement.



ANN ARBOR, MICH.: Zingerman's Delicatessen

422 Detroit St.

Popular with: University of Michigan

Co-founded by a UMich alum, Zingerman's opened its doors in 1982 and has since racked up 11,000 followers on Twitter, a visit from President Obama, a feverish cult following, and this praise from celebrity chef Mario Batali: "Ahhhhh, Zingerman's ... my temple of deliciousness."

Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw decided Ann Arbor needed a traditional Jewish deli like the ones they grew up with, and today Zingerman's serves up thousands of made-to-order sandwiches, including its masterpiece, the Reuben.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






11 Surprising Facts About Canada

A Women's Activist Group Created Ads Warning Prospective Students About Colleges' 'Rape Problem'

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Dartmouth rape ad

Aside from weighing a university's location, size, and cafeteria food, women's activist group UltraViolet wants prospective students to look at sexual violence on campus.

The group is launching an online campaign against several distinguished colleges and universities warning potential students about their "rape problem."

University of MichiganHarvard UniversityUniversity of California-Berkeley and Dartmouth College, are some of the schools under fire. They are all under federal investigation for their handling of past sexual assault cases.

Based on online activity and location of the user, the jarring ads from UltraViolet will appear in search results, mobile ads, and on Facebook.

And they're aiming where it hurts. The activist group is focusing specifically on prospective students to influence the school's "yield" rate  a number that's important for a college's PR. 

These advertisements came in light of the Department of Education's announcement that it will investigate 55 schools for possible violations of federal law over the handling of sexual assault and harassment complaints.

Harvard rape adUltraViolet Organizing Director Karin Roland told The Huffington Post it's important to raise these issues, because the information is difficult to find. The group also wants "college administrations to know the era of sweeping stuff under the rug is over," she said.

In the coming months, UltraViolet plans to spend "tens of thousands of dollars" on their campaign against college sexual assault.

University of Michigan spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald called the campaign "unfortunate," and said the university "meets or exceeds nearly all of the recommendations" announced Tuesday by the White House.

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This Chart Tells You Everything You Need To Know About Eggs

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When we first heard that Chef David Santos of West Village restaurant Louro put a scrambled emu egg on his menu, we had a thousand follow-up questions.

What does it look like? How many people does it serve? How big is the egg? How does it taste?

Which got us thinking about all sorts of eggs — what's the difference between a turkey egg and a chicken egg? What do duck eggs taste like? How many people can an ostrich egg feed?

We reached out to egg expert Molly Siegler, the Culinary Content Editor for Whole Foods Market. She helped us break down the size, flavor, calories, and the best way to eat each type of egg. Check our our egg-fographic below.

Egg Infographic eggfographic

SEE ALSO: What It's Like To Eat At Noma, The Best Restaurant In The World

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See How A Toy Factory In Malta Makes Millions Of Plastic Playmobil Men Every Year [PHOTOS]

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playmobil factory

Playmobil turns 40 this year. 

The toy figurines have become iconic since their inception. Playmobil products are manufactured in Malta by German toy company Geobra Brandstatter.

The company previously made plastic toy telephones and cars, until oil became one of the most expensive commodities in the world. 

Facing a crisis, the chief designer created a small figurine that could fit in a child's hand. 

Since the factory opened, more than 2.7 billion figurines have been manufactured there. 192 figurines are created there every minute, according to the Telegraph

These will be heads on the figures. Right now they are just in the production line.



A worker pours hair pieces into an assembly machine. Workers pour pieces into the machines, where they are assembled.



Heads of the figures lay in the production mold.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






The 12 Best Margaritas In New York City

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miami south beach drinking beer margaritas

Despite the ongoing lime shortage, bars around the city will be serving up tequila shots and margaritas all day on Monday for Cinco de Mayo.

So in anticipation of the May 5th celebration, we took an office poll and made a list of 12 of our favorite margaritas around NYC.

Some of these are fruity, some are crazy strong, and still others are classically delicious with fresh lime juice and the very best Tequila.

Did we miss a great one? Sound off in the comments below. 

The best classic margs are at Empellón Cocina in the East Village.

105 1st Ave.

If you're looking for a tasty, strong, and classic margarita, Empellón Cocina has you covered.

Enjoy your House Classic $12 margarita with their fresh guacamole and pickled jalapenos.



The fruitiest margs are at Dos Caminos locations around the city.

Multiple locations, including 675 Hudson St.

There are a lot of delicious, fruity margaritas in NYC, but Dos Caminos always serves them strong and not-too-sweet.

A few must-try versions include the prickly pear for $11, and the blood orange, lychee, and passion fruit for $12.



The strongest margs are at Pianos on the Lower East Side.

158 Ludlow St.

Just having one of Pianos margaritas will have you feeling buzzed.

We recommend stopping at your second $3 drink, though — things can get hazy from there on out.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






This Couple Built An Awesome iPhone-Powered Stuffed Animal By Watching Old 'MythBusters' Videos

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Ubooly 01

In the heart of Boulder, Colo., is one of the cutest startups we've ever seen: Ubooly.

Ubooly makes an iPhone-powered, interactive stuffed animal. The startup was founded in 2012 by husband/wife team CEO Carly Gloge, 30, and CTO Isaac Squires, 31.

This is a startup story that has it all: a free app that turns an iPhones/iPad into a kid's toy; educational scripts written by teachers and comic book writers; two successful Kickstarter campaigns; a well-known VC backer; and early success.

So far, the 2-year-old company has sold 40,000 units, and can be found in a bunch of big brand-name stores.

Best of all is this tidbit: Gloge and Squires knew nothing about making toys when they started. So they created the product by watching videos from the "MythBusters" television show.

"We secretly took classes at night to learn how to sew," Gloge laughs. "And we watched 'MythBusters' videos on YouTube to learn how to cast silicone."

And the toy is amazing. It's the evolution of handing your kid an iPhone or iPad to play with.

Married couple and startup co-founders, CEO Carly Gloge and CTO Isaac Squires with an extra-large Ubooly toy.

Gloge and Squires met in college. After graduation, they traveled the world together before settling back in his home state of Colorado to launch a startup in Boulder.

They spent a year teaching themselves how to make children's toys at night, while keeping their day jobs writing software, before launching a company.

They did TechStars in 2012.



Ubooly has raised almost $3 million so far.

First, the company raised $80,000 through two successful Kickstarter campaigns.

It landed another $2.5 million in venture funds, led by VC Jeff Clavier (backer of Fitbit, Mint, SendGrid) and early success.

Today it employs 14 people.



Ubooly makes free iPhone/iPad/Android app for kids.

The app is a cute voice-activated animal creature that talks, plays games, plays calming music for bedtime and other stuff.

Parents can buy additional add-on apps to teach their kids Spanish, conduct science experiments, imagine traveling to France or to outer space, and so on.

That content is written by experts like teachers, or other professionals, like a comic book writer.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider







This Is What The Kitchen Of The Future Could Look Like

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nutrima electrolux

Homes are becoming smarter than ever, and arguably nowhere is that push more apparent than in the kitchen. 

With Wi-Fi-enabled refrigerators and appliances that can text you alerts, companies like LG and GE are leading the charge into developing some seriously high-tech ways to cook. 

One trend involves looking at the kitchen as the social hub of the home. 

"The kitchen is really a multifunctional living space where people cook and socialize with friends," Chris Bissig, manager of concept and brand development at GE Appliances, said to Business Insider. "Some of these technologies might let people share meals even if they're not in the same place." 

As far as aesthetics, versatility is key in the kitchen of the future. 

"Our vision is of a clean, white island top. You could place the pots and pans wherever they need to be placed," Bissig said. "It's minimal, simple, with lots of flexibility." 

We've rounded up some of the most compelling ideas we've seen for the kitchen of the future. While some products are available for purchase now, others could be a bit farther out.  

"It's hard to predict when all of this will be available," Bissig said. "A lot of the technology is already out there, but it may not be together in a package." 

The TopBrewer will have your coffee ready before you're out of bed.

Scanomat's TopBrewer would be a sleek addition to any countertop. Though it may look like just another faucet, it can dispense a multitude of drinks, including freshly brewed coffee, espresso, and cappuccinos, as well as sparkling water, milk, and soda. 

The TopBrewer is also easily controlled by your smartphone or tablet, meaning that you can quickly prepare your favorite customized drinks from another room in the house. Very quickly, in fact — 15 seconds is all it takes to brew a cup of coffee.

The entire system costs about $11,000.



The iDevices kitchen thermometer texts you when your food is cooked.

This kitchen thermometer from iDevices uses Bluetooth to alert you when your food has reached its optimal temperature, making it easy to multitask while you're cooking. 

Its two prongs will even let you cook two different meats at once, even if they're at different temperatures. The two-pronged version retails for $80, while a miniature model with one probe costs just $40. 



LG's HomeChat will let you text your appliances as if they were people.

With LG's HomeChat system, introduced at CES 2014, users will actually be able to text commands to their appliances to make them more useful. The system will be programmed to respond to conversational language, so texting something like "Do we have eggs?" or "Is the milk expired?" will make your refrigerator respond as any helpful person would. 

LG plans to make HomeChat available for all of its appliances, including dishwashers, vacuums, and laundry machines. You can even get recipe suggestions from your oven, then have it automatically program itself to cook your meal.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Stop Embarrassing Yourself: Here's How To Wear Colors Without Clashing

Here's The Canadian Government's Plan For The Massively Bloated Dead Blue Whale

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nl dead whale 2

The Canadian government and the Royal Ontario Museum will take ownership of two blue whale carcasses that died after getting caught in heavy ice and washed up in the Newfoundland towns of Trout River and Rocky Harbour at the end of April. 

The Trout River whale gained international media attention after the 80-foot-long creature became massively bloated — ballooning to more double its normal size — because of methane gas released by the decomposing body. Many people thought the whale might explode (a website called hasthewhaleexplodedyet.com was even created to track the whale's status), but that's not likely to happen anymore, as the gas seems have started to dissipate.

nl dead whale 3

Don Bradshaw, a reporter from Canadian new agency NTV who has been following the story, said on Twitter Thursday afternoon that the bloating was decreasing.

A team from the Royal Ontario Museum led by deputy director Mark D. Engstrom will be headed to Newfoundland to recover the whale skeletons and tissue samples for scientific research, the Canadian government said in a news release.

nl dead whale 1"This loss, representing up to 5% of this endangered species, is extremely unfortunate," Engstrom said in a statement. "This is an important opportunity to further our understanding of these magnificent animals and provide an invaluable resource for Canadian science and education now and in the future."

The removal process won't be easy — blue whales are one of the largest animals on Earth. A Representative from the museum told Bradshaw that removing the whales will take weeks. 

Scientists around the world will likely want to get their hands on parts of the carcasses for research.

SEE ALSO: These Photos Of Mysterious Ocean Creatures Are Creepily Beautiful

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A Former Goldman Sachs Banker Is Making Yoga Clothing That Men Actually Want To Wear

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rishi bali yogasmoga

A former banker just released a line of yoga clothing for men that he believes will appeal to his former colleagues on Wall Street. 

Rishi Bali grew up doing yoga with his family and friends in the Himalayan mountains of India. He moved to New York City for college, and worked at Goldman Sachs for more than a decade. 

He started his athleticwear brand, YogaSmoga, in 2010, but only sold clothing for women. 

"Up until recently, I was one of the only men in my yoga classes," Bali told Business Insider. "Today, about one-third of students are men." 

At the urging of his friends, he began developing a men's line. 

"My friends and former colleagues wanted clothing that was tailored and professional, but also designed for fitness," Bali said. "They didn't like the existing selections for men." 

YogaSmoga also innovated a new fabric technology—Koura. The fabric is made from biodegradable eucalyptus cellulose fibers that are both moisture-wicking and soft, Bali said. 

Prices are in line with competitor Lululemon. A long-sleeved t-shirt is $84, while yoga pants are $118. 

Bali said he will continue innovating the men's line. He manufactures all his clothing in the U.S., which he says makes it easier to control quality. 

Here's some gear from the YogaSmoga lookbook: 

yogasmoga men's

yogasmoga men's

You can buy YogaSmoga's men's line here

SEE ALSO: 25 Awesome Yoga Brands Besides Lululemon

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How To Talk Like You're From Brooklyn

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Patricia Fletcher is a New York-based voice-over and dialect coach who usually works with actors to help them get rid of their Brooklyn accent.

But we wanted to learn how to talk just like we're from Brooklyn, so she gave us a lesson on the basics of how to change your consonant and vowel pronunciation.

NOW WATCH: People From Across America Reveal Their Favorite Regional Sayings

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A New Silicon Valley Hotel Has A Stunning Light Show Powered By Data

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This light installation is a stunning new way to look at data. 

Project Edison, which was designed by a group of engineers from the IDEO Digital Shop, features a set of 100 light bulbs that can light up or move up and down according to any data stream you choose. The interactive chandelier was recently installed in the lobby at the Epiphany, a new Joie de Vivre hotel in Palo Alto. 

The light bulbs can be programmed to reflect any set of information, including the weather in Palo Alto or mentions of the hotel on Facebook and Twitter. epiphany hotel lightEach of the 100 bulbs can move down from the ceiling and light up independently. epiphany light showIt can also be programmed to mimic the physical movements of the hotel's guests, lighting up when the bar and restaurant filled with people, for instance. epiphany hotel lightThe constantly changing nature of this high-tech installation is meant to be a reflection of Silicon Valley as a whole. 

"We didn’t want to create something that would be static," IDEO design lead Brad Simpson said to Wired. "In three years, regardless of whatever’s happening in the world from a data standpoint or a technology standpoint, this is something that hopefully can evolve and grow with that."

Watch the video below to learn more about the IDEO engineers' design process. 

SEE ALSO: This Is What The Kitchen Of The Future Could Look Like

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Unreal Photos From Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic Expedition

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antarctica

Beginning on August 8, 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton led a crew of 27 Englishmen to Antarctica in an attempt to make the first land crossing.

The expedition almost didn't happen, as Shackleton offered his ships, stores, and services to his country the night before World War I began, but the Royal Navy and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill wanted the journey proceed.

Australian photographer Frank Hurley brought 40 pounds of color-photo equipment on the onerous journey and would have to dive into three feet of icy seawater to salvage cases of glass negative plates from their wrecked ship.

Good thing he did, because the expedition became one of the earliest examples of color photography.

Shackleton's ship, Endurance, departed from Buenos Aires for Antarctica on Dec. 5, 1914.

Source: Cool Antarctica



It battled through a thousand miles of pack ice over the next six weeks.

Source: Cool Antarctica



On Jan. 15, Endurance came to a glacier that formed a bay which appeared to be a good landing place.

Source: Cool Antarctica



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Go Inside The World's Most Expensive Apartment Building, Where A Penthouse Just Sold For $237 Million

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OHP Exterior with Cavalry

The London real estate market is on fire, with an unfinished penthouse apartment at ultra-luxury residence One Hyde Park selling to an unnamed Eastern European buyer for a record $237 million, according to Reuters.

Developer Candy & Candy confirmed the sale of the 16,000-square-foot duplex penthouse — one of four in the development  billed as the world's most expensive apartment building, with more than $3.37 billion in sales to date.

While the developer could not confirm the sale price, real estate experts have valued the finished penthouse at as much as $295 million, according to Candy & Candy.

One Hyde Park has been setting real estate records in London and worldwide since it launched in 2011. At that time, residences in the 86-apartment building were selling for around $11,270 per square foot, nearly three times the typical price of luxury London real estate.

Now, the average price per square foot is $10,102, though units have gone for as much as $12,360 per square foot, said a representative for Candy & Candy.

The building made headlines that same year when Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov paid $216 million for a penthouse and apartment in the complex. Until this latest sale, it was the most expensive residence ever sold in Britain.

So what's it like to live in the world's most expensive apartment building?

One Hyde Park, located in Knightsbridge, is adjacent to Hyde Park and the Mandarin Oriental hotel. It has 86 residences, but just 17 are listed as primary residences, according to a recent exposé in Vanity Fair.OHP Interior with Harrods ViewAmong other perks, there's a stainless steel ozone pool, an entertainment suite, a golf simulator, and a spa run by the Mandarin Oriental.Formal Reception OHP 5 Bedroom Show ApartmentThere are also temperature-controlled wine cellars, a car-cleaning and valet service, and basement parking.

One Hyde Park is home to Russian Oligarchs, Chinese billionaires, and Arab sheikhs, as well as celebrities and businessmen from London.Formal Reception with Corridor OHP 5 Bedroom Show ApartmentSecurity in the building is insane. There are panic rooms, bulletproof glass, and guards trained by British Special Forces, according to Vanity Fair.OHP 4 Bed Formal ReceptionOne Hyde Park was created through a joint venture between high-end real estate developers the Candy brothers and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar. 

The Sheikh paid $64 million for his triplex in the development, which Vanity Fair called "the best apartment of all."One Hyde Park Night Knightsbridge Side

SEE ALSO: Meet The Billionaires Who Live At One Hyde Park

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This ‘Unpickable’ Bike Lock Has The Most Ingenious Design

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unpickable forever lock

This is the brand-new Forever Lock, or For Life Lock, which is said to be completely unpickable.

A YouTube video posted by LockMan28 shows how the crazy and ingenious lock works. LockMan28 said he ordered the lock from an Asian manufacturer (more on that later).

First, check out how the device works:

LockMan28 pulled out the bottom and rotated the barrel at the end of the lock so that a hole appeared.

STEP 1 forever bike lock unpickableYou'd think that the hole would be the keyhole, but there's nothing inside the empty chamber.

unpickable forever bike lock Nothing insideSo he then placed the key inside the chamber and rotated the barrel so that the key disappeared and pushed the bottom of the lock back into place.

unpickable forever bike lock STEP 2Thanks to a hook in the key design, when he turned the small lever at the end of the lock, it released the shackle. How cool is that?

unpickable forever bike lock STEP 4Now let's see that in reverse: To lock it back up, he closed the lever, pulled out the bottom, and rotated the barrel to reveal the key.

unpickable forever bike lock Reverse 1He then took out the key and closed the lock. Thanks to a clever mechanism, even the best lock pickers would have trouble fully accessing the lock chamber.

Reverse 2 forever bike lock unpickableThe design is probably the coolest bike lock on the market, but it's very hard to come by. LockMan28 said it was difficult and expensive to acquire because the manufacturer usually doesn't sell to individuals but to larger companies. 

The lock comes with three spare keys with key chains and plastic protectors for when the lock is in storage, and BikeBiz says the estimated price is $140, not including shipping.

You can watch the full video below.

SEE ALSO: 10 Ingenious Reinventions Of Everyday Products

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These Guys Found Out The Hard Way What It's Like To Live On $1 A Day

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one-dollarAbout 1.1 billion people in the world survive on just $1 a day.

It's a fact that economics students Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci couldn't get out of their heads. 

"What can I do? That's the hardest part about it ... there is no one answer," says Temple. "[The U.S.] has poured $2.5 trillion dollars into international development trying to end poverty and a lot of times it just made things worse."

Together, the pair decided to take their studies outside the classroom, to someplace more practical — the edge of poverty itself. Living on $1 a day for two months, they moved to a remote Guatemalan town to study the people's relationship with money and see how access to credit could impact their survival. 

They documented their journey in a new film called "Living On One."

Two Claremont McKenna College students moved to a remote village in Guatemala, where they would try to survive on an income of $1 per day for a total of 56 days.



"For all our academic learning, there were some things a textbook just couldn't answer."



They chose the town of Pena Blanca, which is majority Mayan.



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Blake Griffin Bought A Gorgeous $9 Million Home In Pacific Palisades

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Blake Griffin House

Whatever happens with both the deciding Game Seven against the Warriors Saturday night, and with the Los Angeles Clippers new search for an owner, Blake Griffin will have a Pacific Palisades paradise to retreat to.

The NBA superstar and dunk machine recently bough a $9 million custom-built "Cape Cod-inspired" 9,100 square-foot home, according toRealtor.com. The mansion is located in the celebrity-lush alcove between Malibu and Santa Monica, and is spread across three floors.

Amenities include a home theater with stadium seating, three fireplaces, a salt water pool, and six bedroom suites.

The salt water pool and patio at dusk



A front view of the mansion



The foyer and stairs



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Here's Why This 64-Year-Old Filled Her Entire Village With Eerie, Life-Size Dolls

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Ayano Tsukimi, Japanese life-size dolls, Nagoro

A 64-year-old Japanese woman in a small and isolated village has made hundreds of life-size dolls that look like people there who have died or moved away. 

That woman, Ayano Tsukimi, spoke about her unusual hobby in the documentary "Valley of Dolls," produced by Fritz Schumann and posted recently on Vimeo. Tsukimi said when she was a child, hundreds of people lived and worked in the village, but over time the population dwindled to just 37 residents.

Ten years ago, Tsukimi made a scarecrow resembling her father after she planted seeds that failed to sprout. Since then, she has made 350 dolls that litter the roadsides, fields, and forests.

Some of the dolls look like they're fishing beside streams and camping in trees with wooden hunting rifles. Dozens can be seen on Google Earth's Street View feature sitting on benches, working in gardens, and standing with bicycles, as Verge has pointed out. The Nagoro village is located on the Japanese Shikoku island near the central western boundary of the Tokushima Prefecture.

Japanese life-size dolls, Nagoro, Ayano Tsukimi

Japanese life-size dolls, Nagoro, Ayani TsukimiAt the village's empty school, which closed down two years ago, Tsukimi has filled entire classrooms with fake students sitting at desks, as well as teachers and principals. She has even created a doll resembling herself to keep at her home.

"Not everybody likes my dolls, I think," said Tsukimi, her Japanese translated to English in the documentary. "Even if they don't say it directly, some may feel frightened because they look so real." 

However, the dolls have attracted real people who visit them to take photos.

Although most of the dolls appear to have smiles, that doesn't stop them from looking creepy. Even Tsukimi acknowledges it would be easy to change their expressions. "The lips are difficult," she said. "A little tweak and they can look angry."

Japanese life-size dolls, Nagoro, Ayano Tsukimi

You can watch Fritz Schumann's interesting documentary below. 

Valley of Dolls from Fritz Schumann on Vimeo.

SEE ALSO: A Guy Wants To Make 'Average Looking' Barbie Dolls A Reality

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