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How To Respond If You Get Lost On Safari And A Lion Charges You

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Lion CubsEditor's note: This post originally appeared on Quora in answer to the question, "If I get lost on an African safari and come face-to-face with a growling lion, what should I do to garner the best chance of surival?"

The top answer was written by professional safari guide Rory Young, the author of "It's Time To Stop The Killing: A Field Manual For Anti-Poaching Activities." He gave us permission to publish his answer.

The first thing you do when coming across a "growling lion" is freeze and avert your eyes. You also do not point at it.

If a lion is not habituated to man it will most likely run. The danger arises with lions that are more used to people.

Look at the animal's tail. When a lion is angry or feeling threatened it will sweep its tail from side to side. If it is hunting it will keep its tail stiff and twitch it from time to time. It is much more serious if it is actively hunting you. If you see stalking indications then raise your arms above your head and wave them and most importantly SHOUT YOUR HEAD OFF.

If you have something in your hand then throw it at the lion. Even if the lion charges you do not run. Believe me this can be extremely intimidating. They charge at 80 km per hour and the roaring is deafening. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move, then freeze immediately.

My wife, Marjet, once walked into a whole pride at a concession we were running in Botswana. It was early morning during the cool season and she was walking from our home to the camp (a couple of hundred meters away). The lions had just arrived and were sunning themselves in the tall grass, so she didn't see them till she was right on top of them. Despite the aggressive roaring and repeated charges from different lionesses she held her nerve and walked away without a scratch. Needless to say she doesn't take any nonsense from me...

Night time encounters are another story. I was once doing problem animal control in Gache Gache in Zimbabwe, trying to bait and shoot a lion that had killed several people and the night before had almost succeeded in breaking into Chief Mangare's hut. It was dark but moonlit and I was lying on the ground, carefully backed into a euphorbia hedge along with two game scouts and a fellow ranger.

I heard a very faint noise behind me and the lion was crawl-stalking me and just 10 foot back! He had actually carefully crawled through the dense hedging to sneak up on us. He was too close for me to be able to turn and shoot. However, I turned on the torch in my hand and shone it in his face. He ran off. So, if you are walking in the bush at night (it happens in safari camps especially) and come across lions, keep your beam in their eyes and back away.

One of the biggest myths is fire. Lions are not afraid of campfires and will often walk round them and see what's happening. However, keeping a fire between you and a lion is probably better than nothing!

SEE ALSO: How To Respond If Somebody Holds A Gun To Your Head

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Here's What It's Like To Suffer Through A 90-Minute Commute From New Jersey Every Morning And Evening

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nj transit

On any given weekday, commuters into Manhattan almost double the island's population. 

During the workday, Manhattan's overall population rises from around 1.6 million to 3.1 million people as workers scramble to get to work on time. About 608,000 people, nearly the population of Baltimore, commute into New York City from across the Tri-State area.

NJ Transit alone ferries approximately 420,000 people throughout their daily commutes by train, bus, and light rail across New Jersey and into New York or Philadelphia.

This commute can be exhausting, as I learned traveling 90 minutes every day to and from Summit, N.J. for the past year, and there are people with considerably worse commutes than that. Long commuters may enjoy cheap housing and other benefits of suburban life, but I will be glad next month when I finally move to Queens.

My commute is better than many people's. I only have to go around 20 miles, which takes 50 minutes on the train and 90 minutes total.



It starts with a drive to the nearest train station.



A single overly long red light could be the difference between getting to work on time or not.



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Cafe In Ireland Faces Backlash After Banning 'Loud Americans'

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If you speak loudly and you're from the United States, you might want to avoid Peter's Place Cafe in Waterville, County Kerry, Ireland.

According to Eater, a man from Northern Ireland tweeted a photo of a sign in the cafe's window that read "No Bus/Coach, or Loud American's [sic]. Thank you." The tweet was sent more than six weeks ago, but didn't go viral until this week. 

CNBC reports that Campbell went into the store and told the workers that he was quite loud himself, but he wasn't an American. Supposedly, the workers just gave him a look.

Other residents of the southern coastal town of Waterville don't necessarily share the same views as Peter's Place. According to Radio Kerry, the Waterville Business Association issued a statement saying this event has energized them to celebrate the unique relationship between Americans and Waterville.

Some people took to Twitter with their sympathy as well:

 

And several people are voicing their annoyance on Google Plus:

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CNBC reports that calls and an email seeking comment from the cafe were not returned. 

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 29 Most American Foods Of All Time

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Incredible Images Tell The Story Of A Photo Of A Man Who Stood Down Chinese Military Tanks

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franklin tiananmen tank man


On June 5, 1989, one day after China's government began violently cracking down on protestors in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, a lone man, dressed in black pants and a white shirt, decided to take action against an approaching line of military tanks, en route to suppress protestors.

In an act of nonviolent protest, the man, who to this day remains unidentified, calmly walked in front of the procession of tanks, forcing the lead tank to halt. As the tank tried to move around him, the man repeatedly shifted his position, continuing to block the progress of the tanks and creating a symbolic gesture of opposition that still holds power today.Stuart Franklin
Photographer Stuart Franklin, a contributing member Magnum, a famous photojournalist and photographer collective, was there, shooting from a balcony at the Beijing Hotel.

The following day, after his roll of film was smuggled out of China in a packet of tea and delivered to the Magnum offices in Paris, the "Tank Man" image appeared on front pages everywhere. Three other photographers also snapped the scene, but Franklin's image is arguably the most iconic, having appeared in Time and Life magazines, and winning him a World Press Award.

25 years later, the iconic image is back in the spotlight. Franklin's contact sheet  a piece of photographic paper containing thumbnails of all the exposures from a specific roll of film  was recently part of Magnum's show of famous contact sheets at Manhattan's Milk Gallery.

The sheets, which were used by photographers and photo editors to make image selections before computers and digital photography rendered them obsolete, are treasure troves of information. They show outtakes and behind-the-scenes images from a specific photoshoot or event, helping the viewer to gain a better sense of the process and the mindset of the photographer.

Franklin's contact sheet from Tiananmen Square contains multiple slide exposures taken from a balcony of the Beijing Hotel, giving us a new perspective on the event and photographic process.

(Double click to zoom in and explore the contact sheet in more detail, or click here for an enlarged version on mobile.)

 

The exposures show "Tank Man" entering the fray and standing in front of the tank before finally being grabbed and moved out of the scene by others. We can also see where Stuart takes a risk and rushes back into his hotel room to change out his lens for a closer shot.cropped skitchedTake a closer look at some of the exposures. Here, we see the tanks beginning their march towards the Square.tank man tianamen square"Tank Man" enters the frame.enter_tank_man skitchHere's the image that made it to the front page of newspapers around the world.tank man finalFinally, thanks to the contact sheet, we can see Tank Man being escorted away by others. Who they were is still a topic of debate.exit tank man

SEE ALSO: 22 Of The Most Unforgettable War Photos You Will Ever See

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The 15 Most Expensive Homes For Sale In The New York City Suburbs

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Greenwich home

If you're sick of squeezing into New York City apartments but still want to stay within commuting distance, these amazing homes might pique your interest. 

But be ready to shell out some big bucks.

From New Jersey mansions to Connecticut equestrian estates, these are the most expensive homes for sale in the New York City suburbs.

We limited our search to homes an hour or less from Manhattan, located in Connecticut, New Jersey, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Nassau County. Thanks to our friends at Zillow for helping us compile this list. 

#15 This waterfront estate is located on a secluded peninsula.

Address:Larchmont, NY

Price: $16 million

This home comes with four acres, a quarter of waterfront property, and views of Long Island Sound and Larchmont Harbor. Other features include a deep water dock, grass tennis court, gym, and carriage house with four plus garages. 



#14 This home was selected as the "Designer Showhouse of Westchester" by New York Cottages and Gardens Magazine.

Address:Scarsdale, NY

Price: $16.5 million

Only 30 minutes out of Manhattan, this 1914 Murray Hill estate is set on 3.75 acres that include a a conservatory with Palladian windows, nine fireplaces, a library, drawing room, and a garden terrace overlooking the pool. It also includes a fully equipped pool house with his and her baths, tennis court, and a two-bedroom guest cottage with a greenhouse.



#13 This New Jersey estate comes with a custom-designed cafe and golf simulation room.

Address:Saddle River, NJ

Price: $16.5 million

This New Jersey estate sits on approximately five acres of land which includes a pool and pool house, basketball and tennis courts, chipping green, and play area.

Meanwhile, the interior includes 26 rooms with a library, billiard room, wine cellar and tasting room, award-winning theater, custom designed cafe, and golf simulation room.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Oracle Billionaire Larry Ellison Hosted A Celebrity-Packed Fundraiser For California Wildlife [PHOTOS]

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ellison wildlife party

After Oracle CEO Larry Ellison bought the Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012, he told reporters that he planned to turn the island into a model for sustainable living.

On Sunday, July 20, he took a step closer to his mission of saving the earth when he and girlfriend Nikita Kahn hosted a VIP-packed fundraiser for the California Wildlife Center. The CWC is a nonprofit that rescues sick, injured, or orphaned animals in California.

The fundraiser took place at Ellison's restaurant Nikita, located on Malibu's ritzy Carbon Beach, where Ellison also owns 10 oceanfront homesA number of celebrities were in attendance, including Bradley Cooper and Kathryn Bigelow.

The event ultimately raised $600,000, which the CWC will use towards opening a new facility and surgery center.

The party took place at Ellison's restaurant Nikita, a pricey Mediterranean eatery that looks out over the ocean in Malibu, California. Here, Vanity Fair's Julie Miller and Haute Living's Laura Schreffler enjoy the patio with another guest.



Ellison hosted the party with girlfriend Nikita Kahn, an animal rights activist and philanthropist.



Kahn gave a rallying speech during the party. "Recently, we had a lot of very young seals come up on the beach in Malibu because they were too small and weak to feed themselves,” she said. "The California Wildlife Center came to the beach, picked them up, fed them, and cared for them until they were big enough and strong enough to be released back into the wild. I didn't even know an organization like that existed. I was so impressed with how they responded to the emergency, I decided I had to get involved."



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Here's What Your Handwriting Says About You

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Your handwriting reveals much more than you might imagine.

There's a whole science behind analyzing handwriting for personality traits called graphology, which has been around since the days of Aristotle. Today, it's used for a variety of purposes, from criminal investigations to understanding your health. Someemployers even use handwriting analysis to screen potential employees for compatibility.

We talked to master graphologistKathi McKnight about what the seemingly insignificant details in your writing say about you. "Just from analyzing your handwriting, experts can find over 5,000 personality traits," she says. 

McKnight readily admits that the information she provides below is a basic overview, so it won't apply to everyone in every situation. Yet these factors can show you aspects about yourself that you may not have considered before. 

Try writing out a sentence (may we suggest "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"?) and keep reading to see what your handwriting says about you.Handwriting Infographic

SEE ALSO: This Personality Trait Is The Most Important Driver Of Creative Achievement

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Fans Of Apple Store Architecture Will Love This Glassy Seattle Home [PHOTOS]

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apple architect home

A contemporary three-bedroom home by architect Peter Bohlin has hit the market for $1.39 million, according to Curbed Seattle.

Bohlin is an award-winning architect who previously provided designs for major projects like Seattle City Hall and Pixar Animation's headquarters. 

He's best known, however, for his work on Apple stores around the world, including the iconic glass cube at New York's Fifth Avenue and the three-story store in Sydney, Australia.

Like his Apple store designs, this Seattle home features lots of glass and steel features in a beautifully open arrangement.

The 2,930-square-foot home is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.



Enter the home through a natural wood door.



The house is split among three levels, which you can see when you enter.



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

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the ledbury food meal london restaurantThe Ledbury just took the top spot on our list of the Best Restaurants in London.

Located in the private, fashionable neighborhood of Notting Hill, The Ledbury serves modern French fare inspired by Australian-born chef Brett Graham's culinary background.

The two-star Michelin restaurant sources its ingredients from a vast network of small-scale suppliers, in order to serve the best of the U.K.'s land and sea.

The tasting menus are surprisingly and relatively affordable: Lunch menus cost £45 to £80 a head, and the eight-course prix fixe dinner runs guests £110.

Welcome to Notting Hill's The Ledbury, recently named the best restaurant in London.



The two-star Michelin bistro, helmed by chef Brett Graham, serves modern French fare influenced by British and Pacific Rim cuisine.



Chef Brett began his cooking career as a teenager in Newcastle, Australia, where he worked in a simple fish restaurant. After stints at the highly acclaimed Banc and The Square, he helped open The Ledbury in 2005.



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The 21 Coolest Small Businesses In Toronto

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coolest small business toronto canada

Canada's most populous city may be known for the CN Tower, its crack-smoking mayor, and a slew of odd nicknames, including Hogtown, Queen City, T-Dot, and Hollywood North.

But Toronto, roughly an hour-and-a-half flight from New York City, serves as a hotbed of innovation with creative startups and cool small businesses making their homes in the city. 

From a sustainable poutine eatery to a biometrics device manufacturer, these are the companies helping Toronto emerge as one of the most biz-friendly cities in North America.

Always Dial a Bottle Toronto

Wherever you are

What it is: A beer and liquor delivery service.

What makes it cool: Due to consumption laws in Ontario, all alcohol must be purchased through a government-authorized shop. Luckily, at-home partiers can enjoy an ice cold Molson's or beverage of their choice by having it delivered to their doorstep.

Always Dial A Bottle Toronto will deliver liquor, beer, and wine within one hour of all grocery and most liquor store locations. It charges $8 plus a 10% surcharge on the price of your loot.



The Beaver

1192 Queen Street West

What it is: A cafe inspired by NYC's late-night dining culture.

What makes it cool: Formerly an art gallery, The Beaver has become a chill restaurant where diners can fuel up from dawn to dusk. The joint is proud of its welcoming atmosphere, which offers coffee and breakfast in the morning, and cocktails and DJ-hosted events at night.

The menu boasts plenty of vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options, but if you're craving a lamb burger or a pulled pork sandwich, they've got that, too. Check out the rotating art exhibits and nightly Netflix and Beaver-themed trivia.



Bionym

Digital

What it is: A startup that wants to make passwords obsolete.

What makes it cool: This University of Toronto-born startup is the maker of Nymi, a small wearable device that measures your heartbeat and turns your unique cardiac rhythm into a biometric I.D. While you wear the bracelet, your car, computer, smartphone, and other devices that require a password will recognize you and unlock.

Bionym President Andrew D'Souza says the Nymi could mean the end of passwords and pin numbers. You can preorder the Nymi for $79 on its website.



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The Best Universities In 35 Major Countries Around The Globe

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Harvard commencement

There are thousands of universities all over the world, but only a handful are recognized as the best of the best.

The Center for World University Rankings recently released a list of the top universities in the world and also listed the best universities in specific countries and continents

The CWUR, which is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, looks at the quality of education, prestige of faculty members, and quality of faculty research at each university to compile its annual list. 

We've put together a list of the best universities in 35 countries, as determined by the CWUR. Some of the universities are hundreds of years old with storied histories, while others are newer but are making strides with their research and academics. 

Argentina: University of Buenos Aires

World rank: 378

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina, with around 300,000 total students. It is especially known for its "science and technique" structure, which is made up of approximately 6,000 researchers and scholars working on more than 1,500 research projects. Three Nobel Prize winners attended the university: Dr. Bernardo Houssay, Federico Leloir, and César Milstein.



Australia: University of Sydney

World rank: 95

Location: Sydney, Australia

The University of Sydney was founded in 1850 and currently has about 51,400 students. The university was ranked eighth in the world for its education program and 13th for accounting and finance, as well as law. In 2013, Sydney alumni were ranked the fifth-richest in the world, according to Wealth-X.



Austria: University of Vienna

World rank: 205

Location: Vienna, Austria

The University of Vienna was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. The university has approximately 92,000 students and 6,700 academic employees. Nine winners of the Nobel Prize have been affiliated with the university either through teaching or research. 



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Here's How Richard Branson Celebrated His Birthday On Necker Island

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Richard Branson is never one to throw a disappointing party. He and his mother have birthdays just a week apart, and to celebrate, they threw a big soiree on Necker Island, Branson's private retreat in the Caribbean.

The party included a cake created to look like Necker with a Virgin Galactic rocket flying above. Sparklers shot flames out of the top. richard branson birthday cakeBranson turned 64 on July 18, while his mother, Eve, turned 90 years old on July 12.

According to Branson, his mother's lifestyle has not slowed down with age.

"She even found time to catch up with the lemurs and, as per usual, put the youngsters to shame on the dancefloor," he wrote in his blog.

He shared this awesome photo of Eve busting a move.richard branson birthdayHe also mentioned there was some dancing on tables, but he didn't specify who it was.

The night concluded with a fireworks show above the water. 

"Glittering above the Caribbean, the exploding light display was a wonderful way to cap off another birthday to remember for both mum and me," Branson wrote.richard branson birthdayBranson says there was one more surprise at the party, which he promises to reveal on his blog tomorrow. We can only imagine what that means.

SEE ALSO: Richard Branson Explains Why He Stopped Eating Beef

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A Group Of Guys Are Sailing 500 Miles On A Boat They Built From Plastic Bottles

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In the Czech town of Nymburk, two young men grew tired of the relentless pollution in Europe and across the world. Marine litter especially, like floating garbage, plague our oceans and seas.

So the duo decided to tackle the problem using the same materials causing it — they built a boat out of plastic bottles.

Jan Kara, 22, a student, and mechanic Jakub Bures, 21, ran their project out of a shed in their yard. 

Below, Bures and Kara attach the bottles to each other, first filling them with dry ice for added buoyancy and then sealing them, BBC News reportedRTR3ZFAUAll in all, 50000 plastic bottles would comprise their dreamed-up craft. Below, Bures' hand sticks out of the supply.RTR3ZF4DAfter that, they needed a structure to support the bottles on water — a sturdy wooden frame.plastic bottle boatBelow, Bures (left) and another friend involved, Jan Holan (right), attach a rudder to a steel propeller at the back.plastic bottle boatFor control, repurposed bike parts take care of pedaling and steering. A long axle connects these to the steel propeller and rudder in the back.

They plan to sail down the river Elbe from their town of Nymburk to Hamburg, Germany as a way to draw attention to the growing threat of plastic pollution in Europe.plastic bottle boatHere, Bures, Kara, Holan (from left to right) secure plastic garden chairs to the wooden frame behind the pedals.plastic bottle boatFinally, they put the bottles in position. plastic bottle boatOn July 12, 2014, the four friends needed to pedal, including Jan Brand, officially set sail on the Petburg. Naturally, the launch drew a crowd. 

"There are lots of people who support us," Kara told BBC. "But there are also lots of people who are convinced we're going to sink after 10 metres. So it'd be worth it just to prove it to them."plastic bottle boatHere's a view from the top. The back of the boat even includes a small cabin for shelter or short breaks.plastic bottle boatComplete with portholes.plastic bottle boatBelow, Kara drinks bottled water in the cabin of a boat made of plastic bottles, floating on water. Pretty meta. plastic bottle boatThe journey would last about 850 kilometers, or 530 miles, according to Radio Prague. Here, the foursome waits in a lock chamber on the Elbe.plastic bottle boatTheir rudimentary steering system functioned swimmingly. plastic bottle baotThe young adventurers expect the journey to last a month — maybe two, they told Deutsche Welle. plastic bottle boatHere's the Petburg's approximate path, starting near Prague and ending in Hamburg. The Elbe River

SEE ALSO: Here's What It's Like To Suffer Through A 90-Minute Commute From New Jersey Every Morning And Evening

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A New Krispy Kreme Location In Australia Has Become A Hotbed For Crime

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Krispy Kreme Australia

Citizens of Adelaide, Australia, have gone crazy for Krispy Kreme donuts. 

A week after the much-anticipated donut store opened, police have been called to the location 20 times, MailOnline reports.

One of the more shocking incidents was a knifepoint robbery of two teens as they were loading six boxes of donuts in their car.

The alleged bandit got away with all 72 donuts.

Additionally, the authorities had to break up brawls between hungry customers who had been waiting in line for hours. 

Krispy Kreme AustraliaAside from the violence, police have has issued 145 parking fines totaling $21,000 to drivers who parked illegally to get their hands on the desirable sweets.

But there's a silver lining to getting a ticket  Krispy Kreme general manager Mark Higginbottom said that customers who show their fines will be given a box of free donuts.

Krispy Kreme AustraliaThis pandemonium should come as no surprise to local authorities, as Adelaide has been yearning for the glazed pastries for quite some time.

A SunriseOn7 correspondent reported, "If you've ever caught a plane to Adelaide from one of those states [New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland], you'll know the overhead lockers are chockers [filled] with Krispy Kremes. We really, really love our donuts." 

SEE ALSO: The Best Thing To Eat In 35 Countries Around The World

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Meet The 22-Year-Old Student People Are Calling 'The Italian Mark Zuckerberg'

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matteo achilli

You may not have heard of him, but 22-year-old Italian Matteo Achilli is quickly making waves in the European tech scene. 

Egomnia, the career-focused social network Achilli founded in his first year of college, is getting so much attention in Europe that one magazine has gone so far as to call Achilli the "Italian Zuckerberg."   

Egomnia helps to match employers with job seekers who are best fits for the job. People who use the site can access rankings of companies based on how well suited they are to work there.

As of this month, Egomnia has more than 250,000 users and 700 companies accessing the site to find potential hires.  And though Achilli still attends business classes at Milan's Bocconi University, he's also working on closing partnerships with such giants as Google and Microsoft.

Achilli came up with the idea for his company while in his last year of high school. Italy doesn't have a system of venture capital and incubators, so he enlisted the help of some student coders to build an algorithm. His dad was his first angel investor, helping him to reimburse the coders.

Source: BBC



Achilli was a student at Bocconi University when Egomnia was ready to be unveiled. He made the most of the prestigious business school's network, and when the site launched in February 2012, 1,000 students and 20 companies had signed up by the end of the day.

Source: BBC



The team set up headquarters in Formello, a city located to the north of Rome.



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A Russian Billionaire Plans To Open A $500 Million Theme Park In Moscow

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puy du fou

A Russian billionaire plans to open a $512 million theme park in Moscow, according to the Moscow Times

The billionaire, Konstantin Malofeyev, founder of the Marshall Capital investment group, hopes the theme park will help to develop Russia's economy and teach people about the country's past.

He also told Russian business daily Vedomosti that this project is unprecedented in Russian history.

However, a $371 million theme park called Sochi Park recently opened in Sochi, and Today reports that the park also aims to teach visitors about Russia's past.

The park would be a joint venture with French theme park company Puy du Fou International, which created the popular Puy du Fou historical theme park in western France, attracting about 1.5 million visitors each year.

The park will open in about three years, and is projected to take up about 741 acres in the Moscow region near the Hotel Tsargrad, which Malofeyev also owns.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Most Popular Amusement Parks In The US

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Massachusetts Is The Best Place To Raise Children

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The children's charity, Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), just released its rankings of the states that have the best overall child well-being, and Massachusetts was the winner.

AECF map child well being

Crunching state-based and national education, health, economics, and family life statistics, the philanthropic organization came up with an algorithm that determined the best and worst states to raise a child.

Although they looked at multiple factors within each section, Massachusetts came on top overall, ranking number one specifically in education (they had the highest percentage of fourth graders on a proficient reading level, and 8th graders on proficient math level), and number two in the health (with the highest amount of children with health coverage, and lowest child death rate).

The other states that rounded out the top ten (in order) are: Vermont, Iowa, New Hampshire, Minnesota, North Dakota, Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, and Nebraska.

Conversely, Mississippi was ranked the lowest in overall child well-being, also ranking 50th in family life (almost 50% live in single-parent households) and 50th in economic well-being (with the highest rate of child poverty). 

The rest of the states that made up the ten worst for child well-being overall are: New Mexico, Nevada, Louisiana, Arizona, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas.

These are the top 15 and bottom 15:

AECF chartAECF chart

Some other interesting statistics from the study included the fact that well over a majority of students are still not reading at a proficient 4th grade level...

AECF chart

...or have proficient math skills in 8th grade (but these are vast improvements from 1992).

AECF chart

And sticking to education, it seems even though economic conditions have worsened, education well-being overall has improved.

AECF chart

But some minorities are still way behind in reading and math proficiency.

AECF chart

You can read more statistics from AECF's KIDS COUNT Data Book

SEE ALSO: The Best Universities In 35 Major Countries Around The Globe

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A Tree In India Is Bigger Than The Average Wal-Mart

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great banyan tree kolkata india

It may sound hard to believe, but the world's widest tree, located near Kolkata, India, is bigger than the average Wal-Mart.

The gigantic Banyan tree may look like a forest from far away, but it's actually comprised of a myriad of aerial roots that cover 3.5 square acres of land, which equals roughly 156,000 square feet, or 14,400 square meters. 

Compare that to data from the most recent unit count and square footage report from Wal-Mart, which says that the average store size (that's not a Supercenter) is just under 105,000 square feet or 9,750 square meters.Great Banyan Tree vs WalmartThe Great Banyan Tree’s canopy is made up of 3,511 aerial prop roots that connect to the earth, which make them look like individual trees, according to the Times of India. The tree made it into "The Guinness Book of World Records” as the world's widest tree, and has even been featured on stamps in India.

Visitors can see it at the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Shibpur, Kolkata, and walk around the .2-mile-long road built around the tree’s circumference (the Great Banyan Tree has continued to expand beyond the road, creating a sort of tunnel).India Kolkata Great Banyan TreeScientists are surprised that the tree is still alive. In 1884 and again in 1886, cyclones hit the Great Banyan Tree, breaking it open and exposing its main trunk to a fungal attack. In 1925, the main trunk (at that time measuring over 50 feet wide) was decaying and had to be removed. 

Yet even without its trunk, the tree survives — and flourishes — to this day. See more pictures of the natural wonder below.

The aerial roots are supported by other roots connecting to the ground, causing this singular banyan tree to look more like a forest.India Kolkata Great Banyan TreeAnd here's a closer look at those roots. India Kolkata Great Banyan Tree

SEE ALSO: 17 Crazy Facts That Sound Fake But Are Actually True

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: A Tuscan Castle Can Be Yours For $16 Million

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This may be your one opportunity to own a castle in Tuscany.

The 16th-century Castello di Magona in Livorno, Italy, is now on the market for $16 million through Sotheby's International Realty. The home was built in 1529 and was formerly owned by Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, according to Architectural Digest (via Curbed). 

The 29,909-square-foot castle sits on 10 acres and has views of the Mediterranean Sea and Elba Island, along with the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Inside the home, special features include hand-painted frescoes, intricate ceilings and floors, and even some suits of armor.

A circular driveway leads up to this gorgeous 16th-century castle, which sits on 10 acres.



The entryway to the home is covered in ivy.



The decor in this room actually resembles that of a medieval castle.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






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