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Brooke Astor's Butler Reveals How The Late Socialite Lost A Chunk Of Her Finger

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brooke astor

The New York Post's Page Six Magazine has a great feature on the butlers and nannies who work for New York City millionaires.

There are several horrifying anecdotes about financier and celebrity employers who-shall-remain-nameless. But we loved this one, told by Paul Pearson, who served as house manager and butler to late socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor.

Page Six's Jane Ridley writes:

Pearson says he'll never forget the night he drove, "hell for leather," through the Maine countryside with an octogenarian Lady Astor in the back seat of her vintage Mercedes. One of her hands was bleeding, and wrapped in a towel.

"I had the top of her finger in a Ziploc bag," he recalls. "We were dashing to the hospital because her two dogs had been scrapping, and when she intervened and grabbed one of their tails, it bit her finger right off!"

Unfortunately, the missing section of Astor's index finger could not be reattached. "They could probably have done it if we'd been in New York City," laments Pearson. "But this was rural Maine."

Check out the full feature over at Page Six Magazine >

SEE ALSO: How The Astor Family Became An American Dynasty

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The 10 Best Bars In Los Angeles

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Hemingway's bar LANightlife in L.A. is about more than just celebrities stumbling home at 4 am. The city has everything from gay bars and dance clubs to tiki rooms and dives.

And though there's always some new hotspot opening up, many old school classics still reign here.

Zagat recently released it's 2013 Los Angeles Nightlife Survey, and the editors at Zagat compiled a list of the 10 Best Bars in L.A.

From Sunset Boulevard to WeHo, these are the bars to check out the next time you're in the City of Angels.

#10 Sagebrush Cantina

23527 Calabasas Rd.

Bikers, hipsters, and the sports bar crowd all frequent this Calabasas bar.

It has great Mexican food, and even better margaritas, which you can enjoy while listening to live music either on the patio or inside the bar.



#9 Cinema Bar

3967 Sepulveda Blvd.

This hole-in-the-wall bar in Culver City dates back to 1947 and features old movie posters, wood-paneled walls, and live music.

The expert bartenders make such fantastic cheap drinks that you'll find yourself fighting for a spot at the bar.



#8 Rainbow Bar & Grill

9015 W. Sunset Blvd.

This is a Hollywood icon for a reason.

The '80s time warp known as Rainbow Bar & Grill in West Hollywood takes you back to the headbanging, metal rock era—except this place has amazing food, strong drinks, and a few celeb spottings.



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eBay Has Turned Into A 'Fast Fashion Graveyard'

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Versace-H&M

It was once nearly impossible for the average person to buy an item from a designer's special collection for Target or H&M.

Ambitious eBay merchants camped out for days and bought up everything they could once inside the store. For years, they've been able to sell the items at huge mark-ups for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. 

But now, people have stopped buying the clothes, leaving eBay with a "graveyard" of unsold merchandise, Jillian Goodman at New York Magazine reports

"The key to the high-low eBay dynamic was always demand outstripping supply — items selling out in store and people still wanting them — but now we're seeing what happens when that relationship tilts," Goodman writes. "As of this writing, a search on eBay for "neiman marcus target" turns up 2,571 listings, and the only ones with bids are selling below retail."

Merchants have been selling discount/designer collaborations on eBay since 2004, when Karl Lagerfeld collaborated with H&M. 

Retailers have become wiser over time, according to Goodman. Instead of offering so few items they're guaranteed to sell out, stores started adjusting to heavy demand by stocking up on inventory. 

Today, when shoppers go to the store for a designer collaboration, there's plenty of merchandise to buy. The scarcity that added perceived value to the Missoni for Target or Versace H&M collections before simply doesn't exist.

DON'T MISS: The Fabulous Life Of Amancio Ortega, The Mysterious Billionaire Behind Zara
>

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YACHT OF THE WEEK: Cruise The Caribbean On The $3.95 Million Shalimar

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shalimar yacht

"Shalimar" comes from the Persian term for "garden of beauty," so it is an appropriate name for this 118-foot yacht.

Designed by Disdale and built by Benetti Shipyard, it has room for ten guests on board, as well as the crew of seven.

International Yacht Collection lists the "Shalimar" on sale for $3.95 million; the yacht is also available for charter to cruise around the Caribbean.

Shalimar's two diesel engines deliver 2,610 horsepower each.



With a top speed of 18 knots (20.7 mph) and a cruising speed of 14 knots (16 mph), the 'Shalimar' is not too quick.



For speed, hop on the 15-foot Novurania tender.



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The Coolest Kindergarten Ever Is Made From An Old Airplane

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A man has created a top flight playschool in Rustavi, Georgia out of a retired Yakovlev 42 plane.

Headmaster Gari Chapidze brought the old plane from Tbilisi airport for an unspecified sum and arranged for it to be transported to Rustavi.

The refurbishment took several months and Mr Chapidze says he was concerned at first that people would not take to the idea, but the unique playpen has become a hit with the parents too.

Staff hope that in addition to being a fun place full of knobs to turn and buttons to push, playing on the aircraft will help children develop technically.

The kindergarten currently has 20 children, but many more have been added to the waiting list since the arrival of the aircraft.

Take the video tour:

SEE ALSO: Underground Construction Photos From NYC's New $2.4 Billion Subway Station

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Your Guide To Tipping In 5 Holiday Vacation Destinations

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bahamas pool drinks cheers

You’ve planned your trip within an inch of its life, from the location of your seat on the plane to the perfect dinner reservations at that place so-and-so recommended.

Your flight goes fine, you land at destination X, hop in a cab and head to your hotel. The taxi pulls up, the valet opens the door, and suddenly you’re faced with a dilemma.

Check out the tipping tips >

How much should you tip the ca bby? What’s the proper amount to tip the doorman and the bellhop?

Depending on the destination, the tipping customs can vary. To help, the team at Hopper has assembled our handy guide to gratuity.

We’ve run through the most popular travel destinations for the average American and pulled out the key rules for polite tipping.

If you frequent these locations you’ll want to take note, savvy compensation can ensure you enhanced service and friendly faces on your next stay.

Read more from Hopper Travel:

Top Las Vegas Casinos

Punta Mita Travel Snapshot

Spain Travel Snapshot

Top Caribbean Beaches

Christmas in New York

Las Vegas

In Las Vegas, cash is king, so it should be no surprise that tipping is practically an art form in this city. It starts in your cab, where taxi drivers generally receive 15% on top of the fare.

At your hotel, plan on three separate tips: one for your bellhop, maid, and the concierge. Depending on the level of service, a concierge can get upwards of $100 but in most cases $10 will do. As for the your bags and room, the average is $5-10 for you bellhop and about $1-$2 per night for the maid.

Eating out in Vegas is a must (Joel Rubichon or bust), and with great service comes a great tip; you should account for 15-20% of the bill.

If you’re headed to Vegas chances are you’ll be setting foot in a casino or two. Depending on the level of your winnings, tip accordingly to your dealer. The good news? If you are wiped clean, no  tipping is needed. Keno and Bingo runners are generally rewarded with a $1 to $2 offering.



Mexico

Americans love visiting Mexico. In fact,  34% of all outbound US travelers find their way there annually. Visitors frequent the country’s Aztec temples, sparkling beaches and luxury resorts.

At your hotel, plan on leaving 20-50 pesos per day (or $2-$4 USD) for the maid service . Bellhops get 10-20 pesos ($1-$2) on average.

If you plan on eating out, tipping in Mexico is a must. At most restaurants it is typical to round up your bill to add an additional 10-15% (think rounding ~$26 to $30).

If you drive in Mexico, the rule of thumb dictates giving your gas station attendant 5 pesos (about 50 cents). Taxi drivers don’t expect tips.

If you opt for a guided tour of Chichen Itza or any Mexican destination, plan on a 100-200 peso gratuity (8-16 dollars). This is baseline, so if your tour guide really wows you with their knowledge of Mayan architecture consider a more generous tip.

But, the question arises, should you tip in American dollars or in pesos? Although not required and most places accept US dollars, tipping in pesos is not only appreciated but a polite gesture.



Spain

Europe is also high on Americans’ places to travel, accounting for over 19% of all outbound travels each year and the Iberian peninsula remains a top destination. Spain boasts an amazing cultural legacy from the Moorish architecture of Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba to Goya’s masterpieces at the Prado in Madrid. Not to mention those tapas...

Spain, like much of Europe, is not a cheap destination (despite its current economic woes), and even after you pay for your transportation and hotel costs you can't forget to budget tipping. Leaving an extra few dollars won’t break your bank, but not leaving it could ruin a trip. No one likes awkward waiter encounters, so 5-15% will adequately compensate them. However, if your service was short of your expectations you can leave without gratuity and won't be ostracized.  

Getting around in Europe is easy. Planes, trains and automobiles are all fairly accessible, and Spain is no exception. When opting for a taxi you can take a sigh of relief, as tipping is not expected. However, to save face it is typical to round up your fare to the nearest euro (think 10.5 euros to 11).

Although in some places you might be able to get away with spending US dollars, you will want to convert your cash at the start of your trip or use a credit card. But be warned: tipping in restaurants on a card is frowned upon.



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SPOTTED: A Truck Full Of Ferraris In China

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Seeing a Ferrari as powerful as the F12berlinetta or 458 Italia is always a pleasure. Seeing five of them in one spot is something else altogether. Rarely is the theft of a truck this tempting.

According to Car News China, which shared the photos with us, the Ferraris were being delivered to a government vehicle testing center. There, they must pass an emissions test before hitting the road.

Have you spotted a rare or unusual way of getting around in your travels? Did you take a photo? Do you like sharing? Let me know via e-mail: adavies@businessinsider.com or on Twitter@adavies47.

truck full of ferraris
 
truck full of ferraris

SEE ALSO: The 25 Coolest Cars We Saw At The Los Angeles Auto Show

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Upper East Side Financier's Wife Has A Horrifying Request For The Nanny

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nanny blond kid reading babysitter

The nanny business in New York City can be a lucrative one; some nannies for the city's super rich are earning upwards of $180,000 a year.

But the high pay doesn't always justify the occasional humiliation that can occur on the job.

The New York Post's Page Six Magazine has a great feature on the lives of New York City's nannies and butlers that includes a few tales about what it's like to work in the homes of the city's wealthiest people.

One was particularly bad. It's about a nanny named "Elizabeth," who works for a "financier's wife" on the Upper East Side.

Writes The Post's Jane Ridley:

"You know how we've been trying for a baby, and we've been having some issues?" she asked the nanny, a 25-year-old English rose with a trim figure, blue eyes and a bachelor's degree. "We wondered if you would mind donating your eggs."

... Elizabeth politely declined the offer of a $30,000 cash bonus on top of her $100,000 annual salary if she went ahead with the egg-donor deal.

... "It's freaky to think they wanted me to continue working for them and raise what would have been my own child."

Read the full article at Page Six Magazine >

SEE ALSO: Meet The Rich And Famous Residents Of NYC's Most Powerful Apartment Building

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The Latest Trend In Yachts Is A 'Support Yacht' To Carry All Your Toys

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support yacht

The arms race in mega-yachts has reached a new level, with the launch of the "mega support-yacht."

Support yachts are for people who have outgrown their mega-yachts and need more space for their helicopters, speedboats, launches and submarines. The support yacht acts as a floating garage, trailing alongside the main yacht with all of the owner's oversized "toys."

While support yachts have been around for a while, the yacht-maker Amels has launched the Rolls Royce of support yachts – the SEA AXE 6711, a gleaming 220-feet ship that can hold a mega-chopper, loads of speedboats, a submarine and all the scuba gear, jet skis and floaties an oligarch or sheikh could ever want.

Amels is mum on the price. But they've recently sold two, and the company says interest is strong from other buyers. (Read more: Steve Jobs's Yacht Launches Posthumously)

Amels marketing chief Victor Caminada said that the main appeal of a support yacht is its speed and space. By offloading the toys and chopper pads to the secondary vessel, owners can free up more space on their main yachts for Jacuzzis,wet bars and bedroom suites.

Take the helicopter conundrum, for example. Landing a helicopter on a mega-yacht can be highly disruptive to the owners and guests,Caminada said.

"You have to get all the passengers inside, take in all the pillows, get the crew to a fire-safety area," he said. With a support yacht nearby, "you can land on the support yacht and free the mother ship of all that hassle and interruption."

Or take speedboats. Mega-yachts need tenders, the speedboats used to ferry passengers to and from the shore. Today's tenders have become status symbols unto themselves. But storing a 40-foot luxury speedboat on board can take up huge amount of space – not to mention the crane that's needed to lift them to and from the water.

Storing them on a support yacht allows the yacht owner to use bigger and more elaborate tenders – like the American-made J-Craft boats that have become increasingly popular with the super-rich.

"It's about when you pull up to the docks, who has the nicest tender," said Caminada. (Read more: Russian Billionaire Builds Largest Sailing Yacht)

The SEA AXE is also faster than most mega-yachts – due in part to its ax-like hull. It has a top speed of 20 knots to 25 knots and it can move faster than the mother yacht. That allows owners to leave the support boat behind to load and unload tenders, or race ahead to prepare for the next stop.

And with its yacht-worthy paint job and styling, SEA AXE fits well with the look of a mega-yacht.

"It's like a pimped out pick-up truck," Caminada said. "It's not like an ugly duck trailing along. It looks good."

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A Blackstone Exec Is Buying This Amazing 6-Story Upper East Side Townhouse For $26 Million

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Joseph Baratta Blackstone Townhouse

Yeah, 6 stories. Luckily there's also an elevator.

Blackstone's global head of private equity, Joseph Baratta is in contract to pick up a sweet 6-story townhouse from music mogul Lyor Cohen (he's Tory Burch's boyfriend), the NY Post reports.

Jerry Seinfeld also took a look at the house, which has 15 rooms — 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and 2 half bathrooms. The house also boasts a working fireplace and some gorgeous outdoor space.







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British Explorers Embark On 'Coldest Journey' — A Winter Trek Across Antarctica

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antarctica

Visitors arrived on the SA Agulhas stamping their boots and rubbing their hands: it was -1C at the Thames, there was still frost on the gangplank, and mugs of steaming coffee were stone cold in minutes.

But soon the tubby little South African ship will be facing temperatures that make a cold day in London look like sunbathing weather, and her crew will be heading into what the leader calls "the last great adventure", months on foot and by tractor through the perpetual darkness of the Antarctic winter.

This journey has never been done before, which is precisely why team leader Sir Ranulph Fiennes had to go for it. Besides, he explained, much as his hero Captain Scott would have said a century ago, if he didn't do it the Norwegians – who have already completed a winter traverse of the north pole – certainly would.

"The Norwegians do consider the polar regions to be theirs, and not for the Brits or the French to muck around in."

On a previous excursion, Norwegian media reported that Fiennes and the late Charlie Burton had taken a prostitute with them on the sledge. Fortunately his wife had witnessed their departure, and knew they hadn't packed one. "And anyway, at -40C, certain things are impractical," he said.

Fiennes first applied to the government for permission for the expedition, dubbed The Coldest Journey, almost five years ago, and got the permits 12 days ago. Initially they turned him down flat, he explained. They feared he would get into trouble, and since there was no possibility of rescuing him, that he would become "a national embarrassment".

Though Fiennes clearly regarded their caution as one more aggravation among many, betting on the explorer getting into trouble seems quite reasonable. He is 68, and has already survived cancer, a heart attack on the slopes of Everest, and surgery with the hacksaw he bought to cut off the tips of his own frost bitten fingers.

Nobody is quite sure what temperatures they will face: -70C is probable, but the coldest ever recorded in the Antarctic winter was -92C. They haven't been able to test in cold enough temperatures their unmodified human bodies and the heavily modified equipment, including tractors equipped with titanium spikes and adapted to run on aviation fuel, which will drag giant sleds carrying two 20-tonne sea containers converted into living quarters. The kit was tested in Sweden at a balmy -40C, and they couldn't get an ice chamber colder than -58C to test human response. At -70C "one deep breath and your lungs are gone," expedition co-leader Anton Bowring said. It will be his job to see that nobody does take that deep breath: "I didn't get any O-levels, but I reckon I'm brighter than most of this lot," he said cheerfully of his team-mates.

The expedition was dreamed up by Mike Stroud, Fiennes's medical officer and co-leader on many adventures. Stroud envisaged it as a quick dash in and out on skis. As the plans became increasingly complex – they hope also to raise $10m for the Seeing Is Believing charity to prevent blindness – he realised, rather sadly, he simply couldn't take the full trip time off work as a hospital consultant. The expedition proper will start on the ice on the winter equinox on 21 March, led each day by two skiers dragging a radar crevasse detector, hoping to spot chasms which might swallow the tractors and sledges whole. It should pass the south pole and cross the continent to reach the Ross Sea six months later, where they will have to camp out for months until the ice retreats enough to allow the ship through. Instead Stroud will fly to Cape Town with the others to join the ship after Christmas, sail to Antarctica, and then leave them a series of gruelling physical exercises, designed to test how the body copes with such extremes.

By the time the permits finally came through, the little ship, used for many years by South Africa as a supply ship into the Antarctic, and leased to the expedition at a bargain price, was already moored on the Thames, and being packed solid with equipment and supplies. These include a computer with a winter's supply of movies on the hard drive, e-readers for each team member with a library of books, cake mixture, and enough toothbrushes and toilet paper to last if disaster strikes and they have to wait up to a year for a rescue party to get through.

Although some high-energy freeze-dried food came from specialist expedition suppliers, much of it came from Waitrose, and though that could make a charming basis for the store's next Christmas ad, what happens next to the 40 aluminium supply crates might not. As each crate is emptied, Brian Newham explained, it will be filled with rubbish, including all the human waste packed into plastic bags: he doesn't think that freezing it first will be a problem.

As the winter dusk gathered, two people left the ship who probably both yearned to stay on board: Joanna Lumley, trustee of the expedition and self-confessed "fan and groupie", and Prince Charles. Tower Bridge then gradually lifted to allow the SA Agulhas to sail on down the Thames, and into the history of polar exploration.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

SEE ALSO: What It's Like To Live On America's Smallest Outpost In Antarctica

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10 American Pizza Joints Worth A Road Trip

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Pizza Barbone

Everyone has their favorite local pizza joint, but is yours one of the best in America?

Some pizza places serve pies that are so delicious that people trek hundreds, and even thousands, of miles to eat there.

The editors at Zagat came up with a list of the 10 Pies Worth A Road Trip. From Phoenix to Brooklyn, these pizza meccas offer the freshest ingredients, crispiest crusts, and tastiest sauces around.

Pizzeria Bianco: Phoenix, AZ

623 E. Adams St.

The Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas at Pizzeria Bianco keep its cult following coming back for more.

The staff only uses the freshest local ingredients for their simple salads and charred pies in this brick-lined restaurant.



In Riva: Philadelphia, PA

4116 Ridge Ave.

In Riva is a little piece of Italy in Philadelphia. It specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza prepared in a wood fire oven, and offers the clientele an assortment of Italian wines and beers.

It also has fantastic view of the Schuylkill River.



Salvatore's Coal Oven Pizza: Port Washington, NY

124 Shore Rd.

Salvatore's makes its pizza in coal-fired brick ovens. The coal-stoked crust is worth a visit in and of itself, but just remember — no slices, no credit cards. Full pies and cash only.



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The 12 Hottest Housing Markets In The World

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istanbul

In the absence of effective stimulus global mainstream property prices are flagging, according to Knight Frank's latest global house price index.

The index rose just 1 percent year-over-year in the third quarter of 2012.  Price growth in Asia is slowing, and the 12 countries at the bottom of the list are all from Europe.

However, some housing markets are booming.

We drew on Knight Frank's list of 55 countries and highlighted the 12 with the highest price increases.

Estonia

Q3 2011 - Q3 2012:
6.4 percent

6-month change:
4.0 percent

3-month change:
2.6 percent

Estonia's home prices began to recover in the second half of 2010, but Europe's sovereign debt crisis continues to be a risk to the country's housing market.

Source: Knight Frank



India

Q3 2011 - Q3 2012:
6.5 percent

6-month change:
3.9 percent

3-month change:
0.6 percent

 "India is likely to see more polarization across city’s performances going forward as the economy absorbs some of the significant reforms that have been implemented over the last few weeks," according to Knight Frank's Nicholas Holt.

Source: Knight Frank



Iceland

Q3 2011 - Q3 2012:
6.6 percent

6-month change:
3.8 percent

3-month change:
0.7 percent

Some fear a housing bubble in Iceland as home prices are 1.7 percent below the pre-crisis peak inMarch 2008, according to Bloomberg. The rise in prices has been attributed to currency controls put in place to support the currency after the country's biggest banks collapsed.

Source: Knight Frank



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The Most Extraordinary Feat Of British Scholarship Ever

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aristotle

Professor Richard Sorabji, of King's College London, has just completed the Herculean task of editing, translating and overseeing 100 volumes of translations of ancient commentaries on Aristotle, written from 200-600 AD.

Professor Sorabji began the job in 1985 and, over the years, publication has speeded up. In the first two years, no volumes were translated; then the process picked up to two a year; in recent years, nine a year have appeared. Professor Sorabji is now 78 and, over the last 27 years, some of his assistants and fellow translators have died. Two of his assistants, still going strong, are 90 and 92.

The publication of the 100th volume also marks a great triumph of British scholarship. The commentaries were first published in the original Greek and Latin a century ago by the great German classical scholar, Hermann Diels. But any attempt at translation was stopped by the First World War – where many of his assistants were killed.

So, these millions of words lay gathering dust for almost a century until Professor Sorabji came along in 1985 and embarked on this Sisyphean task. It still hasn't ended – in the New Year, with the help of a new co-editor, Professor Michael Griffin, Professor Sorabji is embarking on another 26 volumes…

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Goldman Sachs CEO Bought This Massive Bridgehampton Estate For $32.5 Million

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Blankfein New Hamptons House

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are not this lucky every day.

The NY Post reports that Lloyd Blankfein just bought a sprawling new 7.5 acre Bridgehampton estate for $35.5 million. He hasn't sold his old Hamptons house but, we're fairly certain he's not worried about that.

The new 8,000 square foot house boasts 6.5 bathrooms, a pool and tennis court, plus plenty of space (formal living and dining room) to entertain.

We'll be waiting for invitation to the house warming.

The area of the estate is outlined in white.



Here's the main house.



Bright rooms inside



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A Billionaire Heir To Aldi Supermarkets Has Died

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aldi

Berthold Albrecht, the billionaire heir of the cut-price supermarket chain Aldi and one of Germany's richest men, has died at the age of 58, his family announced on Friday.

Albrecht was buried last month in a private ceremony attended by close family and friends, according to full-page death notices placed by both his family and his Aldi Nord group in newspapers such as the business daily Handelsblatt.

There was no mention of the place or cause of his death.

Berthold's father and founder of the Aldi group, Theo Albrecht, died in July 2010 aged 88.

The Albrecht family is one of the richest in Germany. Berthold and his brother, also called Theo, ranked second place with a combined fortune of 16 billion euros ($20.7 billion), according to the monthly Manager Magazin.

SEE ALSO: Meet The Heirs And Heiresses To The World's Oldest Billionaires

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LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE: Old Photos Of Macau From Decades Before The Boom

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leroy demery macao 1980

If you've seen the new James Bond movie, you know the opulence found in Macau today is without parallel.

The tiny region, comprising a peninsula jutting out from the mainland and a nearby island, is seen as a proxy for both China (whose wealthier citizens use it as a playground) and the gaming industry as a whole.

Among the crazier facts about Macau today:

  • Growth has averaged around 19% for a decade
  • In 2006 Macau’s casino revenues  surpassed those of Las Vegas
  • The Sands Macau, opened in 2004, recouped its $265 million construction costs in one year

It wasn't always so.

In the summer of 1980, Leroy W. Demery, Jr., an expert in Asian transportation, visited the country (then still a Portuguese protectorate) and documented his journey. 

He recently posted his copyrighted photo collection to flickr, and with his kind permission we have reproduced the snapshots here.

Click here to see his photos >

Here is his introduction to the collection:

I traveled by overnight ferry from Hong Kong to Macao, spent the day (1980 July 16) in Macao, then returned to Hong Kong by overnight ferry.

"Overnight ferry" for a 60 km distance?

Yes, one boarded the vessel about 10 p.m. The fare included a bunk in an air-conditioned dormitory - "Spartan" but very comfortable. The vessel sailed after midnight and certainly arrived within 3-4 hours. Passengers were awakened at about 6 a.m., as I remember.

Yes, catamarans and jetfoils were much faster, but fares were higher, and the overnight ferry permitted one to save the cost of overnight accommodation.

Macao, in 1980, was quiet. Very quiet. It had a distinct "small town" atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the Central District of nearby Hong Kong. Much has changed since then. Remarkably, the land area has nearly doubled, from about 16 square km to nearly 29 square km. Many of the images in this set are certainly "vanished scenes."

I regret that do not have a 1980 street map of Macao, and so am not able to locate some of these images.

By the way, we can only imagine what it must be like for notorious gangster "Broken Tooth," who just got released from prison after a 14-year sentence for plotting to murder the country's police chief, to see the city now.

Anyway, read on to take the journey to Old Macau.

Just to get you started, here's what Macau looks like today.



And here's what it looked like back in the day. This is Leal Senado, legislative seat during Portuguese rule, now home to the Institute of Civic and Municipal Affairs.



This section of the harbor is now reclaimed land, Demery says.



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Ivy League Cracks Down On Out-Of-Control Student Behavior

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harvard

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Harvard and Cornell universities have joined Yale University and Dartmouth College in cracking down on out-of-control behavior such as drinking, hazing, and sexual harassment, which endanger students and tarnish Ivy League reputations.

Harvard faculty voted last month to require registration of parties and ban drinking games, and Cornell ordered fraternities to have live-in advisers. This fall, Dartmouth began security checks at Greek houses and Princeton University banned freshmen from joining them.

The moves are the latest effort to regulate campus behavior since rules controlling students -- known as in loco parentis -- were abolished in the 1960s. Disobedience crested last year for Ivy League schools, which cost more than $50,000 a year to attend. A Dartmouth hazing article detailed rituals involving bodily fluids. A Cornell student died of alcohol poisoning, and Yale was hit with a discrimination complaint after fraternity members chanted “No means yes! Yes means anal!”

“Colleges have been in an arms race to prove to students that they’re cool and give more freedom than the others,” said Lisa Wade, head of the sociology department at Occidental College in Los Angeles. “Now, maybe the pendulum is starting to swing the other way.”

College students have come to equate the absence of boundaries with fun, said Wade, who studies the casual sex culture on campuses. That, combined with large amounts of alcohol easily available on campus, can skew students’ sense of what is acceptable or even normal.

 

Homeless Pranks

 

An undergraduate house at Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Harvard is under fire for an annual hook-up party its residents call Incest Fest. The event is so named because only house members are allowed to attend. Two university clubs have also staged pranks ridiculing homeless people in Harvard Square, according to the Crimson, the student newspaper.

At Yale, one of eight private schools in the U.S. Northeast that make up the Ivy League, eight students drank so much at September’s Safety Dance -- an annual 1980s-themed party -- they had to be hospitalized. That prompted the school in New Haven, Connecticut, to ban the event in the future. Senior Elizabeth Snow, 21, who helped organize a session on alcohol policy, said that without comparison data she doesn’t know if eight is a lot.

“I have no idea what a standard Saturday night looks like,” Snow said. Yale should be creating a safer environment for parties rather than “forcing students to find parties off campus,” she said.

Thomas Conroy, a spokesman for Yale, declined to comment.

 

Enabling Students

 

College administrators bear some responsibility for student drunkenness after years of ignoring it, said Toben Nelson, assistant professor of community health at the University of Minnesota, who has studied college drinking for more than 15 years. The most effective way to lower drinking rates is to cut the supply of alcohol, and few schools are willing to show that kind of leadership, he said.

“There’s a lot of enabling by college administrators,” Nelson said in a telephone interview. “Colleges are competing with each other to get these students, so they’re willing to tolerate a lot of things.”

Many alumni hamper attempts to curb alcohol abuse because they want access to a heavy-drinking ambiance when they return for homecoming and sporting events, Nelson said.

Alumni also contribute to a culture of hazing. In a 2008 study by University of Maine researchers, a quarter of students who reported being hazed in a college fraternity, group or sports team said alumni were present at the time. The practice is also found in theater groups, marching bands and other social organizations.

 

Taking Action

 

With campus excesses becoming more unruly and, in some cases, deadly, schools are no longer standing by.

In rules issued last month, Cornell, based in Ithaca, New York, said new-member activities at Greek clubs must focus on the history and mission of the group and be approved by the university.

“If activities cause serious harm, physically or mentally, or are likely to, the University will not allow the group to continue to operate on our campus,” Cornell said in a slide presentation.

 

Cornell Tragedy

 

Tragedy struck at Cornell in February 2011, when George Desdunes, a 19-year-old sophomore, died of alcohol poisoning. Desdunes was bound with zip ties and duct tape and left alone on a fraternity house sofa after pledges staged a mock kidnapping of upperclassmen and compelled them to drink, according to documents in a criminal case. The pledges were acquitted of hazing and other charges. The fraternity didn’t defend itself and was fined.

Travis Apgar, an anti-hazing activist and Cornell’s associate dean of student affairs, declined to comment on Desdunes’s death, citing further, pending litigation except to say that there’s not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think about it.

Cornell, which had started tightening its hazing and alcohol policies before Desdunes died, publishes a list of recent hazing incidents on its website. In one account, students were blindfolded and told they would be branded. Their skin was then touched with metal tongs that had been immersed in ice water. “Unable to distinguish cold from hot, new members thought they were being branded.”

Still, students are reluctant to report hazing, and those who do come forward are usually those who opted not to join a group, rather than current members.

 

‘Something Ridiculous’

 

“Nobody wants people to know they did something ridiculous in order to join a group,” Apgar said. He said colleges need to do more to stop the practice and should allow students to anonymously report it so administrators can step in earlier.

At Yale, the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights said it resolved a sex-discrimination complaint against the university in June without a fine after Yale agreed to overhaul its process for sexual-assault reporting and increase penalties for alcohol misuse. A group of students brought the complaint after the fraternity-chanting incident was posted on YouTube.

Besides ordering registration of off-campus parties, the school banned beer kegs at sporting events after a spectator was struck and killed by a delivery truck at last year’s Harvard- Yale football game.

 

Dartmouth Hazing

 

Dartmouth, based in Hanover, New Hampshire, was rocked by a hazing scandal in January when then-senior Andrew Lohse wrote in the school newspaper about eating omelets made from vomit and other degrading rituals at Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Two other hazing victims came forward after Lohse was criticized by students and alumni.

In April, Ravital Segal wrote in the Huffington Post of being forced to chug bottles of hard liquor in a 2006 Dartmouth sorority initiation. She wrote that she woke up in an intensive care unit with a lethal level of alcohol in her system and two broken teeth. Three other women from two sororities were at the same hospital that night with alcohol poisoning and pressured each other into denying the incident was hazing, Segal said in the article. She declined to comment for this story.

In October, sophomore Yesuto Shaw, 18, described being beaten at a Dartmouth fraternity house, called demeaning names and barred from speaking with friends who weren’t members of the group.

“People are going to be held accountable more and more for hazing,” Shaw, who plans on becoming a pastoral counselor, said in a telephone interview. “They’ll know that something done in the dark might possibly come to light.”

 

Random Walkthroughs

 

Dartmouth security now holds random walkthroughs of Greek houses and residence halls, and the school has banned open kegs and alcohol deliveries. Groups willing to disclose recent hazing violations can take part in an amnesty program and develop alternative activities for new members.

The measures “demonstrate the seriousness with which Dartmouth has approached this issue and the commitment we have to tackling it from multiple directions,” Justin Anderson, a spokesman, said in an e-mail.

More than 100 members of Dartmouth’s faculty signed a letter in February denouncing the drinking and hazing culture as one of “moral thuggery” that impedes their ability to teach.

“These problems have been here, underground, for a very long time,” said Lee Witters, a professor of medicine and biochemistry at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. “The more public discussion about the binge drinking, the hazing, the homophobia, the more students themselves are willing to take the responsibility for it.”

 

Harvard, Princeton

 

Harvard and Princeton University don’t formally recognize fraternities and sororities. Harvard began revising its alcohol policy almost three years ago to take a proactive approach to alcohol consumption, spokesman Jeff Neal said in an e-mail.

“The new policy is designed more explicitly to support the health, safety and general wellbeing of our students, while also ensuring that we and they abide by the legal drinking age,” Neal said.

Princeton barred freshmen from pledging this year to give new students the opportunity to become more involved in a wider campus social life, said Martin Mbugua, a university spokesman.

Many students behave in ways that reflect the community at large, said Wade, the Occidental sociologist.

“Colleges are a microcosm of American society,” Wade said. “It’s a story of hormone-driven kids packed into dorms like sardines. And what we see when we look there -- the glamorization of casual sex; the binge-drinking; the crude, insensitive humor; the homophobia; the racism -- is a story about us.”

 

--With assistance from Jason Jung in Princeton, New Jersey; Nataliya Nedzhvetskaya in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Adam Schwartzman in Hanover, New Hampshire; and Jessica Shor in New Haven, Connecticut. Editors: Lisa Wolfson, Ben Livesey

 

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Staiti in Boston at cstaiti@bloomberg.net

 

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Lisa Wolfson at lwolfson@bloomberg.net

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10 Gifts That Seem Pricier Than They Actually Are

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woman in pearls flapper

During the holidays, it's natural to want to give the world to those we love.

After all, nothing is too good for our parents, siblings, spouses, and dear friends. But a smart shopper never financially overextends himself at the holidays.

So how exactly can you impress your giftee without blowing your entire budget? It's all about perceived value, sentimentality, and need.

These notions are subjective of course, but we've found that the following gift ideas have the ability to make your giftee think you splurged on their holiday present, when you really just shopped wisely.

Designer Products at Mainstream Retail Chains

The whole idea behind high-end designers producing an accessibly-priced line of products available through a mainstream channel like Target or Sephora is to make money off the cachet attached to the brand name.

And it works, as exemplified by the immense popularity of Target's designer capsule collections. Currently, the retailer is promoting its exclusive Neiman Marcus collection, which includes wares from designers such as Marc Jacobs, Lela Rose, Oscar de la Renta, and more.

Many of the price tags however are a bit high to be considered inexpensive, but a few items are priced just right. Like this Tory Burch Lunch Box ($19.99 with $5.18 s&h), which can serve as a makeup bag and will delight any fashion-loving lady on your list.



Pearl Jewelry

Regardless of how easily this gem is now produced, the pearl still exudes an air of class and elegance over other jewelry.

(For some though, it might just seem stuffy, so make sure you know your audience with this one.) We periodically see inexpensive options — like this 9mm White Freshwater Pearl Necklace ($14.99 via coupon code "dealnews25" with free shipping, a low by $9) — that still have the luster and weight of pearls that the average person will associate with a much pricier product.



Skullcandy Headphones

Considering how much we rely on portable music these days, extra pairs of headphones are always appreciated.

But if you can't afford to spring for an acclaimed pair of Bose or Diddybeats ear phones, you can at least opt for something snazzy; Skullcandy regularly discounts its brightly-colored headsets to well under $20 via its eBay store, and the everything-but-standard-black hues will make these phones seem like a special purchase.

Currently you can score the Skullcandy Lowrider Headphones($15.99 with free shipping, a low by $7) in purple.



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14 Places To Hide Out During The Apocalypse

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tristan da cunhaWell, the 5125-year Mayan calendar comes to an end on December 21, 2012, and no one knows what will happen next.

True believers suppose we might see cataclysmic solar flares or an incident involving a black hole or a collision between Earth and a planet called Nibiru.

To prepare for these scenarios — or, if you prefer, more conventional fears like economic collapse and nuclear war — we have identified some places for you to hide out.

They won't keep you safe if the world is completely destroyed, but they're good bets if there's some kind of post-apocalypse.

Bugarach, France

This small town in the south of France will be the only place on the planet that will survive the Mayan apocalypse, according to some doomsday cults.

Although it has a population of just 176, apoca-tourism has been booming. But better get there soon: the town's mayor reportedly plans to shut the hamlet down ahead of the waves of expected doomsday believers.



Chiang Mai, Thailand

All you really need to know is that this idyllic city in the North of Thailand is where famous investor Marc Faber makes his home. Faber is one of the most gloomy people you'll meet in the investment world, constantly issuing warnings about where you should live if the war comes (rural farmland), and what will happen to the dollar (it will be worth less than toilet paper).

What's more, while Southeast Asia has been a hotspot for war, heroin, massacres, and political turmoil for decades, Chiang Mai has remained a stronghold of peace and stability. That's a great sign that it can probably survive no matter what history throws at the rest of us.



Necker Island

This is the island that Virgin mogul Richard Branson owns. If you call him up, we're sure he'll let you live there when everything collapses.

Branson completely rebuilt the island after its main house was destroyed in a fire last year, so even if things get messy during the apocalypse, you can be sure Branson won't let things stay that way for long.



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