Argentina in Deep Waters Again As Economy Faces Recess

People in Buenos Aires walk past a sign saying: 'Together we will fight against the loan shark vultures' [AP]

Talks in New York aimed at averting Argentina's second default in 13 years have ended with bitter recriminations as Buenos Aires said it could not accept a deal with US hedge fund creditors it dismisses as "vultures".

Court-appointed mediator Daniel Pollack said the failure triggered an imminent default that, among other things, would hurt the Argentine economy as well as bondholders who were not part of the dispute.

"The full consequences of default are not predictable, but they are certainly not positive," Pollack said.

A US court ruling previously blocked Argentina from making $539m in interest payments, due by midnight on Wednesday, to the majority of bondholders until a deal with the hedge fund creditors was reached.

The hedge funds reject the restructuring accepted by 93 percent of bondholders and are demanding a full payout of $1.5bn on bonds they hold.

Cristina Fernandez, Argentina's president, had long refused to negotiate with the hedge funds, calling them "vultures" for picking on the carcass of the country's record $100bn default in 2001.

There was no immediate comment from the hedge funds.

Stephen Smith of ESPN First Take Got Yanked For Domestic Violence Comments

ESPN is yanking Stephen A. Smith off the air -- suspending him for the inflammatory comments he made about women and domestic violence last week.

The network says Smith will not appear on his show "First Take" or on ESPN Radio until next Wednesday. During a discussion about Ray Rice's suspension, Stephen A. said he would tell women to make sure they're not doing anything "to provoke wrong actions" ... in addition to telling men what NOT to do.

This morning on "First Take" Smith apologized -- and ESPN released a statement, saying ... “We will continue to have constructive dialogue on this important topic. Stephen’s comments last Friday do not reflect our company’s point of view."

The network continued ... "As his apology demonstrates, he recognizes his mistakes and has a deeper appreciation of our company values.”

Smith's comments also infuriated fellow ESPN anchor Michelle Beadle. She's yet to react to his suspension.

World's Fastest Man Usain Bolt Denies Describing Commonwealth Games as 'Sh*t'

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has denied saying the Commonwealth Games are 'a bit sh*t' after he was quoted by The Times newspaper as saying it during an interview with one of its sports reporters.

After Usain went on twitter to deny making the comments, the newspaper today published the full transcript of their conversation with him, saying they stand by their story 100%. Read the conversation 

The encounter was reportedly as follows:
Katie Gibbons (KG, Times reporter) : Hi Usain, I'm Katie Gibbons, a reporter from The Times. Nice to meet you.
Usain Bolt (UB) : Hi.
KG : How are you?
UB : (Shrugs)
KG : So are you enjoying the games? Are you having fun?
UB : No.
KG : Really, why not?

Global Alert! Ebola epidemic 'out of control'

Global medical charity Doctors Without Borders has given warning that the Ebola crisis in West Africa is "unprecedented, absolutely out of control", as states across the world took steps to prevent its spread.

Bart Janssens, the charity's director of operations, warned there was no overarching vision of how to tackle the outbreak, in an interview with Belgium's  La Libre Belgique newspaper.

"This epidemic ... can only get worse, because it is still spreading, above all in Liberia and Sierra Leone, in some very important hotspots," Janssens said.

"We are extremely worried by the turn of events, particularly in these two countries where there is a lack of visibility on the epidemic. If the situation does not improve fairly quickly, there is a real risk of new countries being affected.

"That is certainly not ruled out, but it is difficult to predict, because we have never known such an epidemic."

More than 670 people have died of Ebola in the outbreak, the largest on record since the disease was detected in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has met global health officials to discuss measures to stop the disease from crossing borders. The pan-African airline ASKY suspended all flights to and from the capitals of Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The EU allocated an extra $2.7m to fight the outbreak, bringing total funding to $5.2m.

"The level of contamination on the ground is extremely worrying and we need to scale up our action before many more lives are lost," said the EU's humanitarian aid commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva

The bloc has deployed experts on the ground to help victims and try to limit the contagion.

Touching -This Will Burst You into Tears! A Young Man Asks a Homeless Man to Borrow Bucket

 

A young man asks a homeless man to borrow his bucket, what happens next will burst you into tears . A German student was walking in the street and noticed a homeless man begging for money from pedestrians, without much luck..so the student asked him to borrow his bucket.

At first, the homeless man was hesitant but he later agreed and handed over his bucket to a stranger... what happened next will burst you into tears! See video 

House of Parliament Moves to Sue Obama For Going Ultra-Vires

The US House of Representatives has passed a resolution to sue President Barack Obama for allegedly exceeding his constitutional powers.

The 225-201 vote along party lines means House lawyers will now draft legal documents to launch a lawsuit.

Its supporters say Mr Obama exceeded his powers when he delayed an insurance deadline in his healthcare law.

The president himself has dismissed it as a waste of time. "Everyone sees this as a political stunt," he said.

"If they're not going to do anything, we'll do what we can on our own," the president added.

"And we've taken more than 40 actions aimed at helping hardworking families like yours. That's when we act - when your Congress won't."

Hilarious! Window Design Blunder as Guests Using Toilet at Posh Berlin Hotel Can Be Seen by Passers-by

Guests using toilet at a newly opened posh hotel in Berlin can be seen from the street by passers-by after architects messed up the window design.

Several passers-by on the street below the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin have been taking pictures of guests at the hotel as they use the toilets in their room, prompting the hotel to put up notices which read: ‘Please be careful, not only the monkeys are watching", pending when they fix the blunder

According to reports, the architect who designed the restaurant area in the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin thought the toilets should be placed next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, despite the building being only ten storeys tall.

 The hotel, which offers great views of the Berlin Zoo, unfortunately also now offers jobless pedestrians an eye-full if they look up.

For Now, Risk of Ebola Virus in Canada is Low

As international health officials scramble to contain a deadly outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, Canadian border agents are now on alert for any signs of illness from travellers returning from abroad.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday said though the risk of infection is low, Canadian officials are monitoring the situation overseas.

“Obviously, this is a major epidemic in that part of the world and we are concerned about it,” Harper told reporters Wednesday.


The virus has now been reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, amid a massive outbreak that has claimed the lives of more than 700 people and infected thousands.

In response to the crisis, the Canadian government on Wednesday updated its travel warning to some of those countries, advising travelers to exercise extreme caution and seek medical at the first sign of illness.

There are no direct flights to Canada from the infected countries, but border agents are still on the lookout.

“What we’re looking for is fever -- anything when people look unwell is what our border agents are trained for,” said Dr. Gregory Taylor, deputy chief public health officer of Canada.

If someone is flagged, Taylor said, border agents call in a quarantine officer.

“The Quarantine Act allows us to detain a person and request a full medical assessment,”

In an effort to isolate those infected, Canada has sent two mobile testing units to West Africa.

“People who are very sick, they’re going to be so sick, that they won’t actually board a plane, they’re going to seek medical attention there,” said Dr. Neil Rau, an infectious disease expert.

Zoe Saldana Cover Photo for Women's Health Magazine

Before she got pregnant, actress Zoe Saldana posed completely nude for Women's Health magazine.

 

Fashion Alert: Ladies Size 8 At 10 Different Retailers

 

How To Arrest Boredom and Be Productive

I’ve noticed that everything that’s been stated involves doing something or trying something or focusing on something.

I propose elimination. See how much you can cut away from your life. Via negativa.

Eliminate needless clutter from your desk.

Eliminate needless noisemakers from your social media. (Eliminate needless social media channels altogether.)

Eliminate needless apps from your phone.

Eliminate needless blogs from your RSS feed.

Eliminate needless books from your shelves.

I think of this as an ‘Odyssean’ activity.

Odysseus guarded himself against temptation by the Sirens by getting his men to tie him to the mast of his ship.

Our willpower is limited.

In moments of clarity (or boredom, when we have enough energy to do simple tasks but not major ones), it helps if we tie ourselves to our masts by eliminating distractions.

World Soccer Most Expensive Summer 2014 Transfers

Ebola doctor, Azaria Marthyman, returns home to Victoria for Safety

Dr. Azaria Marthyman of Victoria poses with William, a boy from Liberia who was being treated for the Ebola virus. Marthyman was a member of a medical group that travelled to Liberia to treat victims of Ebola, but has returned home to his family

Dr. Azaria Marthyman, a Victoria doctor who was part of a medical group that travelled to Liberia earlier this month to treat victims of the Ebola virus has returned home, while two of his U.S. colleagues infected with the deadly virus fight for their lives.

Marthyman was part of a 14-member team sent by Christian relief agency Samaritan's Purse to provide clinical care following a renewed outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.

On Saturday, the charity issued a news release saying that one of Marthyman's colleagues, Dr. Kent Brantly of the U.S., had tested positive for the virus and was being treated in isolation in Liberia.

On Sunday, Serving In Mission (SIM) — another charity that works closely with Samaritan's Purse — said that Nancy Writebol, an American who was part of the joint SIM/Samaritan's Purse team, had also tested positive for Ebola and was being treated in the same isolation centre as Brantly.

Earlier, Samaritan's Purse had told media that Marthyman voluntarily placed himself under quarantine at home as a precaution upon his return.

But spokesman Jeff Adams said Tuesday afternoon that information was incorrect, and that Marthyman is just taking some time off with his family to decompress from his trip.

Orlando Bloom Attacks Justin Bieber Over Ex-Wife Miranda

Actor Orlando Bloom throws punch at Justin Bieber

Orlando Bloom, 37 year old actor has been filmed taking a swing at singer Justin Bieber, 20, early this morning Wednesday July 30th in Ibizi while out with friends.

According to TMZ, who obtained the video of the altercation, Justin and Orlando were in popular Cipriani Restaurant which was parked with other celebs including Diddy and Paris Hilton, when the confrontation happened.

"You don't see Orlando swing (in the video), but the eyewitnesses tell us that's exactly what happened. We're told Justin ducked the punch. That's where the video starts and you hear Justin scream, "What's up bitch?". We're told when Bieber left the crowd applauded." TMZ reports.

Now why would Orlando Bloom attack Justin? It has to do with his ex-wife Miranda Kerr.

You see, back in 2012, when supermodel Miranda was still married to Orlando, Justin Bieber and Miranda, 31, met at a Victoria Secrets fashion show and there were reports back then that Justin and Miranda had a thing, a report nobody, including Miranda, ever denied.

About a year later Miranda and Orlando ended their marriage. In April 2014, Orlando was spotted hanging out with Justin's on-and-off girlfriend Selena Gomez.

After the fight this morning, Justin mocked Orlando by posting a pic of Miranda on his instagram page with a love icon and then quickly deleted it.

Satanic Church Contest Abortion Laws

The Satanic Temple has launched a campaign to claim a religious exemption against “informed consent” abortion laws based on the Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow Hobby Lobby to opt out of Obamacare’s contraception mandate.

 

Some states have “informed consent” abortion laws, which require medical professionals to provide information about alternatives to abortion, such as adoption. These laws have been accused of allowing bias in an effort to convince women not to abort.

 

The Satanic Temple released a statement Monday saying they “are not the first organization to criticize the state mandated abortion materials as false and/or biased, they are the first to offer an exemption from such materials on religious grounds.”

 

The Satanic Temple is based in New York and their mission “is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. In addition, we embrace practical common sense and justice,” according to their website.

 

They do not believe in the supernatural, and are interested in separating superstition from the religion.

Canada's Damian Warner wins Commonweal​th Games decathlon

Jim Steacy pulled the Canadian flag tighter around his broad shoulders, and with tears in his eyes said "This is for her."

Steacy won gold in the hammer throw Tuesday at the Commonwealth Games in what he called the perfect ending to what has been the toughest of seasons for the 30-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta.

He dedicated the victory to his mom Debby, who died suddenly in April.

"It's a good way to finish off," he said quietly.

Steacy's victory was a highlight on a good night on the track for Canada. Damian Warner of London, Ont., won the men's decathlon in dominant fashion, Kate Van Buskirk of Toronto was third in the women's 1,500 metres, and Brianne Theisen-Eaton and Jessica Zelinka finished Day 1 of the heptathlon 1-2.

Steacy's win was also his first major international victory since he won the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"It's been a long time coming," he said.

What's kept him going?

"Trying to chase this feeling down," he said. "Honestly, this is why we do it. There is no money in this sport for us, especially in hammer. And to stand on the podium and get to wrap a flag around you like this, it's the best feeling in the world."

The six-foot-two thrower soaked up the atmosphere of a jam-packed crowd in the 44,000-seat Hampden Park to win with a throw of 74.16 metres. Nicholas Miller of England was second with 72.99, while Mark Dry of Scotland took bronze with 71.64.

"I knew the crowd noise was going to play a major part, the atmosphere has been fantastic, it was just so much fun," Steacy said.

OMG! Innocent children killed in Gaza playground

Missiles have struck several sites in Gaza, including a park inside a refugee camp and an outpatient building of the strip's largest hospital, disrupting a relative lull at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Eight people, including seven children, died following missile fire on a park inside the Shati refugee camp on the edge of Gaza City, medics said.

The children were playing on a swing when the strike hit the park, Ayman Sahabani, the head of the emergency room at Shifa hospital, told reporters.

Munzer al-Derby, 35, who witnessed the strike, told Al Jazeera: "The kids were playing on the wheel... A rocket fell and cut them apart."

"I know some of them. They were from Al-Helou family who left their homes in Shujayea (east Gaza city, where massive artillery fire destroyed neighbourhoods). They came here and rented an apartment last week," al-Derby said.

The Israeli army swiftly denied it was behind the strike, tweeting that a misfired rocket from Gaza had hit the playground.

"We had no activity in the area. We know it was launched from within Gaza and landed short," Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, an Israeli army spokesman, said.

Double Glory for Twitter as Stocks Shoots High

Shares in social media company Twitter spiked after hours on Tuesday as the company revealed it more than doubled its revenue in the last quarter and now claims 271 million people actively use its service every month.

Twitter posted quarterly results after markets closed that showed the company took in $312 million in revenue in the three months up to the end of June. That's an increase of 124 per cent over the same period a year ago.

The company also now has 271 million active monthly users, a 24 per cent increase from a year ago. The revenue and user increases were both better than analysts had been expecting.

The company also managed to show strong improvement in monetizing that growing user base in the quarter. The company makes most of its money from ads, and on that front, Twitter took in $277 million in ad revenue in the quarter. That's more than double last year's level.

Despite the growth, the company is still losing money, with a quarterly loss of $145 million. That compares with a smaller loss of $42 million last year

Tragic as doctor who treated 100 Ebola patients dies from the virus

The Sierra Leonean doctor who treated more than 100 Ebola patients has also died. Dr Sheik Umar Khan (pictured above), who was hailed as a national hero for disregarding his own health and helping sick patients, died today July 29th from the disease after being diagnosed with the virus last week. He contacted the virus despite wearing protective gear when treating patients.

In an interview last month, the 39yr old doctor had expressed fears for his life because of his constant contact with Ebola patients.

"I am afraid for my life. Health workers are prone to the disease because we are the first port of call for somebody who is sickened by the disease. Even with the full protective clothing you put on, you are at risk" He told Reuters

His death comes days after a senior doctor at Liberia's largest hospital, Samuel Brisbane, died on Saturday at an Ebola treatment centre in Monrovia. 3 nurses working in the same Ebola treatment centre alongside Khan also died from the disease last week. Several other medics have been infected.

Chinese Hackers Attacks NRA Canada

The federal government’s National Research Council was forced to shut down its computers to stop cyberattacks from China. Chinese hackers had been trying to get into NRC computers for the past month.  On Monday, it was decided that a complete shutdown was necessary to stop the hackers from stealing sensitive information.

The cyberattack was primarily focused on the NRC, but sources say it has wider implications because the government has converted 43 departments into a shared data service system.

The National Research Council is Canada’s top science and technology research organization. It handles leading-edge research related to satellite technology, space and industrial innovations and modified foods, among others.

This is not the first time hackers from China have penetrated Canadian government computers. They have previously targeted the Finance Department, the Treasury Board, the Bank of Canada and even Parliament Hill.

The U.S. government has also blamed Chinese hackers on a number of data breaches and computer intrusions.

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that Chinese hackers breached the computers of a government agency that holds federal employees’ personal information

CTV

Opinion: The bitter lessons of MH17

Debris lies at the site of the crash of a Malaysia Airlines plane carrying 298 people in eastern Ukraine.

During the last four months, the people of Ukraine have been fighting for their freedom, independence and European path in a war started by Russia-backed terrorists and their accomplices.

Ukrainian military forces suffer heavy losses in battles against terrorists equipped with the newest Russian weaponry. We've seen reports of the pro-Russian thugs shooting women and children, cynically calling it a "protection of the Russian-speaking population."

 

The price we are paying to bring peace back to the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine is too high. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has proposed the decentralization of power as part of his peace plan. It means more freedom, more economic autonomy and more opportunities to use languages spoken in a particular community for every region.

 

Ukraine has also demonstrated its genuine willingness to resolve this crisis through negotiations and compromises. Our armed forces have shown exceptional restraint during their military operations in order to avoid casualties among peaceful civilians and prevent destruction of their towns and villages.

 

 Our unilateral cease-fire in the zone of the conflict had lasted from June 20 to June 30, during which 27 Ukrainian servicemen, from all over Ukraine, were killed by the bandits.

 

On July 17 we believe the terrorists fired at the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, cutting short the lives of almost 300 people. This was a tragic wake-up call to the whole world. From now on Russian exporters of terrorism bring tragedy and tears to people across the planet -- from the Netherlands to Australia.

 

Ukrainians, knowing too well the bitterness of loss, sincerely share grief with the families of the deceased. Our government is conducting, together with a team of international experts, a thorough investigation of the circumstances of this heinous act of terrorism.

Happy Eid Mubarak! Muslims Mark End Of Ramadan With Eid ul-Fitr Celebrations



Indian Muslim devotees offer prayers at Jama Masjid during the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival in New Delhi today. Muslims around the world are celebrating the festival, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan



Millions of Muslims across the world have been celebrating the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday this week, which marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan.

 

Celebrations have been taking place across the world for the three-day holiday to mark the end of Ramadan which sees observant Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything from dawn to sunset in a show of spiritual devotion.

 

The festival of Eid al-Fitr - the 'breaking of the fast' - sees devout Muslims meeting to exchange gifts, enjoy food and decorate their homes in a show of thanksgiving.

 

While celebrations have been taking place across the world, the mood has been dark for millions of people affected by the Syrian civil war, the Gaza war and the militant advance in Iraq.

During Eid celebrations, Muslims traditionally greet each other with the greeting of Eid Mubarak, which translates roughly as 'Eid blessings'.

 

As well as the special prayers and celebrations, customs of Eid include dressing up in new clothes, eating special delicacies, giving presents and, for women, decoration of the hands with henna.

 

This year's celebrations however have been darkened across many parts of the world.

In Gaza City yesterday, streets were largely deserted, as residents huddled indoors for safety. More than 1,110 Palestinians have been killed, more than 6,500 wounded and tens of thousands displaced in the last three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas, according to Palestinian officials.

Funny! Jesse Duplantis on White Preachers and Black Preachers

Canada Shutsdown Office, Withdraws Staff Due to Libya Crisis

Black smoke billows over the skyline as a fire at the oil depot for the airport rages out of control after being struck in the crossfire of warring militias battling for control of the airfield, in Tripoli, Libya Monday, July 28, 2014. (AP / Mohammed Ben Khalifa)

The Canadian government is temporarily suspending its consular operations in the Libyan capital of Tripoli and pulling out all staff.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Lynne Yelich, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, cite an "unpredictable security environment."

They say Canada's charge d'affaires and Canadian diplomats in Tripoli will temporarily work out of the Canadian embassy in Tunisia.

Libya is witnessing one of the worst bouts of violence more than three years after the downfall of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Libya's interim government, which relies on militias filled with rebels who battled Gadhafi's forces for security, now finds itself unable to rein them in.

On Saturday, the United States also evacuated its diplomats from Tripoli to neighboring Tunisia and shut its embassy.

"The government of Canada takes the safety and security of our diplomats abroad very seriously," said the joint statement from Baird and Yelich.

They stressed this decision is based solely on security concerns and Canada "remains committed to supporting Libya's democratic transition."

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the International Committee of the Red Cross have already withdrawn their staff as well.

Canadians in Libya are urged to register with the Foreign Affairs Department at this link.

 

Photo: Prince William and Kate Middleton PDA at Commonwealth Games

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge put on a rare public display of affection when they attended a Swimming competition at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow yesterday. The couple who have been together for over 10 years, were pictured holding hands, looking into each others eyes, Kate at one point laid her hands on her husbands leg while William used her ID card to fan her. All these is not a big deal between couples but the royals have a way of behaving in public so this is refreshing to see.

SOS! Grieving parents hit with $200,000 bill for daughter's student loans



Sudden: Lisa Mason passed away while she was studying to be a nurse after taking out a $100,000 student loan



A Californian pastor is being mercilessly hounded for $200,000 in student loans he was saddled with when his 27-year-old daughter Lisa died suddenly of liver failure.
 

Crippled by the $2,000 a month in repayments and unable legally to declare bankruptcy to rid himself of the huge debt, Steve Mason, 59, and his wife Darnelle have reached their wits end.
 

Each time they have appealed to the lenders to beg for help, the couple have been told that the only solution is to repay the mammoth loans - some of which have interest rates of 12 percent - in full.
 

Making the situation dramatically worse is the fact that the couple are now the guardians of daughter Lisa's three children, ages nine, 12 and 14, leaving their futures in the balance.
 

Before her death, Lisa Mason had taken out $100,000 in private student loans to fund her education at nursing school and crucially, Steve had co-signed on them.
 

In the five years since her tragic passing, Steve and Darnelle's inability to keep up with the payments has seen the sum owed double to $200,000 because of the high interest rates and late-fee penalties.

Compounding the desperation, Steve makes less than $75,000 a year at Oasis Church in Redlands, California and Darnelle earns less in her role as director at the same church.

 

'It's just impossible on a pastor's salary raising three kids to pay $2,000 a month on loans,' said Mason to CNN Money, claiming that he is now searching for a second job.
 

The answer to why Steve is in such dire financial straits is because these are private student loans.

Had they been federal student loans, then Steve could have appealed to have them wiped or at the very least received a sensible and manageable payment plan.
 

However, because these are private loans he has nowhere to turn legally.

France Rescues Iraqi Christians, Offer Asylum

Before the 2003 US-led invasion more than a million Christians lived in Iraq [AFP]

France has said it is ready to welcome Christians fleeing the area of Iraq controlled by Islamic State group's fighters, saying it is "outraged" by their persecution.

Islamic State fighters seized large swaths of northern Iraq last month, prompting hundreds of Christian families in Mosul to flee a city which has hosted the faith since its earliest years.

"France is outraged by these abuses that it condemns with the utmost firmness," Laurent Fabius, France's foreign minister, and Bernard Cazeneuve, the interior minister, said in a joint statement on Monday.

"The ultimatum given to these communities in Mosul by ISIL is the latest tragic example of the terrible threat that jihadist groups in Iraq, but also in Syria and elsewhere, pose to these populations that are historically an integral part of this region," they added, referring to the Islamic State's former name of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

"We are ready, if they wish, to facilitate their asylum on our soil.

"We are in constant contact with local and national authorities to ensure everything is done to protect them," both ministers said.


UN denounces minority persecution
Islamic State had ordered Christian families to convert to Islam or leave the city, prompting the mass exodus.

Those who failed to comply were threatened with execution, and the property of those who left was forfeited to the Islamic State, AFP reported a statement from the group as saying.

People Wants To Earn More To Feel Successful Says New Research

What makes you feel successful? 

Maybe it's getting promoted or accomplishing a difficult task. Perhaps it's a sense of fulfillment in your personal life or satisfaction at work.

We all associate success with different things, and, according to a new CareerBuilder study, a six-figure salary isn't always one of them.

The survey, conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder, asked 3,372 workers and 2,188 hiring and human resource managers what salary they needed to earn to feel successful.

A majority (55%) said less than $70,000 a year, which is fairly realistic when considering the average American salary is $46,000.

CareerBuilder broke the results down and found that 63% of women and 47% of men who participated in the survey said they could earn $69,999 a year or less and still consider themselves to be successful.

"On average, workers’ notions of what they need to earn to feel successful either aligned with what they currently make or were just one step above what they currently make," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "This means career success isn’t necessarily associated with a particular dollar amount. It's relative to where we are at in our careers and how we progress along our career paths."

Only 4% of all respondents (5% of men and 2% of women) said it would take a $200,000-plus annual paycheck to make them feel successful.

"Making ends meet is clearly important, but people who go to work every day out of intrinsic motivation — for the love of the job — are far less likely to associate success with salary," Haefner says. "Feelings of success originate in a variety of ways: meeting personal goals, receiving positive feedback from customers or management, or simply the belief that what you do makes a difference."    
Business Insider

Record Number of Multigenerational Families are Living Under One Roof

A record number of Americans are currently living in multigenerational homes with their parents, grandparents or both - and it's millennials who are leading the trend.

According to a study released by the Pew Research Center , 18.1per cent of the population - or about 57million Americans - currently shares a home with older generations in their family, more than double the number in 1980.

What's more, for the first time, more young people are living at home in multigenerational arrangements than adults aged 85 and older.

 

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Under one roof: A record number of Americans are currently living in multigenerational homes with their parents, grandparents or both - and it's mostly because of millennials

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Going back home: According to a study today, 18.1per cent of the population - or about 57million Americans - currently share a home with older generations in their family

 

Researchers used U.S. Census Bureau data from 1940 to 2012 to reach their findings.

 

They found that the number of multigenerational homes jumped significantly during the Great Recession between 2007 and 2009 because of obvious economic factors, but it has been steadily rising ever since.

While only 18.7per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds lived with their parents or grandparents in 2007, just before the global financial crisis, this figure has risen to 23.6per cent .

Opinion: Economist Vs. Prime Minister

During Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s recent visit to Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper commented on climate change: “No matter what they say, no country is going to take actions that are going to deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country. We are just a little more frank about that.” Mr. Abbott, having abolished Australia’s carbon tax, added: “I’ve always been against a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme because it harms our economy without necessarily helping the environment.”

These two prime ministers were saying that a theory we economists have studied all our working lives, based on knowledge that has been accumulated for a century, is all wrong.

In 1920, the great economist Arthur Cecil Pigou argued that when an economic activity creates external disservice (such as pollution), a properly designed tax improves, not worsens, resource allocation and makes an economy better. Perhaps the two prime ministers know of empirical evidence that economists have ignored.

I’ve examined the performance of a number of countries that are known to rely heavily on environmental taxes: Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. I also looked at the average performance of the OECD area (a collection of 34 developed countries), the United States and Canada. To evaluate performance, I looked at the following:

• A number of environmental indicators that include the share of environmental taxes in total taxes, the environmental taxes to GDP ratio, the energy and materials intensity of production and consumption, and the growth of greenhouse gasses over the period from 1990 to 2012;

Hillary Clinton Reminds us Difference Between a Statesman and a Politician

Tim Clark Wins Canadian Open

Tim Clark poses with the winner's trophy after capturing the Canadian Open at Royal Montreal in Ile Bizard, Que., on Sunday. (David Donnelly/CBC News)

When Jim Furyk's charge to a third RBC Canadian Open title stalled in the final round, Tim Clark decided to go for it.

The 38-year-old South African, whose wife is Canadian, fired five birdies on the back nine to overtake Furyk on the 15th hole and hold on to win the $5.7 US tournament at Royal Montreal on Sunday.

Recovering from a first-hole bogey that put him four shots off the lead, Clark shot a five-under-par 65 to finish at 17-under-par 263 and claim his second career PGA Tour victory and the $1,026-million winner's prize.

"It looked like Jim wasn't going to make any mistakes," said Clark, who had moved into contention with a 64 on Saturday. "He was pretty solid, so I knew I had to make birdies.

"At that point, there was nothing to lose. Suddenly I got hot and I went with it."

It was another frustrating defeat for Furyk, who has now lost seven tournaments in a row in which he led after 54 holes. He went into the final round with a three-stroke cushion but never found traction.

He shot 69 to come second at 16-under 264.

"I kind of controlled my own destiny," said Furyk.

Insurgents Boko Haram Kidnaps Vice Prime Minister's Wife

The wife of Cameroon's Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, was kidnapped this morning July 27th after men of the Boko Haram sect stormed her home in the northern town of Kolofata, Cameroon's information minister and government spokesman revealed.

Mrs Ali was kidnapped alongside her domestic staff and one other person. The insurgents also killed 3 people in the attack on Kolofata, a town in Cameroon's Far North Region near Nigeria

Colonel Felix Nji Formekong, the second commander of Cameroon's third inter-army military region (RMIA3) based in the regional headquarters of Maroua, said the sect members are believed to still be in the town fiercely engaging military officers

"The situation is very critical here now, and as I am talking to you the Boko Haram elements are still in Kolofata town in a clash with our soldiers. Some of them have already taken away the wife of Vice Prime Minister Ahmadou Ali and her house help while the bodyguards of the Vice Prime Minister have succeeded in taking him out of the town to Mora," Formekong said, adding that there could be more casualties" he said

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It Seems Only America Holds Support for Israel While the Whole World Frowns

Two brothers on Wednesday grieving their father, killed in shelling in Gaza. Polls find Israel is losing backing in many countries, though Americans are supportive. Credit Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times        

As Israel’s incursion into Gaza enters its third week and Palestinian civilian deaths mount, reaction in the United States has been muted, with polls through last weekend showing most Americans still supportive — in part, analysts say, because of the failures of the Arab Spring to spread democracy in the Middle East. But in a situation long familiar, Israel is losing the public relations war outside the United States.

On Wednesday, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to authorize a commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes in Gaza. (The United States was the sole “no” vote.) The United Nations’ top human rights official raised what she called the “strong possibility” that Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes with indiscriminate attacks on civilians, and the drumbeat from world leaders and demonstrators pointed to the lopsided number of Palestinian casualties — more than 650, most of them civilians — versus 35 on the Israeli side, 32 of them soldiers.

 

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey donned Palestinian garb and denounced Israel as “cruel” for its attacks on Gaza. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are continuing in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam and other European cities, some of them assuming an anti-Semitic tinge. An anonymous cartoon of President Obama shielding Israel from world criticism as it stomped on Gaza was making the rounds on social media networks.

 

The uproar abroad is in sharp contrast to the far more subdued reaction in the United States. A CNN/ORC International poll found that a majority of Americans — 57 percent — believe that Israel’s military actions in Gaza are justified, with only four in 10 saying that Israel has used too much force. The poll, conducted Friday through Sunday, echoed a similar one conducted earlier during the latest conflict — July 8 to 14 — in which the Pew Research Center found that 51 percent of Americans sympathized with Israel, compared with 14 percent who sympathized with the Palestinians.

 

Read full on http://www.nytimes.com/

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Chelsea Re-sign Legend Didier Drogba to Help Win Premier League

 

 

Striker Didier Drogba has re-signed for Chelsea on a one-year deal. . Drogba  announced on his instagram page that he's back at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho revealed recently that he wanted Drogba back, and he's made it happen

"We want to win matches and win titles and Didier is one of the best strikers in Europe. He is still very adapted to the needs of the Premier League and we are thinking about it in a non-emotional way. If I bring him back, and the decision has to be made soon, it is because as a player he has qualities to make the team stronger. The team is not about the eleven. It is about the different options and as an option I would not say no about the possibility.’ Mourinho said.

The Ivorian, 36, won 10 trophies at Chelsea from 2004 to 2012 and was a free agent after leaving Galatasaray.

Manager Jose Mourinho had earlier said the forward "belongs" at Stamford Bridge - but that any deal would be made "in a non-emotional way".

Drogba told Chelsea's official site:  "It was an easy decision - I couldn't turn down the opportunity to work with Jose again."

He said: "Everyone knows the special relationship I have with this club and it has always felt like home to me.

"My desire to win is still the same and I look forward to the opportunity to help this team. I am excited for this next chapter of my career."  

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Mark Zuckerberg Facebook founder now richer than Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page

Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page

When Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page became billionaires many years ago, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was still struggling with the social networking site. But now he's richer than them, this is according to Bloomberg.

The Facebook Inc. chairman added $1.6 billion to his fortune yesterday after the world’s largest social network closed at a record. The surge elevated the 30-year-old’s net worth to $33.3 billion, moving him past Brin, 40, and Page, 41, as well as Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos, 50, on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Zuckerberg is No. 16 on the ranking. The Google founders are 17th and 18th. Bezos occupies the 20th spot.

“He’s just getting started,” David Kirkpatrick, author of “The Facebook Effect,” said in a telephone interview. “He’s going to become the richest person on the planet.”

The Menlo Park, California-based company posted second-quarter sales that soared 61 percent to $2.91 billion yesterday, exceeding analysts’ average estimate of $2.81 billion.

Canadian Pop Star Justin Bieber Pulls a Beyoncé, hints Instagram at Surprise Album

Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber surprised fans Wednesday night, dropping 11 snippets of what may be songs from a forthcoming album. (Francois Mori/The Associated Press)

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber sent his fans into a frenzy Wednesday night, posting 15-second clips of 11 new songs on his Instagram account and sparking speculation of a new album.

The 20-year-old didn't offer any information on the clips — except for one captioned Cold Waters — or confirm whether an album is in the works

Social media stunts are becoming more common among artists looking for fresh ways to grab attention and sell albums.

Singer Beyoncé Knowles surprised fans last December when she released a full-length, self-titled album on iTunes with no warning.

Justin Bieber also has a reputation for using social media to generate buzz. 

In 2013, he teased his album Journals with a 10-week digital download campaign, releasing a new song every Monday night for three months.

This is the first time in a while, however, that the pop star is making headlines for his music instead of his antics.

Bieber is currently serving two years probation for pelting his Los Angeles neighbour's home with eggs.

He was also ordered to pay $80,900 U.S. in restitution, serve five days community service and complete an anger management program in what the district attorney called a negotiated settlement.

CBC 

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Russia Unveils Game Changing Tram

Many trams are memorable, but they tend to evoke nostalgia rather than embrace the future. You can't accuse UralVagonZavod (UVZ) of being behind the times with its new Russia One, though. To begin with, it looks like the Batmobile on a closed track -- and for good reason. The forward-tilted windshield helps the conductor spot pedestrians, while the glass composite panels are easy to replace.

 The tram is cutting-edge on the inside, too. Dynamic LED lighting and music change the cabin mood to suit the time of day. You'll also find positioning (GPS and GLONASS), air conditioning, anti-bacterial hand rails and WiFi. The driver even gets a USB 3.0 port that can keep a phone powered up.
Don't count on hopping aboard one of these mass transit marvels when they go into production, which should be sometime in 2015.

 As the Russia One name implies, this machine is partly about national pride; UVZ believes the vehicle will primarily be used in major Russian cities. Exports to Eastern Europe and South America aren't more than possibilities at this stage. Nonetheless, it's a big step forward for a form of public transportation that doesn't get a lot of love -- and it's probably the first tram that would make Bruce Wayne proud.

How French Club Made $50 Million Profit Off WorldCup Star James Rodríguez

Real Madrid has made official the anticipated transfer of World Cup star James Rodríguez.

The transfer fee is ~$108 million according to the New York Times, which would be the fourth largest transfer fee ever.

That is a staggering sum that not only makes Real Madrid even stronger, but also means a nearly $50 million profit for Rodríguez's former club, AS Monaco.

Just a little over one year ago, Monaco purchased Rodríguez from Portuguese club Porto for $60 million. With Monaco, the attacking midfielder signed a 5-year deal that paid him as little as $1.6 million for his one season with Monaco, meaning a net gain of close to $50 million for the club based in France's Ligue 1.

That salary is also why Real Madrid had to pay such a large ransom.

Rodríguez still had four years remaining on his contract with AS Monaco. With his newfound fame, Rodríguez was certainly worth considerably more to Monaco than what they were paying. So Real Madrid had to come up with a number that was enticing enough for Monaco to let go of its World Cup jewel.

In the end, Real Madrid gets their player, Monaco gets a huge profit, and Rodríguez gets a nice raise.
Everybody wins. Well, everybody except Manchester United, who reportedly could have purchased Rodríguez in 2010 for just $8.5 million.

BI